Chapter 25: Wang Yun, the Wine Immortal

Mo Fan never expected that the person to ultimately confirm his identity would be Xiahou Ji.

With bloodshot eyes and a face etched in immense agony, he stared at the man who had accompanied him on this entire journey—a man he had never once doubted. Yet, at this moment, Xiahou Ji acted as if nothing were amiss, fluently recounting everything about himself and Mo Fan to win the trust of the crowd. Throughout his speech, however, his sharp, bright eyes never left the Master Wang of the winery. Though the man had not uttered a single word, his terrifyingly calm demeanor confirmed to Xiahou Ji that this Master Wang was no simple figure.

He was, in fact, quite intriguing.

In that instant, Mo Fan realized many things. Throughout their journey, he had always felt there was something strange about Xiahou Ji; he never imagined that all the information regarding himself had been leaked by him. He could not understand why Xiahou Ji would do such a thing. Mo Fan felt as though he were on the verge of a breakdown, terrified that he might suddenly collapse and never be able to rise again.

This world was truly disgusting.

He had planned everything out—to sow discord and incite a grand battle between the Feather Pattern Hall and the Nether Palace. He had not expected one misstep to ruin it all. Just when he thought there was room for recovery, these people had emerged from nowhere to sabotage his plans, not only causing his scheme to fail but also exposing him completely to those with wolfish ambitions.

Mo Fan wanted to roar, to vent the resentment in his heart, but when he opened his mouth, no sound emerged. His body went limp, drained of all strength.

*Thump. Thump.*

Everyone collapsed at the same time; even Lin Xiaojun and Yao Xin were not spared.

As the crowd lay unconscious, a figure appeared outside the winery. He walked straight up to Mo Fan and examined him closely.

"He doesn't look like much. Why are so many people circling him?" he muttered to himself. He glanced at the unconscious Lin Xiaojun and Yao Xin, then shook his head with great confidence. "Look at me—I’m handsome, and I can brew wine. Why don't these two fairy-like maidens fight over me? It’s truly baffling."

After studying Mo Fan for a long while, the old brewer could not fathom the reason. He had only heard rumors about this lad, but in reality, he seemed perfectly ordinary—no different from anyone else. How could he have possibly triggered a global pursuit order from the three great clans of Dongyang Prefecture and drawn out the major powers of Gancheng City? It had been a long time since those so-called powerful factions had gone to such great lengths for anything.

"This is getting interesting," Master Wang smirked. "What kind of secret do you hold, kid, that even the famous 'Ghost Hand Divine Doctor' Wang He insists on finding you at any cost?"

"However, since you are an unsolvable riddle, and Wang He wants to solve you, I cannot let him have his way. I shall study you myself and see what secrets you hold that make so many people desire you."

After his moment of self-absorption, the old brewer blinked, hoisted Mo Fan onto his shoulder, and headed back into the winery. He had been feuding with the Ghost Hand Divine Doctor for ten thousand years, never having declared a winner. This time, he would study this boy thoroughly and deliver a stinging slap in the face to that old man.

The brewer, feeling quite pleased with himself, carried Mo Fan to a room to begin his research.

"Old fossil!"

As soon as the brewer left with Mo Fan, Xiahou Ji stood up immediately. He held a small vial to Lin Xiaojun and Yao Xin's noses; the two women woke up instantly.

"Brother Xia!" The two women bowed to him.

The three of them exchanged a glance and walked into the winery, heading toward the upper floor.

In a room on the second floor of the winery, Mo Fan was tied up by Master Wang. Although he had regained consciousness, he was unable to move, left only to stare at the walls. Master Wang himself sat in the outer room, sipping tea with leisure.

*Cough, cough, cough!*

A series of coughs came from outside, shaking the building. *Clack, clack*—the sound of a blade dragging against the floor drew closer, just a few steps away. Master Wang continued to sip his tea as if nothing were happening.

*Creak!*

The door swung open. Xiahou Ji walked in, limping and leaning on his long sword, his face as pale as a corpse. Following closely behind him were the ethereal Lin Xiaojun and the enchanting, sultry Yao Xin.

The arrival of the three seemed expected. Master Wang set down his teacup and remarked, "You’re here. Faster than I anticipated."

*Cough, cough!* Xiahou Ji coughed again. His bright eyes scanned the room quickly, and upon finding nothing abnormal, he smiled and sat down comfortably.

"I wonder what the old gentleman’s intentions are?" Xiahou Ji did not mince words. Unlike Mo Fan, he lacked the cunning to waste time posturing to provoke conflict between factions. He was a straightforward man; he spoke his mind.

"His name is Mo Fan, from the distant God's Grave Village," Master Wang replied directly.

"Yes!" Lin Xiaojun gripped her sword, a cold aura of celestial energy swirling around her.

