Ye Ju woke up three days later. During this time, Chao Yang Zi had come to find Ye Ju, but the small courtyard was protected by a barrier. Knowing that Daoist Ye might be in seclusion, he didn't disturb her further.
Following the arrangements made by her uncle and Fairy Ye Xiao, the entire Zhen Xiu Zhai was renovated. They ordered custom-made tables and pots. Coincidentally, there was a type of fire stone in the cultivation world that could burn for a long time, without smoke or smell, making it ideal for hot pot.
The second floor was entirely converted into private rooms, with one window in each room facing the first floor. This allowed diners to enjoy performances on the central stage in the first-floor lobby while eating. Different performances were scheduled for different times, such as storytelling and singing.
For a more private space, one could go to the third floor, which had been added, along with suites that combined dining and accommodation. It was befitting the Young Master of the Chao Tian Sect to have bought the adjacent shops and expanded the scale. Zhen Xiu Zhai's backyard was quite large, with over a dozen courtyards in different styles intended for guest accommodation, and no other changes were made to them. Zhen Xiu Zhai had now been renamed Zhen Xiu Hot Pot City and was already the premier restaurant in Pearl City.
Ye Ju considered this her own venture and patiently inspected the details of all the construction work. After finalizing the opening date with Chao Yang Zi, she plunged into the kitchen with the head chef to research the recipes from her memory.
Half a month later, Steward Zhu returned and immediately paid a visit to Ye Ju. When Ye Ju saw the latent power emanating from Steward Zhu, she knew he had advanced, now being at the middle Nascent Soul stage. Upon seeing him, Xiao Bai sent a secret message to Ye Ju, expressing a desire to fight with Steward Zhu.
During this period, Ye Ju and Xiao Bai's cultivation had also improved considerably, but the two knew little about advancing, unaware of the extent of their cultivation.
"Fairy Ye, please accept this old man's bow!" Steward Zhu performed a solemn bow.
"Oh, Steward Zhu, there's no need for this!" Ye Ju shifted slightly, avoiding the bow.
"Steward Zhu, it's good that you're back. We're opening tomorrow, and with you here, I feel much more at ease."
"Uncle, have you broken through?" Chao Yang Zi's voice suddenly came from the courtyard gate, followed by Chao Xiang Zi.
Neither of them had brought attendants. After entering the courtyard, Chao Xiang Zi saw Ye Ju and his pace quickened in surprise.
"Daoist Ye, why are you here?" Chao Xiang Zi asked with surprise.
He had only woken up today and happened to meet his brother, Chao Yang Zi, who said their uncle had returned and they were going to see him. He hadn't thought much of it and had followed along. He hadn't been to the front courtyard yet, so he was unaware of the drastic changes in Zhen Xiu Zhai.
Ye Ju...
"I'm staying at the inn! Your cultivation seems to have advanced a lot today!" Ye Ju teased, not explaining, considering him a proper upright young gentleman, pedantic and polite, which was rather annoying!
"Very well, Daoist Ye, all your expenses here are waived. Thank you for saving my life at sea!"
"Second brother, Daoist Ye has already partnered with Zhen Xiu Zhai and is also an owner of Zhen Xiu Zhai. I'll tell you the rest later," Chao Yang Zi explained to the confused Chao Xiang Zi.
Chao Xiang Zi quickly explained that Daoist Ye was the benefactor who had saved him at sea and also helped him break through.
Steward Zhu, upon hearing this, became even more grateful. These were their people!
...
Ye Ju looked at the two similar faces, but strangely, she could tell who was who at a glance. The difference between the brothers lay in their eyes. Chao Xiang Zi's eyes were narrow and double-lidded, making him look perpetually sleepy, with a confused gaze. Ye Ju guessed correctly; Chao Xiang Zi had indeed just woken up, having slept for almost two months.
She also knew that these two were brothers and both were Young Masters of the Chao Tian Sect. Ye Ju was curious why a major cultivation sect would have two Young Masters. It was said that the Young Master was the candidate for the future sect leader. Ye Ju couldn't help but indulge in conspiracy theories, wondering if the brothers were outwardly harmonious but inwardly at odds, secretly competing. Thus, Ye Ju looked at Chao Yang Zi and then at Chao Xiang Zi, her expression showing a hint of doubt.
