When Ding Yuan returned to the inn, Sheng Nian had been waiting in the room for a long time. Qin Rou was worried about her father and Ah Niu's safety and couldn't sleep all night, so she was also in the room with Sheng Nian.
The three of them sat around the square table. Qin Rou made two cups of hot tea for Ding Yuan and Sheng Nian.
Sheng Nian thanked him and took a sip." If the guys I asked didn't dare to lie, then Ah Niu and Old Master Qin were escorted back by Master Shen Ya and True Lord Heavenly Dragon last night." I found Heavenly Venerate Red Beard and followed him for more than an hour, but I couldn't get any clues. I only heard that Lei Wei sent out a Thunder Invitation a few days ago to invite his henchmen, and even invited Supreme Heavenly Dragon, Bi Hu, and the other nine demons of the Heaven Continent to help.”
"Later, I accidentally heard Heavenly Venerate Red Beard mention a place called Black Ice Snow Prison. Perhaps Ah Niu and the others were imprisoned there.”
"Black Ice Snow Hell? What kind of place is that?" Qin Rou asked curiously.”
Sheng Nian replied," It should be a secret place in the Thunder Mountain Villa. From the name, it must be extremely cold in the prison. However, with the cultivation of Old Master Qin and Ah Niu, they should be able to withstand it."”
Qin Rou said worriedly," But my father and Young Master Luo are both poisoned. I'm afraid they won't be able to hold on for a long time."”Thinking that her father and Ah Niu might be suffering, Qin Rou's eyes were full of tears. She wished she could replace them with her own body.
Sheng Nian nodded." There's no time to lose. We have to think of a way to save Junior Brother Luo and Old Master Qin tonight!"”Sheng Nian had been wandering outside for many years, so he naturally understood that it was not easy to break into the manor to save people. Moreover, now that Master Shen Ya, Perfected Lord Sky Dragon, and the other devils were helping out, their power had increased greatly. If he acted rashly, he, Ding Yuan, and Qin Rou might also be trapped, let alone saving people.
Sheng Nian thought to himself, if it was him, it would be fine. Dante was originally the last disciple that his master had nurtured in his later years, and Qin Rou was also Iron Hero Qin's only blood. Even if he had to risk his life, he had to protect these two people and save Ah Niu and Old Master Qin from the Black Ice Snow Prison.
"I went to the village last night and found someone. Maybe he can help us." Ding Yuan said.”He then told them about the conversation between Lei Wei and Master Shen Ya that he had overheard when he entered the manor, as well as how he had met Bi Hu by chance.
He said," I've arranged to meet him at the inn this afternoon. Lei Wei and the others don't know that we've already sneaked under his nose. Tonight, we'll catch him off guard. We should be able to save Ah Niu and Master Qin."”
Qin Rou didn't know much about Bi Hu's character, so she asked,""Is this Old Master Bi alright?"
Sheng Nian said,"This person can be said to be the most difficult to judge among the Nine Heavenly Furnace Devils. Because of his addiction to stealing, he has offended many experts of the righteous and demonic path." However, other than stealing rare treasures, he had never done any other evil things, and he rarely hurt the innocent.”
"Oh," Qin Rou said in realization."In that case, he's much better than Master Shen Ya and True Lord Heavenly Dragon. But why is he listed as one of the Nine Demons?"”
" That's because Bi Hu can be considered the number one thief in the Heavenly Continent," Sheng Nian said with a bitter smile." But he's as timid as a mouse and knows how to change his course when the wind blows. He's capricious." In his eyes, other than treasures, he could not even acknowledge his own father. Almost everyone he interacted with had their things stolen by him. As time passed, he became a person that both the righteous and demonic paths despised.”
"What if he secretly reports Young Master Ding to Lei Wei?" Qin Rou paled.”
"It's precisely because he loves treasures as much as his life that he would never do such a thing." Ding Yuan answered confidently. He had stolen Lei Wei's treasure last night, the Thunder Drum. How could he spit it out?”
"If you want to protect the Thunder Drum, you can only cooperate with us. Wasn't he afraid that I would secretly warn him that the Thunder Drum had been stolen? Moreover, this old thief is still thinking about my Stone Pearl.”
"But if he leaves and disappears without a trace, we won't be able to do anything to him, right?" Qin Rou asked worriedly.”
Ding Yuan chuckled and said," He can't bear to leave just like that. Although he has temporarily obtained one Stone Pearl, I dare to bet that this old thief is not satisfied. He must be thinking of stealing the other two from me. Otherwise, he wouldn't have secretly reached his hands into my arms. Moreover, I still have Qianqian in my hands. With her around, I'm not afraid that Bi Hu will fly into the sky.”
Ding Yuan took out the jade tube and chanted a spell. His graceful figure appeared in front of everyone.
This was the first time Qin Rou had seen a fairy like Qianqian. She couldn't help but widen her eyes and size her up. She praised,"What a beautiful sister!"
Qianqian looked around in panic. Other than Ding Yuan, whom she had seen before, the others were unfamiliar faces, but she could not see her master. She was sealed in the jade cylinder and isolated from the world. When she was summoned again by the spell, she found that things had changed.
Fortunately, the two men and one woman in front of him did not look like evil people. In particular, the young woman's eyes were filled with admiration and admiration, so his heart was slightly at ease.
"Qianqian, your master has temporarily handed you over to me. You'll be staying by my side for the next few days." Ding Yuan said.”
