Aki could not disguise the hunger in his eyes as Summer Warden took out a large bottle filled with a red-tinged liquid. Qi seemed to swirl all around it, not of a type he had ever seen before. The others watched the bottle with some apprehension. Spring Melt was the first to broach the subject.

“Master, what exactly is the nature of this secret project that Summer Warden has been working on? That Qi is not of a type I can recognize. Are we to sample that?”

Aki hummed, then glanced at Summer Warden.

“My dear disciple should hopefully have managed to create a sample of spirit alcohol, something quite rare indeed. I take it your experiments have been successful then, disciple Summer Warden?”

The other disciples became rather confused as the purpose of this secret task was revealed, but the broad man’s face instead turned to a very conflicted expression.

“Master, I did manage to create some sort of spirit yeast, however it turned out unexpectedly powerful, so adjustments had to be made to the brewing progress. The drink should have the effect you desired, but the taste...”

Aki’s eyes flashed with irritation.

“Apprentice, do you think I desire this for the taste? No, this is all about the effect. Pour me a glass of that would you? I wish to have the first taste.”

Aki took out a glass he had managed to find for the occasion, then handed it over. Summer Warden nodded, then slowly uncorked the huge bottle, and poured Aki’s glass full. The drink was orangish-red and did not smell pleasant. A sharp scent of alcohol stinged at his nose as Aki took the glass gingerly into his hand, full of anticipation. His disciples flinched back slightly at the pungent smell.

Finally, I’ve managed to acquire proper drink. With this even these numbskulls should be able to cut loose for a bit. He examined the strange threads of Qi buzzing about in the drink. Is this alcohol Qi? So that is actually a thing, huh. I wonder what kind of techniques you could make using it. Well, enough pattering about, let’s give this a try.

Aki brought the drink to his mouth, then took a plentiful sip of it. Instantly a bitter taste of berries struck at him, mixed with the distinct tang of alcohol. It could in no way be considered a pleasant drink. Aki sighed, then drank the rest of the glass in one shot.

Alright, that is not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted. I think it ranks in the top 10 though... Somewhere between stale Gambina and that one homemade “wine” I was offered from that juice container once, maybe? At least it seems strong enough, as I can already begin to feel it take effect. I’ll label this as a complete success.

His face flushing slightly, Aki set his drink down and began to address his disciples.

“Disciples, your final mission today will be to sample this drink and study the effects it has.”

Aki had planned to leave it at that. However, perhaps due to the drink in him, he couldn’t quite start off such a grand occasion in such a dispassionate way. Instead, he stood up to give his disciples a grand address.

“This shall lead to a grand new age for the sect, the age of proper drink! The blind fools of the cultivation world claim to stand above worldly pleasures by refusing to partake of them completely, but that is the path of surrender, not the path of conquest! If you wish to truly reach the heights of cultivation you must show your dominance over this drink! So, partake of it eagerly, disciples! Partake of this drink, but do not let it be your master!”

Somehow, his passionate speech managed to turn everyone’s apprehensive expressions into ones of anticipation. His little rhetoric about turning from surrender from conquest seemed to be truly effective, as Winter Gale did not even wait for Aki to sit down before she plucked the bottle and began pouring a sample into her own glass.

“Naturally, as the eldest sister here, I should begin.” She haughtily announced.

After filling her glass, she did not waste time, instantly downing the whole thing at once. Her eyes shut into a distinct grimace at the foul taste.

“Gyah, that is truly foul. Only master could be so nonchalant at such a taste.”

Spring Melt was fiddling with her glasses as she examined Winter Gale closely.

“Elder sister, are you feeling any changes in your condition? Is the drink affecting you?”

The black-clad woman seemed gravely offended by the question. Standing up with agitation.

“Me? Affected by such a trivial amount? I have trained my tolerance with all manner of magical poisons, there is no way I would fail to defeat this!”

Despite the admission, her face was colouring very rapidly, and a subtle sway entered into her stance. She slumped back into her seat, voice slurring slightly.

“Seriously, there is just no way... Juniors these days... No respect for their betters...”

Summer Warden looked at her doubtfully, then set the glass in front of him aside and took out a wooden tankard from inside of his robes. Aki raised an eyebrow at that. Damn, he’s serious about setting out on this path. Do I see formations carved into it? Do they keep his drink cold or something like that? I have to convince him to make me one too...

Unaware of the jealous gaze levelled at it, Summer Warden began filling his tankard with the drink. As he began drinking, he tried to manipulate the strands of alcohol Qi into a weave, without much success. Wait, he's managed to create alcohol Qi and is already beginning to weave techniques from it... Has he also actually discovered the [Dao of Alcohol]? After the man finished his drink, he set it down with a sigh.

