In the dim light of the night, a lone figure moved swiftly and silently through the secluded mountain forest, carrying a woman in a black dress in his arms.
Her face was flushed like a peach blossom, her breath faintly fragrant as orchids, and her drunkenness weighed heavily on her. She draped her slender white arms lazily around the young man's neck, her waist supple, her figure delicate and enchanting—she seemed to float in a dreamlike haze.
Yet, a chattering voice shattered the peace.
"Hey, do you think I could pull her clothes aside for a peek?" Chiyue's voice rang out, full of mischief. "Maybe she's still in her growth stage!"
"Come on, I'm asking you!" Chiyue persisted.
Yun Xiao felt himself going mad. "Shut up! You're going to wake her up, she's only drunk—not dead!"
His words were firm, but a faint tremor betrayed his embarrassment. This little creature was beyond exasperating.
"Oh, I get it now… You want to keep everything to yourself," Chiyue pouted, his scarlet eyes glistening with feigned sorrow, as though he were about to cry.
Yun Xiao: "..."
The night breeze rustled softly. Yun Xiao looked down at the woman in his arms. Her face was serene yet flushed, her soft hair fluttered like willows in the wind, and her cheeks were rosy, adding to her exquisite beauty. She wore a wistful expression, her eyelids heavy, her lips slightly parted, and a faint hint of a smile curved her mouth, making her appear even more charming.
"Senior Brother… Senior Sister…" she murmured in her sleep, clinging tightly to Yun Xiao, her nails pressing into his neck. Her brow furrowed, her expression troubled as if reliving a painful memory.
"Don't go to the Northern Wastelands… Please, don't…" Tears pooled in her half-closed eyes, her voice soft and full of sorrow, as if trapped in a nightmare.
"Father… Don't leave me!"
"Azure Deep Mountain… Blue-dipped flag…"
"When… when will you come home…" she murmured, her voice thick with longing. In her dream, despair consumed her, and her body tensed as tears slipped from her closed eyes. Her lips quivered, capturing her anguish as she bit down to keep from crying out.
Yun Xiao watched her in silence, feeling an unexpected pang of empathy.
Yun Xiao listened to her mumbling in her sleep, piecing together fragments of her sorrow. The woman seemed trapped in a world of sadness and old scars, a deep loneliness woven through her words. Her family… her home.
He looked up and saw a wooden sign hanging over the entrance, marked with the words *Cloudling Residence*. With a gentle push, Yun Xiao nudged open the gate and headed toward the room with the candlelight.
The garden was exquisitely arranged. Flowers and lush plants adorned the south side, where a small pond held a few red and white fish gliding gracefully in the dim light. To the north, an osmanthus tree stood tall, its branches adorned with delicate white lanterns. Beneath the tree, shadows shifted over a square stone table.
Inside the room, the decor was simple: a meditation cushion, a carved wooden bed, and shelves lined with books.
Yun Xiao moved silently, placing the woman on the wooden bed before turning to leave.
"Drink?" a hoarse but soft voice called from behind him.
He paused mid-step. The woman had sat up, rubbing her temples and pressing her fingers to her brow as she looked at him.
Candlelight softened her face, casting a warm, delicate glow.
"If it's not good wine, I don't drink," Yun Xiao replied.
"There's *Daughter Red* wine buried under the osmanthus tree in the northern garden—would that suit your taste?" she said, standing with a slight sway and moving toward the doorway.
*Daughter Red?* The traditional wedding wine?
"You shouldn't waste it," he replied, frowning.
She smiled, her cheeks still flushed from the wine. Her eyes formed little crescents as she looked at him, her smile carrying a faint hint of mischief.
"Then at least let it age a little more," Yun Xiao said with a slight smile.
"It's already aged quite well," she murmured, her gaze distant.
The *Daughter Red* wine was buried deep. Yun Xiao acknowledged to himself that he hadn't touched alcohol in three months and felt a twinge of greed. Yes, he was a drunkard.
Not wanting to say more, he turned and headed north to the garden, where he dug into the earth beneath the osmanthus tree with his palm. As he unearthed it, dust swirled away, revealing dozens of wine pots, their lids covered in dust but exuding a fragrant and mellow aroma.
