CHAPTER 454: CHAPTER 442 MOONLIGHT FINE WINE

On the way home, Han Qiwu could clearly feel that the pony’s steps had become much lighter.

Accompanied by the night sky, treading on moonlight.

"If the pony had a round, chubby horn on its head, it could totally pass for a unicorn mount," Han Qiwu thought with a chuckle. He could sense that, before the pony got its horseshoes, it seemed like a person walking barefoot—too hesitant to exert any strength.

Now it had officially unlocked its full potential.

Upon returning home, Han Qiwu was surprised to find that the Little Prince and Little Shui were already back.

[Hunting Pet: The Little Prince has returned from foraging, satiety increased by 95]

[Foraging Gains: Wood ×64, Cassia wood ×3, White cogon roots ×21]

[The Little Prince has returned with a little secret in its heart]

[Fishing Pet: Little Shui has returned from catching fish, satiety increased by 91]

[Foraging Gains: A waterweed net full of fish, river shrimp ×24]

[Little Shui is in a great mood after its fishing trip]

Riding through the gate on the pony, Han Qiwu called out to Little Shui and the Little Prince, "Hey, back so early today, huh?"

"Eeee eeee eee!"

Little Shui, who was lounging by the Hospital River, instinctively let out a soft cry upon hearing Han Qiwu’s voice. When it finished squealing and turned around, there was astonishment written all over its face.

Where did the owner find this tall creature?

Similar to Little Shui’s surprise, the Little Prince raised its head from its cellar excavation project upon hearing the commotion.

It looked pleased to see the pony.

In its eyes, the pony resembled a small water buffalo, just lacking a pair of horns.

If brawling with the water buffalo was that thrilling, then scuffling with this little thing should be fun too.

"Come on now, let me introduce your new companion. This is Pony—technically your little sister. Little Prince, stop entertaining those fight plans. Pony isn’t strong enough, so go play by yourself!" Han Qiwu started introducing, then suddenly shouted at the Little Prince mid-sentence.

"Oh."

The Little Prince let out a reluctant "oh" through a vibrating snort from its nose and throat, then went back to digging intently.

Fine, if I can’t fight it, then whatever!

Little Shui, on the other hand, was much friendlier toward Pony, scampering over with outstretched claws, asking for a hug.

It knew its claws were too sharp, and unlike cats, it couldn’t retract them. Climbing directly might accidentally hurt Pony.

Han Qiwu nodded approvingly, bent over, and picked up Little Shui.

"Little Shui is such a good little one."

After giving praise, Han Qiwu placed Little Shui on Pony’s back.

With ample experience climbing onto the Little Prince, Little Shui wasn’t afraid of heights. It crouched curiously on Pony’s back, pulling up a strand of pale golden mane with its claws and inspecting it under the sunlight a few times. Then it squinted happily and let out a few soft, thrilled squeals.

This new companion’s fur resembles the color of sunlight!

Awesome!

After playing for a little while longer, Han Qiwu dismounted, led Pony to the stable, removed its harness, and let it properly rest.

Once inside the stable, Pony happily snorted, stretched its neck out, and nuzzled Han Qiwu’s throat.

"Rest well and sleep soundly, no one will disturb you," Han Qiwu said, patting Pony’s head soothingly.

Pony imitated the other animals it had seen earlier and nodded slightly before lying sideways onto the nearby hay.

Seeing this, Han Qiwu squatted down beside it to continue soothing it.

He knew that horses typically sleep standing, but foals tend to lie down near their mares, feeling safe enough to sleep that way—signifying they trust their environment completely.

Evidently, Pony had already acknowledged this place as a haven of trust.

This was a very positive sign.

After waiting for Pony to fall asleep, Han Qiwu quietly left the stable and stretched.

After finishing all of these tasks, Han Qiwu realized his stomach was empty.

Hungry.

Taking a glance at the kitchen, Han Qiwu decided he wouldn’t have seafood tonight.

River-fresh ingredients would do.

Little Shui had brought back plenty of river shrimp today, along with some from last time—just enough to fry up a plate.

After steaming the rice, Han Qiwu cleaned the river shrimp thoroughly, marinated them lightly with salt for a bit, then tossed them directly into the oil-filled wok over high heat. He kept the seasoning simple—just garlic, chili, and a touch of salt.

After a few minutes, the shrimp’s shells turned crispy, their color shifted to a vibrant orange hue, and the aroma began wafting through the air.

Done.

For balanced nutrition, he even blanched some spinach to go alongside.

Time to eat.

The fried river shrimp emitted an intoxicating fragrance; they were delightfully crispy, with each bite delivering a crunch—from shell to core. Combined with the garlicky and spicy flavors, they were utterly irresistible, bite after satisfying bite.

Amazing!

The enticing smell even drew Little Shui over.

Having checked the materials database, Han Qiwu rinsed the shrimp with water to remove the spiciness before tossing one to Little Shui.

Now it wasn’t spicy anymore.

Upon tasting the crispy river shrimp, Little Shui’s eyes lit up and it happily clambered onto Han Qiwu’s leg, indulging in the treat while silently vowing to catch more river shrimp next time.

The owner made them taste so good!

Eating to his heart’s content, Han Qiwu suddenly felt like having some alcohol.

This was a problem—the ceramic wine jar’s rice wine wasn’t ready yet, and he hadn’t brought home any from Egger the last time.

As for store-bought liquor, Han Qiwu figured it was better to skip altogether.

Once you’ve tasted perfection, ordinary water loses its charm.

After savoring his homebrewed alcohol, all external brews had lost their allure.

"Too bad, no moonlit drink tonight," Han Qiwu sighed as he glanced up at the luminous moonlight.

Suddenly, he sprang to his feet.

Wait.

Moonlit drink?

There is alcohol!

Han Qiwu hurriedly set Little Shui onto a bench, letting it rinse its shrimp and eat independently, as he quickly grabbed the Azure Moon Water Flask, filled it with water, and meticulously irrigated each plot of land.

After watering every plot, Han Qiwu was rewarded with a notification sound.

[Moonlight Brew has successfully condensed. Please self-dispense]

It worked!

He had owned the Azure Moon Water Flask for three days already!

According to its special effects, collecting three days’ worth of moon dew ought to yield Moonlight Brew!

And indeed, it did!

Overjoyed, Han Qiwu carried the Azure Moon Water Flask back to the dining table and placed a large one-pound mug beside it. Eagerly, he tilted the flask and began pouring.

"Swoosh"

A stream of silvery liquid flowed out from the flask’s inner compartment.

The texture of this liquid seemed different from regular moon dew—lighter and more elegant.

Eight seconds later, the liquid stopped flowing.

"Only this much? I shouldn’t have bothered with such a big mug," Han Qiwu remarked regretfully, eyeing the three and a half ounces of Moonlight Brew in the mug.

Guess I’ll give it a try first.

Stowing away the flask, Han Qiwu lifted the mug, raised it toward the moon, and took a delicate sip.

The sensation of Moonlight Brew entering his mouth was incredibly gentle.

Like moonlight reflecting on water.

The Brew’s entry mirrored water’s grace.

Mere seconds upon entry, the rich aroma unfurled from the Moonlight Brew—layered and profound, making Han Qiwu reluctant to swallow.

Savoring it carefully for a moment, Han Qiwu then swallowed the Moonlight Brew softly.

Even upon swallowing, the liquid retained its tenderness and left a lingering aftertaste.

"Truly, three hours wouldn’t be enough to indulge in this flavor!"