dark fragrance of eternal night

In the morning light, Chang Huan rode on the dark clouds and walked slowly on the official road.In the early morning of early summer, the wind carried a trace of moisture and was slightly cool.

The horse's hooves stepped on the dewy green grass, and even the sound of the hooves became soft and moist.

The sky is still a bit gloomy, only at the east line, the sun that is about to leap out will reflect bright colors on that small piece of sky.

There are very few pedestrians on the road, and even if there are, they are rarely able to walk so leisurely and leisurely like Chang Huan.

Ghost Crying Stream is about fifty miles away from Changning County. Although it has such a scary name, it is actually a beautiful place with mountains and water.The two peaks are connected, and there is a narrow gap in the middle, like a line cut by a ghost axe. There is a mountain stream in the middle. The stream is clear but fast, with nine bends and eighteen bays. beauty.

The reason why there is the name "ghost cry" is that every year at the autumn solstice, when the new wind blows, the wind passes through the empty stream, and it will make a huge whistling sound. From a distance, it sounds like a ghost howling. Cry in general.

It was already daylight, and Chang Huan reined in the horse from a distance.

This Guikujian is the only way to go east. If you don't go through the valley between the two mountains like a line, you have to go around the mountain.It's just that he got close to Guikujian, and the wind blowing from the valley already made him very cool.Although this place is a place with beautiful mountains and rivers, the terrain is indeed dangerous.If an ambush is laid here, it will really be said that one man guards the gate, and ten thousand men are not allowed to open it.

Chang Huan got off his horse and walked slowly, pulling the dark cloud.

The real war here is actually not useful.The valley is narrow, not many soldiers and horses can be accommodated, and the rocks on both sides are steep and slippery, and it is almost impossible to find a suitable foothold.If it was an ordinary soldier, there would not be many people here.

Chang Huan walked to the mouth of the valley and looked around.The valley is very quiet, only a few crisp birdsongs are heard far away, and no human voice can be heard.

If there is an ambush, where can they ambush?Chang Huan took a few steps back, holding the awning with his hands and looking up.The peak of the mountain is like a cut, soaring into the clouds, and the peak cannot be seen.This valley is not a straight line, but curved. You can only look at it from the outside, but you can't see what's going on inside.

Chang Huan thought for a while and let go of the rein.

If someone really uses explosives, this is a good place to escape even if you put your wings on it.

Chang Huan patted Wu Yun's ear and said softly, "Go!"

Wu Yun yelled happily, raised his front feet high, and rushed into the valley with all four hooves flying in an instant.

The sound of hoofbeats gradually faded away in his ears. Chang Huan listened for a long time, but he didn't hear the sound, so he walked into the valley with his feet.

The stream is jumping happily around, the splashed water is shining brightly in the sun, and the valley is full of flowers and green grass.It's just that not far from the stream, the path stepped by the passing horses and merchants is buried in the lush grass, glowing with dark color.

Maybe the "big guy" those people are waiting for hasn't arrived yet.Chang Huan took off his mask, squatted by the stream and took a cup of cool water to wash his face.I was too impatient.

Crouching there, Chang Huan frowned as he looked at his own face reflected in the mask.

Do you want to take care of this nosy business?

Just as he was struggling, Fu Lai suddenly hissed from far away, followed by a loud noise like the sky shaking, and Chang Huan immediately jumped up.

"Dark clouds!" He shouted, like a flying arrow, galloping towards the depths of the valley.

In the hinterland of the deep valley, the white smoke and dust almost covered the sky, floating in the air and lingering for a long time.Before it could get close, a strong smell of blood drifted over with the wind.Chang Huan pulled off his mask and listened carefully. There was no sound of falling stones on the mountain wall, and faintly, he heard the long neighing of the dark cloud... The dark cloud is fine, it should still be farther away.Chang Huan regained his composure, and rushed in through the dust and smoke.

The ground is full of gravel, big and small, scattered all over the place.The valley was tightly blocked by falling rocks, and red blood slowly flowed out from between the cracks in the rocks.

Chang Huan frowned. It turned out that it wasn't that he didn't arrive, but that he arrived before him.I couldn't help feeling a little annoyed, I knew I should have left earlier.Under a stone, an arm was stretched out, and a Qingfeng sword fell in his hand.Chang Huan squatted down and picked up the sword. The word "Emei" was engraved in the ancient seal on the sword.The original white arm was covered with a thick layer of lime, and the purple finger was covered with a bronze jade ring that symbolized status.

Emei sect.Chang Huan frowned and sighed softly.The Emei Sect only accepts female disciples, they behave decently and keep a low profile, they have always kept aloof from the world, how could they make trouble with others?

