The customs of the southern frontier are very different from those of the Middle-earth. It's just that after so many years, although it is located in a remote place, there is still communication with the Middle-earth. And the special products such as fur and ore produced in southern Xinjiang have always had an excellent reputation in the Central Plains, attracting many middle-earth businessmen to trade.
Over time, under the influence of middle-earth merchants, inns that did not exist in southern Xinjiang appeared in the busiest towns.
What Gui Li and Xiao Bai are in now is such an inn, the name directly uses the local name, "Tianshui Inn".
Entering the inn, it is obvious that the tables and chairs are decorated with the influence of Chinese culture, but the boss and the staff are all local Zhuang people. Among the southern Xinjiang, the Zhuang people have the largest population, and their lives are comparatively affluent. They are the most influenced by the Central Plains. Compared with other ethnic groups who still insist on hunting, the Zhuang people have gradually started farming and doing business.
However, despite this, the folk customs of the Zhuang nationality are relatively peaceful, and most of them lack that arrogance, so they are not as powerful as the Miao nationality, which has a smaller population than them.
Gui Li and Xiao Bai sat down, the waiters had already come to receive them, at this time it was getting dark, but there were not many guests in the inn. This guy is also a member of the Zhuang nationality in southern Xinjiang from his appearance and clothes, but he probably has been working here for some time, and he can speak quite fluently.
"Two guest officers, do you want to eat something? This shop also has clean rooms, and the price is the most reasonable. It is famous far and wide."
Gui Li nodded and said: "Leave us two clean rooms, we will stay for one night."
The waiter smiled and nodded, and then said: "You two guests, you probably haven't eaten yet, do you want to order something?"
Gui Li wasn't hungry, but after looking at Xiao Bai, he still decided to have something to eat, and said, "Well, bring us two bowls of rice, and a few more..."
"Uh!" Xiaobai who was sitting on the side suddenly said with a smile on his face, "Do you have 'soily oriole' here?"
Gui Li was startled, looked at Xiao Bai, the waiter was also dumbfounded, couldn't help but give Xiao Bai another look, and said: "Girl, have you ever been to our southern border, we naturally have this signature dish."
The smile on Xiaobai's face was even stronger, his eyes flickered, as if he was recalling something, and he said slowly: "Well, by the way, there are also 'Three Sections of Snake Intestines', 'Roasted Bear Tail', 'Roasted Autumn Leaves', 'Five Little Insects', 'Black Heart Fruit'... ”
Her eyes flickered, she was thinking as she spoke, at the beginning the speed was relatively slow, one dish name after another, and then she spoke faster and faster, and the dish names were even more bizarre, it was unbelievable to hear, it was definitely not something that China could do. have.
Gui Li was stunned, but not only the smile on the guy's face in the shop turned into an embarrassing expression with his mouth wide open, even the shop owner who was settling accounts in the distance could not help but come over.
Xiaobai probably stopped for a while after naming nearly thirty dishes in one breath, then turned around and smiled at the boss and the staff: "Do you have these dishes here?"
The boss and the waiter looked at each other, and after a long while the boss laughed dryly and said, "Girl, you are really well-informed. The names of the many dishes you just mentioned are all famous dishes from southern Xinjiang, but there are many ingredients that are not good. Look, besides the earthy oriole, this shop can only make black heart fruit and roasted bear tail. I'm so sorry."
Xiaobai couldn't help showing a look of regret on his face, but then he smiled and said, "Then let's cook these three dishes first!"
The boss and the buddy quickly agreed and went to work. Xiaobai turned her charming eyes, but saw Gui Li looking at him, smiled sweetly, and said: "It's been hundreds of years, and I don't know why, but suddenly I really want to taste the flavors of those years. You have been here, have you ever been here?" Have you tried these dishes?"
Gui Li shook his head, in the past when he came to Southern Border, he was full of thoughts to find the Black Witch Clan to save Baguio, how could he take care of these appetites, he usually dealt with them casually in the wilderness. If it weren't for the special circumstances this time, he had to avoid the chasing soldiers all over Fenxiang Valley, and Xiaobai was a woman after all (although she was a thousand-year-old fairy...), it would not be good to sleep in the wilderness every night, so he entered the town.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: "I can probably guess what the black heart fruit is?"
Xiaobai smiled and said: "This is a unique fruit in southern Xinjiang. It is green in appearance, white and tender in flesh, but has a black heart. It tastes very delicious when fried in a frying pan."
