Knife splashing

Chapter 114: Night Walk in the Mountains

The autumn rain lingers and the mountains are hazy.

"Sir, be careful, it's slippery."

The servant boy held an umbrella and tried to help the young man.

"Oh, no need!"

The scholar waved his hand casually, looked at the slippery mountain road, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and smiled: "Teacher often says that reading ten thousand books requires traveling a thousand miles, and it is true."

"The landscape of Shanzhou is indeed very different from that of Ezhou. Although China has been unified for thousands of years, the customs and habits of Qin and Chu are still very different."

"It's not enough to just copy the book. If you are an official, you need to understand the people's sentiments..."

The book boy said with admiration: "Sir, you will definitely be a good official in the future."

"Good officer?"

The scholar looked towards the north and sighed, "There are many powerful people in the capital. Our dynasty has been established for a hundred years, and the wealthy families have already taken shape. If no one helps, I will most likely fail in this trip to the capital."

Following next to him was an old man dressed as a hunter.

The two scholars spoke with their hometown accents, which the hunter could hardly understand. He did not bother to think too much and instead looked around with a vigilant look on his face.

Seeing this, the scholar quickly changed his words and asked in Mandarin: "Uncle Wang, is there any danger here?"

"It's more than dangerous!"

The hunter snorted coldly, "You young man, you don't take the main road, but choose to take this remote road. It's really hard to earn this little money."

The scholar laughed dumbly and shook his head, saying, "When passing through Shangluo, how can you not come to Tianzhu Mountain? In the past, Shao Anle lived in seclusion here during the Song Dynasty. The magnificent scenery of the Tianzhu reaching the sky and the sea of ​​clouds and golden mountains is something I have longed for for a long time..."

"I don't understand what you're saying!"

The hunter pointed ahead and whispered, "I only know that this back mountain is not very peaceful."

"If you go up the mountain to collect herbs, you will get lost if you are confused. If you are lucky, you can find your way out. If you are unlucky, you will die!"

The book boy swallowed his saliva, obviously a little scared, "There is a ghost wall on the mountain..."

"Shut up!"

The hunter shouted angrily, but seeing the book boy turned pale with fear, he could only slow down his tone and snorted, "Have you forgotten what I said?"

"Remember, it's Master Qingfeng!"

"Oh, it's Master Qingfeng hitting the wall."

The servant boy remembered the taboo the hunter had mentioned before and quickly changed his words.

The scholar next to him almost laughed out loud, but seeing the hunter's expression, he forced himself to hold back his laughter. He turned his head to look at the dense forest in the distance, and said thoughtfully: "Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, Master Luo lived in seclusion here. Naturally, there is something mysterious about it."

As he spoke, he took out a tortoise shell and a copper coin from his bosom, stuffed them into the container, shook it a few times, and then poured it to the ground.

The hunter immediately stood in awe, "Young Master, do you know magic?"

A hint of pride flashed in the scholar's eyes, but he smiled modestly and said, "I have only learned some Yi principles. I have been going into the mountains to tell fortunes, and I have never failed to turn danger into fortune."

"Hmm... The second line changes, Kun is in place..."

The scholar counted on his fingers and calculated in his mind, then put away the tortoise shell and copper coins, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, this trip into the mountains will be smooth sailing!"

…………

As night fell, thick fog filled the forest.

The group was completely lost in the mountains.

The book boy was holding a lantern, looking around in panic, his voice trembling, "Sir, your divination is not working..."

The scholar's legs were also shaking a little, but he still said stubbornly: "Don't worry, it's just fog in the mountains. Let's rest for a night and continue tomorrow..."

"We'll be dead tomorrow!" The hunter, Mr. Wang, couldn't hold back his anger. "You city folks, you don't know what's good for you. Do you really think you can get away with it by just staying here?"

"I seduced you into jumping off a cliff in the middle of the night!"

As he spoke, he bowed and shouted to the dark forest around him: "The road is high, we each go our own way. There is no grudge in the past, and no hatred in the present. If there is any conflict, please forgive me..."

