Since the main place Shaozhuang went to was Wenxianglin, Jiang Ran naturally wanted to go here as well.
Moreover, he must go with the young village owner.
Otherwise, without the young owner to block the gun, who knows what mysteries will be encountered here?
It's just that the young owner seems to be too impatient now.
Is it because Dao Wuming ruined his mentality?
Or is it because things are beyond his control?
Or... he was just eager to get away and had no intention of asking Xiang Lin and his party?
No matter what the outcome is, for Jiang Ran, he is bound to go here.
Even if it's not for the young owner, it's also for the old drunkard.
Wenxiang Forest was not far away. Jiang Ran and Ye Jingshuang used Qinggong and arrived in a matter of moments.
From the outside, you don't see anything special here.
It's just a forest. The only thing different from other woods is that this forest is very fragrant.
This kind of fragrance is not the fragrance of sandalwood, pear tree, or camphor wood.
The trees themselves exude a fragrance similar to that of blooming flower stamens.
Therefore, if you step into this forest and close your eyes, you will have the illusion of being in a sea of flowers.
Jiang Ran didn't know this kind of tree, but after asking Ye Jingshuang, he got the name 'Fragrant Tree'.
Jiang Ran had never seen it in his previous life, so he thought it was unique to this world.
Traces of destruction can be seen everywhere in the forest.
This must have been left behind by the young village owner after he came here.
Judging from the scene where he moved bamboos to plant forests and set up formations outside Benma County, this person must be proficient in formations.
There should be a formation in Xianglin, and most of these traces of destruction were left by this person breaking the formation.
Seeing this, Jiang Ran quickened his pace.
When you set foot in the forest, although there are sometimes damages, it does not damage the beauty.
Every plant and tree is carefully arranged and beautiful, making people feel like they are in a fairyland on earth.
Jiang Ran now had the urge to take off the gourd from his waist, take a gulp of wine, and after drinking, lie down under the tree and fall asleep.
Of course, he didn't do it in the end.
Putting one hand on the handle of the knife, he and Ye Jingshuang walked along the mountain road. Not long after walking, they had already walked out of the forest.
At this moment, Jiang Ran felt a little lost.
After leaving the forest, our eyes suddenly opened up.
There is flowing water leading to the distance, and there are two thatched huts, dotted with human fireworks.
Jiang Ran came to the hut, but there was no one in the house.
There are no traces left by the young village owner.
It seemed as if he had suddenly returned after reaching this point.
Jiang Ran didn't have the habit of breaking into other people's homes without permission. Seeing that the road was still open, he and Ye Jingshuang resumed their journey.
After a while, we came to the river.
A small dock was built by the river. Jiang Ran raised his eyes and his eyes narrowed slightly.
Just beside the pier, there was a thin old man with white hair sitting there.
He held a fishing rod in his hand and was fishing.
Next to his stool, there is a bamboo hat.
What surprised Jiang Ran was that this person was clearly sitting here, but he didn't know anything about it.
Even though he was so close now, Jiang Ran couldn't detect this person's breathing or heartbeat.
It's like he's not here at all.
After taking a look at Ye Jingshuang, he found that her eyes were full of surprise, and then she spoke softly:
"Junior Jiang Ran, I have met my senior."
The old man didn't raise his head when he heard the sound, but pointed to the stool next to him and the fishing rod placed beside him.
Jiang Ran pondered for a moment, took another look at the surrounding environment, and then nodded to Ye Jingshuang.
Later, he came over and sat down, picked up the fishing rod from the ground, flicked his hand, and threw the hook out.
The riverside was once again silent.
An old man and a young man were sitting here fishing quietly.
The young girl, holding a long sword, stood aside.
This scenery is so beautiful that it looks like a painting.
Jiang Ran went to see the old man while fishing.
Really thin.
He was so thin that it was like he was just skin and bones.
His skin is still very loose, especially the skin on his wrists is drooping.
But even so, his hand holding the fishing rod never trembled at all.
He is very old... his eye sockets are sunken, his eyes are cloudy, and his temples have no signs of bulging. He does not look like a master.
