(1)
As the tracks became more and more new, several people had already caught up with the leading convoy. This also means that the continuous peaks and forests have been left behind, replaced by clusters of trees and shrubs rising from the plains. For Ajuan, who is stepping out of Qianfengling for the first time, this means that she is gradually moving away from the place where she was born and raised for more than ten years. Although I was often beaten and scolded by my mother and grandmother when I was young, the peace and tranquility inside was completely different from the outside. Every time the foal took a step forward, she felt more uneasy. A girl who doesn't know how to hide her emotions naturally paints everything on her face. Zhao Kuo looked at her as if he was traveling with his father for the first time, like a hare always on guard against the hunter's cold arrows, timidly looking at everything around him.
The young man wanted to imitate his father's way of comforting him, put his hand on Ajuan's jade shoulder, and whispered: "Ajuan, you don't have to be so timid, I will take care of everything!"
Ajuan was stunned for a while and replied in disbelief: "You...don't hate me anymore?"
"How could it be?" Looking at Ajuan's probing eyes, Zhao Kuo retracted his hand, scratched his forehead awkwardly, and said, "Since we are all in the same boat now, we should take care of each other, not to mention You are just a weak woman..."
"Hehe..." After hearing this, Ajuan turned to the other side and snickered secretly.
Zhao Xiaomei echoed the previous sentence: "Brother, you have grown up and know how to care about girls!"
"What are you talking about?" Zhao Kuo was quite dissatisfied with the younger sister's words and said, "I'm leaving, you can take care of yourselves!" After saying that, the young man left the two women and drove his horse to the other side. .
"You two brothers and sisters have been noisy all day long, but your feelings have not subsided. It's really interesting!" Ajuan said to the little sister who was riding on the same horse with him.
The younger sister looked like she knew everything and answered, "Brother, he is hard-spoken and soft-hearted. He never shows his feelings towards the people he cherishes."
"Oh, I really envy you for having a brother."
"Speaking of which, we still don't know Sister Ajuan's full name?"
"Me?" Ajuan hesitated and said, "My father died early. In order to prevent my mother from remembering that past, people in the clan usually don't call me by my last name, only my first name."
"Then what's Sister Ajuan's last name?"
"My surname is Du, and my name is Du Juan. Because when my mother gave birth to me, the mountains and fields were full of azaleas." Ajuan seemed to have returned to that familiar place and familiar season, recalling: "Next time I go to Qianfengling, I must stay there. Go in late spring, because that’s when the azaleas bloom. The white and red azaleas add a different color to the mountains like rouge..."
Bai Feng suddenly said: "Then you must take us there, Miss Dujuan!"
"Of course!" Ajuan's moving voice reached everyone's ears. This pure joy is very pleasing. Looking at the rejuvenated Ajuan, Zhao Kuo showed a smile.
The happy time is always short-lived, and the five people quickly completed the first day's journey. At night, together with the caravan, we set up several tents in the wild for everyone to rest. The leader of the caravan was a tall and thin man with a black mole on his slender face and a curvy hair on the mole. He looked like a philistine. With a guard carrying a broadsword at his waist, he walked through the goods and miscellaneous goods, howling horses, and found Zhao Kuo and others, asking for money.
"It's a bit of fun for a few of you to enjoy our caravan's food and accommodation, right?" the leader said with a smile.
Zhao Kuo seemed to be familiar with the business, he waved his hand casually and said, "Is this enough money?"
"Ouch!" the leader said in a surprised voice, "This is really a chance to meet a noble person when you go out!"
When the leader was about to leave, his guard suddenly raised his hand and asked: "Sir, please allow me to compete with that young hero to exercise my rusty body!"
The leader of the caravan looked at the young man pointed by the guard, and after a closer look, he thought he was just a young boy with a little knowledge of martial arts, so he replied: "That's right! After the fight, remember to come back to my place..." As soon as he finished speaking, Then he left through the entrance of the tent.
Bai Feng looked at the big man with a knife walking towards him. He was about eight feet long, with thick arms. Compared with Bai Feng, his waist and hips were as big as a tiger's. However, his appearance was quite handsome, and he didn't look like someone who practiced strong kung fu. The young man remembered what Ajuan's mother said: "Don't cause trouble." Therefore, I didn't want to accept such a discussion at first. If one party lost and was unconvinced and had murderous intentions, the consequences would be disastrous. But seeing that the other party was so sincere and had already announced his family name, "My surname is Nie, my last name is Yun, and I practice the family inherited Wind Chasing Sword. I wonder if you..."
