However, it was said that Yu Mengyan and his son were on the bank of the river, and suddenly they heard the exclamations of the boatmen, and hurriedly ran to the plank road to look, only to see the giant catfish rushing out of the water. Yu Yan exclaimed: "Father, that's a giant catfish, it's really a giant catfish!" ”

Yu Mengyan sighed: "Alas, the boy in the mouth of the fish monster seems to be the second son of the Zhou family, this is terrible!" ”

Then when they saw Zhou Kao swimming towards the giant catfish, Yu Mengyan said again: "Is that the eldest prince of Zhou?" He was really not afraid of death, and he wanted to save people from the mouth of the giant catfish. ”

Yu Yan said with some schadenfreude: "This kid is just a newborn calf, how does he know how powerful the giant catfish is." Yu Yan faintly hoped in his heart that Zhou Kao would be killed by the giant catfish, so Wan Xi would no longer have affection for him, and there would be one less obstacle between himself and Wan Xi.

Yu Mengyan saw that Zhou Kao stabbed the giant catfish with two swords, but the giant catfish was still able to fight back, he shook his head and said, "It's useless." I'm afraid that next Tuesday will be more auspicious. ”

Yu Yan said: "Zhou Kao is just a momentary bravery, how can you save him?" I am afraid that there is only one person in the world who can rescue Zhou Fa from the mouth of the giant catfish. ”

Yu Mengyan was very surprised when she heard this, and asked, "Who is this person you are talking about?" ”

"Father, the child heard from the boatman in Maoyi Village that Na Ruihou has excellent water quality and can swim across the river with his breath closed. Only someone like him, who can come and go freely in the water, may be able to control the giant catfish. ”

Yu Mengyan said: "Such hearsay rumors are often too exaggerated. I think even if Rui Gang is here, most of them won't be able to save Zhou Fa. ”

While the two were talking, Yu Yan suddenly pointed to the water and said, "Father, what do you think it is?" Yu Mengyan followed the direction of his finger and saw a black dot slowly rising from the water, and it was getting bigger and bigger. Yu Mengyan looked at it carefully, still a little incredulous: "This, is this ......?"

Zhou Kao and the bears slowly swam back in the water, but they saw that the boatmen, soldiers and others on the boat were pointing at the lake. Zhou Kao turned around suddenly, and saw that there seemed to be a person floating on the water, looking at that person's clothes, it should be Zhou Fa. He immediately shouted, "Master Fire! Master Fire! Fa'er, it's Fa'er! ”

Mane Bear looked back and thought that Zhou Kao was not wrong, but he looked more closely - Zhou Fa seemed to be floating towards the shore, and it was still very fast. Just when the bears hesitated, Zhou Kao had already swam towards Zhou Fa with the strength that came out of nowhere.

When Zhou Kao swam to him, he found that Zhou Fa was lying on an object shaped like a mound. The surface of the mound was covered with moss, and there were many snails and clams attached to it, but the tentacles were as hard as rocks. A thought flashed through Zhou Kao's mind: How can this kind of thing float in the water?

At that moment, a head suddenly protruded from the side of the mound, with a pointed nose and a pair of small eyes, and a long neck attached to it. Zhou Kao initially thought that this monster was a giant python and was startled; It was later discovered that it had a paw larger than an oar, and that the mound was actually the monster's back. Only then did he think: Could this be a big turtle? But how can a turtle grow so big?

At this time, the mane bear also swam over, and Zhou Kao said: "Master Huoshi, it seems that this big turtle saved Fa'er." The mane bear looked at it and said, "It's probably not a turtle, it's a turtle." Turtles and turtles look similar, but they are much larger than turtles. But I've never seen a turtle this big, so maybe it's been alive for thousands of years. "The old turtle seems to be very spiritual, and it never moves in the water. The bears and Zhou Kao dragged Zhou Fa off the turtle's back, and the old turtle nodded at Zhou Kao, and then sank into the water.

