Bulwark of Light

Chapter 665 Ian
The plane landed in Rhine City, which is the largest port city in the east of Central Continent, responsible for the port's cargo, import and export trade.

This time the negotiation was held here.

After landing, Liu Yi left with the caravan.Gu Shen and Lu Nanjin "parted ways" after a simple farewell. Their final destinations were not the same... According to what the senior sister said, she wanted to visit the legendary Tower of Origin.

She needs to start from the Rhine to the west and cross several cities before reaching the "Upper City" where the Tower of Origin is located.

"Brother Ian lives in seclusion in the small city 'Linz' in the southern part of Central Continent."

Chu Ling called up the electronic map and said, "Linz is not far from Rhine City. If the speed is faster, it will take two or three hours by car."

The purpose of this trip to Central Continent is to find the "Grand Scholar".

This task is important, but the time is not urgent.

"This is your first time in Central Continent...Of course, it's also my first time. How about we 'slow down'?"

Gu Shen looked at Chu Ling and smiled.

Before the plane landed, he was amazed at the beauty of this Zhongzhou trade city.

The architecture of Rhine City is as exquisite and delicate as oil paintings.

The streets here are very spacious. Standing on the street, you can feel the warm and humid sea breeze, and you can also hear the melodious sound of horseshoes... This is a city of progress with a developed economy, and it has already been highly integrated with [Deep Sea]. People still keep some old customs.

Many nobles in Central Continent like "horse racing". Every city will also be equipped with its own guards, who will ride horses on weekdays to patrol.

of course.

Awakened extraordinary "horse creatures" should also exist.

"What do you mean... slow down?"

Chu Ling was startled.

……

……

"Da da da."

The horses stomped on the ground, and on the streets of Qingshiban Street, there was a clear and pleasant sound of marching.

The whistle burst.

The two voices were mixed together, and there was a feeling of time and space confusion.

Chu Ling, who was sitting in the carriage, was still wearing the white cat mask. She resisted her curiosity and did not lift the curtain to see the scene outside the window.

"How does it feel?"

Gu Shen smiled and said, "Is there a sense of nostalgia from the last century?"

"It feels...not bad." There was a hint of a smile on Chu Ling's face under the mask. She recollected it carefully and said with a smile: "So people before traveled like this?"

Of course she knew that people used to go out on horses.

But she didn't know what it was like.

"Yes, will it be a little bumpy?"

It was also the first time for Gu Shen to ride a carriage, he smiled and said, "Do you need me to slow down the master in front?"

"Need not."

Chu Ling smiled.

First time in the world.

She wants to feel everything, to experience everything.

The transportation mode of taking a horse-drawn carriage is indeed very slow and bumpy... Reason tells Chu Ling that this is an inconvenient means of transportation that was eliminated before the last century.

But she sat in the car, but she couldn't help feeling happy in her heart.

Maybe it was because of the man next to him.

As long as she is with Gu Shen, even if there are some twists and turns, she still feels that such a journey is very happy.

Hiring someone to drive a horse-drawn carriage from the Rhine to the small city of Linz, you need to pass through an ancient forest with a long history. There are towering ancient trees that have survived for hundreds of years, chasing and playing monkeys, and all kinds of insects, birds and animals...

If you break the link of [Deep Sea], you will notice the beauty of this world that is unknown to everyone.

Finally in the evening, the carriage stopped.

The red leaves are shaking, and the outline of "Linz" can already be seen clearly in front of it. It is indeed a small city, which cannot be compared with the Rhine... the Grand Scholar lives in seclusion.

Gu Shen paid the commission and took Chu Ling downstairs.

"The College of the Holy Cross has great influence in Central Continent. The heirs of celebrities from all over the world want to enter this college for further study." Chu Ling and Gu Shen entered the small town, looked at the dilapidated door plaques on the street twice, and asked subconsciously in confusion : "After Ian retired from Holy Cross College... he should have accumulated a lot of wealth. How did he come to such a small town?"

At first glance, this small town looks a bit like Gu Shen's hometown, a poor village in the remote outskirts of Qinghe District.

However, the population of Central Continent is relatively small, and most residents in small cities can basically own a single-family house of their own... This is something that Qinghe cannot compare with.

Although Chu Ling came into the world, he still retains the thinking habits of [source code] in some things.

She will make some rational and objective comparisons of substances.

Owning wealth and choosing to enjoy, these two points are often equated.

"Perhaps, this is the 'rest of my life' chosen by that great scholar?"

