Chapter 204

Chapter 204

Flying Dragon City truly lives up to its reputation as the place with the most comprehensive cultivation resources on the Flying Star Continent. With spirit stones, one can buy anything.

Not only did Wen Qiao purchase fragrant spirit wine, but she also bought a flask of spirit wine known as "Soul Drunk."

It is said that this "Soul Drunk" was brewed tens of thousands of years ago by Gu Shijiu, known as the "Wine Immortal," and it is nearly at the level of divine wine. Just one sip can intoxicate even one's soul.

Although there was only a small flask, its price was so exorbitant that when Qiao Leshui first heard it, his eyes went wide, suspecting he had misheard.

"Shopkeeper, even if you want to earn spirit stones, you can't set such an outrageous price, can you?" Qiao Leshui couldn't help but speak up. It was just a flask of spirit wine, yet they dared to set such a price.

The shopkeeper disagreed. "Don't look at how expensive 'Soul Drunk' is; when the Flying Dragon Guild sold it recently, there was only a small jar, divided into several flasks, and it almost sold out. I wanted to keep this last flask as a treasure of the shop, but seeing how much you want it, I decided to sell it to you."

The shopkeeper put on a pained expression, as if saying, "I really don't want to, but since you want it so badly, I'll sell it to you."

Qiao Leshui could only scoff inwardly. Was he a poor fool who couldn't recognize a swindler?

The appearance of "Soul Drunk" in Flying Dragon City was a coincidence.

Recently, a cultivator accidentally stumbled upon an abandoned cave, which turned out to be one of the "Wine Immortal" Gu Shijiu's caves from tens of thousands of years ago. Due to protective formations, a jar of "Soul Drunk" left by Gu Shijiu was preserved excellently.

The cultivator originally sought treasures within the cave but ended up finding only a jar of spirit wine. While drinking spirit wine is indeed enjoyable, once consumed, it's gone, not as valuable as spirit stones. Thus, the cultivator sold the "Soul Drunk" to the Flying Dragon Guild.

However, because the "Soul Drunk" was priced too high, some cultivators were hesitant, and a few flasks remained unsold.

The shopkeeper had initially acquired this flask hoping to sell it for a good price. Seeing potential customers, he naturally tried hard to make the sale.

Although Wen Qiao desperately wanted it, the "Soul Drunk" was too expensive, so she reluctantly gave up.

Even Wen Tutu showed a pitiful expression, clearly wanting it but having to hold back. She listened to her sister.

As for Wen Guangun, it was still munching on bamboo, taking bites and glances, not fully realizing what was happening.

Perhaps moved by their pitiful looks, Ning Yuzhou ultimately bought it.

The shopkeeper's chubby face broke into a wide grin, asking how they would pay. If they didn't have spirit stones, they could offer treasures of equal value.

"Can spirit pills work?"

The shopkeeper hesitated, but upon seeing the spirit pills Ning Yuzhou offered, his face broke into another wide grin. "Of course! Of course!"

Qiao Leshui saw that Ning Yuzhou used top-grade Nourishing Essence Pills, and dozens of them at that, making him feel heartbroken.

Wen Tutu and Wen Guangun also struggled, reluctant to part with the Nourishing Essence Pills but wanting the "Soul Drunk."

When they later realized that Ning Yuzhou had bought the "Soul Drunk" only for Wen Qiao, they regretted trading away the Nourishing Essence Pills and wished they could go back in time to stop Ning Yuzhou from wasting them.

After putting away the "Soul Drunk," Wen Qiao asked the shopkeeper about the "Wine Immortal" Gu Shijiu.

She had a deep admiration for those who could brew fine spirit wine and wished she could have lived in that era.

"Gu Shijiu, of course, ascended to the higher realms," the shopkeeper said wistfully. "It is said that he entered the Dao through wine, and his brewing skills were unparalleled. This 'Soul Drunk' was the spirit wine he brewed before ascending, already nearing the level of divine wine. Perhaps now he has started brewing true divine wine in the higher realms."

