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

Duan Rong's eyes flickered.

No wonder the Divine Will Sect released the news of Zhuang Tairu condensing his Nascent Soul so early, attracting investigations from various sects, just to confirm this matter throughout the Nine Provinces.

This was all to prepare for the passing of the sect's patriarch and to prevent any unrest from various parties.

The alliance between the Taiyi Sect and the Tianyan Sect, which was brought about by this matter, was not even on their radar. Once the truth is revealed, this alliance will naturally crumble.

Afterwards, Duan Rong asked about some things on Yunfu Peak. Zhu He had just taken over as sect leader and was naturally very busy. Fan Hongjiao and Wu Shidao were also out on missions and were not on the peak at all.

Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan chatted for nearly an hour before Ximen Kankan hurriedly left under the cover of night. Yunfu Peak was in a flurry of activity, and he was no exception, with a mountain of work to do. If Shen Mizhi hadn't gone to tell him that Duan Rong had returned, he wouldn't have come at all.

After Ximen Kankan left, Duan Rong sat in the hall and sipped some tea. He was naturally happy for his master Zhu He to become the sect leader, but that was all. At this moment, Duan Rong was no longer concerned with these mundane matters; the only thing he cared about was cultivation.

After Ximen Kankan left, Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi came out from the inner room.

Duan Rong looked at the two women, mistress and servant, and laughed, "What? Want to hear a ghost story?"

Xiao Yu said, "You still want to talk? Just now inside, a shadow of a tree flickered on the window, which startled Xiao Qi and me!"

Zhu Xiaoqi said, "Yes. I thought it was an evil spirit, and I was so scared that I hugged Miss tightly."

Duan Rong said, "I was just telling you a story to amuse you. Where in the Nine Provinces are there evil spirits that you're so scared?"

At dusk, while Duan Rong and Xiao Yu were enjoying their passionate lovemaking amidst the crimson waves, Xu Hui sat in a corner of the Elders' Council's meeting hall.

This place is considered a secret location of the Taiyi Sect, and usually only sect elders are allowed to enter. At this moment, Xu Hui not only entered, but also sat down in front of the huge oval stone table.

There were seven other people sitting with him in the council chamber.

The sect leader of Taiyi Sect, Zhu He, the head of the Judgment and Clan Affairs Department, Yang Sixuan, and the elders in charge of entering the Divine Demon Ruins at this time, Lin Youjian and Liu Su.

Besides the four of them, there were three others.

Elder Chen Boyu of the sect is Du Wan's master. Elder Yao Zhongyu of the sect is Yang Sui's master.

Chen Boyu and Yao Zhongyu, both dressed as middle-aged scholars, sat there with gloomy expressions.

Sitting next to the two was an old woman with a full head of white hair. She leaned on a stone chair with a cane, and her hands, which were resting on the table, were also covered in old, wrinkled skin.

This person was naturally Shen Tu Ying, Su Xin Jue's master.

The reason these three were here was because their disciples had all perished within the ruins of gods and demons.

Xu Hui felt a chill run down his spine when he saw the unfriendly looks from Chen Boyu and Yao Zhongyu.

Liu Su noticed Xu Hui's embarrassment and said, "Xu Hui, don't be nervous. The sect leader and Chief Yang are both here. Just explain the situation truthfully."

"Yes, Master."

Xu Hui took a deep breath and then carefully recounted the cause of death of Du Wan, Yang Sui, and Su Xinjue, as well as the events that followed.

"So, Yang Sui died at the hands of evil spirits. And Du Wan and Su Xinjue died in the illusion of gods and demons." After Xu Hui finished speaking, Liu Su summarized for him.

Xu Hui looked at Liu Su and nodded, saying, "That's exactly right."

Actually, this is quite normal. Evil spirits and the illusionary realm of gods and demons are the two deadly places within the ruins of gods and demons. Nine out of ten people who enter the ruins die there.

Yang Sui died at the hands of evil spirits. Although Yao Zhongyu's expression was grim, he didn't ask any questions. After all, evil spirits are extremely unpredictable and their methods are hard to fathom. Once you encounter one, death or injury is inevitable.

However, Du Wan and Su Xinjue died in the illusionary realm of gods and demons, and Chen Boyu didn't quite understand some of the things that happened in that illusionary realm.

Just as Chen Boyu was about to ask something, Shen Tu Ying spoke first.

Despite her wrinkled, old face, Shen Tu Ying's eyes were as clear as spring water. She looked at Xu Hui and asked, "You're saying that Xin Jue had an accident in the illusion?"

"Yes," Xu Hui said, "It must have been when he got up in the middle of the night and was attacked and bitten by a monster from that world."

Shen Tu Ying's eyes narrowed, and she asked, "Did you hear anything?"

Xu Hui said, "It may have happened too suddenly; there didn't seem to be any noise at the time."

