Shen Hao looked at the person across from him, thinking to himself that the guy was probably a master from Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute, right? His cultivation was at least at the Gathering Spirit Realm Eighth Layer, otherwise Shen Hao wouldn’t be unable to sense even the slightest True Qi fluctuation from him.

It’s worth inviting a sect master for a drink, and for now this guy seems to have a pretty decent character—his eyes are clear, he doesn’t give off that cunning, scheming vibe.

"Bang!"

The two wine jars clinked together, and both of them raised their heads and took a big gulp.

Shen Hao had always had a high alcohol tolerance, and now with his cultivation advancing and his body transformed, his capacity was even more ridiculous. This forty-proof wine—three or four jin down his stomach would only make his head a little tipsy; who knows how much it would take to actually get drunk.

As for the guy across from him, those two big gulps must have been at least two jin, and he drank too quickly, probably not used to the strength yet. In the moonlight Shen Hao could see his face was flushed, his eyes too, exhaling wine breath and looking extremely satisfied.

"Good wine! Really good wine! Kid, thanks for treating me to a drink. Let me introduce myself, I’m Nie Yun, Deacon at the Law Enforcement Hall of Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute. No doubt I’m older than you."

Shen Hao didn’t get up either—he imitated the other’s cupped-fist salute and said with a smile, "It’s only a jar of wine, no need to thank me. My name is Shen Hao, a loose cultivator, working in the Xuanqing Guard."

"Xuanqing Guard? Tsk tsk, a man of the public gate! No wonder you bring out storage bags and booze like this. Who’d have thought missing the teleportation array could still land me a rich man’s table." Nie Yun grinned—it didn’t matter to him, the name of the Xuanqing Guard didn’t intimidate sect cultivators.

The two drank together, and their chat stuck to the subject of wine. Shen Hao even taught Nie Yun a drinking game called "Chaotic Chopping Wood." Nie Yun, who’d never seen such a "fiery" game, was thoroughly delighted, and dragged Shen Hao into round after round of hand-gestures and guessing. By the time they finished the last jar, he still hadn’t beaten Shen Hao once.

"We’re out of wine. Nie, do you want to come with me? I can take you through the teleportation array." Shen Hao wasn’t planning to spend the whole night drinking on the rooftop with Nie Yun. After he got home, he still had to make up for today’s cultivation routine.

"What? You can open the teleportation array?!" Nie Yun was still smacking his lips, reminiscing about the now-empty wine jar, but as soon as he heard Shen Hao’s words, he immediately perked up.

"Yes. Want to come together, Nie?"

"Go, let’s go, my butt’s numb from sitting on this rooftop! If you’d said earlier, we’d have gone long ago!"

Shen Hao didn’t mind at all. He thought this talkative guy was completely different from the typical sect cultivators he’d met before, much more down-to-earth.

The two climbed down from the rooftop—Shen Hao paid special attention, but even as Nie Yun used body technique to descend, Shen Hao still couldn’t sense the slightest True Qi fluctuation from him.

This guy’s cultivation was definitely higher than Gathering Spirit Realm Eighth Layer—he was probably already at the Primordial Pill Realm. Shen Hao revised his estimation yet again. After all, Tang Qingyuan was Gathering Spirit Realm Eighth Layer too, but Shen Hao had never felt this kind of "neither here nor there," elusive aura from Tang Qingyuan.

Still, Shen Hao didn’t size him up too obviously. It was enough to have a rough idea; no point risking offending the guy.

When they reached the teleportation array, Nie Yun was off to Tu Kui City, while Shen Hao headed back to Fengri City.

"Shen, thanks for the drinks tonight—and for helping me get the teleportation array open. This is my sect token. With it you can find me at Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute, and when the time comes, I’ll treat you to some of my home-brewed osmanthus wine. It’s just as good, I promise!"

"Heh, alright, see you then."

"Farewell!"

And with that, the two parted ways.

Back home in Fengri City, Shen Hao finally took out Nie Yun’s token. It was a little jade gourd about as long as his index finger—and the thing was even a magical artifact. When activated, all it did was give off waves of wine fragrance, nothing else, but it was a genuine magical artifact all the same.

Using a magical artifact as a token? That was pretty impressive—at least, it was Shen Hao’s first time seeing such a thing.

Because he came home late, Shen Hao only managed to sleep less than an hour after he was done with his cultivation routine. Even though his cultivation was far deeper than before, he still felt tired.

In the morning, only a bowl of Li Erfu’s sour soup noodles could perk him up a bit.

At times like this, Shen Hao always missed those burnable magical leaves from before—roll them up, light one, take a drag, and you’d feel totally refreshed. And with his current body, nicotine and all that were simply not an issue anymore.

Too bad this world didn’t seem to have anything like tobacco.

"Master Shen, this is a letter from Hong’en Hall, delivered yesterday—they say the courtesan Lian Xiang Songstress has composed a new piece, inviting you to enjoy it." Hu Tian was still reporting some affairs to Shen Hao during breakfast—this was the only time all day he could get a few words in with his master.

Shen Hao glanced at the invitation on the table. "Reply that I don’t have time to go." That Lian Xiang fairy might be enchanting, but there was just too much to do; Shen Hao figured he wouldn’t get any free time at all this year.

Hu Tian nodded, but took out another invitation and placed it in front of Shen Hao.

"What’s this one?"

"This one is from Lord Tang—house-warming, inviting you to the banquet." Hu Tian knew his master was impatient with these little social affairs and didn’t like to go out for them, but as steward there were some invitations he simply couldn’t decline or decide on behalf of Shen Hao. These had already been meticulously filtered—originally there had been more than just these two.

Shen Hao rubbed his forehead—he remembered now. Tang Qingyuan had indeed mentioned the house-warming banquet before, and he’d agreed at the time, but so many things had come up that it had totally slipped his mind. If not for the formal invitation, it probably still wouldn’t have occurred to him.

"When is it?"

"October seventeenth—the day after tomorrow."

"No way out of this one, huh. Send a reply to Tang Mansion—I’ll be there on time. And go buy a present today—pick a good painting or some jade artifacts, something expensive."

"Yes, sir, I will take care of it."

Once the business was done, and he’d finished his sour soup noodles, Shen Hao pulled himself together, strapped on the Yanji Saber and headed out for duty.

As soon as he entered the Thousand Households Station, Shen Hao felt the place was noisier than usual. He could vaguely hear the soldiers at the barracks behind the station getting ready, and on the way to the public office, he even saw arsenal and alchemy room staff running past with grim faces.

Just as he reached the office door, he saw Wang Yiming standing watch there.

"Something up?"

"Sir, there’s trouble in Tu Kui City." Wang Yiming kept his voice down, and didn’t look so hot himself.

Shen Hao didn’t ask—he just pushed open the door and went in, Wang Yiming following behind. Only once they sat down did he speak: "What’s happened in Tu Kui City?"

"Last night the Hundred Households Station of Tu Kui City sent an urgent report—evil gathered outside the city, so two general flag contingents were dispatched to clean things up, but as of early this morning, there’s been no word whatsoever from either contingent."

Shen Hao’s hand shook as he poured his tea, water spilling on the floor, his brows furrowing into a deep frown: "There was an urgent report last night—why was no one notified?"

"It was Households Commander Wu who suppressed the news. Said there was no need to get overly anxious about a few evil spirits."

"Absurd!"