I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 148: Liu’s House

Duan Rong walked into Juyi Hall, startled by the array before him.

Ruan Fengshan was still sitting on the large wide chair, but at this moment he was smiling faintly with a face full of spring breeze...

What surprised Duan Rong was that beneath the large wide chair in Juyi Hall, there were two rows of grandmaster’s chairs, and quite a few people were seated there. As soon as he stepped in, a pair of eyes locked onto him.

Besides Chief Leader Luan Jingfu, Chief Tutor Xiao Zongting, and Chief Accountant Xu Shouxian, three leaders from the six escort teams were present: Sun Huang from the Second Escort Team, Li Gu from the Fifth Escort Team, and Zhao Meng from the Sixth Escort Team.

Duan Rong knew that the First, Third, and Fourth Escort Teams were on duty outside and hadn’t returned to the escort agency. Otherwise, the leaders of these three teams would likely have participated as well.

It seems that the matter with Ruan Jing and those thousand jins of gold indeed caused quite a stir at Yuan Shun Escort Agency.

"Duan Rong pays homage to all the teachers!" Duan Rong stood at the entrance, clasping his fists and bowing deeply, paying respect to everyone present.

After all, with so many people on-site, if he were to greet each one individually, it would turn into a list of names.

"Duan Rong!" Ruan Fengshan said warmly, "This time, you’ve done quite well! I’ve discussed with Chief Leader Luan and Chief Tutor Elder Xiao. May 15th is the assessment day for intern escort masters to become official, and a special permit is granted for you to participate, promoting you ahead of schedule."

The contract states a three-year internship!

Has he completed just one escort trip and already been promoted? Isn’t May 15th next month?

This promotion couldn’t be any worse. Intern escort masters make escort trips just like the official ones, but they receive less money, while the workload remains unchanged!

"Also, I’ve obtained a special grant from Chief Accountant Xu Shouxian for you—a total of one thousand taels of silver, considered as your cultivation funds, to be distributed over ten months at one portion per month!"

"I warn you, this sum is not to be wasted frivolously—a must for cultivation purposes."

Duan Rong wisely clasped his fists and replied loudly, "Yes!"

However, in his heart, he thought to himself, "I’ve got a fortune of tens of thousands of taels; why would I care about this little bit of money, and what did you say about wasting it?"

These were discussions that took place in the hall earlier, which the crowd had already been made aware of, so most had little reaction, merely gazing at Duan Rong.

However, when Ruan Fengshan uttered his next sentence, everyone’s expressions suddenly became quite colorful...

"There is a courtyard in the northwest corner of the Martial Arts Arena called Liu’s House. From now on, you should not stay in the dormitory; you can stay in this courtyard instead."

Ruan Fengshan casually said, "However, this house has been vacant for many years; you’ll have to tidy it up!"

Upon hearing of a house to stay in, Duan Rong’s heart was delighted—he had long despised the dormitory for being cramped and narrow, and it wasn’t as safe as inside the escort agency. Among the many rewards, this last one finally touched the crux of the matter, solving a major pain point for him.

"Duan Rong extends his thanks to Shopkeeper Ruan for your generous treatment!" Duan Rong stood in the hall, clasping his fists toward Ruan Fengshan, speaking respectfully.

Though, these rewards could be said to have been in exchange for his life! Frankly, these things weren’t abundant, just average at best.

But among those in the hall, several people looked at Duan Rong with peculiar expressions.

After all, Liu’s House did have significant historical significance.

This courtyard was built by the old shopkeeper when he was alive, back when Ruan Fengshan was still a young gentleman!

Those years had problems with the relationship between Ruan Fengshan and the old shopkeeper, and in his youthful arrogance, he moved out from the back courtyard to build a house to the southwest of the Martial Arts Arena, naming it Liu’s House, where he lived permanently, shutting its doors to guests.

But later, after the old shopkeeper passed away, and when Ruan Fengshan took over the Yuan Shun Escort Agency, this courtyard became vacant...

This is the first time Ruan Fengshan let anyone live there, which adds an inscrutable hint with this, as it was his personal residence, practically a private chamber.

With the bestowment done, after Duan Rong thanked everyone and withdrew from Juyi Hall, the attendees seemed to have other matters for discussion, which didn’t concern Duan Rong. That afternoon, he moved into Liu’s House.

Liu’s House wasn’t like Xiao Zongting’s with two courtyards divided into front and back; it only had a single courtyard, but quite a spacious one.

The courtyard’s peripheries were planted with willow trees; at this time, the verdant ribbons swayed with the wind, resembling the dance sleeves of a graceful beauty...

"What a fine courtyard!" Duan Rong couldn’t help but exclaim.

The main structure, facing south, consisted of a hallway adjoining a bedroom, constructed in the ageless wood, plain yet ancie.

To the east were two annex rooms, one being a kitchen, the other a storage room.

Moreover, the courtyard had a pavilion that was somewhat crude, seemingly added later and quite abrupt.

However, the courtyard indeed hadn’t been inhabited for ages, with dust covering every corner!

Duan Rong immediately commenced a thorough cleaning upon entering, first sweeping thoroughly inside and out with a broom.

Then, filling the large water urn by the kitchen entrance with clean water.

Following that, using a wooden basin to scoop water, he gave the entire house a good scrub...

During the cleaning, Duan Rong discovered that the northern side of Liu’s House was just separated by a narrow path from the rear courtyard of Yuan Shun Escort Agency.

The guards from the back courtyard during their patrol essentially extended the care for Liu’s House’s safety.

This meant that Liu’s House’s security condition was a notch higher than other places in the central courtyard.

This advantage was rather significant for Duan Rong!

Given the myriad entanglements he was involved with, both explicitly and implicitly, an additional layer of patrol surely provided an extra degree of protection!

After cleaning the house, Duan Rong cleaned himself by the well, having not properly bathed for more than a month after his escort journey, with a layer of grease all over.

Upon removing the bandage on his shoulder, he found that the Golden Wound Medicine Xiao Yu gave him was indeed effective; such a deep wound had not scabbed over within a night, yet the bleeding had completely stopped.

After washing up, Duan Rong changed the medicine and dressed the wound, finishing all tasks by dusk. The remnants of the setting sun sprinkled into the courtyard, the green willows glossed over with golden powder, alluringly beautiful.

Nonetheless, Duan Rong had no time to admire; he dressed up and headed to the cafeteria to eat, having missed the cafeteria’s meals during his month-long absence.

After dining, Duan Rong left the escort agency, catching the herbal shop before it closed to collect three doses of medicine!

Having completed one escort trip, the next awaits business arrangement, possibly soon or maybe not for another month.

After all, each escort team essentially sticks to a fixed route unless one becomes overwhelmingly busy, prompting temporary reassignment, a rare occurrence.

During leisure, tightening cultivation efforts seemed crucial!

The previous month exposed him to veritable dangers! If not for diligent cultivation, the accumulation of numerous life-preserving tactics, he might not have survived.

With this in mind, Duan Rong felt the urgency to rapidly strengthen his power, particularly in advancing to the Third Level of the Inner Breath Realm as quickly as possible!

After setting the potion to brew in the medicine furnace’s room, Duan Rong strolled back to Liu’s House, unable to practice Complete Round Pile Skill without the potion’s maturity. Hence he seized this time to ponder over other things.

He recalled Xiao Zongting teaching him the Nameless Three Forms!

The time back then was quite pressed, almost pushing a duck onto a perch. Now, as he pondered over it, he realized these three forms offered much greater enlightenment than originally thought!