As the night gradually grew, Luancheng's annual Lantern Festival kicked off.
Since it is a lantern festival, the word "bright" is important.
At first, as the dusk faded away, Luancheng was like a baby just waking up from a deep sleep. Everything was murky, dark and hazy.
When it opened its eyes, eternal lamps, lanterns and candles were lit in clusters, and the streets and alleys were brightly lit. The halo of light spread, making the whole city seem like daytime.
The dry night air enveloped the entire city, and the intermittent and scattered lights were like stars and fire. When Ningning stepped into the street, she squinted her eyes because of the dazzling and colorful lights.
"There are lanterns over here, and there are little lights in the shape of animals."
Zheng Weiqi drank a bowl of osmanthus porridge, her pupils turning bright orange in the light: "At a time like this, I should have passed by a handsome man. He knocked me backwards, and in a split second -!"
"He grabbed your wrist and pulled you up. Under the influence of inertia, you were pulled into his arms without any explanation. The two of you looked at each other affectionately, and a little spark of love collided."
Ningning took over the conversation cooperatively and took a bite of the candied haws in her hand.
Having said that, judging from Senior Sister Zheng's actual situation, the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator should not be underestimated. If an ordinary person collides with her sword energy...
Then it becomes a full-blown horror movie, Final Destination.
"But what do you think those elders are thinking?"
Zheng Weiqi said, "They actually asked us to go to the Demon Refining Tower for training - is that a place normal people would go?"
Lin Xun couldn't help but shiver when he heard the three words "Demon Refining Tower".
The elders recently announced the trial site for the second round of the Ten Dharma Conference. For the vast majority of disciples, this was like a bolt from the blue.
The Demon Refining Tower was built before the great war between immortals and demons. When the fighting was fierce, it naturally became the main target of attack by the demons and was almost breached several times.
Fortunately, many elders from the immortal sects joined forces to guard the tower, so as to prevent the demons from coming into the world and disturbing the human world.
Only a few people have ever entered the Demon Refining Tower, and most people, including Ningning, have only heard of this name in rumors and stories.
The giant tower was built by Kunshan. Inside the tower, numerous monsters and demons were imprisoned. All of them were cruel, violent, crazy and bloodthirsty. They had killed countless civilians and were called "the most dangerous place" by the world.
"It's good enough that I managed to save my life this time. We still have to compete in the end."
He Zhizhou bought a rabbit lantern and fiddled with its ears. "Although the specific method of the competition has not been revealed yet, what else can we do in the Monster Refining Tower? Let's see who kills more."
This is actually a very straightforward method. There is no fancy intrigue involved. Victory depends entirely on personal strength. Any school can demonstrate its prowess in the field it excels in. Apart from the safety issue, there are no other problems.
——However, the elders have prepared carefully for so long, and they should have implemented protective measures long ago to ensure that the Ten Dharma Assembly would not fall into a massacre of demons.
"Let's not talk about this for now! Today is the Lantern Festival. If you miss it, it will be difficult to encounter such a grand event again in the future."
Zheng Weiqi chuckled: "I've heard that there is a Yuxia Mountain in Luan City, which is the best place to see the whole city. Come on, Senior Sister will take you to see it!"
So a group of young disciples under Tianxianzi, including Jiang Si who had nothing to do and acted as a follower, came to Yuxia Mountain together under her leadership.
The forest is particularly eerie and mysterious after nightfall, not to mention that there are no other buildings or people here except a temple at the foot of the mountain.
When Ningning looked up, she could only see the dark shadows of trees swaying in the wind, like huge waves one after another, whimpering up and down in the night.
She came here with great interest, but she never expected that before the group had the chance to enter the mountain to find out what was going on, they were stopped at the foot of the mountain by a burly monk.
"Amitabha, Yuxia Mountain belongs to my Luming Temple. The abbot has specifically instructed that outsiders are not allowed to enter during the Lantern Festival."
The monk was nearly two meters tall, and when he stood there motionless, he looked like a standing cylindrical wooden pestle. "In the past few years, people from the city flocked here, and the birds and animals in the mountains were all frightened. All living things have spirits, so it's better not to disturb them anymore—"
When he said this, his expression suddenly changed. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and stared at Lin Xun without blinking: "Look at this dragon horn... Could it be Taoist Priest Lin Xun from the Xuanxu Sword Sect?"
