The master said not to judge people by their appearance

After the wind and rain subsided, the river that submerged the town slowly receded, but the mess in the city needed time to take a good rest.

Xie Yunlan did not return to the city for the time being. He took Shen Fan to a hot spring villa in the south of the city. This villa was owned by a wealthy businessman in the city. The wealthy businessman thanked Xie Yunlan for saving his life, and specially provided the villa for them to bathe and wash off their bodies. muddy.

When the warm spring water submerged the body, the fatigue in the limbs and bones seemed to have weakened a lot in an instant. Xie Yunlan put his arms on the pebbles by the pool and let out a comfortable sigh.

There was a "crash" of the spring water, and someone entered the pool again.

This made Xie Yunlan's relaxed and comfortable mood suddenly tense. When he said that, he didn't think much about it. When he really met frankly, he realized that something was wrong.

Fortunately, the pool was big enough, Shen Fan was not close to him, and apart from the moment before entering the water, after entering the pool, the spring water submerged his body, so he couldn't see anything clearly.

However, with his sharp eyesight, he could see the hare hiding in the dark at a glance in the vast grassland. Even if it was only for a moment, he still saw something.

Xie Yunlan stared at Shen Fan's face, and muttered to himself, this guy doesn't exercise all year round, and he complains of being tired after walking a few steps. The lines are beautiful.

When he secretly looked at Shen Fan, Shen Fan was also looking at him, his gaze was much more direct than Xie Yunlan's, and he looked at Xie Yunlan's chest without hesitation, where there was an inch-long scar.

When Xie Yunlan was in Beijing, he always said that he was injured. Shen Fan judged from the soul fire that he was lying, but now it seems that it is not entirely true.

He was indeed injured. Judging from the position and length of the incision, it was enough to endanger his life. Even though the wound has scabbed and healed, he can still see the danger at that time.

"It was left on the battlefield?" Shen Fan asked.

Qing Yu seemed to have told him about the origin of the injury, but he didn't pay much attention at that time.

Xie Yunlan said "hmm": "It was the last battle with the Yuan Rong people, and the Yuan Rong Shan Yu Tal Gu stayed."

Talgu is also an incomparable talent. He is used to wielding a black gold wide-backed wolf head knife. I don't know what material it is made of. Human skulls are like chopping melons and vegetables.In the entire territory of Yuan Rong, no one has ever been able to defeat him in a one-on-one confrontation.

It is to expand the scope of Daxia. In the past few decades, every general who has fought with this knife has finally become the soul of the wolf-headed knife.

Xie Yunlan was the only one who survived, and he was also the only one who defeated Targu. He became famous all over the world because of this. easy.

If the edge of the blade was a little bit off, or if Xie Yunlan hadn't had time to lean back to avoid it, he would have been directly chopped off by the wolf's head knife and pierced his heart.

Xie Yunlan told Shen Fan about the battle with Talgu like a story, Shen Fan listened, and suddenly started touching.

He traced the scar carefully with his fingertips, as if he wanted to use it to feel the thrill of that battle.

Xie Yunlan's voice slowly stopped, and he felt a little uncomfortable.

The wound has healed for several months, and he no longer feels it, but now that Shen Fan's finger touches it lightly, he still feels itchy, like an electric shock, his body feels hot unconsciously, and he doesn't know Is it because of the warm spring water, or because of something else.

Xie Yunlan grabbed Shen Fan's groping hand, his ears turned red, and his body also reacted. To prevent Shen Fan from noticing, he quickly turned Shen Fan around and said, "I'll wash it for you."

They have been roughly rinsed before going into the pool, but some places still need to be cleaned carefully.

Shen Fan didn't feel any difference, said "Oh", and obediently turned his back, resting his head on his arms, lying on the edge of the pool, letting Xie Yunlan hold up his long hair behind him, wash it with spring water, and then wash it with water. Comb slowly.

Xie Yunlan didn't comb people's hair too much, but he was careful enough, and his movements were light enough, Shen Fan didn't feel any discomfort, and even squinted his eyes comfortably, like a sleepy kitten.

This scene was originally harmonious, and Xie Yunlan didn't think much about it until his hand inadvertently touched the side of Shen Fan's neck.

"Hmm..." Shen Fan suddenly snorted.

Xie Yunlan was taken aback, thinking that he had pulled Shen Fan's hair and hurt him, but he noticed Shen Fan's expression and felt that it was not the case.

The corners of Shen Fan's eyes were red, just like the last time when he was drunk after eating two bowls of wine, with a seductive color, the difference is that his voice was a little hoarse this time, and said: "Don't touch there... "

"Where?" Xie Yunlan was stunned for a moment. He recalled something and suddenly thought of something. He tentatively touched Shen Fan's left side of the neck, and the position about two inches below it, the skin here was no different from other places. The tactile sensation is also the same, but as soon as he touches it, Shen Fan's body will tremble slightly, as if it is very sensitive.

Said not to touch, Shen Fan grabbed Xie Yunlan's wrist, turned around, and stared at Xie Yunlan with those dark eyes.