Gu Shen said with a smile: "Some people are willing to enjoy the support of thousands of people on top of high-rise buildings, while others are willing to hide quietly in the streets and alleys... But no matter which choice, the final outcome is the same."

"The end result is the same..."

Chu Ling was startled.

"In the end, everything will return to dust."

Gu Shen stopped.

In front of him is a small courtyard, the courtyard wall is old, but not dusty... The railing outside the courtyard is covered with ivy, and it is not messy, obviously it is often cleaned. At this moment, in the vestibule, there is a squatting body, Figure out the weeds.

The figure was handling the weed debris in the vegetable patch in the front garden, a menial task that required time and patience.

He has both.

So he just bent over and squatted silently.

Gu Shen and Chu Ling also had these two things.

The two of them didn't ring the doorbell, they just stood in front of the door of the dilapidated courtyard, separated by the iron fence and ivy, watching the person in the courtyard pulling weeds and rustling.

After a while, the people in the small courtyard stopped weeding.

"Are you looking for someone?"

The figure hidden in the weeds raised his head and looked at the two strangers outside the door.

His voice didn't sound old.

Out of respect, Gu Shen didn't use his mental power.

So under the cover of layers of weeds and falling vines, he couldn't see the true face of the weeder in the courtyard.

However, the rumored Grand Maester Ian is over 120 years old.

So... the man cleaning the courtyard should be Ian's disciple?
"Yes."

Gu Shen smiled and got straight to the point: "We want to see Grand Master Ian."

As soon as the words came out, the figure lowered its head and said lightly: "Both of you can go back."

Gu Shen was not angry, but still asked with a smile, "Why?"

"the reason is simple."

The people squatting in the courtyard seemed to be bored, they gave up those beating weeding tools, and squatted down to grab the last handful of weeds: "One, Ian doesn't see strangers. Two, Ian I don't know you."

The combination of the two conditions is the answer.

"Your Excellency is..."

Gu Shen carefully let out a ray of energy, he saw the face of the man in front of him clearly.

It is not the old man.

A 30-year-old youth.

"You can call me Hooper."

The young man finally pulled out the bunch of weeds. He let out a long sigh of satisfaction, then stood up and came to the courtyard gate. He was quite tall, with blond hair and shawl, and handsome features, but his eyes looked a little gloomy.

"I'm the disciple the teacher just accepted."

Hooper's voice was interrupted by Gu Shen's movement.

"Mr. Hooper, please bring this letter to Grand Maester Ian... just say that there is an 'old friend' to meet."

Gu Shen was well prepared.

He had foreseen this situation before the visit.

University scholar Ian is very old, 120 years old, living alone in a remote place, I'm afraid he can't take care of himself... If you want to meet each other, you still need to be well prepared.

In that letter, he gave a brief self-introduction, and attached some evidence of being a [key].

In addition, there is also a part of the list of the ancient text society in Central Continent.

"... old friend?"

Hooper didn't reach out for the letter.

He looked suspiciously at Gu Shen and the masked young woman beside him.

The age of these two seems to be in their early twenties...

As we all know, Bachelor Ian lived alone in a secluded courtyard all year round. When did he have such a young "old friend"?
"Please accept the letter."

Gu Shen smiled: "If Mr. Ian refuses...you just come back and let me know."

Hooper frowned and stared for a moment.

In the end, he took the letter and walked quickly to the attic in the small courtyard...

Soon, Hooper trotted all the way and ran out. He put on a clean smile on his face, and the original gloomy and vicissitudes of life had completely dissipated.

"Mr. Gu, Miss Chu, I've been waiting for a long time."

"Thank you."

Gu Shen looked at this man who changed his face extremely quickly, and couldn't help but asked with a smile: "Your Excellency is usually like this?"

"You two don't know."

Hooper explained helplessly: "Because the name 'Ian' is too loud, even if I hide in a small town like Linz, there are still many people who come to see me...and blocking those visitors is my usual job."

It turned out to be the case.

Central Continent is a land of learning. If every young person comes to this courtyard to seek an audience, then University Maester Ian will not have to rest... I am afraid that he will not live to be 120 years old.

"However... I didn't expect that the two of you are really 'old friends' with the teacher at such a young age."

Hooper smiled and said, "For at least a year, the teacher hasn't met outsiders."

"On weekdays, Mr. Ian is in this yard?"

Gu Shen followed Hooper, looking at the surrounding environment: the attic is very old, the wooden door creaks, and the light inside is a little dim.

