Chapter 130: Diluted Mulberry-Sweet Fruit Wine

Following a brief opening address, a disciple of the Vientiane Sect unsealed the jars of Sanggan Fruit wine. A pure, ethereal fragrance wafted forth, warming the hearts of all present.

As glass after glass was filled, the aromatic, crisp, and richly fragrant scent of the Sanggan Fruit wine drifted leisurely toward the guests. A scene that those present would never forget then unfolded. The moment the wine’s bouquet filled the air, hundreds of people fell into a collective silence, all of them stunned by the dense, fruity, and mellow aroma. Even the female cultivators were immersed in the fragrant atmosphere, and those obsessed with fine wine found their eyes brimming with moved tears, with trails of saliva quietly escaping the corners of their mouths.

After a few moments, as the first person picked up a glass and took a cautious sip, the other cultivators began to recover from their brief stupor and raised their own glasses in succession. A chorus of gasps echoed through the venue, and countless people whispered excitedly to the cultivators around them.

Mu Fanghe took a small sip, then tilted his head back and drained the entire glass. After keeping his eyes closed for a long time, he opened them and remarked with deep emotion: "The fragrance is fragrant without being cloying, subtle yet not faint, mellow and elegant, neither sharp nor overpowering. The aftertaste is long and lingering; even when poured into a glass and left overnight, the scent remains, and the empty glass smells even more fragrant than the full one. It is truly an immortal wine!"

Those around him echoed his sentiments, and some cultivators, not waiting for the Vientiane Sect disciples to refill their glasses, impatiently poured more into their mouths. Mu Fanghe laughed and chided, "To drink such fine wine like a cow is a true waste of a heavenly treasure!"

Liu Junhuai suppressed the smile in his heart, raised his glass, and said aloud, "I welcome all esteemed seniors and fellow Daoists to the Vientiane Sect. Through your kindness, the Vientiane Sect and the Sect Alliance have prepared this humble wine to express our gratitude for your unwavering support. Please, let us drink together!"

Amidst the clamor in the banquet hall, the welcoming banquet began in an atmosphere of joy and laughter. Influenced by the Sanggan Fruit wine, the guests were filled with goodwill toward the Vientiane Sect and Liu Junhuai himself. Before long, guests were lining up to offer toasts. Xiao Qingtian, watching from the side, felt his heart ache; he found it truly tragic that this priceless, immortal wine was being squandered by these people in such a manner.

Fortunately, Mu Fanghe, sharing the same sentiment, loudly intervened: "I say, fellow Daoists, this is not how one should drink such immortal wine. This wine is meant to be savored. To waste it like this is akin to stealing one's wife or daughter—it must not be squandered so recklessly. I hereby declare that there shall be no more toasting one another. Faced with such precious wine, let us change tonight's banquet into a tasting session. We shall prioritize the art of tasting, using poetry and prose as our accompaniment. What do you think?"

Given Mu Fanghe's cultivation and status, he managed to curb the reckless behavior, much to the relief of the wine lovers in attendance. Shen Duoduo, who was recording the scene with a crystal ball, was highly dissatisfied, her little pout remaining for a long time.

Liu Junhuai chatted happily with Mu Fanghe and Fang Yexu. Mu Fanghe asked, "Sect Master Liu, could I borrow your wine recipe to copy? I fear I shall never be able to drink anything else from now on."

Liu Junhuai laughed, took out a jade slip, and handed it to Mu Fanghe. "Domain Master, please keep this recipe confidential. It is a secret passed down by my master; if it were to leak, it would be difficult for me to explain."

Mu Fanghe nodded repeatedly and hurriedly tucked away the jade slip. Seeing the expectant look in Fang Yexu’s eyes, Liu Junhuai smiled and said, "Hall Master Fang, you will be staying at the Vientiane Sect for a few more days, so we have time. I will copy another one for you. However, I must warn you both that the Purple Thorn Flowers and Cold Spirit Stones in this Sanggan Fruit wine are difficult to collect; if you are missing even one ingredient, you will not be able to brew it."

Mu Fanghe and his companion agreed; such a divine wine would naturally require rare ingredients.

What Liu Junhuai said next surprised them even more: "I must be honest with you two seniors—the wine served at the banquet has been diluted with water. I could not bear to serve the pure Sanggan Fruit wine on such an occasion; wouldn't that be the death of me?"

With that, a jade flagon appeared in his hand, and he quietly filled their glasses. The two men looked around and hurriedly held the glasses beneath their noses to sniff. Suddenly, their expressions changed drastically, their disbelief evident. After a small sip, their looks of intoxication deepened, a feeling of pure bliss washing over them. Fang Yexu even let out an involuntary moan, causing Liu Junhuai to burst into a chuckle.

Hearing the laughter, the two men emerged from their trance. Looking at Liu Junhuai, their joy grew even stronger. Mu Fanghe laughed, "Sect Master Liu, you make a fool of me. I have lived for nearly a hundred years, and only now do I understand what true fine wine is. The wine I drank before is like dregs compared to this Sanggan Fruit wine; they cannot be mentioned in the same breath. Alas, what shall I do when I can no longer drink this?"

Fang Yexu looked around and whispered, "Sect Master Liu, would you be so kind as to let me have a bit of this Sanggan Fruit wine? Before I can brew it myself, I fear no other wine will be able to pass my lips!"

