Chapter 511: Staying Safe and Sound

Duan Rong was imprisoned in a solitary cell, with dry straw spread over one corner of the floor. He sat there wearing iron chains, and at the cell entrance, a dim lantern cast its light onto his face.

Duan Rong's expression was somewhat stiff at this moment.

Regarding the matter of Xiao Yu, he had thought of some schemes to deceive the world, but in the end, none were mature, so he simply chose the most straightforward and brutal method: snatching the person directly.

Duan Rong had only been sitting on the dry pile in the corner of the cell for about half an hour when the cell door suddenly opened, and Yang Sixuan and Yang Yi walked into the cell one after the other.

The scene before him made Duan Rong feel as if he had drifted back to when he was a Registered Disciple, as he had also been thrown into the dungeon because of the Shang Xiangyu case; back then, Yang Sixuan and Yang Yi had also walked in one after the other just like this.

After Yang Yi learned that the person Duan Rong had abducted from the Tower Forest was Xiao Yu, he conducted a brief investigation; the files on Duan Rong in the Ruling Sect Justice Division's Document Repository contained information about his relationship with Xiao Yu.

Upon one look, Yang Yi immediately knew what had happened.

Duan Rong was not only a personal disciple of the Sect, but he had also moved into the Ancestor's deep valley just a few days ago, so his status could be said to be very sensitive; Yang Yi did not dare to delay this matter and immediately went to report it to Yang Sixuan.

As soon as Yang Sixuan entered the cell, he looked at Duan Rong and said, "Duan Rong, only if you hand over Xiao Yu now and let her return to the Tower Forest can my Ruling Sect Justice Division treat this matter as if it never happened."

Yang Sixuan always handled matters impartially, but now that Duan Rong was, after all, cultivating under the Ancestor, one must consider the master before beating the dog. No matter how impartial he was, he did not dare to provoke Lv Yinlin.

Duan Rong said with a calm expression, "Director Yang, once an arrow is shot, there is no turning back. The deed is already done. Whatever the punishment, I will accept it."

Yang Sixuan looked at Duan Rong for a while; he could see that Duan Rong had made up his mind. Yang Sixuan was usually cold and resolute, but at this moment, he couldn't help but let out a dry laugh and said, "I couldn't tell, you are quite the romantic."

Duan Rong also smiled and said, "What? Is Director Yang sympathizing with me? Then when you mete out the punishment, you must show mercy."

Yang Sixuan said, "I cannot make the decision on how to punish you."

Hearing this, Duan Rong's gaze shifted.

Yang Sixuan said, "You are now the Ancestor's person; I must ask Sect Master Chu for instructions on how to punish you." Yang Sixuan actually still held onto the thought of wanting Duan Rong to hand over Xiao Yu.

Duan Rong remained silent; it seemed that living in Lv Yinlin's deep valley had its benefits, as this Yang Sixuan was clearly somewhat afraid of the consequences.

Yang Sixuan's gaze tightened, and he said, "I will ask you a few questions now. I hope you will answer truthfully."

Duan Rong said, "Please ask, Director Yang."

Yang Sixuan said, "You clearly abducted Xiao Yu from the Tower Forest, so why was it Shen Mizhi you were carrying on your shoulder when they surrounded you?"

Duan Rong did not answer, but instead looked at Yang Sixuan and asked, "Is Shen Mizhi also locked in the dungeon now?"

Yang Sixuan said, "Just locked in, she is still unconscious."

Duan Rong said, "This matter has nothing to do with her. I drugged her first and hid her in the tree canopy on that hilltop, then abducted Xiao Yu, used her to swap with Xiao Yu, and carried her away to lure those guarding the Tower Forest away. So that Xiao Yu could hide."

Yang Sixuan nodded and continued to ask, "What about Fan Hongjiao?"

Duan Rong said, "I met her by chance, and I used words to trick her into taking action."

"Is that so?" A look of interest appeared on Yang Sixuan's face. He naturally knew that the truth was definitely not like this, but if the few of them kept their stories consistent and Duan Rong was willing to take all the blame, what could Yang Sixuan do to them even if he had some methods?

