In this way, Ling Yun, his grandfather and Li Haoyang's family lived a peaceful and comfortable life of fishing and hunting. Five years passed in the blink of an eye. In the past five years, Ling Yun's grandmother and Li Haoyang's grandfather and grandmother all passed away. Li Haoyang grew up to be a young man in his early twenties, nearly nine feet tall and extremely strong. Ling Yun has grown into a young man of seventeen or eighteen years old, about eight feet tall and with a well-proportioned figure. At this time, Xiao Hei was already old and no longer suitable for hunting.
Two years ago, Li Dongming asked someone to bring a little wolfdog from the outside city. At this time, it had grown up and was as high as Li Haoyang's knees. Li Dongming named the little wolfdog Laifu. This little wolfdog had gray hair. Mixed with some black patterns, it looks like a wild wolf.
In the autumn of this year, Li Haoyang and Ling Yun were preparing to go hunting in the mountains with their bows and arrows. A middle-aged man came outside the door with a little girl of fifteen or sixteen years old.
The little girl shouted at the two of them: "Brother Lingyun, brother Haoyang", her voice was so sweet that her bones were numb when she heard these two words. Li Haoyang and Ling Yun turned around immediately after hearing the sound, showing surprised smiles. They both said at the same time: "Meng Yao!" After saying that, they dropped their bows and arrows and went towards him.
It turned out that the girl was Lu Mengyao, the little girl Ling Yun rescued from Xiangyun Lake five years ago. The child who was eight or nine years old back then has now grown into a little beauty of fifteen or sixteen years old.
Ever since Ling Yun rescued her from the lake, her family had often gone to Baiyun Village to visit Ling Yun and Old Man Ling. This little girl is very close to Ling Yun. Everyone in front of her and behind her is shouting "Brother Ling Yun! Brother Ling Yun!"
The middle-aged man was Lu Mengyao's father. He said to Li Haoyang and Ling Yun: "Two nephews, this girl Mengyao heard in the market yesterday that you two were going to the mountains to hunt today, and she cried and insisted on following. Go, I couldn't resist her, so I brought her over. Can you take her into the mountains to see?" Before he could finish, Ling Yun agreed.
Lu Mengyao's father continued: "Then I'll leave it to you, but you must take good care of this girl for me so that she doesn't encounter any danger in the mountains!"
Li Haoyang said: "Don't worry, Uncle Lu, Ling Yun and I are already very familiar with Niu Shi Ao and Jinji Ridge, and we haven't seen any wild beasts there in the past few years, only some pheasants, hares and the like. At most, there are some wild boars, deer and other prey, so they will not encounter any danger!" After hearing this, Lu Mengyao's father breathed a sigh of relief and said, "In that case, I can feel relieved and let her go into the mountains with you!"
While they were talking, Li Dongming and his wife heard the commotion outside and came out of the kitchen. Seeing that it was Lu Mengyao and his daughter, they warmly invited him to have breakfast at home. Lu Mengyao's father told Li Dongming and his wife that he had eaten, and then said that there was something going on at home, so he turned around and went back. Seeing that he insisted on leaving, Li Dongming and his wife couldn't force him to stay. They simply gave the three of them a few words and went back to the kitchen to work.
After bidding farewell to Lu Yao's father and Li Dongming's family, Li Haoyang and Ling Yun took their bows and arrows, carried arrow baskets and bags filled with luggage and dry food. Li Haoyang shouted into the courtyard: "Come on!" The little wolfdog who was fighting for Xiao Hei's amusement left Xiao Hei and ran towards the few people. A group of three people took Laifu and walked happily towards the back mountain.
The three of them were talking and laughing as they walked through the mountain forest on their way to the Yangxianling hut. Ling Yun and Li Haoyang were already accustomed to this kind of hunting life, while Lu Mengyao was full of curiosity and yearning for the jungle, and kept asking about hunting along the way.
The three of them chatted along the way, and time flew by. When Ling Yun first went to Niu Shi Ao, he was about the same age as Mengyao now. After stumbling along the way for more than two hours, he finally arrived at the familiar hut on the mountainside of Yang Xianling.
Looking at the hut again, there is an extra layer of bamboo tubes on the top. The bamboo tubes are divided into two and fixed on the roof with their backs facing upwards. Rainwater falls on the roof, is caught by these bamboo tubes, and is led along the bamboo tubes to a two-foot-square clay pool in front of the house. The pool is connected to a bamboo tube and flows to the ground. When the pool is full, the water will flow along the This bamboo tube flows to the ground, and the design is very subtle. At this time, the clay pot was already filled with a jar of water. With this mechanism, they no longer have to go elsewhere to get water.
