Chapter 47: The Scribe
Zhang Xiaofan woke up, the sky is already dark, I'm afraid that at least is sleeping five, six hours, but Baguio is still not awake, a pair of hands gripping his clothes, look like a frightened and timid child general, where someone thought she is actually an important person in the magic religion!
Zhang Xiaofan put his hand under his head, listening to the forest wind blowing trees issued by the "hsa hsa" sound, suddenly, thought of the Qingyun Mountain big bamboo peak, that piece of bamboo forest, is not also issued by this kind of sound?
These days, I disappeared under the ancient cave of ten thousand bats, the news is afraid to have spread back to the Great Bamboo Peak, I do not know Ling'er senior sister knows, will not be a little sad? However, if I suddenly appeared in front of her, she would definitely be happy! Will definitely also grab my hand, excited, laughing and cursing: brat, I knew you did not die so easily!
His face, in the darkness of the night, a smile, even his eyes, in this dark night, also so bright, but did not see, in his side, there is another pair of bright eyes, I do not know when to start, quietly watching him.
※※※
The sky was bright again, and the sound of birds chirping resounded in the mountains, crisp and pleasant.
Zhang Xiaofan walked to the edge of the brook, and with his hands together, he cupped a handful of water and splashed it on his face, a cool and silky sensation that penetrated right into his heart. He checked his left hand, removed the bandage, the broken bone was actually almost good, his heart was happy, took down the burning stick tied to his hand and inserted it in his waist, and moved his left hand with force, and it was really not much of a problem.
"Is your hand ready?" Baguio came from behind him and looked at him, then squatted down to wash her face with stream water.
"Yes!" Zhang Xiaofan cheerfully said, "It's nothing serious anymore, it doesn't hurt."
Baguio gently wiped away the water droplets on her face with her sleeve and said, "You shouldn't move around either, it's good to rest for a while longer as you're hurting your muscles and bones."
"Got it." Zhang Xiaofan responded obediently, then looked at Bi Yao, hesitated for a moment before saying, "Miss Bi Yao, now we are fortunate to have saved our lives, and escaped from the belly of that mountain, you and I are also, sort of, making friends, but after all, the paths are different, so we'll part ways here today."
Baguio squatted at the water's edge, did not get up, but her body seemed to shake a bit, Zhang Xiaofan could not see her expression, after a while, only then could she be heard to say in a low voice: "Oh, is it the Tao that is different?"
Zhang Xiaofan nodded and said: "Yes, I am the right way, you are the devil, since childhood my master has taught me, good and evil are not two sides, the next time we meet again, I'm afraid that you and I have been enemies, not friends. You in the belly of that mountain care me to save me, my heart is really grateful, this favor, in the coming days have fate, I will naturally repay you."
Baguio stared blankly at the hazy silhouette reflected in the clear water, and lowly recited, "Repay me?"
Zhang Xiaofan answered and said, "Yes, we make a clear distinction between our grudges, if it wasn't for you saving me, I could never have survived, in the future, if there is a place where I can be of service, I will serve." Saying here, he suddenly felt that it was not right, hurriedly added, "But you can't let me do something that is sorry for the moral righteousness of the division."
Baguio suddenly stood up, turned her head, and said, "I see that you are also considered a talented person, why don't you join our Sacred Sect! I'll recommend you to Lord Father, his old man has always loved talent, and will surely be willing to reuse you, and it's also better than you being a silent cook on the Great Bamboo Peak."
Zhang Xiaofan's face immediately sank, saying, "Miss Baguio, don't talk nonsense, I am a member of the righteous path, I would rather die than enter the devil's path, in my opinion, being a small cook on the Great Bamboo Peak is also much better than calling the shots in your devil's sect."
The corner of Baguio's mouth revealed a cold smile, and her words were also acerbic and cold as she said, "People in the righteous path? The sins that you people of the righteous path have created are no less than those of us people of the devil path, right? Back then, when the war between the righteous and the devil, those immortal ancestors of yours were not the same as those who see people to kill, the old and weak, women and children are also not spared!"
