Sword from Hengshan

Chapter 162 West Lake Plum Manor (8.484k)
The flowers from the sky are still falling, and the sparse winter plum trees are sharing the wind.

The sky was full of pear blossoms, whitening the wild peach forest and lighting up the mountain temple. A strong wind blew, and a snow dragon swept into the house. The burning firewood pile emitted white steam and made a sharp sound.

Zhao Rong half closed the door to keep the snow out.

He walked out, tied up the horse, and brushed his sleeves to clear away the flying catkins.

He sat back in front of the fire and added more dry firewood from the temple.

After hearing the girl's words "so many sisters", he didn't care and asked, "Where is Sister Lan? Why wasn't she with you when she went to look for you?"

"She was originally with me, but when we got to Hangzhou, she couldn't stay there any longer and said she wanted to go look for some Prince Hengshan."

The girl still held up Guangling San and continued:
"I saw that she was badly cheated by that man, so she came to me for some good wine. I was not willing to let that liar waste the good wine.

She should be heading straight to Hengyang by now. If she can't find anyone, she will naturally have to go back to the Miao village."

Her tone was extremely calm.

Zhao Rong felt regretful that he could not hear that gentle and soft voice in Hangzhou.

I thought of the night when she brought wine up the mountain on a snowy night. She was like a mountain elf, lively and vivid, and I couldn't help but be slightly dazed.

Hearing the sound of wind in his ears, he glanced towards the half-open temple door, his eyes wandering between the twilight and flying snow.

Unable to hear him speak, the girl slowly put down the Guangling San in front of her, and a slightly blurred face was reflected in her bright eyes.

This is the first time I have seen him like this, and Mr. Wen has never painted him like this.

Xiaoxiang Sword God's sword doesn't seem to be that sharp, and it doesn't seem to be able to cut off everything.

She pinched the Guangling San with her slender green fingers and applied a little force, wrinkling a page of the score. If Ji Kang saw this, he would definitely be heartbroken.

Putting down the music score, the girl smoothed the hem of her skirt, sat cross-legged and placed the zither on her legs.

A lotus oil lamp cast a dim light on the zither. The person playing the zither had his black hair slightly moving, and his shadow stretched out in the mountain temple. The sound of the zither also emanated from the zither.

She plucked the strings of the zither, and the ancient music sounded, as if it could also touch people's heartstrings.

Zhao Rong's senses were instantly brought back to his senses.

The wind and snow were blowing, and the light in the dilapidated mountain temple was so vivid that it illuminated a beautiful picture of a girl playing the piano.

The sound of the piano was quiet and distant. He sat cross-legged in front of the fire and listened quietly.

The music didn't stop until the water on the fire boiled.

The two of them ate some dry food with water.

"I see you have a flute in your bag. What music can you play?"

The silence that was supposed to last until the next night was broken by the girl's voice.

Zhao Rong swallowed the dry food and took a sip of water.

He said nothing but picked up the flute.

The young master of Hengshan is full of artistic talent.

Suddenly, waves of passionate flute sounds came
The sky laughs.
The breeze laughs, yet it brings loneliness, and the heroic spirit is left with a glimmer of evening light.
There was not much change in expression on the girl's beautiful face, but her heart was like the Qiantang River, with a surging tide.

When she was about to be submerged by the waves, a man in green appeared and cut the waves in half with a sword.

The flute sound stopped.

"What song is this?"

"The sea laughed."

The girl muttered, with a hint of desire in her eyes.

This piece of music is not difficult to play. Zhao Rong taught her a few times and she learned it immediately.

The melody is like a sword.

When Zhao Rong got a new song, he had the advantage at first, but contrary to his sword practice, he quickly lost all his advantages and was defeated miserably.

This heroic tune has already been learned by the Saint Lady.

She was filled with joy and suddenly took out a jar of good wine from the mountain temple and warmed it up.

Zhao Rong laughed and said, "I'm going to waste this wine."

It was obviously a mockery of what she had said before.