He seemed to be a little angry, Xie Yunlan felt that the fingers holding his wrist were tightened at a certain moment, so tight that he felt a little pain, but Shen Fan looked at him like this for a while, and in the end he didn't do anything, just said nothing He hurriedly climbed ashore, put on a robe casually, and left alone.

Xie Yunlan stood alone in the pool for a long time, and finally remembered to climb ashore. He hurriedly dressed and wanted to chase Shen Fan, but he happened to bump into Wang Tai who was looking for him.

Wang Tai said: "Master Hou, I found Yunxiu."

After Yunxiu was taken away by the snake the day before yesterday, her whereabouts were unknown. Luo Yong'an didn't kill her, even if Yunxiu almost betrayed him, he didn't kill her, but let the snake take Yunxiu out of the city, never to come back again.

But Yun Xiu still came back, she knew what Luo Yong'an wanted to do, she wanted to stop him, but it was only a step too late, everything was over.

Xie Yunlan stopped walking when he heard that, he happened to have something to ask Yun Xiu, but...he stared at the direction Shen Fan was leaving for a moment, that's all, let's coax later, go to business first.

He followed Wang Tai down the mountain. The prefect's mansion had just been flooded and the interior hadn't been cleaned yet. Xie Yunlan chose Caiyunfang as the meeting place.

The two sat opposite each other in the private room on the second floor. Without Xie Yunlan asking, Yunxiu took the initiative to talk about how she met Luo Yongan again.

It was a year ago when Xu Xin, the new governor of Cangzhou, took office. When the people saw his fat-headed appearance, they knew that he was another corrupt official. Yun Xiu thought so too. When she was pointed out, she was still very nervous.

But the conversation in the private room that night shocked her unceasingly. The bloated and ugly person in front of her turned out to be Luo Yong'an who left ten years ago.

Yunxiu knew that statement, but she didn't really believe it. She always wondered if something happened to Luo Yong'an. The truth that Luo Yong'an told her was true. All her guesses were proved. Luo Hongyuan was the one who killed Liniang, and so was Luo Yongan. Luo Hongyuan.

Yunxiu and Xu Liniang are sisters and close friends. When she learned the truth about Liniang's death, Yunxiu cried bitterly, and she also began to conspire with Luo Yongan.

It is difficult to overthrow the Luo family, but it is not impossible. The Luo family can have the current power and have done many unclean things, such as the silver taels that the imperial court builds embankments every year. Collusion, in the name of purchasing embankment repair materials, shoddy, to seek this huge amount of silver.

Xu Xin originally planned to rely on his status as the prefect and the convenience of Yunxiu and Yunxiu to inquire about news at Caiyunfang to slowly collect evidence of the Luo family's corruption and perverting the law. This process will be very slow, but they have no other way until three months ago, Xu Xin Xin accidentally got a gift from God.

"That day, he took me to the edge of the river and told me that Liniang is back." Yun Xiu recalled that scene, when the snake floated to the surface, her voice and smile were the same as that of Xu Liniang ten years ago.

At the beginning, Yunxiu felt scared, because the lower body of "Xu Liniang" was not a human leg, but a long snake tail, but slowly, when she saw Luo Yong'an would often stroke the snake's hair, just like he stroked Xu Liniang's hair ten years ago. Like hair, the snake never attacked Yunxiu, but was very close to her, sometimes clinging to her side, Yunxiu gradually believed that this was Xu Liniang, their Liniang had returned.

But Luo Yong'an changed at the same time, he became radical and tyrannical, and he came up with a plan of the river god to retaliate.

"I persuaded him that our enemy is Luo Hongyuan, and we shouldn't hurt innocent people." Yun Xiu said, "But he said how Liniang died, and Luo Hongyuan should die in the same way. Those foolish people are He deserves what he deserves, I can't talk to him, and he doesn't discuss everything with me anymore, and I don't know many things he did."

"But... Mr. Xie, whether you believe it or not, I want to tell you that Luo Yong'an was really not like this before. He had hatred in his heart and wished to kill the entire Luo family, but he never wanted to kill the [-] people in Cangzhou. , everything started to change after that thing found him."

"I believe." Xie Yunlan said, "The one who came to Luo Yong'an was the inner demon. The inner demon can magnify the desires in people's hearts to the point of trampling all human nature. The real purpose of me and Shen Fan coming here is to find the inner demon and stop it Disaster in the world."

"Fortunately, you are here to prevent him from making a real big mistake." Yun Xiu sighed, and she said again, "Master Xie, I have something to ask."

Xie Yunlan: "Tell me."

Yun Xiu: "Can you bury Luo Yong'an's body with Liniang?"

After Xu Liniang drowned ten years ago, Yunxiu secretly found someone to salvage her body and buried her in a bamboo forest on the outskirts of the city.

Luo Yong'an committed a heinous crime. It stands to reason that his body cannot be disposed of without authorization, but Xie Yunlan pondered for a moment, and replied: "Yes."

Yun Xiu breathed a sigh of relief, as if she had fulfilled some very important wish, she relaxed completely.

She suddenly remembered something, took out a book from her cuff, handed it to Xie Yunlan and said, "This is the evidence that Luo Yong'an and I collected earlier for the Luo family's corruption and perverting the law. Mr. Xie may be useful."

