Lian hesitated momentarily, then took the gourd.
He was vigilant, coupled with the fact that he had never shared any drink with anyone in all of his life, he wasn't sure.
The scent was fragrant, carrying a subtle, peach-like Qi that swirled against his senses.
He tipped it to his lips and took a deep gulp.
A warm feeling immediately washed over him.
"Ahhh…" he exhaled, wiping his mouth as the Qi in his dantian began to sway back and forth, flowing in gentle waves.
"How is it?" Wang Gu asked, pouring himself another gulp.
"I bought it from an old man during my last mission in Jiangsu. Too bad we're not allowed to drink this stuff inside the sect."
"I knew it, no matter where you are, underage drinking is forbidden." Lian thought, savouring the wine's flavour.
"Mission?" Lian asked, pouring himself another gulp.
His entire body relaxed as the warmth spread through him. Even though he had only taken a few mouthfuls, the wine was surprisingly potent.
"Ahh… we usually take on anything commissioned by people," Wang Gu said lazily.
"My last mission was escorting an envoy heading north to meet the Fairy Race. We just had to fend off a few robbers and make sure they arrived safely."
"I received around fifty contribution points for that mission," he added.
"I exchanged them for my blade."
Then his tone grew slightly more serious.
"The most important thing is accumulating credit. The better your performance, the higher your standing."
"After reaching a thousand credits, you can take the promotion exam to become a Hēi Sè (Black Robe) disciple."
"Another promotion gets you to Lán Sè (Blue Robe)—their authority is on par with Instructor Lin."
"And finally…" Wang Gu lifted the gourd slightly,
"Zǐ Sè (Purple Robe). Their authority rivals that of elders."
"That's what I'm aiming for, you see."
"Mmmm," Lian nodded, quietly soaking in every word.
"What about you?" Wang Gu asked, his eyes droopy, voice lazy.
"What's your goal? Why did you join Heaven's Gate?"
The question caught Lian off guard.
He paused, staring out into the distance.
"A goal…" he murmured.
"A goal, huh…"
"Up until now, I've just been trying to survive."
He exhaled slowly.
"I was born into a family called Xing. A little ironic, now that I think about it."
"My parents died before I could even walk."
Lian clenched his fingers slightly.
"All I ever wanted was to find out the truth behind their deaths… and get my revenge."
He fell silent for a moment.
"But since coming to Heaven's Gate, that goal has been drifting further and further away."
"I'm… not so sure anymore."
"I still want to get my revenge, but I'm not sure that the people I want to kill are still alive."
Only then did he realise he'd said far too much.
"Why am I telling him this?
I barely even know him."
"So… you're an orphan too, huh?" Wang Gu said quietly.
"That's one thing we have in common."
Lian blinked, then shifted his balance on the roof tiles, steadying himself with one hand.
"What about you?" he asked.
"What's your goal?"
Wang Gu didn't answer immediately.
"My goal…" he said slowly.
Then—
"I want to demolish Heaven's Gate."
"What?!" Lian snapped, turning sharply toward him.
Wang Gu's expression didn't change in the slightest.
"Oh, don't look at me like that," Wang Gu said lazily.
"Even if the other disciples don't know how you ended up here—I do."
Lian stiffened.
"They kidnapped you from the Lower Realm and forced you into this sect."
"The rest who failed their trials?"
"They became Fodder."
"The elders from the five clans can claim and pretend as much as they like that they are in control of the sect, but that's far from the truth; they, too, are just puppets."
Wang Gu shot Lian a sharp glance.
Lian said nothing—too stunned to speak.
"They're just good at hiding it, their evil, I mean", Wang Gu continued.
"They call themselves the keepers of law and order, fighters for justice, saviours of Jangsu."
"From the outside, they wear the faces of saints."
"But inside?"
"They're devils."
"At least the demonic factions don't pretend otherwise. When they kill, they do it openly."
Wang Gu took another long gulp from the gourd.
"You have no idea how many people have died for this sect…"
"…and their corrupt Murim Alliance."
His eyes sharpened, the laziness draining away.
"Enough is enough."
The two of them spent the rest of the evening exchanging their views, drinking the wine till the sun set. After that, they left each one going to their own separate peak; they may not have realised it then, but a fated bond was being formed.
"That Bo Lian," Wang Gu thought, "I should stay close to him; he seems to be carrying a great fate."