Gao Dalou sighed, âYes, count me unlucky. When I was young, my father was the one who taught me soul engineering skills. In my entire lineage, there has always only been one son in every generation. We are like a sect, but we donât have the depth of a sect. My father always believed that he could teach me with everything that he had, thus he didnât send me to a basic soul engineering academy. However, he passed away for some unknown reason when I was fourteen, and I had just become a Class 3 soul engineer. When we found him, even his internal organs had disappeared. He had died tragically. My father was also very protective of his wealth. He was very worried no matter where he kept his valuables, and usually kept them with him in his storage-type soul tool. Once he died, my family went bankrupt. My mother passed away early. We originally had a few servants, but they left since I couldnât pay them. Very soon, I became an orphan that lived by myself.â
Gao Dalou sounded very calm. However, the expression on his face revealed that his heart was already dead.
âAfter that, I had to give up on my cultivation in order to make a living for myself. I found some chores in the city. Originally, I was a soul engineer, and finding a job wasnât very difficult. However, I would be cursed every time I suggested that my employer offer me some rare metals for my cultivation. As I was helpless, I could only do some chores that were beyond what I could handle. I earned some money to sustain myself. At the same time, I cultivated using my fatherâs manual. After more than a decade, I managed to reach the level of a Class 5 soul engineer. However, Iâm broke now. At my level, I canât experiment without sufficient rare metals, and I canât produce better soul tools either. Ahâ¦â
Huo Yuhao was confused after he heard Gao Dalouâs recounting of events. It was his first time hearing a Class 5 soul engineer being restricted by poverty. Even though he had other ideas in mind, he couldnât help but ask, âBrother Gao, didnât your soul tools become finished products? With your abilities, you should be able to sell your finished soul tools for decent prices even if the materials are slightly inferior. They should then be enough to fund your cultivation. Since when did soul engineers lack money?â
Gao Dalou looked a little embarrassed, âThis⦠honestly speaking, Iâm not afraid that youâll mock me. My entire family has a bad habit. We are stingy. I inherited my fatherâs stinginess. I canât bear to sell the soul tools that Iâve created! They are the products of my hard work.â He coughed twice as he finished.
Huo Yuhaoâs lips moved a little. He was a little empathetic after hearing Gao Dalouâs tragic life story. However, he realized that there wasnât any tragic story that had no reason in this world after hearing about Gao Dalouâs stinginess! Gao Dalouâs poverty was caused by himself! What a stingy soul engineer!
After pausing for a moment, Huo Yuhao asked, âWhat do you plan to do from now on?â
Gao Dalou sighed and said, âWhat else do you want me to do? Iâm a Class 5 soul engineer now. Iâm different from before. Maybe Iâll find a sect and see if I can get some rare metals to practice with. Brother, I believe youâre at least a Class 5 soul engineer judging from your abilities to create soul tools. Your technique is also quite conventional and orthodox. You should be from a sect. Why not introduce me to your sect? Iâve no other requests; I just need sufficient materials. If I get to keep all my soul tools, Iâm willing to even sell my life to the sect.â
Huo Yuhao looked at him deeply and said to Wang Dongâer, âXiao Dong, tell the waiter that we donât need the liquor anymore. Letâs go.â
âYes.â Wang Dongâer acknowledged his words and tried to hold in her laughter as she walked away. She knew that Huo Yuhao was about to con someone again. However, Gao Dalou didnât look very pitiful. He was actually very scheming!
âNo, no! Donât go! Brother, we havenât had a drink yet. Even if they might blacklist you, they wonât serve you bad liquor, considering your wealth!â Gao Dalou hurriedly said.
At this point, the waiter had entered and there was a bottle of pink liquor on a tray in his hand. There were also three liquor glasses and a bucket of ice.
âSir, your liquor is here. Do you want me to open it for you?â the waiter asked Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao turned to look at Gao Dalou. Gao Dalou said, âOpen, open, of course you should open it! Hurry up!â As he spoke, he was already swallowing visibly.
Huo Yuhao smiled and said, âBrother Gao, liquor will make our hands numb. Overdrinking might even cause them to tremble and affect our state. You must watch out!â
Gao Dalou was completely unbothered, âNo worries. No worries. We can do it occasionally.â
The waiter opened the bottle without any hesitation. He added three ice cubes to each glass before pouring the liquor into each glass. After that, he respectfully left.