"Nonsense!" Zhang Xiaofan was furious: "These are all the good things that you do, you think I don't know, back then, you killed people in the wild, the people are suffering..."
Baguio said angrily, "Did you see all that with your own eyes? It wasn't your masters who told you, how could they tell you the truth for the sake of their own face?"
Zhang Xiaofan sneered and said, "Then have you ever seen it with your own eyes? You are here to tell me that the original righteous path is evil, and the demonic sect is righteous, and is it not the words of your elders to whitewash their own ancestors!"
Baguio was dumbfounded, a moment can not say, Zhang Xiaofan looked at her two eyes, thought back to the days before with her together with life and death, the heart is soft, lowered his voice, softly said: "Miss Baguio, no matter how the previous person, we do not care about him well, just our Qingyun door rules are strict, strictly prohibit the disciples and the devil in the people to come and go, I grew up in the Qingyun, do not dare to violate, today, we are here! Farewell! In the future have the fate to meet again, if you can repent, give up the darkness, I Zhang Xiaofan must be my life for you to do security, so that you get into the right way..." he said in a vigorous manner, but said stopped.
He saw Baguio sneering and laughing, "You guys are so full of shit, you can't even invite me, and you're talking about abandoning the darkness and the light. Well, I'll point out a clear path to you and you won't go, so go be your righteous people! When I see you again in the future, I'll be the first to take your head first!"
Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback, only feeling that this woman flipped her face faster than a book, but after all, he did not have the heart to argue, and towards Baguio, he always felt that there was something he owed, so at that moment, he arched his hand and said, "Precious." After saying that, he turned around and walked away without looking back.
Bi Yao watched him walk away, actually did not look back once, after his figure disappeared in the woods, suddenly, the heart is empty, like losing something important, the whole person all of a sudden lost spirit, slowly sat down. Eyes wandering, inadvertently swept over the pile of flaming ashes of the rabbit barbecued by Zhang Xiaofan last night, stunned in place, actually unknowingly shed tears.
She looked at the pile of ashes and sat like this, not knowing how long it had been, until she suddenly realized that the originally crisp bird chirps in the woods behind her were suddenly all quiet, as if they sensed some great evil scent, and actually did not dare to make a sound.
Then, she saw a black shadow, slowly moving out from behind her, enveloping her in it.
Although it is in the daytime, but somehow, as if the sky also seems to be gloomy down general.
Baguio suddenly turned back, staring blankly at the person behind her, half a long time, suddenly called out in a sad voice: "Father..." and jumped on the ground! ⋯⋯..." and flung herself into that person's arms.
The shadow as if also stunned for a moment, did not seem to think that Baguio will have such a move, but he was pleased to see his daughter to get out of trouble, that kind of joy is no longer concealable.
※※※
Zhang Xiaofan in this mountain forest walked a day, only out of the empty mulberry mountain boundary, would have been if he was airborne, half a day can come out, but the concern of the left hand injury, or willing to walk a distance, just this empty mulberry mountain has always been sparsely populated, this way, even a silhouette can not be seen.
After a night in the wild mountains, Zhang Xiaofan went on the official road, the road is spacious, not to mention, people also gradually more and more. He asked the pedestrians on the road, inquired about the direction of the road, to the north.
This day at noon, the day just in the middle, very hot, Zhang Xiaofan rushed half a day of the road, quite hungry and thirsty, saw a small tea stall on the roadside, supported by the roadside under a large tree, which has been sitting five, six guests, looking at the shade, they went over and bought a bowl of tea to drink, and incidentally, also sat down to rest a little.
Do not say, this small tea stall tea actually really cool thirst, Zhang Xiaofan drank a bowl, immediately up and down comfort, as if the day is not so hot, the heart will be looking for, looking at the hands of this injury has been healed, and in the afternoon to find a no one secluded place, on the Royal Air Force to fly back, which is also faster, and can see the master earlier.
