Chapter 130: Chapter 112: Primordial Essence Nurtures Treasure Blood, Xiao Jiang, You Smell So Good

「It was just past nine in the evening.」

In a private room on the second floor of Heshui Cave, everyone waiting at the table rose to their feet the moment Jiang Yi walked in.

Wang Heng was the first to call out, “Senior Brother Jiang is here!”

Lu Yun hurried to the door, bowing slightly with his hands clasped.

“Senior Brother Jiang, you’re on duty at the Merit Supervision Institute, yet you’re still willing to take time out of your busy schedule to meet with us. We are truly moved to tears with gratitude.”

’This flattery is nauseating.’

Jiang Yi raised a hand, pressing down slightly to stop any further bootlicking, but he didn’t feign modesty with polite platitudes either.

He knew well that this was how most Outer Sect disciples behaved when faced with a senior brother from an Inner Peak.

Whether the other party appreciated it or not, it was never wrong to be exceedingly polite and assume a humble posture.

“Everyone, please take a seat.”

Jiang Yi was escorted to the seat of honor. He hadn’t come here to put on airs or flaunt his status in front of these old acquaintances from the Outer Sect; he was here on business.

His recent dedicated Cultivation had consumed a great deal of resources, and the talisman money in his purse was nearly gone. He urgently needed to find a new source of income.

People like Wang Heng and Lu Yun, members of the Direct Lineage of their Village Clans, were familiar with the Servants in the various workshops. More importantly, they were skilled at currying favor and forging connections with the Elders and senior brothers of the Inner Peaks, which made them quite useful.

“Senior Brother Jiang, this is Tiger Ginseng, freshly gathered from Gathering Herbs Peak this year. Brewing it as a tea can replenish one’s qi and nourish the blood.”

As Wang Heng spoke, he took out a square brocade box, placed it on the table, and gently slid it over to Jiang Yi.

“Senior Brother, I didn’t get a chance to congratulate you on your promotion to an Inner Peak. Please accept this humble gift as a belated congratulation.”

Seeing this, Lu Yun also scrambled to present his gift, saying with a smile:

“This is Purple-striped Heart Nourishing Wood, a specialty of my Miyang Lu Clan. When cut into strips and burned with sandalwood and agarwood, it produces a fine, light, hazy smoke that can clear away dryness and reduce heat.

Your work at the Merit Supervision Institute is arduous and your contributions are great. I hope you’ll accept this humble gift and allow this junior brother to show his sincerity.”

’No wonder my old boss from my past life was always so fond of hosting birthday banquets and feasts for a while there.’

’Doing nothing but sitting around and collecting gifts is certainly a comfortable and pleasant affair.’

He’d seen this kind of scene countless times in his past life, so he knew exactly what was happening. Wang Heng and Lu Yun were trying to get closer to him, hoping to forge a good connection for future dealings.

Jiang Yi didn’t play coy and pretend to refuse; he simply nodded slightly and accepted the two congratulatory gifts with a smile.

He then looked up at Li Ruohan, who was sitting opposite him, and teased her with a smile on his lips,

“Does Junior Sister have a grand gift for me as well? I’m waiting, you know.”

The lighthearted joke instantly eased the tense atmosphere at the table.

Li Ruohan’s eyes danced as she replied with a smile, “This Junior Sister doesn’t have the deep pockets of Senior Brother Lu or Senior Brother Wang. If you don’t mind, Senior Brother Jiang, you can just take me to be your personal servant girl.”

Jiang Yi shook his head and laughed.

“This Senior Brother is a poor man. How could I possibly afford to keep a daughter from the Direct Lineage of the Bo County Li Clan?”

Li Ruohan pouted playfully.

“You’re just looking down on me, Senior Brother, teasing me like that! Am I some kind of glutton who could eat nine bulls a day? Do you really think I could eat you out of house and home?”

Her words sent the entire table into a fit of laughter.

By the time it was past ten, Wang Heng and Lu Yun tactfully rose and took their leave without another word of disturbance.

Only Li Ruohan stayed behind, her eyes sparkling as she said,

“Senior Brother, I’ve reached the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer! Once I ascend Qingyun Road next year, I’ll be able to properly call you ’Senior Brother.’”

Jiang Yi sent out a wisp of his Divine Thought and sensed that the Qi Mechanism in her organs was harmonious and vigorous. She was indeed stable in the Qi Cultivation Fourth Realm. He nodded in praise.

“You are diligent and willing to put in the hard work, Junior Sister. There will surely be a place for you among the Inner Peaks.”

A faint blush crept onto Li Ruohan’s cheeks, and she hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Senior Brother, I… I was also hoping to ask for your guidance on the secrets of the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer: Opening the Yuan Barrier and establishing the Inner Mansion.”

’It wouldn’t hurt to give Junior Sister Li a bit of guidance for an hour or so.’

’It’s a perfect chance to make progress with the Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse.’

Just as Jiang Yi was about to agree, a sudden “MEOW” echoed from within his robes.

True Master Xuanmiao poked its round, furry head out from his wide robes, yawning repeatedly. It clearly looked exhausted.

Jiang Yi had always been deferential to his master. Seeing that the Cat Master was sleepy and wanted to return to the Merit Supervision Institute to rest, he said gently to Li Ruohan,

“It’s getting late. Let’s save it for next time.”

The light in Li Ruohan’s eyes dimmed, her disappointment palpable, but she still nodded meekly.

“I was being presumptuous. I shouldn’t have disturbed you, Senior Brother.”

