The month of March is already halfway over, and spring flowers are blooming in most of the Central Plains.
However, outside the Northwest Pass, far away from the Central Plains, although spring has arrived, the howling north wind is still rolling in the coldness manically, just like the rebellious blade strangling the meager warmth of March, leaving the only remaining warmth at the end of winter. The severe cold is showing off its last remaining power unbridled.
Then the cold wind blew across the sky and the earth, and the catkin-like snowflakes were dancing all over the sky, but it was a late March snow.
The wind is like a sword, the snow is dancing in the vast sky, and the image of killing Xiao Leng for thousands of miles is just like this chaotic world and the suffering of all living beings.
At noon, in a small place called Daomakan with a population of less than 100 households in the northwest, it snowed particularly heavily this late March.
Just when the snow was falling the most, a figure slowly emerged from the dense and raging wind and snow, walking straight in the direction of Daomakan in a cloak covered with snow.
The cold wind howled wildly, blowing the clothes flying close to the body, so that the tall and strong body lines were outlined at a glance, looking particularly proud and upright in the wind and snow. Although the snow on the ground was half a foot deep, wherever he walked, his feet only left a layer of faint footprints on the snow.
The northwest is always bitter, cold and barren, and Daomakan is one of those countless bitter and cold places. A wide street made of earth and stone, with scattered houses scattered on both sides. There is no inn here, only a grocery store and a tavern that still have a bit of human atmosphere.
In the simple alleys of Daomakan, a dilapidated wine flag is waving up and down, left and right in the wind and snow. The involuntary powerlessness is like the uncontrollable fate of all living beings in this miserable world, allowing the wind and snow to wreak havoc and destruction. .
Under the banner of Jiuzhao, there is the only pub in Daomakan.
The tavern was old, the heavy curtains were covered with grease, and heat was constantly coming out of the half-open windows.
Naturally, there won't be any high-quality goods in a remote, cold and barren place, so the only thing sold in this tavern is the most common local mutton and horse meat offal. As for the wine, it's the same except for the strong Shaodaozi.
The tavern is now filled with the smell of mixed horse and mutton. This special smell has different olfactory senses for different people. People who are used to it will find it very fragrant. Most people who smell it for the first time will just smell it. It makes me want to vomit after smelling it, let alone eating it.
But for people in places like the northwest, on such a snowy day, the taste of a pot of roasted knives and two pounds of horse and mutton cooked in old soup is unforgettable.
This old tavern, where locals often gather to chat, rarely sees strangers, so under normal circumstances, the old owner of the tavern should be taking a nap behind the counter at the moment.
But something strange is that today, just after noon, five horses are already tied up outside the entrance of the tavern. The tavern has received early guests today.
The shopkeeper, Lao Ma, who is as old as the tavern, is sitting behind the counter at the moment. He is not lying behind the counter and taking a nap as usual, but is wiping his hands while looking at the tavern with curiosity and surprise.
There are five people sitting in the tavern now, five new faces from outside, so this is where Lao Ma is a little curious and surprised.
There are less than a hundred households above and below Daomakan, and there are so many people that the old horse can recognize them all with one eye closed. But he had never seen these five people.
The five people, all men, sat at two tables, one for three and the other for two.
The table of three people was very young, all of them were in their thirties and had strong builds. Everyone was dressed in smart clothes and carried a strip of baggage more than three feet long on their backs. It was unknown what was hidden inside.
But there were two elderly people sitting at a table, probably in their early sixties. He has gray hair and a thin build. His weather-beaten face is dull and rough, covered with deep wrinkles, but his eyes are bright and restrained. Although he was dressed simply, he had a vaguely extraordinary demeanor.
The other old man, on the other hand, has a straight and broad body, a handsome face, thick eyebrows and tiger eyes, and a ruddy complexion. He has an invisible aura of majesty and does not look like an old man who is nearly sixty years old at all. He sat across from the thin old man, but he was almost a head taller than the other man.
And on the table in front of him, there was also a three-foot-long strip of baggage.
These five people all had snowflakes on their hair and bodies. They had obviously just arrived. On their tables were freshly served wine and meat.
Wine is the strongest way to burn knives, and the steaming mutton is served not on a plate but in a basin, exuding the unique and rough flavor of the border area.
Although there were many people, they were all quiet and no one spoke.
