Yunyang City, the fourth night of falling snow.
The rumbling of carriages, the shouts of peddlers, the charming music of stringed instruments, and the cries of children all faded away in the thick night. In the darkness, only the cracking sound of dead branches under the pressure of the remaining snow and the whistling sound of the wind blowing through the alleys could be heard, mixed with the crisp clatter of silver bells under the eaves. It was long and harsh. The flying snow curtain fell all over the sky, and was rolled up high by the north wind before it reached the ground, beating on the long bluestone street like waves. The snow on the street was only carefully swept by the servants of the mansion during the day, and now it had accumulated a thick layer again. I was afraid that it would be another hard work before dawn.
In this city that is accustomed to good weather and prosperity, during the rare snowfall, there will definitely be stinking wine and meat in the rich houses, but it is rare to see frozen corpses on the roadside.
After all, in the wealthy city, beggars and stray cats are also well-off. Who doesn’t have a bridge hole to shelter from the cold snow, or a haystack to block the north wind?
The lonely ten-mile long street was suddenly filled with the sound of soft snow being stepped on, coming from far away and approaching, with a wonderful rhythm, neither fast nor slow. I saw a person walking in the snowy night, but he didn't look like an anxious person returning home, but more like a careless passerby.
The bright yellow lanterns hanging under the eaves of the red mansion fluttered in the wind and hit the white wall. The swaying and dim light sprinkled warm colors on the snow, giving people an illusion of temperature, and the light also reflected the shadow of the passerby. He was wearing a white robe, light fur, cloud-patterned brocade boots, and holding a sky-blue oil-paper umbrella with gold painting. A long sword was tied around his narrow waist, swaying slightly with his steps, like an exquisite decoration.
He walked on the snow, and the thick snow that should have sunk to his ankles only left shallow marks on the soles of his cloud boots.
He walked along the eaves of the vermilion gate to the innermost corner. The howling wind and swaying tree shadows became strangely quiet.
In the blind spot where the lantern could not reach was a curled-up black shadow.
At this moment, the black shadow suddenly raised his head, but just glanced at the person who came, and quickly lowered his head again.
But the man did not leave, as if he had discovered something interesting, or perhaps it was too lonely to walk alone on a snowy night. He looked at the skinny child in front of him.
The child was wrapped in a half-mat over a worn cotton gown, leaning against the wall in the best position to preserve his temperature and strength. In such weather, the fox fur blanket was not enough to keep him warm. The child had been there for an unknown amount of time, his eyes were dark blue, his breathing was weak, and even if he could remain conscious now, he would die quietly after midnight.
The visitor had no sympathy at all, but seemed to have thought of something, and asked, "Do you want to enroll in Lanyuan Academy?"
There was a hint of obscurity in his voice, which was unique to a teenager in the puberty period.
The child frowned. It was a huge waste for him to speak. But he remembered that it was very rude not to answer when someone asked him a question.
He knew how to save energy, and the words he uttered were barely audible, low and short: "Yes."
The visitor smiled and said, "I am Wei Jingfeng, do you want to be my apprentice?"
Everyone knew the three words "Wei Jingfeng", and no one dared to acknowledge this name, even though the man in front of him looked like a young gentleman from Zhangtai.
But who says a sword master can't be a young man? This name is enough to change the world.
Unfortunately, on this night and in this place, the only listener is this one child and the snow is blowing all over the sky, so there is no chance of seeing any touching scene of people crying.
The child ignored his self-proclaimed and inconsistent attitude, and did not even bat an eyelid, but asked, "What's the benefit?"
Wei Jingfeng thought it was a little funny. No one had asked him such a question for many years. But he didn't laugh, because the child asked very seriously. He really didn't know what benefit it would bring. He thought about it and answered seriously, "If you become my apprentice and seek power, you will be the national teacher, powerful and wealthy enough to rival a country, and become the faith of thousands of people. Countless people will kneel at your feet and beg you to look at them like ants..."
The child didn't say anything, still leaning against the corner in the most energy-saving posture.