After walking a few more steps, the scimitar scattered on the ground caught his attention. When he picked it up for a closer look, it was the Kongtong Sect's Banyue Slash.

How could the Emei sect far away in the middle of Sichuan walk with Kongtong in South Vietnam?Chang Huan's heart skipped a beat.Listen carefully, there is a slight groan coming from under the stone.There are still alive!Chang Huan identified the direction, flew up the rocks, and jumped to the other side of the pile of stones.

Climbing down from the rock pile, Chang Huan gasped.The Emei disciples and the Kongtong sect that I saw just now should be in the back of the hall, and the front is the main force!Under the layers of rocks, overturned horses and Central Plains martial arts figures in various costumes lay on the ground in disorder, and the blood on the ground dyed the green grass under them red.The stream was cut off by rocks, and the water that could not be released overflowed the river channel and gradually swelled.

With so many stones, it is very difficult to move away, and the stream keeps rising. If this continues, even if people are not crushed to death, they will be drowned by the water!Chang Huan was so anxious that he couldn't rescue the person who was crushed under the stone with his own strength.

The groaning under the stone gradually weakened, Chang Huan carefully identified the position, and knocked a stone away with luck.After moving for a long time, the stone mountain has only gone down halfway, but the groans below can no longer be heard.Chang Huan wiped the sweat from his forehead, holding on to the stone in a daze.

The stream water has already covered the ankles, the clear stream water dilutes the thick blood, and the stream water slapping the gravel gradually turns into a disgusting pink.

A sharp piercing sound reached his ears, Chang Huan rolled back, and the steel arrow body hit the stone and splashed sparks.Before Chang Huan could stand still, three arrows were shot from another direction, the upper, middle and lower ones. The attack was fast and fierce, and there were scattered rubble around him, it was very difficult to avoid it.

Chang Huan drew his sword with his backhand, turned the blade upside down and drew a half circle in front of him, with a few ding dings, the arrow was swept away by his sword.Before the sword stopped, Chang Huanteng jumped up and used his strength on the gravel for a few ups and downs. When he was already flying in the middle of the mountain, the tip of the sword stabbed straight at the direction where the arrow was shot from behind.

I heard an exclamation in front of me, and it turned out that someone was hiding here.Chang Huan sneered, tilted the tip of his sword slightly, and rushed towards the place where the sound came from.But before the tip of the sword pierced the person, the body heard the whistling sound of piercing through the air.But Chang Huan was in mid-air right now, and it was too late to dodge.

Seeing that the three flashing dark arrows were about to hit Chang Huan's back, he suddenly sank and twisted, just in time to avoid the top three arrows, but the third one couldn't be avoided no matter what.Chang Huan snorted, and the remaining arrow hit his right arm.

Taking advantage of the momentum of the arrow, the falling body took another half step forward, but just in time for his left hand to hook onto the vines on the rock wall.Chang Huan exerted strength with his hand, and his body jumped up again. The sword in his right hand crossed over with his left, and he stabbed down accurately and ruthlessly.

With a scream, a man dressed in black fell from the rock wall in the middle of the mountain, and fell straight into the pile of rocks. His head was bleeding instantly, his hands and feet twitched for a while, and there was no sound again.And Chang Huan took advantage of the opportunity to sneak into the place where the man was nesting just now.

A pit was dug out on the mountain wall, just enough to allow a person to hide, the pit was covered with vines, and wearing a black dress, it was really hard for people to detect.

Chang Huan sat in the pit, his right arm was already numb.This arrow was very powerful, and it was shot with a fine crossbow. The arrow had a short body and a barb at the tip. Chang Huan only pulled it out lightly, and broke out in pain.There should be the same shallow pit on the opposite side, and there is also a man in black hiding, but the man stopped shooting arrows after he got into the hole.

I want to hit it when I come out.Chang Huan sneered.Although he was hit by an arrow, he was too naive to want to take advantage of it.

Chang Huan touched his body, but he didn't bring any darts and flying stones.But even if it is brought, the distance between the two mountains is too far, and it should not be able to hit it with a hidden weapon.If there is a hard bow at this moment, a few sharp arrows will be fine.Chang Huan clicked his tongue, thinking of the battlefield in the desert.

go out?If you go out, you will become a living target.But it's not an option to stay here all the time.I sealed the acupuncture point on my right shoulder to slow down the blood flow, but it won't work after a long time, and it would be bad if my right arm becomes useless in the future.

Just as he was thinking about how to quickly get rid of the killer on the opposite side, he suddenly heard a scream, and a black shadow fell from the opposite side.

