Chapter Twenty: The Eccentric Wine Old Man

  "You two young whippersnappers have finally brought someone back, making an old man wait for so long is really too much!"

  An old man with white hair and beard suddenly appeared in front of everyone, but no one saw how he got there. The first half of the sentence seemed to come from afar, while the second half sounded like it was spoken right next to them.

  "Li Feng (Shangguan Jinghong) pays his respects to the elder!" In front of this old man, Weiwu Wang and Zuojun were not dare to put on any airs. From the previous scene, they knew that this old man's realm was much higher than theirs. The last time they competed for the Tongling fruit, it was also this old man who was in charge. Moreover, it is said that he was also like this last time, with white hair and a youthful face, full of energy. Now it seems that this old man appears to have more vitality than a 20-year-old young man. They did not know how old this old man was, but his cultivation was absolutely profound and unfathomable.

  Shangguan Yu Ke was shocked, who exactly was this old man that could make Wu Wang treat him like this.

  "Spare me these empty formalities! I've had enough of them!" The old man waved his hand, a smile spreading across his face as he gazed at the crowd with profound meaning.

  Shangguan Yu felt that this old man was the real hermit, not paying attention to worldly trivialities. He looked even more like a celestial being, transcending the mundane and carefree.

  "What I want is good wine! These young folks nowadays truly don't understand the rules! Without enough good wine, what reason does old man have to let you in!"

  Everyone: "......"

  "Don't be so formal, I'm easy to talk to. And you don't have to call me 'senior' all the time, just call me Wine Old will do!" The old man, also known as Wine Old, had a ruddy complexion and his eyes were filled with laughter. It's unknown how much fine wine he had embezzled from the imperial palace, but his attitude towards everyone was exceptionally good.

  Tongling Mountain, although not a famous mountain or river, is filled with an air of vicissitudes. The trees are not so tall and sturdy, but they are very lush. From time to time, the sound of wild beasts can be heard in the forest, and Shangguan Yu cannot distinguish which kind of beast it is.

  "This trial is very simple, whoever finds the Ling fruit, that Ling fruit will be theirs. I have already placed the Ling fruit in a spatial ring, but it's buried underground. You should be able to find it if you dig more on the mountain top, my trials are always very simple!"

  "Then, senior, please go first. We'll take the kids to the mountaintop." Shangguan Xing said respectfully. Jiu Lao had told them not to call him "senior", but he didn't think that was sincere. If it were him, he would also hope for others to be more respectful rather than being too casual.

  Jiu Lao glared at Shang Guan Xiong Ying, "I told you not to call me 'senior', yet you still do. When I'm speaking, what are you interrupting for? This time's trial rules will be decided by me. The ten children will go up themselves, and you're not allowed to interfere. Without experiencing life-and-death trials, how can they grow?"

  Li Feng and Shangguan Jinghong are in a difficult situation now, they still want to help their son. Even Shangguan Jiancheng looked pitifully at Shangguan Jinghong, his team was the weakest. If it weren't for Shangguan Jinghong's help, he felt that he might not even reach the top of the mountain, let alone compete for the Tongling fruit.

  "What's wrong with you, kid? There's no aura fluctuation on your body at all. Who let you come here?" Wine Old naturally discovered the strange thing about Shangguan Yu, and he didn't understand either. This kid obviously had excellent qualifications, but why was there no aura in his body.

  "Reporting to senior, this waste was selected only because of dog shit luck. Just a waste, senior doesn't need to mind it!" Officer Xing Hong didn't want any relationship between Officer Yu and this unfathomable old man, let alone the already headache-inducing Guang Zhi Yue Wang. Moreover, since he was called "youngster" by this old man, and Officer Yu was also called "youngster", in his heart, how could this waste Officer Yu be mentioned in the same breath as him?

  Shangguan Yu was also angry, he didn't expect that after leaving the Shangguan family, Shangguan Jinghong still hated him so much. One mouthful of trash, was this really the Shangguan Jinghong he knew when he was young? Now that he was no longer a member of the Shangguan family, even if he was useless again, what did it have to do with Shangguan Jinghong?

  Brush

  Before Shangguan Yu could react, Jiu Lao suddenly appeared beside Shangguan Jinghong. He saw Jiu Lao lightly pat Shangguan Jinghong's shoulder before returning to his original position. Shangguan Yu looked at this in shock, unsure of what Jiu Lao had done.

  Shangguan Xinghong's face changed drastically, but he quickly lowered his head. Shangguan Yu saw the anger and fear on Shangguan Xinghong's face, but didn't see the eyes filled with hatred.

  "Little brat, ignoring me time and again will cost you dearly. As an elder, I'm kind-hearted, but if this were when I was young, you'd probably be lying on the ground by now. Now, I'll punish you by reducing your martial arts cultivation by a small boundary. Will you accept it?"

  "Junior knows wrong, naturally heart-felt!" Shangguan Xinghong said in a deep voice. Immediately after that, he looked at Shangguan Yu, and his tone was low and humble, but towards Shangguan Yu, it was different. Those pair of vicious eyes seemed to want to swallow Shangguan Yu alive.

  At this moment, others discovered the terror of this old man. Being able to knock down a warrior by one level is much harder than killing someone. Although Wine Old Man's words were pleasant to hear, he also had his own rules and didn't seem like a kind character.