Wei Jingfeng continued, "If you practice Taoism, then you will climb to the edge of the sea and practice the best sword techniques. You will become very strong, and people will respect and fear you, because you can cause millions of deaths and blood to flow with just a thought. You can control life and death at will and no one dares to interfere."
With a "crunch", the accumulated snow broke the green calyx of the plum tree. The wind and snow became colder.
Even in the heaviest snowstorm, Wei Jingfeng could still hear clearly the child saying, "No."
This answer, which was not thought out but was serious enough, obviously surprised him and... puzzled him.
The young man raised his eyebrows slightly, "Why? What Canglan Academy can give you, I can give you a hundred times."
The child really didn't want to speak anymore, but out of politeness, he explained the reason.
"Food is provided there."
“Hahahahahaha—”
Wei Jingfeng laughed loudly, and his laughter resounded through the sky, causing the snow on the eaves to fall down and the withered plum branches to tremble slightly.
After he finished laughing, he seemed to be in a very good mood and said, "I'll also provide meals."
The child finally raised his eyes, staring at him with his dark eyes, as if to confirm the trustworthiness of the man in front of him who provided meals.
Wei Jingfeng almost jumped up and down, "How can I, a great sword master, lie to you?! Do you know how many people are rushing to..."
"good."
Wei Jingfeng was suddenly stunned because the child pulled up the corner of his wide sleeves. It was almost instinctive that he wanted to attack when the skinny little hand approached, but he held back. This feeling was too unfamiliar because no one had touched him for many years. Everyone who saw him was in awe of him and stayed away from him. Those who wanted to get close to him were here to kill him, and they all died.
The frail child stood up tremblingly by pulling the edge of his clothes. Then he loosened his hand, leaving a dirty handprint on his white fur coat.
The child thought for a moment and said, "I'm sorry."
Wei Jingfeng regretted it a little. It was not because he accepted the disciple so hastily, but because he didn't know how to answer. No one had ever said these three words to him. In the past few hundred years, he had hardly had a peaceful conversation with anyone.
He tried, but it was always seen as a provocation or disdain, which always angered others and made them draw their swords, and in the end he could only defeat or kill that person. Just like just now, he thought there was nothing wrong with what he said, and every word was true, but if someone else heard it, they would think he was showing pity and charity from a superior position.
So, he really didn't know how to get along with people... or rather, how to get along with his disciples. What should he say at a time like this?
"It doesn't matter."
Yes, I am the master, how can I let my apprentice see that I am ignorant of worldly ways.
The child was silent, too. He didn't know what to say, "Hello, Master" or "Hello, Master"? How did other people accept disciples? He didn't know. In fact, he had hardly spoken a word all the way from the far northern wilderness to Yunyang City in Zhonglu. The mute servant who took care of him died. Before he died, he told him to go to Yunyang City in Zhongdu to see the world and preferably find a school to learn skills. He buried the old woman, packed his only two sets of clothes in a bag and set off. The silver coins were all spent before he arrived in Yunyang. Because he was too young and ate a lot, although he was stronger, few places were willing to hire him as a worker.
The tuition fees of other schools are very high, so of course he can't afford it. However, in the past half month, Yunyang City, which used to be bustling with traffic, has become even more crowded, and it is difficult to move. He just heard that Lanyuan Academy is going to open its doors to accept disciples. This academy is really good. It doesn't charge tuition. Not only can you get food, but you can also see the world and learn skills. Of course, he didn't wait here all the time. He used to be on an abandoned boat. These days, he heard that the academy's examination for disciples was imminent, so he came to wait at the door.
Until now, he still didn't understand why when he asked how to get into the academy, those people had strange expressions on their faces, mixed with disbelief and weird smiles. They asked, "You want to get into the academy?" He didn't understand, if you eat too much, you can't get in? Then he should try to eat less.
Finally, he believed what others told him - 'the school accepts disciples according to the order of entrance', and waited in the corner for three days. He thought that people behind him would also have to wait, so they would have to queue up. Instead of waiting for the school to open, Wei Jingfeng arrived.
The atmosphere was a little awkward for a moment.
Obviously, this is the worst talking master and apprentice pair in history.
Wei Jingfeng held the umbrella over the child's head. After thinking for a while, he took off his light fur coat and put it on the child. Master, this should be the case, right?
