Chapter 32: Descending the Mountain
Qi Hao and Zeng Shushu saw that Zhang Xiaofan was here, and more or less smiled and greeted him, only Lu Xueqi remained indifferent, but her gaze still glanced towards him, as if there were also unknown emotions flashing in the depths of her eyes, but in the twinkling of an eye, they dissipated into thin air.
Dao Xuan Zhenren looked at the four people under the hall and smiled, "Today, letting the four of you come here is a matter of letting you go down to the mountain for some experience."
Qi Hao and the others moved together.
Dao Xuan Zhen Zhen then told the matter of the "Ancient Cave of Ten Thousand Bats" in the Empty Mulberry Mountain the day before yesterday, and said, "This matter is of great importance, and you four are the elites of my disciples, that's why I've sent you to go and explore. But the devil sect demon treacherous and venomous, you all have to be careful."
The four of you said in unison, "Yes."
Daoist Xuan Zhenren nodded and said, "Furthermore, besides my Qing Yun Sect, Burning Incense Valley and Heavenly Sound Temple have both sent outstanding disciples to go and track them down together, so you must not be impolite in front of people, but you must not break my Qing Yun Sect's momentum either. In addition, the Long Sect's Senior Brother Xiao Yicai Xiao has also long since gone over to Empty Mulberry Mountain to track down this matter, if you guys find him, you will be able to discuss more about everything."
The four looked at each other and again agreed in unison.
Daoist Xuan Zhenren took a close look at these four younger generation disciples, and finally his gaze landed on Qi Hao, beckoning, "Qi Hao, come over here."
Qi Hao was stunned for a moment and walked forward, Dao Xuan Zhenren looked him up and down and turned his head to Cang Song Daoist and smiled, "Senior brother, your Longshou Peak has a successor!"
Daoist Cangsong's face was not looking too good from just now, at this time, he finally revealed some smile and laughed, "Senior brother is joking."
Daoist Daoist Xuan smiled as he took out an object from his bosom and handed it to Qi Hao, saying, "Take it."
Qi Hao took a look, but it is a small mirror, the shape of the ancient, bronze skeleton side, engraved on the dragon, engraved under the tiger, the mirror engraved with the eight trigrams on the location, the middle lens is not a general bronze mirror, yellow and unclear to see.
Qi Hao has not reacted, aside the Cangsong real person has been joyful, drank: "Silly boy, still stunned to do what, quickly kneel down and thank you."
Qi Hao immediately woke up, knowing that this inconspicuous thing in his hand is most likely the magic treasure "six mirrors", and quickly kneeled down, said: "Thank you for the master teacher."
Daoxuan real person smiled and said: "No need, no need, get up!" He said to the others, "You guys go out first!"
Knowing that he was going to teach Qi Hao the secrets of the Hexagram Mirror, the crowd retreated out together.
Walking outside the hall, Zhang Xiaofan first stepped aside with Tian Yiqi, who glanced at him and faintly said, "Now that you're burdened with a heavy responsibility, don't go back to the Great Bamboo Peak, and wait a little while before you go down the mountain with the three of them! I'll speak for you at the Great Bamboo Peak."
Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback, then lowered his head and whispered, "Yes, Master."
Tian Yiqiu said, "During the month that you have been recuperating, I heard that your master's wife has passed down some sword control techniques and dao secrets to you, have you memorized them all?"
Zhang Xiaofan nodded and said, "Yes, disciple has memorized them all."
Tian Yiqiu turned around and slowly said, "That's good, although you are not well qualified, you are always under my Great Bamboo Peak, don't disgrace me when you go out."
Zhang Xiaofan immediately said, "Yes, Master, disciple will never disgrace your old man."
Tian Yanyuan grunted, he had his back turned, and Zhang Xiaofan couldn't see his face, he didn't know what kind of expression he had, but listening to his voice, there wasn't much anger.
After a long time, as if he sighed, Tian Yiqian turned his head to look at Zhang Xiaofan, and without saying anything more, he waved his hand as a greeting, and then he sacrificed his Immortal Sword to break through the air and went away.
Zhang Xiaofan watched in a daze as his master's figure transformed into a red aura and disappeared into the sky, until his shoulder was tapped, startled, he hurriedly turned around, but it was none other than the smiling Zeng Shushu. And then look around, the other veins of the first seat have gone, leaving only the two of them and Lu Xueqi, who stood in the distance independently.
Zeng Shushu smiled and said, "Count your life, I was worried that you wouldn't be able to pass this time!"
