### Chapter 14: Training Her into a Drunkard
The Author: Gu Zhenren
June 18, 2014
Led by a guard, Xiao Yan arrived at the reception hall of the City Lord’s Mansion.
Inside the hall, Xiao Qian, the City Lord of Fanggu Fortress and the head of the Xiao family, was seated at the head of the table, chatting with a young man on his left.
The young man was dressed in a brocade robe, his long hair cascading over his shoulders. He possessed an elegant and graceful demeanor, fitting the description of “Elegant and graceful” and “Son of Human Luck.” This was none other than Tang Wuxin, the third young master of the Tang family.
When Xiao Yan’s parents were alive, they had arranged a marriage between her and the Tang family’s patriarch, making him Xiao Yan’s fiancé by status.
Three years ago, he and Xiao Yan were hailed as a perfect match, a union favored by both families.
However, everything changed after Xiao Yan’s parents passed away.
Unable to accept reality, Xiao Yan fell into despair. A rising star that had just begun to shine was completely extinguished.
As one star fell, another soared, gracing the night sky. In just three short years, Tang Wuxin had become renowned on the Talented Person Ranking. He was intellectually gifted and blessed with extraordinary luck, widely recognized as a prodigy and a strong contender for the future head of the Tang family, with boundless prospects.
Hearing footsteps, he turned and saw Xiao Yan. His brow furrowed slightly, then smoothed out as he plastered a faint smile on his face. “Yan’er, has it been two years since we last met?”
Xiao Yan’s face was pale. She gave Tang Wuxin a cold glance, her gaze seeming to pierce his very soul. She ignored his pleasantries and asked directly, “Young Master Tang, have you come to break off our engagement?”
Rumors of the broken engagement had begun circulating long ago, intensifying over the past year.
In this world, rumors rarely arose out of thin air. Her difficult life had prematurely matured Xiao Yan, making her realize that the rumors were being fueled by someone with ulterior motives.
Who else could be behind the rumors?
It was undoubtedly the Tang family, unwilling to let a genius like Tang Wuxin be burdened by an engagement with someone from a fallen family.
Tang Wuxin hadn’t expected Xiao Yan to be so blunt, so direct. She had seen right through his intentions.
His fake smile faltered for a moment, and he forced himself to speak to his childhood sweetheart. “Yan’er, I have no choice. The pressure from my family and ancestors is immense. Even I…”
“You don’t need to say more. The marriage contract is here. Let’s dissolve it together,” Xiao Yan interrupted him directly, pulling a Jade Slip from her怀.
This was a minor Demon Soldier, containing the record of her engagement with Tang Wuxin.
“Yan’er, please forgive me. I truly…” Tang Wuxin began, but Xiao Yan had already handed him the Jade Slip.
Tang Wuxin sighed deeply and reached out to grasp one end of the Jade Slip.
Xiao Yan held the other end.
They simultaneously channeled spirit energy from within. A light flashed across the pale pink Jade Slip. As the engagement was officially dissolved, the Jade Slip turned to powder.
Seeing this, the Xiao family head, who had been sitting quietly, burst into laughter. “Excellent, excellent! Nephew Tang, rest well at Fanggu Fortress for a day. Tomorrow, we will prepare the engagement ceremony. Although my daughter is a bit older than you, she is also an Adept level Monster Tamer. You have made a wise choice, and so has your Tang family.”
“Uncle, you…” Tang Wuxin’s face flushed with embarrassment. He turned to look at Xiao Yan, but she had already turned and walked away, disappearing around the corner of the corridor and out of his sight.
Xiao Yan left in a hurry. Her face was deathly pale, her steps unsteady and faltering.
“If you want to cry, then cry out loud. After venting, you’ll feel much better,” Chu Yun, who had witnessed everything, said in comfort.
“I don’t want to cry. My tears have long since run dry,” Xiao Yan replied coldly. “Besides, to shed tears over something like this would be utterly worthless.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll surpass that Tang Wuxin one day. By then, they’ll regret it,” Chu Yun chuckled.
Xiao Yan gave a wry smile and slowly shook her head. “My talent has abandoned me. I no longer dare to hope to catch up to Tang Wuxin. My sole goal in this life is to avenge my parents. For that, I will never give up. What if my talent isn’t good? What they achieve in a day, I will achieve in two or three days, with triple or quadruple the effort!”
Chu Yun, from within the ring, shook his head. “Do you think I’m just comforting you? Your luck is far superior to that Tang Wuxin’s.”
Upon reaching the Emperor level, one could perceive the presence of luck. Before that, only Abacus Masters could detect it.
Tang Wuxin was indeed a genius, but merely a Son of Human Luck. Xiao Yan, however, was a genuine Son of Earth Luck.
Otherwise, why would Chu Yun have chosen to form a Contract with her?
Although this young girl was currently in hardship, it was only temporary. Sooner or later, she would shine brilliantly and leave her name in history. If things played out well, she might even rise from a Son of Earth Luck to a Son of Heaven Luck, becoming one of the protagonists of this era in the Ghost Continent.
After all, luck was not static; it could flow and transform.
“Luck?” Xiao Yan said with a bitter smile. “That kind of thing is too ethereal and unreliable. I want to rely on my own efforts.”
Young people often possessed hot tempers but narrow vision. At Xiao Yan’s level, she naturally wouldn’t understand the power of luck.
