Chapter 6

Zhong Wen squatted in the room, a clay pot in front of him, with a fire burning beneath it.

He nervously watched the situation inside the pot, occasionally taking a bowl to add some lake water to it.

Gradually, the water in the pot dried up, and a white residue began to form at the bottom of the pot.

Zhong Wen reached out and pinched a small piece of the white crystal, placing it on the tip of his tongue.

It was salty, with a slightly strange taste.

It worked!

Although it wasn't as refined as the salt he used to eat in his previous life, this salt tasted much better than the coarse salt made directly from seawater, Zhong Wen guessed it had something to do with the water quality of the salt lake in Medicine King Valley.

Finally, he could get rid of the days without salt!

Tears welled up in Zhong Wen's eyes. At this moment, he completely forgot about spirit crystals, spirit medicines, cultivation techniques, and all such things.

"Zhong Wen, it's time to eat!"

The little girl came in with a tray of food. Seeing Zhong Wen lying on his back with his hands raised high, looking like he was shouting to the heavens, she asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

"I just made a treasure," Zhong Wen turned around, speaking mysteriously.

"What treasure?" The little girl's eyes immediately sparkled at the mention of a treasure.

"This thing is called 'Surpassing the Immortals'," Zhong Wen held the salt pot and said, "Put a little bit in your food, and everything will taste incredibly delicious."

"So amazing." The little girl's mouth watered, "Can I have some?"

"Of course." Zhong Wen waved his hand generously, "Is this chicken soup? Come, come, let me show you the power of 'Surpassing the Immortals'."

Saying this, he took a piece of salt and threw it into the large bowl of chicken soup, stirring it slowly with a spoon.

"Burp!"

The unique aroma of old hen soup filled the air, and Zhong Wen's stomach began to rumble.

He scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and took a small sip.

"Ah~~~"

A deep sense of satisfaction spread through his body, and Zhong Wen couldn't help but let out a sigh, almost fainting from happiness.

"So good?" Zhong Wen's demeanor piqued the little girl's curiosity, and she couldn't resist scooping up a spoonful of soup, blowing on it, and sending it to her mouth.

So... so good!

A taste she had never experienced before stimulated the little girl's taste buds, making her feel a bit dizzy.

Coming to her senses, the little girl looked at the clay pot in Zhong Wen's hand with completely different eyes.

"Zhong Wen, can you give me some of your 'Surpassing the Immortals'? I want my master and senior sister to try it too," the little girl blinked her big eyes.

"Xiao Die is such a good girl, always thinking of others when you have something good," Zhong Wen affectionately patted the little girl's head, "I only made a little bit of 'Surpassing the Immortals' for now, so I'll give you some. Be careful not to put too much in the soup, or it will become bitter."

Saying this, Zhong Wen dug out a piece of salt and handed it to her in a bowl.

"Okay, I know!" The little girl nodded repeatedly and ran out the door excitedly.

"Phew~"

Basking in the sunlight streaming into the room, listening to the chirping of birds and the buzzing of cicadas in the courtyard, sipping the large bowl of chicken soup slowly, Zhong Wen felt life had never been so beautiful.

After eating his fill, the sunlight on his body, and having been awake all night, Zhong Wen yawned, feeling a bit drowsy. Just as he was thinking about taking a nap, the door was pushed open again.

In came the little girl, along with Liu Qiqi and Zheng Yueting.

As soon as they entered, both pairs of beautiful eyes fixed on Zhong Wen.

"Mr. Zhong... Mr. Zhong, Xiao Die said 'Surpassing the Immortals' was made by you?" Liu Qiqi got straight to the point.

"Call me Zhong Wen." Zhong Wen smiled, "Yes, I've been gradually recalling some things these past two days. 'Surpassing the Immortals' is a secret recipe I obtained by chance in my past life."

"Zhong Wen, can this 'Surpassing the Immortals'..." Liu Qiqi hesitated, a look of uncertainty on her face.

"Big Brother Zhong, can you sell some to me?" Zheng Yueting interjected.

Zhong Wen stared at her beautiful face for a long time, until her face turned slightly red, then said, "Miss Zheng is Miss Liu's good friend, so a little 'Surpassing the Immortals' is nothing. Don't mention selling. However, it takes some materials and time to make, and I only have this much now. If you don't mind, take it."

