A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 349: Mastering the Martial Arts of the World
Shen Mizhi left Duan Rong and took the zipline to the top of the hill in the lower courtyard. She walked along the edge of the cliff and came to the iron ropes near Taipu Hall, where she suddenly stopped.

She looked at one of the iron chains and her eyes flickered.

The iron chain leads to the hilltop where the stone archway is.

Shen Mizhi didn't hesitate for long before tying the animal hide strap around her waist and paddling onto the cableway. Duan Rong had asked her to find out about Lv Qingzhu, and she felt she had to tell Xiao Yu.

They are like sisters, and she shouldn't hide this from Xiao Yu no matter what.

When Shen Mizhi arrived at the stone workshop, Xiao Yu was about to go to work in the cave.

Xiao Yu was very happy to see Shen Mizhi's sudden arrival, but noticing that Shen Mizhi's expression was not right, Shen Mizhi pulled her to a corner and told Xiao Yu everything about what Duan Rong asked her to find out about Lu Qingzhu, as well as some of Lu Qingzhu's situation.

Xiao Yu frowned slightly, and her eyes flashed with a cold gleam of deep thought.

She remembered the night when Lu Qingzhu left on the Cloud-feathered Falcon, and the look in Duan Rong's eyes as he stared at the sky for a long time.

"Is there really something wrong with them?"

But Xiao Yu was very sure that when Lu Qingzhu left, he didn't even look at Duan Rong.

But if nothing was wrong between the two, why did Duan Rong react like that? Moreover, after arriving at the sect, he even asked Shen Mizhi to go to the elders' hall to inquire about Lu Qingzhu's situation?
No! There must be something wrong!

Xiao Yu suddenly became alert!
Shen Mizhi said, "Sister Xiao, I have to go. If I'm any later, I'll be scolded by the nanny!"

Xiao Yu said: "Good sister, thank you for coming to tell me."

Shen Mizhi said, "Sister Xiao, I'm not spreading rumors. I've thought about this over and over again, and I can't hide it from you."

Xiao Yu said, "Don't think too much, sister. I can't thank you enough for this. You did the right thing!"

Shen Mizhi said: "I hope you can understand my heart, sister."

Xiao Yu took Shen Mizhi's hand and sent her to the entrance of the stone archway. Shen Mizhi left in a hurry.

Xiao Yu returned to the cave to work, but she was a little absent-minded the whole day. After work, she packed up and washed up, then went to the hill where Duan Rong was.

It was only the afternoon when Xiao Yu arrived at the hill where Duan Rong was. She walked around there but didn't see Duan Rong.

Xiao Yu didn't know where Duan Rong had gone, so he simply waited for him in Duan Rong's cave.

Duan Rong didn't come out of the alchemy cave until midnight.

There was a bright moon and numerous stars in the sky, with sparse clouds, and in the dense forest in the distance, the faint chirping of insects and cicadas could be heard.

Duan Rong walked along the cliff in an excited mood, and the moonlight illuminated the exposed cliff wall brightly.

Duan Rong held a porcelain bottle in his hand and sniffed it from time to time.

Tonight's medicine refining was as if divinely assisted. All three batches of medicinal materials were refined successfully, and there were more than thirty Zhengyang Pills in total.

That’s more than thirty contribution points!
This time I succeeded, and all the money I spent on the previous two refining efforts was recovered!

It’s still more cost-effective to make the medicine yourself!
Duan Rong happily walked to the entrance of his cave, and saw the bright white moonlight slanting into the cave, illuminating the entrance.

Duan Rong was about to enter the cave when his eyebrows suddenly jumped.

"Who? Come out!"

Duan Rong was very sure that there was breathing sound in the cave. He held the porcelain bottle of pills in his left hand, and his right hand was already grasping the hilt of the Minghong Sword.

At this moment, a soft cough sounded faintly from the cave.

Although it was just a cough, Duan Rong could already tell it was Xiao Yu.

Duan Rong thought that Xiao Yu came to see him for something. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a rustling sound deep in the cave.

Xiao Yu, wearing an animal skin blanket, walked out from the depths of the cave and stood at the entrance of the cave, in the bright white moonlight.

Xiao Yu was barefoot, and under the moonlight, she looked like white jade with a cool and faint glow.

Duan Rong looked at Xiao Yu in a daze.

