Between timber and goose, the transformations of dragon and snake

Early that morning, He Laohun knocked on Jiang Yi's door and called at the top of his lungs:

"Brother Yi, a teaching elder is giving a lecture in the Inner Peaks today. Are you still going?"

"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I? I've been waiting for this!"

Jiang Yi pushed open the door and stepped out, brimming with vigor, without a trace of sleepiness in his eyes. Clearly, he had been awake for some time.

Even without work to do, Inspection Officer Jiang was not the sort to lie idle. His mind was filled with thoughts of entering the Inner Peaks, and he never dared slacken in his daily cultivation.

Especially after the Heavenly Book had provided that "superior cultivation plan," he had redoubled his efforts.

From morning to night, from eating to sleeping, every two-hour period had been meticulously scheduled.

[Deduction results follow]

[Hour of the Rat: rest indoors using Reclining Meditation, relaxing like an unstrung bow, emptying the mind of all thought, breathing slowly and deeply, as fine as a drifting thread, gently nurturing the Primordial Yang Qi newly budding within the body...]

[Hour of the Rabbit: meditate and practice breathing on the eastern side of Crimson Flame Peak as the eastern sky brightens. At this time, heaven and earth shift from yin to yang, and the sensation of Qi is at its purest and liveliest. With long-term persistence, there is an extremely low chance of triggering "true Qi surge," equivalent to half a day of ordinary arduous cultivation...]

[Hour of the Dragon: return to your residence or find a secluded place to practice Circulating the Heavenly Cycle, tempering fire nature and refining primordial essence...]

All twelve two-hour periods had been scheduled without a single gap. After cultivating this way for the past two days, Jiang Yi had found it all comfortably manageable, without the slightest fatigue anywhere in his body.

Though no great change could be seen in so short a time, he believed that if he persisted, his cultivation would surely ripen like fruit falling from its stem, flowing as naturally as water into a channel.

Seeing Jiang Yi so full of vitality, He Laohun could not help feeling a little envious. Mortal Laborers like them worked in the workshops year after year, rapidly consuming their Qi and blood, their vitality worn almost entirely away.

Thus, they were particularly prone to showing signs of "premature aging."

Brother Yi cultivated diligently, with striking results. His bearing grew ever more extraordinary, and he increasingly resembled those True Disciples of Dao traditions and cultivators of Dharma Lineages in storybooks.

He Laohun chuckled.

"All right, then. We'll go see Duty Officer Zhou at the Forging Room in a bit. I've already paid the Talisman Money for you."

Hearing this, Jiang Yi immediately took out several notes of Talisman Money and pressed them into He Laohun's hand.

"How could I let you spend your money on me, Brother He? None of us earns our Talisman Money easily. Take it!"

He Laohun still wanted to refuse-after all, Brother Yi had stood up for him and avenged his grievances, killing Dong Ba and crippling Zhang Chao. Smoothing things over afterward must have cost him quite a bit.

Though He Laohun usually counted every penny, he understood the principle of repaying kindness.

"Brother Yi, I've seen you cultivating morning and night these past few days without a break. You must be aiming for the fifth level of Qi Refining, to take over Duty Officer Yang's position.

"I'm not much use and can't help with anything important. This is just a little token..."

Jiang Yi waved a hand as he walked out of the courtyard, his tone hearty.

"Just keep an eye on the miscellaneous work in the Quenching Room, Brother He. Don't worry about anything else.

"The fifth level of Qi Refining is still far off. A few scraps of Talisman Money won't get me much closer. If money were all I wanted, why would I have turned down Zhang San and Dong Si?"

Jiang Yi had always believed in "spending money to get things done." Whether a sum was large or small, as long as it served a real purpose, it was worth every bit of it.

Ever since he had unlocked the Heavenly Book and glimpsed that sliver of a chance to turn his fortunes around and change his fate, the object of his plans had never changed.

It had always been to enter the Inner Peaks and pursue cultivation.

Attaching himself to Yang Xun had served that purpose. So had killing Dong Ba and crippling Zhang Chao to avoid further trouble and entanglements later.

Jiang Yi had refused to wallow in the mire with those two vicious dogs partly because he disdained their paltry, fly-head profits;

partly, too, because he knew full well that once he became involved, profit would inevitably breed turmoil, and money would stir up trouble.

Better to put an end to it once and for all, tearing it out by the roots!

"Let's go, Brother He. Any more delay and you'll be late for work."

On the way, Jiang Yi stopped at the kitchen for a few piping-hot flatbreads.

