My Journey to Immortality Begins with Hunting-Chapter 085 – Establishing Authority - Part 1

Another month passed in the blink of an eye.

Building on its earlier success, the Ginger Tavern once again brewed a second batch of liquor. This time, production was slightly increased, yet it still sold out quickly. On the third attempt, the tavern tried blending in some fruit wines and, once again, enjoyed resounding success.

This boosted everyone’s confidence. The decision was made to expand the distillery, aiming for an even larger output on the fourth round of brewing.

Winter ended, and early March arrived. The ice and snow needed for Snowbrew were gone. But as the ice thawed, fresh mountain spring water flowed, carrying the subtle aromas of grass, blossoms, and the sweet scents of the hills. Under Li Yuan’s suggestion, a new trio of spring-themed wines was introduced—

The first was Springwater Brew, the lightest in alcoholic content, sold at six large coins per pot.

The second was Springtime Brew, slightly stronger with a faint fruitiness, one tael of silver per pot.

The third was Springdream Brew, the strongest of the three, priced at two taels of silver per pot and sold in limited quantities.

Collectively, they were marketed as the Three Spring Wines. Li Yuan had borrowed inspiration from types of liquor he recalled from his previous life, bringing this concept to his own establishment.

Wealthier patrons gravitated toward Springdream Brew, while the average customer might enjoy Springwater Brew.

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Time flew by, and another half-month passed. This time, thanks to the expanded distillery, the Ginger Tavern produced a hefty 400 kg of liquor. Sealed in big clay jars with mud stoppers, the wine filled the tavern’s cellar to capacity.

The very next day, their resident wine master was out front hawking the new products.

“The spring sun is out! Time for Three Spring Wines! Springwater, Springtime, or Springdream, take your pick! Come for a taste, come and see!”

This lively call quickly drew a crowd. The Ginger Tavern’s reputation had grown, and people who missed out on earlier batches were eager for a chance to try the new offerings.

Before long, a line of curious customers formed outside the tavern. Silver Creek harbored plenty of folk with spare coin to spend on wine and food now and then.

Up on the tavern’s top floor, Xue Ning stood by a window, smiling broadly. She clutched an accounts ledger and an abacus.

Turning to Li Yuan, she said happily, “Dearest, if this batch of 400 kg sells out, we stand to clear over 1,600 taels in net profit. And the new wines are boosting overall business!

“Lately, our stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork, special cured meats, and peanut dishes are all selling like mad, especially the wild boar trotter stew.

“Once our reputation grows, other inns and taverns will come knocking to buy our liquor. Then we can expand the distillery again.”

Li Yuan responded, “We’ll need to hire more guards. I’ll set up a station behind the tavern to handle the screening.”

“All right. Let’s plan on three days from now. I’ll prepare a notice and post it around town,” she said thoughtfully.

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While the Ginger Tavern bustled, a small commotion arose not far away. Two men, both clearly out of place among the regular townsfolk, were strolling down the street. They were the new feral enforcers of the Blood Blade Sect, recently recruited outside mercenaries.

By now, everyone understood the difference between these new hires and the older generation of enforcers like Senior Li. The new recruits were simply in it for resources and coin, enlisted to battle the Sun Family’s forces. Yet neither side could afford to cut them loose, since the Sun Family was likewise doing the same.

The two men in question were Chang Kui and Ruan Ah-fei.

Chang Kui was an eight-foot tall giant with cruel eyes and a savage demeanor. He had a faint reek of body odor that clung to him like molasses. Thick hair covered the backs of his hands, and beneath his collar was the telltale glint of hidden armor. A curved blade for slashing hung at his waist.

Formerly the leader of a gang of mounted bandits, he’d left his old crew behind after angering someone too powerful to cross. He fled under cover of darkness, changed his name, and eventually drifted here upon hearing that both the Blood Blade Sect and the Sun Family were recruiting.

