This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 217 Wine That Doesn't Belong to This Era

He still can't figure these issues out, so he can only choose to remain silent.

Ruoxue led him for a long time until they finally arrived at a tavern. A small flag fluttered outside the tavern, bearing the character "Chen." This was the Chen family's tavern, and also Ruoxue's birthplace.

"We've arrived. This is my home."

Ruoxue, relieved to see the tavern in front of it, beamed with joy and shouted, "I can't breathe!"

"I'm back. Where is everyone? What have they all been up to?"

The aroma of wine, like a clear spring, wafted around the tavern, intoxicating and enchanting.

Several strongmen, as strong as Hercules, were carrying the wine vats out when they suddenly heard Ruoxue's voice. They were overjoyed.

"Xiao Ni's back, go tell the boss quickly!"

"Chen Xiaoni, what brings you back?"

Several strongmen put down their wine jars and rushed out like rabbits. Upon seeing Ruoxue, they all beamed with joy.

"I just missed you all, didn't I? Where's my dad? What's he doing?"

"Don't even mention it. The boss has been researching a new winemaking secret lately, and he's probably still engrossed in the wine cellar right now."

"Is he getting drunk again? Does he want to drink himself into oblivion?"

Upon hearing this, Ruoxue's eyebrows furrowed, clearly indicating that this wasn't the first time such a thing had happened. Xiaoxingchen, on the other hand, stared curiously at everything before him. Outside the tavern, people were busily loading wine jars onto carts and sending them off in all directions, showing that the business here was booming.

After seeing Ruoxue go to find someone, he moved to a wine vat, dipped his finger in the wine, and put it in his mouth to savor it.

For some reason, the aroma of the wine here had a mysterious magic that gave him a unique feeling, completely different from the wine in Yong'an.

If one had to find a familiar reason, perhaps the smell of these liquors made him feel as if he had traveled back to his past life, smelling the nostalgic aroma of Erguotou.

He gently placed his finger on his tongue, as if touching a mysterious talisman. Instantly, a spicy sensation spread throughout his body like an electric current, making him shudder.

The wine of this era is like a light ink painting; compared to the strong liquor of the past, it only has a slightly faint taste and cannot be called good wine at all.

However, the wine here was like a miracle, exactly the same as the wine from his previous life. The spiciness was so familiar to someone who had traveled from another world, like a long-lost friend. How could this not stir his heart?

"What are you doing? My dad's liquor is really strong, completely different from what you get outside."

Ruoxue's voice was as clear and melodious as a nightingale singing in a valley, with a hint of anger on her face.

"Did your father brew this?"

Xiao Xingchen couldn't wait to ask.

"Of course, my father may not have many other skills, but his brewing technique is unparalleled. In this anthill, our Chen Family Winery is undoubtedly the number one wine. Even in Yong'an, this wine would cause a frenzy of fighting over it."

Unfortunately, my father had stipulated that this wine must never be circulated, so those people can only sigh in vain.

Where is your father?

"Oh, he's asleep, or rather, he's drunk again." Ruoxue spread her hands, a hint of helplessness on her face.

"Could you show me your brewery?"

"You're interested in this?" Ruoxue looked puzzled, like a curious kitten.

"Hmm, I'd like to see."

"Alright, then come with me." Ruoxue, like a graceful fairy, led Xiaoxingchen toward the mysterious brewery.

Ruoxue didn't think too much about it. It was just brewing wine, what bad intentions could there be?

She didn't stand on ceremony and immediately led him on a tour.

"I know nothing about my father's liquor, especially one step called distillation, which is really puzzling."

"Distillation?"

Xiao Xingchen's lips twitched involuntarily. How could such words appear in this era? Everything before him indicated that Ruoxue's father had acquired brewing knowledge from that era. The origin of these things made him wonder if they were related to his predecessors who had transmigrated.

"See for yourself, I don't understand it."

"Was your father always this capable?"

"I don't think so. It seems to have started about ten years ago. Before that, no one wanted to buy his wine."

"What, ten years ago? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Ruoxue looked up with a face full of suspicion.

"How could that be wrong? Our wine became famous right from that time. Anyone can find out by asking around."

Xiao Xingchen was completely dumbfounded. According to Xiao Jianxian, all the transmigrators had died and were buried in Cangshan. So who was it that gave the distillation brewing process ten years ago?

At this moment, he desperately wanted to confront Ruoxue's father face to face. After experiencing so much, the only information about the previous transmigrator was two names: Xiao Jianxian and Zhu Wuye. He even wondered if the person who appeared ten years ago was the previous transmigrator, wouldn't that mean that some of them were still alive?

Who is it?

"You seem to care a lot about this; is it important to you?"

Ruoxue noticed something was amiss and asked solemnly.

"Yes, if it's really as I suspect, then this is strange."

