Chapter Four: An Encounter with an Old Friend

Tianlang murmured, "It has already been thirteen years, how long it has been."

This person has a tall and slender figure, wrapped in a black cloak, with the hood pulled down low. A black cloth covers the mouth and nose, leaving only a pair of sharp eyes, keen like those of a hawk, fixed intently on a person sitting in the corner, drinking alone.

This wine is specially crafted by the winemaking master Huabuluchimi, discovered by the Tianlang. In the vast desert, the climate is unpredictable, and nighttime temperatures often drop below freezing. Traveling caravans frequently require strong liquor to warm themselves during their nighttime journeys, and this liquor, known as July Fire, is considered the strongest of its kind beyond the pass

Without responding, the person lightly touched the ground with both feet and soared into the air, resembling a large black bird. In mid-air, they spun gracefully, akin to a gently floating fallen leaf, and landed steadily on the bench where the previous figure had sat, directly opposite the Sirius.

The young gentleman smiled faintly, and with a sharp sound, opened the folding fan in his hand. On the fan's surface, there were several lines of calligraphy, elegantly written with dragons and phoenixes, exuding an extraordinary aura, clearly the work of a master. He gently shook his head, glanced around the room, and sighed, "Why must one torment oneself like this?"

Tianlang shook his head: "You are still as fastidious about cleanliness as ever with books." He glanced at the young nobleman across from him and continued, "We grow older year by year, yet you seem to grow younger with each passing year."

The young gentleman noticed that the other party was not very happy, so he changed the subject: "As soon as I received your letter, I rushed over. Is everything proceeding as stated in the letter?"

The cloaked guest finished this drink, sighed, lifted his cap, and pulled down his scarf, revealing a face resembling exquisite jade. Judging by his age, he appeared to be around thirty. With a jade-like complexion and vermilion lips, his face was fair and devoid of facial hair. He had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, with a high and straight nose. However, his two pupils were of different colors: one was emerald green, and the other was deep blue, resembling two gemstones embedded in this jade-like visage.

A faint smile appeared on the Taoist's face as he tilted his head and pondered for a moment, then replied with certainty: "It has been 13 years."

He glanced at the Taoist and suddenly added with a tone of emotion: "Only a brother like you, who has shared life and death with me, would continue to be friends with someone like me."

The corner of the wolf's mouth twitched as he murmured, "Brothers? Of course, we are brothers before betrayal."

The wind grew stronger, and the movement of the wooden boards at the window became increasingly frequent. At the entrance, a figure stood there at an unknown time, casting a long shadow on the floor of the hall

With a flick of his wrist, the black cloak's right hand transformed from a palm into a claw, pulling back as the wine jar surprisingly floated slowly towards the newcomer. With another flick of his hand, an iron-boned folding fan appeared in his palm, while the wine jar came to rest steadily atop the fan.

Strangely enough, the aggressive wine jar, which was rushing forward, stopped in mid-air less than a foot away from the approaching person, yet its spinning motion did not diminish in the slightest, continuing to whirl around in the air.

The wolf no longer spoke, silently continuing to pour wine into his mouth

The hair of the cloak-wearing guest is neatly arranged, adorned with a cap made of golden silk, with two long strands of hair cascading down beside the cheeks, reaching down to the waist

Throughout the entire process, the wine jar resting on his folding fan remained utterly still, the seal of yellow clay had vanished without a trace, and at the brim of the jar, the wine lay undisturbed, not a single drop splashed out.

Once again, a bowl of wine was downed, and the two remained silent in front of each other. Tianlang once more lifted the wine jar before him, only to find that the twenty-pound jar of He-Tu-Shu wine was completely empty. He shook his head, raised his hand, and the large wine jar flew out through the window that had just been blown open, while the Daoist coldly watched his actions, saying nothing.

Tianlang let out a sigh, and to his surprise, there were faint glimmers of tears in his eyes, a feeling he had not experienced in many years. He raised his hand to wipe his eyes, yet his face remained devoid of any expression. Extending his right hand, another jar of July Fire flew through the air and landed steadily on the table, the aroma of the wine wafting abundantly. This time, he did not use a bowl but instead lifted the jar of wine directly to his mouth and poured it down.

Tianlang nodded slightly: "This matter cannot be handled without you, as clearly stated in the letter. If you are unwilling to do it, you can tell me directly now, and I will think of another way."

The cloaked guest's right wrist moved slightly, and a stream of wine shot straight into the air. When it reached its peak, its momentum was spent, and it fell like a fountain. The cloaked guest tilted his head back, the wine stream entered his mouth, pouring directly into his belly, and a wave of warmth surged from his dantian, spreading throughout his body, bringing an indescribable sense of warmth

After the person finished speaking, he stood up directly, and with a swift movement, like a ghost, he flashed to the door. He let out a sharp whistle, and Ah Huang, who was gnawing on a bone, suddenly raised his head, dropped the large piece of bone he had been chewing on, and dashed out.

Tianlang raised his head, his face still showing no expression: "Thank you for being willing to help me this time"

The young master replied unhappily, "Why do you always keep me at a distance of a thousand miles? The words you speak are like those of a stranger. Are we not brothers?"

A flash of brilliance flickered in the Taoist's eyes, and his voice carried a hint of displeasure: "If you speak like that again, I might turn against you. Our vows from back then still stand, and I will definitely help with this matter."

Tianlang raised his hand, and another jar of wine flew towards the newcomer in a swirling motion. The newcomer sighed, gently extending his right hand, which was well-maintained, with delicate skin, as white as jade. If it weren't for the sparse fine hairs on the back of the hand, it would indeed resemble a woman's graceful hand by seven parts.

Its unique aspect lies in dissolving small amounts of arsenic in wine to enhance its potency, while neutralizing the toxicity of arsenic is the distinctive technique of Huabulu Chi

Tianlang finally lifted his eyelids, looking at the Daoist across from him, his tone devoid of any emotion: "Lao Pei, how long have we known each other?"

With slender fingers and neatly trimmed nails, she wore a conspicuous green gemstone ring on her middle finger, the stone being as large as a thumb's nail, instantly illuminating the dim hall with a shimmering green light

The person did not look back, striding out the door and heading north, while his voice drifted far away with the north wind: "Take care of yourself, until we meet again!"

The two of them took turns drinking from each other's bowls, and soon they had each consumed more than ten bowls.

The celestial wolf does not look back, yet gently claps twice: "Long time no see, your gentle cloud technique has improved quite a bit."

The Sirius still maintained its usual sitting posture, not lifting its eyelids even once, as it poured wine from a jar into its own mouth.

He wore a high-quality white silk garment, embroidered with golden threads. The large white jade buckle on his rhinoceros leather belt was particularly striking, and his thick-soled leather boots were impeccably clean, not a speck of dust clinging to them. He truly appeared to be a wealthy young master, untouched by the dust of the common world, exuding an undeniable noble aura.

The person shook his head and said: "Such words are too distant. Since we are brothers, there is no need to speak like this. I know your suffering, and I understand your heart. Therefore, as soon as I received your letter, I came here."