[Supplicating the Heavenly Book: show me my chances of breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refining today?] [Inquiry: realm breakthrough] [Calculation time: twenty breaths] [Calculation result: absolutely certain]
"Excellent!"
Jiang Yi's heart settled completely. He saw several more questions on the golden paper.
They included [Auspicious location for breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refining], [Auspicious time for breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refining], and so on.
"As it should be! My cultivation at the third level of Qi Refining is ninety-nine percent complete. What could possibly go wrong?"
He drew a deep breath. The bitter cold went straight into his lungs, yet left him invigorated and clearheaded.
"Brother He, I'm heading out. If you see Duty Officer Yang, please tell him I have something to attend to today and will pay my respects a few days later."
With a beef pancake between his teeth, He Laohun poked his head out of the kitchen. Looking at the spirited, buoyant Jiang Yi, he clicked his tongue and asked:
"Brother Yi, has some happy event come knocking? You look like you're about to become a bridegroom!"
Jiang Yi laughed heartily.
"The day I enter the Inner Peaks and rise into the Azure Clouds-that'll be good news! But I'm still far from that!"
The words spilled out, brimming with youthful vigor, showing off his spirited young bearing.
Standing at the courtyard gate, Jiang Yi was almost like the rising sun, dazzling the people of the Large Compound.
Widow Qin leaned against her door and said with a smile:
"I think that day will come sooner or later. We'll be waiting for your good news, Brother Yi! Winter's setting in, so I'll make some dumplings. Remember to come back for them."
Old Li's wrinkled face unfolded into a smile.
"You can tell at a glance that Brother Yi will amount to something! If my boy showed as much promise as Brother Yi, I could close my eyes with a smile!"
He had barely finished when his wife pinched him and scolded:
"Spouting such unlucky talk first thing in the morning! Hurry up and get to work. Winter's almost here, and you haven't even earned our boy's expenses for next year this month!"
Old Li chuckled and planted his hands on his hips.
"Don't you worry! I heard Duty Officer Tang from the Engraving Room say the Inner Peaks have opened another Market Ward. There'll only be more outlets for our goods and more work from now on! No need to worry about earning Talisman Money!"
With that, he trotted off to the workshop like an old plow ox.
He Laohun, however, said nothing. After the affair with Zhang San and Dong Si, his formerly noisy, flighty temperament had instead grown steadier. Even the number of times he went out seeking amusement with his fellow workers had dwindled.
Feeling the vigorous, striving spirit emanating from the Large Compound, Jiang Yi smiled and once again dismissed the thought of moving elsewhere.
No matter where he went among the Outer Sect's Four Peaks, spiritual potential was equally scarce. There was no need to move his nest just for a little peace or extra space.
Jiang Yi went to the Forging Room and once again asked Zhou Guang for the jade token to ride a flying crane. According to the Heavenly Book, the place best suited to his current breakthrough was a meditation chamber on the third floor of Heshui Cave on Wavelooking Peak.
That was hardly surprising.
The spiritual potential of the Inner Peaks was naturally far richer than that of the Outer Sect. Although Heshui Cave's publicly available meditation chambers could not compare to cave abodes equipped with restrictions and formations, they were sufficient for Mortal Laborers.
As ever, Zhou Guang took the money and did the job, his tiny turtle-like eyes darting about.
"This brat's visiting the Inner Peaks more and more often. Could he be hoping to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining early?"
Qi Wei, who was responsible for polishing his boots, said quietly:
"Luo Tong came to see me just yesterday. He attended a lecture in the Inner Peaks and felt it wasn't much use. He wanted me to put in a word and find a way through you, Duty Officer, to get a bottle of Essence-Nourishing Pills."
Zhou Guang scoffed.
"He certainly has a big appetite. Even I have trouble getting those Essence-Nourishing Pills! What price is he offering?"
Qi Wei answered truthfully:
"One hundred and fifty thousand Talisman Money."
The flesh on Zhou Guang's face rippled, and he bared his teeth.
"Luo Tong's that rich? I remember the Lianxi Luo Clan hardly ranks anywhere in Northern Mang Ridge. They can give him over a hundred thousand Talisman Money to squander?"
Qi Wei said softly:
"I've had drinks with him a few times and sounded him out. He doesn't have much spare money himself, but he has a good elder sister who knows how to get money."