Xiao Yu crossed his hands in front of his chest, holding the blanket. Suddenly, he loosened his hands and gently lifted the two corners of the blanket behind him.

The animal skin blanket slid off Xiao Yu's body and fell behind him.

Xiao Yu was lying naked under the blanket.

A nearly perfect body, under the cold moonlight, seemed to be shining with some kind of sacred light.

Duan Rong was immediately mesmerized.

The porcelain bottle in his hand fell to the ground with a clang and broke, and the pills he had just made tonight rolled all over the floor.

But Duan Rong continued to stare blankly at Xiao Yu in the moonlight. He couldn't bear to touch her. Perhaps it was the moonlight that was too beautiful, or perhaps it was Xiao Yu in the moonlight that was too beautiful. It seemed as if touching her would make her beauty fade...

Just then, a gust of night wind suddenly blew by.

Xiao Yu suddenly felt a chill, she crossed her arms over her chest and hunched her shoulders.

Seeing Xiao Yu looking so frail in the cold wind, Duan Rong immediately walked over, picked up the blanket on the ground and covered Xiao Yu with it.

Then he picked up Xiao Yu by the waist.

Duan Rong turned his back to the moonlight, blocking the bright moonlight behind him. Xiao Yu looked up at Duan Rong in the darkness of the moonlight.

The two stared at each other for a long time. Duan Rong lowered his head, and Xiao Yu wrapped her arms around Duan Rong's neck and kissed him.

Perhaps because he had been standing in the night wind for too long, Duan Rong felt that Xiao Yu's lips seemed a little cold.

After a long kiss, Duan Rong embraced Xiao Yu and walked into the depths of the cave...

The sky outside the cave is full of stars like a dream.

After a passionate lovemaking session, Xiao Yu lay on Duan Rong's chest.

Duan Rong's hand slid across Xiao Yu's shoulder.

Both of them were sweating and breathing slightly.

Xiao Yu lay there. She could hear Duan Rong's heartbeat at this moment. The steady beat gave her a sense of security.

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered in the darkness. She was thinking about how to ask Duan Rong about Lu Qingzhu.

But Duan Rong suddenly said: "Xiao Yu, I have something I want to tell you."

Xiao Yu used her finger to draw circles on Duan Rong's chest and asked, "What's the matter?"

Duan Rong said: "Do you still remember Lv Qingzhu, the clan envoy who came to Xian Ancient County to supervise the Selection Meeting?"

When Xiao Yu heard Lu Qingzhu's name, his heart trembled.

Then, Duan Rong told Xiao Yu about what happened between him and Lu Qingzhu, including how they were ambushed by the evil spirits of the Filthy Blood Cult in the wilderness, how he hid in the ruined temple, how he met Lu Qingzhu in the ruined temple, how he was drugged... Duan Rong told Xiao Yu everything in detail.

Of course, Duan Rong still kept the fact that he practiced the Divine Art of Filthy Blood secret.

Duan Rong also told Shen Mizhi about what he had asked her to do two days ago, to go to the Council of Elders to inquire about Lu Qingzhu, including Lu Qingzhu's life experience.

After hearing this, Xiao Yu not only did not blame Duan Rong, but was very moved. Before she knew it, she had already shed two lines of tears.

Duan Rong had actually told her everything about such a secret matter without hiding anything from her. Furthermore, this incident was ultimately an accident, and Duan Rong had no control over it under the circumstances.

Moreover, Lu Qingzhu is the only daughter of the elder of the Elders' Hall and the descendant of the ancestor of Taiyi Sect. How could she look down on Duan Rong, a poor boy?
In other words, Lu Qingzhu would never compete with her for Duan Rong.

In fact, Duan Rong had never intended to keep the affair between him and Lu Qingzhu a secret from Xiao Yu. It was just that he had never found the right opportunity to tell Xiao Yu.

But tonight, Xiao Yu suddenly acted like this. After the lovemaking, Duan Rong calmed down and had already guessed that it was probably that little girl Shen Mizhi who betrayed him and told Xiao Yu that he had asked her for information about Lu Qingzhu.

To prevent Xiao Yu from asking, even if he told the truth, Xiao Yu would probably just be skeptical.

Moreover, to be honest, with Lu Qingzhu's background, it is really difficult for Duan Rong to marry into her family.

Even if Lu Qingzhu is willing, her father and the ancestor of Taiyi Sect will not agree, and it might cause trouble.

Besides, would Lu Qingzhu agree?

