You drink all of this

The woman fixed her gaze on Li Xingtian, only to find his eyes wary yet faintly laced with killing intent.

"I spoke to you first, so naturally, I have no intention of making an enemy of you. No need to look like you want to kill me. Don’t you know you already have a pretty fierce face?"

Her tone softened slightly before she took a seat directly across from Li Xingtian, her voice regaining its warmth as she continued:

"I discovered that secret realm first. Strictly speaking, you’re the latecomer here. You don’t look like some rogue cultivator—those robes of yours are far too expensive. Have you reported this realm to your sect yet?"

Li Xingtian struggled to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

Though he had encountered this damned witch far earlier than before, and though his cultivation was now far deeper, bolstered by divine abilities and top-tier spirit treasures, that didn’t mean his current Nascent Soul stage self could actually defeat her.

Back then, his Nascent Soul cultivation couldn’t be called weak by any means, yet this witch had drained him dry using some unknown method.

She had to be at least at the Body Unity stage, if not higher. Now, meeting her a century earlier… didn’t guarantee she hadn’t already broken through to the next realm.

Mostly, the shadow she cast over Li Xingtian was far too deep, leaving him with lingering dread.

Acting rashly now would be unwise.

Given the circumstances, the safest approach was to placate this damned witch first, then summon his master—who knew the full story—to crush her on the spot!

To avenge the blood debt from his naive younger days!

Li Xingtian forced his voice to remain calm:

"I haven’t reported it yet."

"With a face that fierce and words this sparse, I doubt you’d find a Dao Companion even if you had a sect," the woman teased lightly before introducing herself.

"My name is Xu Linglong. This secret realm isn’t too difficult, but reporting it to a sect wouldn’t leave much to split. Why don’t we cooperate? I’ve been here longer and have already scouted some paths. Plus, my cultivation is slightly higher than yours."

"Logically, asking for a larger share wouldn’t be unreasonable, but I’m kind-hearted and generous—let’s split it fifty-fifty. If the loot isn’t even, or if there’s something particularly valuable I want, I’ll compensate you with spirit stones or trade you something I have."

"You won’t find better terms anywhere else."

"So, interested in working together?"

Li Xingtian tapped the wine jar lightly, pretending to consider for a moment before speaking slowly:

"If I report it to my sect, I might not get much, but the contribution points—"

"Greed isn’t a good look," Xu Linglong cut him off, her delicate fingers resting on the wine jar beside her. "I may not belong to a sect, but I know exactly how the big ones operate. Those ‘contribution points’ aren’t worth a tenth of the real deal."

"What you hold in your hands is what’s real. If we find something truly valuable, I’ll throw in an extra thousand spirit stones."

"If that’s not enough, go ahead and report it. By tomorrow, I’ll have a crowd digging up this realm, and neither of us will gain anything."

Li Xingtian’s gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of her veil, as if trying to see the eyes hidden behind it. After a long pause, he nodded slowly.

"Fine. We’ll do it your way."

Xu Linglong smiled in satisfaction, reaching over to open the chilled wine that had been sitting untouched. She then grabbed two bowls from a stack placed at the corner of the table, setting one in front of Li Xingtian before filling both to the brim.

Her voice carried unmistakable delight:

"Then, to our successful partnership."

With that, she downed her bowl in one go, lifting her veil slightly to reveal delicate lips and a sharp chin.

Li Xingtian glanced at the wine before him. Even if Xu Linglong hadn’t shown up, he wouldn’t have drunk it. Now that this witch had appeared before him again…

There was no chance in hell he’d touch it.

Xu Linglong set her bowl back on the table, then turned her gaze to Li Xingtian, who sat perfectly still, not even reaching for his drink.

Her tone turned slightly displeased:

"What’s this about? It’s your wine. Are you looking down on me?"

"My master warned me never to eat or drink carelessly outside. It has nothing to do with whose it is."

"Then why order it?"

"Sitting here dry would look strange. A jar of wine keeps things inconspicuous."

Li Xingtian’s reply came smoothly—his master’s knack for spinning tales had clearly rubbed off on him.

