: Fake Wine

2024-11-06 Author: Gu Zhenren

Zhu Xuanji held the lightweight letter, yet it felt scorching hot in his hands!

Although he desperately wanted to toss it aside, he recalled that after returning to the royal capital to report on his duties and meeting the monarch, the latter had directly ordered him to represent the Zhu family of the Southern Bean royal house in handling matters related to the Molten Rock Immortal Palace from now on.

But Zhu Xuanji always felt that he was simply being pushed to the front lines by the monarch to interact with the Child of Calamity!

Clenching his teeth, Zhu Xuanji reluctantly opened the letter and scanned its contents with his spiritual sense—

To my esteemed elder brother Zhu Xuanji:

(Zhu Xuanji: Who's your elder brother? Stop calling me that!)

Since our parting, vast distances have separated us, with little news exchanged. Time has slipped away swiftly, and suddenly dozens of days have passed. A day without seeing you feels like three years; your distinguished demeanor and voice have never been far from my thoughts.

(Zhu Xuanji: Why remember so clearly? Just forget about me!)

I recall our time in the Molten Rock Immortal Palace, where we worked together, standing shoulder to shoulder. On Misty Hidden Mountain, we shared trials, forming alliances—truly the most joyous events of my life. Your profound strategies and free-spirited actions have won my sincere admiration. Whenever I think of this, I cannot help but reminisce about those days, still feeling their warmth. If we could renew our former connection, it would be a heaven-sent opportunity.

(Zhu Xuanji: Shoulder to shoulder? Weren't you the one scheming against me? This is bad, very bad! What does this kid want from me now? Asking for help again?)

I have a small request. I have long heard of our Southern Bean Kingdom's national treasure, the Longing Wine, renowned for its rich aroma and exquisite taste—a rare treasure in this world. Though I have never had the chance to taste it, my heart has yearned for it for ages. I dare to ask you, brother, to grant me a jar to quench my thirst for fine wine and rekindle a bit of our old camaraderie.

(Zhu Xuanji: Longing Wine? Since when does this kid enjoy drinking? Fine, I'll give it to you. Just don't bother me anymore.)

Additionally, there is an ancient sage known as the Five Elements Sovereign. I am quite interested in this figure, but my information is limited. Thus, I specially request that you, brother, bestow upon me some intelligence to resolve my doubts. If I could learn even a little, I would be immensely grateful.

(Zhu Xuanji: Five Elements Sovereign? That's a grand title. I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. Asking me for information? He must have his eyes on the Divine Constable Bureau's archives and records. This kid sure knows who to ask. Fine, I'll give it to you too!)

I also wish that in your recent investigations, your thoughts flow like lightning, piercing through mysteries, so that all perplexing matters become clear. May everything go smoothly, leading to an early success. If you find the time, I would like to invite you to Ten Thousand Herbs Valley for a gathering. The scenery is charming, with lush vegetation—a perfect place to share fine wine, reminisce, and discuss new strategies.

Please take good care. I hope all goes well for you, and we may meet soon to fulfill our lofty ambitions!

Sincerely,

Ning Zhuo

(Zhu Xuanji: Ten Thousand Herbs Valley? Oh, isn't there a major sect there called the Ten Thousand Herbs Sect? Want me to go to Ten Thousand Herbs Valley? Hah, as if! Wishful thinking!)

After reading the letter, Zhu Xuanji was sweating a little on his forehead.

Regarding the Child of Calamity, he wanted to stay as far away as possible.

Inviting him to the Ten Thousand Herbs Sect?

Not going!

Absolutely not going!

The Longing Wine and the information on the Five Elements Sovereign—you can have them, take it all.

Just don't bother me.

"Wait, why is Ning Zhuo specifically looking for information on the Five Elements Sovereign? What has he come into contact with now?"

"Don't think about it. Don't think about anything."

"Why get involved in matters related to the Child of Calamity?!"

Zhu Xuanji immediately warned himself internally.

Fully alert, he personally searched through the records and files, extracting all information on the Five Elements Sovereign and compiling it into a jade slip.

He then used his connections to retrieve a century-old jar of the national treasure Longing Wine from the royal vault.

