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Li Dixian's gaze fixed on the three-inch glazed pot, which seemed to contain a galaxy, and he ran over in two strides.
"This…"
Xue Qinghe elegantly spat out a fish bone and said without raising her head:
"The yao guang brew you wanted."
"It's only two meals of fish; you still got a bargain."
"Hmm, you at least owe me another ten or so meals."
Li Dixian said with a triumphant look:
"Don't say ten or so meals!"
"I'll treat you to a hundred if you want!"
He snatched up the glazed bottle and held it before his eyes, examining it.
The wine inside sometimes shimmered with an aurora-like blue-green, and other times bloomed with an orange like an evening sunset; it truly resembled starlight.
Seeing such a magical wine, Li Dixian was overjoyed.
He clenched his fist and playfully punched Xue Qinghe in the chest.
"That's what I call a good friend!"
Xue Qinghe's movement of eating fish paused.
He slowly and stiffly raised his eyes, looking with disbelief at the white-robed youth who seemed to have no sense of personal space.
Actually, the moment Li Dixian punched Xue Qinghe's chest, he knew he had gotten carried away.
He still appeared to be focused on the yao guang brew, but in reality, he was already starting to panic.
He could sense that Xue Qinghe, sitting opposite him, was gradually developing a dangerous look in her eyes.
What to do?
In just one second, Li Dixian's reaction speed was even faster than his sword draw!
Just pretend nothing happened!
You are Crown Prince Xue Qinghe!
Not Qian Renxue, the Saintess!
We're all buddies, what's wrong with a friendly punch to the chest?
Li Dixian made a gesture to raise his hand, looking as if he wanted to punch again.
"This definitely looks like good wine!"
"Good brother, you're the best!"
Xue Qinghe stared at Li Dixian's expression.
He subtly avoided Li Dixian's fist.
"At your age, with wine always in your hand, do you even understand it?"
"Understand it…"
Li Dixian laughed.
To say he didn't understand wine was like saying he couldn't use a sword.
Immediately, Li Dixian uncorked the pot and eagerly took a sip of the yao guang brew.
It was like a wisp of starlight flowing down his throat.
A look of pure enjoyment immediately appeared on his handsome face.
"Good, good, good!"
"The yao guang brew truly lives up to its reputation as a fine wine even the royal family cherishes!"
He exclaimed "good" three times.
Li Dixian closed his eyes, savoring it carefully.
"The top note is as clear as an icy spring, the middle note holds a dense coolness, and the finish is long with a hint of mysterious chill."
When he opened his eyes, the surroundings were a hazy, nocturnal blur.
A colorful flash of starlight streaked past.
Li Dixian felt the Azure Lotus Sword's Throbbing and sighed:
"yao guang brew, a wine that combines fantasy and poetry."
Xue Qinghe looked in surprise at the white-robed youth, who was shaking his head.
The youth's complexion was fair, with a wisp of hair across his forehead, making him appear handsome and unrestrained.
He clearly looked no older than twelve or thirteen.
But when tasting wine, that confidence and flamboyance made him seem like a wine connoisseur with decades of experience.
"He's an interesting person…" Xue Qinghe thought to herself.
"I still don't know your name."
"Li Dixian."
Li Dixian symbolically asked in return:
"And you?"
Xue Qinghe looked at Li Dixian and said faintly:
"You didn't know who I was yesterday, and you still don't know now?"
Li Dixian wasn't embarrassed; he picked up a freshly cooked fish, placed it in Xue Qinghe's bowl, and laughed heartily:
"Seeing as you're the Crown Prince, the tenderest fish is for you!"
Xue Qinghe was stunned.
He had originally thought that Li Dixian would become a bit more reserved after knowing his identity.
"You're not eating?"
Li Dixian stood up, ready to take the fish back.
"If you don't eat it, I will!"
Xue Qinghe grew anxious.
"Put down my fish!"
That night, in the small courtyard, Li Dixian poured the remaining yao guang brew into the clear spring wine pot.
