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

Duan Rong and Lü Zhongtang drank until late at night before finally parting ways.

At this moment, Duan Rong was flushed and reeked of alcohol, while Lü Zhongtang was staggering. There were already seven or eight empty wine jars on the ground.

Lu Zhongtang was originally planning to drink more, but Li Baoyue managed to persuade him to stop.

While instructing the servant to carry a lantern and lead Duan Rong back to his room, Li Baoyue helped Lü Zhongtang inside to rest.

Duan Rong followed the servant into the west wing, where red candles were lit and Lü Qingzhu sat there with a serene expression.

When she saw Duan Rong enter reeking of alcohol, she immediately got up and helped him up, saying, "Husband, why did you drink so much?"

Duan Rong said, "Father-in-law is in high spirits. Since it's his first time visiting, we should let him drink to his heart's content, shouldn't we? Besides, I think he's really happy today. When a person is happy, they have an energy that makes them seem like they can't get drunk. The more they drink, the more energetic they become. Qingzhu, let me tell you, if your aunt hadn't stopped us, we probably would have stayed up all night!"

As Duan Rong spoke, he couldn't help but let out a drunken laugh.

Seeing his appearance, Lü Qingzhu couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, then helped him to the bed and made him lie down.

Duan Rong lay there, his face flushed, smiling as he looked at Lü Qingzhu. Under the lamplight, Lü Qingzhu's face resembled a peach blossom...

Lü Qingzhu helped Duan Rong lie down and then went to the kitchen to bring him some hangover soup.

Seeing that Duan Rong and Lü Zhongtang had been drinking for a long time without breaking up, Li Baoyue had already instructed the kitchen to prepare a sour soup to help them sober up, and also told Lü Qingzhu to bring it to Duan Rong when he returned.

Lu Qingzhu brought back the sour soup, then used a pillow to prop Duan Rong up a bit before feeding him most of the soup with a spoon. Only when Duan Rong turned his face away and refused to eat anymore did Lu Qingzhu stop.

She placed the soup bowl on the table, then sat on the edge of the bed to cover Duan Rong with a blanket. Duan Rong, however, grabbed her waist and, reeking of alcohol, tried to kiss Lü Qingzhu's tender lips. Lü Qingzhu pushed him away, scolding, "You smell like alcohol! It's disgusting!"

Duan Rong, his large hand gripping Lü Qingzhu's waist, chuckled, "My wife doesn't mind that her husband is ugly! I've only had a little wine, and you're already so disgusted?!"

Lü Qingzhu snorted and laughed, "Who told you to drink so much! Don't even think about touching me, you reek of alcohol."

With that, she got into bed and lay down facing the wall, fully clothed.

Duan Rong pushed her, but Lü Qingzhu ignored him.

Duan Rong laughed and said, "Qingzhu, after I get rid of this smell of alcohol, may I touch you?"

Lü Qingzhu turned around, her eyes clear and bright, and asked, "How do we disperse?"

Duan Rong smiled, then got up from the bed and sat cross-legged in the open space of the room.

Lu Qingzhu looked at Duan Rong with curiosity and said, "We're about to rest, why are you actually practicing your skills?"

Duan Rong acted as if he hadn't heard anything. With a thought, the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top of His Head suddenly took shape, and rich spiritual energy from heaven and earth poured into his body.

Duan Rong controlled the primordial energy of heaven and earth flowing into his body with his mind, and it began to operate in a complex circuit.

Lu Qingzhu's curiosity deepened. She could tell that Duan Rong was using his internal energy, but she didn't understand what he was trying to do.
It's important to know that Duan Rong and Lü Zhongtang had been drinking for several hours straight. Moreover, neither of them used their internal energy to protect their meridians while drinking; they simply drank freely until one of them passed out. If they had used their internal energy to protect their meridians, it would have been cheating.

Therefore, there is a strong alcohol in Duan Rong's blood. If he wants to use his internal energy to expel this alcohol, it will take at least several hours of hard work. In that time, the alcohol will have been almost completely eliminated.

However, Duan Rong was proficient in all kinds of martial arts. Among the techniques he absorbed, there was an internal energy cultivation method called Yin Yun Zhi Yang Qi.

This technique actually has a drawback: when practicing and circulating qi, body temperature will keep rising, so it needs to be dissipated.

This was originally a drawback of this technique, but Duan Rong was precisely using this drawback to quickly dissipate the alcohol fumes in his meridians.

Because Duan Rong digested this technique by devouring the spirit of the artifact, he could use the complex and delicate energy circulation circuit as if he had been practicing it for more than ten years, even though it was his first time using it.

The breath circulated rapidly through the meridians, completing a small cycle in just a few breaths.

After a small cycle of Qi circulation, a rich, yang energy began to rise within Duan Rong's dantian.

Duan Rong observed his inner state, and the second small cycle of Qi circulation had already begun.

However, after three small cycles of circulation, faint white vapor began to emanate from his nostrils...

This method of circulating yang energy would naturally cause body temperature to rise, and Duan Rong was circulating it so vigorously that he was soon covered in sweat, and his head was steaming hot, like a steamer...

