Chapter 727: Three Bowls

The Wine God seemed to be taking this Drinking Contest very seriously, opening his own secret stash.

Wang Meng hadn’t left his quarters for many days. Zhan Yingluo and the others didn’t dare disturb him, knowing he was preparing. ‘But is there enough time for him to prepare in isolation like this?’

“Fatty Bai, has Wang Meng not come out at all these past few days?” Wang Shifeng was the most anxious of them all. He realized that he had, without noticing, invested far too much in this matter. There was no turning back now. ‘If this fails, I’ll be completely ruined.’

“Boss, he should be preparing,” Fatty Bai said, remaining surprisingly calm after all he’d been through. After all, the worst that could happen was that his boss would return to Wang City, where he’d still be a city lord.

“Sigh, where on earth does Wang Meng get his supply? The supplier hasn’t shown up, so what is he going to compete with?”

This was what Wang Shifeng was concerned about.

The Little Princess casually swung her legs. She had snuck out. The Water Emperor’s arrival was a major event for Great Zhou, and the entire Imperial Palace was bustling. As a result, no one was paying attention to her, so Ji Jin’Er had naturally slipped away to somewhere more interesting.

Ji Shuangtian possessed the Water of the Five Elements attribute, so at this very moment, he was naturally by the Water Emperor’s side. No matter what, it was impossible for the Water Emperor not to give him a pointer or two.

That would be of immense benefit to him.

“Does Little Mengzi actually have a chance of winning? I’m a shareholder, you know,” Ji Jin’Er said while eating fruit. It felt so good to be free of constraints, and it was obvious the Little Princess was waiting to watch the show.

“Little Mengzi” was a nickname Ji Jin’Er had given Wang Meng out of boredom. Of course, Master Wang himself had not heard it yet.

“Ahem, Your Highness, well, I believe Wang Meng must have made some preparations.”

Wang Shifeng said.

“I believe in Wang Meng. If the Wine God wants a challenge, then let him bring it. What’s there to be afraid of!” Zhan Yingluo said, appearing quite confident.

Ji Jin’Er blinked. “Sister Yingluo, you’re so confident. That old Wine God geezer does have a few tricks up his sleeve. By the way, the information I got is that the wine people drink on the market, even the so-called century-old secret stashes, are actually just fakes to fool people. Real fine wine isn’t like that.”

Wang Shifeng gave a bitter smile. “Your Highness, could you please stop discouraging me? I feel like I’ve aged ten years these past few days.”

Ji Jin’Er shrugged. “Wang Shifeng, if you want to achieve great things, you have to bear the pressure. You really need to temper yourself.”

Seeing Ji Jin’Er acting so mature and condescending, Wang Shifeng could only nod, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. ‘As if this little brat knows anything about pressure.’

They all chatted about trivial matters, but since Wang Meng wasn’t around, Ji Jin’Er was clearly not interested. After a little while, she stood up. “Tell Little Mengzi I dropped by. And tell him not to embarrass himself. He has to beat that old Wine God geezer!”

After saying her piece, the Tenth Princess sauntered away leisurely, leaving a stunned group of people behind.

“The Tenth Princess doesn’t look very old. Isn’t the Boss being a little ruthless?” Fatty Bai suddenly said.

“Nothing good ever comes out of that mouth of yours. You think Wang Meng is the same as you!” Zhan Yingluo retorted.

Instantly, Fatty Bai looked as if he’d been deeply insulted. “Miss Zhan, you can’t just accuse an innocent man like that! Compared to the Boss, I’m practically a pure and innocent virgin, okay!”

The whole group broke down laughing. The fatty’s knack for comedy was in a league of its own. The sisters, Zuojing and Youjing, were laughing so hard they were practically swaying.

In truth, they all had completely different personalities. They were a group of people whose paths would have otherwise never crossed, yet they had somehow become friends.

The showdown with the Wine God… how would Wang Meng face it?

