Chapter 3140: Three Rounds of Drinking
The emergence of Fengdu Dadi had stirred the most powerful living beings and undead in the universe.
The battle between the Heavenly Venerables was of great importance, and its outcome would affect the morale of both armies.
Fengdu Dadi had taken the initiative to challenge Hao Tian, displaying unparalleled confidence.
As for Hao Tian, he had been ranked among the Twenty Heavens three hundred thousand years ago and was one of only three survivors of that unknown war. His combat strength was self-evident.
For three hundred thousand years, he had been known as the number one under heaven, a title even the gods of Hell Realm tacitly acknowledged.
Some heavenly-rank figures even believed that Hao Tian's cultivation had surpassed that of the rebellious Heavenly Venerable from three hundred thousand years ago.
The battle between the Heavenly Venerables tugged at the hearts of every god in both Heavenly Court and Hell Realm. The wedding ceremony at Destiny Temple, which should have been the center of universal attention, had been a subject of heated discussion for over a decade but was now eerily quiet.
It was only when the massive fleet escorting the bride arrived from Darkness Temple that Destiny Divine Mountain regained some of its liveliness.
Zhang Ruochen had long anticipated the situation at Destiny Divine Mountain and was mentally prepared. However, he had never intended to hold a grand celebration, nor did he regard this as a joyous occasion. Thus, his heart remained calm and undisturbed.
This was a good opportunity to see which forces were worth befriending.
Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue stepped onto auspicious clouds, bathed in divine rain, and were the first to fly down from the divine ship. Hundreds of colorful-robed female saints soared through the sky, scattering flower petals.
Amidst laughter, Xue Hou, Xueyao Shenjun, and Underworld King led a group of cultivators to greet them.
Most of those who could gather outside Destiny Temple were gods, with only a few saint-level cultivators present, but even they held noble status.
Without a doubt, the gods of the Blood Heaven Tribe had not left Destiny Temple, and representatives from various major forces within the tribe were present.
With the old patriarch's face at stake, the other nine tribes of the Undying Blood Clan also had representatives among the crowd.
Additionally, the gods of the Rakshasa Clan made up a large portion of the attendees.
The number of gods from the other eight clans of Hell Realm was far smaller, easily countable at a glance.
"Hall Master Wu Yue, Realm Lord Ruochen, congratulations, congratulations!"
"Today, we finally see the true face of Hall Master Wu Yue. Truly the number one beauty of both Heavenly Court and Hell Realm, her aura even surpasses that of Moon God from Guanghan Divine Palace."
...
Among the gods, a clear laugh rang out: "Brother Ruochen, Feng Chen is here to congratulate you two on your union, destined for three lifetimes."
Zhang Ruochen glanced at the half-section of Feng Chen Sword God floating in midair, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. But he didn't ask further, merely nodding.
His gaze briefly passed over a woman in purple gauze standing beside Feng Chen Sword God, and their eyes met. It felt like a divine lightning bolt struck his soul.
So strong!
Zhang Ruochen was secretly startled. He hadn't expected that there was such a powerful figure below the Infinite Realm in Hell Realm.
"Ruochen, your second uncle wishes you a perfect match, growing old together." Yan Yu approached, polite and refined, with a scholarly air unlike a typical Yama.
"Thank you, Second Uncle."
Zhang Ruochen looked past Yan Yu and saw Yan Huangtu, Yan Zhexian, Yan Ying'er, and finally Xue Zhi Gushen. He clasped his hands and bowed slightly.
"Second Uncle, I'll come pay my respects to you and Great Grandfather later."
"No rush. You'll be busy today. Someone has set up three rounds of drinking ahead. If you can't drink them under the table, they won't let you into Destiny Temple." Yan Yu chuckled.
"Oh!"
As Zhang Ruochen wondered who had set up the drinking games, another person approached him: "Chen, take this."
