I Can Devour Spirits

In the two months following the New Year, he had locked himself in to focus on intensive cultivation and hadn’t strolled around the streets for quite some time.

Duan Rong walked slowly, looking at the street under the early evening lights, when suddenly a familiar and alluring aroma wafted into his nose.

Duan Rong smiled as he looked over and saw that the beef soup stall he used to frequent was already crowded with people amidst the swirling steam.

Even though Duan Rong had already eaten dinner, his appetite was teased once more, so he walked over to the beef soup stall, ordered a bowl of beef soup, and found a corner seat to sit down.

As Duan Rong sipped his beef soup, his Divine Sense suddenly extended outward.

Having nothing better to do, he wanted to hear the street’s comments after the first round of the Talent Selection Conference.

He had thought people would discuss Tao Rong, Ximen Kankan, or even himself, as he comes from a humble background, unlike Tao Rong and Ximen Kankan, who are children of noble families.

But after listening for a while, Duan Rong was quite taken aback.

While there were a few discussions about him, the crowd’s focus was primarily on Xia Shuangshuang, Xiao Yu, and Shen Mizi, and particularly about their appearances.

Many people were debating the ranking of the three women’s beauty. Shen Mizi was seemingly undisputedly ranked third, but opinions differed on whether Xia Shuangshuang or Xiao Yu was first.

Especially an old scholar across the street in a tavern, stroking his goatee, swaying his head and saying, ”Xia Shuangshuang is lean but not bony, Xiao Yu is chubby but not fleshy, both are admirable!”

Duan Rong almost spat out his mouthful of beef soup.

Just then, Duan Rong’s brows suddenly knitted together, and he lowered his head deeply.

Because his Divine Sense had scanned over, Lv Qingzhu and A’Mo were walking toward the beef soup stall from across the street.

Duan Rong didn’t want to have any interaction with this Sect Envoy. Having already demonstrated the strength of the Great Success Realm, getting chosen as a Registered Disciple should pose no problem. There was no need to create any additional complications now.

A’Mo looked at the nearly full beef soup stall and excitedly said, ”Miss, this must be delicious.”

”Hmm, it should be good,” Lv Qingzhu agreed with a nod.

The two of them ordered two large bowls of beef soup and five sesame pancakes.

Lv Qingzhu actually couldn’t finish even one sesame pancake, but for A’Mo, five sesame pancakes were just the start.

The two found a vacant spot to sit down.

The vendor served them beef soup and sesame pancakes.

A’Mo looked at the steaming hot beef soup, instantly feeling the fragrance wafting towards her.

At that moment, a skinny boy of about twelve or thirteen approached their table and reached out to grab a small jar of chili oil from the table.

”Wait a minute!”

A’Mo, who also loved spicy food, saw the boy about to take the chili oil and quickly grabbed the boy’s wrist.

A’Mo, although naturally strong, had honed her control over power meticulously through years of cultivating the Thirteen Refining Vajra Skill.

She lightly held the boy’s wrist, just intending to let him know she hadn’t added the chili oil to her bowl yet.

But as she grabbed the boy, the frail boy suddenly convulsed, causing the chili oil jar in his hand to slip, and A’Mo quickly caught it with her sharp reflexes.

However, the frail boy collapsed, eyes rolling back, foaming at the mouth, with his limbs and body twitching uncontrollably...

”This...”

Lv Qingzhu and A’Mo, having grown up on Changling Mountain, were nearly unexposed to life’s cruel realities, froze in shock...

At that moment, a middle-aged woman with graying hair rushed over, knelt beside the boy, and cried out, ”Xiao Kuang, what’s happening to you?”

Seeing her child convulsing severely, the woman, in desperation, put her finger in the boy’s mouth.

As the boy convulsed, his jaws snapped shut, and the woman’s finger bled instantly. The blood mixed with the foam, making it seem as though the convulsing child was spitting blood-tinged foam from his mouth...

Seeing this scene, a trace of fear flashed across Lv Qingzhu’s bright eyes...

The woman, her voice tinged with sobs, glared at A’Mo and scolded, ”My Xiao Kuang just wanted to take some chili oil! If you didn’t want to give it, fine, but why harm him like this? If anything happens to Xiao Kuang, I’ll fight you to the death!”

Lv Qingzhu and A’Mo, having grown up in the seclusion of Changling Mountain and never having faced such situations, suddenly panicked a bit.

But A’Mo was sure she hadn’t used any force on the child.

”I... I didn’t...” A’Mo tried to defend herself, but she didn’t know where to start, her face flushed red in anxiety.

At this moment, a figure darted over.

