Chapter 477: The Beggar's Realm

Duan Rong's gaze was cold and sharp.

Although Xu Pangzi was anxious at heart, he caught his breath and still said quite obsequiously, "I don't understand a single word you're saying. This is the residence of Grand Master of Palace Revenues Zhu, and I advise you to leave quickly, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."

He also knew that the person before him was definitely not simple, but how could he dare to admit that he was a spy lurking within the Zhu residence?

"Is that so?" Duan Rong sneered slightly.

When it came to interrogating prisoners, perhaps he was not as skilled as Zhu Cheng, but he had his own methods.

Duan Rong increased the force in his hand, making it difficult for Xu Pangzi to breathe, his mouth wide open; then, with a flip of his hand, Duan Rong slapped a medicine pill into Xu Pangzi's throat.

Duan Rong loosened his grip, dropping Xu Pangzi to the ground, and sat leisurely on a chair not far away, watching Xu Pangzi on the floor with composure.

The medicine pill had already slid into his stomach; Xu Pangzi coughed while looking at Duan Rong in terror, asking, "What did you feed me?"

Duan Rong just looked at him indifferently, too lazy to answer his question at all, because he knew very well that in another breath's time, he wouldn't need to answer at all.

Just as Xu Pangzi finished asking, his expression suddenly changed; in an instant, an unbearable, intense itch surged through every part of his body, as if countless ants and centipedes were crawling and biting all over his skin...

"Ah... ya..." Xu Pangzi groaned, collapsing to the ground; his teeth clenched tight, he began to tear at his clothes, his two hands scratching fiercely at his own chest...

That unbearable, intense itching sensation stimulated him, and after only a few scratches, his chest was already covered in bloodstains...

Yet he felt no pain, continuing to scratch with all his might...

Soon, his chest had been scratched to shreds by his own hands, and in Xu Pangzi's eyes, there actually emerged a strange, orgasmic pleasure... as if he were hysterical...

His two hands were still scratching at the mangled flesh on his chest, which was already a bloody mess...

Seeing that it was about enough, Duan Rong suddenly flashed over, Qi flickering at his fingertips, and tapped several acupuncture points on Xu Pangzi's body in quick succession.

The intense itching all over his body stopped abruptly; Xu Pangzi suddenly went limp, two puffs of white air spraying from his nose, but only a moment later, he let out a miserable shriek, which was suppressed by Duan Rong gripping his throat. At this moment, as the anesthetic-like excitement faded, the sharp pain from his festering chest made him gasp through his teeth.

Duan Rong squatted there, looking at him, and said coldly, "If you don't speak now, I'm afraid you won't have the chance to. The next time it itches, you will scratch your own belly open. Your intestines will be spilling all over the floor, yet you will still feel an unbearable itch inside your stomach..."

Duan Rong's tone was very light, but Xu Pangzi stared straight at Duan Rong, as if looking at a fierce ghost from hell; a chill ran down his spine, and at this moment, he seemed to see his own death in Duan Rong's eyes.

He glanced at his own mangled, bloody chest and knew that the person before him was not bluffing; if he did not confess, what that man said would be his end, and he really would scratch his own belly open...

Xu Pangzi shuddered, let out a long sigh, and as if having made a great resolution, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said, "I'll talk..."

When Duan Rong walked out of the somewhat warped, old wooden door of the main room, Xu Pangzi was already unconscious on the floor, his chest a patch of mangled flesh, his two hands covered in blood and filth, and his fingernails stuffed with bloody bits of flesh...

Zhu Zhengfu was sitting in the flower hall, sipping ginseng tea while listening to the steward Zhu Yu talk about some arrangements for the day, when he saw Duan Rong walk in slowly.

The moment Zhu Zhengfu saw Duan Rong enter, he stood up in a panic and said respectfully, "My Lord!"

Duan Rong glanced at Zhu Yu, and Zhu Zhengfu immediately understood, saying, "Zhu Yu, you go down first."

"Yes." Zhu Yu immediately cupped his hands, lowered his head, and retreated.

After Zhu Yu left, Duan Rong looked at Zhu Zhengfu and said, "I have already interrogated Xu Pangzi. The man is in his own room. Keep a close watch on him; do not let any word leak out."

Zhu Zhengfu said, "My Lord, rest assured. In this matter, I know the limits."

Duan Rong nodded and said, "That is good." Although Zhu Zhengfu was somewhat indulgent, he was able to become the person with the highest power among Zhu He's worldly bloodline, so he still possessed the necessary mindset, strategy, and means.

After Duan Rong greeted Zhu Zhengfu, he left the Zhu residence.

He turned into a small alley along the street, walked out of the alley mouth, and arrived at a small street.

At this time, the sky was just brightening, and there were already scattered early-rising customers at the breakfast stalls along the street.

Duan Rong walked along the street and, before long, stopped in front of a remote, dilapidated teahouse.

He had entered and sat in this teahouse before, but he was not here to drink tea today, because at this hour, the teahouse had not yet opened.

