Chapter 623

The zither insect is an ancient strange insect.

There are records in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, its appearance is very strange, its whole body is covered with insect scales, but it crawls like a snake, and is proficient in earth escape.

After refining into a natal gu, there are changes.

The body size has obviously shrunk a lot, only a finger long, with black scales all over, still snake-shaped, but with transparent wings.

Buzz buzz buzz~

It was not afraid of the severe cold, vibrated its wings, quickly passed through the ice cave cracks, crawled out from the old pine tree hole, and climbed to Sha Hearing Sha Lifei's ear.

At this moment, Sha Hearing Sha Lifei was being confused by the illusion.

Fortunately, he had many treasures on him, besides the protective talisman he snatched from Xiong Xiong Baodong, there were also the White-Clothed Great Scholar's prayer beads.

Both were treasures for calming the heart and guarding the soul.

Even if Sha Hearing Sha Lifei was confused, staring blankly at the fluorescent lights in the sky, he still maintained a trace of clarity, firmly grasping the old pine tree.

Feeling the zither insect crawling on his ear, he immediately raised his hand to grab it, but the zither insect vibrated, and Long Long Yaner's voice came to his ear:

"Don't move, I'll help you untie the gu."

Immediately, the zither insect vibrated its wings and opened its mouthparts.

Dense scales flew out from Sha Hearing Sha Lifei's body and were all swallowed by it.

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei immediately recovered his clarity, his scalp tingling as he looked at the zither insect by his ear, and shouted loudly: "How are you, are you okay?"

Inside, Long Long Yaner heard this and just wanted to get up, but after fasting for several months, her body was soft, and she almost fell, so she had to shake her head and say: "I'm fine, just very tired. You go first, I'll come out after I recover tomorrow."

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei looked around and shook his head, "How can this be? It's freezing cold, I'll help you out."

After saying that, he immediately drew the Guanshan knife and slashed at the solid ice.

Originally, using a firearm would be faster, but on this snow mountain, if he made too much noise, it would inevitably trigger an avalanche.

One after another, the solid ice shattered continuously.

Finally, the solid ice blocking the cave entrance was all slashed open by him.

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei hurriedly drilled in, shivered, held the torch and moved forward, finally finding Long Long Yaner inside.

The two looked at each other, not knowing what to say for a while.

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei scratched his head, simply stepped forward, took off his thick cotton-padded robe, helped Long Long Yaner up, and wrapped it around her.

Afterwards, he flipped his wrist, used a clever force, carried Long Long Yaner on his back, and tied it tight with a rope.

Long Long Yaner knew what he was going to do, shook her head silently, "No need, I just came out of seclusion, I'm not injured."

"Being warmer is better than freezing."

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei didn't talk nonsense, carried her out of the cave, pulled the cold rope, and climbed upward in the howling wind and flying snow.

He was a dark-strength expert, and Long Long Yaner's weight was light, so he had no trouble at all. He carried her up the cliff, stepped on the knee-deep wind and snow, and walked towards the cave where everyone was staying.

The snowy night was pitch black, with howling wind and flying snow.

The torch could only illuminate three feet of space. Except for this area, everything around was pitch black. Between heaven and earth, it seemed there were only the two of them.

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei was ultimately a mortal body. After taking off his thick cotton-padded jacket and walking in the accumulated snow, he shivered, but his brain became clearer and clearer.

Suddenly, he said in a muffled voice: "By the way, forget about that matter."

Long Long Yaner's eyes flashed with surprise, "Why?"

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei replied in a muffled voice: "We are not suitable. Your gu technique is mysterious, and your future is limitless. There is no need for me to delay you."

Long Long Yaner was silent for a while, looked at the surroundings and shook her head: "Before, when I was in closed-door seclusion, it was like this, walking alone in the darkness."

"At that moment, I felt that cultivation, glory and wealth, wind, flowers, snow, and moon were all illusions."

"Living in this world is just a big dream. In the end, one will die. Why not rest early, so it was difficult to wake up for a long time."

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei was attracted by her words and couldn't help asking: "How did you wake up later?"

