"Red Flame Peak has a Qi Cultivation Level, Ninth Grade Technique called the *Little Refining Yuan Fire Control Technique*. It can increase Breathing efficiency by twenty percent. If you can earn a Marshal's favor, you might be taught it..."
"Nourish yourself with Spiritual Objects for nine consecutive days to solidify the Second Layer and strengthen your bones and sinews..."
"Red Flame Peak is in the south, corresponding to Ding Fire. If you meditate and cultivate near the Quenching Room at the peak of noon, when the Yang Fire Qi is rising, you will get twice the results with half the effort..."
Jiang Yi sat quietly for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, memorizing the cultivation method provided by the Celestial Book Golden Paper.
'Relying on the Celestial Book to ascend to immortality in the blink of an eye is, as expected, unrealistic.'
He sighed to himself. You can't make bricks without straw. He was just a Mortal Servant of the Qianji Sect's Red Flame Peak; his cultivation conditions were harsh to begin with.
Even if he followed the Celestial Book's instructions to the letter, it would probably only increase his cultivation efficiency by about forty percent compared to usual.
Jiang Yi estimated:
'Going from the Qi Cultivation Second Layer to the Third Layer normally takes about five to six years.'
'If I stick to the cultivation strategy given by the Celestial Book, I can probably shorten that by two years.'
For a Mortal Servant, this was certainly fast enough. Qi Cultivation Third Layer was sufficient to last until the twelve-year term was up and save tens of thousands of Fu money to leave the mountain.
But for Jiang Yi, it fell a bit short.
He had the heart for Cultivation and, even more so, the desire to enter the Inner Sect and shed his mortal coil.
If he didn't shed the "mortal" part of his Mortal Servant status soon, he'd be worked to death every day. How could he possibly squeeze out the time to build a foundation and push for the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer?
'The steady path is a slow one. Is there a shortcut?'
Jiang Yi thought for a moment more, then asked a question on a whim.
[I beg the Celestial Book, can you show me the complete text of a Qi Cultivation First Grade Technique?]
[Query: Complete Cultivation Technique]
[Deduction Time: Seventeen years and five months]
[Deduction Requirement: One Qi Cultivation First Grade Spiritual Object]
'It even requires a corresponding Spiritual Object in exchange... That makes sense. The Celestial Book Mirror inspects all things and traces karma; it's impossible for it to be without cost.'
Jiang Yi felt a sense of understanding and immediately posed another ridiculously outlandish question.
[I beg the Celestial Book, can you show me my future opportunity to achieve the Dao?]
VMMMM!
The golden paper trembled violently!
The tiny, tadpole-like characters leaped about as if to the beat of a war drum! THUMP THUMP!
[Deduction Time: One hundred three thousand two hundred tribulations]
'This... How long is one tribulation?'
Jiang Yi was dumbfounded and immediately wiped the words away.
After the golden light faded and the karmic connection was severed, he asked several more questions.
[I beg the Celestial Book, can you show me an opportunity for eternal life and immortality?]
[I beg the Celestial Book, can you show me where I can find a discarded Magical Artifact?]
[I beg the Celestial Book, can you show me an undiscovered Foundation Establishment Cave Mansion in the Beimang Ridge whose master has already passed away?]
[I beg the Celestial Book...]
Even though Jiang Yi's questions were completely off-the-wall, the Celestial Book responded to every one.
It was just that they required extremely long deduction times and matching Spiritual Objects of varying value.
And Jiang Yi could afford neither.
After he had asked seven or eight times, the glow floating on the surface of the golden paper dimmed, so he stopped.
Jiang Yi sorted through the various responses from the Celestial Book.
'The Celestial Book Mirror inspects karma, and the results depend on me. If the "cause" I propose is too great for me to bear, then the "effect" cannot be brought to fruition.'
'Instantaneously becoming an Immortal, ascending in broad daylight... that's pure fantasy.'
Those impractical questions just now were partly to test the waters and partly to see the limits of the Celestial Book.
Having gained a general understanding, he returned to a more down-to-earth path of growth.
[I beg the Celestial Book, please show me how to acquire five thousand to one hundred thousand Fu money without any negative consequences.]
The most pressing matter was to get money first!
To make up for the lack of Cultivation Resources!
So Jiang Yi believed.
[Query: Fu money]
[Deduction Time: Two hours]
'It seems that compared to an "Opportunity," "seeking wealth" involves much less karma.'
Jiang Yi silently made a note of this.
Through his repeated inquiries, he could roughly deduce a hierarchy within the same tier: "Cultivation Technique is greater than Opportunity," and "Opportunity is greater than external objects."
