Yun Qi chuckled and flipped down from the roof, landing gracefully after a few leaps.
He made his way to the bonfire and sat down beside the village chief.
He could only sit next to the chief since he couldn’t understand what anyone else was saying.
As soon as Yun Qi sat down, the old chief handed him a wooden stick with a roasted mountain hare on it.
The chief himself held another stick, skewered with what looked like cured meat.
However, most people around the fire were roasting something Yun Qi had never seen before.
It was golden yellow, shaped like a thick stick, about five to six inches long, with neatly arranged grains on it.
There must have been three to four hundred grains, and Yun Qi had no idea what it was.
"Corn," the old chief said, noticing Yun Qi’s curious gaze, and handed him a stick.
Yun Qi held it in his hand, roasting it near the fire.
It gave off a faint, pleasant aroma.
With a stick in each hand, Yun Qi watched as the old chief stood up and began speaking in a language he couldn’t understand.
When the chief finished, the people around the bonfire stirred.
A man wearing a headdress made of rooster feathers stood up, holding a clay bowl and a horn.
The old chief explained to Yun Qi that the man was named Zao Huo Nai, the village’s top warrior.
The headdress was made from the longest tail feathers of a rooster, and only the top warrior could wear it.
If anything happened that required someone to leave the village at night, he would be the one sent out.
Yun Qi stuck his wooden stick into the ground and stood up.
It was then that he realized "Nai" was actually the man’s surname.
The warrior passed the clay bowl in front of Yun Qi, indicating it was full, and then downed the last sip of wine.
The crowd cheered.
Next, the man brought the horn to Yun Qi’s lips.
At first, Yun Qi didn’t understand what was happening, but the strong scent of alcohol hit his nose, and he realized the horn was filled with wine.
The old chief gestured for Yun Qi to open his mouth.
Finding it amusing, the young man complied.
"Pfft—"
The wine shot out of Yun Qi’s mouth, landing on the bonfire and causing a burst of flames.
"Cough! Cough!"
Watching the flames rise and feeling the burning sensation in his mouth, Yun Qi couldn’t help but wonder if he had just drunk wine or liquid fire.
Back in Zhangxiang Town, he had only ever tasted mild rice wine, and in the Three Pure Mountains, he had sipped on sweet fruit nectar.
He had never encountered anything as strong as this.
"Hahahaha!"
Everyone burst into laughter, with the old chief laughing the hardest.
Yun Qi’s eyes watered, and he chuckled to himself.
Wasn’t this just fire in water? So this was what they meant by the union of water and fire—it was strong liquor!
Determined, he opened his mouth again, signaling the warrior to pour more in.
"Gulp!"
The fiery liquor burned its way down his throat, making him feel as if it had blasted through his twelve meridians.
"Woooh!"
The crowd cheered.
Zao Huo Nai returned, and another warrior named Tang Huo Nai stepped forward, downing his drink in one go.
Yun Qi realized this was a drinking challenge, with everyone taking turns.
After seven or eight rounds, the warriors noticed Yun Qi’s face had turned red, so they gave him a break to catch his breath.
Feeling a bit dizzy, Yun Qi sat down.
The strong liquor churned in his stomach, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a pang of hunger.
The corn on his stick had turned slightly golden, its aroma irresistible.
His mouth watered.
He picked up the stick with the corn and asked the chief how to eat it.
The chief demonstrated, blowing on it a couple of times before taking a bite, revealing the cob inside.
Yun Qi understood and eagerly took a bite.
The outside was crispy, while the inside was tender, sweet, and juicy.
His eyes lit up, and he quickly took a few more bites.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a few children eyeing the roasted hare in front of him.
Looking around, he saw that most of the meat was being eaten by the strong men, while the women, elderly, and children were mostly eating corn.
Even the small piece of cured meat the old chief had was being shared among the older children.
Seeing this, Yun Qi immediately handed the hare to the old chief, glancing at the children.
The chief understood but hesitated, rubbing his hands awkwardly.
Yun Qi pushed the stick into the chief’s hand.
"Chief Mu Nai, I’ve been fasting and don’t need meat. Just save some corn for me in the future."
The chief took the stick, thanking Yun Qi profusely, and then distributed the hare to the children.
Many people noticed this act of kindness, and soon, a second round of toasts began.
After the second round, Yun Qi was sweating.
He asked the old chief, "Chief Mu Nai, what kind of wine is this? It’s so strong!"
The chief explained that the wine was made from corn, specifically a white variety harvested in late autumn.
This made the wine particularly strong and fiery, which they called "White Blade."
It was often used to treat ailments like possession, fever, or chills, as it warmed the body and induced sweating.
The horn wine Yun Qi had been drinking was a special aged version reserved for honored guests, even stronger than the regular kind.
As the festivities continued, a man suddenly rushed over, shouting urgently, breaking the cheerful atmosphere.
Yun Qi saw the old chief’s expression change.
The chief told Yun Qi to wait while he went to check on the situation.
Yun Qi insisted on going with him.
The matter seemed urgent, and the chief didn’t argue.
He nodded and left, followed by a few warriors.
The rest of the villagers lost their appetite, sitting quietly by the fire with sorrowful expressions.
The group followed the messenger into a house filled with the heavy scent of medicine and the sound of sobbing.
Inside, Yun Qi saw a child lying on a bed, eyes closed, face pale as paper.
The child’s mother sat beside the bed, clutching his hand, tears streaming down her face and soaking the sheets.
The messenger, likely the father, looked heartbroken.
The old chief stepped forward, checking the child’s pulse and examining his eyes.
He shook his head.
The warriors with rooster-feather headdresses automatically gathered around the bed.
Seeing this, the child’s parents broke down, wailing in despair.
Yun Qi leaned in and whispered to the chief, asking what had happened.
The chief explained in a low voice that a few days ago, the child had been playing and hadn’t returned to the village by nightfall.
The villagers had gone out to search, bringing a rooster with them.
They found the child in the fields, but his soul had already been lost.
The villagers had clapped the rooster, and its crowing had called the child’s soul back.
However, after returning, the child had cried in fright before falling unconscious.
It had been four days now.
In such cases, if the soul was still lingering near the body, the child would recover after a couple of days of rest.
But if the soul had wandered too far, it might have been devoured by evil spirits.
Even if the soul was called back, it was uncertain whether the child would recover.
If the soul healed, the child might be left weak and prone to nightmares, but at least they would survive.
If not, the child would die.
This child was in the latter situation.
After his soul returned, he had remained unconscious, his breathing weak and irregular.
Now, it was fading.
The warriors surrounded the bed to prevent the child’s soul from scattering or being taken again after death, ensuring he could rest in peace.
They would guard him until he was buried.
Yun Qi looked at the child and said, "Chief Mu Nai, since that’s the case, may I try to help?"
Two chapters released together, this being the first.
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(End of Chapter)