It rained last night in Xiaozhuang Town, but it still couldn't relieve the increasing heat. It happened that a fire rock mine was recently opened to the north of Xiaozhuang Town. Waves of fiery heat swept through the town on the wind, like adding a handful to the stove. The firewood was so dry that it made people dizzy. Some monks couldn't afford the robes to prevent heat and dryness. They bare their arms and legs, showing the true temperament on the street.
At this time, the busiest inn in the town was already overcrowded. This inn was located on the edge of the town, backed by a big river. It ingeniously diverted the river water into the lobby, turning the lobby into a pool. Tables and chairs were placed on the water, and the guests I soak my legs and feet in the water during meals to feel cool.
This was originally a comfortable thing, until a man entered the store and couldn't wait to take off his shoes and socks, stepped into the water, and overturned a few goldfish that came to the scene.
"Is it my fault?" The big man looked innocent, making the two waiters want to cry.
"Taoist Master, please come out first. Our store has a rule. Before eating, go to the cubicle to have a spa treatment to relieve your fatigue."
Another waiter was busy throwing water purification stones into the water and apologizing to all the guests.
The big man scratched his head in embarrassment and sighed, "It's so hot in this damn place. I can't get used to it."
He got up from the water, waved his hand and said, "There's no need for spa treatment. I'm already a day late, and I don't know if anyone is still there."
"It turns out that the Taoist Master is waiting for someone." The waiter chuckled and pointed his hand towards the stairs. "The person you are looking for is in the second room upstairs. Go ahead."
"Oh?" The big man wrung out his trousers and pulled up his quiver and bow, "That's it. Then I'll go up and take a look. By the way, you have to get wet when you eat here, which is really inconvenient."
Are you here to cause trouble? "Taoist Priest, we actually have water-proof beads."
The big man chose not to hear, ran upstairs, raised his hand and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
This is a very young voice, with a bit of warmth and freshness.
Hey, didn’t you even ask who it was?
The big man pushed the door open and entered the room. He stepped on a paper ball under his feet. He quickly took a step away, but stepped on another one. He looked up and saw paper balls all over the floor. There was a scholar in green shirt writing with a pen behind the desk at the east end. There is a wooden hairpin in the bun, and she looks elegant.
"This is Zuo Zhuzhi." The big man was suspicious, "Who are you? Have you seen anyone else?"
"Zuo Zuo" the scholar in green shirt lost his pen and turned around to rummage on the bookshelf, "Why are you one day late? Others have already left."
"Here, this is your bag. This trip will be kept secret. You can search for it by yourself according to the location inside."
Zuo Zhuzhi caught the thrown purse and opened it. Inside were some medicine, a map, and a hidden object, "What does this mean?"
"Specially provided by the General's Mansion, stop asking, hurry up and don't disturb me writing my storybook." The scholar in green shirt suddenly looked up to the sky and sighed, crumpled the paper in his hand into a ball, and threw it on the ground.
Could it be that he is sick? Zuo Zhuzhi shook his head, exited the room, and walked around the inn again. It was true that there was no one else, so just do as he was told.
He walked out of the inn and suddenly heard the stamping of horse hooves. He squinted his eyes and saw that he was wearing a linen shirt and carrying a heavy sword. He had a dull and youthful appearance. He was someone he recognized!
"Why are you late? You thought I was the only one left behind." Zuo Zhuzhi was secretly shocked. After not seeing each other for a few days, this person seemed to have changed a lot. If he hadn't known her personally, he would have thought she was just an ordinary person. As for mortals. It's not like using a breath-absorbing thing, it just feels like it exists here naturally, and it's not worth paying more attention to, but once you notice it, you can't ignore it.
"It turns out to be Fellow Daoist Zuo."
In addition to the four surnames of Luo Shi, Zhong Ding, there were six people employed by Ran Nian, including Feng Shan Hai, Tang Jin Shan, Zhou Yong Yuan, Lin You Xia Zuo Zhu Zhi, and she.
Zhan Changfeng turned over and dismounted, his eyes sad, "Why am I late? I have never been late."
Zuo Zhuzhi wiped his sweat, his eyes were filled with surprise, and then he smiled and said, "Well, you can go to the inn first, maybe we can go together."