At peak eighth rank with a lethal blade, he was quickly accepted as a new enshrined fighter. Today, he’d just received some demonic beast meat and silver from the sect and was headed toward the tumultuous Union Town.

Meanwhile, Ruan Ah-Fei was a lean man with shifty eyes. Before coming to Gemhill County, he was known by the nickname Ten-Step Flowerplucker, famed for his lightning-fast footwork.

Unfortunately, his talents were mostly put to use in theft. And worse, he was also rumored to be a predator of women, though no one had ever seen his face clearly enough to expose him.

Like Chang Kui, he’d come to Gemhill County in the same wave of new recruits. Both were using assumed names.

Now Chang Kui and Ruan Ah-Fei walked side by side. Since they had joined at the same time, they each had some idea of the other’s capabilities.

Suddenly, Ruan Ah-Fei lowered his voice. “Hey, are you really planning on fighting for the Blood Blade Sect’s cause?”

Chang Kui let out a guttural chuckle. “Are you?”

“Who’d be that foolish?” Ruan Ah-Fei glanced around warily. “But we’re being sent to Union Town right now, aren’t we?”

“Seems like it,” Chang Kui grunted.

Ruan Ah-Fei sidled closer. “What if we, ah...take a little something and then slip out of Gemhill County for good? The Blood Blade Sect can’t possibly hunt us down to the ends of the earth, right?”

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“And how do you plan on pulling that off?”

“We hit Silver Creek,” Ruan Ah-Fei said, his eyes glinting. “Run a quick job, vanish in the night.”

Chang Kui snorted. “Rob this place? No chance. The second we stir up any trouble, the Blood Blade Sect will be on our backs. We’ll be dead men. Besides, you have no idea where the money’s kept, what kind of security they have, or which route to take in and out. Listen up. I’m telling you, robbery isn’t that simple!”

“Who said anything about robbery? I’ve got a better plan, enough to make us a real fortune.”

“Oh? Let’s hear it. If it’s good, we can work together.”

Ruan Ah-Fei leaned in and whispered a few lines into Chang Kui’s ear.

Gradually, a spark lit up Chang Kui’s predatory gaze, a hint of a smile forming on his lips.

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Dusk settled and crimson clouds rolled across the sky. Silver Creek remained the wealthiest and most peaceful township in Gemhill County. Even amid the widespread famine elsewhere, it still bustled with life. The Ginger Tavern, thanks to its Three Spring Wines, was among the liveliest spots.

Hour by hour, the evening wore on. Eventually, most patrons had left, and by 11 in the evening, the final straggler wobbled away. A waiter locked the front doors.

Behind the tavern, a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard emerged from the distillery, stretching and yawning. He was one of the brewers named Lin Silang. He was a family servant brought over from Beam Dragon Mountain and part of the tavern’s close-knit staff.

Seeing a figure perched on the edge of the stable platform, Lin Silang called out, “Mister Zhou, you’re still awake?”

Zhou Jia didn’t appear to notice him. He sat quietly, gazing into the distance as though lost in memory, or in some deep train of thought.

Lin Silang didn’t expect a response; he simply locked the distillery door from outside, returned the key to the tavern, then came back out again. With a cheerful wave, he said, “I’m heading home.”

This time, Zhou Jia seemed to register the words. He turned his head slightly and gave the briefest of nods. Lin Silang offered him a friendly smile and made his way off into the night.

Though tired, Lin Silang felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Now that Xue Ning had found such a capable husband, everyone in her service seemed genuinely happy for her. And clearly, their new young master was no ordinary man. He had placed the tavern on firm footing here in Silver Creek, making it safer and more prosperous than ever.

That stability meant a brighter future for all of them, and these loyal servants felt nothing but hope and motivation. Entrusted with important tasks at the distillery, Lin Silang was determined not to let them down. His wife had reminded him to give it his all, never to betray the faith shown in him by the young master and madam.

