Chapter 502: Fan Hongjiao

After that moment of enlightenment, Shen Mizhi's sword technique became more Round and Harmonious. She cultivated diligently from then on, and about half a month later, she actually achieved True Qi Realm Great Perfection and walked out of the Tower Forest.

A few days later, at the apprenticeship ceremony in Longyu Hall, no Elder or senior member was willing to accept her into their fold. Inside Longyu Hall, it was empty.

It had taken Shen Mizhi nearly a year to walk out of the Tower Forest, and the results of her Yougu test were also quite average; coupled with the stain on her family background, she had long anticipated these things in her heart, so she was quite calm about it.

In a corner of the inner room of Longyu Hall, the old Attendant Chen Ci burned incense and had her kowtow and pay respects, which counted as having her enter the inner sect on behalf of the sect founder Lan Ruoshui, making her an official disciple of the Taiyi Sect.

After the apprenticeship ended, Shen Mizhi walked down Cuiwei Peak; without stopping, she headed toward Yunfu Peak, where Duan Rong was.

During those few days in the Instructor Camp, she had already inquired clearly that Duan Rong had apprenticed under Zhu He, the Head of the Inner History Department, and was indeed on Yunfu Peak.

Shen Mizhi slid across the iron chain, passed through the churning clouds and mist between the valleys, and landed somewhere on the mountainside of Yunfu Peak. Looking at the winding mountain path not far away, she couldn't help but touch the copper bracelet hidden inside her lapel.

That was what Xiao Yu had personally handed to her before she left the Tower Forest.

At the moment of parting, the sorrowful look in Xiao Yu's eyes flashed before her. Shen Mizhi wiped the fine sweat from her forehead and walked up the winding mountain path.

Reaching the end of the mountain path, she saw a building constructed against the cliff, with carved beams and painted rafters, standing eight stories tall, possessing quite a towering presence.

She walked to the first floor of the building, but not daring to enter randomly, she could only wait there.

After waiting for a while, she suddenly saw a young Attendant come downstairs. Shen Mizhi immediately ran over and asked, "I am looking for Duan Rong; please pass on a message for me."

The Attendant looked Shen Mizhi up and down and asked, "What business do you have with Lord Duan?"

Shen Mizhi said, "Just tell him that Shen Mizhi has come out of the Tower Forest and has come to find him."

Seeing that Shen Mizhi spoke clearly, the Attendant's expression shifted, and he said, "You wait here for a moment."

He then went upstairs from the entrance to Duan Rong's room in the building, but seeing a copper lock hanging on the room door, he turned back.

As soon as Shen Mizhi saw the Attendant coming downstairs, her expression brightened, and she asked, "What did he say?"

The Attendant said, "Lord Duan is not here."

At this time, Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan were in the Cultivation Secret Chamber. And as for the Cultivation Secret Chamber, the Attendants in the building were not allowed to enter or exit it at will.

"Not here?" The joyful look in Shen Mizhi's eyes dimmed, and she asked, "When will he be here?"

The Attendant said, "That I don't know. You can come back in two days. However, when I see Lord Duan, I will mention it to him for you."

Shen Mizhi frowned slightly, but still said, "Many thanks!"

Just as she was about to turn and leave, a figure in red suddenly walked out from the building and locked eyes with Shen Mizhi instantly.

Fan Hongjiao was at the stairwell and heard the Attendant saying something about Lord Duan not being there. As soon as she exited the building, she looked at Shen Mizhi and asked from afar, "Are you here to find Duan Rong?"

Shen Mizhi was just about to turn and leave when she suddenly stopped, staring blankly at the woman who had walked out of the building. She saw a few strands of hair slightly raised at her temples, red lips and white teeth, and a charming, seductive air.

Shen Mizhi nodded, looking at the woman with curiosity, and said, "Yes, I am looking for Duan Rong."

Fan Hongjiao walked closer, carefully examining Shen Mizhi with a faint smile on her face, and asked, "Just came out of the Tower Forest?"

Shen Mizhi said, "Yes, I just came out a few days ago."