Qianqian did not seem to argue with this situation of being arbitrarily dealt with. She only lowered her head and said in a low voice,"Qianqian understands."
Sheng Nian's gaze swept over Qianqian. He could already tell that Qianqian was indeed transformed from a wood spirit that had cultivated for thousands of years. However, her true body had been broken by someone, leaving only her soul essence behind. She had become like this today.
He immediately felt sympathy in his heart and said in a deep voice,"Junior Brother Ding, since Bi Hu has entrusted Qianqian to you, you must treat her well. I think Miss Qianqian must have had a painful experience, which is why she is in this situation today. Don't despise her and humiliate her just because she is a wood spirit.”
Qianqian's heart trembled. She quietly raised her head and glanced at Sheng Nian. Suddenly, she felt a warm current in the eyes of this burly man.
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. I know that." Ding Yuan nodded.”Actually, he didn't care much about the difference between good and evil, demons, and devils. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone against Ji Bietian and the others in order to cultivate the Mystic Gold Flying Centipede.
Therefore, he did not look down on Qianqian as she was transformed from a wood spirit. Instead, he was moved by Bi Hu's scolding and reprimanding of Qianqian.
It was this kind thought that made Qianqian's fortune come true. And if Qianqian's fortune came true, wasn't it also Ding Yuan's fortune?
The three of them chatted for a while more. Unknowingly, the room gradually lit up. A ray of dawn shot in through the window. It was dawn.
Sheng Nian did not feel tired after a sleepless night, but the Liquor worm crawled into his heart.
He stood up and said,"Let's go outside and find something to eat."”
Thus, the three of them left the inn and walked along the yellow soil street to find a decent wine shop.
This town was located at the foot of Jishi Mountain, but it was far from being prosperous with more than a hundred households. Although there were many merchants coming and going, few people were willing to rest in the town. Because the town was only a few dozen miles away from Thunder Manor, no one wanted to be caught by Rayen's claws.
Therefore, there were not many inns and taverns in the town, and the business was quite sluggish. The three of them walked from the east end of the only yellow soil street in the town to the west end and finally found a clean and bright tavern.
However, it was still early. There were only two or three guests inside, and most of the tables were empty.
As soon as Ding Yuan stepped into the tavern, he saw a short Taoist priest in yellow squatting on a chair with his back to the door. His tone was very similar to Zeng Shan's. However, this was difficult for him. If a person who was too short sat on a chair, his head might just be above the table, and it would be really uncomfortable to eat.
Ding Yuan looked familiar at first glance. The Taoist priest seemed to have sensed that someone was watching him from behind. He turned around and glanced at Ding Yuan. Seeing that it was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, he stopped paying attention.
But when Ding Yuan turned around, he recognized him. This yellow-robed Taoist was the one who had held him and Su Zhiyu hostage in exchange for Su Zhen. Later, in order to protect the two of them, he did not hesitate to release his primordial spirit and fight with Hao Wuxing, almost losing his life. He did not expect to meet him here.
In fact, even if Ding Yuan had not changed his appearance, his appearance had changed greatly over the past five years. Sang Tugong might not be able to recognize him.
He glanced at Sang Tugong's side and saw the triangular shuttle on the back of the chair.
Ding Yuan had heard from Su Zhiyu about what happened after he fell unconscious that day. He also knew that Sang Tugong was lucky enough to survive thanks to Su Zhen, but his vitality was greatly damaged. However, why was he here instead of cultivating and recuperating in the Million Mountains?
The bartender saw that there was business coming to his door and hurriedly greeted him. Sheng Nian picked a table in the corner and sat down. He first asked the bartender to bring two jars of Hanzhou's specialty wine,"sake." This wine was the best in the local area. It tasted mellow and clear. Ordinary people in Hanzhou would also brew it themselves to entertain guests. Thus, although this wine shop was small, it was still prepared to allow Sheng Nian to relieve his thirst.
Qin Rou and Ding Yuan each ordered a bowl of mutton bubble wrap and some beef patties. Sheng Nian only needed wine.
The bartender was about to leave when Sang Tugong waved his hand and asked,""L-waiter, I-let me ask you, how do we get to the--Thunder Villa from here?”
The bartender spent a long time trying to understand what the Mulberry Earth Duke wanted to ask, so he replied with a smile,"Master, this place is not far from Thunder Villa. After you leave the town, head west into the mountains. After crossing a mountain ridge, you will see a large manor in the middle of the mountain.”
Sang Tugong said,""Many, many thanks!"
The bartender retreated with a smile. After walking far away, he shook his head and thought to himself, This Taoist doesn't look like a bad person. Why is he mixing with Thunder Villa? He was so distracted that he almost bumped into a woman in purple who had just entered the shop.
The woman in purple looked to be in her thirties, and her eyes were enchanting. When she saw the bartender coming, she nimbly dodged to the side and giggled,"You little waiter, you're already so old, but you still want to take advantage of your aunt, what a joke.”
The bartender was also in his forties. Being teased by a young woman in public, his face immediately turned red. He stammered,"Big sister, I really didn't mean to bump into you.”
The young woman said as if she was coaxing a child,"Alright, alright. I'm not really blaming you. Why are you blushing? Hurry up and get some simple dishes. I'm a little hungry.”
In fact, with her cultivation, she wouldn't feel hungry even if she didn't eat for dozens of days. It was just that she was a little tired from traveling day and night.
The bartender agreed and ran into the back hall as if he was flying. He muttered in his heart,"What day is it today? Why did you run into a strange person?”
