Embrace the blade

On the day Qi Zhaoxi and Jiang Li set off to visit the old man Xugu in southern Xinjiang, Ye Xinghe and his party also decided to leave for their hometown. Xue Le escorted them as promised, and said goodbye to the two of them briefly.

The weather was not good that day, but Qin Zheng insisted on sending them outside the city gate. He stood for a long time in the autumn wind, watching the carriage with Chen Changfeng's body go away, looking tired and sad.

Considering that the rumors about Jiang Li and the "Secret of Longevity" have been spread all over the world, before leaving, Qi Zhaoxi not only re-attached a human skin mask, but also changed Jiang Li's face and attire.

He first took out a thin piece of leather and covered Jiang Li's face. After kneading and shaping it, he took a fine brush and dipped it in an unknown ointment to paint on the mask.When Jiang Li opened his eyes, he saw the young man in the mirror with drooping eyes and tiny pockmarks on his cheeks. Most of the sharpness on his body was diluted, and he became mediocre and harmless.

At this time, Qi Zhaoxi turned to Jiang Li's side to look at him, and his eyes couldn't help but focus on the white hairs on his temples. He clearly remembered that Jiang Li's temples were still black not long ago, and these white hairs seemed to suddenly appear overnight. outgrown.He stretched out his hand to pull up a strand of white hair and inspected it carefully. Jiang Li became visibly nervous, and stared at his expression through the bronze mirror without blinking.

But Qi Zhaoxi didn't say anything, just took out another porcelain bottle with a round belly, poured out a few drops of the potion and rubbed it on the back of his hand to try it out, the skin turned dark after the potion dries, so he straightened it up gently He touched Jiang Li's head, said "don't move", patiently applied the potion on the white hair, after a while all the silver threads melted into the black hair, and he couldn't see it anymore.

Qi Zhaoxi turned back to face Jiang Li, and couldn't help laughing: "Why are you staring at me, look in the mirror."

Only then did Jiang Li quickly look away.

"How is it, is Jiang Shaoxia satisfied?" Qi Zhaoxi asked.

Jiang Li looked at him again, feeling all sorts of feelings in his heart, but he didn't know how to express it, so he nodded seriously, "Satisfied."

So the unattractive master and apprentice set off, and they didn't encounter any troubles all the way south, but they were filled with rumors about themselves.

At first, the rumors were based on some basis, mostly talking about whether the black shadow who stole Qi Zhaoxi's body outside the Biezhuang at night was his apprentice Jiang Li, and whether the "Longevity Formula" had the miraculous effect of bringing the dead back to life.There are various commentators, but the time, place and other details disclosed in various statements are roughly consistent. Even if the incident process is different, it is also an exaggerated and vague language.

From this, Qi Zhaoxi and Jiang Li deduced that the late-night corpse robbery outside Biezhuang was indeed true, and that it was most likely the same person who fabricated the rumor that "The Secret of Longevity" had the effect of bringing the dead back to life out of thin air, and pointed the finger at Jiang Li , but after thinking about it, I can't guess who did it.

The closer they got to the southern border, the more bizarre the rumors they heard.After all, there is no impenetrable wall in the world. I don’t know how many people saw Jiang Li’s shocking swordsmanship in Qiancheng. Along the way, he witnessed how the news spread like a gust of wind, and how rumors emerged like wild weeds. .

Or that he is Jiang Luming's disciple who has been hiding for many years; or that he is Gu Si who has gained longevity; or that Jinglan swordsmanship and "Longevity Formula" were lost 24 years ago when the Seven Killers returned to Yunshan Villa in revenge, and he is It has a deep connection with the Seven Killing Gates of the Demon Sect.

On the day they finally arrived in southern Xinjiang, they heard a master of rumors in the restaurant where they had dinner. He fused private love affairs, secret fights at home, and mysterious martial arts with the world's number one Guiyun Villa, brewing the most A story with twists and turns that can attract people from all corners of the country.