Zhang Xiaofan was with him and instantly felt much more relaxed and smiled, "Yeah! I was scared half to death too."
Zeng Shushu patted him on the shoulder, looked back and forth at him, and whispered, "Why didn't you bring Little Gray?"
Zhang Xiaofan said bitterly, "I was brought by Master early in the morning and didn't expect to go down the mountain immediately, so I didn't bring anything! Where did I think of Little Ash?"
Zeng Shushu laughed, "It's fine, I can lend you the clothes, or we can wait until we get to the Heyang city below the mountain to buy them." Saying this, he winked at Zhang Xiaofan and quietly said, "Hehe, anyway, we can earn it this time."
Zhang Xiaofan did not understand what he meant and said, "What?"
Zeng Shushu shrugged his eyebrows, glanced behind him, and said with a hefty snicker, "There are beautiful women traveling with us!"
Zhang Xiaofan was angry and amused, but still glanced towards Lu Xueqi, at the same time, as if Lu Xueqi also had a sense as if she glanced here, the two of them gazed at each other from afar, Zhang Xiaofan only felt that she gazed at her like frost, he was startled, and hurriedly averted his eyes.
The two of them joked and laughed for a while, Zeng Shushu was whispering to him about how to go on the road with Lu Xueqi in the future, but suddenly realized that Zhang Xiaofan's originally smiling face suddenly stiffened up, and his gaze became straight, staring at his back.
Zeng Shushu slightly puzzled, turned his head to look, but saw in the long steps, a man walked up crookedly, more than forty years old, the body clothes are still clean, but a face of confusion, dull eyes, the mouth of some nonsense words: "It's raining, the sky is dark... stinks... mother ah... fairy, fairy, hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe "
Under the watchful eyes of Zeng Shushu and Lu Xueqi, who looked over from afar, Zhang Xiaofan walked over, walking slowly and slowly, as if it had been a long time before he walked to the man.
Just like, walking over to the past!
"Second Uncle Wang, are you alright?" He desperately suppressed his excitement and said in a low voice.
The man, however, seemed to be completely devoid of Zhang Xiaofan's presence in his eyes, still chanting under his breath, he shook off Zhang Xiaofan and walked over, and soon, disappeared into the back of the great hall.
"Who is he?" Zeng Shushu walked to his side and asked.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at the place where Uncle Wang Er's figure disappeared and said ruefully, "A madman!"
Zeng Shushu looked at his face and knowingly did not ask further. After a while, Qi Hao, who was full of joy, walked out from the hall and greeted the three of them.
Zhang Xiaofan absentmindedly walked over with Zeng Shushu, and the few of them conferred (Zhang Xiaofan was in a daze and did not say a word), deciding to first go down the mountain to the city of Heyang.
Zeng Shushu smiled and said to Qi Hao, "Senior Brother Qi, is the Six Harmonies Mirror passed down to you by Master Sect Leader powerful?"
Qi Hao laughed and said, "The Six Harmonies Mirror is my Qing Yun Sect's greatest treasure, naturally it's powerful, I'm afraid that I haven't practiced enough! Oh, well, this is the top of the mountain, except for the seven chakra chiefs the rest of the disciples can't use their swords, let's go down to the sea of clouds, and from there we can then use our swords to fly to Heyang City!"
Lu Xueqi's face was expressionless, Zhang Xiaofan nodded blankly, only Zeng Shushu was all smiles, it seemed that going down the mountain could be considered a joyous event for him, a fun-loving person.
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From the Green Cloud Sect to Heyang City, all the way up, the Green Cloud Sect's four most "outstanding" disciples come with swords, others are at ease, but Zhang Xiaofan can not help but be a little strenuous.
He recuperated in January, Su Ru seems to have expected that he will not be fine, passed him some of the secrets of the Qingyun door Taoist law, by the way, how to drive the magic treasure in the air and the method also passed on to him.
In fact, it is also simple, as long as the Taoist practice is deep enough, the treasure is not too inferior, to the Qingyun Taoist method supplemented by the power of thought to drive the treasure can be.
However, Zhang Xiaofan's cultivation is not deep, although the magic treasure is not bad, but it is very strange, the newly learned Qingyun Sect's Taoism is also quite unfamiliar, this use will be a big trouble.
At first, Su Ru also did not expect him to go to Tongtian Peak immediately want to go down the mountain, but also thought that first let him memorize the method, back to the Bamboo Peak, and then let him practice more, the other veins of the head of the course also do not know the details of this odd boy, see his performance in the seven veins of the martial arts test, and of course, they would assume that this most basic sword Royal Road method he knows.