Lin Xun was called out of nowhere, his back stiffened subconsciously, and he nodded blankly.
"Then this person must be Taoist Priest Zheng, Taoist Priest Ning, Taoist Priest Meng, Taoist Priest Pei——"
The monk's eyes swept across everyone's faces. When he saw Jiang Si, his voice became noticeably louder, his eyes as round as his forehead: "Elder Tianxian!"
Ah, what Elder Tianxian? Of course he is not.
Jiang Si was about to refute, but he heard Meng Jue beside him say seriously: "That's right. Young Master has good eyesight."
Jiang Si:……?
"I am Wujing, Elder Tianxian, I have always wanted to see you in person!"
The monk took a step forward excitedly: "You are the dawn of righteousness and the spokesperson of swordsmanship. It has always been my wish to meet Elder Tianxian!"
Jiang Si: "I——"
"Master, you don't have to be so flattered!"
Zheng Weiqi grabbed his arm and whispered in secret while saying this: "Whether we can reach Yuxia Mountain today depends entirely on you!"
Jiang Si: ...
Jiang Si's mouth twitched: "Oh."
Ning Ning also smiled and said, "Since the young master admires the master so much, why not talk to him more?"
Wu Jing was even happier after hearing the promise: "Really? Of all the deeds in Elder Tianxian's life, the one that impressed me the most was when he killed a nine-headed giant dragon with one sword at Fengdu Ridge while everyone else was seriously injured. I wonder if Elder could tell me the details of the scene that day?"
What is Fengduling? What is the nine-headed giant dragon?
Jiang Si really wanted to answer "no".
But the vicious and cruel eyes of several people around him were staring at him, making him feel like a thorn in his back and extremely painful. He just felt so pitiful. These sword cultivators were not human.
“That was a day I will never forget.”
He took a deep breath and quietly signaled to the people around him, trying to seek support. But Zheng Weiqi was whistling and playing with her fingernails, Ning Ning put her hands behind her back and looked down at her feet, and the rest, although still alive, were actually dead, standing there motionless and silent.
Damn it, a bunch of useless trash.
"That giant dragon came at me with such force that my fellow disciples fell to the ground like noodles, foaming at the mouth, their bodies lying on the ground, their hair hanging sideways, their voices drooping, I felt so sorry for them..."
Jiang Si mobilized all his vocabulary reserves, but suddenly realized a very serious problem.
All his recent readings are from Zheng Weiqi's indescribable short stories.
"As a swordsman, how can I let my companions suffer such a disaster! I am so heartbroken! My tears burst out uncontrollably, I swing my sword wildly, I roar and scream, I tear my hair like a mad wolf until there is nothing left. I want to kill it! Ugh——!"
As he was making up stories, he actually came up with emotions. He pounded a tree beside him with a ferocious look on his face, panting heavily:
"I fought with it for three hundred rounds, stabbing my sharp sword into its body without mercy. It groaned, it screamed, it wagged its tail and begged for mercy under me, and I laughed so crazily! Hahahaha! My sword is a rare and famous weapon, how could a small evil dragon like it break free! I swung my sword hard and sprinted forward, letting out an incomparably happy roar——!"
Help! This story is getting more and more wrong!
Ningning was stunned when she heard this. After thinking it over, she realized that it was not the wind that was moving, but her heart; it was not that Jiang Si's words were dirty, but that her heart was already dirty.
After Jiang Si finished speaking, he still maintained the posture of hammering the tree with his hands, and took another deep breath while suppressing his red eyes.
There was a sound of applause from the ear, it was the always gentle and elegant Meng Jue, "As expected of you, Master, you really made it so vivid that it almost brought me to tears."
Although Wu Jing felt that something was not quite right, he could only clap along in confusion: "The visuals are very vivid, you are worthy of being Elder Tianxian!"
Jiang Si curled the corners of his mouth, shook his messy hair, and sneered from his throat.
"Oh, I have another question!"