Long Long Yaner said: "I asked myself what other attachments I had in this world. Thinking about it, avenging my big brother is one, and the previous promise that I would marry you if I survived is also one."

"Besides that, I couldn't think of any meaning to live. I just felt that I was pathetic, so where is the delay?"

"What's so pathetic about it."

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei said in a muffled voice: "People are all like this. If you don't know, just walk first. If you haven't seen anything, just go see it."

"You have to walk through it once before saying this."

"Yes, let's walk first."

Long Long Yaner looked at the darkness around her, not knowing what she was thinking, and became silent again.

Seeing this, Sha Hearing Sha Lifei hurriedly opened the conversation: "By the way, there is one more thing, I'm afraid you don't know."

"The Yang family in Bozhou has been wiped out, and the remnants have all been escorted to the capital. It is estimated that they cannot escape being beheaded at the vegetable market. Your revenge is considered avenged."

Long Long Yaner heard this, and her eyes became cold: "It's cheap for them. I really want to see their heads fall with my own eyes."

"That's just right."

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei was happy: "After we go down the mountain, we are going to Yuzhou, and then to the capital. If we are lucky, maybe we can see it."

"What are you going to the capital for?"

"The Qiankun Academy has opened."

"What is the Qiankun Academy?"

"Don't worry, I'll tell you slowly. You were in seclusion during this time, but it was very lively, and we almost lost our lives..."

In the wind and snow, the two walked and talked while holding torches.

The little firelight gradually disappeared into the darkness...

Boom!

With a muffled sound, stones flew everywhere at the cave entrance.

In the splashing snow mist, Li Yan strode out.

After dispelling the "Five Remnants of Heavenly Calamity" evolved from the incense fire of the Goddess Xiwangmu, there was no more obstruction. He built the divine shrine of the Eight Generals of the Inner Altar, and that Goddess Xiwangmu shrine also shattered as its spiritual charm dissipated.

After coming out, he happened to see Wang Wang Daoxuan and the others getting up to set off.

"Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan, are you okay?"

"Some small trouble, already solved. Where are you going?"

"Something seems to have happened over there..."

After asking clearly about the reason, Li Yan also followed to save people.

However, not long after walking, Lu San said in a muffled voice: "It's okay, they are back."

Li Yan also moved his ears, a trace of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

While speaking, he saw firelight flashing in the distance. Sha Hearing Sha Lifei was covered in snow, his face frozen blue, carrying Long Long Yaner back.

Seeing everyone, he immediately shouted: "What are you all stunned for? Hurry, give me a hand. San'er, is there any hot water?"

After returning to the cave and tossing about, Sha Hearing Sha Lifei rubbed his body by the fire: "Really, I won't come to this ghost place next time... When are we going down the mountain?"

He deliberately changed the subject, just not wanting everyone to ask.

However, Lu San said in a muffled voice: "I heard you chatting very happily, you were very majestic in Outside Chengdu..."

"Stop, stop."

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei's face turned red: "Divine ability is not used like that."

He told Long Long Yaner about the recent events, inevitably exaggerating and bragging a lot. He also bragged to everyone on weekdays, and his face was thick, not caring even if he was exposed.

But this time, he felt inexplicably guilty.

Li Yan also sat by the fire, holding the brewed old tea, looking at the people in front of him laughing and talking. Although the wind and snow howled outside the cave, it was like the bonfire in front of him, glowing with a trace of warmth.

"Alright!"

Just at this time, Wang Wang Daoxuan, who had been bowing his head and busy, suddenly raised his head, with strings of copper coins in his hands.

These copper coins were all two copper coins stuck together.

Wang Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and smiled: "This is a little gadget I made. Before on Mount Hua, Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan got a set of Twelve Yuan Chen coins, which are natal primordial spirit coins. Every night when storing spirit, holding the copper coins in hand can inject the power of spirit-storing into them."

"With his current cultivation, this bit of spirit-storing power is no longer important. Coupled with the re-casting of the treasure blade, he took them down to make tokens."