"Really?" Shen Tu Ying's eyes flashed with doubt as she asked, "Did you contact her afterwards?"

Xu Hui said, "In that world, being bitten by a monster can also cause you to mutate into a monster and lose consciousness. Perhaps Su Xinjue mutated into a monster and wandered off somewhere. We searched for her after dawn, but we couldn't find her."

As Xu Hui spoke, he couldn't help but glance at Zhu He, who was not far away.

Actually, before and after Su Xinjue's accident, he had suspected Duan Rong, but he had no evidence. Moreover, he knew that Zhu He was Duan Rong's master, and now Zhu He was the sect leader of Taiyi Sect. Without evidence, it was best not to make any rash accusations. Besides, Duan Rong had saved him in the Divine Demon Ruins, so he shouldn't bring up that matter again.

Shen Tu Ying sighed. She had to beg that old man to let Su Xinjue into the God and Demon Ruins, and he had secretly given her a mission. She never expected that not only would Su Xinjue fail to complete the mission, but she would also die inside without knowing why.

"What a piece of trash!" Shen Tu Ying couldn't help but curse in her heart.

The questions that Chen Boyu originally wanted to ask had basically already been asked by Shen Tu Ying.

At this moment, a brief silence fell over the hall.

Zhu He suddenly looked at Xu Hui and asked, "How many times have you entered the Divine Demon Illusionary Realm?"

Xu Hui said, "Twice."

Zhu He asked, "Whose obsessions are these all in?"

Xu Hui said, "The first time was Jiang Hanyan, and the second time was Duan Rong."

Zhu He's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this.

In fact, Zhu He could have been absent from this impromptu meeting; he could have simply sent someone. However, when Lin Youjian sent someone to summon Yang Sixuan, Zhu He happened to be discussing matters with Yang Sixuan in the Judgment Sect's Division, so he simply followed along.

His willingness to come was naturally due to Duan Rong. Knowing that Duan Rong was unharmed, he felt relieved. The question he later asked Xu Hui was merely to see the possibility of Duan Rong obtaining the divine and demonic mark.

Upon hearing from Xu Hui that they had only entered the Divine Demon Illusionary Realm twice, Zhu He felt that the chances were slim, because he knew that his ancestor had experienced the illusionary realm three times when he obtained the Divine Demon Imprint.

If the latter two obsessions are both with the same person, then the probability is even higher.

After the meeting ended, Zhu He returned to Yunfu Peak and finished dealing with all the accumulated tasks on his desk.

The alliance with Tianyan Sect is now basically null and void, but there are still a lot of details to be dealt with. Moreover, on the side of Shenyi Sect, Zhuang Tairu has just taken over as the sect's patriarch, and in some matters of interest, Taiyi Sect is currently in a strong position.

Therefore, these matters were complex and intertwined, and many required Zhu He's personal handling, which was also the reason why Chu Qiushan stepped down early. Chu Qiushan, who was impatient with the mountain of paperwork, simply couldn't cope with such mundane tasks. After finishing the documents on his desk, it was already late at night. He leaned back wearily in his chair, rubbed his temples, and then sipped some ginseng tea.

It was quiet outside, with only the faint chirping of insects coming from outside the window.

Zhu He put down the ginseng tea, stood up, and suddenly spatial ripples flashed above his head. The next moment, he was like a ghost, passing through the roof and turning into a black ray of light, shooting into the dark night sky.

In the secluded courtyard atop Shangxiangyu Mountain, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu had already retired for the night. Under the eaves hung a dim, yellow lantern, which swayed gently in the night breeze…

In the dim light of the courtyard, a slender figure moved swiftly like a ghost, while a flash of sword light flickered left and right.

Although Duan Rong and Xiao Yu had gone to sleep, Shen Mizhi continued to use her tricks, one after another.

Sweat beaded on her forehead and neck, occasionally catching the light. Though exhausted, Shen Mizhi's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. As she practiced her techniques, Duan Rong's words echoed in her ears: "The power of a sword lies in its concealment! True swordsmanship is when killing intent emerges from the seemingly ordinary!"

"What exactly is the hidden power of swordsmanship?!" Shen Mizhi murmured to herself as she practiced.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from the darkness behind her. "It's the middle of the night. Still practicing?"

"who!?"

Upon hearing the voice, Shen Mizhi's heart tightened suddenly. The voice was already very close to her, yet she hadn't noticed it at all. This meant that the person's cultivation level was far above hers, and their arrival at this late hour was definitely not a friendly gesture.

Shen Mizhi held her longsword horizontally in front of her, her gaze unwavering as she looked towards a certain spot in the darkness.

A figure emerged slowly from the darkness, the lamplight illuminating his aged face.

