Chapter 272
Chapter 272: An Idyllic Scenery Deserves a Good Wine-Pairing
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Jun Xiaomo couldn’t stand how Jun Ziwen perpetually looked annoyed or displeased, and she glared furiously at him . However, when it became apparent to her that Jun Ziwen was hardly even looking at her, her mind spun, and a mischievous thought floated into her mind .
Doesn’t this guy find me annoying and want me to leave? Then I’m going to stay right here and annoy you to no end!
Jun Xiaomo’s eyes gleamed, and a wicked smile crept up the corner of her lips . Then, she suddenly slapped the table and called out, “Innkeeper!”
“Hey~~ Coming~~” The innkeeper had just returned to his desk and was still in the midst of counting through his profits for the day when Jun Xiaomo summoned him once more .
Jun Xiaomo had all at once ordered five bottles of aged wine from the innkeeper and paid for them without batting a single eyelid . It had to be mentioned that the price of one such bottle of wine was equal to half of the inn’s average monthly income . Thus, Jun Xiaomo was a massive golden cash cow in the innkeeper’s eye – one that he would not want to offend in the least bit .
“Bring me a few of your largest bowls here . ”
“Large--…largest bowls?” The innkeeper couldn’t understand Jun Xiaomo’s request .
“That’s right . The largest bowl – the kind that I can use to drink to my heart’s content . ” Jun Xiaomo confirmed in a singsong manner, yet her eye gleamed with a crafty look .
“Oh, oh . I understand . Certainly, certainly . I’ll be right back with it . ” The innkeeper turned around again and exclaimed in his heart as he trotted along to his store – Who would’ve expected this dainty and demure looking lady would be such a heavyweight drinker? She’s most certainly extravagant with her consumption!
Respect, respect! A hero among women! Two thumbs up!
Within moments, the innkeeper touted a few large bowls as he trotted back to the table and set the bowls in front of her as he blandished her, “Dear guest, what do you think about these bowls?”
“Mm, mm . Not bad, not bad . ” Jun Xiaomo smiled radiantly as she picked up a bowl and chuckled mischievously as she stroked her chin . Her present appearances looked no different from that of a crafty little fox, “Alright, I’ve got no other requests for now . Thanks, innkeeper . ”
“Yes, yes . No need for any thanks at all . Feel free to give me a holler if you’ve got any other requests . ” The innkeeper bowed slightly as he took his leave, before returning to his desk and resuming his count of the spirit stones he had taken for the day .
Jun Xiaomo began to set the bowls out on the table . In the blink of an eye, three-quarters of the entire space on the table was covered by Jun Xiaomo’s bowls and wine bottles, relegating Ye Xiuwen’s wine cup and bottles of wine into a small, miserable little corner .
Ye Xiuwen, who had earlier retreated into his own silence as he doused himself with spirit wine, paused in his actions and glanced at “Qin Shanshan” .
Jun Xiaomo raised an eyebrow at Ye Xiuwen, as though challenging him, before flicking open the stopper on one of her own wine bottles and pouring a generous portion of wine into a bowl in a cavalier fashion .
Then, as she continued to fill up every single bowl on the table, the intense fragrance of wine began to diffuse throughout the entire dining hall .
The innkeeper subconsciously gulped down the saliva in his mouth as he eyed the bowls of wine set out in front of Jun Xiaomo .
Even though he had personally brewed those bottles of wine, he had not tasted a single drop of the wine before . His hope was that these bottles of wine would one day fetch a hefty price and profit for him . Who would ever have thought that this demure and dainty looking lady would be so extravagant – not only did she purchase five bottles of wine at one go, she even poured out and displayed the wine in front of her in such a hearty fashion!
It’s so fragrant…if only I could have a taste of it…
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Even though Ye Xiuwen’s wine possessed a far more complex and indulgent aroma than the wine that Jun Xiaomo had purchased, it could never measure up to the sheer quantity of wine that Jun Xiaomo had displayed . Thus, as the intense scent of alcohol and fragrance of Jun Xiaomo’s wine permeated every corner of the dining hall, even the cup of spirit wine in Ye Xiuwen’s hands began to turn bland and pale in comparison .
Ye Xiuwen: ……
Jun Xiaomo particularly enjoyed seeing Ye Xiuwen’s speechless expression on his face . Notwithstanding the fact that there was hardly any change to Ye Xiuwen’s cool disposition, Jun Xiaomo felt as though she could sense the slight shift in the hidden intent in the depths of Ye Xiuwen’s eyes .
Jun Xiaomo picked up one of the massive bowls on the table and brought it up to her nose, before taking a huge whiff of it . Then, her eyes curled into a squinch as she exclaimed heartily, “So fragrant…” As she finished speaking, she lifted the bowl to her lips and took one big gulp from it, instantly finishing a tenth of its contents . She even smirked as she licked her lips in delight .
