Chapter 521: Jianghu Wine, Drained in One Gulp

Chapter 521: Jianghu Wine, Drained in One Gulp

Sui Jingcheng felt a bit out of place.

In her impression, the senior Wang Dun, the foremost martial artist since the founding of Wuling Kingdom, acclaimed as a grandmaster who could sweep through the entire jianghu of Wuling with one hand, was universally praised by court and country alike. Whether martial artists, scholar-officials, or common peddlers, all said Senior Wang Dun was a refined old man in a blue robe. He was proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and besides his already miraculous martial skills, he was also concerned about the country and its people. Once at the border, clad in his blue robe, he single-handedly blocked an enemy cavalry force that was attacking the pass from the south, buying enough time for Wuling's border troops to deploy.

Chen Ping'an sat down first, and Sui Jingcheng followed.

Wang Dun stood up again, went to the counter to fetch three jars of wine, one for each person, and said generously, "My treat."

As Wang Dun placed the wine jar in front of Sui Jingcheng, he said softly, "You're Old Vice Minister Sui Xinyu's daughter, right? Truly beautiful, worthy of being among the Four Beauties—each has her own charm, no distinction of high or low. You've brought honor to the women of Wuling Kingdom. You deserve an imperial plaque more than this old jianghu hack at the bottom. But let me say this fairly: this sword immortal you've found, whether as master or husband, is a bit stingy—only willing to share a bowl of wine with you."

Sui Jingcheng glanced at Chen Ping'an across the table, who was just casually opening the clay seal and pouring wine into a large white bowl. She smiled at the old man who claimed to be wearing a mask. "Old Manor Lord Wang..."

Wang Dun didn't seem pleased at that and waved his hand. "Not old, not old—old in years but young at heart. Just call me Manor Lord Wang. Or call me by my name, Wang Dun, that's fine too."

Sui Jingcheng nodded. "Manor Lord Wang, that knife expert Xiao Shuye from Qingci Kingdom is dead now."

Wang Dun sighed, catching the implication of this "Jade Beauty of the Sui Family," raised his wine bowl and took a sip. "But I'm still at the bottom, aren't I? Any old geezer from the Great Seal Dynasty would outskill me."

Sui Jingcheng felt she had nothing left to say.

Wang Dun turned with a chuckle to look at the young man in blue robe—a sword immortal surnamed Chen who had been featured in several mountain-and-river gazettes with extensive accounts. The earliest record was on a ferry heading to Spring Dew Garden, where, instead of using flying swords, he used only fists to knock a Golden Body realm martial artist named Liao from Iron Fleet Prefecture of the Great View Kingdom off the boat. Later, the Golden Crow Palace sword immortal Liu Zhiqing flew past on her sword, reportedly splitting the protective thunderclouds of Golden Crow Palace with one slash. Then these two, who should have been enemies, ended up drinking tea together at Jade Ying Cliff in Spring Dew Garden, and rumor had it they even became friends. And now, within the borders of Wuling Kingdom, he had taken Xiao Shuye's head.

Wang Dun asked, "This sword immortal from afar, you're not going to chop me down with one sword just because I said you were stingy, are you?"

Chen Ping'an smiled helplessly. "Of course not."

Wang Dun raised his wine bowl. Chen Ping'an did the same, and they clinked lightly. After drinking, Wang Dun asked softly, "How old are you?"

Chen Ping'an said, "About three hundred years old."

Wang Dun put down his bowl and touched his chest. "That makes me feel a bit better. Otherwise, I'd think I've lived all these years in vain like a dog."

Sui Jingcheng smiled faintly.

Although this was worlds apart from the Senior Wang Dun in her impression, sitting at the same table with the old manor lord of Saosao Manor and drinking together actually felt better.

Wang Dun lowered his voice and asked, "Is it true that you used only fists to knock that Liao from Iron Fleet Prefecture off the ferry?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "I was a bit overconfident. It was quite dangerous."

Wang Dun asked with a grin, "How about we spar a bit? The kind that ends at the touch. Don't worry, it's just because I've had some wine and met a true master—my hands are getting itchy."

Chen Ping'an shook his head.

Wang Dun said, "I've drunk your two jars of wine for free, and you won't do this little favor?"

Seeing that the man showed no sign of changing his mind, Wang Dun added, "Then I'll beg you?"

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine, as Senior Wang says, fists against fists, ending at the touch."

Wang Dun stood up, looked around, and seemed to pick a nearby wine table. He pressed down lightly with one palm, and the four table legs turned to powder, silently, while the tabletop fell gently to the ground.

Chen Ping'an said, "If you think jumping onto a table to spar would look like a sideshow to others, we could just move this table away."

Wang Dun paused. "I wanted to do that, but I was afraid you, this sword immortal, would find it beneath you."

