At a street that was neither too wide nor too long, there was an old signboard that occasionally squeaked with the passing breeze. The calligraphy on the signboard was not extraordinary by any means, nor was the description imaginative. The only words on the board readout ‘Chu Family Tavern - wine for two qian’.


    Jing Wen stood silently outside the tavern, observing and waiting. As the breeze died down, Jing Wen pushed open the door and strolled inside.


    Taverns had always been rowdier than restaurants due to the little food accompanying the drinks. Once the alcohol entered these empty stomachs, it was very easy to become drunk and begin rambling nonsense. However, this tavern was very quiet and not even the sound of porcelain tinking or weapons scraping could be heard.


    Jing Wen ambled to a corner and sat down without any hurry. His back was directly facing the door.


    Eventually, someone emerged from the kitchen. He was holding a jug of wine and two cups in one hand and a bowl of roasted peanuts in the other. As he arrived at the table, he arranged the things in his hand. His actions did not bear the temperament of a servant and instead carried a hint of authority.


    The entirety of Lin’an was searching for this person, yet he was not cautious in the slightest. Pouring Jing Wen and himself a cup to the brim each, he made an inviting gesture, before downing the wine.


    Jing Wen observed Hua Quanfu and found he did not have any cultivation and was a completely ordinary mortal without any martial arts. Still, he maintained his vigilance as he began to drink after Hua Quanfu.


    The wine and peanut was soon finished, yet the two had not exchanged a single word. Hua Quanfu collected the dishes and disappeared, returning shortly after with a pristine white tea set.


    Hua Quanfu served Jing Wen tea and made a gesture. Like magic, all the other silent guests in the tavern vacated, leaving it completely empty other than Jing Wen and Hua Quanfu.


    The teapot and cups were white like snow, utterly void of any impurities. Only a few kilns in the world could produce such fine porcelain. The tea within it was a form of green tea that gave off a very pleasing scent.


    Jing Wen examined the teacup with his Qi and found it completely normal. He reached out and touched the teacup and then ‘looked’ at Hua Quanfu. Although it was blocked by the piece of cloth, Jing Wen’s ‘gaze’ gave off a very intense feeling, as though he could still see, and wanted to imprint the image of Hua Quanfu in his mind.


    Hua Quanfu looked at the sparse tea leaves floating in his cup. Although he knew Jing Wen was blind, the sensation was enough that his brows twitch. Finally, he said, “This should be the first time we have met, Marquis Jing.”


    Jing Wen did not stop his blatant ‘staring’. Turning the pristine white teacup in his hand, he said, “It seems like sir is quite familiar with me. This tea is very familiar.”


    The edge of Hua Quanfu’s lips raised as he heard this.


    He took the teapot and filled Jing Wen’s cup to the brim once more.


    Jing Wen lowered his head, finally breaking his ‘gaze’.


    The winter breeze broke into the tavern through its dilapidated window, causing the mist emitted by the tea to disperse. The cold wind caused the temperature of the room to plummet instantly.


    The tea Hua Quanfu had prepared was an unknown brew and came from a particular village in Zhili. Jing Wen had drunk this tea constantly throughout his childhood but had stopped once he entered the Imperial Guard. It was near impossible for the tea to be a coincidence. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Anyone would be frightened or at least nervous if the drink they had once drunk in their childhood was presented before them by a completely unknown person. They would start questioning how the person knew such an obscure secret, and if that person knew some of their most protected secrets. Indeed, Jing Wen’s heart was momentarily disturbed. However, he soon returned to his indifference.


    Hua Quanfu looked past through that piece of cloth, into Jing Wen’s closed eyes as he said, “That night - did you miss anyone?”


    Jing Wen’s grip on the cup tightened, but he did not say any words.


    The winter breeze that could touch ones’ bone continued to swirl in the empty tavern. The wind disturbed the calm tea water and created many faint ripples.


    Hua Quanfu said, “Rest assured. At this moment, I have no intentions of speaking out.”


    Jing Wen raised his head. He fondled the teacup and asked, “Are you not afraid I will kill you?”


    The tea water brushed against the side of the teacup, occasionally spilling out onto Jing Wen’s fingers. However, he seemed not to have noticed this.


    Hua Quanfu said, “Before you find out who is behind me, you dare not to act.”