The big fox fur coat was draped over the child, trailing behind him like the long robes of the nobles in the Northern Capital. The child moved and found it too inconvenient to walk like this, but it was indeed very warm.
Wei Jingfeng held the umbrella in one hand and held the child in the other, walking slower: "What's your name?"
"Jun Twelve."
"How can the disciple of my sword master be called such a name?" The young man frowned and thought for a while, "Yu means brilliance, which means great glory. From now on, you will be called Jun Yu... It's really a good name!" He withdrew his eyes from the sign of "Yu Heji Cake". Jun Yu had no objection. To him, the name was just a name, and few people called him by his name. Therefore, he had no idea.
The young man held an umbrella and held the child's hand. The two figures, one big and one small, walked away into the distance. As the night fell, the snow and wind obscured their figures.
In the rainy night, the boat drifted on the Minchuan River, swaying like a swirling leaf. The lights in the cabin were dim, and the two sat opposite each other. The warm wine on the table had long gone cold.
The young man wiped his sword with a focused look on his face. "Even if you have great powers, it is still difficult to have everything you want. How can there be true freedom in the world? You don't understand this principle now, just like people who don't learn swordsmanship will never understand the principle of learning swordsmanship. I'm afraid you will understand it when you meet someone you don't want to let go..."
Yin Biyue still didn't understand. In his opinion, his cheap master was the most carefree person in the world. "What do you mean you don't want to let go?"
Wei Jingfeng thought about it and decided to give an example: "When I was young, whether I was holding an umbrella, wine, or silver, I always had one hand free. Do you know why?"
Yin Biyue thought about it and said: "Leave one hand free so that I can hold the sword at any time."
Wei Jingfeng smiled with satisfaction: "That's right! If I don't have a hand that can hold a sword at any time, I will feel empty inside and uncomfortable all over!"
His eyes fell on the river where the night rain was drizzling, as if they were in the distant past, and his tone slowed down, "When I first met your senior brother, it was snowing heavily that night, with huge snowflakes covering the sky... Your senior brother couldn't walk steadily, so I held the umbrella in one hand and held him with the other. I didn't have a third hand, so how could I hold the sword?"
"But I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. I just thought it was enough to hold him and hold the umbrella."
“Many years later, I realized that this was the unwillingness to let go.”
"Big Brother, you first learned swordplay in order to live up to the Sword Saint's expectations; later you practiced swordplay in order not to lose Cangya's reputation. These are other people's swords, so where is your own sword?"
Yin Biyue asked.
Jun Yu said, "I don't know."
In the eleventh year after Wei Jingfeng left, Jun Yu's cultivation reached a bottleneck. If one wants to cross the threshold of the Saint Realm, it is not surprising to make no progress in a hundred years of long pursuit of the Tao. But if this happened to Jun Yu, it would be very strange.
He knew in his heart that this day would come eventually.
At dusk that day, the master was also here watching him practice sword.
"There is nothing more to teach you about this sword technique. But this is my sword, and it is time for you to have your own sword."
Otherwise, even if you study Taoism for your whole life, you will only be a craftsman and will never become a master. Jun Yu understood.
He thought about it for a long time, asking for his sword is to ask about his true heart. What is his true heart, and why does he practice Taoism?
The year Jun Yu came to Cangya, there was no Xihua Peak yet.
Everyone in the world knew that Sword Saint Wei Jingfeng had brought someone back from the gate of the academy. It was not a boy who cleaned the house, but the first disciple who inherited his mantle. From then on, he opened a peak on Cangya Mountain, named "Xihua". Visitors came like carps crossing the river, but they were all blocked outside the restriction under the peak. Even the Grand Elder of Baopu Sect came in person, but he was rejected.
It was widely rumored that the Sword Saint had figured out that he had a master-disciple relationship with a genius. Before the academy accepted him as a disciple, he accepted him as his own disciple. Hundreds of years later, another saint would emerge from Cangya Mountain. In fact, Wei Jingfeng had a drink at Louwailou that night, and while drinking, he was slamming the table and arguing with the dean. After the restaurant closed, he passed by the entrance of the academy and saw a small creature squatting at the corner of the wall. He thought it was a cat or a dog.
