Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 179 – Culinary Arts: Tiger Bone Liquor and Drunken Haze

Back in Cang Lang Country, Qing Shui was still living in Earthly Paradise. Qing Shui prepared to brew a liquor when he discovered a wine-brewing recipe in the Culinary Arts. This made him ecstatic.

Qing Shui knew that, apart from some cakes, the valuable part of the Culinary Arts was liquor. Such types were Nu Er Hong, Tiger Bone Liquor, Pearl Dew Liquor, Plum Wine, Hundred Tastes Liquor, Snake’s Gall Bladder Wine, and the legendary Drunken Haze – a wine for deities.

There were recipes available for all except the Drunken Haze. Pearl Dew Liquor and Hundred Tastes Liquor took time to brew, since dew was difficult to collect and many of the ingredients for Hundred Tastes Liquor could not be found at the moment. Qing Shui could brew Tiger Bone Liquor, Plum Wine, and Snake’s Gall Bladder Wine. As for Nu Er Hong, it was a little malevolent as it needed a virgin to brew.

Qing Shui wanted to brew one for a start, and decided on Tiger Bone Liquor. Tiger bones were easy to find. Any clinic would have tiger bones, unlike the past life when it was very rare.

Other than the main ingredient of tiger bones, many such as grains, fruit, herbs were still needed. Qing Shui spent two days to finally gather all the ingredients he needed.

Huoyun Liu-Li looked at Qing Shui as he fiddled with these unusual items and asked in bafflement. “Qing Shui, what are you planning to do with all these things?”

“Wine-brewing!”

“Wine-brewing? You know how to?” Huoyun Liu-li looked at Qing Shui in amazement. The liquors in Earthly Paradise were made in breweries, and were very pricey.

“It is actually very easy,” Qing Shui started, while fiddling with his items. “A mixture of red sorghum, corn, rice, wheat, unhusked rice, dried potatoes with the seasonings of distillers grains, husks, and water. The basic processes of wine-brewing involves steaming, fermentation, filtration, and aging. Ingredients that are steamed become susceptible to microorganism that will become a fermenting agent, which then leads to enzymic decomposition, and finally fermented wine. The distillers grains are filtered away, leaving sweet wine. Making sediments requires steaming grains and using cooked ingredients to brew wine.”

Huoyun Liu-li stared blankly at Qing Shui as he explained while working busily. Huoyun Liu-li was still in a state of confusion; the difference in professions made it difficult for her to understand what Qing Shui just said.

The liquor of the nine continents were similar grain wines with high nutritional values, suitable for both genders. Drinking was a common phenomenon on the continents. It was not detrimental to health, and was even comparable to tea tasting. Thus, hundred-year or thousand-year pure brews were exorbitant.

“This liquor even requires tiger bones and herbs?” Huoyun Liu-li’s eyes followed Qing Shui as he laid out some strange-looking brewing tools, spotting tiger bones and others herbs.

“Yes, I’m brewing a wine called Tiger Bone Liquor. It’s nourishing, and definitely beneficial.” Qing Shui smiled at the slender beauty beside him.

“Nourishing? Almost all wines in the nine continents have nourishing effects.” Huoyun Liu-li looked doubtful. They were, after all, made using various grains, and were even more beneficial when consumed during cold weather.

“This is different from other wines. All ingredients in their wines are present in mine, but not all of mine can be found in theirs.”

“Qing Shui, stop keeping me in suspense, and tell me what’s special about yours,” Huoyun Liu-li said coquettishly. Her naturally husky, attractive, and bewitching voice was now full of charm that could drive men crazy.

“Sigh, not only does it taste heavenly, but it is also especially nourishing for men’s you know what. After drinking this, it would absolutely allow them to do it with women without getting tired. Women would become more beautiful after they drink this.” Qing Shui quickly finished his sentence while staring at the beauty who had become charming and alluring.

After a while!

“Does it really have such amazing effects?” Huoyun Liu-li asked in a shy manner, her seductive, enchanting face turning red.