    The tea water spilled out of the cup more and more. But before long, the level of liquid in the cup was no longer enough to surmount the sides of the teacup. No more tea water can escape.


    Jing Wen ‘looked’ at the half-empty teacup and said, “I did not expect sir to be so courageous.”


    Hua Quanfu looked at Jing Wen with a faint smile. “I know you cannot touch me.”


    Jing Wen returned his ‘gaze’. “What is your intentions?”


    Jing Wen’s words directly acknowledged that he indeed could not touch Hua Quanfu before finding out the person behind him. At this moment, he had lost the initiative and any possibility of directing the conversation.


    Hua Quanfu said, “Aside from that person and me, there should only be one other party that is aware of what happened that day. I can help you kill that person and conceal your secret.”


    “I don’t believe sir to be so generous and capable as to kill Consort Li.”


    Jing Wen ‘looked’ at Hua Quanfu and said, “Neither you nor the force behind you is capable of kill Consort Li. Even if sir can gather half a dozen peak Qi Manifestation state experts through some means, the loss is considerably more significant than the boon I can give.


    The smile on Hua Quanfu’s face deepened as he heard Jing Wen’s word. He said, “Killing Consort Li is something I intend to do regardless of your participation. It’s simply a gesture of goodwill once our collaboration begins… As for your secret, I have no intentions of exposing it as long as we don’t come into direct conflict. Even if you steal the elixir of immortality, I will still maintain my silence.”


    Jing Wen said, “It seems that elixir of immortality is fake then.”


    Hua Quanfu leaned against his chair and said playfully, “No, the elixir of immortality is indeed real. However, even if you steal it, what will it do? I merely need to take out any container and call that the elixir of immortality after injecting it with some of the Great Shaman’s aura. Any of your actions are inconsequential.”


    Jing Wen said, “It seems like you are rather confident in your ability to trick all of Lin’an.”


    Jing Wen and Zhou Aimin had initially planned in Jing village to reveal the elixir of immortality before the Emperor before any conflict can begin in Lin’an. However, if what Hua Quanfu said were true, then all of that would be for naught.


    Hua Quanfu looked at Jing Wen and chuckled. “How many Emperors sought eternity without even an iota of its existence? Now that there is a ‘real’ elixir of immortality is right before them, who would doubt its authenticity. It’s said that countless red-haired barbarians search for a city of gold conjured by a few fools.”


    Jing Wen shook his head. “Once someone drinks the elixir and becomes immortal, others will know the authentic elixir no longer exist.”


    “How can they prove they have immortality?”


    Hua Quanfu said expressionlessly, “Marquis Jing, my elixir only prevents aging and not physical wounds. It will take decades for one to prove themself immortal.”


    Jing Wen drank the tepid tea and said, “It seems that Sir has already consumed a part of the elixir of immortality.”


    The only other explanation was that Hua Quanfu simply did not desire immortality. However, Jing Wen did not even think that would be the case.


    Hua Quanfu looked at Jing Wen and said, “Regardless of who consumes it, the outcome will remain unchanged. Marquis Jing, if you wish to be the mantis blocking the cart (螳臂擋車 - partake in a futile effort), you will risk the reputation of both you and your father.”


    Hua Quanfu’s words had shed light on Jing Wen’s most profound and darkest secret. Moreover, Jing Wen was utterly powerless against it. If he killed Hua Quanfu at this moment, that matter would certainly be exposed by the people behind him.


    Jing Wen’s face grew faintly crimson.


    Was it because he had drunk wine tonight?


    Jing Wen drunk from the teacup once again, emptying it of its contents. Afterwards, the red flush on his face subsided; he made a gesture of courtesy and left the tavern.


    The winter breeze quieted, and the ripples created on Hua Quanfu’s left returned to its tranquil state.


    Mo Yuan walked out of the kitchen and looked at Hua Quanfu silently. He asked, “Why the effort?”


    Hua Quanfu said with an unreadable expression, “Once one loses their bottom line, they can cross it countless times more.”


    “If he had killed me then, the scale of the tragedy that will take place in Lin’an will decrease. However, he did not. He allowed countless more lives to be sacrificed than risk that secret being exposed and tainting the reputation of his father.”


    “Such a unique form of selfishness maintains the purity one needs to ‘xian’ state, yet allows him to kill countless without blinking an eye. If that can be manipulated, the world will finally gain a second immortal that walks in the mortal realm.”