Chapter 22 A Drunken Rose
Alcohol is a wonderful thing; it can quickly bring people who are not familiar with each other closer.
After a few drinks, Huali subtly asked, "On my way here, I accidentally went the wrong way and found that the North Garden was full of barriers. Are the guests there also friends of Lord Songran?"
Compared to a city lord, Song Ran seemed more like a carefree country scholar. He shook his head with a smile: "I've only just reached the Nascent Soul stage in cultivation, how could I be that person's friend?"
"That person has come for the festival of the gods."
Judging from Song Ran's tone, the person inside the barrier must be an important figure.
After just two drinks, Rong Xing was already quite drunk, and her face was flushed. "What's the purpose of this God-Celebrating Festival?" she asked.
Song Ran pointed to the tower ahead, "See that pavilion? The divine artifact, the Blessing Lamp, is there. Every year on the fourth day of the fourth month, the lamp will light up."
"The magic lamp's power transformed into countless floating lights, showering down rain and dew to bless Chenliu City."
"So every year at this time, every household hangs colorful lanterns and leaves their doors unlocked at night, hoping to receive blessings on the day of the God-Celebrating Festival and be blessed with joy and good health in the new year." Song Ran finished speaking and smiled to himself, "What a beautiful wish."
Rong Xing nodded. "Celestial artifacts are rare and hard to come by. Ordinary people always place their hopes on praying to gods and Buddhas, but they forget that the real power to decide is actually in their own hands."
He had been observing celestial phenomena at the astrological observatory since he was three years old. The joys and sorrows of human life are nothing but fleeting illusions.
Song Ran gave Rong Xing a deep look and nodded, "Yes."
Huali stroked his wine glass, carefully observing Songran's expression. When he spoke of the Blessing Ceremony, there was no joy in his eyes, but his gaze towards the Blessing Lamp was extremely gentle.
Could it be that the Blessing Lamp is the treasure of Songran in Chenliu City?
Thinking about it that way, it makes sense, after all, it's a divine-level magical artifact. But here's the problem: how do we know when we've found it? Do we have to hear Song Ran tell us himself?
Huali thought for a moment, then refilled her wine glass. "Is this Blessing Lamp the City Lord's treasure?"
Song Ran raised his wine glass and lightly clinked it with hers, shaking his head and saying, "No, the Blessing Lamp already existed when the previous city lord was alive. Legend has it that it is a magical artifact left over from ancient times. Since it has not yet recognized a master, it can only be used for praying for blessings."
Could that person from Beiyuan have come for a divine-level magical artifact?
Karin wanted to think more, but found her head spinning and unable to process anything.
She secretly pinched her thigh, wanting to fall again, when a slender hand reached out from the side and took the wine jug from her hand.
"You monks can drink alcohol?" Huali asked in surprise, thinking that Lianzhuo also wanted to drink.
Lian Zhuo shook her head, "This wine contains spiritual energy. Drinking too much of it will do you no good, and you will get drunk very easily."
Huali didn't like hearing this. What did she mean by saying that drinking more would be useless? If she couldn't absorb spiritual energy, drinking it would be a waste?
"So what? I hit it off with Lord Songran at first sight, and I still have many questions I'd like to ask. Don't worry, I'm a very good drinker." I've been drinking for so many years and I've never gotten drunk.
She snatched the wine pot back, and just as Huali was about to raise her cup, she suddenly felt dizzy. She instinctively shook her head, only to find that it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
"Thump—" Rong Xing had already collapsed onto the table and was fast asleep.
Huali asked in surprise, "How strong is this liquor?"
Song Ran remained calm and gentle. "Du? I don't know, but even a grown man with a high alcohol tolerance can only drink about half a bottle." Admiration flashed in his eyes. "You are the second woman I have ever met who can drink so much."
This wine has a strong aftereffect. I didn't feel anything at first, but when I heard the name "rosewood," I felt dizzy and like I was in a dream.
"It's getting late. I'll take Rongxing back to her room first. Please take care of Miss Huali, Master."
Even as Rong Xing was being helped up, he still muttered unwillingly, "I can still drink, I'm not drunk."
Huali patted her dizzy head and scoffed at these words, "Tch, and you still say you can drink?"
However, tonight wasn't a complete waste of time; at least we found some clues.
A gentle night breeze rustled through the crabapple blossoms in the courtyard. Huali yawned and reached for her wine glass.
Hmm? Empty?
She rubbed her eyes and looked for the wine bottle, but Lian Zhuo's hand was a step ahead of hers.
