Chapter 439: Iron Law

After Zhu He vanished from the Secret Chamber, Duan Rong remained standing there in a daze, staring blankly at the Yinlu Cicada in his hand.

"Seed Character?! The origin of the Heavenly Dao?!"

According to what Zhu He said, this Yinlu Cicada could spit out dew three times, which meant he could use this cicada to unleash Law Power three times.

Law Power—that was a force only the great experts of the Dongming Realm could wield!

From this point alone, one could imagine how precious and rare this Yinlu Cicada was.

What's more, the cicada's body had been refined by the Sect Ancestor himself; Duan Rong guessed that even Zhu He likely had only two or three at most, and it was highly probable that he only possessed this single one.

And so, the problem arose!

If Zhu He only had one Yinlu Cicada, why would he give such a precious treasure to him?

Duan Rong's gaze flickered with depth.

He had indeed displayed some talent, and his original thought was that it would be great if he could swindle a few more bottles of High-Tier Beast Bone Marrow Gray Matter from Zhu He.

But for Zhu He to gift such a heavy treasure really did startle him a bit.

Because this defied common sense!

When things go against the norm, there must be a demon at play!

Duan Rong judged his own talent to be somewhat monstrous, but no matter how monstrous his talent was, if he put himself in the other's shoes and thought from that perspective, it was absolutely not to the extent that would make Zhu He give away a treasure like the Yinlu Cicada.

"Unless... this old man has other designs?!" Duan Rong's gaze tightened as he pondered in his heart.

He had already experienced Zhu He's style.

When he was sent to Shenyun Prefecture to handle a case, he had been quietly set up by him.

This old man was like a master chess player, considering a thousand possibilities, planning before acting, and never playing a move that was a wasted piece.

Since he gifted such a treasure to me, there must be a follow-up arrangement.

However, Duan Rong knew that thinking about this now was useless; just like the matter of being sent to Shenyun Prefecture, until the moment he walked into Longyu Hall, it was impossible for him to figure out what Zhu He's follow-up move was.

"Since I can't figure it out, I'll just take it one step at a time."

It wasn't that Duan Rong was willing to be a chess piece, but rather that this old man's cultivation was too deep to fathom.

However, even if the old man truly had a follow-up plan, being able to gift him such a treasure already indicated his weight.

Wait!

Duan Rong's eyelids twitched as he suddenly recalled a sentence from Zhu He.

"In times of danger, with a single thought, it will spit out dew to protect you three times with Law Power!"

Zhu He's words flashed through Duan Rong's mind once again.

"Danger? Protection?"

"Could it be that I am going to be in some kind of danger?"

Duan Rong did not believe that the slight threat posed by Lv Qingzhu required the use of Law Power for protection!

This Yinlu Cicada was clearly not meant to guard against Lv Qingzhu!

"It couldn't be that a Dongming Realm expert is coming to kill me, could it!?"

Duan Rong suddenly thought of a question that made him shudder.

Moreover, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that was exactly the case.

Otherwise, why would Zhu He give the Yinlu Cicada to him?

"I don't seem to have offended any Dongming Realm experts?"

Even when handling cases in Shenyun Prefecture, Duan Rong had controlled the degree well, trying his best not to pierce that layer of window paper and intervene in the open and secret struggles between the two factions.

Instead, he advanced when he should and stopped when he should.

And at the very least, he was now a personal disciple of a Sect Elder; who would kill him?

As Duan Rong thought this, his gaze suddenly froze, and he muttered to himself: "Unless... in that old man's chess game, there will be a Dongming Realm expert coming to kill me next!"

"Could it be like this?"

Duan Rong could not be sure, but he could still feel an inexplicable sense of crisis, as if a sharp Sword were hanging above his head, ready to fall at any moment.

For the next ten days, he did nothing else, staying in the Secret Chamber the entire time to refine the Yinlu Cicada with his Essence Blood.

Ten days later, Duan Rong looked at the Yinlu Cicada hovering in front of him.

He had soaked it in Essence Blood every day, and now the Yinlu Cicada was glowing with a faint blood-red light.