Finally, utilizing the special privileges of the courier station, he sent these items to Ning Zhuo at the fastest speed possible.

Ten Thousand Herbs Valley.

Ning Zhuo received the information and was quite surprised.

He sighed to Sun Lingtong, "Old Zhu is really reliable and capable. I didn't expect him to handle these matters so quickly."

"For him, it might be a small matter, but it's a huge help to me."

"Hmm, I should properly thank him in the future. If anything comes up later, I'll go to him again!"

Sun Lingtong said, "Right now, your Ning family's performance regarding the Molten Rock Immortal Palace affair affects whether Fire Persimmon Immortal City falls into the Meng family's hands. This is quite important to the royal family."

"And you, Xiao Zhuo, are now a pivotal figure in the Ning family. Of course Zhu Xuanji would value you."

"Though I never expected that in the end, we would become friends with Zhu Xuanji. The twists of fate are truly surprising."

"But you still have doubts about investigating the Five Elements Sovereign?"

Ning Zhuo nodded and hummed in agreement, "I've read the Book of Songs and historical records extensively, yet I've never heard of the name Five Elements Sovereign. With such great abilities, he must be an ancient figure."

"The living have yang lifespan, the dead have yin lifespan. Yang lifespan is limited, and so is yin lifespan."

"Normally, an ancient figure like him should have exhausted his yin lifespan after ten thousand years. But I feel that the Five Elements Sovereign is still full of vitality. That's not normal."

"The biggest doubt is that after I returned to the Mechanical Wandering Dragon, even though I was sober, I still received the transmission of techniques from the Five Elements Sovereign."

"I told Linghu Jiu about this, and even he couldn't explain it."

"There are many strange aspects to this. Receiving the transmission and obtaining the complete 'Five Temples Divine Art' seemed too easy. Moreover, my surge in the five elements realm is even more valuable than this divine art."

"I may be young, but I've read many books. Though my experiences are limited, I spent fourteen years carefully planning for the Molten Rock Immortal Palace affair."

"Suddenly gaining such a huge benefit, to be honest, I feel quite uneasy."

Sun Lingtong shrugged, "What's there to fear? You're not practicing this divine art anyway, and the five elements realm improvement is entirely your own—a tangible benefit."

"Yin lifespan may be limited, but how can we measure a great figure like the Five Elements Sovereign by ordinary standards?"

"We're just two Foundation Establishment juniors. How could we possibly comprehend the might of the Five Elements Sovereign?"

Ning Zhuo shook his head, "If I investigate thoroughly and understand the details, I can feel more at ease referencing the 'Five Temples Divine Art' in the future."

Sun Lingtong nodded, "Hmm, being cautious like this is good. Let's see what the jade slip says."

Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong both projected their spiritual sense.

They learned all the information about the Five Elements Sovereign.

As Ning Zhuo had previously guessed, the Five Elements Sovereign was indeed an ancient figure—

He appeared after the Blood Slaughter Dynasty, at the beginning of the Martial Emperor's era!

The Blood Slaughter Dynasty was the first dynasty in history.

A dynasty, by definition, is a power that unified the entire world, encompassing all territories.

In world history, only three dynasties have appeared. The Blood Slaughter Dynasty was the first.

At that time, human cultivators were not the main protagonists; demons and monsters roaming freely were the most prominent features of the dynasty.

After the dynasty collapsed, forces worldwide fell into conflict and slaughter, plunging into chaos.

It wasn't until a man of mixed human, demon, and monster heritage ascended the throne that order was largely restored to the world.

This man was the Martial Emperor!

Historically, he is considered the second emperor.

As for empires, history recognizes only five. One criterion for an empire is that the cultivation nation must occupy at least eighty percent of the world's territory, exerting massive influence and forming the world's main body.

The Five Elements Sovereign had a close, complex relationship with the Martial Emperor, being both friends and rivals.

He was exceptionally talented and had a strong, uncompromising style. Before the Martial Emperor ascended the throne, they fought side by side, sharing a deep comradely bond.