Understanding appeared in Zhou Guang's eyes, and he sneered.
"Zhou Can of Sewing Peak must be starved indeed, treating Luo Qian'er like some precious treasure!"
He lowered his head to look at Qi Wei again and said with satisfaction:
"You handled this well! Go tell Luo Tong that a hundred and fifty thousand Talisman Money isn't enough for Essence-Nourishing Pills. Tell him to scrape together two hundred thousand!
"My bottom line is two hundred thousand! Whatever extra fat you can squeeze out is yours! Consider it your reward!"
Overjoyed, Qi Wei hurriedly kowtowed in thanks.
"To think Zhou Can shares my surname, yet some loose hussy has him utterly bewitched!"
Zhou Guang said, smiling:
"I hear Sewing Peak has the highest income in the Outer Sect! Even the richest fortune will be squandered away if it goes toward keeping a woman. Better that I benefit instead!"
On his second visit to Wavelooking Peak, Jiang Yi knew his way around much better and stepped into Heshui Cave with easy composure.
"The meditation chamber you requested has already been swept and cleaned. Once you enter, we'll hang up a sign and post someone on watch. We won't let you suffer the slightest disturbance."
Heshui Cave's proprietor was in his fifties. His hair was white, but his eyes were bright, and he was exceptionally hale. He too was a cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining.
"Thank you."
Jiang Yi paid the full amount of Talisman Money and accepted a wooden token.
He had asked Yang Xun about this before. Anyone able to do business on Wavelooking Peak with Inner Sect disciples and direct descendants of local clans had an unusual background.
They were either related by marriage to some elder or belonged to the same clan as some senior brother. Otherwise, they could never obtain a place to open a shop.
According to Duty Officer Yang, Elder Xu, who taught cultivation and gave lectures, had invested in Heshui Cave. Once they learned this, many Inner Peaks disciples came here to patronize the business.
"Business opportunities everywhere in this sect, and connections matter everywhere."
Jiang Yi suppressed his stray thoughts, hung the token outside the door, and stepped into the meditation chamber.
The room measured ten feet on each side and contained a couch and a meditation cushion. Beside them stood a bronze crane holding a lamp. The crane was three feet tall, its long neck curving back, with a lotus-shaped lamp dish supported on the tip of its beak.
The dish held congealed grease, with half an inch of wick protruding from its center.
"This meditation chamber costs two thousand Talisman Money for twenty-four hours. Most of that goes toward this candle."
Jiang Yi lit it, and an exceedingly fine wisp of smoke slowly emerged from the crane's beak.
The smoke was peculiar. Rather than dispersing immediately, it rose straight up for three feet like a spirit snake before slowly spreading.
It carried an extremely faint, cool fragrance, like aged cypress wood mingled with the scent of ice and snow.
"There's a reason it's expensive."
With just a gentle sniff, Jiang Yi felt his mind grow clearer and steadier than ever before, making it exceptionally easy to enter a meditative state for seated breathing practice.
Seeing that the Spirit-Calming Candle truly worked, he removed his outer robe, shoes, and socks, then sat cross-legged on the couch.
The fourth level of Qi Refining involved Organ Tempering and Viscera Refining, seeking complete unity within and without, so that this mortal body could become a fine cauldron capable of holding the Spirit Chance of heaven and earth.
Ungraded cultivation methods such as the Proper Meridian Qi Circulation Art recorded none of the secrets or key points for breaking through this level.
Fortunately, Jiang Yi had already obtained the Lesser Forging Origin Fire-Control Art, which explained how to break through the barrier.
"Within lies natural True Fire, blazing ever crimson in the furnace, burning the five viscera and six bowels, forging them into a mass of primal essence..."
He savored the profound meaning of every word analyzed by the Heavenly Book and naturally began circulating his cultivation method. Driven in this way, his True Qi sent warm currents flowing through every part of his body. Heat suffused his flesh within, wonderfully comfortable.
His sinews and bones rubbed together, his Qi and Blood stirred, and inch by inch, fine glimmers of Fire Nature gathered into clusters, illuminating his dimly seen internal organs.
"Now it's a matter of patient grinding. I have to temper and polish them little by little, making the internal organs work together as smoothly as I wish, without a single flaw.
"Twenty-four hours will be enough!"
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