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

Chapter 431: Granting Power
Zhu He glanced at the kneeling Fan Hongjiao and said, "Duan Rong is practicing very hard. You and Shidao should protect him in terms of resources."

"Hong Jiao understands!"

Zhu He nodded and said, "I understand."

As the voice gradually faded away, the other person turned into a black light and disappeared from the room.

Duan Rong and Fan Hongjiao were still kneeling on the ground, while Wu Shidao, Lu Geng and Wang Yue were sitting in their seats with dazed expressions.

Fan Hongjiao was already accustomed to Zhu He's style of leaving without saying goodbye. She stood up from the ground. Duan Rong saw Fan Hongjiao standing up, so he also slowly stood up and stood there silently.

Fan Hongjiao picked up the two bottles of Yuan Beast Bone Marrow on the table, walked over and stuffed them into Duan Rong's hands, saying, "Junior Brother, take these two bottles of Yuan Beast Bone Marrow. Whoever the Master gives them to, it belongs to him."

"Thank you, Senior Sister." Duan Rong respectfully took the two bottles of Yuan Beast bone marrow.

Zhu He had already left, the day's meeting was over, and the few of them left the room.

As they walked, Wu Shidao, Lu Geng, and Wang Yue were still digesting the shock of Duan Rong achieving the third level of Yuanqi Realm in just half a year.

When they reached the corner of the corridor, they saw two servants waiting there.

The two servants came over and immediately bowed and said, "My lords, the banquet is ready. Please take your seats."

The others all had calm expressions, except Duan Rong who looked at the two servants with some confusion.

Fan Hongjiao glanced at Duan Rong and explained, "Every time Master finishes his research, he will prepare a banquet, but he rarely attends. He only eats with his fellow apprentices. Unless he is not busy, he will accompany everyone for a few drinks."

Duan Rong understood clearly and said, "So that's how it is."

Several people took their seats, and Wu Shidao and the others kept glancing at Duan Rong.

When all the dishes were served, Master Wu hesitated for a moment, then looked at Lu Geng and asked, "Junior Brother Lu, Junior Brother went to the Sutra Repository to select a technique. You took him there, right?"

Lu Geng was slightly stunned, wondering why Wu Shidao suddenly asked about this. "Yes. What's wrong?"

"Nothing serious." Wu Shidao said while eating, "It's just that Junior Brother is clearly practicing the Youlong Qingyin Sword, but why is it that the records of the Internal History Department all record the Liuhe Sword?"

It had long been an open secret that Wu Shidao would report the situation of his fellow disciples to Zhu He, and Wu Shidao himself had never been shy about it, so when he had questions at this time, he asked directly.

Lu Geng immediately understood what Wu Shidao meant. However, what did this have to do with him? It was the junior brother who wanted to choose twice.

Lu Geng said: "My junior brother first picked a Liuhe sword. After two or three days, he felt that it was not suitable, so he begged me to choose again. As his senior brother, I can't just not help him, right?"

Fan Hongjiao was chewing on a chicken leg. Upon hearing this, she glanced at Duan Rong and said, "You chose the Youlong Qingyin Knife the second time?"

Duan Rong said, "Yes. I chose twice. Did I cause trouble for Senior Brother Wu?"

Wu Shidao was about to say something, but Fan Hongjiao spoke first: "What trouble?! He has a lot of troubles, not just yours."

As Fan Hongjiao was talking, she suddenly remembered something. She put down the half-eaten chicken leg in her hand, looked at Duan Rong, and asked, "Junior brother, you have achieved the third level. I'm afraid the blood and flesh of the Yuan beasts I gave you last time were not enough, right?"

Fan Hongjiao asked this question, and the others all looked at Duan Rong. Yes, he achieved the third level of Yuan Qi Realm in half a year, so how could that little bit of Yuan Beast flesh and blood be enough?
It's impossible that he doesn't rely on the blood and flesh of Yuan beasts and directly breathes in and refines Yuan Qi from heaven and earth. This is like guarding a well but not using it, and relying on dew for a living every day.

Duan Rong said: "The blood and flesh of those Yuan beasts will be used up in one month!"

"It was used up in one month?" Fan Hongjiao asked, "Then how did you practice afterwards?"

Duan Rong hesitated for a moment, but still said truthfully: "I go to the Dark Forest once a month. I kill some Yuan Beasts on the outer edge."

"You go by yourself?" Fan Hongjiao's voice suddenly became high.

Duan Rong hummed.

Fan Hongjiao and Wu Shidao exchanged glances, and a hint of astonishment and fear flashed in their eyes.

If Duan Rong really died in the Dark Forest, Zhu He would probably skin them both alive.

Wu Shidao's eyes flickered, and he looked at Duan Rong and asked, "Junior brother, you have been leaving the training chamber for one or two days every month for the past six months, just to go to the Dark Forest to capture Yuan Beasts?"

