A Deal Sealed in Wine
"Boy, don't pretend!"
"Go back and tell those old guys to drop their ideas about Lu Xiaoyu once and for all."
"Forget Lu Xiaoyu—even Liu Erlong is one of our Seven Treasure Glazed Sect now!"
Chen Xin's face was cold; she wasn't about to play along with Yu Tianheng's act.
"Sword Douluo, senior, I'll leave once I see Xiaoyu."
Yu Tianheng held his ground—he had to see his cousin.
And he had another purpose for coming this time.
A very important one.
"He really isn't here. He's been in the spirit beast forest hunting spirit rings for the last two days."
Ning Fengzhi spoke lightly.
Ever since his Martial Soul awakened, Gu Rong had taken Lu Xiaoyu deep into the spirit beast forest. Several days had passed with no return.
"It's fine. I'll wait here for two days."
Yu Tianheng brushed off Ning Fengzhi's refusal. Shameless as he was, he just decided to stay.
A sect this big wouldn't mind one more set of bowl and chopsticks.
"You can stay, but don't you dare start plotting about Lu Xiaoyu again."
"Otherwise, I'll tell Yu Yuanzhen what scared you just now. Maybe that old man will start thinking Yu Tianxin looks pretty good."
Chen Xin's eyes bore into him, sharp and unyielding.
Yu Tianheng: "…"
That was it—she had him by the throat.
If word of this made it back to the sect, his position as next sect leader wouldn't be so secure anymore.
"Come on, don't say it like that. I just want to see Xiaoyu."
"I haven't seen him in over five years. I really miss him."
"Two seniors, if there's nothing else, I'll go find Lu Yuan for a drink."
Yu Tianheng was ready to slip out of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect's council hall as fast as possible.
These two old foxes were too cunning.
He was no match for them.
He shouldn't have come.
What a mistake.
"Wait, didn't you bring us gifts?"
"One ginseng, one lingzhi mushroom!"
"Hand them over."
Chen Xin held out her hand.
They had no intention of letting go of Lu Xiaoyu and the others, but gifts? Those, they would accept.
"No… you knew about that?"
Yu Tianheng felt his scalp go numb.
How deep did the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect run their intelligence? All the way into someone's heart?
"Allies should keep tabs on each other."
Ning Fengzhi didn't hide it. Seeding informants between sects was an old ancestral habit—it wasn't exactly a secret.
"A small token from the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect. I almost forgot."
"Thanks for the reminder, Sword Douluo, senior!"
"You folks, I'll gift Lu Yuan two jars of good wine as well."
The moment he stepped out of the council hall, Yu Tianheng's expression changed.
From the start, he'd been played.
From the moment he left the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect knew he was coming.
Even those people at the foot of Qibao Mountain had been acting when they tried to block him.
What performers!
…
…
Shrek Academy.
"Dean, are we really going to agree to the Four Elements Academy's terms?"
Dai Mubai couldn't wrap his head around it.
He'd gone out, picked up three girls, and when he came back Shrek Academy was going to change its name and identity?
Unbelievable.
"That's for the best."
"Our whole academy can't keep surviving on two dozen students."
After these few years, Flender had come to understand.
Originally, Dai Mubai and Tang San were supposed to be the final class of Shrek this year; he was already content they were walking at all now.
"Teacher, do you think Third Brother really fell in with the evil spirit masters?"
Ma Hongjun still didn't quite believe it.
He was such a good person—how could he lose his mind like that?
"There shouldn't be any mistake. The kid's path got narrower and narrower after he learned the Clear Sky School's exclusive techniques."
"Now he's walking this road… I'm not surprised."
Flender sighed.
The reason Shrek Academy had fallen so far had a lot to do with Tang San.
How could the academy's reputation survive nurturing a villain?
"Why do you think he blew up the Slaughter City?"
At this, Zhao Wou-ki's temper flared.
Some time ago, he'd run into a group of evil spirit masters on the forest's outskirts. Luckily, with thick skin and strong strength, he'd taken them all down.
"Who knows what Little San was thinking at the time."
Oscar's mental state looked ragged. As an auxiliary soul master, he didn't dare leave the city alone anymore.
Too dangerous.
"All right, let's review the academy's new rules and regulations."
"Once the Four Elements Academy people move in…"
"…"
…
Night fell.
"Uncle, let me pour you a drink!"
"These two jars are fine wine my grandfather has saved for years."
"Try it!"
Yu Tianheng's "uncle" sounded completely natural.
After dealing with Lu Yuan for so many years, he understood one thing well.
Only when Lu Yuan was happy could you talk business.
"Mm… I'll give it a taste."
Lu Yuan picked up the entire wine jar and drank straight from the mouth.
The wine slid down his throat, and he felt his whole body turn clear and light.
[Ding, the host is in a happy mood. Eighth spirit ring age +2000.]
"Ha… good wine!"
"How many more jars? Bring them all out!"
Lu Yuan hadn't had wine this good in a long time.
Pure joy.
"This batch is gone, but I've got plenty of other wine."
"How about you come back with me to the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect and pick them up? We can take Xiaoyu out for a little ride while we're at it."
Yu Tianheng smiled.
"Yu Tianheng, don't think I don't know what rotten plan you've got."
At some point, Liu Erlong had already appeared behind him.
"Auntie, when did you get here?"
"Sit down, let's talk!"
"Don't worry, I'll definitely bring you along."
"This time Second Grandfather specifically told me to bring you back. He misses you very much!"
Yu Tianheng's face was sincere.
He wasn't after Lu Xiaoyu this time. If Liu Erlong wanted to return to her family home, even Ning Fengzhi couldn't say anything.