The young woman sat down at an empty table and looked around. When she saw Sang Tugong, her eyes lit up and she smiled."I was wondering who this Taoist priest was, but it turns out to be Daoist Sang Tugong.”
Although Sang Tugong had his back to the young woman, he had long recognized her voice. It was just that he was a loner and did not like to talk to others. However, since the other party had reported his family name, he naturally could not pretend not to know. He snorted and said,"You, you…why are you here?”
Ding Yuan also had his back to the two of them. He stretched out his finger and drew the words " Duke of Mulberry Soil, Demon of Purple Training " on the table.
Sheng Nian nodded, tilted his neck, and downed another bowl of white wine.
Qin Rou sat facing Duke of Mulberry Earth and Yan Shu. She had naturally heard of their titles and thought that they were as ferocious as Exalted Celestial Shen Ya and Heavenly Venerate Red Beard.
However, after meeting him, she realized that not only was Sang Tugong charmingly naive, Yan Shu was even more charming and enchanting. She could not see any evil signs.
Yan Shu's eyes moved as she smiled sweetly."Master Lei invited me with the Thunder Rush Invitation, how could I not come? Could it be that you, Duke of Mulberry Earth, are also here for this?”
Sang Tugong snorted as a reply. He had been severely injured after the fierce battle with Hao Wuxing in the Earth Temple five years ago. Fortunately, he managed to survive and returned to the Million Mountains to cultivate. However, two days ago, Sang Tugong had received a message from Lei Ying from the Thunder Mountain Villa, inviting him to come out of the mountain to help with the Thunder Invitation. The invitation was signed by Lei Wei and Master Shen Ya.
He didn't have much contact with Lei Wei, but he had met Master Shen Ya a few times in his early years. They were considered acquaintances, and since they were both members of the Nine Demons, he had agreed to come.
He hadn't been to Hanzhou for many years, so it was a little slow to stop and walk along the way. When he arrived at Jishi Mountain at dawn, he found a tavern to sit down. He wanted to rest for a while and ask about the location of the villa on the way.
Yan Shu was not angry when he saw that Sang Tugong was ignoring him. He smiled and said,"I saw that Master Shen Ya's name was also on the invitation. He has a deep friendship with True Lord Sky Dragon. Aren't you afraid of meeting him in Thunder Mountain Villa?”
Sang Tugong's round eyes widened as he straightened his thick neck that was almost invisible."Why, why should I be afraid?"
Yan Shu raised her eyebrows and said,"Don't forget that you stole those two kids from under the noses of True Monarch Heavenly Dragon and my little sister! It's fine if I'm your little sister, but that True Lord Heavenly Dragon is someone who holds grudges easily. Once we meet, he might come to you to settle this old score!”
How could Sang Tugong be frightened by these words? He said proudly,"Even if it is, no one is afraid of anyone!”He became excited and spoke much more smoothly.
At this moment, someone outside the door laughed and said,"Manor Master Lei heard that Sang Zhenren had arrived at the foot of the mountain. He had many worldly affairs to attend to, so he specially asked me to come and welcome him. I didn't expect that Fairy Yan would also come.”
Ding Yuan, Sheng Nian, and Qin Rou didn't even need to look to know that Master Shen Ya had arrived. They were also secretly surprised by the speed of the Thunder Mountain Villa's reaction. Fortunately, they came in disguise and deliberately kept a low profile, so they did not arouse suspicion.
Sang Tugong and Yan Shu both stood up. Yan Shu smiled and said,"Yo, I was wondering who it was, but it was the esteemed one who came.”
Master Shen Ya chuckled and replied,""Fairy Yan, what are you talking about? You and Sang Zhenren are both famous figures in the Heavenly Continent and old friends of mine and Villa Master Lei. Now that you have come to Jishi Mountain, it is no big deal for me to take two more steps to welcome you.”
Among the nine demons of the Heavenly Continent, no one could compare to Master Shen Ya in terms of making friends and being tactful in life. Sang Tugong was born dull and could not catch up to him. He immediately bowed with his left hand and said,"Esteemed One, you're too polite!"
Master Shen Ya glanced at the dishes on the table and said with a smile,""Isn't it too aggrieved for the two of you to eat such simple food? In order to welcome all the immortal friends who came to help, Villa Master Lei has prepared a feast in the villa. Why don't you two follow me into the villa?”
"Oh," said Sang Tugong,"L-Little Two, c-bill!”
Master Shen Ya reached out his hand and stopped him,""Since Sang Zhenren has come to the villa as a guest, how can there be any rules for you to spend money?”
He said to the bartender,"Tell your shopkeeper that if you have time in the future, you can go to Thunder Villa to ask for money from Deputy Manager Liu. Tell him that I sent you here."”As he spoke, he pulled Sang Tugong with his left hand and Yan Shu with his right hand, and walked out of the tavern without looking back.
The bartender and the shopkeeper looked at each other and stood rooted to the ground. How could they dare to say a word of "no"?
But in this small town, who would dare to go to the Thunder Manor to collect debts?
Unless he was tired of living, the wine money of the Mulberry Earth Duke could only go down the drain.
Ding Yuan and the others sat for a while after Master Shen Ya left. Before they left, Sheng Nian asked the bartender to fill up a bag of sake. Qin Rou saw that the Heavenly Thunder Manor had invited many experts and even invited all the figures of the Nine Demons of the Heaven Continent. Her side was becoming more and more weak, and she couldn't help but feel even more worried.
