The howling north wind swept across the frozen wasteland.
The far northern land, a vast expanse of pure sky, is also sinking in the bitter cold, and the light is hard to reach. Visitors all year round are greeted only by biting snow and cold wind.
The grass and fields were all dry, buried in layers of scattered hoarfrost, without any life at all. The sky is always leaden and dead, without any extra color.
Deep in the canyon.
The sound of flying arrows flying from the string suddenly came, which was especially obvious in the quiet surroundings. Then there was a burst of rapid footsteps, crunching through the dead grass and snow and frost everywhere.
They were two men wearing black turbans.
The prey they were chasing, a stag not too far away from them, slowly fell to the snow after being hit by an arrow. Dark red blood flowed out gurglingly, which was very eye-catching.
The archery man whistled proudly, as if he was very proud of his archery skills.
Soon, they picked up today's harvest and headed towards a hidden cave deeper in the canyon.
…………
Lighting the candle, a young-looking boy walked into the cave holding a torch. There is a cave inside. Keep going downwards, and the originally small space becomes larger and larger. Gradually, it took the shape of a hidden base.
The stone walls on both sides are painted with messy and weird human figures, which also look like beasts, and are so beautiful that it is scary. The original mural style extends to the four corners of the rock wall. The almost crazy depiction is like a nightmare of a monster.
After twists and turns, the young man seemed to be very familiar with the terrain here. Finally, he walked across a suspension bridge built from fragments and reached the end.
In fact, there is no need for him to hold a torch, because here, the high-hanging grease lamp is enough to illuminate.
It's just that the flames are beating with a more frightening purple-black luster.
What faced me was a towering long scroll of animal skin, majestic and as scary as a monster. The deeper interior was isolated, and the young man did not continue to enter, but knelt down outside the long scroll. His figure was motionless, frozen like a sculpture.
He waited a moment. There was a chaotic deathly silence all around, and the purple flames beat thickly and eerily.
After a while, an excited shout came from behind him. With a murderous look on his eyebrows, he looked back at the two outsiders.
A strong murderous intent emerged from the corners of his eyes and spread instantly. No matter how stupid those two people were, they still knew how to read people's emotions, and they were immediately frightened into silence.
The young man glanced at the dead deer they were carrying and motioned for them to put it on the ground and get out of here. When the two men saw this, they immediately nodded, put down the dead deer, and ran away quickly.
The young man snorted and ignored them.
Today, the Shadow Master summoned him, and it seemed that he was determined to launch his plan. After many years of planning, they have had enough of staying in this gloomy and rotten place. Next, it’s time for the appreciation plan to explode.
The young man was not nervous or excited, and the expression on his face was as calm as a cold pool. He was thinking about many things, with a vague cloud of sadness wandering between his brows.
A little more time passed. Suddenly, the young man caught a glimpse of the will-o'-the-wisps on both sides beginning to tremble, like a harbinger of an angry wave.
"Welcome to you, Shadow Master." He raised his hands in congratulations.
With a "hoo" sound, the long roll of animal skin hanging high was blown and turned, and a powerful pressure swept over him in an instant. The boy still maintained his original posture, but his sleeves and hair were blown away.
The "Shadow Master" has arrived.
The low voice was like a skeleton crying, making people shudder:
"...You, please stay flat."
When the young man heard this, he slowly stood up from the ground and patted the dust on his clothes twice.
"The shadow master has been in seclusion for a long time. He came out today. I am very happy. Congratulations to the shadow master." He said in a more excited tone, although there was still no expression on his face.
"Haha..." The film owner smiled coldly behind the scenes.
"Gu, it's not finished yet. But it's time to start Gu's big plan..."
The young man breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, but he still didn't show it at all.
Suddenly, something flew out from behind the long roll of animal skin. The young man had quick eyes and quick hands, and with luck, the object slowly fell into his hands.
When I looked down, I saw a rolled up paper scroll.
In the dim light, the young man had no way of knowing what was written inside. But as a confidant of the film owner, he had a general idea of what was in it without having to read it.
"Go ahead, it's clear inside what you should do."
The young man pondered and glanced behind the long scroll of animal skin, but could not see anything. He hesitantly grasped the scroll and stood up, ready to turn around and leave.
The will-o'-the-wisp trembled, tilting the young man's back. There was no more voice from the shadow master behind the scenes, and there was silence in the cave.
It wasn't until the young man left that the Shadow Master's voice sounded again in the empty cave. The owl's low laughter rippled through the rock walls, like the howl of an evil spirit in the abyss.
"In this game of loneliness, let's use these chess pieces first as a little deterrent..."
