Chapter 13: Chapter 12 – The quest for proper drink

Aki sat on the porch outside of his new sauna, enjoying the after-effects of his first sauna session in a long while. Some whisps of steam still rose off his hot body, disappearing into the darkness of the starlit night sky. However, Aki felt that something was missing from this idyllic scene. There had been something gnawing at Aki during his sauna session, a distinct feeling that something was lacking.

It was not the lack of friends to chat with. Although Aki had always enjoyed going to the sauna with his friends, he also enjoyed his more solitary sessions. No, something far more crucial to him was missing. Aki grasped his hand open and closed and then stared at it for a long while. At last, his eyes opened wide with understanding.

Beer! Where is my sauna beer! The feeling of cracking open a cold one after stepping out onto the porch! How could I forget something so crucial! Alright, I just need to head out to the mortal town and buy-“

Then Aki remembered. His current body would break down any alcohol he drank before he could feel any of the effects! That was the reason he had not had any on him in the first place. Before despair could set in, he suddenly rose to his feet with determination shining in his eyes.

If mortal alcohol will not cut it, I just have to create alcohol for cultivators! In this world there is tea and spirit tea, so surely as alcohol exists, I should be able to create spirit alcohol! Wouldn’t just brewing spirit materials work?

Aki sat down and begun to plan. This was not something he could approach half-heartedly. As a former impoverished student, Aki had some experience with brewing alcoholic liquids. Whether those could be considered proper drinks was another matter. In those times, it didn’t matter to him how dubious the product tasted, as long it did the job for as cheap as possible. Now, Aki of course was hoping to make something slightly higher class, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

I think making spirit beer is a bit of a long shot. I don’t exactly have the time or know-how to somehow produce spirit wheat or barley or anything of the sort. I think I will have to focus on something spirit fruit based. We have a spirit fruit orchard here in the sect, so I should use that. If I recall correctly, the person in charge of it is supposed to be one of my core disciples. I wonder why I haven’t run into him yet.

A plan was starting to form. If spirit alcohol ends up having some cultivation properties, I bet I could even start selling it! It should be a lot more valuable than just the spirit fruit themselves. His growing excitement was however cut short as he realized a tricky thing.

Damn, I don’t think normal mortal yeast is going to cut it with spirit fruit. Do I have to somehow make spirit yeast? How would I even do that? Maybe I just need to let some yeast sit in a Qi rich environment for long enough it ascends. Is that how spirit things are created? Maybe just putting normal yeast into spirit fruit juice would be enough to work... Well, it’s worth a try at least. I don’t think I’m going to get a better idea sitting here.

Aki decided that he would first need to investigate the spirit fruit orchard to gauge his options, then proceed according to his findings. However, that could wait until tomorrow. It was getting late enough already.

The next day, Aki set off towards the spirit fruit orchid. Passionate Seeker had seemed particularly busy with some notes, and there had been something strange in the way she had looked at him during her morning report, so Aki elected to merely discreetly ask her for directions and proceed to the site alone.

The orchard was near the border to the valley which contained Midnight Sun Hall, where large-scale formations were used to keep up eternal sunshine. By being situated at the border, the grove managed to enjoy much more sunlight than would be typical in this climate, and still undergo some of the effects of the normal seasons. The orchard was surrounded by a fence which seemed to have some formations carved into it. The orchard itself contained orderly rows of spirit fruit trees, as well as a small residence.

As Aki flew over the border fence, he suddenly felt like he was passing over some sort of boundary. The carvings in the fence started glowing and suddenly Aki felt himself be grabbed by some sort of force, stopping his flight right in place. In a panic he tried to send out his spiritual sense to make sense of what was going on, but he noticed it was sealed with him, unable to escape the trap he had fallen into. Suddenly a furious shout sounded from the residence, as a large figure threw open a door and started slowly stomping towards Aki.

“Junior, you dare!? Once again stealing my spirit lemons, did you really think you would succeed a third time? A puny one string second realm trying to steal under my nose? You are courting death!”

The approaching figure resolved into a man built like a barrel. The spirit trees in the orchard leaned away from him to escape his wrathful march and his deep green eyes shone with crackles of deep green Qi. He was wearing robes similar to those of Spring Melt and had a neat black beard. His short-cropped hair was vibrating with power as he walked onward.

Suddenly his eyes found Aki and widened with recognition as he realized just who his formations had trapped. The trees that had been leaning away bounced back to place. After a few seconds of stunned staring, he remembered himself.

“M-master? Uh. Oh. D-d-disciple Summer Warden offers greetings.”

Despite being held in place in the air in a rather undignified position. Aki still somehow managed to elicit a sagely air around him. Perhaps by pretending to be a wise sage for long enough, he was truly becoming a sage in body and soul? Whatever the case, he gave his disciple an approving smile, he could not nod as his head was held in place, then began to speak.

“Greetings disciple. I see that your trap formations have improved significantly. You are doing an admirable job.”

Summer Warden seemed to realize that he was prolonging an awkward situation and fiddled with a talisman he took from his pocket. The formations deactivated, and Aki fell onto the ground on his stomach.

Aki scrambled back up and dusted off his robes, desperately trying to regain his dignity. Summer Warden squinted at him for a bit, then carefully raised a question.

“Master, apologies for not recognizing you immediately. Your aura feels very different from usual.”

“No worries disciple, I am merely cultivating a technique that suppresses my cultivation base to hone it ever sharper. I thought this would provide a good opportunity to test your defences.”

