“What do you mean, ‘men and women shouldn't be so physically close’? We're both girls! What is there to be afraid of?”
Without giving her a chance to argue, Tie Ling'er yanked the blanket over herself and crawled in.
Su Yueli had nowhere left to retreat, her back pressed flat against the wall.
Like hell we're both girls.
Though she had lived with this face for several decades, she was still a rough, rugged man deep down in her bones.
In both of her lives, she had never once shared a bed with a girl.
This massive cognitive dissonance between what she saw and what she felt made her entire body go stiff.
But Tie Ling'er clearly had no such concerns.
The young girl had been exhausted from practicing her breathing technique all day. The moment her head hit the pillow, her breathing soon became soft and even.
Once fast asleep, she clung to Su Yueli like an octopus, wrapping both her arms and legs around her.
Su Yueli tried to pull her leg free. After two failed attempts, she could only sigh in resignation.
Guided by the moonlight filtering through the window, she looked down past the edge of the blanket, glancing at her flat lower abdomen.
Completely empty.
A sudden wave of frustration surged straight to her head.
Dammit...!!
All that remained in Su Yueli's heart was endless exasperation. She wanted nothing more than to look up at the sky and roar.
But after taking two deep breaths, she forced down the irritation in her chest.
Closing her eyes, she circulated her blood qi and forced herself to enter a state of meditation.
Early the next morning.
Su Yueli rose early. After washing up, she hired a few laborers to haul the newly brewed beer on a handcart.
The first batch was delivered straight to the Changwei Dojo.
Zhao Xiu was quite straightforward. Not only did he pay the remaining balance, but he also took the opportunity to invite Su Yueli inside for a cup of tea. Su Yueli simply pocketed the silver and left.
After completing the delivery, Su Yueli brought the remaining dozens of kegs to the usual spot at the East Market street corner.
As soon as the kegs were set down, she pulled off the red cloth.
Regulars who had tried the beer previously, along with passersby who had heard of its reputation, instantly swarmed the stand.
“Miss Su, quick! Give me three big bowls!”
“Don't push, don't push! I was here first. Pack a whole keg for me to take home!”
In less than half an hour, the stall was completely surrounded.
In the sweltering heat, this ice-cold, refreshing drink with its unique malty aroma held a fatal attraction for ordinary folk.
At ten copper coins a bowl, some even spent two taels of silver to buy an entire keg.
Business was far better than Su Yueli had anticipated.
As she was busily working, several well-dressed, pot-bellied, middle-aged men squeezed through the crowd and approached the stall.
Judging by their attire, they were the managers of several major restaurants in Qingzhou City.
“Miss Su, a word in private, if you please.”
The manager of the Yingke Restaurant, who was leading the group, cupped his hands with a beaming smile. “Selling this alcohol of yours on the street corner is a waste of its potential, Miss. Why don't we strike a deal? If you supply your brew exclusively to our restaurants, we'll make sure you're handsomely compensated. What do you say?”
The other managers nodded in agreement.
Merchants valued profit above all, and they had instantly recognized the massive business opportunity behind this unique brew.
If they could monopolize it for their establishments, their business would easily double in this sweltering weather.
Su Yueli stopped scooping the beer and glanced at them.
“We can cooperate, but I have two rules.”
Su Yueli's tone was calm, showing no excitement despite the major business opportunity knocking on her door. “First, I do not guarantee production volume. You take whatever amount I can brew, and there will be no rushing me. Second, all payments must be settled in cash immediately; no running tabs.”
Hearing this, the managers exchanged looks.
They had originally planned to use exclusive distribution as leverage to force higher production, but they hadn't expected this seemingly young girl to be so airtight when doing business.
However, since the product was rare and highly sought after, they weighed their options for a moment before gritting their teeth and agreeing.
Su Yueli accepted the deposit, calculating silently in her mind.
At her current rate of production, she couldn't possibly keep up with the demand of several restaurants. Yet, she couldn't spend all her time brewing either; the martial path was her foundation.
It seemed she would have to spend some money to hire a few honest and reliable workers, break down the steps of this crude brewing process, and only keep the core temperature control and herb ratios to herself.
She continued to sell the beer until the sun began to set and twilight fell.
The pedestrians passing by the stall gradually thinned out.
An old farmer carrying a hoe walked past. Drawn by the aroma, he approached and swallowed his saliva. “Miss, give me a bowl of beer to quench my thirst.”