He took out a paper packet from his pocket, containing the salt he had dug out of the pot.

"No, no, that's too much. I only need half," Zheng Yueting waved her hands, embarrassed, "Such a treasure, I wouldn't have the nerve to ask for it normally, but my mother has been unwell recently, with no appetite. She hasn't eaten for over ten days, only drinking some thin porridge. I want to try if 'Surpassing the Immortals' can make her eat."

"Miss Zheng's filial piety will surely help your mother recover soon," Zhong Wen comforted her.

Liu Qiqi hesitated, but said nothing.

Zhong Wen suddenly stepped forward, grabbed her right hand, and stuffed the half packet of salt back into her hand.

Liu Qiqi was taken aback and tried to refuse, but Zhong Wen said softly, "It's not hard to make. I can make another pot in a couple of days. I was planning to improve your taste anyway."

"Thank you!" Liu Qiqi was silent for a moment before speaking.

Looking closely, a faint blush could be seen on her fair cheeks.

Unfortunately, Zhong Wen didn't notice, as his mind was elsewhere.

This girl practices every day, yet her hands are so smooth and tender!

Zhong Wen made up his mind not to wash his hands today.

"Zhong Wen, have you finished eating?" The little girl ran to Zhong Wen's side, her big eyes fixed on him.

"Yes, I'm full."

"Then tell me more of the Journey to the West?" The little girl pleaded.

"Well... okay." Zhong Wen couldn't resist the little girl's cuteness and had to give up his nap.

"Great!" Seeing Zhong Wen nod, the little girl ran to the table, climbed onto a stool, placed her hands on the table, and propped her chin up, looking expectant.

"Let's go." Zheng Yueting, seeing Zhong Wen was going to tell a story, wanted to pull Liu Qiqi away.

"Wait a moment."

To her surprise, Liu Qiqi sat down like the little girl, taking on the posture of a listener.

A grown woman listening to a story? Zheng Yueting was speechless but didn't want to leave alone, so she pulled over a stool and sat down to keep her company.

"Last time, we talked about the Handsome Monkey King going to the Heavenly Realm with the Star Lord. Upon entering the Heavenly Realm, the golden light and purple mist filled the air. The South Gate was made of green jade, adorned with precious stones... There are thirty-three palaces in the sky, including the Cloud Palace, the Vaisravana Palace, the Five Brightness Palace, the Sun Palace, the Transformation Palace... Each palace has golden beasts on its roof; there are seventy-two halls, including the Assembly Hall, the Ethereal Hall, the Treasure Light Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Spirit Official Hall..." Zhong Wen, with the spirit of a storyteller, vividly described, "... How dare they look down on me! In the Flower-Fruit Mountain, I am the king. How can they trick me into tending horses? Tending horses is a lowly job for younglings, not for someone like me. I won't do it, I won't do it! I'm leaving..."

This description of the Heavenly Realm, full of imagination, made the little girl's eyes sparkle, and even Zheng Yueting was captivated, forgetting all about leaving.

When Zhong Wen described the battle between the Third Prince Nezha and the Handsome Monkey King, each transforming into three heads and six arms, the three girls were completely immersed in the story, losing themselves. Liu Qiqi clenched her right fist, excited, wishing she could join the epic battle.

Unconsciously, an hour had passed.

"... The Jade Emperor issued an edict, ordering the Great Ghost King and the heavenly soldiers to take him to the Demon Execution Platform and chop him into pieces!" Zhong Wen's throat was dry, "That's it for today. To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next episode."

"How can you stop here!" The little girl, who was at a critical point in the story, saw the monkey about to be executed and wouldn't let it go, pulling on Zhong Wen's sleeve, "Tell me more, tell me more."

The two girls sitting behind didn't say anything, but their eyes showed support for the little girl.

"Be a good girl. I didn't sleep well last night and am really tired today. The story is long, so I'll rest and tell you more tomorrow," Zhong Wen patted the little girl's head, soothing her.

"Okay!" The little girl, being kind-hearted, didn't want to see Zhong Wen too tired, so she stopped urging him, but her mind was still itching, full of the Handsome Monkey King's heroic image, completely losing her interest in evening lessons and practice.

