Lingjiao Town.
A street, a few shops, twenty or thirty households.
A shallow river flows through the town, surrounded by tall and low trees on both sides.
On the river beach, two old horses were eating grass; two large carts were placed aside; more than a dozen men were scattered around to rest.
The Yujiacun group arrived here in the afternoon, but instead of continuing their journey, they wanted to spend the night on the spot.
Yu Ye, sitting alone in the grass, had a look of anxiety on his face.
It is said that from here to the south, it only takes three to five days to reach Lingjiao Valley. He didn't know whether he could find his father's whereabouts this time.
A few feet away, clear river water flows slowly. On the other side of the river, old trees were leaning crookedly, and birds curled up on their branches chirped from time to time in the cold wind.
A group of people came from the direction of the town.
It was Yu Ergou and his son, as well as several men in their early twenties, none more than Yu Quan, Yu Meng, Yu Zhuang and other young people of the same clan.
Hunting in autumn and winter is a major event for people in the mountains. According to the rules of previous years, Baijiacun, Fengjiacun and Yujiacun also went together. After Yujia Village arrived at Lingjiao Town first, Yu Youcai ordered the tribesmen to rest on the river beach. He himself took Yu Baoshan to the inn in the town and waited for the arrival of people from Fengjia Village and Baijia Village.
Yu Ergou couldn't help being lonely, so he encouraged his father and his friends to go to the town to play. In the evening, Yu Ergou and others came back happily, talking and smiling.
"Fengjiacun has checked into the inn, but Baijiacun has not arrived yet."
"Uncle San should take you and me to stay in an inn. It's better than sleeping in the open like this."
"Yujiacun is poor and can't afford to live in an inn."
"Yu Ye, then——"
Yu Ergou walked closer and raised his hand to throw it away.
A few red fruits fell into my arms. They are jujubes from the mountains, with big and plump grains.
Yu Ye lay in the grass, tasting the crisp and sweet taste of wild dates. It was rare for him to travel far away, so he also wanted to join in the fun in the town, but he was afraid of being disliked by others, so he stayed where he was. Fortunately, Yu Ergou's care made him feel less lonely during the journey.
After a while, laughter came.
On the river surface reflected by the setting sun, there are sparkling waves, splashing water, and figures laughing and playing.
Yu Ergou and others actually took off their robes, wore only underpants, and chased in the river with their bare feet. Others caught fish and threw them to the shore, which once again caused a burst of cheers.
Yu Ye perked up.
He grew up in the mountains and his favorite thing was fishing and catching birds. Just seeing his friends having fun, he couldn't help but feel itchy.
Yu Ye jumped up, grabbed the wooden stick and walked over.
There were a few fresh fish thrown on the grass on the shore. Although they were not big in size, they were alive and kicking.
Yu Ergou shouted: "Yu Ye, let's play together!"
Yu Quan, Yu Meng and others laughed and said——
"The water is cold in winter, so don't freeze him."
"Look at how clumsy he is."
"Ha ha……"
The river is about seven or eight feet wide and no more than a foot deep. Although it was cold at this time, there were fish swimming against the current.
Yu Ye took off his boots, picked up the stick on the ground, and slowly stepped into the river. As soon as his feet entered the water, the cold chill made him shiver violently.
Yu Ergou and his friends laughed again.
Yu Ye did not step back and walked a few steps along the river. How can a young man be willing to show weakness? When his feet were firm, he raised the wooden stick in his hand.
Just as he lowered his head to search, there was the sound of horse hooves.
On the opposite bank of the river, a white horse rushed out.
The white horse came very fast and jumped straight into the water. Its iron hooves stirred up the waves, and the momentum was quite astonishing. The rider on the horse should be a woman, wearing a blue singlet, with a cloth wrapped around her face. Her age cannot be seen, and her face cannot be discerned.
Yu Ergou and others looked around curiously.
Several more horses and carts appeared on the river embankment.
Yu Ye was about to look up when he suddenly found fish shadows hovering in the water under his feet. He hurriedly swung his stick and hit it with a "plop" sound, and a fish broke out of the water. He was overjoyed and hurriedly reached out to grab it.
At the same time, a scream sounded:
"Get out of the way——"
One person and one horse rushed towards each other.
