Chapter Forty-Six: Using Wine to Assert Power

A thought stirred in Zhang Xiao's mind. The more low-key he remained, the harder it would be to find the Exotic Fire. It would be better to draw attention to himself and attract the notice of certain factions; having them search for the Exotic Fire on his behalf would make things much simpler. Although he was currently wanted by the Warrior Guild and the Radiant Church, he possessed the Ring of the Firmament to protect him, so he had no reason to worry.

"Give me a jar of your strongest liquor." Hearing Zhang Xiao's words, the tavern manager froze, thinking he had misheard. He asked in confusion, "Your strongest liquor?"

It was common knowledge that mages had little interest in alcohol. They needed to keep a clear mind at all times, so they rarely drank. Even if they did, it would only be champagne or dry red wine. No one had ever heard of a mage drinking strong spirits.

Seeing the manager's hesitation, Zhang Xiao deliberately raised his voice. "Yes, the strongest. If it's not strong enough, I'll smash your establishment's sign!" Hearing Zhang Xiao's arrogant tone, the crowd immediately began to jeer and shout.

"Haha! Manager, bring out your strongest aged liquor and let this master mage have a taste. Put the bill on me, hahaha!"

Faced with the crowd's jeering, the manager's expression turned cold. He sneered, "Very well. I will have someone bring out our strongest spirits. But before that, please take a seat over there, Mr. Mage. After all, it's closest to the restroom. If you need to throw up, it will be most convenient." Hearing the manager's mocking words, the crowd's laughter grew even more unrestrained.

Zhang Xiao did not get angry, nor did he sit in the seat the manager pointed to. Instead, he took a seat at the bar counter. Although his face was hidden, the manager could clearly feel the look of utter contempt in his eyes.

The manager sneered, thinking, *Hmph, daring to cause trouble here? I'll teach you a lesson today.* With that, he gave a nod to the bartender.

Catching the manager's playful glint, the bartender immediately retrieved a bottle of liquor from beneath the counter. While it wasn't the finest drink in the establishment, it was by far the strongest. Even the roughest warriors could only stomach a few sips.

Before the bartender could even bring out a glass, Zhang Xiao snatched the entire bottle. He swept his gaze around the tavern, noting that everyone was watching him with curiosity, doubt, and mostly, anticipation of his downfall.

Zhang Xiao sneered, tipped the bottle back, and began to chug. It looked as effortless as drinking water. Seeing him about to finish the entire bottle in one go, the onlookers began to roar.

"Great! Well done! He's no mage—he's practically a warrior, hahaha!" Amidst the cheers, Zhang Xiao tossed the empty bottle aside, grabbed the manager by his collar, and chuckled.

"Is this your strongest liquor? It tastes like nothing but unrefined alcohol. Tell me, should I smash your sign now?"

The manager's face turned green with rage. Before he could utter a word, Zhang Xiao flung him straight through the tavern doors. Zhang Xiao laughed, "Come! I shall treat you all to the strongest liquor—a drink fit only for the mightiest warriors!"

With a flick of his hand, two clay jars appeared on the table. It was the Fire-Brand Saber liquor he had brought from Red Blood Ridge. Setting them down, he asked, "Who dares try my brew?"

Hearing his offer, many in the tavern hesitated. Zhang Xiao was a stranger of unknown origins; what if the liquor was poisoned? If he fled afterward, where would they go to find him? For a moment, everyone wavered.

Zhang Xiao was in no hurry. He broke the seal of one of the jars, and a rich, heavy aroma wafted through the room. He lifted the jar and gulped down a large mouthful. The potent scent made many salivate, and finally, someone could no longer resist and stepped forward.

"Haha, fine aroma! Let me see if it's truly as strong as you claim." The speaker was a dark-skinned man, nearly as massive as a black bear, with bulging muscles on his arms that were thicker than Zhang Xiao's thighs.

He looked like a veritable gorilla. He walked up to Zhang Xiao and reached for the jar, but Zhang Xiao pressed a single hand down on it. "You had better use a cup," Zhang Xiao said.

His words provoked a burst of laughter from the crowd. A warrior being looked down upon by a mage in a contest of drinking was truly a hilarious sight. The dark-skinned warrior felt instantly insulted.

Yet, no matter how much force he exerted, he could not budge the jar. Seeing this, the expressions of the onlookers shifted. This warrior was named Monk, a well-known Level 4 Great Swordsman in the area, whose physical strength was comparable to a magical beast's.

But with just one hand, Zhang Xiao held the jar down so firmly that Monk could not lift it despite straining with all his might. This made the crowd suspect that Zhang Xiao was not a mage at all, but a warrior. Yet, looking at his slender frame, they couldn't fathom what profession could possess greater physical strength than a warrior.

Frustrated by his failure to lift the jar, Monk growled in anger and threw a punch at Zhang Xiao. However, the fist struck empty air. Zhang Xiao had somehow already moved and was sitting on the other side.