Chang Huan was taken aback, he did see a little light just now, it was sunlight reflected by some kind of metal.That light came from behind a certain boulder under him.

After thinking for a while, Chang Huan leaned out, put the sword back into the sheath, held the wild vine with his left hand, and jumped down lightly.

Just below him, three collapsed stones lifted each other, forming a small gap.Because it is covered by stones, the people inside are not easily seen by outsiders.Chang Huan hesitated for a moment, then pushed away the stone that was pressing on the man's head, and asked puzzled questions at the blood-stained man who was still grinning at him.

"I've been here for a long time, why didn't I call for help?"

The man blinked, raised his right hand to wipe the blood that fell on his eyelids, and said indifferently: "I don't know you, who knows if you were sent by the enemy to kill the mouth."

Chang Huan paused, then stretched out his hand to push away a stone in front of him: "Then why did you save me just now?"

The man took a breath, with a painful expression on his face, but the corners of his mouth kept curling up: "They want to kill you, of course you are not an enemy. If you are not an enemy, you are a friend. If a friend is in trouble, there is no reason not to take action."

Chang Huan frowned: "Your internal strength is good, and you can hit it from such a distance. You can finish me just by raising your hand, why didn't you do it?"

When he said this, Chang Huan was a little angry. He didn't notice the living person so close to him.Although this person was injured, he still has the strength to kill someone at such a distance. If he had just launched a murderous plan, he would be in danger.

Seeing that all the stones in front of him were removed by Chang Huan, the man waved to him: "Thank you, friend!"

Seeing that Chang Huan was still standing still in a fit of anger, the man smiled wryly, pointed to his leg and said, "My bones are a little cracked, please help me up."

"If it's cracked, don't move around, so as not to be disabled in the future." Chang Huan looked around, picked up two pieces of wood on the ground, asked where the man's bones were cracked, clamped them with wood chips, and pulled them on his body. A strip of cloth to tie him up. "I'll take you out, grab some medicine to heal your wounds first."

The man chuckled, and helped Chang Huan stand up: "Small injury, it's okay."

"Also... I didn't do anything just now because I don't think you are from their side. If there are still ambushes, you can lure them out. If not, I will call you out in the end, and there is still time."

Chang Huan looked up at him, and said in a cold voice, "What are you talking about?"

"Because you seem to want to know, so I'll tell you!" The man smiled happily, his white teeth gleaming under the sunlight. "Actually, there is another reason."

He put his mouth close to Chang Huan's ear, and whispered, "I see that you are very good at kung fu, but it will be very difficult to prevent you from finding out. If I can't beat you with my hands, am I looking for death?"

The man's tone was flippant, but it didn't sound annoying.His white clothes had long been soiled, and the corners of his clothes were still stained with blood.Chang Huan reached out to hold his waist, and the body he touched was tough and elastic.

"What's your name?"

Chang Huan raised his head. This man was half a head taller than himself. His face was covered with blood, and he couldn't see his face clearly. However, his eyes were surprisingly bright, seemingly gentle, but very sharp.Intuition told him that this man was not simple.

"Guess what?" The man smiled and handed over all the weight of his body to Chang Huan, still teasing, without any sense of tension after the catastrophe.

Chang Huan frowned: "Don't say anything! I will send you back to Changning...Changning, I'm afraid I won't be able to go back." If he was alone, it would not be difficult to cross the collapsed stone pile, but he hurt his leg, I hurt my shoulder, so it might not be easy for the two of us to climb over this small rocky mountain together.

Looking around, he said to the man, "What about your...companions?"

"They..." The man reached out and touched his chin, "That's it, ashes to ashes, ashes to ashes, and I will call someone to pick up their bones in the future."

How could this man be so ruthless to his companion?Chang Huan was a little dissatisfied, but it was hard to say anything.He was just a passerby at first, and since he had already said so, Chang Huan did not insist on his position.

Thinking of this, Chang Huan raised his index finger and blew a very loud whistle.Not long after, Wu Yun ran over happily.

"Good horse!" The man touched Wu Yun's neck with his hand.Wu Yun, who has always disliked strangers, didn't get angry, but shook his head and snorted a few times.

Chang Huan reached out to pat Wu Yun's forehead with some dissatisfaction. Wu Yun turned his face away and licked Chang Huan's palm intimately.

"Go up!" Chang Huan forcefully lifted the man onto the horse's back.

"What are you going to do here?" The man pointed to the black arrow body on Chang Huan's right shoulder.

Chang Huan looked down at his wound, and replied flatly: "Leave it alone, wait until the town ahead, and then find a doctor to remove it."

