Chapter 220 - 219: A Summons from the Ghost Realm

Chapter 220: Chapter 219: A Summons from the Ghost Realm

Old Ancestor Li had finally secured that precious jar of wine, and his initial thought was to keep every last drop for himself. Yet, the pride and vanity inherent in a Soul-realm powerhouse drove him into an intense internal conflict: he wanted to hoard the exquisite liquor, but he simply could not suppress the urge to show off his grandson’s extraordinary masterpiece!

In the end, he couldn’t help but carry the jar over to the table where the three sect elders were seated. Wearing a look of a smug and proud expression, he carefully poured a few drops, an incredibly stingy amount of the amber color spirit wine into each of their empty cups.

"Here," Old Ancestor Li said, lifting his chin arrogantly: "Taste this liquor! This is a peerless spirit wine crafted by my own grandson. You won’t find a finer wine anywhere in the entire Southern Region!"

Elder Mo, The Frost Sky Sect Master, and the Thundercloud Elder raised their cups to their lips with a bit of skepticism. However, the moment the liquid touched their taste buds, their eyes widened in astonishment!

The incredibly pure spiritual energy contained within the wine made them catch their breath, while their cultivation bases resonated wondrously with this divine brew: "Incredible... it’s nothing short of a miracle!" Elder Mo exclaimed, his eyes fixed greedily on the empty wine cup: "Old Li, pour us another cup! Just one more!"

"Indeed, Patriarch Li, don’t be so stingy!" the Sect Master of the Frost Sky Sect pleaded, his gaze locked onto the wine jar: "A full cup for each of us!"

Patriarch Li immediately clutched the jar tightly against his chest, a mischievous grin spreading across his face: "Nonsense! This wine is priceless, a single drop is worth thousands of high-grade spirit stones! I was generous enough to let you have a taste; don’t even dream of another drop!"

Seeing his stubborn refusal, the three elders exchanged a quick, cunning glance. Elder Mo leaned forward, a scheming smile playing on his lips as he played his trump card.

"Is that so, Old Li?" Elder Mo asked casually, crossing his arms: "You see... we were just discussing that black-robed barbarian who caused such chaos at the martial arts tournament. If you give us a bit more of this fine wine, the three of us will make a formal decision: we will completely forget that we saw your grandchildren in the company of that barbarian today. We won’t say a word of it to the City Lord or the Council."

The Frost Sky Sect Master nodded in agreement: "Exactly. With a little more wine, as far as the three great sects are concerned, the Li family will have had absolutely no involvement in the turmoil surrounding that tournament."

Patriarch Li’s face twitched. He looked at the three scheming old foxes before him, then at the precious vintage in his hands, gritting his teeth in frustration and anguish.

While protecting the family’s reputation and shielding his great-grandchildren from political retribution was crucial, this jar of heavenly wine was his pride and joy. Parting with it felt like cutting out a piece of his own heart! "You... you three are nothing but opportunists!" the Li family ancestor grumbled indignantly.

He looked as though he were in physical pain, as if his very heart were bleeding. Yet he had to bend down and, with great reluctance, pour another small cup of that precious spirit wine for each of the three.

Meanwhile, in the quiet backyard, Liu Xiong sat glumly by the stone table, arms crossed over his chest and lips pursed in a pout, staring into nothingness, like a child who had been wronged.

To see such an invincible powerhouse, a man of massive build capable of shattering mountains and splitting boulders with a mere gesture displaying such a childish side was a sight that was absurd and inexplicably endearing.

Li Jain stood in the kitchen doorway, watching him with a faint, amused smile. He shook his head, letting out a soft sigh that held a mix of resignation and affection. Then, he reached into the deepest part of his storage ring and took out a small, unassuming jar carved from obsidian and wrapped in exquisite silver runes.

He walked slowly over to the stone table and placed the black jar in front of Liu Xiong.

"Still angry?" Li Jain asked softly, a gentle warmth flickering in his clear eyes.

Liu Xiong glanced at the obsidian wine jar, then snorted coldly and turned his head away: "How could I not be angry? That hypocrite old man stole my wine, yet you just let him walk away with it! You even gave him the very last jar!"

Li Jain sighed, he believed that if Liu Xiong really wanted that jar of wine, he wouldn’t have allowed the old man to walk away with it.

"That jar contained nothing more than spirit wine," Li Jian said softly, leaning against the table: "This one, however, is vastly different. It was brewed over three full months within my time-acceleration formation, using rare Nine-Leaf Sun-Eroding Lotuses and spirit spring water as ingredients. This wine is known as Nine-Erosion Nectar."

Liu Xiong’s ears twitched. He turned around, his deep gaze locking onto the obsidian jar. Even before the seal was broken, a delicate, haunting fragrance wafted out, causing gentle ripples in the surrounding spiritual energy.

