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

Chapter 362: Old Secrets
After Duan Rong wiped out those tails, he brought Xiao Yu to a private courtyard.

This courtyard was very remote, empty and covered in dust. It was obvious that no one had lived there for some time.

The two of them sat down at the table and chairs in the main room.

Duan Rong fetched some clean water from the well in the yard. They washed the dust off their faces and took a deep breath.

Duan Rong rummaged around in the kitchen of this house and found some beans.

There is a vegetable patch in the corner of the yard, but the vines have dried up, obviously no one has watered them for a long time.

However, Duan Rong still dug out two sweet potatoes from the soil in the vegetable patch.

Duan Rong used his internal energy to grind the beans into powder, then added sweet potatoes and cooked two bowls of sweet porridge.

Duan Rong brought two bowls of porridge to the wooden table in the main room, but Xiao Yu was so worried that he had no appetite at all.

"Eat a little." Duan Rong smiled and said, "I seldom cook."

Xiao Yu smiled bitterly, looked at Duan Rong, and asked, "How do you know that there is no one in this courtyard?"

Duan Rong took a bite of the sweet and sticky sweet potato, pointed to his nose, and joked, "I smelled it."

Xiao Yu smiled slightly and said, "You smelled it? You have a dog's nose?"

Duan Rong answered seriously, "Yes. I could smell it from a long distance away. There is no human smell in this yard. Obviously no one lives here."

Xiao Yu rolled her eyes at him and said angrily, "You're getting more and more ridiculous. Then tell me, what does human smell smell like?"

"It's just a weird, unpleasant smell. You wouldn't understand even if I told you."

Xiao Yu snorted coldly, Duan Rong was obviously talking nonsense.

"Look, I told you nicely, but you didn't believe me." Duan Rong said, "Eat quickly, or it will get cold."

Duan Rong was naturally talking nonsense to Xiao Yu. With his spiritual sense, it was quite easy for him to find an abandoned house to hide temporarily.

He said that just to chat with Xiao Yu and ease her inner anxiety.

After Duan Rong's interruption, Xiao Yu no longer felt as feverish as before. She picked up the bowl and slowly finished the porridge.

The two of them traveled hurriedly all the way, and in the next one or two days, they didn't eat much, just filling themselves with dry food.

I was thinking about having a good meal when I got home, but I didn’t expect that as soon as I entered the door, something drastic changed!
This was the first bowl of hot food they had eaten in the past few days. Although it was just a bowl of sticky porridge, after eating it, their stomachs felt warm and comfortable.

Duan Rong brought Xiao Yu here because he saw that Xiao Yu was in a bad mood and needed to calm down. Secondly, Yang Zhen asked them to meet at midnight, and it was only dusk. They needed to find a secluded place and wait until late at night.

It is almost certain that this matter is related to Ruan Fengshan, so their next move would be to go underground and investigate in secret.

After the two of them finished their meal, Xiao Yu's mood was obviously better, but her mind was still turning over everything she had seen and heard during the day.

"Duan Rong, something must have happened? Something must have happened to my father and the others?"

Duan Rong looked at Xiao Yu's pale face and couldn't help feeling a little worried.

"Don't think about it. I will meet Yang Zhen at midnight tonight, and I should be able to find out some secrets."

I haven't been back for three years, and Xiangu County at midnight seems to be a little different from usual.

Although it was still a familiar street market, the number of patrolling yamen runners had obviously doubled. In the deep darkness of the night, the sound of the night watchman's clapperboard could be heard faintly.

A team of patrolling yamen runners had just walked past, yawning, and not long after, two figures jumped out from the shadows of an alley.

The figure was extremely fast. In a flash, it jumped into the alleyway of residential areas across from West Street.

Duan Rong and Xiao Yu moved so fast that they made almost no sound. It was dark at this time, so they easily avoided the patrolling yamen runners. In just an incense stick of time, they arrived in front of the abandoned old house where Lei lived.

It must be said that the place Yang Zhen chose was quite good. Xie Lei's place was quite remote, and his case happened three years ago. Many people had already forgotten about this house.

Duan Rong's eyes moved, and he and Xiao Yu leaped up together, landing in the yard like fallen leaves in the wind.

