Normally, only Niu Dali and certain elder-level figures among the Minotaur tribes were qualified to carve out cave dwellings at the base of the mountain. Among them, Niu Dali's cave was the largest. In fact, it wasn't just a single hollowed-out space—far from it. Inside, they had excavated a vast internal mountain chamber. From this mountain chamber, multiple passageways branched out into various residential caves.
Niu Dali's cave was undoubtedly the largest of all.
Though this underground complex appeared somewhat crude, one had to admit—it was an impressively grand architectural ensemble.
"Come! Come! Please, this way!"Niu Dali laughed heartily, his expression full of enthusiasm.
Receiving such a trove of resources without lifting a finger—how could one not be thrilled?
"Spread the word—bring in the slaughtered beast meat! Start the fire and set up the cauldrons! Fetch our finest stock of milk wine. Today, I, your chieftain, shall host the honored guests from the Human race!"
He roared with glee.
Instantly, excitement rippled through the entire tribe. Cheers of anticipation erupted all around.
As they entered the mountain cave, its immense entrance gave no feeling of oppression whatsoever.
On both sides, rendered beast fat lamps had been lit, their flame long-lasting and enduring. The lighting was so bright it felt like daylight—no fear of stumbling in the dark.
Soon, they reached the vast underground hall. A large area had been completely hollowed out. Inside were stone tables, stools, and all kinds of kitchenware.
"Brother Mao! Come, come—sit! In my home, treat it as your own. No need to stand on ceremony!"
Niu Dali warmly welcomed him.
Before long, a steady flow of Minotaurs moved in and out, carrying all kinds of goods. On an open space, they set up large iron cauldrons and blazing fires. A massive mountain goat was already skewered and roasting over the flames. As it roasted, Minotaur women skillfully turned the spit, occasionally sprinkling it with snowflake-like rock salt. Soon, golden fat glistened and oozed from the meat.
Minotaurs gathered around the fire, singing and dancing wildly. The dances were so uninhibited that even their buttocks were on full display.
Bang!!
A giant sealed stone barrel was brought out and set heavily on the ground with a thud. This barrel was made entirely from solid rock, rugged in appearance but hollowed within for its true purpose.
Click!
Once unsealed, a strange fragrance of wine wafted out. The liquid inside was milky white, almost indistinguishable from real milk. Yet, it carried both the aroma of wine and a unique milky scent. No one knew what kind of secret technique the Minotaurs used, but the older it was stored, the richer the aroma became.
Just the smell made one crave a taste.
Ladles scooped up several large bowls, which were then placed in front of Niu Dali and Mao Sui.
"Brother Mao, have a bowl of milk wine. From now on, you're a brother and friend of our Iron Hoof Tribe!" Niu Dali grinned.
"Very well, Chieftain Niu—cheers!"
Mao Sui, without a trace of hesitation, lifted the bowl, gave a courteous nod to Niu Dali, and downed it in one swift motion.
The moment the wine touched his lips, Mao Sui couldn't help but secretly praise it, then declared aloud, "Good wine! Truly excellent! This is unlike anything I've ever tasted before. A completely different experience!"
This milk wine flowed down like real milk—smooth, mellow, and warm. Though it had the taste of alcohol, it wasn't particularly strong—around 20–30% ABV. It warmed the body with a gentle fire. Its sweetness was somewhat similar to the rice wine brewed by humans.
Most remarkably, this wine was made not from ordinary cow's milk, but from the milk of ferocious beast-class cows, imbued with a faint trace of spiritual energy. Though weak, it still offered a slight enhancement to cultivation.
"Exhilarating!"
Niu Dali roared in delight, his eyes gleaming with approval.
"This milk wine is our Minotaur tribe's ancestral recipe. Any Minotaur who can't brew it is no true Minotaur—he can go get lost. Passed down through generations, now with stronger cows, the flavor has improved tenfold! If you ever visit the Centaur Tribe, try their mare's milk wine. It's said to rival ours!"
Niu Dali chuckled.
Though they too could ferment mare's milk, it never matched the Centaurs', so they stopped trying and stuck to their prized milk wine. For Minotaurs, life was incomplete without wine.
"I'll certainly pay the Centaur Tribe a visit and compare the two. But, Chieftain Niu, let me share with you our Xuanhuang City's own brew—Hero's Blood. Among humans, only real men drink this wine!"
Mao Sui smiled and presented a sealed jug of Hero's Blood.
Although not a spirit wine, it was brewed using modern techniques combined with ancient methods. It had an extremely high alcohol content—around 60–70%, but thanks to a unique formula, it didn't harm the body. On the contrary, it stimulated blood flow, igniting one's spirit, and even aided cultivation.
This made it wildly popular among bounty hunters and warriors living on the edge. They drank it daily. Women, however, generally found it too strong, preferring fruit wines instead.
A few Minotaurs took the jug, unsealed the clay cap, and poured several bowls.
The wine was a deep red, hence the name—Hero's Blood.
As soon as it was opened, a powerful aroma spread through the hall, making the Minotaurs salivate with anticipation.
Niu Dali picked up a bowl and gulped it down.
At once, a flush spread across his face. His mouth sealed shut, eyes wide as saucers.
"Human! What happened to our chieftain? You poisoned him, didn't you?" one Minotaur growled, pounding the table and glaring furiously.
"Yeah! If you dare harm our chieftain, forget the roast goat—we'll roast you instead!" another bellowed, eyes bloodshot.
Just as tensions were about to explode, Niu Dali let out a long breath and bellowed, "Great wine! What a wine! I've never tasted anything like this! Compared to Hero's Blood, all my previous drinks were... were not worthy of real men!"
The stronger the wine, the more satisfying he found it.
He hadn't expected Hero's Blood to be so intense. The alcohol surged through his veins and straight to his head, almost making him gag. But he stubbornly held it down and savored the exhilarating rush.
The others, seeing this, couldn't hold back. One by one, they lifted their bowls and drank. Soon, red-faced and panting, their eyes gleamed with delight.
"Great wine!"
"Even better than our milk wine!"
"The humans really know their stuff. If I can't drink this again, I'll die unhappy!"
The Minotaurs roared in chorus.
Wine, after all, was the finest bridge between hearts. Mao Sui brought out more Hero's Blood, and the banquet instantly turned boisterous—dancing, singing, celebration.
As the wine flowed and the roast goat was devoured, Mao Sui casually asked, "Speaking of the Werewolves, we humans have a blood feud with them. But you, brothers of the Iron Hoof Tribe, so honest and straightforward—what kind of conflict could you have with them? Could this all be a misunderstanding?"
"Misunderstanding? Those damned wolves are outrageous! They don't respect us at all!" a Minotaur elder slammed his bowl on the table, roaring in anger. The wine had clearly taken effect.
"Exactly! Those damn wolves are no good. We discovered the Wine Spring, and they claim they found it first! They said if we won't share it, we must deliver a monthly tribute of milk wine. Do they take us for slaves? We fought right then and there! Every one of us in the Iron Hoof Tribe is a true warrior—we won't back down from some flea-bitten wolves!"
It was the same Niu Da that Mao Sui had met earlier, shouting in fury.