Jiang Ran sat here and looked at him, but he didn't seem to notice at all.
It's like my mind is wandering in the sky, and it seems that I only care about the fishing rod in my hand and don't care about anything external.
However, the time for a cup of tea passed, and the time for a stick of incense passed, and the last half hour was quietly forgotten.
The fishing rod in his hand remained motionless.
When Jiang Ran arrived, he finally couldn't help but cast his eyes on the fishing rod in his hand.
I started to wonder, are there any fish in this water?
If there are fish, even if it is a straight hook, there should be some movement.
Jiang Ran thought in his mind, and the power of the Zhengxin Sutra subconsciously moved to the fishing rod, and followed the fishing line deep into the water.
boom!!!
There was a muffled sound and the waves were shocking!
There is always an internal force spreading under the water, making it impossible for the surrounding fish to get close.
Jiang Ran didn't know what was going on. After exploring his inner strength, he caused a confrontation between the two forces underwater.
Ye Jingshuang's face changed slightly, and she subconsciously stretched out her hand to hold the sword hilt.
Waiting for the water splash to fall, Jiang Ran flicked his sleeve to intercept all the water splash.
He first glanced at Ye Jingshuang to tell her to calm down, and then glared at the old man:
"You won't let the fish come over, and you're still fishing with me here?"
“What you’re fishing for is the heart, what does it have to do with fish?”
The old man spoke slowly, revealing only two or three big yellow teeth left in his mouth:
"Young people are still a little bit behind the times. You need to cultivate your mind."
"Cultivation of mind?"
Jiang Ran glanced at the old man:
"How to fix it?"
"To cultivate your mind, you must first ask your mind."
The old man stretched out his finger and pointed at Jiang Ran's heart:
"Ask here, who...are you?"
"Who am I?"
Jiang Ran smiled: "Do you still need to ask your heart for this question?"
"Sometimes, you may not even understand yourself."
The old man adjusted his sitting posture to make himself more comfortable, and his body swayed slowly:
"Are you kind or vicious?
"Are you smart or stupid?
"Are you a god or a demon...
"How many of these questions can you answer?"
"I also have a question, don't ask me."
Jiang Ran glanced at the old man and said word by word:
"Senior, do you know that the devil is at ease?"
When Jiang Ran asked this question, the water in the entire river seemed to be stagnant for a moment.
Ye Jingshuang, who was standing on one side, swayed before his expression changed, and was about to fall to the ground, but Jiang Ran had already hugged him in his arms.
He raised his head and looked at the old man, his face darkened:
"what have you done?"
As soon as your mind moves, you must use your righteous thoughts.
Just listen to the old man say:
"You have brought this topic too deep, and if she hears it, she will inevitably be killed and silenced.
"It's for her own good to let her be unconscious for a while."
Jiang Ran looked at the old man intently for a while, and finally let out a breath, placed Ye Jingshuang on the stool, and asked her to sit up against him:
"you have not answer my question yet."
"That is the supreme law."
A little emotion flashed in the old man's eyes:
"It's a pity that no one in this world can achieve it."
"You are indeed a remnant of the Demon Cult."
Jiang Ran frowned slightly: "Why does the old drunkard know you? What is his relationship with the Tang family? Where is the young owner now?"
Now, how could he not know that this old man was the one who met the old drunkard in Benma County that day?
No wonder no one noticed his whereabouts afterwards. If such people were unwilling, no matter how much effort they put into exploring and checking, they would not find any traces.
Hearing this, the old man glanced at him, grinned, and showed those teeth again:
"I have already said that you still have to cultivate your mind.
"There is no way to ask questions one after another. When your questions are asked, what you ask for will be exposed in the eyes of others.
"A person who really wants to achieve his goals will never be so straightforward.
"Because when others know what you want, they will block you. The more direct you are, the more detours you will take.
"I think what you did in Benma County is pretty good.
"It took a little effort to hide one's own purpose and make those idiots run around in circles, but the method was too crude.
“But…it’s barely qualified.
"Why is it that at this moment, when it comes to that old thing you talk about, you are so upset?"