"So many?" Yun Xiao turned to look at her, surprised.
"My father said that I have a great taste in life, so he buried them here," she replied, her lotus-like steps bringing her to the osmanthus tree. She bent down to sit on a stone stool, leaning against the square stone table, her chin resting in her hand as she watched Yun Xiao.
"Bring them here," she said.
Using his supernatural power, Yun Xiao floated all the *Daughter Red* pots onto the table, arranging them in a neat pile. He took a seat across from her.
"Drink up, don't be shy!" she urged, extending her white hands toward the pots. After uncorking one, she filled it and brought it to her lips. The muddy yellow wine flowed like a stream, trickling down her jade neck, glistening as it followed the curve.
"Thank you," Yun Xiao replied, sitting up straight and no longer meeting her gaze. Instead, he looked out over the Blue Soul hills under the night sky, letting the wine flow down his throat.
The woman fell silent after that. They drank quietly, two strangers sharing the intimate ritual of drinking, finding comfort in the silence rather than feeling the need to fill it with words.
Yun Xiao observed the boundless dimness of the night as they each sipped their wine. The woman drank lightly, savoring the myriad flavors of the world. They were seated at the stone table, yet it felt as if they were worlds apart.
The wine was exquisite! Buried for many years, its flavor reached its peak.
One pot! Two pots! Ten pots! She drank without hesitation, and Yun Xiao followed suit with equal ease. The stone table soon became damp with spilled liquor, and the number of wine pots dwindled.
As the fragrant alcohol wafted up, Yun Xiao's complexion flushed a little, his eyes glimmering with a wild intensity, as if a fire raged in his chest. That was the essence of his spirit!
"I killed someone; did you see?" he asked, after downing another pot. His brows arched, and he glanced at the enchanting woman who leaned on the stone table.
Her reaction was a simple, foolish smile, with rich wine dribbling from her red lips.
It seemed crude but felt strangely real—touching even.
"This world has so many matters; it's better to be drunk," she lifted her wine pot and offered it to Yun Xiao.
"Cheers!"
Her demeanor was bold, her tone gentle and charming.
"Bottoms up!"
The feeling of tipsiness thickened, and Yun Xiao felt his heart gradually open up.
"You should drink less; you've already had enough!" he cautioned her.
"I've never been drunk!" she retorted, laughing sweetly as she patted the stone table and raised her eyebrows playfully. "Are you trying to make excuses now?"
"Don't talk nonsense!" Yun Xiao playfully thumped his chest with pride. "Back when I was twelve, I could drink a thousand jugs! My spirit was unmatched; they called me the hero of youth!"
"I've never seen it; I don't believe you!" she laughed.
"You don't need to believe me, woman! Your experience is shallow! It's nothing worth mentioning!" Yun Xiao smacked the stone table, raising his voice at her.
"Do you also look down on women? Are you challenging me?"
"Who's afraid of you? Keep going!"
Yun Xiao felt a surge of heat in his brain, like magma boiling in his abdomen, and he was dizzy. At that moment, all he could see was her drunken face and the white lanterns hanging from the osmanthus tree.
"I can't lose!"
He was filled with fighting spirit, unwilling to admit defeat. The liquor could chaos the mind! It could bring to the surface all that lay hidden deep within, like a volcano erupting.
In the grand world of Blue Soul, the deathly stillness of the night only magnified the loneliness in his heart. His parents had passed away too early.
At just twelve years old, he donned an imperial robe and sat upon the throne. Beside him, there was no one to support him. Everyone saw him as nothing but a puppet! Yet, through sheer boldness and strength, he had risen to power and killed on the king's path, managing to compress the country for four years.
He had no qualms about betraying his ancestors! He felt no remorse for the people! He bore no guilt towards… his parents!
But he was lonely. In this world, he had no family. Everyone was a wall standing between him and companionship. He tried to break down this wall with Jiang Yue, but she only tightened her grip, wielding her Sword Soul against him!
After his ghostly rebirth, he annihilated the entire Jiang family! Fueled by the breath of vengeance in his heart, he sought to kill the Blue Soul!
Now, he looked towards the future with a dreadful breadth of spirit—no one could block his path to greatness. However...