The teahouse doors were tightly shut, and under the eaves at the entrance, a row of ragged beggars were sleeping, huddled together in the cold wind of the late autumn morning...

For beggars, the space in front of the teahouse was already considered a good place to sleep. After all, the teahouse closed early at night and only opened after dawn, so the beggars huddled here could get a good night's sleep.

Therefore, the spot in front of this teahouse was quite sought after among the beggars, and not just anyone could manage to get one.

However, at this moment, in that crowded pile of beggars, there was an empty spot in the middle for some reason.

Duan Rong stood there, his brows furrowed, and his Divine Sense swept over, passing through the dantian of each of those beggars one by one.

"None of these beggars are Martial Artists!"

A flash of disappointment crossed Duan Rong's eyes, but after glancing at that empty spot in the pile of beggars, he turned and walked to a nearby breakfast stall, ordering a bowl of beef soup and two sesame flatbreads.

While eating breakfast, Duan Rong kept his eyes fixed on the beggars at the teahouse entrance.

He was naturally not doing this because he had nothing better to do.

Because every time Xu Pangzi wanted to pass information out, it was after nightfall, when he would come to this teahouse to meet a beggar.

That beggar would then pass his information to another superior.

Moreover, Xu Pangzi said he had even seen that beggar use Lightness Skill. That beggar was a Martial Artist.

But Duan Rong had just scanned those beggars and there was not a single Martial Artist among them.

Duan Rong did not think Xu Pangzi was lying to him, unless he really wanted to scratch his own intestines out. Duan Rong was more inclined to believe that the beggar had gone somewhere after dawn, perhaps to scout for information or to meet someone. However, Xu Pangzi had said that once night fell, the beggar would stay at the teahouse entrance.

Duan Rong finished the last of the soup in the bowl, and at this moment, the teahouse door was pushed open by someone, and a waiter came out, cursing and driving away the beggars huddled at the entrance...

Duan Rong stood up and walked back to the Zhu residence along the same path.

Since the beggar's whereabouts were uncertain during the day, he could only come back to this teahouse at night. After all, Xu Pangzi also met that beggar at night every time.

Duan Rong could conclude that the beggar definitely did not just act as a contact for Xu Pangzi alone; he should be the Liaison for many internal agents. If he caught this person, he might be able to uncover many others.

Duan Rong returned to the Zhu residence and headed straight for the Separate Courtyard where he lived.

He had originally been tired for several days, and that night, just as he wanted to return to sleep, he encountered the incident of Ruyi being abducted; he had been busy all night without realizing it. At this moment, his eyes were bloodshot, and although his Divine Soul was strong enough to endure not sleeping for several days, his current mental state was actually in an unhealthy, agitated condition, which caused a certain amount of wear on his Divine Soul.

Duan Rong decided to go back and get a good sleep.

He walked into the Separate Courtyard, but Chou Luan was not sitting on the large bluestone, but rather on the threshold of the room door. The moment Chou Luan saw him, he stood up immediately.

Duan Rong glanced at Chou Luan and saw that his eyes were also red from exhaustion, clearly having not slept all night either.

Chou Luan said, "My Lord, you're back?"

Duan Rong said, "Mm, I'm back."

Chou Luan's expression shifted, and he asked, "What about Ruyi?"

Duan Rong said, "Dead."

As he said this, Duan Rong had already stepped into the room and walked straight toward the bed behind the screen.

Chou Luan stood at the doorway, silent and wordless.

Ruyi was nothing more than a skinny horse! No one would care if a skinny horse died; in fact, Chou Luan did not care much either, he had only asked casually.

Just as Duan Rong returned to the Separate Courtyard, Zhu Yu, the steward of the Zhu manor, walked in from the kitchen side with hurried steps. Looking at Xiao Guo who was busy over there, he instructed, "Xu Pangzi has matters to attend to today and cannot get away; you are responsible for lunch and dinner."

"Ah!" Xiao Guo's expression was one of surprise. After a slight pause, he said, "Steward Zhu, how can I manage? I haven't finished my apprenticeship yet! I only know how to make simple things. If Master Xu doesn't come, the mistresses will scold me."

Zhu Yu said coldly, "I told you he has matters and cannot come. You fill in for now. If the mistresses scold or beat you, just take it."

As he said this, Zhu Yu turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Xiao Guo called out and chased after him, but Zhu Yu walked away without even looking back.

"This... how did it come to this..." Xiao Guo scratched his head, feeling very troubled.

However, when he turned and walked back into the kitchen, the worry in his eyes had gradually faded, and instead, a look of eagerness to try surged up. He had watched Xu Pangzi cook for a long time; although that fellow didn't teach him, he had stolen many techniques through his own attentiveness. Now that he had the chance, he really wanted to try... perhaps he could win the favor of the mistresses; he had carefully remembered the dishes each room liked... Xiao Guo stood before the kitchen stove and began to ponder carefully.

Duan Rong slept until nightfall before waking up.

