Chapter 166: The Gu Master Who Cultivated the Young Hero
It was April, the time when birds were singing and flowers were growing.
The sky in the southwest was already a little warm, with a gentle breeze and a not-too-scorching sun. Standing among the wild grass that was as tall as a person was also a bit disturbing.
"Help! Is there anyone? Help!"
The girl's voice was so high-pitched and shrill that it was useless except for scaring away a few timid birds.
"Alright, alright, stop shouting. How could anyone come to this desolate mountain except for people like us who are looking for something?"
The young man in blue clothes spoke as he cut the weeds with a sword. He cleared out a large area of space, and the young man in green clothes beside him silently sprinkled realgar powder and other insect repellent powders on the edge.
"Qu Ziheng! Don't think my method is useless. What if some hunter hears about it and comes to help us?"
Yan Yixiuan was angry and thought she was unlucky.
"Xuanxuan, you saw it too. When we just came in, there was no road here. If there were hunters, there would be traces." The young man with the folding fan fanned the air and said. He felt distressed when he saw the young man in green clothes still sprinkling the powder. "Qingxun, sprinkle less, or it will run out before we reach the snake cave."
"We can't even tell the direction now. How can we find the location? We can't even see the iconic buildings."
Yan Yixiuan unfolded the map in her hand and studied it carefully for a while in the sunlight, but when she saw the weeds next to her that were taller than her, she couldn't help but sigh.
A rustling sound came from not far away, and several people quickly retreated back to the small circle they had cleared.
One after another, snakes as thick as two thumbs emerged from the grass, but they circled back and forth without being approached because of the realgar on the edge.
They had just experienced this scene once. While they were struggling to make a way, a snake wrapped around Yan Yixiuan's feet and climbed up. She hurriedly chopped it off with her sword, but found that the thick grass leaves where they were standing were covered with snakes. As it was difficult to tell the direction, they stopped temporarily.
They were all martial artists, so they were not afraid of a few small snakes, but hundreds of snakes and unknown insects were enough to make their scalps tingle.
Qingxun put away the powder and asked, "What should we do now?"
Qu Ziheng piled some grass and dead branches in the middle of the open space and said, "It's getting dark soon. Let's rest here for one night and find the direction tomorrow. I've marked the way along the way, so even if we can't find the snake cave, we can still go back."
Yan Yixuan smiled and said, "I didn't realize you can still be reliable sometimes."
Qu Ziheng blew his bangs, closed his sword handsomely, raised his chin and said, "I am not Young Master Jiang."
Jiang Yan waved his folding fan and said leisurely, "Of course, this young master doesn't have to do this hard work himself."
Qingxun was already accustomed to the bickering among his companions, so he broke the pancake into several portions and shared them with them.
It soon became dark. The cold wind blew on the dense grass, causing shadows to sway and adding a chill to the night.
In order to prevent the fire from spreading, it was gathered in a small pile in the center, and the boys and girls sat around it and dozed off.
There was a subtle sound that blew into people's ears through the wind.
Jiang Yan opened his eyes and asked hesitantly, "Did you hear any sound, like a bell?"
Qu Ziheng and Qingxun both shook their heads. Yan Yixiuan listened carefully and nodded hesitantly.
"It seems so. It's similar to the sound of bells colliding. My mother once had a hairpin with small golden bells on the tassels. When they touched each other, it seemed to make this kind of sound."
The other three people perked up because of Yan Yixuan's words. Qu Ziheng showed joy on his face and said, "With such a sound, there might be someone! Maybe we can find a guide!"
Young Master Jiang was somewhat speechless at his friend's optimism. In such a desolate mountain and wilderness, who would have a girl wearing a pearl hairpin? Even if there was, she might be a member of the Demonic Cult.
As they concentrated their attention, the four heard a more familiar sound than the sound of the bell.
The sound of the snake scales moving through the grass was so dense that it made a loud noise, and the grass shook even more violently.
"How come the powder loses its effect so quickly?"