"That kid named Jiang Li is obviously the illegitimate son of the current proprietor Jiang Xingzhou!" The bald man swore a word that immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the lobby.

Seeing this, the bald man raised his voice and spoke more vigorously, as if he had witnessed these secrets with his own eyes. He said that Jiang Xingzhou, the owner of Guiyun Villa, had made a marriage contract when he was young, but he incurred romantic debts outside and was taken for personal gain by a woman. The son was threatened everywhere, and the legitimate son and the illegitimate son even fought over the "Secret of Longevity".

Qi Zhaoxi looked at Jiang Li, he focused on the food in the bowl indifferently, as if the name that was repeatedly mentioned in his ear had nothing to do with him.

Along the way, Jiang Li always treated the rumors like this. Qi Zhaoxi knew that he wouldn't take it to heart, so he wasn't worried at first, but this time the bald man became more and more unbearable, but Qi Zhaoxi, who is not shy about meat and vegetables, listened first. Not going any further, he stretched out his hand to grab Jiang Li's hand, intending to take him away.

Just at this moment, the table over there was overturned to the ground with a bang, and there was a clatter of food and dishes. The excited words of the bald man stuck in his throat, and he stared at the angry boy in front of him with wide eyes. : "What are you doing! Do you understand the rules of the world? If you don't like to listen to it, you can go out, and if you come up, what's the matter?"

"I'm not only going to flip the table, I'm going to beat you!" The young man rolled up his sleeves angrily, "Chewing his tongue behind his back to ruin people's reputation, and he has the face to say it's the rules of the world. Pooh!"

As the boy was talking, a young man in blue approached behind him.Someone recognized it with sharp eyes, lowered their voice and exclaimed: "This is Ji Xiuming, the adoptive son of Guiyun Villa, then the boy in front of him must be Jiang Lanze, the owner of the young village!"

The bald-headed man naturally heard it too, his angry raised eyebrows drooped immediately, and he squeezed out a flattering smile: "Oh! It turned out to be the owner of Jiang Shaozhuang. I heard what I said just now. It's all nonsense. Don't worry about it! Yes, I was wrong, you set the table well!"

Jiang Lanze showed disdain, and raised his hand to hit him, but was stopped by Ji Xiuming.Ji Xiuming took out a piece of broken silver and threw it into the bald man's arms, saying: "This is the money to pay for your table dishes. In the future, be careful when listening to people, don't just say what you hear, this time it's not Care about it, you may not be so lucky next time."

The bald man was both surprised and delighted, clasping the broken silver with his hands: "Yes, what Mr. Ji taught you, the villain must remember!"

Jiang Lanze gave Ji Xiuming a dissatisfied look, turned his head and walked out the door quickly, and Ji Xiuming followed helplessly.

The noise in the restaurant resumed, Qi Zhaoxi and Jiang Li looked at each other, and saw the same plan in each other's eyes.Although it is impossible to guess why these two people suddenly appeared in Southern Border, one thing is certain: enter the mountain as soon as possible and go to Xugu.

So they didn't delay their rest at the inn, and went directly into the rolling mountains. The climate in southern Xinjiang was hot and humid, and the forests were still lush. After walking for a short distance, they saw two figures in front of them as expected.

It seemed that he was tired from walking, Jiang Lanze was resting under the shade of a tree, and Ji Xiuming, who was standing beside him, handed him a water bag.

Jiang Li was about to change his route immediately, but Qi Zhaoxi reached out to stop him, pulled off the mask on his face, and said in a low voice: "It seems that they also want to find the old man Xugu, they can't avoid it, why don't we go up and meet him?" road."

Jiang Li looked at his face in surprise: "But what about your resurrection?"

"Looking at the entire Jianghu, only Guiyun Villa will not believe the rumors that the "Secret of Longevity" has the effect of bringing the dead back to life, and maybe some relevant news can be found out. As for the others, don't worry, I have already thought about my words." Qi Zhaoxi started He also took off Jiang Li's mask, and walked forward with his arm around his shoulder without any explanation.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Ji Xiuming looked back vigilantly, and was surprised when he saw who it was.

