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

After the banquet ended, Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi returned to the courtyard.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Xiao Yu said, "Xiao Qi, Qian'er will sleep with you tonight."

Zhu Xiaoqi hummed in agreement, a hint of joy flashing in her eyes.

In the three months since she gave birth to Qian'er, except for the first month of her postpartum confinement when Qian'er was often by her side, for the past two months or so, Qian'er has slept with Xiao Yu every night.

Later on, Xiao Yu would only call her over when it was time to breastfeed. Otherwise, Xiao Yu wouldn't let her interfere in Qian'er's affairs at all.

Zhu Xiaoqi naturally knew that Xiao Yu suddenly asked Qian'er to sleep with her because Duan Rong had returned and Xiao Yu wanted to serve Duan Rong.

Even so, she was overjoyed; she hadn't taken good care of her child in a long time.

Countless nights, after a long day of work, she would lie down and find herself unable to sleep, lost in thought, imagining Qian'er's adorable sleeping face. As she thought about it, a smile would involuntarily creep onto her lips, but before that smile could fade, tears would stream down her face.

Zhu Xiaoqi followed Xiao Yu into the east wing.

Qian'er lay in the cradle at the head of the bed, while Shen Mizhi sat there, gently rocking the cradle with a look of utter despair. She dreaded taking care of children; every time she had to look after Qian'er, she felt like she was living a life worse than death.

Upon seeing Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi enter, Shen Mizhi stood up as if granted a pardon and exclaimed, "You're finally back!?"

Xiao Yu asked, "Is Qian'er asleep?"

Shen Mizhi said, "You can tell. This little devil is really... he has to be rocked to calm down, otherwise he'll start crying immediately..."

Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi walked over and looked into the cradle. Under the lamplight, Qian'er was fast asleep, drool dripping from the corner of her mouth. Her delicate and beautiful appearance was so pleasing to the eye.

Xiao Yu glanced at Zhu Xiaoqi and said, "Xiaoqi, take Qian'er over there."

"Yes, ma'am."

Zhu Xiaoqi stood by the cradle, gently reached out, and picked up the sleeping Qian'er, wrapped in a thin blanket. Her movements were light and swift, without any hesitation.

Qian'er left the cradle and entered Zhu Xiaoqi's arms. Zhu Xiaoqi held him carefully, full of maternal love.

Xiao Yu saw the love and joy on Zhu Xiaoqi's face, and her heart ached slightly. She knew that she had been going too far by rarely letting Zhu Xiaoqi have contact with Qian'er lately.

Zhu Xiaoqi looked at Xiao Yu and said, "Miss, I'll take Qian'er to sleep in the back."

Xiao Yu said, "Okay, go ahead."

Zhu Xiaoqi then went outside.

Shen Mizhi naturally wouldn't stay here; she went to find a place to practice her skills.

Xiao Yu sat down at the dressing table and began to redo her makeup. She removed the pearl hairpin from her hair, tied it into a casual, languid bun, and then applied rouge to her face...

After leaving Lü Zhongtang's study, Duan Rong slowly walked back to the courtyard.

The courtyard was pitch black, but an alluring light shone through the window screen in the east wing. Duan Rong's eyes flickered slightly, and he walked straight through the east wing.

He went to his room where he slept alone, took out a tinderbox, lit the lamp, and sat down at the table. He then took out the yellowed booklet from the drawer.

This book is naturally Lü Yinlin's notes, but after Duan Rong himself condensed the Cave of Enlightenment, his understanding of some of the records in it changed.

He then decided to reread the booklet.

Xiao Yu tied up her hair ornaments, wore a bellyband, and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting and waiting, but Duan Rong did not come.

She became suspicious, so she put on her clothes and came out.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, Xiao Yu's eyes flickered slightly, for she saw that the light was on in Duan Rong's room.

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered slightly. She then went to the kitchen to brew ginseng tea, picked up a lantern, and headed towards Duan Rong's room.

She lifted the curtain and saw Duan Rong sitting at a table, seemingly looking through something.

Xiao Yu walked over, placed the ginseng tea on the table, and said softly, "Husband, the night is deep. Have a cup of ginseng tea to soothe your throat."

"Oh, just put it there. I'll drink it later."

Duan Rong stared intently at the notes in his hand, speaking calmly without even looking up.

Xiao Yu's face stiffened. After standing there for a while, she turned and walked out.

She walked out of the hall, stood in the courtyard, and turned her head to look in the direction of Zhu Xiaoqi's room.

She walked over in the darkness.

Zhu Xiaoqi wrapped Qian'er in a blanket and placed her on the bed. Although there was no cradle in her room, Qian'er slept soundly.

Zhu Xiaoqi looked at her child and smiled from time to time.

She longed to kiss and touch her Qian'er, but she was afraid of disturbing his sleep, so she just watched...