Several people put their luggage in the hut. Li Haoyang opened one of the packages and took out some grilled naan, some dried fish and dried meat, and gave some to Ling Yun, Mengyao and Laifu, three of them and one dog. Had a simple lunch.
After finishing lunch, Li Haoyang and Ling Yun planned to take a short nap before setting off as usual, but they couldn't resist Mengyao's insistence and were dragged to the ground by her. They took hunting tools, dry food and a bamboo tube with water and set off.
As soon as he walked out of the door, Ling Yun seemed to suddenly think of something. He turned around and went back to the house, opened his baggage, took small items and stuffed them into his arms. Then he closed the door and walked towards Niushiao with Li Haoyang and Mengyao.
Along the way, Mengyao kept chattering and asking questions. But no matter what she asked, Li Haoyang patiently told her. As they walked, Ling Yun turned around and said to Mengyao: "Sister Mengyao, can we go back and ask these questions again? We are here to hunt, not for a walk. You are scaring the prey with your babbling. Run away. If we don’t catch any prey, we will be hungry! If we attract wolves, leopards, etc., it’s hard to say whether we are hungry or not, but they will be full!"
Hearing this, Mengyao suddenly closed her mouth and became nervous. She looked around carefully and said softly to Ling Yun who was walking in front of her: "Brother Ling Yun, don't scare me. Brother Haoyang before setting off." Didn't you say there are no wild beasts here?" Li Haoyang saw that she seemed to be really frightened, and quickly said to Ling Yun: "Ling Yun, don't scare sister Mengyao, because you are worried that her father will throw you into the lake to feed the fish. After saying that, he turned to Mengyao and said: "Don't be afraid, sister, don't listen to that boy Ling Yun's nonsense. He is trying to scare you, but we still have to keep our voices down. We don't have much dry food with us. If we don't pack it, If you find prey, you will be really hungry."
After hearing this, Mengyao thought of going hungry, so she did not dare to speak anymore. She followed Li Haoyang quietly, carefully looking at the bushes and grass around her as she walked.
The sight and smell of hunting dogs with wild wolf blood are more sensitive. Relying on them along the way, a few people quickly harvested a hare and two pheasants, which was enough for them to eat for a few days. Li Haoyang tied the hare to his waist and handed the two pheasants into Ling Yun's hands. The three of them replenished their drinking water in the river and continued walking towards Fenggang.
Not long after, the group arrived at Jinji Ridge. Although it is already autumn, the afternoon sun is still hot, and when you step out of the mountains and forests, you can still feel the obvious heat wave hitting your face. Along the way, several of them were a little tired, so they found a shady place under a tree, cleared out a piece of clean grass, and sat on the ground to rest.
Li Haoyang took a sip of water, pointed to the mountains in the distance, and said to Mengyao: "Mengyao, climb over the hillside in front, and further ahead, that mountain is Juelong Ridge!" Mengyao asked: "Juelong Ridge" Longling, I heard my father talk about it when I was a child. I heard that there are wild beasts everywhere. Have you ever been there?" Li Haoyang replied: "Juelongling is a forbidden area. Neither my father nor my grandfather have been there. We don’t dare to go!”
Speaking of Juelong Ridge, Ling Yun mysteriously came to Mengyao's ear and whispered: "There are more than just wild animals in Juelong Ridge. Why don't you let our brother Haoyang tell you about it?" Ling Yun said this. Without completely avoiding Li Haoyang, these words reached Li Haoyang's ears, and he could only helplessly smile bitterly.
Sure enough, Mengyao stood up, came to Li Haoyang, rubbed against him, and said to Li Haoyang in a pleading tone: "Brother Haoyang, just tell me!" This voice made Li Haoyang tremble all over. Ma, I simply couldn’t bear to refuse.
Li Haoyang had no choice but to tell Lu Mengyao the same story that Li Dongming told him and Ling Yun five years ago. Laifu also lay next to a few people, listening with relish, as if it could understand the story, and there was an incredible look in its eyes.
After the story was told, several people had almost rested and got up and were about to walk back. After walking a few steps, several people simultaneously spotted a figure running through the woods at the foot of the north slope. They didn't know what kind of animal it was.
Ling Yun put his hand on Laifu's neck to comfort him, steadying it so as not to make any noise. The three of them slowly slid down the hillside in the direction where the figure disappeared, and arrived at the foot of Fenggang. Looking around, I saw the guy stopped behind a big tree. The light in the forest was a little dim, but I couldn't see clearly, like a deer or a muntjac.