Fan Hongjiao nodded while looking at Shen Mizhi's face and bearing, and said softly, "A fine talent. Little Disciple-brother is truly blessed."

Fan Hongjiao said, "Little sister, come with me; I will take you to see that boy, Duan Rong."

Shen Mizhi's eyes lit up. She had watched this woman walk out of the building, which meant she was from the Inner History Department; since she said she would take her to see Duan Rong, she likely knew where he was.

Shen Mizhi asked, "Didn't the Attendant just say that Duan Rong wasn't here?"

Fan Hongjiao pursed her lips and smiled, saying, "That Attendant can only look in the rooms inside the building. Disciple-brother Duan has that temperament; once he returns to the mountain, he cultivates in the Secret Chamber, and he might not return to his room for ten days or half a month. If you wait for that Attendant to give you word, who knows how long you'd have to wait?"

Shen Mizhi looked at the woman before her in surprise and asked, "Are you Duan Rong's senior sister?"

Fan Hongjiao said, "Oh. What did you think?! The Cultivation Secret Chamber on Yunfu Peak isn't a place just anyone can enter, is it?"

Seeing that the information this woman provided had no flaws, and that Duan Rong's temperament was indeed that of a cultivation fanatic, plus the fact that she had come from inside the building, Shen Mizhi no longer doubted the woman before her.

Shen Mizhi cupped her hands in a salute and said, "Then I will trouble you, sister, to take me to see Duan Rong!"

Fan Hongjiao smiled, actually grabbing Shen Mizhi's hand directly, and said in a familiar manner, "No need to be so formal with Sister Fan! Life in the Tower Forest is bitter, isn't it?"

Shen Mizhi said, "It is a bit bitter, but it is beneficial for cultivation."

Fan Hongjiao giggled and said, "Little sister, your temperament is quite resilient. Counting it up, you've been in there for a year, right?"

"In another month, it will be a full year."

"Is that so! Time really flies! Little Disciple-brother has been on Yunfu Peak for nearly a year now too!"

As the two chatted, they had already walked into the enclosed space behind the first-floor Main Hall.

As soon as Fan Hongjiao walked in, three Attendants bowed and cupped their hands to her, saying, "Lord Fan."

Fan Hongjiao said, "Open the door!"

An Attendant turned a mechanism, and a whole wall of carved wood suddenly swung open, revealing a pitch-black stone cave entrance behind it.

While Shen Mizhi was still in shock, Fan Hongjiao had already pulled her hand and walked into the dim stone cave.

Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan were cultivating in the Secret Chamber when they suddenly heard the sound of the stone door being knocked. Duan Rong frowned, then heard Fan Hongjiao's faint voice coming through: "Disciple-brother, open the door."

Duan Rong stood up and opened the stone door, and a figure in red flashed in.

As soon as Ximen Kankan saw Fan Hongjiao enter, he immediately leaned over, his pair of shifty eyes darting all over her.

As soon as Fan Hongjiao entered, she patted Duan Rong and laughed, "Little Disciple-brother, I've brought your wife; tell me, how will you thank me?"

"Wife?" Duan Rong was completely confused.

"That's right! Your wife has come out of the Tower Forest!"

Duan Rong was pleasantly surprised and said, "Xiao Yu?!"

For these past few days, Duan Rong had been pondering how to rescue Xiao Yu. How could he not be happy that Xiao Yu had actually come out of the Tower Forest on her own?

As Fan Hongjiao spoke, she had already pulled Shen Mizhi in from outside the door, looking at Duan Rong with a smile as if expecting a reward.

Duan Rong was stunned.

Shen Mizhi glanced at Duan Rong, her face flushing red; she furrowed her brows and lowered her head, remaining silent.

Ximen Kankan had also originally thought that Xiao Yu had come out, but seeing it was Shen Mizhi, he immediately clutched his stomach and burst into loud laughter, shouting, "Wrong, wrong! How is this his wife!? Aren't you just randomly pairing people up?"

As soon as Fan Hongjiao saw the reaction of Duan Rong and Shen Mizhi meeting, she became suspicious, and upon hearing Ximen Kankan's words, she immediately knew she had made a blunder.

