The tavern's whole crowd of drinkers had swarmed over to the Spirit Hall Chamber of Commerce and then returned to drink, drawing in quite a crowd.
A newcomer asked curiously, "Brother, what are you all talking about? I think I heard something about the Great Enshrined and whale rubber? Did I hear that right? You mean Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined?!"
"Ah, you heard right..."
An old regular had been about to spill the story, but another drinker suddenly tugged at his clothes. He immediately clammed up. "Ahem, this concerns the privacy of Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined. How could I reveal it so casually?"
"Exactly, exactly! This is a secret concerning Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined's century of unblemished reputation. We promised the people at the Spirit Hall Chamber of Commerce that we wouldn't reveal a word to outsiders!!"
Quite a few drinkers hurriedly nodded. What mattered most to a man? Brotherhood!
"Oh, so it really does concern Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined?!"
The newcomer's curiosity had been hooked. It was even harder to bear than the craving worms stirring in his belly. Just what secret could concern Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined's century of unblemished reputation?!!
He hurriedly said, "Let me buy all you brothers a drink. Then I won't be an outsider anymore, right?! Bartender, bring these brothers some drinks! The good stuff!!"
"Coming."
The bartender hurriedly served everyone their drinks. His commission depended on it!
"Hahaha, cheers! I'll drain mine first as a show of respect. Brothers, drink as you please!"
The newcomer raised his cup and generously toasted the tavern's drinkers, then drained it in one go.
Seeing how generous the newcomer was, the tavern immediately erupted in cheers:
"Good!! Generous enough! I'll call you my brother!"
"Once we've had this drink, we're all our own people. You drained yours, little brother, so I'll drain mine too!!"
"We're all brothers! It's all in the wine!!"
The atmosphere in the tavern instantly grew incredibly lively.
After a few cups, the drinker who had only just entered the tavern had become brothers with its old regulars, addressing one another as such.
At this point, the newcomer took the opportunity to voice the question that had been circling in his mind for so long. "Ahem, brothers, just what were you talking about earlier?! Something about the Great Enshrined, something about whale rubber... We're all brothers. Surely you're not still keeping it from me?"
"Ah, since you're no longer an outsider, we won't keep it from you."
Seeing that he truly no longer counted as an outsider, a drinker immediately revealed the great secret. "The truth is, Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined can't do it anymore."
"What? Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined can't go on anymore? Is the old senior about to die?"
The newcomer was shocked, but inwardly felt that it made sense. "True, the Great Enshrined made his name decades ago. He must be over a hundred by now. It's perfectly normal that he can't go on anymore."
"Bullshit! You're the one who can't go on!!"
The Spirit Hall deacon was displeased to hear this. After all, the Great Enshrined truly was his idol. "The Great Enshrined is doing perfectly well! Do you have any idea how profound our Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined's cultivation is? How could he possibly be about to die!"
"Then what can't he do anymore?"
The newcomer was dumbfounded. If he wasn't about to die, what couldn't he do anymore? Suddenly, a possibility flashed through his mind. "Uh... is it the kind of 'can't do it' I'm thinking of? No, that's Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined, the previous Supreme Pontiff's biological father! How could he be unable to do it!!"
"Alas, it's precisely the thing you're thinking of that he can't do."
The drinker sighed. "The Great Enshrined is old, after all. It's perfectly normal to be unable to perform in that area. Even if he fathered the previous Supreme Pontiff, that doesn't prove anything. Being able to do it before doesn't mean he still can now..."
"Wait, how could you know a secret like this? You're not just spreading nonsense, are you?"
The newcomer's expression changed drastically. Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined really couldn't do it anymore?
He desperately wanted to refute it, but seeing that the man dressed in a Spirit Hall deacon's uniform said nothing, he couldn't help feeling uncertain. Could this be true?
"We're spreading nonsense? Do you think we're the sort to spread baseless rumors?!"
The drinkers said angrily, "We've always admired Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined and respected his contributions to the Soul Master World. We even donated whale rubber to him just now!!"
"So that's how it is..."
Only after listening to the drinkers' overlapping explanations did the newcomer realize that he had misunderstood them.
These people weren't spreading baseless rumors at all. On the contrary, they were people who gave quietly and selflessly, donating whale rubber to the Great Enshrined who could no longer perform!
He was deeply moved. "Brothers, I misunderstood you just now!"
"Although the Great Enshrined is hailed as Invincible in the Sky and is one of the Soul Master World's two great peaks, he's still a person, with a private affliction he can't speak of to others."
"When I think of how the Great Enshrined has been troubled by this problem for decades, enduring inhuman suffering, I just can't bear it. I'll donate a piece of whale rubber to him too. I have no use for the stuff anyway!!"
"Good!! You're a real man! I forgive you!!"
The tavern's drinkers immediately cheered. The atmosphere truly could not have been livelier.
And so the secret of Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined spread by word of mouth through the tavern.
Countless Soul Masters were inspired and moved by the Great Enshrined's deeds, generously opening their purses to donate whale rubber.
Was this the legendary era of the Great Enshrined?
It was so moving. Though the Great Enshrined was merely a remnant of the old era, he could still receive the help of so many Soul Masters. Who said the new world had no ship that could carry the Great Enshrined?!!
If the Great Enshrined learned of this, he would surely be moved to tears!!!
Meanwhile, the Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu, who was being discussed by so many and had become "popular again," covered his dim-witted grandson's mouth with a dark expression and flew back to Douluo Hall.
"Whew, Grandpa, you finally let go of me."
Qian Renxing was very angry. His mouth had been covered so tightly that he could barely breathe. "Why did you cover my mouth? You have a mouth of your own. Why didn't you cover yours?!"
"You..."
Qian Daoliu was speechless. His dim-witted grandson was actually asking why he had covered his mouth. Did he truly not have the slightest clue?
Remembering that this was his own biological grandson, and a dim-witted one at that, Qian Daoliu knew he could not pursue the matter.
"Alas, Xiao Xing, don't go out for the next little while. Just play in your own Holy Son Hall. It really isn't safe outside."
In truth, what was in danger was hardly Qian Renxing. It was his own century of unblemished reputation!!
He was terrified that if his dim-witted grandson wandered around outside again, his reputation in his twilight years would be ruined.
"Tch, Grandpa, you're such a coward. I'm not scared, so what are you scared of?"
Qian Renxing curled his lip, somewhat dissatisfied with Qian Daoliu. But in the next instant, his dissatisfaction vanished without a trace, simply because Qian Daoliu had produced another black card.
"Ooh, my rich Grandpa~ What are you doing with that~?"
Qian Renxing's eyes immediately lit up.
Why was that black card shining with the radiance of Gold Soul Coins? His rich grandfather practically seemed to be glowing at that moment.