Halfway through the banquet, Ye Jie felt a burst of heat in his body, and his spiritual energy became agitated.
"This movement... he's about to break through."
The strong maid holding a spear in her hand spoke lightly, her cold eyes fell on Ye Jie, and she knew everything about the condition inside Ye Jie's body.
The head maid in the wine country was naturally no stranger to such strange phenomena. The sickly head maid smiled slightly and looked at Ye Jie with interest:
"Every time I'm on duty, quite a few ghost messengers break through after consuming spiritual delicacies. Unable to control the spiritual energy within them, they sometimes make a mess, almost wanting to blow the roof off. It's truly... quite embarrassing."
Listening to the words of the head maid, Ye Jie struggled to maintain the spiritual power that was running wild in his body. He didn't want to make a fool of himself at this juncture. This was an important occasion for Nan Linghe and he couldn't mess it up.
At this moment, Ye Jie's ears suddenly rang with the soothing sound of the piano. The sound was like a spring breeze, with a strange power that made people feel relaxed and happy.
Soothed by the sound of the zither, Ye Jie's restless heart gradually calmed down. The frenzied spiritual energy that had been rampaging through his body like a wild beast also quietly subsided, replaced by a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.
Ye Jie closed his eyes and immersed himself in the sound of the piano that was getting closer and closer. Suddenly, he heard the sound of breaking porcelain. The pressure on his body suddenly eased and he felt refreshed.
When Ye Jie opened his eyes again, his aura was very different from usual. Nan Linghe beside him was also surprised: "Brother Jie, you have broken through to the middle stage of the second stage!"
Ye Jie smiled. With the help of spiritual delicacies, he had accumulated a solid foundation over the years and was steadily promoted to the middle stage of the second level of soul building. He was at the same level as the ghost catcher Mei. At least he didn't make any jokes.
Ye Jie tilted his head slightly, looking at Yulan with a hint of gratitude in his eyes. He clasped his fists and said, "If it weren't for Sister Lan using the power of the Pipa Mysterious Sound to calm the restless spiritual energy in my body, I'm afraid this breakthrough would never have been so easy."
Yulan covered her mouth and smiled: "Brother Jie has fulfilled my greatest wish, and he is Aunt Meng's honored guest. These are what a little girl should do."
Sensing the completely different aura from Yulan, Ye Jie said in surprise, "Sister Lan, the last time we met, you were still at the peak of the second level, but now you have broken through to the third level. When did this happen?"
Yulan nodded slightly. "Ever since Brother Jie helped me untie the knot in my heart, my thoughts have been clear and my mind is as bright as a mirror. The many deep-rooted inner demons that once plagued me are no longer able to hinder me. I was able to successfully break through to the third level, thanks to Brother Jie's help."
Ye Jie waved his hand and praised: "Sister Lan is extremely talented. She is also the head maid of the wine country. It is natural for her to break through to the third level. I dare not take all the credit for myself."
As they were chatting, a head came over. It was noteworthy that the girl had a pair of furry tabby cat ears on her head. The fur was delicate and soft, giving her a petite and charming look.
"I heard from them that you can find anyone in the world?" The girl stared at Ye Jie with erect pupils, looking curious.
"It's not me, it's her." Ye Jie pointed at Nan Linghe beside him.
"No matter who you are, I have a task for you. Hehe, with this ability, I can get what I want!" The girl's eyes sparkled and she laughed loudly. Even Yulan beside her couldn't bear to watch.
"Mint, what's the matter?" asked Magnolia.
Bo He could no longer suppress his smile. He rubbed his hands and said, "Anyway, just help me find someone. After the mission is completed, I will not treat you unfairly."
"Looking for revenge?" Ye Jie asked tentatively.
"What do you mean by revenge? I'm not interested in that kind of violence." Bohe showed a look of disdain. "What I want you to help me find is someone with a second-grade talent: immunity to all poisons."
"Immune to all poisons?" Ye Jie was slightly stunned and couldn't help asking, "That's a very rare talent. Why are you looking for someone like that?"
"This all starts with the cause of my death." Bohe scratched his head, revealing a somewhat helpless expression. "As a half-blood demon, I don't like to eat humans. I only like to eat mushrooms that contain spiritual power. In the end, I was poisoned to death."
“…Seriously?”
The corner of Ye Jie's mouth twitched. If he hadn't heard it with his own ears, he would never have believed that there was a monster that could be killed by mushroom poisoning.
