Lin Manliu, Qing Lan and Shopkeeper Yang entered the inn hall together and found a free table and chairs to sit down. Shopkeeper Yang called out Dong Lao Er without further explanation. The inn hostess held a teapot in his hand. , and walked to the table of three people with three tea cups. After placing the tea cups in order, he filled the three people with tea in the order of Qing Lan, shopkeeper Yang and finally Lin Manliu.
Shopkeeper Yang saw that Dong Lao Er knew what he was thinking, so he did not continue to scold him. He just asked the waiter of the inn to continue working. If there was nothing to do, he could go to the rest room by the door. The waiter, as if he had received an amnesty, placed the teapot on the When there are three people on the table, it’s time to invite guests from other tables.
"There's a lot of trouble for Shopkeeper Yang in today's competition," Qing Lan said to Shopkeeper Yang as she picked up the teacup.
Shopkeeper Yang hurriedly picked up the tea cup and bowed in return, "Uncle Qing, even though it's troublesome for me, I'm usually afraid that Uncle Qing won't want to visit my inn. Please come more often in the future."
"It's just that I like to stay in the countryside on weekdays. I will definitely visit again when I have time," Qinglan said aloud.
The two then talked about some more, including the harvest problems of Lianhua Bay in the past two years. During this period, shopkeeper Yang could not help but praise Qing Lan. The two of them drank up the tea amidst laughter and laughter. Shopkeeper Yang was okay. Being sensible, after drinking tea with Qinglan, he got up and said that he had something to do and was busy, so he got up and left first.
While the two were talking, the boy in the short shirt just sat quietly aside, waiting for what the two said. The tea on the table was not touched. After shopkeeper Yang stood up and said he wanted to leave, the boy in the short shirt moved slightly. At this time, Lin Manliu was recalling the changes in moves between Qing Lan and himself during the previous competition, and thinking about what kind of power that strange dual consciousness could exert.
"Little friend Manliu?" Qinglan saw that the boy was still silent, so she shouted.
Lin Manliu, who was still thinking about the competition just now, suddenly heard Qing Lan calling him. He immediately raised his head and looked at Qing Lan and replied, "What's the matter, Uncle Qing? I was a little distracted just now. I'm really sorry."
Qing Lan patted the table, pointed to the cup of tea in front of the boy in a short shirt and said, "The competition is closed. What are you still thinking about? The tea on the table is almost cold."
After hearing this, the boy in a short shirt hurriedly lifted the cup of tea on the table and drank it into his mouth. He even swallowed the tea leaves together.
"Ahem...hahahaha, little friends Manliu is really interesting." When the farmer saw this, he coughed first and then started to laugh.
The boy in a short shirt quickly drank up the tea and then realized how ridiculous this move was. He returned the tea cup to its original position on the table with some embarrassment. Then, not knowing what to do, he began to knock it unconsciously with both hands. desktop.
"When Man Liu was drawing his sword, he looked completely different from what he said in normal times. Now he looks more like a street kid. If my wife were here, she would definitely like it," Qing Lan said with a smile while stroking his beard.
"Uncle Qing, please don't cancel the full six by yourself... I was just thinking about the changes in the fight between Uncle Qing's spearmen and the wonder of the dual senses in Uncle Qing's hands." Lin Manliu said, eyes fixed on He picked up the empty teacup on the table.
"Recalling so many things, I continue to remember one thing about my moves. No matter whether I use a sword or a sword, it is the only solution that can break the situation. Use my moves to neutralize its power and remove its brute strength. So as to fend off the enemy and finally defeat the enemy and win," Qing Lan said.
"It's fine if that's the case... But when defending against an enemy, not all of the opponent's moves can be resolved by oneself. If one only cares about his own sword, won't he be trapped by other people's spells and tricks?" Lin Manliu thought about Qinglan's words. , began to murmur.
"We, the Jianghu people, have to think so much. How much time do we have to think about how to attack when the real enemy is facing us? We are not good at swordsmanship, so we have so many thoughts. Instead of thinking so much all day long. Why don't you practice your sword well?" Qinglan's voice was louder than before, as if she wanted to scold the worried young man in short clothes in front of him.
Before the young man could reply, the farmer continued: "If you are good at swordsmanship and have no doubts in your heart, even if you are against the opponent, you will still be inferior. You can't compete with them by using the virtual to interpret the real, and using the weak to eliminate the barbaric. Why not just run away? The most important thing to avoid when fighting is to be distracted. If you have other things in your mind that are bothering you, it will make you slow to draw your sword and make your moves slower than others."
Having said this, Lin Manliu finally understood where he had made mistakes in his sword-fighting in the past. No matter what time he faced the enemy before, because he was still young in swordsmanship, he always assumed that the opponent would use his moves better than him. It is faster and more fierce, so although it is generally more cautious, it will become hesitant when fighting.
"Manliu understands, please give me more advice from Uncle Qing." Lin Manliu hurriedly thanked Qinglan and said.
Qing Lan looked at the young man and nodded with satisfaction. He took the teapot with one hand and filled himself a cup. Then he handed the teapot to the young man and asked Lin Manliu to pour himself tea.
"By the way, little friend Manliu may have guessed how much energy I used in the exchange of blows just now," Qing Lan suddenly said.
"Twenty-three out of ten...?" Lin Manliu said after thinking for a moment, because whether it was when he first met Qinglan or when he had fought before, it was completely obvious that the farmer in front of him was far better than Ye Dang. Listen to Master Tinghe, when the old liar fights with me, he will use 40% of the strength as the old liar said. If you think about it, Uncle Qing will only use less energy.