Thinking about it, he naturally thought of the soon to be able to see his sister Tian Ling'er, can not help but heart a hot. Just at this time, heard the side of the road, came a gentle voice: "Boss, give me a bowl of tea."
A rare breeze blew by at noon, causing the branches and leaves on the big trees to sway, revealing bits of broken sunlight that scattered onto the ground. The fifty-something year old tea stall owner promised and bent down to pour the tea, Zhang Xiaofan inadvertently, his eyes looked over, and he could no longer bring it back.
A middle-aged scribe, thin eyebrows square face, eyebrows look elegant, but eyes gleaming, forehead corner full, but in this elegant in its own not angry and mighty momentum, a Confucian robe, the waist don't have a piece of light purple jade pendant, exquisite and clear, vaguely auspicious gas, a look know is not ordinary goods.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at a long time, suddenly realized that he was actually by this middle-aged scribe's style, only to feel that he walked in, originally, including himself, five, six together in the tea stall drinking tea guests, are silent and can not speak, was the man's momentum to the pressure.
Zhang Xiaofan retracted his gaze, but his heart was slightly marveled, at the same time, the middle-aged scribe's temperament was greatly impressed, although looking at this person is not how handsome, but this temperament from the inside, it is really rare.
The scribe entered the tea stall, took the tea handed over by the boss, casually sat down, then began to slowly sip tea. Around the guests who were still talking and laughing, now one by one are silent, within this tea stall, the atmosphere is quiet for a moment some odd, but only that middle-aged scribe calm and relaxed, did not find the slightest around the situation, a person alone there to drink tea and rest their feet.
After a while, the other guests or rest enough, or finished drinking tea, one by one check out, the boss came over to clean up the bowl, under the tree, at this time only Zhang Xiaofan and the middle-aged scribe left two people.
Zhang Xiaofan did not feel uncomfortable, but after sitting for a while, he felt rested, and was thinking of checking out when he left, when he suddenly heard a voice behind him: "Little brother."
Zhang Xiaofan was stunned to hear this voice mildly familiar, turned his head, only to see that the scribe was smiling calmly at him, surprised: "This gentleman, is he calling me?"
The scribe nodded with a smile and said, "Exactly." Saying so, he stood up and walked over slowly. Zhang Xiaofan followed and stood up, and when he came closer, he cupped his fists and said, "May I ask what is the matter with you, sir?"
The middle-aged scribe looked Zhang Xiaofan up and down and said, "No, I'm just lonely on my journey, and I'm looking at my little brother's eyes, so I came over to chat for a few moments, do you mind, little brother!"
Zhang Xiaofan hurriedly shook his head and said, "No matter, please sit down, sir!"
The scribe nodded with a smile and said, "Come, little brother, you sit too!"
The two of them sat down, and the scribe looked at Zhang Xiaofan and said, "May I ask what is your name, little brother?"
Zhang Xiaofan had grown up in Grass Temple Village since he was young, and then he had been taken in by Qing Yun Sect, over the years, except for his fellow disciples of Qing Yun Mountain's Great Bamboo Peak, he had almost never spoken to any outsiders, of course, the days when he had been trapped under the Deadly Spirit Abyss with the demonic girl Baguio some days ago did not count.
At this time, he spoke with this scribe, his heart somehow, to this person first have a few points of respect, and then respectfully said: "Dare not, in the next Zhang Xiaofan, may I ask Mr. name is?"
The scribe first read, "Zhang Xiaofan," nodded, smiled slightly, and said, "My surname is Wan, grass character Man Zhui."
"Wan Man Zhui!" Zhang Xiaofan read it in his mind, this name reads ordinary, but it gives a feeling of jingoism, Zhang Xiaofan couldn't help but look towards him, this Wan Renzhi's face was gentle, but the might between his eyebrows seemed to be innate, it was extremely heavy, with this name, it vaguely had the meaning of imperial ten thousand people.