"Fairy Ye, are you perhaps curious why the Chao Tian Sect has two Young Masters?" Steward Zhu asked Ye Ju with a smile, stroking his beard.
Ye Ju's expression turned awkward, and she gave a sheepish smile.
Before Ye Ju could speak, Steward Zhu answered her doubts.
They were both Young Masters, which was a long-standing tradition of the Chao Tian Sect. One managed the sect's major and minor affairs, while the other managed the disciples' cultivation and training. One was internal, the other external. It just so happened that the Young Masters of their generation were brothers.
This way, the sect would not have one person managing such a vast sect, and the greater power and influence would not lead to a single voice dominating. This was not only detrimental to the sect's development but also avoided infighting over the position of sect leader. Steward Zhu briefly mentioned the reasons, omitting the sect's unknown internal struggles.
Steward Zhu himself was a victim of that internal struggle. The sect's founding ancestor was established by twin brothers. Both served as sect leaders, with clearly defined divisions of labor, passed down for tens of thousands of years.
However, in the generation of a certain sect leader, his wife was unable to bear a Young Master for five hundred years, having only a daughter. After much deliberation, he took a noble concubine, who gave birth to his eldest illegitimate son. The original wife, after a hundred years, gave birth to twin legitimate sons. The illegitimate eldest son's status in the sect was diminished, and the position of future sect leader, which he had already obtained, was about to vanish!
...
Ye Ju understood; there was internal strife, how melodramatic! Since this was a secret of their sect, it was not appropriate to pry further. She quickly changed the subject.
Chao Yang Zi managed the sect's internal affairs, and future sect leader succession would come from his lineage. Unless his future wife could not produce an heir, Chao Xiang Zi's lineage would be the backup. Ye Ju's head spun, indeed, a large family with a royal succession, requiring a son! Terrifying...
Then they changed the topic to the opening. Ye Ju felt an inexplicable relief. Finally, they weren't discussing their sect anymore. In such conversations, if someone revealed their secrets, most of the time it required them to share their own background in return. Ye Ju was still weak; the secret of her island could not be revealed before she became strong. Now, the island was what they called a place teeming with spiritual herbs and fruits – a secret realm! She couldn't expose it! She was weak now and had to lie low!
Finally, the opening day arrived. Ye Ju, Chao Yang Zi, and Chao Xiang Zi sat in the Heaven-ranked private room. They also had a table of hot pot. Ye Ju was a bit nervous, absently poking at the spiritual rice in her bowl with her chopsticks.
Xiao Bai and Chao Xiang Zi unconcernedly vied for ingredients in the鸳鸯锅 (yuānyāng guō - two-part pot), feasting heartily. Chao Xiang Zi already knew Ye Ju was a good cook, but he never expected this thing called hot pot to be so exquisitely delicious, especially the spicy broth, which made it impossible to stop!
Chao Yang Zi, having been the taste tester countless times, was no longer amazed by the taste, though he occasionally took a few bites. He noticed Ye Ju's nervousness.
"Fairy Ye, are you not confident in your dishes?"
Ye Ju looked up at Chao Yang Zi and nodded, honestly admitting her worry about whether hot pot would become popular in the cultivation world. After all, she wasn't a gourmet chef in modern times, and she didn't know if copying the idea would work.
Chao Yang Zi smiled charmingly, snapped his fingers, and a attendant entered. He instructed the attendant to go downstairs and inquire about the guests' feedback.
The attendant turned and left. After about fifteen minutes, he returned to report: the main hall downstairs was fully occupied, even the private rooms were filled, and the third-floor accommodations were all booked. The stewards of the major business firms had sent congratulatory gifts and also ordered takeout.
The main kitchen was in a frenzy. Steward Zhu had been busy at the counter helping to collect payments, so busy he didn't even have time to drink a sip of water!
Upon hearing this, Ye Ju's eyes curved with a smile. She raised her wine cup and clinked it with Chao Yang Zi's. She drank it down in one gulp.
"Finally, I haven't let your trust down..."
At this moment, they also had the mood to listen to music. The opening day had specifically chosen cheerful music to liven the atmosphere.
Chao Yang Zi looked at Ye Ju's bright smile and felt as if he heard the sound of flowers blooming...