The three of them returned to the inn. Just as they reached the door, they saw a fortune teller in his fifties standing in front of the tent, shouting that he wanted to read the boss 'fortune.
As soon as he saw Ding Yuan walk in, he left the boss, who was pestered so much that he wanted to bang his head against the wall, and greeted him with a smile,"This little brother looks like a rich and noble person. Do you want this old man to read your fortune?”
Ding Yuan knew that it was Bi Hu who had come looking for him. He could see that he was wearing a square hat and holding a hexagram flag. On it were the words "Golden Mouth Buer". He did not know where he had stolen it from, so he could not help but feel a little amused.
He deliberately pretended to be impatient and said,"I don't have time to listen to your nonsense. Get lost!”
Bi Hu was startled. His rat eyes swept over Sheng Nian and Qin Rou, thinking that Ding Yuan was unwilling to acknowledge him because there were outsiders around. He nodded and bowed."Yes, yes!"
Qin Rou saw his comical appearance and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. She quickly endured it, and the worry in her heart was slightly diluted.
Sheng Nian smiled." Junior Brother, since we have nothing to do, why don't we let him come to our room to read everyone's fortune? Let's see if this business will make a big profit."”
Ding Yuan pretended to be silent for a moment and said,"Alright, let him come in with us."”
The four of them walked into Sheng Nian's guest room and Qin Rou closed the door.
Bi Hu sat down at the table, looked at Sheng Nian and Qin Rou, and asked,""Little Brother Ding, are these two your friends?”
Ding Yuan nodded." That's right. One of them is Old Master Qin's daughter, and the other is my friend, Brother Sheng. They are not outsiders."”
Bi Hu blinked his small eyes and sized Sheng Nian up. A slightly surprised expression appeared on his face as he said,"This Brother Sheng's cultivation is really impressive. I'm afraid that even Master Lei isn't his match.”
"Your eyes are not bad, sir," said Ding Yuan with a smile.”
Bi Hu said proudly,"Of course. In our line of work, we must be more open." However, with just the three of you, it would be harder than ascending to the heavens if you want to take someone out of the Black Ice Snow Prison.”
Sheng Nian's tiger eyes covered Bi Hu as he smiled and said,""That's why we want to ask for Elder Bi's help. With your divine skill, our chances of winning will undoubtedly be higher.”
When Bi Hu heard Sheng Nian praise him, his mustache curled up and he chuckled."Alright, alright! Who told me to always be willing to help others?"
Qin Rou couldn't help but smile when she heard his interesting words. Ding Yuan secretly snorted. If he wasn't jealous of the Shi Ji Pearl, why would he cooperate like this? "Did you find out the location of the Black Ice Snow Hell?" he interrupted Bi Hu.”
"Of course. Otherwise, how would I have the face to see Little Brother Ding?" Bi Hu said.”As he spoke, he took out a roll of silk paper and opened it. On it was the topographic map of the Thunder Mountain Villa.
Ding Yuan, Sheng Nian, and Qin Rou lowered their heads to look carefully. They saw that the map was meticulously drawn, and the terrain of the mountain villa was drawn in great detail. Where were the sentries and hidden traps, where were the underground mechanisms, everything was on the paper.
Qin Rou couldn't help but admire him." Senior, where did you find this map? It's actually so detailed?"”
Bi Hu smiled." This is a treasure that I spent more than a month to figure out. I'm giving it to the three of you for nothing."”
Ding Yuan smiled." Old thief, I didn't know you had such an ability. In the future, you might as well change your profession and become a painter. It's better than doing these shady things."”
Bi Hu spat and pointed at the map.""This is the Black Ice Snow Hell. There is only one entrance to it, and it is located under the Ancestral Pagoda in the north corner of the Thunder Yard.”
"The one guarding this place is Lei Wei's younger cousin, Lei Peng. His cultivation base is even higher than Lei Yuan's. No one could even get close to the Ancestral Pagoda, let alone sneak into the Black Ice Snow Prison to save people.”
Sheng Nian's gaze landed on the Ancestral Pagoda and he said in a deep voice,""Old Master Qin and Ah Niu are both poisoned and can't fight anymore. We can only try to sneak into the Ancestral Pagoda and secretly rescue them. If Lei Wei is alerted, things will be difficult.”
"Who says so?" Bi Hu agreed. Not to mention that you can't fight the friend you want to save, it's useless even if you can fight. Right now, Lei Wei has sent out the Thunder Invitation and used the Thunder Eagle to invite all the fellow cultivators in the Heavenly Continent. The experts in the villa are all gathered here. If you really fight, the three of you will be doomed.”
" I'll make one thing clear in advance," he added after some thought." I can help you sneak into the Black Ice Snow Prison, but I can't help you save them." Lei Wei, Heavenly Venerate Red Beard, and any of them are enough to make me suffer. I still want to live a few more years. If I leave them in the Thunder Mountain Villa for some unknown reason, what will happen to the treasures I've spent most of my life collecting?”
Sheng Nian acted as if he hadn't heard anything and asked," Elder Bi, do you know where Lei Peng will be at night?”
Bi Hu was startled." He usually lives in the Liaoxiang Pavilion next to the Ancestral Pagoda. Why do you ask?"”
"Old thief, don't you understand?" Ding Yuan chuckled. To enter the Black Ice Snow Prison, it would most likely fall on Lei Peng.”
Bi Hu naturally understood, but looking at Ding Yuan's expression, he felt that something was wrong.