"The longest severe winter has arrived..."
…………
A few months later.
The grass is long and the orioles are flying in the February sky, and the willows are blowing on the embankment and are drunk with the spring smoke. In the early spring, when the snow melts and the ice disappears, and the cold willows sprout green, the banks of the willow branches and rivers are filled with vitality and warmth.
There is a small stone bridge over the Willow Branch River, and the moss on the bridge wall is also dyed green with the return of spring. The spring water ripples under the bridge, and the stream is like dark satin. On the bridge... there is a young man with a depressed and frowning face, as if he is here to spoil the scenery.
It seemed that this charming spring scenery had nothing to do with him. With his furrowed brows filled with confusion, the young man had been wandering on the bridge all morning. A fortune-telling man by the bridge has been paying attention to him for a long time, and has been trying to find the right time to use shrewd fortune-telling skills to help him solve his problems, and then charge a reasonable fee for help... But he just kept silent There was no chance. Seeing that the sun was reaching noon, he decided to try his luck.
The young man had been pacing back and forth on the bridge just now. He was probably tired from walking. Now he simply sat down on the edge of the bridge pier. The old man came to strike up a conversation just at this moment.
"Hey, young man," the uncle walked over and greeted him kindly.
But the young man raised his head and glanced at him, his eyes filled with annoyance.
Seeing him like this, the uncle looked at him carefully, touched his beard in a secretive manner, and said thoughtfully: "Young man, have you... been frustrated in love?"
When the young man heard this, his eyes widened in surprise: "You...how do you know?"
Seeing that he hit the spot, the uncle laughed, obviously very proud.
He shook his sparsely haired head, twirled his white beard with one hand, and opened his mouth: "I have eaten more salt than you have walked! Young man, I think you are... getting married and losing children. ! Oh no, no...middle-aged widow! Oh no, no, no..."
The old man seemed a little nervous, and his several wrong words had made the young man in front of him become more and more angry.
The young man was cursed for no reason. Seeing that he was still chattering, he became angry and immediately became furious at the old man: "You just lost your son and your wife! You are disrespectful! What kind of service industry are you engaged in with such eloquence!" Go, go, go!”
After being scolded, the uncle ran away angrily. The young man leaned on the bridge pillar depressedly, staring at the gurgling water under the bridge in a daze.
It's hard for Fu Yunge not to be depressed. He has lived for more than ten years, but he has never heard that he has been engaged to have a baby kiss until today.
And... it would be fine if he was good-looking, but the soon-to-be wife almost gave him a heart attack when he came to the door today.
What's more, the ancients said that a good man has ambitions everywhere. To be so tragically bound by a feudal marriage at a young age and become a househusband is too far away from the ideal life. Although Fu Yunge had not yet thought carefully about what his ideal was, ever since he changed his name to himself, he was determined to fight for his ideal throughout his life.
Leaving home this time has actually been planned for a long time, and today's baby's marriage incident is just the trigger and catalyst.
At home, his parents all wanted him to inherit the mantle of the family tea house, and his relatives also praised him as a "rising star". Although his family is rich and his life is comfortable, these are not what he wants.
Especially the "daughter-in-law" who just appeared today...
He doesn't need to worry about anything at home. The name of the Yu family tea house is not small, even if you leave the family's business, you can still proceed in an orderly manner. But the only one I can't worry about is my little sister Yu Rou...
Well... Fu Yunge scratched his head.
He looked up at the clear blue sky and felt relieved in his heart that Yu Rou had grown up. Even if his eldest brother was not around, there would be no problem.
After sitting on the bridge in a daze for a while, Fu Yunge sorted out his thoughts. He walked quickly down the bridge and headed straight towards the home of his friend Dongfang Shiming.
The young name Dongfang Shiming is known to everyone around him, and many people know him well. It is said that he is extremely intelligent and often gives advice to others to solve their problems. In addition, he is handsome and graceful, so many young girls have secretly hand-painted his portraits and hung them in their boudoirs. Fu Yunge had always had a close friendship with him, so she went to him this time in the hope of getting some useful advice.
It's not too close from Liuzhi River Bridge to Shigu Ferry, where Dongfang Shiming's family is located. It was already sunset when Fu Yunge came to the door.
"Oh, Mr. Yu, what an ambition. He comes from a well-off family and has a lovely wife, but he can still abandon her. He is really ambitious and admirable."
Dongfang Shiming lay on his back on his Taishi chair. After listening to Fu Yunge's brief explanation of his purpose, he teased him with a fake smile.
Fu Yunge glared at him: "I've already changed my name, so I don't want to call her son-in-law and make people sick. And that sweet wife, to be honest, it's really unflattering."
