These fellows, some older, some younger and greener, mostly looked exactly alike, practically Siamese twins to the concept of septuplets. Each one was massive and hulking, with a face like a fierce leopard’s head and bulging eyes. Their beards grew out in stiff, horizontal streaks. At a quick glance, the seven heads resembled rectangular blocks lying on their sides.

How in the world were they being sustained? This litter was the ultimate manifestation of Zhang Fei’s terrifying image! If they were brought to modern times to act in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, none of them would need makeup. They would be far more authentic than the originals, more Zhang Fei than Zhang Fei himself!

Jun Mo Xie suddenly felt a jolt of awe, a sense of stunning, unexpected beauty, rising within him: Those three brothers of the Dugu family certainly had their work cut out for them. What kind of profound telepathy did it take for their sons to all be born looking like clones? Truly remarkable talent…

“Jun Mo Xie! Where do you think you’re running off to, you brat?!” The leader, Dugu Ying, sharp-eyed, spotted Jun Mo Xie instantly and let out a roar that shook the heavens. The six brothers behind him, moving with uncanny synchronicity, bellowed in unison: “Get back here, Jun Mo Xie! Where do you think you’re running off to?!”

A clap of thunder from the Nine Heavens, an astonishing debut!

The flowers and grasses in the courtyard were terrified, swaying uncontrollably like dry wheat chaff.

Jun Mo Xie had been marveling at the divine craftsmanship of the Creator—the myriad worlds truly held endless wonders! Suddenly, his vision dimmed as seven iron towers materialized before him. All seven faces were as black as the bottom of a burnt pot, and their fourteen eyes glared menacingly, wide open, staring down at him—even the shortest one towered half a head over him.

Anyone unfamiliar with the situation would surely assume Young Master Jun owed these seven burly brothers a substantial debt!

In ancient times, the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was passed down through the ages. Today, he was personally starring in the untold saga of Jun Mo Xie and the Seven Giants…

Jun Mo Xie let his mind wander, taking a deliberate step back to meet the seven brothers eye-to-eye. He had no choice; if he didn't step back, he would have to crane his neck upwards. He forced a dashing, carefree smile onto his face. “Well now, if it isn’t the seven Dugu elder brothers. My apologies, my apologies. Uh, I’ll have someone bring out the tea immediately.”

“Don’t even think about slipping away. You’re still too green to try tricks like that in front of me!” Dugu Ying’s face was contorted with rage, his fists clenched, knuckles cracking with loud pops. “Jun Mo Xie, you’ve grown a dog’s gall, actually daring to bully my little sister! You have guts! See if I don’t mash that pretty white face of yours into a dried persimmon today!”

“What? Bully your little sister? Dugu Xiao Yi?! Where is this coming from? What is this about?!” Jun Mo Xie looked genuinely bewildered, unable to connect the dots. This expression wasn't feigned: He was usually the one being oppressed! When did he manage to turn the tables, and without even knowing it himself? This realization only deepened his understanding of the Dugu clan’s inherent unreasonableness. His own sister-in-law bullied him daily; how could they twist the narrative so completely? He hadn't even complained to his grandfather or stormed over to their gates yet, and they were playing the aggrieved party first? This was utterly outrageous!

With a girl like Dugu Xiao Yi, given the overbearing nature of the Dugu family, who in this world would dare bully her? That was like believing in an autumn fairy tale.

“You still dare deny it! You took everything and now refuse to take responsibility!” Dugu Xiong roared halfway through, then suddenly tilted his head up in confusion. His massive nostrils flared as he took two deep, huffing breaths. He blinked and asked, “What is that smell? Why is it so fragrant? It’s incredibly fragrant!”

The other six, being true family, also sensed something was amiss almost simultaneously. That scent was… overwhelmingly tempting. They were momentarily stunned until Dugu Ya snapped them out of it. Forgetting Jun Mo Xie entirely, they all began sniffing, their seven nostrils aggressively inhaling, instantly sucking the surrounding air nearly into a vacuum.

Jun Mo Xie inexplicably felt a sudden tightness in his chest—was the oxygen supply running low? What kind of lung capacity did these men possess!

“It smells wonderful, like… like wine,” Dugu Ying said, eyes closed, nose twitching, sounding quite certain.

“Nonsense! What wine smells this good? I’m getting drunk!” Dugu Ya kept looking up at the sky, face rapt in ecstasy.

“This definitely isn't wine; it must be immortal nectar,” Dugu Hao declared knowingly, shaking his head as if he were an expert taster.

“Get lost, you fool! What immortal nectar? You’re utterly ignorant, go stand over there…” Dugu Jie snapped.

“My fool is your father, try telling him to go stand over there!” Dugu Hao retorted, his face turning red with indignation.

“Wait a minute, is this an aphrodisiac?” Dugu Chong voiced the suspicion while his nose continued its frantic sniffing.

“Even if it is an aphrodisiac, I’d gladly be entranced by it every day! Heavens, let me be lost for longer! What if I never smell it again?!” Dugu Shang inhaled the loudest among the seven brothers, his face already clouded with intoxication.

“Pathetic!” Dugu Qian showed supreme disdain for the behavior of his six elder brothers, muttering a word of boundless contempt, even as he himself closed his eyes in blissful absorption.

All seven were swaying, eyes closed, sniffing madly towards the sky, completely oblivious to the fact that less than ten feet in front of them sat more than a dozen extremely conspicuous large wine jars. The golden-yellow liquor inside was exuding a soul-intoxicating aroma that was wafting straight into their nostrils.

Jun Mo Xie was dumbfounded: Such people existed in the world! And seven of them arrived at once! The Creator’s work truly was marvelous. He couldn't help but clear his throat with a small cough.

