Chang'an: Qinglian Sword Song

Chapter 19 Chapter Five Challenges
Li Bai rubbed the corners of his eyes, feeling a sense of uneasiness, and leaned over to take a look.

This time, he seemed to finally see something.

That figure who was not sure about even hallucinations reappeared again.

When the flickering candlelight fell on its body, it couldn't illuminate its outline, leaving only a broken outline on the curtain.

Like a monster hiding in the crowd, it approached the old man step by step, but no one noticed.

When it raised its head, two rows of ferocious antlers protruded from the side of its skull...

"antlers!"

Li Bai roared, not caring about disturbing this beautiful performance, he kicked through the fence without thinking, and jumped down from the second floor amidst the loud noise and exclamation.

At that moment, all the lights in Jiuxiao Pavilion trembled.

Those wicks that were accurately cut off finally burned out at this moment, and a trace of afterglow trembled and disappeared.

The darkness suddenly struck!

Among the panicked shouts of everyone, only the mechanism dancers and puppet singers continued to dance wildly, and among the dancing wind and low voices, there was suddenly a shrill scream.

Like a thunder that burst out suddenly in the long night, it roared forward.

It's antlers!
It is hard to imagine that there is such a terrifying power hidden in this darkness.

Within ten steps, there was a terrifying stab!
The sound of steel cracking was endless, and all the puppets blocking the front were pierced by the howling force.

But immediately after, Iron Light jumped out of the sheath and swept across!

Li Bai felt as if he was slashing on the giant arrow that was urging the city to break through the wall. He almost missed the sword in his hand in a hurry, but he stopped the stab that had been prepared for a long time.

In this brief darkness, he listened carefully, but it was difficult to hear the footsteps of antlers from the countless chaotic shouts, footsteps and cries.

He could only hold the sword and stand in front of Lu Gong, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

Even the antlers may have gone.

Any assassin would not act in a situation where there is a possibility of being exposed. Missing a single hit and flying thousands of miles is the real safest way.

The prying in the dark must be full of patience and no trace.

And people who live in the sun will be in constant fear, until one day, when they finally show their flaws, they can calmly deliver a blow, then turn around and leave, disappearing into the darkness again.

But for some reason, Li Bai felt that the antlers hadn't left yet!

Maybe it was just a guess, or maybe it was the so-called intuition in the collision of the blow just now: the antlers will not let it go, since he has given a warning, then he must punish the target after violating the warning.

He must kill Lu Daoxuan here!

Li Bai clenched the hilt of his sword tightly, and suddenly heard the sound of wind coming from the darkness again.

left?right?
No, it's above!

The continuous sound of steel clashing burst out from the darkness, and sparks flew, but did not illuminate that weird shadow, as if fighting against an invisible enemy.

Be careful with every blow, and never dare to make mistakes easily.

"Xun Qing!"

Li Bai roared: "Light up the lights!!!"

Before that, the mechanic in the corner had already instinctively rushed towards the extinguished lampstand. He didn't care about reconnecting the wick, so he directly sprinkled the lamp oil on his sleeve, and then rubbed the ignition with all his strength to ignite it.

Before that, there was a mournful howl bursting out from the air again.

Antlers move again!

Once the light is lit, today's assassination will fail.

This time, he didn't care anymore.

And what responded was the howling sword energy.

Like a blue lotus flower blooming, in the darkness where no one could see, dozens of colliding sounds burst out one after another.

"it's here!"

Li Bai's eyes widened, he took a step forward, and stabbed into the darkness with no one on his side.

The blade of the sword collided with something swift, sparking a dazzling spark, as if it had stabbed something.

At that moment, Xun Qing's sleeves were finally ignited.

The flames rose up, illuminating everything.

Li Bai froze in place.

The antlers had disappeared.

There was only a sound of uproar and screams from all around, along with the sound of the pipa strings breaking.

When Li Bai turned his head slowly, he saw the shattered pipa in Lu Daoxuan's hand and the blood slowly oozing from his chest.When the pieces of the pipa slipped from his hands, the old man finally woke up from his confusion, his eyes drooping.

"So...is that so..."

