“It’s like this when drinking for the first time. It will be fine when you get used to it,” Li Mu snickered. “If you can’t bear it, hmm, you can dilute it with a bit of water. When your stomach gets used to it, you can take small slow sips.”
“Then, let’s dilute it with water…” Qin Lie was not stubborn and instantly surrendered, turning to find water. After a while, he came back with a big jug of water.
Li Mu was shocked still, then smiled at him, but didn’t say anything.
Qin Lie held up the big jug of water and was preparing to dilute his drink when his gaze suddenly filled with astonishment, which made him pause in place.
The burning pain in his abdomen had stopped, and a warm and pleasurable feeling gradually spread throughout his body. That thick and strong scent of wine also spread through his esophagus like air and made him savor its indescribable beauty. This feeling when drinking wine… he had never experienced it before.
A dizzy and half-intoxicated feeling was a pleasure to him.
“Good, good wine…”
After pausing for a while, he burped and put down the jug of water. His face red, he picked up the bowl of wine again and took a little sip. He instantly closed his eyes, silently feeling the spiciness of the wine entering his throat, the burning heat in his stomach, and savored it. An intoxicated feeling showed on his face.
Li Mu showed slight shock and reminded Qin Lie with good intentions, “This wine … is a bit strong, your body might not be able to bear it when drinking for the first time. You better add a bit of water so it won’t harm your body.”
“No problem, it’s alright, I can still tolerate it.” Qin Lie said with a dazed drunkenness.
It was only just two little sips, and he was already slightly drunk. He had gotten intoxicated much faster, and it was much stronger compared to when he drank ten bowls of liquor back at Ling Town.
“Then I won’t say anymore. You take note of your condition and stay within your limits.” Li Mu looked deeply at him, smiled slightly, and said while nodding, “Little Ice is coming…”
Just as Qin Lie was astounded, a big wolfdog that was completely snow-white came in from outside.
This big wolfdog was about one meter long, its fur as glossy as silk and its eyes almost human-like, flashing with intelligence…
When it came over, it headed straight for the other bench and sat on it like a human, its paw grabbing the wine bowl and poured itself a bowl.
It quickly finished a big bowl of the strong wine, and its eyes showed great pleasure as it burped.
Qin Lie looked at the big wolfdog at that suddenly appeared in shock. He asked, “Uncle Li, this is?”
“This is the friend I was referring to.” Li Mu smiled and then he happily stroked the white fur of the big wolfdog. The big wolfdog seemed very comfortable under his touch, its eyes narrowed as it crouched soundlessly.
“Qin Lie, if you want to become a true artificer, you cannot just practice inscribing spirit diagrams,” said Li Mu. He then thought for a bit and continued, “Yes, spirit diagrams are the true core of spirit artifacts and their essence, the factor that decides the level of the spirit artifacts.”
He looked at Qin Lie. “But for a true artificer, they need to know how to merge and refine all kinds of spirit materials to make an ‘artifact.’ Only when there is an ‘artifact’ can you inscribe spirit diagrams on the ‘artifact.’ What you are practicing now is the last step of the artifact forging process, yet you do not seem to be familiar with the breakdown, mixing, smelting, and precipitating of materials to make an ‘artifact’?”
“It is just as you said,” bitterly replied Qin Lie with an honest face. “I’m just dabbling, not a true artificer. I do not have anyone teaching me how to smelt materials to make ‘artifacts.’ I only know a few spirit diagrams, so I can only start from there.”
“So that’s how it is.” Li Mu made a sound and then said, “You should go to Nebula Pavilion and ask to be Yao Tai’s assistant. Yao Tai is an artificer of Neula Pavilion, his skill in spirit diagrams is… very normal, but he has some skill in combining materials and smelting them to become ‘artifacts.’ You can go and learn from him.”
Qin Lie’s expression changed slightly. He thought carefully and then asked, “Artificers only pass on their knowledge of artifact forging to their disciples and even occasionally conceals it from them. That Yao Tai… will he teach me? Will he teach me how to smelt materials into ‘artifacts’?”
“Haha, what artificers protect with their life is just the core spirit diagrams. Most of the time, they would not be very careful with the art of smelting. This part only requires observation and experimentation. It does not need a lot of guidance to be gradually mastered. Each artificer’s true core secrets are the spirit diagrams that they inscribe. That is what they would not easily divulge, even to their disciples.”
Li Mu looked at him with a smile. “And for this