Guarding the River of Time

Chapter 415 - 405: The Underworld’s Hospitality and the Gatecrashing Woman

The three of them stopped in front of a red brick courtyard.

The courtyard’s walls, built of red bricks, appeared majestic like blood jade under the reflection of the lamps.

The black wooden door before them had two ghost face rings, looking somewhat eerie, yet it exuded an unmatched, sacred solemnity.

As they looked up, they saw an ancient building standing within the walls, four stories tall, with eaves carved with various strange creatures — some with claws, others with fangs. Most striking was the Luminous Pearl at the top of the ancient building, glowing softly with a gentle light, looking ancient and dignified.

"Brother Su, please, come inside."

Du Zhiren reached out and knocked on the ghost-faced ring on the wooden door, and with a muffled sound, the heavy wooden door slowly opened.

Su Mu walked into the courtyard, immediately seeing the ancient building that he had just seen from outside the walls, and he was even more amazed upon closer inspection.

It must be said, the buildings here are very distinctive, just like Chang’an City under the night, dreamlike and picturesque, brightly illuminated by candlelight.

"Brother Su, this is just my humble abode."

"It’s simple, and I hope Elder Su won’t mind."

This place was Du Ziren’s residence. Upon closer examination, one could see that its location was excellent, close to the city center, without any other buildings nearby. Furthermore, the surrounding buildings were no more than two stories high, indicating Du Ziren’s high status.

"Much better than mine," Su Mu said with a smile.

Since arriving at the River of Time, Su Mu had been staying in that small courtyard — not large, with a front and back yard, simply well-equipped, hardly luxurious. Compared to Du Ziren’s residence, his own little courtyard seemed quite crude.

"How could it compare!"

"I don’t have much skill, having this small piece of land, and a quiet place to live is already quite satisfying."

Du Ziren quickly waved his hand.

Elder Su stays above the Long River, how can it be the same?

Though this place is very close to the River of Time, essentially it resides beneath it, constrained by it. But Elder Su resides above the River of Time, transcended beyond its confines, entirely in a different dimension.

"Brother Su, please, come inside."

With that said, Du Ziren led Su Mu into the ancient building.

Though the exterior of the ancient building was lavish, the interior was very simple, mostly consisting of some basic furniture. The most noticeable were the murals on the walls, depicting various patterns, resembling Fierce Beasts, but Su Mu couldn’t identify the species.

"Brother Su, let’s go upstairs."

The area on the second floor was much smaller, with even simpler furnishings; just an ancient long wooden table, piled with stacks of memorials and books, and in front of the table was a throne-like chair shaped like a crouching Qiongqi.

"This must be where you usually work, right?" Su Mu asked.

"Yes, I handle matters here on a daily basis," Du Ziren answered with a smile.

"Brother Su, let’s continue to the upper floors."

With that, the three of them reached the top fourth floor.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, their view suddenly widened. The top floor was a pavilion from where one could see the scene and architecture of the Ancient City.

At the center was a large round table, laden with various exquisite dishes, a grand feast, looking utterly tempting.

"Brother Su, please sit."

Du Ziren personally pulled out a bench for Su Mu, and the three of them sat down. Su Mu sat at the head of the table, offering the best view, where he could see the night scene outside the pavilion.

"Brother Su, my place is small, and my abilities are limited, so I haven’t prepared any great dishes."

There were a total of thirty-three dishes on the table. Su Mu, being quite a gourmet, could instantly tell that these ingredients were extremely prestigious and top of the line, like the White Jade Flood Dragon heart meat in front of him.

The White Jade Flood Dragon is a type of dragon, very noble, and it is said that the whole body is a treasure. Even a small piece of meat could allow an ordinary cultivator to ascend to immortality — a bit of an exaggeration, but it hinted at the rarity and value of White Jade Flood Dragon meat.

This plate contained only the heart meat of the White Jade Flood Dragon, the most exquisite part of its being.

Similar to the premium dish of White Jade Flood Dragon heart meat, there were thirty-two other dishes. This showcased Du Ziren’s profound heritage and high status. These ingredients were not easy to gather — they can no longer be considered mere ingredients, but premium Great Medicine.

Du Ziren picked up a white jade wine bottle from the table, stood up, and poured a full cup for Su Mu.

The Reincarnation King looked at the white jade wine bottle in front of him, unconsciously licking his lips and swallowing. He didn’t expect the boss to even bring out this wine!

Thick-skinned, he picked up another bottle from the table and filled himself a large glass.

Seeing this, Du Ziren gave him an inconspicuous glare, you brat... taking advantage of the situation, huh?!

However, he didn’t stop the Reincarnation King. After all, Elder Su was there, so today he allowed him to drink freely. There was no helping it; the cost was already committed.

As the wine was poured, an extraordinary aroma drifted into Su Mu’s nostrils, prompting him to take an involuntary deep breath; his whole body tingled slightly.

What great wine!

Just by the fragrance alone, he could tell it was indeed exceptional wine!

"Brother Su, I toast to you, grateful for your presence. I’ll finish my cup, and you’re free to do as you wish!"

With that, Du Ziren downed his cup in one gulp, and instantly, his neck began to flush slightly red, indicating the strong potency of the wine!

Su Mu too drained his cup in one go.

As the wine flowed down his throat, it transformed into a gentle energy that spread throughout his body, reaching the depths of his soul!

Even his soul tingled, while a rather irresistible punch of alcohol surged into his head, making him feel a bit dizzy but not drunk.

Su Mu prided his drinking skills, being able to drink several thousand pounds of his own brewed wine without getting tipsy. As someone of his cultivation level, getting drunk was impossible unless he chose not to dispel the intoxication, really wanting to get drunk.

But the wine he drank now didn’t quite allow him to completely wane the intoxication, leaving him slightly woozy.

After finishing, Su Mu was promptly refilled by Du Ziren.

If compared with Su Mu and Du Ziren, the Reincarnation King wasn’t doing so well. Just after that cup, his face turned completely red, making the world spin a bit around him.

As they continued drinking, they were interrupted by a series of knocks from downstairs.

Soon after, a middle-aged man dressed in black and wearing a Ghost Face Mask rushed up to Du Ziren and whispered something.

Du Ziren frowned at this, "Why is she here?"

"Drive her out!"

The words caused the middle-aged man to tremble with fear. How could I dare?!

Thud, thud, thud —

A series of light footsteps sounded, and a figure had already reached the fourth floor.

"Oh, Old Ghost Du, drinking without inviting me?"

The voice sounded like celestial music, enticing as it fell upon the ears, making even the soul tingle.

Upon hearing the voice, the Reincarnation King seemed to sober up instantly — scared into it!