He hadn't worked today, so he had some rare free time. Jiang Yi wasn't in a hurry to sit and practice his Breathing.
Cultivation in the Qi Cultivation First Realm was quite methodical and particular.
He had once heard He the Venerable ramble a bit about it. All things in heaven and earth—the mountains and rivers, the sun, moon, and stars—all had their own qi.
This qi could be pure or turbid, rising or falling, each nurturing and transforming to become all kinds of Spiritual Energy.
Until one reached the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer and opened the Primordial Inner Mansion, one could not absorb this Spiritual Energy for their own use.
One could only be patient, performing the slow, grinding work day after day to accumulate True Essence and temper oneself.
The *True Meridian Qi Flowing Technique* that Jiang Yi practiced was ungraded, a mere instructional text provided by the Daoist academy.
Ten parts of meditation yielded only about one or two parts of results; the growth of his True Essence and inner qi was sluggish.
In some respects, even if Jiang Yi didn't have to work and could focus entirely on Cultivation, he would hit his limit after meditating for three hours a day. Any further effort would yield diminishing returns.
'To think Red Flame Peak actually has a Ninth Grade Technique. It must be in Marshal Yang's possession and not taught to outsiders.'
Jiang Yi had his eye on that *Little Refining Yuan Fire Control Technique*. If he could get his hands on it, his cultivation efficiency would rise again.
'You eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time. I can't be too hasty.'
He suppressed the impatience in his heart and once again silently repeated the word 'Steady.'
The sunsets on Red Flame Peak had always been like splashes of molten gold, intensely vibrant. Reflecting off the vast, snow-capped peaks of Beimang Ridge, they were a sight to behold.
However, the Mortal Servants, who toiled like cattle and horses for most of the day, were rarely in a leisurely mood to appreciate it.
As the last rays of twilight fell upon the Big Mixed Courtyard, He the Venerable and the others carried their respective "celebratory gifts," preparing to light the stoves and cook.
"Brother Yi, take a look! It took a lot of effort to get these two Spirit Fish from the Shopkeeper at the Ice and Fire Cave. They don't weigh much, but it's enough to make a soup!"
He the Venerable bellowed like a triumphant general returning from battle. Before he even entered the courtyard gate, the two palm-sized, bright red fish in his hand had already arrived.
Widow Qin covered her mouth and teased:
"Brother He, those two Spirit Fish of yours must be served on a saucer, absolutely not in a large bowl. Otherwise, I'm afraid we'll be hunting for them with our chopsticks for quite some time."
He the Venerable wasn't annoyed at all. Instead, he chuckled and said:
"The fish may be small, but they're a token of my sincerity. Just you wait. I'll brew up a pot of rich soup so savory it'll make your tongues fall out!"
He usually enjoyed bantering with the women, but Widow Qin was at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer, so he couldn't afford to be too casual or offensive with his jokes.
It was a rare occasion that she was willing to pay him any mind today, so he had to seize the chance to say a few more words.
"Spirit Fish are delicious. I've long heard of them but never had the chance to taste one. We're all benefiting from Brother Yi's good fortune!"
Old Li was hugging a small half-sack of Spirit Rice. It looked like old rice that had been sitting in the grain shop for too long; when he opened it, a damp, musty smell wafted out.
He smiled sheepishly.
"Wash it a few more times, and it'll be just like new rice."
Jiang Yi saw this and sighed inwardly. Which Mortal Servant didn't have to split every single Fu money in two to spend it?
This was the kind of life they all lived.
Then he felt the urge to curse the body's previous owner, who had actually spent money like water on some "factory girl"!
"I bought ten jin of beef and mutton from the butcher shop, a few jars of newly brewed rice wine, and some fruits and pastries. I hope you all won't mind."
Jiang Yi had also spent seventy or eighty Fu money on his purchases.
On Red Flame Peak, food and clothing like beef, mutton, fish, and cotton-padded jackets weren't expensive. Only Cultivation Resources with the word "Spirit" in their name cost hundreds or thousands, which they couldn't afford.
"Sister Qin and I will do the cooking. Husband, you wash the fruit and put it on the table first."
Old Li's wife was efficient. She rolled up her sleeves and got busy in the kitchen.
Widow Qin smiled and pushed Jiang Yi, who wanted to help, back into his seat.
"This is a celebration for you, Brother Yi. There's no reason to make you work. Just rest for a bit and be a 'Young Master' for a change."
He the Venerable brought over stools and set up a few tables, pushing them together. Although the autumn chill outside was heavy, they were all Qi Cultivation Cultivators, strong enough to withstand it.
He and Old Li shot the breeze, talking about everything under the sun, while Jiang Yi listened in.