Zhu Xiaoqi's eyes were filled with the warmth of a loving mother. Just then, there was a knocking sound at the door.

Zhu Xiaoqi's heart skipped a beat, and she whispered, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Xiao Qi, open the door."

Xiao Yu's voice came from outside the door.

Zhu Xiaoqi glanced at Qian'er, who was fast asleep at the head of the bed, and a bad feeling crept into her heart. She got up, got out of bed, and opened the door.

Xiao Yu stood there holding a lantern, smiled slightly, and said, "Qian'er, why don't you go sleep in my room? That child is used to sleeping in a cradle."

Zhu Xiaoqi froze upon hearing this.

But Xiao Yu had already entered the room, picked up Qian'er from the bedside, and walked out.

Xiao Yu took a couple of steps, then suddenly turned back to look at Zhu Xiaoqi and said, "By the way, Xiaoqi, could you wash the clothes I've changed out of these past two days?"

“Yes, Miss,” Zhu Xiaoqi nodded. Her voice didn’t betray any grievance, but tears were already silently streaming down her face.

She wasn't afraid of washing clothes, but she rarely got to spend a night with Qian'er, and the young lady just took Qian'er away again.

Zhu Xiaoqi carried the dirty clothes out of Xiao Yu's room, sat by the well, and began to wash the clothes in the dark.

Duan Rong sat there and quickly finished flipping through the booklet. After all, he himself had reached the Cave-Ming Realm, and there was very little left in the notes that was worth his time.

He closed the booklet, glanced at the ginseng tea on the table, but didn't drink it.

Duan Rong stood up, thought for a moment, and decided to go to Xiao Yu's room. Firstly, he hadn't been back for half a year, and secondly, he wanted to see Qian'er.

He stepped out of the hall and stood in the courtyard, where he heard the sound of running water and washing clothes.

Duan Rong frowned, his expression turning somewhat unpleasant.

The next moment, his figure vanished like a ghost and suddenly appeared not far from Zhu Xiaoqi, asking in a deep voice, "It's so late, who told you to wash the clothes?"

Zhu Xiaoqi trembled slightly, looked up, and saw Duan Rong's face illuminated by the dim light of the lanterns under the eaves. She whispered, "Miss said the clothes are dirty..."

Duan Rong sighed. He had originally intended to go to Xiao Yu's place, but suddenly changed his mind and said, "I don't need to wash my clothes yet. After half a year of seclusion, it's time for me to take a bath. Could you boil some hot water for me?"

Zhu Xiaoqi stood up and replied shyly, "Yes." Zhu Xiaoqi boiled water and added it to the bathtub in the shower room. When the water temperature was about right, Duan Rong walked in slowly.

The room was steamy. He entered and closed the door. Then, somehow, he emerged naked from under his clothes. He reached behind him, grabbed the empty garment that hadn't yet fallen off, folded it neatly, and placed it on the chair.

This bizarre scene left Zhu Xiaoqi speechless.

Duan Rong put away his clothes and turned around. His body, tempered by the power of the laws, was clearly more proportionate, possessing a rhythmic harmony. Zhu Xiaoqi felt a shy flutter in her heart and couldn't help but lower her head.

Duan Rong stepped into the bathtub. He glanced at Zhu Xiaoqi and said, "Come in too, and help me scrub my back."

"Yes." Zhu Xiaoqi gave a faint "hmm," then took off her clothes, stepped onto a chair, and got into the bathtub.

She had just wiped Duan Rong's back a few times when he pulled her into his arms...

After a tender moment, Duan Rong stroked Zhu Xiaoqi's calloused hands and said softly, "Xiaoqi, you've suffered."

Zhu Xiaoqi said, "It's not bitter. I'm an orphan with no parents. If it weren't for Old Master Xiao taking me in, I would have starved to death long ago. This little bit of hardship is nothing."

Duan Rong gently kissed Zhu Xiaoqi's forehead. Suddenly, he waved his hand, and a gold hairpin flew out from his neatly folded clothes on the chair.

Duan Rong reached out and took it, then handed it to Zhu Xiaoqi, saying, "This is for you."

By the lamplight, Zhu Xiaoqi saw that the gold hairpin was openwork and exquisitely crafted. She was immediately delighted and asked with a smile, "Where did you get it?"

Duan Rong said, "I did it myself."

Zhu Xiaoqi said, "I don't believe it."

Although she said that, her face was full of joy.

Just then, Zhu Xiaoqi faintly heard the sound of a baby crying outside. Zhu Xiaoqi was very sensitive to Qian'er's cries.

"Qian'er is crying. Perhaps she's hungry. Miss should call me soon."

Zhu Xiaoqi then got out of the bathtub, dried herself off, and got dressed. As soon as she pushed open the door to the bathroom, she heard Xiao Yu calling from the other end. "Xiaoqi, Xiaoqi."

