The next morning, outside the Qu family villa.
Several tall and powerful horses snorted and stomped the ground non-stop, with hot steam rising from their skin in the air.
The Arrow Horse is a horse demon carefully raised by various sects. It is twice as big as an ordinary horse and has amazing endurance. When it runs, its mane is on fire and it is several times faster than the wind. It can tread on the snow without leaving any traces and run at lightning speed.
The Taiheng arrow horses were particularly tall and strong, without a single stray hair on them.
It's a pity that the master's dream of a cushioned small stove in the carriage was missing, not to mention snacks for the journey.
There were four coffin-like instruments suspended behind the horses. They were spindle-shaped, with the ends firmly fixed to the horses, and each one could just hold one person or more.
The smile on the headmaster's face gradually disappeared, and his face began to turn blue: "Miss Shi, what is this?"
Shi Zhongyu: "This is the 'self-defense shuttle'. My sect's arrows and horses are very fast, so the carriage is a bit of a hindrance. The wind on the road is as strong as a turbulent stream, and it is very easy to suffocate without any protection. I can still use the sect's treasures to protect myself, but I can only inconvenience you all to lie down for a while."
Shi Jingzhi: “…”
Good news, the horse is coming fast. Bad news, they will turn into four silk cocoons on the horse's buttocks. Not to mention the beautiful scenery in the north, they didn't even get to see the horse's tail.
Seeing Shi Jingzhi's expression stiff, Shi Zhongyu added: "I will send arrows and horses to work day and night, and I will drive them myself. Don't worry, I will use my inner strength to assist them, and it will only take a day and a half to reach the north."
Yin Ci saw the four airtight protective shuttles and slowly frowned. The protective shuttles were equipped with ventilation mechanisms, so they definitely wouldn't suffocate to death, but...
Taiheng is really solid. Perhaps considering the limited field of vision, the craftsmen did not even leave a gap for light to pass through.
Yin Ci’s eyelids twitched, but he said nothing.
After a while, he turned around and said, "In that case, I'll go make some sweet soup and have some on the way."
Looking at Yin Ci's back, the shock and grievance on Shi Jingzhi's face disappeared quickly. He looked at Shi Zhongyu and quickly returned to his usual smooth and tactful attitude: "One and a half days? That's too much. Thank you, Miss Shi."
He pondered for a moment and added, "I see that this shuttle is heavy and may slow down the speed of the cavalry. I don't have enough luggage, so four shuttles are a bit heavy. Three will be enough."
Shi Zhongyu was stunned: "This..."
The shuttle had reserved space for carry-on luggage, which could accommodate two people. However, the space was so small that few people were willing to get so close to others.
"Three is enough." Shi Jingzhi said with a smile, "To be honest, I also have some illnesses and need to be taken care of by others. I can't stay alone for that long."
After saying this, he even spat out a small mouthful of blood.
Yan Qing, Su Si: “…”
The master's skill in telling lies with open eyes was perfect. If they didn't know the truth, they would have believed it to be true.
Unfortunately, the two young men were too shy to stick to him as casually as the headmaster. Moreover, in order to let the horse pull him, Yan Qing had to hold the Mercy Sword the whole time. If Su Si really stuck to him, he would probably be beaten to death by the Mercy Sword after a day and a half.
No, absolutely not.
The two of them slipped into their respective protective shuttles, fearing that the leader would prioritize efficiency and save the weight of a shuttle.
When Yin Ci came back from making the sweet soup, he saw that the four shuttles had become three, and a flash of surprise flashed across his face. He didn't say anything, but just distributed the sweet soup, and then quietly entered the protective shuttle.
After a while, a faint sound of breaking through the air came from outside. After setting off, it was just as Yin Ci expected, and thick darkness swarmed in from all directions.
Shi Jingzhi and him lay back to back, their backs swaying slightly with each breath. The two of them were entangled in each other's body, soaked in the warmth of each other's backs.
The presence of the other person was so obvious that the darkness in front of him seemed to fade a little.
Shi Jingzhi did not explain why he reduced the number of his protective shuttles. He just relaxed his body and breathed evenly and relaxedly.
