Chapter 23: The Second Senior Sister, Chu Qing (Part Two)

“A little jug of each? Don’t even think about it! You’re only eight years old. At most, you can have a taste of nectar, but fruit wine is out of the question. Besides, all my newly brewed varieties are being sent to Fragrant Pavilion—how could I let you waste them?” Unfortunately, Chu Qing was entirely unmoved by her cuteness. With a sharp slap, she brushed aside Ji Mo’s hand, scolding her with a stern face.

“What do you mean, eight? I had my birthday last month—I’m already nine!” Ji Mo puffed out her cheeks in protest.

“Is there really a difference between eight and nine?” Chu Qing reached out and knocked her on the head.

“Senior Sister, what is Fragrant Pavilion? It sounds like the name of a restaurant.” Ji Mo muttered to herself, calling her stingy, but not wanting to dwell on the topic of her age, she quickly changed the subject, her eyes darting as she seized on Chu Qing’s earlier words.

“It is a restaurant. Fragrant Pavilion is a tavern I opened in the various immortal markets throughout the Cloud Sea Dynasty. My dream is to see Fragrant Pavilion in every corner of the Azure Profound cultivation world.” As Chu Qing spoke of her tavern, her face shone with dazzling brilliance, her eyes brimming with fervor.

Chu Qing was, by all accounts, an oddity. She came from the Chu family, a seventh-rank cultivation clan in Parrot Prefecture of the Cloud Sea Dynasty. The current family patriarch had, in his youth, weathered hardship with Lei Wei, forming a deep friendship. Chu Qing was the most gifted of her generation, and at the tender age of six, the old patriarch had packed her off to Thunder Peak.

This girl possessed a supreme metal spiritual root, perfectly attuned to practice the Divine Thunder Manual. Naturally, Lei Wei could not refuse such a disciple. Thus, at six, Chu Qing became Lei Wei’s second apprentice. After arriving on Thunder Peak, she did not disappoint—she completed Qi induction in five days, built her foundation in ten years, and condensed her core in a century.

Her cultivation speed was scarcely less than Lei Wei’s in his prime. But after forming her core, she became increasingly distracted, engrossing herself in the craft of nectar and wine-making. It has been one hundred and twenty years since her core formation, and only now has she reached the mid-stage, a sluggish pace given the escalating difficulty of the Divine Thunder Manual. Since advancing to mid-stage core, she had devoted herself even more to brewing, much to the consternation of Thunder Peak’s elders, who saw her as neglecting her proper path.

But Chu Qing herself didn’t see it that way. She was just over two hundred years old and already a mid-stage core cultivator—by ordinary standards, her speed was extraordinary. Core cultivators lived for eight centuries, after all.

For someone with over eight hundred years to live, what harm was there in indulging a little in her passions at just two hundred? As for what others thought, she hardly cared.

Life, she believed, was to be savored through food, drink, pleasure, and play. If even these joys were denied, and one only cultivated day and night, what delight was there in such an existence? Should anyone try to strip her of her greatest passion—her path of brewing—Chu Qing would sooner abandon such a life.

Cultivators with such unconventional views as Chu Qing were rarely accepted in the cultivation world. Fortunately, she had the good fortune to meet Lei Wei, a master who valued individuality and never stifled his disciples’ interests. Thus, she thrived in Moonwatch Sect.

“Senior Sister, what is the outside world like? Is it fun? Where is your Fragrant Pavilion? When will you take me there?” Ji Mo saw the light in Chu Qing’s face and could not help but feel a surge of envy. For as long as she could remember, she had only known Zhao Village and now the Moonwatch Sect. She had no idea what the world outside was truly like.

“The world beyond is marvelous—countless facets of life, each place with its unique charm and flavor. You must experience it for yourself. But to do that, you must first be able to protect yourself. You know our world reveres strength. Without power, you will be oppressed wherever you go.”

“If you can’t even lift your head, how can you enjoy the pleasures of life? As for my Fragrant Pavilion, when you’re a little older, I’ll take you.” Chu Qing lowered her gaze and, seeing the longing in Ji Mo’s eyes, felt her heart soften. She reached out to ruffle Ji Mo’s hair and, for once, offered her earnest advice.

“I will work hard, Senior Sister.” Ji Mo’s eyes shone with determination. In that moment, the usually lazy and cunning girl was, for once, resolved to cultivate diligently—all because she wanted to see the outside world.

The Peony Immortal, who resided in her sea of consciousness, was nearly moved to tears. What kind of host had she chosen? All her threats and temptations had failed to inspire Ji Mo’s interest in cultivation, yet at the mention of the world’s delights and fine wine and food, she was instantly resolved to strive. Could a child so enamored of mortal pleasures truly walk far down the great path?

Ji Mo had no inkling of the Peony Immortal’s complaints, and even if she did, she would have ignored them. With Chu Qing’s permission, her excitement grew, and she cast her eyes again at the jars of fruit wine, the enticing aroma swirling from their lids, scheming how to persuade Chu Qing to let her sample them.

“Senior Sister, look—as your junior, if I go to your tavern one day but know nothing of wine tasting, wouldn’t that make you a laughingstock?” Ji Mo’s mind spun swiftly, and she clung to Chu Qing’s sleeve.

“And?” Chu Qing, too lazy to brush her off again, folded her arms and looked at Ji Mo askance.

“So, you should teach me the art of wine tasting early! That way, when I’m grown, my skill will be unmatched. I can sit in your tavern and critique each wine with flair and precision, becoming a living signboard for your business!” Ji Mo blurted out.

“Oh my, Mo’er, you understand the art of promotion at such a young age—remarkable! If only you’d been born in... What a pity, what a pity.” Chu Qing first stared, then applauded, repeating her lament.

“What’s the pity?” Ji Mo was startled by Chu Qing’s reaction.

“Ahem, nothing. You have a way with words and you’ve convinced me. I’ll let you try five kinds of fruit wine. But don’t be fooled by their mild flavor—the aftereffects are strong. You’re too young, and your cultivation has only just begun, so you mustn’t have more than three sips of each per day, understand?” Chu Qing cleared her throat and changed the subject.

“I’ll remember—thank you, Senior Sister!” Ji Mo exclaimed with delight, throwing her arms around Chu Qing’s slender waist.