Chapter 219: Drink Til We Are Drunk

Upon returning to Misty Waters City, Chu Liang opted not to mention his encounter in the underwater residence. He simply explained that he had crossed paths with Chen Wuyin again and narrowly escaped by luck.

If news of him killing Chen Wuyin got out, he might become famous. Such an event would undoubtedly warrant a special feature in the

Chronicles of the Nine Provinces

. However, the moment this news spread, he would never be able to step out of his door. Yi Qiushui, upon realizing she had been deceived so miserably, might seethe with fury and await revenge at the foot of Mount Shu.

It was better to keep a low profile and make a fortune quietly.

The Scarlet-Robe Hall showed no interest in the Immortal's Cauldron of Inferno. Hence, Chu Liang speculated that they were searching for the golden skull and the scroll within it.

The golden skull likely served as some kind of seal. Chu Liang dared not attempt to break it but instead intended to return to Mount Shu and seek Wen Yulong's help to unlock it.

As for the remaining half of the Immortal's Cauldron of Inferno, Chu Liang had not forgotten to pack it up and take it away. This could serve as nourishment for the little silkworm later.

After consuming half of the Immortal's Cauldron of Inferno, the tiny silkworm appeared shinier, hinting at an imminent breakthrough. This was a metamorphosis that Chu Liang eagerly anticipated.

Due to uncertainty regarding the departure of members of the Soul Destroyer Sect, Misty Waters City remained on high alert for a while. This vigilant status was only lifted after a few days. During this time, disciples of the Mount Shu Sect patrolled at night and leisurely strolled during the day.

Yang Yuhu from Penglai Supreme Sect also stayed in Misty Waters City during this period and interacted with them. He maintained his arrogant attitude towards Lin Bei and Shang Ziliang but was rather friendly towards Chu Liang.

During his free time, Chu Liang had been continuously contemplating the Dimension Compression, and finally gained some insights.

Seven days later, Du Ce announced the end of the vigilance. The disciples from the Penglai Supreme Sect and Mount Shu Sect who had come to support could now return with peace of mind.

On the day before their departure, Yang Yuhu suddenly approached Chu Liang with a jug of wine.

"Brother Yang, what's this for?" Chu Liang asked with a smile. "I never drink."

He was speaking the truth. Not only would he abstain from alcohol, but he also held an aversion towards it. After all, many struggles happened because of alcohol. If Di Nufeng hadn't been an alcoholic, Silver Sword Peak wouldn't have fallen into such a state.

"This is immortals' wine made from Immortality Peaches, a specialty of the Penglai Islands. Drinking a sip can enhance one's comprehension skills for three days, greatly benefiting cultivation and allowing one to be enlightened," said Yang Yuhu.

"Let's go! Today I shall drink with you until we are both drunk!" exclaimed Chu Liang boldly.

"

Hehe

," chuckled Yang Yuhu.

He pushed the cup over, filled it for Chu Liang, and poured one for himself as well.

"I didn't greet you when you came inside earlier, so I'll punish myself by drinking three cups first," said Chu Liang as he raised his cup and downed it in one gulp. After a single sip, he felt a surge of clarity rushing through his mind and body. His whole being felt lighter, and his thoughts became clearer.

Refreshing.

It was as expected of the immortals' wine. Chu Liang's eyes suddenly lit up with clarity.

"Brother Chu, no rush. We can drink this jug of wine slowly." Yang Yuhu shook his head as he chuckled and said, "I have no intention of bringing this home."

Chu Liang responded with a smile, "Brother Yang, you wouldn't have brought this fine wine here for nothing. What's the matter?"

"Alright. Let's not beat around the bush." Yang Yuhu said, "I want to invite you to join the Penglai Supreme Sect."

"

Eh?

"

His words caught Chu Liang off guard for a moment.

As the current leading immortal sect, the Penglai Supreme Sect has an inclusive atmosphere, welcoming cultivators from all walks of life to join.

Of course, those with mediocre talent and cultivation had to join the Penglai Secondary Sect and wait until they had made outstanding contributions before being promoted to the Supreme Sect. However, there were also some geniuses who could join the Supreme Sect as soon as they entered the sect.

The Penglai Supreme Sect would also extend equal treatment to the geniuses who joined the sect halfway.

Ultimately, the Penglai Supreme Sect just had better resources.

The never-ending source of treasures from the three islands of Penglai gave them the confidence to attract talents from the nine provinces.

However, Chu Liang never expected to be invited by Yang Yuhu. "Brother Yang, what do you mean?" He was slightly confused.

"To be honest, I have seen a few geniuses in the sects ranked in the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten. Each was unique with their own strengths," explained Yang Yuhu. "But the ones who have surpassed the level of genius and are worthy of being called a genius at the pinnacle of the world would be just you and my elder brother."

Hah?

His awesome praise surprised Chu Liang. "Brother Yang, you're really too kind. How could I dare to compare myself with your elder brother?" He hadn't expected this guy to come out with such lofty praises over wine.

"In the past few days, I've looked into your background and found that you've made remarkable progress in the past six months, advancing from the beginning stage of the Spiritual Awareness Realm to forming the ultimate-tier Golden Core," Yang Yuhu said. "Your recent trajectory of development even surpasses that of my elder brother."

"I was just lucky." Chu Liang said.

"Many people have luck, but only one in a million can seize the opportunity and rise as you have. You don't need to be overly modest," Yang Yuhu continued. "But it is truly peculiar that someone like you, only rose to prominence in the third stage after years of mediocrity on Mount Shu."