Upon hearing the voice, the girl frowned and drew her sword as if to chop off the wine jar and bowl. She quickly picked up the wine bowl with the blade of her sword, lightly placed it on it, and quickly sent it towards him.

This skill is beyond the reach of ordinary warriors.

Zhao Rong unsheathed his long sword, and placed the flying wine bowl on the sword. He then unloaded the force towards the Cloud Sword above his head and placed it horizontally in front of him.

"Good swordsmanship indeed."

Ren Yingying seemed to be inspired by the melody just now and said something nice sincerely.

She stood up and poured the wine into the wine bowl on the sword.

Not a drop of the wine was spilled, and the bottle was filled up all the time, but the sword remained motionless.

Zhao Rong took down the wine bowl, and swung his long sword towards the ground, picking up the cup in front of the Saint Lady that was half full of wine. Not a drop of wine was spilled in the bowl, and he responded with his sword. The girl raised her sword and caught it, and although she was able to dissipate the force, she did it beautifully.
But her brows were still furrowed.

Because a little wine spilled onto the sword.

Listening to the blue-clothed young man's laughter, she drank the wine in one gulp with a little anger.

Zhao Rong drank again and said with a smile: "I told you that your swordsmanship is not as good as mine, but you still refuse to admit defeat."

She just responded with her eyes and didn't say anything.

He continued to pour wine for Zhao Rong, and they quickly finished the jar of good wine.

Warm wine warms people, and the mountain temple in the wind and snow seems to warm up as well.

The young man sat in front of the fire and took out "Ode to the Golden Needle" to read.

The girl continued to study "Guangling San" by the light of the lamp.

Late at night.

Ren Yingying was lying on a simple thatched bed in the temple. There was a lot of space next to her, which was more than enough for one more person to sleep.

But she would never speak, and even held the sword with a defensive look in her eyes.

but
As long as she didn't make any noise, no other sound would be heard except the sound of wind and snow outside and the sound of burning firewood.

There was a slight and even breathing sound at the temple entrance.

The guy looked like he was asleep.

She thought about the journey from the bamboo house in Kuaiji Mountain to here, about the "Hematemesis Score" and "Guangling San", and about going to Meizhuang. Her mood was so fluctuating that she could not fall asleep.

He turned over gently, rested one cheek on his hand, and looked at the young man at the door in the light.

Mr. Wen's painting skills are so exquisite that the characters in his paintings seem alive.

But it is just a painting after all, a black and white world, it is virtual.

The people in this colorful world before our eyes are real.

She had never seen such a handsome man, and he was also an awful boy of her age.

After staring for a long time, she closed her eyes unconsciously and fell into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning.

The girl on the bed was awakened by the neighing of a horse. She instinctively reached for the hilt of the sword and woke up completely in an instant, and everything was fine.

Zhao Rong had already fed the horse, and when he returned to the temple, Ren Yingying was packing her belongings.

They set out at the hour of Chen, each riding a horse.

I heard the sound of branches breaking last night, which shows that it is snowing heavily.

It was still snowing that day, but much less than yesterday.

After walking slowly for more than twenty miles, we entered the town.

Changed clothes in an inn.

Zhao Rong had not changed much, except that his outer clothes were lighter and his sleeves were wider.

When I came out of the inn and prepared to meet the Saint Lady again, she looked completely different.

She no longer wore the black dress, but changed into a light-colored robe similar to Zhao Rong's. She no longer covered her face with a veil, and her hair was tied up with a red rope with plum blossoms on it, and a hairpin with a few pearls hanging on it was inserted through it.

With a zither and a sword, the coldness in his eyes adds a touch of elegance and ancient charm.

It couldn't be more appropriate to say that she was a female hero from a noble family who came from the water town of Jiangnan.

She has a pretty face and the youthful appearance of a young girl who has just passed her prime. This outfit has subtly overshadowed the charm of a certain young man.

"What are you looking at?"

She frowned and glared at Zhao Rong with a hint of anger in her eyes, instantly turning into the Holy Lady of the Demon Cult again.

"Actually, you're quite pleasing to the eye when you don't act so fierce."

