As Ji Dong, dressed as a beggar, stood outside the Flame Love Bar, he could only observe—he could neither taste nor touch. He relied on his keen sense of smell, acute hearing, sharp eyesight, and his past experience as the Liquor God. He observed the bartenders mixing drinks, the patrons' reactions after drinking different concoctions, their physical changes, and their comments. After scrutinizing all these details over a month, he managed to understand the taste of most of the drinks served at the bar and even compared them to the beverages from his previous world.
If anyone found out he was able to judge and successfully mix drinks just by watching, they would surely drop their jaws in disbelief. Furthermore, the recipe for a cocktail is strict. Ji Dong had no doubt that people would be astounded at his ability to adjust to the proportions in a completely new world. He truly deserved the title of Liquor God.
Elder Yang was one of Ji Dong's primary subjects of observation. Ji Dong had to find a way to make ends meet. Yet with the pride and dignity that the Liquor God possessed, the idea of being an ordinary bartender was unimaginable. Hence, he chose Elder Yang.
Elder Yang visited the Flame Love Bar every day. Ji Dong's keen vision immediately spotted that this regular patron not only had considerable experience tasting wine and a deep-rooted obsession with wine, but also held a higher-than-average status. Ji Dong's actions today were not by chance, but were carefully planned. Whether it be the route he took to infiltrate the outside bar, the timing of his remarks, or even his abrupt departure after mixing the drink, everything was calculated. It was a case of giving someone enough rope to hang themselves.
Ji Dong had sighed previously due to his current pathetic state and the condition of his body. In his previous life, he was tall and handsome. However, in this life, not only was he skinny due to his young age, but his body was extremely weak. The technique he used earlier to mix the Three Suns Reflecting the Moon was carefully thought out to suit his physical condition. Compared to his previous life, this technique was simple, but using it with his current body was almost too strenuous. While he just managed to create the three suns, he was unable to create the moon—it was by no means a successful mix, even though outsiders wouldn't be able to tell.
Moreover, due to the concentration and energy that the previous mixing process required, he now felt extremely weak. He even stumbled slightly as he walked. A good bartender must have a strong body; otherwise, regardless of how excellent a technique might be, it wouldn't be able to express its true potential. This was the helpless predicament that Ji Dong found himself in.
"Little brother, wait a minute." Ji Dong saw a blur in his vision. A red figure flashed past, and Elder Yang had already blocked his path.
Elder Yang's speed was astonishing. Could a normal human achieve such a feat? Ji Dong was stunned. He was sure that the speed at which Elder Yang moved was definitely faster than the fastest runner from his previous world. Elder Yang had shouted from a considerable distance, and in the blink of an eye, he was already in front of him. Such a feat was incomprehensible. However, from the change in how Elder Yang addressed him, Ji Dong knew that he had achieved his goal.
Looking at Ji Dong, with his skinny body, dirt-smeared face, and clear signs of malnutrition, Elder Yang found it hard to believe that the exceptional drink had been mixed by this boy. However, the facts were in front of him—he had to believe.
"Young man, why are you so eager to leave?" he asked.
Ji Dong glanced at him, "I've finished making the drink. Why shouldn't I leave?"
"Your Burning Passion was the most unique cocktail I've had in years," Elder Yang exclaimed. "But I'm puzzled. If you have such skills, why would you...?"
Ji Dong clearly understood what he meant. His innate pride made him unconsciously stand tall. "Liquor is an art, and to measure it with money would be a disgrace. Even though I don't have a family anymore, and I've become a beggar, it doesn't mean just anyone can taste my cocktails. I decided to serve you today, only because I saw that you are a lover of liquor. I didn't want you to continue indulging in those trashy drinks."
Despite his words coming from an eleven or twelve-year-old boy, Elder Yang didn't question him, largely due to the Burning Passion cocktail Elder Yang had previously tasted. Fumbling with his hands, Elder Yang's eyes flickered, seeming to have reached a decision. "Young man, let's cut to the chase. I want to be able to enjoy your cocktails every day. Would you honor me with this pleasure?"
Ji Dong looked up boldly, raising his chin with no trace of fear in his eyes. "You? What gives you the right?"
Elder Yang met his bold gaze. "I have spent my life being a connoisseur of liquor, and there's also this." As he spoke, his eyes lit up, and an inexpressible, immense pressure suddenly radiated from him. Ji Dong felt a sudden tightness in his chest and unconsciously retreated a few steps.
Blinding red light burst from Elder Yang, seemingly emanating from him. Under his control, the red light was tethered within a radius of one meter around his body. Yet within an area with a diameter of three meters, the air rippled and distorted due to the light's intensity. An enormous fiery red phantom appeared behind Elder Yang, resembling a huge bird. The flaming red wings were spread wide, as if ready to take flight. A golden glow enveloped Elder Yang, making him appear like a god descending upon earth. The invisible dignity was the source of the pressure around him.
Then, above Elder Yang's head, the red light converged to form something resembling a crown. The crown appeared a dazzling white and immediately became the center of the atmosphere emitting from Elder Yang. Even the giant flaming bird phantom behind him could not compare to the crown. The dazzling crown seemed to contain round rubies at each of its points, and on the front of the circular band, three complete red pentagrams and half of a fourth one glittered with the same radiance as the rubies on the points of the crown. What was most captivating were the flame symbols inscribed on the points of the crown. The flames seemed to be alive, fluctuating atop the crown. As the layout of the unusual crown was circular, Ji Dong couldn't see if the same flame symbol was inscribed on every point. However, he had a clear feeling that this crown-like object harbored an incredibly terrifying energy.
Ji Dong was stunned. Was this magic?