Widow Qin had saved them especially for his breakfast.

Ever since he had borrowed money from her last time, the two had grown closer, getting along more like a sister and brother.

"Right!"

He Laohun hurried after him, sighing inwardly:

Brother Yi changes by the day. Sooner or later, he'll become the Quenching Room's duty officer, every bit as imposing as Old Yang.

The two arrived together at the Forging Room. As it happened, Duty Officer Zhou Guang was overseeing the work there that day, saving them another trip.

Unlike Yang Xun, with his long face, sparse brows, and fierce looks, Zhou Guang had a round face like the Laughing Buddha. He was always smiling, his large belly protruding, looking thoroughly at ease.

"Borrowing a Flying Crane to attend a teaching elder's lecture in the Inner Peaks..."

Zhou Guang looked Jiang Yi over. It was rare to see such a spirited young man on Crimson Flame Peak.

"You must be Inspection Officer Jiang from the Quenching Room?"

Jiang Yi bowed and replied:

"Thank you for asking, Duty Officer. This junior is Jiang Yi, and I do indeed serve in the Quenching Room."

Zhou Guang chuckled twice, the fat on his cheeks quivering with the motion.

"So you were the one who killed Dong Ba, whom I promoted? It seems you've mastered Duty Officer Yang's Fire-Control Art quite thoroughly."

He Laohun trembled all over. Whether cowed by Zhou Guang's presence or by a fear of duty officers rooted deep in his bones, he immediately moved to kneel and explain.

But Jiang Yi stepped forward, blocking him, and spoke without haste.

"Please judge the matter clearly, Duty Officer. Compelled by the circumstances that night, this junior lost control for a moment and harmed the talented man you promoted.

"This junior has already confessed his fault to Duty Officer Yang. Thanks to his understanding of my difficulties, he did not punish me severely.

"In all my future dealings, I will be sure to observe proper limits. I hope you will be generous enough to forgive me, Duty Officer Zhou."

What a silver-tongued brat!

Zhou Guang narrowed his little eyes, running them over Jiang Yi twice, and remained silent for a long while.

Only after a moment did he laugh heartily.

"Duty Officer Yang has certainly found himself a treasure. I've always been a fair man. One matter is one matter, another is another. Since I've accepted your Talisman Money, I won't pursue this any further.

"Here's your Flying Crane Riding Token. Keep it safe. If you lose it, you won't be able to get back.

"Remember, once the evening bell rings, lingering in the Inner Peaks is a violation of the rules."

Jiang Yi accepted the exquisite jade token with both hands and said respectfully:

"Your generosity is worthy of your station, Duty Officer. This junior deeply admires you."

Zhou Guang waved a hand and said meaningfully:

"Go on, go on. If you enter the Inner Peaks someday, I may even have to address you as 'Senior Brother.'"

"You jest, Duty Officer. How could this junior dare harbor such extravagant hopes?"

Jiang Yi's face was all humility, as though such a thought had never crossed his mind.

He Laohun listened from the side, bewildered.

The Inner Peaks?

Brother Yi could actually enter the Inner Peaks?

That was a place even more imposing than a duty officer's position...

He stared blankly at Jiang Yi's retreating back as he headed toward the Crane Garden, his thoughts surging.

Before, he had merely thought Brother Yi lucky to have won Old Yang's favor;

after the affair with Zhang San and Dong Si, he had come to admire Brother Yi's methods and courage;

but now it seemed...

Back when I was studying at the Dao Academy, the teacher was always talking about "between timber and goose, the transformations of dragon and snake." I could never understand it.

Only now do I finally understand. He meant people like Brother Yi.

Countless feelings mingled in He Laohun's heart. He could not help picturing Jiang Yi clad in a Mystic Robe, with a crowd of duty officers respectfully addressing him as "Senior Brother Jiang."

He broke into a relieved smile and murmured to himself:

"I've spent half my life accomplishing nothing, with no hope on the Dao Path. I only wish Brother Yi can travel farther, and see that wider world for us Mortal Laborers, worthless as weeds."

At that thought, he raised his head and narrowed his eyes, watching the figure riding a white crane gradually disappear into the clouds, and murmured:

"It's so good to be able to fly upward... Come to think of it, I rode one of those cranes once, too.

"Go on, Brother Yi. Fly higher, and set foot on that Azure Cloud Path in the Inner Peaks soon."

With that, he raised his hand and waved, then turned and strode toward the Quenching Room.

Today, he still had work to do!