Zhang Yuan was very early together this day, and he went out early to exercise, he thought about it, if he wants to find Brother Dayong in the future, he must have a good physique, in order to withstand walking far away, he can't be tired and give up halfway before he has been walking for long. So he first ran around Wutong Lane, felt that it was not enough, and ran around Peach Blossom Lane, passing by Tongfu Inn halfway, without stopping, he suddenly remembered to go to see the old woman selling vegetables.

The old woman has been selling vegetables a little bit not very interested recently, although she used to say that selling vegetables as a way to pass the time, but since she met the little guy of the big cow, she felt that selling vegetables could help others and felt that life was still meaningful, and she looked at these vegetable leaves every day and finally did not feel wasted in her old age.

On the first day, the old woman set up a stall unusually and left very late, although the old woman already had a feeling of uneasiness in her heart, but when she left, she comforted herself that the little guy was in a hurry and could not come, and he would definitely come tomorrow, but day after day, months passed, and the little guy really never came again.

In the end, she was really worried and ran to the Tongfu Inn to ask Zhuang Yi, but Zhuang Yi just said that the guy Dayong left, but Da Niu didn't see it. The old woman thought to herself how could the two brothers leave one behind the other, and then she felt that the little guy might have suffered an accident, and when she thought that the little guy was still so young, she suddenly felt that this God was too unfair, such a young child had to be taken away, why not take away her old bones.

After a long time, I could only sigh, "It's okay, let's suffer less crimes! ”

Later, it became a matter of selling vegetables and setting up stalls, and I didn't pay much attention to it. The son grinded hard many times, thinking about taking the old woman to live with him, and the old woman's attitude gradually eased. In the end, the old woman also accepted her fate, thinking that the next time her son would talk about it, she would let him go, and finally enjoy the blessings in her old age.

On this day, the old woman sat on the small stool she brought, looked at the fruits and vegetables in front of her, and did not invite guests, but just sold them when she was interested in coming.

"Grandma, do you still have this cucumber?" asked one guest.

"Cucumbers are not available in this season, but now that it is winter, cucumbers have to be found in summer. The old woman did not look up, but only glanced at the man with a pair of boots, and then withdrew her gaze.

"What about the candy?" the man asked again.

The old woman suddenly raised her head, and suddenly burst into tears.

"Da Niu, where have you been for the past six months? If you don't have grandma, I won't be able to sell all the food. The old woman wiped away her tears as she spoke, and a smile of joy kept on her lips.

"Grandma, I'm fine, don't you think I'm still standing here?" Zhang Yuanyi squatted next to the old woman and took out a handkerchief to help the old woman wipe her tears.

After the old woman was emotionally stable, she told the old woman about the past few days, and the old woman was shocked to hear it, and finally relieved herself after learning that she was accepted as an apprentice by Zhang Carpenter.

The old woman held Zhang Yuanyi's hand and said, "I still know Master Zhang, they all say that he has the best carpentry skills and the most affordable price, and he is a good person." ”

Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "It's true, the master is a good person, and you are also a good person, grandma." ”

The old woman was a little embarrassed, and laughed angrily: "Don't say that, how can I compare my old bones with Master Zhang." ”

"Ahem!" the old woman coughed twice.

"What's the matter, grandma?" asked Zhang Yuan.

The old woman waved her hand and said, "It's okay, I'm old, the weather has been moody lately, I've been a little cold, and I have a dry throat when I talk too much." ”

Zhang Yuanyi patted the old woman on the back and said, "Then talk less and rest more recently." ”

The old woman smiled and said, "Don't worry about it, don't worry about it, I've lived enough at this age." ”

"Nonsense, the grandmother is kind in her heart and thinks she can live a long life. Zhang Yuanyi said.

The old woman smiled kindly, this child is really good at talking.

