On the fifteenth day of March, at a quarter of an hour, night falls.
In a valley on Qingcheng Mountain, an old Taoist priest who had been working hard all year round was sitting by a stream, taking off his straw sandals, rolling up his trouser legs, and cleaning his two muddy feet. Beside him lay a hoe.
The stream was still a little cold in early March, but the old Taoist priest didn't care at night. Perhaps he had gotten used to it a long time ago. He lowered his head and washed his feet seriously. His messy gray hair was blown up by the mountain wind, and the wooden hairpin on his head almost fell off.
After the old Taoist priest washed his feet, he picked up the hoe next to him and put it into the stream to rinse. His movements were so skillful that he looked like someone who had been working in the fields all year round.
If he wasn't wearing a shabby robe, he would definitely be a very hard-working farmer.
But this old Taoist priest wearing a worn-out robe is not just a hard-working farmer.
The old Taoist priest washed the hoe, picked up the straw sandals, patted the mud on the soles of each other, and then put on the straw sandals.
He exhaled softly, then raised his head, his eyes gradually lit up with two points of light like cold stars, looking towards the northwest of Qingcheng Mountain.
The starry sky is dim tonight, but among the stars in the distant sky in the northwest, a star that is sometimes bright and sometimes dim appears. The old Taoist priest looked at the dim and unpredictable starlight, his eyes went further and further away, and finally dissipated in the endless void.
At that moment, the entire Qingcheng Mountain seemed to fall into silence, and even the mountain wind stopped.
After a long time, the old Taoist priest lowered his eyes and looked at the slowly flowing stream at his feet.
The old Taoist priest said nothing, and then breathed out gently again. Then in the night, the mountains, wind, trees, streams, stars, all moved as usual, and everything returned to nature.
The old Taoist priest just sat by the stream, as if in trance.
But there was a dim yellow light that turned out from the mountain path and walked towards the old Taoist priest lightly.
The lights were getting closer and brighter. There was a tall man holding a lantern in one hand and a food box in the other, walking towards the old Taoist priest on the narrow path.
The mountain path was narrow and rugged, but the man walked very steadily. It seemed that every step was accurately calculated, and the strength of each step was exactly the same, so he walked all the way without moving his entire upper body.
As the light got closer, it was already clear that the man was also a man wearing loose robes.
He walked lightly to the old Taoist priest and stopped, and then said in a slightly helpless tone: "Master, it's getting very late and you have already missed dinner. If you don't go to eat for a few days, is it possible? Are you going to start inedging?”
"Beginning grain? Breeding his mother's grain." The old Taoist priest raised his head and glanced at him, grinned and said angrily: "You won't die of hunger even if you don't eat for a few meals, so what's the rush?"
The man in Taoist robes shook his head helplessly. He knelt down and put the lantern and food box on the ground. He said, "Even if you don't go without food, Master, you still have to eat on time, right? You have been staying here in the back mountain recently and never come back. Several uncles have I thought you were out again."
"If I don't plow these pieces of land a few more times, those melons and fruits will be useless again." The old Taoist priest raised his eyes and glanced northwest again, and said to himself: "From now on, I'm afraid I won't be able to come here again for a long time." There aren’t many left. While you’re still free, come and spend more time with the things in the ground, they won’t have an easy life either.”
The man in Taoist robes made a soft sound and did not answer.
"What's for dinner?" The old Taoist priest clapped his hands and grabbed the food box before the man in Taoist robes could do anything. The man in Taoist robe quickly took the lantern and leaned over, and sat next to the old Taoist priest.
Under the dim light of the lantern, the old Taoist priest's face was illuminated.
The old Taoist priest's dark-skinned face had an unmodified gray stubble, which made him look somewhat slovenly. Not only can wrinkles be seen on the dark face, but there are also some moles of different sizes sandwiched in those wrinkles.
This appearance, coupled with the old Taoist priest's current dress, does match the temperament of a country farmer.
But this old Taoist priest with the temperament of a country farmer is the former headmaster of the Chongzhen Sword Sect who is now the leader of the Taoist sect in the world. He is also recognized as the number one martial artist in the world today - Lu Huaichen.
