Chapter 71

The two sipped spirit wine in small sips, each pondering.

I don't know how long it took, Wei Hongqing asked: "Xiaolou, what are you considering?"

Liu Xiaolou took a deep breath: "The one surnamed Hou snatched the array plate I refined with my heart's blood, saying that I should use the news of Xingde Jun to exchange it. That array plate, I searched for seventeen kinds of materials, almost broke my legs, worked hard for three months, and spent five spirit stones to refine it. It's too difficult. I don't even know if I have a chance to refine the next array plate."

Wei Hongqing fell into silence again. After a long time, he nodded: "You go to that house in Yang Liu Bay and wait for my news."

Liu Xiaolou didn't say anything more and got up to leave. Returning to this abandoned house, he found a room and sat down to practice, holding a spirit stone in his hand, and began to attack the Laogong acupoint.

The Laogong acupoint is located in the center of the palm. Once this acupoint is cleared, it can relieve the heat of the five hearts, suppress anxiety and uneasiness, and has great benefits for sitting and practicing. Moreover, the Laogong acupoint is also a famous large acupoint for storing true qi. As soon as Liu Xiaolou started practicing, he immediately had some insights, knowing that to clear this acupoint and fill the acupoint pool, it would take at least four or five spirit stones.

He only had four left on him, and he didn't know if it was enough.

But the same saying goes, sharpening the spear before the battle, even if it is not sharp, it will be bright. Converting one more point is one more point.

Practicing alone in the abandoned house for three days, Liu Xiaolou suddenly heard movement outside the courtyard and got up to check, only to see a head appearing on the courtyard wall.

Their eyes met, and Liu Xiaolou couldn't help but smile: "Brother Tan."

Tan Ba turned over and came in, hehe said: "Here, here, Xiaolou is so at ease."

Liu Xiaolou sighed: "Where is there any ease to speak of? My heart is burning with anxiety."

Tan Ba patted his shoulder, strolled around the house, and sighed: "Unknowingly, a year has passed. You say this house has been abandoned for a year, will it be haunted? It is said that after a person dies, if the spiritual sense is strong, it will remain in the world. This is the ghost that people often talk about, so there are all kinds of ghost and god means that transcend ordinary people..."

Liu Xiaolou rolled his eyes: "Even if... what was that called? By the way, even if Lu Zian and Ping Gu turned into ghosts, it wouldn't be here. They are buried a hundred miles to the east."

Tan Ba said again: "I remember there was cured meat hanging in the kitchen at that time, why is it gone? I wanted to steam two pieces to eat..."

Liu Xiaolou said: "There are no ghosts, but there are wild cats and dogs. How could it be left for you?"

Just as he was talking, Wei Hongqing also came: "Who is waiting for Tan Tan Bazhang?"

Tan Ba said: "Brother Wei, is your cultivation level raised again? It feels like you are a head higher than me..."

Wei Hongqing patted him: "Grasp it tightly, don't be slack for a day."

Tan Ba said lostly: "How to grasp it tightly? Busy with firewood, rice, oil, and salt all day, and after filling the stomach, I have to find a way to earn spirit stones. It's better to be in a prominent sect, single-minded in cultivation, without the annoyance of trivial matters. I consider myself to have made rapid progress, but I am still far from clearing the nine acupoints of the Hand Jueyin Meridian, and I am still stagnant at the Neiguan acupoint."

Liu Xiaolou showed off: "Neiguan? My younger brother is not talented, I just cleared it not long ago."

Tan Ba's eyes widened: "You are only at the fourth level and you are practicing the Hand Jueyin Meridian? Oh, Xiaolou, tell me quickly, how did you clear the Neiguan? This acupoint is too tough, no matter how I use force, it seems that the greater the impact, the fiercer the rebound. I have already spent three spirit stones on the Neiguan acupoint!"

Liu Xiaolou said: "It stands to reason that three spirit stones should be enough. The real big consumer of true qi in the Hand Jueyin Meridian is the Laogong acupoint. My breakthrough of Neiguan took less than three spirit stones. After hearing what Brother Tan just said, I think perhaps we can adopt a detour strategy."

Tan Ba was anxious: "How to say?"

