Chapter 86: The Wine Bowl

As night fell, the main streets should have been lively with the press of comers and goers, yet within Xingyang City there was a certain strangeness in the air. In truth, it was not only today; for the past several days, things had mostly been like this. After the Martial Arts Assembly, the vast majority of the martial world had already dispersed. It was fairer to say that they had come to watch the spectacle than to say they had truly come to take part. At least for most of them, the so-called position of Martial Alliance Leader had nothing to do with them. Those who remained were only the sect masters and the like. Of course, even if the Blue Lotus Sect had all been nothing more than a staged drama, some response still had to be made; otherwise, it would only leave openings for others to seize. That would hardly be a good thing.

In this way, Han Tanyi had truly suffered. Since he had already been branded as one of the Blue Lotus Sect, he had naturally become the target of the entire martial world. Though he had taken a sword wound and been grievously injured, three or four days had passed and no body had been found. That at least proved he was still alive. Yet even so, he must have been in a very weakened state, and could not have fled far. Whoever found him first would also be able to win a fine reputation in the process. Still, it was best not to rush too close, for there was still Shao Changchun to contend with. Though only a few brief exchanges had been seen, the depth of that man’s formidable cultivation was such that few, if any, could surpass him in single combat.

Since this was Xingyang City, the burden of the search naturally fell to Bright Moon Manor. These past days, Shen Wansan had been relentlessly occupied. After that battle, although his injuries were not considered serious, he was an old man after all, and his recovery was much slower than in his youth. More than that, he was also somewhat displeased in his heart. He had held the so-called Martial Arts Assembly and presented the priceless Night-Illuminating Pearl, and had even gone to great lengths to spread word of the Blue Lotus Sect’s existence, all for the sake of seizing the position of Martial Alliance Leader. Now it seemed he had only stitched a wedding robe for another. Even though he felt stifled, he could only endure it. After all, this was not something that could be shown openly. Besides, the Prince of Qi’s estate had also done all it could. It was simply that skill had fallen short. Moreover, he had never imagined that Dao Tianfeng would make such a ruthless move. So for now, the best course was still to keep a lower profile. In any case, this outcome had been within expectations, and there would be other chances in the future.

The search continued in full swing. By the third day, Shen Wansan had even personally led the teams, searching ceaselessly through every corner. With someone of his status doing such a thing, the onlookers and common folk were naturally more than happy to join in the excitement. Some who wished to curry favor with Bright Moon Manor, and others who came for the silver reward, also joined the search party. Before long, nearly every corner of the streets had people at work. The scene was no less grand than when the Martial Arts Assembly had still been in full force. Whoever saw such a sight would likely be deeply astonished, and even in Xiao Jinghao’s eyes there was a trace of surprise.

He had stood there by the window all along, watching Shen Wansan’s figure come from one end of the street and vanish at the other. Only then did he turn back and sit once more at the wine table.

He lifted the bowl before him. The wine within rocked and swayed, and though the faint lamplight did not make it entirely clear, there was still a dim, crystalline gleam to it. Even before tasting it, one could smell the fragrance drifting through the air; it was plainly excellent wine. Yet he only held it, unlike the man across from him, who drank it down. He seemed full of hesitation, pausing there. Though the pause was not long, in the eyes of a watcher it felt like an age. At last, he set the bowl back on the table and let out a soft sigh. Such a gesture would strike anyone as perplexing, yet the man seated opposite showed no change at all. Perhaps there was one, only it was hidden beneath the black veil and impossible to make out. The bowl in his hand had long since been emptied; when it was set back on the table, another was slowly poured. Only then did he speak in a low voice.

"Wine, when utterly clear, is the most mellow and fragrant. They say wine is like life, but this old man does not quite agree. Rather, flowing water is perhaps more fitting. Pure water breeds no fish; there is irony enough in that."

"How is it that you have suddenly grown so sentimental? That is not like you at all. Back then, for the sake of so-called freedom and ease, you could even give up the position of Prince of Qi. How is it that now you are no longer so unrestrained?"

Xiao Jinghao answered in kind, following the other man’s words. Though it was phrased as a question, there was no interrogative tone to it. Instead, it sounded more like a sigh, and perhaps even carried a hint of reproach.

