บท 13: Chapter 12: Blazing Red Lotus

Green, red, yellow, black and white. The five coloured rays combined into a gigantic vortex. Even though he felt no pain, but being in the centre of it, Ji Dong couldn't help but panic. Not being able to control one's fate, would make anyone uncomfortable, and if he really had been a 10-year-old, perhaps he would have already been scared to death.

Luckily, due to having the memories of his past life, after panicking for a short time, Ji Dong was able to quickly calm down. He also understood a little of psychology and he constantly gave his mind some hints. This life was a free one after all, after being reborn into the Five Elements continent, he was now being wrapped up by the lights of this unknown scroll, and the worst that could happen would be dead, but maybe he'll be able to reincarnate once more.

Apparently, the amount of time that had passed was merely a split second, even though it felt as if thousands of years had passed by. Suddenly, the feeling of realism, without any flights of fancy, closely followed on, whilst the five coloured light, that was wrapping around his body, slowly faded away.

Before Ji Dong could even react, a gust of incomparably scorching hot airflow surrounded his body momentarily. The blazing feeling had made Ji Dong believe that his body had released a burnt smell. In his chest, the two red and blue light rays seemed to be ignited by the blazing energy, causing the light rays to grow a little stronger. On Ji Dong's forehead, two half star crowns had appeared.

After absorbing the two crystal crowns earlier this afternoon, Ji Dong was able to faintly sense the tiny Bing and Ding double fire magical power. But now, he was able to clearly sense it. Under the guidance of the two magic powers in his chest, he felt that the Bing-fire and Ding-fire magic power around him was very pure. It was very bountiful to the extent that it even surpassed the amount of magic power that the two teachers Xia Tian and Qiu Tian had released while releasing their Yin-Yang crowns.

What is this place? Ji Dong was really surprised, he opened his eyes in the heating air which seemed like it was melting his body.

All he could see was fiery red, the air seemed to be distorted because of the high temperature. The frightening temperature was everywhere in the surrounding. In the distorted air Ji Dong strongly exhaled a breath of relief, the only thing he could think of was the word lucky.

Unexpectedly in front of him was a gigantic magma lake. And from where he stood, it was less than a meter away. The lake was so huge that it seemed to stretch beyond the horizon, it was like a flaming sea. This place seemed to be more like a gigantic karst cave, but a boundless karst cave that is.

The area where Ji Dong was standing, was right at the edge of the magma lake. He was standing on a depressed part of a wall-like cliff, and even though he was about 100 meters above the magma, the scorching temperature made him feel as if he was going to melt at any second. The air was far too hot, so hot that it made breathing difficult. The school uniform on his body was releasing a stronger and stronger smell which indicated that it was burnt, and even his hair and brows were curling a little.

What exactly was that picture scroll? Why did he find himself in a fiery infernal after opening it? At this moment, at Ji Dong's back was a rock wall, and in the front of him, a magma lake, it could be said that he was in a situation where he could hardly move a step. And the faint Bing and Ding magical powers around his chest became especially distinct at this point. There was simply no need to sense it deliberately, because the Bing fire elements and Ding fire elements would enter his body automatically. Of course, that was a corrosive invasion, with his current cultivation of a level 1 Apprentice, it was simply not enough to absorb these insanely pure and extremely bountiful energies.

Ji Dong could vaguely tell, that if he himself was not of the fire attribute and in addition to that, a level 1 double-fire apprentice, his body probably wouldn't be able to endure this long. But even like this, he could feel that his body was burning up, it would not take long until he was roasted by the steaming hot air rising up from the magma below, and until he became completely dried up.

Ji Dong was someone that would never regret his own actions, but now he really wanted to know how such a thing could happen. At the same time he also felt a little sad, just when he thought that he would restart, and was finally able to get along with his new identity, such a thing was destined to happen.