The old woman remembered something and said, "Stand up quickly and let grandma see how much you have grown." ”

Zhang Yuanyi did so, Zhang Yuanyi has indeed grown a lot taller, his voice has changed a lot, he has lost a lot of his previous milk, and he has become more mature. Otherwise, the old woman wouldn't have recognized Zhang Yuanyi's voice right away just now, and she only learned from the candy that it was Zhang Yuanyi's.

After chatting with the old woman for a while, and after helping the old woman sell vegetables for a while, Zhang Yuanyi left because he still had carpentry work to do. The old woman didn't mind just telling Zhang Yuanyi to learn a craft, Master Zhang's skills are enough to support his family, of course, it is best to learn them all.

In the next few days, Zhang Yuanyi would come to see the old woman every day and help the old woman sell vegetables, and occasionally there were some fresh vegetables left, or the new vegetables were ripe, and the old woman would give Zhang Yuan a little bit, considering that Zhang Yuan was thin, she would sell it to him at the lowest price, which was actually equivalent to giving it away for nothing.

Since Zhang Yuanyi became a carpenter, he has also earned a small amount of private money by relying on these crafts, and he usually doesn't spend it, so he has been saving, those pastries, candy, he really has no interest now, but saving money has brought him a lot of happiness, and every day he sees the money in the small wooden box containing his money, and his heart is much sweeter than eating pastries.

In fact, there is another reason, that is, when he was beaten by Wu Xuenian, the candy was crushed by himself, which made him feel that he might not be worthy of this kind of beauty, so he has been resisting these things in his heart, afraid that something bad will happen and live up to these beauty.

Zhang Yuanyi is such a person, if a thing is not good, he will always attribute the reason to himself, feeling that he is not worthy, his ability is too weak, and he is rejected by God. Always drive yourself into a dead end and go to extremes whenever you make a mistake.

Of course, he didn't say this, and the only people who could understand his mind were probably his master and Zhang Shi, who could see through people's hearts.

On this night, the moonlight was like water, the moon stars were sparse, large clouds covered the sky full of stars, and the moon the size of a jade disk rushed in and out of the clouds.

Zhang Yuanyi walked on the street of Persimmon Lane, Persimmon Lane is different from other alleys, because the administrative function is the mainstay, so there will be basically no more people at night, not only no one even has lights.

Zhang Yuan's handmade knife was broken, and he originally came out to buy a handmade knife, but he went to many places and either closed or sold out, and finally bought a handmade knife in a very remote place, but when he came out, it was too late.

Afraid that the master would worry, he chose to take a shortcut to speed up his home from Persimmon Lane.

There is a small river in the town in Persimmon Lane, called Candle Creek, which runs through the whole town from west to east, and provides people with water to meet their daily needs during the day, and no one is allowed to take water at night. The river is not large and a few feet wide, but in some places there is indeed an undercurrent surging, and there is no bottom.

Zhang Yuan stepped on the fragmentary moonlight and went home, surrounded by quiet and shadowy trees.

"Poof!" A crisp sound of falling water came from the river, Zhang Yuan turned his head to look, and found a large carp with thick adult calves leaping out of the river and falling back into the river.

Zhang Yuan took a look at the size of the carp, and thought to himself, this size of carp is the most suitable for braised meat, and the carp that is too small can't help but stew and rot all at once. The carp is too big, the meat is too old, and the smell is strong, and it tastes like eating internal organs, and it takes a lot of heavy ingredients to barely get rid of the taste. And this size of carp is different, the meat is delicate, as long as a little simple material, not only can retain the freshness of the most primitive fish, but also just the right role of condiments to the extreme, a bite of the whole person is sublimated.

Thinking about it, Zhang Yuanyi regretted in his heart: "If you have the ability to jump on the shore, I promise to make you a delicious reward master." ”

The fish probably heard Zhang Yuanyi's heart, and jumped ashore as if mockingly, swinging its tail on the shore and slapping the ground, splashing muddy water.

