Huaiping General Office is divided into two areas: inner and outer.
The outer area is a director, and the inner area is a force.
Among them, martial arts in the inner area not only refers to martial arts training, but also refers to the family members of martial artists.
The residences of Zhou Shengjun's middle and senior generals and their families were in the inner area behind the general office, and there were special escort teams patrolling to ensure the safety of their families.
Of course, the greatest protection is not the escorts who are at least half-step masters, or the senior soldiers resting at home, but the men living in that small courtyard.
Yuan Changkong walked into a small courtyard in the inner area.
The yard is not big, no different from a farmyard. In addition to a well, there are several flower stands covered with vines and a clump of delicate green cannas.
Even the light snowflakes falling cannot cover up its delicateness.
Apparently the owner took good care of her.
But given this person's status, to be honest, it seems to him that he really has nothing to do, just take care of the flowers and plants.
If he, Old Yuan, could not wake up to take care of the affairs of the world, get drunk and lie on the knees of beautiful women, and show his holiness in front of people every day, how could he have any free time here?
Yuan Changkong held back his curse and continued to walk in.
Deep in the courtyard, there is a small-leaf banyan tree, and a stone table is built under the tree.
The person he was looking for was also sitting on the stone platform, holding a pot of a strange plant with seven branches and seven leaves in one hand, and a pair of golden scissors in the other hand, looking thoughtful.
"Master Zhou."
Yuan Changkong's face condensed, his eyes showed reverence, and he bowed slightly to salute.
The peripheral vision inevitably fell on the strange plant in Zhou He's hand.
A tree has seven branches and seven leaves, a bit like that thing in legend.
If it's really that one, that's really incredible...
"Isn't this the famous Gibbon King? If you don't want to stay in Yuzhou, do you really plan to stay in Huaizhou?"
After a while, Zhou He slowly raised his head, looked at Yuan Changkong, and smiled.
Yuan Changkong's face almost darkened. He was a rough guy, but that didn't mean he was stupid. Naturally, he heard Zhou He joking.
Given his temperament, if it had been someone else, he would have been punched in the head so hard that his eyes were filled with stars.
But this...
"Master Zhou, just call me Xiao Yuan. I don't dare to be the Gibbon King, haha.
Also, Yuzhou is a remote and poor country, and there is no water and soil in Huaizhou to support people. Not long after living here, Lao Yuan gained weight, haha."
He blurted out innocently.
As I spoke, my heart was bleeding.
Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yuan, even his mother would not call him that.
The words "a man who can bend and stretch" are constantly echoing in his mind.
"I have heard that the Gibbon King is a generous and righteous person, but he is stupid and brainless. It seems that his reputation is really tiring. The rumors are not credible. Don't you think so, Xiao Yuan?"
You are stupid and brainless, Xiao Yuan..., I dare say you really dare to scream...
I was helpless and furious in my heart, but I didn't dare to show it on my face. I could only pinch my nose and shake my head:
"Master Zhou, you can't say that. It is said that you are approachable and invincible, but I think the description is very appropriate and not false at all."
"Really? Actually, I think so too."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou He nodded solemnly.
"..." Yuan Changkong's scalp felt itchy for some reason. He held back the rude words that rushed to his mouth and began to shut up.
Who said that Zhou He, the deputy commander of the Huaiping army, was thoughtful, elegant and easy-going, and loved the people?
If you catch an honest person and bully him, is this called being refined, easy-going, and loving the people?
He even preferred to fight with real swords and spears, rather than be so angry and aggrieved.
Just when Yuan Changkong felt extremely wronged, the man in front of him suddenly spoke again:
"Okay, little Yuan, when I was in Huaiping, I heard about your reputation as the Ape King, Aoxiao Mountain Forest, with a lot of knowledge. Now do you know what this thing is?"
Zhou He gently placed the strange plant in his hand on the table and asked softly.
"Um?"
Yuan Changkong was stunned for a moment and looked at the plant carefully. He was a little confused about what Zhou He meant.
After hesitating for a while:
"This small tree has seven branches, and each leaf is divided into seven leaves. It should be the rumored...Seven Treasures Tree?"
"As expected of the ape king."
Zhou He smiled and nodded, giving praise.
"It really is..."
Yuan Changkong swallowed and looked at the strange little tree on the table with some envy.
The Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, ranked seventeenth in the Heavenly Materials Scroll, is a real treasure of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
It is said that each of its seven branches, when completely mature, can give birth to dead people, flesh and white bones, and is a real healing medicine.
Not only that, even if there is no injury, it can also strengthen the bones, nourish the blood, and even have a chance of making people realize the rumored magical power of [Seven Treasures Gang Body].
It is said that the magical power [Seven Treasures Gang Body] is given by heaven. After understanding it, you can absorb the power of metal minerals and temper your body. Even in this world, you can still practice first-rate skills.
Such a magical skill does not require practicing Sanjiu in the winter and Sanfu in the summer. How can it not be admired by people who practice it day by day?
Of course, the probability of this is actually not high, but just that, the miraculous healing effect is enough to make people crazy.
only....
