Chapter 77 Chapter 77 You are unique.
Ling Hanzhang completed his task faster than expected.
He heard about Gu Jingyun and Jiang Yan's "semi-playful return to the clan" plan and clamored to join in.
Jiang Yan had no objection to this.
Gu Jingyun called a carriage for Ling Hanzhang, meaning - "You can follow, but don't squeeze between me and A Yan."
Ling Hanzhang agreed awkwardly.
As for Han Lin.
Jiang Yan and Han Lin had only known each other for a few days and had a very good impression of each other.
Han Lin sometimes likes to make jokes and has a lot of bad words, but he is kind-hearted. He has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Jiang Yan has been joked with by him a few times, but he didn't get angry and didn't take it to heart at all.
Because they were brothers from the same school, Jiang Yan had always had a three-point filter when looking at Han Lin. The two of them also had a history of sack-trapping together, so their relationship became even better.
Jiang Yan was reluctant to leave Yizhou and part with his friends.
Seeing this, Gu Jingyun's inner alarm bells rang.
He was so jealous that he kept urging Jiang Yan to leave for the next town as soon as possible.
On the day of departure, Han Lin and Madam Xue came to the city gate to see him off.
Han Lin put his hands into his sleeves, like an old man.
He raised his voice and said, "Remember to come and play with me next time!"
Jiang Yan sat in the carriage, leaned out of the window and waved: "Okay!"
The road was flat and the carriage was moving fast, and soon we could no longer see the people.
Jiang Yan shrank back and sat back in his seat.
When he raised his hand, he saw the young master staring at him intently, with a look of resentment on his face.
What kind of expression is this?
Jiang Yan subconsciously rubbed the goose bumps on his arms, hesitated for a while, and asked cautiously: "...Brother, what's wrong with you?"
Gu Jingyun asked faintly: "You and Han Lin have a good relationship?"
Jiang Yan nodded: "Han Lin is a good person."
The immortal's vocabulary for praising people is sometimes rich and sometimes scarce.
In any case, to Jiang Yan, "a good person" is the highest compliment to a friend, meaning all-round affirmation and a high degree of favorability.
Gu Jingyun knew Jiang Yan very well, and upon hearing this, he became even more jealous.
"What about me?"
"What?"
The journey was long, and Jiang Yan was taking out a book from his bookcase to pass the time.
He had just held the book in his hand when he was suddenly asked this question. He was immediately confused and looked bewildered.
Gu Jingyun asked worriedly, "How do I compare to Han Lin?"
Jiang Yan lowered his head to look at the book in his palm - "Zou Ji's Advice to the King of Qi", and felt that the sentence structure was extremely familiar.
Is it not only the disciples of the Hehuan Sect who like to compete in beauty, but also the disciples of the Sword Sect as well?
Jiang Yan tentatively replied: "You are very beautiful, how can Han Lin compare to you?"
Gu Jingyun: "..."
Gu Jingyun was choked and speechless. Sometimes, he really wanted to know what was going on in Jiang Yan's head.
"I'm not competing for beauty..." Gu Jingyun said weakly.
"What are you asking?" Jiang Yan asked good-temperedly.
Gu Jingyun lost all his strength and means to the wooden spirit. He sighed and said, "Forget it, it's not a big deal. Ah Yan, just pretend I didn't ask."
He didn't want to say anything, and Jiang Yan couldn't force him to speak, so he could only say "oh" and lower his head to read his book.
The carriage was quiet for a while.
It’s been a long time since I was defeated by the wood spirit. I should have gotten used to it.
Gu Jingyun quickly recovered himself and his expression returned to normal. He even poured tea himself and asked Jiang Yan to drink it.
Jiang Yan held the teacup and looked at the man's smiling face.
I looked left and right, but couldn't see anything unusual.
We weren't competing for beauty just now, so what were you asking about?
Jiang Yan didn't ask, but thought about it in private behind Gu Jingyun's back.
The carriage was supposed to travel along the official road and gallop all the way into the territory of Zhongzhou.
But with the addition of Yang Yuan to the team, the route shifted.
Yang Yuan's home is in a remote village. The official road cannot lead directly to it, so one has to take a mountain path and then cross a mountain.
It is not necessary for everyone to follow over the mountains and across the rivers. After walking for a while on a small path, the others can rest on the spot and a small team of Sirius Guards can be sent to send the people back.
Yang Yuan kowtowed to his benefactors once again and followed the Tianlang Guards.
