I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 268 - 262: Temple Fair (2)

Xiao Yu saw Duan Rong teasing her as a child, she turned her head and glared at Duan Rong, pouting, "Even eating can’t shut your mouth!"

After speaking, Xiao Yu quickly walked ahead.

"Why are you walking so fast?" Duan Rong took a bite of the fried pork belly and quickly caught up.

The two walked to the street district in front of the City God Temple, and sure enough, the temple fair had already begun. Early in the morning, the street and alleys in front of the City God Temple were already crowded with people.

The cries of the street vendors echoed continuously, and the white breath from their mouths mixed with the morning mist, floating above people’s heads...

There were people making sugar figurines, selling ice sugar-coated hawthorn, spinning cotton candy, popping popcorn, making rolled wafers...

Performers doing various tricks, fire-breathing, sword swallowing, and everything else...

Every stall was crowded with people. Duan Rong finally managed to snatch two strings of ice sugar-coated hawthorn covered in syrup from the crowd.

He handed one to Xiao Yu, who smiled and accepted it, saying, "It’s not the New Year without eating ice sugar-coated hawthorn."

The two of them enjoyed the ice sugar-coated hawthorn while watching at various stalls.

They stopped in front of a stall where a performer was sword swallowing, watching as he put a long, cold sword into his mouth.

Duan Rong smiled slightly. Without using his divine sense, he already knew there was just a mechanism on that sword.

However, the crowd still let out a gasp of amazement.

At this moment, a burly man with a beard like a tangled mop suddenly drew a knife with a swoosh and shouted, "I bet there’s a trick to that sword. Swallow this knife of mine, and I’ll admit you’ve got skills!"

The sword swallower looked at the challenging brute, his face darkening.

Causing trouble so early in the morning immediately drew people’s attention, and not only did passerby gather around, but even people from two nearby stalls were attracted over.

The burly man brandished the steel knife in his hand and said, "What? Don’t dare!?"

"Swallow!"

"Swallow it!"

At this point, voices in the crowd began to taunt him.

The sword swallower, feeling caught in a dilemma, reluctantly accepted the brute’s knife and, amid the shouts of the people, poked the tip of the knife into his mouth.

The crowd watching drew in sharp breaths!

Then the sword swallower, bit by bit, actually swallowed that knife.

Duan Rong’s brow twitched, clearly realizing the challenging brute was a stooge.

Xiao Yu noticed it too. The two left the stall, and many people who realized it cursed quietly and dispersed. But the crowd in front of the sword swallowing stall had already more than doubled!

The two continued strolling and stopped at an old man’s monkey show.

After the monkey passed through the fire hoop, it took the monkey trainer’s smoking pipe, stuffed in some tobacco, lit it on the fire hoop, and puffed away itself.

The way it exhaled the smoke was so practiced, it was just like a human...

"This monkey is practically becoming a spirit!" Xiao Yu laughed out loud, amused.

Duan Rong laughed as well and tossed a few pieces of broken silver into the monkey holding a gong, as a little reward for the street performer.

Maybe noticing that Duan Rong was quite generous, as soon as the two turned and left the stall, someone brushed past Duan Rong.

The moment that person got close, Duan Rong felt a tug on his heart. "A Qingcha."

He had already obtained master-level Qingcha Skillful Hand’s realm after devouring the artifact spirit of Fang Jingbao’s Jadeite Ring at Weiyang Square.

Before the person could make a move, Duan Rong had already seen what he was up to.

"Not a bad technique!" Duan Rong commented inwardly, continuing to walk with Xiao Yu, chatting and laughing.

The person sneaked something out of Duan Rong’s pocket, feeling a cool touch and feeling pleased, thinking it must be a silver ingot. But when he opened his hand, it was a red, candy-wrapped ice sugar-coated hawthorn.

The person instantly realized he’d encountered a master, and with a fearful glance at Duan Rong’s back, he immediately ducked into the crowd...

Duan Rong looked back at the person, then continued strolling along the street with Xiao Yu.

The two strolled around, watched many performances, ate quite a few snacks, and finally reached the entrance of the City God Temple.

A long line had already formed at the entrance of the City God Temple!

Duan Rong said: "The City God’s incense is truly prosperous!"

Xiao Yu replied: "It’s not just the incense. They say the wish plaques on New Year’s Day are the most effective."

"Wish plaques?"

