In the separate courtyard.
Chu Feng kept rubbing his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face. After a long while, the corners of his mouth curled slightly.
"Of course it can be done. It's just a little troublesome, but it doesn't really count as a challenge."
As soon as he spoke, the two women still seated showed curious expressions.
Chu Feng smiled and said, "You'll find out in a few days."
Upon hearing that, the two women's faces lit up with anticipation. Elder Bing then pointed at the two people who had slumped over the table and asked, "Then what about those two?"
"That's simple."
As Chu Feng spoke, he casually dipped a drop of wine from his cup and wrote two characters in the air: "Rise" and "Return."
The characters floated over to the two and, to everyone's amazement, the two individuals floated into the air and drifted off toward their own courtyard.
The two women were completely stunned by the sight.
Qin Qin thought to herself, 'I must never get drunk again. Being sent back like that is just too embarrassing.'
Elder Bing asked, "If I get drunk in the future, will you send me back like that too?"
Chu Feng: "..."
He looked her up and down carefully, then said solemnly, "Of course not. I'll have Qin'er support you back."
Elder Bing was delighted when she heard the first part, but her expression immediately returned to normal at the second part.
"Sir, I'll take my leave first."
Without waiting for Chu Feng's reply, she turned and walked back to her room alone.
Chu Feng didn't notice anything unusual and simply said to Qin Qin, "Qin'er, you should head back early too."
"Yes, Master."
Qin Qin glanced at her master, then looked at Elder Bing's room, shook her head slightly, and said nothing.
After returning to his room, Chu Feng began grinding ink and wrote three large characters—Nanhua Jing—on a blank scroll.
The next day at noon.
Nie Xiuyuan woke up to find himself in the courtyard. He scratched his head and thought, 'How did I get back here?'
Soon, fragmented memories from right before he blacked out surfaced in his mind.
'Good thing I didn't say anything stupid last night. Otherwise, I might not be able to learn Master's supreme brewing technique.'
After tidying up, Nie Xiuyuan headed to the main courtyard. Just as he reached the entrance, he ran into a gloomy-looking Xu Caichen.
"Senior Brother."
"Senior Uncle."
The moment they spoke, Xu Caichen froze on the spot. After a long pause, he finally said, "Senior Uncle… are you still drunk, or am I still drunk?"
Nie Xiuyuan laughed and said, "I officially became Master's disciple yesterday. Master said we should stick to the proper ranks—from now on, you'll call me Senior Uncle, and I'll call you Senior Brother."
Xu Caichen: "..."
The two entered the courtyard but didn't see Chu Feng. From Qin Qin, they learned that Master was in seclusion, writing a cultivation method specifically for Nie Xiuyuan.
Nie Xiuyuan hadn't expected Master to take his matter so seriously. After bowing respectfully in the direction of Chu Feng's room, he turned and left.
Seven days later, at dusk.
Chu Feng stepped out of his room holding the seven inner chapters of the Nanhua Jing.
"We pay our respects to Master."
Qin Qin and the other two slightly bowed to Chu Feng.
"No need for formality."
Chu Feng yawned as he walked toward the stone table in the courtyard. Everyone's eyes stayed fixed on the scroll in his hand.
He placed the scroll on the table and said to Nie Xiuyuan, "Xiuyuan, this scripture will allow you to comprehend the Dao in your dreams. It will help you cast aside all distractions and devote yourself wholly to brewing."
???
Elder Bing looked full of doubt. 'You're giving a disciple such a precious scripture… just to teach him your brewing technique?'
Nie Xiuyuan, however, beamed with joy as he received the Nanhua Jing.
"Many thanks, Master! I'll make sure to master your brewing technique in my dreams soon. But… can I read this Nanhua Jing while drunk?"
Qin Qin: ???
'This Senior Uncle Nie really can't go a sentence without mentioning alcohol. How did someone like him even stay in a place like the Academy of Inquiry, a holy land for cultivation?'