Duan Rong said: "That's right, Senior Brother Wu."

Everyone at the banquet was silent.

Before, Fan Hongjiao and Wu Shidao thought that Duan Rong knew how to combine work and rest, but now it seems that the reason he stopped was just to capture the Yuan Beast.

What a crazy cultivator! ?

Moreover, he is very skilled and bold. He dared to go down to the Dark Forest just after he advanced to the Yuan Qi realm.

Fan Hongjiao suddenly turned her head and looked at Wang Yue.

Wang Yue wondered, "Senior Sister, why are you looking at me?"

Fan Hongjiao said, "You said you were a woman? Duan Rong had just advanced to the Yuan Qi realm, and he dared to go down and fight the Yuan beast by himself. Look at you again."

"I..." Wang Yue's face flushed instantly. But he couldn't argue. Duan Rong was really strong! He had just entered the Yuan Qi realm and went down to fight the Yuan beast by himself. If compared with Duan Rong, he could only admit that he was a woman.

Wu Shidao suddenly looked at Fan Hongjiao and said, "If we catch more Yuan beasts, we have to give more to Junior Brother."

Fan Hongjiao nodded and said, "Let's do this. From now on, Duan Rong's share will be divided according to your share."

"According to my amount?" Wu Shidao was obviously a little surprised. After all, he had already advanced to the Cyclone Realm.

"Yes!" Fan Hongjiao said with certainty. Zhu He had personally told her to take care of Duan Rong's cultivation resources, so how could she not take it seriously?

Lu Geng and Wang Yue both looked at Duan Rong with strange eyes. Duan Rong had the same strength as Wu Shidao, but Wu Shidao was a warrior in the cyclone realm.

Fan Hongjiao was the eldest senior sister, and Zhu He had personally inquired about Duan Rong's cultivation resources. No one dared to raise any objections to Fan Hongjiao's proposal.

Wu Shidao asked: "When will we go down to the Dark Forest again?"

Fan Hongjiao said, "It's been almost half a year. There aren't many resources left in my Black Jade Pool. I think we should do it today. After we finish the banquet, we'll go back and prepare. You bring the geomantic map, and we'll go to the meeting room to study the route, and then we'll set off directly."

Fan Hongjiao's decisive character was well known to everyone.

Several people ate until their mouths were full of oil, and then they dispersed.

Duan Rong walked back to his room and just as he closed the door, his heart suddenly jumped. He did not use his spiritual sense to investigate, but he subconsciously had a feeling that there was someone in the room, behind the screen. Duan Rong turned around suddenly, and the frost pattern phosphorus crystal knife on his waist was already in his hand.

The screen in front of the bed was made of translucent gauze. It was noon, when the light was the brightest. Duan Rong turned around and found that there was no one behind the screen, but he was sure that the feeling just now was not groundless.

At that moment, Duan Rong almost released his spiritual sense to investigate, because he felt that someone had sneaked into his room for no reason, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. His scalp was already starting to feel numb, which meant that the other party's realm was much higher than his. What if he wanted to assassinate him?

"Not bad! Duan boy, your sixth sense is quite sharp!"

The voice came from the corner of the room on Duan Rong's right. The voice was very familiar. The moment he heard the voice, Duan Rong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned his head and saw Zhu He, dressed in Taoist robes, walking towards him with a faint smile.

Zhu He walked in front of Duan Rong, glanced at the knife in Duan Rong's hand, and said, "Show me the knife in your hand."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong held the knife in both hands and placed it in front of Zhu He.

Zhu He took the knife, held it in one hand, and held it in front of his eyes. There was a sudden daze and sadness in his eyes.

This familiar knife and this familiar white blade light almost brought him back to his youth. He and Gu Daoling entered the sect and became disciples of the same elder.

The two often exchanged martial arts at that time.

He entered the sect two years earlier and was often able to defeat Gu Daoling at first. However, after more than half a year, he could no longer defeat Gu Daoling, and since then, the gap between the two in cultivation has become larger and larger. Despite this, their relationship has always been good.

Old as new, still as close as ever, sometimes, fate in this world is just amazing. Gu Daoling has a bad temper, and he doesn't like anyone, even the sect's ancestors have to talk back to him, but he gets along well with him.

Zhu He looked at it for a while and then returned the knife to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong put away the knife, sheathed it with animal skin, and tied it around his waist again.

Zhu He looked at Duan Rong, his eyes slightly moving. I don't know if it's a coincidence, this kid not only chose the Youlong Qingyin Knife's skills, but also chose this knife.

Zhu He said silently in his heart: Junior brother, could it be that you gave this kid some guidance when he was in Shenyun Mansion?
Duan Rong saw Zhu He standing there, seemingly lost in thought, and remained silent for a long time, so he asked, "Master, why are you looking for a disciple?"

