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

Wei Yan laughed and said, "I just roasted a pheasant. If you don't mind, Commander Duan, please sit down and we can have a drink together."

Duan Rong was surprised that Wei Yan would invite him for drinks.

He came to discuss something with Wei Yan, and since Wei Yan had taken the initiative to invite him for drinks, how could he refuse him?

Duan Rong smiled and said, "Elder Wei is so kind. Then I, Duan, will respectfully accept your offer."

"Hahaha!" Wei Yan laughed heartily, a rare occurrence, and said, "Commander Duan, please."

Duan Rong and Wei Yan then sat down on the large blue stone.

Wei Yan picked up the roasted pheasant, tore off a fat, dripping leg, and handed it to Duan Rong, saying, "Commander Duan, please enjoy."

Duan Rong accepted it respectfully and said, "Thank you."

After taking a bite of the pheasant leg, Duan Rong couldn't help but praise it.

Wei Yan smiled and said, "Pheasants are at their fattest at this time of year, and the rich fat can neutralize the dryness of their meat. Therefore, roasting them at this time of year is when the pheasant meat tastes the best."

Duan Rong smiled as he looked at Wei Yan. This guy really was a glutton. He then said with a smile, "Elder Wei is quite knowledgeable about this."

Wei Yan laughed and said, "I'm just a cripple, so all I can do is ponder this thing."

Wei Yan grabbed the wine jar beside him and handed it to Duan Rong, saying, "Commander Duan, I have already drunk from this jar of wine. If you don't mind, you can have a couple of sips to cleanse your palate."

Duan Rong laughed and said, "Elder Wei underestimates me too much. I'm not a woman, so why would I be so fussy?"

As Duan Rong spoke, he grabbed the jar of wine and gulped down two large mouthfuls, quite boldly.

Wei Yan's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but feel even more favorably disposed towards Duan Rong.

Duan Rong wiped the remaining wine from the corner of his mouth and laughed, "Roast chicken and fine wine, Elder Wei is truly living a carefree life!"

As Duan Rong spoke, he handed the jar of wine to Wei Yan.

Wei Yan took it and tilted his head back to gulp down two mouthfuls.

Seeing that the atmosphere was lively and it was a good time to talk, Duan Rong said after Wei Yan put down the wine jar, "Elder Wei, the reason I came here is to discuss something with you."

Wei Yan smiled and said, "Commander Duan, you're too kind. If you need my help, please don't hesitate to ask. It would be a waste for me to die an old man in the mountains."

Duan Rong was slightly taken aback. He didn't quite understand where Wei Yan's sudden display of loyalty and camaraderie came from. He could only laugh and say, "Elder Wei, you flatter me. It's not about risking our lives. It's just that I wanted to paint the mountain statues of the sect in colorful designs."

Wei Yan, who was swallowing chicken, choked unexpectedly. He knocked the chicken down with wine, then looked at Duan Rong with a strange expression and exclaimed, "Chief Duan, did I hear that right? You're going to turn all four of those ridiculous statues into painted sculptures?!"

Duan Rong said, "That's right. I've already spoken to Mr. Chu about this, and he's agreed."

Wei Yan looked at Duan Rong for a while before saying, "Whether he agrees or not doesn't really matter. These four big rocks have been neglected for a long time. As long as you don't damage them, isn't painting them like giving them clothes? Do whatever you want. I'm just curious, why are you messing around with these things?"

Duan Rong smiled and said, "I have my own uses."

Seeing that Wei Yan had already agreed, and for some reason, Wei Yan was unusually warm towards him this time, Duan Rong felt somewhat flattered. He picked up the wine jar, took another swig, and finally asked, "Elder Wei, I remember you never invite people to drink. Why have you invited me this time?"

Wei Yan glanced at Duan Rong and said, "Two hundred years have passed. The head of the Judgment and Clan Affairs Division has changed several times. We haven't even seen a hair of Fu Yi. They're all useless. But you, Head Duan, have only been in the Judgment and Clan Affairs Division for a year, and you've already captured this scoundrel alive. What you've done has fulfilled one of my wishes."

"Let alone a jar of wine, even the blood in my broken body can be poured out for Commander Duan without any regrets." Wei Yan said, and picked up the wine jar and took two more gulps.

At this moment, Duan Rong saw in Wei Yan a touch of the desolation of a hero in his twilight years.

He hadn't expected that the root of the problem lay with Fu Yi. However, regardless, now that he had this connection with Wei Yan, Fu Yi wouldn't cause him any trouble or make things difficult for him while he was doing his painting work.

The obstacles at the sect level have been completely cleared away; all that remains is execution.

