Gu Zhao brought back not only Bai Yiqi and her sister, but also a wandering Celestial Fox bloodline belonging to Cyan Hill Mountain. This almost instantly drew Daluo Palace and Cyan Hill Mountain closer together upon their first meeting. Coupled with the fact that the Daoists of Daluo Palace vanquished evil and the Cyan Hill Mountain’s Fox Race possessed kind natures, the two groups naturally hit it off.
After everyone exchanged names, the old man brewing tea waved his hand. Two young men immediately produced an assortment of meats, fruits, and alcohol from their sleeves. Nearby, several middle-aged men and women laid out felt rugs and built a bonfire.
Bai Qianzhu grinningly invited Gu Zhao and the others to take their seats. "Cyan Hill Mountain cannot compare to the great sects of the Central Plains. We don’t have many rules or ceremonies here. This is the best food and alcohol we have on an ordinary day. Please don’t take offense at its simplicity, Brother Gu."
"You’re too polite, Sister Zhu," Gu Zhao replied with a flash in his eyes as he unapologetically sat down. He patted his gourd, releasing an array of dried plums, chocolates, and cookies. He then called out to his group, "Take out whatever good food and drinks you have to share with everyone!"
Taoist Yan Ling chuckled and patted his own gourd, bringing out several large wine jars. "Jiannanchun, a specialty of the Shu Region. I hope our friends from Cyan Hill Mountain will enjoy it."
Taoist Yuan He stroked his beard and smiled, also retrieving a few jars. "Fenjiu from Jin Province. It’s sweet, crisp, and refreshing. Everyone, give it a try."
Taoist Qingwei couldn’t help but shake his head before pulling out heaps of braised meat. "How can we drink without meat? I have duck frames, duck necks, chicken wings, and chicken claws here, along with pig’s head meat, smoked intestines, and braised beef."
Taoist Yu Zhang scratched his head. He really didn’t have any good food or drink to offer. Back on Blue Star, he had been a travel enthusiast, but he always sampled the local street food wherever he went. He never carried anything with him! Wait—it seemed he did have something. He patted his gourd, and a pile of long, red and green things appeared on the felt rug.
The many fox spirits looked at them, feeling that they resembled both fruits and vegetables.
"These are locally grown chili peppers—string peppers, bird’s eye chilies, and Yugan peppers. They have a very distinct flavor, though they are slightly spicy. Anyone interested can give them a try," Taoist Yu Zhang recommended with some hesitation.
Upon seeing the chili peppers Taoist Yu Zhang took out, Miaoyun Princess subconsciously took a step back, while Hou Hao and Yuan Lin licked their lips. The other three old Daoists were left speechless.
Gu Zhao quickly chimed in with a warning, "It’s not ’slightly’ spicy. These peppers have quite a kick. If you want to try them, start with a very small amount to see if you can handle it."
Nearby, a young man named Hu He sounded rather unconvinced upon hearing Gu Zhao’s words. "Spicy? I love spicy food! I eat the numbing peppers and four-horn peppers from the back mountain as snacks." As he spoke, he casually grabbed five or six bird’s eye chilies, tossed them into his mouth, and began chewing.
Three or four breaths later, Hu He’s chewing stopped. His entire face turned red at a visible rate, and an uncontrollable sliver of drool faintly appeared at the corner of his mouth. Everyone looked at him with strange expressions. Noticing the crowd’s stares, Hu He flashed a ruthless look in his eyes, chewed two more times, and swallowed the chilies in one gulp.
"Not bad," Hu He nodded. He then picked up a nearby wine jar, poured himself a bowl of alcohol, and downed a large mouthful with a loud GLUG.
Gu Zhao raised a hand, but failed to stop him in time. The Silk Embroideress bit her cherry lips gently, looking as if she couldn’t bear to watch. Only Bai Ke laughed without a care in the world. "That Jiannanchun is fifty-two percent alcohol by volume! You just downed over half a pound in one go. How brave!"
Hu He only felt a searing sensation surge down his esophagus, then flood into his limbs and bones, before rocketing straight to the crown of his head. It felt as though his entire body had caught fire. If he hadn’t drunk strong spirits before, he would have thought this alcohol was poisoned! He kept his mouth shut tight, absolutely refusing to use his Demon Qi to refine the spicy heat and alcohol fumes. He couldn’t afford to lose face like that. Thus, he could only tough it out.