The disciple sighed with relief, glad that he had passed the curious test his master had set him. Aki then turned an inspecting eye towards the spirit fruit trees.

“There is another reason I came here. I have a project that requires significant amounts of spirit fruit, so I came for an inspection of the grounds.”

Summer warden’s eyes sharpened once matters came to business. He also turned towards the spirit fruit trees.

“We currently have ten spirit apple trees, ten spirit pear trees, ten spirit cherry trees and ten spirit lemon trees. The amount of fruit produced has been growing steadily year by year, as my experimental growth methods have proved to work well. What kind of project would you need the spirit fruit for?”

Aki gave him a mysterious smile.

“I am going to be producing spirit alcohol”

Summer Warden turned his head back, shocked. He was visibly confused.

“Alcohol? That worldly mortal poison meant to dull the senses and confuse the heart? Why would someone want something like that?”

By now Aki had learned that to convince cultivators of anything, they had to be convinced that everything was for the sake of furthering cultivation. Therefore, he adopted a lecturing manner and began weaving a tale in the manner a grandmaster weaved qi.

“Young one, the old ways may have been forgotten by the new generations, but the [Dao of Alcohol] used to be a fearsome path indeed. Cultivators that tread it tore open the earth and shook the heavens! They ascended to the upper realms, taking their path with them. However, some still remember.”

“They were that powerful? But alcohol is a worldly poison, how could that grant power?”

“Ah, young one. Your perspective is too narrow. Are not poison and medicine two sides of the same coin? Is not the pill that is an antidote to one, a deadly poison to another? Even water, the keystone of life, can act as a bringer of death if one drowns in it”

“But master, if you cultivate a thousand lakes water Qi string sufficiently, you can breathe under the wa- “

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“Moving on! So, the powers granted by spirit alcohol are as many as the flavours it holds. A basic one is the [Path of the Drunken Brawler], which lets one weave through enemy attacks with ease. The [Bloody Mary] technique can summon terrifying visages, and the [Seven Heavenly Tequila Shots] technique has been known to bring low many old monsters.”

At the mention of specific techniques, Summer Warden grew visibly excited. What cultivator would not grow excited at hints of a lost path to great power? Aki could almost feel the greed through his eyes.

“Master, is the path truly that powerful? Are you trying to revive its techniques?”

“Disciple, you would do well to observe the mortal world more closely. Life in the mortal world is shaped by alcohol and its use, so naturally the alcohol of cultivators would have the might to shape the destinies of cultivators equally! I am indeed trying to bring back those forgotten techniques.”

The disciple was visibly growing more and more excited at the prospect. The trees around him even began to sway slightly.

“Do you think I could have the potential to learn those techniques? The [Seven Heavenly Tequila Shots] sounds like a terrifying power!”

Aki turned an inspecting eye to his disciple. There was something in the man’s physique that reminded him of the drunks he occasionally saw passed out in the corners of buses and shopping malls. Perhaps this disciple truly could have the potential to walk the path of alcohol.

Besides, it’s not like I’m really that interested in doing all the tedious experimentation work himself. He mentioned before that he was using experimental methods to maintain the orchard, so he may have some scholarly talent too. He is conveniently located by the spirit fruit orchard too...

“Disciple, do you have experience with refining products out of your spirit fruit? Have you ever raised spirit animals?”

“I have taken part in the refining of some pills, and while I was still in the inner sect, I took care of some spirit chickens for a while.”

“Then, are you truly dedicated to walking the path of spirit alcohol? This will be a long journey.”

Sensing that he was being given a chance to observe new techniques first-hand, the disciple did not need to ponder the chance long.

“Yes, master. I am!”

Aki smiled with satisfaction.

“Good, then you are now in charge of creating the spirit alcohol. Good luck.”

The suddenness of the request shocked the breath out of Verdant Summer. He grew somewhat panicked.

“But master, I thought you were going to be creating the spirit alcohol. I don’t have one bit of an idea about how that would work.”

Aki’s gaze turned severe, and his tone grew harsh and cold.

“Did you think the path of spirit alcohol was a joke? Nothing comes free in this world! Great power requires overcoming great challenges! Dedication to this path is necessary if you ever wish to master the [Seven Heavenly Tequila Shots]!”

The harsh rebuke put some resolve back in the disciple. After a moment of consideration, he gripped his fist with resolve.

“Ok! I am resolved! I will grab hold onto this path and tread it courageously!”

Aki gave Summer Warden a warm smile, and then spoke in a fatherly tone.

“Of course, I will not abandon you disciple. I will offer you some pointers to get you started.”

At that, the disciple breathed out in relief a bit, and the resolve in him grew even firmer.

“What is your advice master?”

“First, seek a mortal expert in alcohol brewing and hire them to help. Your largest hurdle will be acquiring spirit yeast. My current best idea for that is that you raise yeast in a Qi-rich environment until it ascends. Once you manage to make something drinkable that can cause cultivators to get drunk, bring me a sample.”

“I have received your instruction. I will not fail you master!”

Aki clapped him on the shoulder a few times proudly, then turned to leave.

Man this “be the sect leader” business is a lot easier and more convenient than I expected. I can just get other people to do all the bothersome stuff!

Summer Warden stood still thoughtfully for a moment, then absentmindedly gazed at the formation controlling talisman he still held in his hand. He came back to the moment with a start.

“Oh no! I forgot to reactivate the fence guard formations!”

He rushed back towards the edge of the orchard in a panic and soon Aki heard a furious roar.

“No! The tree has been ransacked again! Cursed lemon-stealing juniors!”

Aki decided to walk away a bit faster.