At that very moment, a sly strand of divine sense slipped over the wall, attempting to probe the mysteries within the black jar. The intruder was none other than the Li family ancestor, who, despite his earlier bluster before the elders, still could not suppress his curiosity.

Liu Xiong’s expression darkened instantly, and he snorted: "That old thief. If I don’t teach him a lesson, he won’t give up!" With a flick of his hand, he erected an invisible yet unbreakable barrier of spatial pressure over the entire backyard; like snapping a withered twig, it instantly severed and shattered the ancestor’s probing divine sense.

In the distant dining hall, the Li family ancestor clutched his head and gasped, his face contorting in agony as his connection to that strand of divine sense was brutally severed: "That brat is nothing but an unreasonable barbrain!"

"Now, no one will disturb us." A smile played on Liu Xiong’s lips as he eagerly broke the silver seal on the obsidian wine jar.

The moment the lid was lifted, the dark golden liquor within shimmered brilliantly, exuding a rich, luxurious aroma that seemed to slow the flow of time in the courtyard. Too impatient for a cup, Liu Xiong raised the small jar to his lips and took a deep, big gulp.

As the Nine-Erosion Nectar touched the tip of his tongue, Liu Xiong’s eyes widened in amazement. A rich, and full flavor exploded in his throat, carrying a vast, pure energy that soothed and nourished the core of his soul. A miraculous feat almost inconceivable for a being of his stature.

"Simply incredible..." Liu Xiong exhaled deeply, a look of blissful intoxication washing over his face. He carefully set the jar down and looked up at Li Jain, his eyes burning with intense, unreserved admiration.

Without warning, Liu Xiong wrapped his strong arm around Li Jain’s waist and pulled him onto his lap. Before Li Jain could react, Liu Xiong leaned in and sealed their lips together in a deep, passionate kiss.

The lingering taste of the Nine-Erosion Nectar remains on Liu Xiong’s tongue sweet and strong. Li Jain closed his eyes, resting his hands naturally on Liu Xiong’s broad shoulders, and allowed himself to be swept away by the warmth of the embrace.

When their lips finally parted, Liu Xiong rested his forehead against Li Jain’s and grinned the look of a conqueror: "Forget that old geezer; let him keep that cheap spirit wine! This Nine-Erosion Nectar belongs to me alone."

Li Jain chuckled softly, his warm breath brushing against Liu Xiong’s cheek: "You’re always so greedy when it comes to wine."

"That’s because you brew the best wines."

Just as Liu Xiong leaned in to claim another kiss, the temperature in the courtyard changed to freezing. The air behind the stone table twisted violently before tearing open to reveal a jagged, pitch-black spatial rift, from which wisps of netherworld mist began to spill.

A towering dark figure clad in heavy abyssal armor stepped out from the rift, then dropped to one knee, bowing its head in a gesture of utmost reverence.

"Reporting to the Overlord!" the armored figure spoke, its voice sounding like the grinding of metal from the depths of the abyss: "Forgive your servant’s intrusion upon your sacred presence, but there are urgent matters, one that requires your personal decision."

Liu Xiong did not release Li Jain from his embrace, yet his expression shifted instantly from playful tenderness to focus. A chilling glint flashed in his dark eyes: "Speak. It had better be urgent."

"My Lord," the subordinate, sensing the displeasure of his master hurriedly reported: "While you were away from the Ghost Realm, another faction from the Nether Abyss instigated a massive upheaval! They forcibly breached the Reincarnation Seal and disrupted the Wheel of Fate, sending countless nameless, vengeful spirits straight into the mortal realm! The balance of the Three Realms is in chaos!"

Liu Xiong furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes. He glanced down at Li Jain in his arms, only to find him surprisingly composed, despite the sudden appearance of an Underworld general addressing his partner as "My Lord," there was not a trace of shock or fear on Li Jian’s face.

"It seems I must return to the Ghost Realm to deal with those fools who have a death wish." Liu Xiong said, his tone revealing a rare hint of reluctance to leave: "Xiao Jain... aren’t you surprised? Do you not mind that I am the Master of the Ghost Realm?"

Li Jain smiled faintly and gently adjusted Liu Xiong’s robe with his fingertips: "Why should I be surprised? The summoning contract I used back then was meant for ordinary spirits, yet it held no effect over you whatsoever. I had long since guessed that you were no ordinary summoned ghost."

Liu Xiong laughed heartily, tightened his arm around Li Jian’s waist, and then stood up: "That’s my Xiao Jian! As brilliant and sharp as ever!"

His expression turned solemn as he pivoted to face the spatial rift. "Wait for me, Xiao Jain. Once I have crushed those restless, malevolent spirits and restored order to the Underworld, I will return and I will bring with me the most precious treasure of the Ghost Realm as a formal betrothal gift!"