Chapter Seventy-One: Indulgence

  Tongtian couldn't help but laugh loudly: "Nothing, my big brother and second brother didn't come over. When they heard that Emperor Jun announced to attack the Wu tribe, my big brother said a great war was about to start, so he might as well close his doors and go into seclusion, and then called me to come and say hello to you."

  Zhuang Xiong rolled his eyes and said, "You're speaking nonsense, you don't deserve a drink."

  Tongtian chuckled and said, "I knew you were a silly bear who looks silly but has a bit of cleverness, with a belly full of ghostly ideas, always thinking wildly, and would definitely be able to guess."

  Tongtian was about to flatter a few more sentences, but saw that Zhuang Xiong had already become impatient. He picked up the gourd and made a gesture, hastily changing his words: "My big brother said that originally it was just a greeting, but he calculated that this time's great war seems a bit different, so he wanted to come ask about your plans. Originally we were going to come together, but earlier I heard from afar that you were shouting something about having fun... My second brothers said that although our friendship is not bad, their two temperaments are probably not suitable and will also affect your mood, so they went back and told me to come over and ask."

  Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but laugh and said, "I told you to ask, you'll naturally know when you get back. I'll drag you along and you can only accompany us drinking together. The relationship is already there, they will naturally believe it. Even if they don't believe it, the matter has passed, what else can be done?"

  Tongtian burst out laughing: "Still, you silly bear understand me, however, it's still better to tell me the answer first to put my mind at ease, lest I get too excited later and forget about the main issue."

  Zhuang Xiong disdainfully said: "You just tell them, Zhu Maoguan? Honestly watch the show, when it's time to go on stage, they will naturally know."

  Tongtian burst out laughing: "I knew you'd have a plan, I won't ask why or what's going to happen, you wouldn't say anyway. Hurry up and pour the wine, let's drink!"

  Zhuang Xiong didn't bother with pleasantries, first pouring wine for everyone, then starting to take out one by one the spiritual fruits and dried fruits from his sleeves. Everyone watched in amazement as they saw Starlight Fruit, Yin-Yang Fruit, Five-needle Pine Nuts, and many other unknown types of spiritual fruits and dried fruits being placed on the table. Zhen Yuanzi couldn't help but smile wryly: "I have a personal stash of Ganoderma lucidum that I'm always proud of, but your collection, Zhuang Xiong, although not as good as the top ten spiritual roots in terms of quality, is truly astonishing in quantity! Especially those few Starlight Fruits and the like, they're not much worse than the top ten spiritual roots!"

  Kong Xuan couldn't help but pout and say: "So Master, you had so many good things hidden away, why didn't you take them out?"

  Zhuang Xiong's face turned black with anger, and he said: "After all, are you the master or am I the master? Do I have to take out all my things for your inspection? Now that you know, just say so if you want to eat something in the future. What's the point of all this nonsense?"

  Kong Xuan hurriedly smiled and said, "Old master, what I mean is that using Lingguo to accompany wine seems not quite right? Isn't the wine brewed with Lingguo? I'm afraid no one would pair them together like this?"

  Zhuang Xiong said: "How come nobody pairs like this? I didn't pair like this before, did I? Others want to pair like this, but do they have wine?"

  Kong Xuan fell silent, after all, he didn't really want to bring up this issue. He immediately admitted his mistake and sat down obediently, also taking out some spiritual fruit and wine to share with Zi Yu and the others.

  Tongtian alone took a few sips of wine, savored it for half a day, smacked his lips, and sighed: "Indeed, this is the taste, still so good to drink, refreshing, but more mellow than before. My own brew has some flavor too, but it's really far inferior."

  Zhuang Xiong said with a pleased expression: "You've already succeeded in brewing it, don't you think? I've added countless materials to this spiritual wine. Just the Starlight Fruit alone is of the highest quality, aside from the top ten spiritual roots. Its effects can't be compared to those of ordinary fruits! Moreover, there's another special feature - the longer it brews, the more fragrant and better-tasting it becomes. Who else could add as many spiritual fruits as I have, knowing that one will never tire of drinking it?"

  Fuxi smiled and said, "You silly bear, back then you were so crazy about collecting spiritual roots and strange fruits. Was it all just for today? Whether intentional or unintentional, only a foodie like you could do something like this."

  Zhenyuanzi called out: "Although the ten major spiritual roots are good, the result is really limited. I'm okay, and in a thousand years, I can get thirty fruits. But that immortal apricot is only three in a hundred million years, and the calabaza vine doesn't even produce fruit. If you want to drink something better, it's probably just waiting for the peaches of immortality to be born. However, even if the peaches of immortality are born, once they branch out, their quality can't compare to the Star Cherry Fruit, the Yin-Yang Fruit and other top-grade pre-heavenly spiritual fruits. So, this time, let's drink our fill."

  Zhenyuanzi finished speaking and swallowed hard, letting out a sigh of relief, exclaiming "Refreshing!"

  Fuxi smiled and said, "The gourd was originally mine, but unfortunately you are not kind to me, after brewing the wine, I haven't even had a taste. Now I must savor it carefully, if it's really good for my stomach, I'm afraid I'll drink it all up before I let you leave."

  Zhuang Xiong burst out laughing and said: "I'm not a petty person, you can drink as much as you want, I'm not afraid that you'll drink me poor, what I'm afraid of is that you'll leave in a hurry."

  "Hey, what's the hurry? Let's put that off for another day and just enjoy ourselves today. Who knows when we'll have a chance to gather like this again? Don't worry about it, let loose and drink up!" With that, he picked up a bowl of wine and gestured to Fuxi, then downed it in one gulp, shouting "Dumb bear, pour more wine!"