Several companions around him also wanted to pass the time by competing in martial arts. Even Murong Yan, who looked weak, wanted to see Bai Feng dancing with his sword. The young man had no choice but to accept the invitation and walked out of the tent with the man.
"My surname is Bai, my given name is Feng, and I wield the Nameless Sword."
The two warriors were a few steps away from each other. After greeting each other with fists clasped, they showed off their weapons. Nie Yun first slowly rotated his right wrist, causing the blade to rotate accordingly, as if he was weighing a weapon that had not been touched for a long time. On the opposite side, Bai Feng pointed his sword at the ground and stood with his feet forward and backward, seemingly without any posture at all. Suddenly, Nie Yun stepped on the ground several times and came straight towards Bai Feng. He struck a vertical blow that made the latter avoid it.
When Murong Yan saw that the bright white knife was only a millimeter away from Bai Feng's body, she couldn't help but shouted with worry and regret: "Brother Feng, be careful!"
That vertical chop was not the end of the attack, but the beginning. Nie Yun used his left foot as a support, twisted his body to move the knife, and sent out another diagonal slash. This diagonal slash relied on the power of the earth and the waist and hips, making it difficult for people to guard against. Bai Feng had no choice but to take a step back and at the same time touch the sword to the blade, changing its trajectory so that the attack could not hit him. This kind of maneuvering strategy is to understand the opponent so as to give full play to one's greatest advantage.
After the young man landed, his feet were half bent, his center of gravity became very low, and he raised the sword in front of his chin, staring straight ahead, waiting for the next blow from the Wind Chaser Knife. When Nie Yun saw the young man in front of him standing still, he held the knife in both hands and rushed forward with one arrow, hoping to decide the outcome with one strike. Unexpectedly, it was this attack that sealed his defeat.
If you can't knock down the enemy within two or three moves with your upper body martial arts skills, the power and effect of every subsequent attack will be greatly reduced. Bai Feng saw this clearly, and when the opponent wanted to defeat the enemy with one blow, he avoided his sharp edge and attacked the empty place below him. Before the big knife struck down, the young man suddenly stretched his body, took a big step forward, and stabbed Nie Yun's belt.
Nie Yun was naturally surprised. Although his sword movement was light and agile, his sword skills were naturally faster and more elusive than his sword skills. But Bai Feng's stab was really unexpected. At that moment, he was like a snake staring at its prey, just waiting for that moment of vulnerability, and then sending out his fangs to bite the opponent's fatal spot. Only snakes attack enemies like that!
"I... lost." Nie Yun took back his sword and said slightly depressed.
"The Wind Chasing Knife opens and closes wildly, the attacks are continuous and varied, it's really eye-opening!" Bai Feng replied with cupped hands.
Nie Yun returned the greeting with shame: "Brother Bai is really over-praised. I know that I am not good at studying. I only understand the secret of the attack of the Wind Chaser Knife, but I have never been able to break through to the next level..."
"In the future, let's discuss it together when we have the opportunity!" After saying this, Bai Feng sent Nie Yun away and returned to Zhao Kuo and others, accepting everyone's praise. Only Murong Yan, with stars hidden in her long eyes, looked at Bai Feng worriedly.
"Are you okay, Brother Feng?"
"Of course I'm fine! It's your injury..." Bai Feng replied, looking at Murong Yan's ankle that was bitten by a poisonous snake.
"My injury is almost healed, but..." Murong Yan asked suspiciously, "Brother Feng, can you stop competing with others in the future?"
Ajuan asked with a puzzled look on his face: "What's wrong with the martial arts competition? How interesting it is! Hey! How did you use that move just now..."
Zhao Xiaomei also echoed: "Yes! Yes! Bai Shaoxia is really amazing!"
"Miss Murong, Brother Bai is a member of the martial arts world, and the flash of swords and shadows are commonplace. I'm afraid this kind of thing is difficult to avoid..." Zhao Kuo comforted Murong Yan.
"But... if something happens to Brother Feng! Then Yan'er will be left alone..." Murong Yan choked with sobs.
"Hey, why does she cry more easily than me..." Ajuan asked Zhao Kuo. The latter signaled Ajuan to shut up and stop gossiping.
Bai Feng immediately replied: "If we don't have to, we don't want to provoke those people in the world along the way. Is this okay?"
Murong Yan nodded slightly, calming down the tense atmosphere. The five of them spent the night with the caravan and started their journey to Wandeng Town the next day. Perhaps due to Qianfengling, the dangerous situation blocked the Xianbei cavalry from continuing their journey eastward, making the journey surprisingly safe. Whether the town of Ten Thousand Deng is really as its name suggests, the endless lanterns are gradually approaching as the night falls.
