Wavelooking Peak, a quiet room on the third floor.
A crane's beak puffed out slender streams of white smoke, which gathered into clouds.
Accompanying the sounds of inhalation and exhalation, an invisible hand seemed to knead them apart into wispy strands.
"Senior Brother Jiang! I can't keep going..."
On the wooden couch, Li Ruohan's cheeks flushed red. Her breathing grew somewhat hurried as she circulated her Qi, and a soft question escaped her lips:
"Should I go faster now, or slower?"
Opposite her, Jiang Yi considered briefly before answering concisely:
"When the Qi descends to your chest, sink it lower and speed up. When the Qi rises past your face, ease off and slow down.
"Try following my rhythm, junior sister. Listen to my count. One, rise! Two, descend, then rise again..."
Jiang Yi precisely controlled the timing of the Qi circulation, his fingers unconsciously tapping the couch.
Roughly nine heavy taps followed by one light tap guided Li Ruohan in circulating her True Qi.
Before long.
Li Ruohan's chest and abdomen rose and fell like pumping bellows. Her Qi and Blood radiated outward, heat steaming up until fragrant sweat drenched her body.
Another half an incense stick's time passed.
Li Ruohan let out a soft moan and cried quietly:
"Senior Brother Jiang! I can't hold on..."
Her delicate shoulders and fair back suddenly went limp. She collapsed onto her side, her slender body trembling incessantly, clearly exhausted.
Her pale-yellow ruqun was soaked through, clinging to her tender skin and revealing every graceful curve.
This cultivation session had been more exhilarating than all her previous ones combined.
"Junior Sister Li, your cultivation reserves have already reached ninety percent. Unfortunately, your circulation and transformation lack precision and practiced naturalness, making it difficult for your organs to work in harmony as True Qi passes through your entire body."
Keeping his gaze straight ahead, Jiang Yi analyzed and explained, word by word:
"Use your breathing to link up your True Qi. Your mind must remain focused, not scattered; your intent must remain steady, not muddled.
"Keep refining these things, Junior Sister Li. By a rough estimate, you should be able to attempt another breakthrough to the fourth realm in about twenty days."
In short, his lengthy discourse meant that Li Ruohan had relied on Spirit Rice and precious medicines to raise her cultivation. Progress had come too easily, leading her to neglect her daily practice and leave it riddled with flaws.
Condensed even further, it amounted to four words.
You suck. Practice more!
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Jiang. I feel I've gained a great deal of understanding."
Li Ruohan's cherry lips parted slightly as she panted heavily.
For the first time, she realized that circulating True Qi involved so many crucial subtleties.
Harmonizing the breath, rising and falling, advancing and retreating... these were the most vital mechanisms and secrets.
Although the Method Formula described them, none of it was particularly clear.
The annotated manuscripts supplied by her clan offered differing explanations as well, making them difficult to sort out.
Some were broad and vague, some ambiguous, and some unfathomably profound.
None were as accessible, clear, and concise as Jiang Yi's explanations.
Those two hours of "imparting the Dao" had benefited Li Ruohan greatly.
She felt filled to the brim with cultivation knowledge, utterly fulfilled in body and mind.
"I'll leave you in peace now, Junior Sister Li."
Jiang Yi rose from the couch and slipped on his shoes.
Men and women had their distinctions; it was improper to remain alone together in one room for too long.
Besides, in her current state, Li Ruohan likely needed to bathe and change.
His remaining here would probably be inconvenient.
"Senior Brother Jiang truly is a gracious, learned gentleman."
Li Ruohan struggled to sit up, praising him inwardly.
Then she found it inconceivable again. How could the lowly countryside have produced such a fine seedling as Senior Brother Jiang?
His knowledge and understanding of cultivation and Spell Refinement were far too profound, surpassing many direct descendants of local clans.
Leaving the quiet room, Jiang Yi went down to the second floor and requested a private room for tea.
Since Li Ruohan was covering all today's expenses anyway, he had no need to be overly frugal.
"Coming from a local clan really does have its advantages. Their resources far surpass those of ordinary, lowly folk."
As Jiang Yi brewed that pot of Snowy Mountain Embracing Green worth a hundred and twenty in Talisman Money, his thoughts wandered.
Li Ruohan's talent barely qualified as above average, far from outstanding, but the Bojun Li Clan's deep reserves and ample wealth had allowed her to pass through the Third-Story Realm unimpeded.
Precisely because her progress had been so smooth, she had barely reinforced her foundations, leaving them weak.
To Jiang Yi, this was rather like traveling everywhere by carriage until one's legs grew so feeble that one could walk but not run.
"Without wealth, talent cannot flourish. How true. It hits the nail on the head.
"It must also be that local clans don't start high enough. Things would be different with the Dao clans of major sects."
Jiang Yi reflected that cultivation speed was intimately tied to how much Talisman Money one possessed.
That Senior Brother Xu from the Inner Peaks was making a great show of seeking cooperation with Sewing Peak. He had probably learned some inside information and wanted a share of the pie, earning enormous profits.
He did not wait long.
Li Ruohan hastily changed into another dress and entered the private room.
Seemingly worried about keeping Jiang Yi waiting, she wore no makeup, yet her bare face was as lovely as a pretty girl from a modest household.
"Every word of yours is a pearl, Senior Brother Jiang. You've resolved my difficulties and could truly be my teacher."