More importantly, the Yinlu Cicada now had a faint connection with Duan Rong's Divine Soul.

With a thought from Duan Rong, the Yinlu Cicada acted like a living creature, turning into a streak of blood-red light and burrowing into his sleeve.

He exhaled a breath of turbid air and stood up, though his footsteps staggered slightly.

For these ten days, Duan Rong had been in the Secret Chamber refining this object; not only had he not eaten or drunk, but his body had also become stiff from sitting.

Duan Rong walked out of his Cultivation Secret Chamber with slow, heavy steps, only to see Fan Hongjiao walking over from beside the statue of the Immovable Wisdom King.

Fan Hongjiao had originally intended to go to her own Cultivation Secret Chamber, but when she saw Duan Rong's appearance—lips cracked, footsteps unsteady, as if a gust of wind could blow him over—he looked nothing like his usual vigorous self.

"Disciple, what happened to you? Looking at you like that, it's as if you've had your essence drained by a female ghost!"

Duan Rong gave a miserable smile, licked his cracked lips, and said in a hoarse voice: "It's nothing, Senior Sister. I haven't eaten for a few days. I'll be fine once I eat something."

"Haven't eaten for a few days?" Fan Hongjiao looked at Duan Rong suspiciously and asked: "What were you doing in the Secret Chamber? Not eating for days."

Duan Rong said: "Nothing much. Just exploring a technique."

Duan Rong brushed it off and walked outside.

Fan Hongjiao watched his back, her gaze flickering as she muttered to herself: "No wonder the little Disciple could comprehend Artistic Conception while still in the Qi Refining Realm. To be able to explore a technique to the point of not eating or drinking for days, he truly is a cultivator of bitter practice!"

Duan Rong returned to his room in the pavilion, first ordered a table of food, and swept it clean like a whirlwind, not even leaving the soup or broth behind.

Only then did he rub his round belly, lie down on the bed, and have a comfortable sleep.

When he woke up, it was already the morning of the next day.

Duan Rong got off the bed, and without even washing up, he just sat blankly before the desk, remaining motionless for a long time.

He did not know if it was because he had encountered Lv Qingzhu in the Dark Forest, but these past few days, he had constantly been thinking of Xiao Yu.

In his dreams last night, he had even dreamt of Xiao Yu smiling at him, one moment serving him food to eat, the next leading him for a walk in the garden.

Upon waking from his sleep, he felt a sense of loss.

Duan Rong sat there for quite a while, then suddenly stood up and walked out of the room.

Within the Endless Great Mountains, in a certain mountain hollow of Tie Feng Mountain.

Tower structures built of blue bricks, like bunkers, were scattered throughout the dense forest.

Just at the edge of this mountain hollow, a figure suddenly came walking along, and it was none other than Duan Rong!

As soon as Duan Rong reached the edge of the dense forest, three very powerful Divine Senses crossed over his body.

Before he came here, he had already asked Fan Hongjiao about the Tower Forest.

Fan Hongjiao told him that anyone who enters the Tower Forest, if they do not achieve True Qi Realm Great Perfection, shall never leave the Tower Forest for all eternity.

After all, within the Tower Forest, the Sect has already poured a great deal of resources into you.

Those resources are not taken for free!

Establishing such a rule is meant to force everyone into a desperate situation. In this way, during these moments of frustration and despair, many people truly do break through.

The Sect also saw that this method was effective, so it has been continued.

Of course, there is a price to pay, which is that within the Tower Forest, there are countless white bones of those who sat trapped until death.

Duan Rong was truly worried about Xiao Yu, not knowing if she could walk out of the Tower Forest, so he wanted to come and see.

But after those three crossing Divine Senses swept over just now, Duan Rong knew that never mind the Tower Forest, he could not even enter the mountain hollow.

Duan Rong hesitated for a moment, then still walked slowly forward.

He was just about to step into the dense forest of the mountain hollow when a black shadow suddenly flashed out from somewhere in the woods, blocking his path.