Zhao Rong smiled jokingly.

Ren Yingying gave her a look that said 'you don't understand': "Heimu Cliff is not Hengshan Sect. If you are not ruthless and cruel and make others fear you, you will be eaten up by others sooner or later."

She said this and got on the horse.

Zhao Rong also got on his horse, and did not refute her words, but just said:

“You can go back to Blackwood Cliff and be more aggressive, but at this time you must be consistent with your status, otherwise it will be difficult for us to even enter Plum Manor.”

"Now that you are by my side, how many people in the world can harm you?"

The girl chuckled when she heard this, but then she taunted him, "That's how Lan Fenghuang was deceived by you."

"Xiaoxiang Sword God? Pah, shameless little thief."

Zhao Rong didn't talk to her, but urged his horse to go north, and reminded her:
"Little witch, remember to change your words."

When it snows heavily, our journey becomes slower.

They walked and stopped several times, and finally arrived in Hangzhou on the fourth day.

There is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. Hangzhou is a good place to go.

Yanliu painted bridges, wind curtains and emerald screens, there are hundreds of thousands of homes.

Once we entered Lin'an, we saw music and singing everywhere, flags waving, shops lining the streets, hawking voices everywhere, and the bustling atmosphere of life.

Occasionally, a palace by the water is turned into a pavilion, and Li Song's "Water Palace Bringing Coolness" came to Zhao Rong's mind.

I saw the riverside building and the lookout terrace, a flying corridor behind it, and the lattice windows on the north side, with a horse and four arrows, sparse and dense. Everything I saw was simple and ancient, worthy of being a scenic spot in the southeast and the capital of the Three Wus.

Zhao Rong didn't need to ask anyone along the way, the Saint Aunt found the way automatically, just like a local of Lin'an.

"You're looking around. Is this your first time in Hangzhou?"

"Ah."

"How far is Meizhuang?"

"At least until evening."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rong decided to stay overnight and visit again early the next morning.

They came to Yuelai Inn, which was close to West Lake, and booked two upper rooms to rest.

The sky was dark in the evening and it looked like it was going to snow again.

They had dinner downstairs at the inn. Saint Auntie knew it was his first time here, so she ordered West Lake vinegar fish.

When Zhao Rong heard the name, he was already eight-tenths full.

But when the waiter brought the fish, it turned out to be quite delicious.

This was truly his first discovery since arriving in Hangzhou.

The girl observed the change in the sword god's expression and felt curious and amused.

Zhao Rong asked: "Have you thought of a pseudonym?"

"Your name is Zhao Qingmu, so I'll be called Lan Qingluo."

He asked, "Why?"

The girl picked out a harpoon and said:

"Shouldn't the Sword God's sister be named Lan? Qing means green vegetables, and Luo means radish. The sister named Lan likes green vegetables and radishes. She considers them all good things and even soaks them in wine."

Zhao Rong was amused by her, "Actually, you are wrong. My sister's last name is not just Lan. She has many last names, too many to count."

The girl pouted at him again.

It snowed again that night. The snow was lighter than the night at the mountain temple, and the wind could hardly blow into the inn, but neither of them slept very well.

The people and things in Meizhuang touched their thoughts.

Wake up in the morning and wait for daybreak.

They had breakfast and walked into the white world on the snow.

In the West Lake, rime was thick and the sky, clouds, mountains and water were all white.

The willows by the lake have icicles as leaves, which seem to be blooming in spring, and they are reflected by the lake, which is really beautiful.

If he wasn't busy, Zhao Rong would also like to go boating to the center of the lake to watch the snow. It would be even more wonderful if the Holy Lady of the Demon Cult played the piano for him.

Walking along the lake embankment, tourists along the way also turned their eyes to them.

There was still a light snow falling from the sky. The young man with a sword on his back wore a small bamboo hat, and the girl with a zither on her back held up an oil-paper umbrella. The cold wind fluttered their sleeves. The two of them walked lightly and slowly disappeared behind the willows on the bank.

Half an hour later.