It was already late at night, the sky was covered with rosy clouds, and the weary birds were returning to the forest.
The team that was to send Yang Yuan home had just set out, and the trip back and forth would probably take quite a bit of time. Even if they didn't wait for them to leave first, they would not have enough time to reach the next post station.
Gu Jingyun simply ordered them to set up camp on the spot and spend the night in the wild.
The Sirius Guards had spent the night in the wild many times and were very experienced. They quickly found an open space beside a stream and set up their tent.
They were well-trained and had clear division of labor. Soon, several large tents were firmly erected, a bonfire was lit in the middle of the camp, and a large pot was set up to boil thick soup.
They are all monks who can practice fasting, so there is nothing wrong with not eating.
But drinking a mouthful of hot soup will make your stomach feel better.
A silly wolf guard caught a few wild rabbits and wanted to give them to the young master and the immortal king as a snack. Before he could even claim the credit, he was stopped by Song Hua halfway.
"Are you stupid?" Song Hua scolded him, "The Immortal King is a rabbit demon, and you let the rabbit demon eat rabbits?"
The Wolf Guards were horrified: "!! I know I was wrong!"
Ling Hanzhang was also shocked: "What? Jiang Yan is a rabbit demon?"
Everyone then remembered that Ling Hanzhang knew nothing about this matter.
"If you have any other inside information, tell us quickly!" Ling Hanzhang urged quickly.
Song Hua had no choice but to take the person aside and whisper to him.
Ling Hanzhang's expression changed several times, and finally stopped at a meaningful expression of "So that's it".
Song Hua: "Don't tell anyone, or the young master will kill you."
Ling Hanzhang patted his chest and said, "Keep your mouth shut!"
Song Hua was worried, so he turned around and went to look for Gu Jingyun.
Under Jiang Yan's curious gaze, Gu Jingyun grabbed his junior brother by the back of his neck and, on the pretext of "discussing and checking homework," dragged the terrified brother into the woods.
When it comes out again.
Gu Jingyun looked refreshed and his clothes were neat.
Ling Hanzhang was visibly much more honest, and looked a bit embarrassed, as if he had been taught a lesson.
During this period, Song Hua led people to hunt a few pheasants, and caught two fish on the way back.
Ji Tongling is a first-class grilling expert and he just sat there as the chef throughout the whole process.
The processed pheasants were roasted over fire and sprinkled with seasonings. The aroma was so fragrant that even the brothers who were used to fasting couldn't help swallowing their saliva.
Ji Ziheng put the roasted chicken on a plate and first gave it to Gu Jingyun and Jiang Yan.
When I turned around, the pheasants that were originally on the grill had already been snatched away.
Fallen leaves floated through the air, and the breeze was gentle, leaving him with only the aroma of roasted chicken in the air.
Ling Hanzhang was not skilled in the job and was a beat slow when grabbing the chicken leg, and Ji Ziheng saw his afterimage.
Ji Ziheng: “…”
Veins on his forehead jumped as he yelled, "If you want to eat, roast it yourself. Don't take my dinner—assholes! I told you to put my chicken legs down!!"
Commander Ji was furious and beat up everyone he caught. The camp was in chaos and it was very lively.
Except for the young master and the immortal king, all the people who ate the chicken legs were hit several times by Ji Ziheng. With bumps on their foreheads, they all fled into the mountains with their heads in their hands, catching prey in the night to appease Ji Ziheng's anger.
Even Ling Hanzhang followed Song Hua to catch pheasants.
Jiang Yan sat by the campfire and watched their lively conversation while eating.
Commander Ji is a great cook, and his chicken legs are delicious. He is also very skilled, and has no rivals in the arena—except for him and the young master, who are living a peaceful life here.
Chew.
Chew.
It’s lively and beautiful, and the chicken legs are really delicious.
Jiang Yan is very happy.
Gu Jingyun was watching from the side and was very puzzled.
The menu was changed drastically that day. It could be said that he had no place to vent his anger and acted impulsively under the influence of alcohol.
But today, Ayan didn't drink a drop of wine, and his expression didn't look depressed at all. Instead, he ate very happily.
I have never seen a rabbit demon like to eat chicken legs. Is A Yan really a rabbit demon?
The man took out a carrot and handed it over tentatively.
"I have some radishes here. They're washed. Do you want some?"
Jiang Yan: “…”
No matter how much you love to eat vegetarian food, you won’t chew radishes dry!
There was a hint of disdain in Jiang Yan's eyes.