With the problems of Fan Hongjiao and Shen Mizhi resolved, the entire case became clear. At least on the surface, it could be considered solved; as for the discrepancies in the details, Yang Sixuan did not intend to delve deeper. Now, the thorny issue was how to punish Duan Rong, or how to force Duan Rong to hand over Xiao Yu.

Regarding this matter, he had to go see Chu Qiushan immediately and explain it in person.

Yang Sixuan and Yang Yi walked out of the cell.

Yang Sixuan looked at Yang Yi and said, "Keep a close eye on that kid, don't let him cause any more trouble."

Yang Yi said, "Director, don't worry. I have put the Qi Cyclone Realm chains on him."

Yang Sixuan nodded and said, "If he has any requests, as long as they aren't excessive, try to satisfy him."

Yang Yi's gaze shifted, and he said, "Yes!"

Yang Sixuan then walked out of the dungeon and transformed into a black streak of light, disappearing into the sea of clouds.

Yang Yi turned back and sent the plate of fruit he had been eating into Duan Rong's cell.

Yang Yi smiled and said, "Brother Duan, the cell is dreary. These are fruits freshly picked this morning; they don't taste bad."

Duan Rong said, "Brother Yang, back when I was just a Registered Disciple, I felt like we were old friends at first sight; as expected, we've become more and more compatible, haven't we?"

Yang Yi said, "It's shameful to say, but I am still just an Outer Sect Disciple. It's rare that Brother Duan can think highly of me."

Duan Rong said, "Sigh, heroes are not judged by their origins. To handle a case well, it's not enough to just have a high cultivation realm."

Hearing this, Yang Yi felt very happy in his heart; this sentence from Duan Rong could be said to have hit the mark, scratching exactly where he itched.

Duan Rong saw the look on Yang Yi's face and knew he was very pleased, so he said, "Brother Duan has one more thing I'd like to ask Brother Yang for a favor with."

Yang Yi said, "Brother Duan, just say it."

When Yang Sixuan left, he had already instructed him to satisfy Duan Rong's requests as long as they weren't excessive; furthermore, this kid's words were hitting his heart with every sentence.

Seeing that the timing was right, Duan Rong said directly, "Brother Yang, actually, my abduction of Xiao Yu has nothing to do with Shen Mizhi at all. In the end, she is also a victim. I drugged her and used her as a swap; I implicated her without cause, and if she is made to sit in jail and be punished, she is a fellow villager after all, and I really feel bad about it. Look, can you discuss it with Director Yang and let her go?"

Hearing this, Yang Yi waved his hand and laughed, "I thought it was something major. This is easy to handle. When she wakes up, I'll record a statement. Then I'll find an opportunity to report it to the Director and just let her go."

Duan Rong said, "Then I'll trouble you, Brother Yang."

"This is nothing," Yang Yi laughed, "Come, eat some fruit."

Duan Rong knew that Yang Yi was Yang Sixuan's nephew; although within the Sect, Yang Yi almost never called Yang Sixuan 'Second Uncle' and only called him 'Director', anyone who knew a little bit about the inside story was aware of this relationship.

Yang Sixuan transformed into a black streak of light and landed on the peak of a Lone Mountain, where there was a thatched cottage. He walked over slowly, and when he reached a spot not far from the cottage door, he was about to cup his hands and call out 'Sect Master Chu', but before the words could leave his mouth, a slightly hoarse voice came from inside.

"Sixuan, come in!"

Hearing Chu Qiushan's voice, Yang Sixuan walked slowly into the cottage. As soon as he entered, his gaze froze; Chu Qiushan was sitting by a wooden table, and sitting at the other end of the wooden table was the expressionless Zhu He.

Yang Sixuan walked over, cupped his hands, and said, "Sect Master! Elder Zhu!"

Chu Qiushan said, "Sixuan, sit."

Yang Sixuan then sat down crosswise.

Who would have thought that in a dilapidated thatched cottage on a Lone Mountain, in front of a simple wooden table, sat the Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect, the Director of the Inner History Department, and the Director of the Ruling Sect Justice Division—the three of them gathered together, truly the three giants.

