I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 300 - 275: The Gathering Storm (Part 2)

It could be said to rise with the wind, transforming into a dragon overnight!

Up until now, he still couldn’t fully digest this information. He genuinely couldn’t equate the current sect named disciple Duan Rong with that timid guy deep in his memory.

Jie Daohan saw Yang Zhen dazed and sternly asked again.

Yang Zhen snapped back to reality and said, "I know him. We grew up together."

"Grew up together?" Jie Daohan’s expression sharpened, and a bolt of realization struck through his mind as he fiercely asked again, "During the Xu Ruhu case, you were injured and resting at home. Did you ever speak about the Xu Ruhu case with Duan Rong?"

Yang Zhen’s face changed at Jie Daohan’s questioning.

His mind churned; he vaguely guessed Jie Daohan’s intent.

Jie Daohan, being very shrewd, had understood most of it upon seeing Yang Zhen’s expression and angrily said, "You did! Didn’t you?"

Yang Zhen looked at Jie Daohan’s fierce expression, nodded with some fear.

He dared not hide anymore, or perhaps he simply didn’t want to.

The banquet in the backyard of the County Office didn’t last long before it ended.

Actually, the main purpose was for the five sect envoys and seven newly admitted registered disciples to meet and acquaint themselves with each other.

Shen Yanliu toasted each of the seven, thus forming a good connection.

Ma Chunmin noticed Duan Rong sitting there while serving the dishes, her bright eyes radiating extreme surprise.

"Yesterday a mere underling, today a distinguished figure."

Ma Chunmin never expected that a street painter could suddenly become a sect named disciple.

Others hardly ate, but the seven of them, after rounds of competition, were already starving. After three rounds of drinks, under the guidance of Ximen Kankan, they indulged themselves, even Shen Mizi grabbed a chicken leg and started nibbling...

Shen Yanliu watched them, his face turned sullen...

Once they were full and satisfied, they bade farewell and left the government office.

As soon as they left, Ximen Kankan pulled Duan Rong aside, saying he had something to discuss with him at his house.

"What needs discussing in the middle of the night? I want to return to Liu’s House to sleep!"

Duan Rong already exhausted, lacked the energy to mess around with Ximen Kankan.

The others also felt Ximen Kankan was acting a bit odd.

But suddenly, Ximen Kankan tiptoed and whispered something in Duan Rong’s ear, making Duan Rong instantly shed his impatient demeanor, feigning laziness and saying, "What? Isn’t it just a painting? Do we really have to go out so late? Fine, I’ll go with you."

Jiang Qingyu, seeing they were off to see a painting and observing that Duan Rong was willing to go so late, realized it must be quite special, so he asked, "What painting? Kankan, take me along too."

"See what? You should go home and sleep early." With that, Ximen Kankan led Duan Rong away.

This left Jiang Qingyu standing there awkwardly, smiling as he departed.

Xiao Yu, already injured, saw Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan leave, but wasn’t bothered and simply returned to the Escort Agency.

The others didn’t pay much heed and scattered.

Duan Rong followed Ximen Kankan to Snowy Retreat.

Seeing nobody around, Ximen Kankan closed the door. As soon as he turned around, Duan Rong lowered his voice and asked, "Has the Cold Toad Cream really arrived?"

Ximen Kankan replied, "Yes, I was handed it by Old Qin when I returned last night."

Ximen Kankan took out a medicine spoon from a hidden compartment, walked to a cabinet in the corner, opened the door, and took out a wooden basin, placing it on the small table beside Duan Rong.

Duan Rong felt surprised as the wooden basin was filled with ice cubes, with a porcelain bottle buried in the center, just a bit of its top showing...

Ximen Kankan explained, "The Cold Toad Cream needs extremely strict environmental preservation conditions. Once it leaves a cold environment, it will vanish in twelve hours."

"It’s only now, in the early days of March, with the cold lingering and still chilly weather, that it can be transported this far. If it were summer, this distance would be impossible."

Listening to Ximen Kankan, Duan Rong understood why the Cold Toad Cream couldn’t be obtained in summer...

While Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan entered Snowy Retreat, in the backyard of City God Noodles, the old temple priest Xu Dongyang released a carrier pigeon into the dark night...

The old temple priest watched the pigeon flap its wings, disappearing into the night, and sighed heavily...

Before the Talent Selection Conference started, he had received orders to investigate the martial arts realm of the five sect envoys and new registered disciples in Xianggu County.

This order did not come from Ruan Fengshan; Ruan Fengshan had completely gone underground and would never issue any orders to him.

Dark scouts surrounded Yuan Shun Escort Agency, watching Ruan Fengshan, and within the Escort Agency, who could ensure there were no hidden guards from Shen Yanliu?

This order was directly issued to him by the Filthy Blood Church in Yuanyang Prefecture.

Since it was directly issued by the church, Xu Dongyang felt that something major might be underway.

His mind had been restless lately.

Although Xu Dongyang joined the Filthy Blood Sect, he only sought peaceful days; cultivating the technique was merely for longevity, he didn’t want chaos and war. If exposed, even if he escaped death, he would live in exile forever. Besides, if something happened, would he truly escape alive?

Duan Rong holding the porcelain bottle of Cold Toad Cream left Snowy Retreat, stepping onto West Main Street. The night was dark, with a cold moon overhead, and Duan Rong walked while pondering.

This Cold Toad Cream, once it leaves a cold environment, will vanish in twelve hours.