Yu Ye couldn't avoid it, so he only heard a "bang" sound, and he flew upside down until he was two feet away, and fell to the river beach with a "plop" sound.
At the same time, the white horse leaped onto the shore, stopped suddenly, its front hooves flew into the air, its mane flicked, its head was held high, and it neighed. The man on the horse turned his waist, and the cloth covering his face fluttered in the wind, vaguely revealing his fair face. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, the fleeting appearance was even more stunning and mysterious.
Yu Ye was lying on his back on the ground, holding a wooden stick in his left hand and a fish in his right hand, looking miserable.
The man on horseback glanced back, his expression seemed apologetic, but then he reached out and patted the horse, and the horse's hooves flew into the air, and galloped away with splashes of water and grass clippings.
Yu Ye struggled to sit up, feeling a little dazed.
Before he could catch his breath, there was the sound of horse hooves, water flow and shouts.
Several horses and four carts came across the river. Then followed dozens of men, all dressed as mountain people, carrying crossbows and swords, all of them strong and fierce.
Yu Ergou and others jumped onto the river bank and were amazed——
"That woman is very skilled."
"It is said that she is a young lady from the Bai family and has a good background."
"Yu Ye, are you hurt?"
Yu Ye sat on the ground with his bare feet, still in a daze. After hearing Yu Ergou's inquiry, he realized there was blood on his hands. When he fell out, he still held the river fish in his hand. Unexpectedly, the fins were too sharp and cut his palm. He wiped the blood on his hands and replied: "It doesn't matter!"
Dusk falls.
On the river beach, a fire was lit.
The men in Yujia Village sit around to keep warm and barbecue and eat.
Yu Ye lay alone in the grass, silently looking at the sky.
A cold crescent moon hung alone in the sky, and a few stars flickered dimly. As the night deepens, a boundless chill envelopes the earth.
Yu Ye wrapped his sheepskin robe tightly, feeling a little depressed, and there was a hint of doubt in his blinking eyes.
The woman in green who jumped on the horse was actually the young lady of the Bai family.
A daughter's family actually participated in the winter hunt?
Why is she so savage?
I can't blame her. Who allowed herself to block other people's way? However, he didn't see any movement from her, nor was he hit by the horse, so he flew out in a daze.
What exactly happened at that moment?
"Yu Ye!"
Fifth Uncle Yu Shitou came over, holding a grilled fish skewered with branches.
Yu Ye hurriedly stood up and then heard: "You kid, you don't know how to dodge when a Pegasus collides with you. Fortunately, it's not serious!"
Yu Shitou's words reveal the care and concern of his elders.
Yu Ye took the grilled fish and couldn't help but said: "Fifth uncle, my nephew has something to ask me!"
Yu Shitou turned around to leave, then paused.
"My father...is he really dead?"
"Um!"
"Where is my father's body..."
Yu Shitou suddenly lost his patience and said without looking back: "Just rest, we will be on our way tomorrow morning!"
"Fifth uncle..."
Yu Ye still wanted to ask more questions, but the fifth uncle had already left with his hands behind his back. A little frustrated, he raised the grilled fish in his hand and took a bite. The delicious fish meat was in his mouth, but he didn't even taste it.
The fire not far away was burning brightly. The bright firelight reflected the rough smiling faces. The flowing river gurgled endlessly. A faint cold mist rises from the water, and then fills the wilderness...
After midnight the wind picked up.
Xu was unbearably cold, so Yu Ye opened his eyes from his sleep.
The crescent moon in the sky disappeared; gusts of cold wind were swirling in the darkness.
Yu Ye climbed up.
The fire lit last night has long been extinguished. More than twenty men from the mountains were lying on the ground. Two old horses tied in the distance snorted towards him.
Yu Ye stretched out his hand to wipe the dew from his face, grabbed the wooden stick, picked up the package, but stupidly kept it in place.
Before his uncles and brothers woke up, he was already busy setting off. It's just that he was too preoccupied and was inevitably reckless. Instead of waiting like this, it's better to walk around, stretch your muscles and warm yourself up.
Yu Ye dropped his luggage and walked along the river bank.
After taking a few steps, a dark shadow followed.
Yu Ye turned around suddenly.
