Chapter 88: Making Taoist Friends
It was time to make a choice.
Three items, each with a clear purpose.
Wang Mu saw at a glance that the sword was definitely useful to him in the early stages and something he could use soon.
The sword technique was a different story. Such sword techniques often had stringent Cultivation requirements. Without reaching the necessary Cultivation Realm, even if one learned it, they couldn't use it. It belonged to the treasures that could enhance combat ability in the later stages.
As for this Jade Pendant, from a gaming perspective, it should be a key item related to subsequent event plots...
Travel events always involved making choices. Not to mention he had drunk so much fine wine before and now had these treasures to choose from; he was definitely making a profit.
"Then I'll take this Jade Pendant..." Wang Mu pondered for a few seconds.
Based on the substitution principle, he chose this item. As long as one is playing a nurturing game and faced with choices, follow one principle: choose what can't be substituted, and you won't be wrong. Both the sword and the sword technique could essentially be replaced. But a key item was very hard to substitute.
"Oh?" The Alcoholic Senior Brother was somewhat surprised. "Why not choose the first two items?"
"I feel this Jade Pendant is a treasure..." Wang Mu chuckled. "The other two items, I won't need anytime soon."
The Alcoholic Senior Brother smiled and handed the Jade Pendant to Wang Mu, saying, "I thought you would choose the sword or the sword technique. I didn't expect you to choose this. However, this Jade Token is quite peculiar; initially, I treasured it greatly, but later I found its utility quite minimal, somewhat inferior compared to the other two items."
"I used many precious forging materials on that Lonely Dust Sword, intending to pass it to my successor. The sword technique is a Supreme Treasure, but its requirements are too high. For you right now, it's indeed very difficult to use, and learning it is likely impossible. Nevertheless, it's absolutely a Supreme Treasure."
"Among the three, you chose what I consider the least valuable..."
The Alcoholic Senior Brother thought for a moment. "Well, you did get somewhat of a bad deal. But alright, your Spirit Fish are of significant importance to me... since you chose the Jade Pendant, I'll give you one more item."
After saying this, the Alcoholic Senior Brother took out a sealed jar of wine from his Jade Belt. Even in its sealed state, a rich Spiritual Energy immediately emanated from the jar.
"This is..." Wang Mu was somewhat surprised.
"This is Divine Monkey Brew," the Alcoholic Senior Brother said mysteriously. "It's an Immortal Divine Wine from the Cultivation World; its effects and exquisite flavor can only be truly appreciated by those with superior wine-making skills."
"Of course, it's not brewed by our Alcohol Sword Peak. Even Zhong Xiao from our Sword Sect couldn't brew it. I was fortunate to have obtained two jars. Hmm, although I've spent half my life as a lone wanderer, my adventures with wine have been quite remarkable."
"This is the only jar of its kind left in the entire Sword Sect, and today I'm giving it to you."
"If your wine-making skill is supreme, a single sip of this can greatly enhance your Divine Soul, make your Qi as mighty as mountains, and your Spiritual Energy as vast and inexhaustible as the sea! Challenging those in higher realms will be effortless! The potency of all kinds of Magic Powers and Divine Skills will increase manyfold! If paired with a wine-related sword technique like the Ascending Immortal Drunken Moon Sword Skill, then felling a Foundation Establishment cultivator while still in the Qi Cultivation realm would be no issue! Afterward, it can even enhance a cultivator's Root Bone; its uses are truly endless..."
"..." Wang Mu.
That indeed was a divine artifact!
"Then, thank you very much, Senior Brother!" Wang Mu received the wine jar.
Surely, choosing the Jade Pendant did bring benefits.
"Alright, that's enough drinking for today," the Alcoholic Senior Brother sighed. "In a few days, I still have to leave the sect. If you want to enhance your wine-making skills, try to maintain good relationships with the disciples of Alcohol Sword Peak. Our peak's disciples may lack other things, but never fine wine. If you build good relationships, they'll often send you some."
"To improve your wine-making skills, it's simple: strengthen your body, and drink."