Gong Nanfeng shoved a divine wooden box, steaming with radiant energy, into Zhang Ruochen's hands.
"This is..."
Zhang Ruochen opened the box and found a pill inside, emerald green like jade. He smiled, "You... why go to such trouble?"
Though he didn't know the pill's purpose, its grade was extraordinary.
What Zhang Ruochen really wanted to say was, "You're so poor, why give such a precious gift?" But since it was Gong Nanfeng's goodwill, how could he say that?
Gong Nanfeng looked worried and said, "This is a Clear Spirit Pill. No matter how much you drink, it will keep your mind clear and steady."
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment, closed the box, and said, "Thank you."
"Ruochen, our Hundred Clans Royal City has also sent generous gifts. They've already been handed over to Xueyao Shenjun."
Amur, Yuling Shen, and Xuanxuan Dashen appeared in Zhang Ruochen's view, smiling at him.
Zhang Ruochen nodded in response, then spotted Xu Rulai, Que, Bore, Qing Feiwei, Haishang Minggong... and a host of other gods from Destiny Temple.
From Tianluo Divine Kingdom came Tianyin Shenmu, from Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm came Di Lao and Gu Shejing, and from the Dark Abyss Yan Clan came Yan Ting and Wen Chu. Unfortunately, Yan Wushen was nowhere to be seen.
Many cultivators remained on Destiny Divine Mountain, familiar faces one after another, but in the end, he didn't see Ming Emperor.
It made sense. After all, he was a sinner of Destiny Temple. How could he be allowed to appear on such an occasion?
Zhang Ruochen thought of A Le, Feng Yan, and Xiang Chunan. If he weren't marrying Wu Yue, if the wedding weren't at Destiny Divine Mountain, if they could all come, how joyful would that be?
"I've got it! Listen, the first line is: Thousand stars align, the moon joins the dust."
Ahead, a tall Undying Blood Clan god pointed at the celestial phenomenon of a thousand stars in a line and improvised a poem.
"Second line: Destiny Divine Mountain feasts the gods."
"Good!"
"Great poem, great poem, fitting the occasion!"
...
More and more gods joined in the cheering.
That Undying Blood Clan god chuckled, brimming with heroic spirit, and continued: "Ancient Heavenly Venerables have all passed away, not matching the moment when the red candle's flame dies."
The cheering gods fell silent.
Many faces turned pale.
Writing poetry was fine, but why bring up the Heavenly Venerables?
This wasn't poetry; it was courting death.
They hadn't left Destiny Divine Mountain, but that didn't mean they weren't afraid of the Heavenly Venerables' might. If this poem spread, some would surely see it as a provocation.
That Undying Blood Clan god was none other than Huang Bahu, son of the great tribal leader of the Yellow Heaven Tribe, also known as the "Poetry Tyrant."
The so-called "Poetry Tyrant" didn't mean his poetry was good or his style was domineering, but that he was tyrannical when composing. No matter who you were, where, or when, if you dared interrupt his poetry, he would drag you down with him.
Self-detonating his divine source was something he excelled at.
Back in the Heaven Hunting Battlefield, his poem "The Yan Family Has a Daughter Just Growing Up" had spread widely through Hell Realm, becoming the pinnacle of his death-defying antics. But today, this new poem had reached a new peak.
"Don't you all think this poem has great momentum?" Huang Bahu was dissatisfied with the gods' reactions.
"Good, great poem!"
Blood Butcher, reeking of alcohol, shouted loudly, but he could barely stand straight.
Xueyao Shenjun's face changed, and he stepped forward to drag Blood Butcher away.
This small incident quickly passed. Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue continued toward Destiny Temple. Not far from the temple gate, they encountered the first round of drinking.
The one setting it up was Luo Shengtian.
He had set up a table and sat there with a cold face.
Beside him was a bronze tripod as tall as three people, with flames burning beneath it. The tripod was filled with boiling strong liquor, its fumes filling the air.
