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

Chapter 554 Furnace
At night, Yunfu Peak is quiet and peaceful, with lights shining in the pavilions, which look like exquisite pagodas in the darkness.

Duan Rong rode the wind through the night, landing lightly not far from the pavilion like a falling leaf.

As soon as he landed and took two steps forward, two guards appeared, standing about half a zhang away, swords drawn, and asked warily, "Who goes there?"

At night, Yunfu Peak is always heavily guarded; in the darkness, the slightest movement will cause guards to emerge.

"it's me!"

Duan Rong let out a shout, then took two more steps forward and stepped into a dim, dappled patch of lamplight.

The dim light from the lanterns hanging under the eaves of the pavilion shone far into Duan Rong's face.

The guard's face paled in surprise. "It's Lord Duan!?"

Duan Rong said, "I have some business to attend to and have come back for a visit."

The two guards immediately stepped aside, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and bowed, saying, "We deserve to die! We have disturbed you, sir!"

Duan Rong didn't say anything, but walked straight over, entered the pavilion, and headed towards the document archive.

In the dark archives at night, a few dim lanterns were lit. Zhang Xinping, the historian on duty, was half-reclining in a grand chair, his feet propped up on the table and swinging back and forth.

Meanwhile, several staff members were busy in the shelving room, filing the various documents received that day.

Zhang Xinping yawned and pulled a blanket over himself. He quite liked night shifts; there was little handover, it was quiet, and he could just sleep it off.

He had just closed his eyes when he suddenly heard a cough.

Zhang Xinping lay there motionless, opened his eyes, and glanced towards the doorway. He saw a figure standing there, then turned his head and stared intently. The dim light shone on a familiar face.

"Master Duan!?"

Zhang Xinping was so startled that he jumped up, and the blanket fluttered to the ground, but he didn't bother to pick it up.

Duan Rong smiled and said, "Zhang Shijian! I'm sorry to disturb your rest."

Zhang Xinping said somewhat awkwardly, "No, I just thought I had nothing to do at the moment, so I took a short nap. Please don't be offended, sir!"

Duan Rong smiled, patted Zhang Xinping on the shoulder, and said, "Night shifts are already hard enough! What are you doing not sleeping? Supervisor Zhang, don't panic!"

Seeing Duan Rong's kind words and gentle attitude, Zhang Xinping finally felt somewhat relieved and said, "Thank you for your understanding, sir!" Then his eyes lit up and he asked, "Sir, you've come to the archives so late at night, is there something you need?"

Duan Rong said, "That's right. I'd like to review a recent document."

Zhang Xinping said, "Sir, please tell me what documents you need to consult, and I will find them for you right away."

Duan Rong said, "A few days ago, the Court of Judgment sent me the case files regarding Xiao Qiwu's disappearance and the loss of the God-Slaying Whip. I'd like to take a look."

"The case file of the lost God-Slaying Whip? This..." Zhang Xinping's face showed a troubled expression.

Such files are classified as highly confidential documents in the archives, and according to regulations, Duan Rong has no right to access them.

Duan Rong glanced at Zhang Xinping and said, "I know. According to the management rules of the document archive, only the Director and Senior Brother Wu can access these confidential documents."

The Senior Brother Wu that Duan Rong mentioned was Wu Shidao. Zhu He entrusted the management of the document archive to Wu Shidao, so only the two of them could access any confidential documents here.

Duan Rong said, "It's just that it's getting late now, and it's inconvenient to bother Senior Brother Wu. The reason I want to review this file is because I was imprisoned in the Wanxiang Cave when this case occurred, so I'm quite curious about what happened on Wuliang Cliff during that time. As you know, Zhang Shijian, I was whipped three times on Wuliang Cliff for violating the sect's ironclad rules."

“This… I know…” Zhang Xinping then remembered that Duan Rong was indeed imprisoned in Wanxiang Cave when the case occurred.

Seeing that Zhang Xinping still wouldn't give an answer, Duan Rong's face hardened, and he said angrily, "Since it's inconvenient for Supervisor Zhang, then I'll come again tomorrow after obtaining a written order from Senior Brother Wu!"