Gu Jingyun was even more surprised: "You don't like carrots?"
Jiang Yan said tactfully: "I like it, but...does brother like to eat raw meat?"
In an instant, all doubts were dispelled and Gu Jingyun suddenly realized.
"I am inconsiderate."
The man stood up and said to Jiang Yan, "Wait for me here."
The sword of self-examination was suddenly unsheathed.
Gu Jingyun touched the ground with his toes, jumped upwards, and landed steadily on the sword.
"Where are you going?" Jiang Yan asked hurriedly.
The guards who were still in the camp stopped what they were doing.
Ji Ziheng also cast his gaze over and asked, "Young Master? Is there anything important you want to tell me?"
Gu Jingyun replied: "Nothing, I'll be back soon. Please wait here for a moment."
After saying this, the Sword of Questioning suddenly turned into a stream of light and rushed away into the distance.
Jiang Yan and Ji Ziheng looked at each other.
"Just follow the original instructions and do your own things. Don't worry about it." Jiang Yan comforted.
Ji Ziheng nodded, sat down again, and focused on grilling the meat.
Half an hour later, Gu Jingyun came back.
At that time, Ji Ziheng was grilling the third plate. He ignored the looks from Song Hua, Ling Hanzhang and others asking for more food, and turned around to share it with Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan was satisfied after eating one or two to try the taste. If he ate more, he would feel it was greasy and quickly waved his hand to refuse.
The Demon-Breaking Sword placed on the stone hummed slightly.
Jiang Yan subconsciously looked up to look for the man, and indeed saw the man stepping on the Sword of Questioning and flying towards him.
The Sword of Conscience landed.
Gu Jingyun jumped down, moved his fingers, and the sword automatically returned to its sheath.
Jiang Yan asked: "What did you do just now?"
Gu Jingyun didn't answer, just waved his hand.
A small table suddenly appeared in the empty space in front of him, and on it were six or seven plates of delicious vegetarian dishes.
There was also a large bowl of rice, several empty bowls and chopsticks.
Everyone: “???”
Jiang Yan was surprised and asked, "Where did the food come from?"
Gu Jingyun: "There is no village or store in the distance, so I had to go back to Yizhou and order the kitchen to cook it on the spot, put it in the Xumi Ring, and send it to you as quickly as possible."
Jiang Yan hesitated to speak: "..."
Is this another use for flying a sword?
Others: “…”
The young master/senior brother would think of any tricks to let his sweetheart have a bite of hot food.
"High-speed and low-altitude sword flying is prohibited in the suburbs. Brother is speeding again." Jiang Yan reminded.
Gu Jingyun didn't care: "Just pay the fine later."
He picked up the bowl and chopsticks and stuffed them into Jiang Yan's hands.
"These are all the vegetarian dishes you like. There are vegetables, carrots, and mushrooms. Eat them quickly. Don't starve."
A bunch of people cast their glances overtly or covertly, their eyes flashing with a light that every Hehuan Sect disciple was extremely familiar with—the light of gossip.
Jiang Yan: “…”
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, even though the chef was an excellent vegetarian cook, Jiang Yan couldn't put down his chopsticks.
"I can't finish it all by myself..." Jiang Yan hinted.
Gu Jingyun seemed to have expected this. He raised his hand and another large table appeared on the open space.
The table was filled with dishes - they didn't just stick to vegetarian dishes here, they had everything, and the dishes were stacked up between shelves, filling up the table.
"Move the table away and find your bowls and chopsticks." Gu Jingyun said.
The Sirius Guards are ecstatic!
The young master is really a good boss who cares about his subordinates. When he brings food to his sweetheart, he also remembers to bring some for his subordinates as well.
Ling Hanzhang smiled happily and immediately ordered people to carry the table away.
Song Hua quickly followed.
Ji Ziheng didn't mention sharing the roast chicken. He bowed, took a pair of bowls and chopsticks from the table, turned around and rushed towards the table of food.
Gu Jingyun was very well prepared and even conjured up two wooden chairs.
"Ayan, sit down."
Jiang Yan was disheveled in the wind.
Aren't the conditions for camping in the wild supposed to be more difficult? How come except for sleeping in a tent at night, everything else is no different from before?
But I have to say that Gu Jingyun is still very good at understanding Jiang Yan's taste.
Jiang Yan said "I'm full" and "I'm tired of it". Gu Jingyun brought the table of food and coaxed him softly, and he ate a lot more without realizing it.