Jiang Ran's eyes narrowed slightly, and there was a faint sound of knives.
"Nine shocking swords."
The old man sighed:
"It's been a long time since I've seen that guy who dared to run to the main hall with a big knife and act recklessly.
"Now I have a little one to protect me.
"Is this the return of twenty years of upbringing?
"It's so enviable..."
After Jiang Ran heard what he said, he took a deep breath and suppressed the sound of the knife on his body.
The corner of his mouth grinned:
"Uncle, judging from your tone, you are quite familiar with that old bastard from my family, right?"
"Ripe, too ripe."
The old man nodded repeatedly, glanced at Jiang Ran, and said with a smile:
"What do you want to know?"
Jiang Ran smiled:
"In this case, you and I are not considered outsiders, right?"
"certainly."
The old man smiled and said:
"Given my age, it is natural for him to call me daddy and for you to call me grandpa."
"..."
This old bastard is pretty good at climbing up the pole.
Jiang Ran was silent for a moment and then asked:
"Where is he?"
The old man smiled at Jiang Ran:
"I won't tell you."
Jiang Ran was happy and not worried:
"Then what can you tell me?"
"I don't know either. I'll tell you what I want to tell you. I won't tell you what I don't want to tell you."
The old man smiled and said:
"Depends on what you ask."
"Why are you fishing here?"
"Because I have to wait for someone."
"wait for me?"
"Waiting for Zuodaozhuang."
"What are you waiting for them to do?"
"Give them the token."
"Give it?"
"Give it."
"What is the token?"
"this."
The old man took out a jade pendant from his arms.
This jade pendant is engraved with the word "freedom".
"...Didn't I give it to you?"
"Who said there is only one token?"
"Where is the young owner?"
"He went where he should go."
"where?"
"I won't tell you."
Jiang Ran frowned slightly:
"What is the relationship between my old drunkard and the devil's sect?"
"It's a long story."
The old man suddenly became very interested:
"Back then, there was a saint in our demon sect, whose beauty was indescribable.
"What's even more rare is that she is not only good-looking, but also highly qualified.
"She can learn any martial arts as soon as she learns it..."
"Have you ever heard of the Eighteen Heavenly Demon Record?"
"heard about it."
"She studied the Eighteen Heavenly Magic Records, one book a year, and after learning one book, she finished it.
"After studying for five or six years, I didn't want to learn anymore, so I didn't finish the remaining Eighteen Heavenly Magic Records.
"Otherwise, she may be the first person in history to learn all the Eighteen Heavenly Demon Records."
"...Uncle, are you bragging?"
Jiang Ran blinked: "How can there be such a talented person in this world? And I heard that there is a kung fu in the Eighteen Heavens Demon Record that women must not practice. Once you practice it, you will definitely die."
"Is there such a skill?"
The old man looked at Jiang Ran with some confusion on his face.
Jiang Ran nodded repeatedly.
"Are you the Demon Cult, or am I the Demon Cult? Why do you know more than me?"
The old man muttered something unhappy.
Jiang Ran was a little stunned:
"You don't know what kind of martial arts the Eighteen Heavenly Demon Records have, right?"
"I don't want to remember."
The old man rolled his eyes at Jiang Ran:
"Are you still listening?"
"Listen!"
Jiang Ran nodded quickly.
The old man groaned and delayed for a long time, and then said:
"To sum up, her qualifications are unparalleled in the world.
"As a result, one day when she went out to relax, she was attracted by that unlucky kid...
"Then what did the unlucky boy practice? The Nine Frightening Swordsmanship.
"In the past, he was the best sword in the world.
"Even today, some of the moves I can't defeat are really powerful."
"...You are off topic."
Jiang Ran reminded in a low voice.
The old man nodded:
"Yes, yes, that unlucky boy met our saint, it was such a firewood... he almost blew out his brains!"
"???"
Listening to his fierce passion, I thought the two of them were in love with each other as soon as they met.
Did they start fighting after a long time?