Wen Qiao listened with longing. Although she hadn't tasted the "Soul Drunk," its aroma alone was intoxicating. She wondered what true divine wine might be like.

Qiao Leshui couldn't help but snort. "Shopkeeper, since this 'Soul Drunk' was brewed by Gu Shijiu before his ascension, it must be extremely valuable. How could you bear to sell it?"

With such a treasure, wouldn't it be a pity not to keep it for oneself?

The shopkeeper said earnestly, "Young man, while 'Soul Drunk' is good, spirit stones are more alluring." Not earning spirit stones would be foolish.

Qiao Leshui had no words to counter that.

After they left, the shopkeeper gleefully eyed the bottle of top-grade Nourishing Essence Pills.

Trading a flask of "Soul Drunk" for so many top-grade pills was definitely a good deal. The value of "Soul Drunk" was indeed high, but once consumed, it was gone, unlike the captivating allure of spirit stones.

These dozens of top-grade Nourishing Essence Pills could fetch more spirit stones than a single flask of "Soul Drunk."

***

Stepping out of the shop, Qiao Leshui lamented, "I still think we lost out! That shopkeeper swindled so many Nourishing Essence Pills from you."

Having eaten plenty of Nourishing Essence Pills while treating patients with Ning Yuzhou, he knew well their value to cultivators.

Ning Yuzhou calmly replied, "Don't worry. Apart from the 'Soul Drunk,' the rest of the spirit wines were free extras, without any spirit stones paid."

Wen Qiao and Wen Tutu looked at Ning Yuzhou with sparkling eyes, thinking how impressive he was for getting so many free spirit wines.

After buying the spirit wine, they continued exploring Flying Dragon City, purchasing anything they needed or found interesting.

They spent the entire day shopping until nightfall, then returned to the inn to rest.

After setting up protective formations in their room, Wen Qiao took out the flask of "Soul Drunk." Opening the lid, a captivating aroma filled the air, causing her eyes to become slightly dazed. Sensing she was losing control, she quickly sealed the flask and put it back in her storage bag.

The two beasts noticed the spirit wine being put away and looked at her, puzzled why she wasn't drinking it.

"Chui, aren't you going to taste it?" Ning Yuzhou asked, seeing her practically drooling.

Wen Qiao shook her head. "I can't drink it now. Given my current cultivation, one sip might make me drunk for years. I'll wait until I'm stronger to try it." She sounded somewhat regretful.

Ning Yuzhou smiled and said, "That's fine! This 'Soul Drunk' is indeed close to divine wine. Trading dozens of Nourishing Essence Pills for it isn't a loss."

While top-grade Nourishing Essence Pills might seem precious to others, for Ning Yuzhou, who could easily refine them, they weren't a big deal. At most, it would take some effort to refine more.

So he believed it was worth the trade, especially seeing Chui's craving expression, which made him want to indulge her.

Wen Qiao tilted her head and asked, "Husband, can you brew it?"

Ning Yuzhou shook his head. "I'm not skilled at brewing wine." After a pause, he added, "Once my cultivation improves, I'll try to brew some spirit wine for you."

Wen Qiao said, "No, the wine you brewed last time was very good. Wen Tutu and Wen Guangun both thought it was delicious, right?"

She turned to ask the two little ones.

The two furry balls nodded vigorously, confirming that Brother Ning's spirit wine was indeed delicious, and they had ended up eating it all when they couldn't resist.

Ning Yuzhou glanced at the two furry balls. The wine he had brewed for Chui had been completely stolen by them. They still had the nerve to nod.

Although Wen Qiao thought the spirit wine was already excellent, in Ning Yuzhou's pursuit of perfection, the spirit wine he had brewed for her was nothing special. Although it tasted good, it lacked something and couldn't compare to the wines brewed by masters who had reached enlightenment through alcohol.

**

Because all their Yang-Yuan Pills were exchanged for a pot of "Zuichun," they now had no Yang-Yuan Pills left.

Starting from the next day, Ning Yuzhou stayed in the inn, trying to refine some Yang-Yuan Pills before they set off.

