Chapter 152: The Uninvited Guest

Duan Rong returned to Yuanshun Escort Agency, first went to the Middle Courtyard canteen to eat lunch, then returned to Liu Lu, and in the courtyard, began to practice the Hunyuan Stance.

He stood until dusk, past the You hour, before he finished his practice, wiped the sweat from his body, and paced toward the Back Courtyard of the Escort Agency.

He still remembered that when he left the Escort Agency in the morning, Ma Wentao said that Madam Ma Chunying wanted to host a banquet for him in the evening.

Duan Rong arrived at the agreed-upon time.

In the Back Courtyard of the Escort Agency, those below the rank of Escort Head could not enter without being summoned; furthermore, Duan Rong was only an Intern Escort, but Ma Chunying had clearly notified the guards of the Back Courtyard, and the guard let him in after checking Duan Rong's Escort Waist Token.

When Duan Rong arrived there, he discovered that Ma Wentao was also present, and a table full of dishes had actually all been stir-fried by Ma Chunying herself.

That Ma Chunying had a face like a full moon, was quite plump, wore a gold hairpin on her head, was dressed in brocade robes, and her whole person exuded an air of elegance; one could not see the slightest trace of her background as a maid.

After Duan Rong bowed respectfully, they each took their seats.

Ma Chunying held Jing'er, had him hold a cup of wine, and wanted to toast Duan Rong.

Duan Rong left his seat in panic, did not dare to accept, and declined repeatedly. Only after Ma Wentao persuaded him a few times did Duan Rong stand to accept it.

During the meal, Duan Rong learned that the Manager, Ruan Fengshan, was not at the Escort Agency today. Knowing that Ruan Fengshan was not in the Back Courtyard, Duan Rong did not dare to stay long; he only ate a few bites of food, then feigned drunkenness and withdrew.

Ma Wentao tried to persuade him to stay, but Duan Rong would not remain.

Before leaving, Ma Chunying did give Duan Rong many gifts, saying it was to thank him for saving Jing'er.

Duan Rong accepted the gifts and thanked her humbly and incessantly.

Duan Rong left the Back Courtyard, returned to Liu Lu, placed the gifts Ma Chunying had given him in the hall, and then left the Escort Agency to head to the street.

He hadn't eaten much at the banquet and his stomach was still empty, so Duan Rong ate a large bowl of wontons and two sesame flatbreads by the roadside, wiped his mouth, returned to Liu Lu, and continued his Hunyuan Stance training...

In the middle of the night, Ruan Fengshan returned to the Escort Agency and rested in Ma Chunying's room. After the two had been intimate, Ma Chunying told Ruan Fengshan about Duan Rong's respectful and reserved manner when hosting him for the banquet that evening.

Ruan Fengshan's large hand stroked Ma Chunying's silk-like back and said, "Only when a person has fear will they follow the rules. This child is indeed a good seedling..."

Over the next few days, Duan Rong entered a state of frantic cultivation, obsessively practicing the Hunyuan Stance every day, and occasionally heading to Xueyan Residence to spar with Ximen Kankan.

Ximen Kankan often acted strangely and caused trouble, which had almost become a form of leisure for Duan Rong, allowing him to clear his head from time to time during his dull cultivation.

Duan Rong's saber technique improved daily, and the time he could hold out against Ximen Kankan grew longer and longer. Although Ximen Kankan suppressed his Inner Breath Realm, his saber technique was still at the Great Accomplishment Realm. Even though Duan Rong used many tricky moves, Ximen Kankan caught them every time and would inevitably counter-kill Duan Rong, without a single exception.

Duan Rong knew very well that besides Ximen Kankan's realm being higher than his own, it was also thanks to this saber technique of the Ximen Family, which was indeed exquisite and far superior to ordinary martial arts!

This morning, Duan Rong came to Xueyan Residence again.

Over these past few days, Duan Rong had frequently entered and exited Ximen Mansion, and the gatekeepers and servants were already extremely familiar with him; knowing he was a good friend of the Young Master of the Ximen Family, they were all very respectful toward him.