Xiao Yu's beautiful eyes moved in the darkness, and her ears carefully distinguished the sounds around her, but Duan Rong had already turned his head and looked at a big beech tree in the corner of the courtyard.

Duan Rong shouted, "Come out. I see you."

Xiao Yu's beautiful eyes swept across the big beech tree, she didn't find anything unusual. She suspected that Duan Rong was yelling at someone, but at this moment, she saw a black shadow suddenly jumped down from the crown and branches of the big beech tree.

The branches and leaves of the big beech tree shook as the man jumped down.

Yang Zhen stood under the big beech tree, looked at Duan Rong suspiciously, and asked, "How did you find me?"

In the dark night, Duan Rong chuckled and said, "I smell the stench of you."

Yang Zhen frowned and cursed, "It's been three years since we last met, and I haven't avenged that knife in the chest yet."

As Yang Zhen spoke, he drew out his sword and slashed towards Duan Rong.

In the dark night, the light was as cold as water, and Xiao Yu stood there without moving.

Because as soon as Yang Zhen made his move, Xiao Yu had already seen that he was only at the third level of the Inner Breath Realm. How could he hurt Duan Rong?
Duan Rong took a step back to avoid Yang Zhen's knife and said coldly, "It's just a small wound, do you have to remember me for three years?"

Duan Rong's figure was like a ghost, flashing left and right, which made Yang Zhen frightened.

He could predict that after three years since Duan Rong entered the sect, the gap between them must have become larger and larger, but Duan Rong's current body movements still scared Yang Zhen a little.

He also saw through his hiding in a big beech tree, which also shocked Yang Zhen greatly!

Yang Zhen saw Duan Rong's hands behind his back, just flashing with his blade, but he used his three most powerful killing moves, but didn't even touch Duan Rong's hair.

Yang Zhen suddenly sheathed his sword and said, "No more fighting!"

Duan Rong smiled and said, "Why? You don't want to take revenge?"

Yang Zhen said: "I'll just treat it as a dog bite."

Duan Rong grimaced at Yang Zhen's scolding, but he came here today to ask Yang Zhen for a favor, so he couldn't scold him back.

When Yang Zhen saw that Duan Rong did not respond to the scolding, the remaining anger in his heart disappeared. In fact, after all, he still owed Duan Rong a life.

Yang Zhen sighed and said, "Come on, follow me to the dark room of the dry well. I will take you to see someone."

Xiao Yu suddenly asked, "Yang Zhen, is my father Xiao Zongting dead or alive?"

Yang Zhen paused for a moment, but said, "You will know after you see the man in the dark room."

After Yang Zhen finished speaking, he walked to the dry well and jumped in.

Xiao Yu looked at Duan Rong with some concern. However, Duan Rong patted her shoulder and said, "It's okay, we'll go down too."

Although Xiao Yu doubted Yang Zhen, she trusted Duan Rong very much. Since Duan Rong said it was okay, he must have his reasons.

Then, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu also jumped into the dry well.

At this time, at the bottom of the dry well, Yang Zhen had already blown out the fire stick, and with the faint light, he saw a hole at the bottom of the dry well.

Yang Zhen went in through the hole. Duan Rong looked at Xiao Yu's shadow at the bottom of the dark well and said, "Follow me."

Duan Rong said as he went in, and Xiao Yu finally also went into the cave.

After entering the cave and crawling for a distance, he came to a space.

From here, walk forward and you will reach the corner of a corridor, with dim light shining from the corner.

Yang Zhen brushed the dust off his knees and walked forward.

Xiao Yu walked at the back with a nervous look on his face.

After turning around the corridor and walking a short distance, there is a small room.

Yang Zhen had already walked in, and Duan Rong and Xiao Yu were standing at the door of the small room.

Under the dim light, there was only one person standing beside Yang Zhen.

The man was not tall, only about as tall as Yang Zhen's shoulders. He had a turban on his head and a thick cotton coat on his body. The shadow of the turban covered his face, so his features could not be seen.

Xiao Yu stood there, wondering who that person was.

But suddenly she heard a familiar, delicate female voice, with a crying tone, calling her, "Miss Yu!"

