Li Zhexian traded ten cups of "Bloody Mary" for a jar of clean water.
He then mixed in a few handfuls of fragrant herbs to mask his aura.
Only after that did the suffocating scent of blood around him finally subside a little.
Only then did he push open the door and step outside.
Just as he did, another door creaked open nearby.
Qian Renxue stood there, drying her damp golden hair.
Droplets slid down from the ends, catching the dim light—
and her face, dewy with mist, seemed almost ethereal.
In the fading daylight, her brows were like painted silk, her lips a soft shade of rose.
Even the twilight seemed to brighten around her beauty.
She stood like a dream within the twilight courtyard.
Li Zhexian smiled.
"Today's a good day!"
"I've managed to get hold of some immortal brew again!"
"Let's celebrate properly!"
"Alright!"
Qian Renxue's bright eyes lit up.
She dried her hair with her Light Spirit Power, rolled up her sleeves, and was about to rush toward the kitchen
Li Zhexian quickly stopped her.
"Let me handle it—you can just assist."
His cooking wasn't exactly impressive,
but compared to Qian Renxue's "talent" (which could stretch his neck two miles long in agony),
he was undoubtedly the better chef.
After a round of clattering pots and fragrant steam—
Li Zhexian placed a steaming pot of soup on the stone table in the courtyard.
Qian Renxue followed behind him, smiling sweetly as she carried the bowls and chopsticks.
The two sat together beneath the withered old tree.
Li Zhexian had just lifted his chopsticks when—
"Wait!"
Qian Renxue suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
Li Zhexian looked up in surprise.
Qian Renxue's lips curved into a faint smile.
She lifted the wide sleeves of her newly changed white silk robe,
and from her hands flowed threads of warm, luminous energy—
tiny motes of Light drifting upward like summer fireflies.
They floated to the dead branches overhead—
and in an instant, the withered tree came to life.
Petal by petal, radiant white blossoms of pure light bloomed silently,
casting a soft, dreamlike glow over the entire courtyard.
"This…"
Li Zhexian looked at her in astonishment.
Her cheeks flushed under his gaze.
Turning her head slightly to hide her embarrassment, she murmured,
"This way… the atmosphere feels better, doesn't it?"
Li Zhexian clapped his hands and laughed in delight,
then shook his head with a wry smile.
"I fear my humble cooking can't live up to such beauty."
"Too bad the Slaughter City has no proper inns or restaurants…"
"That's not true!"
Qian Renxue frowned delicately.
"Your cooking is wonderful!"
As if worried he wouldn't believe her, she lifted a sleeve, picked up a bit of food with her chopsticks, and popped it into her mouth.
Her cheeks puffed adorably as she chewed—then she gave him a glowing thumbs-up.
"Delicious! Much better than mine!"
Li Zhexian couldn't help but laugh.
"The food is just a side dish. The real star tonight—"
He patted his waist pouch.
With a flash of light,
a small jade gourd appeared on the table, filled with a crimson liquor as clear as liquid rubies.
Even before the lid was opened,
a heady fragrance began to fill the air—
rich but not overpowering,
carrying a faint trace of blood,
and yet… alluring enough to tug at one's very soul.
Just by breathing in the scent,
both Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue felt their cheeks flush with warmth.
It wasn't drunkenness—
but rather, the surge of blood energy roaring through their veins.
The Dao of Blood Energy is profoundly mysterious.
Those with strong bodies naturally possessed abundant Blood Energy.
Yet that same essence was easily depleted—
by hidden injuries, overexertion, or the slow passage of time.
One whose Blood Energy flowed strong
healed faster, restored Spirit Power more swiftly,
lived longer, and even subtly strengthened their body and bones.
But though tempering the flesh was simple,
replenishing one's life-blood was far harder.
Medicines or methods that nourished it were exceedingly rare—
and used carelessly, could easily devour their user instead.
"This wine…"
Qian Renxue looked at Li Zhexian, her bright eyes filled with curiosity and expectation.
She knew full well—
Li Zhexian lived for wine,
and possessed the uncanny art of brewing immortal-grade spirits.
Every time he produced a new batch,
it carried some astonishing, world-defying effect.
This wine was no ordinary brew.
Li Zhexian broke the clay seal and poured a cup each for himself and Qian Renxue.
Half the gourd still remained —
some he would keep to mix into the Clear Spring Wine Gourd, to nourish his Wine Martial Soul.
As for the rest…
he already had plans in mind.
"This wine is called Forgetful River Blood Resentment Fragrance."
Li Zhexian lifted his cup.
The crimson wine within shimmered faintly, like liquid blood amber.
"The name sounds sinister, but in truth, it's the finest immortal brew under heaven for replenishing Blood Energy."
"Its true wonder lies in its ability to forge a Blood Energy Treasure Body."
He paused, eyes flashing with excitement.
"Once the Treasure Body forms—your lifespan lengthens, your Spirit Power restores like a flowing spring,
your muscles and bones grow harder than steel."
"Most importantly—it greatly enhances recovery from all wounds."
Qian Renxue's heart trembled violently as she listened.
Such miraculous effects—
how could this be called wine?
It was clearly a legendary divine elixir!
She opened her lips, whispering instinctively:
"This is too precious…"
Li Zhexian frowned.
"Xue'er, you know I don't like hearing that."
She bit back the words that followed, then smiled—
a smile of breathtaking beauty—
and raised her cup.
"Then let's drink together."
"Good!"
The two cups met with a soft clink.
Ripples spread across the blood-amber liquid.
They looked into each other's eyes—
and drank it all in one motion.
Boom—
Boom—
As the wine slid down their throats,
a surge of invisible force exploded outward from within their bodies.
A faint red mist, visible even to the eye,
rose from their pores like vapor off a boiling lake.
In an instant, both Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue's faces flushed red as blood.
Hum—
Hum—
Beneath Li Zhexian's skin,
three distinct lights began to flicker—
ice blue, crimson flame, and silver violet.
"Haa…"
He exhaled a long, turbid breath—
even the breath itself shimmered faintly red-hot.
He could feel it—
His Spirit Power had become denser, more refined.
His bones crackled faintly as the torrent of Blood Energy tempered them.
His skin and hair gleamed faintly, like polished jade.
Within the channels of his Triform Spirit Meridian Body,
a new color emerged—vivid crimson, brimming with boundless vitality.
Unlike the heat of fire,
this red was thick, alive—carrying a vast, steady life force.
His Triform Spirit Meridian Body had evolved once again.
Not only had his physical strength surged,
but his body now possessed a terrifying ability to regenerate.
The effect of Forgetful River Blood Resentment Fragrance
far exceeded even Li Zhexian's expectations.
"It's not over yet…?!"
Even after the initial strengthening,
his blood surged through his veins like molten lava—
not subsiding, but growing more and more violent.
"Hah… hah…"
Li Zhexian panted heavily.
His eyes burned crimson,
his throat was dry, temples pounding—
as though his skull might burst at any moment.
Then—
he heard Qian Renxue's rapid, trembling breaths from across the table.
A faint fragrance drifted toward him—
fresh yet tinged with warmth,
sweet and intoxicating.
He lifted his bloodshot eyes toward her.
Qian Renxue's body glistened with a fine sheen of sweat.
Her golden hair clung damply to her flushed cheeks.
Her lips parted slightly,
each breath soft and fragrant.
The golden clarity of her eyes was veiled now with a misty shimmer—
half dazed, half alluring.
Her brows knitted faintly,
her gaze flickering toward him—
carrying an unspoken charm,
like an angel fallen from heaven into mortal warmth.