Chapter 254: Taishang Shengshui

Xiao Zongting and Xiao Yu, having reunited like this, though only for a little over an hour, felt as if they had been through life and death, and both could not help but shed tears.

"Yu'er, who abducted you? I must skin them alive!" Xiao Zongting said angrily.

Xiao Yu wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said, "It was Wei Yutian. Duan Rong saved me." As Xiao Yu spoke, she looked at Duan Rong with a smile.

Along the way, Duan Rong had already explained the general situation to Xiao Yu.

Duan Rong smiled and said, "There is no need for Xiao Lao to skin him alive; that Wei Yutian has already been killed by Shen Yanliu."

Duan Rong roughly explained that Wei Yutian was a member of the Filthy Blood Sect, and Xiao Zongting was left speechless upon hearing it.

Duan Rong observed the changes in Xiao Zongting's expression; if Ruan Fengshan was a Helmsman of the Filthy Blood Sect, could this Yuanshun Escort Agency be a den of the Filthy Blood Sect?

Duan Rong's Divine Sense penetrated Xiao Zongting's body and clearly saw his damaged dantian; at this moment, the Spirit Tool of the Tainted Blood Copper Awl he had swallowed had already been fully digested and absorbed.

He already had a considerable understanding of the miraculous aspects of the Filthy Blood Divine Art.

The Filthy Blood Divine Art could treat various hidden ailments; if Xiao Zongting had practiced it, his damaged dantian should have already recovered.

Moreover, Duan Rong did not believe that Xiao Zongting would practice such a demonic art, and coupled with the fact that Xiao Yu had been abducted by Wei Yutian, it seemed that within this Escort Agency, at least the Xiaojia were normal and could be trusted.

Duan Rong followed Xiao Zongting and Xiao Yu back to the Xiaojia courtyard; he checked Zhu Xiaoqi's injuries again, and after taking a Medicine Pill and sleeping, Zhu Xiaoqi's fever had already subsided.

Xiao Yu used Golden Sore Medicine to re-bandage Zhu Xiaoqi's wounds.

Duan Rong took Zhu Xiaoqi's pulse and found that there was only a small amount of residual poison left in her body; if she took another Medicine Pill tomorrow, there should be no major issues.

Duan Rong took his leave, and Xiao Yu personally saw him to the door; Xiao Yu gazed at him with deep affection, and Duan Rong naturally saw Xiao Yu's feelings, but he merely bid farewell with proper etiquette and left.

Xiao Yu stood at the door, staring blankly as Duan Rong walked away; she could faintly sense a faint indifference from Duan Rong.

Duan Rong returned to Liu Lu, exhausted in both body and mind; he had no strength left to wash up, so he climbed onto the bed and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

Duan Rong had only slept for an hour when a thumping sound of knocking on the door rang out outside the courtyard of Liu Lu; Duan Rong turned over and covered his head to sleep, really not wanting to pay attention to the person disturbing his dreams, but his heart stirred, and he used his Divine Sense to scan outside the door.

He saw that the person knocking on the door outside the courtyard was actually an old yamen runner from the Ya Men.

Although Duan Rong was unwilling in his heart, he still jumped off the bed, walked through the courtyard with squinted eyes, and opened the courtyard door while yawning.

Duan Rong tilted his head, eyes half-closed, and asked in a groggy voice, "It's early in the morning, what is it?"

"Escort Duan, I've disturbed your sleep," the yamen runner said with a smile.

Duan Rong opened his eyes and glanced at the old yamen runner; the meaning was obvious enough. You know you're disturbing someone's sleep, too.

The old yamen runner smiled awkwardly and said, "Escort Duan Rong, the County Magistrate requests your presence."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong's sleepiness vanished without a trace; the moment his Divine Sense scanned the yamen runner, he suspected that Shen Yanliu was looking for him, and he had guessed correctly.

When Duan Rong followed the old yamen runner to the County Office, Shen Yanliu had already changed into a loose scholar's robe. He was eating a bowl of bird's nest freshly stewed by Ma Chunmin; he hadn't slept all night, but Shen Yanliu's eyes were still bright and piercing, though a thick layer of fatigue was locked between his brows.

Duan Rong walked in and was about to pay his respects when Shen Yanliu waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities, sit!"

Duan Rong respectfully took a seat on a grand armchair below.

"Someone, bring another bowl of bird's nest!"