However, he did not know that Zhang Xiaofan stole the Taoist method and practiced to the realm of "repelling objects" in a confused manner, but how did he know what the ability to control the sword was.
Watching the others put up their immortal swords, Qi Hao is a white "cold ice" immortal sword, Lu Xueqi is a blue "Tianya" immortal sword, and Zeng Shushu is an immortal sword with a slight violet aura - "Xuan Yuan". "Xuanyuan".
Zhang Xiaofan heart nervous, strong support to sacrifice "burning stick", but in the feeling seems to be a little worse, not the seven veins of the martial arts that day feel at ease.
Through the clouds and mountains, this is a half day's journey, but the four of them did not arrive at Heyang City until the sun went down. Zhang Xiaofan and the other three in order to avoid suspicion, in a secluded place outside of Heyang City landed on the ground, the whole body has been soaked, pale, look at this situation seems to be more than the day of the competition hard.
This way in the sky, he several times can not grasp the burning stick, if not Qi Hao and other people around him to see the wrong, do not dare to leave him too far, in time to help, I'm afraid that he is the new Qingyun Sect "outstanding disciple" inevitably from the heights of the fall down to the bones and death, has not yet to fight for the glory of the division will be stigmatized for ten thousand years, so that the Qingyun Sect lose face.
Qi Hao and others decided to stop outside the city, walking into the city, although there is the intention of avoiding suspicion, but also afraid of what if in the city downtown, in full view, Zhang Xiaofan a bad planted down, the Qingyun door two thousand years of hard work here to establish the lofty prestige will be destroyed, woe is me!
After a short rest, when Zhang Xiaofan regained his breath, the four of them walked towards the tall city of Heyang in the setting sun. Zhang Xiaofan walked at the end, feeling Qi Hao and Lu Xueqi at the front casting puzzled gazes from time to time, obviously they couldn't understand why a person who had made a big splash in the Seven Veins Martial Arts Grand Trial actually couldn't even use an ordinary imperial sword to walk clearly.
On the contrary, Zeng Shushu was still smilingly walking together with Zhang Xiaofan, never mentioning what happened just now, and introducing Heyang City to Zhang Xiaofan in an endless stream: "Within a hundred miles, this is the largest and most prosperous place. The people who live in this city, at least there are 20,000 to 30,000 people, and the location is good, there are many merchants and travelers, it's even more lively..."
Zhang Xiaofan listened to listen, the heart really admire Zeng Shushu erudition, said: "Shu Shu, how do you know everything?"
Zeng Shushu written with color, said: "What is this, read more natural know." Said he showed a wry smile, secretly attached his ear to Zhang Xiaofan's ear, whispered, "In fact, I've been here many times, are sneaking down the mountain."
Zhang Xiaofan was shocked, said: "You, you..."
Zeng Shushu's mouth turned away, saying, "See how scared you are? There's nothing to it. From my practice of the art of the imperial sword, naturally, it is necessary to practice often, flying flying here, tired to go down for a stroll what's so great!"
Zhang Xiaofan was dumbfounded by this.
Listening to the two of them muttering in the back, Qi Hao smiled faintly and said to Lu Xueqi beside him, "Lu senior sister, it's getting late, let's spend the night here tonight, and then catch up tomorrow!"
Lu Xueqi's face was as cold as ice, without the slightest expression, and only nodded faintly.
Entering the city, in order to avoid trouble, they had changed the disciple costumes of the Qing Yun Sect early in the morning, and did not cause any suspicion, but Lu Xueqi's stunningly beautiful appearance had caused quite a stir, causing quite a few passersby to stop and look.
Zhang Xiaofan glanced at Lu Xueqi on the side, see her although expressionless, but a pair of bright eyes flashed a trace of anger, can not help but worry about these passers-by, in case the day ea sheath, I'm afraid that this historic ancient city first destroyed half.
However, Lu Xueqi's connoisseurship is obviously much better than Zhang Xiaofan expected, until they stayed in an inn named "Mountain and Sea Garden", Lu Xueqi also did not move.
Qi Hao in the crowd in the deepest experience, four people is vaguely to him as the leader, such as this kind of store things are also he went forward to open up, and then they were arranged by the shopkeepers to the top of the back of the garden to live.
This mountain and sea garden is quite large, there are four separate courts in the back garden, the four of them live in the west court, each one house, go back to rest for a while, qi hao will call on the people, to the front of the restaurant to eat.