Zhou Kao and the two of them carried Zhou Fa to the side of the boat, and Zhou Chang and Xin Jia dragged Zhou Fa onto the boat together. At this time, Zhou Fa was still unconscious, Xin Jia turned him upside down, rushed down, and kept patting him on the back. Soon a lot of water flowed from Zhou Fa's mouth and nose, and he coughed for a while before he woke up, but his spirit was still sluggish. Zhou Chang saw that his son's hands and feet were cold and his lips were blue, so he hurriedly took off his clothes and wrapped him. At this time, Zhou Kao also returned to the boat, and Tai Ji hurriedly said to him: "Your clothes are also wet, go to the boat next to you to change them, and bring a few clean clothes for Fa'er." ”

Zhou Kao also trembled all over his body and almost collapsed, and only nodded and walked out of the cabin. Wan Ji saw that she couldn't help here, so she came out with the weekly exam. She followed Zhou Kao all the way, but Zhou Kao didn't realize it until she got on another boat. Zhou Kao said: "Cousin? What are you here to do? ”

Wan Ji said: "I...... Oh, let's find Fa'er's clothes first, and I'll send them for you. You can change your clothes here and go back. ”

Zhou Kao felt that Wan Ji was reasonable, so he looked for Zhou Fa's clothes with her on the boat, and after finding them, he said, "Cousin, you take these to your mother first." ”

Wan Xi nodded, but still just looked at him, and asked with concern, "Cousin, are you—are you okay?" ”

Zhou Kao handed the clothes into her hands and urged, "I'm fine." Go quickly, don't let your hair catch a cold and get sick. ”

Wan Xi reluctantly turned around and left. She returned to the boat and handed over her clothes to Tai Ji, but she was still relieved that she would not take the next week's exam, and wanted to see him again, but she was afraid that she would bump into Zhou Kao changing clothes. She was waiting at the bow of the boat so restlessly, when she suddenly heard someone behind her shout, "Miss Wanxi." ”

When she turned her head, she saw that it was Yu Yan who greeted her on the plank road. Yu Yan bowed respectfully, and said with a humble smile on his face: "Miss Wanxi, my father and Zai came to visit Zhou Gongzi, I wonder if Zhou Gongzi is safe now?" ”

When Wan Xi saw them coming to visit Zhou Fa, she had to smile reluctantly, and said politely: "Lord Yu, Master Yu." Cousin, he is resting in the boat, please come with me. ”

She led Yu Mengyan and his son into the cabin and greeted Xin Jia and the others. Yu Mengyan asked, "The second son shouldn't be a big deal, right?" ”

Zhou Chang said: "Thank you for your concern, the dog's life is finally fine." It's just that he was frightened, and he didn't know if he would fall ill in the future. ”

Yu Mengyan laughed and said, "Lord Zhou Chang is too worried. The widow listened to the discussion of those boatmen, saying that the second son was rescued by a big turtle, and such an adventure can be described as rare in a hundred years. I think the second son must be blessed by the gods, and he will definitely do a lot in the future. Lord Zhou Chang, you can relax. ”

Zhou Chang waved his hand and said: "Cheng Daren's auspicious words, in fact, as long as Fa'er is safe and sound, my wish is enough." ”

While speaking, Zhou Kao had also returned to the boat, and he saw that Yu Mengyan and his son were here, and he was busy saluting the two. Yu Mengyan said with a smile: "Master Zhou, you are still able to move forward in the face of the giant catfish today, and you are indeed brave and courageous, which makes the widow admire it. ”

Zhou Kao said: "Rescuing the second brother is just what Zhou Kaofen should do, Lord Yuhou praises it falsely, and the younger generation really doesn't dare to do it." ”

"Alas, why should Zhou Gongzi be too humble? This giant catfish is a tyrant in the river, and in the past, the Xia Hou clan worshiped it as a god and called the river god; In the Mengjin area, there is still a custom of sacrificing to the river god with boys and girls. In the early years, the widow also heard an anecdote: someone caught a giant catfish with a fishing net, which was supposed to be dragged to the shore and slaughtered; Unexpectedly, he was dragged into the river by the giant catfish and the boat, and the fishermen on the boat were forced to abandon the boat to save their lives. Mr. Zhou's actions today can be said to be out of the realm of life and death, which shows the deep brotherhood of your brothers. ”

"I'm ashamed to say that the one who rescued the child today should be the big turtle. If it weren't for its help, the younger generation would probably be unable to protect themselves. ”

Yu Mengyan nodded and said, "In addition to the giant catfish, there are many magical things in this big river. Among them, especially the genus of turtles, turtles, turtle The turtle is huge, and its belly and back are protected by carapaces, and the giant catfish can neither swallow nor bite it. It's like two armies fighting, the turtle's side is already invincible, and if the giant catfish doesn't escape, it can only sit and wait for death. ”

Xin Jia and Zhou Chang heard that Yu Mengyan's words contained the mystery of the art of war, and they all thought it was true. Unexpectedly, Yu Mengyan changed his words and said: "A few years ago, my retainers once offered a turtle - only the size of a bathtub, which is far less than the big turtle I met today. I ordered the chef to make a lot of turtle soup, and the meat was smooth and tender, and the fragrance was overflowing, which I still feel endlessly aftertasted. Alas, it's a pity that such a delicacy is now available but not sought, isn't it embarrassing? ”

Xin Jia and Zhou Chang looked at each other, both of them very stunned. Xin Jiaxin said: This Yu Hou's obsession with food has reached the point where he thinks about it and forgets it all the time. I think his reputation will be ruined sooner or later on the word 'eat'.