Duan Rong was a little puzzled. Why did this old man sneak into his room for no reason?

Zhu He came back to his senses, coughed, and said, "Master has something to ask you. Kneel down!"

"Ah? Kneel down?"

Duan Rong saw that Zhu He didn't seem to be joking, so he knelt down in front of him properly.

Zhu He said solemnly, "Taiyi Sect's direct disciple Duan Rong, listen to the explanation! What I am passing on to you now is our sect's supreme and unique skill, the Taizang Sutra."

Duan Rong knelt there expressionlessly. Zhu He thought he was shocked, so he continued, "This supreme technique, with each level you master, your soul and mental strength will be enhanced. It is a great technique that can defy fate and reshape one's aptitude, so the name of this technique can be connected with the word 'jing'."

Zhu He made an impassioned speech, but Duan Rong continued to kneel without any reaction.

Zhu He felt a little strange. Most disciples would look at him with wide eyes when hearing this. Few would be as calm as Duan Rong.

He suspected that Duan Rong was too shocked and stunned, so he cleared his cough as a reminder.

Duan Rong indeed raised his head and stared at Zhu He in a daze.

Zhu He then nodded, seeming to be very satisfied with Duan Rong's reaction.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, Duan Rong asked: "Excuse me, Master, how many levels of skills can you teach me?"

Duan Rong's question choked Zhu He so much that he couldn't speak for a long time. What level of skills? Shouldn't you kowtow and kneel down to thank the sect for teaching you this great skill? This kid really doesn't play by the rules!
However, Zhu He was not surprised. Asking about the level of the technique was at least a normal question. He remembered that Gu Daoling had asked their master the same question. But why was this Taizang Sutra called Taizang Sutra? Would practicing it make one pregnant?
Zhu He smiled slightly when he recalled the past, then he looked at Duan Rong and said seriously, "Generally, after a year of observation, the disciple will be taught two levels of skills. After that, it will depend on his level of cultivation. You have only been in Yunfu Peak for half a year, so I am teaching you this skill in advance. This is also a way to cherish talents."

Duan Rong saw that Zhu He had been talking for a long time and it seemed that he was only going to teach him two levels of martial arts, so he immediately lost interest.

As Zhu He spoke, he handed a yellowish animal skin scroll to Duan Rong. Although Duan Rong had no interest in it, he raised his hands high and took it respectfully.

Zhu He nodded and said, "Duan Rong, this technique is a secret that cannot be passed on. Once it is leaked, there will be investigation. The sect regards this technique as a forbidden delicacy. Once it is lost, even your master cannot save you! Remember this!"

Duan Rong said respectfully: "Disciple knows!"

Zhu He nodded and said, "Since I am busy with my work, I will not teach you how to practice this skill. You can practice by yourself. With your intelligence, it shouldn't be a problem. If you really have any doubts, you can ask your senior sister Fan Hongjiao. This skill involves the soul, so you must not ask other people. If you make a mistake, your soul may be damaged!"

Duan Rong's heart moved slightly when he heard this. It seemed that his judgment was consistent. The person Zhu He trusted the most was still Senior Sister Fan Hongjiao.

Duan Rong knelt down at Zhu He's feet and said, "Disciple will remember Master's teachings!"

Zhu He seemed to be about to say something, but suddenly his eyes moved and he said, "Your senior sister is here, and I am leaving."

When Duan Rong raised his head, Zhu He's figure had disappeared from the room.

Duan Rong stood up and looked around to confirm that there was no one in the room. He opened the animal skin scroll in his hand and took a quick glance at it, and found that there were indeed only two levels of skills.

After all, Duan Rong was already very familiar with the previous skills, and he could tell which level it was at a glance.

He was just shaking his head and sighing when there was a sudden knock at the door. "Duan Rong! Open the door!"

It was Fan Hongjiao's voice! When Master left, he said that Senior Sister would come. It was so accurate.

Duan Rong immediately put away the animal skin roll and opened the door.

As soon as Fan Hongjiao came in, she pushed Duan Rong aside and walked around the room, only to find that no one was there. She looked at Duan Rong suspiciously and said, "I just seemed to hear a voice in this room. Who are you talking to?"

Duan Rong said: "How could I talk to anyone? There is not even a ghost in this room."

Fan Hongjiao rolled her eyes at Duan Rong. "Sneaky!"

But she didn't want to get entangled with Duan Rong over such a boring matter. "What's wrong with you? You're always dawdling. They're all in the meeting room, except you. What? You want me to arrest you?"

Duan Rong then remembered that they still had to discuss the matter of the Dark Forest.

"It's my fault! Senior Sister! Let's go now!"

Duan Rong would go to the Dark Forest every month. He had already prepared everything he needed. He took out a cloth bag from the cabinet in the room, put it on his back, and went to the meeting room with Fan Hongjiao.

(End of this chapter)