20: Chapter 20 Hero Wine

“Welcome, City Lord, please come in!”

Chen Dalei’s face was wreathed in smiles, and his voice was full of respect. He knew the identity and status of the City Lord before him and dared not show the slightest neglect.

When he first arrived in White Cloud City, he used various connections to find out everything about Qingmu.

Although the City Lord’s sudden visit today caught him off guard, his many years of business experience quickly helped him regain his composure, and he dared not ask another question.

“Bring me your menu! Also, tell me about any good wine you have!”

Wang Bin said, striding into the inn. His imposing Aura seemed to make the surrounding air a few shades heavier. In reality, it was just normal walking, but the surrounding Qi Training Stage Cultivators had a natural fear of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

“City Lord, our humble shop doesn’t have a menu. Today, the only ingredients we can offer are first-tier Yao Beast Meat, including tender rabbit meat, fatty and lean pork, and delicious snake meat. We only have first-tier Spirit Wine as well.

But rest assured, sir, these foods taste quite good. We also have some drinks for Mortals.”

Chen Dalei followed closely behind Wang Bin, pretending to wipe sweat from his forehead while quickly introducing the situation in the shop.

“Why are they all first-tier Yao Beasts?”

Wang Bin frowned slightly, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

In the Cultivation World, first-tier Yao Beasts correspond to Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators, and second-tier Yao Beasts correspond to Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, and so on. This seems to be an invisible rule, and it’s unknown which ancient powerful being established it.

“Sir, it’s a small business. I’m only at the Qi Refinement cultivation stage, so I really don’t have the ability to manage higher-tier ingredients.”

Chen Dalei explained helplessly. He knew his strength and capabilities were limited, and in this Cultivation World full of danger and opportunity, maintaining such a small business was already extremely difficult.

Wang Bin nodded slightly after hearing Chen Dalei’s explanation and said nothing more.

He waved his hand and instructed, “Give me a portion of every dish.

Also, bring all the wine in your shop for me to taste first. Don’t leave out the wine that Mortals drink!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Dalei dared not delay in the slightest and immediately began taking out wine from his Storage Pouch at his waist.

All his belongings were basically kept in his Storage Pouch. With a wave of his hand, bottles of wine appeared on Wang Bin’s table as if by magic. In the blink of an eye, the table was filled with five wine bottles and exquisite tableware.

Wang Bin’s gaze fell on a white jade bottle. He reached out, picked it up, and gently unscrewed the cap.

In an instant, a rich aroma of wine, like a spirit breaking free from its cage, enveloped in wisps of Spiritual Qi, assailed his nostrils. The wine aroma was rich and mellow, as if it possessed a captivating magic.

Wang Bin’s heart filled with joy, and an expectant look appeared on his face. He carefully poured a glass of wine, and the liquid swirled in the cup, like flowing moonlight.

He eagerly brought the wine glass to his lips and took a small sip.

Upon entering his mouth, a faint taste of wine first spread across his tongue. The taste carried a subtle sweetness, like blooming flowers in spring, emitting an enchanting fragrance.

Then, the wine slowly slid down his throat and into his stomach, like a warm stream, nourishing his body. Wisps of Spiritual Qi mixed in the wine, like countless tiny specks of light, slowly flowed throughout his body as the wine flowed.

These Spiritual Qi were like diligent little craftsmen, slowly absorbed by the body, nourishing his Meridians and spiritual power. However, the taste and sensation of this wine somewhat disappointed Wang Bin.

It was like the sweet wine fermented from glutinous rice in his previous life, too mellow, more like a drink favored by women, and the Spiritual Qi content was pitifully low, providing almost no substantial help to his current cultivation.

Wang Bin shook his head slightly, put down the wine glass, and then tasted the remaining wines one by one.

These wines each had their own characteristics, but most of them failed to satisfy him. Just as he was feeling somewhat dispirited, the last bottle of wine made his eyes light up.

This was a Mortal wine. The moment he opened the cap, a strong aroma of wine assailed him. The spicy kick was like a fire, instantly igniting his passion.

He took a small sip and felt that the wine was spicy and refreshing enough, like a bolt of lightning across his taste buds, invigorating him.

Wang Bin pointed at this bottle of wine, his eyes sparkling with excitement, and loudly said, “This wine tastes good. Give me ten bottles, and put away the rest of the wine.”

“Yes, City Lord, this Mortal wine is called hero wine. Ten bottles can be bought with one Low-Grade Spirit Stone.” Chen Dalei replied respectfully.