She had originally known that Duan Rong's wife was still inside the Tower Forest. Just now, seeing a young woman come to find Duan Rong, and having just come out of the Tower Forest, she had made a preconceived assumption that it was Duan Rong's wife, which was why she had received her with such enthusiasm. She had not expected that she had been mistaken from the start.

Fan Hongjiao's expression was somewhat awkward, but she still braced herself and said, "If it's not his wife, it's not his wife. You're still acquaintances, right?"

Duan Rong said, "We are friends from the same hometown."

"That's fine then." Fan Hongjiao waved her hand and said, "I've delivered the person. I still have things to do, Senior Sister will chat with you later!"

After Fan Hongjiao finished speaking, she turned and left as if fleeing.

Duan Rong shouted behind her, "Many thanks, Senior Sister Fan."

Fan Hongjiao waved her hand without even turning her head.

Duan Rong looked at the flushed Shen Mizhi and said, "Mizhi, you've come out too?"

Shen Mizhi nodded, her voice as faint as a mosquito's.

Duan Rong said, "Come in."

The two of them then walked into the Secret Chamber.

At this time, Ximen Kankan was still standing by the stone door, looking outward with some reluctance.

Duan Rong turned his head and said, "Why are you still standing there? Why haven't you closed the stone door yet!"

Ximen Kankan let out an "oh," and only after the red-clad Fan Hongjiao's red shadow flashed and completely disappeared into the dark stone cave entrance did he turn back to rotate the spring mechanism and close the stone door.

By this time, Duan Rong and Shen Mizhi were already sitting before the Stone Table in the Secret Chamber.

Ximen Kankan also walked over.

Before Duan Rong could speak, Shen Mizhi took the item Xiao Yu had given her before she left the Tower Forest out from her lapel, placed it on the Stone Table, and said, "This is what Sister Xiao gave you."

It was a copper bracelet wrapped in a handkerchief.

Xiao Yu actually had two ankle bracelets, one for each foot. The one on her right foot was the same kind of ankle bracelet as those of Xiao Baijiao and Zhu Xiaoqi; it was one that Mother Xiao had custom-made for them.

There was also another bracelet that Duan Rong had dug out from a pile of discarded weapons when he and she were Registered Disciples; Xiao Yu had worn it all these years.

At this moment, the ankle bracelet on the Stone Table was the one from Xiao Yu's right foot. It was the same style as the one belonging to Xiao Baijiao and Zhu Xiaoqi.

Duan Rong picked up the ankle bracelet, and many past events welled up in his heart.

As Duan Rong stroked the bracelet, the handkerchief that had originally wrapped it slipped off on its own and spread out on the Stone Table.

He saw that on the handkerchief embroidered with willow branches and mandarin ducks, a line of words was written in blood: "Better to forget each other in the rivers and lakes than to moisten each other with foam," with the signature being only a dry, blurred character "Yu."

The characters for "moisten each other" were deep red and thick, but by the final "Yu" character, it was already mottled and dry; Duan Rong could imagine that when she wrote that "Yu" character, the blood from Xiao Yu's fingertips had likely been exhausted.

Duan Rong's heart could not help but ache.

A day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of grace. Not to mention that he and Xiao Yu had experienced life and death, supporting each other to reach this day.

Xiao Yu's past voice and smile appeared before his eyes, and a surge of malice rose in Duan Rong's heart; he even wanted to charge directly into the Tower Forest and snatch Xiao Yu out.

He suppressed the stifling anger in his heart before looking at Shen Mizhi and asking, "Did she have any words to bring to me?"

Shen Mizhi said, "Sister Xiao said to treat Zhu Xiaoqi well."

Duan Rong looked at Shen Mizhi and asked, "Anything else?"

Shen Mizhi said, "Nothing else. Just that one sentence."

Duan Rong's gaze sharpened.

Xiao Yu only said to treat Zhu Xiaoqi well, without mentioning their bond as husband and wife; the blood-written note on the handkerchief, "forget each other in the rivers and lakes," showed even more of her determination.

She is telling me to let her go!