Sure enough, just as Ye Suzhen thought, Lu Huaichen, who was slovenly dressed in sloppy clothes and had a pockmarked face, really had nothing to do with that immortal demeanor.
And that man in white-faced Taoist robes with a tall, dignified figure and a three-strand beard is the first disciple of the old Taoist priest and the new headmaster of the Qingcheng Mountain Chongzhen Sword Sect: Qi Huayang.
When these two people stand together, it will really make people wonder: as the master, he looks like a country farmer, but it is the apprentice who is truly a fairy.
But even Qi Huayang, who has long been famous in the world and has become the new headmaster of the Chongzhen Sword Sect, can't even show the slightest trace of the headmaster's bearing in front of this vulgar-looking old Taoist priest.
But two people
Although Qi Huayang is almost sixty this year, he has profound Taoist cultivation, so he has good facial expression skills, and he only looks about forty. But in front of the old Taoist priest, he was still no different from a child who had not grown up.
"Damn it, what are these things?" The old Taoist priest opened the food box, stared at the contents inside and cursed with a wink: "There is no minced meat at all, is this food for human consumption?"
He squinted his eyes at the new headmaster of the Chongzhen Sword Sect.
The old Taoist priest who is nearly a hundred years old not only looks a little shabby, but also speaks in such a dirty manner. For such an old man, it is really hard to believe that he is Lu Huaichen, the best man in the world with unparalleled swords. Even though he is nearly a hundred years old now, his body is still as strong as in his prime, so he can still often work alone. And his appearance has always remained that of a sixty-year-old, because it was at the age of sixty that Lu Huaichen broke through the shackles of the mortal body, and his Taoist cultivation reached the state of heaven-human transformation. When he reaches this state, every breath and every breath is in harmony with the nature of heaven and earth. This is the way of Tao and nature.
Qi Huayang had long been accustomed to his master's vulgar way of speaking. He raised the lantern and moved it to the food box, stretched out his neck and took a look.
There are three plates of vegetables and a bowl of rice in the food box. Although there are three kinds of dishes, they are all vegetarian: a plate of dried bamboo shoots, a plate of stir-fried bracken, and a plate of boiled mountain mushrooms.
These three dishes are all wild vegetables picked from Qingcheng Mountain.
Qi Huayang looked helpless and had no choice but to say: "Master, this is today's dinner. Everyone thinks it's good to have a lighter dinner, so we didn't prepare meat." When he said this, he was like a waiter in a restaurant. It's like apologizing to a guest.
Qi Huayang has been in Qingcheng Mountain for most of his life and knows all the living habits of the old Taoist priests in front of him. Although Lu Huaichen's Taoist cultivation was at the advanced level, he never stopped talking. There are two kinds of abstinence, one is talking and the other is eating. But Lu Huaichen has never done these two things in his life. He speaks very directly and even curses. As long as he wants to eat, he can eat everything flying in the sky, on the ground, running in the water, and swimming in the water. In other words, this old guy has a strong taste.
Moreover, the old Taoist priest has always resisted light eating habits. He is the kind of person who will feel uncomfortable if he does not eat meat for a day.
"Qi Huayang! After all, I even gave you the position of headmaster Chongzhen, but you actually prepare these things that even animals can't eat to honor your master and me?" The old Taoist priest was very angry, and almost spit on Qi Huayang's face. , he pointed at the nose of the new headmaster Chongzhen and shouted: "You have been with me for decades, don't you know that I never like to eat these hasty dishes?"
Facing the spit that kept spewing out of the old Taoist priest's mouth, Qi Huayang had no choice but to turn his head to avoid it, and helplessly whispered: "Master, since you don't like eating grass and vegetables, why do you still come here? Fruits and vegetables?”
"Is what I eat a dish? In your eyes, is it just a dish?" The old Taoist priest stared at Qi Huayang with wide eyes and said almost howling.