Qingxun frowned and looked around in confusion.
"I heard the bell, too, and the footsteps!" Qu Ziheng's eyes lit up, and he shouted, "Is there anyone passing by ahead? Can you come and help me?"
Yan Yixuan muttered: "Didn't you say that my shouting was useless during the day? Now you are shouting yourself."
The footsteps became clearer in the night, the grass had stopped shaking, and Qingxun noticed that the snakes had actually retreated.
Before he had time to tell his companions about this discovery, he saw someone walking towards him while clearing the grass.
There were two people, one in front and one behind. The one in front was a young man wearing moon-white brocade clothes. He had a very handsome appearance and seemed not to be a real person in this messy wilderness.
The man behind was wearing a blue-white robe with bamboo leaves embroidered on the cuffs and collar. He looked gentle and refined. The most noticeable thing was the white silk covering his eyes, which must be because he had eye disease.
The two people were Lin Zhi and Qi He who had rushed to the southwest. Yesterday they rode their horses to the valley where Qi Hengduan was said to be, but when they arrived he was gone.
The person who reported the news had already gone into the mountains to search, but due to the complex terrain, overgrown weeds, and overly dense forests, he did not find anything.
People who saw Qi Hengduan called him an old madman and said that he was not mentally sound. He appeared here a few years ago and was like a savage from the mountains. Sometimes he would come out to steal food. His hair and beard covered his face, so they couldn't see his appearance clearly. They only knew that he was looking for his knife, but they had never seen his knife on him.
Lin Zhi's men retreated without going too deep to search, because on the other side of the valley was a large pile of grass taller than a person, with many insects and snakes in it, especially snakes.
Lin Zhi planned to bring Qi He to see if there were any traces here. Not long after they went deeper, they smelled the smell of something burning floating in the air, and then heard shouting.
The grass was so dense that if you hadn't walked over, it would have been hard to see that there were a few people here. Even the faint light of the fire was completely blocked.
The four people in front of him were obviously all from the martial arts world, and they were young knights who had just started out and did not have much experience in the martial arts world.
The girl standing in the center is wearing a crimson dress and a dagger on her waist. The boy on her left is wearing a red and white brocade robe with a cloud pattern and gold piping. He holds a folding fan with a jade pendant in his hand. The scabbard of the sword on his waist is inlaid with jade, making him look more like a wealthy young man.
The young man in blue on her right was dressed the most simply, with a faint scent of medicine emanating from him. He was most likely a doctor.
The handsome young man who walked up to him with great enthusiasm was probably the person who had just spoken. Sure enough, the next moment this person began to introduce himself.
"Your Excellencies, my name is Qu Ziheng, from Qing'an. These are my companions, Yan Yixuan, Jiang Yan, and Qingxun. We are all like one family, and it is fate that we meet now. Are you locals?"
Qu Ziheng saw the sword carried by the boy behind the young man and smiled more sincerely.
Lin Zhi stared at the young man in front of him and smiled faintly: "No, it's so late, why are you here?"
Jiang Yan: "Aren't you also..."
However, before he could finish his words, he heard Qu Ziheng reply very quickly: "We are here to find the snake cave, are you here too?"
Jiang Yan silently covered his face with the fan. The appearance of these two people here in the middle of the night was clearly suspicious. A beautiful unarmed young man and a blind young swordsman, Qu Ziheng actually greeted them foolishly and revealed their purpose.
He glanced at the remaining two companions and thought, forget it, they are so stupid.
"We are just lost and looking for the exit. What are you doing in the snake cave?"
There was some curiosity on Lin Zhi's face. It seemed that these people had different purposes from them and did not come for Qi Hengduan.
"We heard that there is a rare snake cloud grass growing in the snake cave, and we want to pick one."
Snake cloud grass is a top-grade herb that can promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis and dredge meridians. It is very rare and there is almost no such herb circulating on the market.
Qi He's hands hanging by his side moved slightly, and his eyes, hidden by the white silk, narrowed slightly.
