Chapter 526: The Tavern is Like a Battlefield

Since Duan Rong was unharmed, Zhu He and the others left Wanxiang Cave together with him.

Zhu He was in high spirits, but Yang Sixuan's expression was grave; the disappearance of Xiao Qiwu and the God-Striking Whip was clearly another rather thorny major case.

Cases involving experts of the Dongming Realm were usually not so easy to investigate.

As soon as they exited Wanxiang Cave, Yang Sixuan cupped his hands to Chu Wushang and said, "Master Chu, the disappearance of Xiao Qiwu and the God-Striking Whip may involve something of great significance. I implore Master Chu to leave the Array Tablet of Wanxiang Cave with me for now to assist in the investigation; I will certainly return it in person afterward."

Yang Sixuan's tone in these few sentences was heavy and somber, which also showed the depth of his deliberation—he was, after all, the Chief of the Ruling Sect Justice Division.

Chu Wushang took out the Array Tablet, handed it to Yang Sixuan, and said, "Then I shall leave this matter to Chief Yang. Although the power of this God-Striking Whip is no longer what it once was, it is, after all, an object of our founding Ancestor Lan Ruoshui, and the Ancestor values it highly. I hope Chief Yang can find a way to recover it."

Yang Sixuan respectfully accepted the Array Tablet and said, "I will do my utmost!"

Chu Wushang nodded and departed, transforming into a streak of black light.

Yang Sixuan tucked the Array Tablet into his sleeve, looked at Duan Rong, and said, "Junior Martial Nephew Duan, I may still need to consult you regarding the matters here at Wanxiang Cave in the coming days. I hope you will not find it tiresome when the time comes."

Duan Rong said, "The God-Striking Whip is a sacred object of the Sect and is highly valued by the Ancestor; it is truly a pity that it has been lost. Moreover, if it were to fall into the hands of the base and wicked, would that not bring shame upon the dignity of the Sect!? If Chief Yang has any summons regarding this case, I will be ready at your call."

"That is good!"

Having received this word from Duan Rong, Yang Sixuan turned his head to look at Chu Qiushan, cupped his hands, and said, "Sect Master, I shall take my leave first. I am returning to the Ruling Sect Justice Division to muster two teams of men to surround this Wuliang Cliff."

Chu Qiushan nodded and said, "Go. If you need any cooperation, just ask me."

"Yes! Sixuan takes his leave!" After saying this, Yang Sixuan transformed into a streak of black light and shot into the clouds, departing.

After Yang Sixuan left, Chu Qiushan looked at Duan Rong and said with a cold face, "Duan Rong, I will give you a warning: while you are by the Ancestor's side, you must strictly observe the Sect rules."

Duan Rong's expression faltered, and he replied in a somewhat indifferent tone, "Thank you for your instruction, Sect Master!"

Chu Qiushan let out a cold snort and departed, transforming into a streak of black light.

Zhu He stood there, patted Duan Rong on the shoulder, and laughed, "You got out of Wanxiang Cave in three days; well done. Let's go, follow your master back to Yunfu Peak."

As Zhu He spoke, spatial ripples faintly appeared beside him, clearly intending to envelop Duan Rong and leave.

Duan Rong immediately said, "Master, I need to go somewhere else first. I will return to Yunfu Peak in a few hours."

Zhu He's expression shifted, and he asked, "Where are you going?"

"This..." Duan Rong stammered slightly.

Zhu He immediately saw through him and said, "You want to go see Xiao Yu, right? She is currently on Yunfu Peak."

Duan Rong's expression was pleasantly surprised as he said, "Xiao Yu is on Yunfu Peak?"

With him having exited Wanxiang Cave, the many complications caused by kidnapping Xiao Yu out of Wanxiang Cave could be considered temporarily at an end.

Although he had spent these past few days in Wanxiang Cave and could be said to have gone through a life-and-death ordeal, he feared that Xiao Yu had not had it easy on that mountain of Shang Xiangyu's. Naturally, Duan Rong wanted to go see Xiao Yu and the others first now that he was out.

But he had not expected that Xiao Yu had already arrived at Yunfu Peak.

Zhu He said, "This wife of yours! She really is a formidable character. She ran to this Yunfu Peak all by herself and pestered me to hand her over in exchange for you being spared punishment."

"Ah!" Duan Rong was startled. He had not known there was this turn of events in the middle. He had instructed Ximen Kankan to look after Xiao Yu; it seemed that this kid was truly unreliable.