Suddenly, a wisp of starlight descended from the night sky, plunging directly into the clear spring wine pot.
In an instant, a colorful mist billowed from the mouth of the pot.
The rich and mysterious aroma of wine filled the entire courtyard.
And on the body of the bottle, which was embossed with spring eyes and fruits, another patch of starlight appeared.
Li Dixian tilted his head back and took a gulp.
Boom—!
His Adam's apple bobbed.
The strong wine transformed into a scorching stream.
Yet, in his chest, it evoked a clear coolness, like melting snow and rain.
Li Dixian's face instantly turned red.
He let out a hiccup, and a light purple mist actually spewed from his mouth.
"Good wine, good wine!"
The imprint of the Azure Lotus Sword appeared on his forehead.
With a thought from Li Dixian, the three-foot-six-inch Azure Lotus Sword was in his hand.
The hot wine surged through his meridians, and brilliant, starlight-like lotus flowers condensed on the sword's spine.
Li Dixian leaped up abruptly, his flowing robes startling the fireflies in the grass.
He swung his sword, and all the falling starlight suddenly froze in mid-air.
This sword strike was incredibly beautiful.
Never before had there been such a magnificent sword move, as if a wisp of starlight had been stolen from the night sky.
When Li Dixian delivered his final sword strike, what was picked up by the sword tip was no longer coldness, but a solidified ray of starlight.
With him at the center, everything within a ten-step radius was reduced to fine dust.
It scattered with the wind.
"Azure Lotus Sword Song's first form—Yao Guang Sword, perfected."
For the next period, Li Dixian essentially followed a three-point routine: fishing at Lotus Lake, eating fish with Xue Qinghe, and practicing swordplay at home in the evening.
Of course, while fish was delicious, there came a time when one grew tired of it.
Thus, Xue Qinghe would bring out some delicacies from the imperial palace every few days.
This day, Li Dixian was vigorously eating a plate of Three Immortals Chicken.
Xue Qinghe sat opposite him, pouting slightly, and said:
"Not only have you not repaid the fish you owe me, I've also given you two chickens, four ducks, and various meats and fresh fruits."
Li Dixian laughed heartily and said:
"We're buddies, don't mention those things."
"In the future, if you ever need anything, just tell your brother."
Hmm?
Had he said something similar to Zhu Zhuqing before?
Li Dixian shook his head, dismissing the thought.
No big deal.
Many debts don't weigh you down.
Xue Qinghe unfurled her folding fan and shook her head helplessly.
Honestly, she hadn't expected Li Dixian to repay her.
In her opinion, what neither the Heaven Dou Crown Prince nor the Spirit Hall Saintess could achieve, Li Dixian wouldn't be able to either.
The reason she treated Li Dixian as a brother was purely because it was comforting.
This white-robed youth had a carefree and unrestrained personality; his mind seemed to hold nothing but leisure, never bothering with other troublesome matters.
Xue Qinghe envied such a person from the bottom of her heart.
"Li Dixian, are you really not considering going to Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
"At your age, it's the best time for cultivation."
"If you want to go, I can help you."
Xue Qinghe didn't know about Li Dixian's Spirit or his soul power.
But she assumed a drunkard wouldn't be too good.
"No," Li Dixian said without hesitation.
He just didn't understand.
Why did both Zhu Zhuqing and Xue Qinghe want him to go to school?
Xue Qinghe was about to continue speaking.
Just then, Porcupinefish and Snake Lance walked over from a distance.
Xue Qinghe's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and she said:
"I have something to do, I'll be leaving first."
Li Dixian, busy gnawing on chicken, waved his hand without raising his head.
Seeing the country boy's casual attitude towards their young master, Porcupinefish Douluo's face showed a hint of anger.
Snake Lance Douluo sighed and said:
"Forget it, the Young Master comes to Lotus Lake every day, and his personality has become much more cheerful."
"As long as it doesn't hinder the plan, just let it be."