Shilong Lane.
The heavy snow did little to make this bustling lane feel deserted; people were coming and going, rubbing shoulders.
At the deepest point, the Three Flavors Blacksmith Shop.
The mont Chengming saw Fan Wubing, his spirits lifted. He had been in this lane for three hundred years, unable to leave, rooted to the spot, entangled in various emotions. Once a person takes root and stops moving, their vitality quickly hides away, allowing a stagnant aura to erge, accumulating over ti, leading to inevitable depression and aging.
So, when Chengming saw the vibrant and dynamic young Fan Wubing, he felt an elation greater than eating a big bowl of beef noodles.
He lit up his usually dim room brightly.
The burning charcoal in the back room made the entire shop warm and cozy.
He prepared so food, uncertain of Fan Wubing's drinking capacity, so he only poured two cups, thinking it would be sufficient with so dishes.
Fan Wubing hung the Fox Fur Snow Cloak on the wall and, noticing the table full of appetizers, jokingly asked, "Master Cheng, you're in a great mood today."
Chengming chuckled, "I suppose I'm just soone who can't handle good things. eting such a lively young man makes extrely happy."
Fan Wubing sat down and said, "It's an honor for a young man like ."
Chengming shook his head, "Oh, there's no need for such formalities. In this market lane, amidst the mundane, embracing a bit of earthy life is better. Haven't you understood the local tastes walking down this alley?"
"Alright then, if I act a bit youthful, don't hold it against , Master Cheng," Fan Wubing said with a carefree laugh.
Chengming poured a cup of wine, "Care for so? I've already filtered it, it's clean."
Fan Wubing realized that since coming to this world, he hadn't drunk wine before. Earlier, it was due to physical frailty, and after pursuing the Immortal Skill, he focused more on immortal fare, rarely indulging in mortal food.
He clinked cups with Chengming, took a sip... it wasn't strong, with a slightly sweet taste, quite smooth.
Despite the age gap spanning several centuries, the two sitting at the sa table appeared as old friends.
Chengming was older, yet after last night, his mindset felt younger.
Fan Wubing was younger, but after performing several pieces with Sister Hongyu on the Bao Li Zither and solidifying his path into the Fetal Movent Realm, his mindset beca more stable and resilient.
In this way, both felt the other had beco better and more intriguing overnight.
Ordinary wine, ordinary food, ordinary conversation, in this ordinary night, brewed together with an "ordinary life," fernting into an unforgettable experience.
Outside, the snow was swirling; inside, the fire was warm and the wine flowed.
After several drinks, Fan Wubing began to feel a bit tipsy. He didn't use his cultivation to dissolve the alcohol, instead, he embraced this hazy, ethereal experience.
Chengming watched him with a smile, "You alright?"
Fan Wubing closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then exhaled softly before opening them again. His eyes were clear, free of any drunkenness.
At the sa ti, a prompt appeared before him,
[Drink three cups of clear wine, see the grand avenue]
[Your mind is clear, fatigue dissipates]
This prompt... was a status prompt. It had been a long ti since he'd seen such a prompt!
The last ti a status prompt appeared was after he passed the third five-year checkpoint, having cultivated the Blood Catastrophe Dead Immortal Skill, when he felt overwhelmingly joyful, renewed.
"This wine..." Fan Wubing looked at the wine cup with astonishnt.
Chengming's eyes were even more eager, "Did you discern sothing?"
Fan Wubing thought for a mont, smiling as he shook his head, "I didn't discern anything, just felt more invigorated."
Chengming burst into hearty laughter, "You're even more interesting than I thought, young fellow."
"Was I supposed to discern sothing?"
Chengming shook his head, "Drinking is just drinking; all that talk about tasting life, principles, rules in wine... in my opinion, it's all nonsense, re self-deception, or deceiving others. They aren't really drinking, just using wine to voice their own pedantic, sour grievances."
"You're very insightful, Master Cheng."
Chengming couldn't help but laugh, "When does a junior tell a senior they're insightful?"
"You told not to worry about formalities and titles, Master Cheng."
"Hahaha... right, you're absolutely right."
Chengming was indeed very happy today. Perhaps he hadn't been this happy in the past three hundred years.
After drinking, it was already late at night, and the number of people in Shilong Lane gradually dwindled.
Occasionally, the distant barking of dogs could be heard, while the snow fell even heavier, covering the streets. The Luminous Stones in the gutters, casting light through the snow, resembled oversized fireflies, painting a dreamlike, ethereal scene in the lane.
Fan Wubing looked mysterious, "Master Cheng, let show you sothing nice."
"Oh?" Chengming's interest was piqued as he lit up a pipe, "What nice thing?"
The smoke from his pipe had a herbal scent.
Fan Wubing cleared the table, then took a deep breath, retrieving the Bao Li Zither and placing it on the table, "Master Cheng, do you still rember this zither?"
Chengming was stunned.
As soon as Fan Wubing brought out the Bao Li Zither, he was already in a daze. The pipe fell from his hand, hitting the ground with a clang, scattering so embers that quickly vanished into the night.
Chengming's lips parted, yet he couldn't utter a word. He stepped forward, gazing at the Bao Li Zither in disbelief, his hand trembling as he touched it gently.
Unbeknownst to him, tears had already filled his eyes.
Tears fell onto the Bao Li Zither.
The Bao Li Zither responded to this warmth with a few low string notes.
Chengming turned around, taking a deep breath to steady his emotions, then faced Fan Wubing again, his tone soft and lingering, "This zither, where did you find it?"
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