Liu Xiaolou said: "If you can't enter by force, go through the outer gate first, knock from left to right, and lock the inner door."

Seeing Tan Ba chanting silently and pondering, Liu Xiaolou smiled: "Just remember it. Cultivation is not something to be anxious about. When you have leisure, Brother Tan can find a woman to practice together and ponder it carefully."

Tan Ba suddenly realized: "Is it your Three Mystical Sect's Yin-Yang secret method? Brother Wei, you have rich experience, do you think it is feasible?"

Liu Xiaolou smiled without saying a word, Wei Hongqing laughed and scolded: "How do I have rich experience? Nonsense!"

The three talked and laughed in the courtyard. Late at night, Zuo Gaofeng arrived last. He apologized repeatedly: "I'm late, I'm late. Passing by Songmao Ping in the evening, the mountain ridge collapsed, crushing half the village. I was busy saving people, so I was late."

Wei Hongqing hurriedly asked: "Songmao Ping? What are the casualties?"

Zuo Gaofeng sighed: "Huang Ye Xian, Zhang Shihua, the seven brothers of Guzhang Mountain, and Old Hu Du were all there. I also lent a hand. Most of the villagers were saved, and the injuries were not serious, but the old couple of the Lin family didn't escape and died, leaving only the Lin family's child, the only seedling."

Liu Xiaolou's mood was heavy: "The Lin family's child is only three years old..."

Zuo Gaofeng nodded: "So it's still the old rules. Everyone discussed finding a family to foster him in the village, and those who are well-off donate one tael of silver. By the way, it's still in Songmao Ping. The one chosen is the old couple Lin Laoshi. They have always had no children and promised to treat the Lin child as their own."

Liu Xiaolou and Wei Hongqing both said: "Entrusted to the right person, count me in."

Tan Ba said: "I donate ten taels!"

Zuo Gaofeng shook his head: "Brother Tan hasn't been up the mountain for long. Let me tell you, to comfort the mountain people, the brothers on each mountain peak who are willing to donate, according to the precedent, one tael is enough. Collecting a few dozen taels of silver is enough. Don't donate too much, otherwise, it will break the rules and it will be difficult to end. It is not a long-term way."

Tan Ba nodded: "Understood, long-term is the right way."

Zuo Gaofeng said again: "Besides comfort, there is also the reconstruction of Songmao Ping. Songmao Ping is close to the seven brothers of Guzhang Mountain. The work is covered by them. With more than ten fellow daoists taking action, we don't need to worry. But we still need a lot of silver to purchase utensils, food, and clothing for the villagers. At that time, everyone discussed that those who are capable donate two taels..."

"I recognize one share!"

"Me too!"

"Same!"

Zuo Gaofeng collected the silver on the spot. Although each person was only three taels, Wei Hongqing, Liu Xiaolou, and Tan Ba all paid the silver very seriously. Tan Ba had no broken silver, so Liu Xiaolou exchanged it for him.

After finishing this matter, everyone looked at Wei Hongqing. Wei Hongqing said: "Today I invited Brother Zuo and Tan Tan Bazhang to come because Xiaolou encountered difficulties. I reiterate that this matter is of great concern, the risk is great, but the return is unknown, and it may even be nothing. It's still the old rules. Brother Zuo and Tan Tan Bazhang can choose to participate or not..."

Zuo Gaofeng said: "Since I'm here, I'm naturally willing. My own brothers are in trouble, so what is there to talk about return? As for the risk, what do we fellow daoists of Wulong Mountain do without risk?"

Tan Ba also said: "Brother Wei, just say it directly. Where to go? Who to do?"

Wei Hongqing nodded: "Qingyu Sect inner sect deacon, Hou Sheng. This person is at the tenth level of Qi Refinement and has the Qingyu Sect's Ground-Dispersing Yuan Rope in his hand. It is rumored that he has the power of a hundred battles in the Taoyuan mountains and has never missed. Moreover, he has a special point in his actions: he has always been alone and rarely travels with others in the sect. However, I also borrowed a good thing, which can unexpectedly restrain his Qingyu Sect's divine soul technique."

Zuo Gaofeng and Tan Ba looked at each other and clapped their hands at the same time: "Done!"