The swarthy man stopped the carriage at his own post station in Huai'an Mansion, and then took Wan Ning and Sun Qien to the Forest of the Eastern Expedition.

Wan Ning chatted with the carriage master all the way, knowing that this diligent and honest man surnamed Ma, everyone called him Lao Ma, a simple person, respected by the local villagers, and his missing brother was called Ma Broken Finger by outsiders, also because he was cut off by a thousand people in the casino in the past.

Ma Duanzhi has worked hard all these years, is serious and motivated, and has also quit gambling, and the reputation of the prodigal son in the neighborhood has gradually improved, but the big girls still walk around when they look at him. After all, the impact of Ma Severed Finger when he was young was really bad, and those things that he did or did not do have become a local village legend, passed down by word of mouth, so until the time of his disappearance, Ma Severed Finger was still an old bachelor.

"You really followed that old horse to the Forest of the Eastern Expedition to investigate the situation, is it really a matter as important as the sect's mission to be put aside?"

Wan Ning and Lao Ma chatted happily, but Sun Qien, who was silent on the side, had impatience written on his face, and she couldn't help but ask a little angrily about Wan Ning's spiritual power transmission.

"Don't worry, it's only noon now, you and I will go to see it first, and then go to the Sword and Axe Gang later, do you think this monster in Huai'an Mansion needs to report to the sect." ”

Wan Ning replied with a spiritual power transmission.

"There's no need, there are many male disciples in and out of Huai'an Mansion every day in the major sects, and I haven't heard that anyone is missing, which means that this monster is not strong enough and can only bully and bully mortals...... Anyway, just do as you say, let's go with this person to see the situation on the ground, and then hurry to the Knife and Axe Gang, after all, that's the right thing, and someone will take care of this monster or not. ”

Sun Qien is not very interested in the affairs of the rivers and lakes, and even looks a little cold-blooded. She has been exposed to major spiritual cultivation since she was a child, coupled with her good talent, her future eyes will only be on the broader imperial realm, and mortal life or death really has nothing to do with her.

Although Wan Ning was not very happy, he didn't say anything, just casually hummed and diverted the topic. After all, he was accompanying Sun Qien to go out on errands, and he couldn't be the master, so Wan Ning decided to investigate the whereabouts of the monster himself after the tax matter of the Sword and Axe Gang was settled.

"That's it, a week ago I found the second broken carriage here, but the whereabouts of others are not clear, especially a few days ago overnight heavy rain, the possible traces of the residue washed clean, I didn't find more, I inquired about the villages and towns here, only to know about this matter, obviously the guest he picked up was from Huai'an Mansion to Junwei Mansion, how to go around it is impossible to go around here. ”

Half an hour passed, and Lao Ma led Wan Ning and the others from the entrance of the town into the very outer area of the Eastern Expedition Forest, which was an inconspicuous small depression hidden by dense trees, and further down was a stream that flowed slowly from north to south.

Originally, there was a trail spontaneously opened up by the villagers from the village to the depression, because the groundwater resources in Huai'an Prefecture were relatively scarce, and there was not necessarily a water outlet from ten deep pits, so the local villagers often went to the stream near the depression to get water for daily use.

However, because the horse's severed finger suddenly disappeared here, leaving only a broken carriage, the nearby villagers were too frightened to enter the Eastern Expedition Forest, and there were even rumors that the monster's lair was downstream of this stream.

"The second brother was killed here, it shouldn't be for no reason, there is a high probability that he was coerced by a monster, and he had to turn around temporarily, indicating that he rushed here to mean that he should be a monster, that is to say, the guy's lair must be not far from here. ”

Wan Ning carefully analyzed, and in order to better understand the situation nearby, he walked to the side of the stream. Unexpectedly, the large green grass by the stream seemed to grow on a flat land, but Wan Ning fell into the swamp when he stepped down, and suddenly did not enter the small half of his thigh. Fortunately, he is a spiritual cultivator, and if he were an ordinary person, he would drown in this inaccessible forest depression today.

"Brother Ma, you see that my friend is covered in mud in order to help investigate the situation, and we have to find the inn to clean up first, and then talk about the future. Besides, we are going down the mountain today and are on a mission, so you can go back to the post station and wait first, and then we will meet you after we are busy with the things in hand, and it will not be too late for us to discuss it again. ”

At this time, Sun Qien saw that he had caught the reason, and immediately pulled Wan Ning, who was in disarray, and said to Lao Ma.

