Another half month later, just when I was doubting whether I could find the nine-tailed fox in Qingqiu Mountain due to the uneventful journey, a burst of crying made us pull the horse's head.
Since we went to Danyuan Mountain and crossed Jishan Mountain, we have never seen a single family, not even a hermit or a savage. The cry was clearly that of a child. However, we didn't see any homes along the way on Qingqiu Mountain.
Could it be that children from villages and towns at the foot of the mountain broke in?
I looked at Jimo. He was clearly hesitating whether to go over and find out. After all, in this deep mountain where everyone avoids talking, hearing the cry of a child may not be a good thing that can save someone's life. But if we just leave it alone, Ai Ai's cries this time, full of grievance and confusion, seem to make people have to stop.
When he met my gaze, he frowned and walked over.
It was indeed a timid and crying child, with his back to us, curled up in a ball, which was heartbreaking.
I raised my eyebrows at him - he was just a kid after all.
He pursed his lips and said nothing. He just got off the horse and walked slowly over.
"Little girl? What's wrong?" He hadn't spoken for a long time, and his voice sounded hoarse.
The child just cried and didn't move.
If an ordinary child feels wronged and scared, will he remain indifferent when someone comforts him? I tried to think back, but couldn't come up with a rough idea.
"Little girl, you don't have to be afraid, we are not bad people. Where is your home, can we take you back?" he said patiently.
A gust of wind blew by, and the cloud shadows floated, just covering the dazzling sunlight. Just for a moment, I suddenly felt that that small figure was somewhat familiar.
In my heart, I suddenly felt a little scared.
Just a little girl. I told myself.
"Little girl." He was slightly unhappy and raised his hand to pat the child's shoulder.
The moment his fingertips touched that little shoulder, the child suddenly turned his head and looked at me fiercely with his eyes.
I understand why I am afraid and why I feel familiar.
This is the child I rescued in Wolongkou.
Negative Xi said, she left, I thought she was saying that I failed to save her. So it turned out that she had arrived at this place? How did she get here as a child?
"Sister..." She raised the corners of her lips and gave a big smile, but her eyes were ruthless, resentful, and cold, but there was no smile at all.
My hair stood on end and I looked at her blankly.
Jimo waved his arm to catch her, but she stepped in front of the horse.
My long hair has never been pulled up since I left the military camp. At this moment, it was hanging in front of her eyes.
She raised her hand and pulled my long hair hard, causing pain to spread to my scalp in an instant. She was very small, but very strong. I tilted my body, and my injured leg did not bear any weight. I was in so much pain that I had no strength to clamp the horse's body, so I fell heavily, and my shoulders hit the ground, cushioning the weight of my whole body.
I landed next to the horse's hooves and frightened the horse. The horse didn't care about raising its hooves, but in an instant it was about to fall and nail me. I didn't even have a chance to close my eyes and escape, so I looked at the horse going crazy.
Suddenly, he rushed over, grabbed the horse's reins, tightened the bridle, and pulled the horse aside. I was about to take a breath and relax, when I looked back and saw the child's ferocious smile, a smile that seemed to be successful, a smile that did not belong to a child.
"Liao Yan!" Jimo reacted quickly, but I turned my head and watched him flying in the air, hitting the tree with his back, making a loud noise and splattering blood.
Turning his head again, what he saw in front of him was no longer a child, but a huge fox with a pair of black eyes glowing blood red. It breathed, revealing its sharp fangs.
It flew past me quickly and pounced on Jimo. At that moment, I saw its nine long tails, swinging up and down as it ran and jumped, like a giant snake with hair, which was heart-warming. Fear and chill.
Nine-tailed fox!
When it opens its mouth, the cry is like a baby's cry.
No matter how vulgar and shallow I am, I still know that the Kyuubi is a man-eating beast.
It didn't look at me, but pounced on Jimo.
A lot went through my mind in an instant, and I couldn’t even see clearly.
He quickly drew out his sword. The sword without the roar of the dragon seemed vulnerable in front of this giant beast.
His back was covered in blood. I was very afraid that he would fall down like this without any warning.
But he stood so firmly, which made me even more worried. People always wonder if he is forcing himself.
Negative Xi said that he asked us to give him the nine-tailed fox. Along the way, Jimo and I never said anything more about this matter. After all, everyone had heard of the nine-tailed fox, but no one had seen it.
"Just a fox."
This was his only comment. There was no arrogance or disdain, and his tone was calm, as if he was just stating the most ordinary things.
At this moment, I don’t know what he should say.
Indeed, it is just a fox, a nine-tailed fox, a fox huge enough to eat people, a fox that can transform into human form.