After all that, she opened her eyes once more and glanced back at Ye Xiuwen, hardly bothering to mask the delight and arrogance in her eyes . It was as though she were saying – See, I’ve got some good wine as well . Not giving you any!
Despite all that, how good could a wine made by mere mortals really be compared with spirit wine? She was doing nothing more than putting on a pretense right now .
Jun Xiaomo’s present actions were no different from how a kid pulled pranks on others just to get their attention – it made others feel completely exasperated by her actions, yet at the same time nobody could find such actions hateful or disgusting .
Faced with such a pair of innocent and naïve-looking eyes, for some strange reason, Ye Xiuwen felt that the frustrations weighing on his heart had diminished quite substantially .
The iciness and distance in his heart had now dissipated slightly, but this was hardly revealed on his equally stoic expression on his face .
He lifted the cup in his hand and slowly took a swig of the wine, suppressing the softening of the gaze in his eyes .
On the other hand, Jun Xiaomo began to grow anxious . She had done so many things to trigger Jun Ziwen, yet he seemed to remain completely unperturbed as he minded his own business . This made Jun Xiaomo feel as though everything she had just done had been done in vain – not only had she not managed to trigger Jun Ziwen, she felt as though she had triggered herself for wasting her own time!
Alright, alright . There’s no need for me to be incensed over such trivialities . Isn’t it just some wine? Having one less sip isn’t too much of an issue . Besides, I’ve got a spread of wine in front of me .
While it’s true that it lacks in taste and kick, it’s still better than nothing .
After denouncing her own childish behaviour from just moments ago, Jun Xiaomo turned a blind eye to the man seated opposite him as she began to drink in frustration .
It had to be said that the alcohol brewed by mortal man could hardly do a thing to tickle the throats of cultivators, much less intoxicate and inebriate them . Thus, the innkeeper looked on with respect as Jun Xiaomo continued to chug down the wine in her bowl as though it were nothing more than water . Within moments, Jun Xiaomo had completely emptied out the contents of an entire bottle of wine .
Unfortunately, even though she had chugged down the wine in large mouthfuls, Jun Xiaomo hardly felt satisfied by the alcohol she had just consumed . Earlier, when she had consumed a small cup of Jun Ziwen’s aged spirit wine, she experienced an explosion of flavours and aromas that suffused through every part of her mouth, lingering for ages before it dissipated . Yet, despite having bought over a large quantity of the wine from the innkeeper, there was not a single bottle of wine that could hold a candle to the small cup that she earlier consumed .
Jun Xiaomo’s heart felt completely stifled, and she sought to wash away her frustrations with the help of the wine she was chugging down . That said, the irony was that the wine brewed by mortals could do nothing of the sort apart from aggravating matters and worsening her frustrations . She found no form of reprieve whatsoever from the wine she was consuming .
At the same time, even though Ye Xiuwen remained completely stoic and unperturbed where he was, the truth of the matter was that he had on several occasions laid his gaze on “Qin Shanshan” as he was lifting his own wine up to his mouth .
As he continued to observe how the lady seated opposite him appeared to be throwing a tantrum like a spoilt little child, a thought suddenly crossed Ye Xiuwen’s heart – Have I been far too sensitive and petty earlier? After all, I’m a grown man . Is there really any reason for me to outrightly reject this young lady’s earlier request?
And it’s just a small bottle of wine at that…
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Thus, a slight sense of guilty conscience washed over his heart, and Ye Xiuwen retrieved a jade bottle from his Interspatial Ring . This jade bottle contained a sealed, full bottle of wine that his master had personally brewed . Ye Xiuwen pushed the bottle of wine towards Jun Xiaomo and remarked, “Take it . There’s no need to get vexed over such trivial matters . ”
Jun Xiaomo was still furiously attempting to chug away her frustrations when Ye Xiuwen extended this gesture of goodwill . She was immediately taken aback, and her eyes widened in disbelief . She looked back up at Ye Xiuwen as she exclaimed, “This is for me?!”
Ye Xiuwen remained taciturn . Instead, he simply shifted his hand away as he picked up his cup and began to drink his wine again .
Jun Xiaomo looked suspiciously at Jun Ziwen, thinking – Why did he suddenly give me a bottle of wine when he wasn’t even willing to part with a cup or two earlier? And it’s still a fresh, sealed bottle of wine to boot . Does he have any ulterior motives?
Ye Xiuwen remained completely stoic as Jun Xiaomo’s suspicious gaze swept across his body .
