Freedom From Selfish Desires

Imperial Prison Administration Office. Zhou Yi pushed open the door and bowed respectfully. "Uncle Niu, you wanted to see me?" Colonel Niu put down his hand and gestured for Zhou Yi to sit, "Boy, your methods are too crude. Aren't you afraid of the Jinyiwei investigating?" Having just listened to the jailer's report, Colonel Niu was certain that Zhou Yi had used some trickery to kill Liu Shilang. Such occurrences were not uncommon in the Imperial Prison. Officials would send their political rivals to prison, sparing no expense to ensure they never rose again. "What do you mean, Uncle Niu? I am honestly just delivering meals." Zhou Yi played dumb, neither denying nor admitting anything. The corpses of Liu Shilang and Luo Hu were already cold. There could be no witnesses to their deaths, but that didn't mean there were no risks. In Fengyang Country, the law was not paramount; guilt or innocence was decided by those in power. What couldn't be obtained under torture? Colonel Niu snorted, "No wonder Director Lei told me that you are the most cunning one in this prison!" "Director Lei overpraises me." Zhou Yi said with a smile, "Master Luo has a house in the Divine Capital with several thousand Silver hidden inside. The Silver goes to you, Uncle Niu, the boxing manuals to me, and the house to that widow." "Well thought out!" Colonel Niu praised, looking more satisfied with Zhou Yi. Willing to share his own interests and fulfill the promise he made to Luo Hu, Colonel Niu admitted he couldn't do such things as he was accustomed to taking advantage of widows. "After all, Master Luo granted me the favor of passing on his skills." Zhou Yi had no desire to show off. The medicinal recipes weren't the most important; his real intention was to ensure Liu Shilang's death. Liu Shilang was a truly despicable man! A man with no bottom line whose mere survival could bring endless calamities. If he managed to please the new emperor and regain his position, Zhou Yi would have no choice but to flee. Colonel Niu asked out of curiosity, "I knew you were immersed in martial arts, but what have you achieved?" "I was always physically weak from childhood; martial arts were merely a way to strengthen my body." Zhou Yi picked up the lid of the teacup on the table, twisted it in his hand, and it instantly turned to powder. Colonel Niu had also frequented martial arts schools in his youth but couldn't endure the grueling physical training. Despite that, he understood how martial arts stages were classified. "Steel bones and a grip that turns stones to dust—have you really achieved such strength without anyone noticing?" "Ten years of consistent practice, never skipping a day and always supplemented by medicinal decoctions—my talent is certainly the lowest of the low." Zhou Yi wasn't being modest. According to Wei Chang, it usually takes seven or eight years to temper one's physique on the rivers and lakes, but those living such lives don't have the luxury of daily practice. Master Luo's true disciple, bathed in medicinal decoctions and nourishing Inner Qi from a young age, had their physique fully developed by sixteen or seventeen, touted to have potential to reach the Innate Grandmaster level. Zhou Yi envied but didn't resent, for that prodigious disciple was already dead in the chaos of war. Surviving is the fundamental principle. Whoever lives longest, outlasting their peers, becomes a grandmaster! Colonel Niu clicked his tongue in admiration, "You would be considered a second-tier expert in the martial world. Why not strive to make a name for yourself instead of sticking around here delivering meals?" "Second tier is worth nothing. In the ten major martial arts schools of the Divine Capital, each master is a master of cleansing the organs. It is said that Master Chen of the Golden Blade School started to cleanse his marrow and possessed Divine Power strong enough to pull back nine oxen and replace pillars, yet he didn't even leave a whole corpse behind!" Zhou Yi shrugged, "Struggle and end up decimated, leaving your entire family executed—how is that better than the comfortable life I have here?" The end of all achievements is obtaining a government position! Zhou Yi already stood at this ultimate point. Moreover, the Imperial Prison, though low in prestige, wielded considerable covert power, offering a lucrative position free from political strife—simply perfect! Colonel Niu, flickering in thought, suddenly asked, "Tell me, boy, do you think I can be promoted to prison director this time?" Zhou Yi paused, then shook his head, "It's difficult!" "How so?" Colonel Niu straightened up in his seat, a topic he had discussed with many who only flattered him. Everyone believed that the next director of the Imperial Prison would be none other than Colonel Niu. No outsider would dare enter, ignorant of the prison's rules, and wouldn't last long before themselves being imprisoned. Zhou Yi considered before speaking, "Director Lei, seeking to reduce his sentence, will inevitably report Long Ni's conspiracies to the Imperial Court. How could the new emperor trust a prison official? It's very likely that someone loyal to him will be parachuted in as the new director." Years in the Imperial Prison had revealed it to Zhou. The turnover in the prison's posts was too low, almost working like a hereditary system. Director Lei's father was a Captain, Colonel Niu's grandfather was a former director, and even Zhou Yi's father and grandfather were jailers. While the residence of the Imperial Censor, an official of the fourth rank, was rented, humble Zhou Yi's father could afford a house in the Divine Capital—this said much about the issues within the Imperial Prison. Colonel Niu snorted unconvinced, "With all our explicit and implicit rules here, can a newcomer really manage?" "Indeed, they might not know the rules, but they can have the Jinyiwei arrest people. Who here could withstand such scrutiny? Eventually, everyone is replaced, and all the rules redefined by them." A strong dragon does not oppress the local snake without turning it to dust. Seeing Colonel Niu's darkening expression, Zhou Yi quickly pledged his loyalty, "Don't worry, Uncle Niu, I am definitely on your side." "What use is a meal delivery boy like you?" Colonel Niu sighed, "Director Lei gave me the same advice. He had sided with Long Ni back in the day, which led to the catastrophe of his family being executed and exiled. Otherwise, the Lei family, generation after generation, would have remained wealthy and prosperous regardless of the dynasty." Even nobility from the Imperial Court would see their