  "The young master is above the official Yu, and has seen the old wine. The young master is just a bit stronger physically, and this time it was also relying on physical strength to defeat one opponent after another!" As for the profound and mysterious old wine, Yu couldn't dare to hide anything from him. Moreover, the old wine had helped him discipline Yu Xinghong, making him feel even more affectionate towards the old wine.

  "Hmm, let me take a look at what's going on!" The wine old man came to Shangguan Yu's side again, this time walking over step by step.

  "Hiss......" The old wine merchant sucked in a breath of cool air, he couldn't understand how this child's bloodline could be so strong? What was even more puzzling to him was that with such a strong bloodline, why couldn't he cultivate martial arts, and yet there wasn't a single bit of yuanqi in his body.

  Jiǔ Lǎo closed his eyes, and a wisp of divine thought entered the body of Shàng Guān Yǔ. He saw a pair of eyes, whose gaze was truly too terrifying. One glance, ten million years, dominating heaven and earth, I alone am supreme. Jiǔ Lǎo really didn't know how to describe that gaze, he was very clear that it was an existence he had to look up to.

  "Hmm"

  The old wine let out a low hum, took a few steps back, his face turned pale, and a thread of fresh blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. Fortunately, he didn't have any malicious intentions; otherwise, he couldn't even imagine what the situation would be like now. It seems that this matter is beyond his control, it's really beyond his ability.

  "Old Wine, what's wrong with you?" Shangguan Yu naturally saw Old Wine's situation, and he didn't want the old man to suffer any harm because of him.

  "It's nothing, just an old wound acting up again!" Wine Old laughed and in a short moment, he returned to his usual self. Upper Official Yu looked at Wine Old's appearance and also put down the worry in his heart.

  In other people's eyes, they only saw Jiu Lao walk up to Shangguan Yu and then retreat again. It was clear that Jiu Lao did not want others to see his situation.

  "The wine is old, this mountain is too dangerous, can these ten children really go up?" Wu Wang came to Jiulao's side and said cautiously. He knew the outcome of Shangguan Jinghong, if it wasn't for his son, he wouldn't dare to say such a sentence.

  "A gem cannot be polished without being cut, and these children will not grow up without experiencing the baptism of blood! I have decided that you two young ones will accompany me to the mountaintop, and there are still many things for you two to do!"

  It's good that the wine is old and didn't punish Wu Wang, which made Wu Wang breathe a sigh of relief. As for the children, let them fend for themselves, he can't control the situation now. And Shangguan Jinghong stood there honestly, he was afraid and dared not to speak another word.

  "Dad, what about the kids if you go?" Shangguan Jiancheng rushed over and grabbed Shangguan Jinghong's arm. His team was too weak and had the lowest probability of reaching the top of the mountain. He had been relying on Shangguan Jinghong all along, and now that he wanted to leave, he would have no advantage at all.

  Shangguan Xinghong glared at him fiercely, how dare he oppose the plan set by Jiu Lao? Didn't he see that he was just interrupted and was knocked down to Gui Wang realm? He shook off Shangguan Jiancheng and stood respectfully behind Jiu Lao. Seeing this, Shangguan Jiancheng could only return to the middle of the team.

  "You two little ones follow me up, kids! We'll wait for you at the top of the mountain!" Suddenly, Wine Old flew into the air, his left hand grasping Wei Wu Wang and his right hand grasping Shangguan Xinghong, as if he was holding onto two small chickens. Wine Old smiled at the children, took a few steps in mid-air, and vanished from everyone's sight in just three strides.

  "Huff, this old monster has finally left, I'm suffocating!" As soon as Wine Old disappeared, Li Ruolan started shouting. In front of the unfathomable Wine Old, she didn't dare to be presumptuous and could only stand there honestly.

  "Don't spout nonsense, Wine Old isn't some old monster. In my opinion, Wine Old is just a kind-hearted old man." However, it seemed that only Magistrate Yu thought so.

  "I curse it, this old monster is so kind, obviously a mental patient. In the future, he will definitely not die well, no, wait until later, I'll come and kill him myself!" Shangguan Jiancheng was furious, and his father had been knocked down to a small boundary, let alone that he had been forcibly pulled up, now what could he do? Looking at the powerful lineup of the other two groups, he really didn't have much confidence.

  "You little brat, your son is quite something, daring to curse me like that. He even shouted that he would kill me in the future!" Wine Old sneered at Shangguan Jinghong, his ears able to pick up every sound on the entire mountain.

  Shangguan Xinghong was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat, he really didn't expect that someone at the top of the mountain could still know what's happening at the foot of the mountain. Shangguan Jiancheng did such a thing, he could understand it too, his son was like this, he knew best.

  "Please forgive me for drinking too much, after I go back, I will surely teach that little brat a good lesson!"

  "Hmph, I won't bother with a mere child!" Upon hearing this, Shangguan Hong's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed.

  "But a child is not taught by his father's mistakes, and the son pays for the father's debts. I'll have to properly punish you!" The wine shop owner seemed to be smiling but not quite, as he looked at Shangguan Jinghong.

  Shangguan Yinghong: "……………………"