Chapter 660 - 413: Fan Hongjiao (Part 2)

Fan Hongjiao laughed, pulling Duan Rong to sit down, then pulled a chair for herself, sitting directly beside Duan Rong.

Fan Hongjiao poured a cup of wine, tilted her head back, and gulped it down in one go. With eyes sparkling, she turned her head again to smile at Duan Rong, and asked teasingly, "Junior Brother, seeing you so shy, could it be that you are still a virgin?"

Fan Hongjiao said this and covered her mouth with laughter.

Duan Rong remained silent, his gaze somewhat pleadingly directed towards Wu Shidao and Lu Geng across from him.

Raising her cup, Fan Hongjiao said, "Since you don’t want your Senior Sister to feed you, at least we can have a drink together, right?"

Duan Rong looked at Fan Hongjiao’s wine cup raised before him, feeling slightly awkward, but nonetheless he raised his own cup and clinked it with hers, then the two drank up.

Seeing Duan Rong drink, Fan Hongjiao was quite pleased in her heart and said, "Junior Brother, I know a few talented junior sisters in the sect. When the time comes, I can play matchmaker for you. Oh, by the way, Jiang Hanyan is not bad, Lin Youjian’s precious disciple. If you can win her over, perhaps Lin Youjian will side with Master in the future, which would be a great achievement! Don’t say I didn’t teach you anything!"

Duan Rong smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister, but... I am already married."

"Ah?!"

Not only was Fan Hongjiao surprised, but even Wu Shidao and Lu Geng were slightly shocked.

Being able to enter Yunfu Peak and become Zhu He’s disciple, it was natural that their talents were quite extraordinary.

With high talent, their Dao hearts were correspondingly high, so they hadn’t yet considered marriage. They didn’t expect that Duan Rong, who seemed to be under twenty, was already married.

Fan Hongjiao was momentarily taken aback, her eyes showing disbelief, "Junior Brother, you are already married?"

Duan Rong smiled slightly, drinking another cup of wine, "Yes. Being married brings some stability to life."

Having a family was a long-held wish for Duan Rong in his previous life.

Wu Shidao praised, "Though young, Junior Brother sees things quite clearly."

Duan Rong gave an awkward smile, neither agreeing nor refuting.

Fan Hongjiao’s eyes darted as she gazed at Duan Rong, asking, "Is your wife also a disciple in the sect?"

Duan Rong replied, "Yes, she is."

Fan Hongjiao and Wu Shidao exchanged a glance. Fan Hongjiao asked, "Who is she?"

Duan Rong said, "Senior Sister and Senior Brother don’t know her. She’s still in the Tower Forest."

"I see!"

Suddenly, Fan Hongjiao relaxed, her hand snaking onto Duan Rong’s shoulder, speaking seductively, "Actually, it’s good to marry early. Married people know how to care for others better."

Fan Hongjiao had worried that Duan Rong’s wife might also be in the sect, and that her flirting could stir up trouble. Now hearing she was still in the Tower Forest and might not come out for a year or two, she had no such concerns.

As Fan Hongjiao spoke, her hand began to caress Duan Rong’s chest.

Wu Shidao’s brows furrowed, suddenly looking at Lu Geng, "Lu Junior Brother, didn’t Master ask you to take Junior Brother to choose weapons and cultivation techniques?"

Lu Geng’s eyes moved, "Ah, right! I think it’s about time. Junior Brother, let’s go."

Lu Geng spoke, got up, pulled Duan Rong along, and headed out.

"Hey..." By the time Fan Hongjiao reacted, Lu Geng had already whisked Duan Rong out the door.

Sitting upright, Fan Hongjiao looked at Wu Shidao angrily, "Why did you ruin my fun?"

Wu Shidao said coldly, "Senior Sister, you should hold back a bit."

Fan Hongjiao sneered, "Who are you to lecture me, Wu Shidao? I am the Senior Sister here."

Wu Shidao sighed, saying, "Do you remember, Senior Sister, three years ago during that Deep Valley test, there was an Outer Disciple almost ready to step onto the altar?"

Fan Hongjiao’s eyes flickered. During that test three years ago, she was out on a mission and only heard about it in passing after returning half a year later.

"Are you saying that Junior Brother..."

"Exactly!" Wu Shidao said seriously, "The Outer Disciple almost on the altar was Duan Rong. Otherwise, why would Master have sent two bottles of Primordial Beast Spinal Bone Marrow Ash as soon as Junior Brother entered Yunfu Peak? Which of us received such treatment?"

