Seeing that Chen Liqiu was unwilling to speak, Changsheng could only walk aside silently, sit under the tree and wait for Taoist Lin and others to return.
After waiting for a full stick of incense, Taoist Lin did not come back, and Batulu and others who went to Xishan to investigate the situation did not come back either. Chen Liqiu also remained silent, looking at the setting sun in the west, and then Even though the sun has set, it has never looked back.
After waiting for a while, the three Batulus came back with serious expressions.
Seeing the three people returning, Changsheng stood up with his arms and limped forward to greet them. Just when he was about to ask about the situation, Chen Liqiu asked first, "Why have you been gone for so long?"
"The Fourth Brother is right, there are indeed people in Xishan," Batulu said, "But we didn't see anyone. They had already run away before we rushed over."
Hearing Batulu's words, Chen Liqiu suddenly frowned, "Who is he?"
"I don't know." Batulu shook his head.
Li Zhongyong raised his hand and handed something to Chen Liqiu. Chen Liqiu reached out and took it. He lowered his head and looked at it. He saw that what Li Zhongyong handed over was a piece of gray straw paper. It should have been used to wrap food. There were still obvious oil stains on it. .
Farmers would not use this kind of straw paper, and they would not be willing to use it. On the contrary, it was mostly used by people in the world and by foot traders.
"Can you confirm the number of people?" Chen Liqiu looked at Li Zhongyong.
"Judging from the stampede marks, there should be more than one person." Li Zhongyong said.
After Li Zhongyong finished speaking, Tian Zhengong added, "We also found a lot of extremely fine branches that were pinched and broken under the tree. If they followed us here, they would not have time to do these things, so the second senior brother and I suspected that They were already waiting here before we arrived."
Chen Liqiu's expression became more solemn. If it is as suspected by Li Zhongyong and Tian Zhengong, it means that everyone's whereabouts have been exposed, not to mention how the whereabouts were exposed, just saying that the consequences of the whereabouts being exposed are not something that everyone can bear. of.
Just as the four of them were secretly worried, Batulu, who was drinking from a water jug, put down the water jug, raised his sleeves and wiped his mouth, "Why hasn't Master come back yet?"
"Come back soon," Changsheng said, "I just saw Master walking down from the top of the mountain."
"I'm going to greet Master." Batulu grabbed the iron bar and walked north. After walking a few steps, he turned back and picked up the water jug.
"How did they know we were coming to Tongguan?" Chen Liqiu asked his question.
Li Zhongyong pondered and recalled, "We didn't mention our colleagues on the way. The news couldn't have been leaked on the way."
"Is there a possibility," Chen Liqiu said, "that after the news that we had martial arts secrets spread, someone secretly got to know Master and guessed what Master has been looking for all these years. After the incident, we rushed all the way to Yongzhou , so they concluded that we would come here."
"It is indeed possible," Li Zhongyong nodded and said, "If this is the case, the other party may come for the martial arts secret book, or he may come for the thing that the master wants to get."
"It doesn't matter what the opponents come for," Chen Liqiu waved his hand, "No matter what they come for, they will eventually attack us."
Hearing Chen Liqiu's words, Li Zhongyong and Tian Zhengong both nodded.
Chang Sheng had only just started his career and had never practiced martial arts, so he was not very casual when talking to several senior brothers and sisters. He hesitated before asking, "Second Senior Brother, did you only explore that one place before? Did you go elsewhere?" have a look?"
"Lao Wu's concerns are not unreasonable," Chen Liqiu nodded in agreement, "There may be more than one ambush."
Li Zhongyong said, "I also have this worry. When the master comes back, I will tell him and see what he says."
Everyone had been running all the way and had never had a serious meal. Thinking that they might have to do something next, they each took dry food and ate it.
Not long after, Batulu came back with Taoist Lin. Seeing the two returning, everyone hurriedly got up and greeted them.
Daochang Lin raised his hand to everyone, then turned and strode westward. After measuring a hundred feet, he stretched out his hand and pointed north, "Clear a path from here to the north. It doesn't need to be too wide, just allow us to pass."
Everyone nodded in agreement, marked it, and went back to move the wooden box.
Taoist Lin did not go back with everyone, but stood where he was.
After a while, everyone carried the wooden box over. Batulu took the hatchet in his hand and began to cut down the moso bamboo. Tian Zhenyong and Changsheng helped clean up from behind.
Li Zhongyong took the opportunity to inform Daoist Lin that there might be an ambush around him, and Chen Liqiu also revealed his guess.
But after listening to what the two said, Taoist Lin just nodded and didn't say anything.
Daochang Lin did not express his position, and the two of them did not ask. Everyone knew the situation well. The current situation was like an arrow on the string, and they had to take action. No matter whether there was an ambush around, they had to take action because there was no extra time. They had long-term plans.