Wu Jing was very happy to hear this and asked curiously, "Elder Tianxian was born with a sword bone and became famous at a young age. I wonder if he has any secrets to practice it?"
He knows a snakeskin club hammer.
Jiang Si’s smile froze.
"I know that!"
Useless waste number one Zheng Weiqi was the first to send a message: "Master practices for six hours every day, and is always trying to figure out the sword manual. I heard that in order to save time, he uses river water to bathe—"
Before she finished her words, another voice sounded in Jiang Si's head.
Useless waste number two Ning Ning spoke quickly: "I know, I know! When he was hungry, he ate steamed buns that had been left overnight. Later, he simply practiced fasting to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. He bought sword manuals one after another. In order to make money, he even sold his pants and almost went to a brothel."
Then there was useless waste number three He Zhizhou: "Master uncle didn't eat or sleep during his training. He just chopped with a sword in the pagoda all day. If it were me, I would be so tired that I would commit suicide on the spot."
And the useless waste number four Meng Jue: "Just say that you practice swordsmanship day and night. Master practiced swordsmanship every day and almost went astray. Even when he became the elder of Xuanxu Sword Sect, he never stopped practicing."
Since the message was sent to Jiang Si alone, they could not hear each other's message.
If you look at them separately, perhaps each one makes sense, but when they are all gathered together in the same person's ears, they are no different from a garbled mess of words.
"Uh, I..."
Jiang Si wanted to escape, but the little monk in front of him looked at him with a sharp gaze, silently urging him to speak as soon as possible. Those words were put together in an extremely chaotic way. He thought about it for a long time in a daze, and finally chose to give up thinking.
"When I was hungry, I ate the bath water that had been left overnight. I spent the whole day in the brothel chopping with my pants, and I was so tired that I became obsessed. In order to earn money, I even committed suicide on the spot. Even when I became the elder of the Xuanxu Sword Sect, I never stopped going to the brothel."
What is this.
The scene was silent.
Several people from the Xuanxu Sword Sect turned around and looked around at the scenery.
Only Wu Jing was horrified when he heard this. His pupils trembled, and his eyes, mouth and nostrils turned into natural circles. They looked extremely harmonious, just like donuts on a plate.
——Could this be the strongest swordsman of the contemporary era! fear! The ultimate terror!
Jiang Si tried hard to hold back the tears in his eyes: "Well, probably, maybe, this is it."
After that he laughed awkwardly a few times, and as if to make amends, he continued: "Actually, I can read books. Reading thousands of books will take you thousands of miles, hehehehahaha."
Wu Jing hesitated for a moment: "I wonder what kind of books Elder Tianxian is reading?"
Jiang Si was about to open his mouth when Zheng Weiqi immediately covered his mouth: "General Principles of Swordmanship!"
Actually it is "Records of Cultivation".
Ning Ning added seriously: "The Lone Light Sword Technique!"
Actually it is "The Bone Erosion: My Domineering Master".
Lin Xun almost cried after hearing this. In order to save his master's reputation, he timidly tried his best to help: "Also, there is also the Twelve Chapters of the Sword Scripture."
Actually it’s “Genius Son and Confused Mother”.
Jiang Si couldn't make a sound and could only nod.
“So that’s how it is!”
Wu Jing didn't know what he was thinking about. He lowered his head and scratched his bald head in embarrassment. A blush appeared on his face. "I have one last question... Actually, I have always wanted to practice sword with Elder Tianxian. What do you think, Elder?"
Fate is fair.
When you open a door for some people, you close a window for others.
Jiang Si has already foreseen his future.
Why does the wind today feel a bit spicy when it blows into my eyes?
=====
Jiang Si and Wu Jing went to practice swordplay.
Without the little monk's obstruction, climbing the mountain became particularly easy. Ningning went up along the mountain path, passed through layers of woods, and soon reached the top of the mountain.
Yuxia Mountain is not the highest, but it has the widest view. Standing on the top of the mountain and looking down, you can see the lights of thousands of homes.
In the middle of the night, neon lights mixed with the billowing smoke from the Longyin River, creating layers of mist with a faint glow, like a veil rippling in the wind, covering the pearl-like lights.