Yuan Changkong looked at the treasure tree with seven branches. At the very top, there was a protrusion as long as a little finger.
The Seven Treasures Tree, isn't it said to have seven branches?
Although the bulge is not very obvious, if you look carefully, you can tell that it is the tip of the bud.
Seemingly sensing Yuan Changkong's confusion, Zhou He smiled:
"Most people in the world only know that the seven branches of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree can resurrect the lives of dead people and can teach people the magical method of body and body. However, it is not a magical method that is contained in the branches.
Of course, at the age of fifty, there is still a glimmer of hope. There are rumors that if the Seven Treasures Tree gives birth to the eighth treasure, it will definitely contain the [Seven Treasures Gang Body]. No, it should also be called the [Eight Treasures Gang Body] at that time, but...
..”
"Eight Treasures Gang Body...it's just nothing..."
Yuan Changkong asked anxiously.
The Seven Treasures Gang Body is already powerful enough, but if the Eight Treasures Gang Body has one more treasure, wouldn't it be so powerful that it reaches the sky?
Even if he is a great master, he still doesn't know about such secrets. This is the underlying reason.
How can a reckless master like him compare with a wealthy family like Zhou He who even has royal blood in his ancestors?
People who are good at practicing among officials are not just talkative.
He also wanted to know about such strange things.
"It's just that the birth of the eighth treasure requires a price, just like the fate of this world, every drink and peck has its own cause and effect cycle."
Zhou He said softly, with some emotion.
"How can a person like you still believe in fate?"
Yuan Changkong laughed and flattered him.
When you practice martial arts and add great power to your body, how can you believe in destiny? What you believe in is your own fists and your own martial arts.
"..How can you not believe in fate? One is destiny, two is luck, three is feng shui, four is accumulation of yin virtue and five is martial arts training. If you practice martial arts to the end, it may be the way of heaven."
Zhou He said seriously.
Yuan Changkong nodded slowly.
Seeing his incomprehension, Zhou He was not annoyed and continued to return to the topic:
"The price for giving birth to the Eighth Treasure is very cruel. During its growth, it will absorb the life and creation of the other Seven Treasures. In the end, the Seven Treasures become one treasure, and this one is also the Eight Treasures.
Of course, even so, the eight-treasure tree is not guaranteed to grow, it is difficult to find a magical object, and it is possible that the bamboo basket will be empty."
"It's like gambling, it's all or nothing?"
Yuan Changkong muttered.
"Haha, that's what I mean. If it were you, what would you do?"
Zhou He asked.
"It's me?"
Yuan Changkong frowned and thought carefully.
But within two breaths, he almost slapped himself twice.
Damn it, I'm really stupid. When people ask me this question, do I really dare to choose it?
Zhou He saw Yuan Changkong's expression, shook his head with a smile, and picked up the golden scissors.
Click.
Just cut off the little bump.
Watching the faint golden sap flow out.
"If it were me, I would do this..."
He casually threw the small bump into the field behind him:
"Because what I may gain is one, but what I lose will be seven, and no one can make a decision for that seven, just for the sake of their own inner ambition."
When Yuan Changkong saw this scene, he was stunned:
"Then why can you deprive this one of his life..."
He couldn't help but ask.
"Because his one is illusory and worthless, but I can see this seven and am sure of it."
Zhou He replied with sharp eyes.
Yuan Changkong didn't know why, but he felt that the ordinary, ordinary man in front of him suddenly seemed to have changed, giving people a feeling of sharpness.
It made him a little scared for no reason.
Hula.
Suddenly, a strong wind blew up outside the house, and bits of snow scattered into the wind. With charming eyes, Zhou He came back to his senses and smiled,
"I know your purpose of coming, and the prince actually made it clear. It's just a pity that we have different ideas. I forgive Zhou for not being able to accept it."
"Master Zhou, please think about it again. We are not buying or selling by force. We just want you to be a middleman and introduce the Qinglong Club. In fact, the conditions can be negotiated..."
Yuan Changkong was anxious, and he didn't understand. The two of them were obviously very happy with each other, but he didn't explain his intention, so why did he refuse directly?
Zhou He was unmoved, his smile faded, and he interrupted his words:
"The wind and snow are getting heavy, and it's getting late. I have some distinguished guests later, so I'll forgive Zhou for not sending them off."
"Zhou Da..."
Yuan Changkong was even more anxious.
It's just that this time I didn't even finish saying the name. Suddenly I felt the air around me tighten, and my whole body seemed to be stuck in a quagmire, unable to say a word.
Then, his body suddenly became lighter, and he could only watch Zhou He, who was sitting opposite him, getting smaller and smaller, and the scenery on both sides passed quickly beneath him.
Snapped.
After a few breaths, the anomaly disappeared, and Yuan Changkong flew outside the door, looking disgraced.