A long embankment appeared in front of us, leaning against the hill on one side and facing the lake on the other.

Climb up the stone steps on the hill, pass several forked roads, and finally you will see a plum forest.

Flowers bloom above my head, visible in the cold of ice and snow.

I heard that plum blossoms often bloom in the cold wind in the early morning, and the luxuriant plum blossoms bloom all over the mountains like snowdrifts. Now the plum blossoms in the wind and snow are truly a magnificent sight on earth, and there is no end to the viewing experience.

After passing Meilin, there is a road paved with bluestone slabs, leading to a large manor with red doors and white walls.

"Plum Manor."

Next to these two big characters is the inscription "Written by Yu Yunwen".

Zhao Rong stood in front of the red door and looked upwards. He only needed to jump in to get in, but he still had to take the usual route.

Looking at the copper ring on the gate, Ren Yingying walked over.

Zhao Rong gave his seat to her.

The copper ring is first struck four times and then paused, then struck twice and then paused, and then struck rhythmically several times in succession.

Ordinary people who don't know the tricks when they get to this door will not be able to open it.

Once they force their way in, all the masters in the village will come out, and even a top figure in the martial arts world like Xiang Wentian will not be able to gain any benefit here.

Qin Weibang, Bao Dachu, Sang Sanniang and others who are nearby will also arrive immediately.

This Meizhuang is where the four friends lived in seclusion, but it is also a dangerous place for people with ulterior motives.

Ren Yingying knocked on the door and stood aside. After a while, the door slowly opened and two old men dressed as servants walked out side by side.

The two men had bright eyes, and their temples bulged slightly when they inhaled and exhaled. They stood on the left and right, with their positions very particular, and each of them had superb martial arts skills.

The old man on the right had a dull face and no expression, but he was polite and bowed as he asked:

"What brings you two to my humble abode?"

Zhao Rong said: "Meeting friends?"

The man on the left had a slightly different expression, but since he was too young, he looked suspicious: "Which friend?"

"The Four Friends of Jiangnan are all my friends."

Zhao Rong's tone was quite firm. Although the two old men had doubts, they had to consider whether it was true or not after hearing his words and did not dare to ignore it.

The old man on the left continued:
"My master hasn't seen any visitors for more than ten years, so what you said may not be true."

Zhao Rong did not refute, but said quietly: "No need to say more, you will know after meeting the owners of the manors."

The two old men frowned. This young man was so arrogant that they wanted to chase him away.

But the young man and girl outside are of extraordinary bearing and are definitely not ordinary people.

The two of them, one is Ding Jian, the Master of the Electric Sword, and the other is Shi Lingwei, the Master of the Five-Way Divine Sword, both were once quite famous.

But they couldn't tell anything about the young man and woman.

He wanted to say something to chase him away, but he swallowed it back.

Ding Jian on the left asked again: "May I ask where you two are from?"

The girl holding an oil-paper umbrella greeted him and said, "In a remote area south of the Yangtze River, beside the Taihu Lake, in Suzhou Yanziwu."

Her voice was soft and gentle, like the Wu dialect, and was very pleasant to the ear.

Shi Lingwei saw that she was carrying a zither on her back, and she looked dazzling and even spoke in rhythm. She was definitely not a country girl. She must have been from a prominent family, but later retired to the countryside and lived a life of leisure.

However, this does not mean that he is acquainted with the four owners of the manor.

This age doesn't fit at all.

Ding Jian was unsure and would not let them go, and he did not want to disturb the four owners' enjoyment because of two young men of unknown origin.

He was also a famous swordsman. When he saw Zhao Rong with a sword on his waist, he had an idea in his mind.

How could the friends of the four owners of the manor not have any abilities?

"Is this young man also an expert with a sword?"

After Ding Jian finished speaking, Shi Lingwei saw that the young man was calm and composed, with deep eyes. The girl on the other side said softly:

"My cousin's swordsmanship is unrivaled in the world. Even the senior masters in Gusu are impressed by him."

The latter sentence was added deliberately because she saw that the old man in front of her was competitive, but Zhao Rong accepted it with pleasure.

