Chapter 6

Hearing this sound, Fang Xu frowned and looked toward the door.

Is it him?

Outside the door stood a young man wearing a blue silk shirt, his face somewhat gaunt.

This young man was Zhang Mingliang, the second young master of the Zhang Clan in Maple Forest Town, a notorious playboy who, relying on his family's influence, had committed many acts of bullying men and women over the years.

"Heh heh... Young Master Zhang has arrived." The old man who had been greeting Fang Xu saw Zhang Mingliang, hastily shoved Fang Xu aside, and rushed over with a fawning smile.

Zhang Mingliang glanced at the old man and said lightly:

"Where is Aunt Wu?"

"Quickly bring out all the Blood Qi Pills from Fragrant Permeate Hall; I, the young master, intend to break through to the Martial Apprentice Realm today!"

The old man returned a smile, bowed, and said: "Please wait a moment, Young Master Zhang; I'll go fetch the proprietor right away."

"No need." As his words fell, a beautiful woman in purple robes walked out from the inner hall of Fragrant Permeate Garden. She was about forty, well-preserved, and even more charming than Wang Ergou's wife, Madame Wang.

"Aunt Wu." Upon seeing the woman, Zhang Mingliang slightly restrained himself and performed a cupped-fist salute.

This woman is Wu Ningxue, daughter of the Wu family patriarch, a seventh‑level Martial Apprentice Realm cultivator who usually oversees Qinxinzhai and enjoys considerable prestige in Maple Forest Town.

Zhang Mingliang dares to be arrogant in front of others, but he does not dare in front of her.

"Zhang family brat, have you completed organ refinement?" Wu Ningxue said indifferently while sizing up Zhang Mingliang.

Zhang Mingliang gave a hehe laugh, rather arrogantly said: "Aunt Wu, quickly bring out all the Blood Qi Pills; I'll take them all."

The Zhang family controls the entire blood food business in Maple Forest Town, they are filthy rich; to him, ten taels of silver per Blood Qi Pill is nothing—he could eat them like candy.

Wu Ningxue didn't respond to his words, but turned and glanced at the silent Fang Xu standing aside.

"Uncle Li, is the Fang family brat also here to buy Blood Qi Pills?"

The old man hurriedly clasped his hands: "Yes, Young Master Fang wants five Blood Qi Pills."

Wu Ningxue nodded, looked at Zhang Mingliang, and said: "Zhang family brat, business follows first‑come, first‑served. Qinxinzhai currently has fifty Blood Qi Pills; aside from the five the Fang family brat wants, I can give you the rest—how does that sound?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Mingliang frowned slightly, somewhat dissatisfied, and said: "How can that be?"

"I, the young master, intend to breakthrough to the Martial Apprentice Realm today; if I fail because I lack these five Blood Qi Pills, wouldn't that waste this opportunity?"

Hearing this, Wu Ningxue smiled faintly.

Breaking through to the Martial Apprentice Realm depends on daily accumulation; Blood Qi Pills are merely auxiliary. Zhang Mingliang's usual cultivation relies on piling up large amounts of blood food and pills, so his foundation is unstable; if he is destined to fail the breakthrough, adding a few more Blood Qi Pills would be of no use.

"Qinxinzhai does business with an open door; the rules must not be broken."

"If Young Master Zhang truly wants to take all fifty Blood Qi Pills, he can only negotiate with the Fang family brat himself,"

Wu Ningxue kicked the ball onto herself, causing Fang Xu to frown secretly.

"You Wu family don't want to offend the Zhang family, so you're dumping this trouble onto me?"

"I, the young master, remember you—you are Fang Xu, grandson of Old Man Fang, right?" Wu Ningxue spoke, and Zhang Mingliang, having no choice, came before Fang Xu and said arrogantly,

Maple Forest Town isn't very big; Fang Xu's grandfather is the town's finest carpenter, a local celebrity, which is why most people in town know Fang Xu.

"Young Master Zhang." Fang Xu, neither humble nor overbearing, gave a slight clasped‑hand salute.

Seeing this, Zhang Mingliang laughed, stepped forward, grabbed Fang Xu's hand, and said: "Fang Xu, I, the young master, urgently need Blood Qi Pills; just give me those five as well."

With Wu Ningxue present, Zhang Mingliang didn't dare to be too presumptuous.

Fang Xu's face showed difficulty.

He has now mastered the organ‑refining method and also urgently needs Blood Qi Pills to aid his cultivation.

The Wu family patriarch's pill‑refining skill is not high, so the output of Blood Qi Pills is limited; missing this chance likely means waiting at least ten or so days for new Blood Qi Pills.