She took off the right ankle bracelet and gave it to Shen Mizhi to bring out just to leave me a memento.

All signs pointed to one thing. Xiao Yu already understood in her heart that she could not get out of the Tower Forest.

She was arranging her affairs.

Because she knew that once Shen Mizhi left, there would be no one else reliable who could pass a message out for her.

It seems that the matter of rescuing Xiao Yu cannot be delayed any longer. If it drags on, I fear Xiao Yu will be in danger.

Just as Duan Rong was thinking this, he saw a certain area on the stone wall not far behind Shen Mizhi suddenly twist and squirm, like a quagmire.

Both Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan saw it, but neither of them was seeing this eerie scene for the first time. Although Ximen Kankan's eyes widened, he was not overly alarmed.

As the stone wall blurred and twisted, a figure walked out slowly; it was none other than Zhu He.

Zhu He stood by the stone wall, glanced at Duan Rong, and said, "Duan Rong, come out with me for a trip."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mizhi was startled. She turned her head and saw that, without knowing when, an old man with gray hair and beard was standing by the stone wall behind her.

Shen Mizhi had just walked into the Secret Chamber, and there was no one else here besides the three of them, nor had she seen this old man; Shen Mizhi could not help but be astonished—where did this old man pop out from?

Seeing Shen Mizhi's face pale with fright, Ximen Kankan leaned toward her and lowered his voice, saying, "That old man is Zhu He, an Elder of the Elder Council and the Department Head of the Inner History Department."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mizhi looked at Ximen Kankan with surprise in her eyes, and Ximen Kankan nodded at her. When Shen Mizhi turned her head back to look at the old man, her eyes were already filled with respect.

An Elder of the Elder Council and the Department Head of the Inner History Department? That is to say, this unremarkable-looking old man before her is a mighty expert of the Dongming Realm!?

Duan Rong sighed; he was just immersed in the gloom of Xiao Yu's blood-written note and the bracelet, yet Zhu He had to find him at this time.

Duan Rong stood up and asked, "Right now?"

"Yes!"

Duan Rong stuffed the handkerchief and the bracelet into his lapel and looked at Ximen Kankan, saying, "Later, take Mizhi to a room in the pavilion to have a good meal."

Ximen Kankan said, "I know."

Duan Rong walked toward Zhu He in front of the stone wall; Zhu He could tell that Duan Rong's mood seemed somewhat low.

Zhu He asked, "Something wrong?"

Duan Rong said, "Nothing."

He could hardly tell Zhu He that he wanted to go into the Tower Forest to snatch Xiao Yu out.

If one does not reach the True Qi Realm Great Perfection, one can never leave the Tower Forest; this is the Sect Iron Law.

Moreover, the Tower Forest is managed by Sect Master Chu; even if one wanted to pull some strings, there would be no opportunity.

Duan Rong walked over, and with a thought from Zhu He, a cluster of spatial ripples enveloped Duan Rong's entire body. Then, the two of them walked together into the stone wall, which was twisting and writhing like mire.

Shen Mizhi watched with a shocked expression as Duan Rong's figure disappeared into the stone wall, and the stone wall, which had been twisting like mire, instantly returned to normal.

Ximen Kankan looked at Shen Mizhi and said, "This is Law Power!"

Over there, Duan Rong only felt a blur, and he had already passed through the stone wall.

Outside the stone wall was a ten-thousand-foot cliff with clouds and mist churning; as soon as the two emerged from the stone wall, their figures suddenly shot upward, flashing amidst the ethereal clouds and mist, and before Duan Rong could react, he was stunned to find that they were already standing in the bathing area inside the pavilion.

Inside, two young Attendants had already prepared the bathwater, and Zhu He glanced at them and said, "You may leave."

The two Attendants replied in the affirmative, then closed the door and went out.

Zhu He then began to undress without regard for anyone else, jumping into a wooden tub while stark naked. Duan Rong noticed that the skin on Zhu He's body was as fair as a maiden's, without a single wrinkle.

Zhu He soaked in the wooden tub, his graying beard floating on the steaming bathwater.

