Song of Adolescence

Chapter 52: A Carefree Drunken Immortal

Lei Wujie paused for a second, then said, “I’ve seen him? Why don’t I remember him?” He turned towards Xiao Se and found him placidly drinking his wine as if he wasn’t all that stunned by that revelation at all. “Xiao Se? Have I really seen him before?”

Xiao Se nodded, “You’ve not only seen the legendary Drunken Immortal, you’ve even drank twelve of his wines and a pitcher of Dashing Snow Moon.”

“That’s him?” Lei Wujie leapt off his chair in surprise.

Tang Lian smiled, “Honestly, when you told me about how you drank a pitcher of Dashing Snow Moon and advanced several tiers, my first guess was that you met my teacher. However, it was only today, after drinking these few pitchers of wine, that I dare to draw this conclusion. It’s just that my teacher…” Tang Lian turned around to face that lazily smiling waiter at the counter.

“The First Citymaster has already left the city to search for that last taste for his Granny Meng’s Soup.” The waiter replied.

“I wonder who that lady will be in her next life…for a simple soup to wipe a person’s memory clean…is there really such a wine?” Tang Lian mumbled.

“Back in those days, the First Citymaster shook the martial world with one hand wielding a knife, and another wielding a sword. Yet even with his astounding dual wielding skill, he refused to be a Blade Immortal or a Sword Immortal, instead choosing to be a Drunken Immortal. He even went so far as to visit the Little Diaolou in Revelations, not only challenging their world famous White Autumn Dew with his Seven Bowls Under a Starry Night Wine, but also winning in the process. For a person like that, whatever he wishes to brew, he will definitely be able to.” The waiter explained.

Tang Lian walked out the doorway then and sighed at the distance, “These past few years, while my teacher might seem carefree on the surface, there are times when I can see certain forlornness in him. Despite being his disciple, I just can’t seem to help him at all.

Lei Wujie took this time to walk out as well, and gave Tang Lian a hearty slap on the shoulders, “It’s fine, what kind of person you think the citymaster is? Even if he isn’t the number one person in the world, he isn’t that far off.”

Tang Lian laughed bitterly, “Some things can’t be measured in terms of martial arts.”

“Seems like there’s something on your mind as well, Senior Brother.” Lei Wujie said so after giving him a look.

Tang Lian picked up a jug of wine and leapt onto the eaves of the building. “I was born in Tangmen, that was where I became a disciple of Elder Lianyue. I originally thought that, being born in Tangmen, I would die in Tangmen as well. However, I was suddenly sent off to Snow Moon City and even became the disciple of the renowned Drunken Immortal, Baili Dongjun. Both of them told me that I was to wait for a person here. But I’ve already waited for six years.”

“You miss Tangmen?” Xiao Se stepped out as well.

“No.” Tang Lian shook his head. “Compared to being in Tangmen, I would much rather Snow Moon City. But I wish to know the meaning of my existence.”

To that, Xiao Se coldly smirked. “You Tangmen are all the same. Because you all have been laden with a bunch of so-called destinies from birth, every one of you look more exhausted than the other. Not only do you wish to meddle in Baili Dongjun’s affairs, you have to deal with your mission as a Tangmen as well. Yet how many people do you think live in this vast world? Aren’t they all just fine living for themselves, what need is there for you complicate matters?”

Tang Lian took a swig of the wine and countered back, “Then why are you staying behind in Snow Moon City, is it really for those eight hundred taels?”

Xiao Se leapt onto the eaves as well and sat down beside Tang Lian. “How many times do I have to repeat myself, it’s eight million taels.”

“That much? What do you plan to do with it?” Regardless of whether or not Xiao Se was bluffing, Tang Lian just went along him anyway.

“Raise an army, then storm the gates of Revelations!” Xiao Se snatched the wine from Tang Lian and took a heavy swig of it before tossing it to Lei Wujie down below.

Lei Wujie caught it and smiled, “Then I’ll accompany you.”

“What for?” Xiao Se furrowed his brows slightly.

“You accompanied me to Snow Moon City, so I’ll accompany you to Revelations!” Lei Wujie answered with utmost earnesty.