To be honest, if Shi Jingzhi hadn't taken the initiative to reduce the defensive shuttle, Yin Ci wouldn't have said anything. He had long forgotten the feeling of showing weakness, and now that he was mentally stable, it wasn't difficult for him to grit his teeth and hold on.
Yin Ci originally thought that this would be a torture that would last for a day and a half. Unexpectedly, Shi Jingzhi lay down beside him and turned the torture into a rest during the journey.
Yes, the inner demon of the Buddha Heart Formation made him blind, and he always checked whether Shi Jingzhi was around when he was young. He had revealed many subtle flaws, so it was not surprising that he was found to be "afraid of the dark".
Yin Ci closed his eyes slightly and sighed for the hundredth time, wishing his master had a chance to take his head.
If Shi Jingzhi were a little dumber, he would be able to handle it more easily. Unexpectedly, this person was a genius who could understand people's hearts. He just enlightened Shi Jingzhi's "heart", and this person quickly learned how to deal with people more skillfully.
The oppression turned into a soothing and warm current, but the intensity remained undiminished.
Yin Ci couldn't manipulate or control him. Even if he used the momentum of three hundred years, he couldn't suppress Shi Jing's overwhelming vigor that was tainted by the world.
Yin Ci almost suspected that this kid was born to be his nemesis - he had trained his heart to be as hard as iron, leaving only a little soft spot, which this guy took advantage of and exploited, forcing him to reveal a little humanity.
I am like this, let alone other mortals with normal lifespans.
Shi Jingzhi was originally good at judging people, and now he was like a fish in water. If he wanted to, as long as he had enough time, he could please almost anyone.
Thinking of this, a thought came to him like an ice cone, splitting all the soft thoughts in Yin Ci's mind.
… Judging from Shi Jingzhi’s previous performance, he does not understand the so-called “sincerely getting along” between people. If he wants to achieve this, he must not keep anyone around him for a long time.
Not to mention blood relatives, even servants and teachers could not stay for too long. Shi Jingzhi was like a stone thrown into a rapid stream, untouched by the dust called attachment.
A person who could do such a thing must have known what he was guarding against from the beginning, and also knew what Shi Jingzhi was from the beginning. Since he was on guard against a three-year-old child, why did he spare Shi Jingzhi's life? Why did he let him run around now
Yin Ci didn't think that was out of pure "kindness".
Shi Jingzhi obviously knew his own situation very well and had no concerns. He did not bring up the past without authorization, but let Yin Ci choose to "go to him" himself.
Unfortunately, the cheap master thought he had come up with a question like a fork in the road, but he could only give one answer.
I hope that this trip to break the ban will allow him to catch this guy and get his hands on his tail.
Yin Ci turned over and moved closer. Shi Jingzhi's body temperature was high to begin with, and he pressed his nose against her dark hair, squinting his eyes, feeling very comfortable with the heat.
Shi Jingzhi noticed Yin Ci's little movement, and he said with a smile: "So Ah Ci is so afraid of the cold."
Yin Ci admitted frankly: "Not bad."
He pushed further and moved closer. Darkness pressed against his eyes, and the past and present mixed together. Yin Ci almost stretched out his arms and hugged the source of heat in front of him, but when he touched the waist of an adult man, Yin Ci withdrew his hands.
The little mute was so small that Yin Ci could hug him tightly. The little mute loved to sleep on his chest, drooling all over, making Yin Ci's clothes wrinkled.
The child's body temperature was also high. Yin Ci held him in his arms, as if he was holding a soft sun. The warmth was soothing, so Yin Ci acquiesced to the kid ruining his clothes.
Now Shi Jingzhi was even bigger than him. Fortunately, he was not a strong man, so Yin Ci was still able to hug him just by the waist.
It was a pity that the little mute had grown up, and the two of them were squeezed into this narrow space, so the action seemed a little frivolous.
Yin Ci retracted his arms and changed the subject: "Speaking of 'fear', I wanted to ask you a long time ago, why is Master so afraid of ghosts?"
In his impression, both the little mute and Shi Jingzhi were very brave. Even in front of gods and Buddhas, they had an aura of "I am not afraid of heaven or earth, and what can you do to me?"
But his cheap master looked down on the world and was very good at dealing with people, but he was afraid of ghosts, which really made Yin Ci completely puzzled.