After a satisfying meal, Jiang Yan rubbed his bloated stomach and took a walk around the camp to help digest the food.
As he walked, he thought that his brother really raised him very well.
He wouldn't let him taste even a little bitterness.
After strolling around twice, the night was getting darker and in the distance a group of people holding torches were walking quickly towards us.
Jiang Yan guessed that it was the Tianlang Guard who sent Yang Yuan back to the village, and took the initiative to greet them.
When they got closer, they saw that it was indeed that group of people. Yang Yuan was still in the middle of the team. Everyone had an ugly look on their faces, and there was even some panic in Yang Yuan's eyes.
"My Lord, I have failed to perform my duties properly." The leading team leader bowed.
"What happened?" Jiang Yan asked.
The others all came over after hearing the noise, and Gu Jingyun also asked, "Why did you go and come back?"
The captain knelt on one knee and apologized, "I led the team to escort Yang Yuan back to the village. Everything went smoothly, but something unexpected happened when we were about to reach the village entrance."
"The roads leading to the village are all shrouded in thick fog. Even if you leave signs along the way, you will get lost a few times and end up back where you started, unable to find the exit."
"…Is it a maze?" Jiang Yan frowned.
"It sounds somewhat similar, but we need to go there and see it in person to know what kind of formation it is," said Song Hua.
Ling Hanzhang looked at Yang Yuan.
"Are there other monks in your village? Or have there been any among your ancestors?"
The life span of a cultivator is different from that of a mortal. Just because there is no such thing in this life does not mean there was no such thing hundreds of years ago. Perhaps a cultivator who had left the village to cultivate before returned to the village hundreds of years later.
As for why they used formations to surround the village, this is another point of doubt.
Yang Yuan thought about it carefully and shook his head, "I don't remember."
"That's strange." Ling Hanzhang touched his chin and said, "It's such a remote village. If it weren't for sending Yang Yuan back, no one would have noticed this fog."
Gu Jingyun thought of something and his expression suddenly changed.
"Does your village usually interact much with other villagers?" he asked in a deep voice.
Yang Yuan still shook his head.
"It's too remote, surrounded by mountains and steep roads, making it inconvenient to travel. The village has fields and rivers, and is self-sufficient. Apart from occasionally going out to the market to buy some daily necessities that are not available in the village, people rarely leave the city, and almost no outsiders come here."
"Many villages here are like this. It's only when people from two villages marry each other that things get a little more lively."
Gu Jingyun nodded slightly: "Okay, I understand."
Ji Ziheng asked: "Young Master, can I go check it out?"
"No need, I have a guess in my mind, but I'm not sure yet."
Gu Jingyun said: "The night is darker and the dew is heavier, the vision is poor, and the thicker the fog is, the harder it is to see the whole formation."
"Rest here for one night and set off again tomorrow to break the formation." Gu Jingyun looked at Song Hua, "Get ready."
Song Hua is a formation practitioner, so if it is really a formation, he will have to contribute.
Song Hua clasped his fists and replied, "Yes, Young Master!"
Gu Jingyun said calmly: "Give orders, no more fighting or drinking, and those on duty at night must be on high alert."
"Yes!" everyone responded.
Ji Ziheng frowned and went to confirm the personnel on duty again. Song Hua led a team and decided to check the area around the camp again to avoid potential dangers.
The tents are all well-sized and just right for our own people.
Suddenly, Yang Yuan appeared, and it would be wrong to put him anywhere, not to mention that Gu Jingyun was somewhat wary of him.
Gu Jingyun ordered: "Hanzhang, Yang Yuan will sleep in the same tent with you tonight."
He gave his junior fellow apprentice a look, signaling him to be more alert.
Ling Hanzhang immediately understood, put his arm around Yang Yuan, and took him away.
"Come on, come on, brother. Are you tired? Go to bed early today... Not tired? Then tell me about the situation nearby. Tell me whatever you know."
Jiang Yan asked nervously, "What about me?"
Gu Jingyun smiled and said, "Ayan, go to bed early too. I'm here, everything will be fine."
If you get enough rest, you will have the energy to deal with whatever happens tomorrow.
That's the truth.
When Jiang Yan was sleeping in his little tent, tossing and turning and unable to fall asleep, he suddenly felt a sense of emptiness in his heart for no reason.
Maybe it happened too suddenly.
One moment they were just chatting and laughing with each other, and the next second, a storm was about to come.
Even the chirping of cicadas in the quiet night seems like the calm before the storm.
