Xuanqing Guard

Lin Dashan tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Afraid? If you so much as looked the slightest bit afraid, I’d believe you. But your face says you have nothing to fear, as if you’re sure I wouldn’t trouble you at all?"

"Zhenren, please quell your anger. My status is something gained in the moment, not my original intent. But the favors bestowed upon me by Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute, I have never forgotten. And Deacon Nie Yun has always treated me as a friend, which I am fortunate for in my heart.

However, my aptitude is dull, my talent far from impressive, and my disposition is mediocre, hardly worthy. If I continue to bear the title of your Institute’s Named Disciple, I’m afraid it might tarnish your reputation. I’ve always wanted to explain this face-to-face, and if possible, to handle this misunderstanding by ’expulsion’ or ’removal’—that would seem most proper to me."

Back then, Nie Yun had said Shen Hao was one of Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute’s Named Disciples mainly because he took a liking to him and wanted to help, and also because Nie Yun is carefree and unrestrained; anyone else probably wouldn’t have done so.

Actually, Shen Hao felt fairly safe nowadays. The most dangerous, Yu Ao Feng, hasn’t figured him out for over a year. As his rank grows and his cultivation increases, the usefulness of this Named Disciple cover has dwindled. Rather than beating around the bush, switching to ’Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute Disavowed Disciple’ brings him no harm.

"I hear you have a grudge against Celestial Toad Sect. You don’t care anymore?"

"Heh, Zhenren is joking. Celestial Toad Sect is a major clan, would they bother themselves over a shrimp like me? It’s all a misunderstanding, Deacon Nie misunderstood, and now I’ve made Zhenren laugh."

Talking a bit off-topic, Shen Hao was hoping to use the occasion to sort out his own status before moving onto the main matter—after all, the other party brought it up first.

But unexpectedly, Lin Dashan’s tone shifted, laughing, "You came here today not just to ask for the ’disavowed disciple’ title, right? Speak. What do you want?"

Do all Profound Sea Realm bosses talk like this? Love skipping topics and bouncing around? Why only say half, instead of finishing one thing before bringing up another?

The argument Shen Hao had prepared fell through, and he felt that rare sense of being led by the nose—he thought to himself that this Master Wushan’s way with words is truly uncommon, rarely seen in the mundane world.

Furthermore, the positions aren’t equal—their ages may differ by decades, and cultivation is out of Shen Hao’s reach; coming to ask a favor, whatever the elder says, Shen Hao follows. He quickly cleared his throat and said, "Zhenren, I came this time to beg your aid, to save my two elder brothers."

"Save people?" Lin Dashan put away his smile, waiting for Shen Hao to continue.

"My two elder brothers, one named Zhang Qian, the other Gan Lin, are both new Thousand Households Officers with the border army, each commanding two battalions. Currently, they’re awaiting orders at Beach Stone, likely to head south in the coming days, probably as the vanguard testing the waters..."

Everything Shen Hao mentioned was what Zhang Qian and Gan Lin had confidently analyzed before, and what he asked for now was just an oral promise.

Of course, for cultivators, especially those who care about reputation, for cultivators like Lin Dashan in Profound Sea Realm, a promise is tantamount to a nailed deal—they’d give their all, even to the death. So asking Lin Dashan for a promise isn’t easy; it’s nothing like questioning a vegetable vendor’s scales at a market.

Lin Dashan understood clearly and only spoke after Shen Hao finished: "It may be just a minor favor, but why would I help you?"

"Zhenren, how would I dare trouble you for nothing? I’ve heard from Nie that Gui Mountain is filled with the scent of osmanthus, and the Osmanthus Wine there is famed as a delight. Many drink Osmanthus Wine in the mountains; seven or eight out of ten are fond of good wine. But few wines in the world can compare to Gui Mountain’s Osmanthus Wine. When I drank with Nie, I paid close attention to which wine he favored most—I happened to have some now."

As he spoke, Shen Hao took out a five-jin jar of one-year aged Wuliangye from his storage bag, popped the seal, and presented it to Lin Dashan.

He continued, "This is Wuliangye; its flavor rivals the overpriced ’Immortal Brew’ outside. Nie found it especially tasty, though limited by brewing techniques, supply remains scarce. Luckily, I’m half master of this wine shop, so I have access—consider it a token of thanks from my two brothers for Master Wushan’s great kindness."

With that, Shen Hao bowed deeply, his attitude exceedingly sincere.

For asking favors, Shen Hao’s no stranger—even if the two worlds differ in style, at root, they’re still worlds of people. People never escape ’give and take’—if you’re unwilling to give, you won’t get anything in return. Plenty understand that, but few put it to use so thoroughly.

Earlier, seeing Nie Yun’s love of drink when they drank together, Shen Hao got curious—how was this ’bad habit’ allowed in the mountains? Turns out Nie’s wine addiction was inherited from his master, Master Pingyang. At Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute, loving wine is hardly a vice. Besides, for cultivators to truly get drunk, to drink themselves senseless, with Osmanthus Wine? Forget it. No one stirs up trouble from drunkenness around here.

Lin Dashan is Li Shuyang’s senior brother. If Li Shuyang’s addicted to wine, Lin Dashan surely isn’t missing out.

As for the cost—most people gifting Wuliangye to grease wheels for a favor would have to sacrifice plenty of silver coins, and probably struggle to get much. But Shen Hao’s wine cellar stores over a hundred jars of aged Wuliangye, all at cost.

Wine’s made from grain; aside from the value added by craftsmanship, how much is the cost? Otherwise, Shen Hao wouldn’t keep calling Wuliangye a profiteering business from the bottom of his heart.

As Shen Hao predicted, Lin Dashan flipped his hand and, who knows from where, produced a beast horn wine cup. It shone like jade, clearly well-used; raised, the cup wall glowed through.

Poured, tasted, smacked his lips in one fluid motion—even for a Profound Sea Realm big shot like Lin Dashan, the rich aroma brought by Wuliangye’s high proof was irresistible, his expression mixed and complex.

"This bit of wine..."

"One hundred jars!" Of course Shen Hao wouldn’t just bring one jar as a gift.

It may sound modest, but it’s really no small amount, since compared to what Lin Dashan’s being asked to do, it’s nearly a freebie. They’re already going to probe the Barbarian Race’s cultivators at the front line, so agreeing to Shen Hao’s request is just helping along as a matter of course.

Who isn’t worth protecting?

"Heh, a hundred jars of good wine... Is this considered bribery?" Lin Dashan enjoyed the wine in his cup, one hand fondling the jar, speaking of bribery—yet showed no intention to refuse.

"Just a token of respect, never would I sully your reputation, Zhenren."

"Even if it’s trivial, it’s displeasing. For Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute to answer to others over a mere hundred jars of wine—where’s our dignity? And as for ’token,’ what connection do you have to us? Do we have need to take your respect? If you can’t make that clear, you might as well let your two brothers accept their fate."