59: Chapter 59 The Path to Immortality

After a moment of sentimentality, Ye Jing continued to bury the cave.

He also properly set aside and buried the skeletal remains found in the cave, as he did not know the identity of this fallen Immortal.

Ye Jing could only use a stone to set up a solitary grave for him, considering it a way to let him rest in peace.

As for those spirit fruits, Ye Jing feared they would be too attractive to the wild beasts in the forest; without the protection of the golden light bowl, they would be eaten clean by beasts in no time.

Following the principle of not letting things go to waste, Ye Jing picked all the crimson blood fruit and put them into a leather bag, tying it tightly so the scent wouldn't leak out.

Then, he used his Broadaxe once more to collapse the cave before quickly leaving the area.

Upon returning home, Ye Jing placed the harvested crimson blood fruit inside.

However, seeing the crimson blood fruit start to lose their freshness after being picked from the branch, Ye Jing felt incredibly distressed.

It seemed these fruits would rot quickly once removed from the branch and had to be consumed immediately.

But Ye Jing had only taken one bite and already felt he couldn't handle the medicinal effects of the crimson blood fruit; how could he possibly finish them all?

At that moment, Ye Tianyao, who was outside, smelled the thick fragrance of the fruit and was overcome with cravings: "Grandpa, what good things did you bring back from the mountains?"

Ye Jing smiled and said, "Yaoer, you little girl only think about eating! These fruits can't be eaten just like that! They are medicinal ingredients!"

"If they're medicinal ingredients, can they be used to steep medicinal wine?"

Ye Tianyao asked curiously.

Hearing this, Ye Jing felt his granddaughter was quite right. Since the crimson blood fruit had such a powerful nourishing effect, if it could be steeped into wine and used as a tonic, he might be able to make quite a bit of money.

Thinking of this, Ye Jing immediately told Ye Tianyao to get some wine: "Yaoer, go get a jar of wine!"

Ye Tianyao obeyed immediately, walking in while carrying a wine jar half as tall as she was.

She placed the wine before Ye Jing. He tore off the seal and crushed the crimson blood fruit in his hand, letting the juice flow. The pale red juice entered the wine and quickly dissolved.

A strange fruity fragrance wafted out. Ye Jing took a sip and felt his whole body grow warm as the Blood Qi within him surged once more.

He stared intently at the jar of wine, an idea instantly forming in his mind.

Furthermore, Ye Jing was no longer satisfied with just doing small business in Yanggu County and at the Zhenxiu Restaurant.

He now wanted to find a way for the members of his Family to step onto the Immortal path. Therefore, he needed some connections to help him gather information about the surrounding areas, to see if anyone had been lucky enough to obtain something extraordinary and become an Immortal.

He also wanted to broaden his horizons and learn more about the outside world so he wouldn't be caught off guard by everything.

After making up his mind, Ye Jing prepared to seek out the mysterious owner of the Zhenxiu Restaurant again.

To be safe, he spent many days experimenting to see if the crimson blood fruit would lose its effectiveness over time when added to wine. He discovered that the wine could lock in the Spiritual Qi of the crimson blood fruit and even make its effects more potent.

It seemed the crimson blood fruit really could be used to brew wine!

Since this wine used the crimson blood fruit, he would call it crimson blood wine!

...

Business at the Zhenxiu Restaurant was booming, with many Martial Artists coming there because of its reputation for specialty blood food that could replenish Blood Qi.

Because Ye Jing frequently dealt with the Zhenxiu Restaurant, the shopkeeper at the counter immediately invited him to a seat with great enthusiasm upon seeing him, then quickly summoned the owner, Zhao Yuanyi.

Zhao Yuanyi fanned himself and cupped his hands toward Ye Jing: "Owner Ye, we meet again."

Ye Jing returned the gesture: "Young Master Zhao."

After Zhao Yuanyi sat across from Ye Jing, he smiled lightly: "What good business has Owner Ye brought for me this time?"

Ye Jing was in no hurry to bring out the crimson blood wine and simply asked: "Young Master Zhao, how has business been lately?"

Zhao Yuanyi paused, then smiled: "Thanks to you, Owner Ye, everything is well."

Ye Jing laughed: "Young Master Zhao is too polite. I've come this time because I'd like to ask for a small favor."

