The sun has set and the cold wind has not stopped.
Huang Donglai stood next to the dead tree where he met Zhao Achun. He looked around, but could not find any trace of him.
He also felt strange: Where could a person with his legs broken like that run? Could it be that it was taken away by some wild beast?
Thinking of this, he lowered his head and carefully observed the ground, only to find... that there really was such a messy drag mark, slowly extending into the distance.
Huang Donglai hesitated for a moment, then followed the trail, heading in a direction he had never been before.
With this departure, another incense-burning time has passed.
When I realized it later, a cold moon had quietly swam up into the clouds.
The moonlight is like water, ripples the fog in the mountains, and also illuminates the pitted swamps and shadowy wild forests.
This scenery has a unique flavor, but Huang Donglai was so impatient at the moment that he was not in the mood to appreciate it.
As for him, he is not too worried about Zhao Achun's life and death. After all, the other party is just a stranger. It is normal to feel a little compassion for him, but if you want to say that you care very much... this is illogical. Brother Huang is indeed not that kind.
The main reason why Huang Donglai was anxious was because he didn't have much physical strength, so he wanted to find the other party quickly and then go back to the hut to rest early.
As for whether the person found is dead or alive, it depends on God's will - it is best to find someone alive and carry you back; if what is found is a corpse, Huang Donglai has also considered it. , no matter what, I ate half of your cake and drank some water. I won’t let your body be exposed in the wilderness and be eaten by wild beasts. I will collect your body and bury you next to my thatched hut. It’s all about human resources.
With this idea in mind, he searched and searched, and got lost again...
Now, in Huang Donglai's mind, there were really ten thousand grass-mud horses whizzing by.
He felt regretful and said in his heart: Why do I pretend to be a good person? When I return to the dead tree and see that no one is there, I can let go. Who cares where you go? Who cares whether you live or die? At that time, wouldn’t it be over if I just went back to the thatched hut and lay down? Depend on!
Really, but now he has lost his way again, making it difficult to get off the tiger; if Zhao Achun is not found alive, but only a corpse is found, then he will not be able to find his way back to the thatched hut, and his luggage The baggage is still in the house. Isn't this unfortunate?
So, the more lost he got, the more anxious Huang Donglai became, as if he had a deep friendship with Zhao Achun.
"Zhao Achun—Zhao Achun!" He shouted while searching. The shout sounded desolate, mainly because he really had no strength left and couldn't even shout.
Finally, after searching like this for nearly an hour, Huang Donglai chose to give up.
At this time, he really couldn't move a step.
"Ah——" Brother Huang was so angry that he immediately knelt on his knees and looked up to the sky and screamed.
This is exhaustedHis last vestige of powerless rage resounded through the sky.
And just when he was about to curse out the next half sentence of "Zhao Achun, I **your ancestors"...
Suddenly, Huang Donglai's eyes flashed with golden light, followed by There were bursts of clear laughter, and two figures appeared floating in the air.
"Hahahaha...Okay...Okay, I really saw the right person." One of them, Huang Donglai also knew him, was the Miaoyinzi whom he had met at Lanruo Temple before.
"Well...it's really rare to be able to feel so sad for a stranger." And that other person turned out to be "Zhao Achun", but at this moment he was no longer dressed like a woodcutter. , but he was wearing a Taoist robe, and his whole demeanor became completely different from just now.
As soon as Huang Donglai saw these two people, he immediately came back to his senses. He immediately understood that all the abnormalities before were all "tests" for him.
In his heart, he was already trying to get rid of these Taoist priests - he liked to play with people and his methods were cliché.
But he put on an expression of innocence and surprise on his face, and said, "Ah? What's going on?"
As for his reaction, , Miaoyinzi and "Zhao Achun" seemed to be very useful, and the smiles on their faces became even brighter.
"Donglai, congratulations." Na Miaoyinzi immediately said with a smile, "You have passed the entrance test of our sect and are qualified to enter the mountain sect of my Xuanqi Sect." He said. When he got here, he gestured to the person next to him, "Oh, by the way, this one is not Zhao Achun. He is the 'supervisor' of our sect and also my uncle. His name is Chun Chenzi."
"Oh..." Huang Donglai heard this name and quickly bowed to him, "Donglai has met the senior."
"Get up, you don't have to be so polite. "Chun Chenzi's tone at this moment was completely different from when he was playing the role of a woodcutter. He had the demeanor of a senior master when he spoke, "Our Taoist sect pays attention to a person who is casual and indifferent, especially our Xuanqi Sect. I don’t like this kind of kneeling and bowing... From now on, you just need to be polite, and there is no need for 'etiquette'."