"Master, calm down." Qi Huayang raised the lantern with both hands as a gesture of surrender. Seeing that the old Taoist priest's expression softened slightly, he sat upright and said seriously: "I know that Master has been taking care of those pieces of land these years, and it is not just a simple matter. Plant vegetables. In fact, what you plant is Tao."
"Huayang, it seems that those things about Chongzhen in the past few years have caused you too much trouble, so you have only realized this level." The old Taoist priest suddenly calmed down and said: "The four characters of Taoism, Heaven and Earth" Everyone will say it, but few people really understand this meaning. Your eyes only see that the Tao is planted in the ground, but you never thought that the real Tao does not need to be planted. Otherwise, look around and see where it is not. Where’s the Tao?”
Qi Huayang's hand holding the lantern trembled slightly.
"Compared to enlightenment, your swordsmanship understanding is so much better." The old Taoist priest murmured, "But this can be regarded as my selfishness. Who made you my great disciple? Fish and bear's paws You can’t have both, you have to choose one.”
Qi Huayang shrugged, smiled bitterly, and said, "Master, you make it sound as if I have a choice."
The old Taoist priest sighed slightly: "If I don't leave this burden of Chongzhen to you, do you still want me, an old immortal, to carry it? Can you bear it?"
Qi Huayang was silent for a while, and then said softly: "Master, to be honest, you are a bit selfish. You clearly know that I don't like to carry burdens, and I am not the most suitable person. But since you have given me the burden, , I have to carry it no matter what, no matter what happens, I can't let you be embarrassed and disappointed."
Although he is Lu Huaichen's eldest disciple, after decades of getting along with each other, their relationship has long surpassed the master-disciple relationship, so even in front of Lu Huaichen, Qi Huayang can reveal his true feelings.
Lu Huaichen smiled. Although his apprentice's tone was full of resentment, he felt relieved when he heard it. He said leisurely: "I know that your goal in life is actually only in swordsmanship, but after the age of forty, your swordsmanship has stagnated. I also know the reason. It is the worldly affairs of Chongzhen Sword Sect that make you The sword heart is damaged, so you can no longer make a breakthrough. Alas, this is indeed a very heavy thing for you, but I have no choice. To survive to this day, the Chongzhen Sword Sect needs face and cannot lack lizi. In When Little Yezi didn't show up, I could be the savior and let you take care of the situation. That would be a natural thing. But now things have changed in the world, and I am afraid that there will be another catastrophe. I, Lu Huaichen, have come this far. You can't be selfish about the Dao, so you can only be shameless and selfish in your own affairs. Little Ye Zi is still too young, and his Dao heart still needs to be polished, so he is not suitable for Li Zi's affairs. Then the only choice is for you, my senior brother, to I have to do it for a while. Your grievance should be regarded as something that the Chongzhen Sword Sect owes you."
Upon hearing this, Qi Huayang suddenly stood up and knelt down in front of the old Taoist priest, putting his head on the ground.
The new headmaster of Chongzhen, who was nearly sixty years old, burst into tears in a silent place.
The old Taoist priest didn't say anything more, just put his hand on Qi Huayang's shoulder, and there were waves of almost imperceptible trembling in his hand.
At this moment, no one spoke, but they had already understood each other, and their moods were even clearer.
After a long time, Qi Huayang slowly raised his head. Although his eyes were still bright, they were no longer obscure. He looked at the old Taoist priest and said with a smile: "Master, this food is almost cold. Why don't you just make do with it? I will definitely let you eat meat tomorrow."
The old Taoist priest let out a long sigh, picked up the rice bowl, dug a few mouthfuls of rice into his stomach, and then put a few mouthfuls of vegetables into his mouth. But judging from his expression, the old Taoist priest's mouth was as tasteless as chewing wax.
Later, the old Taoist priest found it difficult to swallow. He stopped his chopsticks and said to his disciple: "Huayang, although our Chongzhen Sword Sect is not a wealthy sect, we are not poor either. You should improve the food. If you continue like this If you go down, all the wild vegetables in Qingcheng Mountain will be ruined by you."
