122 Finally, I Can Begin Cultivation!

Xiao Yao's intimate gesture came so suddenly that Sang Qingye was caught completely off guard. She felt as though her lips had been jolted by an electric current, leaving them tingling, and her fair cheeks instantly flushed a deep, vibrant red.

Although Xiao Yao's action was unexpected and forward, Sang Qingye felt no resentment. The sudden intimacy simply left her feeling incredibly surprised and shy. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird, and she lacked the courage to even look up, terrified that he might take things further.

She had always warned herself to avoid any intimate behavior that might lead to misunderstandings with Xiao Yao. If she were to follow the boundaries she had set for herself, she should have addressed his actions with serious, firm words. Yet, when the moment actually arrived, she was left with nothing but the natural reaction of shyness, even a flicker of secret delight, making it impossible for her to utter a refusal.

Fortunately, Xiao Yao did not escalate the intimacy. Changing the subject, he asked, "We've known each other for quite a while now, but I still don't know where you're from. Would you mind telling me?"

Xiao Yao’s tone was casual, as if he were unaware that his previous actions were at all inappropriate. While Sang Qingye felt a sense of relief, she also experienced a touch of disappointment. Composing herself, she replied, "There’s nothing private about it. I’m from Dongyang City in this province. After I resigned from the Dongyang Television Station, I figured there would be more job opportunities in the provincial capital, so I came to Hanzhou to pursue my career."

Ever since Xiao Yao’s impulsive gesture, Sang Qingye had lost her earlier ease and natural demeanor. Their conversation remained distracted and distant. Once she finished her coffee, she hurried to take her leave.

Xiao Yao had always known that Sang Qingye was a very pure person, but today she acted like a startled little bird. Her bewildered expression made him feel both surprised and filled with a sense of tenderness. She was already in her twenties; it was hard for him to imagine how such a stunning beauty had remained so innocent.

Since the opening of Xunweizhai, its three-thousand-square-meter dining area had been constantly packed, and its reputation spread like wildfire among the elite. Once anyone tasted the "Knight's Banquet" at Xunweizhai, they were conquered by the peerless flavors. Unless restricted by their finances, they would surely become regulars.

What attracted people to Xunweizhai was not just the food, but the fine liquor as well. The 30-year, 50-year, and century-old aged spirits on the menu were immensely popular. These were truly vintage brews with mellow textures and intoxicating aromas, incomparable to the so-called "blended" vintage wines found elsewhere.

On the Xunweizhai menu, the prices for 500 milliliters of the 30-year, 50-year, and century-old spirits were 50,000, 200,000, and 600,000 yuan, respectively. While these prices were slightly higher than the market rate, Xunweizhai offered them without quantity limits; as long as you had the money, you could have as much as you desired.

Despite the premium pricing, buyers flocked to them. On the open market, 30-year-old spirits might still be available in bulk, but 50-year-old vintages were rare and mostly held in private collections, making large-scale purchases extremely difficult. As for the century-old spirits, they were virtually unseen in the market—essentially priceless treasures.

The fact that Xunweizhai placed no purchase limits on its century-old spirits meant that many wealthy patrons would purchase several bottles to take home after their meals, fearing that once the restaurant's reserves ran out, they would never be able to acquire them again. Consequently, liquor sales accounted for nearly half of the restaurant's total revenue, which was entirely unexpected for Zhou Xiaobai.

Daily revenue had been hovering around 16 million yuan, with liquor sales contributing about 8 million. For Xiao Yao, this liquor revenue was essentially pure profit. Xunweizhai had become his cash cow; after saving for a while, he wouldn't have to worry about funds for future investments.

With Zhou Xiaobai handling the daily operations of the restaurant, Xiao Yao found himself with plenty of free time. After spending several days at home, he finally finished organizing the cultivation techniques from the memories of Pan Wu. In other words, Xiao Yao was finally ready to begin his path of cultivation.

Having sorted through all the memories related to cultivation, Xiao Yao felt a sense of profound relief. He was grateful that he hadn't blindly rushed into practicing after first merging with those fragments of memory. If he had, he would have surely regretted it, and it would have been too late to turn back.

Because he took cultivation so seriously and had no prior experience, he was extremely cautious. Every grown man harbors a martial arts dream, and the more ambitious ones even harbor dreams of immortality. Xiao Yao was no exception. Ever since he merged with Pan Wu's memories, he had been itching to start.

Suppressing this desire and holding out until now had been a true test of his willpower. Pan Wu’s thousands of years of experience were naturally vast, and Xiao Yao had initially planned to follow the cultivation path of Pan Wu’s final reincarnation—only to realize that this would have been a grave mistake.

Xiao Yao’s current goal was fundamentally different from Pan Wu’s. Xiao Yao already possessed the Foundation of the Sacred Soul, which ensured his soul would never perish; he simply needed to cultivate the Sacred Soul Art step by step. His spiritual cultivation was already on a divine path, and he now needed to address the shortcomings of his physical body.

He aspired to elevate his physical cultivation to match the level of his spiritual cultivation. This was incredibly difficult, and there were no shortcuts. To make his physical body catch up to his soul would require a struggle no less arduous than Pan Wu’s 3,000 years of penance. He had to start from the very beginning—gathering energy to build his foundation—ensuring it was as solid as possible.

Pan Wu, however, had never prioritized a solid foundation after his first reincarnation; he only cared about ensuring his body could survive for 300 years. No matter how powerful his body became, he would have to discard it once it was time for his soul to reincarnate. Because of this, Pan Wu had no interest in wasting extra resources or energy on physical cultivation. His body didn't need to be extraordinary; it just needed to be sufficient.

Because their ultimate objectives differed, Pan Wu’s past experiences could only serve as a reference, never as a blueprint to be copied. Having integrated all the relevant memories, Xiao Yao now had his own cultivation plan.