I Can Devour Spirits-Chapter 51: Ruan Fengshan

Duan Rong stood like a tireless machine, standing until midnight.

But tonight, he had just stood for about an hour when suddenly someone called him.

"Duan Rong, disperse your energy!"

Duan Rong found the voice familiar, but for a moment, he couldn’t recall who it was.

Duan Rong frowned slightly, exhaled the white breath from his mouth into the sky, and then looked around.

Not far away, the lantern hanging under the eaves cast a dim light, and in this half-light, Duan Rong recognized the face.

"It’s Escort Master Zhao Mu!"

Duan Rong’s face lit up slightly with joy. After all, Zhao Mu had taught him for three months and had a good nature.

Duan Rong hadn’t recognized Zhao Mu’s voice immediately because Zhao Mu spoke with a deepened tone, completely different from his usual cheerful demeanor.

"Is this Duan Rong?"

A deep voice suddenly spoke from behind Zhao Mu.

Only then did Duan Rong notice that someone else stood in the sparse shadows of the trees behind Zhao Mu.

This person had thick eyebrows, an aquiline nose, a firm chin, and tightly pursed lips. He appeared no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, only a year or two older than Duan Rong.

"Yes, Young Master Luan. This is Duan Rong," Zhao Mu responded respectfully to the person.

Zhao Mu’s respectful attitude towards the man slightly surprised Duan Rong.

The man stepped forward, glanced at Duan Rong, and coldly said, "Duan Rong! Come with me to the inner courtyard!"

"The inner courtyard? Now? What for?"

At this hour, being summoned to the inner courtyard, Duan Rong felt something was amiss.

The man frowned, evidently unwilling to answer Duan Rong’s question.

"When you’re told to go, you go. Why so many questions?" Zhao Mu urged beside him.

Duan Rong was internally puzzled but remained rooted in place.

"If you don’t want to go yourself, I can break your legs and have Zhao Mu carry you there!" The man’s voice held a hint of anger.

"I never said I wouldn’t go!" Duan Rong immediately corrected himself.

This person clearly wasn’t well-intentioned, and seeing Zhao Mu obey him completely, he was probably a powerful figure. As they say, a wise man knows when to retreat; there was no need to confront him here.

Moreover, the inner courtyard was Yuan Shun Escort Agency’s secret location, inaccessible even to escort masters without permission.

Not only did Yuan Shun Escort Agency’s shopkeeper, Ruan Fengshan’s family live in the inner courtyard, but also the accountant and sealed warehouse were there.

The sealed warehouse housed not only the agency’s silver but also clients’ entrusted items.

The sealed warehouse had three keys: one with the shopkeeper Ruan Fengshan, one with Chief Leader Luan Jingfu, and one with Chief Accountant Xu Shouxian.

The sealed warehouse was in the inner courtyard, but its exact location was known only to these three!

Being summoned to the inner courtyard at this hour, something must be happening.

But was it good or bad?

Duan Rong followed the man and Zhao Mu through the Martial Arts Arena towards the inner courtyard!

Suddenly, Duan Rong noticed that the man wasn’t dressed as an escort master or leader but wore a black edged sumptuous attire!

Duan Rong’s thoughts raced. Who was this person?

Suddenly, a thought struck Duan Rong. Zhao Mu had addressed him as Young Master Luan earlier.

Could this person be none other than Luan Bao, the only son of Chief Leader Luan Jingfu of Yuan Shun Escort Agency?

What matter in the inner courtyard related to him so much that Chief Leader’s son personally came to take him?

Duan Rong’s mind filled with more doubts!

He reviewed his recent actions, pinpointed a few potential concerns, and mentally prepared his defenses...

In a while, the three arrived at the entrance of the inner courtyard.

At the courtyard entrance, lanterns hung high, and four guards stood inside and outside with drawn swords. Seeing such strict defense, Duan Rong couldn’t help feeling nervous.

Luan Bao led Duan Rong to a building. Inside, the candlelight was bright as day, illuminating half the courtyard with its yellow glow.

Under the eaves, two lanterns shone upon the plaque with three powerful words, Juyi Hall, brightly lit.

Duan Rong’s heart raced faster, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Was this scene...

Was this an attempt to trap him?

Just then, Zhao Mu backed away from the door and turned to leave the courtyard.

Luan Bao pushed Duan Rong, and they both stepped over the threshold and went inside.

Duan Rong suppressed his racing heart, tightly pursed his lips, and looked inside the room.

In the middle of the hall, against a six-fold embroidered screen depicting a tiger roaring deep in the mountains, was a tall, broad chair covered with a white tiger skin, occupied by a man in his forties.

This man was dressed as a scholar in loose brown silk attire, with slightly chubby cheeks, yellow face, and no beard.

Below the tall broad chair were two rows of grandmaster’s chairs.

On the top seats of the left and right rows sat one person each.

On the right, sat a middle-aged man with a sullen face, a circled beard on his face, high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, with a forehead wrinkle like a carved line across.

On the left, surprisingly, sat Xiao Zongting!

Seeing Xiao Zongting there, Duan Rong immediately felt more at ease.

Though their time together wasn’t long, Xiao Zongting’s inherent righteousness and wholehearted nurturing touched Duan Rong.

As soon as Luan Bao entered, he silently walked behind the sullen-faced middle-aged man on the right, holding a knife behind him.

Duan Rong’s heart skipped a beat. A glance confirmed his guess. This sullen-faced middle-aged man was likely the Chief Leader of Yuan Shun Escort Agency—Luan Jingfu.

Based on the seating arrangements in the hall, who else could be on the tall broad chair?

Xiao Zongting glanced at Duan Rong and said, "Duan Rong, quickly pay respects to the shopkeeper and Mr. Luan!"

Duan Rong’s heart warmed slightly. Xiao Zongting was reminding him of whom these people were to prevent any disrespect!

Duan Rong immediately stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said loudly, "Apprentice Escort Master, Duan Rong, pays respects to the shopkeeper!"

"Pays respects to Chief Tutor Elder Xiao!"

"Pays respects to Chief Leader Mr. Luan!"

Duan Rong made three bows in succession, showing no sign of cowardice!

Xiao Zongting was slightly taken aback; this kid was more astute than he thought.

Now, Duan Rong was no longer nervous. He thought, whatever comes, I can handle it; why be afraid?

Who actually has more courage?

Though Duan Rong paid respects one-by-one, his order of doing so was Ruan Fengshan, Xiao Zongting, and then Luan Jingfu.

This was significant!

Anyway, the Chief Leader’s status was evidently above that of the Chief Tutor.

Yet, in paying respects this way, no one could find fault with him.

After all, Xiao Zongting was the Chief Tutor, and Duan Rong was an apprentice escort master. This established a teacher-student relationship.

The saying goes, a day’s teacher becomes a lifelong father; who could argue he was wrong to respect his teacher?

But Luan Jingfu’s expression turned cold, his deep-set eyes shot a chilling glare at Duan Rong, and he questioned in a deep voice, "Duan Rong, have you been selling paintings on West Main Street?"

Duan Rong’s heart trembled slightly, glancing at Xiao Zongting.

Xiao Zongting met his gaze and unemotionally said, "Just answer truthfully."

Duan Rong looked at Luan Jingfu and said, "Yes, that’s true."

"Around 3 p.m. today, did you almost cause a murder on the street?"

Duan Rong’s heart skipped a beat, finally understanding what this stance intended.

He immediately defended, "There was indeed some commotion in the queue, but luckily no harm came, and no murder occurred!"