He wanted to say something, but immediately after, a lot of blood spilled from his mouth.

Amidst the frightened shouts, Lu Daoxuan fell to the ground without a sound.

It was not until the evening that Li Bai finally came out of Dali Temple.

Thanks to many witnesses and the guarantee of a nobleman named Shangguan, Li Bai was not imprisoned as the assassin who assassinated Lu Daoxuan.Although he was warned again by Di Renjie not to meddle in the Chang'an matter, he rushed to the workshop in Chongrenfang as soon as possible.

There was chaos in the workshop.

The hall was full of people, all wandering restlessly or sitting on the ground.Disciples, relatives and friends, and even survivors who had been favored by Lord Daoxuan all gathered in one place, even on the street outside the gate.

Uneasy waiting.

"Xun Qing," Li Bai went straight to him as soon as he came in.I saw Xun Qing's eyes were flushed, and he forced a wry smile of "it's good that you come out".Xun Qing, who was at a loss, saw Li Bai, as if he had found the backbone, grabbed his hand, wanted to speak, but couldn't make a sound.

His eye sockets were flushed, but after all, there were no outrageous tears.

I just smiled at you reluctantly.

Li Bai patted him on the shoulder and said nothing.

Until the door of the quiet room finally opened, the doctor with bloody hands came out, and the assistant's students brought copper basins to wash his hands, and then he sat on the chair and panted.

Someone brought water, but the elderly doctor waved his hand and didn't hide any more. He said bluntly: "Relying on the protection of little friend Li Bai, although Lu Gong was seriously injured, there is no danger of his life for the time being. Everyone Rest assured."

"But why... why hasn't Mr. Lu woke up?"

"……poison."

After a moment of silence, the doctor replied: "Although the injury was only in the lungs, the toxin penetrated deep into the bone marrow. Lu Gong is old and weak. I dare not use the medicine of tiger and wolf. I can only relieve it by washing blood. Whether he can't wake up depends on his luck."

He lowered his head: "Sorry, more, the old man can't do anything."

"If you can't wake up..."

"Then there is no cure for medicine or stone."

After the doctor finished speaking, he was ashamed to face many old friends, bowed his head and hurriedly left a few prescriptions, then covered his face and walked away.

I have received so much blessing and help from Lu Gong all the time, but now it is my turn, but I can't repay the kindness I once had. What could be more embarrassing than this?

In the brief silence, Li Bai saw Xun Qing's pale face.

The young mechanism engineer slumped on the chair, as if all his strength had been taken away.

After the teacher passed away from the accident, it was Lu Daoxuan who cultivated him without asking for anything in return. In his heart, the old man is no different from his close relative.

Now the last loved one's life or death is unpredictable.

It was almost unbearable for him.

In the noise and chaos, someone in the hall made a noise.

Li Bai wanted to dissuade him, but he didn't even know who was arguing, and he couldn't persuade him, so he could only stay by Xun Qing's side with Li Xiang.

Soon, chaos spread.

Li Bai heard the voice of scolding and insulting.

A embarrassed figure walked into the front hall from the back room, carried his own package on his back, and walked towards the door.

The disciples who saw him were immediately furious: "Xin Tong, you bastard, are you actually going to run away!"

"Yes, that's right."

Xin Tong's face was ashen, and he held the knot of the package, bowed his head and said, "Thank you all the brothers and brothers for your teaching, I'm leaving."

Xun Qing was stunned for a long time, never expecting that this big disciple who had been following Lu Daoxuan all this time and regarded as his successor and successor would run away at this juncture!

Not knowing where the strength came from, he propped himself up from the chair, pushed away the person blocking him, lifted Xin Tong's collar, and roared:

"Are you sorry for Lu Gong!"

"Of course I'm sorry."

Xin Tong looked away, looked to the side, and said hoarsely, "I'm scared, can't I?"

"You ungrateful bastard, do you still have reason?"

Xun Qing couldn't restrain his anger any longer, and threw his fist at each other, causing the hall to become more and more chaotic.

During the scuffle, Xin Tong's package fell to the ground. Inside, there were only a few old clothes, a set of tools that had been used for many years, and a car of broken silver. Apart from that, there was nothing of value at all. .