Wen Qiao and Qiao Leshui also remained in the inn, cultivating and waiting for the departure time.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the day of departure, they checked out of the inn and left the city, arriving at an open-air market outside Feilong City.

This market was under the jurisdiction of the Feilong Chamber of Commerce, where many flying birds and demonic beast carriages were parked, available for rent as transportation for short journeys.

In the eastern part of the market, a massive and magnificent flying boat hovered in mid-air, attracting much attention.

The flying boat exuded the aura of a heavenly-grade spirit artifact. Its sleek black exterior was adorned with a special paint depicting a dragon soaring through clouds.

The dragon, majestic and awe-inspiring, spewed clouds and mist, symbolizing the Feilong Chamber of Commerce. Practitioners on the Flying Star Continent knew that seeing this dragon meant the boat belonged to the Feilong Chamber of Commerce, and few would dare provoke it.

When Wen Qiao and the others arrived, they found many practitioners already there. These practitioners stood quietly on the open ground in front of the flying boat, seemingly waiting for its departure, subtly observing each newcomer.

Ning Yuzhou keenly sensed several scrutinizing gazes directed at them.

He lowered his eyes and stood quietly.

As more people gathered, they realized there were nearly a thousand practitioners present.

Qiao Leshui was surprised, recalling the words of the Feilong Chamber of Commerce official: so many people were going to Tianzhi Plain?

When the time approached, a middle-aged man dressed as an official stepped forward and announced loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time. Please show your tokens and board the flying boat quickly."

Upon hearing this, the practitioners present showed their tokens, which were inspected by the Feilong Chamber of Commerce officials before they leaped onto the flying boat.

Wen Qiao and her companions followed suit, presenting their tokens given by the Feilong Chamber of Commerce and boarded the flying boat together.

Inside the flying boat, they went to their assigned room based on the token number to rest.

This flying boat, a heavenly-grade spirit artifact, had exactly one thousand rooms.

Wen Qiao and her companions paid 150,000 spirit stones for a single room, which was better than those who paid less and had to rest in the main hall.

Entering the room, Qiao Leshui muttered softly, thinking the Feilong Chamber of Commerce was truly adept at making money, a true group of merchants.

The room was sparsely furnished, with only a bed inside.

Qiao Leshui couldn't help but complain about the Chamber's stinginess, charging so many spirit stones yet not even bothering to furnish the room properly, truly embodying the nature of merchants.

Wen Qiao said, "It's fine; we can sit on cushions."

Qiao Leshui turned to look at them, noticing how calm they were, and couldn't help but admire their composure, putting aside his complaints.

Wen Qiao took out several cushions and laid them on the floor, then brought out a few baskets—one filled with spirit fruits, another with sea cane, and another with some snacks bought in Feilong City. She also brewed a pot of spirit tea and began drinking and chatting happily, treating it as a rest.

"Husband, have a spirit fruit."

Wen Qiao picked the largest and juiciest Zhu fruit from the basket and handed it to Ning Yuzhou.

Ning Yuzhou lifted the hem of his robe, sat beside her, smiled, and elegantly ate the Zhu fruit before saying, "There might be something unusual about Tianzhi Plain."

"What?"

Wen Qiao and Qiao Leshui looked up at him, both still chewing on spirit fruits, looking puzzled.

Seeing their puzzled expressions, Ning Yuzhou spoke gently, "The practitioners who boarded the flying boat with us all have Tianzhi Plain as their destination. They seemed very wary of other practitioners heading there. When other practitioners arrived, they scrutinized them for a long time, as if confirming whether they would become obstacles or rivals—we were also among those being scrutinized."

The two: "... Really?"

Qiao Leshui and Wen Qiao looked at each other, realizing they hadn't noticed anything, and turned to Ning Yuzhou.

Ning Yuzhou said, "That's not important! Qiao Gongzi, did you hear any other news about Tianzhi Plain when you were gathering information in Danfu City?"

Qiao Leshui tried hard to recall but eventually shook his head.

He only learned that disciples from Feixian Island and several other factions would enter Tianzhi Plain for training, and that was all.