“Of course, tiger bones invigorates the Yang…”

“Are you courting death? I’m talking about the beautifying effects.” Huoyun Liu-li said with a pout and hit Qing Shui lightly.

“Ah, that!”

The flirtatious look on Huoyun Liu-li in this moment was indescribable. Qing Shui had come across women of unrivalled beauty like Wenren Wu-Shuang, Yiye Jiange and the lady on the Golden Winged Thunder Condor, but the one before him was fatally seductive.

She was a demon of the highest class who could suck every man dry.

“Of course, when have I lied to you?” Qing Shui broke out in sweat.

Huoyun Liu-li smiled charmingly at Qing Shui, as though noticing his awkwardness. Her attractiveness and unique voice was captivating and even more alluring than the angelic voice of Yiye Jiange.

She was an elusive goddess, yet also a demon who was always beside you but never seemed to belong to you!

Qing Shui gathered all the ingredients needed for steaming, fermentation. At the end, a Strength-Enhancing fruit and two Drunken Fragrance Fruit were added. The determined Qing Shui even added two drops of blood from the Golden Medicinal Turtle!

At the end of it, Qing Shui heaved a sigh of relief. “Doing it yourself not only feeds and clothes you. The most important part is experiencing the feeling of reaping the products and a sense of satisfaction.”

“This I understand, it’s a wonderful feeling. Do you know what feelings I am looking for?” Huoyun Liu-li laughed and looked at Qing Shui.

“What feeling?” Qing Shui stared back at her.

“Reaping without sowing is actually satisfying!” Huoyun Liu-li laughed prettily and seductively, even winked cheekily at Qing Shui while crinkling her straight, sexy nose.

Her coy adorableness was devilishly alluring!

“How many days are left before your Tiger Bone Liquor is ready?” Huoyun Liu-li asked, as if she could not wait to drink it.

“What’s the hurry? Do you want to drink it so quickly? This has the best effects for men as it helps the liver, and invigorates the Yang…” Qing Shui didn’t know why she was so impatient.

“Doesn’t this make one prettier?” Huoyun Liu-li replied, embarrassed.

Qing Shui was speechless. It’s no wonder they say beautiful people care more about their appearance. He didn’t think that a beauty like her would still be keen on beautifying herself.

‘You are beautiful on the inside, so there’s no need to enhance your outside appearance. Men will die of nosebleeds if you become even prettier.” Qing Shui made a sad face and spoke sincerely.

“Stop that quickly. Tell me when we can drink it,” Huoyun Liu-li pulled Qing Shui’s sleeve and asked coyly.

The trump card was shown, and Qing Shui obediently responded that it would be tomorrow when the brew would be done. After saying it, he fled away covering his nose. Huoyun Liu-li’s out-of-this-world seductive laughter could be heard behind him.

Qing Shui realised that, the more they were together, the less he was able to withstand her attractiveness. He was afraid that he might not be able to control himself and pounce on her.

Qing Shui was actually looking forward to the last wine that wasn’t displayed – the Drunken Haze. The name itself suggested its ability to make people drunk as if they were in dreamland. Qing Shui imagined this drink would have effects like drugs. Even though he did not know what taking drugs felt like. From what he had heard, it was like pure euphoria!

Drunken Haze should produce ethereal pleasure; it would be like experiencing orgasms everyday!

Qing Shui had been collecting ingredients for cooking, making seasonings, and medicinal herbs. However, there had been little progress as not one recipe had a complete set of ingredients gathered yet.

Fortunately, there was the Drunken Fragrance Fruit. When Qing Shui was in the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal, adding the Drunken Fragrance Fruit to delicious Black Fish Turtle made it indescribably mouth-watering. It was a pity he could not let Huoyun Liu-li try it. If he did, she would not be eating typical dishes without him around – unless she had her fill of the food in Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal. This was like how one would crave for pickles after having too much meat.

Ever since Qing Shui clasped the golden lock onto Huoyun Liu-Li’s neck, their relationship was like that of siblings. Just like a while ago, Huoyun Liu-Li would lightly punch Qing Shui when she was teased.

