Song Shang most enjoyed a drinking contest; over his lifetime, he had engaged in dozens of duels with fellow connoisseurs of the spirits, and Old Third Song was supremely confident in his own hardened experience! Even when hundreds of people were present, under the gaze of the multitude, Song Shang always remained perfectly composed.

Because he held absolute self-assurance! His liquor, he believed, was unmatched in this era! No one could possibly defeat me!

But this time, Song Shang sensed tension within himself—a subtle, unintentional, inexplicable nervousness that made his heart flutter with unease. The young man before him, unremarkable in appearance, even bordering on languid and careless, somehow radiated an intangible pressure! He glanced sideways at the two ordinary small wine jars placed beside him. Could there truly be some peerless, exquisite wine within those humble vessels?

Or perhaps, though this drinking contest was the smallest in scale among all his encounters, its significance this time was unprecedented!

Though there were only two judges, one was the direct younger brother of His Imperial Majesty of the Tianxiang Empire—a man truly second only to the Emperor, above ten thousand others! The other was one of the very few Grandmasters standing at the zenith of the entire Xuanxuan Continent!

And even the sole spectator was the heir apparent of a Princely Estate!

As for the stakes this time, they were more extraordinary than ever before. Song Shang was betting not only his reputation but also his freedom for the rest of his life!

“If I lose, I am willing to take him as my master!”

This declaration was witnessed by a Prince, a Xuanxuan realm expert himself! If it were anyone else, who would dare suggest that Song Shang, the Tianxuan expert known for ‘a cup of respect for the sovereign brings a lifetime of scars,’ should apprentice himself to an ordinary youth?

What a ridiculous notion! Furthermore, it was a monumental offense to the dignity of a Tianxuan expert! Any such proposal, spoken aloud, would surely have been torn to shreds before it even settled in the air.

But facing these two figures, who dared to object? Even if the emperors of the continent’s great empires were present at this moment, they would still need to show deference here! One might perhaps dare disregard the Prince’s face, but whose face would dare ignore the Prairie Eagle God, Ying Bokong?

Even Yun Biechen, ranked number one among the Supreme Xuanxuan masters, would have to seriously consider whether incurring Ying Bokong’s wrath was worth the price!

Thus, this seemingly minor wager had, intentionally or not, placed Song Shang on the edge of a precipice! This battle was now a case of riding a tiger; a fight where retreat was impossible! “Excellent wine!”

The Prince gently raised his cup, first sipping sparingly, allowing the liquor to swirl within his mouth, touching every part capable of absorbing sensation. Only when the lingering fragrance filled his palate did he swallow it down in one go.

He closed his eyes softly, savoring the marvelous sensation brought by this peak-quality vintage!

“Truly remarkable! Not only is the aroma inviting, but the flavor is richer, and the ensuing mellowness… I have drunk many fine wines in my time, yet none compare to this. It is truly a masterpiece!” Ying Bokong finished his serving in one gulp, a flicker of surprise crossing his sharp, eagle-like eyes.

No wonder Song Shang possessed such confidence to risk such a grand wager; this wine… was indeed exceptional. Compared to this, all the wines he had sampled before—whether the imperial vintages from various courts or the tribute liquors from the prairie tents—were eclipsed, impossible to measure in the same breath!

Jun Mo Xie smiled faintly, gently swirling his cup. The once-clear liquid refracted a hazy shimmer under the agitation, and a few small bubbles rose subtly to the surface. Upon closer inspection, the formerly bright wine now possessed a faint cloudiness.

“Still not professional enough,” Jun Mo Xie sighed, shaking his head. “Impurities are not fully removed. This is the great failing of brewing!”

Song Shang drained his cup in one go, his eyes wide open.

His finest creation, the result of years of dedication, effort, and heart’s blood, had just earned the verdict of ‘not professional enough’!

Should he curse this boy for his ignorance, or for his arrogance?!

After each man had finished two cups, the eyes of the Prince and Ying Bokong simultaneously fixed upon the two remaining, unfinished jars. Both showed clear signs of anticipation, an eagerness that no one could mistake. It was evident that once the main contest concluded, these two would immediately commence feasting upon the rest.

“Little brother, it is time for us to sample your wine,” the Prince said with a gentle smile. “Heh heh, the sooner we conclude, the sooner we can enjoy a hearty drink. To taste such fine liquor today truly makes this journey worthwhile.” This statement clearly indicated that the Prince was already heavily favoring Old Third Song’s offering, even glancing occasionally toward Song Shang’s remaining jars.

The Prince’s intention was obvious: I will state my verdict first, confirming Song Third’s wine as superior. If you, Ying Bokong, speak next, you’ll be a step behind. The wine will ultimately belong to Song Third, and not be given away freely. He wanted to prevent the shameless Ying Bokong from simply seizing the remaining liquor, leaving nothing for himself. Song Third had mentioned these were the very last two jars…

As for the result of the duel between them… it seemed self-evident, needing no further words. The wine Song Shang presented today was far superior to what he usually sold. One must remember that even his usual offerings were rare treasures in the world; let alone this batch.

Ying Bokong, however, needed to maintain his persona as a transcendent master. He could not shed decorum as plainly as the Prince. Though he remained silent, the look he gave Jun Mo Xie conveyed the exact same sentiment.