Qinglan at the table laughed out loud after hearing the young man's reply, "Little friend Manliu is still too modest. I probably guessed half of it right. At first it was 30%. Then I didn't ask you, and then I mentioned it to 40%, but unexpectedly, the six-year-old boy can still cope with it with ease."
Lin Manliu listened to what Qing Lan said and just nodded, then reached for the teacup on the table, raised it to his lips and took a sip.
What followed was a chat between the two of them. Qinglan told the young man in a short shirt about Lianhua Bay, the changes over the years and some characteristics of other villages in Shu. Lin Manliu told the farmer about his journey from southern Xinjiang. As they walked towards the scenery they saw, the two chatted happily until the evening.
In the twilight, under the setting sun.
Lin Manliu and Qing Lan walked out of the inn together. When passersby saw Qing Lan, they all stopped and called Uncle Qing before continuing on their way.
"Whether I was fighting against Manliu or talking about landscapes today, I felt a little relieved. I also want to thank Manliu," Qinglan said, looking at the sunset in the distance.
"Uncle Qing is willing to fight with me and correct Manliu's mistakes with his sword. This is my blessing." Lin Manliu followed the eyes of the farmer beside him and looked at the sunset in the distance.
The sun sets in the west, and the heroes watch in the evening.
"As Little Friend Manliu said, in the future, the world still needs you, the younger generation, to fight and revitalize the world," the farmer suddenly said with emotion.
Lin Manliu remembered what he and Qinglan said before the competition when they ate lotus seeds together. What he said was that someone needed to find a way to save him. Why did he end up here? That was what Uncle Qing said. The way to save him must be young. Will it take one generation to step forward to solve the problem? Maybe it was because of what he said from his own mouth.
"Uncle Qing may be a little disappointed. Manliu doesn't have such ambitions for the time being. After everything is over, Manliu just wants to return to his hometown to accompany his elders and his master." The boy in a short shirt said apologetically, although he wanted to be A knight-errant like an old liar, but in today's turbulent situation, he can't stand out in front of others.
"What is there to apologize for? Everyone has his or her own path. If your path is not here, there is no need to forcefully move in this direction. Only by following your heart can you go further," the farmer said aloud.
Without waiting for Lin Manliu's reply, Qinglan turned sideways and walked forward. He raised his left hand and waved to the young man and said, "You will set off tomorrow, so there is no need to look for me. We will meet again someday. I hope that my swordsmanship will be even better, little friend Manliu." Diligence".
Lin Manliu turned to look at Qinglan who was walking away, bowed his hands and said, "Of course, Manliu bids farewell to Uncle Qing."
It wasn't until the figure of the farmer disappeared among the pedestrians that the boy in short shirt stood up straight and walked towards the inn. Shopkeeper Yang was standing by the door of the inn. When the two of them walked out of the inn together just now, shopkeeper Yang He was waiting in front of the door, not because he wanted to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two of them, but because Shopkeeper Yang himself really admired this farmer who had led to an increase in the harvest of the entire Hehua Bay.
When Lin Manliu approached the inn, shopkeeper Yang quickly came up to him and said loudly: "My dear Manliu, when it's dinner time, I'll ask the waiter to deliver the food to your room or leave it in the backyard. , waiting for the six children to pick it up in person."
"Boy, I'd like to thank the shopkeeper for his kindness. No need to bother. I will go downstairs to eat by myself during dinner. There is no need for shopkeeper Yang to worry so much." Lin Manliu nodded and said to shopkeeper Yang.
"Then just follow the arrangements of Little Friend Manliu. I'll go and get busy first. If you need anything, please let me know, or ask Mr. Dong for help." Shopkeeper Yang clapped his hands and said, with a smile on his face.
"Thank you, shopkeeper, for your kindness. I'll go upstairs first." After Lin Manliu finished speaking, he headed to his room on the second floor.
...
In a post station outside Juzhou City in central Guizhou
The young Taoist priest who was heading west was squatting on a stone step beside the door of the inn. The Taoist bun on his head had become quite unkempt, even though he had redid it many times on the way and selected different branches to stabilize it. I wear my hair in a bun, but it seems that because I haven’t washed myself properly, I can’t manage to keep my hair in a bun as well as I did when I was free.
The young Taoist priest was eating the steamed buns given by the store. He would not suddenly stretch out his free left hand to make hand gestures. In the past few days, he had made a few random gestures, then put his hand back into his sleeves and continued to do what he was doing before, or continued on his way. Today, at the door of this inn, the time spent making the secrets in my left hand seemed to be much longer than usual.
As the speed of the young Taoist priest's left hand began to slow down, the look in his eyes became a little brighter from the dullness at the beginning, but it was more of a kind of shock and confusion. He immediately stopped Chewing the steamed bun at hand, he put the steamed bun on his lap and took out a piece of tortoise shell. The moment he saw the words engraved on the tortoise shell, he felt a sweetness in his throat.
The previous tortoise shell was engraved with Lin Manliu and Ye Dangting, but the tortoise shell had been damaged and the young Taoist priest found a place to bury it.
This time, the tortoise shell in his hand was engraved with the words Lin Manliu and Zhou Mo.
He stomped his feet to hold on and swallowed back the blood that he wanted to spit out. With only confusion and helplessness in his eyes, he put the tortoise shell into his arms again, got up and prepared to continue walking to the northwest.