Qi Huayang snorted and said casually: "Actually, everyone's usual food is quite good. But before I went out, I told you, master, that your diet must be lighter occasionally, saying that it is good for your health. You also know that I Junior brother's temper is usually a bit carefree, but once he gets serious, no one can defeat him."
Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest threw his rice bowl into the food box with a bang, then stretched out a hand to Qi Huayang and said, "Bring it here."
Qi Huayang's face twitched, he subconsciously stepped back, and said with a confused look on his face: "Master, what do you want to bring?"
"You kid, you ask questions knowingly, right?" The old Taoist priest didn't have any immortal demeanor, he kept shaking his hands and shouted urgently: "I can smell it, and you are still hiding it? "
In this world, it is estimated that only the old Taoist priest is qualified to call Qi Huayang a boy.
"No, really not." Qi Huayang looked like he suddenly understood, waving his hands and saying: "Master, I told you repeatedly before going out that you are not allowed to drink. How dare I bring wine out privately..."
"Stop talking nonsense. If you keep nagging me, I'll take action." The old Taoist priest bared his teeth and waved his fist. "He's not your master. Why do you keep talking about him? Besides, that kid is not at home for a long time. Why are you still here?" Can’t you take the opportunity to let me take a few sips to get over my alcohol addiction?”
If anyone else was present and saw this scene, they would definitely not believe that Lu Huaichen, the most powerful person in the Taoist sect in the world, would actually fight with the new master of the Chongzhen Sword Sect, the leader of the Taoist sect, just for a sip of wine.
Qi Huayang immediately stood up and jumped away. He was so anxious that he almost stamped his feet. He said with a bitter face: "Master, I really didn't bring any wine..." He looked like the great disciple of an old Taoist priest, and he didn't have the demeanor of a master at all. .
"Bamboo Leaf Green." The old Taoist priest wrinkled his nose, pointed at Qi Huayang and said, "I can smell it. It's Bamboo Leaf Green, or the twenty-year-old bottle of Bamboo Leaf Green hidden by the little leaf."
Qi Huayang froze on the spot for a moment, and then walked over dejectedly. He reluctantly took out a small wine bottle from his back and handed it to the old Taoist priest.
The old Taoist priest snatched the bottle as if he had seen a peerless treasure, and then his dark pockmarked face showed a proud look. He opened the bottle and took a sip of wine, his face suddenly filled with relief.
Qi Huayang's originally depressed face also showed a somewhat sincerely happy smile.
"Shutan. Sure enough, it's twenty-year-old bamboo-leaf green. I'm so greedy for it." The old Taoist priest looked satisfied. He smiled at Qi Huayang, "Sure enough, you still care about me the most. You're not like that brat who cares about me all day long. Those who care about this are so verbose." He shook the bottle and said, "Would you like to take a sip too?"
Qi Huayang smiled and said: "Forget it, let's drink it, master. I secretly took this wine from my junior brother's room. If he comes back and finds out, I will have to spend some time to silence him."
"That kid..." The old Taoist priest took a sip of wine, then suddenly calmed down again and asked, "Has he got any news back now?"
Qi Huayang sat back next to the old Taoist priest again and said with a solemn expression: "Junior brother, this trip did not go well. According to the news he sent back, Li Yuansong died suddenly and suddenly as soon as he arrived in Changzhou. The process was very abnormal. , Junior Brother couldn’t get away for a while, and he is still staying in Changzhou for the time being. He wants to find out what is going on. "
The old Taoist priest slowly took a sip of wine and said, "The world is unpredictable. It seems that his experience has already begun."
Qi Huayang said: "At the beginning, I noticed that Li Yuansong might have some problems from some clues in the world, so I took the opportunity of him withdrawing from the world to send someone to investigate in secret. Originally, there was no need for my junior brother to go there in person for such a trivial matter. . But since it is Master’s wish, then I have no choice but to obey.”