“That judgment is decidedly premature. The outcome has not yet been decided; how can one claim whose wine is superior!” Jun Mo Xie said calmly. He bent down, lifted one of his own jars, and with a careless motion, slapped the side of it…

“Bang!” All three men’s eyeballs twitched. Even the young Yang Jiu, who understood little, widened his eyes and opened his mouth in visible tension. “Huh?” All three voices sounded simultaneously.

The smell was unchanged—no inviting aroma whatsoever!

Logically, once the clay seal was broken, even just lifting the lid, the fragrance of the wine should rush out!

But why was there no scent at all? Could this boy truly be all flash and no substance?

The three peered closely, a surge of frustration rising. After Jun Mo Xie broke the clay seal, there lay a thin sheet of oiled paper tightly wrapped around the mouth of the jar. It would take a miracle for any scent to escape now!

Watching Jun Mo Xie slowly, deliberately peeling back the oiled paper, the other three flushed with impatience, wishing they could tear it off themselves and rip the paper away to reveal the magnificent wine beneath.

The suspense was torturous!

The oiled paper was finally fully removed, yet still, no scent emerged!

The eyes of Ying Bokong and the other two widened. No way, there’s another layer beneath the oiled paper—animal hide? It looks like the pelt of a sixth-grade Xuan Beast.

The Xuan Beast hide was easier to handle. With a slight movement on all four sides, it was lifted off. But what followed next brought all three men to the brink of cursing: beneath the hide lay a thick slab of White Orange Wood pressing down on the jar lid!

White Orange Wood was odorless, but it was capable of sealing in absolutely every scent!

No wonder they hadn't smelled a thing.

But looking at the already small jar, before even catching a whiff of the exquisite wine, it had visually shrunk by half! This guy was too… excessive?

What was even more excessive was that at this critical moment, Jun Mo Xie stopped. He stood up, took two slow steps, spread his arms wide, and performed two maximum chest-stretching exercises. Then, he took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. Hands on his hips, he twisted his waist, shook his hips, nodded his head, and twisted his neck. His ten fingers interlocked, and with a sudden exertion, his knuckles cracked audibly. The Prince, Song Shang, and Ying Bokong watched, dumbfounded.

For an instant, all three shared the same impulse: Your neck—let me twist it! I’d break it off in one go!

Only the more innocent Yang Jiu really considered asking this elder brother if he was feeling unwell. After striking a pose and completing his routine, Young Master Jun sauntered back with a cat-like gait, placed his hand on the White Orange Wood, lifted it effortlessly, and tossed it aside with a resounding “Clang!”

In the ensuing silence, the sound was incredibly loud, causing the eyebrows of these three men, who prided themselves on being able to remain unmoved even if a mountain collapsed before them, to twitch simultaneously.

Jun Mo Xie’s hand now rested on the jar lid. At this moment, a faint wisp of wine fragrance began to drift out, tantalizing the three to the extreme—Hurry up and open it, open it now!

Under immense expectation, Jun Mo Xie suddenly stood tall, gazing down at the jar with an expression of deep affection. In a resonant, rhythmic tone, his face a mask of emotion and melancholy, he began to chant theatrically, his voice akin to a croaking drake: “Ah!—One is intoxicated before even tasting; fragrance spreads for ten miles upon opening the jar!”

“Damn it all!” The three simultaneously broke their restraint and cursed aloud, even Ying Bokong, who considered himself a detached master. In fact, his reaction was perhaps the most intense; he looked ready to instantly eliminate Young Master Jun. This level of posturing had reached an intolerable extreme!

But instantly, the three halted their curses, their rage freezing mid-utterance!

Because at that very moment… Jun Mo Xie, with utterly decisive speed, slapped the entire lid away.

An ineffable, indescribable aroma of perfection erupted, instantly flooding the small room like a baptism of pure enlightenment. It descended like an all-ruling monarch, radiating the aura of absolute dominion!

Or perhaps, it was like the pervasive moonlight on a dark night, which, without conscious realization, has already cast its soft, pure light over every corner of the earth!

It was a transcendent fragrance, dreamlike and illusory!

With this scent present, this location ceased to be the mortal world; it became a celestial realm! No! Even a celestial realm could not possess such a sublime aroma!

The three groaned softly in satisfaction, and instantly, they all shared the same sensation: they felt themselves floating within this intoxicating, blissful fragrance, rising higher and higher…

Was this even wine? Was there such a thing in the world that could transport a person to paradise purely by its scent?!

Wuwu… I am so moved…

When the three regained their senses, Jun Mo Xie had already poured the exquisite wine into the four cups before them. The slightly amber-colored clear liquid, cascading into the white jade cups, possessed a mesmerizing quality in its very color, capable of drawing one in irrevocably!

“Intoxicated before tasting, fragrance for ten miles upon opening!” The Prince jumped up uncontrollably, suddenly bursting into tears, roaring with all his might, his entire body trembling: “Ten miles? It’s far more than ten miles ahhhhh!”

Old Third Song, tears streaming down his face, held his wine cup as if it were a priceless treasure, cradling it with extreme care. He stared at it for a long time, utterly reluctant to drink. Not because he feared losing the contest, but because he feared that the wine, having such an incredible fragrance, might fall short upon tasting, losing that transcendent essence.

The mere scent of this wine was already a dream from which one wished never to wake.