Chapter 50: Chapter 37: Buyout, Brother-in-law

Xiao Tongquan finished his demonstration. With a flick of his large sleeves, he turned and returned to the tea table, his demeanor calm and composed.

Luo Tong was dazzled, his heart filled with yearning.

He had spent seventy to eighty thousand talisman coins just to bribe his way to Zhou Guang of the Forging Room, learning the Little Refining Yuan Fire Control Technique from the Labor Institute’s Records Room. Yet, to this day, he hadn’t even grasped the basics.

Forget about being like Xiao Tongquan, who could wield it as he pleased, moving it with a mere thought. Even the most fundamental cultivation circulation was difficult for him.

Zhou Guang was a money-grubber who only recognized cash, and his appetite was absurdly large. Even though Luo Tong frequently paid his respects with gifts, all he got in return were a few brief, crude pointers.

Many points of confusion remained, obscure key principles like “Lead Collection and Repair,” “Lead and Mercury,” and “Burning Primordial Truth, Qi Manipulation Fire.”

Luo Tong truly couldn’t comprehend them, so he had no choice but to send a letter home to ask the clan elders for guidance.

But he couldn’t even write it too clearly or copy the original text, otherwise he’d be suspected of leaking a Technique and be punished according to sect rules!

This path of Cultivation and Refining Techniques was one he walked with stumbles and trips; every step forward was fraught with immense difficulty.

“Senior Brother Xiao is so impressive!”

Luo Tong was the first to praise him, laying on the flattery thick:

“Such mastery over True Qi, such control of the Water Attribute… even the Inner Peak Disciples are probably no better than this!”

Xiao Tongquan’s tone was flat, as if he didn’t appreciate the compliment:

“Is Junior Brother Luo implying that the Inner Peak Disciples are all useless gluttons, that their years of hard cultivation can’t compare to a mere Outer Sect disciple like me?”

The smile plastered on Luo Tong’s face froze. His face flushed beet red. Questioned so mercilessly by Xiao Tongquan, he felt trapped and utterly mortified.

Yet he didn’t dare to lash out, and could only give a dry, awkward laugh:

“Senior Brother Xiao, you misunderstand… That’s not what I meant.”

Xiao Tongquan didn’t look at him again. He casually fiddled with his tea cup, then abruptly stood up. “My mood is spoiled. We’ll meet again some other day.”

With that, he swaggered off.

Wang Heng and Lu Yun were both perceptive people. Seeing Xiao Tongquan storm off, they naturally had no desire to linger. The two of them bowed to Jiang Yi and Li Ruohan, each made an excuse, and promptly left.

In the blink of an eye, only Li Ruohan, Jiang Yi, and a deathly pale Luo Tong were left in the private room on the second floor of Heshui Cave.

“Senior Sister Li… I…”

Luo Tong was at a complete loss, too terrified to speak. At a glance, he actually looked a little pitiful.

“Junior Brother Luo, you should go back for now.”

Li Ruohan felt powerless to help and gently advised:

“Senior Brother Xiao has a quick temper sometimes, and you might have just caught him on a bad day. For now, just go back. We can talk about this later.”

Luo Tong was dumbstruck, still not understanding what he had done wrong to displease Xiao Tongquan.

“…I’ll take my leave, then.”

He got up, crestfallen, and staggered toward the door.

Just as he was about to step over the threshold, he suddenly turned back and saw Li Ruohan and Jiang Yi sitting peacefully opposite each other.

The former was smiling and chatting happily, her eyes curved into crescents; the latter had a composed expression, speaking with eloquence and ease.

’What am I going to do! Senior Sister Li definitely won’t help me again. Who else can give me a hand… Jiang Yi!’

Luo Tong looked as if he’d lost his parents, utterly dejected, like a stray dog that had been shooed away with its tail between its legs.

’I’ll beg Senior Brother Jiang! I’ll ask him to put in a good word for me, for my sister’s sake!’