Wan Man Xiang looked Zhang Xiaofan up and down, smiled and said, "Forgive me for asking one more question, may I ask if little brother Zhang is a cultivator?"
Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback, after he and Qi Hao and the other four had descended from the mountain, for the sake of convenience on the road, they had all changed out of their Qingyun costumes and wore ordinary clothes, which looked no different from ordinary people, and he didn't know how this middle-aged man could tell.
He was surprised, just wanted to ask this middle-aged man is how to know, but then look at that middle-aged man slightly smile, to the north of a finger, said: "May I ask Zhang small brother, but now the first big faction of the righteousness of the Qing Yun Mountain door?"
Zhang Xiaofan was even more shocked, and couldn't help but stand up, looking at this Wan Renzhi, and said in surprise, "May I ask Brother Wan, how do you, how do you know?"
Wan Man Zhi shook his hand with a smile and said, "Please sit down."
When Zhang Xiaofan slowly sat down, Wan Xiang smiled and said, "I saw that you are full of energy, and you didn't look tired all the way down, so you look younger than many people in their prime. In today's world, the trend of cultivation is prevalent, I think you must be a person with great skills."
Zhang Xiaofan bowed his head to humbly thank him, but couldn't help but say, "Then how did Mr. Mister know about my sect?"
Ten Thousand Years Lost smiled casually and said, "No matter what, I see that little brother is dusty, can't stop looking north, his face has the color of longing, seems to be returning to the heart of the arrow, and in the north, the closest and most famous cultivation sect is the Qingyun Sect. Speaking of which, the following is also a wild guess, blurted out, but let Zhang Xiaobo joke."
Zhang Xiaofan hurriedly said, "Where where, where, sir is so perceptive, you and I have never met before, to be able to tell at a glance, really admire, admire ah!" These few words he was speaking from the bottom of his heart.
Wan Xiang smiled faintly and said, "Qing Yun's sect has been famous in the world's cultivation path for a long time, with a long history and profound Taoism, which is admired by people all over the world, and little brother has joined the famous sect at a young age, and his future prospects are unlimited!"
Zhang Xiaofan heard this "unlimited" four words, his heart moved, but somehow remembered the dragon's head peak of the Qi Hao up, the end of the brain also flashed Lin Jingyu's shadow, shook his head and said: "Mr. overpraise, the disciples of the Qingyun Sect of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, in the following part of the rotten wood one, not a tool. "
Wan Xiang was stunned for a moment, and laughed out loud, "I can't imagine that you, Zhang Xiaobo, can also tell jokes."
Zhang Xiaofan didn't want to argue with him on this topic, so he asked him, "Brother Wan looks so dusty, I wonder where he is going?"
Wan Xiang leisurely stood up with his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky, and said, "This world is so big and vast, I travel the world, big mountains and ancient zephyrs, and go there at will."
"Ah!" Zhang Xiaofan marveled and said, "So that's how it is."
Wan Xiang turned back to look at Zhang Xiaofan, and suddenly a strange smile flashed across his face as he said, "Since Little Brother Zhang is under the Qing Yun Sect, I guess he must be a profound Taoist."
Zhang Xiaofan hastily shook his head and said, "No, no, I am an untalented person in the Qing Yun Sect, how can I speak of profound Taoism."
Wan Wan Xiang smiled faintly and said, "Zhang Xiaobo is polite, I have an unkind request, I still hope that you, Zhang Xiaobo, will fulfill it."
Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment and said, "Brother Wan, please speak."
Wan Wan Xiang said, "I grew up admiring your Excellency, such as the cultivation of high people, but I can not help but not enough chance, not to enter the door, and in the high people can be able to defend the magic treasure and walk on the Nine Heavens, it is a dream, over the past few decades, there is no one day do not aspire to get an immortal magic treasure and watch it. Little brother Zhang is a famous disciple, I wonder if he can fulfill this small wish of mine?" After saying that, he actually bent down deeply and performed a big salute.