"You told us so frankly, aren't you afraid that we will keep the herbs for ourselves?"
Lin Zhi chuckled. Among these four people, only Jiang Yan, who looked like a rich young man, was more defensive.
"Do you know how to get out of the snake cave? Besides, there are two of you and four of us. It's hard to say who will win or lose. And I don't think you are a bad person at all."
There was some surprise in Qu Ziheng's words when he said the first sentence, and he did not regard the two people in front of him as a threat.
The young man in front of him didn't even have a sword on him. He was handsome and gentle, and the young man behind him was blind.
Yan Yixuan agreed, "That's right. How can you be bad people if you ask that? Oh, you haven't told me your names yet, so why are you here?"
"My name is Lin Zhi, and this is my apprentice, Lin He. We traveled all the way here, but we got lost and haven't found the exit yet."
Lin Zhi's expression remained unchanged, without any trace of lies.
Yan Yixuan sympathized, "He's just as unlucky as us."
Jiang Yan had already covered his face with his fan and was unwilling to say more.
"I can take you to the snake cave, but we need to decide how to divide the things first."
Lin Zhi was very interested in the herb and these people.
The dagger on Yan Yixiuan's body is actually not very common. The Qingying School has a martial art that uses this dagger as a weapon.
As for Qu Ziheng, there is an inconspicuous Big Dipper on his scabbard, which is the symbol of the Seven Stars Sect.
Jiang Yan couldn't tell, but the medicinal scent on Qing Xun's body was probably the smell that was fumigated by the environment for a long time, and the doctors of this generation in Biyuan Villa were code-named Qing.
It is indeed curious to see several young disciples, who may be from major sects, gathered together to look for a herb.
Yan Yixuan's eyes lit up: "If you can lead us to find it, we will definitely reward you handsomely. If there are two herbs, we will split them in half. If there is only one, we will take the herb. You can just tell me what you want."
Qingxun asked doubtfully, "But aren't you lost? Can you lead us to the snake cave?"
Lin Zhi said: "We passed by there when we were lost during the day, and we still remember the way."
Of course not. As a Gu Master, Lin Zhi has his own way of finding snakes.
Qu Ziheng: “Great!”
Qi He tilted his head and asked, "Are you waiting for Snake Cloud Grass to save your lives?"
Qu Ziheng and his companions looked at each other and shook their heads, saying, "No."
"We killed a member of the Demon Sect several days ago and learned that the second hall master of the Akabane Sect was looking for this herb. We also got the map, so we wanted to pretend to offer the treasure after getting the herb, sneak up to him, and kill him when the opportunity arises."
Qu Ziheng spoke passionately, and asked: "Would you two like to join us? It is our duty to eliminate demons, defend the way of justice, punish evil and promote good. The Chiyu Sect is cruel, and the head of the second hall is even more licentious, sucking human blood to practice magic. If we can eliminate this scourge of the martial arts world, everyone will applaud."
Qu Ziheng scratched his head and chuckled, "We can also become famous and become true heroes that everyone admires."
There was longing in Yan Yixiuan's eyes, and even Jiang Yan's eyes were filled with anticipation.
This is a foolproof plan, but it may not be impossible.
There are many rules in the martial arts world, but if you become the supreme master of martial arts, all the rules will give way to you.
"Master, let's go take a look."
Qi He hooked his master's hand and shook it gently.
Qi He's attitude made Lin Zhi realize that this matter might be related to the extermination of his family in front of him, so he nodded.
Lin Zhi, who was also a member of the Demon Cult in a sense, said calmly, "Of course, anyone can kill anyone who is a member of the Demon Cult."
"In that case, if there is only one plant, then there is no need for any reward. Let's set off at dawn."
Lin Zhi and Qi He are not disturbed by light, but this is not the case for these people.
Qu Ziheng smiled brightly: "Thank you, Brother Lin, you are so kind!"
"By the way, Brother Lin, did you guys eat anything tonight? We have some dry food here, would you like some?"