The old Taoist priest looked deeply and said: "But according to what you said, Li Yuansong died suddenly. If he was really involved in other problems, then this matter is extraordinary. Although Xiao Yezi's reputation has already spread beyond Qingcheng Mountain , but after all, he has never set foot in the Jianghu, and he still has a lot to learn. It doesn’t matter if he stays in the Jianghu, he now needs those trainings to grow as quickly as possible. "
Qi Huayang did not answer. He suddenly looked up at the old Taoist priest. After a moment of silence, he said, "Master, will this world really face disaster again?"
The old Taoist priest took a sip of wine in his mouth, as if he was carefully savoring the long-lost taste. After a long time, he swallowed the wine, and then slowly said: "Since I have achieved Taoism, I have been deeply involved in the fate of the world. In the past six months, my Taoist heart has been repeatedly affected, and my heart is often beating and uneasy, especially in the northwest position. , even more ominous, and in the sky, there are evil stars looming in the northwest void. Such signs are a sign of great evil and disaster."
Qi Huayang looked heavy when he heard this. After a long time, he spoke again: "Now the Central Plains world has been silent for more than twenty years. If there is a real disaster, then the only thing I can think of is the Demon Sect that was not wiped out back then."
"The Holy Legend of the Demon Sect had a bloody battle with the Central Plains Wulin twenty years ago, which almost depleted the luck of the entire Central Plains Wulin. The force was so terrifying that it is still a nightmare for countless people." Qi Huayang recalled that time. There was a bloody catastrophe, and there was still some fear in his eyes. He murmured: "If the martial arts community in the Central Plains hadn't used all its strength to fight against it, I'm afraid that the world of the Central Plains would have been dominated by the Demon Sect by now."
This new leader of Chongzhen, who had also participated in the war between good and evil, was still frightened when the old events were brought up again.
Lu Huaichen looked up at the dark night sky with a look of deep guilt on his face. He murmured: "If I hadn't miscalculated back then and was at the juncture of breaking through and cherishing my cultivation, the Central Plains Wulin wouldn't have done it either. As for the fact that both sides will suffer losses with the Demon Sect! Although I also asked you Huayang to lead the Chongzhen Sword Sect to participate in the confrontation, in the final analysis I never personally contributed. Although others have not mentioned this, I have always regretted it. It hurts my heart. It is also for this reason that my state of mind has never been able to break through to the true transcendental state." The old Taoist priest stood up slowly, put his hands behind his back, looked to the northwest, and continued: "So this time, regardless of whether I No matter what the feeling is, I will not make the same mistake again. If I miss something, I have to find a chance to make up for it, just to give myself peace of mind."
Qi Huayang's body trembled slightly, and he also stood up, looked at the back of the old Taoist priest in front of him, and whispered: "Master, the disaster back then was not your fault, it was just because the power of the demon sect was too terrifying and powerful, and no one could I didn’t expect that even with all the strength of the Central Plains martial arts community, I couldn’t wipe them all out.”
"The centipede insect is dead but not stiff." The old Taoist priest's tone became solemn and said: "It is because some of their remnants escaped back then and still retained the existence of such terrifying foreign objects, so there is a possibility of resurgence."
Hearing this, Qi Huayang's expression changed slightly again, and he blurted out: "What Master said is absolutely true. If it hadn't been for the Holy Evangelist Yue Yintian carrying two ancient foreign objects, the Central Plains Wulin would not have paid such a painful price. I Thinking of the terrifying power of those two ancient alien objects, it is still hard to believe that there are such terrifying existences in this world that are beyond human imagination."
"Tai Sui and Xuan Qiong. These two ancient Gus were recorded in a strange book thousands of years ago. Their power is beyond the power of human beings!" Lu Huaichen said leisurely: "So even if all the martial arts masters in the Central Plains were there, they would still be weak. The whole army was wiped out in one fell swoop. If the Demon Cult comes back with those two strange Gus now, can the Central Plains of today still resist like it did twenty years ago?"
As soon as these words came out, Qi Huayang was shocked and was stunned for a moment.
He knew very well the answer to the old Taoist priest's question: no.