Only half of the little guy's body was exposed, and he couldn't use a bow and arrow. Li Haoyang and Ling Yun understood that in this case, even if they were shot, they would not be able to cause fatal damage to it. Once it was frightened and ran away, it would be difficult to find it again.
So, they tried to sneak around to the side. After just a few steps, the sound under his feet startled it again, and it jumped forward and disappeared into the forest.
The three of them hurriedly chased forward, trying to find its figure. Coincidentally, the guy was extremely alert and would run away at the slightest sign of trouble, but would not go far. Stopping along the way, the three of them followed it carefully, trying to find an opportunity to get closer.
Fenggang is just a small hill, more than twenty or thirty feet high. A few people have crossed Fenggang without knowing it. None of the three of them noticed that they had reached the foot of Juelong Ridge. I saw the little guy facing the direction of Juelong Ridge, standing in a small section of mountain valley between Fenggang and Juelong Ridge. Ling Yun and Lu Mengyao were lying in the grass, staring at it intently. Li Haoyang took a detour from the rear and came to its right side.
Although it was almost dusk, because the trees in this area were sparse, it was not as dark as before. The setting sun was enough to illuminate the area. I finally saw the animal clearly. It was a young deer with only a small piece of antlers growing on its head.
Li Haoyang hid behind a small tree, took off the bow on his shoulder, and set up a bamboo arrow. The arrow was made of iron, and the bright arrow reflected the setting sun, reflecting a dazzling star. Li Haoyang took a deep breath, fully drew his bow, and shot an arrow at the deer's chest.
The bamboo arrow flew towards the deer's heart, and was about to penetrate the deer's chest and pierce its heart. Unexpectedly, at the same time as the arrow was shot, the deer suddenly took half a step forward. The bamboo arrow suddenly missed its target and pierced its thigh.
The little deer was in pain, spread its limbs and ran wildly, disappearing into the forest of Juelong Ridge. Seeing this, Li Haoyang put away his bow and arrow, slapped his thigh, sighed, and said, "Oh, it actually ran away!"
Li Haoyang returned to Ling Yun and Mengyao. Mengyao said to Li Haoyang: "Brother Haoyang, you are so powerful. You hit the deer with one arrow from such a long distance!" After hearing this, Li Haoyang smiled and reached out to pinch Meng Yao. Looking at Yao's face, he said: "Sister Mengyao, please don't comfort me. I missed my shot at such a close distance. It's because I'm not good at it!"
Mengyao pushed his hand away and said, "But I still think Brother Haoyang's archery skills are very powerful!" Li Haoyang touched her head and said, "Thank you, Sister Mengyao!" After saying that, he turned around. He said to Ling Yun: "Ling Yun, let's go. It's getting dark and it's time to go back."
At this time, Ling Yun stared blankly at the direction in which the deer disappeared, and said in a daze: "Brother Yang, the deer was hit by an arrow in the thigh and was seriously injured. He shouldn't be able to run far. Let Laifu take us to chase him. Maybe he can still If we can catch up, why don’t we go take a look?”
Li Haoyang looked up and said: "It's getting late, and I'm going back late. I'm afraid of encountering some ferocious beasts on the road, which are difficult to deal with. We'd better be careful when we take Mengyao out this time!" Ling Yun said: " It's not too late, let's catch up and have a look, just go and get back as soon as possible." Li Haoyang thought about it and thought it was right, so he agreed.
Several people came to the spot where the deer was hit by the arrow. Laifu smelled the blood on the ground, and then ran up the mountain following the blood. Ling Yun and the other three hurriedly followed in the direction where Laifu was chasing. The three of them were only focused on catching up with Laifu, but they completely failed to notice the large, faded characters "Juelong Ridge Forbidden Land" engraved on the rocks behind the nearby trees.
The three of them followed them all the way to the mountainside unknowingly. At this time, the sun had set and the surroundings had become very dark. Mengyao looked at the dark mountain forest and became a little scared. She held on to Ling Yun's clothes tightly, fearing that she would accidentally get lost.
Ling Yun took out a fire stick from his arms, blew it a few times, and flames burst out. Finally, there was a little light. Ling Yun originally planned to take this fire seal to use on the way back, but he didn't expect to use it here. After all, Huozhezi is only suitable for lighting fires, but it cannot illuminate for a long time and its brightness is also limited. Ling Yun held up the fire folding bag, looked around for a week, then quickly closed the lid, put it in his arms again, and pulled Mengyao to quickly catch up with Li Haoyang.
