After resting for the night, they walked aimlessly in the forest.
It was not suitable for a carriage to enter here, so they separated the carriage from the horse, loaded the luggage on the horse, and led it for a walk in the woods. Many flowers and plants that once seemed strange and weird are now not surprising after seeing too much; everything that was once very dangerous to them seems to be nothing to fear after a few people have experienced strong winds and waves.
Bai Ya's breathing was very abnormal, as if there was a loud noise mixed in, and it was very heavy. He seemed a little unwell, and his condition seemed worse than after yesterday's battle, but he was trying his best to restrain himself. Others didn't know why, but Liu Shenghan said that Bai Ya talked intermittently in his sleep last night, which was vague and incomprehensible.
"No way." He denied, "I didn't dream about anything."
"Maybe I just forgot... you are in a bad state."
They didn't dare to tell Bai Ya that his face looked pale at this time, worse than when he first woke up. The symptoms are sudden but not without warning. It would be better to say that those small omens have always been on the line between being insignificant and difficult to ignore: shortness of breath, sweating, headache, anxiety, and talking in sleep.
"Could it be... that you were poisoned?" Qi Huan felt nervous, "After Musician was defeated, you have been coughing."
However, Liu Shenghan denied: "He didn't. But this situation... I'm afraid it's not as simple as poisoning."
"I'm fine," he kept saying, "I'm fine, just leave me alone."
This is so strange. He didn't have those symptoms before, but now suddenly... speaking of it, the breath in the nasal cavity has faded. I don't know if it has dissipated or if he is used to it. Is there really something wrong with the powder? He did feel uneasy, but he didn't want to bring this uneasiness to others.
They continued walking in the forest. It was almost noon, and everyone felt hungry. The only food brought out from Gechen State was hard food that scratched the throat. There was no water source nearby, and the plants that provided it were either extremely bitter or poisonous. They were so thirsty that they had to go deep into the woods in search of water.
Not long after walking, they met someone they didn't really want to meet.
But the moment he saw Yan?, Bai Ya's knife had already struck the armor on Yan?'s elbow. He was so fast that the three of them felt as if a space suddenly appeared around them. But Yan?'s reaction was also very fast, and he successfully blocked this shot. Bai Ya didn't use all his strength, he was just demonstrating, otherwise this piece of thin armor would have been cut off along with the flesh. But Yan? He guessed very accurately. He knew that it was impossible for Bai Ya to kill him as soon as he came up.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Yan? shouted unconvinced, "No matter what, I have helped you. If you don't thank me, forget it, but just hit them when you come up? It's so rude. I feel like my self-esteem has been hurt."
"You fucking killed the workers in the entire pharmaceutical refinery and now you're talking to me about self-respect? Are you fucking worthy?"
Yan?'s eyes turned to the side.
"Uh, ah, um... I'm just following orders. It's complicated to say, it seems that Luowu found the God of Song, and they discussed something. This guy, he doesn't like to say hello to me, I'm confused. I have to be sent by the sworn brother of the God of Song. It was the Gandharva who asked me to destroy the evidence, how could I not obey? That’s why I brought the piano to find you..."
Jun Aoyan was so indignant that he almost rushed over to give Bai Ya a slap in the face: "Shut up! You glib monster, do you think we will believe your lies! If those people can't scream, do you pretend that you can't hear them? !”
"Wow, what I said is true. And, and they are actually not in pain. Their pain sense has been eroded by the music, and their perception has been destroyed. They will not feel pain or sadness. Even if they regain their freedom, they will still be alive. I also suffered..."
Bai Ya raised another knife and was about to take it down.
"No! Haven't you already defeated the music god and eliminated harm for the people? No one will be harmed in the future. Didn't our common goal be achieved? For the sake of me sending the banjo, give me some face .”
Qi Huan rolled his eyes at him.
"Your five-string guqin is really difficult to play."
Yan? used the back of his hand to push away Bai Ya's blade. The latter did not stop him or speak, but followed him closely with his eyes. When Yan? came up, Qi Huanli
The horse next to him moved closer to prevent this guy from suddenly taking action and snatching the piano back without any explanation.
Yan? smiled and said:
"What are you afraid of? I won't grab it? Besides, it was originally something I lent to you, so it's not too much to return it to me, right? But this thing is of no use to us. I heard about that battle... Aren’t you very good at playing? Come to think of it—did you really play it yourself?”
"Go to the side."
Bai Ya suddenly came over, inserted himself between the two of them, and pushed Yan? away. None of them said a word and continued to take a few steps forward to prepare for the journey. As Bai Ya walked, he stared at Yan Xi and said solemnly:
"If you want this piano, we can return it to you now. But please keep your distance from us. We don't want to have anything to do with you and your brothers anymore."
Instead of closing the distance, Yan Yan suddenly put his arm on Bai Ya's shoulder, lowered his head and said:
"What's the name of that move of yours? Even from the temple, through the woods and mountains, you can see the strange sky over there."
Bai Ya ignored him and roughly hit his arm.
"Don't bother, brother. We haven't seen each other for so long and you still don't want to chat with me?"
"Who the hell calls you a brother?"
"Okay, okay, no more joking." Yan? clapped his hands, stood in front of a few people and blocked the road, "That's what happened. Priest Chu knew about your affairs and said that he wanted to see you again. I'm here to entertain you. I wonder if any of you would be willing to give me a favor?"
Chu Priest Chu Tianhe? They stopped and looked at each other hesitantly. This was a bit sudden, and they didn't know how to make a decision. Of course, this is first based on the fact that Yan? is not lying.
"Who knows if you are lying again." Qi Huan spat on the ground in front of Yan?'s feet, "Maybe he took a fancy to our magic weapon and repeated his old tricks to lead us into the ditch."
