In that distant little black house

A year passed in a flash, and the Xuanwu Conference was imminent.

During this year, Zhang Jingmo and Lu Guijiu had only a handful of times to leave the cave. Except for the precious elixir that they had to get in person, Zhang Jingmo cut off all contact with other people.

Yu Fen was very sensible and didn't bother Zhang Jingmo, but cooperated with others in the Lingxu Sect and acted in front of others, saying that his friend had lost his mind and wanted to send the apprentice he painstakingly cultivated to die.

The news reached Daoren Cen's ears, making him even more mad.His apprentices are twenty-three this year, but they have reached the fifth level of the Qi refining stage. In previous years, Daoren Cen might have won, but this year there has been some misfortune - but this misfortune is not Zhang Jingmo, but the other two, who have entered the cultivation base. A genius who has passed the fifth floor of the Qi Refining Period.

Of the two new disciples from the fifth floor of the Qi refining period, one worshiped under the head of the sect, and the other was a disciple of an elder Yuanying sent by Ling Xu, so their strength would not be too weak.

Everyone in the Lingxu Sect almost felt that Zhang Jingmo's disciples might have only one ending—when they raised money, they fell into the abyss, and before they grew up, they turned into a pool of dry bones.

Zhang Jingmo didn't go out, so he didn't know what the atmosphere in the sect was like, but every time the Xuanwu Conference was held, the atmosphere in the Lingxu sect would be tense for a while, so he didn't take it seriously.

Lu Guijiu was still practicing day and night, but three months before the Xuanwu Conference, a small change happened.

This change was within Zhang Jingmo's expectation - Ji Jinglun, Lu Guijiu's senior brother and Zhang Jingmo's first disciple, is back.

Ji Jinglun is a genius. To be precise, Zhang Jingmo's two previous apprentices, a man and a woman, were both geniuses. They both entered Taoism earlier than Zhang Jingmo, and their subsequent achievements were also greater than Zhang Jingmo's.

Take Ji Jinglun as an example. After forming the alchemy, he left the Lingxu Sect to travel far away. Zhang Jingmo has never heard of him. It was long after the demons invaded that Zhang Jingmo knew that Ji Jinglun was on another continent. Created his own sect, married Yuanying, and became the founder of a generation of ancestors.

Now that he has returned from traveling abroad, he wants to prepare for the establishment of the foundation. Zhang Jingmo, as a master, has to help him no matter what.

Back then, Zhang Jingmo was worried about Ji Jinglun's foundation building. He directly ignored the fact that Lu Guijiu was about to attend the Xuanwu Conference, and focused all his energy on Ji Jinglun.

What Lu Guijiu was thinking at that time, Zhang Jingmo didn't know, he only knew that after this incident, the relationship between him and Lu Guijiu became much colder, and Lu Guijiu seemed to deliberately reduce the time to meet him, until……

But now that there is a chance to choose again, Zhang Jingmo will naturally not make the same mistake again.

The time when Ji Jinglun returned to the school did not change. As soon as he came back, he went straight to Zhang Jingmo's cave to report to his master that he was safe.

Zhang Jingmo was fighting with Lu Guijiu at that time, when he saw a white light flash across the sky, where a black-clothed monk in strong clothes appeared, and the monk said loudly, "Master!"

When Lu Guijiu heard these two words, his movements suddenly stopped, he couldn't dodge the wooden sword that Zhang Jingmo was holding on to, and was hit hard on the head.

Fortunately, Zhang Jingmo pulled back his strength in time and did not hurt Lu Guijiu. He glared at Lu Guijiu with displeasure, and said, "Why are you distracted?"

Lu Guijiu bowed his head and admitted his mistake.

Zhang Jingmo said: "If when you are fighting with someone, someone shouts that Zhang Jingmo is going to die, do you really want to look back?"

Lu Guijiu didn't speak, but he pursed his lips, obviously a little guilty.

Zhang Jingmo hated iron and said: "Could it be possible that I have become your weakness? Your senior brother calls me master, and you will be stabbed in the head. I want to see, how many stabs can you get in the head?" "

Lu Guijiu had no choice but to admit his mistake again sincerely.

Seeing that Lu Guijiu was convinced, Zhang Jingmo put away the wooden sword in his hand and summoned the eldest disciple who was waiting outside the cave.