Batulu had plenty of strength and strode forward, cutting through thorns and thorns. Because his speed was too fast, the chopped bamboos had no time to move out. Tian Zhenyong and Chang Sheng could only move the bamboos to the left and right sides.
At the beginning of the watch, everyone had advanced nearly a hundred feet to the north. Taoist priest Lin identified the direction and raised his hand to point north, "Continue to take three hundred strides north, it should be there."
Taoist Master Lin had not spoken for some time before, and no one could find a chance to speak if they wanted to. Seeing him speak this time, Li Zhongyong hurriedly asked, knowingly, "Master, whose tomb is here?"
Daochang Lin did not answer.
Li Zhongyong looked back at Chen Liqiu. Chen Liqiu understood and stepped forward and asked, "Master, how do you know there is an antidote in this tomb?"
Taoist priest Lin did not answer Chen Liqiu's question, but said, "You go up and replace the fourth and youngest brother."
Although they knew that Lin Daozhang was trying to distract themselves, Li Zhongyong and Chen Liqiu had no choice but to step forward and replace Tian Zhengong and Changsheng.
Tian Zhengong and Changsheng returned to Taoist Lin. Taoist Lin did not speak to them, but looked at the three people who were opening the way in front of them expressionlessly.
As night falls, the moon also rises. Different from the warm and genial sunshine, although the moonlight can also bring light, it is cold and cold. Under the reflection of the moonlight, Daochang Lin's face looks extremely pale.
Before the second watch, Batulu, who was cutting moso bamboo in the front, turned back and shouted, "Master, there is a piece of stone here, it seems like an abandoned stone wall."
"Yes." Daochang Lin responded.
After cutting for a while, Batulu turned back and shouted, "Master, it's another stone wall. There should be a house before this."
"The tomb must be behind the house." Taoist priest Lin said.
After advancing for more than ten feet, Batulu's voice came again, "Found it."
"Clean up the surrounding area," said Taoist Master Lin.
Tian Zhengong and Changsheng also stepped forward to help, and the five of them worked together to quickly clear away the bamboo within a radius of five feet, revealing piles of earthen tombs.
To Changsheng, this tomb was not too small, with a pile of soil measuring three feet square. However, to Li Zhongyong and others who were used to seeing large tombs and mausoleums, this tomb was very inconspicuous, and there was not even a tombstone.
"The seal has not moved around, so this tomb is not very old." Batulu said.
Lin Daozhang took a few steps back, sat on one of the wooden boxes, and waved to everyone, "Come here, I have something to tell you."
Hearing Taoist Lin's words, Changsheng felt a chill in his heart. Taoist Lin was finally going to tell them the truth.
When the five people were standing around, Taoist priest Lin's eyes passed over the faces of the five people one by one, "There is no banquet in the world, and our fate is over."
As soon as Taoist Lin said these words, Li Zhongyong and the others were inexplicably sad and heart-wrenching. They had guessed right. Taoist Lin did not come here just to save his life.
The most surprised person was Batulu. He always thought that as long as he came here, Taoist Lin would be saved, so he didn't understand what Taoist Lin meant by his words. "Master, what do you mean?"
Taoist priest Lin turned to look at Batulu, hesitated several times, and finally let out a long sigh.
Batulu was impatient and asked eagerly, "Master, what's wrong? Are we too late? This tomb has been tampered with?"
"No," Taoist priest Lin shook his head, "The tomb is complete, and there should be a golden elixir of returning to heaven inside. But even if there is a golden elixir, it is of no use to me."
Li Zhongyong and others still had some understanding in their hearts, but Batulu was really confused, and Taoist Lin didn't explain clearly, so he kept asking for the reason.
"Sooner or later, I have to say something to you. I have to put it off again and again, but I have to say it eventually." Daochang Lin sighed again.
Seeing the sadness in Taoist Lin's words, Changsheng guessed that he was going to tell the owner of this tomb. This was a knot that could not be untied. If you did not enter the tomb, you would not be able to get the life-saving elixir, and if you entered the tomb, you would be broken. End your life.
Taoist priest Lin hesitated again, not knowing how to speak to everyone.
Seeing Taoist Lin's hesitation, Changsheng stepped forward and said loudly, "Master, I will dig up the tomb later!"
Hearing Changsheng's words, Daochang Lin, Li Zhongyong and others were surprised, while Batulu suddenly realized it and clapped his head repeatedly, "I almost forgot that digging this tomb will cost you your life. I am the boss, I will dig it, it's not my turn." you."
After Batulu finished speaking, he walked straight to another wooden box and started looking for earth digging tools.
Seeing this situation, Taoist Master Lin was overjoyed, smiled and waved, "Don't fight for it, I will do it myself."
"That's not possible," Batulu shook his head repeatedly, "You are already injured..."
Before Batulu could finish speaking, Taoist Master Lin interrupted him, "Well, to be honest with you, in fact, my life was cut off two days ago. I only used the soul-sealing needle to seal the seven orifices, forcing my soul to remain in the Flesh..."