Fan Hongjiao’s expression changed at Wu Shidao’s words!

Wu Shidao continued, "And Junior Brother is already married. If something happens, who do you think Master will punish?"

Fan Hongjiao sneered, "So you’re saying I should thank you for your goodwill?"

Wu Shidao said, "That’s not necessary. If Senior Sister is truly lonely, I can accompany you."

Fan Hongjiao laughed, "Scram! I know you’re always so cold and aloof."

Wu Shidao rose with a smile, "In that case, I’ll take my leave."

With that, Wu Shidao left the room.

Sitting alone in the room, Fan Hongjiao poured and drank a few more cups herself, only feeling increasingly vexed. She sighed with a wine cup in hand, "Almost on the altar, wasn’t that just like Yang Sixuan back in the day? Is Junior Brother really this formidable? No wonder even when Master is so busy, he still took the trouble to accept this disciple!"

Lu Geng led Duan Rong around the veranda.

Looking at Duan Rong beside him, Lu Geng said, "Junior Brother, remember to keep your distance from Senior Sister Fan usually, and when on a mission, just stick to discussing tasks. Try not to be alone with her."

Duan Rong’s eyes moved slightly, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Lu. I will."

Lu Geng smiled, patting Duan Rong’s shoulder. "No need to worry too much. Although Senior Sister’s reputation in some respects isn’t great, she is quite righteous."

Lu Geng first found the Historian responsible for issuing weapons and cultivation techniques, and had him quickly process a set of procedures for Duan Rong.

Typically, Inner Sect Disciples had to come to the Internal History Department to handle these procedures, and after submitting an application, it usually took over ten days. But Lu Geng, having been at Yunfu Peak for seven years, was quite familiar with the various ins and outs.

In just half a cup of tea’s time, Lu Geng, holding the paperwork, led Duan Rong to the place to retrieve weapons.

Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, with its violent nature, is difficult for ordinary iron to bear.

Disciples who emerged from the Tower Forest could each acquire a weapon. This alone proved the sect’s deep resources.

If Taiyi Sect didn’t control all of Qingzhou’s resources, how could they forge so many weapons that aren’t mundane iron?

Moreover, if an Inner Sect Disciple’s weapon is lost during an external mission, it’s a grave offense, punishable by severe penalties.

The sect will mobilize the entire worldly strength to issue a Sea Arrest Document for such a weapon.

Because such weapons, if lost in the Mortal World, pose a potential threat to the sect’s dominance.

Lu Geng led Duan Rong to a desolate, bare mountain peak near Cuiwei Peak.

This mountain, for some unknown reason, was barren, without a single tree, and even in the rock crevices, there were none of the ferns common to other peaks.

Duan Rong looked at this peculiar mountain and asked, "Senior Brother, what happened to the trees on this mountain?"

Lu Geng replied, "On this mountain, trees can’t survive."

Duan Rong said, "There’s an issue with the soil."

"Junior Brother, good insight." Lu Geng’s eyes flashed, explaining, "Weapons have been forged on this mountain for years. And not just ordinary weapons. The materials that aren’t mundane iron, handling them can be quite tricky, and special methods are sometimes used. Thus, over hundreds of years, the soil of this mountain has been filled with toxins. Not only trees, even grass can’t survive rooted in the loose soil."

Duan Rong figured out the soil issue because he had noticed the peculiar hue in the soil within the rock crevices. With his experience, he could tell at a glance.

Duan Rong followed Lu Geng to the entrance of a hidden cave.

Before they even reached the cave entrance, Duan Rong felt several strong Divine Senses sweep over them.

In the instant those powerful Divine Senses swept over, Duan Rong noticed Lu Geng’s brow furrow beside him.

For that instant, Duan Rong’s heart tightened.

It turns out, this person also practiced the Fetal Concealment Scripture!

This piece of information was quite significant for Duan Rong. Lu Geng’s Fetal Concealment Scripture was probably not self-taught, most likely passed down by Zhu He.

In Duan Rong’s hands, only the Twelfth Layer of the Fetal Concealment Scripture was incomplete. Since he had now apprenticed under Zhu He, he should have a chance to acquire the auxiliary medicine needed to cultivate the Twelfth Layer of the Fetal Concealment Scripture.

However, the Fetal Concealment Scripture undoubtedly extends beyond the Twelfth Layer!

Figuring out how to obtain the subsequent cultivation techniques of the Fetal Concealment Scripture had become a pressing task for him.

After all, Spiritual Power is the core of cultivation!