Chapter 49: Intoxicated Dreams and Fleeting Life

Chapter 49: Intoxicated Life and Dreamlike Death

Zhou Yu suddenly made a move, lunging toward the immortal pills on the ground, attempting to protect them.

However, Xuan Qing was faster. With a wave of his hand, the immortal pills scattered across the ground all flew up, gathered into his palm, and were then placed onto a plate in front of him.

"Ah... this feeling..." Xuan Qing took a deep sniff, feeling immensely gratified, practically floating on air.

Zhou Yu returned to his seat, looking at Lady Fox with a troubled expression.

The colored monkey already wore a look of mounting fury.

Bracing herself, Lady Fox said, "Lord Xuan Qing, these immortal pills belong to the Monkey King..."

Their expressions were not lost on Xuan Qing. He raised his head, looked at them, and declared, "These immortal pills are just right to be offered to me as a tribute."

The colored monkey rose indignantly, pointing at Xuan Qing and shouting, "This is outright robbery!"

Xuan Qing's expression shifted slightly. "I have always been a reasonable person. How can this be called robbery? If you offer them to me as tribute, you will be my subordinate from now on. Naturally, I will protect you, and no one will ever dare touch a single hair on your head. And you, Lady Fox, why must you be so unappreciative of favors?"

Restrained by Xuan Qing's formidable strength, the colored monkey had no choice but to sit down. Yet, utterly reluctant to part with the immortal pills, he asked, "Do you even know who my adversary is?"

Xuan Qing said nonchalantly, "Whoever it is."

"It's White Bone Weep!" said the colored monkey.

"Killing her is as easy as slaughtering stray dogs," Xuan Qing replied with absolute calm.

The colored monkey fell silent.

Xuan Qing glanced at him and asked, "What? You don't believe me?"

Gritting his teeth, the colored monkey retorted, "Even if you are stronger than White Bone Weep, I still cannot bear to give you these immortal pills! Do you know that even White Bone Weep cannot obtain them?"

This remark only fueled Xuan Qing's desire for the pills even more. With mild irritation, he snapped, "Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"

Lady Fox hurriedly smoothed things over, casting a glance at the colored monkey as she said, "Monkey King, do not be hasty. Surely Lord Xuan Qing is merely curious. Since that is the case, why not treat this as making a new friend?"

The colored monkey drained a cup of sullen wine and said with helpless resignation, "Even so, he cannot have all of them. At most, three."

Xuan Qing sneered. With a wave of his hand, five pills flew straight into his mouth. After swallowing them, he said, "I've already eaten five now. What can you possibly do about it?"

Trembling with rage, the colored monkey stood up, pointed a shaking finger at Xuan Qing, and stammered, "You—"

"Seeking death?" Xuan Qing glanced at the colored monkey.

Struck as if by lightning, the colored monkey was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Considering that you offered the immortal pills, I'll spare your life. Count yourself fortunate," Xuan Qing said coldly.

The surrounding wild boar soldiers wore ferocious expressions. Seeing their great king subjected to such humiliation, they all wanted to charge forward.

Having consumed alcohol and harboring a blind adoration for the colored monkey, they had no concept of fear whatsoever.

Watching Xuan Qing swallow five immortal pills, the colored monkey grew nervous—a tension born from the secret fear that the pills might prove ineffective.

Mistaking this for dread, Xuan Qing chuckled coldly, patted the bench beside him, and signaled the colored monkey to sit down.

The colored monkey complied.

Extremely satisfied with the colored monkey's attitude, Xuan Qing consumed several more immortal pills. This time, instead of swallowing them immediately, he kept them in his mouth to chew slowly.

With his mouth moving slightly, Xuan Qing gradually closed his eyes, his head swaying gently.

Zhou Yu and the others watched him with intense nervousness. For a moment, complete silence filled the hall.

All eyes were locked onto Xuan Qing. Everything hung in the balance; the preliminary steps had been completed, and Xuan Qing had ingested the pills.

***

Before long, snow flurries drifted down from the sky outside. A cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in through the hole Xuan Qing had blasted open, sweeping across the side of the grand hall and extinguishing several braziers. By the time the breeze reached the people in the center of the hall, it was no longer freezing.

The ice and snow melted into droplets of water. For some unknown reason, Zhou Yu felt the sudden chill of a water droplet striking the back of his neck, causing him to involuntarily shrink into his collar.

