The old man was He Shouzheng, the administrator of Cloud-Receiving Hall.
Outside the Xiantian Sect's eight peaks lay what was called the "Outer Sect," with five halls and seven courtyards under it.
Cloud-Receiving Hall counted as an "office with no perks" among them. Its daily duty was to receive Daoist Attendants and Lower Courtyard disciples bearing Talisman Edicts, tokens, or even formal decrees. Ordinarily, its people had plenty of leisure, enjoying their ease with little to do, and were rather lax.
He Shouzheng had heard that True Person Shao of Luobu Mountain had refined the Nine-Sprout True-Nurturing Pill and invited fellow cultivators from across the Lower Courtyard to appraise it, so he had made a special trip to join the festivities.
Though he knew nothing of the arts of gold and silver, nor the methods of smelting lead and refining mercury, he dearly loved drinking.
Luofeng Mountain's Moon-Cassia Wine was an immortal vintage. Mortals who drank it could gain spiritual perception and purge impurities; cultivators who drank it could also become pleasantly drunk.
He Shouzheng had cheerfully set out intending to cadge a few cups and satisfy his craving. Unexpectedly, True Person Shao had been exceedingly warm, repeatedly urging him to drink. Besides Moon-Cassia Wine, the feast also offered Divine Pepper Broth. As the saying went, "Sweet-herb dishes steamed upon orchid mats, cassia wine and pepper broth laid out in offering." In ancient times, these two immortal wines had been offerings to divine spirits, and were now rarely seen. He Shouzheng had lost himself in the moment and drunk too greedily, becoming so thoroughly intoxicated that he had not even heard the nine great booms Drum Elder sounded when bringing the Dao Child back to the sect. "Disaster! I've bungled something important this time!"
He Shouzheng hurriedly summoned True Xi.