The barren mountains are desolate, the night is long, the moon is bright in the sky, and the stars are like a dream.
The bright moon hangs in the sky, looking as if it is hanging on the treetops. From time to time, it drifts slowly in the dark clouds, and in the blink of an eye, it hides in the clouds again.
There was deathly silence all around.
Occasionally, a gust of mountain wind blows by, disturbing the birds that live in the forest and making jumping and fluttering sounds among the treetops. The owl is hiding somewhere and makes a ghostly and shrill scream. It's chilling!
The night was getting darker, and everyone sat together, no one seemed to be sleepy. Although after several days of traveling and traveling, everyone seemed exhausted. But the current situation made them worried and full of mixed feelings. Although they felt sleepy, they had no intention of sleeping. They just sat around in a trance and let out long sighs from time to time!
Liu Ruyan hesitated and suddenly stood up and walked out of the courtyard.
Everyone was stunned, not knowing what he was going to do! Xu Feng's heart trembled, and he immediately asked: "Xiannephew, where are you going?"
Liu Ruyan paused and said quietly: "It's cold at night, I'll go pick up some firewood and light a fire to drive away the cold!"
Menghua also stood up immediately, stared at him, and said, "Brother Liu, I'll go with you!"
Liu Ruyan glanced sideways at her and said softly: "Just stay here, I'll be back soon!" He was full of sorrow and sighed softly, with a sad and desolate look on his face.
Shangguan Hongqin looked up at the bright moon in the sky and sighed: "There is no obstacle that cannot be overcome. The road is boundless. You don't have to worry too much. We are all tired after traveling such a long way. We are here tonight." Let’s make do in the room, and we’ll figure it out tomorrow!”
Xu Feng also stood up and said in a deep voice: "Brother Chu, Jiren Tianxiang, will be fine. Don't worry, I will try to find brother Chu's whereabouts and find out the truth of the matter!"
Menghua's tears fell again and she murmured: "It's my fault for not coming back earlier to be with my father. Will I never see my father again? Uncle Xu, tell me, will I never see my father again?" ?" She sighed, lowered her eyelids, buried her head in her arms, and sobbed softly.
Shangguan Hongqin saw her sad expression and gently held her in his arms. He sighed and said, "No, kid, stop thinking so much! We will definitely find a way to help you find your father!"
At this time, Liu Ruyan brought a handful of dead branches over, lit a fire in the yard, and with the mountain wind, the fire gradually grew stronger, and in the blink of an eye, it was burning with a roar. The red firelight shone on everyone's face, and everyone stared at the firelight in silence, with a sad look on their face.
Liu Ruyan said slowly: "It's cold and dewy at night, let's all warm up by the fire!" He suddenly felt hungry in his stomach, and then he remembered that he had only been discussing the master's affairs before. Eat something, everyone must be very hungry.
He looked around at everyone and asked with concern: "I've been traveling all day today and been busy for half the night. Everyone must be hungry! I'll go find something to eat!"
Everyone shook their heads silently, Shangguan Hongqin frowned and said: "It's so late, where can I find food? There seems to be some dry food in the bag, let's share it with everyone to fill their stomachs!" After that, he ordered Wang Zhonghe Zhang Shi distributed the food to everyone.
Zhang Shi and Wang Zhong each opened a bag and groped inside for a long time, but found no food at all.
Zhang Shi said with a bitter face: "Madam, there is no food in the bag."
Wang Zhong also said with a frustrated look: "Madam, there is none in this baggage!"
Shangguan Hongqin blinked, frowned and said, "Hey, didn't we pack a few boxes of food at the inn in Qingfengji?"
Zhang Shi sighed, smiled slightly and said: "Back to Madam, those boxes of food were already distributed to everyone on the way!"
I originally thought that there was some remaining food to temporarily satisfy my hunger and relieve my fatigue, but I didn't expect that I had even eaten the last bit of food.
At this time, she also felt empty in her belly and unbearable hunger and thirst. She thought that she could still hold on with her old bones, but how could these young people endure such hunger?
A gust of mountain wind blew, making the withered grass on the thatched cottage rustle. Everyone felt a chill and couldn't help but shudder.
Shangguan Hongqin looked at Lengyue Menghua and Chunlan, and asked with concern: "How do you feel? Are you hungry?"
The three of them looked at her and shook their heads. Leng Yue said, "Mom, don't worry, we're not hungry."
Shangguan Hongqin looked sad and said helplessly: "After traveling such a long way, how can you not be hungry? Hey, I didn't expect that something like this would happen. It's really hard for you!" She looked at the three of them with pity in her eyes. .