Three young and strong men drank alone and were speechless. But the two old men looked at the flying snow outside the window.
"Brother Fu, you have lived in Lingnan for many years. If you hadn't happened to come to the northwest to celebrate Brother Shouyang's birthday this time, you might not have had the chance to see such heavy snow, right?"
The burly old man with a ruddy complexion said with a smile.
The thin old man stroked the goat's short beard on his chin. He seemed to be quite emotional when he heard this, and said: "I haven't been out of Lingnan for more than 20 years, and I have almost forgotten what snow looks like. But I didn't expect to encounter it here today. It's really It’s a bit unexpected. Although spring is late in the North, it’s a bit late for this snow to fall.”
"Who says it isn't?" The burly old man shook his head and said: "The snow will fall sooner or later, but it happened to fall when we were on the road. It seems that it won't stop for a while. If we delay any longer, I'm afraid we will miss Shouyang in person. It’s time for congratulations, brother.”
The thin old man was still looking at the window and said, "Brother Tie has lived in the northwest for a long time. Isn't snow like this late in March rare?"
The burly old man nodded and said: "Yes, although the northwest is always bitterly cold, weather like this is indeed rare. So even I feel that God seems to be a little blind."
The thin old man smiled slightly.
The burly old man picked up a bowl of strong wine and said, "It looks like we have to stay here for a while. The weather is cold. Brother Fu, why don't you drink some wine to warm yourself up? As soon as the snow stops, we will speed up and we should be able to get there by nightfall." We rushed to Sunset Racecourse before."
Lao Ma, the owner of the tavern who was not too far away, accidentally heard the words "Sunset Racecourse" and his heart suddenly moved. He knew that these five outsiders were going to the "Sunset Racecourse" fifty miles to the west.
The name Sunset Racecourse is not just for a small and inconspicuous place like Daomakan. Even if it is placed in the entire northwest, it is known to everyone.
As the name suggests, Sunset Racecourse is a place where horses are raised and sold. Due to the harsh cold and barren conditions outside the customs, people are not interested in farming, so they can only keep cattle, sheep and horses to make a living. The Sunset Racecourse is the largest horse breeding place in the entire northwest. Not only does it have the best breed and the largest number of horses in the entire northwest, but it also supplies high-quality horses to the current imperial court every year as frontier war horses, so it is famous far and wide.
The owner of the racecourse is named Yan Shouyang. Although he is a businessman over fifty years old, his martial arts skills are very advanced and he has a wide network of friends. He is also a well-known figure in the martial arts world of the northwest.
Nowadays, although the world seems peaceful, it has actually fallen into silence, and the martial arts world has lost its vitality. Under such circumstances, Sunset Racecourse has undoubtedly become a unique star in the northwest world, and has the potential to lead the group.
And today, it is said that it seems to be the sixtieth birthday of Guan Shouyang in Sunset Racecourse.
Old Man Ma somewhat understood that the five people sitting in his tavern were probably going to celebrate the birthday of Yan Shouyang, the owner of Sunset Racecourse. Unexpectedly, they encountered heavy snow on the way, so they came here to take a rest.
"That's alright." He said that the thin old man also picked up the wine bowl in front of him, "Brother Tie, please."
The two men touched their wine bowls lightly, and each drank a mouthful of Shao Knife.
As the strong drink entered their throats, both of them felt a sudden warmth surge through their bodies.
The burly old man put down the wine bowl, looked at the pot of mutton on the table, and frowned slightly, "It's bitter cold outside the pass, and there is no good wine or food. Please bear with me, Brother Fu. When we get to Brother Shouyang's horse farm, let's drink some more." cup."
But the thin old man shook his head and said: "Brother Tie is serious, you and I were once in the world, and we don't have those pretentious calculations. Even if we haven't seen each other for many years, brother Tie doesn't have to regard me as a stranger who has never been out of the house." .”
"Brother Fu's words are reasonable, but it makes me angry." The burly old man smiled heartily, "We haven't seen each other for many years, but Brother Fu is still as straightforward as before. I am very happy." Suddenly he turned and sighed, "Back then, the four of us were We meet in the rivers and lakes, regardless of life or death. Now more than 20 years have passed in a flash, and the twists and turns are really touching. Although you and I were once people in the rivers and lakes, but now Brother Fu has long since lived in seclusion in Lingnan. In the world of martial arts, I am still wallowing in the world of martial arts. In comparison, I am less blessed with leisure."
