'So, a Daoist Lineage is established based on a Dharma Lineage. You must first have a Dharma Lineage before you can even attempt to establish a Daoist Lineage. That makes sense. The predecessors walk the path, and the successors follow. Only then can it be called a path of the Dao.'
'By that logic, the Demon Dao cannot be killed off indiscriminately, and the Dharma Lineages cannot act recklessly. Is this perhaps some kind of "sustainable development" policy? Do the higher-ups need common mortals, like weeds, to exist within their Daoist Lineages and Dharma Lineages?'
'Tsk tsk, the Yanfu Vast Land nearly gained a fifth Daoist Lineage. Even after 120,000 years, Sword Cultivators still reign supreme, a cut above all other Cultivators... The style of the Sword Dao is truly captivating.'
The lecture ended late in the afternoon. Jiang Yi remained seated in his corner, silently digesting what he had learned from Elder Xu's "semi-public class" and slowly organizing his thoughts.
To be honest, there wasn't much substance to it.
The Preaching Elder barely spoke of Cultivation matters. Even when he mentioned the essentials of Daoist Techniques, he just skimmed the surface.
He was clearly holding back, with no intention of teaching anything real.
No wonder He the Venerable had gritted his teeth and nearly bankrupted himself, attending eleven classes without gaining a single thing.
'It might be worth listening to once or twice, just to broaden my horizons.'
Jiang Yi mused that while Elder Xu's semi-public classes were full of fluff, they could still open the eyes of someone like him, stuck in the Outer Sect.
You get what you pay for. To think you could study the Great Dao and refine supreme techniques for just a few hundred talisman coins was truly a beautiful, foolish dream.
Jiang Yi slowly rose from his cushion. He glanced up at the sky; a light, dusky mist veiled the sun and obscured the light of day.
It was time to return to the Outer Sect.
The Inner Peak was nice, but it wasn't a place he could linger.
"Junior Brother, please wait!"
Jiang Yi had just started to head back the way he came when he suddenly heard a voice call out.
The familiar phrase made his heart tighten.
"Which Outer Sect peak might you be from, Junior Brother?"
Jiang Yi turned to see a man in his early thirties with a broad face, a thick beard, and honest features.
'During Elder Xu's lecture, hadn't this person been sitting on a cushion not far from him?'
'Looks like he's also a Mortal Servant from the Outer Sect?'
Unsure of the man's origins or intentions, he offered a respectful salute and said politely:
"My name is Jiang Yi. I serve in the Quenching Room on Red Flame Peak. And may I ask which peak Senior Brother is from?"
"Ah, so you're under Marshal Yang. I'm from the Banner Making Room on Nourishing Soul Peak. My surname is Wang, given name Heng. I'm the seventh child in my family, so everyone just calls me 'Wang Qi.'"
Jiang Yi was surprised. He rarely interacted with Mortal Servants from other peaks.
The reason was simple: there weren't many opportunities to do so.
While the Outer Sect Four Peaks weren't far from each other, they weren't exactly close either. A round trip took some time.
Besides, since they didn't work in the same workshops, it was even harder to form any deep bonds.
"So it is Senior Brother Wang. What guidance do you have for me?"
"I wouldn't dare offer guidance. We're all Mortal Servants of the Outer Peak with aspirations to enter the Inner Peak. We should get to know each other better."
Wang Heng laughed heartily, his voice frank and open.
"I see it's not too late. Junior Brother Jiang, would you be interested in joining me for a chat at the Heshui Cave near the Qi Gong Institute?"
Jiang Yi pondered for a moment, then smiled freely.
"Since Senior Brother Wang has honored me with the invitation, it would be rude of me to refuse."
Wang Heng's attitude grew even warmer as he led Jiang Yi toward Heshui Cave.
According to Wang Heng, Heshui Cave was a three-story stilt house perched on the edge of a steep cliff.
The first-floor hall was for eating and chatting, the second for drinking tea and enjoying the scenery, while the third floor had several Quiet Chambers set aside for Inner Peak Disciples to meditate and practice their Cultivation.
All in all, it was a fine establishment on Guanlan Peak.
Along the way, the two chatted idly, and the conversation was quite pleasant.
"Junior Brother Jiang, you might find me a bit forward," Wang Heng said softly.
"Among the Mortal Servants in the Outer Sect, very few are like us—aspiring to the Inner Peak and willing to spend talisman coins to get in here.
"Most are just trying to make a living. Once they save up enough money, they leave the mountain to live a comfortable life."
Jiang Yi nodded. The Mortal Servants of the Outer Sect were a diverse lot, each with their own way of living.
"Life in the workshops is grueling. Trying to balance that with Cultivation is harder than hard.
"That's why people like us need to stick together and help each other out! Otherwise, how will we ever make it to the Inner Peak and stay there?
"After Elder Xu left, I saw that you didn't leave for a long time, Junior Brother Jiang. I figured you must be a studious person, and that's why I spoke up to invite you!"
Jiang Yi's mouth twitched. He never expected to hear such a pure, unadulterated dose of "chicken soup for the soul" while in the Demon Dao.
What a rarity!
