“What nonsense are you talking about, Father?” Cai Yourong reprimanded him.
The entire mountain range was uninhabited, so how could there be a pond filled with fine liquor? Also, how was there a liquor in the world that would cause someone to sleep for three days and three nights?
That was all too ridiculous to her. It sounded more like a folk tale or a legend.
“I’m not talking nonsense!” Grandpa Shunde said seriously, “I’m not mistaken either! I remember it very clearly because I didn’t want to get any of the details wrong. I’ve never mentioned it to anyone since that encounter.
“I’ve saved that bottle of liquor for decades. Every few years, I would open it and take a sip. I’ve only finished the entire bottle a few years ago.
“I’m not lying to you. That liquor is the best liquor I’ve ever tasted in my life. The valley is also true. I don’t think the liquor is brewed by mortals. It’s divine liquor!”
Cai Yourong was helpless. “Father! So what if it’s true? There’s no point for saying it if no one can find it.”
“I can’t find it, but I’m sure that it’s still there. Now that we’re in modern times and technology has advanced, there might be a better chance of finding it. You’ll make a fortune if you can locate the valley.”
“Sure, sure!” Cai Yourong could only agree with his father to appease him. She shook her head.
Clearly, she did not believe it.
Ma Fangfang was secretly smiling at her grandfather.
Tang Hao was silent. He could not decide to believe Grandpa Shunde or not.
He was more concerned that, if the old man’s story was true, what would the actual situation be.
A pond full of fine liquor? That was utterly unbelievable.
“Grandpa, do you remember the place where you first got lost?” Tang Ha asked.
“Of course I do, but it’s only the general location. I’ll get the map for you.”
Grandpa Shunde excitedly stood up, went upstairs, and returned with a box. He retrieved a tattered map from the bottom of the box.
He unfurled the map, which contained the drawing of a mountain range.
Grandpa Shunde pointed at a circle on the map. “See, it’s around here.”
Tang Hao looked closely at the place where Grandpa Shunde was pointing. It was a big region.
Furthermore, the circled area was in the central part of the mountain range. It was very far away from the village.
If he continued traveling in that direction, he would eventually reach Dragonrock Village.
“It’s in this area, Lil Tang. I can’t be mistaken. When I got out of the mountains back then, I immediately drew it on the map. If you have the time, you can organize a search party to look for it.
“If you want to search it, I hope that you can do it within the next seven or eight months, so that I can taste it again before I die.”
Grandpa Shunde smacked his lips as he spoke.
“Father, you’ll only be wasting Lil Tang’s time! You’ve been searching for it for decades but you can’t find it, and you expect him to find it in seven or eight months?” Cai Yourong spoke dismissively.
“It’s not the same. I was searching for it on my own, but Lil Tang is a big boss. He can bring more people to help him!” Grandpa Shunde said.
Cai Yourong shook her head helplessly.
The old man turned to speak to Tang Hao. “Don’t pay too much attention to it, Lil Tang. You can go search for it in the mountains whenever you’re free. You don’t have to purposely do it.”
Tang Hao thought of something as he looked at the map.
He abruptly stood up. “I shouldn’t delay. I’ll go now!”
Cai Yourong’s expression froze. Even Grandpa Shunde’s jaw dropped.
“You’re… You’re going now?” Grandpa Shunde stammered.
Tang Hao nodded. “Yes, I’m going now! I should be back by evening.”
“That’s impossible!” Grandpa Shunde waved his hands. “The place is very deep in the mountains. It’ll take you hours to get there from here. It’ll be night time once you reach there. The mountains aren’t safe at night. What happens if you have an accident?”
“That’s right!” Cai Yourong tried to convince Tang Hao to stay.
“Don’t worry, I’m very fast. When I was training my medical skills, I frequently went into the mountains alone. There won’t be a problem,” Tang Hao said with a smile.
The two people hesitated when they saw that Tang Hao was insistent.
“So that decides it. You can wait here for me!” Tang Hao took the map and headed outside.
“Please be careful, Tang Hao!” Ma Fangfang stood up and said to him.
“I know!”
After that, Tang Hao went out of the mansion and walked toward the mountain.
It was one o’clock in the afternoon.
After entering the mountain, Tang Hao changed his stance and ran like the wind.
He arrived at the circled area on the map in about an hour.
He stood on a prominence and looked around.
From where he stood, he could see the undulating peaks and valleys stretching out into the horizon. The scenery was breath-taking.
According to Grandpa Shunde, the place was quite strange, as though it was a dream land. It would be very easy to get lost in there. Ever since he accidentally found the place, he could never find it again.
It was just like the legend of the Peach Blossom Spring.[1]
Mundane people would find the story to be ridiculous, but Tang Hao knew that it was most likely true.
The simplest maze formation could achieve that effect.
Tang Hao channeled qi into his eyes and opened his Third Eye. He looked around the area.
He continued his search for half an hour before finding a lead. He discovered the traces of a maze formation near a valley.
“It’s here!” Tang Hao was excited as he stepped into the formation.
The maze formation was ancient and was partially incomplete. Tang Hao could easily see the solution to the maze. He soon found the exit of the formation and smelled a thick fragrance of liquor in the air.
Tang Hao was shocked when he smelled that.
His eyes opened wide with incredulity.
Grandpa Shunde was right. That must be the finest liquor in the entire world. The smell alone was intoxicating.
Tang Hao excitedly walked onward.
The valley was filled with a thick fog. He felt like he was in dreamland.
The more he walked, the thicker the fragrance. A light sniff made his heart flutter.
Soon, his eyes sparkled when he noticed a pond in front of him. There was no water in the pond, but rather a thick, sticky golden liquid.
“It’s true after all!” Tang Hao exclaimed. Also, he was quite confused.
‘Where did this liquor come from?’
He surveyed the area, and noticed an ancient tree next to the pond. The tree was about two zhang [2]tall and was covered in a golden sheen.
“Oh my! What tree is this?” Tang Hao was shocked when he saw the tree.
The tree looked as though it was made of gold. It was almost blinding.
He sensed that there was a concentrated qi flow in the area. There must be leyline gathering and qi seal formations in the area.
Tang Hao stepped closer and examined the tree closely.
Then, he took out a dragon tooth throwing knife and cut off a small patch of tree bark. Instantly, a golden liquid oozed out of the opening. He could smell the thick fragrance of liquor.
Tang Hao was surprised. He guessed that the liquor in the pond must be the sap of the tree.
“Ah!” Tang Hao exclaimed. He remembered reading about the tree before. It was called the Liquor Tree, a unique species of tree bred by ancient cultivators.
[1] The fable of Peach Blossom Spring was written in the 5th century CE of a place hidden from the outside world. The protagonist of the story stumbles upon the place by chance and stays there for some time before leaving. Later attempts to find the place all ended in failure.
[2] The zhang is an ancient Chinese unit of measurement which translate to about ten feet