"When we meet again, that will be the day I kill you."

It’s better not to see you again!

Duan Rong hugged Xiao Yu and felt a wetness on his chest.

It was Xiao Yu who cried, but they were tears of joy.

Duan Rong tenderly kissed away Xiao Yu's tears, and Xiao Yu wrapped her arms around his neck again...

The next morning, the two woke up at dawn.

Xiao Yu hurriedly put on his clothes and rushed back to Shifang to work.

Duan Rong accompanied her and sent her to the entrance of the stone archway, and then they parted reluctantly.

Xiao Yu no longer had any grudges from then on, and the relationship between the two of them became better and better day by day.

The matter of Lu Qingzhu was just a small episode, and it disappeared from the relationship between the two of them.

After that, the lives of several people settled down. They usually worked in their respective places. At the agreed time, they would go to Duan Rong and go to Guangluyuan together to receive their tasks.

While they were working in their respective places, Duan Rong would go to Xia Honghua's medicine pavilion to check the accounts for two hours every day. After returning, he would devote himself to the boring practice.

Ever since he started refining his own medicine, the cost of cultivation had been reduced to a very low level. The points on his star chart were increasing little by little.

But Duan Rong knew that the more advanced one became in cultivation, the greater the cost would be. Although there was a slight surplus now, it might not be enough when one reached the third or fourth level of the True Qi Realm.

Therefore, even though there was a surplus, Duan Rong was still very careful with his money and was unwilling to waste any contribution points.

Although practicing was boring, Xiao Yu would occasionally come to have a tryst with him.

The mountain where Shang Xiangyu was located was very remote, and the two of them were alone here, so they had no idea where to go.

Early that morning, Old Man Qin suddenly came to see Duan Rong.

Duan Rong thought that Old Man Qin wanted to talk to him about something, but it turned out that he wanted to get the potion for Shui Zhongyue.

The last time he got the medicine, Pan Yong told him to control the dosage, so it had been two months since he came to get the medicine this time.

Duan Rong told him that Shang Xiangyu's medicine cabinet had been confiscated by Yang Yi, and Shui Zhongyue's potion was also in that cabinet. Duan Rong then asked him to go to the Judgment and Rectification Division to ask Yang Yi for it.

In fact, Duan Rong can now completely prepare the potion that Shui Zhongyue used.

After all, he had been devouring the old things that had been around Shang Xiangyu for many years, and Duan Rong knew the formula and refining techniques of the potion very well.

However, Duan Rong was not unwilling to refine it, he just did not want to expose his abilities in front of Old Man Qin.

Because he had only been with Shang Xiangyu for more than a month, and Pan Yong didn't even know how to prepare the potion, so how could he do it?

If he helped Old Man Qin prepare the potion, and the news leaked out and got to know by Yang Yi or Yang Sixuan, they might arrest him and take him to the Judgment and Clan Affairs Bureau for a strict interrogation.

July is here in the blink of an eye.

The third day of July is the day for Xia Honghua's mid-year audit.

The person in charge of auditing the accounts is a historian from the History Department of the Council of Elders.

The historian's surname was Pan. He was in charge of the sect's cashier's transfer and warehouse audit, and had considerable power.

Duan Rong had finished reviewing all the accounts as early as mid-June.

Pan Shijian randomly took a month to have his subordinates check the accounts, while he also took a quick look at them. He found that the accounts were neat and tidy, and his subordinates who checked them were full of praise.

Pan Shijian then praised Xia Honghua greatly, saying that her accounts were the best among all the departments in the sect, and that he would issue a written reward to her later.

Xia Honghua originally just wanted to get through, but unexpectedly she became the champion, and she was immediately overjoyed.

Xia Honghua specially rewarded Duan Rong with 20 contribution points, so Duan Rong was naturally happy to earn more.

With the praise from Pan Shijian, Duan Rong's position in Xia Honghua was basically stable.

Originally, Xia Honghua was thinking of replacing Duan Rong. After all, Duan Rong only worked two hours a day and often slacked off, which made Xia Honghua very angry.

With Pan Shijian's praise, Xia Honghua didn't dare to change even if she wanted to. What if the replacement turned out to be not as good as Duan Rong? When the accounts were checked at the end of the year, wouldn't the good impression she had worked so hard to build up with Pan Shijian be ruined?

"You can be lazy if you want. Just do the work for me!"