"Ah..." Xuan Qing let out a sigh from the bridge of his nose, feeling the ultimate comfort. Then, he slowly opened his eyes and swept his gaze over everyone at the table.

His gaze was incomparably sharp, making Zhou Yu and the others' hearts skip a beat. Could this fellow have discovered something amiss?

Xuan Qing's gaze finally landed on Zhou Yu. Staring intently at him, he suddenly asked, "Who are you?"

Zhou Yu's back was already soaked in cold sweat. He wanted to reply, but had no idea what to say.

At that very moment, Xuan Qing shook his head and murmured, "I must be seeing things. How could you possibly be him?"

"These immortal pills are truly extraordinary..." Xuan Qing closed his eyes once again to carefully savor the medicinal potency. Earlier, because he had chewed them, the medicine took effect immediately. Now, the medicinal power of the five pills he had swallowed whole also began to surge.

Lady Fox raised a cup of wine, but could not bring herself to drink it for a long time. The wind blew a winecup resting on the table, sending it spinning with a rattling sound that echoed in their ears like thunder.

Xuan Qing suddenly snapped his eyes open. A brilliant flash of light crossed his pupils before dimming into a daze. Though he looked straight ahead, his eyes lacked focus.

"How do you feel?" Zhou Yu asked softly.

After a long while, Xuan Qing seemed to finally regain his senses. He glanced toward Zhou Yu, shook his head, then nodded, and said, "It feels like I'm flying... No, I can fly naturally..."

"This sensation is truly magnificent. Every pore in my body seems to breathe comfort... It feels simply amazing..."

Zhou Yu exchanged a look with the colored monkey, who promptly chimed in, "Xuan Qing, you claimed you could defeat White Bone Weep. I wonder if you were just blowing hot air!"

Hearing this, Xuan Qing did not fly into a rage; instead, he let out a low, cold chuckle. "White Bone Weep... I shall take her into my chambers. I hear she is quite alluring... The thought of galloping across her body feels simply sublime... Hehe..."

Next, Xuan Qing began to ramble incoherently, uttering unmentionable obscenities.

He had clearly lost his mind, but Zhou Yu and the others still dared not act rashingly. Losing one's mind was one thing; stripping him of his power was the critical part.

Lady Fox repeatedly signaled Zhou Yu and the others with her eyes, urging them to withdraw first so she could test just how much combat strength Xuan Qing still possessed.

The colored monkey, Fatty, and the green-robed white fox all stood up, preparing to leave. Only Zhou Yu remained seated.

Seeing that Zhou Yu refused to budge, Lady Fox grew anxious and gave him a stealthy kick under the table.

"You little vixen, unable to contain yourself at the sight of a young man? You were actually seducing him? Earlier you were flirting with that hairy monkey, too—if you weren't already deflowered, I would have had you right here."

Lady Fox never expected that even in this state, Xuan Qing could still notice her subtle movements. A wave of fear washing over her, she covered her mouth and stammered, "You—you—"

"What about me? Could it be your lust was stirred? Hehe, I'll execute justice right here and now, with so many spectators watching. Haha, marvelous!" As he spoke, Xuan Qing suddenly stretched out his right hand and made a grabbing motion toward the empty air. Lady Fox's garments instantly shattered into pieces, exposing her entire body.

With a cold huff, Lady Fox transformed into a wisp of demonic Qi and drifted far away. When she rematerialized, she had already donned a fresh set of clothes.

"I just love it when you resist..." Xuan Qing slurred his words, his tongue twisting.

"Audacious wretch! Die!" Seeing Lady Fox humiliated, the green-robed white fox transformed the treasured sword at her waist into a streak of light. Grasping it in her hand, she lunged forward and thrust the sword straight at Xuan Qing.

With a loud *clang*, the sword thrust—infused with all of the green-robed white fox's demonic power—struck Xuan Qing and shattered instantly.

After a considerable pause, Xuan Qing turned his head to look at the green-robed white fox. He moved his lips as if wanting to say something, but no words came out.

Frowning deeply, he finally muttered, "I seem to... not remember dragon spells anymore... No matter. Killing you is as easy as chopping vegetables." With those words, Xuan Qing extended his right hand and pointed a finger at the green-robed white fox.

"No!" Lady Fox's scream escaped her lips, but it was already too late.

A beam of white light shot from Xuan Qing's right hand. This beam traveled extremely slowly and appeared highly unstable, yet the green-robed white fox found herself completely paralyzed, forced to watch helplessly as the white light pierced straight through her chest.