The man stretched out his hand to touch it, but Chang Huan stepped aside slightly, and said to him, "Don't pull it out, there is a barb, if you pull it out hard, my arm will be useless."

The man withdrew his hand, stared at Chang Huan's face for a long time, then suddenly raised his hand and waved towards the Shenzang acupoint on his chest. False move, halfway through the move, he changed direction, but his fingers slanted up, and the mask covering his face was hooked off.

"You!" Chang Huan was very angry, looking at him angrily.But he was holding the mask in one hand, tilting his head and smiling at Chang Huan.

"A very good-looking person, why does he wear this thing, it seems so shameful."

Chang Huan looked at him coldly, and stretched out his hand: "Give it back to me!"

"It's so boring to wear this thing, don't wear it." He smiled and was about to put the mask into his arms.

Chang Huan's expression froze, and he suddenly drew his sword with his backhand, and slashed at the man.The man turned around on the horse and just dodged, the sword move deflected, and then swiped in the opposite direction, it was too late for the man to dodge again, seeing the tip of the sword reached his chest, he had to flick the sword with his fingers.

Knowing that Chang Huan's skills are not weak, he specially injected internal force on his fingers, but when the internal force came out, it felt like a bull had entered the sea when it touched the sword, and there was no return force at all.I just said something bad in my heart, the sword has already changed from stabbing to slashing, and will cut off a piece of the clothes on his chest, and then the silver mask will fall out, picked up by Chang Huan's sword tip, and held in his hand .

"I advise you not to take other people's things casually!" Chang Huan glanced at him, shook the mask in his hand, blew on it, and put it on his face again.

The man stared at him blankly for a while, then suddenly he fell on the saddle and laughed.Chang Huan ignored him, and led the horse and walked out.

The man looked at the silhouette of Chang Huan leading the horse in front of him, and murmured, "I really like you more and more."

After leaving Guikujian, there is a small market town more than 30 miles ahead. Although it is far less lively than Changning, there are still not a single inn and medical center that should be there.

It was noon, and the sun was scorching the ground.The invisible hot air expanded upwards from the ground, and the distant scenery was slightly distorted.

"Can you still walk? If not, get on your horse too. Your horse is strong enough."

The words in my ears sounded empty and unreal.The pain in the shoulder has long since disappeared, replaced by a soreness tinged with numbness.Chang Huan's body was already unstable, and the hand holding the stiff rope was shaking slightly.

More than 30 miles is neither too far nor too short. Even if you walk, you should arrive in two hours.However, he looked up at the clear blue sky, and the dazzling sunlight made him squint his eyes.He didn't know how long he had been walking on this road, and the strength in his body seemed to be losing bit by bit with the blood oozing from the wound.

This arrow was actually poisoned!There was a wry smile on Chang Huan's face hidden under the mask.Although it is not a particularly powerful poison, it will damage the body if it is delayed for too long.

If I knew this earlier, why did I have to dip into this muddy water... I don't know if it's the toxins that have penetrated into the body, or because I was dizzy from the overheated sun, some scenes began to appear in Chang Huan's mind in a mess.There are childhood times, and there are scenes on the battlefield.

"Hi, how are you doing?"

The man on the horse looked worriedly at Chang Huan who suddenly stood still.There was no expression on the masked face.The standing body was straight, but he felt that it was very wrong.

"Hello?" Seeing that he was still standing without any response, the man stretched out his finger and poked him on the shoulder.

Do not move.

Added a little poke!

Then he saw Chang Huan fall down stiffly and slowly in a standing posture.

"Hey!" He was startled, jumped off the horse, stood on one foot, and caught Chang Huan before his face hit the ground.

Lifting off the mask, a bloodless face came into view.Chang Huan's eyes were closed tightly, and she was already dizzy.

The man put his hand on his neck, and the pulsation from it made him frown.Leaning over and sniffing the wound on Chang Huan's shoulder, the man's expression changed instantly.

"Damn it!" He cursed angrily, and jumped onto the horse with Chang Huan in his arms.Patting Wu Yun's neck, the man said in a deep voice, "Good horse, for your master's life, you have to run faster."

Wu Yun seemed to understand it, raised his head and let out a long hiss, and rushed forward with the two of them on his back.

The man looked at Chang Huan, who was full of vigor in his arms, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.Reaching into his bosom, he took out a small bamboo tube.Pulling out the black fuze in the tube with his teeth, the man waved his hand, and the bamboo tube flew high into the sky and made a sharp whistle, and then exploded in the air. The red flame stayed in the air for a long time accompanied by a loud and strange sound.