It was a middle-aged man with a square face and a sallow complexion; he glared at Duan Rong and barked, "Where did this brat come from?! Charging into Tie Feng Mountain with your eyes closed! This place is a forbidden area! Retreat at once!"

Seeing the man, Duan Rong said, "Senior, I am not charging in blindly. I know this is the Tower Forest."

The middle-aged man's expression turned even colder, and he barked, "You know and you still dare to charge in? Which peak are you from?"

Duan Rong said, "Senior, I am from Yunfu Peak."

The middle-aged man's expression shifted slightly, but he said nothing more.

Duan Rong pleaded, saying, "Senior, my wife is inside the Tower Forest, and I just want to go in and take a look, to tell her a few words. Could Senior please make an exception?"

Upon hearing this, the man's face darkened, and he said, "No!"

"Never mind your wife! Even if your own mother were inside, it wouldn't be allowed. Not achieving True Qi Realm Great Perfection means no leaving the Tower Forest; this is the Sect Iron Law!"

"Retreat at once, and do not be foolish and charge in! Otherwise, our fists and feet have no eyes!"

After the man finished speaking, his figure flashed and he vanished from before Duan Rong's eyes.

So fast! Duan Rong surmised that this person must be a Qi Cyclone Realm Martial Artist.

He stood there for a while, but those three powerful Divine Senses remained locked onto him.

Duan Rong sighed, and just as he was preparing to leave, the sound of drums beating *dong dong dong* suddenly came from the dense forest.

That was the drumbeat for assembly!

Then Duan Rong saw figures vaguely flickering within the dense forest.

He knew that among those figures, one of them must be Xiao Yu.

Duan Rong suddenly exerted his movement technique, wanting to rush into the forest.

But just as he was about to dash in, he felt a great force kick him in the chest; in an instant, Duan Rong flew backward, landing on a large blue stone outside the mountain hollow, smashing it so that stone chips flew everywhere.

Duan Rong jumped up from the large blue stone, but saw that there was not a single figure in the surroundings.

He hadn't even touched the hem of the garment of the person who had struck just now before being kicked out.

A small bruise had been knocked onto Duan Rong's right cheekbone, caused by hitting a sharp, hard corner on the large blue stone.

He sighed and left the place, feeling somewhat depressed.

The perimeter of the Tower Forest was heavily guarded with experts stationed there; it was clearly impossible for him to break in.

And with so many experts here, there was absolutely no one who could escape from the Tower Forest.

Sitting trapped until death!

How is this any different from being in prison?

Duan Rong lamented in his heart while his figure flashed, moving through the mountains like a mountain demon or a nimble ape, and before long, he had climbed up a certain mountain peak!

Standing on that mountain peak, Duan Rong gazed into the distance and could just see the open space in front of the Tower Forest within the mountain hollow, where a dense crowd of people stood.

But the distance was too great, and the people were like black dots; he could not distinguish which one was Xiao Yu at all.

Duan Rong stood on that mountain peak and watched for a long time, until the crowd dispersed.

Looking from afar, the open space in the mountain hollow was empty, and only then did he walk down the mountain peak with a dejected heart.

Duan Rong descended the mountain peak and continued to use his movement technique to head in the direction of the mountain hollow.

However, this time he did not approach the dense forest again, but instead turned and headed toward a spot not far from the mountain hollow.

The place Duan Rong was going to was the Instructor Camp not far from the mountain hollow.

That was a place Yao Che, the Instructor of the Tower Forest, had taken him to once before.

Relying on his memory, Duan Rong explored in that direction.

Soon, he saw an open space from afar at a high vantage point.

In that open space, wooden houses of various sizes were scattered without any pattern, along with a few tents that were already somewhat old and worn.

Having confirmed the location, Duan Rong immediately used his movement technique and headed over.

Soon, he arrived before the Instructor Camp; surprisingly, there was no one guarding it, and one could enter and exit at will.

Duan Rong walked inside, and when a few people saw his unfamiliar face, they questioned him about what he was doing. Duan Rong pointed toward the southeast corner of the Instructor Camp grounds and said he had come to find Instructor Yao Che.