More than half a year passed, and Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi finally achieved the great perfection of the inner breath realm and could practice martial arts in the true qi realm.

Because the initial wisp of true qi was born from the inner breath. Therefore, if the inner breath realm is not strong and stable enough, and if you forcibly practice martial arts at the true qi realm, it is easy to cause the initial wisp of true qi to be very empty.

If the initial wisp of true qi is empty, even if you practice vigorously and accumulate the amount of true qi, the true qi will not be solid, and the realm you achieve will be empty. The later stage can be said to be full of poison!
Therefore, martial artists usually start to practice martial arts in the realm of true qi only after they have achieved great perfection in the realm of inner breath.

Of course, there are also those who, after reaching the state of subtlety, remain stuck in the state of Great Perfection for over a decade, unable to break through. Many of these warriors will abandon the state of Great Perfection and force themselves to cultivate martial arts at the True Qi Realm. However, even if these warriors achieve the True Qi Realm, they will still be at the bottom of the realm.

Xie Daohan, the chief constable of Xiangu County, was in this situation.

That day, Duan Rong came to the Sutra Repository together with Ximen Kankan, Xiao Yu, and Shen Mizhi.

Ximen Kankan, Xiao Yu, Shen Mizhi and others came to the Sutra Repository to select martial arts secrets for the True Qi Realm.

In fact, Ximen Kankan had already achieved the great perfection of the inner breath realm a few months ago, but he was not in a hurry at all. He said that he wanted to wait for Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi to come together to choose.

Duan Rong knew that Ximen Kankan had never been very interested in practicing martial arts, and it was useless to force him, so he had no choice but to let him do so.

After showing their sect's cloud certificate, they walked into the Sutra Repository.

Ximen Kankan asked, "Why is there only so few people guarding this Sutra Repository?"

There were only a few people walking on the square of the Sutra Repository, and there were only two people guarding the gate.

Moreover, this place doesn't seem to be a medicine pavilion, and there are several arrow towers.

But Duan Rong knew that the defense here was loose on the outside but tight on the inside, because the moment they stepped into the gate, two spiritual senses were used to cross-sweep over them.

Duan Rong said, "Let's go."

A few people crossed the square and walked towards the building where registered disciples exchanged Qi Realm secrets.

It was a low, simple wooden building with only a bald old man inside, sitting behind the counter, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

They got from the old man a booklet that had been flipped through by who knows how many people and was already in tatters. Not only was the cover rotten, but the booklet, which was obviously originally just one piece, was actually split into four parts.

Ximen Kankan, Xiao Yu, Shen Mizhi and others found a place with good lighting, each holding a part of the booklet and began to study it.

"With so many martial arts, how should I choose?"

Shen Mizhi looked at the densely packed martial arts catalog and was suddenly a little troubled.

Ximen Kankan was also scratching his head and flipping through the books. Although there were quite detailed annotations behind each entry, introducing some basic information about this martial art, it was still too much.

As the saying goes, a riot of colour can dazzle the eyes. With so many martial arts to choose from, how can one know which one is right for them?
Duan Rong looked at the three people's confused expressions, hesitated for a moment, and then said: "You are suitable for the Orchid Reversing Sword, you are suitable for the Sky-Splitting Knife, and you are suitable for the Flowing Cloud Snow Shadow Knife."

Duan Rong spoke very quickly. He pointed at one of them for every sentence he said. After three sentences, he had pointed at all three of them.

Ximen Kankan was slightly stunned and said, "What do you mean by slashing air sword? You haven't even seen it, so why are you giving orders like that?"

Duan Rong said, "Look through the book in your hand and look for the Sky-Splitting Knife."

"If I can't find it, I'll chop you into pieces..." Ximen Kankan said halfway when he suddenly choked in his throat.

"There really is a Sky-Splitting Knife!?" Ximen Kankan looked at Duan Rong suspiciously.

In fact, the most surprised person was not Ximen Kankan, but Shen Mizhi, because the martial arts that Duan Rong had just told her were the same martial arts that his father Shen Yanliu had told her.

It was the Orchid Sword. Before she left Xiangu County, Shen Yanliu specifically told her to pay attention to a sword technique that was suitable for her.

Duan Ronggang also directly pointed out that she was suitable for this sword technique.

Shen Mizhi looked at Duan Rong in shock and was stunned for a moment.

