Chapter 26: A Pot of Cloudy Wine Outshines Immortality, The Grand Princess's Shock

Hidden in the woods, Jiang Wan watched the scene unfold. Seeing Wang Chu and Chuxue eating with such relish and catching the savory aroma wafting from the grill, she couldn't help but swallow hard. She transmitted her voice:

"This fellow, eating so much mortal food—isn't he afraid the impurities will damage his foundation of cultivation?"

Beside her, Si Bingyan was also gulping down her saliva. Ever since she had embarked on the path of cultivation, she had never tasted such delicious food:

"But it certainly looks appetizing."

Jiang Wan glanced at Si Bingyan, curious: "Have you ever had it before?"

Si Bingyan kept her eyes glued to the meat roasting over the fire and smacked her lips: "I had it once when I was very young. I still find the memory of that taste unforgettable."

Jiang Wan felt a flicker of longing: "Is it really that good?"

Since birth, the food Jiang Wan had consumed, while precious and rare, was mostly flavorless. Even if there was a taste, it was merely a faint, refreshing sweetness.

"Yes, the combination of the oil and the salty, spicy flavor is truly delicious."

Jiang Wan licked her lips: "It seems mortals have their own kind of joy, too."

Si Bingyan agreed wholeheartedly: "Indeed, Princess. Should we find a day to invite a few people and go barbecue in the snow?"

Hearing this suggestion, Jiang Wan felt a sudden surge of temptation. But soon, a stern face appeared in her mind, extinguishing the thought. Jiang Wan grew serious:

"In the path of cultivation, how can one lose oneself to the base desires of the tongue? Little Si, do not be deceived by the facade this man is creating, and do not forget why we are here."

Si Bingyan quickly lowered her head, apologizing: "It was my negligence, Princess, please forgive me!"

Jiang Wan said coldly: "Let this be the last time."

Si Bingyan murmured: "Princess..."

"What?" Jiang Wan frowned.

"Perhaps this man named Wang Chu is not as simple as he seems, but I suspect his purpose for coming here today might truly just be for leisure."

Jiang Wan fell silent for a moment. This time, she did not firmly refute the claim. After a while, she replied:

"Let us watch a little longer. Since we are already here, there is no harm in waiting."

...

Wang Chu stood up and patted Chuxue on the back: "Drink slowly. Who told you to drink so much?"

Chuxue gave him a resentful look.

"I saw you drinking like that," she replied.

Wang Chu laughed: "I have been drinking for many years to get used to it. You are drinking it for the first time; how could you be like me?"

Chuxue wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, her tone tinged with coquetry: "I didn't know."

Only after saying this did Chuxue realize her tone was different from before. She quickly turned her head away in embarrassment, speaking to ease the restlessness in her heart: "So this is what wine tastes like. It’s not good at all; it burns like fire."

Wang Chu did not seem to notice her emotional shift. He sat back down, picked up the wine bottle, and said: "Everyone says it tastes bad at first, but the passage of time makes them addicted to the drink."

With that, Wang Chu took another sip. Chuxue’s body began to burn, and her small face turned flushed: "So you are addicted, too."

Wang Chu set down the bottle, popped a piece of meat into his mouth, and mumbled: "No. Although I’ve been drinking for over a decade, having a cup every few days, I am not addicted. It is impossible for me to be addicted to such things."

Chuxue’s mouth and eyebrows twitched, and her eyes narrowed slightly: "Heh, you’re certainly not addicted—your mouth is just frozen stiff by the wind and snow in this cold weather."

Wang Chu did not quite understand: "What does that mean?"

Chuxue shook her head: "Nothing, I was just joking."

The two finished a hearty lunch in the frozen wilderness. After the meal, Chuxue, whose face had turned pale again, asked: "What do we do now? Are we heading back?"

Wang Chu walked to the edge of the hillside and stretched his limbs: "Why go back so early? It has only just begun."

As he spoke, Wang Chu summoned a rectangular object from his spatial ring. In his previous life, people called it a sled.

Chuxue, who had never seen such a thing, approached the sled, crouched down, touched it with her finger, and asked: "What is this?"

At the same time, Jiang Wan, observing from afar, was also drawn to the sled that had suddenly appeared on the snow. She said to Si Bingyan beside her:

"Look, waiting was the right choice. This Wang Chu has finally revealed his fox tail."

Si Bingyan asked with great gravity: "Your Highness, what kind of magical artifact is that? Have you ever seen it before?"

Jiang Wan pondered and shook her head: "No, but I am certain this is no ordinary item. Don't be fooled by its plain appearance and lack of spiritual fluctuations. Look closely at its shape—it has a point like a sword tip at the front. It is likely a powerful offensive weapon. If Wang Chu were to attack us with this, I fear we might not be able to withstand it!"

Jiang Wan’s speculation made Si Bingyan nervous: "Could it be that he intends to use that thing to attack some faction?"

Jiang Wan nodded solemnly: "Yes, your hypothesis is sound; it is entirely possible. Therefore, what we must do now is identify that faction before he uses the artifact to attack them, and then find a way to stop him."

Si Bingyan said with some uncertainty: "Princess, can just the two of us really do it? Should we notify others to help?"

Jiang Wan replied: "Using spells to notify others now would easily alert Wang Chu. We must rely on ourselves. Rest assured, as long as we are careful and our plan is meticulous, it can be done."

With that said, Si Bingyan could only agree: "I understand. I shall do whatever you command, Princess."

...

Wang Chu, completely unaware of this, could never have imagined that the sled he had summoned from his ring would lead the Grand Princess of the Great Rui Dynasty to such wild, elaborate conclusions. By the time they saw Wang Chu sit on the sled, they had already pulled out their most powerful hidden artifacts, prepared for a life-or-death battle at any moment.

"Come in front of me." Wang Chu grasped the rope tied to the front of the sled and said to Chuxue.

Chuxue hesitated for a moment, then sat in front of Wang Chu: "What are you going to do?"

Wang Chu didn't explain, saying mysteriously: "You'll know in a moment."

He reached his arms around Chuxue’s slender waist, gripped the rope, and kicked back with his legs.

Whoosh!

The sled tilted forward and immediately slid down from the top of the hill. The biting cold wind whipped against their faces, making it difficult for them to keep their eyes open.

"Ah!" Chuxue cried out.

It wasn't that she had never experienced the sensation of speeding through the snow, but this unique experience of sliding down a hillside while sitting on a strange piece of wood was something she had never done before. The thrill of the uncontrolled, rapid descent made her feel both frightened and exhilarated.

When the sled reached the flat ground of the road and came to a stop, Chuxue’s eyebrows were coated in frost and her hair stood on end. She could have easily used a spell to ward off the cold wind, though the price would have been accelerating her own death. In the past, she would have done so without hesitation.

But today, Chuxue did not. For these few days, she wanted to be a mortal, truly and fully.