Just then, Duan Rong suddenly grabbed his shirt and sat down cross-legged with his shirt off.

At this moment, he was covered in sweat, and his whole body was steaming with heat...

Looking at Duan Rong's masculine body, Lü Qingzhu couldn't help but feel a blush creep onto her face.

As the heat rose, Duan Rong had already dissipated most of the alcohol fumes from his meridians.

About half an incense stick's time later, he suddenly opened his eyes. At this moment, Lü Qingzhu was lying on the bed looking at him. Their eyes met, and Lü Qingzhu lowered her head slightly, like a shy water lily.

Duan Rong walked to the washbasin stand, wiped the fine sweat from his body with a towel, and then slowly walked to the bedside. He leaned down, his nose almost touching Lü Qingzhu's nose, their breaths mingling on each other's faces.

Duan Rong asked softly, "Qingzhu, do I still smell of alcohol on me?"

Lü Qingzhu didn't speak, but let out a soft moan, then gently closed her eyes, her soft hands wrapping around Duan Rong's waist, and Duan Rong pressed down on her...

Unlike the aphrodisiacs in the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of Xiangu County, Lü Qingzhu was gentle and tender, like a clear stream winding around a mountain peak, entangling Duan Rong...

After their lovemaking, the two lay on the bed, with Lü Qingzhu resting her head on Duan Rong's chest, while Duan Rong played with her cascading black hair.

Lu Qingzhu suddenly said in a soft voice, "Husband, Aunt Yue said at the banquet today that she wants to prepare a house for us to live in within the Lu family compound. So, will we live here in the Lu family compound permanently, or will we live in the house on the other side of the mountain and only come here for a few days during festivals?"

Duan Rong's hand slid across Lü Qingzhu's smooth back as he said, "Qingzhu, what do you think?"

Lü Qingzhu said, "Qingzhu is already married, and her husband is the head of the household. Wherever her husband says to live, Qingzhu will live there."

Lü Qingzhu asked this question because she felt that Duan Rong's agreement to Aunt Yue's request during the banquet might have been a matter of polite social etiquette.

Duan Rong said, "I think we should stay here permanently."

“Alright!” Lü Qingzhu rubbed her face against Duan Rong’s chest and said, “Then I will spend the next two days with Aunt Yue to tidy up and decorate that house properly. Once it’s done, we’ll go pick up Sister Xiao together.”

Duan Rong felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this, and leaned down to kiss Lü Qingzhu. He was very pleased that Lü Qingzhu had taken the initiative to suggest bringing Xiao Yu over.

Afterwards, the two slept naked in each other's arms. The next morning, after they got up and washed, breakfast was brought over from the kitchen.

After eating a simple meal, Lü Qingzhu and Li Baoyue went to the house next door.

The Lü family line is weak and the population is small. The house has been uninhabited for a long time. The cleaning is done by the servants, but the furnishing and decorations can be done by the two of them.

After all, it was the residence where the ancestor's bloodline lived, and all the necessary items were quickly delivered as soon as they were requested.

Lü Qingzhu and Li Baoyue were busy running around in the neighboring courtyard. Meanwhile, Duan Rong was strolling around the rather large, empty courtyard.

He soon discovered that there was a secret cultivation chamber in the Lü family mansion.

The entrance to the secret chamber was near the artificial hill, but after scanning it with his divine sense, he found that the cultivation chamber seemed to be in disrepair and was covered in dust.

Of the Lü family bloodline, Lü Zhongtang is the only male descendant in this generation.

He was never one for ascetic cultivation. After advancing to the Cave-Ming Realm, he felt hopeless about condensing his Nascent Soul and stopped cultivating much. Naturally, this cultivation chamber fell into disuse.

Duan Rong's divine sense swept over the underground cultivation chamber. Although the chamber was abandoned, it was well-designed and contained statues of the Four Great Kings.

After all, it was a cultivation ground built for the bloodline of the ancestor, so it was indeed quite good.

Duan Rong's eyes flickered. He thought that if he could live in the Lü family mansion and cultivate in this secret room, it would be a good thing.

However, to reopen this secret chamber, he would have to ask Lü Zhongtang first. Duan Rong then turned back and headed towards Lü Zhongtang's residence.

He had just arrived at Lü Zhongtang's residence when the steward Han Cheng ran over and bowed, saying, "Lord Duan, my master just asked me to look for you. I didn't expect you to come."

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and he smiled, "Really? What a coincidence."

The two had only exchanged a few words when Lü Zhongtang came out from the hall. Upon seeing Duan Rong, he said, "My dear son-in-law, I was just about to ask you to have some tea. What a coincidence that you've arrived!"

Duan Rong smiled and bowed, saying, "Your son-in-law greets your father-in-law!"

Lü Zhongtang waved his hand and said, "Don't be so polite! I've already brewed the tea. Come, have a cup with me!"

"I must try the tea brewed by my father-in-law," Duan Rong said with a smile as he walked into the hall.

