"Why?" Chu Feng asked.
"Because from that day on, my idol became Qing Xuantian," the Elven King said.
"This..." Chu Feng was genuinely surprised. He had never expected that the king of the Ancient Elves — the undisputed strongest martial artist on the Martial Holy Continent — would idolize Qing Xuantian, a mere human.
In that moment, Chu Feng couldn't help but imagine just how powerful Qing Xuantian must have been in his prime, to have won the allegiance of the current Elven King.
"Qing Xuantian was an emperor among emperors. In my eyes, he is the only true emperor there ever was."
"He not only saved the Martial Holy Continent — he also saved my Ancient Elves. He is a benefactor to all, and even future generations should never forget his great kindness."
"However, because the Elven King was once defeated by Qing Xuantian, my Ancient Elves were obligated by our agreement to share many of our ancient celestial pools with the other clans."
"This caused a great deal of hostility toward Qing Xuantian among many of our people. But there were also those who held Qing Xuantian in high regard, because the Ancient Elves had indeed been rather domineering in certain matters, and Qing Xuantian was simply being fair."
"It was precisely because some recognized Qing Xuantian while others resented him that the relationship between my Ancient Elves and Qing Xuantian became one of both rivalry and friendship."
"And now, in young friend Chu Feng, I see the shadow of Qing Xuantian. But I... do not wish for a relationship of both rivalry and friendship with Chu Feng. I want to be only a friend to young friend Chu Feng — never an enemy," the Elven King said.
"What Your Majesty says is exactly what Chu Feng has been thinking." Chu Feng raised his cup proactively.
The Elven King smiled and clinked cups with him. They drained a single cup together, but the Elven King still felt it wasn't satisfying enough. "The cups are too small. Why don't we switch to bowls?"
Seeing this, Chu Feng simply lifted the entire wine jug and said, "Why not just drink straight from these?"
"Haha, young friend Chu Feng is right. Very well, let's drink from the jugs then." The Elven King raised his own wine jug as well.
Though martial cultivators possessed formidable strength, wine could still intoxicate them, because the wine of the cultivation world was special in its own right.
Yet both of them had extraordinary tolerance for drink. That entire night, they consumed dozens of jugs between them, and neither became drunk.
Chu Feng need not be mentioned — his body was impervious to all poisons, so poison couldn't make him dizzy, let alone wine.
As for the Elven King, he didn't seem to possess any special constitution. He simply had an exceptionally high tolerance for alcohol.
Unlike Chu Feng, who was immune to all toxins and could drink as much wine as he pleased without being affected, the Elven King, while not drunk, did begin to grow flushed in the face. He even started talking more — a clear sign that the alcohol was taking effect.
But for Chu Feng, this was a good thing. It allowed the Elven King to open his heart and speak more freely.
"Young friend Chu Feng, the world beyond... I cannot go there. But I know that one day you will be able to. And if you do go, could you help me find someone?" the Elven King said.
"Find someone?" Chu Feng's expression shifted, and he immediately asked, "Who?"
"Miaomiao's mother," the Elven King said.
"Princess Miaomiao's mother?" Hearing this, Chu Feng's eyes lit up. He thought to himself that there was clearly a story here.
So Chu Feng didn't press further. Instead, he watched the Elven King, waiting for him to continue. Now that the Elven King had broached the subject, he would surely tell Chu Feng the whole truth.
"The reason I know for certain that there are martial cultivators beyond the heavens is because Miaomiao's mother came from there," the Elven King said.
"Princess Miaomiao and Princess Ling Yue aren't sisters born of the same mother?" Chu Feng asked in surprise.
"Everyone assumes that Miaomiao and Ling Yue share the same mother, but they don't. This secret was known only to me and Ling Yue's mother — and now you as well," the Elven King said.
"Your Majesty, what exactly is going on?" By now, Chu Feng couldn't help but press for details. This involved someone from beyond the heavens, and he had no choice but to ask. After all, the world beyond the heavens was the very place Chu Feng would one day set out to conquer.