Chapter 88: Making a grand appearance

Chen Pingan glanced at the green bamboo scabbard on the waist of the uninvited guest, pretended to be puzzled, and asked: "Swordsman?"

The man held a bamboo hat in one hand, patted the handle of the knife with the other, and smiled. He said: "I can't find a sword that's not worthy of me yet, so I have to use this instead to humiliate the sword-wielding people in the world."

Hearing this somewhat familiar tone, Chen Ping'an relaxed. He took a breath and felt that Liu Baqiao should be able to be good friends with this man.

Behind Chen Pingan and Li Baoping, the father and daughter were walking slowly side by side. The girl Zhu Lu was a little disapproving and sneered: "The Dragon King's yawn can suck in a river. It's so big." "Dad, is there something wrong with this guy's brain?"

Zhu He saw that there was a silver-white wine gourd hanging on the other side of the man's waist, which was the size of a palm and was smooth and shiny when rubbed. The old thing who was a few years old whispered to his daughter: "Although I can't detect anything strange about his Qi, it is just a little longer than ordinary people, but you still have to be careful. Although Dad has never traveled far in his life, I heard that I My ancestors told many anecdotes about the world, saying that when traveling in the world, you should be careful of Taoist nuns, old monks, children, and drunkards. In addition, the more you look like a master, the less you should take it lightly."

Chen Pingan asked: "Are you looking for me?"

The man grinned and said: "I will take you to the border of Sui Dynasty. Before that, we traveled together to have a good time. "Chen Pingan asked tentatively: "Do you know Master Ruan?"

The man nodded: "Of course I do."

Chen Pingan breathed a sigh of relief again.

Before leaving the town, as part of the deal, Master Ruan promised himself that he would ensure his safety before arriving at Yefu Pass, a strategic place on the border of Dali.

Chen Pingan believed that Master Ruan would not break his promise, especially since this person appeared so early, almost under Master Ruan's nose, so he should not be the three parties of Zhengyang Mountain, Yunxia Mountain and Laolongcheng One of the forces. Moreover, the timely appearance of father and daughter Zhu He and Zhu Lu behind him also gave Chen Pingan a lot of confidence.

However, Chen Pingan was afraid of what might happen.

So he asked: "Then you accompany me to the other side of the town to meet Master Ruan, and then we set off south? Just then I learned that actually going out of the east gate of the town, although it is a detour, there is The post road is feasible, and it can be traveled by oxcarts and horse-drawn carriages, but it is faster than crossing mountains and rivers."

The man smiled playfully: "You are not as generous as the people of Jianghu."

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Chen Pingan did not turn his head, and kept his eyes fixed on the man, but said solemnly: "Zhu He, can you let Zhu Lu return to the town with the treasure bottle first. We are not in a hurry."

Zhu He immediately figured out the joints and nodded: "This is the best."

Then Zhu He said to his daughter: "Lu'er, take the lady back first." .me andChen Ping'an would like to accompany brother A-Liang, whether it's drinking, exchanging ideas, or meeting each other by fate, it's not too much. ”

The little girl in the red cotton coat, who was held by Zhu Lu, did not hesitate at all. She did not cry and shout that she wanted to be with her junior uncle. She just tugged on Chen Pingan’s sleeve and gently Li Baoping said "be careful" lightly, and then quickly left with Zhu Lu. Li Baoping was not sloppy, but the maid who was not afraid of tigers was full of disappointment and hoped that she and her father would change places.

After seeing this scene of separation, the man rolled his eyes, took off the wine gourd, leaned against the white donkey, took a sip of wine, and sneered: "Let the little girl take the little girl first Let's just go. After burning incense, the three of us will go to the small town. "

Then the man raised the silver-white wine gourd in his hand, reached out and patted the donkey's back, looked at Zhu He, and asked with a smile: "You are considered a good hand, don't you recognize this thing? ? ”

He patted his head and said, “I forgot that your Lizhu Cave genius has just opened. It’s weird that you know.” It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, we can talk slowly, plenty of time. "

The man pointed to the old willow tree across the stream, "Shall we go over there and sit and chat? ”

Chen Pingan and Zhu He looked at each other and thought it was best. They could wait and see what happened.