Instead, Chunlan comforted Shangguan Hongqin: "Mother Shangguan, it's okay. Don't worry about us. We are really not hungry!" She suddenly smiled sadly and said faintly, "I have lost my parents since I was a child. It was my grandfather who took care of me." I was raised and brought up. During those days when I was a child, I often didn’t have enough to eat or wear warm clothes. I didn’t know where my next meal would be after I ate one meal. It was common to suffer from hunger. I was already used to it. This little bit of suffering is not worth it. Nothing!"
She turned her head and stared at Menghua. Seeing Menghua lowering her head and burying herself in her arms without saying a word, she asked with worry: "Hua girl, what are you thinking about? Don't be too sad, we will definitely help you find it." Uncle Chu’s.”
Menghua slowly raised her head, stretched out her hand to wipe the tears on her face, blinked, and murmured: "Sister Chunlan, don't worry, I'm fine. No matter where I am, I will find my father!" She suddenly suppressed her sadness. , became extremely excited, and his eyes were full of perseverance.
Although she had no way of knowing, what exactly happened here during the days after she and Brother Liu left? What terrible things has Dad experienced? But she firmly believes that her father must still be alive in this world.
Only by finding Daddy can all the questions be solved! If that "Gate of Hell" really kidnapped Dad, where would they take Dad?
The bonfire was burning brightly, and the flames were flying in all directions in the mountain wind.
Everyone sat around the fire, you looked at me, I looked at you, and sighed from time to time. Suddenly encountering such a thing, everyone's mood became very bad, and they didn't know what to say for a while!
Liu Ruyan looked at Xu Feng. At this moment, Xu Feng was quietly looking at the bright moon on the horizon, still looking frowning and worried. There seemed to be a confusing look of fear in his eyes.
Liu Ruyan had obviously seen the panic in his heart, but she didn't know how to comfort him. Faced with the mysterious disappearance of her master, even though she knew it was the person from the "Hell Gate", she felt panicked and helpless for a moment. .
But seeing Xu Feng's expression full of worry and fear, he was suddenly surprised and thought: What kind of sinister and evil place is this "Hell Gate"? Even Uncle Xu's martial arts skills seemed to be wary of them! It seems that this matter is no small matter and must be very difficult!
At this time, it was past midnight, the cold dew was getting worse, the moon was cold, Menghua and Chunlan were already showing signs of sleepiness, their eyelids were heavy and it was difficult to open them no matter what, and they dozed off faintly.
Upon seeing this, Shangguan Hongqin felt very distressed and hurriedly asked them to find a place to rest in the room.
Leng Yue stared at Shangguan Hongqin and asked faintly: "Mom, are you cold? Let's go to the room to stay together?"
Shangguan Hongqin glanced at Xu Feng and said with concern: "Master, you have been traveling all day and haven't eaten anything. You must be very tired. It's late at night and it's cold outside. Let's all go to the room. ?”
Xu Feng sighed, shook his head, and said slowly: "Take everyone in to have a rest! I'm very confused and want to stay here for a while!" He looked around the crowd, his eyebrows twisted like shriveled earthworms. The sadness on his face seemed to be irresolvable.
Shangguan Hongqin saw that he was extremely depressed, and was afraid that he would do something bad in a hurry, so he had to offer some words of comfort.
Xu Feng looked solemn, stroking his beard and pacing back and forth in front of the fire, glancing at Liu Ruyan from time to time.
Shangguan Hongqin let out a long sigh and led everyone into the house. They found a clean corner in Menghua's bedroom and sat down with their backs against the wall.
Shangguan Hongqin saw that the ground was extremely cold, and was afraid that everyone would accidentally catch the cold. He suddenly thought that the two bags contained some clothes to keep out the cold, and quickly ordered Zhang Shi and Wang Zhong to take the clothes and spread them on the ground, and asked everyone to wear more. Put on a few layers to keep out the cold.
Everyone leaned against the wall, closed their eyes, and fell asleep unconsciously.
Shangguan Hongqin stood up and glanced at Xu Feng and Liu Ruyan in the yard, shook her head helplessly, and then sat in the corner, closing her eyes and resting.
She was really tired from the long journey in the past few days, and she didn't eat anything tonight. Now she was empty in her belly and extremely hungry. Her mouth was already dry, and she seemed like she couldn't hold on any longer.
