Above the Clouds

Chapter 3

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As you go further north, the temperature gets lower, but the desolation of autumn becomes less and less. en8.

The Kingdom of Mirror came all the way from the north with iron hooves, and the closer it got to the capital of Mirror in the north, the more prosperous it became. The small towns in the south still have the smell of war. Not only are people numb, but the scenery is not as good as in the north.

Even on this official road, things are not always peaceful.

"Hey!" A horse's neigh broke the silence, and a man masked with a black scarf stood in the middle of the road. People on the road stopped one after another, at a loss.

This road is the only official road from Jiu Ming City to the big northern city. People coming and going on the road are caravans who often travel between the north and the south, as well as retail investors moving from the south to the north. The people in the caravan looked very calm, probably because they had seen too many people cutting corners like this. Those retail investors were a little restless. Most of them bring their families with them and carry most of their life savings with them, just to live a good life in the big cities in the north. Who wants to be stopped and robbed at this critical moment

"What is he doing?" Yun Qing asked curiously among the pedestrians.

He knew that there was a leisurely flower city ahead, which was considered prosperous in the south, so he took Amang out of the mountain and onto the official road, wanting to go there and have a look. I didn't expect that I would encounter this kind of thing when I first came to Dao'er.

Yun Qing's voice seemed particularly abrupt on the quiet official road. The family next to him was startled and quickly walked away from him. There was a slim girl standing in front of Yun Qing. After listening to his words, she turned around and said with a smile: "This is a road sacrifice!"

"Sacrifice the road?" Yun Qing asked the girl curiously. The girl was wearing a long dress made of aqua blue brocade. She was tall and beautiful, with a cunning light flashing from time to time in her eyes. Although Yun Qing couldn't see it, he felt that the girl's voice sounded very comfortable.

The young girl simply stood next to him and explained to him: "The Road Sacrifice was originally a ritual for sacrificing the land before the army marched. But now the robbery on this road is also called the Road Sacrifice. In fact, the meaning is the same, that is, leaving the property to protect you. Safety."

Yun Qing nodded: "Aren't you afraid?"

"Aren't you afraid too?" the girl asked sharply.

Yun Qing laughed and seemed to have a good impression of this girl: "My name is Yun Qing, what's yours?"

"My name is Zhu Yu, with the word "Fuxia". I'm older than you, so you might as well call me Sister Yu." The girl who called herself Zhu Yu turned to look at Ah Qing.

"Zhuyu Wuxia, my sister's name is so good." Ah Qing closed his eyes, but he could still feel the other person's gaze, and his smile deepened.

Just when the two were chatting happily, there was a commotion in front of them.

"The thief didn't follow the rules... It seems he will suffer a loss." Zhu Yu said with a cold smile.

Generally speaking, in official circles, robbers don't dare to go too far. Everyone left some money and then let them go, without harming their lives. But the guy who robbed this time seemed to be a newbie and very nervous. Just now, a civilian who had learned some martial arts wanted to escape, so he subconsciously slashed at him with a knife. The man's head was immediately separated, and blood flowed all over the floor.

While the thief was in a daze, the pedestrians screamed, and several people broke through the thief's blockade and fled. The remaining people were also excited, and the scene suddenly became chaotic.

Seeing that the situation was not going well, the thief got on his horse and was about to pack up the silver and leave, but was stopped by a clear shout: "Those who kill will always be killed!"

Next, he felt a chill on his neck, and before he died, he only saw his headless body sitting on the horse. But everyone only heard a girl's clear shout, and then a blue light flashed out from the crowd, and the thief fell to the ground.

The blue light turned around and returned to the crowd. Only then did everyone see the beautiful girl standing next to Yun Qing's mule, gently blowing the blade of her sword.

"Immortal... Immortal!" A man knelt down. Then came the second, third, and soon a large group of them were kneeling. en8.

"Hahaha, Immortal?" Zhu Yu sneered with a smile.

"They are calling you?" Yun Qing was a little confused.

"Yes, it turns out you are blind!" Zhu Yu was a little surprised. She never looked at the boy seriously.

"Yeah." Ah Qing wasn't angry either, "Why did they call you that?"

"Hahaha, I'm not them, how do I know?" Zhu Yu laughed again, with a hint of arrogance in addition to the cunningness before.

She glanced at the people kneeling and worshiping, then looked at the north, and said to Yun Qing: "I'm in a hurry, so I won't go with you next time. See you in Jingdu!"

Yun Qing nodded.

Zhu Yu stepped on the blue sword, transformed into sword light, and disappeared into the northern sky.

"Sister Yu, be careful on the road!" Yun Qing shouted loudly.

————

Leisure Flower City. The autumn rain is continuous, seemingly endless, and seems to be drowning this small town.