Just then, a strong aroma assailed his nostrils; it was a mixture of fruit and wine mixture, pervading around his body. Ji Dong discovered that his hands were still firmly clasping the cocktail he mixed for Yang Bing Tian. Unfortunately, the cocktail was rapidly evaporating under the extreme temperature; more than half of cocktail had already evaporated and turned into mist, and this resulted in the strong aroma that he could smell.

With a self-deprecating smile, Ji Dong raised the wine glass to his eye-level and thought that no matter what, if he could drink a glass of fine wine, that he mixed himself before dying wasn't too bad.

Just when he was about to drink the glass of wine in one gulp, suddenly, a strange scene appeared. A dull red light fell on his face, Ji Dong felt that his body was seemingly lightened, the hot current that nearly roasted him into a dried man suddenly disappeared, and he could not even sense the existence of Bing and Ding elements with his own magical powers.

What was even more bizarre was, originally from the glass that was still in his hands, half of the glass of wine had evaporated but now it had disappeared without a trace as if it had been swept away by that red light.

It can't be, right? Am I not even allowed to have the final pleasure of drinking before death? Ji Dong was angry, and he turned around to discover the surrounding of the depressed ground was seemingly shrouded with a layer of gauze-like red glow. This light which seemed as thin as a cicada's wings had completely separated him from the temperature of the outside, which could no longer affect him. Without the roasting high temperature, Ji Dong's brain was more clear. He stared at the red light attentively, and he was overwhelmed by the sight.

Ji Dong would never forget the things he saw at this moment for his entire life, within the bubbling magma -who knew how high its temperature was- a gigantic pillar of magma erupted, and the eruption continued until it had reached the height of his body and stopped 20 meters away before him. In the summit of the column of flame, a fair and delicate hand unexpectedly reached out from within, the tender and slender fingers were like delicate scallions, the skin had the white lustre of icy snow. It became a distinct contrast with the surrounding blazing magmatic flames.

Looking at this hand, Ji Dong thought of a kind of food- almond junket, the fairness and delicateness seemed like water would drip anytime. Following that, was a smooth and round jade-like arm, the tone of the arm was exactly the same as the hands. Even with the pickiness of Ji Dong, he could not find a single flaw. He saw the arm lightly swaying in the air and it made a motion of grabbing. Immediately afterwards, a small orb appeared on her palm. The orb became golden-red. As Ji Dong saw the colour he immediately realized something, wasn't that the cocktail he mixed? And judging from its size, it was not just his own remaining half, even the previously evaporated parts seemed to have condensed into this tiny orb.

The arm within the magma rose, gradually revealing its owner's body – a maiden. Then, she slowly rose from within the column of fire, appearing on the utmost summit. The liquid magma became a very small platform that was supporting her body.

Ji Dong became completely stunned when he saw the maiden. In his previous world, Ji Dong was a virgin until the very last moment of his life. However, that was absolutely not because he didn't like women nor was it because of any physiological problem, but due to his stubbornness in pursuing absurd perfection. He was a typical perfectionist. It was also due to this seeking of perfection, that he was able to achieve such a magnificent result in the circles of liquor. It was also because of this, that he never found the perfect woman that he admired even though he had seen countless beauties.

Never in a million years, would Ji Dong have thought that the perfect woman that he was seeking for so long in his previous life would unexpectedly appear after arriving in this world of Five Elements Continent, with the body of a 10-year-old child. Yes, besides perfect, he was really unable to think of any other description to describe the things he saw before his eyes.

A maiden appeared on top of the magma column, she seemed to be about 18 or 19 years old, her fiery red hair was leisurely hanging on her back. It was long enough to cover her hip. She was delicate to the extent that there was nothing you could nitpick on, even the best and the most skilful sculptor could not sculpt her. The perfect proportions of her body completely corresponded with the golden ratio, there wasn't the slightest trace of excess flesh, and on top of that, there wasn't a single flaw. She had a pair of pitch-black large eyes, whose quick-witted gaze seemed as if they could penetrate one's heart. From top to toe, only the three female's most important parts were covered by three portions of flames, the skin that was exposed was exactly the same as her arm that was initially exposed -crystal-like, soft and delicate.