He shouted it three times with a sincere look on his face.

Then, he took out three thin white grass sticks from his body, took one for himself, and handed one to the scholar and the servant boy respectively, and said in a deep voice: "One for each of you, walk on the left road, and tap the ground with the sticks after three steps. Don't talk along the way, and don't look back!"

"Please, Madam?"

The boy's eyes lit up, "Uncle Wang, are you also from Ezhou? We often worship Lady Mao there."

The scholar smiled and said, "The sacred grass and reed are used to ward off evil and pray for blessings. We in Chu worship grass. The "Guoyu" says that in the past, King Cheng made an alliance with the princes in Qiyang..."

The hunter, Lao Wang, was almost driven crazy by these two people. He suddenly pulled out his axe and growled, "If you keep on talking nonsense, don't leave. I'll kill you first!"

The scholar and his page boy both quickly shut their mouths.

Seeing this, the old hunter snorted and reminded again: "This method was passed down by our ancestors. Remember, no matter what someone shouts behind you, don't look back or agree. Just hold on to the clothes of the person in front of you."

"Remember, you turn around and talk. If someone is missing, I won't go looking for him! Life and death are determined by fate, don't blame others!"

After saying that, he took the lead and walked ahead.

In this atmosphere, the scholar and his servant were obviously frightened. They followed the old hunter from the left without saying a word, and tapped the ground with straw every three steps.

As they walked, the two realized something was wrong.

They always felt like someone was following them, blowing cold air into their ears, and vaguely, someone seemed to be talking...

The two men's legs were weak and they were trembling with fear. Fortunately, they remembered the hunter's words and did not dare to break any taboos. They followed behind obediently.

Perhaps the old hunter's method worked. In less than three incense sticks, the thick fog in the surrounding dense forest had dissipated a lot, and the scene in the distance also changed.

There is a corner ahead. On a huge rock, there are four large characters "Zhong Yun Shen Xiu" left by someone at an unknown time. Although the characters are mottled and the cinnabar red paint has fallen off, the majestic font can still be seen.

Between several huge rocks stands a half-human-high shrine. The statue of the mountain god is mottled and the stone altar is covered with dust. It is obvious that no one has burned incense for a long time.

"Mountain God bless you..."

The old hunter breathed a sigh of relief, hurried forward, took out the incense and candles he had prepared long ago from his bag, lit the incense and kowtowed sincerely.

The scholar and his servant turned their heads in shock.

Now that the thick fog has completely dissipated, only a few old stone tombs can be seen in the moonlight woods. They are of extraordinary size, but broken and collapsed, and covered with moss.

The old hunter was also a little nervous when he saw this. He quickly lit three incense sticks, crushed the soil into an altar, stuck it into the ground, put his hands together and murmured, "Thank you very much for bothering you all."

The master and servant were also terrified. They followed suit and paid their respects before leaving in a hurry.

After leaving this desolate mountain road, the old hunter was obviously much more relaxed. He looked at the road and said in a deep voice: "We have missed the time. It is not suitable to travel at night."

"Although the road ahead is remote, it is often visited by fellow villagers. If I remember correctly, there is a mountain temple there, which is perfect for resting for a night."

"Mountain temple?"

The book boy swallowed his saliva and said, "Is there any danger..."

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

The old hunter glared and said, "Under the seat of the mountain god, nothing dares to cause trouble. It is the safest place."

"Yes, yes, let's listen to Uncle Wang..."

When faced with a dilemma, the scholar was obviously much more sensible.

The three continued to move forward, turning a few bends and climbing a shallow slope. A mountain temple suddenly appeared in front of them, and it looked quite old.

However, they stopped.

There was a faint flickering light in the mountain god temple.

"Uncle Wang..." The scholar looked at the hunter.

The old hunter took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "He must be a passerby. Let's stay there for the night. Remember to be polite and don't talk nonsense."

