Chapter 52: Must Pass Through

Duan Rong did not originally care much about this matter; when it came down to it, it was nothing more than a minor setback.

However, some things, if not brought out into the open, are just a passing breeze; once they pass, they are over.

But once brought out into the open to be discussed, even a sesame-sized trifle can sometimes crush a person to death!

Upon hearing this, Luan Jingfu let out a cold snort, turned his head to look at Ruan Fengshan on the tall, wide chair, and said, "Since Duan Rong is an Apprentice Escort of my Yuanshun Escort Agency, he first broke the rules by going out to sell paintings in private. For this instance alone, he could be expelled."

"Worse still, he nearly caused a homicide in the street, stirring up a storm and smearing the face of my Yuanshun Escort Agency."

"Furthermore, this boy is still here right now, glib-tongued, saying things like 'fortunately there was no danger' and 'no homicide occurred'—it is enough to show his treacherous and malicious nature."

"With these two points, not only must he be expelled, but his dantian should also be crippled! To prevent him from causing trouble outside, and then saying he was taught here, and having the account settled on our Yuanshun Escort Agency's head!"

When Luan Jingfu mentioned being taught here, his eyes glanced at Xiao Zongting.

Hearing this, Duan Rong felt a chill in his heart!

This Luan Jingfu was truly a master at fabricating charges!

But he also knew clearly in his heart that his matter could be big or small.

If blown up, it would be exactly as Luan Jingfu said, heinous and unforgivable. But if downplayed, it would be nothing, not worth mentioning at all.

And the subtle change between these two possibilities lay entirely within the heart of the one in power.

Although Luan Jingfu had said so much, the one who truly decided his fate was not him, but Ruan Fengshan!

Duan Rong looked cautiously at Ruan Fengshan, who was sitting on that tall, wide chair.

There was not a trace of expression on Ruan Fengshan's grim face; he merely tilted his head slightly, his gaze drifting toward Xiao Zongting as if it were there and yet not.

Xiao Zongting noticed the change in Ruan Fengshan's gaze, then looked at Luan Jingfu and said in a deep voice, "Words must be spoken one by one."

"Just now, Master Luan said that Duan Rong broke the rules and should be expelled. May I ask Master Luan, which rule did he break?"

Luan Jingfu snorted through his nose and said, "Since he is an Apprentice Escort, how can he engage in other businesses?"

"An Apprentice Escort is an apprentice, not an escort. Only escorts fall under your jurisdiction as Chief Instructor. Since he is not an escort, where does the talk of engaging in other businesses come from?"

"Even if apprentices fall under your jurisdiction as Chief Instructor, you cannot let them run wild outside!" The muscles on Luan Jingfu's face twitched, clearly suppressing his anger.

Xiao Zongting's words just now were saying that he was a busybody meddling in affairs that were not his own.

Moreover, escorts were under his management, while apprentices were under Xiao Zongting's; for him to try to intervene in the affairs of an apprentice now was an overreach of authority.

It immediately touched upon a great taboo in Ruan Fengshan's heart!

Xiao Zongting's words could be called a strike at the heart!

Ruan Fengshan coughed lightly and smiled, "The two of you are my right and left arms; it is better to be harmonious. As for this little fellow, since he is an apprentice, he should practice martial arts diligently so he can contribute to the Escort Agency in the future. To actually start painting—has my Yuanshun Escort Agency somehow become an art academy?"

Ruan Fengshan's words were questioning Xiao Zongting's lax discipline.

Luan Jingfu's expression remained unmoved, but Luan Bao behind him had a slight change in his face; to Luan Bao, it sounded like the Manager was speaking up for his father.

"Does the Manager know how much silver one of this boy's paintings can fetch?" Xiao Zongting suddenly looked at Ruan Fengshan with interest and asked casually.

"How much silver?"

"Ten taels!"

"Ten taels?"

Ruan Fengshan was slightly stunned and glanced at Duan Rong.

Recalling the commotion on the street earlier was caused by people queuing up, this meant it was in short supply.

Wouldn't this boy have become a little wealthy man!

Ruan Fengshan looked at Duan Rong again with an interested gaze.