Ling Yun said to Li Haoyang: "Brother Yang, why do I feel that this is not Jinji Ling? There can be no place in Jinji Ling that we have not been to!" Li Haoyang had already noticed something strange in his heart at this time. He stopped Laifu, stopped, turned around and said to Ling Yun: "Ling Yun, I don't feel right either. We seemed to be chasing the deer towards the north slope of Jinji Ridge. We crossed a small hillside on the way to get here. !" After saying that, he and Ling Yun were stunned at the same time. Ling Yun stammered: "I... we... couldn't have... arrived at Juelong Ridge, right?"
Li Haoyang was shocked after hearing Ling Yun's words: "It's over, when you say that, I think we might really be in Juelong Ridge!" Ling Yun's heart tightened, and his whole head buzzed. He never expected that in the past few years, they had never crossed Jinji Ridge, and today they would accidentally break into Juelong Ridge, a place that generations of ancestors had never set foot on again.
Li Haoyang and Ling Yun were just wondering what to do when Mengyao suddenly asked: "Brother Yun, Brother Yang, are you saying that we are in Juelong Ridge now? But this morning you told me that beasts are rampant in Juelong Ridge. It is extremely dangerous and is a forbidden area for hunters. No one has set foot in it for hundreds of years. But... there is not even a shadow of a wild beast here."
Li Haoyang put his right index finger to his mouth, shushed Mengyao, took a deep breath, and said to Ling Yun: "Ling Yun, according to you, should we retreat now, or should we continue to move forward?" Ling Yun turned to The deer disappeared in the direction where he glanced again and said, "Brother Yang, did you find anything strange along the way?" Li Haoyang replied: "Just now we followed Laifu and followed the blood trail here. Laifu only stared at him along the way. Looking at the bloodstains on the road, I didn’t feel wary of this mountain forest at all. Lai Fu’s nature is that if there is any wild beast in this mountain, it will definitely show vigilance. And based on my many years of hunting experience, I didn’t feel anything nearby. Is there any ferocious beast? I want to continue to catch up to see, at least, find the deer first, Ling Yun, what do you think?" Ling Yun said: "Brother Yang, it is completely dark now. If we go back now, it will be too late. It takes several hours to reach Yangxianling. If you take Mengyao on such a long journey at night, even if you don't encounter any danger, you won't be able to go out hunting tomorrow. Since you don't feel any danger here, it's better to continue walking up the mountain. , it is estimated that it will take less than half an hour to reach the top of the mountain." Before Li Haoyang could speak, Ling Yun continued: "It is said that there used to be some gang on Juelong Ridge, so there must be many houses in the mountain. Hundreds of years later, there will be some ruins left for us to rest on. Let’s find some dry firewood, light a fire, survive tonight, and make plans for tomorrow!”
Li Haoyang pondered for a moment and said to Mengyao: "Mei Yao, are you afraid?" Mengyao replied: "Yes, but as long as Brother Haoyang and Brother Lingyun are here, I won't be so afraid!" "Okay, then you can Please follow Brother Lingyun and Brother Haoyang closely, okay?" Mengyao nodded firmly.
Li Haoyang knelt down, touched Laifu and said, "Laifu, let's go up the mountain!" As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Laifu suddenly running forward. Seeing this, Li Haoyang hurriedly followed, and Ling Yun also pulled Meng. Yao rushed up and saw Laifu stopped not far ahead, looking towards the weeds down the hillside. There happened to be a cliff at this location. Laifu tried to think about it, but he couldn't seem to find a place to stay.
Ling Yun hurriedly took out the fire stick in his arms. After blowing it, he raised it above his head and shined it in the direction Laifu was looking at. Although the light was weak, it was enough to illuminate a small area. A few people took a closer look, and hey, it turned out to be the deer that Li Haoyang shot and injured. It was entangled in a thorn bush and couldn't move. They thought it was because of the injury that it couldn't stand steadily and fell down the seven-eight-foot-high cliff. It was trapped below. The thorn bush caught it.
Li Haoyang handed the bow to Ling Yun, then he jumped down from the edge of the cliff, picked up the deer, and lifted it up. Ling Yun and Mengyao caught it with both hands, and Li Haoyang rolled ashore. The deer weighed forty or fifty kilograms. As the eldest brother among the three, Li Haoyang carried the deer on his shoulders and continued walking up the mountain.
Ling Yun blew out the fire fold and put it in his arms, holding Mengyao and continuing to follow Li Haoyang.