Mr. Gu was indeed impressed.

The best in the world?
These four words rang loudly in the ears of Ding Jian and Shi Lingwei, and their faces immediately turned unfriendly.

"Thinking of me, Ding Jian, who killed four tyrants with one palm and two heroes with one sword at the foot of Qilian Mountain, this girl is really arrogant. She is only 16 or 17 years old. How dare she claim to be the best in the world?"

"Even I, Ding Jian, wouldn't dare to do that. How could anyone be more powerful than me?"

His face darkened, and he asked in a bad tone, "What is your name?"

He wanted to see if the boy dared to accept it.

"Zhao Qingmu."

He only gave his name without any polite words, which showed his youthful vigor.

Ding Jian reached behind him and immediately grasped a long sword in his hand. Shi Lingwei, who was watching the show on the right, reminded him, "Brother Ding, the snow scene is very beautiful today, and the owners are in high spirits. Don't be too heavy-handed and ruin their fun."

"That's natural."

"Young man, if you can take three of my moves, I will believe you and report to the owners of the manor immediately."

After Ding Jian finished speaking, he suddenly saw the young man in the snow take off his hat and hand it to the girl beside him.

Then she smiled and held out her hand to him: "Please."

This actually made him strike first.

Ding Jian had lived in Meizhuang for many years since he was rescued by the Four Friends from Jiangnan, but he had long lost his original bravery and ferocity.

But at this moment, he also felt a surge of anger.

Shi Lingwei, who was standing by, stepped back quickly, knowing that his brother was really angry.

During the years that Ding Jian lived in seclusion, he had been sparring with the masters in the village and had never given up his martial arts.

Back then, I encountered a blind thief who used his sword skills to break through by relying on his ability to identify people by their voices.

This young man has bright eyes, but he doesn't have that ability anyway.

They came to the red gate and stood in the wind and snow.

Ding Jian had already drawn his sword, and was dancing wildly with it, immediately unleashing his special moves. The sword seemed to be covered with a layer of lightning, dazzling everyone's eyes in an instant!
When the snowflakes met Ding Jian's sword, they disappeared instantly, as if melted by lightning, with an extremely terrifying sound.

He did not attack in a hurry, but used several moves on the spot. It seemed that he was being polite, but in fact he made Zhao Rong dizzy.

When the sword light was dancing fastest, the sword stabbed towards Zhao Rong!

Ding Jian wants to win with just this one move!
however,
The sound of a sword being drawn was heard later but arrived first. In the dazzling lightning of Ding Jian, the young man seemed to have seen through all illusions and stabbed the tip of the electric sword with one sword!

The internal force follows the sword!

“Shuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”

Three feet of autumn water passed through the blade of the electric sword, and Ding Jian's long sword was deflected and pressed to the sword guard.

The sword flashed, and the cold tip of the sword was hovering in front of his throat.

One inch further would have killed him.

Zhao Rong sheathed his sword and looked at him quietly.

Ding Jian was covered in cold sweat. He was stunned for a moment, and there was no anger on his face anymore.

He quickly held up the sword and bowed: "Thank you for showing mercy, young man."

Zhao Rong smiled and bowed, "Thank you."

Shi Lingwei standing by was also shocked. He had rescued an orphan in Hengjiang, Hubei, and used the Purple Gold Bagua Knife to kill thirteen big bosses of the Qinglong Gang, causing their blood to splatter all over the Han River.

At that time, the Qinglong Gang also had many leaders who used swords.

It's like seeing you again in a different world from now on.

Brother Ding Jian, you were defeated by one sword!
Moreover, the opponent drew his sword only after he had made his move. As a martial arts master, Shi Lingwei knew this clearly.

The gap between the two is hard to measure!

Only then did he remember what the girl had just said, it was the best in the world, it really was the best in the world.

Shi Lingwei hurried forward, not daring to argue with him based on age anymore, and his tone of voice changed 180 degrees immediately.

They both bowed and saluted:
"Please wait for a moment, my two distinguished guests. We will report to the owners of the manors."

