LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 183: Powerful Alcohol
"You seem to know a lot of things," Wen Ran said with a straight face, his eyes narrowing as he studied Lian Zhen carefully. "Could it be that you're no longer the same Lian Zhen that I used to know? Or are there things that I'm not allowed to know about?" His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it—he didn't hold back his tongue at all.
This whole meeting felt off, like something was out of place. Wen Ran couldn't quite put his finger on it. Why is his body here? he thought, How did he end up in this world? And when he said, 'I'm back,' does that mean he knew about my death? He was alive when the world was destroyed... His mind raced with questions. Does that mean he sold himself to the gods, too? Is that why he's radiating divine energy? Or did he ascend on his own? Everything felt jumbled, as if nothing made sense.
His thoughts spiraled, but he refused to let his confusion show. He simply sat down under the tree, resting casually, as if waiting for an answer to fall from the sky.
Lian Zhen's laughter broke through his thoughts, loud and carefree. "Hahaha, brother, why does it even matter?" He grinned, unbothered. "Right now, you and me, we should drink."
Without a second thought, Lian Zhen pulled out an old, weathered gourd from his inner robes. With a swift motion, he popped it open. The herbal aroma that wafted from it was strong and sharp, flooding Wen Ran's nostrils instantly. The scent alone made his soul feel lighter, as if the pressure that had been building in him began to lift, and his muscles twitched in response, suddenly alive with energy.
"Is that so?" Wen Ran murmured, his curiosity piqued. He watched as Lian Zhen took a large gulp of the alcohol, his throat working as he downed nearly half of the gourd. The glug-glug of the liquid was followed by a satisfied sigh—Ahhh—a release of tension, as if the drink was a long-awaited reward. The carefree ease with which he drank reminded Wen Ran of the man Lian Zhen used to be, back in their past life.
Wen Ran couldn't help but chuckle inside. So much for the mighty defier of the heavens, he thought. This fool hasn't changed a bit.
"Here, try it yourself," Lian Zhen said, tossing the gourd toward Wen Ran.
Without missing a beat, Wen Ran caught it effortlessly with one hand. But as the gourd settled in his grasp, he felt the weight of it—a strange heaviness, far heavier than it should have been. His hand sunk toward the ground, the weight too much to bear.
"What's wrong, brother?" Lian Zhen teased, his voice playful. "Don't tell me you've reached such a low point that you can't even lift the alcohol anymore?" He laughed heartily, his voice booming with amusement. "To think that the great Wen Ran, the child of destiny, is now reduced to this. How pitiful."
Wen Ran's cheeks flushed crimson at the comment, a mix of anger and embarrassment flooding through him. He tried to hide it, but Lian Zhen's laughter made it impossible to ignore. There was no malice in the words—only a brotherly teasing, one that brought back memories of a time when things were simpler, before their lives had been shattered.
Wen Ran forced a grin, brushing off the sting. "You're still the same," he muttered, though the warmth in his chest was now mingled with a spark of irritation.
The world felt heavy with the unspoken tension between them, the past clinging to every word they spoke, and yet here they were, caught in a strange reunion that neither of them had asked for but both had longed for in some way.
"Now come on, drink up already," Lian Zhen urged with a grin, his voice light but carrying a teasing edge. "It'll help you in the long run. After all, looking at your body now, you won't even survive the next few tribulations. And to think you'd be reckless enough to follow my path—you must be crazy. The heavens will eat you alive."
Wen Ran's gaze sharpened, his voice calm but with a slight edge. "Yet, there you are, the soul of a person who somehow managed to escape and survive. I'd love to know how you did it. Or would the karma be too strong for me to handle?" He gritted his teeth and tried his best to lift the gourd to his lips. It was surprisingly heavy, like a weight pulling him down.
Lian Zhen only chuckled, his expression unbothered. "I guess I won't be able to talk you out of it." He shrugged casually, then took a swig from the gourd. "As for how I ended up here... well, let's say I had a lucky, and later, an unlucky encounter with somebody." His hand reached out, brushing against Xiao Mo's soft fur. The rabbit flinched at first but soon relaxed, sensing no malice in the touch.
Wen Ran squinted, trying to read Lian Zhen's face, searching for any clue, but his old friend remained an enigma. "Is it somebody I know?" he asked, the words lingering in the air like a question that didn't quite sit right.
"You do," Lian Zhen said with a grin, but his eyes held a certain mystery. "But does it really matter? At your level, you should forget the past. Live a good life. Enjoy the beauties of life, enjoy your freedom. Eventually, die happily by your wife's side." He sighed deeply, almost wistfully, as if longing for something lost. "Ahhh... I wish I could have done it. But look at me now."
Wen Ran noticed the pain behind his words, the weariness of someone who had carried the weight of time and regret. The years had etched themselves onto Lian Zhen's face, just as they had on his own.
"Not a bad life," Wen Ran mused, his voice colder now. "But you know what I aim for? Immortality. I've already experienced death, so why not aim for something better? Spoiler alert: it sucks to die. Trust me." He paused, his eyes darkening as he spoke. "At least the way you are now, you could still say you live—at least in a spirit form. As for me, I didn't even exist as much—just a broken soul of a man who fought for his world and failed. It hurt for eons. Not something you'd want to try, now would you, brother?"
Wen Ran's words were full of emotion, the weight of countless years of suffering heavy in his voice. He had spent eons floating between life and death, only to be brought back by the system. But he didn't expect anyone to understand his pain.
Finally, Wen Ran managed to lift the gourd, his hand trembling as he tipped it toward his lips. The hot liquid rushed into his mouth like fire, searing down his throat. The sensation was immediate—a surge of heat that shot straight to his temples, the sharp bitterness of the alcohol spreading through him. But it wasn't just the liquid that affected him. The moment it hit his body, a flood of power coursed through his veins.
The liquid seemed to pulse with energy, as if it were alive, as if it were designed to do more than just intoxicate. His head spun violently, his mind dizzy with the sudden influx of strength. His body reacted instantly. The sensation wasn't just in his head—it was as though his very being was being remade.
His muscles rippled beneath his skin, growing taut and dense, as if they were being woven from the inside out. His bones groaned under the pressure, the sharp crack of his skeletal structure shifting and adapting. It was as if every fiber of his being was being torn apart and rebuilt. His internal organs, too, felt as though they were being molded and reshaped, growing stronger and more resilient with each passing second. His veins surged with heat, and yet the pain was not unbearable—it was a fire that burned but fueled him, pushed him forward.
The transformation spread throughout his body. He could feel the power flooding him, strengthening his body and mind simultaneously. His spirit root—once fragile—began to expand, blooming within him like a flower reaching for the sun. His bones, too, began to change, becoming denser, tougher, like a foundation being reinforced. Every part of him felt alive, electric, humming with newfound energy.
Suddenly, the system's screen appeared before his eyes, its cold, golden text flashing in front of him, signaling his evolution:
[Spirit Root: Evolving to the Medium Earth Grade]
[Body: Evolving to the Medium Earth Grade]
[Bones: Evolving to the Medium Earth Grade]
Wen Ran basked in the warmth of the alcohol, the liquid spreading like a comforting fire inside him. As it flowed, the dull weight of his body seemed to lift, the pressure in his mind easing for just a moment. He could feel his spirit roots awakening with the drink, a power he hadn't known he'd been lacking, filling him with a quiet strength.
Lian Zhen watched him, his gaze steady, his smile small but full of quiet satisfaction. There was something in the way he observed Wen Ran—a flicker of something unspoken in his eyes, something that hinted that he knew more than Wen Ran imagined.