He almost thought he'd ended up in the wrong place, on the Dongsheng Continent among the Immortal Dao!
"Senior Brother Wang," Jiang Yi began, feigning hesitation, "if the Mortal Servants of the Outer Sect band together..."
"I understand what you mean, Junior Brother Jiang."
Wang Heng led Jiang Yi into Heshui Cave. He was clearly a regular, as an attendant immediately welcomed them into a private room.
"Bring us a pot of Biluo Tea and two plates of fruit to start.
"More people will be coming later, we'll order food and wine then."
After giving the order, Wang Heng invited Jiang Yi to sit and continued:
"You must think that since Mortal Servants are at the bottom of the Outer Sect, there's not much we can accomplish even if we band together.
"Junior Brother Jiang, forgive me for being blunt, but your horizons are too narrow. Your perspective is too small."
Jiang Yi wasn't offended. He asked sincerely:
"Then please, enlighten me, Senior Brother."
Wang Heng took a long, satisfying sip of his hot tea and said patiently:
"The Qianji Sect may not be a Major Sect, but it receives patronage from the Zhao Country, controls hundreds of miles of land, and has its own industries and Marketplaces. It's a power in its own right.
"Furthermore, Sect Leader Liu is at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer and is determined to reach the Twelfth Layer Floors to achieve Dao Foundation Establishment. He's a renowned figure even in the greater Beimang Ridge."
'Whoa!'
Jiang Yi's eyes lit up with interest. This Senior Brother Wang's "lecture" had more substance than Elder Xu's!
'This is worth listening to!'
"Under the rule of the Daoist Lineages, all opportunities for advancement are found within the various Dharma Lineages. Even if a Qi Cultivation Clan gets a lucky Opportunity, obtains high-grade Essentials, and nurtures a seedling with a Dao Root, they still have to beg for a Dharma Lineage Decree to establish their own sect!"
Seeing Jiang Yi's interest, Wang Heng relished the chance to play the teacher and explained in detail:
"So, rather than go through all that trouble, many Qi Cultivation Clans simply send their most promising young talents into the Sects.
"Not to have them slave away, but to pour all their resources into supporting them, hoping to secure a position as a proper Disciple.
"After a hundred years or so, with several generations advancing one after another, they might just produce an outstanding Dao Material who soars to the heavens!"
Wang Heng glanced at Jiang Yi, whose expression hadn't changed, and added:
"The Zhao You Sect, which now dominates Beimang Ridge, and the Fu and Kang Families—that's how they all got their start."
Jiang Yi understood now. He couldn't help but think of Zheng Dajiang, whom he had met in the Ice and Fire Cave. That man was probably in the same category.
With a clan backing him and access to the right connections, he didn't have to toil away miserably. Instead, he was ambitious enough to aim for a Marshal position in one of the halls.
'But what does that have to do with me?'
Jiang Yi's expression turned strange.
'Looks like this Senior Brother Wang has misjudged me.'
'I'm not from some clan. My last three generations were all mortals. I'm just a pure-blooded, small-town kid.'
Before he could speak up, people began to arrive one after another in the private room.
Wang Heng stood to greet them and took the opportunity to introduce Jiang Yi.
"This is Junior Brother Jiang. He works in the Quenching Room on Red Flame Peak.
"He was at Elder Xu's lecture today. I saw he had an extraordinary bearing and brought him along to meet everyone."
Then, Wang Heng turned back to Jiang Yi and said:
"Senior Brother Lu Yun is the eldest among us. He's been on Gathering Herbs Peak for twenty-one years. Whenever we need well-aged, quality herbs, we rely on him for help..."
"Junior Brother Zhao Fang is the youngest. He's also on Red Flame Peak, assigned to the Grinding and Carving Room..."
"And this is Junior Sister Li Ruohan. Don't be fooled by her age—she's about the same as you, but she's already an Inspector in the Weaving Room on Sewing Peak..."
After going through the introductions one by one, Wang Heng had everyone take a seat. This Senior Brother Wang was truly a social butterfly, able to chat, joke, and banter with everyone.
Once everyone was seated, bowls of a long-simmered Spiritual Meal and Good Medicine were served. Wang Heng didn't rush to eat, but spoke slowly:
"Senior Brother Lu is from the Miyang Lu Clan; his family's Elder Ancestor is at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer... Junior Brother Zhao is practically a neighbor of mine, also from Dalim Lake... And Junior Sister Li is truly incredible, from the renowned Bo County Li Clan, one of Zhao Country's Aristocratic Families, with an Elder Ancestor at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer watching over them."
"Oh, right, I haven't had a chance to ask yet—where are you from, Junior Brother Jiang? Let me think, there are two Jiang Families in Beimang Ridge: one is the Changling Jiang Clan, and the other is the Longqiu Jiang Clan..."
Wang Heng beamed, his eyes full of expectation as he looked at Jiang Yi.
"Which clan might you be from, Junior Brother Jiang?"
Jiang Yi held his head high, completely unintimidated. He replied with a serious expression:
"I grew up in a small town at the foot of Guling. If you must have a name, I suppose you could barely call us the 'Guling Jiang Clan.'"