The thought was a sudden revelation, and Luo Tong felt as if he had grasped a life-saving straw.

He paced outside the door for a moment, then suddenly turned back, found a seat in a corner of the first-floor hall, and began the bitter wait for Jiang Yi to come out.

…

…

The evening glow illuminated the white snow on the green mountains. Flurries of shattered jade drifted past the railing and into the room, where the warmth turned them into wisps of faint mist.

Li Ruohan’s cheeks were flushed. She held her tea cup with both hands, facing Jiang Yi as if making a toast:

“Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang, for enlightening this little sister. So many things I didn’t understand were immediately resolved with your light guidance!”

Jiang Yi replied with a smile:

“You’re too kind, Junior Sister. It was nothing.”

After the “empowerment” from the Celestial Book, combined with his diligent study comparing the original texts with their analyses, his accumulation of knowledge in Cultivation and Refining Techniques had grown rapidly.

Even Li Ruohan, who hailed from the Bo County Li Clan, was thoroughly convinced and full of admiration and awe.

“It’s a pity Senior Brother Xiao left in such a hurry. I was hoping to properly introduce you to him, to help him with his worries about Refining Techniques.

With your talent, Senior Brother Jiang, you could definitely help Senior Brother Tongquan.”

Li Ruohan said with regret.

Although Wang Heng initiated the Association, Xiao Tongquan was its head, and the others were his subordinates.

The reason was simple.

Xiao Tongquan was the most likely to enter the Inner Peak. When that time came, he would have access to the Qianji Sect’s Resource Lands and would surely need trustworthy people to manage them.

As long as Wang Heng, Lu Yun, and even Li Ruohan hadn’t become Inner Peak Disciples themselves, they could all benefit from his coattails.

“My meager insights might not be worthy of Senior Brother Xiao’s notice.”

Jiang Yi didn’t speak with absolute certainty, leaving some room for ambiguity.

He also hadn’t expected the Demon Dao’s Dharma Lineage to have such a tight monopoly on the commentaries for Cultivation Techniques.

Although the main text of a technique might be public, the essential analyses were kept secret and not passed down, causing even disciples from the Village Clan Direct Lineages to face great difficulties in comprehending the Techniques.

This, in turn, made him—a mere courier repeating the analyses from the Celestial Book—a “Refining Talent” in Li Ruohan’s eyes.

’Looked at this way, that handbook Grandpa gave me is truly priceless!’

Jiang Yi realized with a start, deeply moved.

His thoughts churned. He chatted idly with Li Ruohan for a while longer, and only when they saw it was getting late did the two stand up to say their goodbyes.

Stepping out of Heshui Cave, Jiang Yi watched Li Ruohan leave, then turned back and re-entered the main hall.

He exchanged a few words with a servant boy and walked straight to a secluded private room in the back courtyard.

…

…

About an incense stick’s time later, Jiang Yi was sitting opposite a middle-aged Cultivator dressed in a brocade robe, who carried an air of dignified grace.

This man was the Steward of Heshui Cave, one of Elder Xu’s confidants.

“This junior, Jiang Yi, greets Steward Xu.”

Jiang Yi bowed, neither obsequious nor arrogant, and then took a small bottle from his robes:

“This is Cyan Ganoderma Dew that this junior improved upon based on an ancient recipe. I invite the Steward to appraise it.”

Steward Xu took the Jade Bottle, uncorked it, and sniffed lightly, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He brought over a Jade Cup, poured out a small amount, and observed it carefully. The dew was sparkling and translucent, with a faint, fresh scent of herbs and wood.

He touched it with the pad of his finger, feeling its cool, moist texture. After a small taste, a gentle medicinal power slowly dissolved on his tongue.

“The medicinal properties are pure and gentle on the body. More impressively, its color and taste are also excellent. It is indeed much better than the common goods in the Marketplace!”