Seeing that he knew Yao Che's name and that the location he pointed to was indeed where Yao Che lived, those few people assumed he was an acquaintance of Yao Che's and stopped pestering him.

Duan Rong arrived in front of a wooden hut in the southeast corner; he looked at the crude wooden hut before him, feeling somewhat hesitant.

He remembered that Yao Che lived here in the southeast corner, but he was not certain which specific wooden hut it was.

Just then, someone suddenly walked out of the wooden hut bare-chested, carrying a wooden basin, and splashed a basin of dirty water outside the hut.

Duan Rong's eyes suddenly lit up, and he called out, "Instructor Yao!"

Yao Che was slightly startled, turned his head to look, and saw a well-built young man walking toward him.

"Duan Rong?"

Duan Rong smiled and said, "Instructor Yao still remembers me!"

Although half a year had passed, the fact that Duan Rong had defeated the entire baboon family the moment he entered the Tower Forest had still left a deep impression on Yao Che.

Moreover, he had later heard that Duan Rong had entered Yunfu Peak and become a personal disciple of Zhu He.

"Come in and sit." Yao Che chuckled lightly and then went inside the hut.

Duan Rong followed him in immediately.

Yao Che put down the empty wooden basin in his hand, and while putting on his clothes, he pointed to a wooden stump chair, letting Duan Rong sit down.

Duan Rong sat down.

Yao Che fastened his clothes, looked at Duan Rong, and asked, "What is it? Why have you run back to this Tower Forest again?"

Duan Rong said, "Instructor Yao, I would like to ask you about the recent situation of someone in the Tower Forest."

Yao Che said, "Someone? Who?"

"Xiao Yu!"

After about half a stick of incense had passed, Duan Rong walked out of Yao Che's wooden hut with a heavy heart.

It was much as he had expected. Half a year had passed, and Xiao Yu still hadn't been able to break through the True Qi Realm Third Layer. Moreover, Yao Che had just said inside the hut that, based on his many years of experience as an instructor, the chances of someone in Xiao Yu's situation reaching Great Perfection and leaving the Tower Forest were not high.

Duan Rong was walking with his head down, sighing, when he almost bumped into someone.

Duan Rong suddenly saw a pair of feet on the ground before him and immediately stopped; before he could even look up, he heard a burst of hearty laughter.

"Brother Duan, how have you been?"

Duan Rong looked up and saw a familiar smiling face, and he said in surprise, "Liu Shushan!? When did you get out of the Tower Forest?"

Liu Shushan said, "I only just got out a few days ago."

Duan Rong glanced behind Liu Shushan and saw it was the very tent he had once lived in. It seemed that, without realizing it, he had walked to this tent and just happened to run into Liu Shushan.

Liu Shushan looked at Duan Rong and asked, "Brother Duan, I saw that you were unhappy just now. I wonder what you are worried about?"

Duan Rong did not answer, but instead grabbed Liu Shushan and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to get some wine. We can chat while we eat and drink."

The two had not seen each other for over half a year; now that old friends had met again, how could they not be enthusiastic?

"Drink wine?!" When Liu Shushan heard the word 'wine', his eyes suddenly lit up; it had been over half a year, and he hadn't even smelled the scent of wine.

However, he was always cautious, so he hesitated and said, "The instructor told me to wait in the tent. Can I just run off?"

Duan Rong had already experienced it and knew what was going on, so he said, "It doesn't matter. As long as you arrive at the Separate Courtyard below Cuiwei Peak in time for the day of the sacrifice to Taiyi Pavilion, it will be fine."

"Is that so?" There was still a tone of doubt in Liu Shushan's voice.

Duan Rong's expression shifted, and he said, "How about this then. We'll go tell Instructor Yao before we head out; that way, there won't be any trouble."

Liu Shushan smiled easily and said, "That would naturally be best."

"Then let's go!"

Duan Rong immediately pulled Liu Shushan along and walked toward Yao Che's wooden hut.

(End of this chapter)