"Thank you."

Zhao Rong responded, and then saw Ding Jian and Shi Lingwei running hurriedly into the village.

He couldn't help but ask with a smile: "How is my swordsmanship?"

Ren Yingying admired him in her heart, but she said, "What's so proud about beating a gatekeeper?"

The little witch was a real spoilsport and Zhao Rong didn't want to talk to her anymore.

At this moment, Meizhuang was very lively.

It turned out that there had been heavy snow in Lin'an for several days, and the snow scene in the central courtyard of Meizhuang was extremely beautiful.

The rockery and strange rocks are covered with snow, the winter plum trees bloom in the snow, and the icicles are like swords with a subtle fragrance.

It is true that the eaves are still wet with frost on the plum blossoms, a kind of loneliness that is not ordinary.

“Hahaha, brilliant~!”

A fat man in his fifties with a shiny bald head was putting down his judge's pen with a smug look on his face.

"The great king rules the world, and the brave general clears the nine gates. The war horse is like a dragon and a tiger, how magnificent is Tengling!"

It was General Pei's poem, written in Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy.

Bald Pen Master stared at his masterpiece and laughed with satisfaction.

The man next to him was drinking and dancing with a sword. It was Dan Qingsheng.

There was a man sitting on a bench next to the stove in the pavilion, studying a chess manual. He had a handsome face, but his face was pale, his hair was very black and his face was very white, like a zombie.

He is the second among the four friends and is called Black and White.

"Brother, come here!"

"This snowy scene is very beautiful, and I am dancing with swords to liven up the atmosphere. Now that the wine is warm, let's have a drink."

An old man sitting in front of a guqin in the pavilion flipping through the music score said slowly: "I played the music while drunk, which damaged the rhythm and was inappropriate."

He was skinny, but his eyes were very bright.

"Eh~!"

The fourth manor owner Dan Qingsheng said, "Brother, with your skills, you wouldn't be drunk even if you drank 18 bowls. How can it hurt your mood? It's really a bummer, brother."

"Hahaha!"

But Bald Pen Master laughed and said, "Fourth brother, I will drink with you."

"Big brother won't get drunk, but he went to the courtyard to smell the plum blossoms. The smell of alcohol entered his nose, and the plum blossoms were floating on the tip of his nose. Wouldn't Big brother's interest be disturbed?"

"That's right, brother, let's drink together!"

"it is good."

Hei Baizi responded, and the three owners were about to drink when Shi Lingwei and Ding Jian came running over.

Their expressions changed, and Heibaizi noticed it.

He was rarely in such a hurry on weekdays. He ignored the words like "spoil the fun" that were ringing in his ears again, and immediately put down his glass and asked:

"What happened?"

After Ding Jian and Shi Lingwei greeted several manor owners, they quickly said:
"Someone visited the gate of the manor, saying they were some of the manor owner's friends."

Hearing this, Huang Zhonggong over there also raised his head.

"friend?"

Dan Qingsheng was very happy: "That's perfect, my friend is here to drink with me."

Bald Pen Man stroked his beard and smiled, "Since we are friends, please come in quickly so that you can appreciate my calligraphy."

Hei Baizi asked with a smile: "Where is this friend from? Have you verified his identity?"

Shi Lingwei said:

"They are a pair of cousins. The boy is extremely handsome and the girl is very pretty. They both have outstanding temperaments. They came here in the snow and wind. They said they were old friends from Gusu and came from the shore of Taihu Lake."

The four owners were still thinking after hearing this.

Then I heard Shi Lingwei say: "These two are only sixteen or seventeen years old, but..."

"Extremely high martial arts skills!"

The four owners of the manor looked strange, because they had never had such a little friend.

"Extremely high martial arts skills?"

Shi Lingwei's tone, which didn't sound like a lie, aroused Dan Qingsheng's curiosity.

Ding Jian standing by said with a look of admiration and surprise: "The origins of these two people are unknown. I wanted to make them retreat, so I used all my strength to use the electric sword."

"That young man defeated me with one move. His swordsmanship is unrivaled in the world."

