The night was dark, and the sky was as solid as dark ink. Only thick dark clouds could be vaguely seen moving slowly in the sky, and silent rain fell from the boundless black. Farther away, there was a faint rumble on the horizon.
There is thunder, and I don’t know if there will be more violent wind and rain coming soon.
The disciples of Qingyun Sect who went to southern Xinjiang have been back for a few days. Among them, Lu Xueqi returned to Xiaozhu Peak after meeting the elders of the sect and never appeared again. Even in Qingyun Sect, Master Daoxuan and Tian Buyi disappeared mysteriously.
It was as if she had never noticed the undercurrent it caused.
The steep and beautiful Xiaozhu Peak is still as peaceful as it has been for thousands of years. The bamboos all over the mountains and plains are still humming the rustling bamboo waves on this stormy night, silently gazing at the people on the top of the mountain.
The green lanterns in the hut are as bright as candles.
The door is lightly closed, but the window is still half open. The wind and rain from the mountains come quietly. Rain powder flies into the house from time to time, wetting the window sill made of Xiuzhu, and slowly condenses into water droplets, which slide quietly down, leaving behind a trail of water.
Water marks. The wind blowing from a distance gently shook the window, making a gentle "squeaking" sound in this silent rainy night.
The candlelight placed on the table in the room swayed from time to time, flickering on and off. Several times it seemed that it was going to be blown out, but it always struggled and persisted until the mountain wind weakened, slowly regained its brightness, and became bright again.
.
There was no other light in the night, and a place a little far away from this candlelight was shrouded in shadow.
Lu Xueqi sat under the lamp, silently looking at the candlelight.
Green lanterns and beauties, in such a night, seem to be the melancholy that cannot be condensed, silently engraved in the time, but I don’t know how much time can be retained?
Outside the door, soft footsteps sounded in the distance, and Lu Xueqi's head moved slightly. A gust of mountain breeze blew from the window, the candlelight on the table swayed and waxed, and her hair on the temples also fluttered gently in the wind.
The door made a low sound and was pushed open. The wind and rain outside suddenly became louder, as if the wind suddenly became stronger and was about to rush into the house. Fortunately, after that moment, the visitor had already entered the house.
He turned around and closed the door, blocking out the wind and rain outside, giving the house a sense of tranquility again.
Lu Xueqi stood up, lowered her head slightly and said, 'Senior sister, why are you here?'
The person who came was none other than Wen Min. She glanced at Lu Xueqi, walked to the table, and sighed slightly: "Since you came back to the mountain, it's rare to see you out of this room. If I don't come to see you again, I'm afraid I won't even know you."
What's going on now?'
Lu Xueqi raised her head and looked at Wen Min, and saw a smile on the corner of her senior sister's mouth, her eyes were soft, and she was clearly full of care.
She smiled in a low voice and said: "What can happen to me? Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister."
Wen Min looked at her for a long time and saw that Lu Xueqi looked as normal as usual except for her face being slightly pale. Then she slowly felt relieved and then said: "Junior sister, it's fine that you're fine, but as a sister, I'll see how you change."
Being like this makes me feel really distressed. Also, after you returned to the mountain, you only saw Master once that day, and then you secluded yourself in this hut and never saw her again. No matter what, you can
You can't blame Master in your heart. You must know that we were all raised by her.'
Lu Xueqi shook her head and said: "Senior sister, what did you say? I definitely don't dare to blame the master at all. I don't dare to go to see the master. I just know that I am unworthy and I am afraid of making the master angry and hurting my mind."
'
Wen Min was startled for a moment and looked at Lu Xueqi. After a while, his face was complicated and he hesitated to speak. He just sighed in a low voice and stood up.
At this moment, in the distance in the sky, a flash of lightning suddenly flashed, followed by a thunderous sound, which sounded like cracking silk, but seemed to echo above the head, and the echo lingered for a long time.
The sound of wind outside seemed to be a little louder.
Wenmin frowned, walked to the window, took a look outside, and said, 'Looking at the sky, it seems like the rain is going to get heavier again.'
Lu Xueqi stood up, walked slowly to the window, stood next to Wenmin, and looked out. In the night, two slender figures stood side by side, staring at the dark night and the endless wind and rain.
In the distance, the sound of rustling bamboo waves and the sound of rain hitting bamboo leaves could be heard faintly. For a moment, they didn't know if they were still in this tranquility. Both of them were speechless.
After a long time, Wen Min took a deep breath, smiled slightly, and said: 'Speaking of which, it's been a long time since we watched the rain together, right?'