Li Ruohan approached gracefully. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she took a bottle from her sleeve.
"A small token of appreciation. Please accept it, Senior Brother Jiang."
Jiang Yi reached out to take the bottle. Opening it, he said in surprise:
"Essence-Nourishing Pills? These are rather valuable."
He saw clearly that inside were roughly two pills the size of longans, round and lustrous, their delicate fragrance filling his nostrils.
They were unmistakably Essence-Nourishing Pills.
"I previously sought them out everywhere, hoping to break through to the fourth realm in one push. In the end, I fell short at the final hurdle, leaving these on my hands.
"A while ago, Duty Officer Zhou from Crimson Flame Peak's Forging Room asked me for three and spent a hundred and fifty thousand in Talisman Money on them.
"Now there are two left, so I'm giving them to you, Senior Brother Jiang."
Li Ruohan smiled faintly and said playfully:
"If you refuse, I'll have to call you 'Teacher Jiang' from now on and observe a disciple's etiquette toward you, in public and in private."
Jiang Yi's eyelid twitched, his thoughts wandering. Those Essence-Nourishing Pills that Zhou Guang, the Forging Room's duty officer, had bought for a hundred and fifty thousand in Talisman Money had probably been resold to Luo Tong.
Then he smiled. Who said goodwill was worthless?
Wasn't this a return on it?
Had he accepted Li Ruohan's "tuition," there would have been no favor to speak of. At most, he would have earned a few tens of thousands in Talisman Money. How could he have received two Essence-Nourishing Pills for nothing?
These were rare things, hard to come by even for Inner Peaks disciples.
"Then it would be discourteous to refuse. Thank you, Junior Sister Li."
Jiang Yi accepted them readily and tucked them inside his robe.
He had been worrying about having no way to advance his cultivation and deepen his practice, and now someone had delivered a pillow just as he grew sleepy.
Looking at Li Ruohan again, he suddenly found her beautiful, kindhearted, and radiant.
Li Ruohan blinked her bright eyes:
"I heard you're making a trip down the mountain, senior brother?"
Jiang Yi nodded:
"Duty Officer Yang is heading down to purchase supplies and ordered me to accompany him."
Li Ruohan said with a smile at the corners of her lips:
"Seeing how boldly and rapidly your cultivation is advancing, I imagine you'll enter the fifth realm like Senior Brother Xiao by the beginning of next spring. Do you receive support from your clan? Cultivating in the Inner Peaks isn't much easier than working as a Mortal Laborer in the outer sect."
Hmm?
Something stirred in Jiang Yi's heart. He caught the meaning behind Li Ruohan's words.
Did this direct-line daughter of the Bojun Li Clan want to keep me?
Remaining composed, Jiang Yi said without concealment:
"No. Senior Brother Wang's mention of the 'Lujiang Jiang Clan' that day was merely gilding my face. I'm just a grassroots nobody from Guling Town, with no background or pedigree."
Li Ruohan smiled:
"If you don't mind, senior brother, you could take an Attendant position with our Li Clan. I wouldn't dare promise lavish treatment, but we certainly wouldn't neglect you."
Jiang Yi pondered, understanding that this was a local clan's customary way of placing a wager.
After considering for two or three breaths, he did not accept Li Ruohan's offer, replying vaguely instead:
"Thank you for your kindness, junior sister. Spring has yet to arrive, and I have yet to pass the fifth realm. How could I presume I'll enter the Inner Peaks?"
The Attendant position was premised on his continuing to advance in triumph and ascending to the Azure Clouds.
Just like the "Essence-Nourishing Pills" Luo Tong had promised so solemnly, only for nothing more to come of it soon afterward.
Thus, Jiang Yi saw no need to accept Li Ruohan's offer eagerly and reveal his own urgency.
"You're right, senior brother."
Li Ruohan nodded gently, thinking to herself how rare Senior Brother Jiang's steady disposition truly was.
"However..."
Jiang Yi abruptly changed tack:
"If you have funds to spare, junior sister, could you lend me some Talisman Money for an emergency?
"There'll be quite a few expenses on this trip down the mountain. I'll definitely repay you at the beginning of next spring."
Li Ruohan's smile stiffened. The Attendant position was a verbal promise that might never be fulfilled, but Talisman Money was hard cash that had to come out of her own purse.
Meeting Jiang Yi's burning, expectant gaze, she also considered the favor he had done her by freely offering guidance and resolving her doubts.
She sighed softly:
"How much would you like to borrow, Senior Brother Jiang?"
Jiang Yi sipped his tea, his smile warm:
"A hundred and fifty thousand in Talisman Money should more or less suffice."
"Luo Tong went to Zhou Guang to buy Essence-Nourishing Pills, Zhou Guang bought them from Li Ruohan, and Li Ruohan lent me a hundred and fifty thousand... sure enough, Talisman Money ultimately flows to those who need it."
Jiang Yi returned to Crimson Flame Peak with two Essence-Nourishing Pills and a hundred and fifty thousand, inexplicably feeling the satisfaction of returning from a hunt laden with spoils.
"I'll take the Essence-Nourishing Pills, and the Talisman Money is in hand too. Then I'll head down the mountain to stumble upon a fortuitous encounter. Why worry about failing to reach the fifth realm!"
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