Upon hearing this, the fourth owner of the manor, Dan Qingsheng, jumped up.

His eyes were full of eagerness: "Tell me the details quickly!"

Ding Jian knew that the two were still waiting at the door, so he spoke quickly and told them the whole story of the duel. This time, even the head of the manor showed a hint of admiration.

If he is a famous master in the martial arts world, then it is nothing.

But it is really surprising that a young boy has such great ability.

Dan Qingsheng no longer bothered to ask about their identities:

"Come on, I'll go with you!"

Even Bald Pen Master wanted to follow.

"slow."

The owner of the manor, who had been silent in the pavilion, suddenly stopped them.

Meizhuang is of great importance, so Huang Zhonggong dare not be careless.

But then he thought again, they were a young couple, it was unlikely there was anything strange about them.

Could it really be the descendant of an old friend?
Recalling Gusu, he did have friends there, but most of them had passed away. Even if there was a legacy, it would be difficult for two people like this to appear.

He usually played music in the room and guarded the secret passage, and seldom moved around.

When I heard that these two people were coming, I felt suspicious but also curious.

Dan Qingsheng asked: "Brother, what are your plans?"

An old voice came from the pavilion:
"Since there is such a great old friend, we, the four friends from Jiangnan, must not lose our manners."

"Let's welcome the guests together."

Huang Zhonggong still looked somewhat cautious.

These two men were so skilled in martial arts that he was a little worried about his brothers, so he went with them. If he discovered that they were up to something, he would have to send them away.

Black and White put away the chess record and said with a smile:

"Brother, you are so interested, so let's meet up and see who this mysterious person is."

"Let's go!" Dan Qingsheng was in high spirits and took the lead.

Shi Lingwei and Ding Jian never expected that the four owners of the manors actually wanted to welcome the guests together!
This is too grand.

They followed in a trance.

A group of experts from Meizhuang walked quickly through several corridors, without admiring the courtyard scenery in the snow, and went straight towards the main gate of Meizhuang.

From a distance, Huang Zhonggong saw the two people at the door.

Everything is just as Ding Jian said.

Not to mention his martial arts skills, his temperament shows that he is no ordinary person.

His bright eyes looked from the boy to the girl, but he had no impression of either of them in his mind and was sure that he did not know them.

The same is true for the other three owners.

In front of the red gate, Zhao Rong naturally noticed the people coming from Meizhuang and was quite surprised.

The Four Friends of Jiangnan can be recognized just by their weapons and positions.

In addition to Ding Jian and Shi Lingwei, there were actually more than a dozen other people.

Such a big commotion was beyond his expectations.

His eyebrows moved and he gave Ren Yingying a look.

The latter naturally understood and nodded slightly.

Both of them are used to big scenes and did not show any fear at all.

The two sides bowed to each other and greeted each other from a distance.

Huang Zhonggong was looking at Zhao Rong, and Zhao Rong was also looking at him.

Zhao Rong saw that he was wary, so he took the initiative to say, "Seniors, we two came here uninvited and disturbed the peace of your manor. We are truly ashamed."

Dan Qingsheng was the most straightforward and didn't care:

"My name is Dan Qingsheng. I heard from Brother Ding that Brother Zhao's swordsmanship is very high. I am very curious. I wonder which swordsmanship you use?"

He didn't ask about the origin, but asked about swordsmanship first.

This shows that he is a person who is crazy about swords.

Zhao Rong answered meticulously and seriously:

"My swordsmanship is inspired by the power of mountains and rivers, and can be transformed into a myriad of methods. As the saying goes, a mountain becomes a peak when viewed from the front, whichever way the manor master sees is the way."

If Ding Jian had not suffered a disastrous defeat, they would have thought that such talk about swordsmanship was just empty talk.

Upon hearing this, the others were ambiguous, but the four manor owners seemed to have gained something.

Dan Qingsheng said: "Wonderful, I often watch paintings, drink wine and practice swordplay. My swordplay is taken from the wine and the paintings. Although it is not as vast as the mountains and rivers, the artistic conception is exactly the same."