"Master Jiang Shao, Mr. Ji, what a coincidence." Qi Zhaoxi greeted calmly, "Both of you also went to Xugu for medical treatment?"

"Yes, are you too?" Jiang Lanze spoke bluntly, staring straight at him, "So you are really still alive! How did you do it? Did your apprentice find a way?"

Jiang Li looked at Qi Zhaoxi silently, Qi Zhaoxi laughed, shook his head and said, "It's a misunderstanding, I really can't explain it."

Jiang Lanze was really hooked and curious, and hurriedly asked, "How do you say it?"

"Jiang Shaozhuang's master should know the "Longevity Secret" better than us scattered people in the world. Do you think those rumors are true or false?"

Jiang Lanze thought about it, and Ji Xiuming cut it short and said, "I also ask Hero Qi to clear up the confusion for us."

Qi Zhaoxi glanced at him, and said with a smile: "The burned corpse in the Dongting Biezhuang is not me, but a member of the Prajna Sect. Ning Yu, the head of the Prajna Sect, came to save the demon girl that day. I escaped, I chased all the way, but I was besieged, and I passed out after being poisoned, and when I woke up a few days later, the news of my murder was already spread all over the rivers and lakes."

"It's not complicated, so why don't you explain it?"

"The rumors are about the "Longevity Formula". Who else is willing to listen to my explanation except you?" Qi Zhaoxi pressed his chest and pretended to cough twice, "Furthermore, the poison on the needle has penetrated into my lungs. If I can't find the old man Xu Gu to save me this time, I will really die."

Jiang Lanze nodded suddenly: "I see."

"Who are you two seeking medical treatment for?" Qi Zhaoxi asked.

"it's me……"

"It's an uncle in the villa," Ji Xiuming interrupted again, "He's not well-known in Jianghu, and Qi Daxia probably won't recognize him."

Qi Zhaoxi said: "Since we are on the same road, we might as well go together, and we can take care of each other."

This time Jiang Lanze learned to be clever, and instead of answering without authorization, he looked at Ji Xiuming.Ji Xiuming looked back and forth between Qi Zhaoxi and Jiang Li, very hesitant, but he couldn't find an excuse to refuse, so he nodded in agreement.

The four of them continued to walk deep into the mountains. When they were not far from Xugu, it was dark and the forest became darker, making it inconvenient to walk. However, the old man Xugu lived in seclusion for many years and was never found. Therefore, they unanimously decided to rest here for one night first, and then enter the valley tomorrow morning.

So they found a flat and clean space in the forest and put down their bags.Qi Zhaoxi suggested: "We need to pick up some branches to make a fire, and find some food. The four of us should separate in twos, so we can move faster."

When he said this, he was looking at Ji Xiuming, and he planned to take the opportunity to test it out alone, but before he finished speaking, Jiang Li walked up to him, the meaning couldn't be more obvious.

Before he could say the words, he turned a corner, and Qi Zhaoxi said, "Jiang Li and I will go to the river over there and have a look. It will trouble the two of you to make a fire."

"You're welcome." Ji Xiuming nodded at him, and then led Jiang Lanze into the depths of the forest.

The two of them walked in the other direction, and after a while, a meandering river appeared in front of them. The water was clear, and Qi Zhaoxi casually tied up his robe and walked into the river.After all, it is autumn, even in southern Xinjiang, the river water is still cool, Qi Zhaoxi turned his head and said: "You wait on the bank, don't go down..."

But it was too late, Jiang Li had already followed him into the water.

Qi Zhaoxi laughed helplessly: "Then be careful, the stones under your feet are very slippery, don't fall."

"Ah."

Qi Zhaoxi leaned slightly, looked at Jiang Li's silent profile, and asked, "You don't want to go with Ji Xiuming and the others?"

Jiang Li looked up at him, and finally said, "I don't trust people from Guiyun Villa."