Shi Jingzhi froze for a moment.
"I'm not really afraid."
He said it quite seriously.
"When you encounter something unusual that you have never seen before, it is harmless to be afraid. As a teacher, you value your life, so you should always pay attention to these, ahem, details."
Yin Ci stared at the back of Shi Jingzhi's head with a smile.
"And I always feel like I should be afraid." Shi Jingzhi muttered, "Now that you mention it, it's a little strange... It shouldn't be that serious..."
The ease in his voice suddenly disappeared, and Yin Ci's heart trembled—
Shi Jingzhi's steady breathing suddenly became rapid and his body trembled slightly.
"Master?"
"Hmm." Shi Jingzhi replied gloomily, "No, I'll be fine after a short sleep."
Yin Ci pinched his wrist mercilessly. As expected, Shi Jingzhi's heartbeat became disorderly and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his body. It did not look like the symptoms of his usual illness, but more like an attack of restraint.
"What's up?"
"It's just a headache. It won't hurt my life, I don't care." Shi Jingzhi said weakly, "Once we get to Mishan Sect, we can talk about everything. Ah Ci, let's go to sleep and save some energy."
I was just lying down, how come it suddenly happened
However, Shi Jingzhi obviously didn't want to talk, so Yin Ci just moved his body and pulled him into his arms. He covered Shi Jingzhi's cold neck with his palm, and used his other hand to massage the acupuncture points on his head.
Shi Jingzhi exhaled a breath half in pain and half in relief, and buried his face in Yin Ci's chest.
The pain of the restriction was like tearing open an unhealed scar. Shi Jingzhi felt as if thousands of needles were poking at his brain, making it nearly stop functioning.
Juefei was indeed a great master, so he immediately advised him to join the Mishan Sect. At first he insisted on finding a meat, not knowing how much suffering he would have to endure.
Ever since Greedy Butterfly activated the restriction, its onset became irregular. A word, a smell, before he realized they were related to the past, the pain would come one after another.
Unfortunately, everyone has a bad habit. The more we know we shouldn't think about something, the more we can't stop thinking about it.
Yin Ci's fingers were warm and powerful, and he rubbed the acupuncture points accurately. Shi Jingzhi got a little breathing space, buried his nose in the fabric of Yin Ci's clothes, and sniffed carefully again.
Yin Ci's scent was somewhat bitter, but not like medicine. It smelled like grave soil, or like blood that had been soaked for too long, the two mixed into a dark and eerie fragrance that made people subconsciously want to stay away.
However, Shi Jingzhi felt that this smell was extremely reassuring, and it even made his eyes a little sore.
My head hurts worse.
On one hand, there was a severe pain in his head, and on the other hand, there was the usual swelling pain in his meridians. The combination of the two finally gave him the appearance of a dying man. Shi Jingzhi closed his eyes tightly, trying to collect the chaotic fragments of memories in his mind.
His pain completely alarmed Yin Ci, who held him down without giving him any more words: "Qing Xin, San Shen! Don't recall it anymore."
But he wanted to remember.
Although it was painful, Shi Jingzhi always felt that his fingertips had touched something. He had long been accustomed to the pain, and he didn't want to stop.
This could be considered self-injury, but there was no wound, so even if Yin Ci got angry, he wouldn't be too angry. Shi Jingzhi thought vaguely, and he continued to sniff Yin Ci's scent while digging deep into his mind.
Yes, why is he so afraid of ghosts
In the dim light, the fiery red maple forest appeared again. Shi Jingzhi was about to investigate further when he was startled by the sensation on his waist.
Yin Ci freed one hand and hugged his waist tightly.
The memory faded away like a phantom, and the headache was relieved a little. Shi Jingzhi felt the hand of his mother holding his, and he didn't know what expression to show.
It wasn't the first time they hugged each other, but every hug had a reason.
To protect, or to act, or to be in a critical situation and seek some skin contact and comfort.
But what about the present situation
Now, none of them needed physical protection, nor did they need to put on a show, and there was no danger around them. Yin Ci's breathing became faster, and he was obviously angry. He held her tightly, and Shi Jingzhi did not dare to use his internal force to break it apart.
