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

Chapter 360 Return
A group of people walked out of the valley from where the smoke was rising.

As soon as they came out of the valley, several people from the Internal Affairs Bureau were waiting there.

When the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs saw that they had obtained the Taiyi Order, they led them to a room in a row of thatched huts nearby.

In that thatched hut, they were immediately announced to have been promoted to outer disciples. Then a middle-aged man with a square face and a slight beard came out and passionately read out the rules for outer disciples to them. When it came to loyalty to the sect, he was spitting all over the place.

Duan Rong and the others were all stunned.

Being promoted to an outer disciple was considered an honorable event, but they did not expect that they would be sent away in such a simple thatched hut.

They were originally thinking of holding a ceremony or something?
After that person's burst of nonsense, several old servants in the room had already handed them the new sect's cloud certificate with skillful movements.

Along with the sect's cloud certificate, an envelope was also handed to them.

After leaving the hut, they could leave the sect from now on, and they would have three months of leave to visit their relatives.

Three months later, they will report to the Tongzhengshisi in their hometown. From then on, the sect will assign them various tasks based on the actual situation.

The Tongzhengshisi in various places were not open to the public, and the secret bases for communicating with outer disciples were even more secretive.

The envelope that was just handed to them along with the sect's cloud letter contained the location of the secret contact point of the Tongzhengshisi in their hometown.

After all the procedures were completed, they were asked to leave the hut in a daze.

They stood not far from the thatched cottage and saw a few people coming out of the valley... As soon as those fellow disciples came out of the valley, they were warmly stopped by the people from the Internal Affairs Department who were waiting there...

This sect can really handle things! ?

It was already getting late. Duan Rong and the others discussed for a while and decided to go back to pack up their things, then gather at Duan Rong's place, rest for a night, and leave the mountain early tomorrow morning!

When talking about going home, they all looked excited and their eyes were shining.

They had been staying in Changliu Mountain for the past three years, like being exiled to hard labor. Now that they had survived until today, they were like prisoners who had been released after serving their sentences. How could they not be happy?
Since Liu Shushan was familiar with Duan Rong and his friends, and his hometown was in Ruyang Prefecture, he decided to return with them.

After the discussion, they dispersed.

Duan Rong pulled Xiao Yu aside and whispered a few words to her.

After saying these words, Xiao Yu's face blossomed and her heart was filled with joy and sweetness.

Duan Rong told Xiao Yu that as soon as they returned to Xiangu County, he would propose to Mr. Xiao Zongting, and then he would choose an auspicious day and marry Xiao Yu within the three-month home visit leave.

Xiao Yu just lowered his head and remained silent. Duan Rong knew that at this time, Xiao Yu's silence was a response.

After that, the two of them dispersed. Xiao Yu had to go back to Shifang to pack up her things, and then rush to Duan Rong to meet up with everyone.

Duan Rong also had to go back to the top of the mountain to take inventory of the things, deciding which ones to take away and which ones to destroy.

After they had packed up, they arrived at Duan Rong's hilltop. It was already night.

Then they hurriedly prepared dinner and dry food, and fell asleep in the second half of the night.

Early the next morning, they washed up and left the mountain gate with their luggage and dry food!

There were quite a lot of people coming out of the mountain gate that day, so huge that the guards who were checking their sect's cloud certificates were a little overwhelmed.

In the past few days, the heavy fog in Changliu Mountain has not yet risen, and there is still unmelted snow in some valleys.

They took advantage of the clear air and quickened their journey. In less than two days, they were out of the endless mountains.

After Duan Rong and his party left Changliu Mountain, they found a few skinny horses in a nearby town. They rode on horseback and arrived at Shenyun Mansion in just one day.

Shenyun Prefecture is the capital of Qingzhou and the most prosperous place.

Last time, Duan Rong and his companions were delayed again and again due to various reasons. When they arrived at Shenyun Mansion, they were detained in the Dali Temple for three days.

Because I was in a hurry to report to the sect and was afraid of missing something, I didn't have the chance to enjoy myself in the Shenyun Mansion.

This time, they entered the Shenyun Mansion and first found a place to have a good meal.

Eating the delicious food, Ximen Kankan was so moved that he almost cried. He suggested that they stay in Shenyun Mansion for a few days, have a good time and then return.

But only Shen Mizhi seconded Ximen Kankan's proposal.

Liu Shushan had spent two days in the Shenyun Mansion last time. Although it was indeed prosperous, it was just more lively. He was eager to go home and was unwilling to stay any longer.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu, as they were still concerned about their marriage, naturally had no intention of staying here.

As a result, the minority naturally obeyed the majority. They just rested for one night in Shenyun Mansion, and the next day they went to the horse shop, specially selected a few good and durable horses at a high price, and then set out from Shenyun Mansion on their return journey.