As soon as Yang Sixuan sat down, Zhu He's old face squeezed out a smile and said, "Sixuan, you've had to put in effort regarding Duan Rong's matter."

After Fan Hongjiao returned to Yunfu Peak, not long after, just as Zhu He happened to be looking for her, she told Zhu He directly about Duan Rong abducting Xiao Yu from the Tower Forest.

This matter would be exposed sooner or later; if she kept hiding it, Fan Hongjiao felt she couldn't hold on much longer. Moreover, Duan Rong had already been caught by the Ruling Sect Justice Division, so even if she didn't say anything, Zhu He would probably find out very soon.

After Zhu He learned of this, he did not go to find Yang Sixuan, but went directly to Chu Qiushan.

Yang Sixuan said, "You let him hand over Xiao Yu, and this matter can be resolved. Otherwise, if there is no heavy punishment, won't the iron laws become a joke?"

Zhu He remained silent with an ugly expression. Although he had not gone to see Duan Rong, he knew that the brat would not obediently hand over Xiao Yu.

Zhu He said, "He's already been abducted, so what is there to hand over!? To be fickle and inconsistent, wouldn't that make one a petty person?"

Upon hearing these words from Zhu He, Yang Sixuan's face immediately shifted between shades of dark and light, and he said with no small amount of sarcasm, "It truly is like teacher, like student. A pair of stones in a latrine."

There was not a trace of expression on Chu Qiushan's face.

Before Yang Sixuan arrived, he had already known of Zhu He's attitude. This thieving old man not only refused to force his disciple to hand over the person, but even wanted to punish his disciple lightly; he truly wanted everything!

It was no wonder Yang Sixuan spoke so harshly; Chu Qiushan was also feeling annoyed. If it weren't for the fact that Duan Rong was living in the deep valley and was now a person by the Ancestor's side, he would have punished him severely long ago.

Over at the Ruling Sect Justice Division, Yang Yi had just emerged from the Dungeon and returned to the main hall. He had taken two sips of water and his backside hadn't even warmed the seat when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a red shadow walking in from the doorway.

Yang Yi looked up and saw Fan Hongjiao smiling sweetly at him.

Fan Hongjiao called out in a delicate, coquettish voice, "Manager Yang."

That delicate and beautiful voice made Yang Yi's bones feel somewhat soft.

Yang Yi steadied his mind, stood up, and laughed, "Lady Fan! What wind blew you here?"

"Why call me 'Lady'!? Doesn't that just make us distant?" Fan Hongjiao leaned in close, the fragrant breeze of her speech almost brushing against Yang Yi's temples, making his ear canals itch.

Although Fan Hongjiao was seductive and alluring, Yang Yi dared not be presumptuous; he merely lowered his head, bowed, and cupped his hands, saying, "Yes, yes..."

He was in the Ruling Sect Justice Division, where many cases in the Sect had records of traces, and he was vaguely aware of Fan Hongjiao's style of conduct—it was nothing short of tyrannical!?

Furthermore, this woman's cultivation was quite high. To say nothing of the distant past, just take this matter with Duan Rong: she had single-handedly held off the four great Guards guarding the Tower Forest. Although it wasn't for long, it was still something an ordinary person could not achieve.

Seeing Yang Yi looking at the ground with his head lowered like that, Fan Hongjiao suddenly felt it was dull and uninteresting, so she said, "Enough! Look at you, would I eat you?"

Yang Yi laughed, "How could someone of my caliber catch Lady Fan's eye?"

Fan Hongjiao giggled and said, "Let's talk business. I've come to persuade my muddled Disciple. Please, Manager Yang, lead the way."

"This..." Yang Yi pondered for a moment.

Logically speaking, Duan Rong had violated the Sect Iron Law and could be considered a serious offender, but since he was Zhu He's personal disciple and a person by the Ancestor's side, he couldn't quite grasp the measure of this situation for a moment.

As soon as Fan Hongjiao saw Yang Yi's expression, she feigned anger and said, "Is it not even allowed to meet!? Your Ruling Sect Justice Division is really putting on more and more airs!"