Mountain and Sea Court built its own restaurant, located in the most lively streets of Heyang City, but in the third floor VIP hall, but it is very clean, spacious hall only set less than ten tables, now there are about five tables with guests are eating. Qi Hao called the second, ordered a few dishes, look at him look familiar with this place, most likely is a regular customer.
Zhang Xiaofan thought in his heart, he was born in a farming family, never been to such a luxurious place as Mountain and Sea Garden, just passed the second floor when he saw the hall was magnificent, but walked to the third floor to see the carving of dragons and phoenixes, mahogany beams, ancient colors, and the second floor is completely different.
He naturally do not know the world if the people to the rich and noble place, will in turn the pursuit of identity taste, even though some people like glossy luxury, but in order to let people say that some of their own cultivation, attached to the elegance is also common.
The four of them sat at a small table by the window, Zeng Shushu glanced at the hall's arrangement, and said to Qi Hao: "Senior brother Qi, the price here is not cheap, right?"
Qi Hao smiled faintly and said, "This is the best restaurant in Heyang City, so naturally, it's not cheap, but our Qing Yun Sect has a reputation here, and their bosses can't wait for us to come, so they won't charge us much."
Zeng Shushu let out an "ah" and nodded in agreement. After a while, the store assistant will serve several plates of small dishes fresh fried on the table, especially at the end there is a plate of fresh stewed fish, look at the body of the fish fish body extension, the front part of the sub round, the back side narrow, body dark brown, there are two pairs of whiskers, thick and long. The most important thing is that the meat is white and moist, the aroma is overflowing, immediately let a person's appetite.
Zhang Xiaofan has always had an interest in cooking, and has never seen this kind of fish, couldn't help but ask the store assistant: "Little brother, what is this fish called fish, and how is it cooked?"
The shopkeeper laughed and said, "You really have a good eye, this 'Stewed Coyote Fish' is the signature dish of our Mountain and Sea Garden, fragrant and tender, sweet in the mouth, within a hundred miles of this Hanyang City, but it is very famous..."
Zhang Xiaofan swallowed his saliva, picked up his chopsticks and put a bite in his mouth, immediately closing his eyes and nodding his head, "Ah! The meat is really good, but the cooking is better, the sweetness is put some sugar, added ginger to remove the fishy, uh, there is a burst of onion flavor, must have used fresh small onions. Ah! What's rare is that the pepper, the five spice, and, yes, the sesame oil are so well matched... amazing, amazing!"
His face intoxicated look, see Qi Hao, Zeng Shushu dumbfounded, even Lu Xueqi also looked at him, face showing a strange look, but stood aside the shopkeeper is really admired, loudly boasted: "customer really expert, know the goods!"
Only then did Zhang Xiaofan notice the appearance of the crowd around him, his face flushed and he hurriedly put down his chopsticks, but he still asked a follow-up question, saying, "May I ask Little Brother Junior, where did this cove fish come from?"
Before the shopkeeper could say anything, he suddenly heard a woman's voice at a large table next door, "This Mei fish is a specialty of the Southern Hook Mountains, which is thousands of miles away from here, so how can it be transported here, and aren't you cheating this shopkeeper?" (Note 1)
The crowd ate a shock, looked over, only to see that a large table, sitting on top of eight people, six men dressed in yellow, there are two women, a woman dressed in a light purple dress, face veil, can not see clearly face, but reveals a few points of the skin is snow-white; the other woman is the person who spoke, not very young, look only sixteen, seventeen years old, a water-green clothes, beautiful appearance, thin eyebrows snow skin, a pair of bright large Eyes are extremely dynamic, people light up, that is, compared to the Lu Xueqi also not lose a few points.
Zhang Xiaofan "ah" a sound, but saw that the woman said this after some words, the eyes will fall to his table Lu Xueqi body, seems to be also for Lu Xueqi looks surprised. Women love beauty, that is, Lu Xueqi and so on usually cold as ice cream woman, at this moment but also can not help but look at the woman more than one glance.
The store assistant smiled and said: "This customer said yes, but you don't know, in a hundred years ago this Mei fish is indeed the south of the hook mountain unique, but then the Qingyun door Daoxuan real person passed by the hook mountain, specially this Mei fish moved back, put in the Qingyun mountain yin in the Hongchuan, now not only alive, and gradually flourish. We are all thanks to the blessing of Immortal Daoxuan on Qingyun Mountain to have this blessing!" As he spoke, a look of reverence appeared on his face.
