“So you’ve already gathered the money?”
In the residence at the summit of Chiyan Peak, Yang Xun’s eyes were wide as saucers, staring blankly at the two large bags Jiang Yi had brought over.
Two hundred and twenty thousand fu coins, bundled tight, were piled on the table like earthen bricks.
The sight was incredibly shocking!
Even though Yang Xun was someone who had seen great sums before, he couldn’t help but be shaken.
What amazed him most was Jiang Yi’s money-making speed.
Steward Xu of Heshui Cave had bought out the Azure Ganoderma Elixir formula for a full one hundred fifty thousand.
Where had the remaining seventy thousand come from?
That was a full seventy thousand fu coins—outer sect mortal servants might not be able to save that much even after ten years of hard labor.
“Windfall gains. Donated by good men and good women… ahem, voluntary donations.”
Jiang Yi coughed dryly twice. The sudden change of heart in the Luo siblings had left him pondering for a long time without reaching a conclusion.
It was no surprise that Luo Qian’er, seeing his fortunes turn, wanted to cling to him for profit;
Luo Tong was likely trying to win him over so that he would put in a good word with Xiao Tongquan and Li Ruohan… he understood the logic.
But where did they get fu coins?
Given Luo Qian’er’s temperament, if she hadn’t come into a large sum of money, how could she repay fifty thousand in one go?
Luo Tong was even more outrageous—he could actually afford to consume Vital Essence Pills.
Those things had a market but no price. Looking across the four outer peaks, probably only Xiao Tongquan and Li Ruohan could enjoy them.
“You sly, clever brat. You always find a way.”
Yang Xun didn’t ask further, raising his hand to gesture at him twice with the approachability and kindness of an elder.
If anything went wrong, he would naturally do his best to cover for Jiang Yi and smooth over the trouble.
“I was just worried. You’ve been taking tiger-wolf medicines, so your cultivation rose quickly, and your foundation must be unstable.
A Grade-Nine Qi Refining ritual might not be enough to help you fill the deficit, strengthen your primal essence, and break through to Qi Refining, Fifth Layer.”
Yang Xun brushed past the mountain of bright red fu coins piled on the table and said to himself:
“Since you’ve gathered two hundred and twenty thousand, this old man will add another one hundred eighty thousand. A full four hundred thousand fu coins to raise the quality of the main materials for the Water Pool and Fire Marsh—roughly the equivalent of a Grade-Eight ritual. Breaking through to the fifth layer should be more than enough.”
Jiang Yi felt a faint stirring of excitement. After days of bitter cultivation and tasting how slow his progress had become, he finally understood the exhilaration of relying on “external force.”
Unfortunately, while the three barriers of Muscle Changing, Bone Changing, and Blood Refining and Marrow Cleansing had been cleared, shortcuts were hard to come by for this fourth stage.
Accumulating primal essence in the five viscera and six bowels and nurturing true qi was honest, grinding work.
Unless one used precious medicines and spirit materials of considerable value to comfortably nurture the inner skeleton, there was no way to reach perfection in one go.
It so happened that under the Law Lineage, ninety percent of the good things that touched upon the word “spirit” had been seized by the sect.
Jiang Yi, staying on Chiyan Peak, would find it hard to run into great fortune and casually harvest natural treasures.
“Once the tempering workshop halts operations, this old man will make a trip down the mountain. Before spring begins, I will definitely have the Water Pool and Fire Marsh prepared.”
Yang Xun suddenly asked:
“Ah Yi, do you want to come along? It’s a rare chance to go out. Don’t you want to broaden your horizons?”
Jiang Yi didn’t answer directly, saying evasively:
“I’ve been planning recently to consolidate my primal essence and improve my cultivation, so as to push the fourth layer of Qi Refining into the middle stage and have greater confidence in assailing the fifth layer. It’s difficult to decide immediately on going down the mountain.”
Yang Xun nodded in approval:
“Mhm, your temperament is steady, and you understand to prioritize your cultivation. This is a good thing.
In any case, we still have three or four days before departing; I’ll speak with you again then. Although you’ve settled the business with Steward Xu of Heshui Cave, I need to give Elder Xu a greeting.
Otherwise, if the Azure Ganoderma Elixir doesn’t sell well, or some disciple has an adverse reaction from drinking it and he comes looking for trouble with you—that wouldn’t be pleasant.”
Jiang Yi hastily cupped his hands in thanks.
This was the importance of “backing.”
There was never a transaction in this world that could be done simply and cleanly, unless both sides were equal enough to override the interests born from conflict.
Heshui Cave was an inner-peak industry, backed by an Elder of the Transmission Hall.
Even if what Jiang Yi offered was worth the price, it was hard to guarantee others wouldn’t pick faults and harbor thoughts of forceful seizure.
Therefore, they needed Yang Xun to stand as his backer to avoid subsequent troubles that might arise.
“There is an irrefutable truth in the Demonic Law Lineage that this old man only understood after twenty years of reflection. Today, I will tell you.”
Yang Xun was quite emotional, speaking with heartfelt earnestness:
“What others promise you can all be dismissed; only what you yourself can control counts.
The great figures above the orthodox tradition—their words must be heeded; there is no helping that. But you must never treat them as a lifeline, or else… you’ll die without even understanding why!”
“Thank you for your teachings, Grandpa. I will surely engrave them upon my heart.”