As Zhu Xiaoqi buttoned her clothes, she replied, "Miss, I'm here."

After Zhu Xiaoqi left, Duan Rong sat in the bathtub, his head resting on the rim.

He did this today to appease Zhu Xiaoqi. That maid has such a hard life.

The openwork gold hairpin that he gave Zhu Xiaoqi earlier was indeed made by himself.

He has devoured the spirits of many paintings and calligraphy, and his painting skills have reached a state of perfection. Naturally, the design of hairpins and golden hair ornaments is beyond his capabilities.

After achieving the Cave-Penetrating Realm, he mastered the power of seventy-nine laws and already possessed the ability to turn stone into gold.

In the short time it took Zhu Xiaoqi to boil water, he created this intricately patterned gold hairpin. The craftsmanship and design of this hairpin far surpass the standards of this realm, especially the intricate patterns, which Duan Rong outlined using the power of laws.

The intricate and exquisite patterns were not something an ordinary craftsman could create. However, due to the time constraints, Zhu Xiaoqi did not have time to examine them closely and thus did not notice.

Duan Rong sat in the bathtub for a while, then suddenly stood up. His clothes flew over and covered him, and he landed gracefully.

Duan Rong, dressed neatly, walked out of the bathing room and went to his room to sleep.

After Zhu Xiaoqi finished nursing her child, she returned to the bathing room, only to find the tub empty; Duan Rong was nowhere to be seen.

Everything felt like a dream...

But she knew it wasn't a dream; her lips seemed to still be warm...

She took out the openwork gold hairpin that Duan Rong had given her from her sleeve and examined it carefully by the lamplight.

The more I looked at it, the happier I became. The openwork patterns shimmered with a soft golden light under the lamp, every corner polished to a crystal-clear finish…

Zhu Xiaoqi went back to her room, put the gold hairpin into the jewelry box, touched it with her hand, and then closed the jewelry box and put it away.

Then she went back to the shower room, drained the water, and scrubbed the tub.

After leaving the bathhouse, she took advantage of the darkness to walk to the well and continue washing clothes. Although it was late at night, she was happy and couldn't help but hum a little tune...

The next morning, as soon as Duan Rong stepped out of the hall, he saw that the courtyard was filled with clean clothes, swaying gently in the morning breeze... and in the kitchen, Zhu Xiaoqi was already cooking.

Shen Mizhi was practicing her moves in the open space by the hall entrance. Duan Rong glanced at her; she must have just started practicing, as her breathing was steady and there was no sweat on her face.

Duan Rong said, "I'm going out for a bit."

Shen Mizhi stopped her sword strike and said, "Oh."

The next moment, Duan Rong transformed into a streak of black light and shot off into the distance.

"So fast!" The speed startled Shen Mizhi. She twisted her head and stared at the spot where Duan Rong had disappeared, feeling dizzy.

She had seen the speed of experts in the Cave-Ming Realm before, but Duan Rong's advancement to the Cave-Ming Realm still shocked her quite a bit.

She's quite obsessed with cultivation, but she hasn't even reached the Qi Cyclone Realm yet, while Duan Rong is already a Cave-Ming Realm expert.

Shen Mizhi continued practicing her moves, and after two rounds, Xiao Yu suddenly brought ginseng tea and snacks to Duan Rong's room. Shen Mizhi glanced at her, stopped her sword strike, and said, "Don't see him off, he's gone out."

Xiao Yu turned her head and asked, "My husband went out? When?"

Shen Mizhi said, "About an incense stick's time."

Xiao Yu asked, "Where did he go?"

Shen Mizhi said, "I don't know."

Here, Duan Rong transformed into a streak of black light and landed in front of the withered forest in the valley.

Although he had reached the Cave-Penetrating Realm, he still couldn't see through the talisman array of the withered wood forest shrouded in thin mist.

Behind that thin mist and withered trees, there was clearly a power more mysterious than the power of laws.

After leaving the deadwood forest, Duan Rong went straight into the valley.

The moment he stepped into the valley, his heart skipped a beat.

I hadn't noticed it before, but now that I look at it, I'm shocked. This entire valley is full of mysteries.

The ancient pine tree in the valley where Lü Yinlin often sat seemed to be the key to all these mysteries.

Duan Rong was only at the Cave-Ming Realm after all; he could only vaguely sense these mysteries and could not necessarily see their true nature.

Just then, Lü Yinlin's deep voice suddenly rang in Duan Rong's ears.

"Stop looking and come in."

Duan Rong then came to his senses. The mysterious energy that was faintly surging in the valley had indeed left him somewhat stunned. If Lü Yinlin hadn't called him, he still wouldn't have been able to come to his senses.

His eyes lit up, and he strode towards Lü Yinlin's cave. (End of Chapter)