Xiao Zongting noticed the change in Ruan Fengshan's expression and continued, "Furthermore, Manager, the reason I allowed him to sell paintings is because he needs silver for his cultivation!"

"I don't understand what Xiao Lao means by that. Who doesn't need silver for cultivation! However, an Apprentice Escort has a monthly allowance of three mace of silver, plus five pieces of Velvet Antler Slice, which is completely enough to cover their daily cultivation." Luan Jingfu, thinking he had caught Xiao Zongting in a trap again, immediately questioned him.

"For ordinary apprentices, it is naturally enough. For him, it is not!"

"What? Does he have an extra testicle compared to ordinary apprentices?" Luan Jingfu laughed.

The others in the room were amused by this mocking joke from Luan Jingfu and smiled slightly.

But Xiao Zongting, as if he had not heard Luan Jingfu's mockery, continued, "This boy is a martial arts prodigy with extremely high talent; given time, his achievements will surely surpass mine!"

As soon as Xiao Zongting said this, Luan Jingfu laughed even harder.

Ruan Fengshan also smiled, containing his thoughts, and said, "Xiao Lao's words are perhaps too flattering. Xiao Lao himself could be considered a legend of our Xiangu County back in the day."

"He has been an Apprentice Escort for less than a month and has already achieved the Internal Breath First Layer. And the reason he needs to paint to earn money is because he started taking Medicinal Agents twenty days ago."

Xiao Zongting completely ignored the smiles of those in the room, his cold and detached voice continuing to echo in the hall. "The prescription I gave! One dose costs thirty-four taels!"

Once these words were spoken, the room fell into instant silence! Because they seemed to finally realize that Xiao Zongting was not joking!

Luan Bao looked at Duan Rong with a shocked expression!

He knew all too well what it meant to start taking Medicinal Agents while practicing the Internal Breath Second Stage!

The circulation circuit of the Second Layer's Internal Breath was incredibly complex!

When he first started practicing it himself, he couldn't even complete one full cycle in a day because mistakes were always inevitable!

And the potency of a Medicinal Agent was so surging; it was definitely not the slow-nourishing warm current of Velvet Antler Slice...

He remembered that it was nearly half a year later when he started taking Medicinal Agents while practicing the Second Layer.

And according to Xiao Zongting, Duan Rong started taking Medicinal Agents almost as soon as he began practicing the Internal Breath Second Stage.

This... isn't this a monster?

Luan Bao was honest by nature; seeing Xiao Zongting speak so seriously, he already believed it eighty percent.

But Luan Jingfu was a cunning old fox; he absolutely did not believe that this unremarkable apprentice, who came from being a Miscellaneous Disciple, could be some heaven-sent talent—the probability was far lower than stepping in dog shit, damn it.

"Where would there be so many geniuses? Is Xiao Lao trying to bluff us?"

Xiao Zongting snorted through his nose and said, "This old man may have lost his martial arts, but my eyes are not blind!"

"In that case," Luan Jingfu said coldly, his gloomy face still showing no emotion, "Luan Bao! You go and test him!"

"Yes!" Luan Bao immediately cupped his fists and said.

Luan Bao stood with his fists cupped to the side behind Luan Jingfu, but he did not move immediately, and his gaze swept over Ruan Fengshan and Xiao Zongting.

After a breath, seeing that both men remained silent, Luan Bao lowered his fists and turned to look at Duan Rong.

When he had found Zhao Mu earlier and brought him to the Martial Arts Arena to seize someone, he had still regarded this person as a mere street ruffian, but in the blink of an eye, he was being touted by Xiao Zongting as a martial arts genius.

At this moment, Luan Bao really wanted to test his mettle!

Seeing Luan Bao looking at him, Duan Rong's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Luan Bao was the only son of the Chief Luan Jingfu; with his background and resources, he was definitely not someone whose edge Duan Rong could confront at this time!

Although he would not go so far as to kill him in the court!

But being injured would not be pleasant either!

Duan Rong glanced at Xiao Zongting, but Xiao Zongting just sat there silently, with no intention of speaking up to stop it.

Duan Rong understood Xiao Zongting's intentions in an instant.

If he wanted to resolve today's predicament, this hurdle had to be crossed!

(End of chapter)