Chu Feng chuckled and said, "No problem. If you can't see it clearly while drunk, it just means your wine isn't strong enough, and you won't grasp the principles within. In that case, your dreams will still be as chaotic as before, and you'll be tormented by nightmares your whole life."
Such a novel viewpoint—Nie Xiuyuan had never heard anything like it. People used to tell him not to drink, but here, his Master was saying the problem was not drinking enough.
Off to the side, Xu Caichen raised his hand and asked, "Master, doesn't drinking too much just make a person more troubled? How could it make someone clearer?"
The corners of Chu Feng's lips curled slightly. "Sometimes, being able to face the troubles in your heart is also a form of clarity. If a person can't even confront the things they fear most, then living is no different from being drunk."
Xu Caichen was deeply moved by those words. The one thing he had always been afraid to face was the moment his wife was taken away. Every time he drank, that scene would flood his mind, and so he chose to quit drinking.
"Master, I'd like to hear that poem you once mentioned. Would that be all right?"
"Of course. But this isn't the right place to listen to such a poem. Let's go somewhere else to eat."
As Chu Feng spoke, he waved his hand and took the entire table with him, then rode his sword toward an open area on a cliffside of Miaomiao Mountain.
Seeing this, everyone quickly followed through the air. Xu Caichen was left stunned on the spot and shouted up at the others in the sky, "Senior Uncle, I can't fly yet!"
Nie Xiuyuan paused in midair, casually reached out, grabbed Xu Caichen by the collar, and soared through the sky with him.
Xu Caichen, now airborne, quickly shut his eyes tight.
After some time, he finally realized he had landed.
Once Chu Feng sat down, everyone else followed suit. Though they were all curious about the poem Xu Caichen had asked about, no one disturbed Chu Feng while he ate and drank.
Time passed with the wind.
Night fell, and moonlight bathed the land.
Everyone was now somewhat tipsy. Chu Feng grabbed the wine bottle from the table and stood up, his eyes bleary as he looked at Xu Caichen.
"Caichen, watch closely as I demonstrate. Whether or not you walk this path in the future depends on yourself."
As he finished speaking, he drew the treasured sword beside him.
Staring at the sword in his hand, Chu Feng took another drink.
As the alcohol surged through him, he slowly closed his eyes, recalling countless poems he had read in his past life.
Gulp... gulp...
He took another deep swig, then stepped forward and shouted, "Zhao guest wears a leisurely barbarian tassel, Wu hook gleams like frost and snow!"
As he spoke, the sword in his hand swung through the air again and again.
The others watched as large, bold characters were carved onto the face of the cliff opposite them.
With one verse complete, Chu Feng took another strong swig and continued in a loud voice:
"Silver saddle shining white horse,
Galloping swift like a falling star.
Ten steps, one kill,
A thousand miles, no trace left behind.
Once the deed is done, flick the robe and go,
Hide away name and self."
Each sip of wine, each line of verse, left the onlookers stunned.
Elder Bing, a master of the sword, stared at the characters etched on the cliff. Each one carried a profound sword intent that left her dazed.
To her, every single character on the cliff seemed to embody a powerful sword technique. Each one she gazed at sent waves of sword truth toward her.
In Qin Qin's eyes, Chu Feng had become one with the heavens and earth. Every motion was perfectly natural. The true meaning contained in each character benefited her immensely.
Clang!
The cup in Nie Xiuyuan's hand dropped to the ground as he murmured, "Neither drunk nor sober, immersed and selfless... Between heaven and earth, only one man and one sword. Master is guiding me."
"No, Master is guiding me," Xu Caichen added immediately. "Every character Master wrote contains the true essence of the literary Dao. I've read of this state in ancient texts—this is what a Confucian sage's great teaching scene looks like. Seems I can't quit drinking after all."
Chu Feng didn't hear the discussions around him. The long sword in his hand continued to dance as his resonant voice echoed in everyone's ears.
"Who can transcribe the scriptures below? The Supreme Classic in white hair's grasp."
As those final words fell, silence descended all around.
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