“Fake wine?” Hearing Hua Guzi’s judgment, Ning Zhuo raised his brows. “Are you certain?”

Hua Guzi thumped her chest forcefully, wobbling as she assured, “Young master, I am a Spirit Chef. Though I’m not skilled in brewing wine, spiritual wine is still within my domain.”

“This wine recipe is indeed contradictory. There’s no mistake.”

After pausing, Hua Guzi continued, “I just tasted a sip, and discovered two main ingredients in this wine. One is Yellow Springs Water, the other is Night Wanderer Grass.”

“Yellow Springs Water can stabilize the soul, often used in alchemy and talismans, but as a brewing material, it is too cold. It directly harms the drinker’s yang energy.”

“Night Wanderer Grass grows in dark and damp places, used to enhance spirit and soul power, but its nature is gloomy. It is unsuitable for cultivators of the living world, yet well-suited for ghost cultivators of the underworld. Thus, it is often associated with resting places of the Night Wanderer Spirit.”

“Both Night Wanderer Grass and Yellow Springs Water are yin-cold substances. Their powers are too similar, lacking complementary effects. Instead, they make the wine monotonous, bringing yin ailments to cultivators.”

After finishing her explanation of the main ingredients, Hua Guzi moved on to the supplementary ones.

She took another small sip of the Deep Thought and Brewing Intent, her fingers forming seals repeatedly.

Before long, she looked at Ning Zhuo and asked, “Young master Ning Zhuo, I believe the supplementary ingredients should be Moon Dew, Nether Jade, and Mermaid Tears. Am I correct?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head slightly, no longer hiding the truth. “As far as I know, the first two are correct, but the last is not Mermaid Tears, it is Nine-Tailed Fox Tears.”

Hua Guzi responded with a solemn nod. “Moon Dew does moisten and calm the mind, but its cold nature is often used to neutralize hotter ingredients in spirit food and pills. In the Deep Thought and Brewing Intent, however, it only amplifies the coldness. Instead of balancing, it makes the wine excessively cold and extreme.”

“Nether Jade is an underworld specialty, often used to craft artifacts. It is heavy, yin in nature, good at protecting and stabilizing the soul. But as a supplement, it is too heavy and stagnant, hindering the circulation of spiritual energy within the wine. The taste cannot remain light. Its strong absorptive quality draws away the other spiritual essences, leaving the wine dull and stripped of liveliness.”

“The last is Nine-Tailed Fox Tears. Such tears are rare and precious, with the power to clear away distractions and purify the soul. But as they are bound to emotions, their effects fluctuate greatly and are hard to control. Compared to the cold yin materials mentioned earlier, the warmth within Nine-Tailed Fox Tears cannot harmonize them.”

“Simply because too little was used. I couldn’t taste it earlier! In this case, the Nine-Tailed Fox Tears were overwhelmed by the coldness of the wine, its effects smothered and devoured.”

After finishing, Hua Guzi concluded, “So in summary, the main ingredients are too similar in nature, stripping the wine of variation and depth, leaving it rigid.”

“The supplementary ingredients—Moon Dew and Nether Jade—only intensified the coldness and heaviness.”

“The only hope, Nine-Tailed Fox Tears, was used too sparingly to balance the yin. And since it resonates with emotions, it clashes with the frigid wine, creating a huge emotional contrast. If the drinker’s heart is unstable, they could fall into soul turbulence, leading their emotions to extremes, even into loss of control.”

Hua Guzi pondered aloud, “If it were me, I’d remove some of the main and supplementary ingredients, and use warm or yang materials to balance it.”

“For example, Sunfruit, Scarlet Flame Ganoderma, Ziyang Lotus Seeds—or to be bolder, even Phoenix Golden Down.”

Hua Guzi’s attitude toward Ning Zhuo was unlike her demeanor with others.

Her explanation was utterly sincere, without a trace of deceit.

Ning Zhuo thought for a moment, then asked, “But could this wine allow one’s thoughts to drift into the underworld, to comprehend the wisdom of the ancients, and receive guidance from beyond?”

Hua Guzi’s eyes widened, and she laughed. “How could that be? Young master, were you deceived?!”

Ning Zhuo sank into thought once more.

He tasted the wine again. Its flavor was unchanged.

Could Linghu Jiu have deceived him?

But judging by Linghu Jiu’s temperament, that was impossible. If Linghu Jiu didn’t wish to share the last jar of wine, he could have simply claimed it was finished. Why go to such trouble?

Hua Guzi saw Ning Zhuo lost in thought. Frowning, she wanted to ease his worries, so she offered, “If young master truly wishes to communicate with the underworld to gain guidance, there are safer ways.”

“The most orthodox and safest way is an ancestral sacrifice.”

“Because of blood ties, underworld spirits would not easily harm us. Instead, they would benefit during the ritual, regaining reason and humanity.”

“In truth, the separation between the realms of yin and yang is natural. There is reason behind it.”

“Underworld substances are steeped in coldness, warping temperament, breeding hatred and resentment. Thus they harbor envy, longing, and destructive intent toward the living.”