The journey was dusty, but the group barely stopped and changed horses two or three times.

On this day, they finally arrived at the capital of Yuanyang Prefecture!
When we arrived at the capital of Yuanyang Prefecture, it was not far from Xiangu County.

But they all parted ways here!
Duan Rong and Xiao Yu naturally had to return to Xiangu County.

Shen Mizhi's father is now serving as the Censor of Ruyang Prefecture, so she no longer goes to Xiangu County and plans to go to Ruyang Prefecture from here.

In this way, Shen Mizhi was on the same route as Liu Shushan.

And Ximen Kankan did not return to Xiangu County either.

In the past three years, Ximen Yong has shifted the focus of his business to the city. His shop and house have also been moved to Yuanyang Prefecture.

It’s just that Ximen Kankan has never returned to his new home in Yuanyang Mansion.

Several people said goodbye reluctantly at the city gate of Yuanyang Prefecture.

Shen Mizhi and Liu Shushan rode their horses westward, while Duan Rong and Xiao Yu wanted to go eastward.

Ximen Kankan kindly invited Duan Rong and Xiao Yu to stay at his house for one night before leaving, and he held the reins of Duan Rong's horse and refused to let go.

But Xiao Yu was eager to go home. She hadn't seen Xiao Zongting and Zhu Xiaoqi for three years. Seeing that Xiangu County was not far away, where could she stay?
Duan Rong had to persuade Ximen Kankan repeatedly before he finally gave in.

The two men rode their horses eastward. Ximen Kankan was at the city gate. He watched them go far before entering the city gate.

For the past three years, they have been together almost every day. In Ximen Kankan's heart, they are the same as his own relatives.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu galloped along the official road, and the whips left bloody marks on the horses' buttocks.

That day, at the afternoon sun, the two men finally stopped their horses in a cloud of dust.

They had arrived at the east gate of Xiangu County.

Looking at this familiar city gate, Xiao Yu felt a surge of warmth and shame in her heart. Xiao Zongting was already old, but she had not served him for three years, and she had not even visited her old father during festivals.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu jumped off their horses and led the horses into the city gate.

The two horses were already foaming at the mouth, and Duan Rong and Xiao Yu were also covered in dust. Moreover, they had returned from the sect, and both were wearing Taoist robes.

When walking on West Street, even if I see acquaintances, I would not dare to recognize them for a moment.

The two of them led their horses and headed straight for Yuanshun Escort Agency. Looking at the familiar shops on West Street, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu both felt as if they were in another world.

When the two arrived at the gate of Yuanshun Escort Agency, they were slightly stunned to see that the gate and plaque of Yuanshun Escort Agency had been replaced with new ones.

However, they didn't care. After not being in Xiangu County for three years, some changes were normal.

Didn't Ximen Yong's family move to Yuanyang Mansion? Three years is not a short time!

The two of them walked up the stone steps and went straight into the gate!
Yuanshun Escort Agency is an escort agency after all, welcoming guests from all directions, and its doors are usually open until nightfall.

As soon as the two men walked into the gate, the concierge Ma Wentao flashed out, looked at them suspiciously, and asked, "Are you here to entrust a convoy?"

Duan Rong patted Ma Wentao on the shoulder and said, "Uncle Ma, I'm Duan Rong! Why, don't you recognize me?"

Duan Rong was only sixteen or seventeen years old. In the past three years, he had grown taller and his body shape had also changed, seeming to become more well-proportioned.

Ma Wentao did not recognize them at first, and the two had been gone for three years, and suddenly came back, so he did not think of them.

"Duan... Duan Rong..." Ma Wentao stuttered.

When he saw Xiao Yu on Duan Rong's right, Xiao Yu's face was covered in dust, but her height and stature had not changed much. Ma Wentao saw the truth at once, and his face suddenly changed drastically, as if he had seen a ghost. "You! You...why are you back?"

"If you don't come back, can we sleep on the street?"

Duan Rong patted Ma Wentao on the shoulder, then walked into the escort agency with Xiao Yu, smiling.

They didn't care much about Ma Wentao's surprised expression. After all, they had been away for three years and suddenly came back, so Ma Wentao was inevitably surprised. Not to mention Ma Wentao, they themselves were also a little homesick at this time.

The two walked along a familiar road and met many people wearing bodyguard uniforms along the way, but they were all strangers.

Duan Rong's eyes slightly frowned, and a sense of vigilance arose in his heart.

It's normal for the escort agency to have some new people in three years, but it's a bit strange that all the people here are new faces.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu looked at each other, and a hint of doubt arose in their hearts.

Xiao Yu asked, "In just three years, so many new people have joined? Can our escort agency train escorts so quickly?"