In a deep alley of Xianhua City. A big man was leading a mule, with a little boy sitting on the mule.

"Amang, who do you think Sister Yu is? I heard those merchants say... she can fly!" A Qing touched the mule and said with some yearning.

"Amang, Amang, if you could fly, wouldn't you be able to flap your wings and run up to this cloud?"

The big man was in a low state of mind. He just looked at him with a silly smile and didn't answer.

"Amang, can you fly?" Ah Qing put the hand on the mule's head to Amang's face, felt him nod, and then shook his head.

"Hahaha, okay, I won't ask you anymore." Ah Qing touched his head a few times soothingly, with a distant look on his face, "I want to fly like Sister Yu."

"Zhuyu Wuxia, Sister Yu must be a very powerful person."

While Yun Qing was talking to himself, a voice suddenly sounded in the quiet alley.

"Zhu Wuxia? Little brat, are you talking about the Wuxia girl from the Demon Sect of Destruction?" The voice was weak but happy, with a strong sense of excitement.

Ah Qing was alarmed by the sound and rode a mule in a circle in the deep alley. He was surprised to find no third person besides him and Amang.

"I'm here, I'm here! Little brat, no, young master, come quickly!"

A peach core was thrown out from the high courtyard wall, making a crisp sound. Ah Qing followed the sound and turned his head. A Mang picked up the mule and led him to the high wall.

This wall is different from the surrounding brick walls. It is made of whole large stones. This extremely solid stone wall now has a small round hole, about the thickness of a child's neck. That Wenwen weak voice came from the wall.

"Young Master?" The person in the wall approached the hole in the wall and said, "Have you seen Miss Wuxia?"

"If you're talking about Sister Yu who has a nice smile, then that's it." Ah Qing replied, running his hand along the place where the sound came from, and almost poking the eye of the person against the wall.

The man groaned: "Don't move! Tell me how she is doing now?"

"She killed a thief on the road and then flew away. She is probably on her way now." Ah Qing told him honestly.

"What else?" the man asked anxiously.

"No more." Ah Qing thought about it carefully. He and Zhu Yu had only known each other for just a cup of tea, so there was no way he could tell more.

The man in the wall was immediately shocked when he heard what he said so crisply, and he remained silent for a long time.

"Hey..." After who knows how long, he let out a long sigh, "Miss Wuxia..."

"Young Master, I am the seventh young master of the Xie family, and my name is Xie Yao..."

Before he could continue, Ah Qing couldn't help but laugh: "Your name is Laxative? This name is far worse than Zhuyu Wuxia."

The man was finally filled with sadness, but Ah Qing suddenly stopped laughing. He said angrily: "Shut up! You brat! I know I am not as good as the flawless girl..."

He also felt a little sad when he said this, and Ah Qing didn't interrupt him and listened to him talk in detail.

It should be said that Xie Yao is also from a scholarly family in Tianzhu Kingdom. It's a pity that the previous head of the family didn't seem to be strong enough. As soon as Dajing's cavalry broke through the first of the thirteen northwest barriers, he betrayed him. However, this also preserved the foundation of the Xie family, allowing them to thrive in this small southern town after the founding of Dajing.

Xie Yao is the seventh son of the Xie family. His story is the same as ordinary story-telling novels, a little tacky and a little bizarre.

When the spring scene was prosperous, Xie Yao accidentally met Zhu Yu at a banquet of the old clan and was shocked. At that time, Zhu Yu came from the bank of the Liulian River and stood on the side of the boat where they held the banquet, smiling amid the poplar flowers in the sky. The aristocratic young men present were all dumbfounded, but no one dared to come forward and strike up a conversation.

The beauty raised her eyebrows slightly, and as soon as the evil aura appeared, she took off one of the people's heads with a sword. That man was the only son of the Zhong family. He had always been high-profile and had ruined many good women. As soon as this beauty came up, she killed her so much that blood was scattered all over the boat. She frightened these gentlemen into silence and they all fled away.

Only Xie Yao was so bold that he even recited a line of poetry in a daze: "The spring light is flying and the water is flowing, and a sword breaks the bright sky."

"Aren't you afraid?" The beauty's smile didn't contain a trace of evil spirit at this time, and Xie Yao nodded blankly.

When Ah Qing heard this, he suddenly remembered that Zhu Yu had also said this to him.

Xie Yao reacted and immediately bowed: "I am Xie Yao, my name is Daoyuan. What is the name of the fairy?"

Zhu Yu chuckled softly: "Fairy? I am a law enforcement disciple of the Destruction Demon Sect, with the name of Wu Xia. You are a mortal, just call me Zhu Yu. I didn't like that guy just now, so I killed him. If anyone asks, please report Just use my name!"