“We're out. Come back another day,” Su Yueli replied flatly, leaning against the handcart.
The old farmer was taken aback. Pointing at the dozen or so tightly sealed wooden kegs behind her, he asked in confusion, “Isn't there still plenty left back there?”
“Those are reserved.”
Seeing this, the old farmer could only shake his head in regret and walk away.
In truth, the beer for individual sale had run dry hours ago. The remaining dozen or so kegs were all reserved for that cultivator.
However, the agreed-upon time had long passed, and night had fallen, yet he was nowhere to be seen.
Standing in the shadows, Su Yueli watched the lanterns lighting up along the street, a trace of doubt rising in her heart.
Could a grand disciple of an immortal sect really stand up a mere mortal over a deposit of fifty taels of silver?
Just as she was thinking, a faint sound of breaking wind suddenly sliced through the air above.
A streak of light touched down, revealing a figure. It was indeed that outer disciple of the Chiyan Sect.
A bit of dust clung to the hem of the young man's robe, and a hint of fatigue showed on his face as he walked up to the stall.
“My apologies. Something unexpected came up in the sect, which delayed me. I'm late.”
The young man remained polite and gentle as he looked at the kegs on the cart. “Miss, is the beer still here?”
“Since you reserved them, of course they're still here.” Su Yueli pointed to the kegs behind her.
The young man did not stand on ceremony. He lifted the lid of a keg, scooped out a bowl, and downed it in one gulp.
“Whew—”
As the ice-cold liquid entered his stomach, the young man let out a long breath, and the weariness between his brows seemed to dissipate quite a bit. “Excellent brew. It really quenches the thirst.”
Setting down the porcelain bowl, he looked at Su Yueli. “I'll need the same amount next time. Thank you for your hard work, Miss.”
With that, he walked over to the wooden kegs, and his space ring flashed with a faint light.
The dozen or so heavy wooden kegs vanished in an instant. Then, he flipped his hand to produce some silver and handed it to Su Yueli.
Su Yueli looked at the silver notes being handed over but made no move to accept them.
“You are too polite, Immortal Master.”
Su Yueli cupped her hands and bowed according to mortal custom. “Consider these brews a gift to make a friend. I won't take a single coin.”
The young man's hand froze in mid-air. His brows furrowed slightly as his gaze lingered on Su Yueli's face for a moment.
Giving it away for free to a cultivator?
He had seen this play out far too many times in Qingzhou City.
Countless mortal nobles and martial Grandmasters bent over backward, using every method imaginable to curry favor with sect disciples—gifting gold, silver, and beautiful women—all for nothing more than a chance to enter an immortal sect and seek longevity.
A trace of disappointment flashed in the young man's heart.
He thought that this girl who brewed such a unique alcohol was, in the end, unable to escape mortal opportunism, wishing to seek the path of immortality.
Yet, as he scrutinized Su Yueli for a moment longer, he found that her eyes were as clear as water, completely devoid of sycophancy.
This expression was absolutely not something that could be faked by those who wagged their tails for profit.
The young man's heart stirred slightly. He placed the silver on the wooden cart.
“Chiyan Sect, Xu Changfeng.”
The young man declared his name. Looking at Su Yueli, he said, “If you have a request, Miss, feel free to speak. But business is business. I, Xu Changfeng, do not take things from mortals for free.”
Hearing this, Su Yueli secretly let out a sigh of relief, a slightly embarrassed smile flashing across her beautiful face.
“I have made a fool of myself, Immortal Master Xu. It was my presumption.”
She put away the silver notes. In truth, she hadn't liked her own performance just now either, but when facing high-and-mighty cultivators, trying to get close was the only way for a mortal to strike up a conversation.
Since he had laid his cards on the table, she would stop beating around the bush.
Originally, she had wanted to ask Xu Changfeng about the general state of the cultivation world, such as the distribution of the major sects' power, or the details of the Cangyun Sect.
But as the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back down.
The cultivation world was too vast, and its affairs too complex. For a mortal martial artist like her to suddenly ask about the secrets of these top immortal sects would seem far too deliberate.
For a moment, she didn't even know where to begin.
After a brief hesitation,
Su Yueli raised her head, her cold eyes looking straight at Xu Changfeng.
“Immortal Master Xu, I would like to make an inquiry.”
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