"How could that be?!" Yang Yi said with a slightly awkward expression, "It wouldn't be allowed for others, but Lady Fan is naturally allowed."

Yang Yi finally decided to let Fan Hongjiao see Duan Rong because Fan Hongjiao said she was there to persuade him. Yang Yi knew that Yang Sixuan actually also wanted Duan Rong to hand over Xiao Yu, so that they wouldn't have to be in a difficult position.

If the punishment were light, the Sect's public opinion would be hard to quell. If the punishment were heavy, wouldn't that be slapping the Ancestor's face? It was a dilemma; if Fan Hongjiao could really persuade Duan Rong, wouldn't that solve the urgent difficulty of his Ruling Sect Justice Division?

Out of this consideration, Yang Yi finally decided to let Fan Hongjiao see Duan Rong.

Upon hearing this, Fan Hongjiao's face turned to joy, and she said, "Then why not lead the way?"

"Lady Fan, please!"

Yang Yi led Fan Hongjiao into the Dungeon and stood outside Duan Rong's cell.

Yang Yi had brought the person there but did not leave. Although he had accommodated their meeting, he would absolutely not let them chat privately or collude in secret; he had to hear every word of their conversation. He had already explained this point to Fan Hongjiao on the way.

Through the bars, Fan Hongjiao looked at Duan Rong, who was sitting on the dry straw, and laughed, "Oh! Little Disciple, you even have fruit to eat? You're living quite well!"

Duan Rong said happily, "Senior Sister, why have you come?"

Fan Hongjiao said, "Master sent me."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong's face immediately fell, and he said, "If Master sent you to persuade me to hand over Xiao Yu, then I think you should just head back, Senior Sister."

"Look at that dead look on your face!?" Fan Hongjiao said, "How did you know Master wanted me to persuade you to hand over the person? Master only told me to say one thing to you."

Duan Rong looked up and asked, "What thing?"

Fan Hongjiao said, "Stay put and be at peace."

Not only was Duan Rong stunned, but even Yang Yi, who was listening from the side, was completely confused and turned his head to look at Fan Hongjiao.

Fan Hongjiao said, "When Master left, he told me, 'Go tell Duan Rong to stay put and be at peace.'"

This time Duan Rong understood; Zhu He was afraid he would cause more trouble, meaning he should do nothing and leave it to him.

A warm current flowed through Duan Rong's heart; Zhu He not only didn't force him to hand over Xiao Yu, but instead meant to run errands on his behalf.

"Little Disciple, I've delivered the message, Senior Sister is leaving."

After Fan Hongjiao finished speaking, she turned and left.

Duan Rong remained sitting on the pile of straw, immersed in a certain emotion.

Yang Yi also followed Fan Hongjiao out of the Dungeon. He had originally thought Fan Hongjiao was there to persuade Duan Rong to hand over Xiao Yu, but clearly that was not the case; they were instead supporting Duan Rong's stance of not handing Xiao Yu over. And this was even Zhu He's intention.

A flash of annoyance could not help but rise in Yang Yi's heart. What is this Yunfu Peak trying to do? Isn't this roasting their Ruling Sect Justice Division over a fire?!

In front of a thatched cottage on the top of Lone Peak, Zhu He and Yang Sixuan walked out of the cottage one after the other.

Yang Sixuan glanced at Zhu He, snorted coldly, transformed into a black ray of light, and broke through the air to leave.

Zhu He also sighed, transformed into a black ray of light, and left.

Inside the cottage, after Chu Qiushan took two sips of clear water, he, who was always steady, actually began pacing in the humble room.

Since the matter involved the Ancestor, he was also unable to make up his mind.

What made him even angrier was that Zhu He and Duan Rong were actually colluding, both unwilling to hand Xiao Yu over.

Chu Qiushan pondered repeatedly and still felt that he had to go see the Ancestor about this matter. Although the Ancestor had long since stopped concerning himself with the trivial affairs of the Sect, Duan Rong was, after all, a person by his side. If he dealt with Duan Rong without asking for instructions, wouldn't that be equivalent to slapping the Ancestor's face?

(End of this chapter)