The man led the white donkey and followed Chen Pingan and Zhu He. Behind him, he came to the old willow tree, loosened the reins, and let the donkey eat the grass at will. He walked up to the willow tree, walked along the main trunk to the stream bank, and finally sat down. After putting on the bamboo hat again, he picked up the silver-white wine gourd. When he was about to drink wine, he suddenly turned his head, handed out the wine bottle, and asked with a smile: "Who wants a sip? The joy of being alone is not as good as the joy of everyone. Kuigang Immortal Brewing, which cost two taels of silver and one tael, was the favorite of all the rich men in the Sui Dynasty. I drank all the way north and tasted more than a hundred kinds of wine, and this Immortal Brewing was still the favorite. The most authentic. "

Chen Pingan shook his head, "I don't drink.

Zhu He also shook his head, "I haven't mastered martial arts yet, so I don't dare to drink." "

The man shook his head, looked at them, and said with regret: "It turns out that they are not gentle people. I met a young hero not long ago. He was really charming..."

The man suddenly noticed that Chen Pingan and Zhu He had strange expressions. He was a little confused, but he didn't want to lose his expert demeanor, so he had to take a sip of wine to cover up his confusion.

Chen Pingan was confused. After coughing slightly, the man asked: "What's the matter? ”

Chen Pingan stretched out his finger and pointed at the outermost part of the old willow tree with a crooked neck.

The man frowned, turned his head and looked around, and saw two A leg blocked his sight. The man's face suddenly became stiff. He suddenly looked up and saw a middle-aged man with an expressionless face. He weighed at least 150 or 60 pounds, standing lightly on the top of a willow tree that was not even thick. The man in the bamboo hat was so frightened that he couldn't sit still and fell into the stream. He was extremely embarrassed.

The person who came was Ruan Qiong, a military sage, Ru Yang.The old man said that he was not interested in what was going on within the thousands of miles of mountains and rivers. Unless it was a provocation like Cui Han that broke the rules, Ruan Qiong, who was dedicated to making swords, would take action. Ruan Qiong didn't think anyone dared to attack Chen Ping'an within a hundred miles. That would be a slap in Ruan Qiong's face. But the face of a military strategist and swordsman on the 11th floor was compared to the face of a dynasty. Only heavy and not light. So Ruan Qiong didn't even bother to pay attention to the scene here. A straw-shoe boy and an innocent little girl were just traveling together. How could it be worth his personal attention?

But Ruan Qiong was distracted by something.

As soon as someone shook the object, Ruan Qiong immediately felt the majestic sword energy contained in the object, which was pure and vast. Especially, it felt extremely familiar, with a sense of intimacy and sadness. About Ruan Qiong had been practicing in the sect for many years. Although he had never seen it with his own eyes, he had heard about it, so he immediately came from the blacksmith shop.

Seeing the man's attitude of being worse than an ordinary master at this time, Ruan Qiong not only did not mean to be sarcastic, but showed a hint of solemnity and asked: "But the Wei and Jin Dynasties in Shenxiantai?"

The man who fell into the stream was beaten for a while, and finally stood up straight. After picking up the wine bottle from the stream, he took off the bamboo hat on his head and shook it. He looked up at the culprit and said angrily: "My name is A Liang."

Ruan Qiong stared at him condescendingly, full of scrutiny, and asked: "Can you lend me a few sips of wine?"

The man threw it out. The wine gourd was thrown high to Ruan Qiong, "Why not? Just remember to return it to me."

Ruan Qiong took the wine bottle, took a sip of wine, and asked with a smile: "It's not Wuhuang wine? "

When the man heard this, he became angry and rolled his eyes: "The price has increased."

Ruan Qiong laughed, threw the wine gourd back, and asked: "What are you doing? Coming so fast? I thought it would take about ten days at the earliest."