The days passed one by one, and the day of the arranged duel with the Wine God finally arrived. It was originally supposed to be a private Drinking Contest, but through a strange twist of fate, it had become known to everyone. The venue had to be moved to Heaven-Reaching Square, which was already packed with a sea of people.

Putting everything else aside, just being able to witness the Fire Emperor, the Water Emperor, and Han Chuxue with one’s own eyes was enough of a draw.

Master Wang arrived first, causing almost no stir. Amidst the sea of people, he was completely overlooked. Although he was the man behind Drunkard Wine, no one really paid him any mind. Even with his current status, he still wasn’t considered a major player.

Master Wang didn’t mind being ignored. He quietly waited for his opponent to arrive, his thoughts drifting back to his time in the Holy Hall. ‘No matter where I am, I’m never truly alone. I have to admit, I’m extremely satisfied with my latest creation. It was inspired partly by the Wine God’s challenge and partly by my own life experiences.’

It was the first time he had been separated from his brothers for so long.

Wang Meng didn’t have to wait long. An earth-shattering cheer erupted from the crowd, a complete contrast to when Master Wang had arrived. The sound shot straight into the heavens, so loud it seemed to blow the clouds away.

The Fire Emperor, the Water Emperor, and the Emperor of Great Zhou, Ji Xuanyuan, had arrived.

Although Ji Xuanyuan was the Emperor of Great Zhou, the pinnacle of secular power, he was still quite deferential toward such peerless masters.

The Fire Emperor and Water Emperor were chatting and laughing amiably. The crowd surged, everyone wanting to get a glimpse of the peerless masters. The Fire Emperor was a more common sight, being from the Yuan Family, but the Water Emperor was a rare sight indeed. Missing this chance might mean never getting another one.

After the three of them came Han Chuxue and Yan Luoqi, the standouts among the Eight Saints. They were, without a doubt, household names in Haojing.

Han Chuxue’s status was noble, certainly more esteemed than even a princess. Yan Luoqi’s origins were mysterious; he was likely not just wealthy enough to rival a nation, but his status was also extraordinarily high. On top of that, he was handsome, rich, and hospitable.

Together, the two of them truly looked like a pair of Immortal Lovers.

Seats for the five of them had already been prepared. The judges, of course, all saw Wang Meng. It wasn’t appropriate for them to say anything, but they did exchange glances.

Yan Luoqi gave a slight nod. He was also partly responsible for this Drinking Contest becoming such a grand event.

Han Chuxue offered a slight smile, and the entire square seemed to fall silent for a moment, mesmerized by her beauty.

Ji Xuanyuan glanced at Wang Meng. ‘This kid is still such a troublemaker, but the nature of it is different this time. If he’s really that impressive, then so what if the marriage comes to pass?’

The Fire Emperor and Wang Meng were somewhat familiar with each other. The Water Emperor, however, widened his eyes when he saw Wang Meng. He glanced at the Fire Emperor but didn’t say anything more.

A while after the five had taken their seats, the crowd parted to form a path. An old man with a small braid appeared, a giant wine gourd on his back. The tip of his nose was red, and his eyes were squinted as if he were still hungover.

This old man was the legendary Wine God; his secular name had long been forgotten. But make no mistake, this old man didn’t just know how to brew wine. Although he wasn’t ranked among the Three Immortals, the Five Emperors, or the Seven Extremes, he was still a master of the Divinity Transformation Realm. It was just that not every Cultivator enjoyed chasing after such empty titles.

The Wine God paid no mind to the five judges present; he was actually quite familiar with all of them. To each their own expertise, and in the realm of wine, he was the one and only king.

The Wine God looked at Wang Meng and rubbed his nose. “Where is my opponent?”

Wang Meng smiled. “I’m Wang Meng. ‘Meng’ as in ‘fierce’.”

The Wine God sized up Wang Meng. “You’re the one who brewed this wine?”

“I am. It is my honor to exchange pointers on the way of wine with you, Senior,” Wang Meng said with a smile.