Zhang Xiaofan and the other Qingyun Sect members heard this, naturally they were all happy and smiling, but that young girl heard this, turned back to look at each other with that veiled woman and sat back down, but her mouth was humming.
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After eating a delicious dinner, Zhang Xiaofan and the others returned to the residence with satisfaction, Qi Hao said to the crowd at the entrance of the West Garden, "Tonight, you all will rest here first! Early tomorrow morning, we'll make our way to the Empyrean Mountain."
Zhang Xiaofan and Zeng Shushu answered, but Lu Xueqi didn't say a word and directly walked back to her room, closing the door with a bang. Qi Hao stayed for a while, smiled bitterly at the two of them, and said, "The two senior brothers, also rest early!"
Zhang Xiaofan glanced at his handsome face, only to see under the setting sun, Qi Hao's demeanor is not inferior to the past, but there are a few dusty meaning, suddenly discouraged, can not raise the spirit, barely and Zeng Shushu said hello, actually also ignore Qi Hao, walk back to the room.
Zeng Shushu laughed, and Qi Hao joked a couple of sentences, the two of them will also go back to their rooms to rest.
This night, is Zhang Xiaofan five years for the first time to leave the Qingyun Mountain, tossing and turning, I do not know why the night did not sleep well.
In the middle of the night, he managed to sleep in a daze, but he dreamt that he was covered in blood, standing in the sea of corpses and blood with a hideous face, and at the same time, the depths of his heart were actually surging with indescribable frenzied killing intent, as if the red blood in front of his eyes was just like a sweet spring, attracting him, luring him, so that he couldn't help but want to gain it all through killing.
"Ah!"
Zhang Xiaofan woke up from his dream and sat up violently, gasping for air, his whole body drenched in sweat, and it was only after a while that his fiercely beating heart slowly calmed down.
He sat in a daze in the darkness for a long time, and unintentionally reached out and touched the burning stick that was placed beside his pillow, and a cold sensation surrounded him.
This dream was very similar to the nightmares he had kept dreaming over the years, that seemed to change into another person, the blood-craving murderer in that dream, which made him feel intimidated by himself.
There was no sound, and it was pitch black all around him.
He coiled his legs, sat up straight in the darkness, breathed deeply, closed his eyes, and put his hands together in front of him.
The darkness was like a gentle woman, gently wrapping around his body, a layer of faint golden light, faintly emanating from his body.
Reflecting that faint light, Zhang Xiaofan's face seemed to be covered with a layer of solemnity that he did not deserve.
I don't know how long it took before this layer of golden light gradually dispersed, and Zhang Xiaofan opened his eyes in the darkness, his mood at peace. Every time he came to this time, he particularly missed the compassionate monk Pu Zhi.
No longer sleepy, he walked to the door, opened it and walked out. The several rooms next to him were all dark, so he thought that Qi Hao and the others must have fallen asleep.
The backyard of Mountain and Sea Court was built in the middle of a garden, with four courtyards in the southeast, west, north, and west directions. Zhang Xiaofan walked out from the West Court where he lived, and then he arrived at the garden in the center.
It was already late at night, looking up at the sky, the stars filled the sky and a full moon hung in the sky. The night breeze was pleasant, vaguely carrying a hint of fragrance. The path is winding and deep, leading to an unknown place ahead. By the side of the road, grasses, shrubs, and flowers of all colors were open everywhere.
Zhang Xiaofan's heart was perplexed for a while, and he walked along the path, the breeze brushing his face, bringing a slight coolness.
Such a quiet night, a teenager, walking alone in the deep garden, reminiscing about the past.
By the side of the road, a small flower in the night wind lightly trembling, there are crystal dewdrops, attached to the pink and white petals above, exquisite, Zhang Xiaofan stopped walking, do not feel that it is actually a daze to look at the dull.
Hidden fragrance, dark came.
Suddenly, a slender jade hand, as if reaching from the eternal darkness, with a point of ethereal beauty, printed with the moonlight and starlight in the sky, explored to this flower.
Folded it!
At that moment, Zhang Xiaofan's brain "boom" a sound, as if the sky full of moonlight has lost its luster, the garden suddenly plunged into darkness.
He turned his head and looked over, with a bit of inexplicable hatred.
A young girl in water-green clothes, standing there, as if to attract the light of the sky, gently put the flowers in front of the nose, smelled deeply.
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『注一：《山海经-经第四卷-诸钩山》：又南水行五百里，曰诸钩之山，無草木，多沙石。 It is also a mountain, a hundred miles wide, more coy fish.''