"It's also good luck. On Mount Qingcheng, this poor Daoist found the 'Guangzheng Guangzheng Tongbao' cast by Meng Chang. They are also Twelve Yuan Chen charm coins. Matching them with the natal Yuan Chen coins, yin and yang on both sides, can transmit messages by vibration over short distances..."

"Put them all away, get familiar with them early."

After saying that, he threw the Chen Dragon coin to Li Yan, kept the You Chicken coin for himself, gave the Wu Horse coin to Sha Hearing Sha Lifei, the Wu Dog coin to Lu San, the Chou Ox coin to Wu Ba...

"Miss Long, which one do you want?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan looked at Long Long Yaner again.

Long Long Yaner was stunned, a little confused.

Wang Wang Daoxuan laughed dumbly: "When you were cultivating, because this poor Daoist falsely called you You Chicken, and later it was recognized, our team was also called 'Twelve Yuan Chen'."

"Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan saw this and simply named it after this, which also made some reputation. Which one do you want?"

Looking at everyone's eyes, Long Long Yaner knew that she was completely part of the team. While feeling the warmth, she was also confused in her heart, "I don't know either, Daoist, just give me any."

Wang Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and pondered for a while: "Jingzhe has just passed, and your natal gu has the image of a snake. Si is the beginning, the yang qi is beginning to flourish, and you happened to break through the barrier..."

"Just take the Si Snake, it is the Donghuang Taiyi Yuan Chen!"

Below Mount Mount Xilingxue, there is a river.

It is a branch of the Minjiang River system along with another river, and finally flows into the Nan River, which is an important river in the Outside Chengdu Plain.

Similarly, it is also an important waterway with many ferry crossings.

The river channel here is wide, and the water is slightly slow.

On the south bank, there is a ferry crossing called "Jinshui Station," taking the meaning of "the river that washes brocade, reaching all directions," which is the throat of the road from Western Sichuan to Yunnan, Tibet, and Hubei/Hunan.

The station leans against the mountain and faces the water, with stone steps winding into the river.

It is a three-entry courtyard with blue tiles and earth walls, flying eaves and bucket arches, and a broken wooden plaque hanging on the door lintel that says "Jinshui Station."

The river wind wrapped in ice dregs swept across the upturned corners of the station building, the copper bells under the eaves clanged, and the station soldier Old Zhou wrapped in a faded cotton-padded armor, huddled by the stone steps of the ferry crossing to warm the charcoal basin.

The sparks had just started, but were pinched out into a wisp of green smoke by the river wind.

"Damn spring cold!"

Old Zhou cursed, burned the charcoal basin again, and after the water in the iron pot boiled, he limped and carried the iron pot to the backyard of the station.

Before he even entered the door, his face changed, and he knocked on the door with a flattering smile: "My lord, the water is boiled."

"Come in."

A cold voice came from the door.

Station soldier Old Zhou hurriedly pushed the door and entered with the iron pot.

They saw an old man in black sitting at the square table in the dilapidated room. It was the Earth Yu Longzi of the Tongtian Sect, with four disciples standing beside him.

"My lord, if you need anything, just mention it."

Old Zhou rubbed his chapped hands and smiled all over his face.

Earth Yu Longzi gave a wink, and the disciple next to him immediately threw out a piece of broken silver.

Old Zhou caught it and was overjoyed.

Earth Yu Longzi then said in a deep voice: "Today, has anyone come down from the mountain?"

Old Zhou hurriedly shook his head: "No. My lord, forgive me for being talkative, this year's weather is evil. Even if someone goes up the mountain at this time, they must have frozen to death."

"It's good if they froze to death..."

A disciple next to him muttered.

Earth Yu Longzi glanced coldly. Seeing that the disciple hurriedly shut up, he said coldly to Old Zhou: "Keep watching, don't ask about anything else."

"Yes, yes."

Old Zhou didn't dare to say more, hurriedly closed the door and went out.

There are countless stations in the north and south of the Divine Land. To maintain such a scale, the silver consumed every year is quite a lot.

Some large stations are fine, they have money themselves.

Like Jiming Station, it is comparable to a small city.

And small stations like Jinshui Station are relatively poor. The silver allocated by the imperial court is sometimes deducted by others.