After struggling against her own thoughts for a little while, Jun Xiaomo let her craving for a good spirit wine get the better of her and her rationality . Besides, no matter how Jun Xiaomo looked at it, she just couldn’t think of any reason why Jun Ziwen would possibly scheme against her . Thus, she shelved her thoughts and picked up the jade bottle and removed its seal within an instant .
As soon as the seal came off, a delectable waft of aromatics sprung out of the bottle, gently caressing and tickling Jun Xiaomo’s nose . Her nose twitched as she inhaled the fragrance, allowing it to suffuse gently through her body, bones and marrows alike .
It’s truly incredible!
Jun Xiaomo anxiously picked up the small cup and poured herself a small cup of the spirit wine . Her actions right now were incredibly dainty and gentle – a complete contrast with her earlier actions .
Of course she had to be gentle and careful with the precious spirit wine she now possessed! It would be far too much of a waste of good wine if she chugged it as she had done with the wine brewed by the innkeeper .
Ye Xiuwen watched how “Qin Shanshan’s” disposition suddenly changed . She now act so cautiously as though she were afraid of wasting even a single drop of his spirit wine, and he couldn’t help but shake his head helplessly as a trace of bemusement surfaced in the depths of his eyes .
Once she filled the small cup with some spirit wine, Jun Xiaomo gingerly held the cup up to her lips and licked the spirit wine . Instantly, her eyes brightened and curled into a squinch .
As expected, it’s the same wine as earlier!
No, I think this might even be purer and less filtered than the one earlier! Jun Xiaomo took another small sip in astonishment . Within moments, goosebumps crept up all over her body in sheer delight .
Then, Jun Xiaomo recoiled slightly when it once again dawned on her that the bottle of wine had essentially been bestowed upon her by the man seated opposite her . Thus, her earlier displeasure with Jun Ziwen dissipated substantially .
Lifting her head, she openly sized up Ye Xiuwen once more, before lifting the cup of wine in her hands and awkwardly addressing Ye Xiuwen, “Hey, that…thanks for this…”
This was also the first time Ye Xiuwen revealed a radiant and warm smile to “Qin Shanshan” .
“No need for thanks . ” Ye Xiuwen responded dispassionately, yet it was obvious that the coldness and distance in the depths of his eyes had diminished substantially .
Jun Xiaomo widened her eyes in bewilderment . Her heart was once again filled with a strange sense of familiarity for that man .
Unfortunately, before she could make out where this sense of familiarity came from, the innkeeper’s voice rang out from the side, “That…dear guests, could I check if you still need the things on the other table? If not, shall I clear them for you?”
It was starting to get late, and there were still dishes of leftovers sitting on the table that Jun Xiaomo had earlier been seated at . The innkeeper was evidently thinking of clearing up the dishes on Jun Xiaomo’s table so that they could start washing up earlier .
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“I don’t need them anymore . Thanks . ” Jun Xiaomo waved her hands, signifying that they could clean up after her .
With the innkeeper’s interjection, Jun Xiaomo’s earlier sense of familiarity had once again faded away . She looked at Jun Ziwen once again, and she noticed that under his usual cool and stoic expressions, his eyes were unusually heavy and sullen . In fact, they were deep and abstruse, as though they were a bottomless abyss .
Does he have that many things weighing on his heart…? Jun Xiaomo tapped her finger on the table .
This man had earlier given her a precious bottle of wine that was difficult to come by, even by the standards of cultivators . Its aged, raw aroma had washed away the frustrations and uneasiness on Jun Xiaomo’s heart .
A good deed begets another after all . Jun Xiaomo resolved to reciprocate Jun Ziwen’s act of kindness with another act of kindness of her own .
Thus, Jun Xiaomo minced her way over to Ye Xiuwen’s side and blinked eagerly at him as she made an enigmatic suggestion, “Brother Jun, do you want to go to a place that is the most suitable for drinking away all your worries?”
“Suitable for drinking away my worries?” Ye Xiuwen murmured as he repeated Jun Xiaomo’s words . He looked back at Jun Xiaomo with a bewildered gaze in his eyes .
“That’s right . It’s a pretty good place, and you can treat this as my thanks for the bottle of wine you’ve given to me . How about it?” Jun Xiaomo curled her lips into a smile .
He looked at the peculiarly familiar smile on Jun Xiaomo’s lips as he deliberated for a moment, before finally agreeing, “Alright . ”
The place that Jun Xiaomo brought Ye Xiuwen to was on top of a little hill a short distance away from the town .
There was a little pavilion atop the hill . Nobody knows who had constructed this pavilion, or when . That said, the peeling paintwork on the pavilion was evidence that this pavilion had seen a fair number of years .
