Chapter 132: Bonfire, Farewell (I)

"Young Hero Niu, this immortal's brew is what I bought seven years ago in town to make tosusu wine." Before Granny Sun even arrived, her voice already couldn't hide her joy.

Upon reaching Niu Dingtian, she handed over the wine jar and said with a smile: "Later the girl wanted to study martial arts, but the mistress wouldn't allow it, so the rest has been sealed till now. Tonight is the girl's apprenticeship feast, so I entrust this wine to you!"

Tosusu wine, also called "year wine", is a staple for New Year in the current Song dynasty, meant specifically for children and elders.

Moreover, children must drink first, elders after, to celebrate the child growing a year older while symbolically subtracting a year from the elder's life.

Although Lin Shinv usually handles worldly affairs, she wouldn't pay attention to these external customs.

But before Granny Sun entered the Ancient Tomb Sect, she had lived outside for many years, and many traditional customs had become deeply ingrained in her words and deeds.

Thus, while raising Li Mochou, she inevitably poured some of her own beautiful blessings into her.

"Fine wine," after taking a deep sniff, Niu Dingtian couldn't help praising.

And Li Mochou, Miss Huang, and Han Xiao Ying all had their mouths slightly open in astonishment, their faces full of disbelief.

After Miss Huang and the two others returned and the dishes were laid out, Granny Sun went back into the Ancient Tomb Sect to bring out Little Dragon, then sat on the other side of Lin Shinv.

The last two drumsticks he gave to his own people; among the three there was no need for such formality.

A sudden angry shout came from Lin Shinv as she exited the Ancient Tomb Sect.

Niu Dingtian's meaning was already clear: I only regard your disciple as a child, feeling a bit sorry for her loneliness since childhood.

With a wave of his hand he turned wine to ice; to her it seemed a divine trick, and looking at Niu Dingtian's fair, tender face she suddenly felt dazed.

Just then Granny Sun came out carrying two plates of hot dishes, and the wafting aroma eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.

Seeing her master's angry face, she immediately stammered: "Mas-master... Master... why are you here?"

Li Mochou, wearing a floral wreath, crouched to one side, her eyes fixed on Niu Dingtian's hand movements, two flickering flames reflected clearly in her pupils.

Such a muddled question—of course your master came out to eat; aren't you welcoming him?

"Thank you, big brother!" the little girl happily took it.

He truly harbors no thought of abducting underage girls; as for Miss Huang beside him, she's already of legal age!

At the same time, amid the astonished gazes of those present, the wine in the bowl froze at an imperceptible speed, the whole bowl soon coated in white frost, as if turned into an ice sculpture.

Niu Dingtian was not surprised by the shock of those before him.

She still didn't know what had happened outside; upon coming out she saw a girl with her head down, and assumed she'd made a small mistake that angered the young lady.

Evidently they intended to let this matter slide; compared to the principle issue she had just considered, this suddenly seemed utterly trivial.

About a quarter of an hour later,

"All right!" Niu Dingtian laughed: "Today I received a floral wreath from Little Mochou; this first portion is for you—try it and see if it's improved over the taste you had last time at the temple."

Lin Shinv simply sat silently opposite, her gaze lightly on the bonfire, as if lost in thought.

"Not to be repeated," Lin Shinv said lightly.

"Once the master found candy wrappers in the Ancient Tomb Sect and wanted to scold Mochou, Granny Sun said she had eaten them herself."

She had finished the rabbit leg in her hand, grease smeared around her mouth, and was staring unblinking at big brother as he poured wine into his mouth.

At this moment, the first rabbit had already lost both hind legs.

Since there was no wine earlier, he could only make do with some honey-glazed roasted meat.

Therefore, for a brew like immortal's drunk, in this era basically no one possesses the ability to freeze it instantly.

Such an early vintage of immortal's drunk is now rare to find on the market; even his own estate's stock is scant, yet he didn't expect to have enough today in the Ancient Tomb Sect.

"Big brother, Mochou will tell you a secret," Li Mochou suddenly whispered into Niu Dingtian's ear:

And Lin Shinv, glaring at her senior disciple, felt her anger rise to the extreme.

"Big brother, does this wine taste good?" Li Mochou asked in a clear voice.

Niu Dingtian only felt waves of youthful breath blowing, making his ears slightly itchy, with a faint stirring in his heart.

"Well..." After Granny Sun came to her senses, her gaze toward Niu Dingtian already held a hint of awe.