A smile appeared at the corner of Lu Xueqi's mouth and she said: "Yes, actually I also remember that when I went up the mountain when I was a child, you were the one who took care of me from the beginning. I was not sensible at that time. Every time there was a stormy night and thunder roared,
I was very scared.'
She slowly turned her head, her eyes full of softness, and whispered: "Senior sister, you take me with you every time, sit by the window and watch the rain together, and tell me not to be afraid."
Wen Min shook his head and laughed, stretched out his hand to gently stroke Lu Xueqi's long, smooth hair on her shoulders, and suddenly let out a sigh and said: 'In the blink of an eye, you have grown up.'
Lu Xueqi felt Wen Min's palm gently patting her shoulder, as if there was a bit of warmth coming from there.
After a moment of silence, Lu Xueqi looked at senior sister and said: 'Senior sister, if you have anything to say, just tell me!'
Wen Min was startled for a moment, and finally smiled bitterly and said: 'I know you have always been extremely smart, and I can't hide anything from you...'
She paused for a moment and said: 'Junior sister, your intelligence is far superior to that of my sister, but why can't you see through it and understand it, and you are suffering in vain?'
The smile at the corner of Lu Xueqi's mouth slowly disappeared, replaced by a familiar indifferent expression. However, facing Wen Min, she no longer felt that cold feeling.
"I'm not miserable!" Lu Xueqi said quietly as she stared out the window at the night.
Wen Min looked at him in astonishment. Lu Xueqi's gaze drifted away, not knowing where she was looking in the deep night. But the tone of her words could not be clearer: "I have never been miserable, senior sister. I have never been a master."
The purpose of teaching is to let us be free from worries, be at ease, understand nature, and seek immortality, isn't it?'
Wen Min nodded and said: 'Yes, in fact, in terms of cultivation, our Taoism and Buddhism have some similarities.'
Lu Xueqi gently put her hand on the bamboo handle of the window sill. A gust of cold wind blew by, making her feel a little chilly. She shrank a bit, but she still stood. Crystal drops of water quickly condensed on her white palms.
'But, what should I do if I want to live forever?'
Wenmin opened her mouth slightly and frowned.
'I know that these teachings passed down by the ancestors of the Qingyun Sect for thousands of years are absolutely correct. We mortals want to escape from reincarnation, and through this practice, we may be able to grow and live. In the past, I also thought so
"Yes, so I wholeheartedly cultivate. But now..." Lu Xueqi smiled in a low voice, as if she was looking deeply into her heart, and said: "If you want me to be heartless and loveless all my life, and if you want me to become an immortal with my heart as blank as a sheet of paper, then I will live forever like this, and become an immortal like this."
, but how can it be what I want!'
Wen Min said: 'Junior sister, you, what on earth are you talking about?'
As if she didn't hear Wen Min's words, Lu Xueqi continued talking to herself: "I know what you are thinking, senior sister, you are probably scolding me for being ignorant of human affairs and the dangers of this world. Most of what I think and ask for is fulfilled."
It's hard to have results. In fact, why don't I know? If I say it's painful, I have indeed suffered from it. But now, I have thought about it. People say that the world is intolerable and unforgivable, but after all, I can't be like him.
, I broke my family and became a monk. But even so, I just want to have someone in my heart that I can miss, and I also know that he also has me in his heart. As long as this is the case, I will be satisfied.'
Wen Min snorted and said: 'Don't you know that there will be no results between you two? Don't you care about this?'
Lu Xueqi's face changed for the first time, as if a deep sadness passed by quietly. After a while, she whispered: "Of course I care. If possible, who doesn't want to stay together forever? Who doesn't want to stay together forever?"
Forever? I just know that it is difficult to achieve, so don’t think about it! Anyway, who knows what will happen in the future, but I will never forget it.'
Wen Min looked deeply at the beautiful woman in front of him. In the night, she was as beautiful and elegant as a lily, blooming in loneliness.
She sighed softly and said: 'Anyway, I knew I wouldn't be able to persuade you. You should go see Master early tomorrow morning!'
Lu Xueqi was startled for a moment, then turned around and said: 'Although I don't want to pay homage to Master, it's just that if I go, I will probably make her old man angry.'
Wen Min shook his head and said: 'Master asked me to come to summon you in private today. What I am doing is business, so don't worry.'
Lu Xueqi hesitated for a moment and said: 'The Southern Xinjiang group, the beast god has been destroyed, and Zhengdao's serious trouble is gone. Is there anything else?'
Wen Min hesitated for a moment and said: 'It's the demon sect that has resurrected.'
Lu Xueqi's body trembled, and at the same time, a complicated and unreadable look flashed across her eyes, saying: 'What?'