As he approached, he met a pair of vigilant eyes. Somehow, the words came out of his mouth. At first, he just wanted to... strike up a conversation. But he always did things according to his heart. To put it bluntly, he was acting recklessly. So what if he was his first disciple? He accepted him if he liked him. Jun Yu was still young at that time. He only knew that there was no free food in the world. If you eat Wei Jingfeng's food, you have to be Wei Jingfeng's apprentice.
He asked Wei Jingfeng, "What does a disciple have to do?"
The man obviously didn't understand what he meant. He raised his head arrogantly and said, "You are my disciple. You can do whatever you want. Who can stop you?!"
Jun Yu began to practice swordplay. It was always right for an apprentice to inherit his master's legacy and carry forward his skills. So he swung his sword 63,000 times every day, without slacking off for a single day.
People always think that the disciple of a sword master is a panacea, with endless power and guidance. But in fact, Wei Jingfeng only gave him two swords, one was an iron sword worth three taels of silver from the iron shop of Lao Li's family at the foot of the mountain, and the other was the world-famous "Chun Shan Xiao".
It's not that Wei Jingfeng didn't want to teach him, but... he didn't know how. The Sword Saint was the greatest sword genius in a thousand years, but his practice was almost intuitive and instinctive. When it comes to teaching by example, I'm afraid he's not as good as the teacher in the private school in Xiliang Town.
Most of the time, they are learning to speak together.
How to communicate so that each other can understand each other's meaning and avoid misunderstandings.
Jun Yu entered the state of concentration when he was young, and no one had ever done that before, except for Wei Jingfeng. But no one could have imagined that two geniuses who were born once in a generation would use twenty years to go from talking about things that were totally unrelated to each other to being able to express their ideas with words.
This is truly a great blessing for the world of cultivation and is cause for celebration.
Wei Jingfeng was very happy and went down the mountain to travel.
Later, Liu Qishuang, Yan Xing, Yin Biyue and Duan Chongxuan appeared in Xihua Peak. These people came from different places and had very different personalities and pasts.
Jun Yu became the eldest senior brother. He wanted to teach his junior sisters and brothers how to practice, after all, this is what a senior brother should do. But he really didn't know how to teach. So, the method he used was - to fight.
"Even though we know we can't win, we still have to go ahead."
The tradition of Xihuafeng disciples studying on their own and being beaten continued in this way.
Yan Xing adapted the fastest, "If you feel upset, go and fight with the eldest brother."
Later, even Duan Chongxuan came to his senses and said, "It's better to be beaten more by my senior brothers on the mountain than to be beaten by others after I come down the mountain."
As a disciple, he fulfills his duty and as a senior brother, he fulfills his responsibilities. As the first disciple of the Sword Saint, Jun Yu is generally recognized to be flawless, except for being a little protective of his shortcomings.
But he was still confused.
For teachers, friends, and sects, but what about for yourself? Why do you hold a sword?
The Dao is profound and respected by the world, which is all very good, but it is not what he wants. The life-and-death battle with Yu Shi was the most difficult and tragic battle Jun Yu had ever experienced.
At that time, Cangya's life depended on him, and he was seriously injured but could not retreat. When no matter how strong his fighting power was or how much he had learned in battle, it could not make up for the gap in realm. When he was at his wit's end, an extremely powerful aura emanated from his sword, rising straight into the sky and slashing all the Taoist magic between heaven and earth.
“Spring Mountain Smiles” is a brilliant work, shining like the sun.
That was a sword intent left by Wei Jingfeng, which was integrated into the rune when the sword was forged. There was also a trick on the rune. No one expected that "Chun Shan Xiao" would have any mystery, and it seemed that someone as free and easy as the Sword Saint would not have such a meticulous mind.
Even Jun Yu hadn't thought of that. Wei Jingfeng himself probably couldn't explain why he could have thought so carefully at that time. After all, he was most afraid of trouble.
Before going to Meteorite Abyss, Jun Yu asked him, "When will you come back?"