The two stepped onto the tabletop almost simultaneously.

Sui Jingcheng wanted to get up and leave the tavern, but Chen Ping'an gestured for her to stay seated.

Wang Dun took his stance and said with a cupped fist salute, "Wang Dun of Saosao Manor in Wuling Kingdom, with minor mastery in fist techniques, I humbly seek your guidance."

Chen Ping'an returned the salute but said nothing. He extended one hand, palm open, and said, "Please."

Reporting his true origin and name would not be appropriate.

Calling himself something like Chen the Good was not something he wanted.

The onlookers in the distance buzzed with excitement. How could this old wine seller be Senior Wang Dun?

But when the old man tore off the mask from his face, revealing his true appearance, the crowd became agitated. Indeed, it was the elusive Senior Wang Dun, a dragon who showed his head but never his tail!

Wang Dun's fist shot out like a rainbow, fierce but without killing intent.

The figure in the blue robe was mostly defending, attacking less.

When they passed each other and stood back to back, Wang Dun smiled. "I've pretty much figured out your basics. How about we loosen up a bit?"

Chen Ping'an nodded.

Far off in the streets and on rooftops, walls, and trees, many martial artists watched with pounding hearts. Such a peak battle confined to a small area was a once-in-a-century event.

Senior Wang Dun truly deserves to be the number one in Wuling Kingdom. Facing a sword immortal, not only did he dare to throw punches, but he also held his ground.

Although that sword immortal had not yet unleashed a flying sword, just this alone—to speak truthfully—Senior Wang Dun had staked his entire reputation and the dignity of a martial artist who had never lost, gaining immense face for all the jianghu people of Wuling! Senior Wang Dun is truly the martial soul of our Wuling Kingdom!

Those jianghu heroes who only dared to watch from afar, lacking true martial arts mastery and being far from the tavern, naturally could not see as clearly as Sui Jingcheng.

For instance, she saw that when the senior intended to end the spar, he suddenly quickened his strike, stepping forward and twisting his wrist, both deflecting Wang Dun's punch and continuing his palm toward Wang Dun's face, which should have sent Wang Dun off the tabletop. Unexpectedly, Wang Dun quickly gave a signal with his eyes, and the senior nodded slightly. Wang Dun's originally slower punch landed almost simultaneously with the senior's palm. Both slid back two steps, and with mutual understanding, they both landed gracefully at the edge of the tabletop.

Sui Jingcheng saw Wang Dun start signaling again, and the blue-robed senior also began signaling. She was completely baffled—it felt like they were haggling in a market! Yet despite the bargaining, their punches and palms grew faster and faster, each exchange back and forth, almost always evenly matched, with neither gaining an advantage. To outsiders, it looked like a battle of equals between grandmasters.

In the end, they seemed to have settled on a "price". Each struck the other's chest with a fist, the tabletop beneath them splitting in two. They stamped their feet to steady themselves, then exchanged salutes with cupped fists.

Fight over, done.

Wang Dun laughed heartily. "I never expected a sword immortal to have such excellent fist techniques."

The other said loudly, "Your fist intent, Wang Dun, is heavier and more polished without flaw. In at most ten years, at least five, I will come back to Saosao Manor to spar fist techniques with you, Wang Dun."

Sui Jingcheng rubbed her forehead, lowered her head to drink, and felt it was almost too embarrassing to watch. Their mutual flattery made her feel that the real jianghu was like watered-down wine.

If it were people like Hu Xinfeng or Xiao Shuye acting this way, she, Sui Jingcheng, wouldn't care. But for him and Senior Wang Dun to be so shameless nearly made her world crumble. She might never want to touch jianghu tales again in this life.

Wang Dun walked to the tavern entrance, raised his cupped fists high to greet the crowd, then waved his hand. "Everyone, disperse."

Cheers and praises rose and fell, then gradually faded as the crowd dispersed.

Since Senior Wang Dun had spoken thus, the crowd naturally couldn't linger.

When Wang Dun returned to his seat, the blue-robed sword immortal had already picked up the two halves of the broken tabletop from the floor and stacked them on a nearby wine table.

After sitting down, Wang Dun took a sip of wine and said emotionally, "With such high cultivation, why would you seek out a jianghu hack like me? Is it for the family behind this Sui girl? Do you hope that after you two leave Wuling Kingdom to cultivate on the mountains, I can look after them a bit?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I have no such request. I only wanted to show my face here to warn certain people in the shadows that if they try to harm the Sui family, they should consider the consequences of me seeking revenge."

Wang Dun grunted in acknowledgment and nodded. "The scheming and deceit among mountain cultivators are just the same old jianghu grudges stretched over longer lifespans. At the root, there's no difference, and it's all meaningless. But you, a young sword cultivator, are not like the mountain immortals I've seen before. So inviting you for a drink doesn't feel like wasting the wine. Am I being too arrogant by saying this?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Martial artists cultivate by keeping their feet on the ground, with no shortcuts. If one's spirit isn't high enough and vision not far enough, how can they climb step by step to the top?"