It's really warm to have another person next to me, he thought vaguely.
This time, not only was he unable to concentrate, an unfamiliar emotion made his hair stand on end and the back of his neck tingle.
"Behave yourself now. You can think whatever you want when you get to Mishan Sect." Yin Ci said in a deep voice. "Why, I can't tell the severity of your headache, and you want to make a fuss about it?"
"No, no, I won't do it next time." Shi Jingzhi replied with a groan, still feeling the pain in his head.
Who knew that this closeness and warmth would touch something, and the forbidden kick hit him in the head. Before the leader could close his mouth in time, he let out a loud cry.
Yin Ci: “…”
Shi Jingzhi: “…” He was wronged, really wronged.
Yin Ci sneered and loosened his hand around Shi Jingzhi's waist. He ignored the etiquette between master and disciple, supported the bottom of the shuttle with one hand, and half pressed his body on Shi Jingzhi, with a cold aura surging from top to bottom: "Master, you dare to do it again next time. You're coming pretty fast."
Her hair fell down like a stream, and the ends of her hair swirled into a small pile on Jingzhi's chest. The cool and smooth hair brushed through the air, and Yin Ci's cool scent became a little stronger.
The restriction was about to move again, and Shi Jingyi couldn't tell whether this person was trying to save him or instigate him.
There was also a touch of darkness, and the weight and breathing of the person were extremely clear. Shi Jingzhi had never been so close to someone before, and half of his brain was rusted halfway, and he had no strength to call for the ban.
"Let me think, what's the best punishment for not keeping one's word?"
Yin Ci was very close to him, and his voice was low, as if he was pressing his numbness points with his voice.
Shi Jingzhi held his breath and concentrated, tensing like a coffin board at a loss. This time the apprentice was aggressive, and he instinctively felt that it would not be as simple as "no special breakfast to eat". As a result, he waited for a while in fear, but he didn't wait for the next day, but waited for Yin Ci to tremble.
… This person is trying not to laugh.
"Aci, are you kidding me?" Shi Jingzhi was still a little dazed.
"At least the master is completely distracted."
Shi Jing was very angry, but this person's methods were indeed effective, and he really had nothing to say.
"Go to sleep." Yin Ci moved away from him and resumed the position of hugging Shi Jingzhi.
This time, the two of them were facing each other, and the ban stopped making trouble. Shi Jingzhi felt a sense of relief that he couldn't explain, and slowly closed his eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, the protective shuttle suddenly stopped.
He was held tightly in Yin Ci's arms, and his head and neck were not hit. The shutters opened, the skylight poured in, and the cold wind mixed with snow foam made people shiver.
The cold wind blew away those floating emotions, and the two left the shuttle and stepped into the soft snow.
There was a hint of spring in the Central Plains, but the north was still filled with endless cold winds. The horses snorted in dissatisfaction, and steaming pits were trampled out in the snow. The snow on the ground was very thick, like a dry mountain a month ago.
The sky was overcast with a fine snowflake. In the distance, there were mountains all around and everything was silent.
"A demon-repelling formation has been set up near the Mishan Sect, and the arrow horses are unwilling to move forward."
Shi Zhongyu put on a thick cape. After a day and a night, even with the magic weapon protecting her, the tip of her nose and ears were still red from the cold wind, and there was a hint of fatigue in her eyes.
"After climbing over that short mountain, the entire territory of the Mishan Sect is covered."
Yan Qing was surprised and asked, "It's all over the place? I looked at the map, and the size of that place is almost as big as a small village."
Shi Zhongyu and Yan Qing still had a good attitude: "That's right. This is the northernmost part of Dayun. To the west is Qita, and to the east is Narajiu. The mountain is the boundary. There used to be a small village called Milan over there."
Shi Jingzhi continued to explain: "Two hundred years ago, Milan was in turmoil, and Dayun took the opportunity to conquer it. Queen Milan was good at magic, and her supporters were also obsessed with formations and magic. Milan was overthrown, and these people were exiled to their homeland. This was the prototype of Mishan Sect."
Once his attention was diverted, the headache disappeared and he felt refreshed again.
Su Si hugged the trembling Master Bai tightly and said, "Shouldn't the Mishan Sect hate Dayun? Why would they still associate with the Central Plains martial arts world?"