Although the old horse is honest and honest, after all, he is also the owner of a huge post station, and he is not a person who does not know how to see children, how can he not see that this brittle little girl is not willing to help him find the whereabouts of the second child at all, from beginning to end is the young man in white is communicating and discussing with himself, but as the saying goes, helping is love, not helping is duty, and he can't force the other party to ask what he must do, so the old horse has no choice but to beat his head and walk home step by step.

"That annoying middle-aged uncle is finally gone, let's get out of here, find an inn and book a room first, and we'll go to the Knife and Axe Gang later. ”

Sun Qien looked at the back of the disappeared old horse, sighed lightly, turned his head and said to Wan Ning.

"I look like this, how can I get on the street, there happens to be someone nearby, I'll borrow some soap leaves to clean the stains, and then talk about the future." ”

Not to mention that Wan Ning is a person who loves cleanliness, it is impossible to tolerate his appearance on the street, he also represents the image of the Aoki Sect, if he meets Taoist friends from other sects, wouldn't he invisibly embarrass the Aoki Sect, after all, although those guys don't know Wan Ning, they must know Sun Qien, who often walks around in Huai'an Mansion.

"You're right, when we came in before, there was a kind aunt who was sitting at the corner of the street peeling corn and advised us not to enter the Eastern Expedition Forest, and we just asked her for help. ”

Sun Qien nodded and replied. The two men hit it off, and left the depression and walked to the village and town not far away, and Wanning also took the time to dry the mud on the hem, although it still looked just as scruffy, but in Wanning's opinion, at least it was much better than the dark silt that looked like something.

"You're back...... Why is this little brother covered in mud and dust, you shouldn't be attacked by that monster, right? I didn't expect it to dare to come out to eat people in broad daylight now, young man, don't be afraid, with our group of big mothers here, that monster doesn't dare to touch you a penny!"

The enthusiastic aunt described by Sun Qien is still squatting at the corner of the street, but now she is not peeling corn, but knitting a sweater. Seeing the embarrassed Wan Ning, the fat aunt stood up and exclaimed, then grabbed the iron nail rake behind her and said vigilantly.

The people of the villages and towns were uneasy because of the monsters, especially after the vehicle with the severed finger was found in a depression on the outskirts of the Eastern Expedition Forest a week ago, and the peasant ladies could no longer sit still, and they formed a temporary patrol with people standing guard every night.

Anyway, in their simple values, monsters only attack men are afraid of women, so they take on the role of surrounding the men in the village. It's also strange to say, up and down Huai'an Mansion, there are men missing in almost every piece of land, but no one has been killed in this small village and town, maybe the monster is really afraid of these fierce women.

"No, no, I just fell just now, and I want to borrow a little soap leaf from my aunt. ”

Wan Ning scratched his head and said with some embarrassment.

"That's good, you kid has fine skin and tender meat, that monster is best for you, come, go home with the eldest mother, drink saliva to quench your thirst by the way, and the girl over there will come too." ”

After listening to Wan Ning's explanation, the enthusiastic aunt was relieved, she lifted the iron nail rake in her left hand, carried a bag of corn kernels in her right hand, and then asked Sun Qien to take the sweater fabric and hum a mountain song and walk home.

It is similar to an ordinary farmhouse courtyard, with white bricks and black tiles, green vines and purple melons, the firewood door is casually covered, revealing a gap, and there is a sleeping big yellow dog in the courtyard, which seems to smell the breath of a stranger, it suddenly straightens up and yells at Wanning and Sun Qien.

"What's your name, Ah Huang, someone is coming...... Yo, you're back so early today? ”

A young man with a naked upper body came out of the main hall yawning, and when he saw the good-looking girl, his face turned red, and he immediately went back to the house and put on a sweatshirt and came out again.

"On the way, I met a young man who fell and took him to our house to clean up a little, as for you, you are still sleeping in the afternoon, did I ask you to feed Ah Huang? ”

The enthusiastic aunt walked into the courtyard, threw the iron nail rake on her shoulder, sat on the stone bench, and said to the young man with a scolding.

