A faint glimmer of dawn crept across the sky.
Li Zhexian, who had been sleeping on the bluestone steps, stirred and rose.
"Last night..."
He had a dream.
In the dream, a mysterious figure was brewing wine.
As a silent observer, Li Zhexian witnessed every step of the process—clearly, vividly, in perfect detail.
"Incredible."
Li Zhexian murmured to himself, releasing a pulse of Spirit Power across his body, the dew on his hair evaporating into mist.
In that dream figure's hands, the blood of spirit beasts, the sap of immortal herbs, water imbued with divine light—even abyssal killing intent and the purest desire—all could be refined into intoxicating spirits.
The crisp morning air sobered Li Zhexian from his drunken haze and left him feeling refreshed.
Not even a trace of last night's melancholy remained.
"That's it. Since fine wine is so rare, why don't I make it myself?"
"Rare materials are still easier to find than the perfect drink."
With that, he solemnly cupped his hands toward the distant horizon.
"I don't know who you are..."
"But for teaching me how to brew, I, Li Zhexian, give you my heartfelt thanks."
Solving this dilemma had put him in a superb mood.
Later that morning, he met with Xue Qinghe by the lotus lake.
The moment they met, Li Zhexian flashed a brilliant smile, his white teeth gleaming.
Seeing this, Xue Qinghe's own smile faded.
"You're this happy just because the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team came back?"
Li Zhexian raised a swordlike brow.
"They're back? What was the result?"
Xue Qinghe said coolly, "They lost. A powerful seven-man team emerged from Suotuo City—called the Shrek Seven Monsters, I think. They defeated the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team."
Li Zhexian nodded knowingly.
He wasn't the least bit surprised.
That group—especially Tang San—was the beloved of the world of Douluo, a true protagonist blessed by fate.
Even though his own arrival had altered many plotlines...
For now, their overall strength remained unchanged.
As he pondered this, he turned to see Xue Qinghe's cold expression and teased:
"Why are you always grumpy, Qinghe?"
"Someone who doesn't know better might think you're a girl."
Xue Qinghe's heart skipped a beat.
"Who... who's grumpy?"
Li Zhexian chuckled.
"I'm in a good mood today. It has nothing to do with the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team."
Xue Qinghe clicked his tongue.
"Why are you telling me? I didn't ask."
—
The two of them sat side by side on small stools, fishing rods in hand, staring at the calm lake surface.
Several minutes of silence passed.
"Why are you in such a good mood today?"
Li Zhexian cast a sidelong glance at Xue Qinghe.
"Didn't you just say you didn't want to know?"
Xue Qinghe clenched his teeth, his face tinged with both irritation and embarrassment.
"Are you going to tell me or not?"
"Nope."
A flush of anger crept across Xue Qinghe's elegant features—he actually looked kind of good like that.
He suddenly rolled up his sleeves and pounced on Li Zhexian.
"This crown prince is done humoring you!"
Xue Qinghe straddled Li Zhexian's waist, gripping the front of his robe tightly.
"Speak. Or else!"
…
In the reeds, Porcupine made as if to leap out.
Serpent Lance quickly stopped him.
"What are you doing?!"
Porcupine's eyes bulged.
"You didn't see that?!"
Serpent Lance looked at the two figures tangled in the distance, paused, and said after a moment,
"Nothing too serious."
"Besides, Li Zhexian doesn't know the young master is actually a girl."
"It's just deep brotherly affection."
"Li Zhexian is monstrously talented. Staying close to him will only benefit the young master."
Porcupine calmed down.
"You're right."
…
Staring down at Li Zhexian, Xue Qinghe suddenly realized just how intimate their position was.
Suppressing a flutter in his chest, he stood up quickly.
"Li Zhexian, I have things to attend to. I left your lunch over there—eat by yourself."
With that—
Without waiting for a reply—
He practically fled the scene.
Watching Xue Qinghe's figure disappear, Li Zhexian shook his head with amusement.
"Eat alone? Great—no one to fight me for it."
After eating and drinking his fill, Li Zhexian strolled lazily back to his courtyard with a stalk of grass in his mouth.
He reached the front gate and was just about to unlock it…
When he suddenly paused, his nose twitching.
"Hmm?"
His eyes flickered. He uncorked the Clear Spring Wine Gourd, took a sip, and held the wine in his mouth.
Then, acting as though nothing was wrong, he unlocked the gate and stepped inside.
But the moment he turned to close the door—
Whoosh!
A sharp sound split the air behind him.
Without even looking, Li Zhexian brought his index and middle fingers together into a sword gesture and swept them behind him.
A slash of azure Spirit Power burst from his fingertips—razor-sharp by nature.
Slice—
A strand of violet hair fluttered to the ground.
"I knew it was you—Sword Wine. I didn't expect you to be this young."
Leaning lazily against the courtyard wall with her arms crossed, Dugu Yan narrowed her alluring green eyes, a flicker of wariness flashing through them.
Only by facing him directly did she realize how fast and how sharp Sword Wine's sword truly was.
And he hadn't even fully drawn it yet.
She was already at a disadvantage.
"I don't like uninvited guests," Li Zhexian said as he sat on a stone bench, tilting his head back for a drink.
He didn't bother with politeness.
"You stray mutt—what do you want from me?"
That she'd discovered his identity didn't surprise him.
She was the granddaughter of the Poison Douluo, after all.
What he didn't understand was why she'd come looking for him.
Was it just because he refused to remove his mask at the battle arena?
Like grandfather, like granddaughter… Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo are both too eccentric to understand.
Upon hearing "stray mutt," Dugu Yan narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"You've heard the Heaven Dou Imperial Battle Team lost in Suotuo City?"
Li Zhexian didn't reply.
Dugu Yan continued,
"There are some real talents among the Shrek Seven Monsters."
"Especially someone named Tang San. He might even force you to draw your second sword."
Li Zhexian laughed softly and shook his head.
"Such a cheap provocation."
"If that's all you've got, then leave. I have no interest in idle chatter."
With that, he stood and walked toward the house.
But behind him, Dugu Yan's lips curled into a smile.
"Three… two… one—"
Boom!
Just as she finished speaking, Li Zhexian's legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.
"You…"
He turned with a look of disbelief, face pale, staring at Dugu Yan as she approached.
"Heh."
With her arms crossed and standing above him, Dugu Yan looked down, clearly enjoying the view.
Her figure stretched her robes taut across her chest.
From her Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, she pulled out the faceless mask and tossed it in front of him.
"Put it on."
"From now on, you do whatever I say."
"Disobey me—and I'll make the poison in your body erupt."
Li Zhexian: "..."
He saw the glint of excitement in her emerald eyes.
Your mother...
This chick's insane!
Why is every poison user mentally unhinged?!
Li Zhexian had originally wanted to see what she was playing at—
But this?
This was just too much.
No more pretending.
He sprang to his feet, Qinglian Sword already in hand.
A flash of sword light—
So fast it defied comprehension.
In an instant, the blade was pressed against Dugu Yan's slender neck…