Night!
The wind and snow grew fiercer.
Many residents had already retreated to their beds early, using blankets to fend off the biting cold.
But Mason Wei and his group felt a chill in their hearts.
They had come to River West County full of hope, but after two days, they had found nothing.
The world was covered in white snow, and even at night, it wasn't completely dark but rather a dim, grayish white.
In the midst of the snowstorm, a Taoist with two jade gourds at his waist walked through the snow, leaving no footprints behind.
Walking on snow without a trace!
Clearly, he was someone who had achieved mastery in cultivating the Dao.
After braving the wind and snow all night, the Taoist finally reached River West County by early morning.
"Fox Demon, I hope you're still here," the Taoist murmured as he entered the town.
The New Year was approaching, and in a few days, it would be the first day of the new year. However, the festive atmosphere in River West County was not very strong.
The reason was the heavy snow. Ordinary people were huddled in their homes, relying on firewood or blankets for warmth.
Only the wealthy, dressed in fur coats, dared to wander the streets in such weather, unafraid of the cold.
Despite the daily snowfall, Oliver Sheng still had his soldiers clear the snow every day to facilitate the common people's travel.
This not only strengthened the bond between the military and the civilians but also increased the townspeople's recognition of the soldiers.
Oliver had just gotten up and given his military orders when he was about to head to the craftsman's workshop. As soon as he stepped out of the barracks, a Taoist stopped him.
"General, I am Nolan Dan. I've heard that you have brewed an extraordinary wine. I wonder if I could purchase some," Nolan said.
Nolan hadn't immediately gone to search for the Fox Demon but had come to buy the wine instead.
Being a lover of fine wine, Nolan couldn't resist when he heard about the extraordinary brew. Since his mission brought him to River West County, the birthplace of the legendary Green Ant Wine and Western Wind Blaze, he had eagerly volunteered for the task.
"Nolan Dan? Are you from the Pill Sect?" Oliver scrutinized the young Taoist before him.
He appeared to be in his twenties, very young, with a spotless white Taoist robe and two jade gourds hanging from his waist, exuding a Daoist aura.
"Has the General heard of the Pill Sect?"
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"Indeed, I am from the Pill Sect," Nolan nodded.
"You said you want to buy wine?" Oliver felt that this must be a stroke of luck.
He had been worrying about where to get pills for his soldiers' cultivation, and now, an opportunity had presented itself.
"Yes, General. Could you sell me some of your fine wine?" Nolan looked at Oliver earnestly.
Green Ant Wine and Western Wind Blaze were now known far and wide, but the supply was limited, with the Hu brothers having taken most of it. There was nowhere to buy more.
With the roads blocked by snow, merchants from the interior wouldn't be able to reach River West County until after the spring thaw.
"Come, I'll take you to the winery," Oliver said enthusiastically.
His eagerness made Nolan a bit wary.
Oliver decided to skip the craftsman's workshop and led Nolan to the winery.
Inside, the winemakers and the women were busy brewing wine with great enthusiasm, undeterred by the snow.
"Summer Lotus, bring a jar of Green Ant and a jar of Western Wind Blaze," Oliver called out to the busy Summer Lotus.
"Coming."
Hearing Oliver's call, Summer Lotus put down her work and fetched two jars of wine.
"General, here are the Green Ant and Western Wind Blaze," Summer Lotus placed the jars on the table.
"Alright, you can go back to your work," Oliver nodded.
Nolan stared at the two jars. So, this was the legendary wine?
Oliver opened the jar of Green Ant first, and the rich aroma of the wine filled the air.
Smelling the strong fragrance, Nolan's eyes lit up. This wine was far more fragrant than any he had encountered at the foot of the sect's mountain.
"Good wine, it smells wonderful," Nolan, a lover of fine wine, couldn't help but swallow.
Oliver poured a bowl and pushed it in front of Nolan.
"Please, Taoist, have a taste."
"Then I won't refuse," Nolan picked up the bowl and drank it all in one go.
The wine was rich and smooth, with a lingering fragrance and a delicate taste.