Duan Rong walked into Xueyan Residence on his own and discovered that Ximen Kankan was not acting strangely today, but was sitting honestly at the desk, drinking tea. Duan Rong's expression shifted; when things are abnormal, there must be a demon—this kid was definitely plotting something bad.

Sure enough, as soon as Ximen Kankan saw Duan Rong enter, he immediately jumped off the grand armchair, walked over sneakily, pulled a small green Porcelain Bottle from his sleeve, and held it up in front of Duan Rong.

Duan Rong looked at Ximen Kankan with a guarded expression and asked, "What is this?"

Ximen Kankan smiled, lowered his voice, and said, "Your Dragon Flame Fat has arrived!"

Duan Rong's expression changed, and he reached out to grab the Porcelain Bottle, but Ximen Kankan flicked his hand, and with a mere afterimage, the Porcelain Bottle was back in his sleeve.

Ximen Kankan put his hands behind his back, swaggered over to the desk, sat back down on the grand armchair, and began sipping tea. However, while he sipped his tea, his eyes would occasionally glance toward Duan Rong.

Duan Rong smiled and sat down on the grand armchair opposite Ximen Kankan's desk, saying, "Kankan, my friend has an urgent need for this medicine."

Ximen Kankan just kept drinking tea, acting as if he hadn't heard, and deliberately avoided looking at Duan Rong.

"I know. During our sparring these past few days, I still owe you two Spring Palace Paintings that I haven't fulfilled. I will draw them for you right now!"

"That's it! You said it! Draw it now!" Ximen Kankan jumped off the grand armchair and said to Duan Rong, "However, I have a request."

"What request?" For some reason, as soon as Ximen Kankan mentioned a request, Duan Rong's eyelid twitched.

"I want to appear in that painting myself!" Ximen Kankan said.

Duan Rong understood Ximen Kankan's meaning instantly, and his expression turned somewhat ugly. He felt a bit disgusted, but Ximen Kankan still held his fat face high, looking at him shamelessly.

Where did this kid's bad ideas come from? He was simply a devil incarnate.

Duan Rong's expression was somewhat awkward as he said, "This... is that necessary?"

"If you don't agree, don't even think about taking the Dragon Flame Fat." Ximen Kankan looked as if he had Duan Rong cornered.

Duan Rong was determined to get the Dragon Flame Fat; even if he had to swallow a fly, he would have to do it, but the thought of having to draw a naked Ximen Kankan was even more disgusting than eating a fly.

Duan Rong waved his hand helplessly, his expression ugly as he said weakly, "Fine, I'll draw it! I'll draw it for you right now..."

Ximen Kankan prepared the brush, ink, paper, inkstone, and pigments on the desk, then moved a folding stool and sat at the entrance of the hall to keep watch, leaving Duan Rong alone to paint.

Duan Rong mixed the pigments while mentally preparing himself.

"This is art... art..."

"Human skin is the most beautiful clothing..."

"Stay calm, stay calm..."

"Figure art uses realistic techniques to display the health, beauty, balanced rhythm, and harmony of the human body..."

Although Duan Rong was very resistant before painting, once he entered the state of painting, his long-cultivated focus immediately emerged...

Duan Rong's eyes were focused, his brushwork delicate, and it took nearly an hour to complete the painting.

Looking at the finished painting, Duan Rong nodded with satisfaction, put down his brush, and beckoned to Ximen Kankan, who was sitting at the door.

Ximen Kankan immediately scurried over and fixed his eyes on the desk. He saw that the background of the painting was this very hall; Duan Rong had used the local setting.

In the painting, a woman with a graceful figure was half-lying on a chair, while a short, fat person was standing behind her, one hand resting on the woman's waist.

Looking at that person's face, it was exactly Ximen Kankan.

The woman in the painting had black hair draped over her shoulders, looking back with a wolf-like gaze at Ximen Kankan, her eyes looking extremely beautiful and alluring...

Ximen Kankan stared blankly, picked the painting up from the desk, stood beside Duan Rong, marveled at it, and kept praising it...

Just at this moment, a figure suddenly walked in from the entrance of the hall and called out in a deep voice, "Kankan!"

(End of chapter)