When Chang Huan woke up, he found himself lying on a big and soft bed.The bed is covered with a tulle curtain, and there are flying emerald tassels hanging beside the bed.The thin quilt on her body is light and soft, like fine silk satin, and between the nostrils, a faint fragrance seems to flow slowly.

Chang Huan opened his eyes and looked at the top of the bed with the blue water and red mandarin ducks lying quietly.

This is not an inn.Ordinary inns will not have such a luxurious and comfortable bed and such elegant incense.The place where the satin quilt sticks to the skin is smooth and soft, making people reluctant to leave.Chang Huan clenched his hand in the quilt and then released it, and there was a faint pain in his right arm.

Being able to feel pain is a good thing.The real air in the body was circulating without any blockage.Chang Huan let out a sigh of relief.No matter where it is, the poison on his body seems to have been almost removed, and the arrow on his right shoulder has also been pulled out.

Chang Huan sat up slowly.The silky satin quilt slid off his body with his movements, revealing his strong and flexible bare upper body.

The gauze beside the bed trembled slightly, like a series of tiny ripples on the surface of water blown by the wind.

The world outside the gauze tent is blurred, just like Chang Huan's mood at the moment.

The creaking sound of wooden wheels walking on the floor is very clear in the quiet room.Chang Huan sat quietly, looking at the vaguely approaching figure outside the tent.

"Are you awake?" The man's voice was clear and powerful, but to Chang Huan's ears, there was an indescribable malevolence.

He frowned slightly, and said to the outside of the tent, "Where did you put my clothes?"

The man laughed, stretched out his hand and lifted the curtain and said, "Shouldn't the first sentence be thank you for saving your life, should it be something like a promise?"

The sunlight that was blocked by the gauze rushed in, illuminating every detail of Chang Huan's slightly pale face.

Both of them were stunned.The shining dust floated quietly in the sunlight, and the faint fragrance in the room became richer at this moment, and the originally elegant smell was a bit suffocating at this moment.

The dust and mud on the man's face had long been washed away, revealing a face with deep contours.

A face that is obviously handsome, but it feels very simple.He also looks good when he smiles, his eyebrows are curved, the corners of his eyes are slightly drooping, and his soft expression makes people feel at ease.A gust of cold air rushed straight from the tailbone to the top of the head, and Chang Huan excited Lingling to shiver.

"Are you cold?" The man came back to his senses, picked up a pile of clothes from his lap and threw them to him, "Your old clothes are dirty, I'll have someone make you a new one, try it, see if it fits you well."

Chang Huan lowered his eyes, and put on the soft clothes in silence.

"Don't ask my name, and don't ask where this is?" The man kept staring at Chang Huan without blinking.

Putting on her clothes calmly in front of the man's sight, Chang Huan was about to get off the ground, but was blocked by the man's wheelchair.

"Please let me go." Chang Huan's voice was a little hoarse, and there was a hint of anxiety in his original voice.

"What's the hurry?" The man grabbed his body that was about to move, completely ignoring the eyebrows that were furrowed because of the wound. "You still have not answered my question."

Chang Huan took a deep breath and turned to look directly at him: "It doesn't matter what your name is. Now you are safe, and I am fine. If we don't pass today, maybe we will never see each other again. If you know what your name is, what's the use of where is this place?"

The man chuckled, stared into his eyes and said, "You are really too cold...but...I like it!"

The blood flowed backward instantly, and the originally pale cheeks were also dyed red.No one had ever dared to say such things in front of him, suppressing the nameless anger in his heart, Chang Huan felt ashamed that he lost control so easily.Chang Huan had to be vigilant because of the undetectable maliciousness in this man's smile.

"You're still the first person to see that I haven't fallen in love with me." His tone of voice seemed to be joking, but Chang Huan could hear the seriousness in it.

"..." Facing such an extremely narcissistic and extremely proud man, Chang Huan could only keep silent.

"I said..." Seeing Chang Huan with a straight face, eyes lowered and no response, the man leaned forward, almost touching the tip of his nose and said, "I really like you, should you think about it, Be my man!"

"Bang!" Chang Huan punched the man on the shoulder and knocked him back into the wheelchair.The man tilted his body and looked at him with a smile on his face.

"Thank you, sir, for expelling the poison for me," Chang Huan said with a pale face, "Life for life, there is no debt between you and me, and I have important things to do, please step aside!" He landed barefoot.

"But I think our relationship has just begun..." The man rested his fingers on his chin, focused his eyes, and murmured, "I'm letting you go now, isn't it too bad for me?"

A strong force struck Chang Huan from behind, and he fell on his back on the overly soft bed.