After the old man and the young man acknowledged their kinship, it was as though they had pierced the paper over a window; their relationship advanced by leaps and bounds.
Jiang Yi stepped forward, bent slightly, and took the initiative to support Yang Xun.
"The mountain path is wet and slippery. Mind your footing, Grandfather."
As a genuine cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refining, Yang Xun showed no sign of decline in his Qi and Blood despite being over eighty. How could he possibly have trouble walking steadily?
But Jiang Yi knew perfectly well that this was exactly what the old man liked.
Perhaps because of the regret left by losing his son, Duty Officer Yang most enjoyed the familial happiness of children and grandchildren gathered around his knees.
"Every year at the start of spring, the Inner Peaks set aside a few reserve seats."
Although Yang Xun could tear tigers and leopards apart with one hand, he was happy to let Jiang Yi treat him this way.
He deliberately slowed his steps and spoke unhurriedly.
"Any Qianji Sect cultivator under twenty who has reached the fourth level of Qi Refining may try."
Jiang Yi was surprised. He had never heard that the Inner Peaks recruited disciples from outside.
Even an old hand like He Laohun seemed unaware of this.
Yang Xun chuckled.
"In today's Jambudvipa Vast Land, everyone can cultivate the Dao, and Dao Academies are everywhere. How could there be any shortage of useful talent?
"The Qianji Sect offers these seats first because its Market Wards need people to oversee them;
"second, several of the sect's properties, such as the Cave of Myriad Beasts, Soulfall Gorge, and Heart-Seizing Forest, also need manpower.
"Besides, a few disciples are lost each year, more or less, leaving vacancies.
"But for a small sect to hold a grand recruitment ceremony every year would be making too much of a fuss. There's no need.
"So the seats are distributed to the duty officers of the outer sect's peaks.
"Ordinary Mortal Laborers can't find out about it. How would they know?"
So it was all through internal recommendations!
Jiang Yi understood. In other words, each duty officer of the Outer Sect's Four Peaks could nominate one candidate.
The disciples admitted to the Inner Peaks each year were selected from among the "talents" they favored.
"Here at Crimson Flame Peak, Old Tang lusts after women, and Old Zhou lusts after money. Neither lacks people seeking their favor, so their nominations are probably already spoken for.
"That's why I need you to reach the fourth level of Qi Refining before spring begins."
Yang Xun spoke earnestly. His willingness to acknowledge Jiang Yi and invest in his development was not entirely because the young man was sweet-tongued and quick-witted.
In another few years, he would have to step down, either returning to his hometown to live out his old age supported by his clan, or being transferred to a Market Ward to spend his remaining years.
The Demonic Path Lineage had always stressed "making full use of everything."
Useless material would be consumed without mercy.
Over all these years, Yang Xun had seen such things happen time and again.
Thus, he also wanted to secure a way out for himself.
Jiang Yi said with ironclad certainty,
"I certainly won't disappoint you, Grandpa."
Hearing that "Grandpa," Yang Xun felt comfortable all over. Forcing himself to remain composed, he nodded lightly.
They chatted as they walked and soon arrived before the mansion.
The young Daoist Attendant at the gate saw Inspection Officer Jiang and his master enjoying themselves like grandfather and grandson, and his jaw nearly dropped.
"Master, Inspection Officer Jiang..."
"Boy, from now on, you should call him 'Young Master.'"
Hearing Yang Xun's instruction left the young Daoist Attendant even more dumbfounded.
He thought,
How did Inspection Officer Jiang coax Master into acting like a grandson?
They crossed the threshold and entered the front hall.
Yang Xun had the young Daoist Attendant brew hot tea, then said leisurely,
"In the Lesser Forging Origin Fire-Control Art you practice, I stopped at great mastery and never reached perfection.
"The Daoist books say that arts have three stages of mastery.
"But to go into detail, before minor mastery, there is also initiation;
"after great mastery, there is also perfection.
"When this art reaches minor mastery, fire nature gathers and condenses into fine rays, thin as ox hair, that bore through the heart and penetrate the bones.