I carry a dagger and a dagger with me, and I hide bits and pieces of small concealed weapons all over my body. Jimo always worried about me. After I went to the capital alone once, he insisted that I pack a bunch of self-defense weapons.
At this moment, looking at the huge demon fox, these trivial things must be of no use. But at any rate, it would be good to attract its attention. It's fine for such monsters to surround me and hate me. After all, I am also such a monster.
Before he could stand still, he raised his hand and threw the dagger.
As expected, it didn't hurt. As expected, it turned its head and looked at me with its dark, bloody eyes. As expected, Jimo swayed, as if he wanted to move over, but was hindered by his injury.
A biting light emanates from the eyes of the nine-tailed fox, making people tremble all over.
From Jimo to the east, hurry up. Why waste your energy here.
But he just looked at me, his face was pale, his feet were a little unsteady, but he still came step by step.
I bowed down in a defensive posture.
There was a soreness in my waist.
My body is weak and I have been deficient all year round, so pain in my lower back is unavoidable. But this time, it was so severe that I could hardly support it with my injured legs. The pain in my waist now made my body shake even more severely.
Fortunately, he stabilized himself and raised his head, a sly light flashed across the eyes of the Nine-Tails. I don't know why, but I always feel that this light has reduced the viciousness a lot.
It lowered its head, its fangs slightly exposed, and its hot and moist breath blew onto my face. Surprisingly, there was no fishy smell from the beast's mouth, and it was as clean as its snow-white fur.
Jimo waved the sword in his hand again, and the sword energy roared into the wind, causing Jiuwei to look sideways again.
Does he not want his life?
Kyuubi turned around and ran towards him this time. I threw away all my hidden weapons, but I couldn't make it turn back.
He hurriedly stepped over, but Jimo stared back with a sharp look.
I was stunned for a moment and stopped. The look in his eyes had the carefree and domineering look of someone holding a sword, but also something inexplicable. But I understood that he did not want a woman to protect him from injury or death. He was a proud man, after all. Even if he died, he would die alone and die of exhaustion, instead of surviving behind a woman. That was the greatest shame to him.
I understand, but I can't help but worry.
Seeing him dripping blood with every step he took, who could feel relieved? If I were a man and could help him, I would be like Maojier and the others. Even if I was just a cook like the old chef, it would be good. It's better than this, being able to hide under his wings and just watch, no matter how close you are, you can't help him.
She was born a woman, so she couldn't help him, but she still looked like this.
He struggled with the Nine-Tails, gradually losing control, and a sharp sword spun in the air and fell. I have never seen his sword fall out of his hands. Even once, when the terrifying roar of the dragon roared out and everyone was stunned, he held the sword very steadily.
Before I had time to think about it, he suddenly jumped up and stretched his arms to the back of Kyuubi's head. At that moment, the Kyuubi opened its mouth wide and gnawed at him. It looked like he was about to jump in. It's the same in the mouth.
Suddenly a look came over me, I understood something, and I quickly threw the dagger on my body. Every time I throw a concealed weapon, I miss, but every time I catch a concealed weapon, he is the only one who catches it accurately. This time, too.
He swung his sword and struck the top of Nine Tails' head. For some reason, such a short sword suddenly seemed to have divine power in his hand.
In a daze, I seemed a little relieved. However, it was only in a daze.
Kyuubi seemed to know what he was going to do, and his blade-like teeth bit into him more and more ferociously.
It seemed as if they were going to die together, not avoiding each other but attacking each other.
At that moment, I don't know how I reacted, but it was only in that moment. When I realized it, I was already between him and the nine-tailed fox, with my waist being held in the mouth of the nine-tailed fox.
It hurts. I finally understand what it feels like to be cut in half.
His sword finally submerged the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Spirit, and after many more cuts, the huge monster fell to the ground.
I had no support and immediately fell to my knees. Biting my lip and looking at Jimo's expression, I suddenly wanted to say sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't leave him with the pride of a man, and I didn't hide behind him, waiting to enjoy the rewards.
Maybe my mind has become blurred. His usually calm eyes looked panicked for a moment, and he was so chaotic that there was no order to follow. But in an instant, he fell silent again, and he was still the same as usual.
"Let's go find Mr. Xu. Everything will be fine." His words made his face look a little pale.
I nodded.
In the end, he panicked and fought a life-or-death fight. He only remembered to go find Fu Xi, but forgot about Kyuubi. He panicked, even though his eyes were deceiving. Because he knows that no matter what his status is, he is the one who can't get into trouble.
I pulled his sleeve to remind him, and he was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening. He cut off the nine tails, collected them, and left with me.