"If he really missed me, he wouldn't have left me alone on the Douluo Continent all these years."
Liu Erlong snapped back.
This stinky brat—he hadn't improved much in other areas these past few years, but his ability to sweet-talk nonsense until it sounded perfect had shot up.
"All right, enough of that."
Yu Tianheng saw it wasn't going anywhere.
He gave up.
Looking at Lu Yuan like that, if he kept pushing, he might actually get beaten.
"Uncle, do you still have those golden potatoes you gave me before?"
Just mentioning it made Yu Tianheng's eyes light up.
That thing was truly special—priceless!
It had actually taken root in their wine cellar.
When the first green leaf sprouted, it felt like the entire cellar came alive.
An absolute immortal treasure.
The wine cellar had since been cleared and rebuilt as a garden just for that immortal plant.
But thinking back on how he almost tossed it as trash at first…
Ugh… very brainless.
"Potatoes?"
Lu Yuan looked puzzled. Had he given anyone potatoes?
Why didn't he remember?
"You said it was a gift from my cousin I hadn't met yet."
"Golden potatoes—gold all over…"
Yu Tianheng described it in as much detail as possible. This kind of immortal treasure was too important to the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect.
If they could get one more plant…
Tsk, tsk!
"Do I have that?"
Lu Yuan still couldn't recall.
"At the time, we were in the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect's wine cellar. I practically emptied half the cellar for you…"
Yu Tianheng kept adding details.
"Oh, that thing."
"Gone!"
The brat should've said so earlier.
How was he supposed to connect "golden potato" with that? All he remembered was the wine.
"Really gone?"
Yu Tianheng's heart sank.
"Uncle, I'll trade wine for it!"
Yu Tianheng wasn't giving up.
How could there be only one treasure that good?
"How much wine do you have?"
Lu Yuan's eyes lit up.
Just when he was running low on liquor, this stinky brat knocked on the door.
"Uncle, you name a price."
"I won't haggle."
Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth—time to go all in.
Right now, the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect treated that golden melon-egg like an ancestor.
If he brought back another one, his position in the sect…
Just thinking about it felt wonderful.
"How about eight hundred jars?"
Lu Yuan didn't go overboard.
Got to make sure there's wine left after a binge.
"Deal!"
Yu Tianheng clenched his jaw and agreed.
With his current status in the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect, he could still get eight hundred jars of fine wine.
"Then it's settled."
"Bring the wine, and I'll give you the immortal herb."
Lu Yuan reminded him.
With eight hundred jars secured, he could drink for a good while.
"No problem!"
"Uncle, at least let me see the golden melon-egg you have first."
Yu Tianheng's heart itched.
Even if things with Lu Xiaoyu didn't pan out this time, bringing back a golden potato would blind the whole sect with envy.
Then that silly deer Yu Tianxin could forget about the sect leader's seat.
"I don't have one right now."
Lu Yuan said it flatly.
Yu Tianheng's eyes went blank; he stood there stunned for a long time…
"Uncle, that's not how you play!"
"You just said you'd trade for wine, and now you tell me you don't have it?"
If he could beat Lu Yuan, he'd have slapped the table by now.
What a con.
He'd been hyped up for so long.
He'd already pictured his triumphant return to the Blue Lightning Overlord Sect, strutting in front of the clansmen.
And now…
The dream popped like a bubble.
Second Olympics!
"I said I don't have one now. I didn't say I wouldn't give you one."
"You get the wine ready first!"
Lu Yuan's patience frayed.
Did this brat think he'd drink for free?
"Be reasonable."
"You don't have the immortal herb now, but you want my wine."
Yu Tianheng wasn't stupid.
Trading empty hands for white wine?
Impossible!
"Did I say that if you bring me the wine, I'll give it to you?"
Lu Yuan's unfocused eyes sharpened.
"Yeah."
Yu Tianheng nodded.
No problem there—he agreed.
"Then bring me the wine now, I'll keep an eye out, and give it to you when I find it."
Lu Yuan felt he'd explained it clearly enough.
Only once he had the wine in hand would this stick in his mind.
Otherwise, he might forget the next day.
"Got it!"
Yu Tianheng laughed awkwardly.
He'd said he'd hand over the golden potatoes after the wine was prepared—but he hadn't said when.
Right?
Lu Yuan, you sly old fox.
"Brat, you'd better head back tomorrow and prepare that good wine."
Lu Yuan started pressing him.
His craving for fine liquor made waiting unbearable.
"Uncle, come on."
"I'll trade once you have the immortal herb."
Yu Tianheng smiled.
Was he about to make a losing deal?
Never.
"Kid, you just said yes!"
"Now you want to back out?"
Lu Yuan was angry.
He'd talked himself hoarse.
And now those eight hundred jars were about to slip away?
No way.
"Listen up."
"Either you pay a two-hundred-jar penalty for breaching the deal, or you do as I say and go back to prepare the wine."
"Relax. As long as you prepare it for me, I'll definitely give you the golden potatoes!"
As he spoke, Lu Yuan's clenched fists thudded on the table.
The quiet threat made Yu Tianheng's scalp tingle.
"I'll trust you this once!"
What else could he do?
That was the only way.
After all, an immortal treasure like that was rare. He could only gamble eight hundred jars of wine on it.
"Uncle, are you sure?"
Yu Tianheng felt he was asking nonsense.
How could an immortal herb that rare be had just because someone said so?
Still, he wanted a word of reassurance from Lu Yuan.
So he'd know why those five hundred jars would be gone.
"Don't worry. Your uncle owes you an immortal herb."
"I'll pay it back."
Lu Yuan patted his chest, solemn and sure.
--
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