"At intermediate mastery, the fire contains Spirit Chance and gives rise to a hundred forms, following your thoughts and changing unpredictably.
"After great mastery, the inner and outer converge. True Qi never ceases; it does not diminish when burning the body, nor can splashed water extinguish it..."
Jiang Yi listened carefully. From his experience frequently sitting in on leaders' speeches, the main event should come later.
Sure enough.
Yang Xun paused, glanced at the attentive, focused Jiang Yi out of the corner of his eye, and continued slowly,
"You taught yourself without a master, studying the text and grasping its essential meaning. That shows considerable talent for spell refinement.
"I won't say much else. Here is a Manuscript containing the cultivation insights I studied day and night. You can use it to identify omissions and remedy deficiencies."
With that, he took a thin booklet from inside his robe.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
Jiang Yi accepted it with both hands, sincerely grateful.
When he first obtained the Lesser Forging Origin Fire-Control Art, he had considered mastering it through self-study. Only after his attempts failed had he turned to the Heavenly Book.
From then on, he had understood something about the path of cultivation.
A "method" was hard to obtain, but its "essential keys" were harder still.
Having the method without its keys was still like a blind man feeling an elephant.
Unable to find the doorway, one could only wander outside.
"Besides, if you wish to advance further in practicing the Fire-Control Art, I have a secret method that can help you."
Yang Xun was not stingy by nature. Since Jiang Yi knew how to behave and had formed this favorable bond with him,
there was no harm in handing over some of the good things he kept at the bottom of his chest.
Hearing the strings, Jiang Yi understood the tune. He rose and bowed with clasped hands.
"Please help fulfill my desire to advance, Grandpa."
He was best at dealing with "fatherly bosses" and knew how to appear obedient and sensible.
"This method was bestowed on me by Elder Sui of our sect. It's called the Water-Fire Pond and Marsh Body-Refinement Art. It ranks at the eighth grade and is quite rare."
A nostalgic look seemed to appear in Yang Xun's eyes. Perhaps he had a deep friendship with that Elder Sui.
An eighth-grade art!
Jiang Yi's heart warmed. The ninth-grade Fire-Control Art already let him regard Zhang Chao and Dong Ba, who were at the same level, as clay chickens and pottery dogs!
If he mastered an eighth-grade art, wouldn't he take flight?
"As the saying goes, refinement by water nourishes and moistens to produce essence; refinement by fire brings radiance to produce spirit.
"The Fire-Control Art mentions this too. Water represents yin essence, while fire represents yang spirit.
"The gist of this art is to use rituals passed down from antiquity to construct a Water Pool and Fire Marsh, enter them naked, refine the spirit, and temper the body.
"Once accomplished, it can remedy deficiencies in your foundation and increase your vital Qi.
"It saves a hundred days of arduous cultivation and strengthens the fire nature throughout your bones."
Exactly what I need-a pillow delivered just as I'm getting sleepy!
Jiang Yi felt flowers bloom in his heart. He was just like a hardworking beast of burden being promised grand prospects by his boss, itching to work six months of overtime in one go.
Fortunately, he retained a shred of reason and asked,
"Grandpa, this Water Pool and Fire Marsh must be difficult to construct, right?"
Yang Xun nodded, approval showing on his face.
The boy truly was worth cultivating. He had not let an eighth-grade body-refinement art go to his head.
"Rituals are part of the Immortal Dao's inheritance. They have always been expensive.
"For the water pond, eight pieces of superior-grade cold jade are needed to contain the Yin Baleful Qi, followed by three hu of rootless spiritual water, half a jin of hundred-year-old stone stalactite milk... for the fire marsh, nine jin of cinnabar, one item of blazing yang..."
Yang Xun held nothing back, explaining each item in turn.
The more Jiang Yi listened, the worse his expression became. How much Talisman Money would this cost?
Leaving aside everything else, the superior-grade cold jade and blazing yang item were both spiritual objects, with prices starting in at least five figures.