Zhang Xiaofan was dumbfounded, looking at the ten thousand people to salute, but also panicked, and hastily held, the heart is really difficult, hesitated for a moment, looking at the ten thousand people to still look at their own face with anticipation, sighed, said: "not afraid of ten thousand brother jokes, in the next is not unwilling to ten thousand brother to watch, just, just the treasure does not go to the hall, I'm afraid that there is an obstacle..."
Wan Yi immediately said, "What's wrong with that? Immortal treasures, there is no such thing as not being on the stage."
Zhang Xiaofan face slightly red, after all, can not let go of face, from the waist to pull out the fire stick, handed over. Looking at him handing over such a thing, the color of surprise on the face of Ten Thousand People also flickered, but then disappeared and solemnly took it.
Zhang Xiaofan took his expression in his eyes and smiled bitterly, "Not to mention you, even the people in my division often laugh at me." After saying this, Zhang Xiaofan's heart was suddenly startled, and he only felt that he was so strange today, in front of this person who he had never met before, how did he seem to be willing to say anything to him in general.
That ten thousand people in the past but did not notice Zhang Xiaofan, eyes are placed on that fire stick, originally his face although solemn, but his eyes are still a little casual, but gradually, he seems to see what, not only the face of the sunk, a pair of eyes is dead staring at this black ugly stick.
Zhang Xiaofan watched from the side, only feeling that this Wan Man Zhi looked so strange, holding the one-foot long burning stick in front of his body, looking at it carefully, holding it with his right hand, and his left hand's long and slender five fingers gently caressing and gently clicking on this stick, being extremely careful, he couldn't help but ask: "Brother Wan, may I ask if there's anything wrong with it?"
Wan Wan Xiang as if awakened from a dream, hesitated for a moment, returned this burning stick to Zhang Xiaofan, said, "Zhang Xiaobo, because I admire the Immortal Way, I have read some books in this area, there are some words that I still have to ask Zhang Xiaobo for advice."
Zhang Xiaofan said, "Please speak!"
Wan Xiang glanced at the burning stick and said, "May I ask Zhang Xiaobo, does this magic treasure contain Your Excellency's essence blood?"
Zhang Xiaofan was shocked, in a flash, his mind drifted back to the horrible scene in the valley behind the Great Bamboo Peak, he stood up and pointed at Wan Xiang, "What did you say?"
Wan Wan Xiang glanced at him and slowly said, "May I ask Little Brother Zhang, this magic treasure, is it two things combined into one?"
Zhang Xiaofan hid one of the deepest secrets in his heart, and now he was actually told by this person, this shock was not trivial, he only felt a buzz in his head, and was unable to speak.
Ten thousand people to look at Zhang Xiaofan stunned expression, since he understood that he expected good, only to see him as if slightly lowered his head, seems to remember what, vaguely sighed, said: "You do not know it! The beads on this rod were originally a holy relic of the Devil Cult."
Zhang Xiaofan was getting more and more alarmed, almost even holding his breath, but there was a voice in his deep heart, as if laughing coldly, "You knew it, you knew it, this stick is so evil, naturally, it is an evil object of the Devil Sect."
"You, what did you say?" Zhang Xiaofan gasped and stared at him, word by word.
"This bead is the relic of the devil sect's ancestor, Old Man Blackheart, eight hundred years ago." Ten Thousand Man's words were like nails, driving them word by word into the tip of Zhang Xiaofan's heart, "The name is 'Blood Devouring Bead'."
Zhang Xiaofan's entire body froze, holding his breath, millions of thoughts turning in his mind, but there was always one image that lingered: the skeleton within the secret cave in the belly of Mount Empyrean!
Wan Xiang looked at his shocked appearance, paused for a moment, but then faintly said, "Zhang Xiaoban, you know the origin of this bead, but I wonder if you are still willing to know the origin of this short black stick?"
Zhang Xiaofan's body shook, unable to speak, just staring straight at the Ten Thousand People.
