Chapter 20 – Summer Ember Wine

  Tranquil City was nestled at the base of the towering peak that housed the Tranquil Mountain Sect. It was a vibrant sprawl of orderly buildings, clean streets, and well-maintained marketplaces that pulsed with the steady rhythm of life.

  The city was larger than it appeared when looking down at it from the Sect. It was a place where some of the spiritual energy from the Sect gently filtered down, making it an attractive hub for wandering cultivators, clans, and merchant families seeking to trade in goods and services that cultivators needed.

  Every Sect, large or small, would eventually attract people to service the people who lived there or hoped to become cultivators themselves. The Tranquil Mountain Sect was one of the largest Sects on the Southern Continent, and in its ten thousand years of history, Tranquil City had grown with it.

  There was a constant flow of blue or grey-robed Disciples visiting the City, with goods and services being traded back and forth.

  If Tranquil Mountain Sect was the heart of this place, then Tranquil City was the blood that kept it pumping. Even the Nine-Treasure Pagoda did most of its business with the shops in Tranquil City, selling and buying items in large amounts.

  But the main reason people flocked to Tranquil City was the peace and security brought by the Sect above. The people enjoyed a level of protection that was rare, even on the Southern Continent. Sure, they would have to pay tribute to the Sect annually, but, in return, they never had to worry about spiritual beasts, demons or demonic cultivators attacking them.

  Even crime was relatively rare within the walls of the city, with Outer Sect Disciples frequently taking tasks from the Task Board in the Sect in exchange for Contribution Points.

  When Jun De and Ren Qiu stepped through one of the gates into the city, the effect was immediate. The crowd parted subtly around them, and their heads turned in quiet curiosity.

  The sun gleamed off their clean, blue robes embroidered with the Sect’s sigil on the back, a mountain wrapped in mist, and the wooden Sect Tokens that hung from their belts shimmered clearly with spiritual energy.

  They were young, refined, and unmistakably from the Tranquil Mountain Sect, and even if the city housed many Disciples, the pair stood out.

  Jun De, in particular, drew more than his fair share of attention. His striking features, his elegant posture and his radiant aura, made him difficult to ignore. Whispers followed in his wake as shopkeepers paused mid-haggle, and young women pretended not to stare at him.

  But Jun De wasn’t paying attention to them. His eyes were roaming the bustling streets, staring at the colourful awnings that stretched over food stalls containing spicy skewers of meat and steaming bowls of noodles.

  Alchemist’s shops advertised pills, while others promoted artifacts, relics and cultivation manuals or techniques. The smell of incense, food and herbs blended in the air.

  “This place is perfect. It’s like the Sect but with food, drink and chaos.” Ren Qiu said to Jun De, his mouth curved into a wide grin as he looked at everything. He had his fan in his hand, and he was tapping it rhythmically as he walked.

  Jun De nodded absently, his eyes scanning every passerby. His thoughts were focused on a single task, and his gaze was sharp. He wasn’t in Tranquil City just for the wine.

  ‘I haven’t seen anyone I’d like to get to know better!’ Jun De lamented as his heart sank. Maybe his standards were too high, but Jun De was still young, and he wasn’t willing to compromise.

  ‘The life of a cultivator is long, and this one has just started for me. I’m sure I will meet the perfect woman eventually!’ Jun De exclaimed in his mind as he tried to look on the bright side and cheer himself up.

  They arrived at a restaurant nestled near the heart of Tranquil City, with a carved wooden archway that proclaimed it the Jade Whisper Pavilion. It was a tall and elegant building that rose gracefully above the nearby rooftops, with curved eaves adorned with talismans that shimmered faintly with spiritual energy.

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  Jun De could smell the fragrant aroma of seasoned meats, steamed buns, exotic teas and fine wines from the entrance while the delicate sounds of music reached his ears.

  Inside, a middle-aged woman in a pale, lilac-coloured robe sat on a low dais, her fingers dancing across the strings of a Guqin with masterful precision. The tune she was playing sent a wave of familiarity through Jun De, and it tugged at his memories of Earth, but he couldn’t name the song.

  Ren Qiu inhaled deeply and sighed with satisfaction.

  “My father brought me here before I joined the Sect. Only the best restaurant can offer a view of the city and the finest wine.” Ren Qiu explained, his voice tinged with nostalgia as he recalled the last time he had been here.