Dao Tianfeng did not answer. He lifted the bowl in his hand and drank it dry in a single swallow. The hearty rush of it did somewhat conceal the gloom in his heart. No one knew how many bowls this had been already. Dao Tianfeng considered his liquor capacity to be decent, but by now he was feeling the drink. The dizziness was becoming obvious.

"Freedom and ease always come at a price. You, as Prince of Qi, are no different. You like this wine, yet this bowl does not quite suit your style. To put it plainly, are we not all the same in how we live? I once cherished freedom, and I still do. Only, before, I did not need to consider others. Now I cannot. Jun’er, do you not think so?"

"Perhaps."

With only that simple answer, Xiao Jinghao had no further desire to speak. His gaze rested on the table, on the wine bowl he had set down. It still felt awkward to him. When his hand lightly held it, he did not feel at ease. The bowl was somewhat rough, merely a simply fired piece of pottery. Naturally it could not compare with the wine cups of the Prince of Qi’s estate, which had been refined through countless careful and exquisite carvings.

Yet strangely enough, he only felt this way when drinking wine. If it were tea or some broth, he would not much care. Even he could not see through the reason for it. Perhaps it was because wine stirred greater concern in him.

In the end, he could not withstand the temptation. For a lover of wine, to remain perfectly composed before fine liquor would be a terrifying thing indeed. Clearly, Xiao Jinghao had not yet reached that stage. No matter how much he disliked the vessel, he could not resist the wine’s fragrance. Even if he could endure the drink itself, the vast and captivating allure of this world would still cause him to sink within it. Once the wine entered his belly, Xiao Jinghao felt that there was in truth nothing amiss with using a bowl this large. Suddenly he understood that it did not matter what it was poured into. So long as it could be brought to his lips, that was enough. There was no need for further scruples.

With a casual sweep of his hand, spiritual power surged. The wine within the jar seemed pressed by an invisible force, bubbling up from the mouth of the vessel in a clear stream, then landing steadily into the bowl. His eyes at that moment passed through the window and drifted outward. Darkness had become all the more pronounced, yet the clamor outside seemed not to have diminished in the slightest. In that instant, he could not help wondering: were these people not also searching for his wine?

"Master, just now an old physician came to report that in the ruined temple in the east of the city, someone was found who resembled the Han Tanyi we are seeking!"

For Shen Wansan, constant running about might have been the best way to describe things. As he turned the corner and came to a sudden halt, someone hurried over. Though the words were spoken softly, they were urgent. The old physician mentioned in his words was standing off to the side at present, looking at the two of them with a hopeful, reward-seeking expression. The meaning in his face was naturally plain enough. Shen Wansan, whose countenance had already been somewhat dark, suddenly showed a faint smile. He glanced at the old man and asked with a questioning air, "What does this person look like?"

"Well, that is... about twenty-something, with a rather handsome face, fairly tall, and there was a sword wound in his chest, a clean through-and-through sort of injury. You may not know this, but after so many years as a physician, this old man has only just now seen someone wounded so severely. Had it not been for the slight angle of the strike, sparing the heart, he likely would not have survived!"

Whoever it was, when faced with Shen Wansan’s bearing, would likely feel some fear, and so his speech naturally became less clear. Besides, the face of that person was not easy to describe to begin with, so the old man did his best to make it fit.

"Right, right, and there was another youth of about the same age at his side. Though the greater part of the body was male, that figure, the way he spoke, and even his manner were unmistakably those of a woman!"

"A woman?"

Shen Wansan repeated the words almost unconsciously. The look of doubt was unavoidable. Yet in the next instant, as if he had suddenly discovered something, his muttered words were full of triumph.

"I said that lad felt odd. His bearing and gestures all gave off an unwholesome air. So it turns out she was a woman disguised as a man. And the lotus on Han Tanyi’s leg was certainly no false mark. Could it be that he truly is one of the Blue Lotus Demon Sect, and that Shao Changchun is not really Shao Changchun after all? Could her true identity be Shui Linglong? If that is so, then this becomes far more interesting. It seems I ought to meet these two in person. Dao old ghost, you took my position as alliance leader, but to my eyes you will not sit it securely for long. Soon enough, you will have to hand it back to me. Only a pity that this bond of master and disciple softened your heart by so much, or else how could the sword have gone astray?"