I'm no idiot, I've already realized that this drink wasn't something simple, especially since it comes with two different jugs. The fact that it has 'Hazard' in its name means that it isn't simple.
Just as I grabbed the first cup, my hand went to the second, which caused Lang's eyes to open wide.
I then held both cups over me, opened my mouth, and poured both contents into my open mouth.
The mix seemed like it was an inferno incarnate mixed in with an ice so cold that it could freeze one's soul.
I continued chugging both of the jars down until not a single drop was left.
And right then and there, my body felt like it was about to break from the clash of the two different attributes, but with a simple breath and calmness, not even needing to rotate my cultivation base the two attributes began canceling each other out and soon, my body began exuding a sense of comfort, relaxation and complete serenity.
"Good stuff," I said as I placed the cups down.
"By the Water King's sagging tits, what the fuck…" Ji lang said.
Immediately everyone in the room looked at me as if I was some sort of monster.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Did you just… drink them both at the same time? Do you not fear death?" Ji Lang said.
"Why was I not?" I asked
"OF COURSE NOT! AUNT!" Ji Lang said.
"What's wrong?" spoke Lua "If you say you found a cockroach in the food I'll shove it up to your ass!"
"No… can you check up on him?" Ji Lang said.
The woman frowned, not understanding what is Ji Lang is saying, but once she saw the two empty cups she frowned "Did you drink them both?" she asked.
"Emm, yes, it's rather relaxing."
"Huh, you're only supposed to drink one, and sip the other. Everyone here knows that the Punk Hazard drink is a highly concentrated Yin and Yang extract, for those who cultivate Yin properties, drink the blue one, and sip on the red in case the cold is too much for them, and the opposite is correct. This drink is basically a prank for new customers, no one can even finish half a cup, and even Ji Lang here could barely finish a quarter of the wine. And you're telling me you drank them both…"
"I wish if it was just drinking, he chugged them both at the same time like they were water…" Ji Lang said.
"Huh, guess you win," she said.
"Win? Win what?" I asked.
"Well… this isn't just a prank, it's also a challenge, anyone who can finish a single glass can get a free meal, you finished both so…"
"Yeah, your meal is free both of you," she said, "But I'll probably never serve you this drink again, I don't want to get bankrupt," she said shaking her head and turned, annoyed she sounded but at the same time I felt she was slightly happy.
"Well that takes care of our food situation, I was honestly going to ask her to put this on my tab. It's pretty rough nowadays and this meal is kind of expensive," he said.
"Can I ask how much it costs?" I asked.
"The drinks are two hundred top-grade each, the crab is ten thousand," Ji Lang said grinning.
His words almost made me choke.
"And you were going to pay all that for me?" I said.
"Yes, because like I said I'm willing t take a bet on you," he said.
"Then explain what this bet is about, I'm still not fully aware of what you mean," I said.
"Right, now usually rich people look for strong and promising young people to join the academy."
"Patrons?" I said.
"Yes, patrons, they would pay for the fees, obtain information for their nominee and even try and broker deals with the people who monitor the exam, though I'm not so rich as to do the latter, I can do the former. I can get you some information on what type of exam it's gonna be this year and I can help you prepare for it," he said.
"Right, that much I understand, but what do I do for you in return," I said.
"Good, I like a smart man. In return, like I said this is an investment, a bet. All I want is that if you ever get the chance to be a part of the academy, and manage to obtain at least a purple cloak, that you'll back me up, I won't bind your freedom, nor will you work for me. However, I'll require you to assist me in reclaiming something that was mine and was lost to me," He said.
"That seems rather too ambiguous, why would my identity as a student of the heavenly academy be of any value to help you find something you lost," I said.
Ji Lang shook his head.
He then showed me his forearm, there was a brand on it, he looked ashamed of it but he still spoke.
"I'm somewhat of a famous character, fallen from grace. I was the young prince of a fallen clan. Well, more like a clan that has been taken over. I've joined the academy but was kicked out due to an incident, and someone from my own clan made it out with a blue cloak, he took the patriarch position and my entire family was chased out," he said.
Hmm, family feud.
"I suppose, if I were to get this purple cloak, I'll be someone capable of giving you your position back… done," I said.
Ji Lang frowned, "You're not going to ask more? About the details, the reason why I was kicked, or who is the one who took over?" he asked.
"Why should I, if you didn't tell me, then you had a reason not to tell me. Also, I'm clearly not trustworthy enough, not to mention a purple or blue cloak which I have no idea what those are, even my chances of getting into the academy are not set in stone, so why trust me with information like that, at least I'll wait until I'm a part of the academy before you should tell me more," I said.
"I knew it, you're really are a smart man, reliable, I'm not trying to butter you up, but you're someone who sees the big picture. Good, then once we're done with food, follow me, I'll do my best to make sure you're more than ready for the exam," he said.
Just as he finished his words, two guards came into the inn.
Behind them, dragged, black and blue, completely beaten up were the same two guys who had run away earlier.
"Mam, here you go," one of the guards said and threw the cultivator into the middle of the dining room.
Many other cultivators looked at the two, scuffed at their miserable state, and continued eating as nothing had even occurred or happened.
"Good, thank you for your help," she said, "I really didn't feel like chasing after them," she said.
"Oh, please, if anything like this happens, just let us do this job, the last time you broke too many buildings, it was a mess to solve all that," the first guard said.
"Right, go get yourself seated I'll get you your meal, free of charge since you helped me out today," Lua said.
"Thank you kindly," the guard said.
And surprisingly he was polite and very considerate of her. Even if he was wearing the Water King's robes.
I didn't even need to ask who is the boss around here because it clearly looked like a big woman with serious anger issues.
"Get these scums downstairs, I'm feeling a bit too stressed out today, I'll need to vent a bit," she spoke to no one in particular, but immediately, two young kids came rushing from inside the kitchen and dragged the two unfortunate fools down to god knows where.
"Well, guess that Lua is going to be having some fun today, we should probably hurry and leave, the screams of her victims are very memorable, nightmare stuff you really don't wanna hear those." Ji lang said grinning.
I didn't want to argue and stood up to leave.
The two of us left and just as we took the first step, a soul-wrenching scream echoed from below the inn.
"Holy crap…"
"Yep, like I said you really don't wanna piss her off or try and scam her, anyway, let's go get you prepped up shall we?" he said
"After you," I replied and followed the happy-go-lucky man under the screams of two unfortunate fools who dearly regretted not paying for their food.