Chapter 384: Wang Ping'an and Wang Qingyang

In Ping'an County, a luxurious mansion was adorned with numerous red "double happiness" characters. Over a hundred banquet tables filled the spacious reception hall, where guests chatted and drank. The groom, a young man in his twenties, moved from table to table, offering toasts.

"Please eat and drink your fill," the groom said, his face beaming with joy. "Please excuse any shortcomings in our hospitality."

He raised his glass to specific guests, saying, "Uncle San, this cup is for you, on your great day!" and "Uncle Ping'an, I'll toast you as well."

The groom's name was Wang Ping'an, the third son of Wang Changsheng. As he lacked spiritual roots, he had left Wang Family Fort at the age of five and was raised in the mortal world. As Wang Changsheng's son, he lived a very comfortable life, enjoying luxury from the age of five. Today was his wedding day.

As Wang Ping'an was toasting the guests, a middle-aged man suddenly approached him quickly and whispered a few words into his ear.

"You all continue drinking," Wang Ping'an announced, "I'm going to relieve myself." He then hurried outside.

Soon after, he arrived in the backyard, where a man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his back to Wang Ping'an. The man turned around; it was Wang Qingyuan.

Seeing Wang Qingyuan, Wang Ping'an's expression grew somewhat excited. He took a deep breath and respectfully said, "Your humble servant Wang Ping'an greets Immortal Master."

Wang Qingyuan smiled and said, "Alright, there are no outsiders here. You can just call me Sixth Brother."

Wang Ping'an gave a wry smile and replied, "There's a distinction between immortals and mortals; your humble servant would not dare to offend."

"How many times have I told you this? You're still the same," Wang Qingyuan said, shaking his head. He took a blue wooden box and a white porcelain bottle from his robes and handed them to Wang Ping'an. "These Dragon and Phoenix bracelets are from Uncle Nine and Aunt Nine, to celebrate your wedding. The bottle contains Quenching Essence Pills, which have life-extending effects."

Wang Ping'an took the wooden box and porcelain bottle, his eyes slightly red. He spoke with a catch in his voice, "They still remember me, their son? I thought they had forgotten me."

"Though you are a mere mortal, you are still Uncle Nine and Aunt Nine's son," Wang Qingyuan chided gently. "Your tutor, your guards, your wife – weren't they all the very best? If Uncle Nine and Aunt Nine had truly forgotten you, would you have lived such a good life? Saying such a thing shows you have no conscience."

Wang Ping'an's nose stung, and tears streamed uncontrollably. He knelt in the direction of Wang Family Fort, choking out, "Father, Mother, your unfilial son Wang Ping'an is married today."

"Alright, get up!" Wang Qingyuan said, slowly helping Wang Ping'an to his feet. "Today is your wedding day, why are you crying? You should be smiling! Living a good life is the greatest filial piety. Uncle Nine and Aunt Nine have gone into seclusion. Before they did, Uncle Nine asked me to tell you to live well as a wealthy man, and he hopes your descendants will possess spiritual roots. Your bride's parents are also cultivators, so the chance of your offspring having spiritual roots is quite high."

"Sixth Brother," Wang Ping'an said, "today is my wedding day. Please have a drink before you leave!" Wang Qingyuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded and agreed. He and Wang Ping'an walked towards the reception hall.

***

At Wang Family Fort, in a quiet courtyard, Lu Yang lay on a rocking chair, holding a blue wine pot. Beside him, a blue bamboo table held two small side dishes. From time to time, he would take a few sips of spirit wine, pick up some peanuts, and pop them into his mouth, a look of utter contentment on his face. In front of him were several empty jars. Wang Qingyang was washing spirit rice.

Wang Qingyang was eighteen years old and at Level 4 Qi Refinement. He had reached this level solely due to the cultivation resources provided by his parents, older sister, and older brother; if he had relied on his own efforts, he might not have reached Level 4 Qi Refinement even by the age of thirty. Wang Qingyang knew his aptitude was poor. According to clan rules, members who generated significant benefits for the clan would receive priority for Foundation Establishment Pills.

He had studied artifact forging, puppet crafting, spiritual plant cultivation, alchemy, talisman crafting, and formation arrays, but he had mastered none of them. After three days and three nights of intense deliberation, he made a decision: he would learn winemaking. To be honest, it wasn't that he enjoyed winemaking; rather, the current situation of the clan compelled him to learn it.

Artifact forging was tedious and uninteresting, requiring memorization of countless material shapes and characteristics, along with numerous techniques. Alchemy was similar, often involving long, monotonous hours in front of a furnace. Puppet crafting meant spending the entire day carving wood. Spiritual plant cultivation offered little prospect of significant achievement; Wang Qingzhi only obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill thanks to Qi Shanshan. Talisman crafting demanded extensive practice, and after hundreds of failures, he lost confidence. As for formation arrays, he had studied them for a while with his Aunt Wang Changyue, finding them even more boring. It involved daily reading of ancient texts, constant material testing, and if even one material was misplaced, the entire arrangement had to be re-examined. Different arrays also required different materials and placement orientations.

It wasn't that Wang Qingyang lacked patience, but rather that these tasks were already being handled by others. Even if he learned them, he might not become an outstanding expert, and if he couldn't distinguish himself, why would the clan grant him a Foundation Establishment Pill? After much thought, he concluded that he should consider the actual situation of the clan. Most clan members were farmers, while artifact forgers and puppet crafters were the best compensated. Talisman crafters and alchemists came next. Spirit chefs were few in number, but cooking offered little real prospect for advancement. To date, all clan members who had received Foundation Establishment Pills were those who had generated significant benefits for the clan.

Winemakers might seem unremarkable, but as the sale of spirit wine steadily increased, the clan converted a spirit grain shop into a winery dedicated solely to selling spirit wine. This was a clear signal. Wang Qingyang had asked Wang Qingyuan, who told him that the winery's profits were increasing year by year, and the clan was in urgent need of winemakers. Compared to artifact forging, alchemy, formation arrays, and puppet crafting, the winemaking process was relatively simple, though "simple" was a relative term.

Wang Qingyang had been studying winemaking under Lu Yang for two years, primarily assisting him. He diligently learned and memorized every step. Today, he was to brew spirit wine on his own, using low-grade Tier 1 spirit rice as the main ingredient. This type of spirit wine sold very well, priced at three spirit stones per jin. Cultivators below Level 3 Qi Refinement who drank it would experience an increase in their magical power. Following the steps Lu Yang had taught him, he washed the spirit rice, placed it in a large pot to steam, and once cooked, sprinkled it with wine yeast. He stirred it evenly, transferred it into empty wine jars, sealed them tightly, and placed them in a cool spot.

"Master Lu, it's done," Wang Qingyang said politely, walking up to Lu Yang. "Can you see if there are any problems?"

"You said it's done, so what problems could there be?" Lu Yang said, tossing two peanuts into his mouth and taking another sip of spirit wine, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Let it ferment for three months, then we'll see. The most important thing in winemaking is patience. As long as the operation is correct, all you have to do is wait."

Wang Qingyang acknowledged this, then picked up a palm fan and began fanning Lu Yang, displaying the utmost respect for his master. Lu Yang said nothing, but a hint of gratification appeared in his eyes.