  Zi Yu was quietly drinking on one side, her face slightly flushed with a charming drunken expression in her eyes. Kong Xuan, however, seemed unaffected and quickly stood up saying: "How dare I ask Master to pour wine, let me do it instead."

  Zhao Gongming saw Kong Xun's movements and hastily stepped forward saying: "Sister, let me do it instead."

  Kong Xuan smiled and said: "Gong Ming, you should take care of other things, I am the old master's maid."

  Zhao Gongming finally stopped. Kong Xuan smiled and filled Tongtian's cup with wine, then filled the cups of several others before retreating behind Zhuang Xiong, who nodded in satisfaction. This was what a good maid should be like - playful and carefree at ordinary times, but showing affection when needed, and being helpful in times of need. Turning back to look at the slightly tipsy Zi Yu, Kong Xuan couldn't help but be amused by her silly expression, and laughed: "Little Ah Purple, say a few words to Master, okay?"

  Kong Xuan rolled her eyes, and Zi Yu said in a soft and charming voice, "I don't want to talk to the old master at all. The old master is a bad person who will make fun of me."

  Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but burst out laughing, and didn't think much of it. He turned around, poured himself a bowl of wine, and shouted at Zhen Yuanshi and the others: "You guys are looking at my servant girl's cleverness, aren't you envious?"

  Zhenyuanzi shook his head and smiled: "The silly bear is talking nonsense again."

  Zhuang Xiong burst out laughing and said, "You guys shouldn't be so sour, I'm just drunk on my own happiness. As long as life is this wonderful, that's enough for me."

  Fuxi shouted: "Then you don't miss my sister?"

  Tongtian was indeed envious, couldn't bear the sight of Zhuang Xiong's complacent appearance, and rushed forward to grab Kong Xuan's wine gourd. He grabbed Zhuang Xiong and poured him a drink, and when he moved the gourd away, he didn't forget to grab a handful of fruit and stuff it into Zhuang Xiong's mouth, shouting: "See if you still dare to spout nonsense and provoke us!"

  Zhuang Xiong was enraged, snatched the wine gourd and wanted to go pour it on Tong Tian as well. He loudly shouted: "Zhenyuanzi doesn't come to help, that's fine, but Fuxi, you should hurry up and come help! This guy is too bullying, I'm thinking of Nüwa sister!"

  Fuxi also seemed to go crazy for a moment, shouting: "Good you silly bear, it turns out that you are still thinking of my sister, this time I will not let you off, Tongtian Daoyou don't panic, I'll help you."

  "Die, you think you can take advantage of me from the inside and outside? But do you think I'm afraid of just the two of you? Don't forget, old bear is best at close combat!"

  Just as he was getting into the swing of things, however, Zhenyuanzi suddenly kicked him in the back, sending him tumbling to the ground. Fuxi Tongtian rushed over to hold him down, and Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but cry out: "Zhenyuanzi, I thought you were a decent person, but it turns out you're also capable of stabbing people in the back! You've really let me down!"

  Zhenyuanzi took a sip of wine and said, "You're really not very kind to me, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing, that's why I intervened. Besides, you once hit me with a stick back then, compared to that, this kick of mine is much lighter."

  Zhenyuanzi finished speaking and was about to pick another spiritual fruit. His expression remained nonchalant, but Zhuang Xiong suddenly exerted his strength, sweeping aside Tongtian Fuxi and the others for a moment. However, Zhuang Xiong directly snatched the gourd and pressed Zhenyuanzi down, pouring it in while shouting: "Aren't you coming to help? This Zhenyuanzi looks kind-hearted, but he's actually a petty-minded person who still holds grudges over trivial matters from tens of thousands of years ago. Who knows if he doesn't have any grievances against you?"

  Tongtian burst out laughing: "This makes sense, it's possible that this Zhenyuanzi Daoist is a fake. You once said that after drinking, one will speak the truth, why don't we get him drunk and try?"

  Zhenyuanzi's mouth was being forced to drink wine, and he mumbled: "Tongtian, you shouldn't be too excessive, bullying honest people is not right."

  Zhuang Xiong smiled and said: "So, Tongtian, you won't be fake too, right? No way, I'll have to test it with wine."

  Fu Xi said: "There is reason."

  Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but shout: "What's the point of having a reason, you're just a dead sister control who's good at inserting jokes and muddying the waters, let's get you drunk first and talk later."

  Tongtian had just been framed by Fuxi, and upon hearing Zhuang Xiong's words, he quickly went to grab Fuxi. However, Zhenyuanzi instead went to take revenge on Tongtian. Zhuang Xiong laughed and watched as someone was being grabbed, then hurriedly went to pour wine. In an instant, the four ancient monsters, who were several hundred million years old, began to frolic and fight like children who didn't know any magical spells.

  Zi Yu and several younger generations watched from the side, but didn't think that a few people were out of place, on the contrary, they seemed more intimate. Several people looked at each other, all of whom couldn't help but feel some envy, but just smiled knowingly.

  The commotion lasted for three days, and Zhuang Xiong slept for half a month again. He surprisingly started dreaming again, and it seemed that after his cultivation in the vast wilderness, he had never dreamed before. In the dream, Zhuang Xiong seemed to have returned to the bar of the mortal world, where he drank and played with his brothers without any restraint. Beer flowed freely, tears flowed freely, and smiles were unrestrained. Those repressed emotions seemed to flow away with their unbridled words, and they all left in laughter, starting anew tomorrow, still striving to make a living.