It was less of a 'honey trap' and more of an 'old friend' gambit. Attacking the heart is the best strategy—it works every single time!
In essence, it was no different from his 'fated encounter' gambit.
'I've finally pried open a tiny crack in the gate to the Inner Peak.'
Jiang Yi took a deep breath, the air so cold it felt like a knife's cut.
But his heart was on fire, blazing like a hot coal.
From now on, the *Little Refining Yuan Fire Control Technique* had a legitimate origin. He no longer needed to hide it and could practice his Cultivation openly.
He no longer had to perform the hard labor of a Mortal Servant, only needing to check in once every seven days. All his remaining time could be devoted to Cultivation.
More importantly, relying on Yang Xun, the Servant from the Quenching Room, meant he now had backing and connections. He could stand a little taller than before.
'Mortal Servant, Inspector, Servant. Expendable material, talented person... Dao Material.'
'The steps on the great road of Cultivation are high and long, but I, too, can advance with caution. One day, I will sit at the very top.'
Jiang Yi's steps were light as he walked downhill, yet it felt as though he were scaling a cliff, climbing ever higher.
...
...
「The next day.」
The bell of Guanlan Peak was like a dealer's long whip for his cattle and horses, forcing the many Mortal Servants to crawl out of their barracks before dawn and gather in clusters before the gate of the Labor Institute.
He the Venerable glanced around, puzzled.
'Why can't I see Brother Yi?'
'It's the end of the month!'
'Being slow to work and getting on the wrong side of a Servant means they'll make an example out of you and skin you alive!'
'Oh no, did he oversleep? But I clearly called for him several times outside his door, and there was no sound!'
He the Venerable, still mindful of the favor represented by that bowl of Spirit Rice, left the long, crowded line.
"Old Li, have you seen Brother Yi?"
Old Li shook his head:
"What's up? Brother Yi didn't come to work? Is he so absorbed in his Cultivation that he lost track of time? I've noticed he's been distracted lately. I reckon he's still thinking about Miss Luo! Planning to finally make something of himself..."
He the Venerable ignored Old Li's rambling, wondering if he should find a substitute Mortal Servant to pick up a work tally for Brother Yi.
But with the end of the month here, all the workshops were rushing their quotas, and supervision was already tight.
Besides, Old Yang was a stickler for rules and hated anyone who tried to slack off or pull a fast one...
The more He the Venerable thought, the more frantic he became. He was so on edge that the Daoist Child from the Labor Institute had to call his name twice before he heard.
After getting his tally, he followed the crowd to the Quenching Room.
As luck would have it, Old Yang was also up bright and early. In his black robe, with a fierce expression and all-white hair and beard, he was an intimidating sight.
'Brother Yi, sigh! You're in for a world of hurt this time!'
Before He the Venerable could figure out a way to smooth things over, Yang Xun's voice boomed like thunder, making the eardrums of all the Mortal Servants tremble.
"The Quenching Room is promoting one person to Inspector..."
Before the words were even out of his mouth, everyone's spirits lifted, and they unconsciously puffed out their chests.
He the Venerable, however, didn't care about some damn Inspector position; it wasn't going to be him, anyway.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jiang Yi, dressed in a clean Daoist Robe, step into the Quenching Room and walk straight toward them.
'Brother Yi! You finally made it!'
He the Venerable had just let out a sigh of relief when his heart instantly leaped back into his throat.
He saw Brother Yi, who looked exceptionally vibrant today, wear a pleasant expression as he gently pushed aside the Mortal Servant workers in front of him.
Like a mythical pearl parting a stream, he walked directly up to Yang Xun.
'Is he trying to get himself killed?!'
Everyone was shocked. For a mere Mortal Servant to be so disrespectful to a Servant—did he have a death wish?
But in the next moment, Yang Xun spoke, announcing his choice:
"From now on, Jiang Yi will assist me with various tasks. He will also be responsible for inspecting the quality of the Bone Material produced in the Quenching Room."
The Mortal Servants were all stunned. They looked at the boy in the Daoist Robe, whose features still held a trace of youthfulness, and felt nothing but confusion.
'What kind of connections does this Brother Yi have?'
'To have latched onto Marshal Yang's coattails without anyone knowing?'
But the most shocked of all was none other than He the Venerable.
"Huh?"
He froze on the spot, completely stunned.
'The same Brother Yi who was doing hard labor with me just yesterday... how did he suddenly get "promoted"?'