Even the head maids nearby couldn't help but chuckle. Mint was furious, and with her hands on her hips, she said, "Don't laugh! That mushroom looked so colorful and delicious, but who would have thought it was actually poisonous? Before I could even react, I was taken to the underworld by the ghost messenger."
After hearing her explanation, everyone laughed even louder. Ye Jie helplessly held his forehead and said, "The more colorful the mushroom, the more toxic it is... But what does this have to do with your search for someone who is immune to all poisons?"
Mint snorted softly, "I've learned my lesson this time! I found a lot of colorful mushrooms in the underworld. They look very tempting, and some even emit a cold fluorescent light in the dark. They look delicious at first glance... But I can't eat them carelessly anymore. If I get poisoned, my soul will be gone. Unless... there is someone who is immune to all poisons and can test the poison for me."
Ye Jie expressed his doubts: "Are you sure? For those who are immune to all poisons, even if they eat something extremely poisonous, they will not die from the poison. Is it really possible to test for poison?"
Mint, however, thought otherwise: "After eating the Hades Mushroom, even if you are immune to all poisons, your body will undergo some changes... Don't worry about the details, just help us find someone!"
Ye Jie nodded: "What a coincidence, I just happened to know someone in the human world who is immune to all poisons."
Hearing this, even Yulan couldn't help but glance sideways. "Brother Jie, are you referring to someone with the second-grade talent of immunity to all poisons? Or perhaps someone who's just a little stronger and thinks they're immune to toxins? If it's the latter, be extra careful. I've seen a few of the mushrooms Bohe brought back... How should I put it? They look incredibly strange, definitely not something a mortal could easily consume."
Ye Jie coughed dryly: "I understand your concerns. The person I was talking about was the former. With this innate magical power, no matter what kind of poison it is, there will be no problem."
Yulan nodded slightly and didn't ask any more questions. Bohe was pleasantly surprised and said, "Then what are you waiting for? Take us to find that person!"
"Wait a minute, let's talk about the reward first. Finding that person is one thing, and making her eat the poisonous mushroom of the underworld is another. Even though she has the innate ability to be immune to all poisons, if the poison is strong, it will be difficult to deal with if something happens. Such a dangerous task, and two tasks combined into one, it is unreasonable not to have a generous reward." Ye Jie was not in a hurry and waved his hand.
Bohe nodded: "What you said does make sense. Do you want Yin De or cultivation?"
Ye Jie replied: "The best is the technique."
Bohe thought for a moment and said, "The most powerful technique I have is the middle-grade Hundred Refining Body Technique of the Earth Rank. This is the body-refining technique of the Human Immortal Path. Is that okay?"
"Earth-grade mid-level..." Ye Jie took a deep breath. He had never seen a technique of this level before, and yet the head maid from the wine country could easily give it to him. Of course, he would not refuse. "Of course."
At the side, Yulan glanced at Ye Jie with some concern: "Although these words should not be spoken by me, I still want to remind you that a cultivator should specialize in a certain technique. I see that you are following the Ghost Immortal Path of Soul Refining and Spirit Building. Last time, you received the Earth Immortal Path's Elephant Turtle Hand, and this time you are going to receive the Human Immortal Path's Hundred Refining Body. Although these techniques are of high quality, they are not suitable for you to practice."
Yulan added with concern, "Any martial art, if elevated to its pinnacle, can demonstrate remarkable power. Even a low-grade human-level Soul-Breaking Arrow can shine in the hands of a ghost messenger specialized in this technique. Delving deeply into any martial art requires a long time. As the saying goes, mastery over quantity is key. Simply pursuing quantity will only waste time and won't help you grow in strength."
This teaching was also the result of Yulan's long experience in cultivation. It was enough to save a practitioner who was blindly groping for knowledge from decades of hard work. Ye Jie understood this and clasped his fists in gratitude.
"Thank you, Sister Lan, for your kind advice. I know exactly what I'm doing now."
Yulan nodded and said no more. Ye Jie also looked at Bohe: "In that case, let's set off quickly."
Bo He nodded, and Ye Jie said goodbye to everyone. It was not until he said goodbye to Nan Linghe that he noticed that she had brought over a plate with a lot of delicious dishes on it, almost piling it up. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you going to take the plate away?"
Nan Linghe blinked: "I remembered that Lu Xi hasn't eaten yet, I want to bring something back for her."
Ye Jie was helpless: "Wandering souls don't feel hungry and don't need to eat. Ghost messengers eat more to absorb spiritual energy."
Nan Linghe exclaimed, "But if she doesn't eat, won't she be hungry?"
Ye Jie put his hand on his forehead and said, "I'm starving to death. I don't feel uncomfortable normally. Why should she feel uncomfortable?"