It was a black dog, wagging its head and tail, sticking out its tongue, and bounding up to him.
"beat--"
Make a gesture in the wild to drive away.
This time when I went hunting, Yujia Village brought a few local dogs with me. He was bitten by a native dog and still has lingering fears.
The black dog dodges and runs away.
Above the river, a layer of light mist floated, and when disturbed by the cold wind, it was like the collapse of cold smoke. The surrounding wilderness and mountains became misty and illusory. Walking here alone, I feel lonely and boundless. The unknown world makes people want to explore more.
Going north, the river becomes deeper. The beach on the shore is covered with reeds and trees.
Yu Ye took a leisurely stroll, punching and kicking to stretch his muscles. Xu was so childlike that he picked up a pebble and threw it out. The stones floated a few times on the river, and then disappeared into the rushing water.
For a moment, several stones blocked the way. The surrounding reeds are denser.
When Yu Ye walked here, his body gradually felt warm. He untied his robe and peed, shivering slightly. He was about to go back the way he came, but couldn't help but stop.
"Senior brother..."
"Junior sister..."
Who is speaking?
Blocked by rocks and trees, nothing could be seen.
Yu Ye was still suspicious, and the voice of his words came again in the wind——
"Master, how about retreat..."
"Xuanhuang Dan failed. I was ordered to go down the mountain and accompany my junior sister on a trip to the northern land of Daze..."
"With the help of the elixir, can Master build the foundation..."
"It's just around the corner..."
Osawa?
I remember my father said that Yujiacun, where my ancestors lived, was just a small, remote place. Beyond Xingyuan Valley and Lingjiao Town, there is another vast world called Daze.
Senior brother, junior sister?
What are the origins of the man and woman who are talking to each other, and what do Xuanhuang Dan and Foundation Establishment mean?
Yu Ye's curiosity aroused and he took two steps closer following the sound.
The sound of conversation suddenly disappeared. At the same moment, a shout sounded above the head:
"Who is eavesdropping?"
Yu Ye was startled.
Two black shadows fell from the sky, followed by strong winds blowing against his face. He could not see clearly. The man fell to the ground with a "thud", and then his back sank, as if a big stone had been pressed down, making him unable to move.
"Boy, you are seeking death!"
"ah--"
Someone stepped on his back, and his sternum made a "click" sound. The pain was unbearable, and Yu Ye couldn't help but scream.
“Senior brother, don’t create unnecessary complications!”
"snort……"
Yu Ye lay on the ground, his bones were so painful that they were about to break, his whole head was stuck in the grass, and he was suffocating. Suddenly he felt a lightness on his back, and he hurriedly turned over and sat up.
A figure stood in front of him and said coldly:
"What are you doing here?"
The sky is already dark.
The person who made the sound was a young woman, wearing a blue gown, with a man-style bun on her head, but her face was covered with a cloth handkerchief, so her appearance could not be seen clearly. However, her expression was somewhat familiar, yet still cold and unpredictable.
Yu Ye was speechless and said: "I...I am Yu Ye from Yujia Village."
The woman frowned slightly and said, "What did you hear?"
"I have to pee..."
"Bah, vulgar fellow!"
The woman spat in extreme disgust, turned around and flew off the ground, but in the blink of an eye, she was already drifting away like the wind.
Yu Ye was in shock.
The rocks and trees were as tall as two people, and a woman jumped over them. The senior brother she was talking to may have left first. Not only was the man's whereabouts mysterious, he was also more vicious and domineering, and he wanted to take his life indiscriminately.
What did you just hear?
I don't understand.
"Snapped--"
There was a crisp crack of a whip in the distance.
At this time, the rest of the night is over.
In the morning light, Yu Baoshan and his son were urging everyone to get up. Immediately afterwards, groups of figures, carriages and horses appeared on the river beach, and it was very lively with people shouting and horses neighing.
People from Baijia Village and Fengjia Village have gathered with Yujia Village.
The time has come to set off.
Yu Ye didn't dare to delay and ran back.
Yu Ergou was chatting and joking around with several young people. When he saw Yu Ye returning, he secretly glanced at her and whispered, "Hey, I asked about it, the lady from the Bai family is called Bai Zhi!"
