Chapter 40

Both of them were food lovers, and now, with their stomachs rumbling, filling their bellies naturally became the top priority!

They found a nearby restaurant, ordered all kinds of good wine and meat, and got several jars of fine wine, then started to eat and drink heartily.

Only after drinking did they realize that both of them had such remarkable alcohol tolerance. There was no need to mention Hong Qigong, who was a typical drink-or-die type... But what he didn't expect was that despite Su Yi's young age, he could drink bowl after bowl of strong white wine without showing any signs of drunkenness!

Hong Qigong immediately became excited, pulling Su Yi to start a drinking contest!

A well-dressed young man and an old beggar, the two of them sat at the table, shouting and cheering, drinking to their heart's content. The onlookers found it quite amusing, wondering how these two people, so different in status, could end up drinking together.

Of course, the two of them didn't care about the others' gazes. They were already in high spirits, and even if a group of people were fighting outside with machetes, it wouldn't have distracted them.

As the drinking contest progressed, it became more intense... Su Yi, who had come from the future, had been accustomed to drinking 50-60 degree white wine in his early years, so for him, the strongest ancient wine was as clear as water, and drinking it to quench his thirst was no problem.

Unfortunately, he was facing Hong Qigong, a legendary drinker. No matter how much he could drink, he couldn't withstand the other's relentless pouring. After drinking more than twenty pounds of strong wine, Su Yi sadly... passed out!

...

When he woke up, it was already the next day.

He opened his eyes groggily and found himself lying in an inn. Looking out the window, it was already noon, and he had slept for a whole night and half a day! Since his internal cultivation had improved, he needed less and less rest, and now he only needed four to five hours of sleep to be energetic all day. This time... it seemed he had really overdone it...

"This old man... doesn't consider that I'm just a teenager, and he actually made me drink so much..."

He cursed angrily, completely ignoring the fact that he was mentally in his twenties. Looking around, he saw that Hong Qigong was gone, and on the table was a note.

He knew what it would say without even looking. It was definitely Hong Qigong leaving early, saying he had important matters to attend to and that he was too drunk to say goodbye, so he left first.

Really, who made him so drunk?

He casually threw the note aside and picked up his sword to leave.

"Hey, sir, wait a moment!"

Just as he was about to leave the inn, he was stopped by the waiter.

"What's the matter?" Su Yi asked, puzzled.

"Um..." The waiter smiled awkwardly and said, "Sir, you haven't paid for yesterday's drinks or today's accommodation... That old man said to ask you to pay the bill!"

...

Su Yi suddenly suspected that Hong Qigong left early not because of urgent matters but for some other reason. Could it be that the old man didn't want to pay and was embarrassed to make a junior pay, so he left first and fled?

Do you really have to do that? I have plenty of money, and treating you to a meal is a small matter. For a respected martial arts senior to do something like skipping out on the bill is truly despicable.

He paid the bill and harshly criticized Hong Qigong, then mounted his horse and galloped towards Xiangyang.

...

According to the original story, the location of the Nine Swords of Dugu is in a small valley outside Xiangyang City. However, the specific location is not as detailed as that of the *Nine Yang Manual*. Thinking back to the days he spent searching for the underwater entrance to the ancient tomb, which took several days of hard work, the area for the Nine Swords of Dugu was even more extensive. Su Yi was certain that finding this valley would not be easy.

Of course, if it were easy to find, Dugu Qiu's residence would have been discovered long ago and turned into a tourist attraction, with admission fees charged to visitors, and the money would be substantial.

Su Yi imagined the scene of Huang Yaoshi, Hong Qigong, Ouyang Feng, and Zhou Botong lining up to pay to visit the predecessor's residence and couldn't help but chuckle, drawing the attention of passersby.

...

Riding hard and covered in dust, several days later, Su Yi finally arrived outside Xiangyang City.

By this time, he was already exhausted. Thinking about it, he had been away from the Quanzhen Sect for three to four months, and during this time, he had been like a firefighter, almost never having a moment to rest, either traveling on horseback or hiding to practice his internal cultivation. Neither of these activities allowed him to relax.

Although the Nine Yang True Qi was excellent at relieving fatigue, it couldn't help with mental exhaustion!

"Ah... people say that wandering the江湖 (jianghu) is about quick and decisive actions, but I'm almost dead tired... No matter, once I find the Nine Swords of Dugu, I'll go home immediately. I need to rest for a while. With the Nine Swords of Dugu, my fortune will surely increase, and I can relax properly!"

Su Yi counted on his fingers. He had been in the *Shediao* world for nearly a year, and the plot was only a little over a year away from starting...

Now, he had mastered several supreme martial arts, and although he had already entered the initial stages of each, further improvement would take time and cultivation. The best place for him to relax was the Wanyan Mansion. Once he returned there, he wouldn't have to worry about food or clothing and could focus on practicing.

Standing outside Xiangyang City, looking at the tall and imposing city walls, Su Yi couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

This place, in a few years, would welcome a young hero who would spend the rest of his life here. Xiangyang City would be like a prison, confining him and preventing him from escaping!

Think about it, after the *Shediao* plot ends, Hong Qigong would step down as the leader of the Beggar Clan and wander freely; Huang Yaoshi would leave Peach Blossom Island and travel the world, oh, and he would take on a cute female disciple, living a carefree life...

But Guo Jing, the youngest, would remain in Xiangyang City, guarding the safety of the Song Dynasty's people, extending their peaceful life for several decades.

Thinking about this, Su Yi suddenly felt that his decision to give the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms to Guo Jing was the right one! Without the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, Guo Jing wouldn't have achieved such great success, and he wouldn't have been able to guard Xiangyang. The people of the Song Dynasty would have fallen into war and chaos earlier, and his one decision extended the life of a nation by several decades.

Although this was just a world in Su Yi's cycle, the people in it were real and alive. Thinking that he had indirectly made such a significant contribution, Su Yi couldn't help but feel a bit proud!

"Only... you've worked hard, haven't you?" He sighed, seemingly feeling sorry for Guo Jing, but then he let it go, "Forget it, you're naturally full of righteousness, just like that Emiya Shirou, always wanting to be a righteous partner. Since you're willing to do it, why should I complain for you? You're not a fish, so how can you know the joy of a fish?"

While musing, Su Yi led his horse into Xiangyang City. He didn't have much time to muse; he was so tired that he couldn't wait to find a good room and sleep for a whole day.