She seemed to have something important to do, so she left these words and flew away with her sword.

After this incident, Xie Yao didn't think about food or tea, he only thought about asking for immortality, hoping to meet Zhu Yu again. His parents did not believe in these myths about gods and demons, and only hoped that he would study hard and revitalize the family in the future. The Xie family locked Xie Yao in this high-walled courtyard. Not to mention seeking immortality, even going out to look at the street scene was just wishful thinking.

Xie Yao survived from spring to autumn like this. Just when he was feeling discouraged, he heard a young voice outside the wall talking about the Immaculate Fairy he had longed for day and night. That's why it happened now.

"Hey..." Xie Yao sighed, "It would be great if I could get out of here."

"Are there really people who practice Taoism in the world?" Ah Qing asked regardless of his disappointment.

"Of course there is!" Xie Yao was a little excited and pressed his face against the hole.

"Can they all fly like Sister Yu?" Ah Qing asked with a frown.

"This... people who practice Taoism also have different realms. Masters like Fairy Wuxia will have no problem!" In fact, Xie Yao only knows a little about Taoism.

After he fell in love with Zhu Wuxia at first sight, he searched for many ancient classics in his library and had some superficial understanding of this matter. However, most of the mortal classics have a disbelieving attitude towards this, and it is very mysterious.

"If I can get out from here, maybe I can visit the Immortal Mountain, enter the Immortal Sect, and become a being worthy of Fairy Wuxia." Xie Yao sighed quietly.

"I'll let you out, can you take me to see what this practice is all about?" Yun Qing was silent for a moment, then suddenly said.

"Hey, please stop worrying. It took me half a year to dig such a small hole in the wall. How could you get me out." Although Xie Yao was suffering in his heart, his reason was still there and he didn't believe Yun Qing's words at all.

"Promise me first." Yun Qing said stubbornly.

"Okay, okay, I promise...ah!!!"

Before Xie Yao could finish his perfunctory words, he saw the wall he was leaning on suddenly falling inward. He took a few steps back and almost fell to the ground.

Xie Yao saw a big man standing behind the collapsed wall. The big man was wearing animal skin clothing. He was much taller than an ordinary person, with well-proportioned muscles. Upon closer inspection, his facial features were also majestic and cold. But there was no intelligence in the big man's eyes, only a ferocious aura like a beast.

"Let's go." A childish voice came from behind the big man.

Xie Yao saw a child in his early ten years, eyes closed, riding a mule coming out from behind the big man.

"You... you you you!" Xie Yao pointed at the boy and was speechless for a long time.

"My name is Yun Qing." The boy smiled, got off the mule, and the big man picked him up.

Yun Qing pointed to the mule and said to Xie Yao: "Let's go."

Xie Yao didn't expect that the turning point of fate would suddenly be in front of him. He had long wanted to escape from here, but when such an opportunity was presented to him, he was suddenly confused. Is it worth it to abandon our parents and loved ones, abandon the worldly world, and pursue such an illusory path

He vaguely remembered that March in spring, when the beautiful girl with sharp edges stood on the side of the ship and asked him: "Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid..." He dropped this belated reply and jumped on the old mule.

"Let's go! I know where the Immortal Cave is!" He said to Ah Qing, then rode his mule and rushed out of the dark alley.

"Let's go to Mirror Capital. To the west of Mirror Capital is Wuxuan Mountain, a natural moat that cuts off the northwest wilderness. It's the last of the Thirteen Barriers. According to classic records, there is a sect of ascetics up there."

Xie Yao's thoughts gradually became clearer. He explained to Yun Qing while riding a mule towards Beishi: "We can't take the official route. The Xie family is powerful and has many informants on the official route."

"This trip is going north and we need to make some preparations. Let's go to the north market to buy some supplies first, and then leave through the north city gate before the Xie family can react."

"Your arrangement is... If there is a fight, Amang can take action." Yun Qing sat on the shoulder of the big man and easily followed the mule.

"Speaking of which... I haven't asked you yet, why do you want to practice Taoism?" Xie Yao looked at this man who met him for only half a day, rescued himself from the Xie family, and walked thousands of miles to take him to find the immortal way. children. He felt in his heart that the origin of this child might be a little strange, so he couldn't help but ask.

"I want to see what is above the blue clouds." Ah Qing replied with a smile.

Xie Yao was stunned.

Such a reason that was in line with the child's curiosity made him unable to refute it, but he had a vague feeling in his heart that what "above the blue clouds" meant was extraordinary.

No one knows whether the immortal way exists or not, and no one knows whether there will be a mirror image behind the passion. But after taking this step, no one wants to look back.

A journey of a thousand miles begins here.