Nan Linghe showed a look of surprise. It was the first time she heard Ye Jie mention the cause of his death.
It was Aunt Meng who spoke up, which finally reassured Ye Jie a little. The Lord of the Wine Country smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry about it. If Miss He wants it, these are all hers."
Ye Jie said no more and went to the human world with Bo He.
Arriving at Xuansha Leize, Bohe was startled by the rumbling thunder. The fur on her white goose neck stood up, and the cat ears on her head twitched. She said angrily, "This is the place where Yinglong was destroyed. Why did you bring me here?"
Ye Jie was not surprised by this and waved his hand, saying, "Don't worry, the person you are looking for is right here."
"Really?" Mint showed a suspicious look. She bent down and crawled quickly on her hands and feet. "If you plan to do something bad to us, Aunt Meng will not let you go."
"...I told you the person you're looking for is right here." Ye Jie was helpless. Who made Xia Wei hide here? He could only say, "Don't even mention you. When I first came here, I was even more scared than you. If a bolt of lightning struck, you could still struggle, but I'm afraid I'd be shattered on the spot. You're a realm higher than me, and I'm not afraid, so what are you afraid of?"
After Ye Jie's persuasion, Bohe's expression improved a little, but her pupils, slightly narrowed, were still fixed on him: "In that case, then you should quickly lead the way for us."
Ye Jie walked quickly forward, avoiding the whistling arcs of fire along the way, and finally arrived at Xia Wei's hiding place.
"Master..." Xia Wei stopped practicing her skills after sensing Ye Jie's presence and happily stood up. Seeing the creature crawling beside Ye Jie, her eyes froze. "Who is she?"
"Don't worry, she's here to ask for your help..." Ye Jie was speaking when he suddenly sensed a surge of spiritual energy from Xia Wei that was far stronger than before. He couldn't help but show joy on his face, "This aura... Xiaowei, you've already broken through to the late first stage!"
Xia Wei smiled calmly and looked up at Ye Jie: "Master has also broken through to the middle stage of the second stage."
"Good! Both my master and I have made some breakthroughs. As long as we maintain this momentum, even the bandit from Hengshan won't be able to remain so arrogant for long." Ye Jie encouraged her.
At the side, Bo He also came up to Xia Wei, carefully sizing up the slender girl, and asked suspiciously, "Is this the person who is immune to all poisons? Is she your apprentice? Let's not talk about it, can she really do it?"
Ye Jie was very relieved: "Rather than worrying about this, you should quickly prepare your skills."
Mint curled her lips and took out a handful of strange mushrooms from her arms: "Then let's see what her reaction will be after she eats these mushrooms."
Xia Wei was puzzled, so Ye Jie pulled her aside and explained, "Xiao Wei, you have the innate ability to be immune to all poisons. To others, these underworld mushrooms are deadly, but you can withstand the backlash from eating them. You need to tell Bohe the truth about your reaction to the mushrooms. After that, she will give you a mid-grade local-level technique. Of course, if you don't want to, I won't force you."
Feeling Ye Jie's concern, Xia Wei said gratefully, "How could Xiaowei not be willing? With this mid-grade local-level technique, my chances of revenge are much greater. Even if there are mountains of swords and seas of fire ahead, Xiaowei won't frown."
Listening to Xia Wei's resolute words, Ye Jie sighed, "Being strong is a good thing, but too much is as bad as too little. Remember, a strong character is easily broken. I'm very worried that one day you'll be dragged down by this character. With your talent, you should be able to reach further."
Xia Wei lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. But Bohe couldn't wait any longer and urged the two of them loudly: "Have you finished discussing this? How long do you want us to wait?"
"Sorry to have kept you waiting." When Ye Jie came in front of Bohe, he also looked at Xia Wei with affirmative eyes.
"Alright, let's see the effects of these mushrooms... Wait, I haven't started the fire yet..."
Seeing several people approaching, Bo He smiled slightly and was about to start a fire, but he saw Xia Wei grab a red mushroom and throw it into her mouth. The expression on her face suddenly froze.
Xia Wei frowned, chewed the mushroom a few times, and then swallowed it. She suddenly felt her stomach churning.
She subconsciously covered her mouth with her hand. Ye Jie came over to check worriedly, but he only felt waves of heat coming towards him.
"careful!"
Bohe quickly knocked Ye Jie to the ground. The next moment, a long tongue of fire burst out of Xia Wei's mouth, brushing past Ye Jie's body and plowing a dark pit in the ground.