As soon as Ji Jinglun entered the cave, he went straight to Zhang Jingmo's side, but he didn't expect a strange boy to appear beside Zhang Jingmo. After a moment of surprise, he said, "This is...?"

Zhang Jingmo said: "This is your junior brother, named Lu Guijiu, Guijiu, and this is your senior brother, Ji Jinglun."

Lu Guijiu saluted obediently, and then sweetly called senior brother.

Ji Jinglun said with a smile: "I haven't seen you for decades. I didn't expect to have a little brother. Come, come, brother. I don't have anything good. A few days ago, I happened to meet a Hanzhou Crane, so I sent its spirit feathers to you." Give it to you."

The Hanzhou Crane is a rare spirit beast. It has a spirit feather growing at its vital point. This spirit feather has no other function, it can only float the things it carries—that thing, it can even be A small island.

If the monks want to build the floating island, the spirit feathers of the Hanzhou Crane are indispensable.

Lu Guijiu was not polite, and after receiving Ji Jinglun's gift, he thanked him.

Zhang Jingmo swept Ji Jinglun's body, and said, "Jinglun, are you coming back now to build a foundation?"

Ji Jinglun said: "That's right, Master, I have already found seven or eighty eight materials for the Foundation Building Pill, I just ask Master to make a pill for me, and then protect the Dharma for me."

Zhang Jingmo nodded slightly, and said: "No problem, it's just that you need to wait until after the Xuanwu Conference for your foundation building."

Ji Jinglun was taken aback, glanced at Lu Guijiu who was standing beside him, and said, "Is this junior brother going to participate in the Xuanwu Conference?"

Zhang Jingmo said: "That's right."

Ji Jinglun pondered for a while, then looked at Lu Guijiu again, and after hesitating for a moment, he said: "Master, although I just returned to the sect, I heard that there are already three qi-refining stages and five-level masters in this year's Xuanwu Conference." New disciples..."

Zhang Jingmo said: "You don't need to worry about this matter."

Hearing this, Ji Jinglun nodded, and didn't say anything more.Since what Zhang Jingmo decided, there must be a reason for it. Based on his understanding of his master, Zhang Jingmo would not let Lu Guijiu die in vain.

Zhang Jingmo said: "Guijiu, you can practice on your own, I have something to say to your senior brother."

Lu Guijiu acted extraordinarily well-behaved in front of Ji Jinglun, he responded in a low voice, and retreated.

Seeing that Lu Guijiu had left, Zhang Jingmo asked Ji Jinglun to talk about his gains from this wandering.

Ji Jinglun told about all the things that happened to him. After Zhang Jingmo heard this, he suddenly asked, "How is the lotus in Jinze blooming this year?"

Ji Jinglun said casually: "How does master know that the lotus in Jinze blooms well? I happened to go there the year before last and heard that there were twelve lotus in the lotus pond in Jinze."

Although it was within Zhang Jingmo's expectation, his face still became slightly gloomy.

Ji Jinglun said again: "The lotus flowers in Jinze are blooming so well, I don't know how many geniuses there will be in Kuchan Valley in the past few years."

have no idea?Others don't know, but Zhang Jingmo has to know that the twelve lotus flowers in Jinze are in full bloom, but only one genius was born, a peerless talent named Tianlu.

When Zhang Jingmo got Zhu Yan back then, he planned to destroy the body of Tianlu's younger brother Tianfeng, just hoping that this matter could slightly hinder Tianlu's footsteps.

But now it seems... this move seems to have no effect.

After receiving the news, Zhang Jingmo said again: "You are somewhat sure about building the foundation this time."

Ji Jinglun said to himself: "I have the confidence to build an upper eighth-rank altar."

Building the foundation and building the altar, this altar is divided into three grades, with three or seven as the boundary, the lower grade is the lower grade altar, the third to seventh grade is the middle grade altar, and the eighth to tenth grade is the upper grade altar.

The vastness of the altar established the limit of this person's future. If it was a low-grade altar, the chances of connecting with pills were very slim.

Zhang Jingmo said: "That's good." He remembered that Ji Jinglun had indeed built an eighth-rank Lingtai.

Ji Jinglun said: "Master, why did you suddenly want to accept a junior?" He remembered that Zhang Jingmo loved quietness the most, and he and his junior were forced to accept him after being urged several times by the head of the sect.

Zhang Jingmo said with a smile: "Isn't it because people are afraid of being lonely when they are old?"