As soon as he entered the door, he understood.

In front of the extinguished fireplace in the attic, curled up a short figure who was too old to be any older. It was no longer winter, and the old man in the wheelchair was still wrapped in a big thick cloak.

Ian's sitting posture is actually very peaceful, but the years have elongated the skin, making him look like he has "shrunk".

One hundred and twelve years old.

It is very difficult for this old man to travel frequently.

"As you can see..."

Hooper said softly: "Most of the time, the teacher will stay in the yard, and his body is not convenient for traveling now."

Gu Shen and Chu Ling bowed to the old man in the wheelchair.

The latter opened his eyes vigorously, and looked directly at the two "strange" young people with cloudy eyes. His lips kept trembling, and he looked very excited. It may be because he was too old, and his body was no longer able to make radical actions. reaction……

Gu Shen looked at the old man in the wheelchair with some confusion.

My intuition told me that in the eyes of "Ian Leonard", apart from excitement, there seemed to be a touch of sadness...

Unfortunately.

Excitement, excitement, or sadness, in front of the years, are all broken dust.

The old man is run over by the years.

Now it is very difficult to say a word...or even a word.

"Oh... I almost forgot."

Hooper quickly took out a set of spiritual link equipment from the wooden cabinet next to the fireplace. He put the earphones on the old man's head, and the patch device for spiritual conversion was also attached to his chest.

This is a product developed by Huaqi.

It can help the elderly to communicate normally with the outside world... All that is needed is a little spiritual power.

Not only extraordinary people have spiritual power.

In a sense, as long as one can "think", one has mental power, but it's the difference between more and less.

So this set of equipment can be used freely even by normal people who have not started extraordinary practice.

After wearing the device.

The excitement in the old man's eyes calmed down a lot, and he was finally able to convey the voice from his aging chest as he wished.

Ian was sitting in a wheelchair, his face was still flushed, and his excitement was still there for a while.

His voice echoed in the small attic.

"key……"

"You finally came……"

Gu Shen was a little nervous, he subconsciously looked at Hooper.

After sending the letter, this should be a private meeting belonging to the "Ancient Literature Society".

But University Maester Ian read out his identity directly in front of Hooper, doesn't it seem inappropriate?

"It's okay."

Ian said hoarsely, "Hooper is someone you can trust."

As soon as these words came out, Gu Shen felt much relieved.

On the other side, the blond young man saluted, which is a very authentic Nagano traditional etiquette.

"Mr. Gu, one of my own."

He smiled and said: "The teacher has been looking for the [key] for the past few years, and he has been waiting for your 'door'."

Gu Shen returned the gift.

He took a deep breath and said, "Since Mr. Ian is waiting for me, he must know... why I came."

"..."

The old man in the wheelchair was silent for a few seconds.

Hooper understood, he pushed the wheelchair to reveal the complete fireplace, and then pushed a dark brick on the floor, the floor of the attic made a crisp sound, and the entrance to the cellar appeared.

Gu Shen looked directly at the cellar with a slightly moved expression.

His spiritual power can't go deep!

"Inside... are some important ancient texts left by Alan Turing back then."

Hooper spoke for the teacher, and said: "Since the [key] has already appeared in the world, these ancient texts should be kept and collected by the [key]... the contents in the cellar, Mr. Gu can use, browse, and comprehend at any time. "

"My visit today is not just for this matter."

Gu Shen looked away from the cellar.

He said seriously: "Mr. Ian... I want to reconnect with the Ancient Literature Society. I need someone to serve as the 'connection hub' for Central Continent, and even the entire five continents in the future."

After a short silence.

"You want...to find me?"

"Yes."

The cellar was open and there was a cloud of dust.

The entire attic is filled with the smoke and dust of the years.

Looking at the dark entrance, the old man in the wheelchair seemed to think of something and coughed violently.

Hooper was in a hurry, and quickly reconfigured the mental link device.

"Feel sorry……"

The old man lowered his head and continued to cough violently.

Ian's laughter sounded self-deprecating: "You came too late, I have no time..."

Seven points is a disregard for life and a bearish look.

Yes.

He wasn't lying.

Gu Shen looked at the old man, then at Chu Ling.

The two have the same mind... The result of divination is also very clear.

The man in the wheelchair is at the end of his life.

"However... I have two recommended candidates."

Ian said hoarsely, "They are more suitable to be the so-called 'hub' than me."

(End of this chapter)