The loneliness in his heart couldn't be dispelled by killing a few people. Only strong liquor could ignite the fire within! He loved alcohol.
Tonight, this *Daughter Red* had banished his cold solitude, transforming him into a fiery spirit, drowning him in an overwhelming intoxication.
"Haha..."
Before he realized it, he and the woman were leaning against each other, seated at the stone table. The woman swung her jade legs, humming a light tune, her face flushed with crimson, stirring something within him.
Yun Xiao's vision blurred. All he could sense was the wine and the fragrance of the beautiful woman. In his eyes, she was the only one there, her intoxicated smile enchanting him, making him feel as if he were bewitched by a flower.
Finally, only a pot of liquor remained. Yun Xiao engaged in a drinking contest with her, his hands grasping the pots. The sound of the wine pots crashing onto the ground echoed.
Yet they remained transfixed by each other! Her pupils shone like a vast ocean of passion, burning brightly and fiercely for Yun Xiao.
The contact of their fingertips became the bridge over which the flames surged.
"Can't come?" she slightly raised an eyebrow, playfully challenging him, a hint of provocation in her tone.
"Can!" Yun Xiao's eyes blazed with excitement.
"Then let's go!" she urged, pulling him closer.
"Come!" Yun Xiao shouted as he swept her into his arms.
"What come?" Lanxing and Chiyue stared, perplexed.
In an instant, he flung them, tossing them directly into two stone crevices!
They landed flat, stunned and speechless.
...
The dim light of night awakened!
In that garden, the shadow of the sweet-scented osmanthus tree stretched out, causing the stone table to tremble, startling the mackerel shad. Everything felt fresh and new!
"Xiao Lan, what are they doing?" Chiyue asked with an innocent expression.
"They're engaging in reproductive behavior!" Lanxing rolled her eyes. "Otherwise, do you think all the creatures in this boundary are just jumping on the stones?"
"I don't understand!" Chiyue said, puzzled.
"You are hopeless," Lanxing chuckled suddenly. "I understand!"
"What do you know?" Chiyue shot back, annoyed.
"Dao and Yun Xiao are different," Lanxing stated earnestly.
"What's the difference?" Chiyue inquired.
"Dao doesn't calculate life; he's more like a principle. Therefore, he lacks human emotions—only divine nature. Yun Xiao, on the other hand, is an individual; he has feelings!"
"When he was reborn, he certainly created a different kind of Immortal!"
...
As dawn broke, Yun Xiao's head throbbed painfully. Shaking his head, his vision finally began to clear...
The woman was standing in the wind, turning away from him. Her silhouette beneath the tree's shadow reminded Yun Xiao of the indulgence of last night. What had felt like success then, he now realized was merely the effect of the liquor—chaotic and disorienting!
He cast his gaze to the stone table, where some bright red peonies startled him.
"Are you… the primary..."
He hadn't really thought it through. Had he known, he might have been able to restrain himself. The woman hadn't turned her head, so he couldn't see her expression.
"Don't you?" Her voice was carefree, after all, she was quite bold.
Yun Xiao lowered his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "In this world, I am a monarch, and at my age, the palace will arrange my initiation."
The woman fell silent.
"But I haven't been distracted," Yun Xiao added quietly.
"Were you distracted this time?" she asked lightly.
"I didn't know you," Yun Xiao replied.
She extended her hand and gestured towards the entrance. "After the liquor, the muddled matters don't need to be mentioned. Just go."
"Goodbye," Yun Xiao nodded, turning to descend the mountain.
As he walked, he found a small black beast in the crevice.
"Leaving?" Lanxing asked.
"The immortal road is boundless; predestined friends must say goodbye," Yun Xiao replied.
Lanxing smiled, suddenly sighing. "Dao is like a newborn in chaos, not wanting to strive for his entire life. Yun Xiao is a solitary traveller amidst the bustling world, with the corrupted beings all around him!"
"You say he's corrupted; why add that extra character?" Yun Xiao retorted, speechless.
"Forget that; where's my milk?" Chiyue shouted.
"Two fools! Can't you behave? I'm going down the mountain to catch you a cow! Don't shout like that before you miss the line. Do you understand how embarrassing that is?" Yun Xiao lamented, wanting to cry but holding back tears.