“Oh! So cheap? Then give me one hundred bottles!”

Wang Bin’s interest was immediately piqued when he heard the price.

He felt that although this wine was a Mortal wine, its unique taste fascinated him, and the price was simply unbelievably cheap.

Chen Dalei’s eyes immediately lit up, and the smile on his face became even brighter. He immediately said with a fawning smile:

“No problem, sir. This hero wine is not cheap among Mortal wines. One bottle of this wine would be ten taels of gold, enough to feed a family of four for a year.”

In his opinion, today’s business was truly a huge profit. Of course, it wasn’t about the money; being able to get to know the City Lord was the biggest gain.

While waiting for the wine and dishes, Wang Bin sat on a chair, his eyes slightly closed, enjoying the lively atmosphere in the inn.

The low murmurs of the surrounding Cultivators and the crisp sound of clinking wine glasses seemed to become a unique background music.

Not long after, fragrant dishes were brought up one by one.

After all the dishes were served, Wang Bin looked at the table full of delicacies, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

He was already eager to taste these rare delicacies in the Cultivation World.

He first picked up a piece of rabbit meat and put it in his mouth. With a gentle bite, the rabbit meat was tender and juicy, and its unique texture and delicious taste instantly exploded in his mouth.

Then, he tasted the pork and snake soup, and each dish made him intoxicated. The taste of this Spirit Beast meat was simply indescribable, far exceeding his imagination.

The source of these delicacies was not only due to the chef’s exquisite cooking skills but, more importantly, the high quality of the ingredients themselves.

These first-tier Yao Beast Meats contained rich Spiritual Qi. Although cooked, they still retained their unique charm.

As for why humans can eat Yao Beast Meat, the reason is actually very simple.

In this wonderful Cultivation World, there is no essential difference between Yao Beasts and Spirit Beasts.

They are like two sides of the same coin: if it is an enemy of Cultivators, often hostile to humans, then it will be called a Yao Beast, Demonic Beast, or wild beast; whereas if it is a partner, pet, or like now, used as food, then it will be given a relatively gentle name—Spirit Beast.

This classification method seems simple and crude, but it is widely accepted and followed in this world.

Originally, Chen Dalei wanted to treat the City Lord to wine for free. In his opinion, this was a good opportunity to get acquainted with the City Lord.

But Wang Bin firmly refused his kind offer.

Wang Bin knew that in this world, debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay.

He didn’t want to owe unnecessary favors for these small benefits; he preferred a clear transactional relationship.

After eating and drinking his fill, Chen Dalei came over with a smile to settle the bill. When Wang Bin heard the price, he was immediately surprised and said:

“What! 15 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.”

Chen Dalei’s heart sank. He thought the City Lord was dissatisfied with the price. Although he muttered to himself, his body was very honest and he immediately bowed and explained:

“Sir, 100 bottles of hero wine are worth 10 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. This plate of rabbit meat, a plate of pork, and this pot of snake soup are a total of 6 Spirit Stones. After the discount, I’m giving it to you for 5 Spirit Stones, making a total of 15 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.”

As he explained, he secretly observed Wang Bin’s expression, his heart pounding like a rabbit.

“Haha, I’m not angry. I just think the price is too cheap.”

Wang Bin immediately understood the reason and couldn’t help but burst out laughing. He thought to himself, the prices in this Cultivation World are really interesting. If this were in his previous world, such a lavish meal would cost far more than this.

“Phew.”

Chen Dalei let out a long sigh of relief, his hanging heart finally settling. He said with a smile:

“Sir, these Yao Beast Meats are only first-tier. Their fur, claws, bones, and the like have all been taken to make Magical Artifacts or other things. The remaining Yao Beast Meat is not very useful, especially for a first-tier Yao Beast. Of course, I can still earn a little bit.”

As he spoke, he gestured with his hand, trying to make Wang Bin understand the situation more clearly.

Wang Bin immediately understood.

He secretly thought to himself, after all, he is now a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator. If he were still in the Qi Refinement Stage, spending 15 Spirit Stones on a meal would indeed be a considerable expense.

One must know that his guard captain, Chen Jun, only receives 200 Spirit Stones in annual salary.

In this world, Spirit Stones are like the source of Life Qi; each one is hard-earned and needs to be used sparingly.

Wang Bin, full and content, stood up with a joyful heart.

He took out his Flying Sword, and with a light leap, he stood upon the Flying Sword.

His craving for wine was satisfied; it was time to go back.