"No, we've already eaten."
"Oh, okay. If you need anything, just tell us. By the way, Brother Lin, where are you from? Where have you traveled? Have you been to my hometown Qing'an? It's beautiful, with lots of delicious food and fun things to do. If you're interested, I can take you there later."
Lin Zhi had no intention of answering his previous question, so she said, "I have never been to Qing'an, but I have heard that the scenery there is very beautiful."
Qu Ziheng is a very outgoing young man. He now thinks that Lin Zhi is a chivalrous man and starts talking to him endlessly about his hometown.
Qi He leaned on his master's shoulder in annoyance. He just wondered why this person talked so much. He was even more annoying than Lin Tang.
The next day, Qi He realized what it meant that there is no most annoying thing, only more annoying things.
The young man named Qu Ziheng huddled close to his master, and his ears were filled with his voice.
"Brother Lin, what kind of powder is this? It's much more powerful than ours. Those snakes won't come over."
Nonsense, it was his master who drove away those snakes.
"Brother Lin, please be careful where you step. I'll help you remove the grass in front of you so you don't get cut."
Qi He pinched his fingertips, walked forward unconsciously, and accidentally tripped over a fallen branch.
Yan Yixiuan, who was standing next to him, subconsciously wanted to help him, but when she saw the young man holding Lin Zhi's body steady, she withdrew her hand.
Yan Yixuan suggested: "Brother Lin, why don't we change positions? I'll sprinkle the powder. Xiaohe's eyes are not in good condition, so it's better for you to hold him."
Lin Zhi nodded, Yan Yixiuan walked forward and heard the young man thank him in a low voice.
Yan Yixiuan suddenly felt that she should have done this a long time ago. Only Qu Ziheng would be so tactless.
Qi He could cross dangerous peaks as if he were walking on flat ground, so how could he be tripped by a small branch? Lin Zhi did not point it out. He walked beside Qi He and let Qi He hold his hand.
The atmosphere along the way was not dull. Qu Ziheng, Yan Yixiuan and Jiang Yan were bickering with each other, and soon they arrived at the location of the snake cave.
The ground was covered with snakes of different thicknesses and colors, making it impossible to step.
Yan Yixiuan wanted to lean on the wall to look inside, but she felt something cold and slippery, then she realized that it was not a wall, but a coiled snake of a similar color to the wall. She took a big step back.
Qu Ziheng drew his sword: "Let's do it like we did before. Qingxun, you spread the medicine, I'll lead the way, and Yan Yixuan and the young master will be on your left and right."
Although they were noisy on the road, they cooperated very well.
Qu Ziheng's sword style is quite Tai Chi-inspired and his skills are quite impressive.
Yan Yixiuan's short sword was suspended like a thread, and it was extremely flexible in her hands. Jiang Yan used a fan as a weapon, which had an iron blade embedded in it, and kept repelling the approaching snakes.
Qing Xun took out bottles of medicine powder and defended his companions from the rear. Occasionally, two silver needles flew out from his fingers and pierced into the snake's vital point.
This scene was very much like the protagonists in the storybooks traveling around the world. Lin Zhi watched quietly from a distance and said, "If you want to kill them all, how confident are you?"
Qi He thought for a while and said, "Seven points. It's not easy to find people here. They are likely to escape with injuries."
Qi He asked tentatively: "What does Master mean?"
These people should not be the ones who should be killed. Qi He did not understand what his master meant.
Lin Zhi smiled and said, "Only five points. Qu Ziheng's swordsmanship is good at transforming energy. He is a disciple of the Seven Stars Sect. If I hadn't interfered back then, you might have become his fellow apprentice."
Qi He didn't like this assumption, nor did he like Qu Ziheng. He lowered his eyes and said, "Fortunately, Master is here."
"Of course. In fact, in my opinion, you may not be suitable for the swordsmanship of the Seven Stars Sect."
Qi He's voice was somewhat desolate: "Master, do you think he has better talent when you say this?"
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