After speaking, the Alcoholic Senior Brother flung his sleeve, transformed into a sword light, and flew out of the Wine Immortal Pavilion. In just a few leaps and bounds, he disappeared into the Cloud Sea.
Delightful.
Wang Mu tucked away the two items, let out a satisfied burp, and headed back to Heavenly Sword Peak.
Over the following days, Wang Mu diligently cultivated the Great Yin Yang Joyful Map, accumulating Yin and Yang Qi.
In his spare time, he would head over to Alcohol Sword Peak and chat casually with some new disciples or some senior brothers and sisters with deeper Cultivation. Whenever he had the chance, he would give away some of the high-quality fish species he had stored in Anle Village. He soon established good relationships with many senior brothers and sisters from Alcohol Sword Peak.
Indeed, those high-quality fish species, especially the ones that could enhance various aptitudes, greatly improved their relationships. Even the low-grade fish species that could slightly enhance one's constitution could further improve relationships.
With these relationships established, he could trade directly with the disciples of Alcohol Sword Peak, exchanging fish for fine wine. Otherwise, he would have to go to the main hall of Alcohol Sword Peak and purchase fine wines with Spirit Stones, which would be quite expensive. Moreover, some rare fine wines were not sold to the public, making it even more troublesome.
Mainly because I'm handsome; even simple small talk can increase friendliness...
By the end of the month, Wang Mu had already befriended four or five disciples from Alcohol Sword Peak.
「That day.」
"Junior Brother, there's a Sword Crane outside delivering something for you!" Su Yu called out from outside.
Wang Mu was familiarizing himself with the Basic Cultivation Method. Hearing this, he walked out and went to the Transmission Platform.
A Sword Crane had some items on its back, presumably sent from an Outer Peak.
He took them down for a look. It was a jar of fine wine with a note attached:
"Today, I unsealed the new wine I brewed. Gifting Brother Wang a jar of Drunken Immortal Brew. —Zhou Kaizhi."
Wang Mu nodded repeatedly. Look at that! It's here already! Cultivation really does require making more friends!
Su Yu, who had come along, was stunned. He glanced over and was utterly shocked.
"Junior Brother, this is...?" Su Yu stammered.
"Oh, just some wine sent by a friend from Alcohol Sword Peak," Wang Mu said with a wave of his hand.
"Sending wine?" Su Yu gasped.
He'd been at the Sword Sect for several years and had made a few friends from Alcohol Sword Peak, but for them to send wine... He'd be lucky to receive such a gift once a year! And Wang Mu has only been initiated for a month! Zhou Kaizhi, isn't he a senior brother who joined even earlier than me? Drunken Immortal Brew! That's a rare mid-grade fine wine from Alcohol Sword Peak! If you were to trade for it there, one jar would cost at least twenty or thirty low-grade Spirit Stones!
"This month, aside from cultivating, I made friends with some Alcohol Sword Peak disciples," Wang Mu said with a smile. "They're really nice people..."
"..." Su Yu.
He swallowed hard, looking at the junior brother who had been initiated less than a month ago.
Incredible! In just one month, he has already grasped one of the essences of cultivation.
A short while later, another Sword Crane flew in.
Wang Mu took down the delivery and saw it was from a senior sister from Alcohol Sword Peak. The note read:
"Brother Mu, it's been a few days since you last came to Alcohol Sword Peak to share fish with your Senior Sister. Have you forgotten about me? Today, I unsealed the Lotus Leaves Emerging Green from a Water Channel I brewed, so I'm sending a jar specially for you. Come visit Alcohol Sword Peak when you have time! You've just been initiated, and if there's no one at Heavenly Sword Peak to teach you about Cultivation, your Senior Sister here can also guide you on some Cultivation matters. —Bai Xiaoqing."
Wang Mu looked at the graceful handwriting on the wine jar.
Su Yu glanced over, his heart clenching.
It's only been a month! He's already connected with young Senior Sister Bai Xiaoqing from Alcohol Sword Peak! The difference between people is just too vast!
For that moment, Su Yu felt an immense sense of disparity.