The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 296 On Quality (3k)

Zhang Sixin was suddenly startled, thinking to himself, "This thing is so outrageous?" He dared not be negligent in the slightest and quickly bowed in response:

"This disciple will make the arrangements immediately and will ensure that every household is notified. However, this disciple has another matter that I would like to ask my master for advice."

The old man nodded slightly and said in a calm tone, "Please speak freely."

"Uncle-Master, who exactly is the person who delivered the wine? And what is the origin of this wine that requires such serious treatment from you all?"

Upon hearing this, the old man slowly shook his head, his brows furrowing slightly.

"I truly cannot fathom this person's identity. But speaking of the wine he brought, do you know what the most exquisite immortal brew in the world is?"

The finest celestial brew in the world?
Zhang Si began to have doubts. There has always been no first place in literature and no second place in martial arts, and the same is true for wine. There are countless fine wines in the world, and many can be called "top-grade" and are priceless, but there has never been a definitive conclusion on what is "the best in the world".

After all, the quality of a divine brew is closely related to the drinker's cultivation, state of mind, and even innate qualities: some people regard the Jade Pool Elixir as the finest, while others feel that wild fruit brews from the mountains and fields are more to their liking. Where does the absolute number one come from?

Even considering the rarity of these two, it's really hard to say which is better.

Take, for example, the "Ascension Wine" of Ascension City, brewed once every thousand years. Legend has it that mortals who drink it can cleanse their marrow and meridians and ascend directly to the path of immortality, while even powerful beings from all walks of life can stabilize their realm and resolve their inner demons after drinking it.

Can this wine be considered top-quality? Absolutely.

Is it the best in the world? Not necessarily.

This is all because of the legendary "Forget-Me-Not Wine," supposedly brewed by the ten-tailed celestial fox. This wine certainly exists, but whether it was actually brewed by the celestial fox remains inconclusive.

After all, the nine-tailed fox is spiritual but not divine, powerful but not accomplished, stuck in the middle, neither high nor low.

However, if we talk about the Ten-Tailed Celestial Fox, then it is an existence that has broken through the limits of heaven and man. It is said that its combat power is comparable to the three great masters of the three religions and can be ranked among the nine ancient fierce beasts!
Furthermore, this Forget-Worry Wine is neither brewed with extraordinary materials nor from a celestial spring. Rather, it is brewed by someone with supreme supernatural powers, who uses time as water, obsession as ingredients, and the myriad states of mind in the mortal world as a jar. It is aged over the years by countless people before a single jar can be brewed!
Drinking it allows one to see past causes and effects, resolve thousand-year-old knots in one's heart, and even more so, one can see through one's true self and let go of attachments with just one sip, and instantly achieve the Great Dao!

As for Forget-Me-Not Wine, which is considered an exceptional celestial brew in terms of its brewer's identity, its efficacy, and its rarity, there are several other such wines in the world!
In this way, it's impossible to tell who is better or worse.

But then Zhang Si thought about it again and his heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong. It seemed like there really was a veiled conclusion.

After a moment of stunned silence, he suddenly realized what was happening and exclaimed in shock:
"Could it be the wine of the God of Dawn?"

There is indeed a kind of wine in the world that almost no one has ever tasted, yet it is always regarded as the "number one celestial brew in the world," or even "divine brew"—that is the wine brewed by the God of the Sun.

Legend has it that the God of the Sun did not drink alcohol, but he loved brewing wine. After years of research, his winemaking skills had reached the pinnacle.

The wine brewed by the God of Dawn was something that even the founders of the three religions dreamed of.

The Confucian immortal who once tasted wine was fortunate enough to have a sip of it, and ever since then, he has almost been unable to drink any other divine wine.

Zhang Si had also heard that even the several immortal brews he had thought of that could rival the Forget-Me-Not Wine, the wine immortal had later specially sought them out for tasting, but according to him, none of them could compare to the wine of the God of Dawn.

It is precisely because of this that this divine brew, which doesn't even have a name, has gradually become known as the world's finest wine, with "few knowing of it, but all who do recognize it."

If we also consider Xi Shen's innate status as a great god, it would be absolutely true to say that she is the number one in heaven and earth.

The old man's expression turned solemn, and he slowly nodded:

"We discussed it and concluded that this wine must have been brewed by the God of the Sun! To use primordial chaos energy to create a wine jar, who else but a primordial deity like the God of the Sun could be so extravagant?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Si's voice trembled with shock:
"Who...who was the person who delivered the wine? How could they possibly produce such a miraculous item!"

The old man shook his head repeatedly, then looked at him with utmost seriousness:
"I'd like to ask you, did you really not notice anything amiss? For example, did Meng Chengyuan accompany him with the respect due to a junior? And since you are close friends, did he give any other hints, whether overt or covert?"

You must know that the other party came with the people from Gewu Cave and was able to bring out the wine of the God of Dawn. Such a person is no ordinary person. If we are not careful, he may be one of the accompanying saints from the Confucian Temple.

Zhang Si naturally understood the key point and quickly bowed in reply:

"This disciple truly did not discern any further details, but Brother Meng did indeed address that person as 'Master'."

"Huh?!" The old man was so angry he almost slammed his fist on the table. "Even proper Confucian gentlemen call him 'Master,' and you still haven't figured it out! You're such a waste of your eyes! Fine, we're just organizing this gathering anyway. You just need to pass on the message. Remember what you should and shouldn't say, and don't cause trouble by talking too much!"

