Chapter 50: Admiring the Gentleman (1)

When Zi Rao and Ye Xuanshang were talking in the room, Han Xi and Snow Battle chased each other, and had long been far away from the hermitage. Since Han Xi practiced the Shewu Duoxu technique, she had never encountered a spirit beast that could not be tamed. Seeing the little white dot flash and disappear in the green, she chased into the bamboo forest after a few leaps, and Snow Battle had long since disappeared.

She was quite unwilling, so she searched forward alone. Going deep all the way, the whole bamboo forest seemed endless. All around, she only saw green branches and deep green, dense as the deep sea. Occasionally, sunlight was screened down from the gaps in the branches and leaves, only flashing, and then returned to boundless quiet. The paths in the forest were accessible in all directions. She walked and walked, and suddenly stopped with an "Eh": "Yu Nu, Ming Tang, Tian Wu, Zi Yu..." Steps moved in turn, and she actually returned to the original place, unexpectedly discovering that there was a rigorous Qimen formation in this bamboo forest.

Han Xi had been personally pointed out by Zhong Yanzi and knew a little about the Qimen technique, so she didn't take this small formation to heart. At the moment, she observed the surroundings, determined the location of the middle five palaces, light as a swallow, swept forward, from Kun 2 to Li 9, stepped on Xun 4 and entered Zhen 3, and saw Snow Battle's shadow flash in front, and immediately smiled: "See where you run!" Who knew that just after chasing a few steps, her eyes suddenly darkened. Not only did Snow Battle lose its shadow, but misty fog also rose in the forest, filling the surroundings. Looking back again, the whole green color behind her was gradually disappearing, and light and sound were taken away. The world seemed to turn into a piece of silent pure white.

Han Xi was taken aback. Only then did she realize that it was an incomparably exquisite Nine-Turn Exquisite Array in the forest. Now she had accidentally triggered the formation, and it was deriving illusions that confused people's hearts. Seeing the fog covering her body, she immediately urged True Qi to inject into the Xiangfei Stone on her wrist, waved her hand and shouted: "Scatter!"

The spiritual stone crystal light flickered, the fog surged like a tide, waving to both sides like water patterns. Han Xi took the opportunity to sweep out according to the Qimen orientation, but as soon as she landed, the white fog that should have dissipated under the spiritual power of the Xiangfei Stone actually circled around her like a living thing, and the ground under her feet seemed to collapse slowly, wanting to drag people into some abyss. She hurriedly shot out a sleeve arrow, borrowed force to rise, and identified the Gan 6 palace direction to fall. According to the calculation of the Nine Palaces, this step should have been the life gate of the formation. Unexpectedly, the fog became heavier, and she suddenly fell into a silent world of blankness.

Suddenly unable to see the light, unable to hear the sound, countless unknown dangers seemed to be lurking in the depths of the fog, ready to attack her at any time. The kind of indescribable fear was like a flood, tightly grabbing her mind. Han Xi was trapped in the fog and didn't dare to move at all. Just as she was terrified, something furry brushed past her face. She couldn't help but scream, stumbled and fell to the ground. Just at this time, a gentle voice sounded faintly outside the forest: "Snow Battle, come back."

Like seeing clear water, it gently swayed the fog, washed the darkness, and all coldness and fear were instantly dispelled. The heavy moisture around her turned into a gentle and moist breeze, soothing the wildly jumping heart. Han Xi sat there blankly. The voice smiled slightly and came again: "Go this way."

With a soft sound of "pop", a small object fell not far in front. Han Xi hesitated for a while, followed the sound and swept out. The fog swayed and drifted, revealing a small stone path. Following the next guidance, she moved forward step by step. Green shadows were all around, and she saw green bamboo like jade again. Until the end, the front suddenly opened up, and the sound of flowing water came to her ears.

Han Xi lowered her head and found a smooth black jade chess piece by her feet. It was this that brought her out of the formation. She bent down to pick up the chess piece and looked forward. In front of her was still smoke-like fog, surrounded by green bamboo, dripping with green. The depths of the water mist looked like a hot spring. The spring water fell from the layered and strange rocks, continuously injecting into the pool, raising warm water vapor, making everything around it hazy. She intuitively felt that there was someone by the spring pool, but because of the quietness all around, she held her breath and just stood still.

Seeming to feel her hesitation, the nice voice just now smiled lightly, and someone in the thin fog got up and walked toward this side. Han Xi saw his light cloud-like sleeves seeming to carry water-like light blue. The color looked a bit lonely and cold, but the gentle and moist face that appeared in front of her had an elegant and calm nobility. He finally brushed away a branch of green and moist bamboo, stopped beside her, and smiled slightly, the arc of elegance drawn at his lips: "What is your name?"

At the moment he leaned over, Han Xi felt a breath different from the warm fog and coldness, which reminded her of the scenery of the empty valley and deep forest with snow falling silently, while his voice was like the quiet light and shadow at dusk, carrying a faint dark fragrance, gently covering everything.

She suddenly forgot how to answer, just staring at the eyes that were staring at her. Her figure was reflected in those eyes, ripples of smile rising: "You are Han Xi, right?"

"Mm... Mm!" Han Xi finally came back to her senses and nodded to him.

He laughed lowly, reaching out in front of her, with a snow-ball-like little beast squatting in his palm: "Are you looking for it?"