When he walked out of the Separate Courtyard, the sky was already pitch black. Chou Luan saw he was fine and was lying on the large bluestone again, recovering from a hangover. Duan Rong sighed and walked out of the Zhu manor.

On the streets outside, the lanterns were just being lit.

Duan Rong walked slowly and arrived once again in front of that secluded teahouse. Although night had fallen, the teahouse had not yet closed, though only a few scattered tables of tea drinkers remained inside.

Duan Rong walked across to the other side of the street, found a tavern, ordered a few dishes, called for a pot of yellow wine, and sat at a seat at the tavern entrance, facing the wind.

In this weather, few people were willing to sit in this drafty spot, and the waiter who took the order couldn't help but look at Duan Rong twice.

When the wine and food arrived, Duan Rong ate and drank while keeping an eye on the teahouse diagonally across the street.

He had only drunk less than half of his pot of yellow wine when the teahouse opposite closed for the night.

After a few more cups, the teahouse was pitch black, and only a lantern under the eaves outside emitted a dim yellow light in the cold wind.

By the time Duan Rong finished his pot of yellow wine, beggars had arrived one after another and huddled at the entrance of the teahouse. Those beggars huddled together in the cold light, shrinking their necks and shivering.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Duan Rong settled the bill and left the tavern. He turned his steps into the alley next to the tavern, hid in the shadows of the alley, and continued to watch the front of the teahouse across the street.

Duan Rong's Divine Sense had already swept over the five or six beggars huddled there; none of them were Martial Artists, and none were the person he was looking for.

As Duan Rong hid in the black shadows of the alley, beggars continued to arrive from various places. Duan Rong used his Divine Sense to pass through their dantian one by one; their dantian were empty, possessing neither Internal Breath nor True Qi.

Just then, under the dim yellow light of the lantern under the teahouse eaves, a person was seen slowly emerging from the edge of the murky darkness. This person's clothes were tattered, their face was covered in grease and dirt, and their hair was matted and knotted. When they walked, it was in a stumbling, uneven manner. At first glance, they were indeed no different from the scabby beggars on the street.

But the moment this person stepped out of the darkness, Duan Rong's eyes flickered. The lazy posture with which this person walked was clearly learned, because although their body swayed, their spine was always held straight.

Duan Rong's Divine Sense instantly passed through this person's dantian, and his pupils suddenly constricted. "True Qi Realm Third Layer!"

The beggar walked to the front of the teahouse, lay down next to the pile of beggars, and shrank their neck.

Duan Rong waited for that fellow to huddle there for a while, then suddenly snapped his fingers in the darkness and mimicked the sound of a wild cat three times.

Across the street, the beggars huddled there didn't notice the sound at all, but a Martial Artist's six senses are far superior to ordinary people.

The moment the snapping sound echoed in the darkness, the beggar had already pricked up their ears. After hearing the three wild cat calls, they even pretended to struggle to stand up, muttering, "I'm bursting, I'm going to the alley entrance across the way to take a leak."

The beggar next to them, shivering, cursed, "So much trouble! Couldn't you have let it out before coming back? Is your brain in your ass?"

"Screw your grandfather, keep cursing and I'll spray it on your face."

Hearing this, the beggar next to them grumbled and turned over to sleep on the other side. With one less person to block the wind, they immediately felt cold, which is why they were cursing.

The beggar scratched their crotch and walked toward the other side of the street. When they reached the alley entrance, they pretended to urinate, then pulled up their pants and walked into the shadows of the alley.

One snap, three cat calls. This was the secret signal he had agreed upon with Xu Pangzi.

"Xu Pangzi, again..." the beggar walked into the alley and whispered to a blurry black shadow standing in the shadows.

But they only said half the sentence before the sound choked in their throat.

"You're not Xu Pangzi, who are you?" The beggar's vigilance instantly spiked.

Although it was only a blurry black shadow in the darkness, it was clearly more than a head taller than Xu Pangzi. How could they not see that?

Duan Rong smiled lightly and did not answer. With a flash of his figure, he stood behind the beggar like a ghost.

The beggar's heart was shocked, their hair stood on end like they had been electrocuted, and they instantly turned around, throwing a palm strike with full force.

But the moment they turned, Duan Rong had already lowered his body and struck a palm onto their dantian.

Although it was in the darkness, Duan Rong's palm still had a certain natural, flowing rhythm, as if he had long known the beggar would turn around, and that palm had already been waiting there.

The moment it was struck was the exact moment the beggar turned; it was not off by even a fraction.

The beggar flew backward like a falling leaf, blood spilling from the corner of their mouth. Their face was pale as paper, their heart dead; because they knew their dantian had been destroyed, and they had become a cripple.

The moment the beggar flew backward, Duan Rong leaped, and in mid-air, he flicked his sleeve, scattering a cloud of Medicine Powder onto the beggar's face.

Duan Rong held the beggar's waist in mid-air and leaped into the depths of the alley in the darkness, while the beggar's eyes went black, and they had already fainted...

(End of chapter)