As for the Longyin River, it was filled with flickering flames. Looking down from a high place, it really looked like a circling dragon, with smoke and waves surging on its side, and it was extremely imposing.
Ningning was dazzled by what she saw, and Zheng Weiqi's chatter was playing in her ears on a loop. When she turned her head inadvertently, she saw Lin Xun's shadow in the corner.
Xiao Bailong was separated from everyone by a small distance. The entire top of the mountain was reflected with a faint light, except for the place where he was, which was shrouded in the shadows of the trees, and covered with a shadow as thick as a dark cloud.
He was concentrating on looking at the scenery below the mountain, but probably noticed Ningning's gaze and turned his head away hastily.
"What's the matter? Why are you standing here alone?"
Ningning walked to his side calmly, the light in front of her dimmed, leaving only a hazy shadow.
"I--"
He didn't expect anyone to come over, so he took a step back. Even though he had known Ningning for quite some time, Lin Xun still felt nervous when he was alone with her: "I think this place is great."
To be precise, he rarely spends time alone with anyone or talks to anyone.
Ningning leaned against the tree trunk, put her hands behind her back, raised her eyes and asked him softly: "How do you feel about your time in the sect?"
Lin Xun didn't dare to look at her and just said "hmm" softly.
Like Pei Ji, he is the type who keeps to himself and doesn't fit in in the sect.
But unlike the latter, Pei Ji deliberately separated himself from other people and hated unnecessary contact with others; and although Lin Xun wanted to get to know more people, he always stopped moving forward because of fear and wrapped himself in an absolutely safe cocoon.
He hated himself for being like this, but he could do nothing about it.
The scene here reminded Lin Xun of the accident in his childhood.
He fell into the abyss alone, with a ghostly giant evil spirit beside him. As he fell, he could see the fire of the city in the distance.
The lights were bright and dazzling, and seemed to be very close, but when he stretched out his hand, he could only touch the empty bubbles.
Just like now.
There were lights everywhere in Luancheng, and even Yuxia Mountain was dotted with bright colors, but the mountain forest itself was actually pitch black, without any light at all.
He was not good at speaking, and there seemed to be an awkward silence between him and Ningning.
Lin Xun was feeling anxious and was trying to think about how to talk to her when he suddenly heard Ningning's voice.
She kept laughing: "By the way, I have something for you."
Lin Xun looked up blankly.
The two of them stood under the silent and dim shade of the tree, as if completely isolated from the noise of the outside world.
The girl next to him half lowered her head, searching for something in the storage bag. Some light leaked in from the gaps between the branches and fell on the tip of her small nose.
Ningning immediately raised the corner of her mouth, and a ray of faint light illuminated her white knuckles.
The dragon boy opened his eyes wide in shock.
What appeared in her hand was the night-shining pearl that he had been longing for.
Lin Xun was speechless.
When he was in that abyss, he had longed for someone to pull him up, and in despair he had hoped to touch the unreachable light.
But no one came.
Even though he was later rescued from the abyss, due to his drastic change in temperament, no one except his family was willing to contact him.
——He is so troublesome that he is shy even to speak a word. He cannot trust anyone around him. He can only stay where he is like a piece of wood, alone and isolated from the group.
Lin Xun knew Ningning's financial situation.
This bead could empty her small treasury.
Why...even so, I still want to buy it and give it to him.
"This is for you. You must do your best in this trial."
Ningning stood in the halo, raised her eyes and smiled at him: "When you feel scared when you are alone in the future, take it out and take a look at it, then you will think of us."
It was originally pitch dark here, but her arrival dispelled the darkness and filled the place with a gentle, dreamy white light.
What followed was the human breath, warmth and voice, accompanying him softly.
Lin Xun took a deep breath.
He felt a little hot in the corners of his eyes.
"Little, little senior sister——"
Lin Xun's eyes were filled with tears, and the white jade-like dragon horns were dyed light pink, and the tops were shaking gently: "When we return to Xuanxu Sect, I will give you all the watermelons, pumpkins, and cucumbers to eat, and I will also make fried melon rinds for you. I will never let you beg for food again."