Twenty years ago, the Central Plains Jianghu, which was at its peak of glory, used all its strength to repel the Demonic Cult, and paid the terrible price of falling into decline and death. If the demon sect comes again, how many forces, except for Lu Huaichen, can resist it in this world now?
Qi Huayang looked at his master's not-so-tall back, and suddenly felt that it was too heavy.
The old Taoist priest lowered his head, looked at the wine bottle in his hand, and said: "If you can still hold something in your hand, you have to hold it no matter what. Just like this world, although it has been half-dead for a long time, But someone has to give it a chance to be reborn. It can be sick, but it must not die."
"Master, I understand." Qi Huayang's eyes flashed with water. He bowed solemnly to the old Taoist priest and said, "I also understand what should be done."
The old Taoist priest turned around, smiled and patted his disciple on the shoulder, and said: "So Chongzhen's burden is not easy to pick, but you have to force yourself to carry it well. As for face, it is difficult to do it, but that's Xiao Zizi It’s your own creation.”
Qi Huayang said seriously: "Everything is not yet certain. Perhaps what Master senses is not necessarily a disaster."
The old Taoist priest said softly: "It would be great if that were the case. We can then work harder to make this world come alive quickly."
"Since junior brother is already in Jianghu, everything should go smoothly." Qi Huayang's eyes showed some certainty.
"Now all I can hope for is to see how far this leaf can fly." The old Taoist priest sighed, and then said to Qi Huayang: "You can send a letter to little leaf immediately, asking him to use it in my name. Go to Wenfeng Villa and ask the person who raises pigeons to let his pigeons pay more attention to the movements in the northwest. After all, at this time, it is best to make the necessary preparations."
Qi Huayang understood the point immediately and said: "Yes, no one in the world can deliver news faster and better than Wenfeng Villa."
"It's just that Wenfeng Villa has always put profits first, and we have never met that old man. We don't know if he will meet his junior brother." Qi Huayang frowned slightly.
The old Taoist priest smiled faintly and said: "Don't worry about this. Even if we have never met, the three words "I, Lu Huaichen" can still give the pigeon raiser some face."
Qi Huayang smiled.
Dao Jian Kaiyang asked Xuanzhen, Qingyun soared to the ninth heaven - these three words Lu Huaichen can indeed make many people sell some thin noodles.
"Twenty years ago, I, Lu Huaichen, owed this world an opportunity. Twenty years later, let me return this opportunity to this world with my own hands." Lu Huaichen murmured to himself: "You guys should have been lonely for too long. That’s it!”
With a long laugh, the old Taoist priest picked up his hoe and headed towards the top of Qingcheng Mountain.
at the same time.
On the outskirts of Chang'an City, the main hall of Chunqiu Pavilion.
In an extremely ornate room, there was a man bathing in a huge wooden bucket strewn with various flower petals. The steam in the bucket was steaming, and his face could not be seen clearly. But the upper half of his body above the water was tattooed with huge, brightly colored flowers.
On a huge desk not far away, there is a three-foot long sword with exquisite workmanship and gorgeous appearance.
The steam in the wooden barrel was steaming, and the person who was bathing suddenly felt something in his heart, and his blood surged inexplicably. Then he relaxed his arm, which was also covered with flower tattoos, and raised his sword finger slightly, and the long sword was unsheathed for half a foot. The brilliance like autumn water burst out coldly, and the sword energy overflowed.
The half-foot-long unsheathed sword is vaguely engraved with an equally gorgeous name:
Duckweed in autumn water.
Thousands of miles away from Wuxia Izuyun Mountain, Jian Zong.
In an ordinary study room, a middle-aged man with simple clothes and elegant appearance just put down a letter he had just finished reading. He pondered for a long time and suddenly let out a long sigh. He raised his eyes and looked at a sword hanging on the wall.
The sword is slender and simple, with a vague sense of ancient meaning. The middle-aged man walked slowly to the sword, stretched out his hand to gently touch the sword, and said in a deep voice: "Old friend, long time no see, how are you?"
Wherever he pointed his finger, two ancient Chinese characters appeared on the scabbard:
Tianshu.