Ji Jinglun didn't believe it, he said: "Master was joking."

Zhang Jingmo shook his head, skipped the topic, and said, "You should prepare well, and I will make alchemy for you as soon as the Xuanwu meeting is over."

Ji Jinglun naturally responded.

Zhang Jingmo chatted with Ji Jinglun about some unimportant things before saying goodbye to him. After Ji Jinglun left, Zhang Jingmo felt as if a big rock was hanging in his heart.

Lu Guijiu didn't know what Zhang Jingmo was thinking. When he heard Ji Jinglun call Zhang Jingmo's master, he felt displeased, but he couldn't say it out, so he had to pretend to be understanding and obedient.

When Zhang Jingmo asked him to practice by himself, Lu Guijiu was depressed, and the spiritual fire leaked out, melting a piece of green land in the cave into magma. After he calmed down, although the magma also cooled down, the ground turned into magma. There are bare black rocks, and no grass grows.

As soon as Zhang Jingmo came over, he felt a rush of heat. He knew what Lu Guijiu had done at a glance, and he called out, "Gujiu."

Lu Guijiu felt a little guilty, raised his head and explained: "Master, I was not careful..."

Zhang Jingmo looked at Lu Guijiu with a half-smile. Back then, he didn't know why Lu Guijiu was angry. How could he not know now?It's nothing more than a sudden addition of a senior brother, and the child is unhappy.

However, the Xuanwu meeting was approaching, and Zhang Jingmo didn't want these trivial matters to disturb Lu Guijiu's heart, so instead of scolding Lu Guijiu, he comforted him softly, saying, "It's okay, just be careful next time."

Lu Guijiu hummed in a low voice.

Zhang Jingmo said: "Is there anything else you want to say?"

But Lu Guijiu said: "Master, when did the elder brother worship you as his teacher?"

Zhang Jingmo said: "That was hundreds of years ago...your father hasn't even been born yet."

Lu Guijiu couldn't decide when he was born, although he was dissatisfied, he had no choice but to admit it.

Zhang Jingmo said: "Cultivate hard, and I will count on you as a teacher in the future."

Lu Guijiu didn't expect Zhang Jingmo to say such a sentence inexplicably, he said: "Master, this disciple will definitely cultivate hard, and this disciple will try his best to protect Master and prevent others from hurting Master."

——This is really a coincidence, Zhang Jingmo smiled and thought in his heart, don't let others hurt me, so can you come in person?Forget it, even if you raise a tiger, you still need to cut a few pieces of meat.

Ji Jinglun's return was just a small episode, and soon, the Xuanwu Conference officially opened.

Zhang Jingmo has been preparing for this conference for too long, and there is no room for loss.

So a few days before the Xuanwu Conference, all the equipment on Lu Guijiu was changed. Zhang Jingmo filled Lu Guijiu with talismans and elixir, and wrapped Lu Guijiu from head to toe with spiritual weapons.

Ji Jinglun was also present, seeing Zhang Jingmo's appearance, he smiled and said, "Junior Brother, I'm going to be jealous of you, Master never treated me so well back then."

Zhang Jingmo was upset, and when he heard this, he said angrily: "Go, go, go, don't interrupt."

Ji Jinglun laughed again when he heard the words, but he stopped talking.

Lu Guijiu obediently asked Zhang Jingmo to arm him. He liked the way his master valued him very much. He liked to watch his master frown slightly, thinking about how to make him stronger.

Senior brother's words made Lu Guijiu's heart feel as if he had eaten honey, and he said, "Master, I will not let you down."

Zhang Jingmo thought for a while, and then said: "If you really can't win the first place, forget it, you must come back safely."

Lu Guijiu nodded.

While the two were talking, Hetong, who had brought the wooden signboard for the Xuanwu Festival, also arrived.Zhang Jingmo took down the wooden sign and rewarded Hetong with a elixir. Hetong let out a happy cry, then got up and flew away.

After Hetong flew away, Zhang Jingmo solemnly handed the wooden card to Lu Guijiu, and said, "This wooden card is the admission ticket for the Xuanwu Festival, you have to keep it safe."

Lu Guijiu said hello.

Zhang Jingmo looked at Lu Guijiu, who was about the same height as him, and felt that there was something he hadn't finished explaining. He frowned and thought about it for a long time, but he still didn't remember it. He said a lot of nonsense.