I don't know how many disciples who didn't like him took advantage of the chaos and beat him up.

At this moment, his nose was bruised and his face was swollen, and he couldn't stand still when he was helped up.

But there was no resentment on his face.

He just bent down and picked up his clothes, and wiped the blood from his face: "I know that you all despise me as a wolf-hearted person, and I don't intend to shirk anything.

Duke Lu's kindness to me is as great as a mountain. This time, I am sorry for Duke Lu.

But my parents are also very kind to me, so what can I do! "

He raised his eyes, stared at those angry faces, and asked puzzledly: "My parents gave birth to me, raised me, worked hard every day, provided for me to come to Chang'an, apprenticed to a teacher, and only hoped that I could become a mechanical engineer after I finished my studies... ... Now that my father has passed away, after I have done right to Mr. Lu, will I have to do to my widowed mother!

If I die, who will take care of my old mother! "

Xin Tong bent down, and solemnly bid farewell to the people present: "Today, I would rather become an unkind and unrighteous person, than let her old man with white hair send a black-haired man... I just hope that all the juniors can wake up because of me." , don’t be a person like me.”

In the dead silence, only the sound of sighs.

"Let's go, Xin Tong, let's go."

The old woman waiting outside shook her head and sighed, motioning others not to stop her, and stretched out her hand to smooth Xin Tong's messy collar: "You have done so much over the years, no one will blame you... If you want to say, For dragging a promising mechanism engineer into the quagmire, we are the ones who are sorry for you."

Xin Tong hesitated to speak, his eyes were red and he said nothing.

Covering his face, he turned and fled.

After a long time, a faint cry was heard from a distant place.

The old woman stared quietly at the direction where he was leaving. After a long time, she let out a long sigh and said to the others in the hall, "Everyone else should leave too. Those who have nothing to do with him, please don't stay and cause trouble to Mr. Lu." "

Among the remnants, the old woman seems to have a lot of prestige.

After saying a word, many people walked out after being silent for a long time.

Xun Qing couldn't understand.

"Madam Zhu, why are you...why..."

"Without it, it's just a shame."

The old lady twirled the beads in her hand, and sighed in shame: "For a long time, we, the survivors like weeds, have been bothering Mr. Lu to take care of us. There is no way to repay the kindness we promised... Now he has suffered a lot. Such a calamity, what face is there to stay here?"

In the oppressive atmosphere, there were choking and crying.

The silently weeping old man hugged his child and left Li Bai's side, as if fleeing, unable to face the grief and shame.

Li Bai stretched out his hand to keep them, but his palm hovered in mid-air.

Nothing is caught.

The hope that has not yet been born has already been strangled in the darkness.

When he stared at those sad and numb faces, he felt Nuo Da's anger and shame brewing in his chest, which made him unable to resist drawing his sword and chopping!
The low whistling broke those suppressed cries, and everyone froze in place.

Only a straight crack expanded in the ground.

"Is this what you want to see, Antlers!"

He turned his head and stared at the surging darkness outside the door. In the dead silence, there seemed to be an erratic silhouette hidden in the darkness, but he couldn't see clearly.

"You must be very proud, right? You and your master, that guy named Wu Yougong, just want to see such a scene, right!"

The deep voice spread, resounding through the entire workshop, and passed into every dark corner.

"It's a pity that you won't get the position of Fangzhu or the fear of others!"

Li Bai sneered: "Don't dare to show your face in the sun, you will only drive the trash of assassins, and the guy who pretends to be a ghost in the dark, this kind of street rat, is it worth being afraid of!"

"This sword is the proof!"

The young man drew his sword and threw it to the ground, the humming blade penetrated into the iron stone, and announced to those sneaky people:

"—As long as I live for a day, we will not die!"

The silence, the long silence.

Everyone looked at Li Bai's figure in astonishment, and felt that sharp sword intent.

As a result, the darkness outside the door danced, as if provoked.

boiling!

"Very good, Li Bai."

From a distant place, came the indifferent wind.

"Then, from now on, you are also our enemy..."

In the darkness, the antlers left silently.

Needless to say.