Duan Rong said, "I'm afraid it's a little weird. Let's go back and see Elder Xiao first."

The two of them followed the path, bypassed the martial arts field in the middle courtyard, and came to the Xiao family's courtyard.

When Xiao Yu saw the courtyard gate, he was startled. The joy in his heart about reuniting with his family disappeared in an instant.

I saw that the two wooden doors had been smashed and were hanging crookedly on the door hinges.

"Dad! Xiao Qi!"

When Xiao Yu saw this, she knew something was wrong. She and Duan Rong moved almost at the same time, as fast as ghosts, and rushed into the courtyard.

The two of them quickly inspected the Xiao family's courtyard inside and out.

Every room was in a mess, but there was no sign of Xiao Zongting and Zhu Xiaoqi.

Xiao Yu's face showed anxiety. The blue veins on her forehead were slightly bulging because of worry and nervousness.

Duan Rong touched the dust on the table in the main hall and found that there was only a very thin layer. He hesitated for a moment and said, "It should have happened not long ago. At least half a month ago, someone should have wiped this table."

Xiao Yu naturally knew that as long as Zhu Xiaoqi was at home, the table in the main room would be cleaned every day.

"Duan Rong. My father and Xiao Qi, they must have been in trouble!?"

"Not necessarily, maybe they just moved." Duan Rong saw that Xiao Yu was anxious and worried at this time, so he comforted her, but he also felt something was wrong. "Let's go find someone to ask. What happened?"

Duan Rong's consolation obviously had no effect on Xiao Yu. Because all the boxes and valuables in the house were still there, so was this a move?
The two came to the martial arts arena. It was the afternoon, and many people were practicing martial arts there.

As soon as the two of them came out of the alley, they saw someone standing there. Duan Rong immediately walked over and asked the man, "Excuse me, bro. Excuse me, Chief Instructor Mr. Xiao, is there anything going on in his family recently?"

Upon hearing this, the man looked Duan Rong up and down, then waved his hand and walked away.

"do not know."

Duan Rong turned his head and took a quick look, and saw Zhang Xinping, the escort master of the fifth escort team, practicing martial arts under a big elm tree several feet away.

When Duan Rong looked over, Zhang Xinping also happened to see him. When their eyes met, Zhang Xinping immediately turned around and walked away. In a flash, he ran out of a small alley not far away.

At this moment, many figures could be seen fleeing from the martial arts arena.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu looked again, but saw that there were only unfamiliar faces left on the martial arts field.

Xiao Yu's hands and feet felt cold, and his voice trembled slightly as he said, "Duan Rong, something must have happened to my father and the others. Otherwise, those people wouldn't be hiding from us. Let's go! Let's go find Ruan Fengshan."

Duan Rong was almost certain that something must have happened to Xiao Zongting. He just hoped that Xiao Zongting's accident was not a matter of life and death. As long as it was other things, there was room for maneuver, but the dead could not be resurrected.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu went directly from the martial arts arena to the backyard.

But they were stopped by the guards who were guarding the gate leading from the middle courtyard to the back yard.

The guard told them that Ruan Fengshan was not there.

Duan Rong stood there, and with a thought, his spiritual consciousness suddenly spread out, and it instantly passed through the wall and the courtyard.

When Duan Rong was in Xiangu County three years ago, he could only detect the area near the entrance of Juyi Hall at most by releasing his spiritual sense.

However, now he has achieved the eleventh level of the Taizang Sutra, his spirit and soul are so powerful!

At this moment, under the coverage of spiritual consciousness, the entire backyard of the escort agency was clearly visible and everything was within his sight.

Ruan Fengshan is definitely not here!
Duan Rong withdrew his spiritual sense when he saw that Ruan Fengshan was indeed not in the backyard.

At this time, Xiao Yu had already flipped her hand, ready to show her Taiyi Order.

This time, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu returned to Xiangu County, but their identities were different.

Now, they are the outer disciples of the sect, holding the Taiyi Order, and have the power of life and death on the spot.

Not to mention, if they wanted to go into the backyard, even if they tied up Ruan Fengshan, tortured and interrogated him, it would be within the legal scope.

But just as Xiao Yu was about to show the Taiyi Order, Duan Rong grabbed her hand.

Xiao Yu frowned and looked at Duan Rong in confusion.

Duan Rong said, "Since Ruan Fengshan is not here, why don't we go find some escorts we are familiar with? I remember that Zhao Mu's family is nearby."

Xiao Yu was moved when he heard this. His father had been the chief instructor in the escort agency for many years, and many escorts were taught by his father himself. These people's words were indeed more credible than Ruan Fengshan's.

Xiao Yu immediately changed his mind, and left the escort agency with Duan Rong and walked towards Zhao Mu's house.

(End of this chapter)