"Tsk tsk..." Dongfang Shiming shook his head, put the tea cup to his mouth and took a sip, then said: "Your servant came to my place to find you once, and told me that as long as I can return you, When you go home, give me fifty taels of silver as a reward."
"I also know they will find you." Fu Yunge sighed, and suddenly raised his head to look at Dongfang Shiming: "What? Are you trying to trick me back?"
Dongfang Shiming frowned and pretended to be serious: "Although I have considered it, I still think that our friendship needs to be increased by at least ten taels of silver."
"You..." Fu Yunge bared his teeth in anger.
"Okay, okay, no nonsense." Dongfang Shiming calmed down the smile on his face, slowly stood up from the chair, twisted his neck and asked: "Now that you have escaped, what are you going to do next?"
This issue is something Fu Yunge has been thinking about. He frowned, lowered his head and began to think hard. After a while, he suddenly slammed the table and announced to Dongfang Shiming: "It's decided, I want to go to the upper floor to have a look."
"Upper level?" Dongfang Shiming narrowed his eyes.
At this time, several low and rapid knocks on the door came. Dongfang Shiming and Fu Yunge looked at each other, and Fu Yunge nodded to him, then ducked under the bed board. Dongfang Shiming felt helpless and funny, got up and walked towards the door.
Opening the door, the person standing at the door was indeed the servant of Fuyun Ge's family. Fu Yunge listened to Dongfang Shiming saying something vaguely to his servant under the bed. The servant took a look into the room and then left. He sighed and slowly crawled out from under the bed.
Dongfang Shiming came back and said with a smile: "Look how kind your family is to you."
Fu Yunge curled his lips and looked speechless.
"Let's continue the topic. Are you going to the upper level - the Pure World?" Dongfang Shiming stopped smiling, looking a little surprised. "I have only heard my family mention that place. It is said that it is not easy to reach the upper level."
The room was getting darker and darker, Dongfang Shiming said, lighting the candle on the table. The light flickered, shaking the blurry shadows of the two people.
Fu Yunge lay beside the table, staring directly at the dancing flames, and whispered: "It doesn't matter, we can go to the middle floor first. There will always be a way."
"Middle level, will the world rise to heaven..." Dongfang Shiming thought for a moment, with a complicated expression on his face, "I haven't been there for a long time."
Fu Yunge knew the origin of Dongfang Shiming. His family was in the middle level, on the continent called [Taishi Shengpingtian]. It is said that the middle level is rich in natural resources and pleasant in all seasons, with a dazzling array of wonders and scenic spots. It can be described as a paradise for outstanding people.
In terms of living environment, the middle level is infinitely better than the bottom continent [Netherlands]. As for why Dongfang Shiming came to live alone in the lower class, he has never received a clear explanation, but Fu Yunge has always admired the fact that Dongfang's family did not object to Dongfang Shiming leaving home alone to pursue his career.
He put his face close to the table and frowned gloomily: "You have seen the middle level at least. I have never left the lower level when I grew up."
It was completely dark outside the window, and the dim stars were looming in the dark sky. Seeing this, Dongfang Shiming stood up with a smile and went to the kitchen, calling Fu Yunge: "Have you had dinner? If not, come help me and I'll have a drink with you."
Fu Yunge lazily dragged himself over to help, taking a radish and a vegetable basin handed over by Dongfang Shiming. He bent down and scooped out a ladle of water from the wooden bucket to wash vegetables. The cold spring water was extremely clear.
"Oh, by the way, I will probably have to stay at your place tonight." Suddenly, Fu Yunge raised his head and said.
Dongfang Shiming tilted his head and smiled: "I won't let you sleep on the street, don't worry."
The woods outside the house were rustled by the night wind. The returning bird is perching, and a incomplete bright moon is half-covered behind the clouds and mist, emitting a hazy light like a clear gauze. Dog barks could be heard from time to time in the alleys, and the gurgling water of the ferry could be seen in the night. People who had worked hard all day had taken a rest, and silence, accompanied by the slightest snoring, shrouded this ordinary corner of the misty moon.
The next morning, Fu Yunge, who had not slept enough, was woken up by the sound of busy footsteps coming back and forth. He sat up from the floor, supporting his sleepy body, and looked at Dongfang Shiming sleepily: "...What? Do you want to move?"
Dongfang Shiming had packed several packages at this time, and there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He looked energetic: "Did I disturb you? I will pack it up, and you can rest for a while."
Just as Fu Yunge was about to lie down again, he caught sight of those packages out of the corner of his eye, and he immediately became energetic and lost all sleepiness. He quickly put on his clothes, followed Dongfang Shiming, and asked in surprise: "Looking at your posture... are you going to go with me?"