"I've done it, I've got it done, I told you that I've been busy over there these days, and I often can't close my eyes in the middle of the night, so I'll come back at noon to make up for my sleepiness, and I have to go out to work at night, and my dad is sleeping in the house." ”

The young man in the sweatshirt squatted on the ground, holding the big yellow dog, which looked quite vicious to Wanning and the others, was very quiet under the comfort of the young man, and rubbed his chin with his big head.

"If you want to die, go to the stream and jump into the river, and you can leave a whole corpse. ”

Hearing the words of the young man in the undershirt, the enthusiastic aunt frowned and said unhappily.

"It's okay, it's okay, Jiren has his own nature. ”

However, the young man in the sweatshirt said nonchalantly, he looked up at Sun Qien from time to time, but whenever his eyes met, he quickly lowered his head and continued to mumble something with the big yellow dog.

The enthusiastic aunt crossed her hands on her hips, scolded the young man again, and then went into the house to rummage for something, and after a while took out a few soap leaves and a basin of water. Wan Ning crushed the soap leaves and put them in the basin, and after a while, foam appeared, and Wan Ning quickly cleaned the stains, but the hem was still wet, because he didn't want to show his spiritual skills in front of these mortals, so he didn't dry the wet places directly with fire spiritual power.

"Thank you for the help of this lady, I am grateful, he will have the opportunity to repay this kindness in the future. ”

Wan Ning tidied up the robe, confirmed that it was clean, and said to the enthusiastic aunt.

"Okay, you two are busy with your own business, it's just a little thing, and it's not a good deal. ”

The enthusiastic aunt waved her hand and said happily, but the young man in the sweatshirt still looked at Sun Qien, his expression was a little reluctant, as if he didn't want to face the short encounter of this chance encounter, he walked into the house with the big yellow dog.

Wan Ning bowed to the two and was about to say goodbye, but as soon as he turned around, he saw a small pebble flying from behind, hitting the young man's calf, although it didn't hurt much, but it made Wan Ning half angry.

I knew that it would be good to be cheeky to refuse Sun Qien's request, and I came out to meet a basket of broken things. Wanning muttered in his heart.

"Who? You little hairy boy, why are you throwing rocks at people!"

Sun Qien then turned around, but found that there was a little boy with a runny nose standing not far behind the two, and he was still holding a small pebble in his hand, looking dumbfounded.

"That's Ah Mao on the street, he was born with a little brain problem, and now he is six or seven years old and still stupid, so don't worry about this little fool. ”

The enthusiastic aunt looked at the little boy and said to Wan Ning, her words full of pity.

"Little one, don't throw stones, you know. ”

Wan Ning walked up to Ah Mao, he suppressed the bad mood that had just been slightly flooded, and said to Ah Mao patiently.

"Good...... Good ......"

Ah Mao said with a big tongue and indistinctly, as if he was a little afraid of the tall Wanning, Ah Mao, who was clinging to the wall, moved his body to the right, revealing the painting carved in stone on the wall. The waves on the wall seem to be a simple big river, and there is a small boat floating on the river, and there are ten big men sitting on this small boat, probably because Ah Mao's painting skills are not very good, and a few people are even squeezed into the air.

"What are you painting, carving a boat for a sword, or crossing the sea with eight immortals?"

Wanning's attention was drawn to the stick figures on the wall, and he quipped.

"Ship...... There were people on board...... Fly...... Fly ......"

Mao pointed to each villain and replied incoherently.

"Oh, the man who can fly, does he have wings, why don't you draw them, and this man in the boat, he holds the money bag in his right hand, but you don't draw a finger on him. ”

Wan Ning tried to keep a kind smile and said to Ah Mao. In his previous life, his childhood was also a child full of whimsy like Ah Mao, but Wan Ning's patriarch father just forced him to practice the exercises day and night, and didn't care about his growth process at all, this very pure innocence made Wan Ning feel strange and familiar.

"No feathers...... I can fly...... Four-finger ...... Because he only has four fingers......"

Ah Mao picked up the stone, pointed to the two villains who were squeezed in mid-air, and then circled the right hand of the villain sitting on the boat, and said seriously.

"You kid, no one has only four fingers......"

Wan Ning smiled slightly and said to Ah Mao. However, halfway through his words, his body froze like an electric shock, and his pupils dilated violently, as if he suddenly realized something.