Seeing Duan Rong's angry tone and gloomy face, Zhang Xinping's heart skipped a beat. He immediately forced a smile and said, "There's no inconvenience at all! Lord Duan, you just need to look at the files, there's nothing inconvenient about it! Please wait a moment, I'll bring the files to you right away."

Duan Rong flicked his sleeve and sat down at the table with a cold face.

If this person is inflexible, he will have no choice but to go see Wu Shidao tomorrow and then review the case file. In short, he must see this case file. Moreover, this case happened during the time he was imprisoned in Wanxiang Cave, so it is only natural that he wants to see the case file.

Zhang Xinping brought the case file over shortly afterward, and Duan Rong took it with a cold face, not even glancing at Zhang Xinping.

Zhang Xinping presented the case file, and seeing that Duan Rong showed no intention of speaking, he carefully retreated. After taking a few steps, he turned back to look at Duan Rong's back and couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

He regretted being too inflexible earlier and agreeing too slowly, which clearly displeased the influential Lord Duan.

Duan Rong had already put Zhang Xinping's matter aside in his heart. His rudeness towards Zhang Xinping just now was merely a warning to him.

Duan Rong opened the dossier and began to read it intently.

The disappearance of Xiao Qiwu and the loss of the God-Slaying Whip were considered major cases within the Taiyi Sect. Therefore, the case file was quite detailed.

Duan Rong first scanned the first few pages, then flipped directly to the last page and read the conclusion, which, as expected, was to be treated as an unsolved case.

Then, he began to examine the detailed analysis of each clue in the case file, one by one…

"Jing Chou?! Ge Rusong's personal old servant?!"

This guy named Jing Chou actually visited Xiao Qiwu at Wuliang Peak two days before he was to be whipped three times at Wuliang Cliff. What's even stranger is that after he went back, he hanged himself the night before Xiao Qiwu was to be whipped!
If something goes wrong, there must be a demon!

This Jing Chou is so strange, Duan Rong would never believe that he has nothing to hide!

"It seems the root of the problem lies with Ge Rusong! He's like a centipede that dies but doesn't fall down!"

Duan Rong's eyes flickered as he recalled the booklet he had found on Xiao Qiwu, and the yang fish of the yin-yang symbol.

He pondered for a moment, then continued looking down.

The further Duan Rong read, the more doubts he had.

It turns out that Jing Chou not only visited Xiao Qiwu, but also visited another senior figure from a sect the day before his death. Shen Tu Ying of the Purple Bamboo Grove.

“Shen Tu Ying?!” Duan Rong frowned, his eyes revealing a deep sense of thought.

"If the yang fish of the yin-yang symbol is in Xiao Qiwu's hands, then the yin fish..."

Suddenly, a startling answer emerged in Duan Rong's mind.

Based on this answer, he could almost conclude that this senior member of the sect named Shen Tu Ying, like Xiao Qi Wu, was a sharp sword hanging over his head, posing a great danger.

"We must find a way to resolve this hidden danger!" Duan Rong's expression was somewhat grave.

Shen Tu Ying is a senior member of the sect and a powerful expert at the Cave-Penetrating Realm. Resolving this hidden danger will likely not be a quick task. Duan Rong subconsciously touched the Dew-Drinking Cicada pendant hanging around his neck. His most pressing issue right now is entering the Divine Demon Ruins soon; the matter of Shen Tu Ying can only be addressed after they leave the ruins.

As Duan Rong was thinking this, he realized that the file had already been turned to the last page.

He closed the file, reviewed several important pieces of information, and confirmed that his reasoning was sound before getting up and leaving the archives without a word.

As soon as Zhang Xinping saw Duan Rong get up, he immediately stood up as well. He awkwardly smiled and wanted to greet him, but seeing Duan Rong's gloomy face and walk straight away, he could only shut his mouth and go over to put away the dossier.

He put away the files, called over the servants who were busy in the shelving area, swept his gaze across them, and said in a deep voice, "No one is to tell anyone about the magistrate who came to review the documents just now. If anyone leaks the news, don't blame me, Zhang, for being impolite!"