Dongfang Shiming tilted his head with a faint smile on his face: "Actually, I have been planning this idea for a long time. Since you have decided to go up now, then we can just leave as soon as we hit it off."
Fu Yunge was still a little unbelievable. He didn't expect that Dongfang Shiming would make such a decision and move so quickly. But it's not a bad thing, after all, having multiple friends is good company, not to mention that Dongfang Shiming is more familiar with the upward route than himself.
According to his plan, he would go back to Yu's house first and then find out how to go up. In fact, he still pretended to belong to the Yu family in his heart, and he also cared about his father, mother, and little sister Yu Rou. I don’t know if Dongfang Shiming’s schedule is tight and if he can spare some time for himself to go home and take a look.
Thinking of this, Fu Yunge couldn't help but glance at Dongfang Shiming secretly.
Dongfang Shiming guessed his thoughts and roughly figured out his concerns. So he pretended to be casual and suggested: "Let's go to Yujia Tea House first. You can say goodbye to your family. Then we will go find an acquaintance of mine. I think he will be able to help us."
After hearing what he said, Fu Yunge was relieved of his worries. At the same time, he couldn't help but secretly admire Dongfang Shiming's thoughtfulness. After there were no problems, he also stepped forward to help clean up, and the two of them started tidying up at home busily.
About half an hour later, all items were counted. Most of the bulky items were left at home, and the only packages I carried with me were the luggage and a few indispensable items.
"Okay." Dongfang Shiming clapped his hands. The two tied up their packages and headed out toward the Willow Branch River.
There was still a little mist in the streets early in the morning. There was a bustle of people arriving early, and the small grooves on the stone road were still a little slippery. Walking on the road, Fu Yunge felt much better, and yesterday's unhappiness also disappeared.
"Can you tell me about that acquaintance you know?" On the way, he suddenly remembered this and asked Dongfang Shiming for advice.
After all, since he is Dongfang Shiming's capable friend, if he is still a stranger to him or even has never heard of him, I am afraid that the scene when meeting him will be somewhat awkward.
"Oh, him." Dongfang Shiming touched his chin and thought for a moment, "He is considered an expert and currently lives in seclusion among shops. He once had a reputation among the upper class. He used a wine gourd as a weapon and liked to drink. But Gudao Renchang is trustworthy.”
"That's it!" Fu Yunge opened his eyes wide after hearing this, and then asked, "What's his name?"
Dongfang Shiming scratched his head and said: "He... is called Zuichenxiang. But this is not his real name, but as for what his real name is, I don't know."
"Oh..." Fu Yunge finished asking and began to carefully consider how to get along with this master.
Before long, Dongfang Shiming's voice came from his ears. Fu Yunge came back from his thoughts and looked in the direction of Dongfang Shiming's finger, knowing that he was almost home.
The Yu family has a huge tea estate under their name, and in front of them is one of the tea-growing mountains. The stone road that goes straight turns a corner, and walking a little further to the left is Yuzhai.
The outline of his home came into view, and Fu Yunge felt a little complicated, feeling uneasy. I had always wanted to leave here and fly high, but I didn't expect that when it came time to say goodbye, I was still a little reluctant.
From a distance, the two of them could already see the black gold plaque of the Yu family, and it sounded like there was some noise inside. Dongfang Shiming stopped and patted Fu Yunge's shoulder, with a faint smile on his face: "Go quickly and come back as soon as possible."
"Then..." Fu Yunge was about to ask him to come in and sit for a while, but then he thought about it and decided that it would be better for him to go back quickly so as not to delay the two of them's schedule.
He said "Yeah" instead, clenched his fists and walked towards the Yu family's door.
Suddenly, a wailing sound came from the courtyard of Yu's house, followed by a trembling sound of sticks hitting Fu Yunge's eardrums! Fu Yunge was so shocked that he quickly ran to the door and bumped into Yu's house. The scene that appeared in front of him next made him even more stunned!
"You...who are you?!"
The Yuzhai compound in front of them was in chaos. The man standing at the door of the main room was definitely my father, but there were still several fierce-looking burly men standing in the courtyard, their heads all wrapped in black linen, and they all held big sticks in their hands.
Three or five servants seemed to be fighting fiercely with them, but they were obviously no match. At this time, several of them were lying on the ground, curled up and struggling with pain on their faces. The blood stained the white gray floor of the courtyard red.
When the father saw Fu Yunge coming back, he was not happy but was frightened. He trembled and shouted at his son: "Boy, hurry up... leave quickly, they will kill you...!"