Having said that, he still took off the bow on his back and drew an arrow.

He didn't say anything. It was late at night and the person sleeping in such a remote old temple could be a passerby or a bad guy.

Before he got close, a cold voice came from the temple: "Hey, why does it smell like a stranger?"

"Could it be that some cave master sent some snacks to me?"

The scholar was so frightened that the hairs on his back stood up.

This tone can be found in strange stories and plays.

He is so familiar!

Even the old hunter was frightened to the point of weakness.

But just as they were about to flee, a gentle laugh came from the temple, "Brother Yan, they are just passers-by in the deserted mountains, why are you scaring them?"

"Come in, everyone. It's safe here."

The three of them looked at each other, somewhat unsure, but since things had come to this point, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and enter the temple.

I saw a bonfire lit in the temple with two people sitting next to it.

One was wearing a Taoist robe, and the other young man was wearing black clothes and had a white face, cold eyes, and a long sword on his waist. They were Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan.

The old hunter glanced at the two men's feet and saw their shadows flickering with the firelight. He relaxed a little and bowed slightly, saying, "Sorry to bother you two."

"It doesn't matter."

Wang Daoxuan smiled gently and took the teapot from the fire. "It's cold in the mountains late at night. Have a cup of tea to warm yourself up."

Seeing the three people on guard, he laughed and said, "Don't worry, we are not bad people, and there is no knockout drug inside."

The old hunter nodded and said, "You are joking, Master. It is easy for a swordsman from Guanzhong to kill us. Why would he need a knockout drug?"

Obviously, he recognized Guanshan Knife.

Although there was no container, the three people went into the mountains with bamboo tubes to fetch water, which served as makeshift teacups.

After drinking a cup of warm tea, the three of them finally came back to their senses.

“Good tea!”

The scholar tasted it and immediately praised: "It is the Huangtuan tea from the Three Teas of Huainan, and it is also the new tea this year. The Taoist priest is so elegant."

Wang Daoxuan smiled dumbly, "I don't understand this, Brother Yan picked them on the road, and he spent a lot of money on them."

The scholar was impressed by Li Yan's extraordinary appearance and temperament, and said, "My name is Yan Jiuling, may I ask you, brother..."

"Li Yan." Li Yan replied indifferently.

Seeing that the two men looked friendly, the old hunter felt relieved. He looked at the fire on the ground and hesitated for a moment, "Excuse me for being blunt, but lighting a fire in the temple is probably disrespectful to the mountain god."

Li Yan took a quick glance and said, "Don't worry, the mountain god here has not been worshipped for many years and has left long ago. Otherwise, how could you have encountered a ghost wall?"

When these words were spoken, the three of them were immediately horrified.

Wang Daoxuan quickly comforted them, "Don't worry, it was Brother Yan who noticed something was wrong and helped you out."

I see…

The three of them looked at each other, and the old hunter smiled awkwardly, not daring to say anything else.

He knew that he had met a great master.

It’s no wonder that Li Yan had a bad tone.

Tianzhu Mountain is located in Fengyang. After leaving Wujiagou, they traveled quickly all the way to Tianzhu Mountain.

We started climbing the mountain in the afternoon and searched for a whole half day, but we couldn't find the Dharma Cave that Wu Laosi mentioned.

Li Yan had no choice but to search everywhere with Wang Daoxuan, and finally found the Jianshan Temple. He wanted to use his ability to communicate with the mountain god to ask for advice.

Unexpectedly, there had been no incense here for a long time, and even the mountain god's divine power had long since dissipated. Instead, the clay statues were occupied by evil spirits and shattered by Li Yan's magic drum.

The answer is right within reach, but there is no way to get in, so it is natural to feel upset.

Wang Daoxuan was moved, and asked the hunter, "Old monk, we are going up the mountain to visit some masters. Do you know anything?"