Perhaps out of rebellion and resistance to her father, she didn't want to choose the sword technique that Shen Yanliu suggested to her. But after Duan Rong pointed it out, she changed her mind instantly. She felt that this was not a coincidence. That sword technique might really be suitable for her.

Shen Mizhi immediately began to flip through the book, but after she finished reading the part of the book in her hand, she still couldn't find the Orchid Sword.

Xiao Yu said, "Sister Mizhi, the Lanhua Daoluan Sword is here."

Shen Mizhi was delighted, took that part of the booklet from Xiao Yu and read it carefully.

Xiao Yu also found the Flowing Cloud Snow Shadow Sword, which Duan Rong said was the most suitable sword for her, in the last fourth part of the booklet.

All three of them looked at it carefully.

Ximen Kankan looked at it for a long time, then suddenly looked up from the yellowed and tattered booklet. He looked at Duan Rong with a strange expression and asked, "How did you know I'm suitable for this Sky-Splitting Blade?"

After reading the detailed introduction of the martial arts, Ximen Kankan had to admit that this sword technique was very suitable for him to practice, both in terms of his style and his temperament.

Duan Rong smiled and said, "You have a nickname, do you know it?"

"What's your nickname? Scarlet Snake Boy?"

"What Red Snake Boy? How long has it been like that?"

"That's right, you probably aren't a virgin anymore now." Ximen Kankan said, glancing at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu was originally looking down at a booklet, and now she lowered her head even lower. Her cheeks had already turned red to her ears.

Although Xiao Yu and Duan Rong chose the nights when they were working at their respective places for their secret meeting, so much time had passed that Ximen Kankan and Shen Mizhi had already noticed some clues.

"What are you talking about?" Duan Rong saw Xiao Yu's ears redden, and immediately changed the subject: "I have another nickname, Bai Xiaosheng!"

"Bai Xiaosheng?" Ximen Kankan didn't understand for a moment.

Duan Rong said: "Bai Xiaosheng. It means knowing all the martial arts in the world."

"Get out of here!" Ximen Kankan cursed. "You're the only one who knows all the martial arts in the world, so I have a nickname too."

Duan Rong asked, "What's your nickname?"

Ximen Kankan said: "A hundred will not be born!"

"What do you mean?" Duan Rong asked.

Ximen Kankan laughed and said, "That's Bai Xiaosheng's father!"

"Damn it, you dare to take advantage of me!" Duan Rong jumped up and was about to twist Ximen Kankan's mouth.

Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi were standing aside, already bursting into laughter.

Ximen Kankan and Duan Rong were chasing each other outside the window when suddenly a powerful spiritual pressure descended.

Ximen Kankan's face turned pale instantly, fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his legs went weak and he half-knelt on the ground.

Duan Rong just felt that his soul was shocked, but it was still within the range he could bear. However, from the corner of his eye, he saw Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi half-kneeling on the ground.

Duan Rong immediately half-knelt beside Ximen Kankan, and imitated Ximen Kankan, lowering his head, his body trembling slightly, as if he was trying hard to hold on.

At this moment, a figure walked out from behind a nearby shelf, looked at the group, and said, "How dare you play around in the Sutra Repository?! If you do it again, I will cripple you!"

After that person finished speaking, the spiritual pressure on them suddenly disappeared.

Ximen Kankan's body tilted and he almost fell down. Fortunately, Duan Rong held him. Duan Rong turned his head and saw Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi also supporting each other, with fear in their eyes.

The figure that walked out from behind the shelf disappeared without a trace the moment the spiritual pressure disappeared.

Duan Rong helped Ximen Kankan to stand up.

Ximen Kankan's eyes were filled with fear. At that moment, he even felt like he was about to die.

Seeing that the three of them were a little panicked, Duan Rong helped them sit down and rest for a while.

After a long while, the three of them slowly came to their senses.

They began to look through the booklet again, looking for martial arts that could reach the True Qi realm.

After comparing and comparing, they found that what Duan Rong said at the beginning was the most suitable for them.

In fact, Duan Rong had already devoured enough weapon spirits in the cave where discarded weapons were piled up on the Ximen Kankan side, and all of those weapon spirits were martial arts at the true Qi realm.

Duan Rong didn't dare to say that he knew all the martial arts listed in the Sutra Repository catalog, but he had already mastered more than half of them. He also knew these three people very well, so he naturally knew what kind of martial arts were suitable for them.

(End of this chapter)