Soon, a pretty maid brought a bowl of bird's nest on a wooden tray and placed it on the tea table beside Duan Rong.

Shen Yanliu said, "Escort Duan Rong, try this freshly stewed bird's nest."

"Thank you, County Magistrate." Duan Rong picked up the bird's nest and took a spoonful with a silver spoon; a mellow, fragrant, and glutinous aroma permeated his tongue.

The taste was naturally very good, but in front of Shen Yanliu, Duan Rong was careful to control his demeanor, eating slowly and elegantly.

Shen Yanliu said, "By time, you have been in contact with Su Di for almost half a year."

While eating, Duan Rong had long been prepared for Shen Yanliu's questioning, so he put down the spoon in his hand and replied, "Yes, it has been over half a year."

Shen Yanliu looked steadily at Duan Rong and asked, "Besides Wei Yutian, did she ever mention any other members of the Filthy Blood Sect?"

Duan Rong shook his head and said, "She only started chatting with me about the Filthy Blood Sect recently. Her intention was to lure me into the sect, so the focus of her conversations was all on the Filthy Blood Divine Art."

Shen Yanliu nodded. He had only asked in passing, because he had already dug up most of the information that could be extracted from this case; asking Duan Rong was just a matter of "raking grass to hit rabbits," and he hadn't really expected to find out anything.

Shen Yanliu said, "Escort Duan Rong, for this major Filthy Blood Case, you have the merit of being the first to report it; I will report this to the Sect and request a Taishang Shengshui Merit Token for you."

"This Taishang Shengshui Merit Token is issued by the Sect and is only awarded to commoners; it is a reward for those with great merit. Not only can it exempt your registered farmland from taxes, but whether it is for yourself or your future children, if you wish to take the exam to become a Registered Disciple of the Taiyi Sect, this Merit Token will have a certain boosting effect and will become a consideration for the Sect to prioritize your admission."

Two days ago, the preliminary list of applicants for the Sect's selection of Registered Disciples had already been compiled by Clerk Qin and placed on his desk.

Shen Yanliu had taken a rough look through it; he remembered that Duan Rong was on the application list for the Yuanshun Escort Agency, and because he had some impression of Duan Rong, he remembered it immediately.

Shen Yanliu hadn't paid much attention to it originally; after a quick look, he had set the list aside, planning to hand over the background check of the applicants to Xie Daohan once he returned from the Prefecture City.

As soon as Duan Rong heard about the so-called Taishang Shengshui Merit Token, his heart felt a chill. Because he had swallowed the Spirit Tool of the Tainted Blood Copper Awl in Wei Yutian's Secret Chamber Mandala, Duan Rong's understanding of the Filthy Blood Divine Art was far beyond that of an ordinary person.

The bizarre and unfathomable nature of it was truly chilling.

If his reporting of the Filthy Blood Sect were to spread, it would be almost equivalent to poking a hornet's nest; once he was targeted by the people of the Filthy Blood Sect and made an object of revenge and elimination, he would be doomed.

He did not believe he could survive an assassination by the Filthy Blood Sect.

Wouldn't taking that Taishang Shengshui Merit Token be equivalent to a death warrant from the Filthy Blood Sect?

Furthermore, he had already achieved the Micro-Perception Realm of the Inner Breath Realm and was originally very confident about the Registered Disciple assessment in March; Duan Rong simply did not believe he needed the boost from this Merit Token.

Duan Rong cupped his hands and said, "County Magistrate, this must not be done!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yanliu's expression turned cold; he raised his eyes to look at Duan Rong and said in a deep voice, "Escort Duan Rong, what do you mean by this?"

Duan Rong spoke bluntly, "I dare not hide it from the County Magistrate; this commoner is afraid of the revenge of those thieves from the Filthy Blood Sect."

Shen Yanliu's eyes flickered, and he smiled, "You need not worry about this; both the Sect and the County Office will keep this confidential for you."

Duan Rong said, "This commoner has seen the remains of the Filthy Blood Sect thieves in the pavilion, and it was truly shocking. This token, this commoner absolutely cannot accept; I hope the County Magistrate will understand."

Shen Yanliu's pupils suddenly constricted, and he said coldly, "This County Magistrate understands. Escort Duan Rong, please see yourself out."

Shen Yanliu had issued an order to expel the guest; Duan Rong immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and took his leave.

Shen Yanliu watched Duan Rong's back and said with hidden anger, "Ungrateful!"

(End of chapter)