Gui Li frowned, and said again: "What is that 'roasted bear tail'? Could it be the tail of a black bear? I've heard of bear's paw and gallbladder before, but I haven't heard that bear's tail can also be eaten?"
Xiaobai smiled and said: "This bear is not another bear. There is a unique beast in southern Xinjiang called 'long-tailed bear'. It is much smaller in size than the black bear and white bear we know, but its meat is delicious, far beyond their comparison. Especially a long-tailed bear is more It is the essence, and it is very famous in southern Xinjiang!"
Gui Li was silent, Xiao Bai glanced at him, and suddenly said: "It's strange, seeing that you don't care much about anything, how come you are interested in this dish when you mention it?"
Gui Li was startled, speechless for a while, he grew up on the Big Bamboo Peak of Qingyun Mountain, he started cooking soon, he really has some talent and interest in cooking. If he was in an ordinary family, he would probably become a cook, and he might be able to make a name for himself. just now...
Gui Li sighed softly, suddenly lost interest and didn't want to say anything. Xiaobai looked at him with interest, his eyes flickered softly, and he didn't know what was going on in her heart
Only Xiao Hui was still restless, looking around, screaming softly, as if expecting something.
※※※
In the dead of night, the Tianshui village, which had been bustling all day, also gradually quieted down as night fell.
Tianshui Inn has two floors, and the second floor is the guest room. Gui Li observed carefully, he and Xiao Bai were the only ones staying tonight, it seems that although this place is lively, but this season, the world is in chaos, not many middle-earth merchants come to southern border. However, the local tribesmen in southern Xinjiang generally do not live in shops.
Xiaobai's room is right next door to Ghost Li's room, the walls separated by wooden boards don't have much sound insulation effect, and the slight laughter and creaking noises from the next door can be faintly heard. The monkey Xiaohui ran over to play with Xiaobai again, although now Xiaohui would still run back to be with Ghost Li every night when he was sleeping, but Xiaobai didn't know how to do it, it seemed that he and Xiaohui were very close, now Xiaohui I like to cling to this thousand-year-old demon fox for nothing.
Gui Li lay in the room for a while, he hadn't stayed in the inn for a long time, but he was still not used to it. Before he knew it, it was late at night, but he still didn't feel sleepy. He couldn't help feeling a little bored, so he stood up, walked slowly to the window, opened it, and looked out.
Different from the daytime, at this moment in the night sky in southern Xinjiang, the dark clouds gradually dispersed. Although the clouds were still there, a ray of moonlight was quietly revealed from the gap.
The moonlight was as clear as frost and snow, and it fell faintly on his body.
In the long world, all living beings are asleep, and the surrounding fields are silent. Only from an unknown corner of the street, there was the low sound of insects, the sound was mournful.
Darkness enveloped the land.
Looking out of the window, there are thousands of mountains and thousands of miles, and the night sky is deep.
Under such a desolate and lonely night in southern Xinjiang, suddenly, the past flooded into my heart like a tide.
Once upon a time, that child in a remote village sank into the rolling waves of the world of mortals, drifting with the waves. When I turned around, it turned out that there was no one by my side.
Life is so lonely...
The man under the moon bowed his head and was speechless.
※※※
"hiss!"
A distant sound piercing through the air came leisurely.
Gui Li raised his head, his eyebrows frowned slightly, he saw a light beam in the sky, like a shooting star in the night sky, across the sky, over the sky of Tianshui Village, and falling to the west.
And behind it, there are actually three rays of light, chasing after it.
With what kind of vision and experience Gui Li has now, he can naturally see at a glance that these four rays of light are those of a cultivator walking in the sky. He saw these four rays of light chasing back and forth in the clouds of the night sky, although the three rays of light behind were still unable to catch up to the one in front. There is a ray of light, but those who run away cannot escape the pursuit.
After a while, the first ray of light seemed to have made a decision and fell from the sky. Looking at the direction, it was in the southwest of Tianshui Village.
Afterwards, the three rays of light that were traced also fell.
Gui Li pondered for a moment, but felt that he was restless tonight, he really didn't want to stand here alone anymore, so he waved his right hand, it turned into blue light silently, and flew towards the place where the four rays of light landed.
After his figure became smaller and smaller, with a "squeak", the window of the room next to Ghost Li was also pushed open. Xiao Bai holds Xiao Hui in his arms, and looks towards the direction where Ghost Li is flying, after a while, Ghost Li's figure disappears into the darkness.