Bald Pen Man nodded repeatedly: "My calligraphy is even more like this, every stroke is like flying brush and ink, or flying dragons and dancing phoenixes."

Hei Baizi's words were brief: "The world is like chess, and martial arts is also like chess."

The three of them not only recognized what Zhao Rong said about swordsmanship, but also praised his personal persistent pursuit.

Even the owner of a great manor cannot escape this:

"The sound of the zither can represent the myriad forms of mountains and rivers, can play the joys and sorrows of the past and present, and praise the moon that has remained unchanged for thousands of years. If the zither has this principle, the sword can naturally do the same."

He looked thin, but his old voice was unusually deep.

The four friends from Jiangnan couldn't help but feel a liking for the young man in front of them.

This sword technique is consistent with their Taoism.

Ding Jian's electric sword had a simple artistic conception and was superficial. Since the young man's swordsmanship was the same as theirs, it was natural to defeat him with one move.

After listening to the words of several manor owners, Zhao Rong also praised the words a few times.

Ren Yingying was listening at the side, feeling a little surprised.

Did these people chat together?
"I am Bald Pen Master!"

"Black and white."

"I am Mr. Huang Zhong."

Zhao Rong also bowed and said, "I am Zhao Qingmu."

The girl followed suit and bowed: "Lan Qingluo."

After greeting them, Huang Zhonggong was sure that the two were extraordinary, but although he had a favorable impression of them, he was also wary of them.

"Forgive my poor eyesight, but I wonder where you two are from, my old friends?"

Zhao Rong did not talk about his old friend, but asked instead: "I wonder if you know Master Fang Sheng?"

Huang Zhonggong smiled and said, "Of course I know him."

"Master Fangsheng and Master Fangzheng are both my old friends. Master Fangzheng still owes me a favor, haha."

The other three owners also smiled and felt proud of it.

Zhao Rong smiled slightly:
"It seems that Master Fangsheng did not lie. When he talked to me, he mentioned the master of the manor and praised him highly. Later, when I investigated, I found out that there were hidden masters like the Four Friends of Jiangnan in Mei Manor, so I came to visit him with a dignified look."

The four of them looked at him with admiration again. They didn't expect that this young man knew a high-ranking Shaolin monk.

This Master Fang Sheng is not only compassionate, but also one of the greatest masters of Shaolin.

Huang Zhonggong asked again: "How did you get to know Master Fang Sheng?"

"Master has been poisoned and injured. I can do my best to help you."

Everyone's expression changed slightly, thinking that this might be a life-saving grace.

Huang Zhonggong was relatively calm:
"What advice do you have for me, my friend?"

Zhao Rong smiled and glanced at the old man. The other three owners were fine, but the eldest owner was the most cautious and had not yet let down his guard.

So he extended his hand and introduced the girl next to him.

"My cousin is proficient in the art of playing the zither, and I also know some music, swordsmanship, poetry, calligraphy, chess and painting. As the saying goes, people of the same path are friends. It is so rare to find talented people in the world. I know the talents of the four seniors in Jiangnan, so I came to visit my friends and ask about art."

The other three were all cheered up.

When Huang Zhonggong heard the music and the art of playing the zither, he couldn't help but become more enthusiastic.

He asked the girl carrying the harp, "What tune is this young friend playing?"

The girl said in a soft voice: "Guangling San."

With just these three words, the owner of the manor, who had been on guard, immediately changed his expression.

"really."

His voice was trembling a little: "Is it really Ji Kang's Guangling San?!"

"Exactly."

The head of the manor waved his sleeves and said excitedly: "Two young friends, please come in quickly!"

"Please come in and have a chat!"

Heibaizi, Danqingsheng and others all burst out laughing when they saw their eldest brother like this.

Everyone invited the young friend from Jiangnan to Plum Manor.

……

……

……

PS: I saw some book friends mentioned that this book has nothing to do with the "Yu Zheng" version of "Swordsman". I have never appreciated that version of the author and don't quite understand it.

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(End of this chapter)