Those few people in the dormitory all nodded and agreed.

Zhang Xinping, looking pale, went to sleep on the armchair in front of him, but for some reason, he couldn't sleep soundly and kept having nightmares... That night, as darkness fell, Chu Wushang slowly walked into the deep valley and entered Lü Yinlin's cave.

Chu Wushang entered the cave and found that Lü Yinlin was not deep inside. He was not in a hurry and just stood there and waited silently.

About an incense stick's time later, a stone door on a wall deep inside the cave trembled and sank down, and Lü Yinlin walked out looking exhausted.

He had to circulate his internal energy for Lü Qingzhu every three days to control her injuries.

As soon as Lü Yinlin stepped out of the secret chamber, he saw Chu Wushang standing there and asked with a focused gaze, "What is it?"

Chu Wushang took out a document and said, "The preliminary list of those entering the Divine and Demonic Ruins has been finalized. This was just delivered by Chu Qiushan."

Lu Yinlin's eyes flickered, and he suddenly remembered that he had given Chu Qiushan five days to finalize the list of candidates to enter the Divine Demon Ruins, and tomorrow was the last day.

Lü Yinlin said, "Just put it there."

He didn't really care who entered the Divine Demon Ruins. Although the people on the list were definitely the best in the sect in recent years, to be honest, the only one he took a liking to was Duan Rong.

For Lü Yinlin, the sect's patriarch, he only cared about those who had the potential to reach the Nascent Soul realm. The cultivation of other talents was none of his concern; that was Chu Qiushan's business.

Chu Wushang placed the document on the stone table and then stood there motionless.

Lu Yinlin gave him a strange look and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Chu Wushang said, "Shen Tu Ying has been at my place for an hour, saying she wants to see you."

“Shen Tu Ying?!” A strange look appeared on Lü Yinlin’s face.

More than a hundred years ago, he practiced a martial art, which is the same martial art as the black jade coffin in which Lü Qingzhu is now lying, called the Cold Fiend Technique.

This skill has a certain nourishing effect on the Nascent Soul stage, but it is quite difficult to master.

He put in a lot of effort to master this skill. The black jade coffin helped him break through one hurdle, and he also broke through another hurdle with the help of Shen Tu Ying.

While he claimed to be using her as a tool, he actually used Shen Tu Ying as a training vessel for his martial arts practice.

However, he didn't mistreat Shen Tu Ying afterwards, keeping her by his side to cultivate and helping her advance to the Cave of Enlightenment Realm. It's just that this woman's talent was average, and she only remained at the early stage of the Cave of Enlightenment Realm, without making any further breakthroughs for over a hundred years.

Back then, when she reached the Cave of Enlightenment Realm, Lü Yinlin allowed her to leave the valley.

More than a hundred years have passed, and the two have had no contact since. Lu Yinlin had almost forgotten about their past entanglements. If Chu Wushang hadn't suddenly mentioned the name, he wouldn't have remembered it at all.

"Let her in," Lü Yinlin said suddenly after a brief pause.

This woman hadn't sought him out in over a hundred years, so she had learned her place. Now that she had come, he should at least listen to what she had to say.

Upon hearing this, Chu Wushang turned and left the cave.

Before long, he emerged from the withered forest and entered the secluded valley, accompanied by a slightly hunched and aged figure.

At this moment, the bright moon cast its silvery light, illuminating the valley entrance. Following behind Chu Wushang was an old woman with slightly trembling steps, her hair streaked with white, and her face deeply lined with wrinkles. This woman was Shen Tu Ying, who lived in seclusion in the Purple Bamboo Forest and was known as Granny Zhen.

As Shen Tu Ying stepped into the deep valley, her eyes lit up. She hadn't set foot in this valley for over a hundred years, and returning to this familiar place filled her with a mix of emotions.

In fact, back then, she both loved and hated Lü Yinlin.

What she hated was that Lü Yinlin only used her as a furnace for practicing martial arts, discarding her after he was done with her, and drove her out of this deep valley.