"Okay." Huang Donglai nodded and continued, "But...senior. , It’s not that I don’t want to get up now, it’s just that my legs are really weak and I can’t get up.” As soon as these words came out, Chun Chenzi and Mianyinzi looked at each other and smiled.
Immediately afterwards, Chun Chenzi dug into his sleeves, and while digging, he said: "Don't call me senior, call me uncle, and I will give you something good as a greeting gift." "
Huang Donglai thought to himself: As long as the things are in place, don't say anything, just call a hundred times.
"Yes, great uncle." So he didn't hesitate much and just screamed.
Chun Chenzi chuckled: "Ha... I'm quite thick-skinned, not bad." While talking and laughing, he took out a small bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Huang Donglai, "This bottle, called 'Gui Yuan Lu', after taking it, you can maintain your vitality for the next seven days, even if you don't eat, drink or sleep.Produce the slightest hint of fatigue. ”
Before he finished speaking, Huang Donglai quickly opened the cork and drank the liquid inside.
The effect of this thing is really immediate. , as a warmth spread in his stomach, Huang Donglai's already sore and weak body was instantly filled with strength, and he felt like he could run a marathon right away.
"Uncle Master, this medicine. It's too awesome. "Huang Donglai stood up as he spoke, "Don't people in our sect usually eat, just drink this? ”
“You think so beautifully. " Before Chunchenzi could reply, Miaoyinzi rushed to say, "This is not a crop in the field. You can plant as many as you like; 'Guiyuan Dew' needs to be refined, and the stock is not too much. Usually Only when the disciples of this sect need to practice in seclusion, they can go to the alchemy room to receive some as support. "
"Oh...it turns out to be such a precious thing. Huang Donglai nodded, and then greeted him with a flattery, "Thank you, uncle!" "
"Okay, now that you can move, come with us. "Chun Chenzi said, turned around and made a "please" gesture to Miao Yinzi.
Miao Yinzi also made the same gesture to Chun Chenzi, and then the two of them stood shoulder to shoulder. Side by side, they turned and walked forward; Huang Donglai didn't say anything and immediately followed them.
Oddly enough, when Huang Donglai looked in the direction just now, there was still a continuous shadow of trees, but he followed these two. Come on, the scenery has changed somehow... In the blink of an eye, they have walked out of the woods, and not far ahead, a mountain gate appears.
On one side of the mountain gate, there is a large stone monument. , engraved with the words "Xuanqi Sect"
Besides the stone tablet is a row of steps. Looking up, I saw the stone steps extending all the way up the mountain and into the sky. There is no end in sight.
“Come from the east. "At this time, Miaoyinzi called Huang Donglai, and without waiting for his answer, he said directly, "We are going up the mountain first, and you... have to come up on your own. " Speaking of this, he seemed to be worried that Huang Donglai didn't understand that there was another test here, so after a slight pause for half a second, he specifically added, "If you can come up... just come up. If you can't come up, you can't. Don't force it, just go down the mountain to the northwest and you will be able to get out of the mountain. "
"Eh? Senior, isn't this right? "When Huang Donglai heard that there was something wrong with this, he quickly stopped the other party and asked with a puzzled face, "Didn't you just say... that I have passed the trial and am qualified to enter the Xuanqi Sect? Why is there such a thing as "can't go up the mountain"? "
"Huh..." After hearing this, Chunchenzi replied before Miaoyinzi, "You don't know something about this...before we got here, we were testing you. 'Courage', 'Perseverance' and 'Character'; it is true that those who have passed these three levels are qualified to join our Xuanqi Sect. However, being qualified to enter does not mean that you have the 'ability' to learn this book. The thing about the door... How talented you are, we will have to wait until you 'walk through these stone steps' to find out. "
"Huh? And this kind of setroad? "Huang Donglai was still complaining there, then Chunchenzi and Mianyinzi both turned around and walked up the stone steps.
These two old masters were like the characters in old movies who gradually faded and disappeared. Like a scumbag special effect, he slowly disappeared from Huang Donglai's sight.
In a blink of an eye, Huang Donglai was the only one left under the empty mountain gate.
He looked up at that person. Looking at the endless stone steps, he twitched the corners of his mouth and muttered: "This scene seems familiar... Could it be the same routine as the game "There's a hot girl on the roof", right? ”