A rough estimate put the cost of gathering everything at eighty or ninety thousand.
No wonder Yang Xun had asked whether he had two hundred thousand in Talisman Money to support his cultivation.
"Grandpa, I'm afraid I won't be able to use this water-fire body refinement."
Jiang Yi feigned a bitter smile and lowered his head.
He waited for Yang Xun to continue.
Most of the time, whether a boss was good or bad came down to one thing.
Did he merely paint a picture of a feast without offering anything tangible, or was he willing to feed people after whetting their appetites?
By Jiang Yi's judgment, Yang Xun should belong to the good-boss category.
"You brat, are you deliberately trying to nettle me? Since I brought up water-fire body refinement myself, naturally I've made plans. How could I make you pay?"
Yang Xun scolded him with a laugh.
"Grandpa, I'll engrave your kindness upon my very organs and never forget it in this lifetime."
Jiang Yi bowed his thanks again. Although he had used some calculation to attach himself to Yang Xun, he was also genuinely grateful.
Having spent so long tumbling through the arena of fame and fortune in his previous life, he understood very well how difficult it was to encounter a "boss" who sincerely wanted to nurture him.
"No need to stand on ceremony, Jiang Yi."
As his form of address grew more intimate, Yang Xun's gaze softened further.
"If you truly have Dao Talent, you'll distinguish yourself sooner or later, even without my help."
Jiang Yi remained exceedingly respectful. His attitude toward his boss had to stay consistent.
He kept the old man company for a while, learning more about the Qianji Sect, before leaving the duty officer's mansion atop Crimson Flame Peak.
"Should I move somewhere quieter and more spacious? After all, I'm no longer short of five hundred or a thousand in Talisman Money."
Back in his shack at the Work Dormitory, Jiang Yi's thoughts stirred. The Qi currents in the Large Compound were turbid; it was not a suitable place to cultivate.
"Let's wait a little longer. A tiled house isn't much different from a shack. If I'm going to move, it should be into a cave abode!"
Soon, Jiang Yi tossed that thought aside and carefully inventoried his "gains."
The result delighted him beyond expectation!
"Huh, Zhang Chao actually saved the most-fifty thousand in Talisman Money! No wonder his eyes were practically spitting fire at me. Ten years of hard work, scattered in a single day!"
The corners of Jiang Yi's mouth lifted. Robbery truly was a road to sudden riches.
If he had to work hard for it, who knew how many years he would have to endure?
Now, with a little movement of his hands, his purse had swollen.
Dong Ba had little spare wealth left. Apparently, he was an old whoremonger who patronized the flesh trade as soon as he received his Talisman Money.
"A little over sixty thousand altogether. First, I'll repay what I borrowed from Sister Qin, then offer thirty thousand to Duty Officer Yang... Although Grandpa is generous, I still need to make my own attitude clear."
Jiang Yi's heart was clear as a mirror. Thirty thousand in Talisman Money was only a small sum to a duty officer, but his "grandson's" sincerity was priceless.
"The Water Pool and Fire Marsh, refining the body and tempering the spirit... I feel it might do more than help me break through to the fourth level. Perhaps I can climb to the fifth!"
After tallying Zhang and Dong's "gifts," he began thinking again about the eighth-grade body-refinement art Yang Xun had mentioned.
On the path of cultivation, one's foundation and accumulated reserves were incomparably important.
Previously, he had lacked the means. Now that he finally had a way, of course he had to push it to the limit!
His eyes flickered, and the golden page appeared.
[Supplicating the Heavenly Book, show me the optimal cultivation plan for my current circumstances!]
"With Zhang Chao and Dong Ba beaten down, no one on Crimson Flame Peak will come looking to make trouble for me anymore.
"At last, I can cultivate in peace according to the Heavenly Book's guidance!"
Jiang Yi let out a long breath, then began meditating and regulating his breathing again, tempering his fire nature.
Meanwhile, he waited for the Heavenly Book to answer his questions and resolve his difficulties.
Before you continue