"Why is a 'cow' not embarrassing, but a 'woman' is?" Chiyue asked innocently.
"People have taboos and need respect; cows don't," Yun Xiao explained.
"Then I'll just call it a 'female cow'!"
Yun Xiao: "..."
"Going home! To that chicken feather fellow apprentice's family!"
Before leaving, Lanxing took out several dark-red Heavenly Dao Buddhist relics.
"Dragon Spring Realm—just gather supernatural power and consume! The women's shoes taste..." Lanxing said with a grin.
"I'll eat!"
Just as he sobered up, Yun Xiao sat cross-legged in the mountain forest, drawing in the world's Spirit Qi to connect with his dantian and the Heavenly Dao Buddhist relics. He began to grasp the laws of the universe, building his supernatural power.
"I'll soon seize the Ye Guying twin dantian! But this human body is a bit too weak right now," Lanxing sighed.
"Am I weak? I fought a decisive battle at dawn!" Yun Xiao protested.
"Is that not weak?" Lanxing scoffed.
Suddenly, Yun Xiao remembered something, grabbing Lanxing by the nape and laughing loudly, "Haha, you don't have one!"
Lanxing and Chiyue: "...!"
"No qualitative difference between male and female."
"Then it's long!"
"No, ten times long!"
"Head, tail, mouth—let's get one!"
Yun Xiao laughed uncontrollably.
"Haha..."
In his dantian, the Yuan Empty Dragon absorbed the Heavenly Dao Buddhist relics and Spirit Qi, growing excitedly.
He was on the cusp of reaching the later stages of the Dragon Spring Realm! The Yuan Empty Dragon had three claws, and its scales were gradually expanding. At this moment, he was equivalent to Cai Maomao in terms of boundary, but in strength, he perhaps rivaled a five-clawed Fixed Dragon Spring Realm being!
"However, it's said that each major realm's final 'Fixed Realm' has about ten times the intensity of gravity compared to the first four minor realms. It establishes a capital city for that boundary."
Thus, he was capable of fighting at the Fixed Dragon Spring Realm level; Yun Xiao felt confident.
"Two days are left for the Seven Swords to aspire! I must also find opportunities to strengthen and compete at the Divine Sea Realm..."
Yun Xiao suddenly stood up, his supernatural power flourishing, his bearing stronger.
"Junior Brother Yun!"
Upon returning, Cai Maomao, with disheveled hair, looked anxious.
"What's wrong?" Yun Xiao asked.
"You didn't come back all night! I thought you might have fallen into a ditch while cleaning up corpses!"
Cai Maomao sighed deeply.Catching a whiff of liquor on Yun Xiao . He immediately exclaimed, "Where did you get that? Haven't you learned not to bring liquor to Blue Soul?"
"... It's not that! Senior Brother Cai, don't you need to take me to see the Sword Pavilion manager today?" Yun Xiao quickly changed the subject.
"Right! Everyone's waiting for you! Let's go!" Cai Maomao tapped his head, urging him.
"Okay, let's go." Yun Xiao nodded.
"Before we go, I must remind you of something," Cai Maomao leaned in close and whispered.
"What?"
"Today, Senior Sister Zhao might be there," Cai Maomao warned.
"Is she a member of the Sword Pavilion?" Yun Xiao asked.
"Yes!" Cai Maomao replied, "Though she has a name that sounds beautiful, like an angel, don't be fooled by her appearance. She's a dangerous character. The brothers are tormented by her every day!"
"What do you mean by Senior Sister Zhao ?" Yun Xiao asked, puzzled.
Cai Maomao glanced around before leaning in again. "Her name is Zhao Xuanran."
"That name sounds masculine. Does she look like a man?" Yun Xiao exclaimed in surprise.
"Are you stupid? It's an idiom! A four-character idiom, meant to be humorous!" Cai Maomao said exasperatedly.
"Humorous? Big laugh..." Yun Xiao nearly bit his tongue.
"Style shows the man? Mother! That's dreadful!"
Thinking about it...
Yun Xiao suddenly recalled last night. In the dim light, he had thought he was s