Clang!

Clang!

On a peaceful afternoon, within the protective barrier of Du Xian Men’s smooth, ethereal mountain array.

On Little Qiong Peak, which stood notably shorter among the surrounding peaks, rhythmic striking sounds echoed through the air…

About ten li north of the three thatched cottages by the small lake, in the dense forest, a towering tree swayed with each strike.

Beneath the tree, a young woman wore training clothes embroidered with orchids and fragrant grass, her head wrapped in a light purple silk cloud ribbon. She wielded a large axe with inexplicable grace.

The young woman was gritting her teeth as she muttered some choice words:

“Not letting me use spiritual power—what if my arms and legs develop those ugly muscle knots!

I’m a female cultivator, for heaven’s sake!

Now, he said he’d watch me chop trees, but where is he? Gone back to meditate again!

Hmph, stupid Senior Brother, I’ll cut you down completely, root and branch, not leaving a single sprout!

Take this—break!”

Crack—

The old tree swayed reluctantly before slowly toppling backward, startling flocks of birds from the forest.

Suddenly, a voice called out from behind:

“Are you… Little Ling’e?”

Lan Ling’e immediately became alert, gripping her giant axe as she leaped forward. When she landed, she had already turned around, looking up at the floating figure in the air. The figure seemed somewhat familiar.

A man-length gourd, a female immortal sitting cross-legged atop it, wearing slightly dirty hemp clothes… how annoying, the hemp short jacket was nearly bursting open…

Ah, it was Senior Aunt Jiu…

Lan Ling’e quickly put down the axe and bowed with cupped hands. She recalled the greeting templates her Senior Brother had established, choosing the most appropriate one, and said softly:

“Disciple Ling’e pays respects to Senior Aunt Jiu. Due to my shallow cultivation, I failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive me.”

“No need for such formality,” Jiu Jiu looked at this well-mannered and sweet-spoken little niece-disciple below with quite some fondness.

Jiu Jiu put away her large gourd and jumped down from the air.

“Is your Senior Brother here? I have something to discuss with him.”

“Senior Brother should be cultivating,” Lan Ling’e kept her eyes lowered and continued speaking softly, “Please wait at the front while I go call Master out from his seclusion.

Our humble abode may not be adequately prepared to receive you. Please forgive any shortcomings.”

“Ah, no need for such trouble, I came specifically to find your Senior Brother;

Your Master is about to achieve immortality, let him continue his seclusion undisturbed.”

Jiu Jiu waved her hand and looked around, “Little Ling’e, what are you chopping wood for?”

“It’s a form of cultivation practice. I must seem quite amusing to Senior Aunt.”

Lan Ling’e’s response remained impeccable, though her heart stirred with slight confusion.

Why was this Senior Aunt looking for her Senior Brother?

Immortal cultivators had incredibly long lifespans, and there were many couples within the sect spanning different generations;

And this Senior Aunt before her had a pretty face and graceful curves. Though somewhat unkempt, she possessed natural beauty and was well-endowed…

Most importantly, this Senior Aunt Jiu had gone out together with her Senior Brother before…

Something was suspicious.

Lan Ling’e became instantly alert. Her thoughts turned slightly, and she was about to probe indirectly about Jiu Jiu’s intentions.

But before she could speak, the ground not far away rippled slightly, and Li Changshou’s figure slowly emerged, paying respects to Jiu Jiu with cupped hands…

Moments later, in Li Changshou’s thatched cottage, Jiu Jiu and Li Changshou sat cross-legged on opposite sides of a low table.

She had come to deliver Li Changshou’s rewards from this cultivation training conference, and also brought along Senior Sister Jiang Jingshan’s thank-you gifts, placing two storage treasures on the low table.

Li Changshou didn’t stand in the ceremony and accepted them directly.

Seeing the magical treasures, a mountain-like pile of precious materials, and spirit stones stored in Senior Sister Jiang’s storage ring, he felt somewhat gratified.

Earlier while investigating Little Qiong Peak’s dragon veins, Li Changshou had been worried about the precious materials needed for constructing various arrays. This gift directly solved most of those problems.