Ning Ning chuckled, gently held his wrist, and stuffed the night pearl into the little white dragon's palm: "Okay."
=====
Zheng Weiqi used a whole month's worth of free scripts as a bargaining chip to make Jiang Si agree to practice sword with Wujing in the identity of Tian Xianzi.
When everyone came down from Yuxia Mountain, they happened to run into them outside the temple gate.
There was also a huge crowd of onlookers.
I don't know who is playing "Butterfly Dance" on the erhu in the distance. Amid the endless music, Jiang Si stood gracefully with Wu Jing, with a look of indifference to life and death, honor and disgrace, and an expressionless face.
The music plays and the sword is raised. They both stood on tiptoes, raised the edge of their swords, and let his hands rest gently on his shoulders.
Every movement seemed to be slowed down at 0.25 times the speed. Jiang Si raised his feet, touched the sword, spun around, and then touched the sword again. At first glance, it looks like a fluttering butterfly, stumbling and perched on a cylindrical stick.
Someone curiously asked, "Who is the person who practiced swordplay with Master Wujing?"
"I heard it was Elder Tianxian from the Xuanxu Sword Sect."
Someone responded: "As expected, you are the man who has conquered the entire Luan City. Your butterfly-like dance is so beautiful."
Jiang Si remained indifferent, still with an expressionless face. When he moved sideways forward, his entire thin body was grabbed by Wu Jing and lifted up high.
"Butterfly Dance" reached its climax at this moment, and the audience gasped at the same time.
He spun and flew, spun and flew, raising his index finger like the seven fairies flying in the sky, letting the long sword in his hand draw out one bright light after another. Finally, he flashed his body and performed an extremely difficult Thomas full spin on Wujing's hand.
Everyone present cheered continuously, and anyone who saw her would say from the bottom of their heart: "As expected of Elder Tianxian, she is so beautiful that it makes people intoxicated!"
What a beautiful rural evening romance. Zheng Weiqi was about to step forward to stop it, but she was caught off guard by Ning Ning's voice: "Senior sister, wait!"
She deliberately lowered her voice, as if she had seen something extremely frightening, and her tone was full of panic and fear.
Zheng Weiqi felt something and shifted her gaze away from Jiang Si and Wu Jing to look at the crowd of onlookers not far away.
Among the many people of Luancheng who praised them sincerely, the young man standing in the front was tall and handsome. When he looked at them and smiled softly, it was like a spring breeze on their faces.
Who else could it be other than their beloved master Tianxianzi.
I don’t know who sighed affectionately, “There is the envy of heaven in Luan City. One dance is enough to conquer the city, and another dance can conquer the country.”
Tian Xianzi smiled so kindly, and every word he said was as moving as a wild chrysanthemum blooming in the wind. He waved at them with great affection as he spoke.
Like a ghost who died with his eyes open.
"Come over here, you guys."
=====
It's really embarrassing to be caught impersonating someone else.
Fortunately, Tian Xianzi took into consideration the Dharma Assembly tomorrow and did not go crazy and kill them directly. Instead, he told them in an extremely gentle tone that the cemeteries in the north were the cheapest, and maybe they would be useful to his beloved little disciple when he came out after completing the trial and met him again.
He smiled so gently, like a kind and lovely old mother. Everyone was so moved that their eyes turned red. By the time they returned to the inn, it was already midnight.
Zheng Weiqi was a business person of integrity and she followed the agreement. As soon as she returned to the inn, she sold Pei Ji a copy of "Records of Cultivation".
The book was as thick as a brick and as hard as a hammer. If it hit someone, it would definitely make a big hole.
He took it and quickly put it into his storage bag. Before saying goodbye to Zheng Weiqi, he asked in a muffled voice, "Senior Sister, which chapter do I appear in?"
"you?"
Zheng Weiqi really never thought that he would actually ask such a question.
In her impression, Pei Ji was gloomy and aloof, always cold and indifferent. It seemed that there was only sword intent in his eyes, and everything around him had nothing to do with him.
Not to mention this ridiculous, clichéd love triangle drama, which has absolutely nothing to do with him. Now that they are forced together, it looks weird no matter how you look at it.