Han Xi nodded again: "Xuezhan always refuses to play with me."

He signaled to her, let her stretch out her hand, tilted his palm slightly, and handed the little beast into her palm. Xuezhan was about to jump up, but was suddenly pressed on the forehead by his slender fingers, let out a low "woo", and obediently lay into Han Xi's palm.

"Ah!" Han Xi was pleasantly surprised, opened her eyes wide and asked: "It won't run anymore?"

He smiled: "Rest assured, as long as I am here, it will listen to you."

Han Xi hugged Xuezhan into her arms. Xuezhan was intimidated by its master being on the side and dared not resist. Its fluffy tail lifted, covering its whole body, and it buried its head helplessly. Han Xi looked up happily: "Who are you? Why does Xuezhan listen to you, even Zi Rao sister doesn't listen when she asks it to play with me."

He smiled faintly and said: "My name is Zi Hao."

Beside the cliff above the hot spring, there were several natural rocks. The stones were shaped like tables and stools, ancient and simple, and because of the wind and rain of the years and long-term touch, they glowed with a moist luster. Touching them, they were warm, cool, and comfortable. On the stone surface was a purple bamboo chessboard, with chess pieces scattered like stars, pure black and clean white, reflecting the green shadows of the bamboo forest.

Han Xi sat by the stone without a sound. Xuezhan poked its head out from her arms, its golden eyes bright, both surprisingly well-behaved. So this is Zi Rao sister's brother, Han Xi thought secretly, it seems different from the royal brother. In plain clothes, with three points of illness, he looked weak in appearance and friendly in speech, but there seemed to be a kind of noble and calm aura in his bones. That temperament came from a faint look, a subtle action, as if it could make the people around him integrate into his calmness involuntarily, gradually becoming obedient, and even awe.

Han Xi felt strange because of this. This was a feeling she had never had with other men. It was a bit fresh, and even more strange. At this time, she finally understood why Zi Rao chose this villa to live in. Such a bamboo forest, such a clean and pure place, was undoubtedly more suitable for such a person than the bustling Chu City.

Zi Hao looked at the little girl who was secretly looking at him from under her eyelashes, and asked with a smile: "Triggering my formation in the bamboo forest just now, what you learned should be the Mysterious Gate Hidden Technique, right?"

"Mm, it was taught by the uncle." Han Xi looked at the quiet and silent forest, still lingering in fear: "But... just now the Mysterious Gate Hidden Technique had no effect at all, but went wrong more and more."

Zi Hao smiled and said: "The key to the formation in this forest is specially designed to restrain Mysterious Gate Hidden Technique, and what it follows is the Taiyi Divine Number. If you calculate according to the acquired orientation, you will be wrong again and again, and finally trigger the formation eye illusion. Were you scared just now?"

Han Xi's mouth bulged slightly. If it were normal, she would definitely be strong and say no, but facing those gentle and clear eyes, she nodded truthfully without knowing it, and said strangely: "Is it possible that the formation can be set without following Mysterious Gate Hidden Technique? I have never heard the uncle say it."

Zi Hao raised his hand gently to brush away a few bamboo leaves on the chessboard: "There are three styles of art numbers: Mysterious Gate, Taiyi, and Six Ren. The three styles are born from the same source, but they are not the same and form their own system. Besides being proficient in Mysterious Gate Hidden Technique, your uncle also has deep research on the Great Six Ren. It's just that you didn't pay attention."

Han Xi's bright eyes picked: "Eh, do you know my uncle? Ah, that's right, Zi Rao sister calls the uncle uncle, you are her brother, then you are also the uncle's nephew."

Zi Hao smiled and nodded. Han Xi slowly recovered from her previous emotions and began to look around curiously, asking: "It's so quiet here, are you the only one?"

The smile in Zi Hao's eyes deepened, and he sighed slightly: "Your Zi Rao sister has designated this place as a forbidden area of the villa. Except for Li Si who delivers medicine, no one is allowed to enter without permission. I can't go out either. I have to soak in a hot spring medicinal bath for at least an hour every day, take medicine on time four times, and then there is a cup of snake gall wine that is extremely bitter."

"Mm, I know, that is made of Zhu Jiuyin snake gall, bitter to death." Han Xi locked her eyebrows lightly and said sympathetically: "Can't go out, and no one to accompany you, what do you usually do?"

"Playing chess."

"Playing chess by yourself?"

"You could say that."

"Wouldn't that be very boring?"

Zi Hao smiled without saying a word. Han Xi supported her hand on the stone and stared at the black and white chess pieces, turning her head and saying: "It must be boring. When I was in the palace, the royal brother always set up a lot of rules, not allowed to do this, not allowed to do that. None of the maids dared to disobey, and I was almost suffocated. Fortunately, sometimes Huang Fei was willing to help me sneak out to play. Oh! If Huang Fei could come, that would be great. He can play chess with you, but you might not be able to win him."

Zi Hao said: "Is Huang Fei's chess skill very brilliant?"

Han Xi raised her fingers and waved, and the jade ornaments on her hands also rang with this playful action: "You don't know, Huang Fei is the most prominent in Chu! Zither, chess, sword, soldier, known as no one in Chu can match. But, he is indeed very powerful. Others have never been able to win the royal brother in chess, only he wins almost every time, and the royal brother is also convinced."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 51 =====