The Five Elements Sovereign's成名战 (battle that made him famous) was against the Black River Serpent Demon. At that time, he single-handedly charged into the Black River, turning the entire river red with blood, and finally battled the Serpent Demon for three days and three nights, slaying it. With his own strength, he swept through a major demon force, shaking the world.

His巅峰战 (peak battle) was against the Blood Sea Demon Lord. He led an army, besieging the Blood Sea for years, and ultimately trapped and killed the Demon Lord using the pre-arranged Five Elements Demon-Slaying Array. After this battle, he was publicly acknowledged as the number one under the Martial Emperor.

His final battle was the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain campaign. The Martial Emperor led his army, sweeping across the world, forcing demons and monsters to gather at Ten Thousand Demons Mountain.

With demon forces assembled, the Martial Emperor struggled to capture the mountain. The Five Elements Sovereign accepted the critical mission, personally leading the charge into battle. His five spirits manifested, divine light soaring to the heavens, as he engaged in a life-and-death struggle with the demons.

Ultimately, the Martial Emperor's army captured Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, shattering the entire former highest peak. The Five Elements Sovereign also fell in battle.

The above is official history.

Based on clues collected by the Divine Constable Bureau, archaeological findings, and summarized intelligence, there is also a段野史 (piece of unofficial history).

The unofficial history mentions a love triangle involving two men and one woman.

The two men were the Martial Emperor and the Five Elements Sovereign; the woman was Serene Jade Immortal Consort.

The two men traveled the world together in their youth and met the woman, both developing affection for her. But in the end, Serene Jade Immortal Consort married the Martial Emperor.

However, the Martial Emperor had many consorts and was focused on his grand ambitions, neglecting Serene Jade Immortal Consort's feelings.

The Five Elements Sovereign and Serene Jade Immortal Consort frequently met in secret, which eventually came to the Martial Emperor's attention.

The Martial Emperor then devised a plan, allowing Serene Jade Immortal Consort to be captured by demons and taken to Ten Thousand Demons Mountain. The Five Elements Sovereign rushed recklessly to rescue her, and both ultimately died in battle at Ten Thousand Demons Mountain.

It was precisely because of this that after achieving his great enterprise, the Martial Emperor personally ordered the eradication of records nationwide, attempting to bury the matters of the Five Elements Sovereign and Serene Jade Immortal Consort in the long river of history, unknown to later generations.

After reading it, Sun Lingtong said, "So, the Martial Emperor was that kind of man. Tsk tsk tsk!"

Ning Zhuo pondered, "No wonder I haven't heard of this figure. On one hand, he lived in ancient times; on the other, many records were deliberately erased, so very little has been passed down."

They finished reading the intelligence, but it still didn't explain why the Five Elements Sovereign has persisted until now or why he transmitted techniques to Ning Zhuo in the underworld.

"Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, Ten Thousand Demons Cave, Ten Thousand Herbs Valley, Ten Thousand Herbs Sect... To think this valley was once the world's highest peak. The former sacred mountain where ten thousand demons gathered is now just the base of an ordinary medicine-selling sect. The changes of time and tide are indeed like this," Sun Lingtong sighed profoundly.

Ning Zhuo frowned deeply, "Something's not right. I feel there's something strange here."

"Boss, I need to drink the Melancholy Nether Brew again."

Sun Lingtong said, "You can drink it, but don't go near the Hidden Spirit Willow."

"Of course I know that," Ning Zhuo nodded.

He directly left the Mechanical Wandering Dragon and had Sun Lingtong pilot it to a corner of the cave dwelling, far away from Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo sat cross-legged on a cushion and solemnly took a sip of the Melancholy Nether Brew.

Nothing happened.

He took a few more sips.

Completely calm!

Ning Zhuo frowned deeply, thought for a moment, and then summoned Hua Guzi.

"Young Master Ning Zhuo! You've finally called me!" Hua Guzi's eyes shone, very excited.

Ning Zhuo waved his hand, "Take a look at this wine."

Hua Guzi used various methods to inspect it, finally tasting a bit, then spat it out, "This wine is crudely made, the recipe is contradictory—it's practically fake wine!"

"Young master, quickly tell me, who tried to fool you with this? I'll teach them a lesson for you!"

(End of )