"The good guy doesn't take the master in his eyes at all!" Zhang Yuan scolded, rolled up his sleeves and went over to catch the fish, but he didn't expect the fish to turn over again and almost slipped into the river again.

Zhang Yuanyi leaned over slowly, because it was close to the river, the bank was wet, and the ground was a little slippery, so Zhang Yuanyi slowed down his pace again. By the time they got close to the carp, they were just a step away from the river.

Zhang Yuanyi carefully bent down, grabbed the carp in his hand, and shouted happily: "It's not that I have caught it, this time go to the master's stomach to jump." ”

Just as Zhang Yuanyi was proud, a pair of hands under the river suddenly grabbed his feet and dragged him underwater. This hand was extremely strong, coupled with the muddy ground slippery, Zhang Yuan lost his balance as soon as he leaned back, and the carp was also thrown out by him.

Zhang Yuanyi closed his eyes and thought, "It's over, I've met a water ghost." ”

Just as he was about to be dragged underwater, a hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up, Zhang Yuan must have seen that it was Zhang Shi.

Zhang Shi casually threw Zhang Yuanyi aside, stomped his left foot, and roared angrily: "Evil obstacles!"

Suddenly, the river was agitated, surging up, and a purple figure burst out of the water and fell to the shore.

is indeed as Zhang Yuanyi guessed, a female ghost.

The female ghost was dressed in a purple tulle dress, her body was slender and weak, she had a light and spiritual aura, her skin was better than snow, and her eyes were like a pool of clear water. The complexion is as clear as jade, like a crescent moon, like flowers and trees piling up snow, the ring is gorgeous, tender and charming in language, and the beauty is incomprehensible. In addition, at this time, the cloak is scattered, and the dew is dripping, which makes it even more pitiful and pitiful.

The female ghost hid her face with one hand, her teeth opened lightly, and she begged for mercy in a low tone, "Sir, spare your life! ”

"!" Zhang Shi said angrily, "There has long been an agreement between you and me, let the people take water during the day, and let you swim the rivers at night, I will naturally remember your merits, and when the time is ripe, I will also give you freedom to get rid of the pain of this water hell." Today you have evil thoughts in your heart, and I will cast you back into the water, and you will never escape. ”

After saying that, Zhang Shi raised his right hand, and the golden light on the palm of his hand shone brightly, and he was about to fall towards the water ghost.

"Sir, spare my life, sir, I was wrong!" The water ghost covered his face with one hand, and where the golden light shone, the water ghost's body curled up at a speed visible to the naked eye, and a white mist rose, as if the soul was about to fly away when this palm fell.

Zhang Shi was unmoved, and made up his mind to take the life of this water ghost.

"Sir, it's the young man, the young man offended me first! I have no choice but to do it!" the water ghost made up excuses in a hurry.

Zhang Yuan was at a loss, thinking to himself what was going on.

"You dare to quibble!" Zhang Shi looked stern and scolded angrily, "I'm not blind! ”

The water ghost knew that it was destined to beg Zhang Shi for mercy, so he turned to look at Zhang Yuanyi, tears flowed in his eyes, and the corners of his lips twitched, clearly the three words "Help me!"

Zhang Yuanyi was unmoved, deliberately did not look at the water ghost, and turned his face to look at the bright moon in the sky.

At this time, not long after the bright moon rose, it was reflected on the big persimmon tree in Persimmon Lane, shining every leaf. The clouds have dispersed, the stars in the sky are bright, the stars are moving, and the stars are shining, and it is indeed a rare good day, and I don't know how Brother Dayong is doing now, has he been to the City of Withered Leaves? Has he settled down? Will he be bullied? Will he also think about me? Alas, he must grow up quickly, and he will grow up enough to meet Brother Dayong.

Just as Zhang Shi's magic seal was about to fall on the water ghost's head, Zhang Yuanyi suddenly stopped Zhang Shi, "Wait a minute!"

