I Can Devour Spirits

”You two are leaving without me!” Zhu Peng immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, ”No way, Brother Duan, you have to toast to me as well. I just helped you speak up.”

Duan Rong shook his head and laughed, ”Alright! Here’s a toast to you too!”

The three ate and drank until midnight before they dispersed.

Duan Rong returned to the secluded courtyard of Zhu Peng’s mansion, and by candlelight, wrote a detailed report on Shen Mizi, which he planned to hand over to Zhu Cheng the next day before leaving.

After he finished writing, Duan Rong placed the report under the candle and then went to bed.

The next day, Duan Rong rode away from Divine Cloud Prefecture.

Zhu Cheng and Zhu Peng accompanied him along the official road for seven or eight miles before the three bid their fond farewells.

The two reined in their horses, watching Duan Rong recede into the distance, eventually becoming a black dot on the road. Zhu Peng said, ”Zhu Cheng, do you think we’ll see Brother Duan again after he leaves?”

Zhu Cheng smiled, ”We should meet again.”

Zhu Cheng turned to look at Zhu Peng, ”Why? You seem so reluctant to see Brother Duan leave!”

Zhu Peng responded, ”No, it’s just a casual question.”

The days spent traveling with Duan Rong were truly enjoyable. Such a hurried farewell left Zhu Peng feeling somewhat reluctant.

Zhu Cheng said, ”It’s good that you have gotten closer to Brother Duan. It’s very beneficial for you.”

”Really?” Zhu Peng replied, ”I just purely think he’s a nice person.”

Zhu Cheng said, ”It’s because of your straightforward nature that Brother Duan likes being close to you.”

Zhu Cheng didn’t seem keen on delving deeper into the topic, so he said, ”Let’s go back.”

On the day they went to meet Zhu Zhengfu together, Zhu Zhengfu had kept Duan Rong alone to talk. At that time, Zhu Cheng sensed something was amiss.

Duan Rong’s desire to return home was strong, as he whipped his horse fiercely, kicking up a long trail of dust down the road.

On the journey, he wore out two horses, finally arriving back in Xianggu County by the afternoon of the seventh day.

Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi had just put down their bowls feeling a bit downcast when Duan Rong rushed in with a face full of dust.

Upon seeing Duan Rong’s appearance, the two instantly burst into laughter.

Xiao Yu said, ”Look at you, my dear, you look like you just rolled out of a pile of ashes.”

While speaking, Xiao Yu picked up a cloth to dust off Duan Rong.

She had just given him two pats when Duan Rong suddenly wrapped her in an embrace and kissed her, smearing his dusty face all over Xiao Yu’s.

”Are you trying to get yourself killed? Moving around with a face full of dust?”

”Really! I hurried back to see you, ran two horses to death, and got myself all covered in dust, and now you’re disgusted with me.”

”Who’s disgusted with you?” Xiao Yu tossed aside the dust-covered cloth and said, ”Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and I’ll make something for you to eat.”

Xiao Yu nudged Duan Rong towards the bathhouse.

After both had finished bathing, Zhu Xiaoqi had already set the meal on the table.

Exhausted from the journey, Duan Rong devoured the home-cooked food with gusto.

After the meal, Xiao Yu attended to Duan Rong as he lay down to rest.

After that, Duan Rong stayed home for two days to recuperate.

With half a month left until the end of the Outer Disciple life, the Ministry of Communication had already ceased assigning them tasks.

This day, Ximen Kankan suddenly returned to Xianggu County.

Upon his arrival in Xianggu County, he naturally visited Duan Rong first.

Duan Rong asked, ”Why did you suddenly come back?”

”In half a month, we’ll be entering Changling Mountain again. Of course, I’m back to visit my hometown. To be honest, I’ve been to so many places, but Xianggu County is my favorite. Walking on the streets of Xianggu, the air feels familiar to me,” Ximen Kankan said, then suddenly lowered his voice, ”Hey, how about spending a night at Weiyang Square tonight?”

Duan Rong replied, ”Let’s go during the day. If I’m out all night, Xiao Yu will ask questions.”

Ximen Kankan sighed, ”What’s the fun in the daytime? Alright, it’s because you married early at a young age!”

Ximen Kankan spent almost half a month in Xianggu County, and the final days approached.

In three days, they would receive secret messages at the contact point.

At that time, news of whether they could advance to Inner Sect Disciple would be dispatched from the Ministry of Communication to each contact point.

That night, Duan Rong, Xiao Yu, Ximen Kankan, Shen Mizi, and Liu Shushan gathered at a restaurant in Yuanyang Prefecture.

They chatted about their recent experiences over the months, especially Duan Rong’s stories from Divine Cloud Prefecture.

Duan Rong spun exaggerated tales about the Minister of the Secretariat’s lightning case and some romantic stories about Li Muping from Flame Moon Building.

Shen Mizi and Xiao Yu hadn’t seen each other for a month, and once they met, they sat together, chatting non-stop.

After gossiping, they naturally discussed the topic of advancing to Inner Sect Disciple.

Upon this topic, Shen Mizi’s expression turned somewhat unnatural.

Duan Rong said, ”Mizi, the advancement to Inner Sect Disciple for you should not be much of a problem.”

Shen Mizi smiled and nodded, thinking Duan Rong was merely comforting her.

The day arrived to collect the secret messages from the contact point.

The contact point was determined by their backgrounds, so the five would receive their secret messages at different locations.

Duan Rong, Xiao Yu, and Ximen Kankan were at one location.

Shen Mizi and Liu Shushan were at another.

Shen Mizi had stayed at an inn in Ruyang Prefecture a day early; Liu Shushan had invited her to stay at his family’s courtyard, but Shen Mizi didn’t go.

Early that day, Liu Shushan waited for Shen Mizi at the inn’s entrance.

After Shen Mizi descended the stairs, the two rode their horses toward a secretive contact point in the wild.

They came out of a hunter’s dwelling in the mountains, each with their secret messages in hand.