Even though the national treasury has been full since the opening of the sea ban two years ago, there are many places where money is needed, such as large-scale firearm replacement, so Jinshui Station is still poor.

Old Zhou was injured while suppressing bandits when he was young. He was arranged here, a bachelor, and had no income, so life was even more difficult.

And just this year, the imperial court finally issued a regulation that stations could be opened to the public for lodging, but they must be registered, and the imperial court's affairs took priority.

With this, Old Zhou finally had a way to live.

But unfortunately, he encountered climate change, heavy snow blocked the mountains, and not a single merchant traveler heading to Sichuan and Tibet could be seen.

Now that a distinguished guest has finally arrived, and it is a high-ranking person holding a Daoist certificate, he naturally has to entertain them well.

Getting some silver, he can also hold on until spring this year.

Not mentioning Old Zhou's thoughts, after he left, a disciple of the Tongtian Sect finally couldn't help it: "Master, that Li Yan might have already left, why do we have to wait for him here?"

"Confused!"

Earth Yu Longzi sneered: "The old man has always been true to his word. Besides, I also want to find out who is playing tricks, and I still need Yan Yan Xiao Ge Li's help."

"If you are in a hurry, go yourself!"

"Disciple was wrong."

The disciple hurriedly lowered his head, wishing he could slap himself.

They had always been arrogant following Earth Yu Longzi. They were suppressed by Li Yan on Mount Qingcheng, so naturally, they felt uncomfortable in their hearts.

Seeing this, Earth Yu Longzi was too lazy to pay attention, drinking the tea in his cup, lost in thought, not knowing what he was thinking.

Just at this time, footsteps sounded outside.

They saw Old Zhou limping over, full of surprise: "Guest, guest, someone has come outside, a big group!"

"Oh!"

Earth Yu Longzi hurriedly put down his teacup and went out.

Sure enough, from the mountain road in the distance, a group of people came down, dusty and tired. It was Li Yan and the others.

"Senior, you are indeed a person of your word!"

Seeing Earth Yu Longzi come out, Li Yan smiled and cupped his hands.

"Yan Yan Xiao Ge Li is joking."

Earth Yu Longzi also smiled: "The old man has always been true to his word. Besides, I also want to find out who is playing tricks, and I still need Yan Yan Xiao Ge Li's help."

"Hahaha, Senior is too polite."

Li Yan had a smile on his face, but his heart was raised with vigilance.

He had inquired early on that this Earth Yu Longzi was not a good thing, had a bad reputation in the martial world, and didn't know how many people he had cheated.

Waiting here was definitely not because he was afraid of him.

"Yan Yan Xiao Ge Li, please!"

"Senior, you first!"

The two had fake smiles on their faces, and they pushed each other into the door.

After sitting down, Li Yan didn't talk nonsense, and said directly: "Senior, when shall we set off?"

"It depends on Yan Yan Xiao Ge Li's decision."

Earth Yu Longzi said: "The fastest way to Yuzhou from here is to leave Outside Chengdu, cross the Qin Ling Mountains, take the Golden Bull Road from Guangyuan to Han Zhong Prefecture, and then go east from Chang'an through Tongguan to Kaifeng."

"Return to Shanzhou?"

Hearing this, Sha Hearing Sha Lifei's eyes lit up: "I haven't been back for a long time, I've been missing that bowl of oil-splashed noodles."

"Yan Yan Xiao Ge Sha is afraid he won't be able to eat it."

Earth Yu Longzi shook his head: "The Shu road is already difficult to walk, and now the heavy snow has blocked the mountains. If we walk from there, there will be a risk of delaying the itinerary."

"But if we take the waterway, from Chongqing to Jingzhou, then from Xiangyang to Nanyang to Kaifeng, although it will take a few more days by convention, we don't have to worry about delaying the itinerary."

"Let's follow Senior's suggestion."

Li Yan nodded slightly without objection.

Just as Earth Yu Longzi said, the risk of walking the Shu road is too great. If the heavy snow blocks the mountains or the plank road is destroyed, it will be delayed for a long time.

I just don't know what happened to Zhao Donkey's side...

(End of chapter)