"Although I have no intention of doing anything in the mortal world, I have no choice but to end up in the world." Listening to the burly old man's words, the thin old man suddenly had many memories in his heart, and a bit of helplessness appeared on his face. He sighed softly: "As long as I enter Jianghu, no one can ever think of completely escaping from the world. Although I have lived in seclusion for these years, I have never really let go in my heart. The past still follows me like a shadow. So the leisure that Brother Tie talks about is actually related to me. It doesn’t matter.”
After the old man finished speaking, his expression looked slightly depressed.
The burly old man was stunned for a moment, then frowned and said, "So, Brother Fu has not been going well in recent years."
The thin old man took a sip of strong wine alone and said: "Brother Tie, you should know that although you and I are different, you must understand the reasons. Back then..." He suddenly let out a long breath, his expression changed slightly, and then he stopped talking.
"That's all." The burly old man seemed to know the meaning of the other party's words and waved his hand quickly, "It's okay not to mention the past. Tie Mou naturally understands the worries in Brother Fu's heart. Now that times have changed, Brother Fu just needs to be patient and wait for it sooner or later. Moving on from that past.”
The thin old man smiled slightly, but the smile on his wrinkled face was quite bitter.
The burly old man raised his wine bowl and said, "Brother Fu, don't worry about yourself. You have lived in Lingnan for a long time. This time you rarely go out. Just treat it as a meeting with friends and relax. When you see Brother Shouyang, let him give you a horse." Good horse, that old guy has been much more comfortable than us over the years.”
The thin old man couldn't help but smile: "It seems that Brother Tie hasn't changed at all, I just like to pinch him to feel comfortable." He then picked up the wine bowl, and the two of them took another sip.
"Yan Shooyang has rough skin and thick flesh. He is not afraid of me pinching him." The burly old man chuckled. Then he seemed to suddenly remember something. He leaned forward slightly and sighed in a low voice: "Brother Fu has been living in Lingnan for many years. At least we can still communicate with each other. But there has been no news from Brother Qiu these years. I don't know where he is. , how are you doing?"
The thin old man frowned and raised his brows, and said slowly: "If there is no news about him in the world, it means that he is living well. If there is news about him, it will not be good. What does Brother Tie think? ?”
As soon as this statement came out, although others did not know what it meant, the two people talking could not help but look at each other, and their faces suddenly became solemn.
Then the burly old man nodded solemnly: "What Brother Fu said is very true. I was a little hasty. But now that I have seen Brother Fu, I will inevitably think of him in my heart. Alas, I think we were still in our prime when we parted, but now we meet again Half of my body has been buried in the ground. As expected, time has not waited for me, and the hero is late."
"Heroes grow old." The thin old man smiled bitterly: "Can we also be called heroes?"
When the burly old man heard this, his originally rosy face suddenly surged with blood. He said seriously: "Brother Fu, why did you say this? If you two hadn't sacrificed your lives to commit suicide, how could there be a moment of peace in the Central Plains today? If someone said What Brother Fu and Brother Qiu did cannot be considered heroic, so I, Tiezhongtang, will be the first one not to agree..."
As he was speaking passionately, the skinny old man suddenly changed his expression and raised his hand to stop the conversation.
The burly old man understood immediately and immediately stopped talking.
Both of them heard subtle footsteps coming from outside the door.
At this moment, the greasy and heavy door curtain was suddenly opened, and a cold wind filled with snowflakes rushed into the tavern.
Everyone in the room immediately turned their eyes towards the door.
The door curtain fell again, and someone walked in immediately.
The person who came was a tall man. His whole body was covered with a layer of snow. It looked like he had been walking in the wind and snow outside for a long time.
He walked into the tavern without looking at the situation inside the room. He just sniffed slightly and said casually: "Shopkeeper, one pot of wine and two pounds of meat."
Without waiting for shopkeeper Lao Ma's reply, he walked straight to a table by the window and sat down.
"Okay, sir, please wait a moment." Lao Ma replied diligently, while secretly wondering in his heart why there were so many foreign visitors today?
Lao Ma had sharp eyes, and he could tell at a glance that this person was not a local either.
The other five people's eyes were still fixed on that person at this moment.
