Li Fire Academy has a holiday break once a year, which occurs during the summer due to the intense heat within the South Fire Empire. School always resumes in early autumn, leaving a three-month break. Now is the holiday period, so the academy is very quiet, with just a few people to be seen. Ji Dong thought that school would soon start for the year, with the entrance exam that Yang Bingtian mentioned about to commence. Ji Dong was hoping to test his knowledge but was informed by Yang Bingtian that the academy's entrance exam takes place at the end of each school year. Those who pass the exam are immediately admitted to the academy for the start of the following school year.
After jogging slowly around the schoolyard twice, Ji Dong's clothes were soaked with sweat, a clear indicator of his poor physical condition. Even with the consumption of nutritious food, he couldn't expect to improve in just a day or two. Despite whether he was training to become a bartender or exploring his curiosity about Yin Yang Demon Masters, he had to exercise and help his body recover to normal human condition as soon as possible.
"The start of school is tomorrow, I haven't anticipated something this much in a very long while. What exactly does a career as a Yin Yang Demon Master look like?"
Thinking as much, Ji Dong returned to his room in the teaching building. As soon as he entered, he saw Yang Bingtian waiting there impatiently.
Yesterday, having made sure all was in readiness, he created another mixed drink for Yang Bingtian, who became visually gentler in disposition after having the drink. As a great man in Ji Dong's previous life once said, "practice is the sole criterion for testing truth". After tasting the drink Ji Dong made, Yang Bingtian was beginning to feel that agreeing to Ji Dong's conditions was a brilliant decision.
"Ji Dong, what are you going to mix today?" Yang Bingtian immediately stood up and came over as soon as he saw Ji Dong return.
Ji Dong said, "I am going to take a bath first, and then make a drink for you." He is known never to cut corners on promises he had made—this is his principle in life.
Yang Bingtian replied, "You better hurry, school starts tomorrow. I have yet to test your Yin-Yang property to see which department suits you better."
"Yin-Yang property? What do you mean?" Ji Dong asked curiously.
Yang Bingtian explained, "From your aura, I could see that your natural element is fire, but fire also has Yin and Yang attributes, one is Yang Fire, and the other is Yin Fire. Both have their own characteristics. The kind of fire I have been practicing is Yang Fire, which makes me a Bing Fire Department Fire Mage. If it were Yin Fire, then the practitioner would be a Class D Fire Mage."
Ji Dong replied, "Alright, I will go take a bath now." The more he heard about the Yin and Yang Demon Master from Yang Bingtian, the more curious he grew. Gradually, he seemed to comprehend that the classification of Yin and Yang Demon Masters is correlated with Yin and Yang, Five Elements, and Heavenly Stems from his previous life. Among the Ten Heavenly Stems, both Bing and Ding belong to Fire. However, he had not researched this area before. But he vaguely remembered the saying that the south is associated with Bing Ding Fire, and had no idea that Bing Fire is also called Yang Fire and that Ding Fire is Yin Fire.
Just outside Ji Dong's room was the washroom. After quickly finishing his bath and changing into clean clothes, he returned to his room to find Yang Bingtian pacing anxiously. With experience in his previous life, he knew instantly the state of mind Yang Bingtian was in. Without saying a word, he headed straight to the bar.
For Ji Dong, the very moment he possessed the wine mixing pot, he was like a different person. What Yang Bingtian appreciated the most was Ji Dong's extreme focus when mixing drinks. Even though his physical condition was currently far worse than before, his attitude towards mixing drinks was the same, completely achieving the realm of being carefree with anything else other than drinks. Simply put, the final taste of the drink will differ greatly when the same ingredients are used by different people, even if the proportion of spices is the same.
Yang Bingtian held his breath and observed Ji Dong's movements intensely to avoid interrupting him. Ji Dong worked swiftly. He didn't need to look with his eyes, all he did was reach behind him towards the wine cabinet and he could effortlessly grab the wine he needed. As a Wine God, he only needed to look at the layout of any liquor cabinet once, and he would never forget.
Two-tenths of green anise-flavored liqueur, two-tenths of Bacardi rum, three-tenths of yellow gold liqueur, and the rest was filled with a kind of scented aperitif; a red wine flavored Ammez stuffed, which Ji Dong specifically asked Yang Bingtian to buy, that filled the last three-tenths. By the time all the liquor bottles returned to their original positions, the wine pot had already been thrown into the air, and even Yang Bingtian didn't notice when he closed the pot lid.
Ji Dong was only using an ordinary crystal liquor pot, which was his favorite in his previous life. Even though the crystal liquor pot was vulnerable, it was least likely to influence the taste of the wine, far better than a metal liquor pot.
"What a pity, there are no ice cubes." Ji Dong murmured to himself. At the same time, he raised both of his hands and the crystal liquor pot was rolling back and forth above his palms. His hands, like magnets, always attracted the wine pot. As the pot was rolling constantly, Yang Bingtian could clearly see the color of the wine in the crystal liquor pot changing.
The whole process of mixing the drink was very short. When the wine pot finally fell from midair, it spun like a top on the table. Despite the pot being filled with wine, it showed a spiral shape.
"Even though this technique is simple, it can remove the foam of this drink, which makes it no longer necessary to filter." Ji Dong moved his finger slightly, stopped the wine pot and uncapped it, and poured it into an unevenly thick Seawave Cup. As the last drop of wine fell into the cup, an extremely peculiar color was presented in the cup. Starting from the top, it was pink and gradually extended downwards, becoming lighter and lighter, until it turned light blue and became sky blue down to the bottom of the cup. This cup of wine looked like it was composed of a gradient of two colors.
"Mixing drinks is an art. The feelings of a bartender will be integrated into the drink during the mixing process. Therefore, when bartenders are in different moods, they may mix the same drink but the taste will differ. Please taste this drink. It is called: Charm. It is best to drink it in small sips."
"Charm? What a name, Charm." Yang Bingtian applauded sincerely. He took the cup and as soon as the first mouthful touched his lips, he was completely captivated by the charm of this drink. When it first entered his mouth, it tasted slightly sour and sweet. However, as he continued to taste each sip, the taste gradually changed just like its color did. When the last blue liquor completed the transition to a complex and fascinating taste, wonderfully blended with the uniquely intense and stimulating aniseed oil and smooth, elegant juniper, Yang Bingtian felt as though he had fallen into a state of blissfulness.
Ji Dong didn't bother asking Yang Bingtian for his impression after tasting the wine. Instead, he just sat patiently on the side. This is the self-confidence of the Wine God.