It seems that this place is not the end, "Thank you, fellow Taoist."
Zhan Changfeng entered the inn and found the scholar in blue under the guidance of the waiter. The scholar in green was biting his pen, with a slightly ferocious expression on his face, "Let me ask you, if a person accidentally fell into a cliff while being chased, what is the reason for him to slip and get out of here?" ", still falling"
"I prefer dancing."
The scholar in green shirt was stunned for a moment, then thought for a while and said, "No, he is not a proactive person."
He rummaged through a purse and said, "You are the last one left. Follow the map inside to find it."
Making it so complicated?
Zhan Changfeng took his wallet and went out, and opened the map inside. A route finally reached Lianfang Country.
Zuo Zhuzhi said, "I am also from the Lianfang Kingdom, but the route is different."
In fact, the agreed dates were also different. Zhan Changfeng requested to arrive at Xiaozhuang Town on the tenth day, and Zuo Zhuzhi requested to arrive at Xiaozhuang Town on the ninth day. I guess the dates for the others were also different, and they were asked separately by Ran Nian. , so I only knew that I had to go to Xiaozhuang Town to gather, but I didn’t want everyone to have different times.
The two of them were not stupid, they figured it out immediately.
Most of the places in Zangyun Stream are cities and villages of cultivators. There are only three small mortal kingdoms, called Huaiqingliao in the south of Lianfang. These three kingdoms are remote and shrouded in restrictions. They are guarded by the Si Xunfu. In addition to the monks of Buddhism and Incense Dao, , ordinary cultivators are not allowed to come and go at will. They need to apply for a token from the Si Xunfu before they can pass the ban.
These three countries are also the main places where Buddhism, Taoism and Incense Taoism compete for believers to spread their faith.
Why is that unknown secret realm in the mortal world? No wonder they were separated. A group of monks swarmed there, and they couldn't pass through the Si Xun Mansion alone.
"We still have to go our separate ways. Let's take our leave first."
"Oh, see you later." Zuo Zhuzhi glanced at the map sadly. He thought he would be able to reach his destination along the way with someone to guide him, but it turned out that he had to go alone. He hoped that he wouldn't go the wrong way again this time.
Zhan Changfeng said goodbye and chased him from the left, then mounted his horse and started on his way again. Although there was no time limit, he could still go as fast as he could. Her route was a bit detoured.
It was night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, and we were still more than half way away from Lianfang Kingdom. There are no spiritual veins in the Lianfang Kingdom, and there is little vitality in the world. Even the area around it is just ordinary mountains and forests. Along the way, you can see fewer and fewer residences belonging to monks, and there are even no residences for a long distance. Anyone’s home.
Zhan Changfeng didn't mind continuing on his way, but his mount couldn't bear it, so he stopped and let it graze and rest while he sat cross-legged and meditated under a tree with a flourishing canopy.
In the forest, cicadas chirped and frogs kept chirping, and leaves hung clatteringly on the branches. It was a windless night and extremely hot. In this unique commotion, Zhan Changfeng opened an eyelid and touched the clouds around his waist. The fan flew out, and the fan suddenly opened, like a round of light daggers dotted with cold stars whirling through the trees. For a moment, there was a muffled groan, a cry of pain, the sound of falling to the ground, the sound of swords clashing, and the sound continued, followed by the chirping of cicadas. The frog's cry was silent.
Zhan Changfeng caught the Yunzhong Fan that flew back, raised his hand with a bang, and intercepted the suddenly cut blade.
The assassin in night clothes couldn't take a single hit and immediately disappeared, as if he had merged with the darkness.
The fan blades opened again, resisting the dagger light of the dragon and tiger roaring. This time, without waiting for the man in black to react, Zhan Changfeng closed the fan and clamped the dagger, and clasped his wrist with his other hand. The man in black felt a powerful aura. It invaded the tendons and burst the blood vessels. His eyes were slightly frightened, and he immediately cut off his arms, almost wanting to escape.
"Now that you're here, don't leave." Zhan Changfeng's thoughts moved, and the leaves in the forest fluttered, branches fell off and strangled him away, and blood mist filled the air.
