Chapter 295: A Fate for Future Generations

The moment those words were spoken, everyone present was stunned.

They had all seen how intently Gu Ning’an had been staring at the painting, assuming he had witnessed some breathtaking scenery within it. But to their surprise, he claimed to have seen nothing at all?

If he had seen nothing, why had he been staring at it for so long?

Off to the side, the three noble guests who had already known the “answer” before arriving at the tavern merely smiled and shook their heads.

They weren’t surprised that Gu Ning’an couldn’t provide the correct answer—after all, even they hadn’t been able to perceive the true scenery of the painting on their own.

“Sir, you have answered correctly!” The tavernkeeper’s voice was filled with excitement as he hurriedly rolled up the scroll and placed it back behind the counter.

Hearing this, the three noble guests were momentarily taken aback.

Seeing nothing counted as the correct answer?

The young man in the purple robe and the blue-robed man exchanged glances before both turned to the middle-aged scholar beside them. The latter blinked in confusion, clearly just as puzzled.

But what happened next was even more astonishing to them.

The tavernkeeper, having put away the painting, picked up the entire jar of wine from the floor and placed it beside Gu Ning’an, saying solemnly, “Sir, this whole jar of wine is now yours!”

The three noble guests were dumbfounded.

They had only managed to obtain a single bowl of this wine through their “connections,” yet this mountain hermit, who had merely said, “There is nothing,” was being given the entire jar?

Why?

Their expressions were filled with disbelief.

They even began to suspect—could it be that the tavernkeeper was actually acquainted with this man and had secretly told him the answer beforehand, planning to keep the priceless wine for himself and sell it later?

“Wasn’t it supposed to be just one bowl? How did it turn into an entire jar?” Gu Ning’an asked with a chuckle, glancing at the wine on the floor.

Realizing that this white-robed gentleman genuinely had no knowledge of the “story” behind this wine and painting, the tavernkeeper patiently explained their origins.

It turned out that both the painting and the wine had been left behind more than fifty years ago.

At that time, the tavernkeeper had been merely a seven-year-old boy, and the tavern itself was still run by his father.

One day, an elder with an immortal-like aura came to drink at the tavern. Seeing that the old man had an exceptional tolerance for alcohol, the old tavernkeeper brought out several jars of his finest homemade wine.

As the night went on, the two of them drank and conversed merrily. At the height of their conversation, the elder asked the tavernkeeper to fetch ingredients for brewing wine, claiming he wished to personally make a jar himself.

The old tavernkeeper, having drunk quite a bit himself, didn’t think much of it. At worst, he figured, they’d just waste some ingredients—it wasn’t a big deal to let the elder have some fun.

But what happened next was beyond his expectations.

The elder’s brewing method was unlike anything they had ever seen. With just a wave of his hand, the various ingredients were instantly processed and sent flying into the jar in perfect order.

It was then that the father and son realized—they had encountered a true immortal!

Once the wine was brewed, the elder poured two bowls, offering one to each of them.

The old tavernkeeper hesitated, wondering if it was safe for a child to drink. But before he could voice his concern, the immortal simply said, “Drink. It will strengthen the body.”

The father and son, bold enough not to question him, drank the wine together.

To their amazement, the old tavernkeeper didn’t feel the usual dizziness that followed heavy drinking. Instead, he felt more energetic than ever, and even his chronic back and leg pain vanished completely…

Before leaving, the immortal left behind the painting and told the tavernkeeper, “In the future, if anyone wishes to drink this wine, there is no need to accept money. They need only correctly state what they see in the painting.”

There were, in fact, multiple possible answers. However, the only answer that would allow someone to take the entire jar of wine was a single, unique one—one that could only be given by the first person to say it…

“Haha!”

The middle-aged tavernkeeper grinned from ear to ear. “Sir, I doubt you’ll be able to finish this whole jar in one sitting. How about I hire a carriage for you tomorrow morning so you can take it with you and enjoy it along the way?”

Gu Ning’an smiled and waved his hand. “Just pour me one bowl. The rest should be left for those who come after me.”

The moment he said this, before the tavernkeeper could even respond, the three noble guests could no longer hold back.

The young man in the purple robe was the first to speak.

“Sir, this wine was brewed by an immortal—it is a priceless treasure that cannot be bought, no matter the wealth. Now that fate has granted it to you, it means you share a bond with the divine.”

“If you don’t want it, at least don’t return it—sell it to me instead. Name your price.”

“Ah! Third Brother, would you mind if I made an offer as well?” The blue-robed man beside him asked with a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

The young man in purple glanced at him and chuckled. “Of course. But I wonder—what price can Fifth Brother offer?”

“Third Brother, you are vastly wealthy. If it’s money we’re talking about, my entire fortune wouldn’t amount to even a fraction of yours.”

As he spoke, the blue-robed man suddenly changed the subject. He reached into his sleeve and retrieved a blood-red jade pendant, holding it up.

“Mr. Gu, this Blood Jade is infused with the essence of heaven and earth. Wearing it over the years can prolong one’s lifespan… Furthermore, should you ever find yourself in trouble, just carry this jade. Anywhere within the Great Wu domain, whether it’s a government office or a money house, you will have access to wealth and manpower at your command.”

“What do you think?”

The middle-aged scholar beside them seemed to have considered making an offer himself, but after hearing the bids from the two young nobles, he hesitated and swallowed his words.

Seeing the subtle rivalry between the two brothers, Gu Ning’an merely smiled and waved his hand.

“This wine was left by an immortal, meant to be shared with those destined to drink it. I would rather pass this fortune on to others.”

“Tavernkeeper, please pour me one bowl, and seal the rest away once more.”

“As for who will be able to drink this immortal’s brew next, let it follow the same method the immortal set forth.”

“Understood! Understood!” The middle-aged tavernkeeper hurriedly responded, quickly pouring a bowl of wine for Gu Ning’an. After placing it before him and saying, “Sir, please enjoy,” he picked up the wine jar and carried it outside.

At that moment, his mind was filled with the words the immortal had spoken before leaving—words he had deliberately omitted from the story earlier.

Before departing, the immortal had said:

“If ever there comes one who could take the entire jar yet chooses to drink only a single bowl, leaving the rest for future generations… then even if he is not an immortal, his state of mind is no different from one.”

To the middle-aged tavernkeeper, these words held two meanings.

Either this Mr. Gu was truly an immortal himself…

Or, though he was a mere mortal, his heart and mind had already reached the realm of the divine.

Whichever the case, he knew one thing for certain—he should treat this man with the same reverence he had once shown the old immortal.