Huali watched helplessly as the Spring Awakening Begonia was taken away, but she wasn't angry. She simply rested her chin on her hands, blinked, and sincerely exclaimed, "It's so beautiful."
Lotus leaves are unidentified.
"I said, your hands are so beautiful."
Huali's gaze followed the wrist adorned with sandalwood prayer beads upwards, meeting Lianzhuo's eyes. "I've wanted to say this since the first time I saw you: you're really handsome."
Having no intention of talking to the drunkard, Lian Zhuo stood up and said, "Let's go."
"Where to?" Huali lingered, unwilling to leave. "We haven't finished our drinks yet. Let's have a chat. It feels like we haven't had a proper conversation since we met."
"I want to understand you. Would you be willing to tell me?"
Lian Zhuo looked at Hua Li's sleepy-eyed appearance, remained silent for a moment, and then sat down again.
Huali chuckled and shifted her position; she couldn't see Lianzhuo's face clearly anymore and had to get closer.
The sweet aroma of wine blends with the sandalwood incense on the prayer beads, creating a forbidden yet harmonious effect.
Huali stared intently at Lianzhuo, noticing that his skin was unbelievably flawless. She reached out and poked it; it was soft.
"Everyone says that the Buddhist disciple Tan Chen is outstanding in appearance, but in my opinion, he is far inferior to a single hair of yours. Oh no, I forgot you don't have any hair."
Lian Zhuo raised her eyes, "Beauty will eventually fade; everything is nothing but a mirage."
All desires are simply a result of insufficient spiritual cultivation.
For some reason, Huali always felt a burning sensation in her meridians. She just assumed it was a side effect of drinking too much spirit wine. "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, eat what you want, drink what you want, and just be happy."
Greed is unacceptable.
"Take it!"
Huali stood up unsteadily, stumbled, and fell directly onto Lianzhuo.
Both of them were taken aback at the same time.
Lian Zhuo frowned and scolded in a low voice, "What kind of behavior is this? Get up!"
Just as Huali was about to stand up, she heard this and immediately felt rebellious. Coupled with the increasing pain in her body, her mind was in a daze. She wrapped her arms around Lianzhuo like an octopus and said, "I feel a little uncomfortable. Why don't you carry me back?"
The Buddhist monks sitting high in the temple had never seen such a shameless girl before; they didn't know whether to touch her or not.
The octopus, annoyed that he wasn't moving, raised its head and cupped his face in its palm. "What's wrong with you? Aren't we friends?"
Lian Zhuo: "Is this how friends should be?"
Huali didn't sense anything was wrong at all, and nodded emphatically, "Friends can not only be like this, but also like this." A light kiss landed on the Buddha's cheek.
The warm, smooth touch made Lianzhuo feel as if she had been electrocuted, and she pushed the rosewood away, her hand holding the prayer beads almost losing its balance.
Inside the Lingtai, a few white pear blossoms slowly bloomed on the lush branches.
Lian Zhuo suddenly closed her eyes, and the Sanskrit spirit that had been suspended on the tree turned into golden light, scattering the petals.
With the slightest thought, the poisonous insects, like flies drawn to filth, swarmed towards it.
Karin was pushed back a few steps and sat back down in the chair. It felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly, and then a huge wave of pain surged up.
She was struck as if by lightning and spat out a mouthful of blood, which bloomed like a flower of blood.
Karin was instantly dumbfounded: "..."
She stared blankly at Lian Zhuo, her trembling fingers not yet raised to accuse him of murder, when she heard the sound of Ao Bai rushing over from afar!
"Host, something terrible has happened!! I've just sensed the other mission systems again!!"
Upon seeing Huali cough up blood, Ao Bai immediately flew into a rage: "Another mission taker just lit up five stars."
"As one gains at the expense of the other, the host now only has three stars. You must light up the fourth star immediately, otherwise your life points will be completely absorbed by the opponent, your card collection will fail, and you will be directly eliminated."
"...Damn...I thought I was fast enough..." Her internal organs felt as if they were being gnawed by a million poisonous insects, and Huali couldn't help but clench her teeth. Blood flowed down her lips like a burst dam.
"The problem is... how... how... did I light up... the mission wasn't completed..." Huali's pupils dilated and began to blur.
"Intimate contact! Intimate contact!" Ao Bai jumped up and down in a panic. "The system senses that intimate contact can rapidly increase favorability!"
"Lian Zhuo, or the one from Beiyuan, either one will do, hurry up!"
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