The next morning, a dense crowd of Mortal Servants gathered at the Labor Institute.
Having just received their talisman money the day before, everyone was in high spirits and eager to gather for some idle gossip.
"Have you all heard? Those two vicious dogs, Zhang San and Dong Si, met with disaster!"
"Hah, don't even mention it. I live in the large tile-roofed house right next to them. Zhang San's mother wailed all night long; it was so loud I couldn't get a wink of sleep!"
"Dong Si had it worse. I went over for a peek on my way to work. His face looked like it had been rolled across a furnace in the Quenching Room. Tsk, tsk, he died with his eyes open!"
"They say Brother Yi was the one who did it…"
The crowd chattered excitedly, their gazes involuntarily drifting toward He the Venerable.
It couldn't be helped. Now that Brother Yi no longer had to report for work, it was rare to see him in person.
"Old He! Give us the scoop! Tell us what happened!"
Someone in the long, snaking queue started to clamor, urging He the Venerable to say a few words.
"Yeah! Isn't Brother Yi only at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer? To think he could take down Zhang San and Dong Si, he must have cultivated some incredible skills!"
Others chimed in, their hearts full of curiosity and eager to hear the latest news.
Dozens of people all talked at once, creating a noisy, lively scene.
Those two vicious dogs, Zhang Chao and Dong Ba, had been throwing their weight around for so long, and everyone knew their methods all too well.
For them to be suddenly and quietly eliminated by Brother Yi was, naturally, both shocking and terrifying.
It must be clarified that although the Qianji Sect was of a Demon Dao Dharma Lineage, the life-and-death struggles—murdering for treasure, robbing, and killing—had little to do with the low-level Mortal Servants.
The reason was simple.
Over eighty percent of the Outer Sect's Mortal Servants would struggle to even touch the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer in their entire lives.
Since they could not open the Primordial Inner Mansion, they could not refine the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism, and thus could not be called true Cultivators.
They either worked for the Sect to save enough talisman money to leave the mountain and retire, or they went to the Marketplace to work as hired help, relying on a trade to make a living.
They were like the ubiquitous grains of sand and blades of grass on the Nanzhan Continent, living out mediocre and unremarkable lives.
The Foundation Establishment Cave Mansions, Great Power Relics, and fortuitous Opportunities so common in storybooks had nothing to do with them.
The vast majority of these Mortal Servants, who were no better than cattle and horses, bitterly pursued their Qi Cultivation.
In their entire lives, they would likely never experience a so-called "Magical Combat."
"I don't know anything. I was sleeping like a log yesterday and didn't hear a thing."
Had this been the old He the Venerable, being the center of attention like this, he would have undoubtedly started spewing nonsense, spit flying as his words flowed like a river.
But after this incident, he had shed his nasty habit of bragging and boasting, determined to keep his lips sealed.
He the Venerable understood the principle that a tall tree catches the wind.
Brother Yi had stood up for him, displaying his might to eliminate those two vicious dogs, Zhang Chao and Dong Ba.
He couldn't repay kindness with malice, run his mouth and ruin things, or expose Brother Yi's secrets.
"Old He…"
Some people were still pressing him, but just then, the gates to the Labor Institute opened, and they saw Jiang Yi emerge with three Little Daoist Children.
The crowd of Mortal Servants instantly fell silent.
When Brother Yi had first become an Inspector, everyone had thought him young and amiable and felt little awe for him.
Now, with Zhang Chao crippled and Dong Ba dead overnight, it finally dawned on everyone that this Brother Yi was a swift, ruthless, and decisive individual!
"Inspector Zhang of the Grinding and Carving Room has had his leg broken, and Inspector Dong of the Forging Room is dead. I will temporarily take over the miscellaneous affairs of the workshops."
Jiang Yi stood on the steps, his brand-new Daoist Robe complementing his fair features, looking for all the world like a handsome young gentleman.
But the words that came out of his mouth carried immense weight:
"Before the middle of the month, I will request that several Servants select new, suitable candidates to become Inspectors. I trust you will all perform your duties diligently and work your hardest."
The Mortal Servants hurriedly agreed, replying in unison:
"We will obey Marshal Jiang's orders!"
CLANG CLANG CLANG!
The bell on Guanlan Peak rang, and everyone dispersed to their respective workshops.
The dense crowd suddenly scattered. No one dared to ask about the fate of the crippled Zhang Chao and the violently deceased Dong Ba, nor how the aftermath would be handled.
Forget Red Flame Peak—in the entire Outer Sect, dozens of lives were lost every year.
As long as the higher-ups didn't pursue the matter, the Mortal Servants, who were no better than beasts of burden, wouldn't waste their energy worrying about it.
"Brother He, keep a close watch on things."
Jiang Yi walked down the steps, gave an instruction to He the Venerable, and then headed straight for Yang Xun's residence.
He thought:
'As expected, a life in the Outer Sect isn't worth much. Forty thousand talisman coins were enough to smooth things over, to make the two Servants from the Grinding and Carving Room and the Forging Room turn a blind eye and drop the matter.'
Of course, part of it was them showing deference to Yang Xun.
Otherwise, the "compensation" Jiang Yi would have had to pay would have been much higher.
"Old Zhou from the Forging Room didn't say much. He's the type who only cares about money. Once you paid up, he was happy to find a more useful replacement for Dong Ba."
Jiang Yi hadn't gone far when he saw Yang Xun on the mountain path.
The man stood with his hands behind his back, his black robe cutting a striking figure against the snow. His hoarse voice drifted down:
"Old Tang from the Grinding and Carving Room, for once, didn't try to haggle with me. That fellow is usually so garrulous, but he was surprisingly straightforward today."
"It is all thanks to you, Servant, for mediating and negotiating on my behalf."