The man who called himself A Liang walked ashore in a wet voice and said, "You can't do anything about it?"

Ruan Qiong asked: "Would you like to sit in my shop? My daughter admires you very much."

A Liang pointed at himself and said with a smile: "To me? Then Your daughter has such good eyesight."

Ruan Qiong seemed to have known this person's absurdity for a long time, and asked, "Could it be that you are responsible for the Longji Mountain matter this time?"

Ah? Liang waved his hand, "It's not me, there's someone else."

Ruan Qiong looked at the uninterested man in a bamboo hat and suddenly laughed, "Is it possible that you met that little Taoist nun on the way north? "

A Liang's expression remained as usual, "I don't understand what you are saying."

Ruan Qiong sighed in his heart and stopped testing and saying no more.

In the Fengxue Temple where Ruan Qiong was born, there was a famous swordsman who was young and talented. He rarely stayed in the sect. Even in the Fengxue Temple, some people did not know his name. When he was young, he was spotted by an ancestor of Fengxue Temple who was traveling down the mountain, and he was accepted as a retreat disciple. Therefore, he had a very high seniority, so when he first went up the mountain, but at the age of 18, many hundred-year-old monks had to call him master. Later, the Zhongxing ancestor of Fengxue Temple failed to break through, and with the decline of talents in this line, the young swordsman had to fight with him. The relationship between Fengxue Temple and Fengxue Temple became even more estranged.

This person has been traveling around the world for seven or eight years. Except for the occasional appearance in the sect on the anniversary of his master's death, he still walks alone. Even when he returns to Fengxue Temple, he never greets anyone. It is said that he got a priceless sword gourd very early, but he did not use it to warm the flying sword. Instead, he wasted it and used it to hold thousands of kilograms of fine wine. He was drunk at least half the year, so he was He is known as the Drunken Sword Immortal. When he is drunk, he will be carried by a snow-white donkey and go wherever the donkey goes.

Before Ruan Qiong left the Fengxue Temple, he heard that this person, for some unknown reason, fell in love at first sight with a young Taoist nun who was known as "the most blessed person in the world", and he was deeply involved in it ever since. Unfortunately, the man was in love with his concubine unintentionally, and the beautiful Taoist nun had no intention of looking for a Taoist companion. This incident became an anecdote on the mountain that shocked Aquarius Island.

Ruan Qiong thought for a moment and said, "In that case, I'd like you to send them to Dali Yefu Pass."

The man nodded.

Ruan Qiong clasped his fists to say goodbye, and disappeared in a flash.

Only the branches of the willow branches swayed gently.

Zhu He asked cautiously: "A-Liang...is your senior an immortal from the Fengxue Temple?"

The man led the donkey and said lazily: "I don't follow the Fengxue Temple. Familiar."

Zhu He smiled, not embarrassed at all.

The warriors in the world may not have a good impression of Qi practitioners, but for the monks of Fengxue Temple and Zhenwu Mountain, they still have to give them a thumbs up.

In the past, Zhu He might have thought that this person was too loud and his posture was pretentious, but after the coming and going of Saint Ruan Qiong, Zhu He looked back now and saw this ordinary-looking man in a bamboo hat in front of him. Man, it is true that the real person does not show his face, and the god hides in the city. It is estimated that the long sword with a green bamboo sheath must be a magical weapon that will shock the world as soon as the sword is pulled out of the sheath.

A Liang took a big sip of wine to warm up and said to Chen Pingan: "That little girl is back."

Chen Pingan turned around and looked. Not only Li Baoping and Zhu Pingan The deer returned the same way, and there were two familiar faces, and a mule with heavy luggage hung on both sides.

Li Huai and Lin Shouyi.

Chen Pingan trotted over, Li Baoping looked unhappy, and Zhu Lu said in a clear voice: "We met these two children on the way, and they said they were going to study at Cliff Academy with the lady. Let's The ancestor just showed up and said hello, let me come back to you."