At this moment, they saw two people emerge from the temple gate, quickly walking to the ancient mulberry tree not far away. Standing beneath the tree, they tossed their wish plaques into the air, aiming to hang them on the branches.

Xiao Yu said, "As long as you can hang it on the ancient mulberry, it’s considered accepted by the City God."

It was winter, the leaves had fallen, and this thousand-year-old mulberry’s branches were high and distant. Those two tried several times but couldn’t hang the plaques on.

Just then, a young man in fine clothing reached out and tossed, the wish plaque hanging steadily on the highest branch, making those two look on with envy.

Duan Rong’s gaze sharpened, realizing the young man’s toss was an expert’s move with hidden weapons, not inferior to his own.

Duan Rong looked at the young man, recognizing him as Tao Rong, son of Tao Jiusheng, the owner of the weapon shop.

Months before, Duan Rong had heard at a teahouse that Tao Rong had already achieved great success in the Inner Breath Realm.

Tao Rong noticed Duan Rong’s gaze, turning his head to look. He didn’t recognize Duan Rong but knew Xiao Yu, nodding slightly in acknowledgment before turning to leave.

Duan Rong knew that the registered disciple examination on the third of March would certainly see Tao Rong’s participation.

Clearly a strong rival!

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu joined the long line, waiting for half an hour before finally kneeling to burn incense before the City God, then receiving their wish plaques from the old temple priest Xu Dongyang’s hands.

The wish plaques were blank, requiring personal wishes to be written on them.

Xiao Yu and Duan Rong moved to the table in the corner, picking up the prepared pens to write their wishes.

Duan Rong looked at Xiao Yu and smiled, "What did you write?"

Xiao Yu pulled the plaque to her chest and said, "That’s none of your business!"

Duan Rong had the ability for Divine Sense Penetration but never used it to spy on friends, as that would not only deplete the divine soul but also be somewhat dishonorable.

After writing their wishes, they exited the temple, arriving beneath the ancient mulberry tree. Being accomplished martial artists, they easily tossed their plaques up to hang!

In the winter sunlight, Xiao Yu looked at the swaying plaque on the dry mulberry tree, her expression shifting. She turned to Duan Rong and said, "Let’s go back."

Walking slightly behind and to the side of Xiao Yu, Duan Rong gazed at her contemplative profile, the winter sun illuminating the fine hairs along her cheek.

A sudden sense of worldly peace and the tranquility of time surged through Duan Rong’s heart.

Duan Rong realized this feeling was given by Xiao Yu.

Between him and Xiao Yu, it was clearly not a romantic feeling, but rather a different kind of emotion.

In his past life, Duan Rong had lost his parents early, without experiencing familial warmth before his soul was transported to the Nine Provinces World, where he once again lost his parents.

Despite two lifetimes, he never encountered the warmth of a family.

Yet somehow, looking at Xiao Yu at this moment ignited a warm and stable feeling.

Behind them, at the City God’s temple entrance, the ancient mulberry tree was already adorned with many wish plaques, with Duan Rong’s and Xiao Yu’s swaying among them.

On Xiao Yu’s wish plaque, it read: "May your heart feel as mine."

On Duan Rong’s wish plaque were just three words: Taiyi Sect.

The year had passed, and soon it was the sixth day of the first lunar month.

The escort agency’s business was set to resume, yet Ruan Fengshan remained in the backyard, closing his door to visitors and not showing his face.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, Ruan Fengshan’s personal servant Zheng Wei suddenly issued orders, presenting a document stamped with the escort agency’s seal and Ruan Fengshan’s private seal.

The document contained just one line: Effective immediately, Xiao Zongting is appointed as Chief Leader of Yuan Shun Escort Agency, responsible for all agency business.

Xiao Zongting accepted the document, puzzled, deciding to seek out Ruan Fengshan in the backyard, only to be turned away once more.

Though frustrated, Xiao Zongting felt a deep connection to Yuan Shun Escort Agency, with emotions hard for others to understand. Entrusted with its management by Ruan Fengshan, he was determined to do his utmost.

With Sun Huang’s death, the Second Escort Team was leaderless.

Moreover, with the registered disciple examination on the third of March, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu needed to prepare, leaving the escort agency’s affairs temporarily unattended.

Xiao Zongting directly disbanded the Second Escort Team, merging its escort masters and porters into other teams while Duan Rong and Xiao Yu focused entirely on cultivation for the upcoming examination!