###################################
When Ding Yuan returned to the inn, Sheng Nian had been waiting in the room for a long time. Qin Rou was worried about her father and Ah Niu's safety and couldn't sleep all night, so she was also in the room with Sheng Nian.
The three of them sat around the square table. Qin Rou made two cups of hot tea for Ding Yuan and Sheng Nian.
Sheng Nian thanked him and took a sip." If the guys I asked didn't dare to lie, then Ah Niu and Old Master Qin were escorted back by Master Shen Ya and True Lord Heavenly Dragon last night." I found Heavenly Venerate Red Beard and followed him for more than an hour, but I couldn't get any clues. I only heard that Lei Wei sent out a Thunder Invitation a few days ago to invite his henchmen, and even invited Supreme Heavenly Dragon, Bi Hu, and the other nine demons of the Heaven Continent to help.”
"Later, I accidentally heard Heavenly Venerate Red Beard mention a place called Black Ice Snow Prison. Perhaps Ah Niu and the others were imprisoned there.”
"Black Ice Snow Hell? What kind of place is that?" Qin Rou asked curiously.”
Sheng Nian replied," It should be a secret place in the Thunder Mountain Villa. From the name, it must be extremely cold in the prison. However, with the cultivation of Old Master Qin and Ah Niu, they should be able to withstand it."”
Qin Rou said worriedly," But my father and Young Master Luo are both poisoned. I'm afraid they won't be able to hold on for a long time."”Thinking that her father and Ah Niu might be suffering, Qin Rou's eyes were full of tears. She wished she could replace them with her own body.
Sheng Nian nodded." There's no time to lose. We have to think of a way to save Junior Brother Luo and Old Master Qin tonight!"”Sheng Nian had been wandering outside for many years, so he naturally understood that it was not easy to break into the manor to save people. Moreover, now that Master Shen Ya, Perfected Lord Sky Dragon, and the other devils were helping out, their power had increased greatly. If he acted rashly, he, Ding Yuan, and Qin Rou might also be trapped, let alone saving people.
Sheng Nian thought to himself, if it was him, it would be fine. Dante was originally the last disciple that his master had nurtured in his later years, and Qin Rou was also Iron Hero Qin's only blood. Even if he had to risk his life, he had to protect these two people and save Ah Niu and Old Master Qin from the Black Ice Snow Prison.
"I went to the village last night and found someone. Maybe he can help us." Ding Yuan said.”He then told them about the conversation between Lei Wei and Master Shen Ya that he had overheard when he entered the manor, as well as how he had met Bi Hu by chance.
He said," I've arranged to meet him at the inn this afternoon. Lei Wei and the others don't know that we've already sneaked under his nose. Tonight, we'll catch him off guard. We should be able to save Ah Niu and Master Qin."”
Qin Rou didn't know much about Bi Hu's character, so she asked,""Is this Old Master Bi alright?"
Sheng Nian said,"This person can be said to be the most difficult to judge among the Nine Heavenly Furnace Devils. Because of his addiction to stealing, he has offended many experts of the righteous and demonic path." However, other than stealing rare treasures, he had never done any other evil things, and he rarely hurt the innocent.”
"Oh," Qin Rou said in realization."In that case, he's much better than Master Shen Ya and True Lord Heavenly Dragon. But why is he listed as one of the Nine Demons?"”
" That's because Bi Hu can be considered the number one thief in the Heavenly Continent," Sheng Nian said with a bitter smile." But he's as timid as a mouse and knows how to change his course when the wind blows. He's capricious." In his eyes, other than treasures, he could not even acknowledge his own father. Almost everyone he interacted with had their things stolen by him. As time passed, he became a person that both the righteous and demonic paths despised.”
"What if he secretly reports Young Master Ding to Lei Wei?" Qin Rou paled.”
"It's precisely because he loves treasures as much as his life that he would never do such a thing." Ding Yuan answered confidently. He had stolen Lei Wei's treasure last night, the Thunder Drum. How could he spit it out?”
"If you want to protect the Thunder Drum, you can only cooperate with us. Wasn't he afraid that I would secretly warn him that the Thunder Drum had been stolen? Moreover, this old thief is still thinking about my Stone Pearl.”
"But if he leaves and disappears without a trace, we won't be able to do anything to him, right?" Qin Rou asked worriedly.”
Ding Yuan chuckled and said," He can't bear to leave just like that. Although he has temporarily obtained one Stone Pearl, I dare to bet that this old thief is not satisfied. He must be thinking of stealing the other two from me. Otherwise, he wouldn't have secretly reached his hands into my arms. Moreover, I still have Qianqian in my hands. With her around, I'm not afraid that Bi Hu will fly into the sky.”
Ding Yuan took out the jade tube and chanted a spell. His graceful figure appeared in front of everyone.
This was the first time Qin Rou had seen a fairy like Qianqian. She couldn't help but widen her eyes and size her up. She praised,"What a beautiful sister!"
Qianqian looked around in panic. Other than Ding Yuan, whom she had seen before, the others were unfamiliar faces, but she could not see her master. She was sealed in the jade cylinder and isolated from the world. When she was summoned again by the spell, she found that things had changed.
Fortunately, the two men and one woman in front of him did not look like evil people. In particular, the young woman's eyes were filled with admiration and admiration, so his heart was slightly at ease.
"Qianqian, your master has temporarily handed you over to me. You'll be staying by my side for the next few days." Ding Yuan said.”
