Chapter 66 Daughter's Red Wine

"Excellent!" Yan Chixia laughed, then reached his right hand into his coat pocket.

She Meier, seeing this, knew Yan Chixia was retrieving a paper talisman and felt a surge of excitement. She widened her eyes and watched closely.

He drew out a folded talisman, swiftly unfolded it, pinched one corner, and gave it a shake. A flash of golden light appeared, instantly conjuring a feast—large platters and small bowls arranged atop the rock.

"Ah?!" She Meier exclaimed in astonishment, utterly amazed. She looked closer and saw the dishes: golden diced chicken, crispy fish fillets, salt-baked shrimp, bamboo shoots with cashews, dry-fried okra, celery with fish shreds, honey-glazed ham, lotus root with tremella, lettuce with almonds, shredded carrots with cashews, steamed perch, mushroom-stewed mountain chicken, pine nut pastries, millet rice—all vibrant, fragrant, and delicious, both meat and vegetarian, their aroma tempting enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

"Well?" Yan Chixia asked, "She Meier, I invite you to taste these delicacies. Are you satisfied?"

She Meier was still dazed when Yan Chixia spoke, but thrilled beyond measure, she replied, "Satisfied? More than that—it’s completely beyond my expectations! Yan Chixia, I never imagined your Paper Talisman Art would be so formidable, able to conjure so many dishes at once! Hehe, now I can truly indulge in fine cuisine and feast to my heart’s content!"

Yan Chixia laughed, "In that case, enjoy yourself."

"Alright, Yan Chixia, let’s enjoy these delicacies together." She Meier said, then sat down cross-legged opposite Yan Chixia. She picked up a pair of jujube wood chopsticks, took a bite of celery and fish shreds, and, savoring the taste, laughed with delight, "Mm… The celery is crisp and refreshing, the fish shreds soft and sweet… The texture and flavor are just right. This 'celery with fish shreds' is a delicacy I’ve never tasted before! Fine food paired with good wine—Yan Chixia, if we had some wine to accompany these dishes, that would truly be the finishing touch, perfect in every way!"

"Oh? She Meier, you’d like some wine? That’s no problem." Yan Chixia smiled, and reached into his coat pocket for another folded paper talisman. He opened it, pinched a corner, and gave it a shake. A flash of golden light appeared, and a vermilion ink brush and two blank talisman papers materialized.

Originally, She Meier thought Yan Chixia would conjure wine this time, but instead it was brush and paper, prompting her to ask, "Yan Chixia, did you make a mistake?"

"No mistake," Yan Chixia replied. "She Meier, you may not know: ever since I mastered the Paper Talisman Art, I always carry three pre-drawn talismans with me just in case—two of them depict food, so whenever I’m hungry, I use one to conjure a meal; the third shows a brush dipped in vermilion ink and two blank talisman papers, so that whenever I’m out and about and need something, I can activate them and draw whatever I require… For example, now: you wish for wine. Without this brush and paper, I couldn’t draw a talisman, so how could I conjure the wine?"

"Mm." She Meier nodded, watching as Yan Chixia took up the brush and began drawing on a talisman, her interest piqued. She asked, "Yan Chixia, in that case, why don’t you carry more talismans with you?"

"Impossible!" Yan Chixia replied. "She Meier, as you see, each talisman is so large; when folded, it’s quite thick. My coat pocket can only hold three—any more and my clothes would bulge, which is unsightly and inconvenient… Besides, even if I could carry more, apart from food, I never know when I’ll need something else. I can’t possibly draw everything I might need in advance and carry it all with me."

"That makes sense!" She Meier laughed. "So you’ve devised a simple and effective solution… Yan Chixia, you’re truly clever!"

"It’s the only way I could manage!" Yan Chixia smiled wryly. "Right now, I have nothing—I don’t even own a Storage Ring…"

"Indeed! Yan Chixia, why hasn’t your master made you a Storage Ring?"

"I don’t know. Perhaps the time hasn’t come yet?"

As they spoke, Yan Chixia finished drawing a brush dipped in vermilion ink and two blank talisman papers on one sheet. He folded it neatly and placed it in his pocket, then picked up the brush again and confidently began drawing on another talisman.

Before long, a clay wine jar sealed with wax and two wine cups appeared on the paper. After drawing the jar, he inscribed the words "Maiden’s Red" upon it.

She Meier, seeing this, asked, "Yan Chixia, why did you write 'Maiden’s Red'?"

Yan Chixia answered, "Because I want to offer you 'Maiden’s Red' wine. If I don’t write the name on the jar, the wine conjured by the talisman won’t have the flavor of 'Maiden’s Red.'"

"Is that so? I’ve learned something new today! Yan Chixia, does it mean that whatever you draw on a talisman, you can conjure?"

"Exactly! As long as it’s within my powers, and I’ve seen the item before—once I draw it, I can activate it."

"Really? Then… Yan Chixia, I’d like a piece of 'Jade Dew.' Can you draw and conjure that for me?"

"I cannot."

"Why not?"

"Because I’ve never seen 'Jade Dew,' nor do I know what it is. So I wouldn’t know how to begin."

As they spoke, Yan Chixia put down the brush, took hold of one corner of the talisman, and gave it a sudden shake. A flash of golden light appeared, and instantly, a jar of "Maiden’s Red" and two wine cups materialized.

She Meier was overjoyed, her face beaming as she unsealed the jar. As the seal was lifted, a delicate fragrance wafted from the wine, refreshing and intoxicating.

"Ah! Such aroma—this wine truly has the flavor of the finest 'Maiden’s Red'…" she praised, filling both cups. She handed one to Yan Chixia, raised the other, and said, "Yan Chixia, thank you for the delicious food and wine… Come, let’s drink!"

"Agreed!" Yan Chixia replied with a hearty voice, and together they drained their cups.

"What fine wine—smooth and sweet, warming the stomach, it’s truly superb! Drinking it is such a pleasure!" She Meier set down her cup and praised joyfully, "Yan Chixia, I envy you! At such a young age, your Paper Talisman Art is already so formidable!"

"Thank you for your praise!" Yan Chixia responded humbly. "She Meier, in truth, I envy you as well…"

"Oh?" She Meier blinked. "Yan Chixia, what is it you envy about me?"