Xiaobai's face was calm, and there was no expression on his fair face, only the brilliance in his eyes, but they flickered strangely.
※※※
Ghost Li drove silently all the way, and soon found that where the light and shadow fell was the old village of Tianshui, the hilltop that had been abandoned for many years.
Just when he entered the cottage, a muffled cry came from the front, and then there was an anger mixed with another person's familiar laughter.
Gui Li immediately frowned.
This laughter is soft and charming, with a faint power to confuse people's hearts, it is Jin Ping'er's voice.
Gui Li hesitated for a moment, hid his body in a dark corner, and slowly swept forward.
On the originally quiet and deserted streets, there are ruins and tiles, a desolate scene.
At this time, the sky became clearer again, the clouds gradually dispersed, and the moonlight gradually brightened, illuminating this deserted cottage with some light.
Jin Ping'er still had her eternal smile on her face, standing in the middle of the street with a smile, facing a young man in front of her who was glaring. This person is also known by Gui Li - Li Xun, an outstanding disciple of Fenxiang Valley.
And on the street behind him, there is another Fenxianggu disciple who fell on the ground. It seems that he was injured by Jin Ping'er just now. There is a deep and large wound on his clothes starting from the left chest. Moaned feebly.
However, Gui Li's eyes only turned around on these three people, and after a while, his eyes completely fell on the last person.
On a desolate night, in a desolate street, in a small abandoned building behind Jin Ping'er, there is a woman in white clothes with a long sword on her back, standing on the eaves, facing the wind, her clothes fluttering slowly.
Under the clear moonlight, the snow-like skin even makes people feel a bit pale and beautiful.
Is this night, this moonlight, so beautiful and bright because of her
Lu Xueqi!
Whose shadow is reflected in the familiar bright eyes
Gui Li was stunned.
In the darkness, he quietly looked at the woman who seemed to be born out of the dust. The wind and frost of the whole world, ten years of time, seemed to have never touched her at all. That's why when people look at her, the first thing they see is her figure in the moonlight, which looks like a cold fairy.
※※※
"Demon girl!" Li Xun's handsome face was full of anger.
He and Lu Xueqi blocked the Jin Ping'er one after the other, but when it landed just now, the witch of the Demon Cult suddenly launched a attack, bewitching the junior brother Fenxianggu behind him with the "heart-confusing technique", and then wounding him with the purple light blade. . If Li Xun hadn't made a move, I'm afraid this junior brother would have died.
However, what Li Xun was more concerned about at the moment was other things besides this junior brother's injury: "What did you do to my junior sister Yan Hong, hand her over quickly?"
Jin Ping'er smiled slightly, but her eyes suddenly wandered, intentionally or unintentionally glanced at the dark place behind Li Xun, where Gui Li was hiding, and said: "You also said, that is your junior sister, not mine, and I How do you know?"
"Bah!" Li Xun's expression was very angry, obviously he was very concerned about this junior sister, and said angrily: "If Uncle Shangguan hadn't noticed it clearly, we would still be kept in the dark by you, a demon girl. You deliberately killed my disciple of Fenxiang, this sum Qiu Ding wants you to pay it back. If you are sensible, hand over Junior Sister Yan Hong as soon as possible!"
"Ouch! I'm so scared!" Jin Ping'er patted her heart with her hands, but her face was full of smiles. There was no trace of fear, but her soft and charming expression became a little more serious, and she said softly: "You guys I am also a member of the righteous way, how can these many people bully me, a weak woman?"
A cold snort came from Lu Xueqi behind her.
Li Xun glanced at the beautiful figure standing on the high place, his face sank, and he said to Jin Ping'er: "Demon girl, no matter how stubborn you are, I won't be polite..."
Before the word "le" could be uttered, Jin Ping'er suddenly let out a coquettish laugh, and the purple awns protruded from the bottom of her right sleeve.
Li Xun immediately focused on his guard. This witch is full of tricks, and the magic weapon Zimang Blade is extremely sharp, it is really no small matter. Just now, the junior brother behind him was affected by her mind-confusing technique, but she was not the only one who had practiced for many years The enemy of the enemy, we can see the high level of his morality.
It's just that Li Xun has always been proud of himself and has a high level of self-cultivation. Although he is vigilant, he has no timidity. And this time there was a peerless beauty staring coldly at him from a distance. Since he first met ten years ago, he has admired Lu Xueqi for a long time, and he must not lose face before the beauty.