Zhang Ruochen had expected this round. He walked over and said, "Divine Prince, are you challenging me to a drinking contest?"
"Drinking contest?"
Luo Shengtian snorted coldly. "Today is your wedding, not mine, nor my family's. Drink that tripod of the strongest divine liquor I've searched the entire Rakshasa Clan to find, and I'll let you pass. Don't think about using divine power to refine it. This liquor can't be refined!"
Blue flames rose from the liquor in the tripod, a testament to its potency.
The surrounding gods wore expressions of anticipation, no one stepping forward to help Zhang Ruochen.
"The Divine Prince himself set up this drinking round. Realm Lord Ruochen, you have to drink it." The gods of the Rakshasa Clan shouted in unison, all with mischievous smiles.
Zhang Ruochen knew Luo Shengtian meant no harm; he was just venting for his sister.
"Alright, I'll drink."
Zhang Ruochen approached the tripod, and with a thought, a stream of liquor flew up from the tripod and into his mouth.
Yan Huangtu watched from afar and said, "Drinking like that will take forever. Manifest your giant divine body and down it all at once."
"Down it all, down it all!" the gods chanted.
Zhang Ruochen spread his arms, and dense time imprint light points appeared around him, drastically altering the flow of time.
A finger-thick stream of liquor surged at incredible speed, and in an instant, the entire tripod of strong liquor was swallowed into his stomach.
Zhang Ruochen's physical body was formidable, and his expression didn't change, but his head felt slightly dizzy. He was inwardly alarmed. The divine liquor Luo Shengtian had found was indeed extraordinary. If another great god had been in his place, they would have been knocked out on the spot.
Luo Shengtian showed no disappointment and silently stepped back.
The aftereffects of this liquor were immense.
Besides, there were two more rounds ahead, each harder than the last. Zhang Ruochen would have his hands full.
Zhang Ruochen and Wu Yue continued on. Before long, they saw the second round of drinking.
Seeing who had set it up, a joyful expression appeared on Zhang Ruochen's face. He quickened his pace and said, "Brother Wushen, I thought you wouldn't come."
A bronze table, three zhang long, blocked Zhang Ruochen's path.
On the table were ten brown earthen jars.
Yan Wushen stood at the other end of the table, smiling. "When you, Zhang Ruochen, get married, no matter how important the matter, I have to set it aside and come drink with you."
Zhang Ruochen stopped by the bronze table, inwardly startled. The divine power fluctuations emanating from Yan Wushen clearly indicated he had reached the Taiyi Realm.
He didn't have a sundial. Such cultivation speed was astonishing.
Yan Wushen was also sizing up Zhang Ruochen. He sighed, "I didn't expect you to already be able to defeat Xu Liao. I don't know whether to be happy or pained."
"Whether happy or pained, it's all part of the path of cultivation. Who doesn't move forward through struggle and hardship?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Wushen laughed heartily. "Today, we won't talk about cultivation, only about the liquor in our cups. Brother Ruochen, do you still remember what this liquor is?"
"How could I forget? Twelve Flowers Blooming! Back then, without your liquor, Brother Ruochen would have found it no easy task to break through the Hundred Shackles Realm." Zhang Ruochen said.
Yan Wushen said, "That day, given our cultivation levels, we each only drank three cups before reaching our limit. It was truly unsatisfying. Today, I've brought out all the liquor stored in my cellar. Do you dare to get drunk?"
Zhang Ruochen assumed a posture of readiness and said, "I'm just afraid it won't get me drunk!"
"I'm also afraid it won't get you drunk, so I added Dark Divine Spring to the liquor." Yan Wushen sat down, like a tiger crouching in the forest, his aura steady. He opened one of the earthen jars and tossed it to Zhang Ruochen.
...
Updating so early today isn't to make up for a missed update, but to announce a missed update. Mainly because it's my birthday today, and starting at noon, I also have three rounds of drinking. Sigh...