But Lü Yinlin did help her cultivate, enabling her to break through to the Cave of Enlightenment Realm; otherwise, she would probably have passed away long ago after more than a hundred years.

Chu Qiushan stood in front of an ancient pine tree, pointed to a cave about three zhang away, and said, "Shen Tu Ying, that's the cave. Go there yourself."

Shen Tu Ying nodded and said, "Mr. Chu, thank you!" Her voice was a little hoarse, and it was the old woman's voice.

Chu Wushang didn't speak, and turned to walk towards the valley entrance.

Shen Tu Ying glanced at the cave three zhang away, but did not go there immediately. Instead, she stared blankly at the ancient pine tree beside her in the moonlight.

More than a hundred years ago, when she had just left this deep valley, this pine tree was only just beginning to spread its branches and spread its leaves; now, it has grown so ancient and serene…

Shen Tu Ying stood there for a long time before finally walking unsteadily toward the cave.

She hesitated slightly at the entrance of the cave, then heard a voice drifting over. "Come in."

The voice, devoid of joy or sorrow, pierced through a century, resonating in her ears once more. But Shen Tu Ying's heart was already as cold as stone, unmoved once more.

She slowly stepped into the cave!

Deep in the cave, Lü Yinlin sat at a stone table, looking down at a document.

The bluish-green light emanating from the mushrooms on the stone wall illuminated his profile.

Shen Tu Ying stood there, staring blankly at Lü Yinlin's profile. More than a hundred years had passed, yet Lü Yinlin had hardly changed.

Shen Tu Ying knelt down and exclaimed, "Shen Tu Ying greets the Ancestor!"

Lu Yinlin only looked at the documents in his hand and did not answer. After a while, he said slowly, "How have you been these years?"

As Lü Yinlin spoke, he turned his head to look at Shen Tu Ying, where he saw an old woman with a wrinkled face kneeling not far away. Lü Yinlin frowned; this woman had been considered a beauty in her youth, but he never imagined that after a hundred years, she would have aged so much.

A beauty's fading with age...

Shen Tu Ying said, "Thank you for your concern, Ancestor. There's nothing good or bad about it; we're just getting through the days."

Seeing Shen Tu Ying's expression, which showed she had no desire to reminisce, Lü Yinlin asked impatiently, "What brings you here?"

Shen Tu Ying said, "It's about opening the Divine and Demonic Ruins. Ten years ago, I took on a disciple named Su Xinjue. Xinjue is a very talented and filial child, and I like her very much. This time, opening the Divine and Demonic Ruins is a rare opportunity, and I want her to participate as well..."

Lu Yinlin's face darkened upon hearing this. Su Xinjue's name was not on the list that Chu Qiushan had sent him. Adding a name to the list would have been a simple matter for him, but he really didn't want to interfere.

Lü Yinlin remained silent.

Shen Tu Ying had served Lü Yinlin for many years, and she could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression and reaction. She said, "Over the years, I have never asked you for anything. This is the only thing. Once this is over, I will never see you again in this life!"

Upon hearing this, Lü Yinlin's eyelids twitched slightly, but he remained silent.

Shen Tu Ying suddenly sighed and said, "A hundred years have passed, and the affection of the past is ultimately nothing but fleeting shadows."

When an old woman with a face full of wrinkles spoke like that, Lü Yinlin felt a wave of nausea rise in his heart.

But at that moment, Shen Tu Ying suddenly exploded with a loud "poof," her clothes and scalp bursting open, sending fragments flying everywhere...

Lu Yinlin was startled and turned his head. He saw a curvaceous body with smooth, lustrous skin standing not far away. The eerie blue light emanating from the mushrooms on the stone wall added to the allure of this perfect body.

Lu Yinlin's pupils contracted slightly as he looked at Shen Tu Ying's face.

It was a face of exquisite beauty, like that of a girl in her twenties. A hundred years had not left any trace on that face, except for two faint crow's feet at the corners of her eyes.

Lu Yinlin's lips trembled slightly as Shen Tu Ying walked towards him, her smooth legs crossing as she moved with an indescribable allure...

(End of this chapter)