titles reduced over generations, with nothing left after five generations, indistinguishable from commoners. But the Imperial Prison was a secure lifelong position that could be passed down through generations. "You needn't worry, Uncle Niu. If a new director comes, just support him wholeheartedly!" Zhou Yi consoled, "The Imperial Prison has existed since the previous dynasty. No matter who becomes the director, it won't be long before they are part of the Imperial Prison's system." The celestial prison was relatively independent and had few connections with other government departments; once the prison door was closed, it became a place isolated from the world. Whoever became the warden controlled such great power and benefits that they would never consider changing the celestial prison! Colonel Niu nodded slightly in agreement, then changed the subject, "You're twenty-seven this year, aren't you? Still hanging around at Spring Breeze Building every day? My elder brother's family has a niece, quite dignified..." "Uncle Niu, I have already made plans with Miss Nongyu this evening to discuss the Dao. I must be leaving now!" Zhou Yi waved his hands repeatedly, having crossed through time only to still face the pressure of marriage and matchmaking. Indeed, just being a jailer would have been acceptable, enjoying the simple pleasure of doting on grandchildren in his later years. However, the existence of the Longevity Dao Fruit made it impossible for Zhou Yi to stay with anyone for long. First and foremost was the fear of exposing his secret; the Longevity Dao Fruit was Zhou Yi's supreme treasure to rely on. Neither facial disguise nor the Art of Transformation were absolutely safe. Being with someone day and night, a slip could happen at any moment. Secondly, beauty fades; decades later, he wouldn't know how to face a woman whose youth had faded. How wonderful were the young women at Spring Breeze Building? No matter how many years passed, they remained young and beautiful, and they only talked about silver, not sentiments, with no attachments! Colonel Niu gave Zhou Yi a disdainful glance and waved his hand. "Scram, scram, scram! My niece is gentle and virtuous; I can't let you ruin her!" ... He got off duty. Zhou Yi did not go to Spring Breeze Building; all feasts and entertainments were forbidden during the national mourning period. Of course, this had not affected the business of Spring Breeze Building, which had opened a back door to secretly welcome guests, raising its prices. Back at his residence. Zhou Yi read the Annals for a while, reflecting on everything he had done today. "The matter with Young Master Long was a bit reckless, but having aired my grievances, I feel at ease and have lost nothing!" Being cautious is not about enduring frustration; martial arts cultivation also demands the right mindset, especially when cultivating Inner Qi. If one's thoughts are not clear, progress will be slow or even come to a halt. Throughout history, true powerhouses seldom relied on innate talent and resources alone; they were primarily strong in spirit! Zhou Yi, of course, was an exception. As long as he lived forever, powerhouses would just be dry bones in tombs, stories in novels, or names forgotten by the world. "No harm in revealing some strength to Colonel Niu." Zhou Yi had been planning to show his capabilities, not to vie for any power, but to make his days in the celestial prison more comfortable. The rigidity of someone in the system who desires nothing is unmanageable. As long as it doesn't interfere with anyone's interests, others would prefer not to provoke without reason; a capable and clever jailer serving food could often expect extra care in daily life. Upon self-reflection, all went well today! "Tomorrow, I'll visit Master Luo's beloved and send her to the countryside to lie low. As for the silver and medicinal recipes in the house, I'll wait a year and a half. By then, it will definitely be safe!" Zhou Yi, possessing the world's most precious treasure, viewed all else as inconsequential. Now the Divine Capital was at its most chaotic, with the imperial army, black knights, and Jinyiwei arresting people everywhere—what if they had already discovered Master Luo's house? Zhou Yi entering would be walking into a trap; tomorrow, it might be others delivering food to him. Even without the Jinyiwei, there would still be Master Luo's disciples or clansmen, leading to an inevitable confrontation...it was all too perilous! Waiting a few years was Zhou Yi's best plan as time was what he lacked the least. After carefully considering all these matters, Zhou Yi got up, practiced a few rounds of boxing, then went back to his room to sit and cultivate the Guiyuan Technique. Progress in the Guiyuan Technique was slow; he hadn't even reached the level of a third-rate master. But the practice of cultivating Inner Qi was always about the late bloomer getting stronger with age—haste and impatience were not needed! The moon was bright and the stars sparse, the night deep and tranquil. A slender shadow leaped over the wall, landing in a shadowy spot, blending into the darkness with his nightwear. The figure skirted along the walls, sneaking toward the house. Suddenly. His foot gave way, and he plummeted swiftly. The shadow reacted quickly, channeling Inner Qi into his legs, stepping sideways to avoid falling into the pit. "Damn it, who sets traps in their yard?" Using the moonlight, the shadow saw spikes shining coldly in the pit, his heart racing with fright. Moving silently, he quickly reached the bedroom window, poked a hole in the paper window and blew sleeping incense inside. The shadow waited a moment to ensure the drug took effect, then lifted the window and crawled in, rolling to soften the sound of landing. "Ah..." A piercing, miserable scream—as he landed, the shadow was pierced by numerous nails on the ground. The nails were smeared with something that made the shadow feel numb and weak, unable to muster any strength, and even his attempts to detoxify with Inner Qi had no effect. "Jinyiwei's secret medicine, claimed to subdue even top experts!" Zhou Yi's voice arose by the window. He had noticed the shadow entering the yard. He never meditated in the main bedroom, and the bed only contained a dummy. "Spare me, hero..." The shadow lay on the ground pleading, looking for a sympathetic excuse, but before he could speak, he saw several crossbow bolts shoot his way. An hour later. Zhou Yi used a shovel to flatten the ground and looked up at the date tree in the yard. "Next year's dates will taste exceptionally good. I'll share them with my colleagues!"