After Duan Rong and Wei Yan finished drinking the jar of wine, they got up to take their leave.

He returned to the Lü family residence and began a period of seclusion in his room that very night. He started sketching and detailing the craftsmanship of various ritual implements.

The practice ritual of the Vajradhatu Mandala is very complicated, involving a great many ritual implements, garments, and chants.

Moreover, this is a cultivation technique for the soul, and it cannot be taken lightly. Any flaws or incompleteness in the ritual may cause problems during cultivation.

This complex set of practices, with its inner and outer mandalas, has many ingenious aspects.

However, ensuring the smooth implementation of this complex ritual system is not easy.

Although he recruited craftsmen from the sect's Taipu Hall, he couldn't possibly instruct each person on how to make such complex magical artifacts. The best approach was to work on the blueprints.

Make sure to use a single diagram to clearly express all his requirements. Although drawing the diagram will take a lot of time and effort, this is the most time-saving and labor-saving method overall.

Duan Rong secluded himself in his room for over a month, painting until his eyes were bloodshot and his hair was a mess, yet he continued to write furiously.

The bed in the room was covered with stacks of blueprints, which Duan Rong sorted by type and weighed down with small porcelain bowls.

Because the bed was used to store blueprints, Duan Rong had barely slept in it for over a month.

Xiao Yu and the others were very worried and tried to persuade Duan Rong, but Duan Rong only said he knew. After that, he continued to do as he pleased, neither eating nor sleeping, and only drinking some ginseng tea every day.

Seeing that Duan Rong only drank ginseng tea, Xiao Yu would add some honey to his tea every time he brewed it. Duan Rong could taste the difference, but he didn't pay any attention to it.

After more than a month, the blueprints for hundreds of ritual implements were completed.

Duan Rong checked everything before leaving the room. As soon as he stepped out, he smelled a foul stench. He sniffed carefully and realized that it was the smell coming from his own body.

After sitting for more than a month, the sweat under his armpits smelled like that of a skunk.

Duan Rong immediately asked Xiao Yu and the others to boil water, saying he wanted to take a bath.

Seeing that Duan Rong had started talking to her and his expression had returned to normal, Xiao Yu's worries finally dissipated. She then asked Zhu Xiaoqi to boil water and personally served Duan Rong a bath. After bathing, Duan Rong packed the blueprints into a box, carried the box, and went to the Imperial Stud Hall.

Zhu He's mobilization order had been issued. When Duan Rong arrived there, he immediately summoned the heads of various workshops and distributed the blueprints he had drawn over the past month to them.

The workshop managers were immediately overwhelmed when they saw the blueprints.

Many of the drawings are so intricate that just looking at the patterns is dazzling, not to mention the strange shapes of the objects, which are by no means easy to make.

The people in charge all looked bitter as they looked at the blueprints.

Duan Rong looked at them and said, "The blueprints have all been distributed to you. The blueprints also indicate the quantity and material of various items. Two months later, hand over the items to me according to the quantities marked on the blueprints. This matter is of great importance. If there are any mistakes, you will be dealt with in the dungeon of the Court of Judgment."

These people naturally knew that the person in front of them was the head of the Judgment and Justice Division, and that just a year ago, he had captured Fu Yi and destroyed the Filthy Blood Sect.

Moreover, the fact that the sect leader personally issued the conscription order makes the implications quite intriguing.

Moreover, they often made objects, and these are clearly extraordinary. The patterns are not just intricate and complex, but also have a sense of antiquity and profundity.

Coupled with Duan Rong's attitude, it is clear that this matter is of great importance.

The officials in charge, holding the blueprints, all looked solemn and nodded in agreement.

Duan Rong said, "If you have any questions, you can bring them up now. As long as it's related to making the object well, feel free to ask. If you have any real difficulties, you can also tell me. I will try my best to help you solve them."

One of the middle-aged men stepped forward with the blueprints in hand, looking somewhat uneasy. He bowed and said, “Sir, it is not that I am trying to shirk my responsibility. There are more than thirty items here. Although the number is not large, each one is quite complex. Only experienced craftsmen can make such items. It is really difficult for me to deliver them within two months.”

Duan Rong walked over, took the blueprints, and flipped through them. These thirty-odd artifacts were indeed very complex. After thinking for a moment, he took out eight sheets and handed the rest to the middle-aged man, saying, "Is this possible to complete?"

Seeing that Duan Rong had taken eight cards, reducing the quantity by a quarter, the man figured he could still complete the task, so he accepted it and said, "I can complete it. Thank you, sir."

Duan Rong then distributed the eight blueprints in his hand to the other responsible persons one by one. Those people were assigned an extra task for no reason. Although they were unhappy, they did not dare to complain.