The man shouted and ran towards her and threw himself into her arms.

Xiao Yu did not dodge, tears already flashed in her eyes. Although three years had passed, she would never forget that voice. It was Zhu Xiaoqi's voice!

Zhu Xiaoqi threw himself into Xiao Yu's arms and burst into tears.

Xiao Yu wiped the tears from Zhu Xiaoqi's face and asked, "Xiaoqi, are you okay?"

"Miss, I'm fine."

"Xiao Qi, where is my father?" Xiao Yu asked anxiously, "Where is my father?"

When Xiao Yu saw that Zhu Xiaoqi was fine, the depressed emotions in her heart suddenly eased. She thought that since Zhu Xiaoqi was fine, her father should be fine too.

But unexpectedly, when Xiao Yu asked, Zhu Xiaoqi cried even harder, crying and saying, "Miss, Master, he is dead!"

When Xiao Yu heard the word "death", she felt as if struck by lightning. The emotions that had been suppressed in her heart came over her like a tidal wave and instantly overwhelmed her.

Xiao Yu's eyes went dark and he fainted.

"Miss!" Zhu Xiaoqi exclaimed.

The moment Xiao Yu fainted, Duan Rong hugged her. Duan Rong supported Xiao Yu against his body with one hand, and then he flipped his left hand and held a porcelain bottle in his hand.

Duan Rong held Xiao Yu in one hand, handed the porcelain bottle in his hand to Zhu Xiaoqi beside him, and said, "Take one pill and feed it to your young lady."

Zhu Xiaoqi immediately took the porcelain bottle from Duan Rong's hand, poured out a pill, and fed it into Xiao Yu's mouth.

Duan Rong rubbed Xiao Yu's throat and asked her to swallow the pill.

Zhu Xiaoqi noticed Duan Rong's intimate behavior towards Xiao Yu, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

After Xiao Yu swallowed the pill, he woke up slowly after just a few breaths.

As soon as Xiao Yu woke up, he grabbed Zhu Xiaoqi and asked sternly, "Xiaoqi, how did Dad die? Tell me!"

Under the dim yellow light, veins bulged on Xiao Yu's forehead, and it was obvious that his inner emotions were surging violently.

"It was Ruan Fengshan who killed the master!"

"Ruan Fengshan?!" Xiao Yu and Duan Rong felt a chill in their hearts when they heard this.

The two of them had guessed the answer, but when they heard Zhu Xiaoqi say it himself, they were still struck by lightning.

Xiao Yu was furious and shouted, "Dad, he is loyal to the escort agency! Why did Ruan Fengshan want to kill him?!"

Zhu Xiaoqi wiped the tears from his face, took out a letter from his arms, handed it to Xiao Yu, and said, "This is what the master wrote before he went out that night. He specifically asked me to give it to you."

"My father gave it to me?..." Xiao Yu took the letter and took a quick look, but saw that there was no word on the cover of the envelope.

She immediately and gently tore open the envelope and pulled out a thick stack of letter paper.

Xiao Yu felt a pain in her heart when she saw the handwriting. Although it was hastily written, it was obviously the handwriting she had been familiar with since she was a child. When she was still a child, Xiao Zongting took her to copy calligraphy.

At this moment, the father and daughter were separated by life and death. When Xiao Yu saw these words again, her heart was broken.

"My dear daughter Xiao Yu, I am glad to see you..."

Although the letter was addressed to Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu would hand the letter to Duan Rong without hesitation after reading each page.

The two of them read the dozens of pages of densely written letters in the dim light with focused expressions. Xiao Yu sniffed and wiped tears while reading.

It wasn't long before they all finished reading it.

After reading it, both of them fell silent, with a thoughtful gleam in their eyes.

Zhu Xiaoqi had not read the letter, and she did not know many of the secrets contained in it.

Speaking of which, this matter has to start from an old incident that happened more than ten years ago.

This old story was well known to everyone back then, but over the years it has been buried in the dust of history and few people remember it.

But Xiao Zongting will never forget this incident.

Because his leg was lame in that battle!