He was a little noisy that day. Although it is true that people feel a little helpless when telling jokes on weekdays, but that day, it was a little too much.
He didn't want me to sleep, I was tired, but Qingqiu Mountain is so big, God knows where he would be. He is an elusive person. We searched for him for three days and three nights, rummaging through Qingqiu Mountain and digging three feet into the ground. If he didn't want to show up, then we had nothing to do with him. When he is willing to appear, he will appear in front of others without knowing when, and it is almost understandable to frighten others.
I don't want to wait for three days and three nights, nor do I want to be suddenly frightened. I would rather just sleep like this. The nature of the nine-tailed fox is like this. There probably won't be any wild beasts nearby, and Jimo is here, so it's probably safe.
I even selfishly didn't think about Jimo's wounds, so I went against his words and fell asleep.
That sleep seemed a bit long, with all kinds of weird dreams.
My father's, my mother's, my sister's... almost everyone I know, everyone who has been by my side even for a blink of an eye, I have dreamed about. The faces are extremely clear, but I don’t remember what they did or said. Only about Jimo's dream, I know, clearly what I dreamed about.
Because I have had that dream.
He turned into blood and dust in front of me and melted into the underground dream.
It's that sentence again, "If I die, I will be completely destroyed. I won't let you wait in vain for me to come back."
The person who said those words clearly did not have Jimo's voice, as usual.
I was lost in these words and it took me a long time to wake up.
"The girl is awake, go and inform the master."
This was the first sentence I heard. Wu Nong spoke softly and was very charming.
I was told to try my best to see clearly with my still blurred eyes. She has pretty features, slender figure, and a floor-length skirt that exudes a fairy spirit.
Her hand was holding a wet handkerchief and wiping my body.
I was very afraid that the people next to me would see even a small part of my arm, and I immediately wanted to shrink back in fear. I tightened the quilt with both hands and hid in the bed. She didn't move an inch, but she seemed to understand what I meant. She put her hand away and covered me with the quilt, and stepped aside respectfully.
It was at this moment that Fu Xi pushed the door open and entered. I hurriedly pulled back my scattered clothes under the quilt.
With a wink, he told the woman to get out, then walked slowly and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at me quietly.
His brows were full of fatigue.
"Would you like a glass of water?" He was about to turn around to pour it when he looked at me again and said, "Don't worry, Jimo is fine. His broken arm has been repaired. He has exhausted a lot of energy and is sleeping."
I breathed a sigh of relief and sipped the water he brought to my lips.
"I can't stay here for a few days. The woman just now is the guardian of the palace and can't leave Qingqiu Mountain in her life. Therefore, if you go to Danxue Mountain, you and Jimo Dongli can only go on your own."
I nodded slightly, not expecting anyone around me.
His eyes flickered slightly, as if he was hiding something and didn't know how to speak.
I am not a person who will get to the bottom of things. For such things, I just ignore them. However, this time, I always felt something was wrong. I hesitated for a moment, and when I was about to ask, he raised his hand and pressed my forehead, as if to feel the temperature.
He frowned and said, "You are very weak."
I looked at him. Anyway, according to what he said, I was going to sacrifice my soul. Is there any use in keeping a healthy body?
"Sorry, I can't save you."
Can't save me? Didn’t he already save Jimo’s and mine’s lives and have people take good care of us?
He frowned hard and then finally said: "You hurt your bones and are paralyzed. I'm sorry, I can't save you."
His bones were injured and he was paralyzed.
What does it mean to be paralyzed?
Which bone was injured and paralyzed?
"I'm going to see if Jimo is resting well and ask him to accompany you."
I pulled Fu Xi's sleeve, and I was afraid, not because I was paralyzed, but because I was afraid that he would know. What is there to be afraid of for a person like me? I just don’t want to involve others anymore.
"He's going to find out sooner or later."
My hands tightened.
"You want to go to Danxue Mountain by yourself?" Negative Chan always knows what I'm thinking, "You're like this... how is it possible!"
I lowered my eyes and looked at the plain brocade quilt. This place is as clean and elegant as a fairyland,
He suddenly coughed. I frowned and saw a touch of blood on the corner of his lips.
"I'll go first." He ordered in a low voice, his voice low and hoarse.
There is always something he wants to hide. I didn't stop him. After all, I also need time to process my feelings. After all, he was paralyzed.
I took a deep breath and looked at the high-hanging curtains. The plain dark patterns were very delicate and unique.
But the dark lines were too fine, which weighed heavily on my heart and made me panic.
The brocade quilt was so heavy that it settled on my heart, making me breathless.