  As if sensing their presence, a slender man in silver-blue robes appeared in front of them and bowed low.

  “Honoured guests from the Tranquil Mountain Sect, this way, please. I have prepared the finest table our humble establishment can offer.”

  The pair were led upstairs, through carved lattice screens and silken drapes, to a private table on the third floor. The room was quieter and a bit cooler than below from a breeze through the large windows that offered a stunning view of both the Tranquil City and the mist-wreathed Tranquil Mountain in the distance.

  They could still see and hear the musician below, and Jun De took a moment to enjoy her playing as Ren Qiu spoke to the manager who had shown them to their table.

  “Bring us a jar of Summer Ember Wine.” Ren Qiu ordered with a wave of his hand.

  The manager’s eyebrows rose ever so slightly in response to the order before bowing against and disappearing down the stairs. Jun De suspected that the wine was either expensive, uncommon or both.

  When the wine arrived, it came in a lacquered black jar that was sealed with talismans written in gold and red ink. As Ren Qiu broke the seal, Jun De smelled something sweet with a sharp, herbal undertone. The young man poured them each a glass of clear, pale red liquid that shimmered faintly with threads of silver.

  Ren Qiu swirled the liquid in his glass and watched the way it caught the light from the window. A faint, almost mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked up from the glass at Jun De.

  “Have you had Summer Ember Wine before, Senior Brother Jun?”

  Jun De lifted his own glass to his nose and inhaled the fragrant, slightly spicy aroma.

  “No, this is the first time. I do not have much experience with the joys of wine.” Jun De replied, thinking about his past life.

  He had been too busy studying and with after-school activities to improve his chances of entering university to spend any time drinking. Even when he enrolled in one of the top schools in the country, he hadn’t gone to mixers or bars with his classmates.

  Ren Qiu smiled and nodded.

  “Ah, then savour it! They say it’s named for the burn it leaves, like the last days of summer when the sun still clings to the sky, but you can feel the change of seasons approaching. It burns warm and lingers just long enough to remind you that nothing lasts forever.”

  “You have a way with words, my friend!” Jun De praised as he raised his glass and took a sip, letting the wine roll over his tongue. It was rich and smooth, with a warmth that was slow and subtle, before blooming in his chest like the sun warming the earth and fading after a moment.

  The golden Qi within his Dantian stirred as the energy in the wine surged into his meridians, but thankfully, there was no disturbance around him.

  Jun De let out a low, relieved breath and let a satisfied smile curl his lips.

  “This was a wonderful idea, Ren Qiu.” Jun De murmured as he set his cup down gently on the table and let the music and the atmosphere of the restaurant wash over him.

  “Of course it was, Senior Brother Jun. Tranquil City may not have the grandeur and spiritual energy of the Sect, but it certainly has its charms.”

  Jun De laughed and looked out the window toward the cityscape and the mountain in the distance before turning back.

  “It does indeed.”

  Ren Qiu leaned back in his chair with his wine glass in his hand and listened to the music coming from below. The woman was playing well, and even Ren Qiu, who came from a wealthy and well-connected family, could find no fault in her performance.

  “Are you enjoying the music?” Ren Qiu asked as he noticed that Jun De’s attention kept coming back to the musician. Ren Qiu was wondering if Jun De had an interest in the woman playing, which would have been out of character for his Senior Brother.

  Ren Qiu hadn’t noticed Jun De take any interest in the women of the Sect or during their time in the city.

  Truth be told, neither Ren Qiu nor anyone else in the Outer Sect thought Jun De would have an interest in mundane matters. A reincarnated immortal like him, which the rumours all confirm that he is, would have no interest in women.

  Jun De nodded his head slowly while his eyes remained fixed on the middle-aged woman below, who was playing a song with intense concentration.

  “I am, but I can’t remember the name of the song. I’ve heard it a long time ago, but…” Jun De trailed off, and a frown appeared on his face.

  Ren Qiu, listening for a moment, answered.

  “It’s called ‘Flowing Water,’ a piece made famous on the Guqin a thousand years ago. It’s said to reflect the sound of rivers and intertwining fate.”

  Jun De’s eyes narrowed, and a flicker of emotion crossed his face. Ren Qiu noticed his reaction immediately.

  ‘Could it be that Jun De is remembering something from his past, immortal life?’ Ren Qiu wondered.

  Ren Qiu was about to raise his glass again and drain the last of the wine within when they were interrupted by a commotion.