I Can Devour Spirits

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu played in Yuanyang Prefecture for a full three days.

Ximen Kankan took them around all the famous places in Yuanyang Prefecture.

Ximen Kankan said, ”I tell you, Yuanyang Prefecture is fresh for a visit, but cannot match the charm of our Xianggu County.”

Duan Rong laughed and said, ”Don’t take advantage and pretend otherwise. The Prefecture City is definitely better than our small broken county town.”

Ximen Kankan said, ”Whether it’s good or not, the family visit leave is almost over, and I don’t plan to stay here long anyway.”

Three days later, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu left Yuanyang Prefecture.

When they left, Ximen Yong gave them a grand gift. It was a complete set of pearl crowns and scarves.

When Xiao Yu opened the chest and saw the set, her eyes instantly turned red.

This was originally something parents should prepare for their daughter’s wedding, but when she married Duan Rong, her parents had already passed away. Xiao Yu felt it was meaningless to prepare it herself and thought it was too expensive, so she put it aside. But unexpectedly, Ximen Yong seemed to see through her heart and filled this regret for her.

Duan Rong, seeing the precious gift, didn’t know its significance and wanted to refuse, but Xiao Yu had already pulled him to bow and thank Ximen Yong.

Xiao Yu saluted and said, ”Uncle, this gift is as heavy as Mount Tai. My husband and I will remember it in our hearts.”

At this time, Ximen Yong also felt quite emotional. He pulled Xiao Yu up and said, ”Good, good. Stand up. As long as you two are well, I’m happy.”

Ximen Yong then held Duan Rong’s hand, said a good farewell, and stood there watching the carriage carrying the two of them away.

In the carriage, Xiao Yu felt that Ximen Yong’s affection for them was beyond normal, so she asked Duan Rong about the story of his involvement with the Ximen Family.

Duan Rong told Xiao Yu everything about his dealings with the Ximen Family, omitting only the episode where he helped Ximen Kankan draw erotic paintings.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu left Yuanyang Prefecture, but not to return home, instead heading to Ruyang Prefecture to visit Shen Mizi.

The day before they set off from Xianggu County, Xiao Yu had already written to Shen Mizi, telling her their expected arrival date in Ruyang Prefecture.

That day, Duan Rong and his group arrived outside the city of Ruyang Prefecture.

They discovered that Shen Mizi was already waiting for them for some time in a pavilion outside the city.

Shen Mizi rode over and embraced Xiao Yu.

Holding Xiao Yu’s hand, Shen Mizi suddenly became jovial, chatting incessantly like a chirping bird.

Duan Rong could only touch his nose and follow behind the two.

The group arrived at the entrance of a magnificent courtyard, and Duan Rong’s heart skipped a beat, noticing the security was quite tight.

Tall trees rose high above the courtyard walls.

There were several trees with lush crowns that hid people among them.

Duan Rong chuckled inwardly. ”For Shen Yanliu to be so cautious, he must have made quite a few enemies these past three years!”

That evening, Shen Yanliu and Ma Chunmin hosted a lavish banquet for Duan Rong and Xiao Yu.

Ma Chunmin’s sharp, bright eyes occasionally glanced at Duan Rong, surprised that the young escort master from three years ago had transformed into a distinguished Outer Disciple.

The great infamous case of the impure blood in Xianggu County had already spread to the neighboring prefectures. Ma Chunmin had heard Shen Yanliu talk about it long ago.

According to Shen Yanliu, Duan Rong’s advancement to Inner Sect disciple was almost a certainty.

For those in the mortal world, a sect’s Inner Disciple is an exalted existence.

Ma Chunmin naturally did her best to curry favor, frequently serving dishes and pouring drinks for Duan Rong and Xiao Yu, accompanying them with laughter.

Throughout the banquet, Shen Yanliu kept addressing Duan Rong as ’Sir,’ which made Shen Mizi blush with embarrassment.

As the banquet was about to conclude, Shen Yanliu suddenly looked at Shen Mizi and said, ”Mizi, why don’t you take your two friends to visit our family’s manor outside the city tomorrow? The scenery there is quite nice!”

Upon hearing this, Shen Mizi’s dim eyes finally lit up slightly. She looked at Xiao Yu and said, ”Sister Xiao, I’ve been there once, and the scenery is indeed beautiful. Let me take you there tomorrow.”

Xiao Yu glanced at Duan Rong and smiled, ”That sounds great. This season is just right for a spring outing!”

The manor is beside the official road over ten li east of the city.

The manor was large, with winding corridors and bamboo groves, quite serene.

This manor was named Shen Garden, after Shen Yanliu’s surname.

The group set off in the morning, each on horseback, chatting casually along the way, and by the time they reached the manor, it was already noon.

The staff at the manor had received the orders last night and had already prepared the lunch banquet.

The luncheon consisted mostly of game meat and fresh fruits and vegetables, which Duan Rong found quite tasty.

After lunch, they rested for a while.

Near the manor, there was a small mountain, which Shen Mizi took them to, to enjoy the greenery and play, and they only returned to the manor at dusk.

As they entered the manor, they saw two small blue sedan chairs being carried inside.

They watched as the sedan chairs followed the corridor towards the interior of the manor.

Duan Rong turned his head to Shen Mizi and asked, ”Who are the people in those sedan chairs?”

Shen Mizi frowned slightly, shook her head, and said, ”I don’t know.”

Duan Rong said, ”Let’s go over and take a look.”

Duan Rong turned his steps towards the direction of the sedan chairs. Shen Mizi, not knowing who was in the sedan chairs, followed Duan Rong to have a look.

The group had just reached a moon gate.