Duan Rong squatted beside the boy, Inner Breath flickering softly at his fingertips as he quickly pressed several acupoints on the boy’s body, his hands moving rapidly.

The woman had not yet reacted when Duan Rong had already finished his work!

The woman was about to curse but suddenly felt the child’s clenched jaws relax, his convulsions stop, and gradually, his breathing became smoother.

Duan Rong took out a medicine pill and gave it to the woman, saying, ”Feed this medicine to the child.”

The woman saw Duan Rong tap on the child for a moment, and it seemed the child had returned from the brink of death. How could she not believe Duan Rong? She immediately pushed the medicine pill into the child’s mouth.

The young boy swallowed the pill, and after a few breaths, started to regain his strength.

The woman helped the young boy stand up, continuously thanking Duan Rong.

Looking at the boy, Duan Rong asked, ”When was the last time this child’s seizure occurred?”

The woman’s face suddenly reddened and she said, ”It hasn’t happened for two years now.”

The woman initially wanted to blame the child’s illness on Amo and Lv Qingzhu, but Duan Rong had already pointed out that this wasn’t the first time these symptoms had appeared.

Though Duan Rong appeared young, he was evidently skilled in medicine. With a few casual taps on Xiaokang, he managed to revive him and immediately recognized that Xiaokang’s condition was a recurrence of a chronic illness.

How could the woman dare to hide anything now?

”Sir, please save Xiaokang. The doctors all say this illness can’t be cured.”

Duan Rong replied, ”This disease, I cannot cure either.”

Seeing Duan Rong’s cold demeanor, the woman wiped her tears and sighed.

Duan Rong flipped his hand, putting five medicine pills into the woman’s hand, and said, ”Take one when a seizure occurs. How long he lives depends on his own fate.”

The woman, looking at the medicine pills in her hand, treated them like treasures. She pulled the boy down to kneel, saying, ”Xiaokang, quickly! Kowtow to the benefactor.”

Duan Rong accepted the boy’s bow but held onto the woman and helped her to her feet, saying, ”No need for this!”

From the woman’s disheveled hair and face full of wrinkles, Duan Rong discerned the mother’s hard work and toil.

Duan Rong sighed. The reason he couldn’t help but intervene was that this child suffered from the same illness as Xiao Baijiao.

In this world, the disease didn’t have a name yet.

In a previous life, it was generally called epilepsy. Even in the highly developed medical backdrop of that world, this disease was incurable.

The reason being, the mechanism of the illness was related to brain nerves.

Standing by the roadside, Duan Rong watched the mother and son leaving, and Xiao Baijiao’s image flashed through his mind again...

”Duan Rong! Thank you!”

Lv Qingzhu’s voice sounded behind Duan Rong.

Earlier she was genuinely a bit flustered. She wasn’t afraid of snakes or mice, but she had never encountered something like this before.

If something happened to that child, she truly didn’t know how to handle the situation. Fortunately, Duan Rong had resolved it for her.

Duan Rong turned around, and the clear eyes of Lv Qingzhu shone with gratitude.

Lv Qingzhu was pure of heart, and since Duan Rong had helped her, it was only natural for her to express thanks.

Unexpectedly, when Duan Rong turned around, he clasped his hands and bowed, saying, ”A humble citizen greets the Imperial Envoy!”

Lv Qingzhu was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected Duan Rong to react this way.

Amo chuckled, looking at Duan Rong, and said, ”Take a touch. I’ll treat you to beef soup!”

Amo pointed to a beef soup stall not far behind.

Duan Rong said, ”A humble citizen has already eaten. Imperial Envoy, I have matters to attend to. Goodbye for now!”

With that, Duan Rong turned and quickly walked away.

Amo watched as Duan Rong disappeared hurriedly at the street corner, muttering, ”Miss, is this person avoiding us?”

Lv Qingzhu’s eyes sparkled. ”He’s not avoiding us. He’s avoiding something!”

The two returned from the street to the beef soup stall, finished their beef soup and pastries, and then went back to the Spring Breeze Inn to rest.

On the next day, as dawn broke, many people were already gathered in front of the Zhexing Platform at the county office entrance.

The seed contestants participating in the selection battles already stood beneath the platform, with some yawning tiredly, having evidently suffered a sleepless night.

The spectator seats were also filled with people.

Today was the second round of the chaotic point-based combat series, and after consulting with Shen Yanliu, Clerk Qin was ready to begin.

The second round was divided into two groups of winners and losers, starting with a randomized match among the 12 winners!

Clerk Qin spun the wheel.

”Second round, first match, Jiang Qingyu!”