Before she got up to leave, Li Ruohan added in a low voice,

“I’ve heard that Observing Sun Peak holds a Pill Assembly every month. I used my clan’s connections to get an invitation, but I’m a bit nervous about going alone. It would be wonderful if you would grace me with your presence, Senior Brother.”

’Observing Sun Peak?’

’That’s pretty close.’

Jiang Yi considered it for a moment, then nodded.

He was, of course, aware of this Pill Assembly. It was mostly attended by disciples from the Supreme Merit Institute who had accepted assignments. It was a place to exchange cultivation insights, share information, and trade for useful Spiritual Materials.

“As long as it isn’t on the first or the fifteenth of the month—when the Fire Acupoint boils and the Water Cave floods—I can go with you, Junior Sister.”

“Thank you in advance, Senior Brother!”

Li Ruohan was overjoyed. Her earlier dejection vanished in an instant, and she practically skipped out of the room.

Once Jiang Yi was alone in the room, True Master Xuanmiao hopped lazily onto the tea table. It stood on its hind legs, clasped its front paws behind its back, and looked for all the world like a seasoned old Cultivator who had seen it all.

“Ah, Xiao Jiang,” the cat began, “your Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse is just scratching an itch through a boot. Your progress is far too slow.

This Spell needs to stir a person’s mind and emotions, and it’s only effective if you push things toward greater intensity.”

It licked its paws, and the conversation took a devious turn.

“Since you’re using that little lady for practice, why not go all the way?

Demon Cultivators aren’t hung up on preserving their Primordial Yang. In my youth, this True Master traveled to the Ximizhou Continent and happened upon a technique called the Twelve Golden Locks Essence Locking Technique.

Once you master it, you’ll be as steady as a mountain in any battle of endurance. Forget bedding ten women in a night—even if a hundred or a thousand came at you at once, your body would be sealed by the Twelfth Layer of golden locks, and not a single drop of your Primordial Yang would be lost.”

’Something that powerful actually exists?’

Jiang Yi put a hand to his forehead as he listened, the corner of his mouth twitching.

’Where did this Cat Master get so many of these bizarre techniques?’

’Does it have some strange obsession with collecting them?’

But True Master Xuanmiao only grew more animated as it spoke.

“Xiao Jiang, don’t view matters of Cultivation with a secular mindset.

The harmony of Yin and Yang is also a path of the Dao, and blissful union is also a valid technique. Don’t fall into a lesser understanding.

My former master once traveled to the Ximizhou Continent for a meeting. While debating scriptures at an open Tantric assembly, he used a single ray of divine light to sweep away the Primordial Yin and Essence Qi of three thousand six hundred celestial maidens, directly shattering their Miaohua Rare Joyful Array and causing countless Bodhisattvas to pale at the sight.

When you travel the four continents in the future, it’s never a bad idea to have a few more tricks up your sleeve!”

Jiang Yi grabbed the pontificating Cat Master by the scruff of its neck and lifted it up.

“You make a good point, Cat Master, but I have my own way of cultivating the Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse.

For now, why don’t you tell me about the refining method instead.”

Jiang Yi took the Gelatinous Copper Bottle from his sleeve. Sealed inside were three small insects.

He had spent a good deal of talisman money to purchase them from Wudu Hall. They were called Swallowing Breath, Mute, and Tracing.

Magical Artifacts are nourished with True Qi and controlled with Divine Thought, gradually becoming as responsive as one’s own limbs.

As for adding a Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends Restriction, that would involve Artifact Refining Technique, which was another matter entirely.

But these insects weren’t inanimate objects; they required methods similar to those used for Cultivating Tamed Beasts.

“Hehe! You’ve finally asked the right person, Xiao Jiang!”

True Master Xuanmiao, who had been drowsy and listless just a moment ago, was suddenly full of energy, as if it had been shot full of stimulants.

“The general principle you’ve learned—’Mixed Refining Origin, Commander of Ten Thousand Truths’—when combined with the Long-term Nourishing Daoist Embryo Skill, becomes a supreme technique for achieving the Unity of Spirit and Body!

The Primordial Essence Treasure Blood cultivated through it is miraculously effective for nurturing beasts!”

His interest piqued, Jiang Yi rubbed his hands together and asked,

“May I ask, Cat Master, what is this miraculous effect?”

True Master Xuanmiao puffed out its chest and enunciated clearly,

“It will make you… very fragrant, Xiao Jiang.”

Jiang Yi froze. He waited a moment in silence, confirming that the Cat Master was finished and had nothing more to add.

Only then did he ask,

“That’s it?”

True Master Xuanmiao nodded.

Jiang Yi was speechless.

’He wasn’t a Female Cultivator from the Joyful Union Sect, so what was the point of making himself smell so nice?’

“You can’t see the forest for the trees, Xiao Jiang. The fragrance of this Primordial Essence Treasure Blood is no ordinary scent.

You’ll understand when you go to the Beiju Continent to participate in the Dragon Palace’s groom selection. My former master went from being dirt-poor to gathering the massive amount of resources needed to achieve Five Elements Perfection.

And he did it by relying on the patronage of one thousand four hundred and twenty-three Dragon Girls! Now, you tell me: is this fragrance useful or not!”

’No wonder,’ Jiang Yi thought grimly. ’He had to master the Twelve Golden Locks Essence Locking Technique to endure a battle with over a thousand Dragon Girls. I doubt even the Joyful Union Sect Leader could handle that.’

’This former master of the Cat Master… faking his death to “borrow” treasures, swindling wealth, selling his body… He was truly worthy of the title Demon Cultivator True Monarch!’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep