Fifteen days passed by in a flash, but the Reverend Danyan left like a yellow crane, without a trace. On the 16th day, Ge Nanshi and the others came to visit him again, but they couldn't find Reverend Danyan. In a fit of anger, the people from Sandplain Island and Supreme Purity Palace rushed to Emerald Clouds Temple to find Immortal Danyi for an argument. However, they were stopped by Immortal Dannu on the way.
However, no matter how Reverend Dannu tried to explain and persuade him, the other party no longer believed him. Fairy Qu's voice was even more harsh, unwilling to let go. Seeing that this matter was getting bigger and bigger. In the end, Luo He and Immortal Dannu guaranteed that they would go to Sandplain Island in Donghai in 30 days and Immortal Guan Zhi of Taiqing Palace would help them. Therefore, the situation calmed down temporarily.
After the people of Sandplain Island and Taiqing Palace left, Immortal Danu immediately sent out a decree, and the disciples of Cuixia Sect all went out to look for the Immortal Danyan and Sheng Nian. Cuixia branch family disciples all over the continent also moved to investigate for their sect. Such a commotion was rare in recent years.
Ah Niu's expression was getting more and more bitter by the day. On one hand, he was worried about his master and Sheng Nian, but on the other hand, he did not know how this matter would end up. He wanted to ask Reverend Dannu, but he didn't dare to. The others all thought that the Immortal Danyan must have not found Sheng Nian within 15 days and avoided him intentionally for fear that he would not be able to explain to Sandplain. However, he and Ding Yuan believed that the Immortal Danyan would never do that.
But now, not only had Sheng Nian not been found, but his master had also disappeared. Who would believe these words? On the contrary, when he saw his fellow disciples, their gazes were filled with disdain. They naturally resented the Black Bamboo Pavilion for causing such a huge trouble for Emerald Cloud Sect.
Only Ji Xueyan continued to comfort Ding Yuan and Ah Niu, but she was afraid that she might not believe the old Taoist priest anymore.
Ding Yuan's mood wasn't much better than Ah Niu's. Although he didn't show any respect to the Immortal Danyan by calling him 'old Taoist', he still remembered his master's whereabouts. He wanted to go down the mountain to look for the old Taoist priest, but there was a vast sea of people and vast land. Where could he find if he had no clues?
Now, no one wanted him to memorize and practice calligraphy, and no one made things difficult for him. However, Ding Yuan felt a little disappointed. He only felt that if the old Taoist priest could suddenly appear in front of him and teach him a passage of ancient literature, it would be better than not seeing him all day.
This morning, Ah Niu came to deliver food as usual. Ding Yuan asked while eating,"Ah Niu, how many days has the old Taoist been gone?”
Ah Niu replied without thinking,"It's been twenty-one days, but there's no news at all." Little Brother Ding, where do you think Master will go? Several of his friends had already sent people to look for him, but they all said that they hadn't seen him. Could something have happened to Master?”
Ding Yuan was most worried about this. He shook his head and said,"I don't think so. The old Taoist priest's cultivation is even stronger than Reverend Dannu's. I'm afraid there aren't many people who can take him down. He had always been very low-key and would never provoke any enemies or trouble. I guess he's tied down by something else.”
Hearing Ding Yuan's explanation, Ah Niu felt much more relaxed and said with a simple and honest smile,"You're right, Little Brother Ding. Master's cultivation was profound, so he would definitely be fine. Maybe when I go back later, he will be talking to Senior Brother Sheng in the central room.”
Ding Yuan smiled." I guess the old Taoist must have found Senior Brother Sheng long ago. But something unexpected happened, so he couldn't come back as scheduled."”
Ah Niu scratched his head and looked at Ding Yuan in confusion.""You mean Master knows where Senior Brother Sheng is?”
" That's right," Ding Yuan said." Otherwise, the old Taoist would never have agreed to bring Senior Brother Sheng back to Sandplain Island within fifteen days." The Nine Prefectures of the Heaven Continent were so vast that even the old Taoist would not be able to find Senior Brother Sheng in fifteen days. Unless the old Taoist knew about Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts or had some other clues, how could he make empty promises with his personality?”
Ah Niu slapped his thigh and exclaimed in realization,""That's right! Master must have found Senior Brother Sheng, and he must have had something to do that prevented him from coming back. But he definitely didn't do it to escape from the people of Sandplain Island, right, Little Brother Ding?”
Ding Yuan nodded." I think Senior Brother Sheng's long absence is probably arranged by the old Taoist priest. Perhaps he's doing something for the old Taoist priest. So, the old Taoist priest must be quite sure of Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts." He often said that he was going out to meet his friends, but who knew if he was going to meet Senior Brother Sheng?”
Ah Niu's eyes lit up and he said excitedly,""Little Brother Ding, you're so smart. Why didn't I think of this?”
Ding Yuan snorted and said," So what if they thought of it? I guess Immortal Dannu and the others must have thought of this as well. However, we still don't know the whereabouts of the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Shengnian. We can only wait here."”
Ah Niu's excitement immediately disappeared. He lowered his head and said,""What if we can't find Master and Senior Brother Sheng Nian?”
"You've been following the old Taoist priest for so long, haven't you found any clues?" asked Ding Yuan. For example, did he bring anything back every time he went out? Or did he often mention any place to you?”
Ah Niu thought for a moment and said listlessly,""It's not like you don't know Master's temper. He never tells anyone about his matters. I often see him go out, but I've never seen him bring anything back. "Unless-" His eyes suddenly lit up. He slapped his thigh and jumped up."I remember now! The two white cranes in the lotus pond at the entrance of our Black Bamboo Pavilion were brought back by Master seven or eight years ago. It was then that Senior Brother Sheng rarely came back!”
Ding Yuan's spirits were lifted." Perhaps the old Taoist priest's whereabouts are on these two white cranes."”
Ah Niu nodded repeatedly." It must be. Otherwise, why would Master rarely bring them with him when he went out? Why did he bring two of them with him this time?"”
"You said the old Taoist priest took all the white cranes away?" Ding Yuan asked in surprise.”
Ah Niu replied," Yes, Master rode a white crane called 'Cloudsky' and brought 'Ling Xiao'. Didn't he take them all away?"”
"I originally wanted to let these two white cranes lead the way, but it seems like that won't do." Ding Yuan smiled bitterly.”
"What should we do then?" asked Ah Niu with a bitter face.”
Ding Yuan thought for a moment and slowly said,"If we can find out where the white crane came from, we might be able to find some clues there." Although these two white cranes are divine objects, I don't know their origins. Ah Niu, do you know anything?"
"Little Brother Ding, even a smart person like you doesn't know, so how would I know?" There are many immortals who raise white cranes in the world. We don't even know many of them, so where can we find them?”
Ding Yuan suddenly smiled and asked confidently,"Ah Niu, what do you usually feed those white cranes?”
Ah Niu shook his head." They don't need me to feed them. Every once in a while, they go out to play and look for food. They'll come back after three to five days." However, I saw them eating some cold moss several times. They also like to drink some ice water when it's cold. I asked my master why they were different from other white cranes. My master only said that these two white cranes were born with such habits.”
"Natural habits?" Ding Yuan seemed to have understood something, and the smile on his face deepened."Then did you notice which direction the white crane flew in every time it went out?”
Ah Niu gradually understood what Ding Yuan meant. He patted his head and said,""Isn't it towards the north? Master is also heading in that direction this time. Why am I so stupid?”
Ding Yuan nodded." That's right. It's facing north. At least, the few times I've seen it, it's facing north." These two white cranes must have been born in the bitter cold of the north, which was why they developed such habits. The northern part of the Heavenly Continent was the Liao Prefecture. It was said that the northernmost part of the continent was covered in ice and snow all day long. It was extremely cold, but it produced a lot of cold moss, which was exactly what the two white cranes ate. If the white crane is really related to the old Taoist priest's whereabouts, our search area will be greatly reduced.”
Ah Niu agreed." That's right. Liao Province is where the Ice Palace of the Devil Dao is located. There are very few orthodox sects. There are only three to five famous ones. It's much easier to find them now." Master might have brought the white crane there!”"I'll report this to Martial Uncle Dan Nu and ask him to send someone to investigate."”
"I'm just guessing." Ding Yuan shook his head and said,"The possibility is not very high." If the White Crane had nothing to do with the old Taoist priest's whereabouts, then Liaozhou might be thousands of miles away from his true whereabouts. Go and tell Reverend Dannu now. What if they believe you and send people to look for you, but find nothing in the end? Who knows, those bull-nosed people might vent their anger on us again and think that we're making fun of everyone. Wouldn't their good intentions be rewarded?”
Ah Niu was stunned for a moment. Without his master, he had lost his backbone. Now, he firmly believed in Ding Yuan's words. So he scratched his head and asked,"But if I don't say it, what if Master is really there?"”
" Ah Niu," Ding Yuan said," have you ever thought about why the old Taoist didn't tell anyone about Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts and only brought two white cranes with him if he really knew?" Perhaps there were secrets that he did not want others to know. And if he really found Senior Brother Sheng Nian but didn't return, not even sending back a message, it further illustrated this point. Therefore, it would be fine if they did not find it. If they really found it, it would probably cause other troubles.”
Ah Niu listened to Ding Yuan's logical explanation and was filled with admiration. He nodded repeatedly like a yes-man. "Therefore, rather than telling Reverend Dannu and the others, why don't the two of us go on our own and find the old Taoist first?" Ding Yuan continued.”
"But we haven't finished our apprenticeship yet. Without Master's permission, we can't go down the mountain."”
Ding Yuan secretly cursed Ah Niu for being stubborn and said,"That's true, but the old Daoist isn't here now, and we came down the mountain to find him. The sect rules won't make things difficult for us. Besides, if the old Taoist really can't come back on time because of some trouble, we can help him by going, don't you think so?”
" That's true." Ah Niu hesitated." Why don't I go alone, Brother Ding?" You are facing the wall and being punished, you absolutely cannot leave the Enlightenment Cave.”
"It doesn't matter," Ding Yuan said."I'll sneak in and out without telling anyone. How would they know?" You grew up on the mountain. If you go out alone, I'm afraid you won't be able to recognize the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng.”
Ah Niu was moved." Little Brother Ding, I know you're worried about Master just like me. If they punish you in the future, I'll definitely beg Master to show mercy."”
Ding Yuan chuckled." I'm just too bored staying in this sh * tty place. It's a good opportunity for me to go out for a walk. Don't associate me with the old Taoist priest."”
Ah Niu felt strange. Why was Ding Yuan clearly worried about his master but refused to admit it? It seemed that smart people had more ideas than him. He thought of Ji Xueyan and Zeng Shan and asked,""But we've already left. What if Niece Xue and Great-Martial Granduncle can't find us?”
" Oldman Zeng claims to know everything within a hundred miles," Ding Yuan said with a smile." How can we hide our actions from him?" He was just deliberately turning a blind eye. As for Xue 'er, she'll ask Oldman Zeng if she can't see us.”
Ah Niu felt relieved when he heard Ding Yuan's reasoning.
Ding Yuan immediately said," There's no time to lose. Go back and pack up. We'll leave immediately."”
Ah Niu made an "oh" sound, his mouth moved a few times, but he asked,"Little Brother Ding, can I bring Big Black along? I'm afraid that it will be lonely at home without anyone to accompany it.”
Ding Yuan smiled bitterly." We're going to look for the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng. We're not going on a sightseeing trip. Why are you bringing it with you?"”
However, in the end, Ah Niu still brought Big Black with him. He carried Big Black on his back, saying that this way, he would not be a burden and would not be afraid of getting lost. Ding Yuan did not know whether to laugh or cry when he saw this, so he could only let him be.
The two of them took out their immortal swords and headed north together. They wanted to find their master and senior brother in Liaozhou. Who would have thought that his departure would stir up countless stormy waves in the Heavenly Continent and deduce the magical legend of "Seven Swords Shining the Nine Regions".
Ah Niu rode Shen Jin while Ding Yuan rode the snowy plains. They could see the clouds rolling around them and the wind blowing in their ears. After flying for an unknown amount of time, the sun above their heads gradually moved towards the west. It was already afternoon.
Ding Yuan shouted at Ah Niu,"Let's go down and take a rest. We'll eat something and drink some water. Then, we'll see where we are and how far we are from Liaozhou."”
Ah Niu agreed. The two of them chanted the incantation, and the Genuine Qi in their bodies slowly withdrew. The immortal sword slowed down and descended toward the clouds below.
Passing through the clouds, Ding Yuan looked down. There were overlapping mountains and lush greenery. He didn't know where there were people. He had once read Xu Ke's " Heavenly Land Geography " and knew that the Emerald Cloud Mountain was located in the southwest of the Central Plains. It was separated from the Liao Province by the Yan Province.
Could it be that this was some mountain range in Yanzhou Province? I wonder if it's "White Stone Mountain" or "Swallow Mountain"? It was said that the Swallow Mountain Sword Sect was also one of the seven great sects of the Heavenly Continent. It dominated the north and was at odds with the Ice Palace of the Liao Province.
As they descended, Ah Niu saw smoke rising from a mountain valley. He quickly pointed and shouted,""Little Brother Ding, look! There seems to be a small town over there!”
"Let's go there and investigate," Ding Yuan said.”
Outside the town, the two of them withdrew their swords and descended from the clouds. However, they were seen by a few townspeople, who thought that a divine object had descended from the sky. Seeing the colorful light, it was an auspicious sign. They all rushed to the temple in the east of the town to burn incense and pray. In a few days, the originally deserted temple suddenly flourished. Even the county magistrate who had six daughters came to offer incense in order to make his official fortune prosperous and hold a big fat boy next year.
After entering the town, he found an old man sitting in front of his house, sunbathing, and asked," This town was called Wa Yao, which belonged to Huaishui County of Hengcheng City in the east of Hanzhou. More than 600 miles to the west was Yunlin Temple. It was a famous Buddhist resort in the Heavenly Continent. Every year, there would be relatives of the imperial family, princes, and ministers coming from thousands of miles away from the capital to worship. It was much more imposing than the local temple in Wayao Town.
However, what interested Ah Niu and Ding Yuan was that the Cloud Forest Zen Temple was also one of the seven major sword sects in the continent. Although most of the monks used Buddhist staffs and sticks, it was somewhat far-fetched to list them as a "sword sect". However, since it had been called this way for thousands of years, no one asked much.
Cloud Forest Zen Temple and Emerald Cloud Sect were one in the east and the other in the west. Although they were both outstanding figures among the seven sects, their style of doing things was very different. Because the current emperor sincerely believed in Buddhism and listed Buddhism as the national religion, the Cloud Forest Zen Temple was one of the three great temples granted by the emperor, and its reputation among the people was much more resounding than that of the Emerald Cloud Sect.
Therefore, the disciples of the Cloud Forest Zen Temple were all over the world, and there were thousands of temples under them, spreading Buddhism in the nine provinces. The abbot of the Zen Monastery, Yixin, was even praised by the common people as the Buddha of ten thousand families. This was something that Daoist Danyi could not compare to.
This was related to the rise of Buddhism, but it was also inseparable from the low profile style of Emerald Cloud Sect. However, in terms of the cultivation of the immortal techniques of the two families, it was difficult to tell who was better.
Ding Yuan knew that he and Ah Niu were heading north on their flying swords, but because the clouds in the sky could not distinguish north from south, the two of them had inadvertently deviated from the right track and headed northwest. Fortunately, he had stopped by to ask. Otherwise, he would have to run to Liangzhou, the northwest of the Heavenly Continent, at night.
With Ding Yuan by his side, Ah Niu was not worried about this. Anyway, Ding Yuan was much smarter than him. If there was a problem, he could solve it himself. Ding Yuan looked at the shops on both sides of the street and asked,"Ah Niu, did you bring any silver?"
Ah Niu said," Yes, I did. Master told me before that I have to spend money to buy things and eat at the foot of the mountain. So, I have to prepare silver when I go down the mountain."”
Ding Yuan thought that the old Taoist priest had finally taught Ah Niu something useful and he hadn't forgotten to bring silver. He raised his head and saw a wine flag hanging high up in the distance. On it were the words "Smelling Fragrance and Taste". Although the tavern was not big, it looked clean. There was a strong fragrance of wine and food from the inside.
"Let's go to that restaurant and get some food to fill our stomachs first."”
"Little Brother Ding, I brought some dry rations and water. Why don't we find a place to rest and eat some dry rations?" He heard from his master that the taverns and tea houses at the foot of the mountain were all very expensive, so it was best not to go in.”
"Now that Master isn't here, you should listen to me. Since we brought silver, why don't we have a good meal in the tavern?" Ding Yuan said angrily. If it's like you said, why did you bring money out?”
Ah Niu thought about it and agreed, so he put Black down from behind and followed Ding Yuan to the tavern. Unexpectedly, the fastest runner was actually Black. Its dog nose was more excited than anything else when it smelled the meat. It jumped into the shop with two cries.
After noon, the business in the tavern was very quiet. Including Ding Yuan and Ah Niu, there were only five or six customers. Ding Yuan and Ah Niu picked a quiet table in the corner and sat down. The bartender came over to serve tea. Neither of them liked to drink, so they casually ordered a few stir-fried dishes and two bowls of rice. When the bartender ran into the back hall, Ah Niu asked Ding Yuan,"Little Brother Ding, we can just eat some steamed buns and noodles and hurry on our way. Why do we have to order so many meat dishes?”
Ding Yuan glanced at him." If you want to eat steamed buns, you can find them at the street stalls. We're here to order some." If you don't eat meat dishes, does Big Black want to be vegetarian with you? Look at how thin Big Black has become over the years. It's almost like a mouse.”Ah Niu only smiled honestly and did not answer.
At the table next to them sat a young girl with a veil over her face. She was eating a simple meal while looking at the street. Her brows were tightly knitted as if she had a lot on her mind.
Her clothes were extremely simple, and there was a simple luggage on the table. However, she carried a long sword on her back, and her appearance was somewhat simple. With a glance, Ding Yuan could tell that this young girl had a strong cultivation base and was likely a kindred spirit. However, seeing that she was depressed, he did not want to disturb her.
Ah Niu nodded and did not say anything else. Ding Yuan pointed at the empty chair opposite him and said to Da Hei,""Sit!"
Big Black seemed to understand what Ding Yuan meant. It jumped onto the chair and squatted down, shaking its head like a dog.
Not long after, the dishes were served, and the two people and the dog buried their heads in the food. Ding Yuan had not tasted a steaming meat dish cooked by others for several years. Although the chef's craftsmanship in this small restaurant was not very high, he still ate it with relish. Big Black was eating happily on the other side. It would chew a bone for a long time, almost leaving only dregs.
As she was eating, the girl at the table next to her had finished her meal. She stood up, picked up her bag, and was about to leave. However, just as her delicate body stood up, the hand holding the bag stopped. Her body trembled violently, and her clear eyes looked towards the door of the tavern.
It turned out that four people had appeared at the door at some point. They were all burly men in purple clothes and black boots, sealing the door tightly.
The man in the lead was short and had a fierce-looking face. He had a black mole at the corner of his mouth and a pair of silver hammers stuck in his waist. He chuckled at the girl, the mole at the corner of his mouth trembling."Miss Qin, I don't know where you're going in such a hurry. Do you want the four of us to send you on your way?”
Ding Yuan smiled in his heart and said to Ah Niu through secret sound transmission,""The troublemakers are here."
Ah Niu nodded and looked at the girl. At this moment, the customers in the shop saw that the four people were coming menacingly and knew that a fight was about to start. They all quietly stood up and moved to the back hall to avoid them. However, they couldn't bear to let go of this excitement and just stuck their heads out of the back door.
The young girl saw that the four men had blocked her way and knew that she could not let things go peacefully today. She said angrily,"Your Heavenly Thunder Manor is too much of a bully. Today, this lady will fight to the death with you!”Although she said this, she understood that her cultivation was not as good as the Four Heavenly Lightning Evils. Today, she was in danger. Thinking of her father who was still in bed at home, she could not help but reveal a look of resentment and despair.
Ah Niu's heart skipped a beat. This silly boy didn't use his martial arts to see the girl's face through the veil like Ding Yuan, but when he saw the other party's sad and helpless eyes, he didn't know why he felt bad and felt sympathy.
However, just this thought alone would cause so much trouble in the future!
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Fifteen days passed by in a flash, but the Reverend Danyan left like a yellow crane, without a trace. On the 16th day, Ge Nanshi and the others came to visit him again, but they couldn't find Reverend Danyan. In a fit of anger, the people from Sandplain Island and Supreme Purity Palace rushed to Emerald Clouds Temple to find Immortal Danyi for an argument. However, they were stopped by Immortal Dannu on the way.
However, no matter how Reverend Dannu tried to explain and persuade him, the other party no longer believed him. Fairy Qu's voice was even more harsh, unwilling to let go. Seeing that this matter was getting bigger and bigger. In the end, Luo He and Immortal Dannu guaranteed that they would go to Sandplain Island in Donghai in 30 days and Immortal Guan Zhi of Taiqing Palace would help them. Therefore, the situation calmed down temporarily.
After the people of Sandplain Island and Taiqing Palace left, Immortal Danu immediately sent out a decree, and the disciples of Cuixia Sect all went out to look for the Immortal Danyan and Sheng Nian. Cuixia branch family disciples all over the continent also moved to investigate for their sect. Such a commotion was rare in recent years.
Ah Niu's expression was getting more and more bitter by the day. On one hand, he was worried about his master and Sheng Nian, but on the other hand, he did not know how this matter would end up. He wanted to ask Reverend Dannu, but he didn't dare to. The others all thought that the Immortal Danyan must have not found Sheng Nian within 15 days and avoided him intentionally for fear that he would not be able to explain to Sandplain. However, he and Ding Yuan believed that the Immortal Danyan would never do that.
But now, not only had Sheng Nian not been found, but his master had also disappeared. Who would believe these words? On the contrary, when he saw his fellow disciples, their gazes were filled with disdain. They naturally resented the Black Bamboo Pavilion for causing such a huge trouble for Emerald Cloud Sect.
Only Ji Xueyan continued to comfort Ding Yuan and Ah Niu, but she was afraid that she might not believe the old Taoist priest anymore.
Ding Yuan's mood wasn't much better than Ah Niu's. Although he didn't show any respect to the Immortal Danyan by calling him 'old Taoist', he still remembered his master's whereabouts. He wanted to go down the mountain to look for the old Taoist priest, but there was a vast sea of people and vast land. Where could he find if he had no clues?
Now, no one wanted him to memorize and practice calligraphy, and no one made things difficult for him. However, Ding Yuan felt a little disappointed. He only felt that if the old Taoist priest could suddenly appear in front of him and teach him a passage of ancient literature, it would be better than not seeing him all day.
This morning, Ah Niu came to deliver food as usual. Ding Yuan asked while eating,"Ah Niu, how many days has the old Taoist been gone?”
Ah Niu replied without thinking,"It's been twenty-one days, but there's no news at all." Little Brother Ding, where do you think Master will go? Several of his friends had already sent people to look for him, but they all said that they hadn't seen him. Could something have happened to Master?”
Ding Yuan was most worried about this. He shook his head and said,"I don't think so. The old Taoist priest's cultivation is even stronger than Reverend Dannu's. I'm afraid there aren't many people who can take him down. He had always been very low-key and would never provoke any enemies or trouble. I guess he's tied down by something else.”
Hearing Ding Yuan's explanation, Ah Niu felt much more relaxed and said with a simple and honest smile,"You're right, Little Brother Ding. Master's cultivation was profound, so he would definitely be fine. Maybe when I go back later, he will be talking to Senior Brother Sheng in the central room.”
Ding Yuan smiled." I guess the old Taoist must have found Senior Brother Sheng long ago. But something unexpected happened, so he couldn't come back as scheduled."”
Ah Niu scratched his head and looked at Ding Yuan in confusion.""You mean Master knows where Senior Brother Sheng is?”
" That's right," Ding Yuan said." Otherwise, the old Taoist would never have agreed to bring Senior Brother Sheng back to Sandplain Island within fifteen days." The Nine Prefectures of the Heaven Continent were so vast that even the old Taoist would not be able to find Senior Brother Sheng in fifteen days. Unless the old Taoist knew about Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts or had some other clues, how could he make empty promises with his personality?”
Ah Niu slapped his thigh and exclaimed in realization,""That's right! Master must have found Senior Brother Sheng, and he must have had something to do that prevented him from coming back. But he definitely didn't do it to escape from the people of Sandplain Island, right, Little Brother Ding?”
Ding Yuan nodded." I think Senior Brother Sheng's long absence is probably arranged by the old Taoist priest. Perhaps he's doing something for the old Taoist priest. So, the old Taoist priest must be quite sure of Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts." He often said that he was going out to meet his friends, but who knew if he was going to meet Senior Brother Sheng?”
Ah Niu's eyes lit up and he said excitedly,""Little Brother Ding, you're so smart. Why didn't I think of this?”
Ding Yuan snorted and said," So what if they thought of it? I guess Immortal Dannu and the others must have thought of this as well. However, we still don't know the whereabouts of the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Shengnian. We can only wait here."”
Ah Niu's excitement immediately disappeared. He lowered his head and said,""What if we can't find Master and Senior Brother Sheng Nian?”
"You've been following the old Taoist priest for so long, haven't you found any clues?" asked Ding Yuan. For example, did he bring anything back every time he went out? Or did he often mention any place to you?”
Ah Niu thought for a moment and said listlessly,""It's not like you don't know Master's temper. He never tells anyone about his matters. I often see him go out, but I've never seen him bring anything back. "Unless-" His eyes suddenly lit up. He slapped his thigh and jumped up."I remember now! The two white cranes in the lotus pond at the entrance of our Black Bamboo Pavilion were brought back by Master seven or eight years ago. It was then that Senior Brother Sheng rarely came back!”
Ding Yuan's spirits were lifted." Perhaps the old Taoist priest's whereabouts are on these two white cranes."”
Ah Niu nodded repeatedly." It must be. Otherwise, why would Master rarely bring them with him when he went out? Why did he bring two of them with him this time?"”
"You said the old Taoist priest took all the white cranes away?" Ding Yuan asked in surprise.”
Ah Niu replied," Yes, Master rode a white crane called 'Cloudsky' and brought 'Ling Xiao'. Didn't he take them all away?"”
"I originally wanted to let these two white cranes lead the way, but it seems like that won't do." Ding Yuan smiled bitterly.”
"What should we do then?" asked Ah Niu with a bitter face.”
Ding Yuan thought for a moment and slowly said,"If we can find out where the white crane came from, we might be able to find some clues there." Although these two white cranes are divine objects, I don't know their origins. Ah Niu, do you know anything?"
"Little Brother Ding, even a smart person like you doesn't know, so how would I know?" There are many immortals who raise white cranes in the world. We don't even know many of them, so where can we find them?”
Ding Yuan suddenly smiled and asked confidently,"Ah Niu, what do you usually feed those white cranes?”
Ah Niu shook his head." They don't need me to feed them. Every once in a while, they go out to play and look for food. They'll come back after three to five days." However, I saw them eating some cold moss several times. They also like to drink some ice water when it's cold. I asked my master why they were different from other white cranes. My master only said that these two white cranes were born with such habits.”
"Natural habits?" Ding Yuan seemed to have understood something, and the smile on his face deepened."Then did you notice which direction the white crane flew in every time it went out?”
Ah Niu gradually understood what Ding Yuan meant. He patted his head and said,""Isn't it towards the north? Master is also heading in that direction this time. Why am I so stupid?”
Ding Yuan nodded." That's right. It's facing north. At least, the few times I've seen it, it's facing north." These two white cranes must have been born in the bitter cold of the north, which was why they developed such habits. The northern part of the Heavenly Continent was the Liao Prefecture. It was said that the northernmost part of the continent was covered in ice and snow all day long. It was extremely cold, but it produced a lot of cold moss, which was exactly what the two white cranes ate. If the white crane is really related to the old Taoist priest's whereabouts, our search area will be greatly reduced.”
Ah Niu agreed." That's right. Liao Province is where the Ice Palace of the Devil Dao is located. There are very few orthodox sects. There are only three to five famous ones. It's much easier to find them now." Master might have brought the white crane there!”"I'll report this to Martial Uncle Dan Nu and ask him to send someone to investigate."”
"I'm just guessing." Ding Yuan shook his head and said,"The possibility is not very high." If the White Crane had nothing to do with the old Taoist priest's whereabouts, then Liaozhou might be thousands of miles away from his true whereabouts. Go and tell Reverend Dannu now. What if they believe you and send people to look for you, but find nothing in the end? Who knows, those bull-nosed people might vent their anger on us again and think that we're making fun of everyone. Wouldn't their good intentions be rewarded?”
Ah Niu was stunned for a moment. Without his master, he had lost his backbone. Now, he firmly believed in Ding Yuan's words. So he scratched his head and asked,"But if I don't say it, what if Master is really there?"”
" Ah Niu," Ding Yuan said," have you ever thought about why the old Taoist didn't tell anyone about Senior Brother Sheng's whereabouts and only brought two white cranes with him if he really knew?" Perhaps there were secrets that he did not want others to know. And if he really found Senior Brother Sheng Nian but didn't return, not even sending back a message, it further illustrated this point. Therefore, it would be fine if they did not find it. If they really found it, it would probably cause other troubles.”
Ah Niu listened to Ding Yuan's logical explanation and was filled with admiration. He nodded repeatedly like a yes-man. "Therefore, rather than telling Reverend Dannu and the others, why don't the two of us go on our own and find the old Taoist first?" Ding Yuan continued.”
"But we haven't finished our apprenticeship yet. Without Master's permission, we can't go down the mountain."”
Ding Yuan secretly cursed Ah Niu for being stubborn and said,"That's true, but the old Daoist isn't here now, and we came down the mountain to find him. The sect rules won't make things difficult for us. Besides, if the old Taoist really can't come back on time because of some trouble, we can help him by going, don't you think so?”
" That's true." Ah Niu hesitated." Why don't I go alone, Brother Ding?" You are facing the wall and being punished, you absolutely cannot leave the Enlightenment Cave.”
"It doesn't matter," Ding Yuan said."I'll sneak in and out without telling anyone. How would they know?" You grew up on the mountain. If you go out alone, I'm afraid you won't be able to recognize the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng.”
Ah Niu was moved." Little Brother Ding, I know you're worried about Master just like me. If they punish you in the future, I'll definitely beg Master to show mercy."”
Ding Yuan chuckled." I'm just too bored staying in this sh * tty place. It's a good opportunity for me to go out for a walk. Don't associate me with the old Taoist priest."”
Ah Niu felt strange. Why was Ding Yuan clearly worried about his master but refused to admit it? It seemed that smart people had more ideas than him. He thought of Ji Xueyan and Zeng Shan and asked,""But we've already left. What if Niece Xue and Great-Martial Granduncle can't find us?”
" Oldman Zeng claims to know everything within a hundred miles," Ding Yuan said with a smile." How can we hide our actions from him?" He was just deliberately turning a blind eye. As for Xue 'er, she'll ask Oldman Zeng if she can't see us.”
Ah Niu felt relieved when he heard Ding Yuan's reasoning.
Ding Yuan immediately said," There's no time to lose. Go back and pack up. We'll leave immediately."”
Ah Niu made an "oh" sound, his mouth moved a few times, but he asked,"Little Brother Ding, can I bring Big Black along? I'm afraid that it will be lonely at home without anyone to accompany it.”
Ding Yuan smiled bitterly." We're going to look for the old Taoist priest and Senior Brother Sheng. We're not going on a sightseeing trip. Why are you bringing it with you?"”
However, in the end, Ah Niu still brought Big Black with him. He carried Big Black on his back, saying that this way, he would not be a burden and would not be afraid of getting lost. Ding Yuan did not know whether to laugh or cry when he saw this, so he could only let him be.
The two of them took out their immortal swords and headed north together. They wanted to find their master and senior brother in Liaozhou. Who would have thought that his departure would stir up countless stormy waves in the Heavenly Continent and deduce the magical legend of "Seven Swords Shining the Nine Regions".
Ah Niu rode Shen Jin while Ding Yuan rode the snowy plains. They could see the clouds rolling around them and the wind blowing in their ears. After flying for an unknown amount of time, the sun above their heads gradually moved towards the west. It was already afternoon.
Ding Yuan shouted at Ah Niu,"Let's go down and take a rest. We'll eat something and drink some water. Then, we'll see where we are and how far we are from Liaozhou."”
Ah Niu agreed. The two of them chanted the incantation, and the Genuine Qi in their bodies slowly withdrew. The immortal sword slowed down and descended toward the clouds below.
Passing through the clouds, Ding Yuan looked down. There were overlapping mountains and lush greenery. He didn't know where there were people. He had once read Xu Ke's " Heavenly Land Geography " and knew that the Emerald Cloud Mountain was located in the southwest of the Central Plains. It was separated from the Liao Province by the Yan Province.
Could it be that this was some mountain range in Yanzhou Province? I wonder if it's "White Stone Mountain" or "Swallow Mountain"? It was said that the Swallow Mountain Sword Sect was also one of the seven great sects of the Heavenly Continent. It dominated the north and was at odds with the Ice Palace of the Liao Province.
As they descended, Ah Niu saw smoke rising from a mountain valley. He quickly pointed and shouted,""Little Brother Ding, look! There seems to be a small town over there!”
"Let's go there and investigate," Ding Yuan said.”
Outside the town, the two of them withdrew their swords and descended from the clouds. However, they were seen by a few townspeople, who thought that a divine object had descended from the sky. Seeing the colorful light, it was an auspicious sign. They all rushed to the temple in the east of the town to burn incense and pray. In a few days, the originally deserted temple suddenly flourished. Even the county magistrate who had six daughters came to offer incense in order to make his official fortune prosperous and hold a big fat boy next year.
After entering the town, he found an old man sitting in front of his house, sunbathing, and asked," This town was called Wa Yao, which belonged to Huaishui County of Hengcheng City in the east of Hanzhou. More than 600 miles to the west was Yunlin Temple. It was a famous Buddhist resort in the Heavenly Continent. Every year, there would be relatives of the imperial family, princes, and ministers coming from thousands of miles away from the capital to worship. It was much more imposing than the local temple in Wayao Town.
However, what interested Ah Niu and Ding Yuan was that the Cloud Forest Zen Temple was also one of the seven major sword sects in the continent. Although most of the monks used Buddhist staffs and sticks, it was somewhat far-fetched to list them as a "sword sect". However, since it had been called this way for thousands of years, no one asked much.
Cloud Forest Zen Temple and Emerald Cloud Sect were one in the east and the other in the west. Although they were both outstanding figures among the seven sects, their style of doing things was very different. Because the current emperor sincerely believed in Buddhism and listed Buddhism as the national religion, the Cloud Forest Zen Temple was one of the three great temples granted by the emperor, and its reputation among the people was much more resounding than that of the Emerald Cloud Sect.
Therefore, the disciples of the Cloud Forest Zen Temple were all over the world, and there were thousands of temples under them, spreading Buddhism in the nine provinces. The abbot of the Zen Monastery, Yixin, was even praised by the common people as the Buddha of ten thousand families. This was something that Daoist Danyi could not compare to.
This was related to the rise of Buddhism, but it was also inseparable from the low profile style of Emerald Cloud Sect. However, in terms of the cultivation of the immortal techniques of the two families, it was difficult to tell who was better.