This display of speed startled the onlookers once more. Zhang Xiao opened the jar, took a cup, poured it half full, and handed it to Monk with a smile.

"Don't be angry. Drink this half-cup first. If you can still stand it, I won't stop you." Monk snatched the cup. Though furious, he refused to lose face.

He looked down at the cup; the fiery red liquid made him swallow hard. Without hesitation, Monk threw back the half-cup. The moment the liquor hit his stomach, he felt as though he had swallowed a red-hot blade.

It seared down his throat and surged into his limbs, as if setting him ablaze. The sensation left him with a desperate urge to vent his burning energy. Glancing at the jar next to Zhang Xiao, Monk licked his lips, stepped forward, and poured himself another half-cup. This time, Zhang Xiao did not stop him. Monk now knew better than to try and drink this liquor straight from the jar.

Carrying his half-cup, Monk walked back to his table with a booming laugh, muttering, "Good wine! Magnificent wine!" Seeing Monk's reaction, the crowd grew excited. They began lining up, cups in hand, to receive a serving from Zhang Xiao. Soon, everyone held half a cup of Fire-Brand Saber, though a few bold souls poured theirs to the brim. Zhang Xiao raised his jar and called out, "Let's see who the true warriors are, capable of drinking this fine brew!"

With that, Zhang Xiao tipped the jar and drank deeply. The crowd followed suit, throwing back their drinks. Unfortunately, not everyone could withstand the sheer potency of the Fire-Brand Saber.

Many were instantly choked, unable to speak, and could only stick out their tongues and frantically gulp down water. A few even vomited on the spot. Zhang Xiao merely smiled, paying them no mind. However, his divine sense had already expanded.

As expected, the tavern manager he had thrown out was marching back with a menacing group of thugs. Zhang Xiao set his jar aside and waited quietly. Within moments, a band of men burst through the doors, led by the very manager he had ejected. Seeing that Zhang Xiao was still there, the manager's face twisted into a vicious sneer. He pointed at Zhang Xiao and barked at the mercenaries beside him, "He's the troublemaker! Kill him!"

At his command, the thugs drew their weapons and charged. In close combat, a mage was typically defenseless. Unfortunately for them, while their tactics were sound, they had targeted the wrong person. Although Zhang Xiao was not a conventional mage, his understanding of space magic was easily comparable to a Level 5 Space Mage.

Combined with his actual cultivation, his true strength was far beyond anything these men could fathom. With a casual swipe of his finger, a spatial rift tore open in the air and flew toward the charging warriors. They had no time to dodge, much less defend themselves. The raw power of a spatial rift was not something they could hope to withstand. In an instant, two of the mercenaries were torn to shreds. Though the others managed to avoid a direct hit, several were severely injured by the residual spatial tearing.

The manager's face drained of all color. Instant-cast space magic! Could he be a Level 7 Mage? Impossible. How could such a powerful entity be here?

Not only the manager, but the entire tavern was paralyzed with shock. It was only natural for them to leap to such a conclusion; after all, instant-casting was a feat reserved for Level 7 Mages. Although Zhang Xiao was not a Level 7 Mage, his cultivation was comparable to the late Nascent Soul stage, making it trivial for him to tear open a spatial rift. Though he had relied on a few tricks, the destructive power was genuine. Seeing that his goal had been accomplished, Zhang Xiao executed the Divine Step technique and vanished instantly from their sight.

The moment he disappeared, the tavern erupted into chaos. Messages were frantically dispatched to various factions, throwing the entire city of Rocadolay into a frenzy.

A Level 7 Space Mage was a formidable asset. Whichever faction secured his allegiance would instantly become the dominant power in Rocadolay. Countless orders were issued: anyone who could locate Zhang Xiao and successfully invite him to join their guild would be rewarded with one hundred thousand gold coins. Even the City Lord of Rocadolay ordered a search for his whereabouts, issuing a public notice expressing his desire to invite Zhang Xiao to the city lord's mansion for an audience.

Seeing the uproar he had created throughout the city, Zhang Xiao smiled. To obtain information regarding the Exotic Fire, he required the assistance of these major factions, and to secure their aid, he had to demonstrate enough strength to prove his worth.

So far, his plan was proceeding flawlessly. However, an unexpected piece of news from the Warrior Guild caught him slightly off guard. It turned out that the half-jar of Fire-Brand Saber he had left behind at the tavern had been taken by a warrior.

Within two days, rumors began to circulate. Every warrior who had consumed the Fire-Brand Saber experienced a noticeable boost in their strength. The warrior who had claimed the remaining half-jar had put it up for auction in Rocadolay, where it fetched an astronomical price. This development had prompted even the Warrior Guild to join the search for his whereabouts.

I was a bit out of form while writing today, which delayed the release of this second chapter. I hope my readers will forgive me, and please bear with any shortcomings.