Zhang Shi turned around and looked at Zhang Yuanyi coldly, "What's the matter?

Zhang Yuan scratched his head and said, "That's not true, but I suddenly feel that what this little demon said is quite reasonable, and I was the first to offend." If I hadn't been greedy for that fish, I wouldn't have made her do anything wrong. ”

"Hmph! ridiculous!" Zhang Shi scoffed, "The reason is so bad, I really don't know what you're thinking?"

Zhang Shi's law seal continued to fall, and the water ghost was shocked, his face was desperate, and he wanted to struggle to escape, but Zhang Shixiu was too much higher than her, even if he struggled, he couldn't do it.

Zhang Yuan was indifferent, he did have other purposes, but it was not for any beauty, since it didn't matter if he couldn't be saved, it didn't hurt anyway.

Just when the Dharma seal fell, the water ghost gave up, thinking that it was his own fault first, which was indeed understandable, and he only hated himself for being too stupid and greedy, and in order to speed up his cultivation, he actually had evil thoughts about human flesh.

"Forget it, that's fine, let's die, it's just that the soul is scattered, and I can't live forever, anyway, I'm tired of being a water ghost. The water ghost thought to himself.

Zhang Shi's hand was patted, but the water ghost was unharmed, it turned out that Zhang Shi finally removed his mana, and this palm was powerless.

The water ghost opened his eyes tremblingly, and found that he was actually fine, and immediately burst into tears of gratitude, kowtowing to Zhang Shi, and chanting words in his mouth, "Thank you, sir, for not killing, thank you, sir, for not killing!"

Zhang Shi patted the water ghost's head again, like a teacher teaching a student, and said softly: "Go back to your river, don't come out to make trouble next time, take good care of this side of the water and soil, after a long time, someone will add a stroke to your credit book." ”

The water ghost stood up and smiled, "What Mr. taught me is that the little demon must be remembered. I'll go back to the river. ”

Before leaving, he didn't forget to give Zhang Shi a big gift, hugged his fist and smiled at Zhang Yuan, and finally plunged into the water.

What to look at life and death, what is tired of being a water ghost, it is just self-comfort in the case that there is really no way, who doesn't want to live if you can live, it's better to die than to live, she still understands this truth.

Zhang Shi turned around, changed his pleasant face when facing the water ghost, and said angrily: "Hurry up and go home, your master is worried." ”

Zhang Yuan didn't care, and said, "Okay, I'll leave right away!"

Zhang Shi shook his head and sighed: "Naughty childlike nature, children can't be taught." ”

Say goodbye and leave!

Zhang Yuan waited for Zhang Shi to walk away, then secretly picked up the carp on the ground, pressed it into his clothes, and then ran home, this braised carp is finished today.

When he got home in a while, Zhang Yuanyi put the carp into the tank first and went to Zhang Daoling.

At this time, Zhang Daoling was busy carving a small wooden carving beast, Zhang Daoling was skillful, and the carving knife in his hand hooked and turned a little bit to outline one eye of the little beast, lively and lovely, full of charm.

Zhang Yuanyi didn't bother, turned around and went to the kitchen to cook.

When he was in the stable, Brother Dayong was at the front desk, and the work in the stable was easy, and it ended early, but the front desk was different, there were fewer guests and more guests to decide how long to work, often Brother Dayong got off work, and the night was very dark and dark. So in order not to let Zhang Yuan go hungry, Brother Dayong simply taught him to cook. Zhang Yuan learned everything quickly as soon as he did things, and he learned it all at once. It is difficult for a good woman to cook without rice, and when she was with Brother Dayong, she had a hard time with Brother Dayong, and she changed the two dishes every day, and after living with Zhang Daoling, something was finally burned.