Qianqian did not seem to argue with this situation of being arbitrarily dealt with. She only lowered her head and said in a low voice,"Qianqian understands."
Sheng Nian's gaze swept over Qianqian. He could already tell that Qianqian was indeed transformed from a wood spirit that had cultivated for thousands of years. However, her true body had been broken by someone, leaving only her soul essence behind. She had become like this today.
He immediately felt sympathy in his heart and said in a deep voice,"Junior Brother Ding, since Bi Hu has entrusted Qianqian to you, you must treat her well. I think Miss Qianqian must have had a painful experience, which is why she is in this situation today. Don't despise her and humiliate her just because she is a wood spirit.”
Qianqian's heart trembled. She quietly raised her head and glanced at Sheng Nian. Suddenly, she felt a warm current in the eyes of this burly man.
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. I know that." Ding Yuan nodded.”Actually, he didn't care much about the difference between good and evil, demons, and devils. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone against Ji Bietian and the others in order to cultivate the Mystic Gold Flying Centipede.
Therefore, he did not look down on Qianqian as she was transformed from a wood spirit. Instead, he was moved by Bi Hu's scolding and reprimanding of Qianqian.
It was this kind thought that made Qianqian's fortune come true. And if Qianqian's fortune came true, wasn't it also Ding Yuan's fortune?
The three of them chatted for a while more. Unknowingly, the room gradually lit up. A ray of dawn shot in through the window. It was dawn.
Sheng Nian did not feel tired after a sleepless night, but the Liquor worm crawled into his heart.
He stood up and said,"Let's go outside and find something to eat."”
Thus, the three of them left the inn and walked along the yellow soil street to find a decent wine shop.
This town was located at the foot of Jishi Mountain, but it was far from being prosperous with more than a hundred households. Although there were many merchants coming and going, few people were willing to rest in the town. Because the town was only a few dozen miles away from Thunder Manor, no one wanted to be caught by Rayen's claws.
Therefore, there were not many inns and taverns in the town, and the business was quite sluggish. The three of them walked from the east end of the only yellow soil street in the town to the west end and finally found a clean and bright tavern.
However, it was still early. There were only two or three guests inside, and most of the tables were empty.
As soon as Ding Yuan stepped into the tavern, he saw a short Taoist priest in yellow squatting on a chair with his back to the door. His tone was very similar to Zeng Shan's. However, this was difficult for him. If a person who was too short sat on a chair, his head might just be above the table, and it would be really uncomfortable to eat.
Ding Yuan looked familiar at first glance. The Taoist priest seemed to have sensed that someone was watching him from behind. He turned around and glanced at Ding Yuan. Seeing that it was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, he stopped paying attention.
But when Ding Yuan turned around, he recognized him. This yellow-robed Taoist was the one who had held him and Su Zhiyu hostage in exchange for Su Zhen. Later, in order to protect the two of them, he did not hesitate to release his primordial spirit and fight with Hao Wuxing, almost losing his life. He did not expect to meet him here.
In fact, even if Ding Yuan had not changed his appearance, his appearance had changed greatly over the past five years. Sang Tugong might not be able to recognize him.
He glanced at Sang Tugong's side and saw the triangular shuttle on the back of the chair.
Ding Yuan had heard from Su Zhiyu about what happened after he fell unconscious that day. He also knew that Sang Tugong was lucky enough to survive thanks to Su Zhen, but his vitality was greatly damaged. However, why was he here instead of cultivating and recuperating in the Million Mountains?
The bartender saw that there was business coming to his door and hurriedly greeted him. Sheng Nian picked a table in the corner and sat down. He first asked the bartender to bring two jars of Hanzhou's specialty wine,"sake." This wine was the best in the local area. It tasted mellow and clear. Ordinary people in Hanzhou would also brew it themselves to entertain guests. Thus, although this wine shop was small, it was still prepared to allow Sheng Nian to relieve his thirst.
Qin Rou and Ding Yuan each ordered a bowl of mutton bubble wrap and some beef patties. Sheng Nian only needed wine.
The bartender was about to leave when Sang Tugong waved his hand and asked,""L-waiter, I-let me ask you, how do we get to the--Thunder Villa from here?”
The bartender spent a long time trying to understand what the Mulberry Earth Duke wanted to ask, so he replied with a smile,"Master, this place is not far from Thunder Villa. After you leave the town, head west into the mountains. After crossing a mountain ridge, you will see a large manor in the middle of the mountain.”
Sang Tugong said,""Many, many thanks!"
The bartender retreated with a smile. After walking far away, he shook his head and thought to himself, This Taoist doesn't look like a bad person. Why is he mixing with Thunder Villa? He was so distracted that he almost bumped into a woman in purple who had just entered the shop.
The woman in purple looked to be in her thirties, and her eyes were enchanting. When she saw the bartender coming, she nimbly dodged to the side and giggled,"You little waiter, you're already so old, but you still want to take advantage of your aunt, what a joke.”
The bartender was also in his forties. Being teased by a young woman in public, his face immediately turned red. He stammered,"Big sister, I really didn't mean to bump into you.”
The young woman said as if she was coaxing a child,"Alright, alright. I'm not really blaming you. Why are you blushing? Hurry up and get some simple dishes. I'm a little hungry.”
In fact, with her cultivation, she wouldn't feel hungry even if she didn't eat for dozens of days. It was just that she was a little tired from traveling day and night.
The bartender agreed and ran into the back hall as if he was flying. He muttered in his heart,"What day is it today? Why did you run into a strange person?”