Zhang Si quickly bowed and replied:
"Disciple understands! I will certainly be careful with my words and actions!"
-
Before long, all the participating forces received a vague message—a grand finale treasure would be unveiled later, and the other party specifically requested that it be exchanged for a Sword Cleansing Stone. Fellow Daoists, please prepare in advance!
The grand finale treasure?

Do I specifically need to cleanse the sword stone?

Could it be that a powerful figure from the sword cultivator lineage has arrived?

These were the first few sentences that almost all cultivators uttered upon receiving the message.

Zhang Si was standing in front of a fairy who was wearing a thin veil and a feathered robe. The most eye-catching thing was the radiant halo floating behind her.

Behind her stood a woman dressed in palace attire. Both of them frowned deeply upon seeing Zhang Si.

"What exactly is the grand finale? Why did you have to come all this way to inform us?" The fairy's voice remained cold, yet it was also filled with doubt.

Zhang Si bowed respectfully and replied, "Your Majesty, a senior has sent a jar of celestial wine. As for more details, you will know in due time."

"Immortal brew? Could it be that someone has sent you Ascension Wine?"

A hint of surprise flashed in the fairy's eyes. Ascension Wine was already a rare delicacy in the world. If this was really it, it would certainly deserve the title of "grand finale".

Zhang Si smiled helplessly:

"Your Majesty is joking, it's not that bad."

Upon hearing this, both the fairy and the queen behind her were taken aback—what did she mean by not being that bad?

Ascension Wine is a divine product brewed only once every thousand years. What could possibly make it so inferior to this one?
Similar conversations took place almost simultaneously in various rooms of the conference hall.

For this reason, all the forces took it seriously: not only did they immediately send a batch of sword-cleansing stones from their respective mountains, but they also used their own resources to exchange for an additional batch from other sects and even independent cultivators, all as backup.

They privately speculated that the most likely culprit was the "Forget-Me-Not Wine".

After all, although this wine is one of the rarest celestial brews in the world, it is rumored that one or two families still possess a small amount of it. If it is indeed the Forget-Worry Wine, it can support their claim.
-
Inside Du Yuan and Cui Yuancheng's room, the old man from before personally pushed open the door and entered.

Upon seeing Du Yuan, he respectfully cupped his hands and said:
"We have made proper arrangements, sir. It seems that the Sword Cleansing Stone you requested has been located!"

Upon hearing this, Du Yuan was completely relieved, finally free from owing favors to others.

As for the kitten, it's easy to coax it; just stroke its fur a bit, and everything will be fine.

He immediately nodded and said:

"With the old gentleman's words, I can rest assured!"

While the old man was talking to Du Yuan, he was also secretly observing him.

After looking at it for a long time, not only did he not see anything, but he became even more confused.

The person before him did appear to be a highly skilled cultivator, but he was by no means the kind of supreme expert who could intimidate an entire region. In fact, his cultivation might even be inferior to his own.

Moreover, not only was his face unfamiliar, but he also couldn't figure out his background or origins at all.
As he pondered, his gaze fell upon the rusty "ash" at Du Yuan's waist. After looking at it from all angles, he realized that it aligned with the black-clad man's earlier thoughts.

Even if this sword was famous back then, it's nothing more than a piece of scrap metal now.

It should be understood that a divine artifact like a celestial sword would never normally rust to such an extent. Even an unowned celestial sword that has lost its master would at most simply be covered in dust and never seen again.

The more famous and powerful a sword was in the past, the more utterly useless it becomes when it falls into such a state.

Thinking of this, the old man finally couldn't hold back and tentatively asked:

"May I ask, sir, is your purpose in purchasing the Sword Cleansing Stone for the sake of the sword at your waist?"

Du Yuan nodded readily: "That's true."

Seeing that he was truly concerned about this useless sword, the old man couldn't help but sincerely advise him:

"Sir, forgive my bluntness, but even if you use countless sword-cleansing stones, I'm afraid your sword will never be restored to its former glory. Why not exchange it for a more suitable immortal sword?"

Du Yuan gently shook her head:
"This sword is both to my liking and extremely important to me, and I will not change it."

Seeing this, the old man knew he was an outsider and didn't want to say anything more.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he turned to leave. Just as he stepped out the door, Cui Yuancheng suddenly chased after him, asking urgently:
"Senior, did my friend Zhang have some things repaired earlier? Please tell me the truth, and I'll find a way to help him fix them!"

These words made the old man pause in his tracks, looking at Cui Yuancheng with utter astonishment:

"What do you mean?"

After Cui Yuancheng explained his concerns, the old man first seemed to understand, then his eyes widened in astonishment, and he said:
"That kid doesn't deserve it! Even if you sold him, you couldn't make up even a fraction of the difference!"

The wine of the God of the Sun! I'm already incredibly lucky to be even involved in its authentication, and that bastard wants to make up the difference? He's dreaming!

After a moment of stunned silence, the old man suddenly felt a pang of anxiety, grabbed Cui Yuancheng's arm, and pressed him for an answer:
"Boy, don't you know who this gentleman is?"

Choi Won-sung was taken aback when he was grabbed, and replied truthfully:

"I am not very familiar with this gentleman. Could it be that the jar of wine he brought is something special?"

The old man didn't answer, but slowly loosened his grip, then thought to himself:

If this kid doesn't know either, then is this person an unexpected outsider who took the item and left on his own, or did he deliberately come to interfere?

(End of this chapter)