Li Chonglou, however, was too engrossed to heed her words. After downing the glass of red wine, his丹田 (dāntián) felt as though it had received a great tonic, with spiritual energy surging forth continuously and flowing throughout his entire body!
It was an incredibly comforting process, much like burrowing into a warm quilt on a frigid winter's day, a warmth that almost made Li Chonglou cry out.
What astonished him even more was that the bottleneck, which had long reached its limit, actually began to loosen under this warmth!
Sensing this, Li Chonglou jolted, and his gaze fell upon a large wooden barrel behind him.
If he remembered correctly, the bartender had drawn the wine for this drink from there!
Just then, Mei Niang's voice reached Li Chonglou's ears again: "I advise you to behave. If you dare to touch anything here without permission, the consequences will be even more severe than what Old Wang described."
Li Chonglou finally snapped back to reality. That's right, otherwise, why would that fellow dare to hand over the place to him so trustingly?
As Li Chonglou turned to look at Mei Niang, he heard the disgruntled voices of the surrounding people: "Come on, Mei Niang, have you taken a liking to this kid? If he gets to move first, won't we all have more blood crystal income?"
Mei Niang chuckled and offered a reason that made Li Chonglou's face darken again: "That's true, but this one is somewhat like me. Seeing my own kind, I can't bear to be harsh."
"Tch."
A chorus of boos erupted from all around. However, the matter was indeed let go. Mei Niang glanced at Li Chonglou faintly before returning to her seat.
This person is rather interesting.
Li Chonglou stared at Mei Niang's retreating back, lost in thought. Soon, however, his attention returned to the large wooden barrel.
To this day, his heart was still filled with shock!
He was currently at the peak of the sixth layer. Ever since he had pushed his脉潜 (mài qiǎn) to its current limit, he hadn't felt this bottleneck loosen for a long time.
Even if he had comprehended new development ideas, they only enhanced his skills!
Yet, after just one glass of wine, he had taken that crucial step! This step was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth!
With this step, it meant that as long as the time was right, he could break through this bottleneck purely through internal energy! The seventh layer of cultivation was already half a step for him!
The value of this was immeasurable. Forget guarding for a night, even spending all his current money and abandoning the mission would be entirely worth it!
Li Chonglou's gaze on the barrel grew more fervent. With just one glass, this was the result. What if he drank all the wine here?
At this moment, everyone in the tavern subconsciously turned their attention to this area, and Mei Niang's brow furrowed slightly.
After a long while, Li Chonglou suddenly withdrew his gaze, only then noticing everyone's unusual attention.
"Don't worry, though I might have the thought, I wouldn't throw my life away."
He said this looking at everyone, but it was clear to all that he was speaking to Mei Niang. The crowd suddenly felt bored and resumed their own conversations.
Mei Niang also withdrew her gaze, leaned against her table, and quietly sipped her red wine.
Everything returned to normal. Li Chonglou stood there, eavesdropping on their conversations, hoping to glean something useful.
Unfortunately, after listening for a while, it was all just trivial gossip. It seemed that everyone who came here only did so for the red wine and to relax.
Li Chonglou's brow furrowed slightly.
"What exactly is this Red Coast? With such miraculous things here, why do the experts treat it like just another place?"
The more Li Chonglou observed, the more he found it unbelievable. Those who could cultivate to this level, without exception, possessed a degree of arrogance.
Logically, with no stronger guards or much security here, and only those two fifth-layer cultivators at the entrance, who could resist robbing such a treasure?
However, since this was the reality, there must be an inside story he didn't know. Unfortunately, no one was willing to share it with him at the moment.
Although everyone appeared casual, they were all wary of those around them. Apart from familiar individuals conversing, even Mei Niang merely bantered with others, maintaining a safe distance.
Fortunately, no one else ordered a drink.
"Do I really have to stand here all night waiting for that Old Wang to return?"
Old Wang had mentioned consultation fees before leaving, but he hadn't answered his questions. It was clear he was referring to his first question. This meant that as long as he returned, provided he didn't play any tricks, he would likely know about this place.
However, just waiting here for a whole night seemed like a waste of time.
With this thought, Li Chonglou's gaze fell upon Mei Niang.
Coincidentally, Mei Niang looked over at the same time. Li Chonglou made up his mind instantly and was about to walk over when the latter suddenly stood up, smiled at him, and then walked out without looking back.
Alright, she's leaving.
Li Chonglou sighed and checked the time. It was only around one in the morning, and there were at least five to six hours until dawn.
However, at that very moment, red lights suddenly flashed on the tavern's ceiling, and an electronic voice sounded from somewhere.
"Warning, warning, unauthorized intruder detected. Requesting backup!"
The voice repeated three times.
By the time Li Chonglou reacted, the tavern was already empty.
Only Mei Niang remained standing at the entrance, her brow furrowed as she looked at him.
"Follow me. Hurry."
Li Chonglou hesitated. "But I have to guard this place..."
Mei Niang quickly said, "The rule here is that once the alarm sounds, everyone who hears it must go and provide support. If you really stay here waiting for Old Wang to return, you'll be the one in trouble afterwards!"
Li Chonglou was about to ask about the wine when Mei Niang continued, "Don't worry about the wine. Those two outside weren't invited for a meal, and their strength is not as simple as you think."
After speaking, she paid him no further attention, as if in a great hurry. With a surge of internal energy, she vanished from her spot.
Also fifth-layer!
Li Chonglou's eyes narrowed slightly, his mind racing.
Should he trust her, or not?
This question was answered in less than a second. Li Chonglou also circulated his internal energy and followed.
After all, someone had told him this, and he was a newcomer. If something happened, Li Chonglou believed he could justify his actions.
Upon exiting the tavern, Li Chonglou quickly spotted Mei Niang. This wasn't due to his Heavenly Eye perspective ability; it was clear Mei Niang was deliberately waiting for him.
Moreover, her expression seemed anxious.
It didn't seem like she was trying to trick him, Li Chonglou murmured to himself and then quickened his pace to catch up.
He only revealed his fifth-layer aura, but Mei Niang's eyes clearly showed surprise. However, perhaps due to the urgency of the situation, she didn't speak.