Suddenly a few days passed, and at noon, news came from Huating Town that the boat of Ding Shuanghe, the head of the Songshan Sect, had docked. The group had lunch and was heading to Huashan. Qiu Zhuye, who was "dual master of swords and palms," lured Li Yizhu Three disciples, Jiang Shangliu and Yan Pingwu, came down the mountain to greet him. Head Li ordered Zhou Ke from Hechuan Valley to go to Shibaliping to obey his orders, and his family members and female disciples accompanied him.
"Family members and female disciples are accompanying them" may sound confusing at first, but Zhou Ke knows what it means in his heart. It seems that the senior brother's worries are not groundless. He is worried and immediately summons his disciples and orders them to take care of their belongings. , immediately set off for Shibaliping. If nothing unexpected happens, we may linger for a few days and then turn back after the autumn festival. When the disciples in Hechuan Valley heard that they were going to Shibaliping, they all winked and looked very excited. Uncles Jiang and Yan had many beautiful female disciples, and they were worried that they would not have the opportunity to be courteous and impress the beautiful lady.
Half an hour later, the group set off up the mountain to the Shibaliping Ancestral Hall. Yang Hu and other registered disciples were talking and laughing, admiring the scenery in the mountains as if on a leisure day outing, not paying attention to the solemn expression on the master's face. Guo Chuanlin and the other four people were not familiar with them, so they deliberately slowed down and fell to the end. They were some distance away. Zhou Ke was concerned and looked back frequently to make sure they were not alone.
Li Qixian pointed at the person who laughed the loudest and was the least disciplined and said, "He was the one who deliberately injured Senior Brother Hong."
Guo Chuanlin looked in the direction she pointed, and saw a frivolous young man with shiny black hair. He hugged the other person's shoulders affectionately, whispered in his ear, and burst out laughing from time to time. .
Li Qixian flatly said: "He is Uncle Zhou's disciple, his name is Zhang Lu. I heard that his family is in the tea business and is very rich. This person is very arrogant and annoying!"
Qin Rong poked her: "I think he seems to be interested in you!"
"Save it, this toad..." Li Qixian covered his mouth, feeling embarrassed himself.
Hong Kun couldn't help but advise: "Junior sister, don't say that, it's not good for others to hear you!"
Li Qixian snorted, lowered his voice and muttered: "I don't care!"
Seeing that Guo Chuanlin was alone at the end, Qin Rong slowed down and walked side by side with him, and said with a smile: "Senior Brother Guo, why are you not in good spirits?"
Guo Chuanlin said: "It's okay. I got injured during sword practice this morning. I'm a little tired."
Qin Rong was stunned for a moment. She had heard Li Qixian mention that this senior brother Guo had practiced the basic skills of Chang Zhi to the extreme. Even he felt tired. It would be such an arduous training. She asked curiously: "Why do you work so hard to practice swordsmanship?"
for what? Wouldn't it be nice to have some fun? As a Huashan disciple, he blends in with the crowd, leans against a big tree, stays silent, eats and waits for death... However, there seems to be a whip whipping him in the dark, and he can't relax every moment, he is too weak. , to become stronger! Does this work? In just a few decades of life, a pig can't fly into the sky no matter how hard it tries... Guo Chuanlin's mind was a little confused. He calmed down, coughed, and said: "In troubled times, human life is as cheap as a dog. Only by being strong can you survive." Shen Shen, I have seen too many people being trampled to death like ants without even being able to scream."
Qin Rong was touched by his thoughts and murmured: "Are these troubled times now?"
Guo Chuanlin lowered his voice a little and said: "I heard that Jiaguan has fallen, and the prefect Shi Xiangye has surrendered. Zhao... Bohai occupies Xiongguan. It can be attacked when advancing or defended when retreating. The rebels can march straight in at any time and attack the capital."
Qin Rong was slightly startled. She thought that the pass was impregnable and that the rebels were blocked outside the pass and could not cross the natural barrier. The Qin family in Guliang was in the jade business. During the war, no one cared about the jewelry. Their livelihood was definitely going from bad to worse, and care would lead to chaos. She pulled Guo Chuanlin's sleeves and asked for advice: "Brother Guo, do you think the rebels... can Is it becoming a trend?"
Guo Chuanlin had obviously considered this issue and said cautiously: "In my opinion, the rebel army's military strength far exceeded the court's expectations. It is an evenly matched opponent. We must devote all our efforts to quell the rebellion in one fell swoop. Otherwise, the country will not be stable at all, and it is not impossible to change the dynasty."
Qin Rong stuck out his tongue and said, "Is it that serious?"
As soon as he said the words, Guo Chuanlin regretted it. His status in the Huashan Sect was a little embarrassing. He was a rebel, his hands were stained with blood, and he was involved with Zhao Shuai's mastermind. He was most taboo about talking about the rebellion. He hurriedly added: "This is just my conjecture, it can't be taken seriously——"
Qin Rong looked at him deeply and said, "I know, I won't tell others."
Guo Chuanlin smiled and changed the subject: "Did you take the jade pendant back down the mountain with you when I returned it that day?"
Qin Rong's eyes lit up, and she pulled the red rope around her neck. She was a little shy and said with a smile, "It's hanging! I like it very much!"
"It must be beautiful!"
The words were a bit explicit, Qin Rong's cheeks were stained with a blush, but she didn't find it annoying. At this moment, her heart was filled with joy. In just a few days, she was so close to him for the first time.
Seeing the two walking side by side on the mountain road and talking intimately, Li Qixian was both relieved and a little disappointed. She deliberately kept nagging Senior Brother Hong to make them fall behind, like a couple. But Guo Chuanlin did not put all his thoughts on the beautiful woman. An almost instinctive alarm came over his heart. He suddenly stopped and looked up at the trees on the cliff. The mountain wind whimpered, the branches and leaves whirled, making rustling sounds, red and yellow leaves were flying like rain, and there seemed to be a pair of prying eyes hidden in the shadows, watching them coldly.
Qin Rong asked with concern: "What's wrong?"
"It seems like someone is peeping in secret - forget it, it's probably my imagination." Guo Chuanlin withdrew his gaze and noticed that Zhou Ke in the distance had also stood on his heels, frowning and looking at the same place. He felt a shiver in his heart. I believe more and more that my judgment is correct.
The atmosphere suddenly became solemn, and even Zhang Lu shrank from talking or laughing loudly. After a while, Zhou Ke waved his hand, signaling Hong Kun and others to follow the others and not to fall behind. This time, Guo Chuanlin was unexpectedly obedient. He took Qin Rong's arm and quickly caught up. Hong Kun and Li Qixian saw this and had no choice but to follow.
The group of people walked around the high cliff and gradually went further and further away. The wind was whimpering all around. After a long time, a middle-aged man with gray sideburns emerged from the bushes. He put his hands behind his back and said to himself: "It's okay to be Zhou Ke." After all, he is Li Shi’s apprentice, why can’t even that kid..."
The person who went to Huashan alone was obviously the rebel's think tank, a remnant of the Qingcheng faction, a Korean soldier and a general.
During the gathering, the grudges from many years ago came to mind. Han Bing narrowed his eyes slightly and looked up at Shibaliping shrouded in clouds and mist. Ding Shuanghe, the head of the Songshan Sect, personally visited. The leading figures of the five peaks and branches of the Huashan Sect were gathered here, so they could finish their work in one battle and catch them all in one fell swoop.