Clenching his fists, Lin Silang quickened his pace. He needed a good night’s rest so he could wake early and get a jump on the next batch of wine. But as he passed a narrow alley, a large, hairy hand darted out from the shadows. Lightning-fast, it clamped over his mouth and jerked him violently into the darkness. A sharp medicinal scent rushed into his nose, and he lost consciousness on the spot.

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The next morning.

Li Yuan arrived at the Ginger Tavern with Xue Ning by carriage, as was now their routine. He found Cicada’s Cuisine far more sensible than he’d expected, which spared him considerable hassle.

These days, Li Yuan’s life had fallen into a regular pattern. It consisted between practicing his blade, poring over the replica of the sixth rank life chronicle from the Spirit-Release Technique, scouting the black market for valuable demonic beasts or useful skills, and planning how best to expand and use a new faction under his command.

Today, he had planned to stop by the black market again. He didn’t hold out hope for a sixth rank cultivation manual, but demonic beasts or martial skills were still worth considering.

No sooner had he and Xue Ning stepped into the tavern than the shopkeeper rushed over from behind the counter, speaking in hushed urgency, “Young Master Li, Madam, Lin Silang went missing last night. His wife is here, sobbing her heart out.”

Startled, they followed the shopkeeper to the rear courtyard, where they found a woman wearing a wide, padded coat, her teary eyes and reddened face a picture of misery.

Spotting Li Yuan and Xue Ning, she hurried toward them and pleaded, “Young Master Li, Madam... My husband never came home last night. I-I’m so afraid something’s happened to him. If...if he’s gone, what will I do...?”

Xue Ning stepped in at once, murmuring soothing words to the distraught woman. Meanwhile, Li Yuan glanced over at Zhou Jia, standing off to one side. Zhou Jia shook his head, indicating that nothing out of the ordinary had happened around the tavern overnight.

Li Yuan cast his gaze around. In the dawn light, the distillery’s stone walls were already humming with activity behind closed doors. Strong scents of grains and yeast drifted through the narrow gaps around the doorway, powerful enough to mask almost any other odor.

Pushing open the distillery door, Li Yuan found the brewers busy at their tasks, all wearing thick aprons and coats. One of them, noticing Li Yuan, started to hurry over, but he nodded toward a heavy cloth jacket hanging on the wall, the only one left. “Is that Lin Silang’s?”

“Yes, Young Master Li. It’s his,” a nearby worker confirmed.

Li Yuan nodded, stopping them before they could gather around. “Carry on with your work.”

He slipped inside and closed his eyes, activating his Scent Seeking skill. Instantly, the air gained a vibrant tapestry of distinct scents. The pungent smell of grain, a lingering sharpness of spirits, the musty tang of wooden casks, the faint whiff of charcoal smoke, the earthy aroma of wet ground, and even a trace of sweetness... So many scents overlapped like strands of a complex musical score, each with its own distinct note.

Within that weave, Li Yuan quickly pinpointed the faint trace of Lin Silang’s scent from his jacket. Outside the door, the trail vanished only a short distance away—too far gone to follow unless he got close to Lin Silang himself again.

Emerging from the distillery, he turned to Xue Ning. “I’m heading to the inner district to fetch Cinder.”

Then, addressing Manager Wu, he continued, “Go tell the Blood Blade Sect’s patrols outside that someone from the Ginger Tavern has disappeared. This disappearance is a direct insult to the security of Silver Creek! Have them gather in front of the tavern and wait for me.”

Manager Wu hurried off to relay the message. Indeed, if even someone from Li Yuan’s tavern could vanish, it meant that Silver Creek’s safety itself was compromised.

Li Yuan watched Manager Wu depart, then turned to Lin Silang’s wife. “Ma’am, please don’t worry too much. Wait inside, have some tea.”

The woman could only stammer her thanks through her tears. Xue Ning gently tried to comfort her.

Meanwhile, Li Yuan looked around, then said, “Old Zhou, come with me.”

Zhou Jia had already risen, blade in hand, ready to follow. The two of them returned to the waiting carriage.