Seeing that he had been unable to speak for a long time, Duan Rong said, "Since there are no problems, let's disperse. I will check on the progress of each of your workshops every ten days. If there are any problems then, you can raise them with me at any time. You may now go."

The heads of the various workshops, holding blueprints, dispersed with worried expressions, each pondering how to distribute the work as they went.

The following day, Duan Rong, accompanied by four craftsmen, arrived at the valley where the sect's mountain statue was located.

The craftsmen carried wooden buckets filled with dye, while one of them carried a burlap sack on his back. The sack contained nothing but various writing brushes, including five extra-large brushes the size of mops.

Duan Rong led them in, and the craftsmen began mixing the dyes. Duan Rong had already explained the different shades and intensities of the dyes to them beforehand.

Duan Rong was about to fly to the mountaintop to greet Wei Yan when he saw Wei Yan transform into a streak of black light and fly down, looking at the dye barrels and saying, "Are you serious about this?"

Duan Rong said, "Nonsense. Do you think I'm joking with you?"

Wei Yan scratched his messy hair and said, "Alright. These stones have been dry for nearly a thousand years, and today they will be restored to their former glory."

Duan Rong laughed and said, "That's quite true. With my painting skills, I can really give them a fresh new look. Let Brother Wei see what it means to be magnificent, vibrant, and lifelike."

Wei Yan chuckled and said, “Commander Duan, I admire you for capturing Fu Yi. But as for your claims of being magnificent, vibrant, and lifelike, I think you're just patting yourself on the back. Don't worry, even if you ruin this rubbish, it won't matter. It will peel off on its own after a hundred years. How long can this color last?”

Duan Rong found Wei Yan's tone, which was half mocking and half comforting, somewhat amusing. Just then, a bucket of paint was ready; Duan Rong immediately noticed it was a perfect shade of blue, with just the right intensity.

The statues of the Four Great Wisdom Kings are all depicted in wrathful forms, almost all with blue faces and fangs, and this blue color is the base color.

Duan Rong took an extra-large ink brush, dipped the tip into the bucket, shook it, and it was saturated with ink. He then lightly shook it up and flew into the sky with the brush in his hand.

The paint dripped from the brush and splashed all over Wei Yan's face. When he reached up to wipe it, he found himself covered in fangs and a blue face, making the artisans mixing the paint nearby grit their teeth and suppress their laughter.

Duan Rong, holding the enormous writing brush, flew over the valley like a great eagle, hovering over the head of the statue of Fudo Myoo. With a flick of his wrist, the enormous writing brush struck Fudo Myoo's right cheek, leaving a large patch of blue spots.

Wei Yan looked at it and laughed, "Isn't this just a little kid's doodle?"

The valley was quiet, but Duan Rong seemed not to hear Wei Yan's laughter. He held the large brush and moved it nimbly, brushing across the face of the Immovable King. Wei Yan quickly saw through the trick.

Duan Rong's strokes appeared casual, but he subtly avoided the lips and eye sockets. Keep in mind that the brush was as large as a mop, yet a line of blue ink grazed the edge of Fudo Myoo's upper lip.

To control such a large brush with such precision demonstrates the skill of the artist.

Duan Rong went back and forth between the bottom of the valley and the head of the statue of Fudo Myo-o several times before he finally managed to depict the blue face of Fudo Myo-o.

Then came more meticulous work; Duan Rong switched to a smaller pen…

Ten days later, four painted statues appeared in the valley, just as Duan Rong had said, magnificent, vibrant, and lifelike.

That day, not only Wei Yan was there watching, but Chu Wushang also came over. In fact, Chu Wushang came every day, but he didn't show up much when Duan Rong was around.

Today is the ten-day deadline, and Duan Rong is going to check on the progress of various workshops, so he did not come to this valley.

The basic structure of the Four Great Wisdom Kings is complete, except for the lower half of one statue, which is still made of stone.

Wei Yan looked at Chu Wushang and said, "Mr. Chu, do you know what he's trying to achieve by making such a fuss?"

Chu Wushang said, "How would I know?"

Wei Yan glanced at Chu Wushang. He knew Chu Wushang must know, but just didn't want to tell him. Wei Yan changed the subject and said, "It's true that clothes make the Buddha. This way, it really looks good."

Chu Wushang sneered and said, "Aren't you afraid of having nightmares about this blue-faced, fanged creature?"

Wei Yan chuckled and said, "What's there to be afraid of in a cripple like me who has one foot in the grave? I'd rather be taken away sooner."

Chu Wushang turned to look at Wei Yan, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly transformed into a streak of black light and flew out of the valley. (End of Chapter)