Chapter 537: Chapter 525: Does It Hurt?

Baili An bowed his head in a daze, staring at the empty white jade wine cup, seemingly puzzled.

Su Guanhai was also gaping, his expression one of shock.

Below the platform, the myriad of men who had long admired the immortal name of Su Jing watched the scene, inevitably feeling bittersweet.

In their hearts, Su Jing was like this unworldly, pure-as-white-jade lady, untainted by wealth, color, or the fumes of wine.

If sitting at the same table with the young man was due to the binding of the sea demon’s tendrils,

What, then, did it mean for her to block a drink for him now?

Marquis Changming and Daoist Du held their wine cups, stunned for a long while, but seeing Su Jing’s gaze coldly sweeping over, the two could only smile wryly and raise their cups, draining the Sanqing Wine within.

This Sanqing Wine was a famous local brew of Xianling City, made with thousand-year frost and snow from Kunlun Mountain. It took a hundred years to brew just thirty jars, each cup precious, the clear wine intoxicating.

Had it not been for the banquet, Marquis Changming, who oversaw wine affairs in the lord’s palace, would not be so generous as to serve Sanqing at every seat.

The lingering effect of this Sanqing Wine was such that even Cultivators struggled to resist it.

Perhaps due to his perennial companionship with wine, Marquis Changming’s complexion remained unchanged after a cup, whereas Daoist Du seemed somewhat flushed.

Marquis Changming shook his head with a smile and turned around to take another jug of wine, filled another cup, and chuckled, “I had thought the Young Sect Master Miss Jing was a hermit, always with the green mountains, befriending the wind and snow. I did not realize you and the City Lord were on such good terms?”

Su Jing succinctly spit out two words: “Not close.”

Upon hearing this, the sons of various Immortal Sects couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. They knew that with Su Jing’s personality, if she said they weren’t close, it could only mean just that.

Marquis Changming’s brows lifted playfully, “The cup I toasted earlier was to the City Lord. If the Young Sect Master truly isn’t close to him, then for what reason did you block a drink for the City Lord? Perhaps this act seems inappropriate?”

Su Jing’s eyebrows raised coldly as she replied, “He said he is not good at drinking.”

Marquis Changming’s eyes twinkled with deeper mirth.

Baili An, seeing his veiled sharpness, frowned secretly without making a sound, turned to look at the lady beside him, and murmured, “Miss Su Jing, do not worry. It’s okay.”

Su Jing also turned her gaze, piercing Baili An, “Do you think I am worried about you?”

Baili An did not know how to answer this question, but he heard her continue, “You say you are not good at drinking. If he toasts you once, surely there will be more to follow. If you were to die drunk here, would you prefer me to carry you out or drag you out?”

Only a person like Su Jing could say “carry you out” so icily, utterly devoid of any tenderness.

It was then that Baili An felt the awkwardness brought on by the sea demon’s tendrils. However, upon reflection, he felt that Su Jing was being overly concerned. As a corpse demon himself, he was naturally immune to drunkenness, and the worst he could suffer would be a temporary discomfort.

Yet, in front of the countless members of the Immortal Sects, Baili An could not expose his identity.

Marquis Changming let out a hearty laugh and lifted his cup again, saying, “What is this you’re saying, Young Sect Master? The City Lord is personally chosen by Her Majesty herself. Even if he’s not skilled in the art of drinking, what harm is there in fulfilling one cup?

Daoist Du echoed, “Indeed, as this is the banquet celebrating the new City Lord’s succession, it is only polite to honor the occasion.”

Both were stubbornly insistent on the matter of toasting, giving no chance for rebuttal and simply downing their drinks.

Baili An, having no choice, poured himself a cup of Sanqing Wine, raised it, and drank.

The clear liquor scorched his throat with its potent aroma, the rich fragrance of the alcohol overwhelming, catching Baili An entirely off guard.

A cup of wine poured down his throat before he realized he could actually taste the flavor of the Sanqing Wine.

Baili An’s brows knit as he glanced at the empty cup with its lingering drops, thinking the wine brewed from the Snow of Kunlun seemed extraordinary.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Qing Xuan holding a jug of Sanqing Wine, gently shaking it, though it was unclear if she meant to praise the wine or clear someone’s confusion unwittingly.

“The Snow of Kunlun, the Sanqing Wine, is known as the liquor of the Six Paths, with all living beings in the world having spirit, anyone with a heart can savor its pure delight. Drinking this wine not only reaches the stomach but the bones and the heart as well. For the City Lord to taste this wine is not a bad thing.”

No wonder.

Baili An pursed his lips silently, feeling the flush of alcohol seeping into his bones.

He mused that if he were to be truly drunk and a mess in such a place, the likely outcome would indeed be Su Jing dragging him away with the vine trailing behind.

He silently set down the wine cup. With the sea demon’s tendrils unbroken, he was bound to be alone with Su Jing tonight; getting drunk would be unseemly.

Seeing him finish a cup, Marquis Changming and Daoist Du indeed did not persist in troubling him further and returned with their wine cups to their seats.

Yet tonight Baili An, as the host and sitting at the head, could not be approached by Cultivators pulling Qing Xuan to toast. But their desire to converse with Baili An did not wane for a moment.

Thus, one after another, people rose from their seats, lifting their cups: “I am Wang Huan from Fengbo City, toasting to the new City Lord. I hope the City Lord will honor me with his presence.”

Marquis Changming and Daoist Du had toasted, and he had drunk; were he to refuse others, he might earn a reputation for being opportunistic and insincere.

Baili An, with a lucid mind, clearly understood their intentions. He smiled and shook his head, saying directly, “I have very little face left to give; if I give any more, it’ll be gone.”

The message was clear: I won’t drink, what can you do about it?

The man’s face darkened, not expecting the new City Lord of Xianling City to be so untamed. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Su Jing beside Baili An once again raised her cup, took a drink, and with a rather cold gaze, gave the man a look.

Wang Huan’s face stiffened; he dared not provoke her and forced a smile, saying, “To share a drink with the Young Sect Master is a great fortune in my life. Since the Young Sect Master is willing to block a drink for the City Lord, Wang Huan dares to offer another cup.”