Steward Xu nodded slightly, very pleased:

“Junior Brother Wang was not exaggerating! I wonder, Brother Jiang, what price do you have in mind?”

He had originally come to discuss this business with Jiang Yi only as a favor to Wang Heng.

Because of Jiang Yi’s background as an insignificant Mortal, Steward Xu hadn’t taken the “ancestral recipe” seriously at all and had no expectations.

After appraising it, however, he was pleasantly surprised. The quality of this Cyan Ganoderma Dew was superb, perfect to serve as Heshui Cave’s Essence Nourishing Beverage for the gatherings and banquets of Inner Peak Disciples.

Jiang Yi was already prepared. Having rehearsed his words, he said softly:

“This junior is willing to sell the recipe to Heshui Cave for the price of one hundred fifty thousand talisman coins.”

Steward Xu fell silent in thought, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

He had originally thought Jiang Yi would ask for a long-term partnership, a steady stream of income, but he never expected the young man to be willing to sell the recipe outright.

’According to his usual business style, the way to maximize profits would be to finalize the details with Heshui Cave for a monthly supply…’

“Brother Jiang, you’re so willing to part with it?”

Steward Xu asked with a smile.

One hundred fifty thousand talisman coins wasn’t a huge sum for Heshui Cave.

Inner Peak Disciples made money easily and were generous spenders. As long as the quality was high, they never hesitated to spend.

“To be honest with you, Steward, I am determined to pursue Cultivation and my heart is set on the Inner Peak. Everything else is a trivial detail.”

Jiang Yi understood Steward Xu’s concerns and spoke frankly:

“If I cannot enter the Inner Peak, what use is earning a few more talisman coins? In the end, it would all be for nothing.”

“But if I do enter the Inner Peak, I will become a Magic Lineage Cultivator, a talent of the Demon Dao. How could I possibly lack ways to make money then!”

Steward Xu was taken aback by his words, then praised him sincerely:

“Junior Brother Jiang, you have a good head on your shoulders. Then it’s settled! One hundred fifty thousand talisman coins for the Cyan Ganoderma Dew recipe!

I’ll pay a deposit of fifty thousand first, and I’ll have the rest delivered tomorrow. I’ll have Junior Brother Wang send it to Red Flame Peak, how about that?”

“Excellent!.”

Jiang Yi nodded, a great weight lifting from his heart.

With these one hundred fifty thousand talisman coins as a foundation, it would be much simpler for Grandpa to organize the rituals and build the Pool of Fire and Water.

…

…

Luo Tong, huddled in a corner of the hall, waited for a long time before he saw Steward Xu of Heshui Cave step out of the private room.

He saw the man summon a servant boy and tell him to take fifty thousand talisman coins from the money coffer, count them carefully, and bag them up.

“Tomorrow, I’ll have another one hundred thousand. Give it to Junior Brother Wang Heng, and have him take it to Junior Brother Jiang Yi of Red Flame Peak. Got it?”

“This little one will remember!”

Luo Tong, who was pretending to settle his bill but was actually eavesdropping, peeked out and saw the servant boy stuffing bundle after bundle of bright red talisman coins into a bag. He sharply caught the words “fifty thousand,” “one hundred thousand,” and “Junior Brother Jiang Yi.”

A monstrous wave instantly crashed through his heart!

’One hundred fifty thousand talisman coins! What did Steward Xu of Heshui Cave discuss with Jiang Yi? He actually has that kind of ability?’

Luo Tong’s throat bobbed, his eyes practically glowing.

’That tightwad Zhou Can, you probably couldn’t squeeze this much out of him even if you bled him dry!’

’If my sister could get with Senior Brother Jiang… no, with Brother-in-law Jiang, how could I possibly have to worry about my future?!’

His eyes darted about. He quickly strode out of Heshui Cave and, while it was not yet completely dark, made a beeline for the Outer Sect’s Sewing Peak!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep