The dusk is dark and the wind is as cold as a knife. The stars and moon have risen on the sky. A few cold stars were looming, and the cold moonlight shone on several towering mountain peaks, seeming to cast a silvery glow.
Xu Feng sat on the horse and looked up at the mountain peaks reaching into the sky. Huashan Mountain, hidden in the night, stood majestically like a god, making people dare not look at it.
Xu Ziyi tightened the reins, and the horse shook its head, sneezing, and galloped for hundreds of miles. The horse was already extremely tired.
The two of them came under a stone archway. The beam above the archway was engraved with "Huashan" in two elegant and powerful cursive scripts. Xu Ziyi said with a serious expression: "Xu Daxia, let's go up the mountain from here. In front of us is Yuquanyuan and up to the north peak of Huashan Mountain. This is the only way. Mingyueju was the master who came to Huashan to play twenty years ago. Unexpectedly, he encountered heavy rain. He When I was climbing halfway up the North Peak, I saw a simple thatched pavilion on the edge of the cliff, so I got in to take shelter from the rain. I met an old man in the thatched pavilion. It turned out that the thatched pavilion was the old man's residence. I heard from the master that the old man was alone. Living in the mountains, he looks about sixty years old, but he does not look old. Although he is lonely, he does not give up on himself. Instead, he works hard at sunrise and rests at sundown. The companion was just a dog. The master was attracted by the old man's life of forgetting the world, and he became a lifelong friend. He said that he would often come to Huashan to visit the old man. Later, a few years later, the old man suddenly suffered from a disease. When the master learned about this strange disease, he went to Huashan Mountain to visit the old man, but he was already terminally ill and knew that he didn't have much time left. Before he died, he gave his thatched pavilion to the master. The master also liked this place, so he stayed there When he retired to Mount Huashan, he settled here." He stared at the thatched pavilion on the cliff halfway up the mountain.
Xu Feng said faintly: "Ming Yue Ju! This is an elegant name. Come on, let's go up quickly! Your master must be waiting impatiently." He pulled the reins, rode on, followed Xu Ziyi, and the two of them headed towards the street. Walk towards the canyon plank road halfway up the mountain.
The night is dark, the mountains and fields are silent, the moon is shining brightly, and the stars are few and far between. The mountain wind blew into the pine forest, as if ghosts were crying.
The two of them were walking leisurely on the mountain road, surrounded by a bottomless canyon and towering dangerous rock cliffs on one side. Under the night, it looked even more abrupt and mysterious, as if they had entered a foreign space. There was no one on the mountain path, except for a few squirrels jumping on the pine branches occasionally. They were very alert. When they heard the movement around them, they immediately hid on the pine branches and remained motionless.
The gray moonlight shines into the pine forest and casts a silvery glow between the screen-like cliffs. Night insects chirp all around, and everything in the world is peaceful and peaceful. The mountain road is rugged. Although it is not steep or difficult to walk, it is surrounded by dangerous rocks standing thousands of feet high. Walking along it makes people feel a little depressed.
Xu Ziyi looked back at Xu Feng behind him and said hesitantly: "Xu Daxia, the Yuting Pass is ahead of us. We are walking in Huashan Mountain at night. Our vision is not good at night. You have to be careful. By the way, let's light a torch to light the way!" He stopped, took out a fire fold from his arms, and reached out to break off a pine branch from the pine tree on the side of the road. The pine oil on the pine branch ignited immediately, and the fire grew from small to large, and gradually became brighter, and the flames flickered. Sparks were flying in the mountain wind, and a slope spread straight into the mountainside.
The two of them rode horses and carefully turned around a pass. Next to the pass, there was a large pit sunken into the cliff. It looked like an open mouth of a snake. There was actually a shrine in the pit, enshrining the statue of the Earth God. There was a small incense burner in front of him, with a few residual incense sticks in it. The mountain wind was blowing, and the incense ashes were scattered all over the ground. Xu Feng looked at the earth god, and then he realized that the earth god statue was missing one eye.
Xu Feng frowned and asked, "Why is this statue missing one of its eyes?"
Xu Ziyi said: "It is said that a thief once fled to Huashan Mountain to avoid being traced. When he saw the earth god staring at him with bulging eyes, he remembered that he had failed repeatedly and was being followed by the government's arrests, so he became angry. Come to one place, draw your sword and gouge out one of the eyes of the earth god."
Xu Feng found it interesting, smiled lightly, and said, "Oh, such a thing actually happened? Did the thief vent his anger on the land and was caught later?"
Xu Ziyi said: "I also heard this story from my master. Later, several head catchers found out that the bandit had gone to Huashan to hide, so they chased him. They found the thief in the Banshan Pavilion above. The two sides fought fiercely, and the bandit Gradually losing ground, it was the end of the road. I fled to the edge of Yuzhu Cliff and saw that there was no way to escape. I jumped off the cliff in panic!
"
Xu Feng and Xu Ziyi were walking and talking, passing through the long cliff plank road, and came to a large stone embedded in the cliff crevice. This large stone seemed to have rolled down from the top of the mountain and was sandwiched next to a rock pine beside the mountain road. Three words "heart-turning stone" are engraved on the stone.
Xu Ziyi said: "We have arrived at Huixin Stone. This is halfway up the mountain. After passing the halfway pavilion, we will see the master's Mingyue Residence." His words were full of joy.
The two soon arrived at the Banshan Pavilion, which was a dilapidated four-cornered pavilion that had been in disrepair and was surrounded by weeds as deep as a person's height. There was an open space not far ahead. There was a thatched house standing on the open space, and there was a faint light from the fire inside. Suddenly, a violent coughing sound came from the hut.
Xu Ziyi said worriedly: "Oh, the master is coughing violently again! If he sees you, he will be very happy."
The two of them had arrived outside the hut, got off their horses, and Xu Ziyi led the two horses to a huge cypress tree. He tied up his horse and ran over quickly. He came to the closed door, stretched out his hand, knocked, and shouted loudly: "Master, who do you think is here?"
After a while, rapid breathing came from inside, and an old voice said, "Is Ziyi back?" There were slight footsteps in the room.
The door opened, the firelight reflected, and a thin old man in gray robe appeared at the door. His hair was gray, with a small goatee under his chin, and his eyes were dull and dull.
Xu Ziyi and Xu Feng looked at the old man in front of them. Xu Feng stared at the old man with wide eyes, and suddenly lost his voice: "Brother Gu, is it you? Do you still recognize me?" He looked at the old man up and down, looking extremely excited.
Xu Ziyi also shouted in a trembling voice: "Master, look, my disciple has invited Daxia Xu here! Master, are you feeling better?" He stepped forward and supported the master.
Yes, the frail old man standing in front of him under the eaves is none other than Huashan Feiying Gu Zhi, the owner of Mingyueju.
Gu Zhi's lips trembled slightly and he said excitedly: "Aha, Brother Xu, is it really you? Come on, please come in."
Xu Feng quickly stepped forward and held Gu Zhi's hand, looked at his face, and said quietly: "Brother, it's been more than ten years since I last saw you! How have you been these past years?"
A warm smile appeared in Gu Zhi's eyes, but they seemed brighter. His eyes were already moist with excitement, and tears seemed to overflow. He nodded to Xu Feng and said: "Yes, Brother Xu, Shuzhong Yibie has already For more than ten years, I heard that after the First World War in Jiannan, you went to Cuihua Mountain to live in seclusion? I wonder if Shangguan's sister-in-law and Ling Qianjin are okay?"
Xu Feng sat in front of the Eight Immortals table, looked at Gu Zhi and sighed: "Thanks to my brother, both of them are fine. Alas, I have no choice but to go to Cuihua Mountain!" He suddenly glanced at Xu Ziyi who was standing next to him. , asked, "I heard from Ziyi that you have been seriously ill in recent years, are you feeling better?"
Gu Zhi's eyes dimmed, and he couldn't help but cough when he was about to speak. When the cough subsided, he gasped and said, "Well, I went to the mountains to collect medicine a few years ago. I didn't want to get soaked in the rainstorm, catch wind and cold, and then not be able to do it again." Shen fell down, broke several ribs, and lay at home for a month. Since then, he has developed lung disease, which has not healed since. In the past two years, my health has been deteriorating, and I am afraid I won’t live long!" He said. , a sad smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Xu Feng looked sad, frowned and asked: "Have you ever gone down the mountain to seek treatment from a doctor? How heroic and heroic you were back then, but you didn't want to end up in such a situation in your later years!" There was infinite sadness in his words.
Gu Zhi shook his head slightly and said with a faint smile: "I often go down the mountain to find a doctor to get medicine. I have seen many doctors. The disease comes and goes, but there is no improvement. Whenever the weather gets colder, the condition gets worse. Alas, He is extremely ill and cannot be cured!"
At this time, Xu Ziyi boiled tea in the backyard and served it.
Gu Zhi invited Xu Feng to have tea. He took a sip of tea and said, "I thought I would never see my eldest brother again in this life. I have not been able to repay eldest brother for his life-saving kindness. Alas, I'm afraid I will never have the chance again." ! This time, I told Ziyi to go down the mountain to look for his eldest brother. Firstly, I knew that I didn’t have much time left, so I wanted to meet him before I left. Secondly..." He couldn’t help but cough again, glanced at Xu Ziyi, and said He went to wait outside the hospital, and he spoke to Xu Feng alone.
Xu Ziyi walked out of the hut, closed the door, and felt alone
Sitting in the courtyard with heavy feelings.
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