“For us cultivators of the living world, excessive contact is dangerous.”

“Otherwise, countless troubles will follow.”

Hua Guzi worried for Ning Zhuo, expressing genuine care.

But Ning Zhuo did not listen carefully. He was pondering deeply.

As his investigation progressed and Hua Guzi revealed the flaws of Deep Thought and Brewing Intent, the matter grew increasingly complicated.

“What is the truth?”

“Where exactly did I sense the strangeness?”

“Was Hua Guzi wrong? Or was Linghu Jiu wrong? No… or perhaps both of them were right?”

Ning Zhuo’s mind drifted, lost in thought.

Hua Guzi, watching him intently, felt her heart stir. “As expected! Even with furrowed brows, young master Ning Zhuo looks so dignified.”

“I really want to pull his head into my arms and rub it thoroughly.”

Such fervent feelings could not be hidden. Through the Divine Ability—Life Hanging by a Thread, Ning Zhuo sensed it quickly.

Ning Zhuo: …

He hastily asked Hua Guzi to leave.

“I’ve been driven out, driven out by young master Ning Zhuo!” Hua Guzi left his Cave Residence, eyes dazed, cheeks flushed red with frustration.

Ning Zhuo, back in his Cave Residence, stopped pondering.

“At this point, with fog everywhere, I should wait for ancestor’s decision before making judgment.”

The Spiritual Plant Cabin within the Wanli Dragon was already empty.

The Lingyin Willow had been taken away by Ning Jiufan.

That left Ning Zhuo feeling hollow, deeply unsettled.

Not long after, Ning Jiufan returned to him, bringing updates from further negotiations.

The news was mixed.

The good news: after Sect Master Lin Bufan personally examined the Lingyin Willow, he accepted it, stating it could indeed be healed, though it would take great effort—countless time and immense resources.

These resources were mostly Nascent Soul-level. Ning Jiufan immediately used his Earthfiend Fire as a deposit, paying Lin Bufan on the spot.

The bad news: as for the recipe of Deep Thought and Brewing Intent, Lin Bufan flatly declared it non-negotiable, a forbidden item not for sale.

After discussing with Ning Jiufan, Ning Zhuo admitted that drinking Deep Thought and Brewing Intent brought him no further effect. Ning Jiufan then advised, “Given the tense negotiations, let’s set the wine aside for now, and focus on the Lingyin Willow.”

“It seems Sect Master Lin Bufan also wants to make use of the Lingyin Willow, securing several slots for his sect’s promising disciples. Of course, this hinges on it being fully healed.”

“In my view, this is acceptable! But it depends on you, since the Lingyin Willow was gifted to you by the Mountain God of Mist-Hidden Mountain.”

Ning Jiufan’s advice was clear, with two points.

First, agreeing would greatly ease the Ning Family’s financial burden.

Second, giving the Myriad Medicines Sect a few slots would deepen cooperation, forging a stronger, lasting bond between them.

Ning Zhuo nodded, agreeing to the proposal.

At the same time, he told Ning Jiufan of Hua Guzi’s evaluation.

That revelation left Ning Jiufan puzzled as well.

The two of them speculated together, but to no avail.

“The Deep Thought and Brewing Intent is now a minor issue. Overthinking is pointless. Let’s seize the main matter. What do you think?” Ning Jiufan finally suggested.

Ning Zhuo sighed helplessly and nodded.

Outwardly he agreed, but inwardly he could not let it go.

That strange feeling grew stronger. Intuition told him—Deep Thought and Brewing Intent was a flaw, a hidden crack he had stumbled upon. The truth buried inside was likely shocking.

That night, Ning Zhuo tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

At dawn, he solemnly instructed Sun Lingtong, “Elder brother, there is an important letter you must personally deliver!”

He ordered Sun Lingtong to quietly drive the Wanli Dragon far from the Myriad Medicines Sect, deliberately avoiding their influence, then send the letter from a Courier Station within the Southern Dou Country to the capital.

Yes, this letter was again addressed to Zhu Xuanji.

Zhu Xuanji would surely be astonished to receive it so soon. He would not expect Ning Zhuo to send him a second letter so quickly.

In truth, even Ning Zhuo himself had not planned it.

Once Sun Lingtong secretly returned with the Wanli Dragon, Ning Zhuo confirmed it, then took the National Cellar Yearning Wine, and set out again for the Ten Thousand Demons Cave.

“Brother Linghu, I’ve come again!” Ning Zhuo carried a wine jar, brimming with excitement.

Linghu Jiu laughed heartily. “Please, please.”

“Good brother, what fine wine have you brought this time?”

Linghu Jiu sniffed, but no fragrance escaped. That was because the jar, taken from the royal treasury by Zhu Xuanji, was crafted with exquisite precision. Not a single wisp of aroma could leak out—the wine was firmly sealed inside.

Ning Zhuo sat down casually upon entering the cave, placing the jar on the stone table.

He tapped it lightly. “Brother Linghu, allow me a little suspense. Once it’s opened, won’t everything be revealed?”

“Where’s the wine bowl?”