Zhu He said, "For these past few days, I have placed her in that Cultivation Secret Chamber of Fan Hongjiao's. She, however, refuses to eat or drink and is sulking at me in there. Yesterday, I went into that Secret Chamber and took a look at her; she has lost a whole circle in size. If you hadn't come out, I would have had to use pills to sustain her life."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong could no longer stay put and was about to ride the wind and head toward Yunfu Peak.

Just as the Three Flowers Gather at the Crown had condensed above his head, Zhu He flicked his sleeve and extinguished it.

"So impatient! Are you faster than me?"

As Zhu He spoke, he had already swept up Duan Rong and departed, transforming into a streak of black light.

Not long after Zhu He and Duan Rong left, Yang Sixuan arrived with the men from the Ruling Sect Justice Division and surrounded Wuliang Cliff, while behind him, Yang Yi was still counting more men to bring here.

Yang Sixuan prepared to strictly interrogate everyone within Wuliang Cliff, including the young attendant and the Guards.

And he also prepared to have Yang Yi lead men to search every inch of the front and back of Wuliang Cliff.

Yang Sixuan was deep in thought along the way. He felt that the disappearance of Xiao Qiwu and the God-Striking Whip was quite bizarre.

Just as Chu Wushang had said, the power of this God-Striking Whip was long since not what it once was; to call it a treasure was to call it quite a tasteless, useless thing. At the level of the Dongming Realm, its utility was even more limited.

On this point, if it were someone else, they might have been bluffed by its grand reputation. But Xiao Qiwu was the very person in charge of Wanxiang Cave and the God-Striking Whip, so he should have known this deeply.

How could he have absconded with the God-Striking Whip?

This God-Striking Whip was so useless, yet it happened to be an object of the founding Ancestor and could be considered a sacred object of the Sect. Why would Xiao Qiwu take such a thing that was both useless and a hot potato that invited trouble for harboring a treasure?

There must be other reasons behind this?

The disappearance of Xiao Qiwu and the loss of the God-Striking Whip might not be the same event at all.

Because Xiao Qiwu had no motive whatsoever to take the God-Striking Whip.

Even if he wanted to leave, he should not have taken the God-Striking Whip. If he had left alone, perhaps no one would have asked, and the matter would have ended there. But by taking such a useless thing as the God-Striking Whip with him, he was purely inviting trouble for himself, which was extremely unwise.

In this fog-like case, Yang Sixuan grasped the critical juncture after some deliberation.

Zhu He landed with Duan Rong in front of the pavilion on Yunfu Peak, and Zhu He said, "Go on. I still have matters to attend to."

As Zhu He spoke, his figure vanished like a ghost, heading toward his own room in the pavilion.

Duan Rong hurried to the Cultivation Secret Chamber behind the Main Hall on the first floor of the pavilion.

Xiao Yu was sitting listlessly in Fan Hongjiao's Secret Chamber; her gaze was somewhat dull, and her hair was also very disheveled.

Shen Mizhi was holding a bowl of egg custard, crouching in front of her.

Shen Mizhi scooped a spoonful and brought it to Xiao Yu's lips, but Xiao Yu would not eat.

Shen Mizhi said, "Sister Xiao, at least eat a few bites. Don't collapse yourself before he even returns."

Xiao Yu, however, just bit her lip tightly and shed tears, not saying a word.

Fan Hongjiao stood there, also feeling irritable in her heart.

Fortunately, on the day Duan Rong was punished, she had met Shen Mizhi and Ximen Kankan outside and brought them here to look after Xiao Yu. Otherwise, she would have been even more annoyed.

Just at this moment, Fan Hongjiao suddenly heard a voice faintly coming from the stone door of the Secret Chamber.

"Senior Martial Sister, open the door!"

Fan Hongjiao's expression faltered.

The few people inside the Secret Chamber all heard it; their expressions changed instantly, and they stared toward the stone door, listening intently.

The sound rang out once more, and Fan Hongjiao said, "It sounds like the little Disciple."

As Fan Hongjiao spoke, she had already flashed to the side of the stone door and turned the mechanism to open it.

Xiao Yu had been somewhat dazed when she heard the first sound, but even though the second sound was muffled by the stone door, she recognized it as Duan Rong's voice. At first, she thought she was dreaming; these past few days, whenever she fell asleep, she would dream that Duan Rong had returned.

But seeing Fan Hongjiao call out "little Disciple" and rush over, Xiao Yu suddenly realized. It was not a dream; Duan Rong had really returned!

