I Can Devour Spirits

After Zhao Gang left.

Jie Daohan called Yang Zhen in and said, ”Yang Zhen, you should make a trip to Liu’s House. Duan Rong has advanced to become a sect named disciple, as his childhood friend, you should go congratulate him, and take him to Eight Treasures Building for a drink.”

As Jie Daohan said this, he walked over and stuffed a silver note into Yang Zhen’s hand, cautioning, ”Yang Zhen, let me remind you. Your childhood friend is extremely dangerous! Don’t let yourself fall off balance!”

Yang Zhen’s heart surged, and he immediately saluted, saying, ”I swear to follow Jie Leader to the death, without any divided loyalty!”

Jie Daohan waved his hand, saying, ”You may go.”

Yang Zhen’s face, initially calm, instantly turned pale as he left the room.

”Duan Rong! Could it be that the person who killed Jie Lei and Xu Ruhu is you?”

Yang Zhen felt this answer was too shocking, even more than Duan Rong advancing to be a sect named disciple, it rattled his soul.

While walking, Yang Zhen carefully pondered over all the details of his interactions with Duan Rong.

Walking, Yang Zhen suddenly shivered! He realized since Duan Rong fell seriously ill, he had changed, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, overall he just felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Since this feeling emerged, Duan Rong became more different each time. Looking back now, from that time onwards, the real-life Duan Rong was getting further away from the ”Duan Rong” in his heart!

Thinking this way, Yang Zhen arrived at the entrance of Yuan Shun Escort Agency.

After Yang Zhen left, Jie Daohan first went to the street for breakfast, then returned to the county government office, where he brewed himself a large pot of strong tea.

Although he hadn’t slept all night, not only was he not tired, he was quite excited.

Having just drank half a cup of strong tea, Yang Zhen hurried back in.

Jie Daohan glanced at Yang Zhen, asking, ”What happened?”

Yang Zhen replied, ”Leader Jie, Duan Rong left the city when the sky was just barely bright.”

Yang Zhen went to Liu’s House and didn’t find Duan Rong, so he questioned the gatekeeper, Ma Wentao, at the Escort Agency, who told Yang Zhen that Duan Rong left the agency before dawn.

Yang Zhen then searched several places in the street, and with a thought, went to the city gate to inquire of the government constables there.

Jie Daohan’s hand, holding the tea cup, paused in mid-air, as if petrified, his eyes rolling with an electric gaze. He suddenly looked at Yang Zhen and said, ”You go. Don’t tell anyone about Duan Rong’s matter.”

”Yes.” Yang Zhen saluted and retreated.

Jie Daohan rubbed the edge of the tea cup with his fingers, muttering, ”Leaving the city at this time? Duan Rong, you seem to have quite a lot of secrets. But don’t worry, I will uncover them bit by bit!”

Duan Rong leapt from the cliff top, gracefully landing on the platform at the cave entrance.

Without pause, Duan Rong walked into the pitch-black cave.

Duan Rong stood in a corner of the cave, blew bright a flint, and lit the oil lamp at his feet, the dim yellow glow immediately lighting up the cave.

The cave, being upon a cliff, had good air circulation, although Duan Rong hadn’t visited for months, the air was dry and fresh, devoid of any moldy smell.

Duan Rong walked to the stone bed in the innermost part, removed the shaft tube from his back, and placed it at the bedside.

Then he took out the flint, lighting another oil lamp beside the bed.

Duan Rong flipped his hand, and the porcelain bottle containing Cold Toad Cream appeared in his hand; the bottle was cold as frost, like holding ice.

Duan Rong placed the porcelain bottle beside the shaft tube at the bedside.

Afterward, Duan Rong sat on the bed, retrieving from his sleeve the secret manual of the Fetal Concealment Scripture, a wax-yellow human skin scroll.

Under the lamp’s light, the original text and illustrations on the human skin scroll had been doodled over with lines, completely unrecognizable...

But, Duan Rong’s expression remained calm and unshocked.

Because, he was the one who did it.

He had long smeared a potion obtained from Ximen Kankan over this human skin scroll, requiring heat to reveal the original text.

With one hand, Duan Rong unfolded the human skin scroll, with the other, he raised the oil lamp from the bedside.

Holding the lamp with his right hand, Duan Rong slowly moved it beneath the human skin scroll...

The uppermost lines of black gradually disappeared, revealing the original script.

Once the third layer’s content fully appeared, Duan Rong moved the lamp away.

Duan Rong then meticulously read the third layer’s content of the Fetal Concealment Scripture.

Already having experience cultivating the first two layers, he quickly understood the third layer’s content.

Duan Rong tucked the human skin scroll inside his chest pocket, preparing to immediately begin practicing the third layer.

Duan Rong took the shaft tube from his back, opening it to retrieve the portraits of the Four Great Kings.

Spreading open the portraits, Duan Rong slowly roasted the bottom with the lamp, causing the hidden images of the Four Great Kings amidst the landscape painting to appear.

Removing the lamp, Duan Rong posted the Four Great Kings’ portraits around the stone bed, then seated himself cross-legged on the bed.

With eyes closed, Duan Rong changed hand seals, chanting incantations...

Upon completing three rounds of magic seal spells, Duan Rong suddenly extended his hand and grasped the porcelain bottle of Ice Toad Cream, uncorking it, he poured nearly half its contents down his throat.

Ice Toad Cream, a soft cool icy substance, slid down the throat, floating within the stomach...

The soft cool substance spread upon entering the stomach, transforming into fine strands of icy matter, floating within the stomach, as wisps of cold air began to emanate from the fine icy strands, spreading outward...