Ding Yuan knew that he and Ah Niu were heading north on their flying swords, but because the clouds in the sky could not distinguish north from south, the two of them had inadvertently deviated from the right track and headed northwest. Fortunately, he had stopped by to ask. Otherwise, he would have to run to Liangzhou, the northwest of the Heavenly Continent, at night.
With Ding Yuan by his side, Ah Niu was not worried about this. Anyway, Ding Yuan was much smarter than him. If there was a problem, he could solve it himself. Ding Yuan looked at the shops on both sides of the street and asked,"Ah Niu, did you bring any silver?"
Ah Niu said," Yes, I did. Master told me before that I have to spend money to buy things and eat at the foot of the mountain. So, I have to prepare silver when I go down the mountain."”
Ding Yuan thought that the old Taoist priest had finally taught Ah Niu something useful and he hadn't forgotten to bring silver. He raised his head and saw a wine flag hanging high up in the distance. On it were the words "Smelling Fragrance and Taste". Although the tavern was not big, it looked clean. There was a strong fragrance of wine and food from the inside.
"Let's go to that restaurant and get some food to fill our stomachs first."”
"Little Brother Ding, I brought some dry rations and water. Why don't we find a place to rest and eat some dry rations?" He heard from his master that the taverns and tea houses at the foot of the mountain were all very expensive, so it was best not to go in.”
"Now that Master isn't here, you should listen to me. Since we brought silver, why don't we have a good meal in the tavern?" Ding Yuan said angrily. If it's like you said, why did you bring money out?”
Ah Niu thought about it and agreed, so he put Black down from behind and followed Ding Yuan to the tavern. Unexpectedly, the fastest runner was actually Black. Its dog nose was more excited than anything else when it smelled the meat. It jumped into the shop with two cries.
After noon, the business in the tavern was very quiet. Including Ding Yuan and Ah Niu, there were only five or six customers. Ding Yuan and Ah Niu picked a quiet table in the corner and sat down. The bartender came over to serve tea. Neither of them liked to drink, so they casually ordered a few stir-fried dishes and two bowls of rice. When the bartender ran into the back hall, Ah Niu asked Ding Yuan,"Little Brother Ding, we can just eat some steamed buns and noodles and hurry on our way. Why do we have to order so many meat dishes?”
Ding Yuan glanced at him." If you want to eat steamed buns, you can find them at the street stalls. We're here to order some." If you don't eat meat dishes, does Big Black want to be vegetarian with you? Look at how thin Big Black has become over the years. It's almost like a mouse.”Ah Niu only smiled honestly and did not answer.
At the table next to them sat a young girl with a veil over her face. She was eating a simple meal while looking at the street. Her brows were tightly knitted as if she had a lot on her mind.
Her clothes were extremely simple, and there was a simple luggage on the table. However, she carried a long sword on her back, and her appearance was somewhat simple. With a glance, Ding Yuan could tell that this young girl had a strong cultivation base and was likely a kindred spirit. However, seeing that she was depressed, he did not want to disturb her.
Ah Niu nodded and did not say anything else. Ding Yuan pointed at the empty chair opposite him and said to Da Hei,""Sit!"
Big Black seemed to understand what Ding Yuan meant. It jumped onto the chair and squatted down, shaking its head like a dog.
Not long after, the dishes were served, and the two people and the dog buried their heads in the food. Ding Yuan had not tasted a steaming meat dish cooked by others for several years. Although the chef's craftsmanship in this small restaurant was not very high, he still ate it with relish. Big Black was eating happily on the other side. It would chew a bone for a long time, almost leaving only dregs.
As she was eating, the girl at the table next to her had finished her meal. She stood up, picked up her bag, and was about to leave. However, just as her delicate body stood up, the hand holding the bag stopped. Her body trembled violently, and her clear eyes looked towards the door of the tavern.
It turned out that four people had appeared at the door at some point. They were all burly men in purple clothes and black boots, sealing the door tightly.
The man in the lead was short and had a fierce-looking face. He had a black mole at the corner of his mouth and a pair of silver hammers stuck in his waist. He chuckled at the girl, the mole at the corner of his mouth trembling."Miss Qin, I don't know where you're going in such a hurry. Do you want the four of us to send you on your way?”
Ding Yuan smiled in his heart and said to Ah Niu through secret sound transmission,""The troublemakers are here."
Ah Niu nodded and looked at the girl. At this moment, the customers in the shop saw that the four people were coming menacingly and knew that a fight was about to start. They all quietly stood up and moved to the back hall to avoid them. However, they couldn't bear to let go of this excitement and just stuck their heads out of the back door.
The young girl saw that the four men had blocked her way and knew that she could not let things go peacefully today. She said angrily,"Your Heavenly Thunder Manor is too much of a bully. Today, this lady will fight to the death with you!”Although she said this, she understood that her cultivation was not as good as the Four Heavenly Lightning Evils. Today, she was in danger. Thinking of her father who was still in bed at home, she could not help but reveal a look of resentment and despair.
Ah Niu's heart skipped a beat. This silly boy didn't use his martial arts to see the girl's face through the veil like Ding Yuan, but when he saw the other party's sad and helpless eyes, he didn't know why he felt bad and felt sympathy.
However, just this thought alone would cause so much trouble in the future!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。