Gao Dalou lifted the glass in front of him and took a sip. His face became rapturously intoxicated.
âGood liquor, this is good liquor! Iâve not had such great rose liquor in some time! Itâs delicious. Brother, quickly take a sip.â As he spoke, he quickly filled his glass again.
Huo Yuhao lifted his glass and gently took a sip. The liquor was indeed quite good. A light rose scent entered his throat along with the liquor itself. The scent seemed to evaporate naturally. Very quickly, it diffused through his body. A warm aura also slowly spread out and made him feel extremely comfortable.
What left Huo Yuhao stunned was that the chill in his body from the origin energy of Ultimate Ice also dropped after he took a sip of the drink.
Was the alcohol able to help him absorb the origin energy of his Ultimate Ice? With this thought, he completely downed the glass of liquor.
Huo Yuhao was completely stunned at the result.
The warmth from the alcohol suddenly increased greatly. He felt the flow of his blood getting stronger and stronger. The warmth followed his passageways and rushed towards his left arm and lower limbs. Although it was still inferior compared to the origin energy of Ultimate Ice, this gush of warmth still neutralized some of the origin energy. It also fused with his blood and soul power.
This works? Huo Yuhao didnât know whether to laugh or cry at this moment.
Gao Dalou was watching Huo Yuhao as he sipped on his liquor. When he realized Huo Yuhaoâs expression was changing very weirdly, he was shocked. Although this rose liquor wasnât cheap, he didnât have to feel so much pain buying it...
âBrother Tang, are you okay?â Gao Dalou asked carefully.
Huo Yuhao shook his head. He had originally wanted to draw Gao Dalou into the Tang Sect, but he realized that Gao Dalou was actually very cunning, even though he seemed very honest. In addition, he was now much less interested in him as he faced this unexpected surprise.
âDongâer, call the waiter over.â As he was agitated, Huo Yuhao even forgot that he wasnât supposed to refer to her her that way.
Although Wang Dongâer didnât know why he was suddenly so excited, she still quickly called the waiter over.
âSir, what instructions do you have?â the waiter asked respectfully.
Huo Yuhao said, âGo get me every type of liquor you have here.â
âWhat? Every type? Sir, we have more than hundred types of liquor, even though our establishment isnât that large! We already have forty different types of wine, andâ¦â
âOkay, go quickly then.â As he spoke, Huo Yuhao threw his entire bag of money over.
The waiter was shocked, but a flash of greed crossed his face as he received the bag of cash. He followed with, âYes, yes, Iâll go now! Please wait for me!â
More than a hundred types of liquor! How much would that cost?
Not only was Gao Dalou astonished, even Wang Dongâer didnât understand what Huo Yuhao was doing. Huo Yuhao poured himself another glass of the rose liquor.
âIndeed so, indeed so!â Huo Yuhao was evidently extremely excited. After that, he twisted his head to look at Gao Dalou, âBrother Gao, you can leave first if you have nothing going on. I suddenly remembered I have something important to deal with.â
âYour important thing is drinking, am I right? Brother, how can you be without a buddy when you are drinking. I canât do anything else, but I can be a top-notch drinking buddy!â Gao Dalou couldnât give up this opportunity to taste so many delicious liquors. He quickly presented himself to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao shook his head and replied, âDid you not hear that I only requested a glass of every type of liquor for myself? I didnât get any for you.â
Gao Dalou turned pale. There were more than hundred types of liquor. How would it feel to drink and compare them? He had never tried it before! It should feel very magical. However, he was being chased away. Thisâ¦
Gao Dalou only had two hobbies. One was to become a strong soul engineer. The other was to drink.
âBrother, I take back what I said earlier. Letâs see if this works: I can join your sect. As long as you provide me with materials, the soul tools that I create will belong to the sect. However, please give me at least some money to buy wine. Itâs best if I can even find a wife. Iâll follow you if you agree to this.â
Huo Yuhao was stunned. He hadnât expected Gao Dalou to misunderstand his actions. He had actually lowered his own asking price of his own accord. What was going on?
He hadnât expected Gao Dalou to treat him as a confidant. It was easy to find friends, but not drinking buddies! Gao Dalou was completely convinced after seeing Huo Yuhao ask for more than a hundred types of liquor in one shot. He was imagining the amount of liquor he could drink every day if he followed Huo Yuhao! Why would he need soul tools then?