Jiang Yan couldn't sleep. He stared at the top of the tent with his eyes open. Suddenly, he thought of Gu Jingyun's series of inexplicable actions during the day.
He thought about it for a long time, and had a vague special feeling in his heart, but he couldn't grasp it.
Jiang Yan turned over again and wanted to sleep.
But whether he opened his eyes or closed them, Gu Jingyun's figure and the scenes of their time together would appear before his eyes.
Gu Jingyun was swift and decisive when giving orders to his subordinates, and was dashing and heroic when riding a horse.
There is also Gu Jingyun practicing sword in the bamboo forest, with a sharp brow and exquisite sword skills.
When Jiang Yan was staring in a daze, the man suddenly turned his head and looked at him. The stern murderous look in his black eyes was like ice and snow meeting spring, which disappeared in an instant and turned into a gentle "Ayan, you are here."
In the flowers, Gu Jingyun, dressed in black, sat cross-legged with the Jiuxiaoqin on his knees. He looked up and smiled at him.
On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, he was playing the flute on the roof. Gu Jingyun smiled and looked up at him, with the stars and him reflected in his eyes.
The more I think about it, the more upset I become.
It seems like there are thousands of thoughts stuck in my chest, which I can’t express or explain.
Jiang Yan pushed aside the quilt and climbed up.
He opened the tent and went out. After a few seconds, he remembered something and turned back quickly, bending down and picking up the pillow he had forgotten.
Ji Ziheng happened to be on night watch.
He saw the Immortal Lord get up in the middle of the night and was about to go up to ask, but he saw Jiang Yan holding a pillow and going into the young master's tent without hesitation.
Ji Ziheng: “…”
Ji Ziheng turned around slowly and sat farther away from the young master's tent.
Why feed him food so late?
The food tonight was very good and rich, and I couldn’t eat any of it.
Inside the tent.
Someone opened his tent without saying hello.
Although the whole process was silent, without even the sound of footsteps, Gu Jingyun was still suddenly awakened.
The man suddenly opened his eyes, and when he half stood up, he already had the Sword of Inquiry in his hand. Then, he paused.
The cloth curtain was pulled up, revealing a gap in the tent that was originally tightly closed, and someone came in with the cool breeze and cold air of the night.
The evening breeze brought a familiar scent.
Gu Jingyun put down the sword.
"It's me." Jiang Yan whispered.
"Why are you here instead of sleeping in the middle of the night?" Gu Jingyun asked.
Jiang Yan said embarrassedly: "I can't sleep."
Can I fall asleep just by coming here?
Gu Jingyun was helpless.
"I gave my brother a pillow, so he should give me half of the bed."
Jiang Yan's ears were tinged with a faint pink, and his face was filled with heat.
He felt a little cheeky.
Tents are different from inns. The beds in tents are simple and much narrower. It would be fine on normal days, but now they are trying to grab half of Gu Jingyun's bed.
I feel quite embarrassed.
Jiang Yan said without much confidence: "I want to sleep with my brother, is that ok?"
It's normal to be rejected.
Because the bed is too small, it is spacious enough for one person, but a bit crowded for two people.
The man didn't reply for a long time.
Jiang Yan turned around consciously: "Okay, I went too far. Then I won't bother you anymore..."
Before he could finish his words, his hand was tightly grasped by someone.
"Don't go."
In the night, Gu Jingyun's voice was deep and gentle.
Jiang Yan turned around and saw that the man had sat up and moved out a seat that was large enough for one person.
Gu Jingyun held him tightly and refused to let go.
"Not at all. I'll give you half of the bed. Come here."
It was very dark in the tent, but Jiang Yan had excellent night vision.
He saw the tenderness in the man's eyes.
Jiang Yan's heart moved, and without thinking, he blurted out: "At that time in the morning, did you want to ask - how do you feel in my heart?"
Gu Jingyun could hardly believe his ears.
?
Is this true or false?
Will the wood spirit ever have a day when it becomes wise?
If the skin touched by my palms wasn't so delicate and smooth, and had the temperature of a human body, the person in front of me would have seemed so real.
Gu Jingyun almost suspected that this was an illusion or a dream.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Jiang Yan thought he had guessed wrong.
"Isn't it?" His ears turned completely red, and he was embarrassed for saying the wrong thing.
"...Yes." Gu Jingyun said, "Ayan, do you want to give me an answer?"
Jiang Yan nodded, his beautiful eyes full of seriousness.
"Brother, there is no need to compare yourself with others."
"In my heart, you are unique."
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