Chen Pingan did not ask Zhu Lu who his so-called ancestor was, but looked at the cunning Li Huai and the down-and-out noble man. Lin Shouyi.

Li Huai stiffened his neck and said confidently: "If I don't follow you to earn a living, how can I be a beggar in a small town?"

Lin Shouyi was still cold. He looked like this and said: "Wealth can be found in danger."

Li Baoping snorted coldly.Said: "You can start from the east gate and go to the academy by yourself. Why should my junior uncle and I bring you two oil bottles with us?"

Li Huai said angrily: "Li Baoping! After all, we are friends who have shared life and death together."

Lin Shouyi is not as rogue as Li Huai, so he said frankly: "Li Huai and I can't even walk across the border of Dali, not to mention Shanya Academy! "

Chen Ping'an nodded, gently pressed his hand on Li Baoping's head to stop her from talking, and then asked: "Are Shi Chunjia and Dong Shuijing sure they won't come? "?"

Lin Shouyi explained: "At the New Year's Shop, someone will take Shi Chunjia to the capital. Dong Shuijing heard that the small town village school will reopen in the future, so he will take your place at the Blacksmith Shop. ""

Chen Ping'an looked at Li Baoping, Li Huai and Lin Shouyi, three young men from the school, and said with a smile: "Then let's set off together."

A Liang brought the white donkey back from the stream. When he saw Li Huailin Shouyi, he said reluctantly: "It's okay to bring one more cute little girl, but what's going on with you two bastards?"

Li Huai yelled: "Who are you?!"

A Liang replied without changing his expression: "I am your long-lost father, your biological father."

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Li Huairu stared at this strange man if he was struck by lightning.

On the contrary, the man was so jealous. Could it be that this little bastard’s parents really had an ulterior story?

Li Huai quickly changed his original dull look, twitched the corner of his mouth, looked at the man in the bamboo hat sideways, with a look of disgust on his face, and muttered: "Fight with me?"

The man was deflated, He clicked his tongue and said, "Hey, there are so many little tortoises in the shallow water."

Li Huai held the back of his head with both hands and muttered, "Don't listen to the tortoise chanting sutras."

Chen Pingan asked for no reason, "Alian, why do you speak our small town dialect?"

The man smiled and said, "Ask Ruan Qiong."

Chen Pingan looked Looking at him, he suddenly laughed, "Forget it."

The man pointed at Chen Ping'an and lectured: "It's not good to be so thoughtful at such a young age."

Professed Ah Liang, a swordsman but armed with a sword, and his white donkey.

Chen Pingan and Li Baoping were each carrying a backpack, Li Huai and Lin Shouyi were empty-handed, and Zhuhe and Zhulu father and daughter were walking at the back.

Seven people with very different identities went south together.

Because A Liang, who comes from the same place as Master Ruan, said that the way here was not difficult, and if you go south along the Tiefu River, you can soon see that it is being built day and night. Daliyi Road.

But in the next pause, A Liang was still willing to listen to Chen Pingan's opinion.

During his break, Li Huai ran up to the man in the bamboo hat and asked, not afraid of life at all, with his hands on his hips: "Hey! Ah Liang, is your donkey a male or a female?"

"You want to ride for me?"

"I'm not willing to ride myself, why do you? You really think you are my own son."

"You What if you give me the donkey and I ask my mother to remarry? Of course, if my mother doesn’t agree, it’s not my fault. The donkey still has to be mine.”

“Get out of here with your mother. ”

“Ah Liang, I’m not telling you, you have to change your temper from now on”

Li Huai put his hands behind his back, shook his head and left with a sigh.

Leaving behind an eye-opening man in a hat.

————

By the stream, two people walked towards the blacksmith shop. One was Ruan Qiong, and the other was an old man with gray hair and a red face. The latter He is the ancestor mentioned by the maid Zhu Lu and the real backbone of the Li family, one of the four major surnames in the town.

