I Can Devour Spirits-Chapter 131: Zhao Mansion

Xiao Yu turned to look at Duan Rong, seeing that Duan Rong was unharmed, she finally relaxed!

Duan Rong’s gaze was fixed on Liu Ao, but Liu Ao never looked at him once.

Duan Rong was almost certain that in the chaos of the battle earlier, Liu Ao was trying to kill him!

Although the battle was chaotic, he knew very well that it was definitely not an accident!

"Liu Ao wants to kill me?"

In the past few days, he had also noticed Liu Ao’s veiled admiration for Xiao Yu.

Could it be because of Xiao Yu’s attitude towards him, that Liu Ao felt envious? Duan Rong thought, his expression flashing.

Regardless of the reason, the grudge was already firmly entrenched!

Duan Rong hardened his heart: Does Liu Ao really think that with his Minor Success Realm of the Third Level of Inner Breath, he can easily defeat me? If we truly fight, it’s not certain who will die!

Duan Rong saw Liu Ao not looking at him, so he turned away as well, feigning calmness.

Li Yuliang, hiding behind the escort vehicle, saw Hong Yan finally retreat, his legs went weak, and he collapsed on the ground. He felt like he had walked twice outside Ghost Gate this night...

Although Luo Fanglong and Lu Feng were injured, their wounds weren’t severe. After bandaging them, they each mounted their horses!

After the escort team regrouped, they continued their journey!

Ahead was the county town of Sheqi County. After a night of fast-paced travel and a strenuous battle, everyone was already tired and hungry, and all were thinking of finding an inn for a proper meal upon entering the town!

Sun Huang rode his horse slowly; though Hong Yan was driven away, his heart was still shrouded in gloom.

Hong Yan’s question continued to echo in his ears...

"Doesn’t Yuan Shun Escort Agency conduct background checks when taking personnel escort jobs?"

Yuan Shun Escort Agency does conduct background checks; otherwise, wouldn’t they be taking jobs for wanted criminals?

But why did Luan Jingfu conduct a background check yet still take on Li Yuliang’s escort job and assign it to him?

Was it that the background check didn’t find any issues or did he know there were problems but deliberately put them on him?

He was an old subordinate of Xiao Zongting, and the escort masters in the escort team were all trained by Elder Xiao; naturally, Luan Jingfu regarded him as a direct line of Xiao Zongting.

However, he had been in the escort agency for many years, with both seniority and reputation; on the surface, Luan Jingfu had never openly opposed him but secretly, he had no idea how many obstacles Luan Jingfu had put in his way...

The escort team entered the city, and proceeded directly along the street to their familiar accommodation in Sheqi County—Liuhe Inn.

The escort vehicle horses were unhitched and led into the backyard, the horses were put in the stable, and the escort masters settled in the main hall.

It was still just morning, and the cooking ingredients hadn’t been prepared yet. Sun Huang ordered beef jerky and peanuts, and further requested steamed buns and spring noodles.

All were quick meals and were soon served, after testing them with a silver needle, everyone began eating...

After eating their fill, Duan Rong patted his round belly and belched. He hadn’t slept all night, and his eyelids were twitching from exhaustion, but as soon as he finished eating, Xiao Yu grabbed him to go deliver the message dart.

If no intern escort master joined the team, then the message dart responsibilities would be parceled out individually along the way.

But once an intern escort master joined the team, the first three message darts were handled by the newly joined intern escort master.

Xiao Yu and Duan Rong left the Liuhe Inn, heading along the street towards East City. They only had one message dart to deliver, which was to the Zhao Mansion in East City...

But along the way, Xiao Yu pointed out all the key delivery points of the message dart to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong absentmindedly listened along the road, occasionally glancing at the sides of the street; Sheqi County and Xianggu County were close in proximity, with similar customs, and the items sold in the shops were quite alike...

The two walked for half an incense stick’s time and arrived at the alley where the Zhao Mansion was located. Xiao Yu led the way inside, and Duan Rong followed quickly.

It was just early morning, and the gates of the Zhao Mansion were closed. Xiao Yu walked up the stone steps, grasping the copper ring, ready to knock.

She had barely knocked twice when the vermillion-painted door opened slowly into a crack of its own accord. Xiao Yu was perplexed and pushed the door open!

The vermillion-painted door opened in response!

Xiao Yu’s beautiful eyes narrowed as she walked in, with Duan Rong following closely behind.

The two entered Zhao Mansion one after the other. The first thing they saw was a screen wall; they walked around it to find a courtyard overtaken by wild grass, already covering their ankles!

Xiao Yu was astonished. "The Zhao family is quite influential in Sheqi County; how could their residence fall into such disrepair?"

She had delivered the message dart to Zhao Mansion just over three months ago, and at that time, Zhao Mansion still had a gatekeeper. But now, it seemed deserted.

"Is anyone there?" Xiao Yu suddenly walked forward a few steps and shouted into the center of the courtyard.

The courtyard was silent, with no one responding to her.

At this moment, Xiao Yu suddenly noticed a human skull on the ground near her foot, almost touching her shoe, concealed by the wild grass, undiscoverable unless approached closely.

Her heart jumped, she stepped back two paces, but as she stood firmly, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her right calf.

She focused her eyes and saw a grey-brown scaled snake in the grass. Furious, Xiao Yu drew her sword and slashed, pouring her Inner Breath into it. The snake’s midsection exploded into bloody bits that fell onto the ground, and only its head and tail remained twitching...

Duan Rong quickly approached, observed, and saw that the snake’s head was triangular—it was a short-tailed viper!

"Master! This snake is poisonous!" Duan Rong exclaimed.

Xiao Yu recognized the venomous snake, and her face turned grim.

She pulled up her pant leg, revealing on her smooth, creamy calf, two puncture wounds from the snake’s fangs. Xiao Yu frowned and squeezed out some black venomous blood from the wounds!

"Master, this short-tailed viper’s venom is potent. If you don’t expel the venomous blood promptly, your leg might be at risk!" Duan Rong urged, looking at the fang wounds on Xiao Yu’s calf.

Xiao Yu certainly knew what Duan Rong said was true, but she seemed to have thought of something, her face blushed, her eyes showed uncertainty, yet Duan Rong had already squatted down, pressing his lips and tongue to Xiao Yu’s fair calf, sucking forcefully...

Xiao Yu’s face turned crimson, about to scold, but she held back, gently turned her head away...

Duan Rong sucked the venomous blood and spat it on the ground; soon, a small puddle of dark purple blood formed at his feet...

Xiao Yu focused her eyes on Duan Rong, seeing his face concentrated, his eyes shining brightly. The mixed emotions of anger and embarrassment in her heart slightly eased...

While Duan Rong was sucking, he suddenly noticed the silver anklet on Xiao Yu’s ankle. The anklet was evidently similar in style to the ones worn by Zhu Xiaoqi and Xiao Baijiao.

Suddenly, a thought struck Duan Rong; he gently pressed his hand against the silver anklet, silently saying in his heart, "Read Artifact Spirit."

Artifact: Silver Anklet

Artifact Spirit Tier: Tier One

Devouring Requirements: Host’s Spiritual Power Level 1 (Satisfied)

Devouring Effect: Cloud Serpent Step Mastery

Seeing this data appear before him, Duan Rong secretly rejoiced in his heart. "It’s Master Level Cloud Serpent Step!"

As Duan Rong continued to suck on Xiao Yu’s calf, he pressed his hand on the silver anklet, silently saying in his heart, "Devour!"