Li Changshou asked: “Why didn’t Senior Aunt go to the Southern Continent with them?”

“Ah,” Jiu Jiu let out a long sigh, lying limply on the table, her eyes gradually losing their light, “I originally wanted to go along for fun, but when I returned to the mountain, I was held accountable until now, just got out of the Reward and Punishment Hall.

Now I’m really troubled.

The elders punished me with three years of alcohol abstinence. Ah, they might as well have tied me to the lightning rod and struck me for three years…”

Li Changshou couldn’t help but smile, now noticing that Jiu Jiu’s small gourd treasure was gone, likely confiscated by the sect elders.

Just then, Ling’e entered with tea, and seeing this scene, she immediately pursed her lips.

Such a casual posture, and getting along so well with her Senior Brother…

This Senior Aunt was suspicious.

After serving tea, Lan Ling’e moved her meditation cushion next to her Senior Brother, then knelt obediently, deliberately pressing her arm against her Senior Brother’s.

Seeing this, Jiu Jiu’s eyes widened, “Eh? What about your illness?”

“Contact with my Junior Sister poses no problem, probably because we spend time together day and night,” Li Changshou calmly explained, “I still experience symptoms like convulsions when touching women other than my Junior Sister.”

“Cough! Cough cough!”

Lan Ling’e covered her mouth and coughed several times. Judging by her slightly pained expression, it was definitely from trying too hard not to laugh.

“Oh, so that’s how it is.”

Jiu Jiu didn’t suspect anything and lay there sighing softly, her eyes losing their light again as she whimpered:

“Three years, how will I get through these three years…

How can I seclude myself or cultivate without alcohol, I can’t even sleep and have no energy to do anything…

That damned Yuan Qing, why did he have to cause trouble, it would’ve been fine if he just ruined himself, but he had to make this Senior Aunt suffer for three years.”

Li Changshou lowered his eyes in thought, stroking his chin while pondering;

Beside him, when Lan Ling’e saw this expression on her Senior Brother’s face, she unconsciously shifted sideways, sat up straight, and kept her eyes forward, not daring to speak.

She secretly glanced at the arc of Li Changshou’s eyebrow, confirming this was her Senior Brother’s precursor to setting someone up!

Whenever Senior Brother showed this expression, either she or Master would end up being arranged somehow!

“Senior Aunt Jiu, why don’t we make a deal.”

“Hmm? What kind of deal?” Jiu Jiu responded listlessly.

“Since Senior Aunt can’t touch alcohol these three years and finds it difficult to cultivate, why not help this disciple build some arrays,” Li Changshou said seriously, “In return, this disciple will help brew three types of extinct fine wines for Senior Aunt to enjoy after three years.

Moreover, there’s one type of beverage that can substitute for alcohol.”

“Extinct fine wines? Alcohol substitute?”

Jiu Jiu immediately perked up, sitting straight, “What thing? You’re not trying to trick me into working for free, are you?

Let me be clear, I know nothing about arrays.”

“Senior Aunt only needs to help stabilize the array foundations with immortal power and suppress spiritual energy fluctuations,” Li Changshou smiled calmly, asking in return, “Does Senior Aunt prefer drinking wine or tasting it? Do you like the flavor of alcohol or the feeling of being drunk?”

“Hmm…” Jiu Jiu pondered, “Both, I suppose.

I entered the mountain when I was three years old, and my Fifth Senior Brother who was in charge of looking after me liked brewing wine. Once he accidentally threw me into a wine jar for a bath, and since then I couldn’t stay away from the contents of the cup.

If I have to say, the taste of wine is very important, but that floating, tipsy feeling when drinking comfortably is also important.”

“Please observe, Senior Aunt.”

Li Changshou pointed to the teacup before him, took out a small jade flask from his sleeve, removed the stopper, and dropped a single drop of light green liquid into the teacup.

Instantly, a faint fragrance wafted through the air, and the tea immediately turned light green.