If there really is a time traveler alive, wouldn't that mean Xiao Jianxian is lying, or that Xiao Jianxian doesn't know either? This whole thing is suspicious.

Of course, there's another possibility: this brewing method was brought by the people of Great Xia, since there are many traditions passed down from their previous lives there.

Before arriving at the anthill, Ruoxue specifically instructed her people to hide the Great Xia people, firstly for their safety, and secondly so that Xiao Xingchen could explore the Great Xia realm properly when he had the time.

Seeing the serious expression on his face, Ruoxue nodded heavily.

“Come with me, I’ll wake him up,”

"No, let the old man sleep if he's drunk. He'll wake up after a nap."

"You do not understand,"

Xiao Xingchen thought it was impolite to wake a drunk person like that, but all she got in return was Ruoxue shaking her head.

“My dad’s been drinking all the time; he won’t wake up unless I call him.”

This made Xiao Xingchen even more curious. There are many people in the world who love wine, but this is the first time he has ever seen someone soak themselves in wine like this.

"Don't be surprised by anything you see later."

Following Ruoxue's instructions, he passed through the winery and continued downwards, arriving at an underground space.

As soon as he reached the door, a thick, foggy smell of alcohol rushed towards him like a surging tide, instantly clearing Xiao Xingchen's head. If it were an ordinary person, such a strong smell would probably have made them collapse on the ground like mud.

"You see? My dad is a complete madman obsessed with alcohol. I've been away from home for so many years, and he's been living like a drunkard for all these years. He has no idea that he has a daughter."

Ruoxue's face was filled with a thick, fog-like resentment, which made Xiaoxingchen smile awkwardly. His curiosity, however, grew even stronger. To survive in such a high-concentration alcohol environment was quite a feat.

"What's down there is supposed to be a room, but it's actually a bottomless vat of wine. Every day, the wine brewed in the distillery is poured into it like a waterfall, two vats at a time. This has been going on for ten years, but the space below is like a bottomless pit, it can never be filled. I seriously doubt if my old man is still alive."

"Today I've truly witnessed what it means to live a life of debauchery. Your father is quite a formidable character."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Let me check if he's still alive."

Ruoxue gestured for Xiaoxingchen to step back, then shouted at the top of her lungs towards the crowd below.

"Chen Dongquan, are you still alive? Just answer me, or I'm going to set this on fire."

Xiao Xingchen was completely stunned. What had he just heard? Arson? Was this really his own daughter? Setting a fire with that level of alcohol... just thinking about it was terrifying. Burning her own father—such a dramatic scene was something even a play couldn't write.

Seeing no response, Ruoxue shouted again, three times in a row. When no one answered, her anger exploded like a powder keg. A tiny flame, like a snake's tongue, suddenly appeared at her fingertips; she was about to set it ablaze. Xiaoxingchen rushed forward.

"Don't be impulsive. That's your own father down there. At worst, I'll just disappear. But don't do something as heinous as patricide."

He was genuinely terrified. At worst, he could just disappear without a trace. Was it really necessary to play this game? If this fire were set, Ruoxue's father would truly be burned to ashes.

"Get out of my way, or I'll burn this old bastard to ashes. His daughter finally came home, and he's still hungover. I'll make him taste what it's like to be roasted alive."

Xiao Xingchen wanted to stop her, but Ruoxue threw the flame in like a meteor without saying a word. Then, a kick came from nowhere and an iron plate was kicked over, which was placed on the entrance like Mount Tai crushing an egg.

"My God, this could explode!"

He didn't know if Ruoxue was aware of the danger, but in a confined space filled with alcohol, the power of the explosion was definitely not to be underestimated.

However, Ruoxue seemed to be very familiar with this, and skillfully released her sword, which smashed straight into the iron plate like a falling meteorite.

With a deafening roar, the iron plate covering the exit was flung into the air like a pot lid that had been blown off, but it was forcefully pushed back down by Ruoxue's sharp sword energy. Only for a fleeting moment did fire dragons burst out from the gaps, but these fire dragons posed no threat to them, like fireflies unable to compete with the bright moon.

A series of muffled thunderous roars echoed beneath their feet. Xiao Xingchen noticed that the strongmen who had previously worked at the winery were all looking at this place with excitement, showing no fear whatsoever, but rather as if they were watching a wonderful performance.

"Let's see if you come out or not! If you don't, I'll burn you alive!" Ruoxue roared angrily, startling the warriors who clapped and cheered.

"Xiao Ni is really something else. I knew we should have called her back sooner."

"I always thought our boss was dead; that wine pool hadn't been touched for years."

"Go, Xiao Ni! Burn the boss to death!"

"Father-killing, father-killing, we support you! With the boss dead, this tavern is yours! Go for it!"

Hearing the cheers from the warriors outside, Xiao Xingchen was momentarily at a loss. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you really my biological daughter?"