Soon, Yu's father and son got up to say goodbye, and Xin Jia and others went to the bow of the boat to see each other. Madame Jiang was afraid that there would be a giant catfish or some other monster in the harbor, so she kept urging her to go first, so Xin Jia ordered the boat to sail. After a morning of tossing, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted; At this moment, everyone sat around Zhou Fa, just worried about his safety, and didn't talk much.

Their fleet consisted of eighteen large and small boats, and after sailing out of the harbor, they slowly turned to the left and turned into the river. At this time, although it is going downstream, the current of the river is relatively gentle, and the speed of the wooden boat is not fast. It was not until late in the evening that the boatmen said they would rest on the shore that the fleet left the river and sailed into a lake.

The mountains not far away are like giants with open arms, holding this lake in their arms; The shore of the lake is dotted with reeds more than a person high, and the white and yellowish reed stalks sway from side to side with the breeze. The boatmen threw down the stone pier and parked the boat in the shallow water, and Xin Jia and the others got off the boat and set up camp tents on the tidal flats on the shore. Soon after, Yu Mengyan's fleet also sailed in one after another, making the small lake suddenly crowded.

After dinner, the Xin and Zhou families returned to their tents to rest. Zhou Chang said to Zhou Kao: "Don't sleep yet, stay by Fa'er's side and take care of him, and I'll replace you in the second half of the night." ”

Tai Ji hurriedly said: "No, just let me guard the hair, you and Kao'er go to sleep." ”

Zhou Chang said: "It's already very hard for you to take care of Fa'er's diet and daily life during the day, so let me and Kao'er help you share it at night." ”

After Taiji and Zhou Chang fell asleep, Zhou Kao sat alone next to Zhou Fa. At this time, everything around him was silent, and Zhou Kao suddenly thought: I haven't had time to practice the fetal breath gong taught by Master Huo, but I have nothing to do now, but I can just practice it.

So Zhou Kao concentrated on closing his eyes and adjusting his internal breath, and gradually his breathing became weaker and weaker, until it was almost inaudible. On the contrary, his sense of hearing became more acute, and Zhou Fa and his parents' snorts could be heard clearly. Later, he could hear farther and farther away: at first the crackling of the campfire outside the tent, then the crashing of the waves on the shore of the lake, and even the rustle of the wind against the branches. As the night deepened and the cold continued to fall, it became colder and colder in the tent; However, Zhou Kao felt that there was a small stove in the dantian, constantly transporting hot air to all parts of his body, and there were even a lot of beads of sweat on his forehead.

Suddenly, Zhou Kao heard a burst of Shen groaning, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that Zhou Fa's head was constantly swinging, and his mouth was still muttering indistinctly. Zhou Kao hurriedly put his hand on Zhou Fa's forehead and called softly, "Fa'er, what's wrong with you?" ”

Zhou Fa suddenly woke up, stretched out his hands and wanted to push away the weekly exam, and shouted at the same time: "Don't come, don't come!" Zhou Kao was afraid of waking up his parents, so he hurriedly pressed his hands and whispered: "Don't be afraid, it's me, it's me!" ”

Zhou Fa heard that it was Zhou Kao's voice, and his mood gradually stabilized, and said, "Big brother, I, I was eaten by a big fish just now......"

Zhou Kao suddenly understood that Zhou Fa must have relived the day's encounter in a dream, no wonder he was scared; Zhou Kao remembered that when he was young, he often couldn't tell the difference between dreams and reality, so he comforted Zhou Fa and said, "It's okay, you're just dreaming, don't be afraid." ”

"It turned out to be a dream......," Zhou Fa slowly came to his senses and said, "But during the day, I fell into the water from the bow of the boat, and a big fish really swallowed me in my mouth, didn't it?" ”

Zhou Kao nodded and said, "That's a giant catfish." When he mentioned the name of the giant catfish, even he felt a palpitation.

Zhou Fa asked, "Big brother, did you rescue me?" ”

"No, it was a big turtle that saved you."

"Big turtle?"

