The Immortal's Wine Store

Jian Wang remained calm under everyone's stunned gazes. He sized up the silver-haired young man who stood before him. He even tried to use the best observation technique in his arsenal to see if he could discern the man's cultivation. However, his spiritual perception stopped before even entering the man's body. As if there was an invisible energy preventing him from prying on the secrets of this person! 

"So you're still alive... I thought you have died back then..." Jian Wang transmitted a message to the man. He didn't others to hear their conversation since there were some people from the Celestial Paragon Tower inside the dragon building. 

Jiu Shen's eyes flashed briefly and returned to normal. "So you were able to uncover my identity..." 

Jian Wang scoffed. "There's only one Jiu Shen who has the ability to create this wine store. I know that you have some connection with Asmodeus and he even brought you to Hell a couple of times before." 

Jiu Shen glanced at him in confusion. What Asmodeus? Oh. Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart. The man must have thought that the Protective Array Formations in the dragon building were created by Asmodeus. 

Jiu Shen shrugged with an imperceptible smile. He then grabbed a chair from his space earring and placed it beside where Jian Wang was seated. "I hope you don't mind me sitting beside you." He muttered.

Jian Wang waved his hand calmly. This guy already placed his chair before even getting his answer... "Suit yourself." 

Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards the red-haired Furion and smiled at him. "Furion, one of the last remaining pure-blooded Phoenix. Nice to meet you." 

Furion was surprised by the man's courtesy, but he was quick to adjust his mood. "Nice to meet you too, Wine Master Jiu Shen! I've heard a lot about you from the young waitresses of your store!" He answered with a smile of his own. 

Suddenly, Furion's eyes widened. He realized that he couldn't see through the man's power! 

Jiu Shen saw his amazement, but he merely chuckled. He then moved back his gaze towards Jian Wang. They haven't seen each other for countless years, but it seems like the man hasn't changed. He still had this air of confidence around him. 

Just then, Jiu Shen narrowed his eyes and stared in a certain direction. There was a foreboding sensation rising in his heart. 

"So you've also noticed it. Seems like there is really something going on in this desert region." The calm voice of Jian Wang echoed beside his ears.

Jiu Shen nodded his head solemnly. A dark and oppressive aura emerged for a brief second and disappeared. He was very familiar with that aura. "Hell. The entrance of hell has emerged once again." Jiu Shen muttered in a stern voice. He was certain of it. As someone who had been to Hell for a couple of times, he was very familiar with its bleak and treacherous aura. He could not forget it.

Jian Wang squinted his eyes when he heard Jiu Shen's words. "So it has emerged again, huh?" He believed Jiu Shen's words since the man wasn't known to speak nonsense. 

"What Hell? What entrance?" Furion stared at them in confusion when he heard the conversation between them. 

"The entrance of Hell, it will emerge once again. And the entrance will open in the desert region..." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice.

"What did you say?!" Furion's eyebrows shut upwards, but before he could even say anything more, a man dressed in ragged clothes came inside the store, shocking the patrons who were busy chatting among themselves.

 There was a piece of cloth wrapped around his head, probably to hide his face. His shirt and trousers were dirty and full of soil. The man looked like a farmer who had stumbled on his fields. "T-The en...entrance... hell... emerge..." The man muttered weakly before he collapsed. 

"What is wrong with this guy? Is he a drunkard?"

"This guy is crazy. What is he talking about?"

"I don't know. I only heard him say entrance..." 

Looking at the man, Jiu Shen swiftly commanded. "Aren, bring him upstairs." 

The purple-haired Aren nodded his head and grabbed the unconscious man before bringing him to the second floor. 

Jiu Shen glanced at Jian Wang and Furion and told them. "You two can follow me upstairs." He didn't mind bringing them inside the cultivation hall. The hall was powered by Array Formations and he could just shut it off. 

Jian Wang and Furion nodded their heads gravely. Before the man collapsed, they heard what he said. 

Aren carefully put the man down and turned his head towards Jiu Shen, waiting for his command. 

"Give this to him." Jiu Shen handed a small pill to Aren. 

Aren took the pill and unwrapped the cloth that covered the man's face. He then shoved the pill inside the man's mouth. 

When Jiu Shen and Jian Wang saw the appearance of the man, the frown on their faces deepened. 

Asmodeus! The greatest Array Formation Maker in the Primordial God Realm! One of the three Celestial Emperors!

This man was Jiu Shen's friend and also the person who taught him the art of Array Formation Making! 

He couldn't believe that such an individual actually end up like this. 

"Asmodeus! Isn't this guy Celestial Emperor Asmodeus?! The man who sealed the entrance of Hell! Now I understand... The entrance will once again emerge!" Furion exclaimed in surprise as he looked at the man. 

Cough! Cough! Cough! 

A series of dry coughing sounds followed as the man finally awakened. He groaned as he tried to sit upright. 

Aren felt pity for him and helped the man. 

"Thank you." Asmodeus muttered as he slowly lifted his head to look at the people who had saved him. 

The purple-haired man was an unfamiliar face. He checked everyone one by one and suddenly... His eyes widened when he saw Jian Wang. 

"J-Jian Wang! Cough!" He spat a mouthful of blood.