Chapter 215 - Ice Condensate Water
Chapter 215 - Ice Condensate Water
Mu Zhicong laughed aloud. “It’s not just like ox munching on peony. Everything I said was useless, like playing the zither to an ox! I’m just kidding. I hope you don’t mind, fellow Niu.”
Li Qingshan smiled indifferently. “The tea was good tea, but the water was so-so. Zijian, you need to make friends like that. You have to choose good water, or it’ll ruin the famous tea.”
Yu Zijian agreed softly, while Mu Zhicong’s expression changed.
The tea brewer said irately, “Kid, you have no idea what you’re talking about, yet you just have to act like you do and blabber away. I retrieved the water from the Sky spiritual spring of Sky mountain.”
Mu Zhicong said, “Fellow Niu, you haven’t heard of the Sky spiritual spring before, have you? It’s ranked ninety-seventh within the Spiritual Springs guide of the Green province.”
The ranking was not particularly high, but making it within the top hundred across all fifteen thousand kilometers of the Green province was already very outstanding. The ninety-six spiritual springs that ranked ahead of it were all claimed by various large sects. The springwater they had was not something a mere independent cultivator could taste.
The tea brewer fumed. “You sure know a bit. You really do come from the Green Vine mountain after…”
Li Qingshan interrupted him. “So what?”
The tea brewer said, “So what? If you can take out better water, you can count that jug of tea on me. Otherwise…” His aura radiated out. He was actually at the seventh layer.
Yu Zijian said in a hurry, “Please calm down, senior. My friend was just…”
Li Qignshan stopped her and smiled. “With how many springs the world has to offer, a single guide probably can’t include all of them. Since senior wants to invite us to some free tea, I might as well oblige.” He took out a jar of water from his hundred treasures pouch and presented it before the tea brewer.
This came from a spiritual spring that Li Qingshan had discovered underground when he followed the spiritual river to its source. The water was sweet and icy, enough to quench the thirst of the very hearts of people. Although he lacked a single inkling about tea, he could feel that the spiritual qi in the water was much more abundant than that Sky spring water or whatever it was called.
The sources of most of the spiritual springs in the world were extremely deep underground. As they flowed to the surface, their spiritual qi would disperse, and the quality of the water would drop. However, just how many people in the world could venture so deep underground? And, how many people were willing to venture deep into that dangerous world just for the sake of some water so that they could brew some tea?
The spiritual spring had been protected by one of the strongest daemons Li Qingshan had met. Even if Qi Practitioners managed to make it there, only death would await them. However, if Li Qingshan wanted to drink some water as the leader of the daemon soldiers, how could his subordinate turn him down?
The jar was just a regular old jar. Mu Zhicong watched on, ready to see Li Qingshan make a fool of himself, while Yu Zijian was concerned for him.
The tea brewer opened the jar casually and peered inside. His furious sneer suddenly stiffened. “T- this water?” A layer of white mist appeared on the surface of the water, and a film of perspiration had already formed on the jar the moment it was taken out.
Mu Zhicong walked over impatiently. “How’s the water?” He became stunned as well. The spiritual qi the water gave off actually rivalled quite a few pills.
The tea brewer used an exquisite, bronze ladle to drink some, and he shivered. The water seemed to be even colder than ice. He was still in disbelief, so he scooped a ladle of his own water and placed it in the jar. Before long, the water in the ladle had actually frozen.
“It can’t be wrong, it can’t be wrong! This is Ice Condensate water!”
Li Qingshan never thought the water he had retrieved from the underground spring would actually be capable of this either. “How is it? Is it better than your water?”
The tea brewer was defeated. “It’s Ice Condensate water, ranked fifty-second. Of course it’s better than Sky spring water. I’ve misjudged you. I never thought that you, sir, would have managed to make it into the Icehorse palace!”
“I’ve never heard of some Icehorse palace before. As I’ve said before, it’s impossible for a single guide to include all the springs the world has to offer. I must thank you for your treat then, senior.” Li Qingshan was about to stow the jar away as he said that.