Seemingly seeing the confusion on Jiang Ran's face, the old man sighed:
"Back then, by chance, the turtle grandson learned the Nine Frightening Swordsmanship, and his mind was filled with thoughts of being a chivalrous and righteous man.
"We have no regard for our pretty saint.
"After knowing the identity of the saint, I want to eliminate harm from the world."
"Well, this is what people in my way should do."
Jiang Ran smiled and nodded, expressing his approval.
The old man glanced at Jiang Ran, as if he was too lazy to argue with him:
"The two of them started fighting each other and developed some friendship.
"Mainly because of the Saint, she had a slight affection for him, after all, they were all young people.
"We are also happy to see the results. If the descendants of the Jingshen Jiu Dao join us, our reputation will be even stronger!
“In the end, he didn’t want to.
"He came over with a big knife and killed them, coming in and out, killing we don't know how many people.
"The saint was so angry that she completely gave up on this idea.
"In the end, the boy left...and the saint married someone else in anger.
"Hehe, two hugs in three years!
"This bad relationship is over."
He was quite proud when he said this.
Jiang Ran felt that the story was not that simple.
Even if the old drunkard doesn't want to, why bother to take the risk of going to the Demon Sect's main hall? Something seems to be wrong no matter what, and there might be someone here who is causing trouble.
The person who is causing trouble is probably the old man in front of me.
No wonder the old drunkard borrows alcohol every day to get drunk. Is it because of this incident?
Moreover, if we were enemies back then, why are we friends now?
There must be some twists and turns inside.
Of course, Jiang Ran would not completely believe what this old man said.
This man looks very old, but he is disrespectful to his old age. Moreover, he is still a remnant of the demon sect, so it is difficult to tell whether what he says is true or false.
Maybe you are deceiving yourself.
The old man smacked his lips at this moment:
"Okay, their relationship is over here. The old bastard you talk about is the person our former saint once admired."
"But if it's what you say, there should be nothing but hatred between you, right?"
Jiang Ran glanced at him:
"Then why do you still stay here to help him deliver the token?"
"Who said I'm here to help him deliver the token?"
"You just finished saying..."
"Oh, that's just by the way."
The old man smiled and said:
"I stay here for another reason."
"what reason?"
"I won't tell you."
After the old man finished speaking, he smiled and looked at Jiang Ran carefully.
A pair of turbid old eyes turned gurglingly, as if they wanted to jump out of their sockets and grow on Jiang Ran's body.
Jiang Ran frowned slightly, feeling that something was wrong with his gaze.
Immediately, as his heart was turning, the old man actually said "Huh" and his body trembled slightly. He didn't know if Jiang Ran had seen it wrong. He always felt that his figure just now seemed to be weak for a moment.
The next moment, the old man's angry voice came:
“Sure enough, it’s Niubi’s skill!
"Then why did the unfortunate thing tell you this?"
Jiang Ran did not answer these two questions, but asked:
"The Tang family also belongs to your demon sect?"
"Don't you already have the answer to this question?"
Jiang Ran said coldly:
"What exactly did they do to me?"
"Hands and legs?"
After hearing this, the old man suddenly let go of his hand.
There was no hint of joking in his cloudy eyes.
All that was left was the miserable coldness.
Jiang Ran faced it silently, the invisible energy spread out, and a "cracking crackling" sound could be faintly heard in the void, not loud, but very crisp.
The calm water waves of the river began to roll, and occasionally a fish emerged from it, with its white belly open, but it was inexplicably dead.
At this moment, something unexpected happened to Jiang Ran.
The figure of the old man in front of him began to fade away.
In the blink of an eye, a big living person disappeared from under his eyes.
Jiang Ran felt a little cold in his heart. What kind of martial arts is this? The methods of the demon sect are really weird. Are they even capable of becoming invisible and escaping?
But I heard a voice coming from all directions, and it was the old man's voice:
"Young people have bad tempers, but the old man won't tell you in detail.
"Hey, seeing how pitiful you are, I will tell you one last piece of news.
"Your master has gone to Jinyang Mansion. If you want to find him, go there.
"Okay, you can take care of yourself, don't let me down...it's been a lot of hard work..."