Yan? He frowned helplessly: "Huh? You think I want to...If it wasn't for Priest Chu's request, I wouldn't give him face. I also said that I have deceived you before, and you will definitely not believe me, but he You still feel that we are familiar and insist on me to invite you. There is nothing I can do? And I don’t think our relationship is very good. "
"so?"
"You guys should come with me. It's not far, really. They have already set up a banquet and are waiting for you to go. I guess he wants to talk to you about the magic weapon. After all, you have everything else in your hands. Here, we are... somewhat uneasy. This is quite reasonable, right?"
What Yan? said does make sense. The four of them turned their backs and gathered together for a brief discussion. Even if Yan Yan wanted to do some trick, with four people and six magic weapons on them, he probably wouldn't be able to do anything. What's more, Liu Shenghan said this:
"The things I care about are actually related to the territory of the python god. I want to go to that temple again no matter what."
Even though the words came to this, they still chose to agree. So they took the horses and continued to follow Yan? He walked in front silently, no longer speaking, and did not look back. He indeed looked much more honest. After walking for about half an hour, they finally came to a vast swamp. This place is indeed very similar to the place they mistakenly entered when they were lost in the first place.
Several people came towards them. Although their eyes were dull, they didn't look hostile. This is no different than what we saw last time. It seems that Yan? He did not deceive them this time.
Soon, they walked up to several witches. The witches, still wearing the simple red and white clothes, nodded to them, and then led them towards the buildings they had seen before. Those buildings still look like some kind of low ruins and wreckage, with unknown symbols carved on them. I wonder if they are some lost language.
Priest Chu held the staff and opened his arms as if to welcome their arrival.
Someone came over and took the reins from Qi Huan, indicating that they would take the horse elsewhere to settle it. Before that, they immediately took their bags off their horses. Someone came over from the other side to pick up the things and wanted to keep them for them, but several people immediately declined. However, those people expressed understanding and did not make anything difficult.
"You're looking for us?"
Bai Ya asked him directly. but
When Bai Ya turned around to look for Yan?, he was gone again. It’s so elusive.
"Indeed." Chu Tianhe made an invitation gesture with his usual smile, "Our people are preparing for the delicacies. Please follow me in to have tea and rest."
They were really thirsty, so they followed him inside the building. Just like the last time I came here, all the houses here are made of stones, and many houses don't even have doors. But the temperature here has been very normal, and if you ignore some annoying bugs, you really don't need doors or windows.
Several people sat on one side of the long table, and Priest Chu sat in the center opposite. Are his clothes the same as last time? They can't remember, maybe they changed the style. But no matter what, the clothes of the male priests here are all black, and the clothes of the female witches are all white.
"I have heard about what happened to you in Gechen Kingdom."
"The temple of Mahallaka is so remote and secluded from the world. Your information is really well-informed."
I don’t know whether Qi Huan was praising or teasing. But Priest Chu didn’t care. He just smiled politely and explained:
"That's true. The Divine Realm has always been closed off, and there are only a handful of people and monsters who can communicate with the outside world here. We can't rely on them for all information from the outside world, but we always need to know what is really happening in this world. And everything about you..." He picked up the tea cup and said, "Lord Python God told me this himself."
"Can you hear the voice of the python god?" Liu Shenghan asked, "He is sealed underground... but can he convey his voice to you?"
"Well, of course." Priest Chu raised a hand slightly, as if to explain, "This is the job of the great priest. This banquet for you all also has the intention of Lord Python God in it."
Qi Huan said with a smile: "Don't worry. You haven't done anything bad anyway. We will never cause trouble out of nothing. Only those who do evil will be killed."
Chu Tianhe nodded. He rested his elbows on the edge of the table, and the ten fingertips of his two hands lightly touched each other, slightly staggered, looking relaxed and casual. He smiled softly, looking gentle and kind in the dim room. But it is also obvious that it is just a polite etiquette. This kind of disguise, which is not considered hypocritical, can "deceive" many people, but it cannot deceive them.
"I hope you can...give us the understanding we deserve. Thinking about it, the methods used by several gods against gods in other realms seem a bit too cruel. Although we are also innocent, these anxieties and precautions are reasonable. Of course, this It doesn't mean that you are wrong. You and I are just trying to live an ordinary life in this world."
"Ah, I understand." Bai Ya's tone was a little cold, "If you don't do anything bad, you won't be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door."
You'd better be innocent. he thought to himself.
Priest Chu chuckled angrily. He continued:
"I completely understand your concerns. As the saying goes, the person who is close to the ink is the darkest. In addition, Lord Python God has some bad rumors in the past. Your doubts are reasonable. In order to be honest, I am willing to explain to a few people about the lost situation. Something about the swamp.”
Qi Huan said thoughtfully: "Well... can you tell me first?"
Chu Tianhe took a deep breath.
"First of all, it's me. Why do you think I was named the Great Priest?"
"Well, it should be similar to all shrines and temples. They are selected through layers of selection, right?"
"It is indeed considered one of the best, but... it has not gone through any selection. I used to be the only one here, and I slowly built everything up."
Aoyan frowned: "That must have happened a long time ago, right?"
"Yes. How old do you think I look? Guess the older one."
"……Um?"
Several people looked at each other. To be honest, he doesn't look big. If they don't do any dirty work and don't worry too much, many men will look younger than women. This type of people all look the same from their twenties to their forties. Only when they are over fifty do people feel, oh, they seem older than before. Priest Chu looks similar to them, but like Lord Ruyue, he has a slightly more mature temperament, so it is difficult to accurately describe him. And since he's talking about being older, maybe he's very old?
"Since you said so..."