He waved his hand in a self-conscious manner, "I don't know." He turned around and added, "Don't wait." After thinking about it, he was still worried, so he left a note when he went to the academy, with the words "Don't come" written on it. He thought this was the most troublesome thing he had ever done in his life. Fortunately, Jun Yu would never go against his wishes.
Now he looked at the huge sword that pierced his waist and abdomen, and thought to himself with self-mockery, there is really no going back now. If someone could look down from midair, the scene would be really horrifying. With Wei Jingfeng as the center, there were densely packed swords of various lengths, some broken and some incomplete. He also had many swords stuck in his body, and hot blood continued to flow out from under his dark and solidified blood clothes.
Everyone will die, even saints.
No matter how condensed and powerful one's true essence is, it will be exhausted. No matter how hot one's blood is, it will also be drained. No matter how powerful one's spirit is, it will be weakened by time or fate. The death of the Sword Master in the Sword Tomb was a worthy death.
He no longer felt any pain, but his head felt a little dizzy, as if he had been drunk the previous night and had been exposed to the cool breeze when he went out early in the morning. His body was also becoming lighter and lighter. He thought that he had brushed shoulders with death countless times in his life, and this was the most recent one.
Because I'm really going to die.
So many years of wind, frost, swords, and drinking and singing flashed before my eyes.
He didn't want to see the road or the world anymore, he wanted to go home.
With a thought, his mind traveled thousands of miles. He followed the wind back to Cangya Mountain, where at the end of the sea of clouds was the lone and tall Xihua Peak.
Jun Yu sat in the room polishing his sword, his expression focused, just like when he was young. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but what was he going to say?
"When I first brought you back, you were not even as tall as my waist. In the blink of an eye, you have grown taller than me..."
Too fussy. Not cool at all.
"You are a master of Taoism and have a strong swordsmanship. It will only take time for you to become a saint. Don't be too aggressive and rush things..."
Isn't this nonsense?
"Don't put too much burden on yourself. Go down the mountain more often to have fun, drink some wine, and look at pretty girls. It's good for your physical and mental health..."
What a mess.
"Several disciples have their own predestined relationships, but I am most worried about you."
I can't say it.
He took two steps closer, until he could see the coldness in the man's eyes and brows. He raised his hand and wanted to touch the top of the man's head... Never mind, he was already so tall, so he might as well pat his shoulder.
Suddenly a gust of wind blew, and the hand did not fall after all.
Jun Yu stood up and looked at the window frame blown open by the strong wind, frowning slightly. The furnishings in the room were the same as before, but he felt a little empty.
It was as if, in the instant just now, something had ceased to exist.
That night Jun Yu had a dream.
He usually meditated at night, rarely slept, and even less often had dreams. But tonight, for some reason, he felt a little distracted. In his dream, he was just beginning to develop his sword skills, and Wei Jingfeng came back from the mountain, looking dusty and with messy hair.
"This time when I went down the mountain, I forged two swords. I still remember the skills I had when I was young..." Wei Jingfeng's eyebrows lit up when he talked about sword forging. "This one is for you."
The long sword was unsheathed, and the cold light illuminated the eyebrows. For a moment, the green mountains and sea of clouds were shining brightly.
"Do you like it? It's called 'Spring Mountain Smile'."
"like."
The man stood in the distant past, with the fallen flowers of spring falling all over his body, but he did not even reach out to brush them away. Suddenly, his smile faded, and his expression became serious: "Take my sword, and never leave it."
When he woke up from his dream, the sky was about to dawn, and cold white snow drifted in through the half-open wooden window. Jun Yu opened the door and walked out, seeming to understand the meaning of cultivation.
The leaden sky was vast and boundless, and the snow curtain fell all over the sky. The mountains, rivers, and trees on the edge of the sea were all white.
Another year of falling snow had arrived. He practiced swordplay at Tianxin Cliff. His sword energy crushed the flying snow, and his eyelashes were covered with frost.
Swinging the sword sixty-three thousand times every day, over a long period of time, many people and things have changed.
But he is still waiting.
You are buried in the underworld with your bones worn away by the wind, while I am living in the human world with my head covered with snow.
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