"The last generation of Queen Milan was originally from Dayun."
Shi Zhongyu's expression was somewhat complicated.
"She was originally a princess of Yun Dynasty. She was married to Milan at the age of 28. After ten years of bloody battles, she climbed to the pinnacle of imperial power. She is beautiful and has great foresight... but she is also cruel and ruthless."
"She brought the entire Milan clan to the peak, and then pushed it down from the height, causing the entire clan to be in turmoil. At that time, the emperor seized this opportunity and conquered Milan in one fell swoop. Queen Milan jumped off the glacier and died at the age of 27."
Yin Ci had indeed heard of this. Chu Mi Lan was already in a precarious situation, and even if Yun Chao did not take action, Qi Tuo and Na Luo Jiu would not let go of this piece of fat meat.
At that time, the royal family of Milan was exterminated by Queen Xu Luo, and their bloodline was cut off. The people were also tortured to the point of being left with only a breath of air, becoming a pile of loose sand, and unable to generate any solid hatred.
Mi Lan's final glory can only be seen from the magic of Mishan Sect.
"Okay, I'll go back and give these two kids some extra lessons. The most important thing is to deal with the situation down below."
Shi Jingzhi changed the subject in due time and started to talk about something that his husband could not believe.
"After crossing this mountain and walking for half a day, we will reach Senior Chen Qianfan's residence."
Shi Zhongyu pursed his lips and exhaled a large puff of white steam.
"Everyone go ahead, I'll follow you half a day later. I'll just follow you, and you don't have to know about it."
She didn't move, and her expression was a little sour.
Shi Jingzhi raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had this feeling when he met the Qu family - although they cooperated, Shi Zhongyu always kept a certain distance from them.
Even when she discovered that Kushan Sect had two "new faces", she didn't ask or show any concern.
He helped and sold favors. If it were in the past, Shi Jingzhi would not want to get involved in Tai Heng's mess. However, Tai Heng's timing was strange, and Shi Zhongyu was unwilling to give up the dying person, so he felt a little bit of empathy and appreciation for her.
Shi Jingzhi couldn't help but stop. Just as he was about to hesitate, Yin Ci gently pushed him forward a step.
With support, Shi Jingzhi's hesitation immediately dissipated: "Time waits for no one. Sect Leader Qi is in critical condition, and even half a day is precious. Miss Shi, if you have any difficulties, you might as well speak out first."
Shi Zhongyu's expression was complicated, and he was obviously hesitant: "Nothing else, my request is a bit excessive, I am afraid it will offend the people of Mishan Sect. Everyone came here to ask for help, and I don't want to implicate Sect Master Shi."
Shi Jingzhi did not retreat.
"I have long heard of Tai Heng's kindness and righteousness, but this time he obstructed you at every turn. If it was just to save some gold and silver, it was really a bit cold-hearted. Now you say that it might offend the Mishan Sect... Miss Shi, what is the matter with Senior Qi Xundao's illness?"
Shi Zhongyu hugged the Qingnu Sword in silence, as if only that cold and dead object could give her some peace of mind.
She stood there quietly for a long while, with Shi Jingzhi's expression still determined. She finally sighed and spoke again.
"Just a few days after we retrieved the treasure map, Sect Leader Qi suddenly had a high fever and fell into a deep sleep. Our sect has many famous doctors, but the symptoms were too few, and no one could diagnose the cause. The martial arts world was in turmoil, and the news that the Sect Leader was seriously ill was bound to have a significant impact, so our sect concealed the news."
"Don't look at what Duanyun said. At the beginning, everyone tried their best. But the master's body was in a state of weakness, and his condition deteriorated rapidly. After a few days, he could only be kept alive by medicine. In the first ten days, no one objected. But after more than half a month..."
Shi Zhongyu had a bitter look on his face, and he hesitated to speak, and finally changed the subject.
"Tai Heng is in its prime, and Sect Leader Qi's meridians are already exhausted, and it is difficult for him to return to his former self. Even if he recovers from his illness, he will no longer be Sect Leader Tai Heng."
Shi Jingzhi understood it clearly.