The young woman sat down at an empty table and looked around. When she saw Sang Tugong, her eyes lit up and she smiled."I was wondering who this Taoist priest was, but it turns out to be Daoist Sang Tugong.”
Although Sang Tugong had his back to the young woman, he had long recognized her voice. It was just that he was a loner and did not like to talk to others. However, since the other party had reported his family name, he naturally could not pretend not to know. He snorted and said,"You, you…why are you here?”
Ding Yuan also had his back to the two of them. He stretched out his finger and drew the words " Duke of Mulberry Soil, Demon of Purple Training " on the table.
Sheng Nian nodded, tilted his neck, and downed another bowl of white wine.
Qin Rou sat facing Duke of Mulberry Earth and Yan Shu. She had naturally heard of their titles and thought that they were as ferocious as Exalted Celestial Shen Ya and Heavenly Venerate Red Beard.
However, after meeting him, she realized that not only was Sang Tugong charmingly naive, Yan Shu was even more charming and enchanting. She could not see any evil signs.
Yan Shu's eyes moved as she smiled sweetly."Master Lei invited me with the Thunder Rush Invitation, how could I not come? Could it be that you, Duke of Mulberry Earth, are also here for this?”
Sang Tugong snorted as a reply. He had been severely injured after the fierce battle with Hao Wuxing in the Earth Temple five years ago. Fortunately, he managed to survive and returned to the Million Mountains to cultivate. However, two days ago, Sang Tugong had received a message from Lei Ying from the Thunder Mountain Villa, inviting him to come out of the mountain to help with the Thunder Invitation. The invitation was signed by Lei Wei and Master Shen Ya.
He didn't have much contact with Lei Wei, but he had met Master Shen Ya a few times in his early years. They were considered acquaintances, and since they were both members of the Nine Demons, he had agreed to come.
He hadn't been to Hanzhou for many years, so it was a little slow to stop and walk along the way. When he arrived at Jishi Mountain at dawn, he found a tavern to sit down. He wanted to rest for a while and ask about the location of the villa on the way.
Yan Shu was not angry when he saw that Sang Tugong was ignoring him. He smiled and said,"I saw that Master Shen Ya's name was also on the invitation. He has a deep friendship with True Lord Sky Dragon. Aren't you afraid of meeting him in Thunder Mountain Villa?”
Sang Tugong's round eyes widened as he straightened his thick neck that was almost invisible."Why, why should I be afraid?"
Yan Shu raised her eyebrows and said,"Don't forget that you stole those two kids from under the noses of True Monarch Heavenly Dragon and my little sister! It's fine if I'm your little sister, but that True Lord Heavenly Dragon is someone who holds grudges easily. Once we meet, he might come to you to settle this old score!”
How could Sang Tugong be frightened by these words? He said proudly,"Even if it is, no one is afraid of anyone!”He became excited and spoke much more smoothly.
At this moment, someone outside the door laughed and said,"Manor Master Lei heard that Sang Zhenren had arrived at the foot of the mountain. He had many worldly affairs to attend to, so he specially asked me to come and welcome him. I didn't expect that Fairy Yan would also come.”
Ding Yuan, Sheng Nian, and Qin Rou didn't even need to look to know that Master Shen Ya had arrived. They were also secretly surprised by the speed of the Thunder Mountain Villa's reaction. Fortunately, they came in disguise and deliberately kept a low profile, so they did not arouse suspicion.
Sang Tugong and Yan Shu both stood up. Yan Shu smiled and said,"Yo, I was wondering who it was, but it was the esteemed one who came.”
Master Shen Ya chuckled and replied,""Fairy Yan, what are you talking about? You and Sang Zhenren are both famous figures in the Heavenly Continent and old friends of mine and Villa Master Lei. Now that you have come to Jishi Mountain, it is no big deal for me to take two more steps to welcome you.”
Among the nine demons of the Heavenly Continent, no one could compare to Master Shen Ya in terms of making friends and being tactful in life. Sang Tugong was born dull and could not catch up to him. He immediately bowed with his left hand and said,"Esteemed One, you're too polite!"
Master Shen Ya glanced at the dishes on the table and said with a smile,""Isn't it too aggrieved for the two of you to eat such simple food? In order to welcome all the immortal friends who came to help, Villa Master Lei has prepared a feast in the villa. Why don't you two follow me into the villa?”
"Oh," said Sang Tugong,"L-Little Two, c-bill!”
Master Shen Ya reached out his hand and stopped him,""Since Sang Zhenren has come to the villa as a guest, how can there be any rules for you to spend money?”
He said to the bartender,"Tell your shopkeeper that if you have time in the future, you can go to Thunder Villa to ask for money from Deputy Manager Liu. Tell him that I sent you here."”As he spoke, he pulled Sang Tugong with his left hand and Yan Shu with his right hand, and walked out of the tavern without looking back.
The bartender and the shopkeeper looked at each other and stood rooted to the ground. How could they dare to say a word of "no"?
But in this small town, who would dare to go to the Thunder Manor to collect debts?
Unless he was tired of living, the wine money of the Mulberry Earth Duke could only go down the drain.
Ding Yuan and the others sat for a while after Master Shen Ya left. Before they left, Sheng Nian asked the bartender to fill up a bag of sake. Qin Rou saw that the Heavenly Thunder Manor had invited many experts and even invited all the figures of the Nine Demons of the Heaven Continent. Her side was becoming more and more weak, and she couldn't help but feel even more worried.