"But instead of letting them move where they can't see, it's better to watch them under your nose, so that even if something happens, you can deal with it in time." Qi Zhaoxi smiled again, "Jiang Li, don't worry about them. Don't you worry about me?"

Jiang Li thought for a while, nodded and said nothing more.

In just a moment, Qi Zhaoxi had already caught a fat fish swimming close like lightning. Seeing Jiang Li like this, he suddenly yelled, and immediately threw the fish over in the air.Jiang Li was startled, and quickly stretched out his hand to catch it. The fish seemed to have been abused, and it bounced desperately in his hand, splashing water droplets, making martial arts masters like him flustered for a while.

Qi Zhaoxi laughed even harder, and when Jiang Li managed to subdue the fish, he held his hand in front of him again, and said with a smile, "Guess what it is?"

Before the water drops on Jiang Li's face had time to wipe off, he took a step back warily: "What?"

Qi Zhaoxi slowly opened his palm, a cloud of bright green light flickered, lighting up Jiang Li's eyes, and small fireflies fluttered in his palm.

Qi Zhaoxi observed the change in his expression, and was about to say something, when the unwilling fish flicked suddenly, splashing water from its tail, Qi Zhaoxi was caught off guard by the water on his face, his front was almost soaked, The fireflies flew away with green light spots.

Jiang Li couldn't help laughing.

This was the first time I heard Jiang Li laugh out loud. Qi Zhaoxi wiped the water off his face in embarrassment, feeling very spineless in his heart that it was worth it, but he still had a stern face on his face: "Why are you laughing? Is it that funny?"

"It's funny." Jiang Li nodded, smiling with crooked eyebrows.

Qi Zhaoxi's heart skipped a beat, and even that bit of pretended temper was gone, and he threatened the fish instead: "I'll eat you later."

When they walked back, Ji Xiuming and Jiang Lanze had already lit the fire.Naturally, the fat fish could not escape the bad luck. It was cut open to remove the scales, and it was skewered on a wooden branch and roasted fragrantly.

After eating, the tiredness from walking all day came to the fore. Jiang Lanze took the blanket and wrapped himself up, then leaned against the tree and fell asleep.Ji Xiuming took out another blanket from his luggage, thought for a while, and handed it to Jiang Li who was opposite.

Jiang Li glanced at him, then lowered his eyes again, without moving or making a sound.

Ji Xiuming's hand was still hanging there in embarrassment, Qi Zhaoxi reached out to take it in time, shook off the blanket and put it on Jiang Li's back, and smiled at him: "Don't mind, Mr. Ji, my apprentice is reserved. I don’t like dealing with people.”

Jiang Li immediately wanted to tear off the blanket, but Qi Zhaoxi held his hand, he paused, and finally accepted silently.

Ji Xiuming saw these small actions in his eyes, and said with a smile: "It's okay, you have a good teacher-student relationship." After finishing speaking, he didn't want to make fun of himself, and leaned against a nearby tree to rest with his eyes closed.

Under the night, there was a sound in the forest, and the fire made a slight crackling sound. Qi Zhaoxi picked up a twig and drew on the ground while thinking.

Because of the relationship between the old man Xugu and the Taihua Sect, when he was running around searching for clues to the "Longevity Formula" for the old leader in those years, he sent people to investigate several times. He is a dunjia man, but every time the people he sent failed to come back, he still didn't know anything about Yan Zhong.

Qi Zhaoxi couldn't help sighing, suddenly his shoulders sank slightly, and he turned his head to see that Jiang Li had fallen asleep unknowingly, leaning on his shoulder.

The warm fire shone on Jiang Li's face, Qi Zhaoxi smiled lightly, maybe Jiang Li himself hadn't noticed it, but he did have a sense of dependence on Qi Zhaoxi.Qi Zhaoxi was keenly aware of it, and it was very useful. She even put aside the troubles just now, stretched out her arms to embrace Jiang Li, put her face on his forehead, closed her eyes with peace of mind, and fell asleep relying on each other like this. went.