Chu Yun didn’t want to explain further, nodding secretly in approval. “The little lass has a strong will. Good, good. Indeed, one cannot rely solely on luck. With my help, any damned geniuses will be swept aside.”
“Senior, you will help me?” Xiao Yan’s eyes lit up. Although she didn’t know Chu Yun’s origins, she understood his power. The combat experience alone of any powerful soul would be incredibly beneficial to her.
“Of course! I want to seize the Wine Pool Meat Forest, so the stronger you are, the better. Our cooperation is mutually beneficial, as stated in the Contract,” Chu Yun said.
“Is that so?” Xiao Yan hadn’t actually read the contents of the Contract. Knowing she couldn’t resist Chu Yun, she had signed it without paying attention to the details.
“As a honorable man, how could I exploit a little girl like you? Humph!” Chu Yun feigned displeasure.
A flicker of hope ignited in Xiao Yan’s heart. For the first time, she found Chu Yun’s arrogance somewhat endearing and asked, “Then, Senior Chu, what can you teach me?”
“Drinking!” Chu Yun replied.
“Ah?”
Half an hour later, in Xiao Yan’s residence.
The young girl stared blankly at the wine jars, bottles, and flasks scattered across the room. She hesitantly asked Chu Yun, “Senior Chu, you’re not going to make me drink all this wine, are you?”
“Of course. Your initial goal is to finish all this wine,” Chu Yun answered.
The young girl was stunned. Drinking all this wine was merely the “initial goal.”
“Start drinking,” Chu Yun urged.
“But, but I’ve never drunk alcohol before. And I hate drinking…” The young girl didn’t move.
“Haha, it’s precisely because you’ve never drunk it that I’m making you. Tell me, what is wine?” Chu Yun asked.
The young girl immediately replied, “Wine is a destructive spirit, a bringer of misfortune. Those who drown their sorrows in alcohol only deepen their woes and solve nothing. I despise those who are habitually drunk. More importantly, wine is incredibly expensive – buying all this cost me half my savings.”
Xiao Yan spoke with increasing emotion, her last sentence causing her immense pain.
“What nonsense,” Chu Yun said, speechless. “Little lass, listen to me carefully – wine is a Pill.”
“Pill?”
“That’s right. The Nine Provinces have countless Pills, but they can be broadly categorized into three types: solid pills, liquid pills, and gaseous pills. Wine is a liquid pill. I’ve examined your body. You’ve consumed quite a number of Pills in your early years, haven’t you?”
“I’ve examined your body” – hearing this, Xiao Yan flushed, but her attention quickly shifted. “Yes. To accelerate my cultivation, I did consume many Pills, but the effect wasn’t very significant.”
“Of course, it wasn’t significant. Consuming too many Pills leads to drug resistance. The more you take of the same Pill, the stronger the resistance becomes.”
Xiao Yan’s sharp mind flashed with understanding. “I see now! No wonder you want me to drink. It’s because I’ve never drunk before, so I have no resistance. But even if I drink all this wine, it won’t help.”
If merely drinking wine could rapidly increase cultivation, then the world would be filled with strong drunkards.
“That’s because you haven’t met me before. Try taking a sip of wine first,” Chu Yun urged.
Xiao Yan, half-believing, picked up the nearest wine bottle.
“Azure Dawn Wine,” the label read.
The young girl uncorked the bottle and took a large gulp.
While Azure Dawn Wine was known for its mildness, for someone drinking for the first time, its potency was still overwhelming.
“Cough, cough, cough…” The young girl choked, coughing uncontrollably.
Her originally fair cheeks instantly flushed crimson. Xiao Yan instinctively clutched her throat, feeling a wave of heat burning down her esophagus towards her lungs.
But soon, a stream of soul power emanated from within the ring. The soul power entered Xiao Yan’s body and began to manipulate the Azure Dawn wine within her.
The searing pain of the invisible fire immediately subsided. A warm current formed, flowing down her esophagus. In an instant, it divided into dozens of smaller streams, rapidly circulating through Xiao Yan’s meridians.
It felt like being immersed in a hot spring a sense of extreme comfort washing over her.
The comfort was so profound that Xiao Yan couldn’t help but close her eyes, softly humming and letting out a soft moan.
Instantly, Xiao Yan’s face turned completely red.
Her cry just now was truly embarrassing!
Chu Yun paid it no mind, laughing heartily. “Feels good, doesn’t it! With the help of my soul power, these precious liquids are absorbed 100% the moment they enter your body. To be honest, even geniuses only absorb up to 80% of medicinal effects from Pills. Ordinary people are lucky to absorb half the efficacy. The remaining medicinal properties linger in the body, increasing resistance.”
Xiao Yan’s beautiful eyes suddenly blazed with brilliant light. She trembled with excitement. “I understand, Senior! By drinking like this, not only will the medicinal effects be many times greater than for others, but my resistance will also be significantly reduced.”
“You are teachable!” Chu Yun roared with laughter. “Then why aren’t you drinking faster? The more you drink, the better. The more you can drink, the more your cultivation will increase.”
The light in Xiao Yan’s eyes shone blindingly.
In her eyes, the wine jars on the floor were no longer wine, but segments of cultivation.
“Drink!” The young girl, who had never touched alcohol before, instantly transformed into a devoted drunkard.
(To be continued)