The three of them returned to the inn. Just as they reached the door, they saw a fortune teller in his fifties standing in front of the tent, shouting that he wanted to read the boss 'fortune.
As soon as he saw Ding Yuan walk in, he left the boss, who was pestered so much that he wanted to bang his head against the wall, and greeted him with a smile,"This little brother looks like a rich and noble person. Do you want this old man to read your fortune?”
Ding Yuan knew that it was Bi Hu who had come looking for him. He could see that he was wearing a square hat and holding a hexagram flag. On it were the words "Golden Mouth Buer". He did not know where he had stolen it from, so he could not help but feel a little amused.
He deliberately pretended to be impatient and said,"I don't have time to listen to your nonsense. Get lost!”
Bi Hu was startled. His rat eyes swept over Sheng Nian and Qin Rou, thinking that Ding Yuan was unwilling to acknowledge him because there were outsiders around. He nodded and bowed."Yes, yes!"
Qin Rou saw his comical appearance and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. She quickly endured it, and the worry in her heart was slightly diluted.
Sheng Nian smiled." Junior Brother, since we have nothing to do, why don't we let him come to our room to read everyone's fortune? Let's see if this business will make a big profit."”
Ding Yuan pretended to be silent for a moment and said,"Alright, let him come in with us."”
The four of them walked into Sheng Nian's guest room and Qin Rou closed the door.
Bi Hu sat down at the table, looked at Sheng Nian and Qin Rou, and asked,""Little Brother Ding, are these two your friends?”
Ding Yuan nodded." That's right. One of them is Old Master Qin's daughter, and the other is my friend, Brother Sheng. They are not outsiders."”
Bi Hu blinked his small eyes and sized Sheng Nian up. A slightly surprised expression appeared on his face as he said,"This Brother Sheng's cultivation is really impressive. I'm afraid that even Master Lei isn't his match.”
"Your eyes are not bad, sir," said Ding Yuan with a smile.”
Bi Hu said proudly,"Of course. In our line of work, we must be more open." However, with just the three of you, it would be harder than ascending to the heavens if you want to take someone out of the Black Ice Snow Prison.”
Sheng Nian's tiger eyes covered Bi Hu as he smiled and said,""That's why we want to ask for Elder Bi's help. With your divine skill, our chances of winning will undoubtedly be higher.”
When Bi Hu heard Sheng Nian praise him, his mustache curled up and he chuckled."Alright, alright! Who told me to always be willing to help others?"
Qin Rou couldn't help but smile when she heard his interesting words. Ding Yuan secretly snorted. If he wasn't jealous of the Shi Ji Pearl, why would he cooperate like this? "Did you find out the location of the Black Ice Snow Hell?" he interrupted Bi Hu.”
"Of course. Otherwise, how would I have the face to see Little Brother Ding?" Bi Hu said.”As he spoke, he took out a roll of silk paper and opened it. On it was the topographic map of the Thunder Mountain Villa.
Ding Yuan, Sheng Nian, and Qin Rou lowered their heads to look carefully. They saw that the map was meticulously drawn, and the terrain of the mountain villa was drawn in great detail. Where were the sentries and hidden traps, where were the underground mechanisms, everything was on the paper.
Qin Rou couldn't help but admire him." Senior, where did you find this map? It's actually so detailed?"”
Bi Hu smiled." This is a treasure that I spent more than a month to figure out. I'm giving it to the three of you for nothing."”
Ding Yuan smiled." Old thief, I didn't know you had such an ability. In the future, you might as well change your profession and become a painter. It's better than doing these shady things."”
Bi Hu spat and pointed at the map.""This is the Black Ice Snow Hell. There is only one entrance to it, and it is located under the Ancestral Pagoda in the north corner of the Thunder Yard.”
"The one guarding this place is Lei Wei's younger cousin, Lei Peng. His cultivation base is even higher than Lei Yuan's. No one could even get close to the Ancestral Pagoda, let alone sneak into the Black Ice Snow Prison to save people.”
Sheng Nian's gaze landed on the Ancestral Pagoda and he said in a deep voice,""Old Master Qin and Ah Niu are both poisoned and can't fight anymore. We can only try to sneak into the Ancestral Pagoda and secretly rescue them. If Lei Wei is alerted, things will be difficult.”
"Who says so?" Bi Hu agreed. Not to mention that you can't fight the friend you want to save, it's useless even if you can fight. Right now, Lei Wei has sent out the Thunder Invitation and used the Thunder Eagle to invite all the fellow cultivators in the Heavenly Continent. The experts in the villa are all gathered here. If you really fight, the three of you will be doomed.”
" I'll make one thing clear in advance," he added after some thought." I can help you sneak into the Black Ice Snow Prison, but I can't help you save them." Lei Wei, Heavenly Venerate Red Beard, and any of them are enough to make me suffer. I still want to live a few more years. If I leave them in the Thunder Mountain Villa for some unknown reason, what will happen to the treasures I've spent most of my life collecting?”
Sheng Nian acted as if he hadn't heard anything and asked," Elder Bi, do you know where Lei Peng will be at night?”
Bi Hu was startled." He usually lives in the Liaoxiang Pavilion next to the Ancestral Pagoda. Why do you ask?"”
"Old thief, don't you understand?" Ding Yuan chuckled. To enter the Black Ice Snow Prison, it would most likely fall on Lei Peng.”
Bi Hu naturally understood, but looking at Ding Yuan's expression, he felt that something was wrong.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]