“Reaching enlightenment on alcohol weaves is a so difficult, I haven’t progressed at all.”

Winter Gale turned her head from where she had been laying it on the table.

“Maybe if you made something that tasted less like swamp water you would be rewarded with divine inspiration. Seriously, your spirit fruits always taste so good, where has it all gone...”

The man did not even notice that odd last comment, as focused on his weaves as he was. Spring Melt took the bottle next and poured a modest sample into her glass. Before drinking it, she scanned it closely using her glasses, then studied the smell with equal care. She took a modest sip, swirling it around in her mouth as she closed her eyes and twiddled her braid with her free hand. I don’t think this drink is quite of the quality for a wine tasting like that. Aki thought, amused at the careful approach.

She did not hurry, repeating the process until her glass was empty. At last, she opened her eyes to give her verdict.

“I can indeed sense a new Qi type in the sample. The drink is definitely spiritual in nature, as the alcohol passed through my natural defences without issue. The taste could use some work, however.”

Ok, she is definitely handling it like a champ so far. How much would she have to drink to stop being so analytic?

Passionate Seeker had been waiting patiently, eyes shining with anticipation as the other took their turns. As the drink finally made it to her, she filled her glass, hands filled with resolve.

“Master, I will definitely reach your level of mastery with this drink! I will not disappoint!”

She tried to gulp the drink down rapidly, but the foul taste instead sent her into a coughing fit, a grimace on her face. After gathering herself for a moment, she tried again, with the same results. Once the glass was empty, she slumped onto the table, sighing with defeat.

“Ai, this path will be long indeed.”

Sensing that the bottle had made its way around, Winter Gale’s head perked up from its rest on the desk.

“You know, I guess I could try another glass of the stuff.”

The other three also shook themselves out of their thoughts and three voices rang out.

“Yes, I can feel my weaves are close to a revelation. I shall have more”

“Ah, I do need more data to form a solid conclusion on this.”

“I will not fail! I will withstand the next one without fail!”

Aki smiled with the grin of a villain who had just succeeded in the first step of their dastardly plan. Looks like operation “get everyone drinking and chatting” has passed it’s first phase.

A few drinks later, the meeting after-party had properly gotten underway. The drink managed to loosen the guards the disciples were keeping with each other, resulting in a rather loud atmosphere. The situation had evolved rather as one might have expected it to; A whole group of adults having their first try with the drink tended to get people carried away...

“I swear, I work so hard on my orchard but still some ungrateful bastards pop in to steal the fruits of my labour! How dare they! Time and time again, and why are they so fixated on the lemons? My precious spirit lemons...”

Summer Warden had turned out to be a complaining-type drunk. After a becoming too inebriated to stay focused on his weaves, he had began ranting about his various troubles to Spring Melt, who was listening with a serene look on her face.

“Indeed, that does sound most troublesome. Do you have any idea as to who may be responsible? Such repeated break-ins probably indicate a recurring rascal as being responsible.”

Aki was slightly amazed at how Spring Melt gave absolutely zero outward signs of drunkenness. She had easily downed glass after glass while listening to Summer Warden rant, maintaining a calm demeanour throughout. If anything, her speech was becoming more elegant and flowery the more she drank. Passionate Seeker on the other hand...

“I’ll do it! I’ll definitely do it! You can’t stop me elder sister! I’ve failed to withstand the drink so far, so my only option is to take this training to the next level! I’ll definitely down the rest of the bottle all at once!”

She had become dismayed at her lack of tolerance for the drink and become the daring sort of drunk. The type that would have courage and lack sense, allowing her to do quite adventurous things if prompted. Winter Gale had rather sensibly stopped drinking after her first few glasses, as she seemed to be quite the lightweight. Not, however, before she had turned into the touchy-feely sort of drunk. She currently lay splayed on her back on top of Passionate Seekers lap.

“Foolish younger sister, respect your elder’s advice! If I have stopped drinking at this point, surely there is no way you would be able to last beyond me!”

Despite waving her hands about in her undignified position, her speech managed to maintain a distinctly arrogant tone. As Passionate Seeker began to reach for the remains of the bottle, Winter Gale suddenly hopped out of her lap and snatched it from her. The two began a playful tug of war for the remains.

What about Aki? He was surprisingly quite sober, as he had not partaken much on the drink. Somebody had to be the adult in the room and watch the younglings have their first go with it after all. Aki of course was also pursuing another purpose.