Taiheng's money didn't just fall from the sky. In addition to the court's funding, it also had fertile fields, lush forests, shops and escort agencies. These businesses all needed money to support them, and they were not just for one person.
At present, Sect Leader Qi is either relying on medicine to keep him alive and slowly dying in a coma, or being barely saved, living as a cripple for a few years. In either case, Tai Heng will have to spend a lot of manpower, material resources, and real money to make it happen.
There is no filial piety at the bedside of a long-term patient. It is difficult for such a large sect to be united. Would Tai Heng really save a disabled person regardless of the cost just for the sake of "righteousness"
"Some people wanted to give up, but I led others to do their best. Tai Heng was in chaos. Seeing that the situation was getting more and more chaotic, the elders sent Duan Yun to talk to me. In fact, Duan Yun had his considerations, and I understood. I just... I just felt that Tai Heng shouldn't be like this."
Shi Zhongyu gently stroked the Qingnu Sword, lowered his eyes, and his tone became a little lighter.
"For decades, Sect Leader Qi has exhausted all his energy for Tai Heng and has done us a great favor. If he is completely hopeless, I will never force him. But we decided to give up on our own even though there is still hope... Any sect can give up, but Tai Heng shouldn't."
Yin Ci glanced around and saw that, as expected, even within the Kushan Sect, there was no consensus on this matter—
Yan Qing looked at Shi Zhongyu and nodded in agreement. Su Si opened his eyes wide, as if he had seen a stubborn donkey transformed into a spirit, and his eyes were full of disbelief.
Shi Zhongyu didn't mention too much about the internal affairs of the sect, but Yin Ci could probably imagine it. If she gave up the faction's majority, she would have been accused of "disturbing the sect", "being too soft-hearted", and "not knowing the current situation".
No wonder Shi Zhongyu was so irritable when they met a few days ago. To withstand that kind of pressure, one must have an unusually strong backbone.
Seeing that no one responded for a long time, Shi Zhongyu put away his sword and his expression calmed down.
"That's probably the situation. I want to ask the Mishan Sect to save a useless person who is on the verge of death. The people of the Mishan Sect are arrogant and proud, and they will probably think that I am making trouble for no reason."
Shi Jingzhi laughed: "Miss Shi, you have to think about it. Senior Chen Qianfan's Buddhist name is 'Jueguo'. He used to be a monk in Jianchen Temple. It's okay for others, but the senior monks in Jianchen Temple will not get angry at the word 'saving lives'."
Shi Zhongyu's expression changed several times, and finally stopped at "liberation".
She clasped her fist towards Shi Jingzhi and said, "Master Shi, there is no need to intervene in this matter. I, Shi Zhongyu, will remember your care today."
Let's just say we are on our way from now on.
Thank God, Mishan Sect was built on the ruins of Milan, with vast land and few people. Apart from the demon-exorcising formation, no one set up messy formations, and no messy monsters were seen.
The only danger was probably the broken walls and ruins buried under the snow. Under the thick snow crust, there was no telling how many unknowns were hidden. If you weren't careful, you might stumble into something stupid, or even come face to face with a frozen corpse from two hundred years ago.
The head of the sect was not in a good mood at the time. He stumbled after taking a few steps and almost had a close contact with a human head in the snow.
No one knew what had happened to that head. It was swollen, blue-black, and twisted and deformed. Its facial features were out of place, and a frozen eyeball had fallen out of its socket.
Poor Shi Jingzhi was in a state of panic when he encountered this disaster. Half of his soul was blown away immediately, and the restriction also fell into complete silence.
When he came to his senses, he was lying on Yin Ci again, who was patiently tearing him down.
Shi Zhongyu had seen this scene before in the ghost tomb, so he looked away cooperatively and managed not to see it.
After this battle, Shi Jingzhi completely gave up the idea of using his body to plow the snow and save some energy. He held his breath, and his Qinggong skill suddenly increased dramatically. He was walking on thin ice, and he mastered the move of stepping on the snow with his toes without any instruction.
Apart from this, there were no other incidents. Following Jue Fei's instructions, the group arrived at their destination before sunset.
Unexpectedly, there was no fairy air in Chen Qianfan's residence, nor was there any Buddhist air at all.