Hearing this, Zhao Yuanyi folded his fan and leaned forward slightly, his eyes filled with curiosity: "Oh? Please, speak freely, Owner Ye. As long as it's within my power, I will not refuse."

He knew Ye Jing was a man of extraordinary means; anything that would make him ask for help was certainly not simple.

Ye Jing slowly poured some liquid from a canteen into a small jade bottle and pushed it toward Zhao Yuanyi: "This is a wine I've newly brewed, called crimson blood wine. It's made from a special spirit fruit and is of great benefit to Martial Artists for replenishing Blood Qi and tempering the Physical Body, being several times more effective than ordinary blood food."

He paused and continued: "I have come today to ask for two favors from you, Young Master Zhao. If you agree, I will supply this crimson blood wine exclusively to the Zhenxiu Restaurant."

Zhao Yuanyi could see that Ye Jing had come with a clear purpose.

He took the canteen, and upon opening it, a rich fruity fragrance mixed with a faint scent of Blood Qi wafted toward him. As he leaned in to smell it, he felt the Blood Qi within his own body stir slightly.

A flash of amazement crossed Zhao Yuanyi's eyes: "Excellent wine! Owner Ye truly has great skill. However, I wonder about these two favors..."

Having said that, he looked at Ye Jing with a probing gaze.

Ye Jing looked back at Zhao Yuanyi calmly, his tone solemn: "My requests are simple. First, I would like you to help me open up channels to the outside world so that my blood food can be sold in various places. What do you think, Young Master Zhao?"

Zhao Yuanyi didn't think much of this; this old man Ye had provided so much rare blood food to him and made a lot of money, so it was normal to want to expand outward. This was not a difficult task for him.

"I can agree to that. And the second thing?" Zhao Yuanyi nodded.

"Second, I would like you to keep an eye out for certain information. I want to inquire about news regarding Immortals—for instance, if there are any strange people or events in various places, or if anyone has obtained a Heaven And Earth Treasure and perhaps even stepped onto the legendary Immortal path."

As soon as these words were spoken, the smile on Zhao Yuanyi's face faded slightly. He gave Ye Jing a deep look and said in a heavy voice: "What you ask for, Owner Ye, is not simple. Ordinary people cannot even come into contact with such news. Why do you think I can help you?"

Ye Jing was prepared and smiled faintly: "Young Master Zhao must be joking. For the Zhenxiu Restaurant to attract so many high-level Martial Artists and even prominent figures from out of town, it would be impossible without sufficient backing."

"Furthermore, your every word and action carries an inherent air of nobility; you are clearly not just a simple merchant."

He paused intentionally before continuing: "I have heard that the Yan State imperial Family has always enjoyed befriending extraordinary people from across the land and pays quite a bit of attention to the path of cultivation..."

"It seems Owner Ye has already guessed my identity." A sharp light flashed in Zhao Yuanyi's eyes, which then returned to calmness.

He set down his teacup and said calmly: "I am Zhao Yuanyi, the current Prince of the Yan State. Because I dislike the constraints of the capital, I used a pseudonym to come here to Yanggu County and open the Zhenxiu Restaurant—partly for experience, and partly to befriend extraordinary people like you, Owner Ye!"

Ye Jing was somewhat surprised, then rose to give a formal bow: "So it is Your Highness the Prince. Please forgive my lack of respect."

Zhao Yuanyi waved his hand and sat back down, his eyes showing a hint of appreciation: "There is no need for such formalities, Owner Ye. I can help you with the things you mentioned."

At this point, Zhao Yuanyi looked at the old man and added: "However, I should first remind you of something."

"The Immortal path is difficult to find. Even if a discovery is truly made, with our bodies of mere mortals, I fear we wouldn't even have the qualification to touch it. One wrong move could lead to being crushed to pieces."

The expression on Ye Jing's face did not waver in the slightest; instead, a stubborn light flashed in his eyes as he spoke slowly.

"I am naturally aware of what Your Highness says, but I have certain obsessions. If I do not seek it out for myself, I will never find peace in this life."

He had spent these years in this world in a daze, and now that the opportunity to step onto the Immortal path was before him, Ye Jing would certainly not give it up!