Although Wang Dun sold wine, he didn't seem to have much taste for drinking. He mostly sipped slowly, never in a boisterous manner. He said sadly, "This tavern can't stay open anymore. I won't get to hear many people's honest words from the jianghu."

Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Manor Lord Wang, do you dislike hearing nice words that much?"

Wang Dun curled his lip. "I also like hearing them. When I was young, I especially liked them; now I like them even more. But if I love nice words so much and don't hear more honest and unpleasant ones, I'm afraid I, Wang Dun, would float away into the clouds. And then, floating up there without the powers of a cloud immortal, wouldn't I fall to my death?"

Chen Ping'an glanced at the sky.

Wang Dun asked with a smile, "As agreed earlier, besides a dozen jars of good wine, what else does Saosao Manor need to provide?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Two fast horses, and the address of a fairy ferry in Lüying Kingdom."

Wang Dun asked doubtfully, "That's all?"

Chen Ping'an said, "It's already plenty."

Wang Dun pointed to the counter. "The lower the wine is placed, the mellower it is. Help yourself, sword immortal."

Chen Ping'an got up and went to the counter, starting to pour wine into his sword-nurturing gourd.

He opened one jar after another.

After five jars of aged wine had their seals broken, Wang Dun couldn't sit still anymore. He leaned over the counter and said softly, "On the jianghu road, drinking can lead to trouble. That should be enough."

The young-looking sword immortal in blue robe kept his back to Wang Dun and continued pouring. "It's fine. If I load more wine, I can still drink sparingly."

Wang Dun hesitated for a moment, then reminded, "I can change my face and continue selling wine somewhere else."

The young sword immortal looked up and smiled. "Then I wish Manor Lord Wang great success in your new business and abundant wealth."

Seeing that he didn't take the hint, Wang Dun had to continue. "Those few jars at the bottom are too strong. They're called Thin Plum Wine, actually the aged cellar stock of Saosao Manor. Common jianghu people who come to this tavern don't know the name, and even if they can afford it, they dare not drink two bowls—the aftereffect is too potent. They're called 'Two Bowls Wobble' or 'Three Bowls Down.' You might want to mix it with ordinary wine; the taste will be better."

The young man shook his head. "It's fine. Drinking isn't like tea—no need to care about lingering aftertaste. Drinking to get drunk is only natural."

Wang Dun couldn't hold back anymore. "Nowadays the manor is crowded with honored guests: officials, jianghu friends, literary luminaries—none can be neglected. Those thirty jars of Thin Plum Wine stored in the manor are probably already depleted. The reason I came here to seek peace was to at least keep a few jars of Thin Plum Wine. Won't you show some consideration?"

The young man had already opened the last jar of Thin Plum Wine and said ruefully, "Why didn't you say so earlier, Senior? Once the seal is broken, the aroma can't be preserved. We've already drunk enough at the table, otherwise I could have tasted the flavor of this Thin Plum Wine. Now if I don't put it into my gourd, it's such a waste. Oh well. Since Manor Lord Wang wants to keep a jar for himself, acting like that stingy person who only shares a single bowl of wine with others—I'll let it go. I'll leave this jar for Manor Lord Wang."

Wang Dun waved his hand and chuckled. "No, no, go ahead and pour. I, Wang Dun, am not that kind of person. Fine wine gifted to a sword immortal, cellar wine nourishing a sword-nurturing gourd—a wonderful thing in the world, a good deed."

So in the end, not a single jar of Thin Plum Wine was left.

Wang Dun turned around, as if watching his daughters marry off to distant lands, a bit sorrowful, unwilling to look anymore.

With his back to the counter, Wang Dun sighed. "When will you leave this place? It's not that I'm unwilling to be a warm host—better not to go to Saosao Manor. It's mostly boring social engagements."

Then Wang Dun gave the detailed address of the fairy ferry in Lüying Kingdom.

Chen Ping'an came out from behind the counter and said with a smile, "Then I'll trouble Manor Lord Wang to have someone bring two horses. We won't stay overnight in the town; we'll set off immediately."

Wang Dun waved his hand and called over a manor disciple who had arrived upon hearing the news from a distant street corner. He was a middle-aged swordsman with a jade-like face. Wang Dun's martial learning was extensive; whether it was fist techniques, light-footed skills, or sword, saber, and spear, he was indisputably number one in Wuling Kingdom. Among his direct disciples, each excelled in different skills. The one who came to the tavern was his proud disciple who had deeply inherited Wang Dun's sword arts, and in Wuling Kingdom, he was firmly established as the leading swordsman.