Fan Hongjiao opened the stone door and saw Duan Rong standing outside, looking at her with anxious eyes.

Duan Rong said, "Senior Sister, where is Xiao Yu?"

No sooner had Duan Rong finished speaking than a figure rushed out from behind Fan Hongjiao and threw herself into his arms.

"Husband!..."

Xiao Yu buried her face in Duan Rong's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably.

Duan Rong patted Xiao Yu and comforted her, "Alright, alright. It's okay now. Didn't I come back?"

Fan Hongjiao, Shen Mizhi, and Ximen Kankan stood there watching the two embrace, all feeling a sense of shared sorrow.

Shen Mizhi and Ximen Kankan were even teary-eyed.

"You're crying your own tears, why are you pulling on my hand?"

Fan Hongjiao shoved Ximen Kankan, causing him to stumble, and wiped her hand with a look of disgust.

Ximen Kankan sniffled and wiped his tears, saying, "How can you be so cold-hearted?! I was just moved by the scene, was it necessary to be so rude?"

Xiao Yu, who had still been crying, was amused by Ximen Kankan's words and let out a laugh.

Duan Rong wiped Xiao Yu's tears and said, "I heard from Master that you haven't been eating much these past few days?"

Xiao Yu lowered her head, feeling embarrassed, and said, "My husband's fate was unknown, I couldn't eat."

Duan Rong laughed, "I can't die!"

He looked at everyone present and said, "It is rare for us to be reunited; let us have a good drink today, and not stop until we are drunk."

As Duan Rong spoke, he turned his head to look at Fan Hongjiao and said, "Senior Sister, I don't think we need to go anywhere else, let's just stay here in your Secret Chamber. How about it?"

Fan Hongjiao laughed, "That sounds great! Little Disciple, I've asked you to drink several times before, but you never came! This time, I'm going to properly test your limits."

"Alright!" Duan Rong said, "But, Senior Sister, you must be careful; my Xiao Yu and I are both drinkers who can handle a thousand cups."

"Is that so?" Fan Hongjiao gave Xiao Yu a provocative look and said, "The thing I love most is drinking people who can handle a thousand cups under the table."

Following this, the group sat around the Stone Table in Fan Hongjiao's Cultivation Secret Chamber, had the Attendants bring out dishes, and fetched several jars of wine.

Duan Rong first picked up a jar of wine, pried open the seal, and poured a bowl for each of them.

Duan Rong held up a bowl of wine and stood up. He looked at Xiao Yu and said, "Xiao Yu, you stand up too, let's toast Senior Sister Fan together. Thank her for helping you escape."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu immediately picked up her bowl and stood up, saying, "Lady Fan, please forgive my presumption for following Duan Rong in calling you Senior Sister. Thank you for saving me from the Tower Forest."

Fan Hongjiao said, "You two are really boring, buttering me up right from the start. If you act like this, how am I supposed to drink? I don't need your toasts, I just want to drink you both under the table."

Fan Hongjiao refused to lift her bowl and said with murderous intent.

Duan Rong laughed, "Senior Sister, etiquette is etiquette, and drinking is drinking. After this toast, we shall compete again. A drinking table is like a battlefield; no one should hold back!"

Fan Hongjiao was delighted and said, "A drinking table is like a battlefield, well said! Little Disciple, I really didn't misjudge you; on this Yunfu Peak, you are the only one with any backbone."

Fan Hongjiao's words made everyone laugh.

After Fan Hongjiao accepted the toast from Duan Rong and Xiao Yu, she began playing finger-guessing games with Duan Rong.

After several rounds, Duan Rong lost a few times in a row and downed several large bowls of wine.

Xiao Yu watched with a pained heart and said, "You should eat some food too, don't just keep drinking!"

Duan Rong laughed, "It's fine, I stopped eating a long time ago. Inedia!"

"Inedia?" Xiao Yu was slightly startled; she thought to herself that not eating couldn't be good.

Ximen Kankan, standing to the side, saw Xiao Yu's bewildered expression and immediately began explaining to her that he had seen with his own eyes that Duan Rong hadn't eaten anything for over a month, only drinking clear water, yet he was still lively and perfectly fine.

Then, imitating Duan Rong's tone, Ximen Kankan said to Xiao Yu with great seriousness, "In the Qi Cyclone Realm, not eating is good for cultivation."

Xiao Yu had already learned these past few days that Duan Rong had advanced to the Qi Cyclone Realm. On one hand, she was happy that her husband was so capable, but on the other, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of her own inferiority, as if Duan Rong was drifting further and further away from her.

