"Disciple, this place is very particular. Before climbing to the top of Guangyue Ridge, it is better to be careful and silent, so as not to disturb the purity of the empty mountain."
These were the last words Mr. Zhou said to Mr. Xun before going up the mountain. From then on, the two of them never talked again and walked in silence.
Although Xun Yuantuo didn't understand the meaning, since his husband looked solemn, he certainly wouldn't break the rules by asking more questions, so he followed suit and slowly climbed the mountain with his husband. Although according to Mr. Zhou's age, mountaineering should take a lot of effort and cannot be considered an easy living, but Mr. Zhou just walked step by step without pausing for a moment to rest. His steps were extremely light, but also extremely steady.
The two of them went into the mountains and chose a trail. There were not many rocks in Wushan Mountain, but it was difficult to make a loop with nine twists and turns. The road was extremely long, and the sharp gravels and moss on the walls added to the difficulty.
It was difficult for Xun Yuantuo, who had been imprisoned in the house since childhood and neglected physical training. Along the way, although my health has improved a lot compared to before, relying on Mr. Zhou’s endless folk prescriptions, such as Ginkgo Pear Paste and Spring Pekoe, even the symptoms of weak lungs and accumulated fire have been greatly alleviated, but I still can’t bear the hardships. mountain road. Most of the way along the way, we traveled by horse-drawn carriage. Even if we had soft boots to separate the gravel from our young and calloused feet, it would be in vain.
Sure enough, within ten miles, Xun Yuantuo felt pain in the sole of his foot. Mr. Chou Chou had not gone far, so he hurriedly took off his soft boots and looked at the injury on the sole of his foot.
There were several flint-like blisters on the soles of the feet, and a layer of rich blood adhered to them. I couldn't see the whole thing clearly. I just felt that after the cold mountain wind blew, the soles of my feet felt a heartbreaking itching feeling, which was worse than a hundred claws scratching. Heart.
Mr. Xun had been on a arduous journey, and he had never cried out for injustice, but this time it was so painful that he sweated profusely, dripping down his cheeks and hair all over the ground.
The gentleman who was leading the way had no intention of looking back. He was wearing a blue gown that was swaying wildly in the mountain wind, but he still stepped forward and was about to walk out of the young master's field of vision.
The young master gritted his teeth and desperately put on his shoes and socks again. He stepped on the ground with his soft boots, causing blood to splatter until it leaked out of the boots and made a trail of blood on the mountain path.
Scattered and extremely long.
"How can you set foot on today's Guangyue Mountains without suffering some physical pain." The slovenly shepherd at the foot of the mountain glanced towards the mountain, his face still as cold as before, but when he saw the injured old sheep, When he took the colorful handkerchief, his eyes swayed a little.
"It is said that the Emperor of Qi established a country with military force, but how could he not understand the importance of civil servants? To establish a country, military men need to make decisions, but to govern a country, it is necessary for civil servants to take action, and civil and military forces complement each other, so that the world can be stable. Although in the end the civil servants turned into ants But the literati at that time were much better than they are now." The man touched the old sheep's head and said, "That young man, I've seen enough pain in the first half of his life, tell me, that literati, Is it possible to pass the second half?"
The old sheep raised his head and glanced at the two black spots on Guangyue Ridge. He lowered his head silently and found a weed that had come from nowhere, and swallowed it like a wolf.
The man said sadly, "That's right. There have been many literati here over the years, but none of them have set foot on the top of the mountain. It's very boring."
Unknowingly, Zhou Kefa was halfway through his journey, so he picked a flat rock anywhere, sat down to rest for a while, and waited for his disciples.
This wait lasted until noon. When the two first climbed the mountain, it was only early in the morning.
By the time Xun Yuantuo arrived in front of his husband, his lips had already turned pale white, and there was no blood seeping into the soles of his boots. He was dizzy and the tingling pain in his soles had long since turned into a dull pain.
Just as the exhausted young master was about to speak, Mr. Zhou stood up, raised his index finger to his lips, and continued on his way.
Xun Yuantuo froze on the spot, only to feel the fire in his heart slowly coming out, spreading from his heart orifices to his internal organs. When he walked to the spiritual platform, the burning became more intense, but he still dragged his two weak legs and walked forward step by step.
"Not bad, the knocking test has passed. It seems that this young man is indeed very patient." It seems that the man at the foot of the mountain does not make a living by herding sheep. Even though most of the old sheep have dispersed in search of food, the man ignores it. It seems that He was not worried that these old sheep would get lost or be picked up by a lone wolf passing by. Instead, he kept staring at the two people on the mountain.
"But compared to the second level, this Knocking Pass is like a mountain locust compared to a tiger or wolf."
"Countless talented people have stumbled at this level. At worst, their desire to learn has been shattered, and at worst, their sanity has been shattered. With these two, they are hanging."
It's indeed hanging.
After walking a few steps, Mr. Xun felt that the remaining fire just now was burning more and more fiercely, and it was like burning his body and destroying his body. Countless old scenes in the spiritual platform all appeared before his eyes.
There are times when the father smashes pottery, there are times when he punishes the maid with a stick, and there are times when the father reprimands and walks away.
Xun Yuantuo just watched, and the scenes went back and forth.
The coldness in the father's eyes, the cowardice in the eyes of his servants, and the look of despair in the maid's eyes lingered before his eyes.
Xun Yuantuo clenched his teeth and took a few more steps. There was blood in his eyes.
Another pause, and the picture scrolls in front of you again.
But when I was moving to Qingchai when I was a child, I saw my mother chasing the car behind her. Her dress caught her legs and feet, and she fell heavily to the ground. However, she still ignored the blood on her face and got up to chase her again.
Until the carriage went to the long street, the people around him looked at him coldly, and even the father beside him showed no mercy in his eyes.
Blood dripped from Xun Yuantuo's fists.
But still take a few more steps.
Just because through the countless scrolls in front of me, I saw the gentleman in front of me looking back, with a blue shirt flowing and a warm smile.
In the next few decades, Xun Yuantuo had forgotten how many scrolls he had seen. Even the various scenery that had been forgotten in his mind and had no even the slightest impression came back to him.
There were times when I reunited with my mother, when I met my maid again, when there was a man chatting with other scholars, and there was even a scene of crowds of birds coming to the house.
Sadness, joy, and anger are all complete.
But Xun Yuantuo never stopped.
Maybe it was because of the blue clothes in front of him, or maybe he had come all the way, and he had been filled with anger for a long time and had nowhere to vent it.
There is only a thin line between the young master and the top of the mountain.
And Zhou Kefa has already taken the final step.
The man at the foot of the mountain didn't speak for a long time, his eyes flashed as if he was extremely shocked.
"I didn't expect that the world has changed, and that two outstanding scholars can emerge and enter the second level of heaven. Although the young man is still young and his character has not yet reached perfection, it is not easy for him to take the last step. But his master is indeed a freak."
The old sheep also raised his head, his eyes flickering.
The man smiled, his expression full of absurdity: "Everyone can guard their heart, but it would be better for him to use offense instead of defense."
The sharpness of the tongue is greater than the edge of the sword.