“Hold on!” The tea brewer stopped Li Qingshan in a hurry.
“What, do you plan on changing your mind?” Li Qingshan asked.
“It’s just a pot of tea. I can afford that. I’m Lu Ziyu. How many spiritual stones would you like for this jar of water?” Lu Ziyu’s eyes shone as he looked at Li Qingshan eagerly, or more specifically, the jar of Ice Condensate water he held.
The disciples from the Green Vine mountains struggled to believe what had just happened. This Niu Juxia had actually managed to take out water that surpassed the Sky spring water, and not only would the extravagant pot of tea cost him nothing, but he was even in for a profit.
Mu Zhicong said in surprise, “Are you perhaps senior Lu?”
Although Lu Ziyu’s cultivation was not exactly powerful, he was skilled with tea. He was rather renowned among Qi Practitioners. It was said that he had once brewed tea for quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, who treated him as an esteemed guest. They never thought he would actually appear here, in charge of this Tranquil teahouse.
Lu Ziyu nodded in a reserved manner.
Mu Zhicong refused to relent. “I’ve heard that Ice Condensate water is suited for forging artifacts, but I’ve never heard that it’s suited for brewing tea.”
Lu Ziyu said, “That’s because you’re ignorant! Ice Condensate water has an extremely low temperature, so regular people believe that it’s unsuited for brewing tea. However, little do they know that the only way to unleash the very limits of flavour in tea is to combine ice and fire, but it requires the brewer to possess extremely great mastery.” He was obviously a brewer who possessed extremely great mastery. Now that he had suddenly come across such fantastic water, he would never let this opportunity slip.
Mu Zhicong’s face darkened and reddened, but he was no longer able to say anything.
Li Qingshan said, “Please give me an offer, senior!”
Lu Ziyu said, “Thirty spiritual stones.”
Cheng Jiali cried out slightly. This jar of water was actually worth even more than the pot of tea from earlier. Thirty spiritual stones was a huge sum to a weaker Qi Practitioner like her.
Li Qingshan said, “I think senior isn’t one to rip me off with your moral character. Then thirty spiritual stones it is!”
Lu Ziyu never expected that Li Qingshan would not even try bargaining with him. He secretly rejoiced and stroked his beard while nodding. “This kid is promising!”
“But, I do have a small request!”
“What is it?”
“Please use this water to brew me a pot of Worriless tea, senior!”
Lu Ziyu’s eyes widened as he shot him a furious glance. “Don’t get too greedy, kid!” That would cost him his water and his tea leaves. A pot of Worriless tea made with the Ice Condensate water would be worth fifty spiritual stones at the very least.
Li Qingshan said, “I’ll come clean, senior. I have more than just the jar on me.” He paused slightly. “I also want to witness senior’s profound understanding of tea. If you won’t agree, I’ll have to keep the water for myself to drink then.” He sighed, about to stow the water away.
“Wait! I’m itching to try my skills today, so I’ll satisfy that small request of yours,” Lu Ziyu agreed with gritted teeth. If he only looked at his expenses, the price was barely acceptable.
He could understand what Li Qingshan was implying. Not only was there a jar of water, but he even seemed to know where the spring was located as well. If he could supply him with Ice Condensate water in the long term, it would definitely bring great benefit to his path of tea.
Lu Ziyu got brewing eagerly. Every single movement of his was refined and elegant. He did not use an open flame, heating the teapot in his hand instead. He used his true qi to brew the tea, controlling the heat with great precision. He could see nothing else apart from the teapot.
A while later, Lu Ziyu exhaled gently and opened the teapot lid. A strange fragrance rose up and permeated the surroundings. It was much stronger than the Worriless tea from earlier. The customers behind the curtains suddenly stopped what they were doing and looked over.
A few Qi Practitioners on the street stopped and sniffed gently. “What is this smell? It’s so fragrant!”
Under the eager gazes of the disciples of the Green Vine mountain, Li Qingshan stowed the purple sand teapot into his hundred treasures pouch. “You can give me this teapot too!” He was obviously saving this pot of tea for Xiao An.