At first, they spoke of distant matters, mostly about which sect in Beimang Ridge had produced a talent for the Dao, or which place had been hit by Tribulation Cultivators.
Gradually, the topic shifted closer to home.
He the Venerable cracked open melon seeds and shelled peanuts, his mouth never stopping, and his words never ceasing.
"Old Li, you and your wife work so hard. Where are you planning to send your son? The Daoist academy in Zhao Country Prefecture City only teaches the *True Meridian Qi Flowing Technique*. There's nothing truly valuable there worth spending big money on."
When his "son" was mentioned, a smile appeared on Old Li's bronze, farmer-like face.
"To the west of Beimang Ridge, there's a Marketplace. A long time ago, I went there a few times with Marshal Yang to make purchases and got to know an Elder Artifact Master at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer."
"He said he was from the Yin Puppet Sect and was always looking for apprentices. I sent my boy over a few years ago, and what do you know, our ancestral graves must be smoking—my boy actually has some talent."
He the Venerable frowned slightly but didn't say much.
Old Li continued:
"Being an apprentice and learning the skills costs eight thousand Fu money a year. The Elder Artifact Master saw my boy was clever and knocked two thousand off the price."
Only then did He the Venerable speak up:
"You and your wife can save up six thousand Fu money a year from work. It shouldn't be too hard to support your boy's apprenticeship."
Old Li shook his head.
"Ah, Brother He, you don't know the half of it. How could six thousand be enough! Artifact Refining uses up a lot of consumables and materials. That expense alone is an extra five thousand!"
"The other apprentices can afford them, so how could I let my own boy lose out! Add a bit for food and drink—the boy is at a crucial age for growth... Anyway, it all adds up to fourteen or fifteen thousand Fu money."
He the Venerable was speechless upon hearing this. No wonder Old Li's family was usually unwilling to even buy meat, practically subsisting on steamed buns and salted vegetables.
Turns out they were raising "a four-legged beast that devours gold"!
"The expenses have been even greater these past two years. The Elder Artifact Master said he has connections to get into the Yin Puppet Sect's Inner Peak, as long as my boy can reach the Qi Cultivation Third Layer... There's no other way! We just have to work harder!"
Jiang Yi looked at Old Li. The man's eyes were filled with longing, brimming with hope.
"Once the boy enters the Yin Puppet Sect's Inner Peak, at the very least he can become a Marshal. He won't have to suffer like me. My wife and I won't have to struggle so hard then."
Old Li sipped his rice wine and squinted his eyes, a look of serene contentment on his face, as if he could already see that future scene.
He the Venerable laughed and said:
"Haha, when that day comes, you and your wife can also leave the mountain, escape the toil of being Mortal Servants, and enjoy a peaceful life."
Old Li shook his head.
"We'll leave the mountain, yes, but enjoying a peaceful life... forget it. We were born to a life of labor; we can't stay idle. My wife and I have already agreed. We'll take our White Scroll from the Qianji Sect and go rent a few acres of Spirit Fields."
"I heard from a fellow worker at Gathering Herbs Peak that even though Inner Sect Disciples live on the Inner Peak, if they want to cultivate in a place with abundant Spiritual Energy, they still have to spend money to rent a Cave Mansion or a Quiet Chamber. It's not cheap!"
"If we can save up enough for a one-room residence for our boy, to make his life a little easier, we can die without regrets."
He the Venerable was stunned for a moment. He gulped down a bowl of rice wine and said only:
"It's a good thing I never married or had children. Otherwise, I'd be like a donkey on a millstone my whole life, never able to rest."
But Old Li said:
"Brother He, you're wrong there. We work hard and save Fu money for the sake of having something to fall back on in the second half of our lives! Having successful children is better than anything!"
Listening from the side, Jiang Yi felt that the rice wine in his bowl had a complicated taste. 'What does a person truly live for in this life?'
Immediately, his conviction to pursue the path of Cultivation grew even stronger.
'All this toil, all this suffering—only "long life" can deliver one from it!'
Before long, the fragrant porridge made from Spirit Rice was brought to the table, served with slices of marinated beef and mutton. It had a unique and delicious flavor.
The steaming fish soup was placed in the center. Everyone ladled a bowl for themselves. It was indeed exceptionally savory, and drinking it warmed their bodies and souls.
The last of the sunset glow dissipated, and the surrounding peaks darkened. Only the nearby workers' quarters lit up with scattered points of light, like fishing fires on a river.
The lively atmosphere of cooking smoke and cheerful conversation emanating from Jiang Yi's Big Mixed Courtyard caused passing Mortal Servants to glance over.
They seemed surprised that these people could still find joy amid their suffering in a life of endless toil, year after year, like cattle and horses.