Chapter 8: The Wine Immortal Appears

"Yuan Qing, Xuan Ya, you're ranked second and sixth among this generation's disciples. Why are you both so eager to gather herbs? And Lin Feng, Liu Yan'er, Xiao Lingfeng, Wang Qi... also talented individuals ranked in the top twenty of this generation. Why are you all rushing to the Misty Forest of Treasures? Has our sect become so stingy with its young disciples? Northern Continent isn't a friendly place; no one went there the last two times... Hmm?"

In a corner of the Hall of Hundred Endeavors, a female immortal, reeking of alcohol, tilted her head. She glared at Li Changshou, who was standing behind four dazzling young disciples, then lowered her gaze to the bamboo slip in her hand, looked up at Li Changshou again, repeating the action twice. Her expression gradually turned grim.

"Li Changshou of Little Qiong Peak. What's your cultivation level? Why are you going to the Misty Forest of Treasures when you've just reached the ninth stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm? Go, go! Go fight those shrimp demons in the East Sea instead!"

This female immortal's bluntness was merciless, yet her words were perfectly reasonable, clearly out of concern for Li Changshou's safety.

The female immortal had two wine gourds, one large and one small, hanging from her waist. Her attire was simple: long pants and a short shirt, with light brown, medium-short hair. Among the many female qi refiners with flowing black hair, she was a rare anomaly.

In terms of appearance and demeanor, she strongly resembled a menial disciple within the sect who had been exploited for so long that they had given up on themselves.

Fortunately, her slender waist, cinched by a cloth strap, her nearly bursting linen shirt, and the occasional subtle pressure radiating from her person, made it clear that she was an immortal of considerable strength.

Her Daoist name was Jiu Jiu, and she was a disciple of Potian Peak. Though she appeared to be in her early twenties, she was actually eight or nine hundred years old, having achieved immortality over six hundred years ago. She was a top-tier talent among the disciples who entered the sect at the same time as her and was now capable of handling matters independently.

The fact that she was the only sect guardian accompanying them to the Misty Forest of Treasures in the Northern Continent clearly indicated her extraordinary strength.

Li Changshou's expression turned serious. He cupped his hands and bowed to the renowned immortal, Jiu Jiu, saying, "Martial Aunt Jiu, this disciple needs to find several herbs, one of which can only be found in the Northern Continent. I apologize for the trouble I'm causing you this time."

"What herb?"

The female immortal pursed her lips, a hint of disdain on her otherwise beautiful face. "Your master and I share a bit of history. Take this and go find Elder Qi Ling at the Daoist Scripture Pavilion."

As she spoke, the female immortal rummaged in her wine-stained shirt and pulled out a jade slip, tossing it casually to Li Changshou.

"Tell him it's part of my monthly allowance, and get the herb you're looking for! Is the Northern Continent a place for someone like you, at the ninth stage of Spirit Transformation? If you actually die there, I'll have ten years of wine money deducted, and your sniffle-nosed master will surely come crying to me... Ugh, just thinking about it is annoying!"

The two men and two women nearby were slightly surprised, their gazes falling on the jade slip.

An elder's identification jade slip, given so easily to a disciple from a different peak who was only at the ninth stage of Spirit Transformation?

"Martial Aunt," Li Changshou said with a wry smile, taking two steps forward with the jade slip and offering it back to the female immortal. "If I had a choice, I wouldn't want to risk going to the Northern Continent, but this time it's truly unavoidable. According to sect rules, Martial Aunt cannot refuse a disciple's request to go out for trials. Please grant my request."

Jiu Jiu frowned slightly, staring at the junior bowing before her. She snorted, then snatched the jade slip back.

"Honestly! Hey, Yuan Qing, Xuan Ya."

The young woman in a fiery red immortal dress and the refined young qi refiner simultaneously cupped their hands and replied, "Here, Disciple!"

Jiu Jiu grumbled, "If you two have any spare effort, help look after him."

"Disciple obeys," Youqin Xuan Ya responded expressionlessly.

"Don't worry, Martial Aunt," Yuan Qing said, casting a kind glance at Li Changshou. His smile was gentle. "I will definitely take good care of Junior Brother Changshou."

Jiu Jiu couldn't help but palm her forehead, then launched into a barrage of complaints at Li Changshou: "He entered the sect earlier than both you and Xuan Ya. Seriously, Li Changshou, how have you managed to cultivate for over a hundred years and still not reach the Void Refinement Realm? ...Forget it. Given the conditions at your Little Qiong Peak, it's already decent that you can keep up with most disciples."

"Uh," Yuan Qing looked awkward, but quickly cupped his hands in a bow. "My apologies, Senior Brother Changshou, please don't take offense."

Li Changshou shook his head with a smile, feeling a touch of emotion deep down.

An expressionless woman and a warm-hearted man—they seemed quite a fitting pair...

But it had nothing to do with him.

Li Changshou suddenly felt two gazes, not entirely friendly. He didn't investigate further, calmly thanked Jiu Jiu, then turned and bowed to Youqin Xuan Ya and Yuan Qing, before stepping back to stand quietly behind the four.

Those two gazes, naturally, came from the other two individuals.

—Liu Yan'er, in a light yellow silk dress, and Wang Qi, in a cyan Daoist robe, were both highly ranked experts in the Void Refinement Realm among this generation's disciples, two excellent immortal sprouts.

Although their gazes earlier weren't entirely friendly, they weren't particularly malicious either; at most, they showed a hint of disdain.

Li Changshou stood quietly, listening to the continuous whooshing sounds from outside as groups of disciples ascended into the sky, protected by various immortals.

He also sent out a wisp of spiritual sense to check the several storage magic artifacts on his person.