Seeing Lu Xueqi's strange expression in his eyes, Wen Min sighed in his heart, but he still said calmly: "Recently, there have been constant rumors that the demon sect thieves who were defeated by the beast god in the beast catastrophe that day still have remnants. It seems that there are still some
It means a comeback. Moreover, our Qingyun Sect is facing internal and external troubles at the moment. Master seems to be worried too. You know that she always values you the most, and it is probably for this reason that she asked you to come.'
Lu Xueqi was silent for a long time, nodded and said: 'Yes, then I will go to see the master early tomorrow morning.'
Wenmin nodded and said: 'Then you should rest early, I'm leaving.'
Lu Xueqi didn't stay long and walked to the door. Wenmin suddenly stopped, turned around and looked at Lu Xueqi, and said: "Junior sister, if something happens to you in the future, don't keep it in your heart. If you believe it, you can tell me as a sister."
It's better to talk than to keep it in your heart.'
Lu Xueqi nodded slowly and whispered: 'Yes, senior sister, I know.'
Wen Min looked at her expression and realized that even though she agreed, with Lu Xueqi's temperament, she probably wouldn't tell her even if she had some troubles. At that moment, she could only smile bitterly, turned around and left.
Lu Xueqi leaned against the door and watched Wen Min go away.
She slowly withdrew her gaze and saw that the night was like ink, the wind and rain were rustling, and the world was silent, as if there was a sense of desolation in it.
For a moment, she was looking at him like crazy. After a long time, she seemed to wake up from a dream. She turned around silently and gently closed the door.
The wind and rain of heaven and earth were also shut outside the door.
Just as the Qingyun Sect secretly received the news, the once deserted Huqi Mountain thousands of miles away suddenly became lively. Large numbers of Demon Sect disciples returned to the Ghost King Sect's headquarters, and the once sealed mountains
The mechanisms were opened one by one, and the abandoned checkpoints were restored one by one under the orderly command.
On a clear day, the Ghost King Sect, the last branch of the Demon Sect and the most powerful sect at the moment, returned to Middle-earth under the leadership of the Ghost King.
The endless queue of packages, large and small, looks like a group of ants returning to their nest from afar. And among this queue, the most eye-catching thing is that there are hundreds of them every few dozen feet.
The demon sect disciples escorted a huge creature, which was covered with thick gray cloth and had a huge square shape. From under the cloth, frightening low roars could be heard from time to time, and the roars were full of ferocity and anger.
, but somehow, it sounds like he is out of breath, like some kind of extremely tired monster.
This huge mysterious thing was quickly transported into the huge cave run by the Ghost King Sect of Huqi Mountain for generations by these demon sect disciples who seemed to be familiar with it. In the air, there were only unknown sounds that gradually faded away and echoed low.
The monsters whined and roared, and at the same time, for some reason, a strange bloody smell gradually emerged from the surroundings and floated in the wind.
The Ghost King clasped his hands and stood on one side of the cave, watching the last mysterious giant being transported into the depths of the cave with an expressionless face.
At first glance, it seems that nothing has changed about him, except for the hair between his hair and the temples, which was once white because of his daughter.
Behind him, there were two figures standing. One was Youji, still wearing the same black gauze mask, silent, the other one was covered in black shadow, it was Mr. Ghost.
When almost all the demon sect disciples entered the cave, several people quickly ran forward and reported to the ghost king in a low voice. The ghost king listened silently and did not say anything. He just nodded slowly. Those demon sect members were very surprised.
Disperse quickly. Under the silent command, the huge stone mechanism at the entrance of the cave slowly fell down, blocking the light from the outside world.
The Ghost King exhaled softly in the darkness. This was the familiar smell of the cave.
In the deep cave corridor, light slowly lit up. It was the demon sect disciples who lit the torches hanging above the passage one by one. Under the familiar dim yellow light, the shadows began to shake.
Behind you, You Ji slowly took a step forward and said softly: 'Sect Master, do you want to go see Gui Li?'
The Ghost King's eyes seemed to flash, and he said: 'I haven't seen him since I came back. Where is he?'
Youji whispered: 'He has always been with Baguio.'
The Ghost King was about to move forward when he paused. After a moment, he said: 'I'll go over, you don't have to follow me.'
Youji responded and watched the Ghost King walk away until the figure disappeared.
She turned around, but was suddenly startled. The mysterious shadow beside her had disappeared at some point. Under the black veil, Youji's eyebrows slowly wrinkled, with complex expressions flashing in her eyes.
Outside the ice stone chamber deep in the mountain cave, it is completely different from the bustling situation outside. There is no hustle and bustle here, it is still as quiet as before. Perhaps in the eyes of some people, it is more lonely here!
