C23 The Old Beggar and Wine!

A gentle breeze wafted through the air, carrying with it wispy clouds that meandered across the horizon. Rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a warm glow on a young man below.

This young man strolled leisurely through the outskirts of the city, exuding calmness with every unhurried step he took.

Suddenly, a large cloud mass swept over the sky, obscuring the light and plunging the world into darkness.

In that moment, a black arrow whistled through the air, streaking toward the earth as if it were the only thing left in existence.

Lin Xi felt a surge of danger and his eyes narrowed. The energy around him swelled. In the nick of time, his aura burst forth, propelling him through the air like a tempest, narrowly evading the lethal arrow.

Then, a relentless barrage of arrows descended like a torrential downpour, their forceful presence and whistling sound signaling their deadly intent.

"Do they seek my demise?" A glint of icy determination flashed in Lin Xi's eyes as a chilling killing intent emanated from him, frosting the air and scattering fine ice particles all around.

"Wind Shadow!" In an instant, Lin Xi became like the wind itself, leaving only trailing images behind. In the blink of an eye, he vanished as if he had been swallowed by the void.

When Lin Xi reappeared, he was ten miles away, in the midst of the forest where the archers lay in ambush. A sword now in his grasp, its blade emanated a frigid chill. He struck swiftly, and with each rise and fall of his sword, blood splattered, staining the forest leaves crimson. An icy aura lingered in the air.

In mere moments, Lin Xi dashed to the base of a large tree. He unleashed a sweeping strike, and a flash of cold light signaled the end for the hidden assailant, who met his demise before a cry could escape his lips.

"Thinking of escaping? You didn't even consider whether I would allow it," Lin Xi taunted, his sword now at the throat of a masked man, a Great Purity Cultivator in the late period of his training.

"Speak, who sent you?" Lin Xi demanded, his voice as cold as the murderous aura he wielded, reminiscent of the Dark Void Abyss itself.

"Celestial Enlightment... Noble..." Before the masked man could finish, a silent dart whisked through the air, striking him dead in an instant.

"Who's there?!" Lin Xi moved with incredible speed, weaving through the forest like a storm.

Yet, he lost sight of the assailant. The dart had traveled an extraordinary distance, as if launched from the mountain itself.

"Celestial Enlightment Nobles... just as I suspected! They will surely 'enjoy' what's coming." Lin Xi's eyes gleamed sharply as he gazed toward the Celestial Enlightment Empire Capital.

"So, you wish to confirm if I am a Great Purity Cultivator, or perhaps the identity of those who support me. Well, I'll keep you guessing." After scanning the surrounding forest and seeing no one, Lin Xi continued on his way just outside the city.

Shortly after Lin Xi's departure, a figure cautiously emerged from the depths of the forest. Relief and fear were evident in his eyes. The memory of Lin Xi's swift movement and the sensed presence of another formidable cultivator nearby sent a shiver down his spine. He was lucky to have concealed himself so well and to have been at a safe distance from Lin Xi; otherwise, he might have shared the archer's fate.

"I must inform the princess when I return!" The figure slipped away silently.

...

A mile from the walls of the Celestial Enlightment Empire Capital, Lin Xi proceeded with heightened vigilance after the ambush in the forest.

Suddenly, his attention was drawn to a figure by a bustling stall. Moved by curiosity, Lin Xi approached and observed a man sitting there, watching the crowd. A bowl was placed before him.

The man's clothes were in tatters, seemingly never changed in his lifetime, barely enough to cover his body, resembling a patchwork of worn fabric.

A pouch hung from his waist, its contents a mystery.

Also hanging from his waist was a gourd, from which Lin Xi could detect the subtle scent of wine, a fragrance that seemed to touch the soul.

"Wine?" At that moment, Lin Xi realized he was hungry, especially as he heard the soft growling of his stomach.

As he walked down the street, nothing caught his eye until he noticed the wine carried by an old beggar. Memories of Earth's wines and those he had once savored came flooding back, bringing a spontaneous smile to his face and a sense of joy to his heart.

Reaching into his pocket, Lin Xi found a gold coin. In the Celestial Enlightment Empire Capital, such a coin could go a long way—for instance, it could buy a lavish meal at a tavern. Observing the old beggar, Lin Xi could not detect any signs of cultivation or the slightest ripple of Clear Qi. The man seemed utterly ordinary. Yet, the beggar's bowl was spotlessly clean, and despite the bustling crowd, he seemed invisible to passersby. The subtle aroma of wine beckoned Lin Xi to approach.

Seeing an old beggar outside the city walls of the Celestial Enlightment Empire was commonplace. Inside the walls, however, it would be a different story; such a person would likely have been expelled from the city.

"Hey, would you trade the wine you have for this?" Lin Xi gently placed his only gold coin into the beggar's bowl and spoke with a calm demeanor. The thought of savoring a sip of exquisite wine was appealing, and the more he contemplated it, the hungrier he felt.