He stood up like a carp, got up from the ground, swung his arms that were longer than others, patted the dust on his body, and finally couldn't help it, his face turned red, and he put his hands on his hips:
"If you have the ability, go to Yu Tianheng and tell him, but he refuses. In the end, he still wants me to pass on the message. What kind of ability do you have! He beats people... he is arrogant... he is unreasonable... he is arrogant and shameless...
If you have the ability, just say no..."
When he thought about the sullen Yu Tianheng, he felt even more aggrieved, but his voice became softer and softer, and he staggered towards the outside of the general office.
For some reason, when Zhou He pushed him, his steel and iron bones, comparable to those of a tiger and a wolf, felt as if they were shaken apart, which was very uncomfortable.
What's even more uncomfortable is not knowing how to communicate next.
Yuan Changkong had a sad face.
Just as he was about to leave the Yamen, he suddenly saw a very burly man wearing a bamboo hat and black clothes, walking towards the inner area with a guard.
At this moment, the man in the bamboo hat seemed to be looking at him too.
Yuan Changkong felt that even through the veil of the bamboo hat, his mind was shaken, and he felt like he was being stared at by some terrifying figure, and he felt like he was on the edge of an ice cellar.
'He is a master, but his strength is terrifying. I am afraid he is not inferior to me.'
The melancholy expression on Yuan Changkong's face disappeared instantly, turning into the usual indifferent face of a master, and he nodded solemnly, which was regarded as a signal with his eyes.
Then he walked straight past without any hesitation.
Very chic.
‘Yuan Changkong?’
Wearing a black hat and a tall figure, this person is naturally Lin Mo who came from the Qinglong Society.
Under the bamboo hat, he saw Yuan Changkong nodding towards him, and felt a little confused.
Things have happened so far. As the leader of one of the two major forces in Huaiping Ferry, he has naturally investigated his identity.
Gibbon King Yuan Changkong, a former Yuzhou martial arts person, with the level of Grand Master, can be regarded as a big bandit, but he offended Yuzhou Zhujian Mountain, so he had no choice but to flee to other states to save his life.
According to the tracking drug he ordered last time, the place where he lives is the property of Yuhou Mansion, which means that he may have taken refuge in Yuhou Mansion, that is, the young prince.
I just don’t know what he wants to do when he comes to Huaiping General Office this time.
He had no good impression of the young prince of the Yuhou Mansion whom he had never met before.
After all, no one likes someone who kills other people just because he doesn't want them to get close to his friends.
It was just because the other party had not made any movement since the last attack on Dayan Mountain, and because his status was really high and his power was really strong, Lin Mo did not really take revenge.
I want to leave it to be solved later.
Lin Mo's thoughts were wandering, but he didn't take it to heart. He continued to follow the guard who led the way and walked towards the inner area of Huaiping General Office.
Compared with Yuan Changkong, the defeated general, the Huaiping Chief Yamen, who is famous and has many masters, is undoubtedly more interesting and curious.
Wow.
The wind started to get stronger.
At the beginning, it was just a little bit of broken snow, but slowly, it started to spin from the sky to the earth, and it was endless. I don't know when it turned out to be huge.
In the end, there was snow mixed with the wind, which made it difficult to see and a bit freezing.
With Lin Mo's physical condition, he was naturally not afraid of wind and snow.
Along the way, he squinted his eyes and looked around inadvertently.
On the one hand, he satisfies his own curiosity, and on the other hand, he uses his martial arts eyes to observe the hidden layout of the yamen to find out the best route to escape after a battle.
It has to be said that the Huaiping General Office is very tightly defended.
On the bright side, before it was time for a cup of tea, a group of elite soldiers patrolled.
The reason why it is said to be an appointment is because his patrol time is not fixed. Sometimes it is faster, sometimes it is slower, which makes it difficult for people to figure out.
In the dark, within almost ten steps, there is a faint aura hiding, and in some courtyards, there are even more than one.
These auras are not weak at all. According to his perception, they are almost at the master level...
Lin Mo remained calm.
It takes about half the time to make a cup of tea.
The two walked to a courtyard in the center of the inner area.
When he reached the door, the guard who led the way withdrew.
At this time, the door is not closed, but only ajar, and the scenery inside can be vaguely seen.
The courtyard here should be the residence of the Zhou Dynasty military leader.
Lin Mo straightened his bamboo hat, calmed down, stepped up the steps, opened the door, and walked in.
There is nothing special in the courtyard. There are banyan trees, flower stands, and cannas. It is very ordinary and simple, just like an ordinary person's courtyard, except that there is a stone table under the banyan tree.
There was a strange plant on the table with a golden liquid on its top.
Zhou He, dressed in white, was sitting on a stone bench, holding several stones in his hand and kneading the stones into powder with his other hand, as if fertilizing the strange plant.
Lin Mo recognized that stone as Yuan Shi.
As for that plant, Lin Mo also had some guesses in his mind.
He watched Zhou He rubbing stones and fertilizing, so he waited patiently.
One after another, time passes slowly.
When the last one was crushed into ashes, Zhou He clapped his hands, raised his head, looked at Lin Mo, and took a look:
"The leader of the Blue Dragon Society? He is indeed a young hero. He is so young."