Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

If a typical drinking gathering is lively and boisterous, the atmosphere at this particular gathering by the pond was anything but typical—it was eerily silent.

There was no funeral taking place, yet the drinking session had inexplicably turned solemn.

And the reason for this unusual silence?

It wasn’t because it was a formal drinking gathering with high-ranking guests.

No, the true cause was the single bottle of alcohol that had been brought to the table.

"Well then, I’ll go first. I trust you’ll stand guard for me."

"Of course, don’t worry and drink. We’ll keep watch."

"It’s only natural to provide protection when someone is circulating their Qi."

I had thought that, even if the liquor contained a drop of medicinal essence, it was still alcohol and would be consumed smoothly. But would martial artists ever let even a single drop of elixir go to waste?

Even if the amount of medicinal energy infused into each drink was minimal, they were extracting every last bit of it to enhance their internal energy.

As a result, instead of clinking glasses together, an odd spectacle unfolded—whenever one person drank, the remaining three stood guard, ensuring their safety as they circulated their Qi.

"Khh... This is excellent. Just one bowl is worth months of internal energy. It’s sweet, truly sweet."

The Iron Cavalry commander opened his eyes after finishing his circulation, his voice filled with joy, prompting the other three to react with excitement.

"Oh? It’s really that effective?"

"So, it’s confirmed to be a mid-grade elixir. The energy is rich. Very rich."

"I’m glad to hear you’re satisfied."

"This household has a truly remarkable son-in-law. He managed to refine a Golden-Furred Wasp King into an elixir. I’ve never even heard of such a thing before!"

"Hahaha, my son-in-law is quite outstanding, isn’t he?"

Seeing the guests overjoyed, my father-in-law beamed with pride.

Hearing them praise their son-in-law so much, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction myself.

Following the Iron Cavalry commander, each guest took turns drinking and circulating their Qi, with my father-in-law being the last. Finally, as the process concluded, the heavy silence lifted, replaced by a lively atmosphere filled with the guests’ joyous chatter.

"By the way, we’ve consumed something precious. It would be improper not to pay for it, don’t you think, General Maeng?"

"The Governor of Sichuan is right. Elixirs are meant to be compensated for. Taking them for free would surely bring misfortune."

"Indeed. In the martial world, it’s an unspoken rule that one must always pay a price for consuming an elixir."