After purchasing another three more rounds for all the mortals on the first floor, many of them were absolutely sloshed. Sage, on the other hand, was jealous and immediately marched up to the second floor. Cultivators had stronger bodies than normal folks, which also meant their tolerance for alcohol was much higher. To that end, special wines were made for them. By mortal standards they’d need to drink neutral spirits, the ones with 90% alcohol, in large quantities. Since that stuff was quite difficult to make in this world, and it also tasted quite similar to rubbing alcohol, they instead created many types of beers, wines, and liquors using Spirit Plants. These new drinks were far more powerful, working in the same manner as alcohol for mortals while also having wonderful flavors. The downside being their extraordinary prices. These are the materials used by cultivators to create spiritual foods and alchemical pills, things that can help elevate their level of strength, heal injuries, or cure poisons. Of course it was expensive to waste them on becoming inebriated.

With the great example of those on the first floor, and also his desire to blow off some steam, Sage ordered a half dozen jars, picking out one of each of the wines that the tavern had available for cultivators. He thought of his friends, those three brothers of his, and their favorite place, Delicious Dream. There was still a few jars of Delicious Dream Wine in his storage ring, but he saved those for special occasions. It was more than enough to simply think of them and how nice it would be if they were here. Unfortunately, they were at least a few weeks of travel away from here so he could only drink to their health. With that inspiration he filled his drinking cup and thought of a few more people whose health he could drink to. After drinking to their health he drank to their success. Making sure to take a drink for each person’s success individually. Then he started to drink to the happiness of their families, then to their descendants health and happiness…

By the time he got to his friends third generation descendants he was quite thoroughly woozy and lacking in his faculties. Somehow, the stress built up from his fevered crafting combined with the deep introspection forced upon him by that fog on Thunder Mountain had pushed him to go against his normal cautiousness. It was in this strange state, that Sage actually saw someone familiar to him.

The tavern was built with a common style, four floors in total, with the second and third floor having a mezzanine design. The central area of the floors were essentially open to the floors below with large internal balconies. The third and fourth floor were filled with private rooms, but the ones on the third floor were smaller and had windows or balconies to look down on the first two floors. It was the privilege of the rich and powerful to gaze down, helping to reinforce their view that others were beneath them. Obviously, such a place was attractive to the powerful and so the design was extremely common. Most taverns were built in the same way. The staircase was centralized and climbed up around the open air area in the center, so as soon as someone started to head upwards everyone would get a good look at them. It was a favorite time of the rich to strut and show off, rising above the common folk on the first floor.

The familiar person was showing off, climbing the stairs with an entourage behind him. Climbing to the second floor would show that you were someone beyond the norm, while continuing up to a private room on the third floor would show you were powerful. Going further still, entering the fourth floor would be a mark that you were so far past others that you didn’t even want to look down on them. This familiar person was a young man that had a face that just made you want to punch it. The young man held a fan and tried to look elegant, even though it was obvious he was not by his brutish gait. It was the face of a man full of pride and arrogance, pretending to be humble and elegant. Or at least that’s how Sage thought in his current state.

The group of six moved up the stairs and on to the fourth floor, disappearing from view. One young master, four young sycophants, and one old body guard. It was the same dastardly group that had kicked Sage out of the inn when he first arrived at Plum Lantern City. For some reason they were still here even though the tournament was over and the victors had already left.

Didn’t everyone that came to compete leave already? Are there still some who want to see who survives Thunder Mountain Bridge? This damned Tang Zhelan!

Drunk as he was, Sage sought vengeance instead of practicing his usual cunning and tolerance. He immediately released his newly formed Twin Soul, getting it to hide just beneath the floorboards. Floating to the walls and then climbing up to the ceiling of the fourth floor, taking his time to seek out what room the ‘Young Master Tang’s Party’ was in. Once they were found, Sage had a few more drinks, this time drinking to the misfortune and doom of each member of Tang Zhelan’s group. He didn’t know any of the other names, but he made up some for them: Stink Eye, Crooked Nose, Fat Neck, Little Brother, and Grey Beard. They were all just some physical traits that he exaggerated into an insult, with the exception of the old man, to whom he showed a little respect for the elderly, and Little Brother. He had no idea if that guy had a small… ahem… but, he’d seen that guy murder some innocent folks so he deserved the ridicule.

Sage continued to drink the night away, spying on the group in the room above. He started out wanting to eavesdrop and find important information, but he lost interest when the group called in a bunch of courtesans. Not interested in watching their lewd activities, he sank himself further into the wine bottles, soon enough in no state to listen at all. Shortly after the group arrived, Sage passed out upon his table. Since he’d paid well and purchased quite a few drinks, the tavern workers let him sleep it off. Of course, some of the other patrons helped themselves to his remaining drinks. Since this was a public place, nobody would be bold enough to truly rob or murder here, but brawls and spilled drinks were a given.

When he finally came to, he noticed the empty bottles in front of him and groaned. His head was throbbing and his vision was blurry. A server hid their laugh and brought him the standard, a bowl of warm water, a towel, and a special soup that was quite good at sobering people up and fighting hangovers.

What did I do? Where are the elephants that were stomping on my face?

Sage washed up and started to eat the soup, groaning and griping the whole time. He then realized his Twin Soul wasn’t with him and reached out, remembering where he’d sent it only after the fact. Surprisingly, those six fellows on the fourth floor hadn’t left yet. They were in various states of undress, scattered around a big room filled with pillows and cushions. Sage’s Twin Soul looked around the room before he called it back. Still groggy, he wasn’t quite as careful calling it, the spirit just floating down through the floors and entering his body. The Twin Soul was nearly transparent in the daytime and it moved quickly so he didn’t think anything of it.

“It was you!”

Sage nearly had his face buried into the bowl of soup when he suddenly heard the loud shout. Looking up he saw the old man from Tang Zhelan’s party, his face red and extremely furious.