While scrubbing his body, Zhu He looked at Duan Rong and said, "Why are you still standing there? Why don't you hurry up and wash?"

Duan Rong said, "Master, you went through all that trouble to bring your disciple here just to have me watch you bathe!?"

Zhu He's face darkened, and he said, "Bah! You should go take a piss and look at your reflection. With that dark, dingy look of yours and that stench all over you, do you think I've gone mad to have you bathe with me!?"

Duan Rong thought about it and realized he was right, so he took off his clothes and jumped into the bathing tub. It had been nearly a month since the last time, and his body purification had been continuous; a significant amount of yellowish-white pus had accumulated on the surface of his skin, and the smell was indeed quite pungent.

Zhu He glanced at Duan Rong and said, "Wash yourself clean! We are going to see the Ancestor in a while."

Duan Rong was startled and said, "Go see the Ancestor?"

"Yes!" Zhu He laughed, "I haven't seen the old man in several years either. Being able to pay him a visit this time is all thanks to you, kid!?"

Duan Rong stood there stunned, his heart churning. Zhu He was clearly going to take him to see the Sect Ancestor, Lv Yinlin; no wonder even Zhu He himself had to bathe and change clothes.

Duan Rong's eyes flickered as he looked at Zhu He and asked, "Master, why does the Ancestor want to see this disciple?"

Zhu He glanced at him and said, "It's because of when you formed your Qi Cyclone in the Elder Council last time, triggering the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi Tide."

"Ah!" Upon hearing this, Duan Rong immediately wore a bitter expression.

Had he known, he would have suppressed that impulse in his heart at the time. Not only did it cause internal injury to his dantian and delay his cultivation for three months, but it even alarmed the Ancestor.

The Taiyi Sect Ancestor, Lv Yinlin, had already lived for over a thousand years and was a Yuan Ying Stage old monster.

Duan Rong's heart then surged as he went over the matters concerning himself.

Within his Spirit Sea, the origin blood-light of the Filthy Blood Divine Art had long since been refined and dissipated. There was no longer any hidden danger there.

Then there was the matter of the Womb Treasury Sutra; he had already achieved the twelfth level of the Womb Treasury Sutra, and he did not know if Lv Yinlin would discover this. Duan Rong thought for a moment and suddenly felt a sense of calm; even if it were discovered, it wouldn't matter—at worst, he would just lay out the Xu Ruhu Case in its entirety. With his current talent, and having performed such a great service for Zhu He, this bit of unclean background was no longer worth mentioning.

In truth, the Filthy Blood Divine Art was his only true reverse scale; everything else was nothing.

Duan Rong thought about it for a while and felt that even if he went to see Lv Yinlin, there shouldn't be much of a problem, so he began to wash himself.

Zhu He suddenly said, "Kid Duan, do you know why the Ancestor wants to see you after you triggered the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi Tide?"

Duan Rong turned his head, glanced at Zhu He's beard floating on the water's surface, and said, "Master, did you know all along that the Ancestor would see me?"

Zhu He smiled slightly and said, "Of course. Because before you, in all the records of the Jiuzhou Continent, there was only one person who triggered the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi Tide when forming a Qi Cyclone."

Duan Rong was suddenly shocked; he hadn't thought this matter would be so sensational. Had he known, he would have preferred to stop the further growth of his Qi Cyclone at that critical moment, just to avoid causing all these subsequent troubles.

In all the records of the Jiuzhou Continent, only one person had triggered the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi Tide when forming a Qi Cyclone. Wouldn't this matter be even more sensational than when he stepped onto the Altar during the test in Yougu four years ago?

Later, he had learned that if he had stepped onto the Altar at that time, he would have been the first person in the Taiyi Sect in one hundred and eighty years. Because the other person who had stepped onto the Altar was Chu Qiushan, one hundred and eighty years ago.

But now, he had become one of only two people in the recorded history of the Jiuzhou Continent to trigger the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi Tide while forming a Qi Cyclone. This was far more impressive than stepping onto the Altar in Yougu! No wonder the Ancestor wanted to see him!?

(End of chapter)