Liu Qiqi and Zheng Yueting, being adults, didn't want to pester Zhong Wen, so they had to give up and left the room reluctantly.

Outside the door, their voices gradually faded away:

"Do you think the Handsome Monkey King will die?"

"Probably not, he's the main character."

"That Erlang Shen is so powerful, he can defeat the Great Sage Equaling Heaven."

"He cheated, using the Heavenly Dog to fight two against one. Otherwise, he wouldn't stand a chance against the monkey."

"I need to go home first and give 'Surpassing the Immortals' to my mother. Can I stay at Fragrant Flower Palace for a while tomorrow?"

"Do you want to listen to the Journey to the West?"

"Ah, I've never heard such an interesting story. If I can't hear the rest, I'll die!"

"... As you wish, stay if you want. I'm going down the mountain anyway, so let's go together."

"Great, great, can you tell me the beginning of the Journey to the West on the way?"

"It's mainly about a monkey that jumps out of a stone."

"... That's it? Your storytelling skills are really something..."

"Listen or not!"

...

At this moment, Zhong Wen was no longer sleepy.

Lying on the bed for a while, he couldn't fall asleep, so he sat up, crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and entered the "New Huazang Pavilion" in his mind.

The giant bookshelf was no longer as barren as before. Although most categories were still empty, there were already two to three hundred books on the "Spirit Medicine" and "Alchemy" shelves, making them look a bit more like bookshelves.

Quantum wave speed reading!

Zhong Wen played around a bit, then began to focus, flipping through the books in Medicine King Valley.

Page after page of text flooded into Zhong Wen's brain, overwhelming him. Even with the bookshelf's magical reading ability, the massive amount of information made Zhong Wen feel dizzy, almost passing out.

After half an hour, all the knowledge about spirit medicines and alchemy in Medicine King Valley was firmly etched in Zhong Wen's mind, giving him an instant sense of confidence as a master of spirit medicines and alchemy.

If I had this ability in my past life, I could have opened a training class and made a fortune, wouldn't have lacked money to buy a house, Zhong Wen sighed.

Looking out the window, it was still early. Zhong Wen got out of bed, sat at the table, and began to copy "Mengxue" diligently.

Improve literacy, eliminate illiteracy, starting with me!

Zhong Wen steadied himself and picked up his pen...

***

The "Shengyu Trading Company" was a three-story building, covering nearly an acre, one of the most impressive structures in Fufeng City.

It was nearly dusk, and the front desk clerk, yawning, was listlessly sweeping the floor, preparing to close up.

The clerk, in his early twenties, unmarried, and with no plans to marry early, had contributed all the silver he earned at the trading company to "Cuiyi Courtyard" and a girl named Xiao Hong.

Thinking of Xiao Hong's fair skin and beautiful figure, the clerk's mouth watered, and he was eager to meet her after closing.

If I could marry Xiao Hong, my life would be worth it, the clerk thought to himself.

At that moment, a red-clothed girl with a ponytail, beautiful features, and a sword on her back, entered the door.

A fairy!

Seeing the girl, the clerk forgot all about Xiao Hong and Xiao Lu, feeling he had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life.

Compared to this girl, Xiao Hong was like a flower.

"Is the manager here?" The girl's voice was pleasant to the ear.

The clerk didn't answer, just stared at the red-clothed girl.

"Hello, is the manager here?" The girl frowned and asked again.

"Oh, oh, are you looking for Manager Wang?" The clerk finally reacted, realizing his awkwardness, and quickly corrected himself, "You came just in time. If you had been a moment later, he would have gone home."

"I have a treasure to sell. Can I talk to the manager?"

"Sure, sure, please wait, I'll go and ask." The clerk, drooling, didn't even put down his broom and hurried upstairs.

A moment later, a plump, middle-aged man in a silk robe appeared in front of the girl.

"Miss, I am Manager Wang of 'Shengyu Trading Company.' I heard you have a valuable item to sell?" The middle-aged man's tone was respectful and gentle, making it easy to feel close to him.