Hearing Fang Yexu's words, Mu Fanghe’s ears pricked up.

Liu Junhuai whispered, "As long as you two seniors stop calling me 'Sect Master Liu' from now on, I can certainly let you take a few jars!"

Fang Yexu was overjoyed. "Then I shall call you Junhuai from now on! Calling you 'brother' works too!"

Mu Fanghe laughed and chided, "You rascal, lowering your own seniority just to get a drink. Just call him Junhuai."

Liu Junhuai laughed heartily and said, "It is settled! Whenever you run out of ingredients and want a drink, just come and ask me!"

Mu Fanghe and Fang Yexu exchanged looks and laughed out loud, with Fang Yexu even throwing his arm around Liu Junhuai's shoulder.

"What are you chatting about? So lively?" Guan Chaoyong and Ren Yinhuai walked over.

Mu Fanghe laughed, "Nothing much. Junhuai is quite eloquent and tells such amusing stories." He quickly changed the subject. "Hall Master Guan, you and Hall Master Fang will likely be staying at the Vientiane Sect for a few days. We must make thorough arrangements for the safe transmission of intelligence in the future. Also, during your time here, try to build good relationships with the various sects; you might even consult them privately for their thoughts."

Guan Chaoyong nodded solemnly. Ren Yinhuai added, "Domain Master Mu, I dare to ask if we could increase the manpower for the Sect Alliance, especially regarding cultivators for intelligence gathering. The Alliance is lacking in such talent."

Mu Fanghe thought for a moment. "That should not be a problem. Discuss the specifics with Hall Master Guan, and I will bring it up at the Domain Government meeting. Alliance Master Ren, Junhuai has made great contributions. In the future, the Sect Alliance’s support should be appropriately tilted toward the Vientiane Sect; we shouldn't hurt the feelings of a hero, as we will have many uses for him in the future!"

Ren Yinhuai smiled and said, "Domain Master Mu, rest assured. Sect Master Liu is a fierce general within the alliance; it is only right to treat our own people well." As he spoke, he wondered why the relationship between Liu Junhuai and the Domain Master had progressed so quickly—not only did he offer to help the Vientiane Sect, but he was already on a first-name basis.

Liu Junhuai, keeping the old butler’s advice in mind, quietly released his Heavenly Perception, carefully capturing the changes in everyone's facial expressions as they spoke. After some observation, he was pleasantly surprised to find that his Heavenly Perception could detect the emotional shifts in a person based on changes in the frequency of their speech. Having just begun to practice this, the changes were extremely subtle, and Liu Junhuai had to be completely focused to perceive them faintly. He could sense that the people around him had no malicious intent; their interactions were sincere and normal.

Just then, several sect leaders approached to talk to Mu Fanghe. Fang Yexu took the opportunity to give Liu Junhuai a wink, and the two slipped out of the banquet hall. A moment later, Guan Chaoyong followed, and the three entered a VIP room to talk.

Guan Chaoyong spoke first. "Sect Master Liu, forgive me for asking you to come here, but there is an urgent matter to inquire about. As I work in the Intelligence Hall of the Domain Government, news regarding you reaches me first. From the intelligence, I can deduce that the series of actions against the Blood-Slaying Alliance, and even the establishment of your sect, were all led by you. My question concerns your source of information and the basis upon which you identify spies within the sects!"

Fang Yexu interjected, "Junhuai, Hall Master Guan is naturally straightforward. He speaks plainly; sometimes his tone might seem a bit blunt, so please don't take offense!"

Liu Junhuai smiled broadly. "Of course not! Hall Master Guan is a forthright man; that is quite obvious. There is no problem at all, and I will tell you everything I know."

Guan Chaoyong looked at Fang Yexu with curiosity, wondering when the two had become so close.

Liu Junhuai said, "The source of my information regarding the Blood-Slaying Alliance is as follows." He detailed everything from the first time he met Zhi Kujian, the Third Elder of the Sea God Palace at Dragon Sacrifice Pool, to everything he heard upon returning there. "Actually, my discovery of the Blood-Slaying Alliance's secrets was purely a matter of coincidence. I suppose that is what they call the irony of fate, isn't it? I never expected the Blood-Slaying Alliance to later get involved in the affairs of the Shen family. All these coincidences put me in opposition to the Blood-Slaying Alliance, and you already know the rest of the story, seniors."

Guan Chaoyong and Fang Yexu sighed inwardly, thinking that the Blood-Slaying Alliance was truly unlucky. Every time they caused trouble in the Fengling Kingdom, Liu Junhuai happened to witness it from beginning to end; it seemed destined that Liu Junhuai was the nemesis of the Blood-Slaying Alliance.

Liu Junhuai continued, "The clues I obtained have a lot to do with a secret technique I cultivate. My spiritual sense can mask my presence entirely; that is how I was able to hide several times at the Blood-Slaying Alliance's meetings and overhear their many secrets. However, I ask the two seniors to help keep this minor skill of mine a secret. Once this is discovered by the enemy, I will never be able to infiltrate them again!"

Guan Chaoyong said solemnly, "Rest assured, Sect Master Liu! Only the three of us know about this. You trust us so much; if word were to leak because of us, our own consciences would not let us rest."