I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 171: Weaknesses

Duan Rong encountered Xiao Zongting, and was left embarrassed, so he had to dejectedly leave.

Just as he reached the front yard gate, he happened to bump into Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi, who were chatting and laughing as they entered the yard.

Zhu Xiaoqi was carrying a basket, which contained some fruits and vegetables, along with some spices.

As soon as Xiao Yu saw Duan Rong, her expression shifted. The smile that was originally on her face turned cold instantly. She left Zhu Xiaoqi behind, walked past Duan Rong without expression, and headed directly to the backyard.

"This..." Duan Rong watched Xiao Yu’s back with a conflicted expression.

He was bewildered by this father and daughter pair.

Just as Duan Rong was feeling puzzled, he turned his head and saw Zhu Xiaoqi standing at the courtyard gate, smiling at him with bright eyes.

He finally felt a bit relieved. "Thankfully, there’s still someone normal."

Zhu Xiaoqi, carrying the basket, went into the kitchen, and Duan Rong immediately followed, saying, "Xiaoqi, tell me... What’s going on with Elder Xiao and Miss Yu? They both gave me the cold shoulder?"

Zhu Xiaoqi placed the basket on a table beside the kitchen wall, tied on an apron from the wall, and went to the stove. While opening the steamer lid and fanning the steam, she said, "Don’t you know what you did yourself?"

"What did I do?" Duan Rong was really clueless.

"Heaven and earth bear witness! I certainly haven’t done anything against the Xiao Family."

Zhu Xiaoqi watched Duan Rong’s nervous demeanor, her eyes sparkled as she burst out laughing, then she explained everything to Duan Rong in detail.

It turned out, when Duan Rong went to Chaotic Tomb Ridge to deliver gold that night, the worried and anxious look on Xiao Yu’s face was noticed by Xiao Zongting, who quickly discerned the truth. After all, a father knows his daughter well, especially since he’s a seasoned veteran of Jianghu.

After the incident with Ruan Jing, Xiao Zongting questioned Xiao Yu that night, and he even found out about the time when her calf was accidentally bitten by a poisonous snake, and Duan Rong helped suck out the venom.

In this world, there are no outdated ideologies about virtuous and chaste women from the ancient era of Blue Star.

Otherwise, how could Xiao Yu, a young woman, become an Escort Master, traveling with the Escort Team?

Xiao Zongting’s anger wasn’t really about that.

He agreed with Xiao Baijiao’s fondness for Duan Rong, did he not?

But Xiao Yu and Xiao Baijiao are different in Xiao Zongting’s mind.

It’s not that Xiao Zongting favored one over the other.

Rather, in his view, Xiao Yu was meant to enter the Taiyi Sect, first as a Registered Disciple, and later to be selected as an Outer Disciple, or even an Inner Sect Disciple.

As for Duan Rong, even though Xiao Zongting considered him as the next person to cultivate, he was like himself, destined to remain confined to Xianggu County for life. After all, Duan Rong had no background, much like Xiao Zongting when he was young, with no resource support, relying solely on his talent, ultimately his accomplishments would be limited.

Therefore, in Xiao Zongting’s view, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu would not have a future together. Thus, he intended to quash the budding notion in Xiao Yu’s heart.

He doesn’t expect Xiao Yu to seek high status but at least someone on her level.

Because of this matter, Xiao Zongting and Xiao Yu had a heated argument that night, and father and daughter have been silent for several days since.

Listening to Zhu Xiaoqi’s explanation, Duan Rong suddenly had a revelation.

No wonder Xiao Zongting didn’t allow Xiao Yu to go to the tavern that night.

The old man is blaming him for enticing his daughter!

Of course, when someone kindly placed you in the Second Escort Team, and even arranged for his daughter to be your mentor, you instead try to woo his daughter, wouldn’t he be angry?

Having lived two lifetimes, Duan Rong quickly comprehended Xiao Zongting’s thoughts.

In his eyes, Xiao Baijiao and Duan Rong were destined to remain in Xianggu County for the rest of their lives, so they would make a good match.

But Xiao Yu was meant to journey far to Taiyi Sect. Her life shouldn’t intersect with Duan Rong’s.

Duan Rong sighed, as he hadn’t originally held any romantic feelings towards Xiao Yu.

This was completely different to the stir of his heart when he saw Xiao Baijiao. Although Xiao Yu was more beautiful, even surpassing Xiao Baijiao, she didn’t possess the gentle, tender subtleness of Xiao Baijiao.

In truth, Duan Rong hadn’t had any improper thoughts about Xiao Yu.