"Yes, I have something I'd like you to appraise." The girl took out a small cloth packet from her chest, opened it, revealing a paper packet, and then opened it to show a white crystal, "This is a unique seasoning called 'Surpassing the Immortals'..."

***

Compared to Cangyun City, the fourth largest city in the southern border province, Fufeng City was just a small place.

The small city was surrounded by mountains, rich in spiritual energy, and fertile land, making it ideal for growing both food and medicinal herbs. As a result, most of the people coming to Fufeng City were spirit medicine merchants and grain merchants, whose business was seasonal, and they rarely stayed in the city for long.

The only three significant local forces were "Shengyu Trading Company," "Jindao Sect," and "Jile Gang."

"Shengyu Trading Company," as the largest force in Fufeng City, had strong backing and a wide range of business, from grains, herbs, livestock, ironware, and farming tools to jewels, antiques, calligraphy, and cultivation techniques and medicines, almost everything. Its position was unshakable.

The other two forces, "Jindao Sect" and "Jile Gang," one a cultivation sect and the other a criminal organization, appeared to coexist peacefully but were in constant competition behind the scenes.

However, these days, the head of Jindao Sect, Zheng Gongming, had no interest in competing with Jile Gang.

His beloved wife, Xiao Shi, had recently developed anorexia. At first, she could still勉强喝点汤粥之类的流质，但最近几天连水都喝不下去，勉强喝进去也会立刻吐出来。

在这个极度男尊女卑的时代，有权有势的男人大多有几个甚至十几个老婆，而作为一门之首的郑公明却极为专情，只娶了肖氏一人，可见两人感情之深。

看着病床上形容憔悴的肖氏，郑公明心痛不已，却也无可奈何。

毕竟，大乾国的厌食症患者不在少数，尤其是在贵族之间更为常见，这种病没有有效的治疗方法，往往只能依靠患者自愈，每年死于厌食症的贵族也不在少数。

“老爷，我恐怕不行了。”肖氏脸颊深陷，精神萎靡，“只希望我走了之后，您能娶李家妹子续弦，没有个女人照顾，我实在放心不下。”

“夫人你只管好好养病，过两天身体自然会好，别去想那些有的没的。”郑公明嘴上安慰，心中黯然。

“这么多年来，您为了我从来没有去找其他女人，还让人背地里笑话，我心中自是念着您的恩情。”肖氏气息非常虚弱，“只是这件事您一定要答应，否则我死了也不能瞑目，李家妹子人好，有她照顾您和两个孩子，我才好安心。”

“夫人，除了你，我、我心里再也容不下其他人了……”郑公明终于忍不住潸然泪下，“你好好养病，千万不能放弃，想想婷婷和齐儿，孩子不能没有娘啊。”

“婷婷已经长大了，又能干，我没什么不放心的，只是齐儿那个软弱的性子……”提到小儿子，肖氏面露忧色。

“爹！娘！”门外传来了郑玥婷的声音。

郑公明正在伤感，听到女儿声音里带着一丝欢悦，不禁皱了皱眉，正要出言斥责。

“老爷。”肖氏对他摇了摇头，使了个眼色。

郑公明苦笑一声，不再言语。

“婷儿，这次去飘花宫切磋，可赢了？”肖氏勉强提起精神。

“不提这事了。”郑玥婷撇了撇嘴，“娘，您的胃口如何了，能吃下东西吗？”

“好一些了，才喝了一碗粥呢。”肖氏说着，看了眼站在女儿身后的丈夫。

郑公明只好强颜欢笑地点了点头。

郑玥婷生性聪慧，一看两人表情，哪里还不明白，也不揭穿，笑道：“这次上山，遇见一位奇人，给了我件宝贝，或许可以治好娘的厌食症呢。”

“当真！”郑公明一听大喜，连忙问道，“是什么宝贝？”

“去取一碗鸡汤来。”郑玥婷也不明说，只是吩咐丫鬟，“我来当场试验这‘赛神仙’的效果。”

不多时，丫鬟便端着一大碗鸡汤进了屋，郑玥婷二话不说，从怀里取出盐包打开，轻轻掰下一小块，扔进汤里，吩咐丫鬟搅拌均匀后端到肖氏床前。

“娘，您尝一口试试。”