Zhang Yuanyi steamed the rice first, and then went to process the carp, peeling the scales, removing the internal organs, removing the gills, cleaning, cutting the flower knife, and removing the fishy ...... After a series of steps, put it in the pot, and finally thicken it with water starch in one hand before it comes out of the pot, and then put it on the plate with a coriander, perfect!

Zhang Yuanyi casually made a few side dishes, boiled a bowl of seaweed soup, and went to call the master to eat.

When Zhang Daoling sat down and saw the luxurious match on the table, he couldn't help but praise Zhang Yuan.

At the dinner table, Zhang Daoling ate comfortably, and Zhang Yuanyi suddenly took a mouthful, "Master, is there really a god in this world?"

Zhang Daoling didn't look up, continued to eat and said: "Where are there any immortals, after all, they are still human." ”

Zhang Yuanyi was very curious, and continued to ask: "Can you be considered an immortal if you know spells?"

"Spells are also learned by people, and real immortals are not immortals unless they fly to the sky. Zhang Daoling sandwiched a piece of carp meat, this carp is really good, "Before you ascend, you can only be a monk." ”

"Is that Zhang Shi a monk?" Zhang Yuan hurriedly asked.

Zhang Daoling stopped his chopsticks, looked at Zhang Yuanyi and said, "What do you know?"

Zhang Yuanyi was stared at by Zhang Daoling a little uncomfortable, his eyes avoided and he whispered what happened today.

After hearing this, Zhang Daoling laughed and scolded with a smile: "Zhang Shi, this guy is majestic." ”

Zhang Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his master's reaction, and still asked tentatively: "Master, don't you blame me?"

Zhang Daoling started to move his chopsticks again and replied, "Why do you blame you, thanks to you, I can eat this carp today." ”

Zhang Yuan was excited, finished the meal after dividing five by two, put the chopsticks on the table, and said with a firm gaze: "Master, I want to learn spells!"

After the last two bites, I finished the meal, drank another mouthful of seaweed soup, finished dinner, stretched my waist, comfortable! Zhang Daoling continued to speak: "Speaking of which, you have been learning carpentry with me for more than half a year, and it is time to teach you some truth." But I still want to ask you, why do you want to learn spells?"

Zhang Yuanyi replied without hesitation: "I want to have more strength, to protect the people I want to protect!"

He is fed up with the feeling of being at the mercy of fate and powerless to resist, fed up with the people around him leaving him just because he is incapable, and fed up with the people around him being inferior to protect him, so he wants to become stronger and become able to protect the people around him.

Zhang Daoling nodded and said, "I said in advance that cultivation is very tiring, not only physically, but later you will find that some things are even more uncomfortable. ”

"I'm not afraid!" Zhang Yuan said categorically, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would seize it.

"Alright then, I'll lead you to practice tomorrow. Zhang Daoling began to clean up the dishes and chopsticks, "But I said in advance, if your cultivation is evil, I will personally abolish your cultivation." ”

The last sentence is unwavering, even ruthless.

"You must keep in mind the master's teachings!" Zhang Yuan said happily with a twinkle in his eyes.

Waiting until midnight, Zhang Daoling walked in the courtyard alone, sighing three times at a time, walking and stopping, Zhang Yuanyi's little guy, is still too simple-minded, how can it be so easy to practice, although mortals will also have some troubles, but it is nothing more than some birth, old age, sickness and death, Pessimistic, a hundred years have passed in a hurry, but practice is different, the longer you practice, the more difficult it is to change many things, not only that, if you don't look for trouble, trouble will come to the door by itself, thinking that you are finally free and unrestrained, only to find that you are more restricted and more uncomfortable. Cultivation is a test of refining the mind, just like playing chess, the slightest mistake will lose the whole game, and there may not be a chance to rearrange. Zhang Daoling has seen too many things that go crazy and die.

Thinking of the end, Zhang Daoling only sighed and said: "Forget it, since you have decided that these things can't be hidden, let's prepare more things for the little guy, and it can be regarded as the last protection for him." “