Li Changshou smiled, “Please try it, Senior Aunt, and see if it gives you that tipsy feeling.”

“Oh?” Jiu Jiu blinked gently, holding the teacup and tentatively sniffing it, only detecting a faint fresh fragrance. Then she lowered her head and took a small sip, her eyes immediately brightening.

Raising her hand, she drained the cup in one go.

A slight flush gradually appeared on Jiu Jiu’s pretty face, her eyes becoming somewhat misty as she grinned non-stop.

“Good stuff… potent…”

Clang, the teacup fell on the table, and Jiu Jiu slowly lay down, rolling back and forth on the ground, letting out strings of light “hehe” laughter, constantly mumbling:

“Seventh Senior Brother, you should be ashamed, always sticking to Sixth Senior Sister, dual cultivating for so many years but still can’t produce a baby…”

“Everyone’s pairing up, and just because I’m Ninth, I deserve to be single… hmph, when I cultivate to Celestial Immortal, I’ll snatch a few handsome men to pour wine and give me baths every day…”

“Little Changshou… you must never never never look down on your Master… your Master was amazing back then…”

Gradually, snoring sounds began, and Jiu Jiu hugged the meditation cushion, lying on the ground completely asleep.

Lan Ling’e asked curiously: “Senior Brother, what is this?”

“Immortal’s Intoxication,” Li Changshou replied via voice transmission, “It’s both a soporific and a type of fine wine, but it carries no alcohol scent. Apart from causing drunkenness, it has no other effects. It was something I had discarded.

According to ancient records, in ancient times, many immortals who loved drinking would try this divine wine, though they would drink it directly due to their strong alcohol addiction.

It’s made using a method similar to brewing wine, but while wine is usually made from immortal fruits and grains, Immortal’s Intoxication is made from thirty-two types of medicinal herbs.”

Lan Ling’e asked with some concern: “Is this enough for three types?”

Li Changshou nodded with a smile, looking at the soundly sleeping Jiu Jiu and thinking of his soon-to-be-completed pill room, replied via voice transmission: “Forget three types, I could come up with thirteen.

With True Immortal’s help, many previously impossible ideas can now be realized.

Once the pill room is complete, the safety factor will be more assured.”

“Alright then,” Lan Ling’e puffed her cheeks, looking at the unexpectedly endearing Senior Aunt who had fallen asleep, feeling a small… sense of crisis.

Thus, two years later…

Bang!

The wooden door of Li Changshou’s thatched cottage was kicked open, and Jiu Jiu, wearing hemp clothes and looking anxious, rushed in impetuously.

“Quick! This month’s Immortal’s Intoxication and Beauty’s Enchantment…

Not here?

Ah, gone to refine pills again! I should just tie you to the pill furnace!”

Jiu Jiu stamped her foot, cursed under her breath a couple of times, then hurriedly turned to jump into the air, about to rush toward the dense forest behind the thatched cottage.

But her figure suddenly stopped, and she tilted her head to stare at the dense and deep forest before her, feeling the spiritual energy flowing slowly within. Her forehead instantly became covered in black lines.

In her mind appeared the more than ten embarrassing experiences she had been trapped in there over the past half year…

If she hadn’t already known what lay ahead, she wouldn’t have noticed the twenty-eight explicit arrays and seventy-six implicit arrays here, all interlocking trapping and maze arrays…

“Where was the entrance again? Did I help set this up?

This way? Seems wrong.

Or this way?

Ah! Arrays are just so annoying!

Li Changshou, come out quick! Or I’ll tear down your mountain peak!”

A gentle breeze blew through the forest, making the trees sway slightly, and the flow of spiritual energy within also became more lively.

Li Changshou’s voice drifted on the wind: “The arrays have been deactivated. This disciple is watching over the pill furnace and cannot come out to welcome you.”

Jiu Jiu blinked, carefully probed forward about ten zhang, and only after confirming she was still safe did she angrily fly straight toward the center of the dense forest.

There, an elegantly designed small building stood quietly, wisps of clear qi drifting out, the fresh scent of medicine pervading the forest.