Startled by his voice, the seven brothers finally snapped back to reality. They sheepishly opened their eyes, saw Jun Mo Xie standing right there, and immediately remembered their mission to seize him and deliver him to Renzhou. But as they moved forward to grab him without another word, all seven froze in unison. Their fourteen eyes locked onto the scene before them.

There was now a table set up where Jun Mo Xie had been standing. Jun Mo Xie was seated leisurely by the table, holding a transparent, white jade wine cup. The cup was filled with a substance the color of pale, inviting gold. He was squinting slightly, bringing it to his lips, taking a tiny, delicate sip, then exhaling a long breath of pure rapture. He intoned in a drawn-out, rhythmic sigh, as if experiencing ultimate comfort: “Goooood~ wiine~~…”

That substance was, in fact, wine. But how could wine be so clear and transparent? What wine in this world could emit such an intoxicating fragrance!

“Brother, look at that… is that really wine?” Dugu Jie swallowed audibly. “Damn, it smells amazing.”

“No kidding! Is it vinegar? Does your vinegar smell this good? Truly fine wine! How come I’ve never even heard of wine this good?!” Dugu Hao drooled, the saliva plopping onto the ground, yet he couldn't resist a parting shot.

“Never heard of it, let alone seen it! I desperately want a taste!” Dugu Chong wiped his mouth with his sleeve—smack—the sleeve instantly became damp.

“Who wouldn't want a taste!” the other six brothers simultaneously scoffed at him.

“Jun Mo Xie!” Dugu Ying bellowed with the force of shattering stone, then his voice instantly dropped, acquiring an almost tender quality: “What is that you’re holding?”

It was hard to imagine such a gentle tone coming from a brute who looked like Zhang Fei!

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s a wine cup, what else could it be?!” Jun Mo Xie shook the cup slightly, accidentally splashing a tiny bit of the liquor onto the ground with a smack. Instantly, the surrounding wine aroma intensified by at least twofold.

All seven stared wide-eyed, lowering their heads in perfect unison to look at the wet patch on the floor, their eyes blazing with rage: To waste such unheard-of, peerless fine wine like that was a colossal sin! If this wasn't tolerable, nothing was! Uncle might tolerate it, but we absolutely cannot tolerate it!

“I know it’s a wine cup! I’m asking what the liquid inside the cup is?” Dugu Ying hissed through clenched teeth.

“This is my home! Whatever I want in my wine cup, I can put in it. I can pour vinegar, or I can even pour soy sauce in my wine cup,” Jun Mo Xie replied without even bothering to lift his eyelids. He casually crossed his legs, swinging them gently, looking utterly unconcerned. “Of course, I can also pour wine.”

As he uttered the last two words, he raised the cup and took another sip, clicking his tongue twice. Then, as if waking from a dream, he widened his eyes. “Right, what were you fellows here for again? Hurry up and tell me. If there’s nothing important, please feel free to leave.”

The Dugu brothers’ gazes were glued to Jun Mo Xie’s hand—or rather, the wine cup that was still swaying slightly in his grasp. Their hearts leaped up and down in terror, afraid that even a single drop of that supreme fine wine might spill, which would be an unforgivable waste!

“We were sent to capture you—” Dugu Xiong replied casually, but before he finished, Dugu Hao stomped hard on his foot, causing him to hop around clutching his foot in pain.

“We have been ordered to cordially invite Young Master Jun to our estate to enhance the profound friendship between the Jun and Dugu families,” Dugu Hao tried his best to affect an air of refinement, nodding and chewing on his words.

As he bobbed his head theatrically, drool flew in every direction from the corner of his mouth. Jun Mo Xie had to instinctively shield the rim of his wine cup with his hand.

Dugu Ying, suddenly catching on, grinned widely, about to speak, but his mouth was too full of saliva. He swallowed hard with a gulp. “Yes, yes, that’s precisely what my old man meant. The friendship between our two families is deep, unparalleled! Anything good can be shared, hehehe…”

The other six nodded simultaneously, their movements perfectly synchronized. Six graceful parabolas of saliva appeared near the mouths of the six brutes.

“Aha, Elder Master Dugu is too kind,” Jun Mo Xie replied with feigned eagerness. With a swift swish, he dashed the entire contents of the cup onto the ground. This was undiluted liquor, the spirit of which was incredibly potent. Jun Mo Xie certainly wasn't keen on drinking more of it, as it wasn't exactly rare to him. He stood up cheerfully. “Since that’s the case, let’s leave immediately, so we don't keep Elder Master Dugu waiting impatiently.”

“Damn it!” The seven brothers, witnessing Jun Mo Xie casually toss away an entire cup of supreme fine wine, all exclaimed in unison.

“What’s up?” Jun Mo Xie drew out the last word languidly.

“Heh heh heh heh heh…” The seven brothers chuckled dryly. Dugu Ying, beaming obsequiously, said, “Young Master Jun, our two families share a deep bond, and we brothers have come together to invite you. That wine of yours, perhaps the family could… have a taste?”

Jun Mo Xie put on a face of extreme reluctance, shaking his head like a rattle drum. “No, no, I don’t have much of it here. This is a peerless wine that has never been seen before. Even a single drop is too potent—it’s almost worth a fortune per drop. I still need to save it to savor slowly.” As he spoke, he pointed casually, looking regretful. “I only have these few jars. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.”

This did the trick. The seven brothers immediately followed his pointing finger, and their eyes became permanently fixed on the direction he indicated!

Hmph, the one nicknamed ‘Dripping-a-Drop-Is-Too-Strong’ actually guessed my intention. Since he guessed it, so be it, but he broadcasted it to the whole world… it's rather frustrating, so a small act of revenge is warranted.

Giggle…