"Refreshing! This wine is full-bodied and smooth, with a rich aroma. Truly deserving of its reputation. Good wine, indeed!" Nolan exclaimed in enjoyment after drinking.
Judging by his expression, he was indeed a connoisseur.
Oliver smiled. A wine lover was exactly what he needed!
"General, your brewing skills are unmatched. After tasting this wine, I fear other wines will be hard to swallow," Nolan lamented, thinking he might never enjoy other wines again.
"This is Green Ant. Now, try this, Western Wind Blaze," Oliver smiled as he opened the jar of Western Wind Blaze and poured a bowl for Nolan.
The aroma of Western Wind Blaze was even stronger, filling the air. Nolan couldn't help but salivate at the scent.
"Please, Taoist!" Oliver gestured.
Without a word, Nolan picked up the bowl and tasted the Western Wind Blaze.
His actions clearly marked him as an old drunkard.
"Spicy, strong, this is real wine! Good wine!" Nolan found the Western Wind Blaze even better than the Green Ant.
"Both are excellent, aren't they?" Oliver chuckled.
As long as he liked it, it would make the next part easier.
"Good wine, indeed!"
"General, name your price. I want to buy a thousand jars—no, five thousand jars," Nolan declared, indicating that money was no object for the Pill Sect.
Oliver was taken aback. Five thousand jars? He wasn't sure if they had that much in stock.
"Hold on, Taoist. Let's discuss the price first. This wine is unique in the world and not cheap," Oliver said with a smile.
His smile was like that of a cunning fox.
"General, please go ahead."
Nolan didn't care about the cost.
"Three hundred taels of silver for a jar of Green Ant, and five hundred taels for a jar of Western Wind Blaze," Oliver seized the opportunity to set a high price.
"That's acceptable," Nolan nodded, unfazed.
"What?"
Oliver had been prepared to haggle, but Nolan agreed immediately.
"I'll take all the Green Ant and Western Wind Blaze you have at that price," Nolan said.
Oliver felt that Nolan was glowing like gold, a true wealthy patron.
Nolan's prompt agreement made Oliver think he might have set the price too low.
"Well, Taoist, I have a small request," Oliver said.
Nolan picked up a wine jar and started pouring, "Please, go ahead."
"I'd like to settle the payment with pills. Is that possible?" Oliver asked, rubbing his hands.
Meeting someone from the Pill Sect was a rare opportunity, and he couldn't let it slip by.
"Settle with pills? I didn't bring many pills with me, so it might not be enough," Nolan didn't mind paying with pills or silver.
"It doesn't matter. You can send the pills later," Oliver said happily.
"Aren't you afraid I'll default?" Nolan filled a bowl and looked at Oliver.
"I'm not afraid. I trust you."
"Alright, it's settled then."
Nolan raised his bowl and drank it all, savoring the moment.
His life revolved around cultivating the Dao, refining pills, and drinking wine.
Without a daily drink, he felt uneasy. Now, with this extraordinary wine, he had temporarily put his sect mission aside.
"Please, sit. These two jars are on me. Drink as much as you like. I'll go check our stock," Oliver said excitedly, heading to check the inventory.
Oliver quickly went to the back of the winery to find Master Du.
"Master Du, how much wine do we have in stock?"
"General, we have three thousand jars of Green Ant and two thousand jars of Western Wind Blaze. The rest are still fermenting," Master Du replied.
"Alright, keep brewing. I'll give you a bonus on New Year's Day," Oliver said and returned to the front.
"Taoist, we have three thousand jars of Green Ant and two thousand jars of Western Wind Blaze. Is that enough?" Oliver asked Nolan.
"Yes, that's enough. I'll come back for more after I finish these," Nolan replied.
He had hoped for five thousand jars of each, but Oliver didn't have that much.
"Three thousand jars of Green Ant and two thousand jars of Western Wind Blaze, totaling one million nine hundred thousand taels of silver. How many pills can that get me?" Oliver was eager.
"That depends on the type and grade of pills you need," Nolan said, indicating that he had plenty of pills.