But she still answered honestly: "You just became Master's disciple, so you don't have many scenes. Just turn to the second to last chapter, which contains your first appearance."
So Pei Ji thanked him and returned to his room. The first thing he did was to sit on the edge of the bed and open the thick book to the penultimate chapter.
He read very quickly, almost ten lines at a glance. When he saw his own name, his gaze fixed slightly and he patiently continued reading.
The passage he was looking for would be there soon.
Pei Ji pursed his thin lips, and subconsciously slowed down his breathing as his eyes wandered left and right. For some reason, at this moment, he suddenly felt a little nervous and hesitant, and his heartbeat quickened.
[“Is that the master’s new disciple?”
Ningning leaned against the door, looking at the boy's back as he walked away, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
She looked deep, like a predator waiting for its prey to take the bait, and licked her lips with the tip of her tongue: "He looks so cute, he's my type... Look at him, does he look like a little wild cat?"
Zheng Weiqi said lazily: "This is a troublemaker. I think it's a long shot."
"So what if I'm a thorn in your side?"
Ningning just smiled: "I think I have fallen in love with him a little bit."
There was no further description of Pei Ji after that. As the book is still being serialized, this scene, which is comparable to a passerby, is his only appearance in "The Record of Cultivation".
"Oh my god! What kind of a shitty name is 'wildcat'? And that 'licking lips with the tip of the tongue', this is too hard to accept!"
This article is simply pouring greasy black dog blood directly into people's mouths. Cheng Ying sneered at it. Halfway through his words, he looked at Pei Ji. After a brief moment of daze, he couldn't help but scream:
"Pei Xiaoji! You, you, you actually blushed because of this? You're still laughing! God, do you know that your mouth is about to reach your ears?"
Damn it, how could this brat be so useless!
It thought Pei Ji had come to his senses and wanted to use this book to join in other people's conversations. However, it never expected that the reason he bought "Records of Cultivation" was only because He Zhizhou briefly mentioned it to Ning Ning, "I remember you seemed to be a little interested in Pei Ji."
Pei Ji looked cold and indifferent, and said without hesitation: "No."
Chengying relied on the fact that no one could hear him, and shouted unconvincedly: "Obviously there is! You just want to see what it would be like if Ningning liked you!"
It didn't get any response after it finished speaking. The spirit body bounced a few times in the sea of consciousness and roughly guessed Pei Ji's thoughts: "Hey, you don't want to refute? Give up resistance? Why is your face getting redder?"
Pei Ji still didn't respond. He fell back and lay on the bed with his upper body.
He used the book to cover his entire face. Others could not see his expression. They could only see the tall young man standing motionless, with his fingers turning gray from holding the pages of the book with too much force.
After a long while, he moved slightly, put "The Record of Cultivation" on the side of his head, then turned sideways and looked at the small words again.
A few strands of messy black hair were scattered on the paper, and Pei Ji's pupils were also dark, but without the usual sinisterness and cruelty, instead they were filled with cautiousness and an imperceptible timidity.
Chengying thought this boy was cute and pitiful, and asked him dryly: "If you really like Ningning, why don't you just tell her directly?"
Pei Ji didn't say anything, buried most of his face in the pillow, and stretched out his right hand without saying a word, touching the pages of the book.
The paper was cool and slightly rough to the touch.
His index finger moved slowly, lightly swiping across the words said by "Ningning" in the storybook, as if he was touching a precious treasure, and he was extremely nervous.
[Ningning just smiled: "I think I've already fallen in love with him."]
Ningning said she liked it.
Like him.
Even though the words were so pale, when Pei Ji saw it with his own eyes, his ears couldn't help but feel hot.
Although I told myself over and over in my heart that those were just ridiculous lies, my eyes were uncontrollably drawn to them. I didn't know how many times I repeated those words in my mind.
Although I was in a state of confusion, there was a hint of joy and happiness hidden inside.
"It's good like this now."
His nose was filled with the faint fragrance of trees. He looked at the words, a hint of self-mockery flashed in his eyes, and he finally responded to Chengying: "Friendship between fellow disciples... For someone like me, what more can I ask for?"
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