Liu Ruyan also glanced at everyone in the room and said to Xu Feng with concern: "Uncle Xu, you should also go in and have a rest!"
Xu Feng waved his hand and said quietly: "I can't sleep." He stared at the bonfire burning on the ground, suddenly remembered something, and asked in a deep voice, "Nephew Liu, do you know who the master usually associates with?" He stared at Liu Ruyan steadily.
Liu Ruyan thought about it and said: "When he was in the mountains, the master didn't interact with many people. He occasionally went to the Moon Bay Tea Garden under Mingcui Peak in front of him to pick some fresh tea, and sometimes he went to the forest to collect herbs. She also often goes to work in the vegetable garden. As far as I know, the people she has interacted with are all villagers in the wilderness. Since the master came to Wolong Valley, he has rarely interacted with people in the rivers and lakes!" He said in Walking slowly beside the fire, his eyes suddenly shone, and he suddenly said, "By the way, a few days ago, an Uncle Lei suddenly came. I heard the master said that the man was his old friend. The night before I left, The master also drank a lot of wine with him, and both he and the master were very drunk that night!"
Xu Feng's heart suddenly moved, and he asked in surprise: "Uncle Lei? What's that man's name? What does he look like?"
Liu Ruyan frowned and said: "Master said that Uncle Lei's name was Lei Zhentian, and the weapon he wielded was a long silver spear. He was as tall as the master, with a silver beard on his face, and his voice was like a bell. That day, I I went to the tea garden to pick new tea and came back. I didn't see the master when I got home, so I went to the back mountain to look for him, but I saw the master fighting fiercely with a stranger in the back mountain. I had never seen that person before, so I thought it was something. I was an uninvited guest, so I hid in the dark and peeked quietly, but I saw that although they were fighting fiercely, they were always pointing at each other and did not use a killing move. After the two sides exchanged fifty moves, they suddenly stopped. After coming down, the two of them went up to each other and had a pleasant chat. I saw that the other person did not look like a bad person, so I went up to him. Later, the master introduced me and said that the person was his old friend! He asked me to call him Uncle Lei. "He told the exact situation of meeting Lei Zhentian that day.
Xu Feng stroked his beard, his eyes flashed, and suddenly said: "Lei Zhentian? You said that Uncle Lei's name is Lei Zhentian?"
Liu Ruyan looked at Xu Feng steadily, nodded and said: "Yes, Uncle Lei and the master are about the same age. They are named Lei Zhentian. Does Uncle Xu recognize him?"
Xu Feng said faintly: "Oh, I remembered that ten years ago, Brother Chu and I met him once on the Taihang Mountains. What is he doing here?"
Liu Ruyan thought deeply: "That night, I heard him talking to the master in the kitchen, saying that he was going to Jianmen Pass to find an enemy! His enemy had fled to Jianmen Pass after killing his cousin twenty years ago. Jianmen Pass, he made a special trip to Jianmen Pass this time to find out the whereabouts of his enemy."
Xu Feng stroked his beard and pondered: "Since he went to Jianmen Pass to look for his enemies, how did he end up here again?"
Liu Ruyan paced and said, "I heard from him that he passed by Zhongnan Mountain by chance, but he happened to meet the master in the back mountain!"
Xu Feng's eyes flashed and he said faintly: "Oh, did he really just happen to pass by? Zhongnan Mountain and Jianmen Pass are not in the same direction? How could he pass by here? I think this matter is not that simple. , there must be something fishy in this!"
Liu Ruyan raised her brows and said thoughtfully: "Uncle Xu means that he didn't just happen to be passing by? Is there another purpose for coming here?"
Xu Feng looked at the bright moon on the bend of the sky, sighed, and said quietly: "Think about it, Jianmenguan is located in Sichuan, but Zhongnan Mountain is in Shaanxi, and the two places are hundreds of miles apart. And the direction is completely opposite. He came from Taihang, Shanxi. If he was heading for Jianmen, how could he pass by here? In my opinion, he definitely didn't just happen to pass by when he came here?" His eyes suddenly became extremely bright and sharp, A look of suspicion flickered.
Liu Ruyan's pupils shrank and she said doubtfully: "Uncle Xu means that he came prepared? Could it be that when he said that he was going to Jianmen to look for his enemies, it was just a deliberate fabrication. The reason why he came here was because of something else. For what purpose?"
He sighed deeply, stared at Xu Feng and said, "If this is really the case, what is his purpose? Could it be that the master's sudden disappearance has anything to do with him?" The more he thought about it, the more bizarre and bizarre it seemed to him.