This wasn't due to a habit of organizing items like pills and artifacts into categories; in fact, the contents of these artifacts were identical. Pills, magic artifacts, spirit stones, and so on, were all divided equally into three portions.

The bracelet on his left wrist was the main storage artifact. For contingencies, the pendant around his neck was a backup storage artifact. And for contingencies of contingencies, the cloth bag tied to his thigh was an extra backup storage artifact...

When going out for trials, it's always wise to be overly prepared, especially when heading to a dangerous place like the Northern Continent.

This time, Li Changshou had brought most of his family's assets with him.

The remaining smaller portion he had given to his junior sister for self-defense.

...

Half a day later, a giant gourd slowly ascended in front of the hall.

Immortal Jiu Jiu stood with her arms crossed above the gourd's mouth, exuding an extraordinary aura. Several young disciples stood quietly and steadily on various parts of the gourd.

Once the gourd flew out of the grand formation, Immortal Jiu Jiu formed a hand seal. The wine gourd emitted faint green light, creating a thin membrane around itself to block out the external wind.

Then, she pointed her finger towards the northwest, and the wine gourd slowly began to accelerate.

"Relax, don't be nervous. There aren't so many rules once we're outside the mountain gate."

Jiu Jiu yawned and sat down casually at the gourd's mouth, her two calves dangling over its sides. Leaning back without a care for her image, she picked up the wine gourd from her waist, a satisfied smile already on her lips.

She slowly took a sip, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. Her soft groan merged with the wind as her entire being exuded a sense of contentment and comfort. Then, she turned her head to observe the five young disciples behind her.

The furthest from her was Li Changshou, who sat at the back of the gourd.

Li Changshou maintained a small distance from the others, his body remaining taut. Unlike the others, he wasn't meditating. The fingertips of his left hand pressed against two yellow paper talismans.

Liu Yan'er and Wang Qi were in the middle of the gourd, both quietly regulating their breath.

Closest to Jiu Jiu was Youqin Xuan Ya, who was meditating a foot behind Jiu Jiu, her large sword laid horizontally before her.

Behind Youqin Xuan Ya, the elegant Yuan Qing spoke softly, "Junior Sister, this time I will certainly help you find the Flame-Sated Mind-Clarifying Grass."

Youqin Xuan Ya, however, frowned slightly and said indifferently, "Senior Brother Yuan Qing, you needn't trouble yourself for me. This is a matter of my own cultivation, and no one else needs to interfere."

Yuan Qing smiled gently. "Having one more person always means one more chance."

Youqin Xuan Ya said nothing more, continuing to meditate with closed eyes. Wisps of flame-like aura surrounded her, creating an appearance of flawless beauty.

"Tsk," Jiu Jiu chuckled, observing from the side, and raised an eyebrow at Yuan Qing.

Yuan Qing made a helpless expression and continued to meditate three feet behind Youqin Xuan Ya, the smile on his lips gradually fading.

'Tsk, another good show of falling leaves having feelings while flowing water has none.'

Jiu Jiu took a sip of the immortal brew, finding it unsatisfying and leaving her wanting more, yet she reluctantly hung the gourd back on her waist.

Leaning against the edge of the gourd's mouth, she gazed up at the clouds unfurling and rolling across the blue sky, a little lost in thought.

After flying for a while, Jiu Jiu instinctively reached for the gourd at her waist, but hesitated and stopped, then said, "It'll take two days and three nights to fly to the Northern Continent. Are you just going to meditate like this? Wang Qi, sing a little tune for your Martial Aunt."

"Martial Aunt Jiu..." Wang Qi quickly said from the back, "How would I know how to sing a tune?"

Jiu Jiu immediately looked disgusted. "Then who here can? Changshou, can you?"

Li Changshou shook his head with a solemn expression. Instead, he used a sound transmission spell to warn Jiu Jiu, "Martial Aunt, there seems to be a figure in the clouds behind and above us."

"Hmm?"

Jiu Jiu looked up, then subtly sent a sound transmission back to Li Changshou: "In the vast lands of the Five Continents, countless qi refiners can fly and escape. Don't be surprised; we're not far from our Immortal Du Sect here."

Despite her words, Jiu Jiu still spread out her immortal sense. Before long, the large gourd's airborne speed began to steadily decrease.

A moment later, the large gourd hovered motionlessly in the air. Jiu Jiu remained loosely seated, and called out loudly, "May I ask, Daoist friend in the clouds, what is your purpose in following us for so long?"

Immediately, the four individuals meditating on the gourd opened their eyes. Li Changshou, who had been observing the rear, withdrew his right hand into his sleeve, his fingers gripping his storage artifact.

From the clouds behind, a burly figure flew out. He wore chainmail, had a rugged face, and exuded a dense, heavy aura. A massive broadaxe was strapped to his back.

'An immortal?'

Li Changshou carefully sensed the man; he seemed to have only recently become an immortal, as he didn't exude much pressure.

A hundred feet away, the burly man cupped his fists towards Jiu Jiu and declared loudly, "I am a palace guard from Honglin Kingdom in the Eastern Divine Continent, specially dispatched to protect Her Royal Highness, the Sixth Princess. If I have caused any offense, please forgive me, Immortal!"

"The Sixth Princess?"

Jiu Jiu tilted her head, scrutinizing the two female disciples behind her.

Li Changshou's gaze instinctively fell upon Liu Yan'er, whose face was slightly round and who carried a hint of mundane charm. However, Liu Yan'er looked directly at the other young female disciple...

Then, Youqin Xuan Ya spoke in an extremely cold tone:

"Go back. You needn't trouble yourself for me."

A princess? A palace guard?

Appearing suddenly just as they were about to head to the Northern Continent?

Li Changshou subtly twitched his nose, catching a scent of... a certain trope.