"

Heh...

" Chu Liang could only smile.

"It's probably due to resources. Mount Shu treats all disciples equally, and everyone needs to contribute to the sect in exchange for resources, which means that there is a scarcity of resources in the beginning," Yang Yuhu said. "But for someone like you, if you had been given enough support early on, I believe you would have soared to great heights much earlier!"

Listening to his increasingly exaggerated praises, Chu Liang hastily said, "Brother Yang, you're exaggerating. The treatment we receive at Mount Shu is still good. My slow progress in cultivation previously was just because I had yet to achieve enlightenment."

Yang Yuhu shook his head again. "You would think that Mount Shu is good because you have yet to see the other immortal sects in the Divine Nine. Not to mention comparing it with my Penglai or even with the Great Astral Sect and the Endless Sword Sect, which are considered less prestigious within the Divine Nine, Mount Shu is far inferior."

Chu Liang was well aware of what Yang Yuhu said. Among the Divine Nine, Mount Shu provided the least resources to its disciples, who had to work for their resources. In essence, it was because they were poor.

Without top-tier divine artifacts, they couldn't compete for major resource points. Over time, they naturally fell behind. So Mount Shu disciples had to exchange a large amount of labor for their resources, while disciples of other immortal sects in the Divine Nine could receive plenty of assistance without lifting a finger.

"If you join our Penglai Supreme Sect, I can recommend you to join my teacher's lineage, and you'll be my senior brother," Yang Yuhu earnestly said. "Then, you won't need to spend time on mundane matters, just focus on cultivation, and all resources will be provided without limit. I guarantee that you'll reach the Dao Attainment Realm ten years or even more ahead of the time it would take at Mount Shu. This is the ladder to success, Brother Chu."

He spoke earnestly and seemed sincere. As for the promise of unlimited resources, Chu Liang believed that Penglai could indeed deliver.

Still, Chu Liang shook his head firmly.

"Brother Yang, I can see that you are sincere with me, so I will also speak frankly with you," Chu Liang said seriously. "I have been in Mount Shu since I was a child, and that is my home. The fellow disciples and elders of Mount Shu are all my family.

"Being in this sect has its disadvantages. I have conflicts with some people in the sect as well..." Chu Liang appeared aloof as he looked to the side as he spoke, "But the thought of leaving it has never crossed my mind."

Chu Liang continued saying, "Mount Shu has its drawbacks, but I'll find ways to improve it. If there are things I need for cultivation, I'll find a way to obtain them myself. While everyone knows Penglai is great, I know it's not paradise for me. Every sect has its pros and cons. If I were to leave Mount Shu because of its flaws, what if I discover flaws in Penglai later? Where would I go then?

"I would have no other way, because I would have already lost my roots."

"Brother Yang, I'm sorry." Chu Liang said firmly, "I'll never leave Mount Shu in this life."

"But..." Yang Yuhu listened to his words, equally moved, and finally said, "But your esteemed teacher is Di Nufeng!"

"

Eh.

" Chu Liang's brow furrowed at the mention, "Let me reconsider."

...

The next day, Chu Liang returned to Silver Sword Peak.

The familiar scenery of flowers and grass greeted him, each sight at home.

He saw Liu Xiaoyu'er busy in a field of Golden Vein Flowers. Chu Liang had maintained the habit of tending to thorny black balls, and the garden had grown larger, bringing his dream of a plantation closer.

Seeing Chu Liang return, Liu Xiaoyu'er immediately greeted him, "Brother Chu Liang, what am I doing?"

"

Heh heh

, working hard again, little fish? That's amazing!" Chu Liang raised his thumb, "What's the most honorable thing?"

"Working hard!" Liu Xiaoyu'er responded loudly.

Chu Liang praised her and continued forward.

Around the corner of the garden was a large wooden shed, the home of the Golden-Furred Hou, Big Head, who was sleeping soundly inside. It had been sleeping a lot lately to accumulate energy for its advancement to the sixth stage.

Chu Liang was about to greet his esteemed teacher when a streak of fire shot over from the pavilion.

Swish—

Di Nufeng suddenly appeared before him. She seemed to still be half-asleep but some unknown force motivated her to fly here.

Although her eyes were closed, her nose twitched as she sniffed around, finally widening her eyes, "Yes, it's the aroma of Penglai's Immortality Peach Brew!"

"Yes..."

Chu Liang blinked, surprised that the scent of alcohol from the previous day could still be detected. In terms of discerning scents, his esteemed teacher's skills were not inferior to the Golden-Furred Hou.

"You-you disobedient disciple, wandering outside and drinking such good wine behind your esteemed teacher's back..." Di Nufeng pouted, looking aggrieved, "Not considering the poor esteemed teacher at home, who has never had such good wine..."

Even if you want to drink this, will the people of Penglai even sell it to you?

Chu Liang thought to himself.

"Esteemed Teacher, don't you drink the Drunken Immortal Brew at home anyway..." He chuckled as he spoke, "That drink is not cheap too, right?"

"I don't care." Di Nufeng glared, "Next time you see Immortality Peach Brew, you must bring it back for me to taste, otherwise you're unfilial!"

Chu Liang looked at the woman before him, who was being stubborn and unreasonable, and suddenly doubted his decision.

Maybe...he should reconsider talking to Yang Yuhu...