Sure enough, a woman on horseback came into the noisy crowd. Looking at her clothes, it was obvious that she was the woman who had called him a vulgar person before, but her face was still covered with a burqa. Even so, his thin clothes, slim figure, and heroic posture while riding a horse still look different.
Her name is Bai Zhi?
Yu Ye couldn't help but take another look.
The young lady from the Bai family had already driven her horse through the crowd and waded across the river. Yu Baoshan and several young people still wanted to get closer and exchange a few words, but they couldn't catch up, so they had to give up.
Bai Zhi's senior brother did not show up.
"Miss Bai returned to her hometown to participate in the winter hunting, just to travel down the mountain. It is said that she has practiced Taoism since she was a child and knows the art of ghosts and gods, tsk tsk!"
Yu Ergou is two or three years older than Yu Ye. He likes to inquire about strange things and knows a lot about Miss Bai's origins. The young people in the village, such as Yu Quan, Yu Meng, and Yu Zhuang, also have faces full of admiration.
Yu Ye rubbed his chest and silently picked up his stick and package.
He didn't know why, but he was quite curious about Bai Zhi's origin, but he didn't dare to think too much about it, or he was a little scared. He almost lost his life, and it was only because of the pee he had made.
Yu Baoshan's father, Yu Youcai, was the person in charge of Yujiacun. After greeting his friends in Baijiacun and Fengjiacun, he urged everyone to get on the carriage and pack their bags.
The person in charge of Baijia Village is named Bai Xuan, a sturdy middle-aged man; the person in charge of Fengjia Village is Feng Shuanzi. Although he is over fifty years old, he is strong and energetic. The two of them took their own carriages and horses and crossed the river one after another.
Yujiacun then set off.
On the other side of the river, a road leads into the distance.
While walking, you can see overlapping mountains and endless wilderness, which makes people just want to let go of their feet, measure the vast world, and explore all the strange and novel things.
Not long after setting off, the sky gradually turned dark. Gusts of strong wind swept away dust and grass clippings.
"Oh, things have changed!"
Yu Ergou exclaimed.
Nine carts, more than ten horses, and nearly a hundred men followed the road in the mountains and headed south through the billowing dust.
At noon, the wind was still strong.
The group of people took a short rest and continued on their way.
At dusk, the mountain road becomes narrower.
A small village appeared among the mountains ahead.
Yunling Village.
The so-called village has only about ten households. Several rows of low thatched houses are located on a hillside.
Past the hillside, close to the village, there is a depression and a pond, which is a place to shelter from the wind and rest.
Yu Youcai met Bai Xuan and Feng Shuanzi and ordered everyone to rest on the spot. The men in each village were dismantling their carriages and horses, and were busy making fires and cooking meals.
Yu Ye wanted to find a place with leeward wind, but there were people everywhere.
He hurriedly put down the sticks and packages, and helped to pick up dead branches and firewood. After the fire was lit, he walked aside and collapsed on the ground alone.
After a day of driving, he was already exhausted, and the leather boots on his feet had two holes.
Yu Ye ignored his embarrassment and took out a piece of rice cake. He had just taken a few bites of pancakes, and he was so sleepy and exhausted that he could no longer open his eyes. It seemed that Yu Ergou ran to his side and lay down, and kept complaining:
"Ouch, my legs are broken from exhaustion..."
Yuye's sleepiness gradually deepened.
It seemed that Uncle Wu was speaking——
"Young man, don't be tired, sleep peacefully..."
Faintly, an oil lamp lit up in the darkness. A middle-aged man sat under an oil lamp, holding a needle and thread in his rough hands, clumsily mending old clothes. Maybe it was the steel needle that pricked his hand. He shook his head helplessly, but then looked to his side and said with a gentle smile: You should be tired after playing all day. Go to sleep...
Next to the strong man, there was a child lying, about five or six years old, with lively features. Looking up at his kind smile, the child yawned, closed his eyes happily, and fell into sleep carefree.
In the dream, the child seemed to be held in a warm embrace by his mother. He still couldn't see his mother's face clearly, but the spring was bright, the summer flowers were bright, and his father's stalwart body, as tall as a mountain, protected him from the wind and rain. Hold up the sky...