He chose the ruins of a Milan store and transformed it into a residence. Although the house was large, the outer shell had been patched up in a weird shape. There were still burn marks on the building, and many holes were plugged with monster skins. Surrounding them was an endless snowfield, and the atmosphere of loneliness surged over everyone's feet.
An old woman was the first to spot them.
The old woman seemed to have some Milan blood. She had slightly curly white hair, a high nose bridge, and her eyebrows, eyes, and skin color were completely like those of a Central Plains person. Although her residence was strange, her clothes were very clean, and the torn parts were embroidered with flowers.
"Wow." She rubbed her hands, and her official language was not very standard. "You came to see Mrs. Chen?"
Shi Jingzhi removed the Nuo mask and bowed politely: "May I ask who you are?"
"Little girl, just call us Granny Wei."
Everyone appreciates a loving heart. Granny Wei smiled widely, and all the wrinkles on her face were reduced.
"Mrs. Chen is out. Please come in and sit down first. I made some hot soup. It's not easy for you to come so far... Oh, did you bring a gift? You came all the way here. This is too polite. How about I cook it for you tonight..."
She saw Master Bai in Su Si's arms. Master Bai's tentacles immediately tensed up, and he didn't care about his life at all, and kept drilling into Su Si's outer robe.
"Here's the gift." Yan Qing came to the rescue in time and handed over the gift he had prepared long ago.
Considering that Mishan Sect is located in a remote area and it is inconvenient for merchants to travel, Qu Duanyun prepared some small gadgets for them that were not expensive but quite practical before they left.
"You're welcome, you're welcome. I don't understand these. Let's talk about them when Mrs. Chen comes back."
Granny Wei kept smiling as she walked out mumblingly and led everyone in.
The house was a converted shop, and the lobby was huge.
The left half of the front hall was filled with gray-black slabs. The slabs were about three fingers thick, standing on the ground, and covered with incomprehensible symbols. The slabs surrounded a table, on which were piled shaky paper rolls and various unnamed instruments.
The gaps between the stone slabs and the table were filled with barrels of dried monster corpses. It was freezing cold here, and the room was not warm at all. The monster corpses gave off a faint smell of decay, which mixed with the cold air and formed a distant smell that kept people away from it.
The right half of the front hall was extremely clean and tidy. There was not a speck of dust on the stone floor, and there was a warm fire in the stove. The table was covered with a beautiful embroidered tablecloth, and there were even dead branches tied into small flowers in the vase.
Granny Wei served them soup one by one: "Mrs. Chen has to do research, so he goes out to catch monsters every evening. He is a very punctual person, and he will be back before dinner. You can wait here with peace of mind. He is a man of few words and has a good heart. He will definitely not make things difficult for you..."
Yan Qing couldn't bear to see the old lady serving him, so he was the first to stand up. However, the table was lighter than they thought, and the whole table was shaken by his movements, and some soup splashed onto the old lady's gloves.
"Old man, I can't hold it. Let me help you, you..."
Yan Qing was halfway through his apology when he couldn't continue.
Granny Wei took off her gloves with a smile, revealing a hand - that hand was densely engraved with blood-red lines, and the magic array was stacked layer upon layer, which made people dizzy.
The patterns were so fine and complex that even Yin Ci couldn't make out what they were at a glance.
The old woman herself did not take it seriously. She seemed to be used to it and quickly changed into a new pair of gloves: "Oh, you guys just sit there. My body is very strong. Mrs. Chen said that if we stay here, we need to move around to stretch our muscles and activate our blood circulation."
No one dared to move this time.
Yan Qing sat back in the chair obediently, with his hands on his thighs.
Granny Wei also served herself a bowl of soup and drank it slowly: "No need to worry about Mrs. Chen. You guys drink first. It's cold here. You'll be cold if you don't drink."
Yin Ci took the lead in serving the soup and took a sip. The soup tasted very mild, without any strange additions. It just didn't have any salt at all, I wonder if it was a special method used here.
The front man Juefei acted as a guarantor, and the back man Yin Ci tasted the soup first. Everyone drank the hot soup without tasting it, and continued to wait patiently.
Finally, the sun set and the door opened.
Chen Qianfan returned with a large basket full of bloody demon corpses on his back.