Xu Linglong was momentarily speechless. She changed the subject:

"You’re a strange one. Fine, don’t drink it. But at least tell me your name?"

"I’ve already introduced myself. You’ve said nothing. Where’s your sincerity?"

Li Xingtian met her gaze squarely. He saw no reason to hide or give a false name. He wanted this witch to die knowing exactly who had killed her.

"My name is Li Xingtian."

"But since you brought it up, shouldn’t you remove that veil and let me see your face? After all, you’ve been staring at me this whole time."

Xu Linglong burst into laughter at that, her mirth unrestrained and genuine. It took her a moment to reply:

"I thought you were a block of wood, but you’ve got some wit after all."

She reached up and removed her veiled hat.

Beneath it was an extraordinarily beautiful face—her smiling lips carried a roguish charm, and her bright eyes gleamed with an air of righteousness, reminiscent of Lin Luoyu.

At a glance, she seemed just like his Fourth Junior Sister—the very picture of a pure-hearted good person.

Seeing that face again, Li Xingtian felt a flicker of disorientation, long-buried thoughts churning in his mind.

In the past, he had wanted to track down Xu Linglong and settle the score for what she’d done.

But as time passed in the sect, he came to consider meeting his master the greatest fortune of his life. His path to immortality stretched smooth and clear, almost visible to its end, and he’d gained a group of beloved junior brothers, sisters, and a senior sister he cherished.

At one point, his master had even offered to help him search, but Li Xingtian had dismissed it as a waste of effort—cultivation took priority.

Amidst the joy, there were times he’d nearly let go of the grudge.

But now, face-to-face with her again…

As memories surged, Li Xingtian realized with absolute clarity—he had never let go at all!

Moreover, he was now one hundred percent certain: this was the person he’d been looking for.

A faint smile tugged at his lips:

"You enjoy wit?"

"The path of immortality is vast and lonely. What’s the point without a little amusement?" Xu Linglong arched a brow, her grin widening. "You’re interesting. Few people don’t freeze up even a little after seeing my face."

"Partnering with someone as stunning as me—doesn’t that make this deal even sweeter?"

Li Xingtian gave a slight nod:

"It does. But don’t worry—I’ll make sure you don’t lose out either."

"Oh?" Xu Linglong’s curiosity piqued, but before she could press further—

Li Xingtian stood abruptly and declared:

"We’ll meet here again in two days. I need a day to rest and another to prepare. Since we’ve agreed, we keep our word—no sneaking off."

Xu Linglong’s smile bloomed radiantly, the kind that could pierce straight to the depths of one’s heart.

She replied:

"I'm not like you sect-trained cultivators. We rogue cultivators value our reputation above all. You better not go back on your word."

Li Xingtian turned and left, tossing back only one line:

"Li Xingtian never lies."

Xu Linglong smiled brightly and waved enthusiastically at his retreating figure, though he didn’t so much as glance back.

"Sir, your wine..."

The waiter carefully cradled a wine jar, watching Xu Linglong’s back as he spoke. But before he could finish, she spun around.

Her breathtaking beauty, paired with a smile that pierced straight to the soul, left the waiter dumbstruck. He gaped at her, words stuck in his throat.

The moment Xu Linglong saw the waiter, her smile vanished, replaced by an icy glare. She snatched the veiled hat from the table and put it on.

"Drink all of this wine."

With that, she too turned and walked away.

The waiter obediently cracked open the jar and began guzzling. After finishing the first, he hiccuped drunkenly, swaying as he reached for the second jar—the one from which only two bowls had been poured.

Nearly two full jars of wine bloated his stomach to bursting.

When he got to the last bowl—the one Li Xingtian had left untouched—he gagged, spewing a mouthful of liquor before forcing it down. Clenching his jaw, he drained the dregs, then clamped both hands over his mouth to keep the flood at bay.

He held like that for a moment—before collapsing with a thud.

Whether from drunkenness or sheer stomach rupture, no one could say.

At last, the wine he couldn’t swallow was free to spill.

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