If Granny Sun weren't here today, this half-jar of fine wine would likely gather dust, sleeping in the dim Ancient Tomb Sect.

Li Mochou nodded seriously.

But being this close, it made Miss Huang on the other side glare with puffed cheeks, thinking resentfully: "This little minx surely has no good intentions!"

Li Mochou accepted it somewhat embarrassed; she indeed hadn't eaten her fill, and after tasting the honey-glazed rabbit meat she didn't even touch the dishes Granny Sun had carefully prepared.

Just now, seeing the two so intimate, in her anger she assumed Niu Dingtian had harbored lascivious thoughts, trying to hook up with her worldly-naïve senior disciple.

Turning water to ice is not hard; with extreme yin-cold cultivation it can be done, but changing it to wine makes it extremely difficult.

Witnessing this scene, Lin Shinv's gaze locked, fixed unblinkingly on the wine bowl.

"She originally thought she could keep this little secret, but didn't expect Lin Shinv to discover it just now."

"In that case, Lin Shinv would have been better off sending her to an ordinary family to live an ordinary, mundane life."

The wine's potency gradually rose, also stirring a hint of sorrowful parting.

After receiving it, she wanted to place it in her young lady's bowl, but Lin Shinv's gaze refused.

The scene just now truly struck her eyes; naturally she could no longer allow her disciple to continue sitting beside a man.

"Mochou!"

"Miss, what... what's happening?"

"She's still a child!" Niu Dingtian inwardly cried out in injustice.

But after reacting, he couldn't help feeling a bit dazed; at twelve years old, like when he first followed the young lady and met Wang Chongyang, some adolescent thoughts perhaps weren't clear even to himself.

"Could this person be an old man who's returned to youth?" Granny Sun couldn't help thinking.

"Seven years ago?" Niu Dingtian took the wine jar, slightly startled, then chuckled: "I never imagined that when I first started my career, Granny Sun would also have contributed a share."

While he was busy, Han Xiao Ying and Miss Huang followed Granny Sun back into the Ancient Tomb Sect, either carrying dishes or fetching bowls and plates.

Niu Dingtian shifted his target, after breaking off another leg he handed it to Lin Shinv, saying: "Last time we parted outside Luoyang City, I thought we were merely passing strangers; I never expected to see you again today."

Han Xiao Ying saw this, hurried forward to take the plate, and said with a chuckle: "Granny Sun, your secret of sneaking snacks for Little Mochou back then has just been exposed."

Hearing the sound, Li Mochou jumped aside like a frightened little rabbit.

"Thank you," Lin Shinv said softly after taking it, and upon glancing at the baby dragon in the swaddling clothes, her attitude became noticeably gentler than before.

Niu Dingtian set down his wine bowl, tore off a rabbit leg and handed it over, smiling: "Little Sister Mochou, you tasted this wine when you were young, didn't you? How did you forget the flavor so quickly?"

Granny Sun treats Mochou very well; every time she goes out from the Ancient Tomb Sect to the town, she secretly brings Mochou some snacks.

As for the little dragon I brought over, she surely does not want her to continue living the same life.

Helpless, he could only have sold Granny Sun and Li Mochou, but with a perfectly good apprenticeship feast before him, he couldn't just call it off, and immediately spoke solemnly:

"After all, Little Sister Mochou is still a child; having long lived in the mountains without playmates, I think her natural disposition shouldn't be just erased like that."

Not long after, several pieces of rabbit meat began to sizzle and release oil; Niu Dingtian flipped them over, then started sprinkling wine on the venison beside them.

At this moment, the stars and moon hung high, all was silent; occasional gentle breezes wafted by, carrying fragrant scents that made the meat aroma feel refreshed.

After Granny Sun left, Niu Dingtian reached out to remove the sealing mud from the jar's mouth, gently lifted the cloth cover, and a rich wine aroma instantly rose from the jar, rushing toward him.

"Am I drunk?" Niu Dingtian thought languidly.

Niu Dingtian looked at the wine in his hand, his heart stirred, and he slowly activated the Yin power within his body with his right hand.

"Oh~" Li Mochou's eyes betrayed her disappointment as she walked over honestly and sat beside her master.

Since there was nothing else, Niu Dingtian continued with the work at hand.

Even, she had wondered whether this person had already lost his martial arts.

Now with Granny Sun's help, he directly split off a pile of fire and placed the small deer weighing several dozen jin on it.

But Lin Shinv opposite seemed to have already decided that he was trying to hook up with her disciple, and even her gaze that came over began to carry a hint of killing intent.