His martial arts skills were also ruined in that battle!
The old manager of Yuanshun Escort Agency also died in that battle, surrounded by a group of experts!

That night was like crying blood!

How could he forget? How dare he forget?

After the battle that night, the old shopkeeper died, and he escaped, but his martial arts skills were completely wasted, he fell seriously ill, and almost died!
It was when he was seriously ill and in a coma that his wife died of childbirth due to excessive anxiety, leaving behind Xiao Baiqiao, who was born with a congenital disease.

Such a great vengeance, Xiao Zongting felt as if his bones and heart were cut out. For more than ten years, there has not been a single day that he has not wanted to avenge this vengeance? !
Although he had lost all his martial arts skills, he had been in the martial arts world for many years and had a generous personality and many friends.

As soon as he recovered from his illness, he immediately began to investigate the matter.

But such a big move actually organized more than ten experts to besiege his Yuanshun Escort Agency's escort team. After a detailed investigation, there was no clue at all.

Even Xiao Zongting was not familiar with those people's martial arts.

He knew many masters in the nearby states and counties, and he had a basic understanding of their methods.

He was sure that the experts who besieged the escort team were not masters from nearby states and counties.

But who is this person? Who can organize such a group of experts from other places to besiege them? Who on earth can be so all-powerful? ! And who has such a deep hatred for them? !

Xiao Zongting used various methods and investigated for many years, but still had no clue.

However, just over half a month ago, Xiao Zongting suddenly saw a middle-aged woman in front of a beef soup stall in Xiangu County.

The woman had gained some weight, and there were some white strands in her hair, and her face looked sad and miserable.

But when Xiao Zongting passed by there, the more he looked at the woman, the more familiar she looked.

He limped past the woman's stall. Although he had some doubts in his mind, he was not prepared to investigate further.

But just as he was about to leave, his mind suddenly lit up as if by divine illumination, and he immediately remembered who the woman was.

Xiao Zongting immediately turned around, walked to the side of the woman, and suddenly shouted: "Li Man!"

Li Man was suddenly called by someone and immediately turned to look at Xiao Zongting.

The two looked at each other and recognized each other instantly. More than ten years had passed, and although both of them looked a little older, their general appearance was still there.

Li Man wanted to escape immediately, but was caught by Xiao Zongting.

Speaking of which, there was one thing that made Xiao Zongting feel uneasy back then. After he recovered from a serious illness, he heard that after the old shopkeeper died, the old shopkeeper's wife was so sad that she fell ill and followed the old shopkeeper.

The reason why Xiao Zongting was worried was because he and the old shopkeeper were as close as brothers. The old shopkeeper had talked to him about almost everything at home and outside, no matter how big or small.

He knew very well that the relationship between the old shopkeeper and his wife was not good. They often quarreled and even slept in separate rooms.

The lady had been a lady from a wealthy family since childhood, while the old shopkeeper was a rookie who had risen from the ranks of the underworld, so the two had almost nothing in common.

And this Li Man is the lady's personal maid brought from her natal home, and she grew up with the lady.

A few days after his wife passed away, Li Man disappeared.

Because she was just a maid, the escorts didn't pay much attention to her. Ruan Fengshan just ordered people to look for her, but later nothing was done about it.

Over the past ten years, Xiao Zongting has been thinking about that old incident all the time.

Countless strange doubts had crossed his mind countless times.

Li Man’s disappearance is one of them.

At this moment, they suddenly met by chance on the street in Xiangu. Xiao Zongting almost regarded this as an arrangement by heaven, and immediately took Li Man to the wild lake behind the City God Temple for interrogation.

Li Man had been away from home for more than ten years, wandering without a place to stay. She had thought that after more than ten years, no one would mention that old incident again, and she was already old, and she didn't want to die outside.

But who would have thought that she had just returned to her hometown and took a bite of the beef soup that she hadn't tasted for many years, and was grabbed by Xiao Zongting.

Who can say this is not God's will? !

When Xiao Zongting questioned her, Li Man was already disheartened! She told him everything she knew without hiding anything!

It turned out that Ruan Fengshan was not the old shopkeeper's biological son at all! Instead, he was the illegitimate child of his wife and his cousin!

(End of this chapter)