A horrifying circular hole appeared on her green robes, the edges perfectly smooth as if melted away by some strange substance.

It was only after Xuan Qing lowered his hand that the green-robed white fox's cry finally broke from her throat.

"Shut up!" Xuan Qing waved his hand violently, striking the green-robed white fox with a wave of raw force. Her body instantly tore apart, dissolving into a mist of blood.

Lady Fox dashed in front of Xuan Qing, her hands shifting rapidly as she wove hand seals. Xuan Qing glanced at her and extended his left hand.

Though a distance still separated them, Xuan Qing's left hand seemed to pierce through time and space itself, instantly seizing Lady Fox and dragging her forward.

Her hands were firmly gripped in his grasp, rendering her entirely immobile.

"Haha! I love it when women lose their tempers! Come, let's drink!" With that, Xuan Qing snatched a jar of wine from the table and poured it directly over Lady Fox's face.

The wine drenched her body entirely.

The colored monkey and Zhou Yu held their ground, refraining from acting rashly because they discovered that Xuan Qing's strength was unexpectedly formidable.

Calming his mind, Zhou Yu sat back down, pulled over a jar of wine, filled a cup for himself, raised it toward Xuan Qing, and said, "Lord Xuan Qing possesses divine martial prowess and is truly the mightiest person beneath the heavens. One day, ascending to dominance over the Rosy Mist Path will surely be accomplished within a single thought. Today, this younger brother has the fortune of witnessing your divine brilliance—it is truly the honor of three lifetimes."

"Stop flattering me! Although I quite enjoy hearing it, do you take me for someone who would be blinded by flattery?" Xuan Qing gradually regained a shred of lucidity.

Zhou Yu offered a self-deprecating smile and replied, "Lord Xuan Qing speaks the truth. This younger brother is indeed flattering you. But do you know why I am flattering you, my lord?"

Xuan Qing asked, "What are you plotting?"

Zhou Yu thought fiercely to himself, *What I'm plotting is naturally your life!*

Out loud, however, he said, "There are two reasons. First, Lord Xuan Qing truly possesses divine martial prowess and is exceptionally formidable. Because you are strong, I flatter you. If you were not strong, I would never flatter you."

This statement was bare-faced flattery, delivered with absolute brazenness.

Finding it immensely gratifying, Xuan Qing remarked, "You really are quite shameless. And the second reason?"

Zhou Yu continued, "To be called shameless by Lord Xuan Qing is likewise my honor. Secondly... this younger brother also wishes to beg a few immortal pills from your lordship..."

"No way!" Before Zhou Yu could finish, Xuan Qing cut him off.

Yet, the remark reminded Xuan Qing of the pills. The mere thought of them brought back the exquisite sensation, and the more he reminisced, the more incredible it felt. However, that bliss lasted only a brief moment before turning into unbearable irritation.

Releasing his grip on Lady Fox, Xuan Qing grabbed a handful of immortal pills from the table and shoved them directly into his mouth, chewing them with a loud *crunch-crunch* as if they were mere beans.

"Ah... I..." Xuan Qing opened his mouth, and wisps of green smoke actually drifted out.

The colored monkey and Zhou Yu exchanged glances.

Fatty murmured softly, "His demonic energy is already leaking out."

"Does it feel good?" Zhou Yu asked.

"It feels so damn good I could die!" Xuan Qing roared, then grabbed a jar of wine from the table and poured it down his throat as if it were water.

This earth-shattering roar was packed with such immense energy that it blew the entire roof of the grand hall away, causing Zhou Yu and the others to violently sway from the shockwaves.

The wild boar soldiers in the distance were knocked completely sprawling.

"Wine!" Xuan Qing emptied another jar and casually smashed it to pieces.

"Immortal pills!" Xuan Qing grabbed another handful, stuffed them into his mouth, and chewed voraciously.

"Women!" Xuan Qing scanned his surroundings wildly. Though Lady Fox stood right in front of him, he acted as though she were invisible.

At this moment, green vapor was venting from every pore of Xuan Qing's body.

With a soft cry, a maidservant was summoned by a casual wave of Xuan Qing's hand and dragged straight before him.

Using his sharp claws, Xuan Qing tore the maidservant's garments to shreds, pinned her against the table, hiked up her hem, and drove straight into her, completely ignoring the presence of everyone else in the hall.