Qiao Leshui speculated, "Could it be because Feixian Island is collaborating with disciples from various sects to enter Tianzhi Plain for training, and these people are also there to socialize with the disciples?"

"That's possible," Ning Yuzhou nodded slightly, not denying his speculation.

"It could also be that something has happened in Tianzhi Plain," Wen Qiao added.

Wen Tutu and Wen Guangun squatted nearby, gnawing on sea cane, making crunching sounds, and perking up their ears to listen to the conversation. Whenever Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou spoke, they would chime in loudly, as if supporting them, keeping themselves quite busy.

Every time Qiao Leshui saw their reactions, he felt an urge to laugh.

These two demonic beasts' reactions were too amusing. They were particularly affectionate towards Wen Qiao but always gave Ning Yuzhou a sense of sycophantic flattery.

Though demonic pets do try to please their masters, these two aren't purely demonic pets. They don't need to fawn over their master like this, right?

The three of them discussed for a while, but with the situation unclear, they couldn't come to any conclusions.

However, this did make them more alert and cautious about their trip to Heavenly Plains. Especially Qiao Leshui; he didn't know if his brother would also be going to Heavenly Plains this time. If nothing happened in Heavenly Plains as usual, it would be fine, but if something did happen... he hoped his brother hadn't participated.

With matters on his mind, Qiao Leshui was somewhat distracted.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou, however, weren't too worried. They believed in dealing with problems as they came. Since leaving Dongling, they had traveled far, from the Thousand Islands Sea to the Endless Ocean, encountering many dangers along the way. Naturally, they weren't afraid; instead, they saw each peril as an opportunity for breakthroughs, often gaining unexpected rewards when facing dire situations.

Ning Yuzhou calmly began alchemy, and after finishing, he took out his talisman-making tools to start drawing talismans.

Wen Qiao sat beside him, meditating and cultivating, not wasting any time.

Seeing that both of them were occupied, Qiao Leshui felt it inappropriate to sit idly and joined Wen Qiao in meditation and cultivation.

After entering the flying boat, they hadn't left, so they didn't know the situation of the other cultivators who had boarded with them.

While Ning Yuzhou was busy, he occasionally glanced towards the door, a meaningful expression on his face.

***

In a room within the flying boat, a man with a full beard and a sturdy build whispered, "Young Master, the door to the room next to ours has been closed all this time. We haven't seen those three come out."

The one addressed as Young Master was a man in white robes, pale-skinned, and thin.

The man seemed unwell, occasionally coughing lightly. His dark eyes were deep like an abyss. Holding a white handkerchief to cover his lips, he asked, "Are you sure one of them is Qiao Leshan's younger brother?"

"Rest assured, Young Master," the sturdy man hurriedly replied, "That Qiao Leshui is indeed Qiao Leshan's younger brother. They bear some resemblance and are easily recognizable."

The man in white's eyes flickered slightly. "Didn't the Qiao family say that Qiao Leshan's brother died accidentally during a trial?"

The Qiao family, despite being a third-rate clan, had garnered considerable attention due to Qiao Leshan.

When the Qiao family announced a year ago that Leshui had "died," it drew much attention, as Qiao Leshui was Qiao Leshan's younger brother. Many wondered how Qiao Leshan would react upon hearing the news, but the strict rules of Feixian Island meant he might never receive the message.

"There must be more to the story," the sturdy man said. "The two people with Qiao Leshui seem unfamiliar and have low cultivation levels. They might be friends he made outside."

Speaking thus, the sturdy man didn't take the two seriously, considering them similar in status to Qiao Leshui.

Qiao Leshui wasn't worth their attention.

The man in white pondered for a moment before suddenly saying, "Before the Qiao family announced Qiao Leshui's death, someone from the Qiao family seemed to have contacted those people."

The sturdy man's expression turned solemn, and he whispered, "Exactly."

The man in white lowered his handkerchief, revealing a few drops of dark red blood on the white cloth. His calm, dark eyes turned icy cold, as if recalling something.