The two took their seats, and Lü Zhongtang poured a cup of the brewed tea and handed it to Duan Rong, who respectfully stood up to accept it.

Lu Zhongtang's eyes suddenly flashed, and he asked, "Hey, son-in-law, you came here so early in the morning, is there something you need to see me about?" Lu Zhongtang didn't think it was really such a coincidence.

Duan Rong put down his teacup and smiled slightly, saying, "I just came here to ask my father-in-law if it's convenient to use the secret cultivation chamber in the courtyard. If I'm going to live here often in the future, it would be much more convenient to have a place to cultivate."

Lü Zhongtang said, "I thought it was something important. I had almost forgotten about it. We really should clean up that cultivation place."

As he spoke, Lü Zhongtang suddenly stood up and called out from the entrance of the hall, "Han Cheng, come here for a moment."

The butler, Han Cheng, immediately jogged over.

Lu Zhongtang looked him over and said, "Han Cheng, go find Li Baoyue. She should be keeping the key to the cultivation chamber. Take the key and clean up the cultivation chamber properly. Do it yourself, and replace everything that needs replacing."

Han Cheng bowed and said, "Yes, sir. I will take care of it right away."

Han Cheng accepted the order and left. Lü Zhongtang sat back down at the tea table and looked at Duan Rong with a smile, saying, "My dear son-in-law, I really enjoyed myself last night. I haven't had such a good time drinking in all these years."

Duan Rong said, "What we enjoy is the sentiment, not the wine. Wine is merely a medium, something that happens when the time is right."

Lu Zhongtang's eyes widened in surprise. Duan Rong had clearly hit the nail on the head. Not only was Lu Qingzhu in great spirits yesterday, but the father and daughter had also reconciled. It was indeed their feelings that were truly enjoyed, and the wine was just a prelude.

Duan Rong glanced at Lü Zhongtang and suddenly said, "Father-in-law, you asked Han Cheng to find a son-in-law, not just for tea, are you?"

Lü Zhongtang laughed and said, "It's nothing. Just having tea. Having tea..."

As Lü Zhongtang spoke, his smile suddenly faded, and he said, "However, there is something I'd like to discuss with you, my dear son-in-law, while we're having tea."

Duan Rong said, "Father-in-law, please speak."

After spending some time with him, Duan Rong felt that Lü Zhongtang was a decent person. His previous competition with Zhu He for the position of sect leader was merely due to instigation; he wasn't actually a scheming or manipulative person. On the contrary, he was quite kind at heart. This quality could also be seen in Lü Qingzhu.

Lu Zhongtang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Is that so, my dear son-in-law? Qingzhu is, after all, a descendant of the ancestor, isn't she?"

Duan Rong took a sip of tea, wondering why Lü Zhongtang had uttered such a seemingly pointless statement, and replied, "Yes."

Lu Zhongtang said, "Although Qingzhu is willing, isn't it a bit inappropriate for her to be your concubine, given that she is of the ancestor's bloodline?!"

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong froze.

Before he entered the ruins of gods and demons, when the two of them were guarding the valley together, Lü Zhongtang had mentioned the matter of divorcing his wife. At that time, Lü Qingzhu's life or death was unknown, so there was naturally no need to discuss this topic in depth. Later, many things happened, and Duan Rong had long put the matter out of his mind. Unexpectedly, Lü Zhongtang suddenly brought it up again at this time.

Although he hasn't mentioned divorcing his wife yet, the groundwork he's laid is clearly leading the conversation toward that.

Seeing that Duan Rong didn't respond, Lü Zhongtang continued, "Look! This isn't just about you and Qingzhu; there are a lot of rumors circulating outside. We have to consider the sect's reputation, don't we?"

Seeing that Lü Zhongtang was getting more and more serious, Duan Rong interrupted him, saying, "Father-in-law! If I can abandon Xiao Yu today, I can also abandon Qingzhu in the future."

"Look, you're getting impatient?! I didn't ask you to abandon her!" Lü Zhongtang said, "I've already thought it all out for you. First, divorce Xiao Yu. Then make Qingzhu your principal wife, and then marry Xiao Yu as a concubine. Isn't that all? It's just a matter of procedure and etiquette."

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong's expression turned somewhat grim, and he said, "Xiao Yu is virtuous and kind; what reason do I have to divorce her?!"

Lu Zhongtang said, "As long as you agree to this, the reason is not a problem. Given Xiao Yu's background, making her your concubine wouldn't be a disservice to her!"

Suppressing his anger, Duan Rong stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Xiao Yu is my lawfully wedded wife, heaven and earth bear witness! There's no need to mention this matter again! Father-in-law, I have other matters to attend to, I will come to visit another day!"

After Duan Rong finished speaking, he strode out without looking back.

Lu Zhongtang chased after Duan Rong to the entrance of the hall, and looking at Duan Rong's back, he called out, "Duan Rong, think about this matter again. The method I'm suggesting will benefit all parties."

Duan Rong walked out of the residence with a livid face. Looking at the desolate courtyard, he muttered to himself, "It's beneficial to all parties. Is Xiao Yu among them?" (End of Chapter)