Instead, Ji Jinglun, who was standing aside, couldn't bear it any longer. He said, "Master, you are sending your apprentice to the exam, you are obviously sending your husband to the battlefield."

Lu Guijiu was happy when he heard the words, but Zhang Jingmo shouted: "Nonsense."

Ji Jinglun said aggrievedly: "Master, you still said I was fooling around. What you said to my junior brother today is worth what you and I said in a year."

Zhang Jingmo said coldly: "I practice alchemy and retreat, and I won't say a word to you for a year."

Ji Jinglun pretended to cry: "Master, you will be biased if you have a younger brother. When I was in the Xuanwu Conference, you just asked a crane boy to send me there. Before I even got to the venue, I threw my leg. broken."

Zhang Jingmo also laughed when he heard the words. Speaking of which, his apprentice and the Xuanwu Conference really have some connections. Back then, Ji Jinglun was considered a genius. Many people expected him to show his face at the Xuanwu Conference, but this brat boy was going to the Xuanwu Conference. He was so excited on the way, that he fell directly from He Tong sent by Zhang Jingmo.At that time, he hadn't built the foundation yet, so he fell directly on the ground from such a high height, and directly smashed out a human figure, with all the bones in his body broken in sevens and eighties. moon.

With Ji Jinglun's interruption, Zhang Jingmo's brows finally relaxed, but he didn't notice that when he smiled, Lu Guijiu seemed unhappy.

Lu Guijiu said to Lu Shu: "Why are you unhappy when you see Master smiling?"

Lu Shu sighed: "It depends on who he is smiling at."

Lu Guijiu suddenly understood.

After Zhang Jingmo finished laughing, it was time for Lu Guijiu, who got the wooden card, to go on the road. Zhang Jingmo was afraid that Lu Guijiu would be in danger on the way, so he insisted on sending him to the restriction of the Xuanwu Conference before leaving.

On the way to leave, he naturally ran into that breezy Taoist Cen again—to say that he met, it would be better to say that Taoist Cen came to the door himself.

Taoist Cen said, "Zhang Jingmo, I haven't seen you for a few days, and I'm haggard again."

Zhang Jingmo's face was expressionless: "Where is it, Taoist Cen is haggard, I wonder if the elixir bought from the mountain is still suitable for my appetite?"

Daoren Cen held his breath in his chest when he heard the words, his face turned blue and white. Ever since he and Zhang Jingmo broke their faces, Zhang Jingmo never gave him a pill, which made him have to spend a lot of spirit stones from other places. Buying elixirs... Those elixirs are not only inferior to those refined by Zhang Jingmo, but also very expensive, making Daoren Cen miserable.

Daoist Cen said: "You can be happy now, after a month, I'll see if you still laugh or not."

Zhang Jingmo said: "Instead of worrying about others, it is better to worry about yourself first, Daoren Cen, I think it will be difficult for you to break through in a hundred years, I feel sorry for your disciple, Master will die early."

Daoren Cen never expected to understand how Zhang Jingmo, a person who usually doesn't like to talk and looks like a fairy, can speak so viciously, every sentence pierces his heart, he would almost faint from anger, if it wasn't for Ling The Xu faction strictly forbids internal fighting, and I'm afraid he will directly fight Zhang Jingmo.

Forget it, let him be proud. When the Xuanwu Conference is over, Zhang Jingmo will not be complacent. When Taoist Cen thinks of Zhang Jingmo's distraught appearance when he heard the news of his disciple's death after the Xuanwu Conference, he feels depressed. Then he let go, he laughed a few times, and said: "Zhang Jingmo, what's the use of your sharp mouth, after a month, you will cry!"

Zhang Jingmo said: "Hehe."

The two broke up unhappy, and Zhang Jingmo went directly to find Yu Fen for a drink. Anyway, Lu Guijiu was not with him this month, and he didn't have to accompany Lu Guijiu to practice every day.

Yu Fen saw Zhang Jingmo's expression was unkind, and asked cautiously: "What happened to Lu Guijiu?"

When Zhang Jingmo slapped the table, he shattered the stone table. He said angrily, "Don't let accidents happen all day long, my apprentice will be fine!"

Yu Fen laughed and said, "Okay, since you're in a bad mood, I'll accompany you and have a good drink."

But he didn't want to hear Zhang Jingmo ask quietly just after he finished saying this sentence: "Lu Guijiu, nothing really happened, right?"

Yu Fen's smile froze on his face.