Jiang Chen didn't mind the socializing, but when Tian Shao went to get some wine, Jiang Chen stopped him.
"Old Tian, what wine are you getting? If we're drinking, we're drinking mine." Jiang Chen fished two wine flasks out of his Storage Ring.
They were none other than Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine — and Spirit Grade at that.
Back when Jiang Chen had refined a total of ten flasks, he'd given two to Shi Xiaoyao and later presented another one to Grand Tutor Ye at his birthday banquet. He'd kept the rest and hadn't touched a drop.
Since they were drinking, Jiang Chen naturally wouldn't be stingy about bringing out two flasks.
"Is... is that Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine?" Tian Shao couldn't take his eyes off the flasks. He'd gone along with Ye Rong to the Grand Tutor's birthday banquet that day too. The whole affair had left a deep impression on him.
With just that one flask of wine, their gift had become the highlight of the banquet, and Tian Shao himself had earned the chance to consult the Grand Tutor on a question.
It was something he'd never forget for the rest of his life — a vivid memory.
"That's right, Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine. But it's not the same grade as the ones sold on the market. This is Spirit Grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine. The ingredients are extremely precious, and the process is far more elaborate. The brewing difficulty is more than ten times that of the common-grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine."
"Spirit Grade?" Zhou Gui's eyes lit up. He wasn't the kind of hopeless drinker that Shi Xiaoyao was, but he certainly loved his cup.
Especially on the way back from the betrothal banquet that day, Shi Xiaoyao had bragged the entire way about how the Spirit Grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine he'd tasted was an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience — a completely different league from the common grade.
Zhou Gui had bought and tasted the common-grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine before, and in his mind, it was already an unrivaled pinnacle among wines.
But after hearing Shi Xiaoyao go on and on, Zhou Gui had become utterly fascinated by the Spirit Grade version and had never stopped thinking about it.
He never imagined he'd get the chance to taste it today, entirely by chance.
The Ancient Vine Cups couldn't be found on short notice, so wooden cups would have to do. For Spirit Grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine, as long as you poured and drank immediately, the spiritual energy loss was minimal.
The moment the Spirit Grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine went down his throat, both Zhou Gui and Tian Shao froze.
An unprecedented sensation of bliss surged through their entire bodies in an instant.
In that moment, they suddenly understood why Shi Xiaoyao had rambled on and on about it, why he'd said the Spirit Grade Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine was simply incomparable to the common grade.
Truly incomparable — they weren't even in the same league.
After a full cup, neither of them could speak for a long time. Finally, Zhou Gui let out a sigh: "This wine belongs only in heaven — how many times in a mortal lifetime can one drink it?"
"Chen Shao, if this wine were put on the market, it would fetch an absolutely sky-high price. No wonder the Grand Tutor picked it as the banquet's crowning treasure. His eyes are truly extraordinary — not something ordinary people can compare to," Tian Shao praised.
After that, Zhou Gui and Tian Shao stopped being polite. The two of them went cup after cup, draining both flasks of Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine completely — not a single drop left.
Seeing them enjoy it so much, Jiang Chen felt happy too. After all, the fact that wine he'd brewed could bring joy to his friends was itself a delightful thing.
Once the wine was gone, Zhou Gui, riding on a buzz, chuckled: "Chen Shao, the other day at the betrothal banquet at Qianlan Southern Palace, I heard Elder Fei mention that this Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine, along with the Divine Show Creation Pill and the Evergreen Pill, were all your handiwork. When I got home, I bragged a bit to my wife, and that landed me in serious trouble. Now I barely dare go home every day. My head is killing me."
"Oh? Brother Zhou, what do you mean?" Jiang Chen asked with a smile, sensing that Zhou Gui was being a bit dramatic.
"Sigh, I only have myself to blame for running my mouth. I mentioned the Evergreen Pill — mentioned that Elder Ning took one and looked at least ten years younger — and my wife went absolutely crazy. She stayed up all night, night after night, pestering me with questions. Every time I come home now, she brings up the Evergreen Pill. Chen Shao, I know you've given the formula to Qianlan Southern Palace for development, but when do you think they'll actually be able to produce it?"
Jiang Chen laughed, finally catching on to what Zhou Gui was after.
Fortunately, from the last batch of Evergreen Pills he'd refined, there were still a few left. The top-grade ones were gone, but there were still a couple of mid-grade ones.
He pulled one out right then: "Brother Zhou, Qianlan Southern Palace mass-producing them probably won't happen anytime soon. I happen to have one left here — consider it a gift for your wife. A small token; nothing grand."
To Jiang Chen, these pills were hardly worth fussing over — about as replaceable as fruit. Giving one away to return a favor? Why not?
Zhou Gui flustered: "This — how can I accept this? It's priceless! I can't take it. How about I pay for it?"
Tian Shao laughed: "Deputy Steward Zhou, Chen Shao is a true friend. If he says it's a gift and you insist on paying, he'll only be offended."
"Old Tian's right. Brother Zhou, you see me as a friend and you helped me with something big. We're going to haggle over a single pill? That'd be insulting."
Zhou Gui chuckled sheepishly, and with some persuasion from both Jiang Chen and Tian Shao, he finally accepted the pill.
Don't be fooled — Deputy Steward Zhou might hold a position of great authority in the Dragon Tooth Guard, but at home, he was firmly the second-in-command. His wife was the undisputed head of the household.