"Well, Master Fire said that the turtle is a monster that looks like a turtle, but it is much larger than a turtle."

Zhou Fa asked curiously: "How big?" Zhou Kao stretched out his hands and gestured, "It's bigger than the wheels of a carriage, and you lie on the back of the turtle, and it is it that carries you all the way to the shore." ”

Zhou Fa thought about it for a while in a daze, and sighed: "I only remember that after being dragged into the water by the giant catfish, I saw a big monster swimming over in a trance. It bit the tail of the giant catfish, and the fish monster could not break free, and then it surfaced. I can't remember what the big turtle looked like. ”

Zhou Kao said in his heart: No wonder the giant catfish has been struggling in place, but it did not escape, it turned out that it was bitten by the tail of the big turtle. If it weren't for that, I'm afraid that Fa'er would have been dragged to the bottom of the lake by the giant catfish, where would he be able to save it?

Zhou Fa couldn't sleep for a while after waking up, so Zhou Kao chatted with him. It wasn't until midnight that Zhou Chang came over for him, and Zhou Kao went to sleep on his own.

Zhou Fa slept all night, his body gradually improved, and his spirit was also refreshed. In the early morning, he really didn't want to lie down and rest anymore, and clamored to go outside. Zhou Chang and Taiji were busy with each other, and they had no time to take care of him, so they let Zhou Kao look at him.

The two of them left the camp, and Zhou Fa's mood was even happier, pulling Zhou Kao to wander around. When they came to the shore of the lake, the two boatmen in a large boat suddenly bowed down and kowtowed to them. Zhou Kao was taken aback and hurriedly asked, "Two boatmen, why are you doing this big gift?" ”

One of the older boatmen raised his head and said to Zhou Fa, "This little boy actually escaped from the mouth of the giant catfish, and I have never seen such a miracle in my decades of life. The little boy is auspicious, presumably a fairy child in the sky; The old man has nothing else to ask for, but hopes that the fairy child can bless us with safe entry and exit, no illness and no disaster. ”

Zhou Fa just "giggled" and laughed when he heard it, but Zhou Kao said: "Old man, I can't help it, please get up quickly!" The two boatmen were willing to listen, but they insisted on worshipping, and even the boatmen on the boat next to them knelt down. Soon, all the boatmen on the shore of the lake knelt down on the bow of the boat and bowed: "May the fairy child bless me!" Bless the fairychild! ”

When Zhou Fa saw this scene, he only thought it was fun and interesting, and he accepted it calmly. Zhou Kaoxin said: Fa'er is just a little child, how can he afford such a bow? So he hurriedly took Zhou Fa back to the camp.

After breakfast, Xin Jia and others set sail again. Zhou Kao sat near the bow of the boat, looking out of the cabin. At this time, the river zigzags and circles at the foot of the mountains, and the wooden boats float in the river like leaves drifting with the waves. As the wooden boat advanced, the green hills on both sides of the strait continued to retreat to the side, just like huge portals, opening one after another in front of Zhou Kao's eyes.

"These peaks look the same, cousin, don't you feel bored after looking at them for so long?"

Zhou Kao found out that Wan Xi had sat next to him at some point. He smiled embarrassedly and said, "It's not boring, although these mountains look similar, they are actually different from each other. ”

After hearing this, Wan Xi realized something, so she learned to look at the mountains like Zhou Kao. But she only looked at it for a while and said, "Oh, no, no, no." The bow of the ship turned to the left and to the right, and I was dizzy. I can't do that with an intently staring like yours. ”

Zhou Kao smiled: "If it was before, I wouldn't have been able to do it." But then I learned the Fetal Breath Gong, and the key to practicing this skill is to concentrate on holding Yuan Shouyi, so as long as I practice for a long time, I will naturally be able to have no distractions and no longer be dizzy. ”

Wan Xi pouted her lips and said in her heart: I can't learn this kung fu, so what's the use? However, when it came to fetal breathing, she remembered one thing, so she said, "That's right! Master Fire promised me that you would teach me swordsmanship. But I said first, we don't have a master-apprenticeship, at most we can only be regarded as the same family. ”

Zhou Kao was a little surprised and said, "Why hasn't Master Huoshi mentioned ...... to me?"

"You don't believe it? Then let's go and ask the Fire Master in person! Wan Xi's face sank and said angrily.

"No, no, it's not that I don't believe it. I...... I promise you. ”

Wan Ji turned her anger into joy and said with a smile: "Then a word is a deal!" When you get to Chaoge, you have to accompany me to practice swords, but you are not allowed to play tricks. ”