This was a godly masterpiece! Originally Ji Dong didn't believe in gods, but right at this moment he was firmly convinced that God existed, who except a god could make such a perfect body? The second he saw the maiden, Ji Dong believed that he has already fallen in love with her, whatsoever element in the surrounding could not stop his adulation of perfection.

Before, Ji Dong only heard about beauties that resemble a lotus breaking from the surface of the water. But the maiden before his eyes was like a red lotus suddenly appearing from the surface of magma. And the process of her appearance was stunning. The moment he saw her, Ji Dong's gazed stupefied.

The maiden curiously looked at the golden red orb that was kneaded into her hands, she brought it up to her nose and carefully sniffed it, she then gently sucked it, and the golden red liquor turned into a stream of water and soundlessly entered her mouth.

Looking at the tender pinkish lips as they opened and closed, Ji Dong felt the heat on his nose; it was unexpectedly a shameless nosebleed. Now he had only one thought: if he could only bring himself to kiss her lips, it would be a pleasure even if he would die immediately. Just like how he would taste the excellent millennium wine regardless of everything, in his previous life, he would die without regrets.

"Hm...", the maiden's mouth emitted a soft hum, her big black eyes with long eyelashes slowly closed, it was unspeakably charming, two rosy cheeks appeared on her fair, delicate face, she appeared to be enjoying it exceedingly.

"Can you tell me what this is?", the maiden's voice echoed in the air, seemingly appearing from all sides. Unfortunately, Ji Dong did not see her open her mouth.

"This is a kind of liquor.", Ji Dong subconsciously answered. However, the maiden's voice roused him from the enchantment. Although his eyes looked as if he was still unwilling to wake up from the enchantment, his mind was already very sober, "What is this place?"

The maiden did not answer his question, but slowly opened her eyes and wrinkled her cute tiny nose, "No, I already drank liquor made by you humans. Although it was good, it didn't taste like this. Let me think about it, hm. This liquor has a flavour of oranges of the human world, the flavour of almond, of lemons, and two other flavours that I couldn't tell, maybe because I have not tasted them before. I can remember the flavours of all the things I have once eaten"

Ji Dong asked in surprise, "Are you not human?"

The maiden slightly smiled and cupped some of the magma underneath her, allowing that terrifying liquid of high temperature to leak from the gap between her fingers, "Do you think a human can do this? You have not answered my question, what was it that I drank just now?"

Ji Dong took a deep breath to pacify his surging feelings, "It was real liquor, but it was a kind of cocktail mixed by me. It is normal that you haven't drunk this before, because, in the world of humans, I am the only person that can make such liquor. Do you want to know its name?"

The maiden eagerly nodded, "Of course."

The inferiority in his heart that came from seeing the perfect maiden vanished. When Ji Dong started to talk about liquor, confidence reappeared within his pupils, "It is called Midnight Sunshine, it contains 4/10 pure vodka, 2/10 Cointreau, 2/10 Apricot Brandy, 1/10 red pomegranate starch paste and 1/10 lemon juice. It was mixed using a special technique. The taste which you couldn't tell might be the vodka and the red pomegranate starch paste. At the beginning of the modulation of it, this Midnight Sunshine should be black, golden red and bloody red. Because these three colours signify a night of evilness, and also the gracefulness and warmth of the sunshine. But afterwards, I thought that this sort of colour layering didn't make sense. A colour can never represent one's heart forever, that's why I used a special technique to combine the three colours together. Keeping most of the golden red colour, thus brand new midnight sunshine was made. I hope that the person who drinks it could feel a thread of warmth in his or her lonely heart. Liquor has emotions, only by being able to let the person tasting it feel the bartender's feelings, is a glass worthy to be called a true cocktail. That is why what I mixed was not liquor, but feelings."

"The midnight sunshine, is a beauty no living thing can hope to rival, which makes one infatuate, makes one bewildered, and also makes one depressed. If you were able to experience these three feelings and then taste the warmth within, then my glass of liquor has found its owner."