Shen Mizhi was taken aback and immediately sheathed her sword, clasped her hands in a salute, and said respectfully, "Elder Zhu! No! This disciple greets the Sect Master!"

The person who arrived was Zhu He. Shen Mizhi was so surprised that she initially called him by the wrong name, but she quickly remembered that Zhu He had taken over as sect leader half a month ago.

Zhu He waved his hand dismissively and said slowly, "You're quite diligent, still practicing your sword in the middle of the night."

Shen Mizhi said, "This disciple is dull-witted and is trying to understand Lord Duan's guidance today."

Zhu He nodded and asked, "Where is Duan?"

Shen Mizhi said, "They've already gone to sleep."

Zhu He said, "Go and wake him up. I need to talk to him."

"Yes!" Shen Mizhi clasped her hands in response and turned to walk towards the main room.

Although Shen Mizhi's face remained calm, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. What was wrong with this old man? He even said I was practicing swordsmanship in the middle of the night. He went to someone else's house in the middle of the night with such a self-righteous expression. Shen Mizhi was very suspicious. It just so happened that she was practicing her moves in the yard at that moment, otherwise the old man would probably have gone straight into Duan Rong's bedroom.

Although Zhu He was the sect leader, Shen Mizhi couldn't help but complain that he had a terrible sense of boundaries. He made her go to Duan Rong's door so late.

Shen Mizhi walked towards the main hall, while Zhu He walked in the darkness to the pavilion by the lake and sat down alone on the cold stone chair.

Shen Mizhi carried a lantern and walked to the door of Duan Rong and Xiao Yu's room. She hesitated for a moment, but still gently knocked on the door.

Then she heard rustling sounds in the room.

After a while, the door opened a crack, and Xiao Yu stood there wearing only a bodice.

Xiao Yu looked a little embarrassed. She thought it was Zhu Xiaoqi who had something to say and knocked on the door, but it turned out to be Shen Mizhi.

Shen Mizhi lowered her eyes slightly and said, "Where is Lord Duan? His master is here in the courtyard. He said he wants to see him."

"Huh!?" Xiao Yu was startled and asked, "Now?"

Shen Mizhi replied, "Yes. The person is waiting in the courtyard. They just arrived."

Duan Rong had been in the ruins of gods and demons for over a month, barely getting any full night's sleep, and his spirit was already somewhat exhausted. At this moment, his hoarse voice came from the bed. "Is my master here?"

Xiao Yu turned around, looked at the bed, and said, "Yes."

Duan Rong immediately sat up, and Xiao Yu went over and handed him his clothes. As Duan Rong put on his clothes, he said, "Go and make a pot of hot tea."

"Yes," Xiao Yu replied, hurriedly putting on her clothes.

Duan Rong put on his clothes, simply tied his hair up, and came out. The night was as dark as water, and the courtyard was pitch black with no one in sight.

He stood at the doorway, and with a thought, he released his divine sense and immediately spotted Zhu He sitting in the lakeside pavilion.

Duan Rong carried a lantern and walked over. He knelt down beside the pavilion, placed the lantern, and respectfully said, "Disciple greets Master!"

"Get up." Zhu He smiled and said, "I've come to visit you so late at night, I'm sorry to disturb your peaceful sleep."

Duan Rong stood up and said, "Master, isn't this how you always are? When I was cultivating in the secret chamber, you would often walk through the walls to come in."

Zhu He said, "Boy, you're criticizing your master."

Duan Rong said, "This disciple dares not."

Zhu He smiled, pointed to the stone chair opposite him, and said, "Sit down and let's talk. There's no need for formalities between us, master and disciple."

Duan Rong hung the lantern he was holding under the pavilion, then walked to the opposite side of Zhu He. As soon as he sat down, he said, "Master, I heard that you took over as sect leader half a month ago."

Zhu He sighed and said, "It's like being forced into something."

Just then, Xiao Yu brought over tea and bowed outside the pavilion. Zhu He, who was about to say something, immediately stopped talking.

Xiao Yu brought the tea into the pavilion. She was about to make tea for Zhu He when Duan Rong stood up and took it from her, saying, "I'll do it! Xiao Yu, you can go down now."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu took a step back, curtsied, and left the pavilion.

After Xiao Yu left, Duan Rong made tea for Zhu He, who then said leisurely, "Duan Rong, do you still remember when we brought down Ge Rusong?"

Duan Rong placed the tea on the stone table in front of Zhu He and said with a smile, "How could I not remember!? Master, you really schemed against your disciple!"

Zhu He said, "I had no choice but to act. Do you remember the servant who accompanied you on your journey to Shenyun Mansion?"

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and he said, "I have some recollection of it!"

Zhu He said, "He was in charge of the intelligence network that I spent half my life building, covering the entire Qingzhou. Back then, I arranged for you to meet so that one day I could hand this intelligence network over to you." (End of Chapter)