Qing Shui decided to let nature take its course. Though he wouldn’t force anything, he wouldn’t give it up voluntarily. No matter what, Qing Shui liked it best when success came naturally.

One would never have enough of good women; there’s no end to greed. As long as he could touch, have feelings for, and like a woman, Qing Shui would never give up, yet he would never force anyone into it.

“Little Liu-Li!” Qing Shui shouted!

Huoyun Liu-Li:”….”

“Do you know the story about the glass cup?” QIng Shui recalled the story about General Juan Lian breaking a glass cup by accident!

“Tell me about it, I’m all ears!”

“General Juan Lian broke a glass cup by accident, and Queen Mother made him…”

There was no Jade Emperor, Queen Mother, or General Juan Lian here anyway; Qing Shui proceeded to tell Huoyun Liu-li the story of his past life. When she had any questions, Qing Shui would make up new stories.

It actually made Huoyun Liu-li touched and glassy-eyed, for she felt sorry for the ladies in the glass shards!

“Would you be the heartless General Juan Lian?” Huoyun Liu-li suddenly stared at Qing Shui and asked.

Qing Shui was baffled. Where did this come from? He looked back at Huoyun Liu-li, “General Juan Lian only wanted to return to the Heavenly Palace!”

Huoyun Liu-li smiled, “That was a good story, tell Elder Sister one more next time.”

Qing Shui nodded in a daze, realising that he could not keep up with this lady at all. Sometimes, he was unsure of what she wanted to express. Women were such strange and fickle-minded creatures.

At night, Qing Shui entered the Realm of Violet Jade Immortal. Although the time spent on cultivating medicine was short, the important thing was not the amount of time, but his perseverance. There were still 20,000 experiences before the 10,000 experiences of Big Revitalizing Pellet!

Skysword Sect had alchemists too. The Tiger Vitality Pill given to Qing Shui when he became a Protector was still on him. He immediately took it out, saw that it was a beautiful and shiny blue pill, and consumed one.

He sat cross-legged. Tiger Vitality Pills increased the speed of cultivation by three days. Qing Shui practised the Ancient Strengthening Technique for 69 days and discovered that the effects of the pills were small. The speed increased was minimal.

The following day, there was the regular morning training, but the training methods of Deer Cantering and Tiger Form were being taught to Huoyun Liu-li!

“Is the Tiger Bone Liquor ready? One day has passed!” Huoyun Liu-li asked Qing Shui for the third time.

“Yes. Big Miss, is there a hypnotizing method better than yours? You have asked this again and again, it’s giving me a headache.”

“Alright, open it!”

“….”

When the wine vat was unsealed, a wave of drunken aroma escaped. The only word for it was satisfying!

Qing Shui looked up to see Huoyun Liu-li closing her eyes. He saw her dainty, adorable eyelashes, her pinkish, attractive face, her straight and alluring nose, and the charming, curvy outline of her lips. This mature, attractive side of her was fatally appealing.

Qing Shui filled up an entire glass vat. The Tiger Bone Liquor looked clear, with a density slightly higher than water. It gave off an aroma that held men spellbound.

“I’ll drink if you’re not drinking!” Qing Shui took two cups, both half-filled!

“Ah, don’t drink it yourself!” Huoyun Liu-li opened that pair of seductive eyes, walked over, and took the cup from Qing Shui.

It was top-quality, saliva-inducing wine. The wine had an unparalleled taste, and gave a slight warm feeling in the diaphragm. Qing Shui felt a little boost in the Qi of the Ancient Strengthening Technique. Although it was small and almost negligible, he could still feel it.

Could this be a “supplement”? The only goal for all supplementary techniques was to augment real strength.

When he turned to look at Huoyun Liu-li, she was looking at him. She was equally amazed, excited, intoxicated, and more satisfied than ever!

“This will be for thr both of us from now on!” Huoyun Liu-li looked at Qing Shui. Her eyes were filled with a drunk’s gleam, and her alluring pretty mouth curled into a beautiful outline.