Fan Hongjiao and Duan Rong drank three jars of wine in succession.

Seeing that Duan Rong had nearly two jars of wine in his stomach without any reaction, Fan Hongjiao felt a bit discouraged and said, "I'll stop drinking with you for now. If we keep drinking like this, we won't have a winner by dawn."

Fan Hongjiao's eyes lit up, and she looked at Xiao Yu with a charming smile, saying, "I'll drink with your Xiao Yu instead; I'll drink her under the table first, then come back to challenge you."

Duan Rong shook his head with a smile and said, "Senior Sister, you are committing a major military taboo. You might end up drinking yourself under the table instead."

Fan Hongjiao said dismissively, "If you can actually drink me under the table, that's your ability."

Seeing that Duan Rong had already consumed two jars, Xiao Yu had been planning how to block the wine for him. She hadn't expected Fan Hongjiao to turn her attention to her, which was exactly what she had hoped for.

The two immediately began to compete in drinking.

Although Xiao Yu was married, she had originally been someone who traveled the rivers and lakes as an escort. On the Escort Route of Yuanyang and Ruyang, she had even earned the nickname of Rouge Lake; not only could she drink fiercely, but her demeanor was also very bold.

Before long, Xiao Yu and Fan Hongjiao were standing with their feet on the Stone Chairs, playing finger-guessing games and drinking.

Ximen Kankan looked at Duan Rong, feeling puzzled, and said, "Didn't you take three lashes and pass out? How come you look like nothing happened?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu suddenly turned her head, shifted her almond-shaped eyes toward Duan Rong, and asked nervously, "When did you take three lashes? And passed out?"

They had been keeping the fact that Duan Rong had been punished and passed out a secret from Xiao Yu for these past few days; they hadn't expected Ximen Kankan to let it slip now.

Duan Rong glared at Ximen Kankan and laughed, "Don't listen to his nonsense, am I not perfectly fine?"

Seeing that Duan Rong's complexion was ruddy and his voice was strong, and that he didn't look like he was injured, Xiao Yu felt slightly relieved.

After two jars of wine, Xiao Yu pretended to be unable to hold on and slumped over the table, refusing to lift her head.

Fan Hongjiao's eyes brightened as she nudged Xiao Yu and laughed, "Little Xiao, you're already done for..."

Xiao Yu lay there and mumbled, "Who's done for? I can still drink..."

Fan Hongjiao laughed happily and said, "What 'thousand cups without getting drunk'? You're clearly dead drunk." As she spoke, she turned to look at Duan Rong and said, "Little Disciple, it's your turn."

Duan Rong took a look and saw that Ximen Kankan and Shen Mizhi were also nearly drunk, so he said, "Senior Sister, it is enough to drink to one's heart's content. I think we should stop here for today."

"No way!" Fan Hongjiao said, "Little Disciple, either you drink me under the table today, or I drink you under the table; in any case, only one of us will be able to walk out standing."

Xiao Yu was slumped there when she suddenly pretended to be about to vomit and cried out, "Duan Rong, I feel unwell..."

Duan Rong immediately went over, supported Xiao Yu, patted her back, and fed her some water. Xiao Yu then took the opportunity to slump onto Duan Rong's shoulder, hugging him and refusing to let go.

Duan Rong said, "Senior Sister, you have already drunk Xiao Yu into this state. You can consider yourself to have 'shone your Sword across nineteen continents' today; you should save 'trampling the world' for another day."

Fan Hongjiao gave a cold snort, looked at the way Xiao Yu clung to Duan Rong, and said, "For the sake of you two husband and wife reuniting after a long separation today, I will spare you this once."

Duan Rong laughed and said, "Many thanks, Senior Sister. Then let us battle another day!"

As Duan Rong spoke, he had already helped Xiao Yu up and walked out. Ximen Kankan and Shen Mizhi also stood up to bid farewell to Fan Hongjiao.

Duan Rong helped Xiao Yu to the Secret Chamber next door and let Ximen Kankan and Shen Mizhi go to the rooms on the pavilion to rest.

After the few had left, Fan Hongjiao summoned the Attendants to clear away the leftovers and remove the empty wine jars.

After the Attendants had all withdrawn, Fan Hongjiao sat in the empty Secret Chamber, and thinking of the affection between Duan Rong and Xiao Yu just now, a trace of jealousy suddenly welled up in her heart.

(End of chapter)