The Li family, which had high hopes for such a beloved Li Baoping, would certainly not have only the father and daughter as their personal followers. If Master Ruan hadn’t appeared today, the Li family’s elders, who were accomplished in Qi training, would have Zuhui escorted him all the way to Yefu Pass.

The old man smiled bitterly and said: "Master Ruan, is this person the helper you hired from Fengxue Temple? It looks really..."

Ruan Qiong said straightforwardly: "It's not at all He doesn't look like a master, but more like a businessman, right?"

Ruan Qiong said slowly: "When I took the wine gourd and drank, I carefully inspected the inside of the sword gourd. His natal sword energy is still full of vitality. It is indeed the true inheritance of Fengxue Temple. Moreover, the lineage of Fengxue Temple's Immortal Platform has few people. Wei Jin has a cold temperament that does not like to make friends with others. Instead, he likes to wander around the rivers and lakes. His temperament It's a bit strange, and it's easy to explain. Although there are insidious methods in the world that can successfully steal the natal object after killing someone, Wei Jin's cultivation is definitely not low, and he wants to successfully take away the sword gourd and the sword energy from him..."

Ruan Qiong laughed, "Then even if I, Ruan Qiong, take action today, I can't stop what that person wants to do."

The old man sighed, "You can't say that. , If the three religions and their family had not taken away the winning thing and the formation was still there, Master Ruan would not have to be so tied up in many things." Ruan Qiong thought for a while, "I will still go with him later. People from the Fengxue Temple Dalugou lineage should meet to understand the situation. They are not far from here. It happens that it is difficult to speak directly in front of the people of Zhenwu Mountain about the division of Longji Mountain. , if anything happens to the town, please ask Mr. Li to find Xiuxiu and let her pass the message with her flying sword."

Fengxue Temple, Zhenwu Mountain, is the ancestral home of the two major military families in Dongbaopingzhou. The relationship between the two sides, one south and one north, has always been good and not bad. Generally speaking, it is a matter of well-off and non-confrontational relations. Of course, at critical moments involving major issues of right and wrong, they will definitely give up their sectarian views and choose to join forces to fight the enemy.

Among them, Zhenwu Mountain pays more attention to the development of secular dynasties at the foot of the mountain. There are many monks from Zhenwu Mountain in the Dali Dynasty. The fallen Lu Dynasty and the Gao family in the Great Sui Dynasty all have the shadow of Zhenwu Mountain monks. Most of them are personal followers of generals on the battlefield, or middle-level generals who hold real power.

Fengxue Temple tends to keep to itself and travels to major ancient battlefield sites. It is a bit like a knight-errant in the rivers and lakes. He has superb martial arts and does everything according to his heart. When he is happy, he will slay demons and perform chivalrous acts of justice. When he was unhappy, he would look for someone to learn Taoism and swordsmanship. Most of them would force his way into the mountain gate without being invited. Whether the master agreed or not, he would have to accompany them to have a fight before talking about anything else. However, these weird-tempered guys from Fengxue Temple don't fight to gain fame, let alone kill people, so even if they are beaten to a pulp by the monks from Fengxue Temple, they don't have to worry about making their family ugly.

As for the flying swords, the old man said doubtfully: "Master Ruan, my house also has several good-quality messenger flying swords..."

Master Ruan smiled and waved his hand. , "It's different, the difference is not small."

The old man immediately understood and said with a shy face: "Talking about flying swords in front of Master Ruan will make you laugh, it will make you laugh."

Ruan Qiong Suddenly he sighed softly: "The trees want to be quiet but the wind doesn't stop."

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A small and exquisite but plump woman in palace clothes was walking in the Clay Vase Alley. .

There were three people following far behind, a middle-aged man with a tall build and a resolute expression.

An old man has a pale face and no beard. He seems to have weak eyesight and is always squinting.

A young woman held a long sword in her arms, and the golden sword tassels just curled up on her plump breasts.

The woman finally stopped at the gate of Song Jixin's house and said with a smile: "Only Cui Chan can do such a thing as stealing Spring Festival couplets."