When Li Bai draws his sword to challenge Wu Yougong, the moment they declare to each other, the war has already begun!
Late at night, Xun Qing, who returned home, boiled water.

After a long silence, he finally couldn't help sighing and looked at Li Bai.

"Do you... really want to be their enemy... Would it be too impulsive to do so?"

"Yes, it may indeed be inappropriate."

Li Bai nodded, seemingly annoyed: "Just now I was too busy shouting, I knew I should write a poem first... Do you think it's too late for me to make up a poem now?"

"..." Xun Qing was speechless, why didn't he know that this guy was joking?
But Li Bai laughed loudly: "What's the matter? Xun Qing. I don't like people stepping on innocent people and domineering. If you feel sorry, how about making me two more meals of beef? "

"..."

Xun Qing looked at him helplessly for a long time, remained silent, and finally sighed, "I may not have time to make beef for you these few days."

"Do you want to take care of Lu Gong?"

"No, Mr. Lu has disciples to serve him, and there are many famous doctors who visit him every day, so I don't need to worry about it. A useless idler like me just happens to be a little free, and time is tight..."

Xun Qing talked for a long time, but felt that he was in a mess and didn't explain anything clearly.

In the end, he bowed his head in shame.

"I'm just going to... try harder."

After finishing speaking, even he himself felt that he was too overreaching, and quickly explained: "No, what I mean is, there must always be other people who can stand up. If Wu Yougong succeeds, everyone will never be able to stand up again. Besides, the birth of Xinfang is such a good opportunity..."

"Okay!"

He was interrupted by Li Bai before he finished speaking.

"Sure, Xun Qing, Xinfang... You guys are brave enough to think about things now!"

Li Bai patted him on the shoulder with emotion, as if he never felt that he was whimsical, full of expectation: "Then you have to work hard!"

"Tomorrow I will go to the Great Elder. I have been a tool person for so long, so it is time to support me!" He excitedly planned: "Don't worry, it's rare for you to be brave once, and I will definitely recruit a lot of people by then." Come to support you!"

"Uh..." Xun Qing was ashamed, "There's no need to be so exaggerated."

"In short, it's right to use all the power!"

Li Bai immediately made a decision: "That's it!"

Xun Qing stood there, silent for a long time, sincerely grateful: "Thank you."

In such a cold place like Chang'an, there are actually some people who are willing to jump into the vortex of trouble for a group of strangers, risking their lives without thinking of anything in return.

In contrast, he was ashamed and ashamed.

"This has nothing to do with you, Li Bai, and there is no need for you to jump into the quagmire."

"Because you are my friend."

Li Bai replied as a matter of course, "This is not something that has nothing to do with me."

Holding his sword, he said seriously, "If anyone humiliates you, he is humiliating me. If anyone wants to make a group of homeless people lose hope, then he is my enemy."

"So, don't worry."

He smiled happily: "I won't be afraid, they should be the ones who are afraid."

In the long silence, Xun Qing looked at him in astonishment, speechless.

I don't even know what to say.

Because it sounds so stupid...

He didn't think about the consequences and dangers at all, and jumped into the pit as soon as his brain got hot. After the jump, he still had to worry about whether his posture just now was graceful or not coordinated.

If it's going to rain, why don't you take a bath in the pit?

If there is thunder, why not write a poem?
How could such a person exist in this world?
But what is even more puzzling is, why did I become friends with such a guy?
And those words just now...

If it was in the past, he might have escaped long ago, right?

No one needs to be hurt, as long as they hear that the antlers have appeared, they will definitely run away, throwing away their armor and armor, and even the teacher's workshop does not have the courage to stay.

But this time, unexpectedly, he didn't feel afraid.

Instead, feel proud and proud of it.

"...It was all infected by you."

Xun Qing laughed at himself, patted Li Bai on the shoulder vigorously, turned around and walked upstairs.

"Where are you going?" Li Bai was puzzled.

"go to bed!"

Xun Qing waved his hand: "I'm going to start working again from tomorrow, why don't you hurry up and catch up on sleep?"

He will sleep until he wakes up naturally.

Whether he will collapse or not.

(End of this chapter)