"Old man, don’t look down on me. Do you know where I come from?" Xiao Guizi scoffed arrogantly.
"I don’t know, and I don’t need to," the elder said indifferently.
Then he waved his hands in the air and the boundless spiritual energy around began surging.
The space in front of them started to ripple, and a small spatial gate opened up.
The elder reached in and took out a jug of completely black liquor.
Afterward, the spatial gate closed, and everything returned to calm.
"Blazing Flame Fury Brew," the elder placed the liquor on the table and said blandly, "personally brewed by the Fiery Emperor back in the day.
Its spiciness is unbearable for ordinary people; just one sip can incinerate any martial artist below the Emperor Pulse Realm.
This liquor has no other use but to contain the Fiery Emperor’s understanding and epiphany of the Dao.
Price: Any Battle Body Bead from the Hundred Great Battle Bodies."
Hearing the elder’s words, Xiao Guizi fell silent for a bit before he chuckled dryly, "Since martial artists below the Emperor Pulse Realm can’t enjoy it, then I won’t buy it."
After saying that, Xiao Guizi went over to the liquor cabinet and took out the cheapest jug of liquor.
It should be known that here the liquor is exchanged for goods; even the cheapest jug of liquor is the only one that can be bought with Spirit Crystals.
It costs tens of thousands of Spirit Crystals for just a small jug of liquor; ordinary people simply can’t afford it.
Watching Xiao Guizi holding the liquor and sitting down at the table, the old man didn’t say much.
He took the fiery liquor back and continued to lie down on the table and fell asleep.
"Come on, Brother Xu, let’s drink to our heart’s content today," Xiao Guizi, holding two liquor bowls, burst into laughter.
The two sat opposite each other, and as the fiery liquor went down their throats, they felt a burning sensation in their chests.
Their meridians and bones felt hot and toasty, extremely comfortable.
"This is a good drink," Xu Zimei smiled.
In the blink of an eye, half a bottle of liquor was downed, their cheeks flushed, both men were halfway drunk, seeming to have drunk themselves into high spirits.
Xu Zimei pointed out of the window and declared loudly, "In bygone days, the True Martial Great Emperor founded the Era of Emperors, and Empress Hongtian suppressed several eras.
Someone stood at the top of the firmament, shouting that destiny belonged only to themselves.
Someone slashed with a sword, creating an abyss thousands of feet deep. Turning around, the heavens and the earth were fractured, inch by inch.
There was also someone who overlooked the world’s turmoil alone and could obliterate an entire clan single-handedly.
So many heroes of ancient and modern times, so many epic deeds and legends worthy of song and tears, all eventually perished in history’s last moments.
Yet the river of life flows on without end, and the fire of life is passed down from generation to generation.
Old eras are destined to depart with time, and countless talented disciples compete and rise; it’s also destined that someone will forge a new era of glory.
A thousand years have passed since the Mortal Great Emperor ascended.
Brother Zhang, who do you think in this era can be called a hero?
Who is worthy of carrying destiny?
And who can lead the coming of a new era?"
Hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Xiao Guizi smiled, drained his bowl of fiery liquor in one gulp, and said, "In the Extreme West Region’s Divine Sun Holy Sect, there is a youth named Xuanyuan Xuantian. From birth, he was endowed with one of the Hundred Great Battle Bodies—the Xuanyuan Body that manifested of its own accord.
With the support of the Imperial Rule Immortal Sect backing him, could he be considered a hero?"
"Merely a defeated opponent from an old competition, not worth mentioning," Xu Zimei shook his head, laughing.
"I’ve heard that in the core lands of the Eastern Continent, within the Dan Family where the Pill Emperor once resided, there’s a youth who’s inherited the Heavenly Star Hundred Pills Body from the Pill Emperor. His pill refining skills are as effortless as frying beans. Could he be considered a hero?"
Xu Zimei shook his head again, replying, "A big reputation often belies the truth beneath."
"There is a youth named Hua Qianqiu who, with a single wolf-hair brush, can paint all things under heaven; with a single splash of ink, he questions the Great Dao and the hearts of people. Could he be a hero?"
"He could be considered a Talented Disciple but is still far from being a hero," Xu Zimei once again shook his head.
"I, too, have never been to the distant Central Continent, but on this Eastern Continent, I truly do not know who could be deemed a hero," Xiao Guizi shook his head in response.
"A hero is someone with great ambitions, who conceals the mechanisms of the cosmos in their heart, aspiring to devour the heavens and the earth," Xu Zimei said smilingly.
"If so, who could be considered a hero?" Xiao Guizi asked doubtfully.
Xu Zimei pointed to himself and then to Xiao Guizi, saying loudly, "In this world today, the only heroes are Brother Zhang and myself."
"How can you say that?" Xiao Guizi was taken aback and asked curiously.
"Though I was born ordinary, I have never been content to be inferior to others.
I rose from a small village, and my achievements today were all fought for with my own two hands," Xu Zimei said loudly. "And you, Brother Zhang, were born with the Azure Cloud Battle Body, ranked seventy-second among the Hundred Great Battle Bodies, with limitless prospects ahead. You are destined to carve out your own place in this world."
"Well said," Xiao Guizi banged the table and swallowed a few more bowls of fiery liquor, his head a bit dizzy as he spoke loudly, "In chaotic times, a true man should wield his sword to establish unprecedented achievements. With unfulfilled ambitions, how could I ever allow others to overshadow me."
As Xiao Guizi’s voice fell, he took out a spherical bead from his pocket.
The bead was green, seemingly containing immense power within.
The green bead hovered in midair, ripples emanating throughout the space.
Apparently sensing the presence of the bead, the old man lying on the counter suddenly woke up, his gaze coldly fixed on the green bead.
"Brother Xu, I won’t hide this from you," Xiao Guizi shook his slightly drunken head, stammering out, "This is the Azure Cloud Battle Body Bead; when I advance to the Esteem Vein Realm, I’ll merge with this War Bead.
Not only will I possess one of the Hundred Great Battle Bodies, but I will also be able to harness the power of the War Bead to break through to the Esteem Vein Realm."
"Brother Zhang, you’d better put it away quickly. Walls have ears," Xu Zimei hastily said.
"No worries, this little tavern hardly ever gets visitors," Xiao Guizi belched, saying drunkenly, "I’ll tell you, not only do I possess the Azure Cloud Battle Body, but I even know the location of the Crimson Flame Emperor Body, ranked third among the Hundred Great Battle Bodies."
As he spoke, Xiao Guizi put away the Azure Cloud Battle Body Bead.
The two planned to drink more, only to find the wine jar empty when they attempted to pour themselves another drink.
"What a letdown," Xiao Guizi shook his head, "Everything is good here except for the expensive liquor.
Brother Xu, let’s find a new place and not return until we’re drunk."
"Agreed," Xu Zimei nodded, watched Xiao Guizi pay the drinking bill, and then the two supported each other as they left the tavern.
The old man watched their receding figures, his gaze deep and thoughtful, pondering something unknowable.
After leaving the tavern, Xiao Guizi heaved a deep sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Brother, that old man is definitely not simple," Xiao Guizi said, "Just a glance from him and it felt as though the blood in my veins was about to freeze solid."
"The bait of the Azure Cloud Battle Body, including the news of the third-ranked Battle Body, has been cast. Now, to see if the fish will bite," Xu Zimei smiled, "He is naturally out of the ordinary; even having faced an unimaginable disaster in the past and a crushing defeat, they still possess strength not inferior to any Imperial Rule Immortal Sect."