The crowd erupted in an uproar. This was a joke. Everyone knew what kind of worthless character Wang Rencai was. And now he was actually going to compete against the Wine God in a Drinking Contest? It was simply preposterous.

This guy must have bought some wine from who-knows-where to pass off as his own, just grandstanding for attention. He really had a death wish.

The Fire Emperor and the others were also a bit skeptical. They had all clearly assumed that Wang Meng had a master Brewer backing him.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s all the same to me. I’m competing against the wine. What are the rules?” The Wine God was quite nonchalant. It was rare to find a worthy opponent; it didn’t matter if the person himself appeared, as long as the wine did.

“Three bowls. How does that sound?” Wang Meng said.

The Wine God was slightly taken aback. “Fine. Three bowls it is.”

“Then I’ll go first to break the ice. For the first bowl, a basic aged wine.”

As he spoke, a jar appeared in Wang Meng’s hand with the word “Drunkard” written in large characters on it.

Five bowls appeared before the five judges. The moment the seal was broken, a rich aroma wafted through the air. Under the light, the mellow liquor seemed to shimmer with a crystal-clear brilliance.

Many in the audience were connoisseurs; they could get a rough idea just from the moment it was unsealed.

Wang Meng poured for the five of them, then stood aside with a smile. The sound of gulping could be heard throughout the square. Meanwhile, Zhan Yingluo and the others watched nervously. Confidence was one thing, but when facing the Wine God, that little bit of confidence was little more than bravado.

Mo Chengkong and his group were also in the crowd, waiting to see Wang Meng make a fool of himself. To be more precise, they were certain Wang Meng was going to be utterly humiliated this time.

The Fire Emperor and the Water Emperor were both heavy drinkers, so they downed the wine in one gulp. Ji Xuanyuan, Han Chuxue, and Yan Luoqi, however, savored it slowly.

Different drinking styles led to different experiences.

All eyes were on the five judges. Before long, expressions of satisfaction appeared on all their faces. Although Han Chuxue only took a small sip, she too experienced the wine’s character.

Although the five showed their approval, they gave no further indication. Judged on its own, it was undoubtedly a fine wine, but a final verdict could only be made after comparing it to the Wine God’s.

The Wine God’s nose twitched a few times. “A hundred years old. Interesting. Little friend, your wine is not bad, but it feels a bit rushed.”

The bowls were replaced. The Wine God took down his gourd. The moment it was opened, an aroma also burst forth, but this one seemed more intense. The liquor was clear and didn’t look as mellow as Wang Meng’s.

But after the five finished drinking, their expressions changed again, this time to looks of pleasant surprise and admiration.

Ji Xuanyuan stood up. As he held the highest secular status, he would begin. “Drunkard Wine is a hundred years old, its flavor rich and beautiful, impeccable. The Wine God’s wine is also pure in flavor, just the same. But I cast my vote for Wine God Wine, because his wine is fifty years old at most, yet it has an effect of returning to its pure, true nature.”

The moment Ji Xuanyuan finished speaking, a wave of cheers erupted.

It was the Fire Emperor’s turn. He glanced at Wang Meng. “Wine God Wine. The taste is just as impeccable, but there is a difference in the aging.”

The Water Emperor was in agreement. Han Chuxue and Yan Luoqi also cast their votes for Wine God Wine.

Pure aging can only go so far; it reaches a point where it can no longer improve. The Wine God was truly a seasoned master; his fifty-year-old vintage could actually rival Wang Meng’s hundred-year-old one.

The first round was a complete victory for the Wine God. The members of the Wine God Clan present immediately erupted in thunderous cheers, with countless others joining in.

When it came to reputation, Master Wang couldn’t hold a candle to the Wine God.

Wang Shifeng’s face had turned pale. ‘A fifty-year-old vintage beat a hundred-year-old one. What’s the point of even competing?’

‘The gap is just too wide.’