Jiang Yi felt a chill in his heart. Looking at Yang Xun’s expression, he seemed to speak from bitter experience.
He had probably swallowed no small number of empty promises drawn by the inner peaks when he was young.
“Have you had any difficulties in your cultivation lately?”
Yang Xun asked cheerfully.
Jiang Yi selected a few questions to ask.
But as they spoke, he inexplicably felt that Grandpa’s understanding seemed inferior to his own?
“Controlling fire to smelt and refine, transforming the essence of food and drink—my understanding of this passage is…”
Jiang Yi recited the Celestial Tome’s analysis in detail. At first, Yang Xun didn’t pay much attention, but the more he listened, the more captivated he became, nodding from time to time as if suddenly seeing the light.
When they reached deeper aspects, he couldn’t help asking repeatedly:
“The subtleties of using fire, as if absent yet present—what does this line mean?”
“As the saying goes regarding the firing tempo of cultivation practice: inhale to ascend, exhale to descend. When advancing the yang fire, the intent focuses heavily on ascending rather than descending; thus, when ascending, any descent seems as if absent. When retreating with the yin tally, the intent focuses heavily on descending rather than ascending; thus, when descending, any ascent seems as if absent…”
“Then what does ‘stirring the Xun wind, circulating the Kun fire’ mean?”
“Yin essence is hard to subdue, so use wind and fire to transform it. Wind is the breath. When body and mind are both settled, regulate the breath into continuous softness, using it without strain, and you can stir the Xun wind…”
This discussion of the arcane and Dao, explaining texts and interpreting meanings, went on for two hours.
By the time Yang Xun raised his head again, the sun had set and the daylight shifted westward.
His mind was filled with “scholarly understandings” that he had previously failed to comprehend, giving birth to an intense urge to seclude himself for several days to verify his gains.
“What talent! This is clearly Dao material!”
Yang Xun was incredibly excited. How long had it been since Jiang Yi obtained the *Minor Origin-Refining Fire Control Technique*?
Yet he had already mastered seventy to eighty percent of it!
What kind of natural talent must this be?!
“Could it be… this old man has truly found a treasure?”
Yang Xun’s gaze burned fiery hot, and he hurriedly said:
“I see the sky has grown late. Ah Yi, why don’t you rest here? I’ll have the Dao child prepare food and drink. We grandfather and grandson can talk through the night by candlelight to our hearts’ content!”
Jiang Yi naturally had no objection. Whenever he had leisure or doubts, he would petition the Celestial Tome, word by word, to resolve his confusion.
Not to put too fine a point on it, if one only considered true insight at the level of secret essentials, all the Qi Refining cultivators on Chiyan Peak who studied the *Minor Origin-Refining Fire Control Technique* put together might not equal him.
Yang Xun waved his large hand and ordered:
“Child! Bring out that jar of ‘Nine Worms Wine’!”
The young Dao child found it unbelievable. That jar of spirit wine was a treasure to the old master; normally, he wouldn’t even let anyone touch it.
Had the sun risen from the west today? He actually wanted to break the seal and drink heartily with someone.
About half an hour later, lanterns were hung in the main hall and candlesticks were placed all around, illuminating everything brightly.
All manner of spirit dishes and wines transported from the inner peaks covered the tabletop. That jar of Nine Worms Wine was opened by Yang Xun, its fragrant aroma assailing the nostrils and filling the room.
“This jar of wine was not easily obtained. Over a hundred kinds of fine medicines were sought from Herb-Gathering Peak. It can kill the nine worms within the body and nourish the five viscera and six bowels. I had originally planned to leave it for… come! Drink your fill with this old man!”
Yang Xun’s expression turned wistful; clearly, he was thinking of his son Yang Zhi, who had died in the Hundred Beast Cave.
Jiang Yi stood up to pour wine, filling his own bowl to the brim, then pouring for Yang Xun. Lifting it with both hands, he respectfully said:
“Thank you, Grandpa, for not abandoning me and for uplifting and cultivating me! To you!”
Glug, glug—he drained it completely.
This Nine Worms Wine going down didn’t burn the throat nor cause any heart-scorching pain. The taste was quite mellow and soft, leaving one wanting more.
The more he drank, the warmer his body became, yet his mind remained very clear.
Truly a superior spirit wine that Yang Xun had treasured for many years!
“You are a young man; your blood and qi are vigorous, your vitality flourishing. You can drink more.”
Yang Xun sipped in small mouthfuls, the corners of his mouth rising uncontrollably as he picked up dishes for Jiang Yi.
“Good wine! Good food! Such delight!”
Clusters of fire-nature surged from Jiang Yi’s mouth and nose, transforming into spheres of faint light to refine the dense wine qi within his body.
For a moment, he felt light and airy, forgetting himself.
Not long after.
Having eaten and drunk their fill.
The grandfather and grandson pair started “mutually verifying” again, dissecting the *Minor Origin-Refining Fire Control Technique*.
Lamplight cast their shadows; the mood was joyous and harmonious.
The young Dao child tidying up the messy cups and plates looked at Jiang Yi sitting on the couch, then shifted his gaze down to Yang Xun, sitting properly on a small folding stool that had been moved over.
He muttered quietly in his heart:
“Well, now the old master hasn’t just been cajoled into acting like a grandson, but turned into an apprentice too. Truly growing younger the longer he lives.”
P.S.: Chapter 2 is being proofread. Esteemed readers, please wait ten minutes~