The Ghost King stood outside the door of the Ice Stone Chamber for a long time, facing the stone door. For some reason, he never reached out to open it. The thick stone door lay in front of him, but his eyes seemed to have penetrated it.
Go to the indestructible stone.
Behind the stone gate, in the cold place, is my daughter still lying peacefully?
Will a person as strong as him also have a moment of weakness and be unwilling to face his daughter?
I don’t know how long it took, but time passed quietly. The Ghost King moved his body, slowly stretched out his hand, and turned the mechanism. A low roar came, and the stone door slowly opened in front of him.
A blast of cold air came from behind the stone door, and there were faint curls of white air floating in the stone chamber.
The Ghost King stepped in, and the stone door closed again behind him.
Nothing has changed. The figure lying calmly even includes the man who has been sitting aside in the memory.
Ghost Li didn't even look back, he still just looked at Baguio, while the Ghost King didn't say anything, silently walked to the other side of the ice stone platform, staring at his daughter.
Baguio still had that calm expression with a hint of contented smile, lying quietly, with the magic sect treasure Albizia Bell resting quietly in her hands between her folded hands.
.
The faint, golden brilliance seems to be reflected from the body of the Albizia bell, emitting light of different lengths. In the silent stone chamber, somehow, people always have the illusion that there is a low light coming from somewhere.
The reverberating, clear ringtone, but if you listen carefully, you can always find no trace, only the faint radiance of the bell that is always flashing, as if it is gentle eyes, watching the two men in the stone room.
"How is she these days when I'm not here?" The Ghost King said calmly. His eyes had been on his daughter since he entered the stone chamber.
Gui Li slowly raised his head and looked at the Ghost King. The Ghost King also withdrew his gaze from Baguio and looked at Gui Li.
The eyes of the two men met in mid-air, like a silent thunderstorm.
Between them, the light on the Albizia bell in Baguio's hand flows gently.
"She's fine." Gui Li stood up and said calmly.
The Ghost King nodded and said: 'I feel relieved that you are here.'
He paused and then said: 'Did you find any news about reviving souls when you went to southern Xinjiang this time?'
A hint of sadness flashed across Gui Li's face, and he shook his head. The Ghost King was silent, looked down at Baguio, and sighed softly. In fact, the main purpose of Gui Li's trip to southern Xinjiang this time was to track the beast god and capture the ghost king's secret order.
The strange beast Taotie beside the Beast Catcher God, but at the moment when the two of them were talking, it seemed that they had already forgotten about it.
There was another silence in the stone chamber.
At the end, the Ghost King looked solemn and said calmly: 'I still have something to tell you, but this is not the right place, so let's go out!'
Ghost Li nodded without saying anything. He glanced at Baguio for the last time. For some reason, a trace of guilt flashed in his eyes, and then he turned and walked out. The Ghost King followed him and walked out of the thick stone door.
Falling slowly, the silence was once again intercepted. In the huge ice stone chamber, only the faint light of the acacia bells that circulated in the air was left.
The two men walked side by side in the spacious corridor. Along the way, the demon sect disciples they encountered stepped aside and bowed their heads to the sides. The sound of their footsteps echoed softly.
After going around a few corners, the two came to the residence where Gui Li lived. The Ghost King glanced at Gui Li and seemed to feel something. Gui Li frowned slightly, but did not look at the Ghost King and just smiled.
After hesitating, he reached out and opened the door.
Two people walked in.
'Zhizhizhi,zhizhi...'
'Roar……'
The familiar cry of the monkey Xiao Hui was also accompanied by several strange roars. The strange beast Taotie, who once followed the beast god, is now lying on the ground in Gui Li's room, but it seems to be very depressed.
It looked languid and lazy, with its eyes as big as copper bells closed, lying motionless on the ground.
However, the monkey Xiao Hui was still as energetic as before, jumping around Taotie, touching him on the left, hitting him on the right, pulling Taotie's tail, patting Taotie's head, and what's more, occasionally
He stretched his hand to Taotie's bloody mouth, opened Taotie's mouth, and looked inside with a bit of curiosity.
From the look of Xiao Hui, it seemed that he wanted to cheer up Taotie and play together, but it obviously had no effect on Taotie.
After the Ghost King and Ghost Li walked in, Taotie turned a blind eye and still lay on the ground lazily. The monkey Xiao Hui let out a cry of joy, jumped on Ghost Li two or three times, and lay on his master's shoulder.
Ghost Li touched Xiao Hui's head and said to the Ghost King calmly: 'That's it.'
The Ghost King did not speak, but just stared at Taotie lying on the ground. A faint smile slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth, but there was a hint of unfathomable meaning in the smile. (To be continued)