He was about to concentrate on confronting the enemy, but unexpectedly the cunning Jin Ping'er was just a false move, suddenly his body stopped, his body turned into a purple glow, it was the human blade that attacked Lu Xueqi behind him.
In the blink of an eye, the purple light was approaching, Lu Xueqi's complexion was as frosty, and there was a sharp "Zheng" sound, filled with immortal energy and blue light, the Tianya Excalibur suddenly came out of its sheath and lay across her chest. Li Xun saw it from behind, feeling inexplicably anxious, Yu Jian chased after him.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Jin Ping'er Zimang Blade made contact with Tianya, she took advantage of the momentum and backed away like lightning, just under Li Xun's body. Li Xun was startled, for a while she couldn't stop and chased after her, but when Lu Xueqi was about to chase, she was blocked by Li Xun, so she had to suppress her body.
The two looked at the same time, and saw that Jin Ping'er was flying in the direction where Li Xun was standing just now, and there was also a Fenxianggu disciple who was injured and fell to the ground, who was panicking. Li Xun turned pale with shock, just now he wanted to show off in front of Lu Xueqi, but he forgot that his junior brother behind him had no ability to resist at this moment, regretted it so much at this moment, he roared, his body was like lightning, and he chased back with all his strength.
Lu Xueqi also followed behind him, chasing after Jin Ping'er.
In a blink of an eye, Jin Ping'er had arrived at the side of the disciple of Fenxiang Valley, suddenly raised his toes, kicked up the whole body of this person, and flew backwards, Li Xun hurriedly caught him, but unexpectedly the tentacles were full of blood, and in a blink of an eye his clothes were all covered in blood. dyed red.
Jin Ping'er's kick had already ruined the young disciple's life.
Li Xun's eyes seemed to burst into flames, but in this moment of slowness, Lu Xueqi had jumped over his body and chased after Jin Ping'er. And Jin Ping'er's figure at this moment just passed the dark corner.
In a low voice, at that moment, Jin Ping'er's voice came quietly and hurriedly: "Help me block that woman."
In the dark, the man snorted, his disdain was obvious, and his body was about to move, obviously he didn't want to participate in this matter.
Unexpectedly, at this fleeting moment, Jin Ping'er suddenly said three words loudly and clearly: "Qilidong!" (Note 1)
These three words, like lightning, knocked down Gui Li's body that was about to fly, and Jin Ping'er's eyes and face were full of mysterious smiles, and she flew past him in an instant.
And a moment later, Lu Xueqi's white figure followed her, right in front of her eyes.
Who knows, at that moment, whose figure flashed through my mind
A blue light emerged, and Lu Xueqi's face that had been as cold as ice was instantly moved, a little bit puzzled, a little bit confused, a little bit happy, and a little bit angry!
choking...
Tianya and Blood Devouring, blue and red light, reflecting each other in the night, drifting far away.
Li Xun passed Lu Xueqi and followed Jin Ping'er. After all, Jin Ping'er was the more important target, especially after she killed the junior who came from the same way. However, he quietly looked back in mid-air, looking at a man and a woman who were silently staring at each other on the deserted street, the flame that flashed in the depths of his eyes was so hot.
In the distance, Jin Ping'er's laughter came from far away, the voice was soft and full of teasing, Gui Li listened to it, and remained silent.
The moonlight is like water, sprinkled on this desolate mountain top and lonely street.
The woman in front of him was dressed in white like snow, with a long sword in her hand that was as bright as autumn water.
Who is the person staring deeply in the bright eyes
※※※
"Note 1: Qilidong, the largest settlement of the Miao people in history, got its name because it was rumored to be as large as Qili. It is impossible to test when it was developed, and it was destroyed in the encirclement and suppression by officers and soldiers in the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasties. Legend has it that this place is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and there is only a narrow passage connecting the outside world, which has always been the spiritual pillar of the Miao people's world. Now the specific address is difficult to verify, but looking up the information, it seems that in 1983 in Heyang (Heyang??), Guangxi, a "Daping Township" was found. The surrounding terrain is very similar, and it is led by Miao people. "Cave", in which there is a boulder in the shape of a dog god worshiped by the Miao people, and it is suspected that it should be here.
Another note: According to the legend of the dog god, the Miao people, the officers and soldiers rushed in late at night, and the Miao people were all asleep. A stone dog on the top of the mountain suddenly barked loudly, which alarmed the people, and they joined forces to fight against the enemy, and the whole family was saved. Since then, the dog god has been enshrined, and the incense has been burning year after year. 』