"Fang Xu, consider it a favor I owe you—let's become friends, how about that?" Seeing Fang Xu hesitate, Zhang Mingliang spoke again.

Huh?

Become friends?

Zhang Mingliang's words caused a gleam to flash in Fang Xu's eyes.

Friends are great!

What I lack most right now is friends.

Having friends gives him a chance to inherit their legacy; with that legacy, he can become stronger.

As the second young master of the Zhang family, Zhang Mingliang is certainly not comparable to the scoundrel Wang Erdog; befriending him seems quite good.

But the problem is Fang Xu still hasn't figured out how the system defines a friend.

Is a verbal agreement enough to count as a friend, or does one need to perform some ritual or meet other conditions?

Never mind, let's give it a try!

Having made up his mind, Fang Xu immediately smiled and said: "Young Master Zhang, if I refuse after you've said this, it would be somewhat ungrateful."

"This friend, Young Master Zhang, I have decided upon."

After saying that, he hurriedly waited for the system's response.

After a moment, the system seemed to have no movement, which left him somewhat puzzled.

Could it be that a verbal agreement doesn't count as a friend?

Then… what exactly counts as a friend?

His thoughts raced, and Fang Xu suddenly noticed the two jars of homemade liquor in his hand.

That was liquor he intended to give to Lu Zhiyuan, but he hadn't sent it yet.

Young Master Zhang.

Fang Xu hurriedly called out to Zhang Mingliang, who was about to leave with the pills.

Zhang Mingliang turned, looking at him with some doubt.

Fang Xu raised the wine jar in his hand and smiled: "Young Master Zhang, I'd like you to try my homemade liquor."

Since the verbal agreement isn't recognized by the system, I'll try adding a ritual.

"Want a drink?" Zhang Mingliang froze for a moment, apparently showing a bit of interest in Fang Xu's homemade liquor, then immediately smiled and said: "In that case, I'll gladly accept it, Young Master."

Speaking, Zhang Mingliang gestured to the attendant beside him to take the wine jar from Fang Xu's hand.

But Fang Xu waved his hand and said: "I've heard Young Master Zhang enjoys and understands liquor; I'd like to ask you to sample it now, and if you could give some advice, I could improve it further when I go back."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Ningxue beside him also seemed interested and said: "Fang Xu, Aunt Wu also wants to taste how your homemade liquor really is."

"Li Bo, go fetch a few bowls from the back."

The old man heard this, bowed, walked to the back, and shortly returned carrying a stack of porcelain bowls.

Fang Xu secretly rejoiced; he had originally planned to befriend only Zhang Mingliang, but if this succeeded, even Wu Ningxue and the others could become his friends.

He's made a big profit.

The old man arranged the bowls, while Fang Xu swiftly opened one of the wine jars and filled each bowl.

The rich aroma of the liquor instantly filled the entire Fragrant Refreshment Hall.

This is the most satisfying thing he has brewed using his past-life experience, far more fragrant than the famed maple-leaf liquor of Maple Forest Town.

Everyone in the shop inhaled the aroma, all wearing expressions of bliss.

After pouring the wine, Fang Xu raised a bowl first and said to the others: "I, Fang Xu, toast you all; drink this bowl and we are friends!"

Wu Ningxue, the old man, and Zhang Mingliang were already eager to taste the liquor, not caring about anything else; they each picked up a bowl and raised it, saying: "Friends, let's taste!"

As the four drank it all in one go.

Suddenly, a light screen appeared before Fang Xu.

Friend List (3/10)

Friend One: Zhang Mingliang of Maple Forest Town, Qinghe County, Huangzhou Prefecture (15%)

Friend Two: Wu Ningxue of Maple Forest Town, Qinghe County, Huangzhou Prefecture (71%)

Friend Three: Chu Li of Maple Forest Town, Qinghe County, Huangzhou Prefecture (68%)

Looking at the list on the light screen before him, Fang Xu smiled.

Glug—

Just as everyone was still savoring the flavor of the wine, a sound of gulping saliva sounded inopportunely.

Zhang Mingliang glanced at the attendant beside him, kicked him angrily, and said: "You embarrassing thing!"

The attendant, having been kicked, hung his head and dared not speak.

Seeing this, Fang Xu's heart stirred; he immediately took out two porcelain bowls, filled them with wine, and handed them to the two, saying: "Whoever sees this gets a share; drink this bowl and we are friends."

The two dared not accept, and both looked toward Zhang Mingliang.

Zhang Mingliang snapped: "Young Master Fang already said so—just drink."

"Really wasting good stuff..."

Hearing this, the two finally gratefully took the wine and drank it down in one gulp.

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(End of chapter)