His main goal with this was to get his pupils chatting amiably with each other, so he was discreetly acting as a proper host, guiding conversations along when it lulled and keeping a handle on his disciples. He was managing quite well at his role as a host, though not merely because of his social skills. Aki looked at the continuing tug of war quietly, then discreetly activated his [Karmic Bonds] technique.

Hmm, seems like the bond between those two is steadily growing stronger. I guess playful roughhousing is truly what friendships are made of. I sense a bit of a backlash in the bond between Summer Warden and Spring melt, perhaps I’ve let his droning go on for too long.

Aki watched as Winter Gale activated her bear bloodline powers for a moment, manifesting the ethereal bear ears, after which she effortlessly snatched the bottle into her secure grasp. Perhaps it’s again time for me to intervene.

“Disciples, calm down. Obviously the rest of the bottle should go to me.”

Winter Gale nodded, then poured the rest of the drink into Aki’s glass. Passionate Seeker’s face seemed to betray a hint of sulkiness, which did not go unnoticed from Aki. Slightly amused, he decided to reassure them.

“Worry not you two. Summer Warden! You informed me beforehand that you would be bringing two samples. I think now would be the time to bring the other one out!”

The broad man snapped out of his rant, taking a few seconds to gather himself.

“Ah, yes, of course master. This one was the sample brewed of spirit cherries, while the next one was made using spirit pears.”

He rose up to fetch his next bottle, while the eager gaze of Passionate Seeker followed him out. Winter Gale flopped back onto her lap. Spring Melt, meanwhile, closed her eyes and downed the rest of her drink. She then held her cup to the sky, watching the light of the setting sun glint off it.

“Ah, partaking of this drink does indeed affect one’s finer sensibilities. Truly, the swirling of the afternoon Qi does reflect most agreeably on this vessel. I am definitely on the cusp of a higher understanding!”

Aki was mystified by her state. So, she first grows posh, then poetic and then enlightened? I have to see how far this goes. Soon Summer Warden walked back in with the second giant bottle. Spring Melt was the first to take a refill, drinking it down quite eagerly. This raised some cheers from the rest who watched her fill another glass and then again down it rapidly.

Aki watched the situation with satisfaction. Looking at this, you could never guess that this lot haven’t taken a break for decades. Discreetly dumping the rest of his cherry drink away, he rose to sample the new, hopefully slightly better drink. Perhaps it’s time that I also get into the fun.

Aki woke up next morning, not to a raging hangover. As an experienced partaker of the drink, he naturally had a grasp on the pains of going overboard. Despite letting loose a bit, he had maintained his sense and only kept up a pleasant buzz for the rest of the night. Now he only had a slightly sore back.

The party had gone on until nightfall, with his core disciples managing to leave for their residences, still on their feet. One partygoer, however, had ended the night on a bit of a more undignified note.

Aki rose from his bed, which currently did not contain a mattress, and set out from his room. First, he went to his courtyard, where he filled a bucket with water. Then he walked towards his wood-carving room and slowly, careful to not make a sound, opened the door.

This room was originally used for the creation of wooden talismans, but it had not seen use since Aki had taken up residence in the house. The workbenches were laid against the walls, the various tools on them sitting unused. Tonight, however, the room had found a use. Aki’s mattress was laid out on the centre of the room, and on it, Passionate Seeker lay splayed, slobbering slightly.

At the end of the previous night, she had finally gone overboard, attempting to down way more than she should before anyone could react to stop her. She had confidently proclaimed victory for around 20 seconds, after which she had collapsed onto the ground, sound asleep. Aki looked at her sleeping form, then prepared his bucket.

In the cartoons, there’s always that scene where the wise elder wakes up the drunks with a bucketful of water, I’ve always wanted to try that. After that I can give her a proper lecture on being responsible with alcohol. Perhaps the only lecture I’m actually qualified to give her.

Aki was rather enthusiastic at genuinely being able to be the wise elder for once. However, as the woman turned over in her sleep and Aki saw the peaceful expression on her face, he stopped just short of throwing the water. I wonder when she’s last had a proper rest, laying about in bed for as long as she likes.

After gazing in thought for a moment, Aki lowered the bucket of water. He then slowly tip-toed out of the room, careful to not make a noise. He silently closed the door behind him.

Gah, what am I even thinking? I’ve gotten way too into this whole mentor persona... Honestly, actually doing that to someone would suck so much! Cartoons are always exaggerated I guess...

Well, the lecture can wait until later. Time for my morning tea!