"You want my fine wine? No, a single gold coin isn't enough for my rare vintage," the old beggar responded, shaking his head gently and speaking with a nonchalant tone. Yet, Lin Xi's offer to trade for the wine struck a chord with him. He prided himself on the fact that few could detect the delicate scent of his specially crafted wine.

"What about this medicinal herb? I'll trade it for a jug of your wine," Lin Xi proposed, producing a 50-year-old licorice from his Storage Ring. He was certain that if the old beggar recognized the herb's worth, it would reveal him as a man of hidden depth. Otherwise, he was just an ordinary beggar. But Lin Xi was confident that someone capable of producing such fine wine was no ordinary individual.

"Licorice? It's quite aged," the old beggar remarked, his eyes briefly revealing a glint of clarity before returning to their clouded state.

"Just as I thought!" The old beggar's expression shifted rapidly, but Lin Xi caught the brief flicker of emotion.

"No deal. Who knows what this is? It could just be some random weed you plucked from the roadside. You think you can fool me with that? No way!" The old beggar gestured dismissively, refusing the trade. Yet, internally, he was stirred; he sensed that Lin Xi was no ordinary person, capable of producing such a medicinal herb. A quality herb could be immensely powerful.

"Two stalks!" Lin Xi, determined, pulled out another stalk of licorice from her Storage Ring. This one was a century-old specimen. In the Dark Void Abyss, she had collected a vast array of herbs, and this hundred-year licorice was merely a fraction of her bounty.

The old beggar involuntarily gulped, struggling to contain his excitement. He had been perfecting a new wine and was missing just the right herb. Using licorice, especially of such age, would enhance the flavor exponentially.

"Fine! Let's trade!" The beggar eagerly accepted the two stalks of licorice from Lin Xi, then unhooked a gourd from his waist and handed it over. He felt satisfied with the exchange: wine for medicine.

Lin Xi took the gourd, opened the lid, and took an eager sip.

However, the taste that met his lips was shockingly unpleasant. The wine was so distasteful that Lin Xi felt as though he was being punished for drinking it.

With a splutter, Lin Xi spat out the wine, dousing the old beggar.

"Young man... you're wasting my exquisite wine!" The old beggar's presence exploded with a formidable energy, nearly suffocating Lin Xi, though the sensation was fleeting, leaving him with a momentary brush with danger.

"Old man... I mean, old beggar, did you brew this? If I were to make wine, I assure you, it would be a hundred times better than this!" Lin Xi continued to spit out the wine, feeling on the verge of vomiting. Such wine would be considered bottom-tier on Earth, unfit for any reputable establishment. If Lin Xi were to brew wine, it would surely surpass this by far.

"Kid, do you realize who you're speaking to?" The old beggar was none other than the Wine King of the Celestial Enlightment Empire, as well as an Ancestral Purity expert. He was the one who opened the largest wine shop in the empire. Yet, he longed for a simple life and often roamed the world, sometimes even disguising himself as a beggar in pursuit of what he truly desired.

"You're claiming that the wine you've made is superior to mine?" The old beggar recognized the truth in Lin Xi's words.

"Indeed, once I've brewed it, I'll be sure to send you a jar. You'll want for nothing more," Lin Xi confidently stated. With five thousand years of refinement, the art of winemaking on Earth had reached near perfection. Lin Xi was certain that his wine would surpass anything this world had to offer by leaps and bounds.

"Fine, youngster, you've made an impression. In light of the two licorice stalks, I'll let this go. But if you fail to produce a wine that outshines mine, I'll cut out your tongue and use it to savor my drink!" The old beggar's voice was chilling.

"And what if my wine does exceed yours?" Lin Xi retorted, unwilling to show weakness. He understood that retreating would only invite further aggression. He had to stand his ground, regardless of the old beggar's vastly superior cultivation.

"If your wine bests mine, I will gladly serve you!" the old beggar huffed.

"The city guards are coming!" someone cried out. Lin Xi glanced over his shoulder.

When he turned back, the old beggar had vanished, leaving behind an intricately carved ancient jade pendant in Lin Xi's hand.

"The old beggar..." Lin Xi inhaled sharply, realizing that the old man could have easily ended his life just moments ago.

"The Celestial Enlightment Empire... truly a land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers," Lin Xi mused, pocketing the jade pendant as a means to contact the enigmatic old beggar.

"With the city guards mobilizing... it's clear that the Celestial Enlightment Empire has been a battleground of both overt and covert struggles," Lin Xi observed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Old father, you must stay safe... Lin Xi is coming back to see you." Lin Xi thought to himself, aware that his return to Lin Mansion was imminent. He couldn't bear the thought of his old father facing any danger.

"Schemes and treachery, I, Lin Xi, won't let you succeed so easily!" With determination in his stride, Lin Xi advanced toward the walls of the Celestial Enlightment Empire Capital.