The old hunter hesitated for a moment, then bowed and said, "I dare not deceive you, Taoist priest. I live in Tianzhu Village at the foot of the mountain on the right. There are indeed several temples on the mountain, and they are quite popular."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head slightly, "The abbot of the temple is indeed knowledgeable, but he is not the expert we are looking for."

Of course he knew who he was talking about.

He and Li Yan went to visit him, hoping to gather some information. Unfortunately, although he was also a Buddhist, he was not a Taoist.

"this…"

The old hunter shook his head and said, "To be honest, this is the back mountain. Many years ago, my grandfather told me that there were many masters practicing in seclusion here. But since some strange things happened, the common people don't dare to come to the back mountain anymore."

The scholar Yan Jiuling's eyes lit up, "You two, we are looking for Luo Gong's lineage. I heard that he was a great master in the Tang Dynasty."

He had some status and knew about the mysterious things. He even had visions to seek the truth when he was young, but he did not awaken his supernatural powers, so naturally he had no chance to enter.

After guessing that the two were Taoist sorcerers, he immediately became itchy.

Wang Daoxuan was speechless, "Lord Luo's lineage is not here."

Li Yan suddenly asked, "Are there any famous people who have passed through the underworld in the surrounding area?"

The old hunter frowned slightly, "I don't know, but I have heard of one thing. A few years ago, several herbalists in the village went to Beishan and lost their souls on the way. Suddenly, an old woman appeared and helped them to call back their souls. Then she severely reprimanded them and forbade them to go to Beishan again."

"North Hill?"

Li Yan frowned, "I have been around Beishan, but I haven't found any masters."

The old hunter shook his head and said, "You two don't know, there is a dangerous place in the North Mountain. You have to go down from Tianzhu Peak to reach it. It is quite secret and difficult for ordinary people to find it."

Wang Daoxuan's eyes suddenly lit up, "Thank you, Master."

There was also a hint of surprise in Li Yan's eyes.

He remembered something. The sorcerer surnamed Lu said that there was a little junior sister guarding the ancestral altar.

Most likely it’s someone who helps to summon the soul of an old woman!

With a goal in mind, the two were immediately excited, but because there were outsiders around, some things were difficult to say, so they just leaned against the wall and fell asleep.

Poor scholar Yan Jiuling, he thought the dilapidated temple, the knights, the Taoists, all of whom were masters of Taoism, were just like a plot in a novel. He was excited and wanted to get to know them, but he didn't expect that the two of them fell asleep.

He looked helpless, and after all the hard work on the way up the mountain and the shock he had received, he fell asleep without realizing it...

……

"Master! Master!"

It seemed that he had not slept for long before Yan Jiuling was awakened by his servant. He woke up in a daze and found that it was already dawn outside the door.

Inside the old temple, the embers of the bonfire have grown cold, and there are no knights or Taoist priests anywhere.

"What about those two people?"

Yan Jiuling asked quickly.

"Leave early!"

The old hunter said in a muffled voice: "They left before dawn. I am not criticizing you. You are a serious scholar. It is best to stay away from these gangsters."

It seemed that Tianliang had gained confidence. The book boy was mocked by the old hunter all the way, and he couldn't help but say: "My son is a juren, and he will become an official in the future..."

"Zhu Mo, what nonsense are you talking about!"

The scholar scolded, and seeing the old hunter become reserved, he quickly shook his head and said, "Uncle Wang, I am just a scholar, you don't need to care about me."

The servant boy shrank his head and said, "Master, when are we going to leave? This desolate mountain is really unsafe."

"The master asked you to go to Chang'an to meet Lord Li. If you miss the time..."

"We'll leave after touring Tianzhu Peak."

The scholar Yan Jiuling didn't care at all, his eyes were full of pity, and he murmured: "Li Yan, Li Yan, Da Yan seeks one... As expected, only by traveling around the world can you see the mysteries of heaven and earth..."

Just as the scholar was sighing, a figure on the steep Tianzhu Peak had already climbed down the mountain crevice and gradually disappeared in the thick fog and sea of ​​clouds...

(End of this chapter)