Chapter 319: So, the Bond Was Formed in the Tavern

Amid the misty drizzle over the wilderness, an ancient tavern loomed faintly through the curtain of rain.

The tavern’s eaves curved upward, and raindrops drummed against them with a crisp, rhythmic sound, bringing a sense of tranquility.

Inside the tavern, a few tables sat empty. The middle-aged tavern keeper, enjoying the quiet, lazily fanned himself as he reclined on a wooden lounge chair, dozing off to the sound of rain.

Through the rain, two figures entered the tavern, one ahead of the other.

The first was an elderly man clad in a dark green Daoist robe, embroidered with motifs of mountains and flowing clouds.

The second was a woman whose beauty rivaled the first bloom of spring waters. She wore a jade-green dress, and even the most dazzling flowers would pale in comparison to her presence.

Strangely, despite walking through the rain without an umbrella, neither of them bore a single trace of moisture.

The old man noticed the sleeping tavern keeper, hesitated for a moment, then lightly knocked on the table.

Being startled awake by an unexpected sound would usually send a jolt of fear through a person, yet upon hearing the knock, the tavern keeper instead felt an inexplicable sense of comfort wash over him. As he opened his eyes, he found himself gazing at the smiling elderly man before him.

His expression shifted from confusion to shock, and finally, to uncontainable joy!

“Old Immortal! Old Immortal, you’ve come!”

The tavern keeper sprang up from his chair, hurried around the counter, and excitedly exclaimed, “It’s been thirty years—at least thirty years! My father was still thinking about you on his deathbed!”

As he spoke, his gaze landed on the ethereal woman standing behind the old man, and he found himself momentarily entranced.

Seeing this, Daoist Ling Xuan casually waved a hand before the tavern keeper’s eyes and chuckled. “This is my Junior Sister. I’ve brought her here to taste your fine wine.”

Daoist Ling Xi gave the tavern keeper a slight nod as a greeting.

“A goddess! A goddess!”

“So the legends are true—immortal women are all stunning. I almost lost myself there!”

“Please, have a seat! I’ll go fetch the wine right away!”

Letting out an embarrassed chuckle, the tavern keeper grabbed a straw hat and dashed out into the rain.

Daoist Ling Xi smiled. “Senior Brother Ling Xuan, it seems you’ve made quite a few mortal connections.”

The old man laughed. “Junior Sister, you shouldn’t always seclude yourself in the mountains. If you come down more often, who knows? You might just find the key to resolving your Five Decays of Heaven and Man.”

Daoist Ling Xi let out a soft chuckle and changed the subject. “The Void Emperor, who has remained quiet for so long, has suddenly joined forces with the Flood Dragon Emperor. In the future, I may need to stand guard outside Northern Huangtian with you.”

Hearing this, the old man waved a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing to worry about. That day, when the Void Emperor appeared, it felt more like he was being forced into action.”

“I wonder what leverage the Flood Dragon Emperor holds over him, making him agree to stand with him at the border and even declare war against Great Wu.”

“But in the end, he did nothing. He merely revealed his presence. If I had to guess, it’s just as you suspected—he only did it to lure you away so he could seize that tree demon following the Great Wu prince.”

“Yes, that seems likely… but the Flood Dragon Emperor’s ambition to invade Great Wu hasn’t waned. If the day comes when the Void Emperor truly aligns with him, and I completely fall from the True Immortal realm… the people of Great Wu will suffer greatly.”

At this, Daoist Ling Xi thought of that white-robed gentleman and said, “Fortunately, we had Mr. Gu this time. He helped stabilize Zhiqing’s soul. Otherwise, had I perished, you truly would’ve been left all alone…”

“Pah! Pah! Pah!”

The old man spat to the side three times before snapping, “You always say such inauspicious things! No wonder you’re suffering from the Five Decays—you’ve barely lived as long as me, haven’t been a True Immortal as long as I have, yet you carry yourself like an old soul!”

Daoist Ling Xi paused for a moment, then said, “Senior Brother, I’ve thought it through… When I sense that I’m about to fall from the True Immortal realm, we should launch an assault on the Demon Capital. Even if I perish in the process, I’ll drag the Flood Dragon Emperor down with me…”

“Nonsense!” the old man bellowed. “If you do this, how will I ever face our departed master?!”

Daoist Ling Xi’s expression remained indifferent. “Senior Brother, I’m not asking for your permission—I’m simply telling you. If you refuse, I’ll go alone.”

“You—!” The old man glared at her, his chest rising and falling with anger. Then, he let out a long sigh and said, “Junior Sister… think it over carefully.”

Silence settled over the tavern.

Daoist Ling Xi gazed absentmindedly at the rain outside, while the old man sat with furrowed brows, racking his mind for a way to resolve her Five Decays of Heaven and Man dilemma.

“Here comes the wine!”

The tavern keeper strode in, carrying a large jar of wine.

Shaking off the rainwater from his clothes, he removed his straw hat and deftly opened the jar, placing it before the two true immortals with a smile. “Old Immortal, this is the wine my father brewed the last time he saw you. He said to save it for you when you next came by.”

“Thinking about it now, it’s been over thirty years.”

The old man took a bamboo wine dipper from the tavern keeper, poured three bowls of fine wine, and chuckled. “I remember seeing you as a child. No need to be so formal, sit and drink with us.”

The tavern keeper let out an awkward laugh, glanced at Daoist Ling Xi, and shook his head. “No, no, I won’t drink.”

“Tavern keeper, do I look that frightening?” Daoist Ling Xi asked with a smile.

The tavern keeper waved his hands frantically. “No, no, the lady immortal is beautiful, not scary at all.”

“Then sit down. I simply don’t talk much, not that I dislike mortals—don’t overthink it.” As she spoke, Daoist Ling Xi raised her bowl, took a light sip, and praised, “Good wine.”

Hearing this, the tavern keeper, who had been a bit nervous around Daoist Ling Xi, relaxed slightly and sat down with the two true immortals.

With the tavern keeper joining in, the conversation became more relaxed—there were stories of past encounters, everyday matters of the mortal world, and, most notably, the tavern keeper’s detailed retelling of how the white-clad gentleman had deciphered the painting left behind by the old immortal.

At first, Daoist Ling Xuan assumed that another remarkable cultivator had emerged in Great Wu. But after hearing the tavern keeper’s description and doing a quick divination, he finally realized that the one who had solved his painting’s mystery was none other than the elusive Mr. Gu.

The tavern keeper wasn’t surprised that the old immortal knew of Mr. Gu—after all, in his mind, was there anything that could escape an immortal’s notice?

Obviously not!

However, what did surprise him was that this usually quiet lady immortal seemed quite interested when Mr. Gu was mentioned.

At first, she merely smiled and nodded along as he and the old immortal talked. But before long, she was staring straight at him, asking about Mr. Gu, and even requesting a bowl of the wine Mr. Gu had left behind to taste.

The lady immortal was stunningly beautiful, and Mr. Gu was said to be an elegant and handsome man—together, they certainly made a fine pair.

With how intrigued she was, could it be that she had taken a liking to him?

Well, well… the tavern keeper lowered his gaze to his wine bowl, not drinking, just grinning foolishly to himself.

Beside him, the two true immortals, having sensed his thoughts, reacted differently—one looked a little awkward, while the other remained expressionless, seemingly unfazed…