Perhaps Miss Huang still had a tiny little complaint in her heart about Li Mochou getting the first share earlier, but out of respect for the floral wreath on her head, she honestly began gnawing on the rabbit leg meat.

At this moment, Li Mochou was like a little chatterbox, incessantly sharing the little secrets in her heart.

"How high?" Niu Dingtian blinked, surely higher than your master, but how should I answer?

Obviously, Li Mochou now feels extremely guilty, but only because of the secret she just shared; regarding other right-and-wrong matters, she truly still lacks this awareness.

"Thank you, Young Hero Niu!" Granny Sun hurriedly stood up holding the little dragon, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the favor.

When her gaze fell on the opposite big disciple with his head bowed, after settling the floral wreath, Lin Shinv instructed: "Come sit by the master's side."

For some reason, when he looked again at Lin Shinv opposite, who was leisurely tearing apart rabbit meat, he felt she too was a pitiful person.

"And back then……"

"They say one day as a teacher makes you a father for life; I was able to pick up the little dragon by fate, but from now on you will be her closest kin, so the days ahead will trouble you, Lady Lin."

Although it was just some wine, it added considerable warmth to the icy Ancient Tomb Sect; expecting the cold and aloof Lin Shinv to entertain outsiders with fine food and drink is unlikely unless her mistress speaks up.

The several people, as if by tacit agreement, all quietly watched Niu Dingtian's hand movements; as he turned things over, occasional "sizzle" sounds of oil could be heard.

Seeing Granny Sun's puzzlement, Han Xiao Ying couldn't help but laugh and explain: "This Immortal Drunk is brewed from his own estate; if Granny Sun had known him years ago, she would surely have sent him several jars."

She only knew Niu Dingtian was strong; his move in the ruined temple last time had already made her feel apprehensive, but after this meeting she simply could not sense any aura from him at all.

Despite a thousand precautions, she never expected that after relaxing a moment, this disciple would be so close to someone of the opposite sex; looking again at Niu Dingtian, her face was also covered with a chill.

These are all old grudges; she had already cut off the young lady's supply last year, but she never expected them to be dug up today.

Lin Shinv also paused her hand movements, lowering her gaze to look over.

"Miss, this……" Upon looking at her own young lady, Granny Sun's face showed some embarrassment.

And regarding the earlier misunderstanding, she acted as if it had never happened,

"Rong'er, Xiao Ying sister, this is yours," Niu Dingtian said with a smiling tone.

Having said that, he glanced at Li Mochou beside him, who was nervously clutching her garment's edge, and sighed softly: "If one lived a whole life and never even enjoyed the simple happiness a normal child should have, what meaning is there in coming into this world?"

The wine contains a large amount of ethanol, and its freezing point is as low as over a hundred degrees below zero.

Granny Sun pursed her lips and smiled, wiping her hands on her apron, and said: "Ladies, please wait; the food will be ready soon, I'll go call the young lady first."

Niu Dingtian lifted the wine jar, poured a bowl of wine, didn't touch the roasted meat nor the side dishes, and began drinking it gulp after gulp.

Saying that, he broke off a piece of honey-glazed rabbit leg meat and handed it over to Li Mochou.

"Granny Sun truly is warm-hearted!" Niu Dingtian sighed lightly while holding the wine jar.

After breaking off the second rabbit leg, Niu Dingtian fixed his gaze on Granny Sun and smiled: "You've worked hard today, Granny Sun; from now on, looking after the little dragon will also trouble you, so this second rabbit leg must go to you!"

As for the older brother's answer, she seemed to fall into recollection, but after thinking for a long time she still couldn't recall the exact flavor she had tasted back then.

Upon hearing this, Lin Shinv's icy expression softened considerably; although she usually treats people coldly, she is also not unreasonable.

Seeing this, Niu Dingtian slowly set down the wine jar in his hand and said with a smile: "Just now Little Sister Mochou told me that Granny Sun, whenever she went out in past years, would secretly bring her some snacks,"

"Big brother, my master said your martial arts are very high; just how high? Is it stronger than my master?" Li Mochou seemed to become a chatterbox again, eyes full of curiosity, not even bothering to eat the rabbit leg in her hand.

"Little Sister Mochou, what do you think of this elder brother's martial arts—is it formidable? How does it compare to your master's?" Niu Dingtian asked with a smiling tone.

Glancing at Lin Shinv opposite, his pupils flickered slightly.

In the world of martial arts, one peak is always higher than another; don't keep treating the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra as scripture to practice. (End of chapter)