As for sucking snake venom for her, it was just a spontaneous solution in an emergency.

Duan Rong felt frustrated because even though Xiao Zongting thought he would spend his life in Xianggu County, he himself yearned to break out from this closed-off place.

Nevertheless, there was no need to share his thoughts with Xiao Zongting, after all, he didn’t have that kind of relationship with Xiao Yu.

Once he realized the problem, much of Duan Rong’s gloom dissipated.

"The worst is running around in circles, feeling lost. Once the problem is identified, it can be fixed," Duan Rong thought to himself, his expression flickering.

Zhu Xiaoqi took out the steamed buns, tore off the dry lotus leaves, and wrapped six buns for Duan Rong.

Duan Rong took them with a smile, thanking her as he ate and headed outside.

"The buns from Xiaoqi really satisfy cravings!" Duan Rong said with a smile as he reached the kitchen door.

"Don’t be slick with me. If you’ve got time, think about how to apologize to the elder." Zhu Xiaoqi rolled her eyes at Duan Rong.

"I know." Duan Rong waved his hand and left.

Zhu Xiaoqi glanced at his back, sighed lightly, and resumed her tasks.

Afterward, Duan Rong persisted in regularly visiting Xiao Zongting, bringing gifts whenever he went.

As the saying goes, a smiling face is hard to reprimand, and gradually, Xiao Zongting’s icy demeanor began to thaw. Furthermore, every time Duan Rong visited Xiao Zongting, he would respectfully greet Xiao Yu from a distance, calling her "Master."

Over time, although Xiao Yu’s expressions continued to be a bit odd when she saw Duan Rong, Xiao Zongting’s attitude towards him started to change. During a recent visit, when the two were drinking tea in the living room, Duan Rong shared his insights on those three incomplete moves, and Xiao Zongting kindly gave him a detailed explanation and deconstruction.

Although Xiao Zongting was annoyed with Duan Rong, it was just because he believed Daun Rong and Xiao Yu would have no future together, allowing things to continue this way would only bring them misery.

Being a veteran of Jianghu himself, he understood the troubles of youth, how could he not?

What pleased Xiao Zongting was that Duan Rong clearly possessed intelligence and quickly realized the situation, unlike his daughter, who was stubborn like him when he was young...

Besides visiting Xiao Zongting, Duan Rong occasionally went out with Ximen Kankan and Jiang Qingyu to drink or gamble.

The relationship among the three grew increasingly intimate and casual, with Duan Rong subtly becoming the center of their group.

When the three strolled on the streets or in casino corridors, those who knew Ximen Kankan or Jiang Qingyu were stunned.

Because it was often Ximen Kankan and Jiang Qingyu who walked behind Duan Rong, talking to him, while Duan Rong appeared indifferent!

Witnessing this, people began to wonder about Duan Rong’s identity.

This person seemed younger. What kind of figure was he?

Why would Master Ximen and Master Jiang treat him with such respect?

"Could he be someone from the sect?" Some people seemed to have thought of something, and their eyes on Duan Rong turned sideways as they hastily passed by, head down.

Besides the occasional social interaction, Duan Rong spent most of his other time confined to Liu’s House, practicing crazily.

With the combination of the Fetal Concealment Scripture and the Devouring Tree Spirit, Duan Rong managed to achieve two levels of the Fetal Concealment Scripture, and his Spiritual Power rose to Level 3.

And as his Spiritual Power soared, his Saber Technique, supported by the Devouring Artifact Spirit, had reached the Great Success Realm.

However, until today, Duan Rong’s Third Level of Inner Breath Realm still remained unattained.

In contrast, mastering Inner Strength had indeed become a noticeable shortcoming.

Yet, the accumulation of Inner Breath is naturally a gradual process, akin to the Water Grinding Technique, impatience serves no purpose.

However, Duan Rong planned to participate in the Taiyi Sect Registered Disciple Selection Exam in March next year.

With his current pace, achieving the Third Level of Inner Breath by next March would certainly be no problem, but breaking through to the Fourth Level would be quite challenging.

If he couldn’t break through to the Fourth Level, he wouldn’t have absolute certainty in the selection exam.

Xiao Yu, Xia Shuangshuang, Jiang Qingyu, and Shen Mizi were all already at the Third Level of Inner Breath Realm and had been for some time, any of them could break through at any moment. Furthermore, there’s Ximen Kankan, who has already reached the Fourth Level of Inner Breath Realm’s Great Success.

Competing against these family scions in the selection process sure is daunting!

And if he fails, he’d have to wait another three years.

What might happen in those three years is anyone’s guess.