After about seven or eight breaths, Hu He exhaled a long breath. Bearing a beet-red face, he forced a hint of a smile. "Good peppers! Good alcohol!"
The Qingqiu Fox Race roared with laughter. Another young man named Hu Yue teased him, "I remember you being a Forest Fox. When did you turn into a Red Fox?"
Hu He glared at him. "Why don’t you give it a try?"
Hu Yue nodded, but instead picked up a slice of braised beef, placed it in his mouth, and chewed it carefully. His face filled with admiration. "The meat is firm yet tender, not dry at all. The sauce flavor is rich, and the texture is complex. Delicious!" He looked utterly satisfied before picking up a piece of pig’s head meat. "Chewy and tender, fatty but not greasy! The cartilage is crunchy and refreshing, and the five-spice flavor is fully infused!" He then looked over at Hu He. "I tried it, and it really is delicious!"
Hu He was speechless. The crowd burst into laughter once more. With the two young men’s comedic banter, the atmosphere completely relaxed.
"Daluo Palace is situated in the prosperous Central Plains, so it’s no wonder your cuisine is so exquisite and diverse," the old man brewing tea praised. He was a Cyan Fox named Qin Zhongli. Considered an expert of Cyan Hill Mountain, he boasted over two thousand years of Dao Practice. If placed in the Central Plains, he could easily dominate a region.
"Not even the Central Plains has braised meat this delicious or fine wine this crisp," Bai Ke said triumphantly. "Only our Daluo Palace does."
"Indeed. I once toured the Central Province Imperial City in my younger years. While the alcohol there was exquisite, it lacked the clear, fragrant aroma of this Fenjiu." An old woman took a light sip of the Fenjiu brought by Taoist Yuan He from a small wine cup, nodding in praise. The old woman’s name was Bai Manxin. She was the other top expert of the Celestial Fox Lineage aside from Bai Qianzhu. Her Dao Practice was even higher than Bai Qianzhu’s, second only to the Celestial Fox Ancestor. Unfortunately, as she grew older, any further advancement became impossible. With Ascension out of reach and her life’s limit gradually approaching, her youthful appearance had faded. Moreover, she conserved her vital essence and rarely fought anymore.
Nearby, a gentle and graceful beautiful woman ate a piece of chocolate and smiled sweetly. "The Daluo Palace Master received a Technique from the Spirit Realm Upper Gods, so naturally, it cannot be compared to mortal things." This beautiful woman was a Moon Gazing Fox named Le Qingqiu. She also had nearly three thousand years of Dao Practice. Along with the tea-brewing old man Qin Zhongli, the old woman Bai Manxin, and Mountain Master Bai Qianzhu, she made up the Four Great Experts of Cyan Hill Mountain, right below the Celestial Fox Ancestor.
***
The group casually chatted while barbecuing and drinking. Several young members of the Fox Race conversed with the Silk Embroideress, Bai Ke, Ye Ruyan, and the others, while Bai Qianzhu, Bai Manxin, and their peers spoke with Gu Zhao, Taoist Yan Ling, and the rest. Though it seemed like a casual chat, it was actually a mutual probing to understand each other better. However, since the Celestial Fox Race was naturally perceptive and could discern good from evil, and the people of Daluo Palace were assisted by Thunder Seeds to detect Evil Qi, these probing attempts were full of goodwill.
Gu Zhao had already learned a fair amount about the affairs of Cyan Hill Mountain from Bai Yiqi. However, the awakening of the Celestial Demon from ten thousand years ago, Mo He Divine Monarch becoming a Fallen Demon, and other such matters were completely new to the people of Cyan Hill Mountain.
Unlike solitary cultivators, Cyan Hill Mountain had a long heritage. They could not afford to ignore the Great Sun Profound Light Celestial Demon Ancestor. Even if they didn’t consider themselves, they had to think about their future generations. Bai Qianzhu immediately made her stance clear. "I will contact some friends to search for demonic traces in the Southern Border."
Gu Zhao nodded, speaking pointedly. "That old Demon has a habit of seeking out those who stop at nothing to commit evil. Among people like Celestial Monarch Ba, the Red-haired Ghost, and their ilk, there might just be some who have already become Fallen Demons."