As if sensing the gaze of so many pairs of eyes, the visitor turned his head slightly and looked at the five people.
The five people finally saw his appearance clearly.
The man was estimated to be less than thirty years old. Although there was a layer of stubble on his cheeks that had not been shaved for a long time, it could not hide the clear-cut and determined face like a knife. Under the thick eyebrows are a pair of slender eyes with sharp eyes, a high nose bridge, and two thin lips. Although he was wearing a loose linen cloak, it could be seen from his plump and broad shoulders that he had a strong and majestic physique.
Although he was covered with wind and snow, he sat quietly and silently like a stone sculpture, motionless as a mountain, and his whole body faintly exuded an unruly and arrogant attitude.
The man and the five people looked at each other, without any expression on their faces, then turned their heads and looked out the window.
Although he is young, the others here are not ordinary people. Naturally, it can be seen at a glance that he is a man who is accustomed to the wind, rain, snow and rivers. The two old men could tell from the inconspicuous dress that the man was restrained but not tacky.
Especially those eyes, which were sharp and deep, as if they were hiding a deep ocean.
Seeing that the man had turned his head, the three young men no longer paid too much attention to him, and each of them drank and ate meat in silence.
But the eyes of the two old men still lingered on that man for a moment longer, and then they looked at each other and shook their heads slightly - neither of them knew that man.
Although they are all from the world of martial arts, the young man is obviously more of a man from the world of martial arts than them. Because people who have been in the world for a long time and people who are in the world are two completely different concepts.
People who have traveled around the world for a long time have made their home in all corners of the world. They have experienced wind, frost, rain and snow, and they have a unique atmosphere of the world. But now that man has that kind of Jianghu flavor.
But what makes the two old men feel a little strange is that the man is not very old, but he has a strong sense of the world. If he had not had many years of experience in the world, he would never have left such a unique aura on his body.
At this time, the shopkeeper, Lao Ma, served wine and meat, and the man immediately paid Lao Ma a piece of broken silver. The latter weighed it with his hands and found about two taels. His eyes suddenly lit up and he said with a smile: "Sir, there are more, there are more."
"It doesn't matter. If we don't have enough food and wine, we'll serve more." The man spoke briefly. Lao Ma was so happy that he replied happily and quickly returned to the counter.
These two taels of silver were equivalent to Lao Ma's two or three days' income in a small and remote place like Daomakan. No wonder he was so happy.
The man poured a bowl of wine by himself, drank half of the bowl in one gulp, and raised his eyebrows, as if burning knives suited his taste.
Because someone else suddenly came, the two old men at the next table not far away didn't say much. But the eyes of the thin old man were always looking towards the window intentionally or unintentionally. Not long after, he glanced at the burly old man opposite, and then glanced towards the window.
The burly old man followed his eyes and saw nothing strange at first glance. But in the blink of an eye, his expression changed a little. Because he saw the man by the window, with a faint mist emitting from his body.
When the man came in, he was covered with snow, but now that he was drinking and eating meat, the snow on his body began to melt slowly. But what surprised the burly old man was that the melted snow did not soak him. Instead of wearing a linen cloak, it evaporated into a layer of light mist, and then dissipated.
The burly old man couldn't help exchanging glances with the thin old man, and they both saw shock in the other's eyes. Both of them were martial arts masters with impressive martial arts skills. Seeing the man's seemingly unintentional actions, they both thought to themselves at the same time: "What a deep inner power!"
The man did not show it deliberately, but his casual behavior made those with eyesight feel inexplicably shocked. None of them expected that in this small place, they would meet a martial arts person with such profound skills.
The two of them have sharp eyes. From the casual look on the man's face and the strange phenomena that he inadvertently exudes from his body, it can be seen that not only is his inner strength quite deep, but he has also reached the level of being able to send and receive messages freely. What surprised the two of them even more was that the man was still quite young.
There don't seem to be many people in the martial arts world like him with such cultivation at his age.
Although the two old men had their own thoughts in their minds, the people at the window were no different and continued to drink and drink as if no one else was watching.
At this moment, the door curtain was opened again, and a person walked in from the door.
As soon as the visitor entered the door, he glanced around the room with sharp eyes like a falcon. When he saw the two old men, his eyes paused for a moment, and then he smiled and said: "It's better to come early than to come by chance. That's right." Caught up."