Xie Yunlan turned it over and saw that it was the account of repairing the embankment. This is not only useful, but also very useful. Because of Luo Hongyuan's incident, he had an enmity with the Luo family. The family hates him to the bone now, and it is estimated that the letter of complaint is already on the way.

But now that he got the Luo family's criminal evidence, he is not afraid of these things, and he can take advantage of the trend to rectify the collusion between officials and businessmen in the Jiangnan officialdom.

Xie Yunlan closed the book and said sincerely, "Thank you, Miss."

After leaving Caiyunfang, Xie Yunlan wanted to go back to the prefect's mansion to look for Shen Fan, but was stopped by someone, a local official in Cangzhou.

Xu Xin is dead, and there is no one in Cangzhou to make decisions. These officials dare not act rashly, and are waiting for Xie Yunlan to take charge of the overall situation.

Xie Yunlan had no choice but to go back to get busy again. This time, he was busy for three full days. After three days, Xie Yunlan slept for less than four hours, let alone looking for an opportunity to coax Shen Fan. It's not that they didn't want to see him on purpose, although they lived in the same courtyard, they didn't even meet once in three days.

Finally, after finishing the last important matter, Xie Yunlan was free.

He specially went to look for Shen Fan, and finally met him this time, but when Shen Fan saw him, he turned around and left. Xie Yunlan quickly grabbed him, handed him a bag of snacks, and said, "Don't be angry, my I was not careful at the time, and I didn't touch your place on purpose."

Although he still doesn't understand why the skin on the left side of Shen Fan's neck is so sensitive and gets angry when he touches it, it's right to apologize first.

Shen Fan turned around to look at him, sized Xie Yunlan up for a moment, as if he was measuring the sincerity of the other party's apology, his gaze finally landed on the bag of dim sum, and asked, "What kind of dim sum?"

Xie Yunlan laughed: "I have everything, I bought many kinds."

"Alright then." Shen Fan was coaxed again.

Shen Fan opened the oiled paper bag, and when he was picking out some snacks and was about to eat, Xie Yunlan said again: "By the way, the officers and soldiers said that something was dug up under the tower on the north side, do you want to go and have a look?"

The tower on the north side... that's where Luo Yong'an died, and it's also where the Rain Calling Formation is located.Shen Fan stopped eating the snack, looked at Xie Yunlan, and nodded.

The two came to the north tower, and the thing that Luo Yong'an had hidden underground had been completely lifted up to the ground at this moment, and the mud on it was washed away with water, revealing its original appearance, which was a truncated corner.

This truncated horn is like a deer's antler with forks, but it is much larger than the deer's antler. If it is really owned by a deer, the deer's body must be hundreds of feet long.

The world has never heard of such a big deer, but there is another creature with such two horns.

"Is this the dragon horn that broke off ten years ago?" Xie Yunlan looked at Shen Fan and asked.

Shen Fan let out a "hmm", and stroked the severed horn with his fingers.

Xie Yunlan saw a trace of sadness in his eyes, Shen Fan was indifferent by nature, suffering from the pain of life and death, and he didn't care about things that would be sad for ordinary people. This was the first time Xie Yunlan saw such emotions in him.

Xie Yunlan asked again: "How to deal with it?"

"Burn it." Shen Fan withdrew his hand.

The broken horn is hard to continue, just like being covered with water is hard to get back, and the dragon power in the broken horn was almost exhausted last night, and it was also polluted by the resentment of the snake, so it is useless to keep it.

Xie Yunlan confirmed it again, and seeing that Shen Fan insisted, he asked someone to find firewood and burn the broken horn.

But the severed horn was not damaged by the burning of the flames, not even a trace of black scorching marks, and the people around were amazed to see it, until Shen Fan made a move, he poured the soul fire into the common fire, then The dragon horns that had been eroded by resentment finally began to melt under the flames.

Shen Fan watched silently, watching the truncated horn slowly turn into a handful of ashes of nothingness.

Xie Yunlan looked at him from the side, watching the expression change on Shen Fan's face.

After returning to the prefect's mansion, Shen Fan didn't continue to eat the snacks that he didn't have time to eat before, he seemed to have suddenly lost interest in those things, and stood alone on the porch, quietly looking into the distance, without saying a word.

Xie Yunlan walked beside him and stood with him for a while.

"Are you human?" he asked suddenly.

"No." Shen Fan didn't seem surprised by Xie Yunlan's question, he answered it quickly.

"Then you are a god?" Xie Yunlan asked again.

Shen Fan didn't answer right away this time, he looked up at the sky, the clouds were gone, the sky was clear, and the monstrous flood dragons that were making waves had already fallen, but the lingering wind and rain were still reflected in his eyes, like a nightmare that could not be shaken off.

Above the sky higher than the clouds, after the long trial, the great and forbidding voice delivered the final sentence, colder than the rain.

"Zhuyin, you are not worthy to be a god."

Then, it was thunderous, falling from the sky to the earth.

Shen Fan was silent for a while, and then said softly:

"Not any more."