To that, Xiao Se smiled, “Very well.”

Tang Lian, however, hesitated for a second before asking, “Are you sure you’re not the person I’m supposed to be waiting for?”

Xiao Se merely glared at him. “As if I want a big man like you waiting for me!”

“What are you doing glaring at your senior brother like that? Do you believe that I will give you a good knock on the head?”

Xiao Se wasn’t deterred however. “Beating an ordinary person like me who doesn’t know martial arts? Do you dare compete in something else?”

“As if I’m afraid of you? Do you think your Cloudsteps is all that?! Have you heard of the Drunken Immortal’s own A Thousand in One Drunken Stupor? Do you dare to go against that?” Tang Lian first thought was that Xiao Se wanted to compete in movement skills so he couldn’t help but give the youth a disdainful smile.

Yet against his expectations, Xiao Se gave the eaves a hearty slap then said, “Who wants to compete in that? We are going to have a drinking contest! Waiter, bring us more wine!”

However, that same lazy looking waiter was already standing behind the both of them with a wine jug in hand. Upon opening it, a dense alcoholic aroma immediately filled the air.

“What kind of wine is that?” Xiao Se gave the aroma a whiff and his eyes immediately lit up.

Tang Liam’s eyes had already begun glowing at this point as he said, “That’s one of the bowls of my teacher’s Seven Bowls Under a Starry Night, Kaiyang!”

The two immediately grabbed a bowl each and began drinking. Lei Wujie, on the other hand, wasn’t planning to join in on the drinking for once. He walked up to a nearby tree, plucked a leaf and brought it to his lips.

The song he blew was a flowing and desolate one, the same one that Li Hanyi and Xiao Se both blew before.

Xiao Se paused for a second then lowered his wine and softly muttered, “Courtyard in the springtime, flowers dancing under the moonlight. Turning into the side corridor, the fragrance of the plum blossoms was intoxicating. With soft clouds and a thin layer of mist, the youths enjoyed themselves. Unlike the autumn moon, the desolation of departure remained.” Right after that, his body slowly fell backwards and his eyes closed up in a drunken haze.

Lei Wujie threw aside the leaf and leapt onto the rooftop. “Looks like this is Senior Brother’s win.”

However, Tang Lian said nothing in response. Realizing that something was off, Lei Wujie took a couple steps forward and checked on him, it was only then that he heard a soft snoring sound. Upon closer inspection, Tang Lian was actually sleeping while in a seated position.

“Senior Brother sure is a competitive one…even drunk, he refuses to collapse.” Lei Wujie sighed, his heart still in a tangle right now. “I still haven’t asked him about that girl too.”

Yet just as he was moping about that missed opportunity, a strong gust of wind blew past him. He swiftly turned around, just in time to catch a black figure flash past him and land on a distant rooftop.

‘Someone’s trying to storm Snow Moon City at night?’

Lei Wujie frowned. It was then that he saw a few more black figures rushing through the streets; he recognized them as Snow Moon City’s Spider Web. This shadowy organization maintained a position in every corner of the lower city. No matter who they were, or what background they had, the Spider Web would know of their movements the moment they entered the lower city. However, they rarely took action, merely watching from the sidelines, just like how it was when Lei Wujie and Li Fansong entered Snow Moon City -though their whereabouts were already known, the Spider Web never revealed themselves. The fact that they made their presence known now showed that the figure above wasn’t a welcome one. Even though he strictly wasn’t a welcome guest either when he stormed the Tower of Ascension, at least he did so in the day and openly. Furthermore, now that he himself was a member of Snow Moon City, he had an obligation to act.

Having thought that through in an instant, he promptly gave chase. However, that person’s speed was unusually fast. Even with his movement skills, he barely managed to maintain the distance between them.

‘Those Spider Webs truly live up to their names as expert trackers…’

Yet just as it looked like they were about to catch up, they suddenly dispersed.

‘…don’t tell me they decided to throw this hassle onto me because they noticed me chasing as well?’ Lei Wujie couldn’t help but grumble to himself. Yet upon closer inspection, he finally understood why.

That figure wasn’t actually heading for Snow Moon City, rather—

He was heading for Mount Cangshan!