Jiang Yi stopped below him, bowing respectfully with clasped hands.
After dealing with the trouble that was Zhang Chao and Dong Ba, he had asked the Celestial Book a question.
The result he received was [Safe and sound].
With Yang Xun stepping in, Tang Cong, the Servant from the Grinding and Carving Room, and Zhou Guang, the Servant from the Forging Room, did not press the issue.
The two of them cheerfully accepted the talisman money and considered the matter closed.
Otherwise, the commotion would not have died down so quickly.
Yang Xun asked, as if casually:
"I am a bit puzzled. Why did you kill Dong Ba but spare Zhang Chao?"
"Reporting to the Servant, I felt that Dong Ba was vicious and narrow-minded. He was prone to causing trouble and had to be eliminated.
Zhang Chao, on the other hand, though treacherous, has been scared out of his wits. He can't stir up any more waves, so I left him alive to suffer a while."
Jiang Yi answered truthfully.
'Presumably, the two Mortal Servants living under the same roof as Zhang Chao would "take good care" of him.'
"Your mind is quite meticulous, and your methods are sufficiently ruthless!
Zhang Chao is crippled and can't work. Sooner or later, the Outer Sect will use him as 'disposable material'.
For every day he barely clings to life, the Mortal Servants of Red Flame Peak will have a little more reverence for you, Marshal Jiang."
Yang Xun laughed heartily, his voice like the hoot of a night owl:
"I was worried before. I thought that even if you made it into the Inner Sect, you were starting too late and might not be able to secure your footing.
Looking at you now, I see that worry was unnecessary."
Jiang Yi said:
"I am merely borrowing the Servant's prestige as my banner. I can't claim to have any methods of my own.
If I can claim any methods, it's only because you, Servant, are a towering tree, and I am merely basking in your shade."
How pleasant those words were to hear.
The corners of Yang Xun's mouth couldn't help but curve upward as he shook his head.
"Killing is an act of hot-blooded courage. Even a cornered rabbit will bite; there's nothing remarkable about it.
But to consider the consequences before acting, and to know how to resolve things afterward…
...that is truly rare."
Jiang Yi remained silent.
'When praised by a superior, being overly modest is no good; it comes off as insincere.
But showing complacency is also wrong, as it lacks poise.
At a time like this, silence is better than any silver-tongued response.'
Yang Xun strolled slowly along the mountain path and asked in a casual tone:
"Have you really cultivated the *Little Refining Yuan Fire Control Technique* to the Small Success stage?"
Jiang Yi replied without hesitation:
"I wouldn't dare deceive you, Servant. It was precisely because I achieved Small Success in the Fire Manipulation Technique that I had the confidence to take a life and pay to settle the debt."
'That's right. Both Zhang Chao and Dong Ba were at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer and were skilled in martial arts with fists, blades, spears, and staves.
Without achieving Small Success in the Fire Manipulation Technique, it would have been impossible for Jiang Yi to suppress those two vicious dogs so cleanly.'
Yang Xun took a deep breath, as if he had made a momentous decision. After a long moment, he spoke:
"How confident are you that you can break through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer by spring?"
Jiang Yi did not answer immediately, appearing to give the question serious thought.
'The Tiger and Wolf Ointment and the Cyan Ganoderma Dew are complementing each other, constantly pushing my cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer forward.
I roughly estimate this rapid progress can continue for another seven or eight days. After that, I'll have to rely on my own diligence and hard work to temper my cultivation.'
So, Jiang Yi offered a conservative answer:
"About sixty percent."
A muscle in Yang Xun's cheek twitched.
'How long has it been since this kid broke through to the Qi Cultivation Third Layer? Does he really think accumulating Cultivation and advancing his Merit is as simple as eating and drinking?'
Yang Xun continued,
"Let me be frank, the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer isn't enough in the Inner Sect.
Only by opening your Primordial Inner Mansion and entering the Fifth Layer will you earn the right to be taken seriously.
But refining the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism involves many intricacies and is extremely costly.
Take the Qianji Sect, for example. Many senior brothers in the Inner Sect must rely on the support of their entire clan just to sustain their Cultivation."
Jiang Yi fell silent.
'For someone starting at the bottom to climb up is as hard as ascending to heaven, unless they have the help of a powerful benefactor.'
He understood this principle well.
Yang Xun cleared his throat.
"Let me ask you, after you enter an Inner Peak, will anyone be funding you with talisman money?"
Jiang Yi shook his head.
Yang Xun asked again,
"Then how much talisman money can you save before spring? Can you get two hundred thousand?"
Jiang Yi still shook his head.
'Two hundred thousand talisman coins?
I'd have to squeeze dry every last bit of "surplus grain" from all the Mortal Servants on Red Flame Peak for that.'
Yang Xun sighed, his hand hidden in his sleeve clenching into a tight fist.
"What a pity. Even if you're given a spot on an Inner Peak, what good will it do?
You won't be able to cultivate for more than a few years before being driven out in disgrace.
Without backing in the Sect, it's hard to find your footing."
Jiang Yi stood on the downward slope of the path, looking up at the black-robed Servant Yang Xun.
He bowed deeply and said:
"If you would not cast me aside, Servant, I, Jiang Yi, am willing to serve by your side and care for you in your old age!"
Yang Xun was stunned for a moment, his fierce face showing a look of astonishment. Then, he broke into a laugh.
"You certainly know how to seize an opportunity. Very perceptive. A fine talent for the Demon Cultivation Dao!
From now on, don't call me Servant. It's too formal.
Call me 'Grandpa,' and the Inner Peak spot is yours."
Without a change in expression, Jiang Yi called out with perfect naturalness:
"As you command, Grandpa."