"He triggered a global pursuit order from the three great clans of Dongyang, summoned the four great powers of Gancheng, suffers from the 'Vanquishing Poison,' and despite never having opened a Desolate Domain, he defeated a Body Tempering cultivator in one move and held his own against a First-Recognition realm expert. To have so many secrets at once—in all my years, this is the first time I've seen it," Master Wang said, taking another sip of tea.

"Old gentleman, I fear that is not the true reason you captured the boy," Xiahou Ji said, testing him while resting his sword on the floor.

"Haha, you are indeed sharp. Since you can see through my thoughts, I shall not hide it," Master Wang said with an appreciative look. He raised his brows and said, "My name is Wang Yun. People are kind enough to call me the 'Wine Immortal'."

"Wang Yun!" "The Wine Immortal!"

Xiahou Ji remained unfazed by the name, but Lin Xiaojun and Yao Xin were deeply shocked, staring tensely at the old man. They knew all too well what the title "Wine Immortal" represented. Since they were young, their elders had told them of the Ten Great Heroes of the Southern Region—each a dragon among men, possessing strength beyond measure. The Wine Immortal was one of those ten.

In the path of cultivation, the Body Tempering realm is divided into three stages: Mortal Body, Bone Body, and Myriad Manifestation. Above that is the First-Recognition realm, where spiritual energy is converted into Essence Power, ranging from the first to the ninth heaven. Beyond that lie the realms of Destiny-Knowing, Broad-Vision, and Spirit-Connection. These five major realms encompass all of cultivation, and the strongest experts in the four great powers of Gancheng were merely at the Spirit-Connection stage.

Yet, this old man before them, the Wine Immortal, was someone whom even the elders of their own sects would treat with great deference. Legend had it that he had already surpassed the Spirit-Connection realm.

"Hehe, my reputation is perhaps a bit small, but I have an elder brother known as the Ghost Hand Divine Doctor, who is a master of alchemy. You must have heard of him!" Wang Yun said with a hint of pride.

Xiahou Ji remained calm, but Lin Xiaojun and Yao Xin were stunned. They had inadvertently learned the names of two of the Ten Great Heroes of the Southern Region in one trip. Even if they hadn't met the other, the title "Ghost Hand Divine Doctor" was famous throughout the world.

"It was my brother who entrusted me with capturing this boy!" Wang Yun didn't mince words, revealing his purpose. "He says that for a pill capable of breaking open the Heavenly Path, the boy’s organs—steeped in the Vanquishing Poison—are needed as a catalyst." He stated his objective clearly, as if to assure them that he was not a wanton killer, thereby protecting his reputation as the Wine Immortal.

The three of them fell silent. They dared not say a word; Mo Fan was still in the old man's hands. Furthermore, an expert like Wang Yun could wipe them out with a flick of his finger.

"He is a good seedling, but..." Wang Yun looked toward the inner room. With a flick of his gaze, the door flew open, and Mo Fan tumbled out.

He stared at them with wide eyes. Lin Xiaojun was still as ethereal as a fallen goddess, Yao Xin remained as alluring as ever, and Xiahou Ji still wore that corpse-like expression. What puzzled Mo Fan most, however, was Wang Yun. He could not understand why the man had captured him only to release him, nor could he decipher the man's fluctuating attitude—at times seemingly invested in him, at others dismissive, occasionally exuding a terrifying pressure.

"Three changes in one face," was the most accurate evaluation Mo Fan could give him.

He truly didn't know what the man was after. Mo Fan always felt that this person was not as simple as he appeared. His eyes always made Mo Fan feel uneasy, much like the Ghost Hand Divine Doctor he had met in God's Grave Village—indescribable and profound.

"You may leave. Go to the Panlong Mountains in the Western Ridge. I hear an extraordinary divine object has manifested there. Perhaps it can resolve the issue in your body," Wang Yun said, taking a sip of his tea. "It seems I must apologize to my brother, as I wish to see the miraculous sight of 'Ascending to Heaven' once more."

With that, he turned and walked into his room, ignoring them.

"Let's go! It is time to enter the mountains, or we shall lose another day after the sun sets." Xiahou Ji stood up and began to limp toward the door.

Mo Fan followed, though the two women flanked him as if he were a prisoner.

"When you head to the Western Ridge, be extremely careful. To my knowledge, many hidden masters have also come seeking this opportunity," Wang Yun warned them using his great power.

Once they stepped out of the winery, the people who had collapsed earlier were gone, having likely already set off for the Western Ridge. Under Xiahou Ji’s lead, the group set out toward the mountains.

Standing on the second floor, Wang Yun watched them go. He remained deeply suspicious of Xiahou Ji’s identity. With a *pop*, he crushed the wine cup in his hand and vanished into the sunset.