However, night had fallen, and these flaws in the pavilion were barely noticeable in any event . As a whole, the pavilion’s design could still be described to be rather exquisite . Ye Xiuwen waved his sleeves slightly, and the dust and dirt on the stone chairs and table were all swept away in an instant .
I never knew that wind-based spells could be used like that . Jun Xiaomo remarked curiously in her heart .
The air atop the hill was cool and refreshing, and it swept away the frustrations of the entire day . As they sat in the pavilion, they were able to get a bird’s eye view of the lands beneath it – silhouettes of towering mountains in the distance; and grasslands and forests sitting stoically around a well-lit town at the foot of the hill . The picturesque view from the pavilion was like a beautiful ink painting of a night scene that stretched on endlessly . As Ye Xiuwen took in the marvelous sight around him, the tension in his heart loosened substantially .
“How about it? It’s pretty good, isn’t it?” Jun Xiaomo smiled as she remarked proudly .
“Mm, it’s not bad at all . Thank you . ” Ye Xiuwen responded with sincerity, before addressing his mind to an incidental thought, “You’ve been here before?”
“You can say that . ” Jun Xiaomo smiled . This smile was quite different from the look of vigilance or the mischievous, prankster smile that she had earlier given to Ye Xiuwen . Right now, “Qin Shanshan’s” expressions could be described more to be filled with reminiscence and solitude .
This was a place that Jun Xiaomo had previously escaped to in her previous life . Back then, she and Ye Xiuwen had happened to chance upon this place while they were escaping from their persecutors . Even though they were incredibly weary and worn out from running for their lives each and every day, the amazing view from the top of the hill would invariably provide them with a boost to their spirits and uplift their hearts .
In fact, she had intended to bring her martial brother Ye to this place to enjoy the scenery together as well . Unfortunately, …
Forget it, I’d best not think about it . Jun Xiaomo shook her head and shrugged off the stifling feeling on her heart .
She knew that she could not afford to delve too much into the indelible wounds of her heart . At this point in time, her mission to rescue her martial brothers from the Heavenly Peak was of paramount importance .
“Do you still have any wine?” Jun Xiaomo suddenly turned around and asked Jun Ziwen .
Ye Xiuwen had just been slightly taken aback by the solitude in “Qin Shanshan’s” eyes . Now that Jun Xiaomo had suddenly changed the topic, he was once again jolted back to his senses .
“Wine?”
“That’s right . Such a beautiful scenery like this should naturally be paired with the appreciation of a cup of good wine~” Jun Xiaomo smiled radiantly as she explained; the earlier solitude and listless expression on her face had completely faded into thin air, “Besides, I did mention earlier that this place was the most suitable for drinking away your worries . ”
Ye Xiuwen raised his eyebrows, “Shouldn’t you have told me instead that you were looking for a better place to coax me into sharing more of my spirit wine with you?”
Jun Xiaomo chuckled . She had not expected the frigid looking wooden block before her to be capable of cracking jokes at times .
But with that joke of his, the earlier rift that seemed to put a distance of ten thousand miles between them seemed to have completely faded away into nothingness .
Jun Xiaomo chuckled as she shrugged her shoulders, “If you want me to ask formally, that’s fine as well . Would brother Jun be willing to share some of his delectable spirit wine with me?”
“Naturally . ” Ye Xiuwen waved his sleeve, and a large tun of spirit wine appeared on the stone table in the pavilion .
“This is a precious, one-hundred years-old spirit wine from my master’s personal collection . I wonder if this tun of spirit wine would suffice as the foundation of our friendship?” Ye Xiuwen quipped .
Jun Xiaomo’s eyes brightened, before affirmatively nodding her head, “It’s enough, it’s enough!”
As she finished speaking, she ran straight towards the tun of spirit wine!
Thus, this very night, a particular person who professed herself to be a wine afficionado collapsed on the ground, completely inebriated .
On the other side, having discovered something wrong with his sister’s Origin Locket, Qin Lingyu kicked open a door within a brothel in the middle of the night and pulled the leader of the Dawn Sect disciples out of the bed while he was midway through his act of intimacy . Qin Lingyu bellowed, “Where’s my sister?!”
The Dawn Sect disciple who had just been saturating himself with the ecstasy of carnal relations was so astonished by Qin Lingyu’s sudden appearance that he began to tremble in fear . It was as though his soul had just left his body .
“Sis--…sister?” His mind had only registered these two words, and he was unable to give Qin Lingyu a proper response .
“I’m . Asking . You . Where . My . Sister . Is?!” Qin Lingyu’s voice grew grim and sullen as he repeated his question to the Dawn Sect disciple he had just grabbed onto .
The disciple’s spirits finally returned to his body, and he was now thoroughly awake .
My goodness?! Isn’t martial brother Qin supposed to be at the Limitless Sect? Why would he be here right now?!