Shubai moved a small bench and sat down, and finished two bowls of rice.

Although he was thin and weak, he ate very well, but he only ate a long strength, but did not grow his body.

After eating, Shubai knocked on the edge of the bowl with chopsticks, sitting absentmindedly, his eyes looked at the compass, he remembered the scene where the young man in white took the money from there before, his eyes were a little gloomy, thinking that he let me go here alone, not afraid that I would take all the money and then set fire to the house?

Still is...... He was staring at me from a corner I couldn't see.

Shubai looked around vigilantly, as if there was a sharp knife trembling in his heart, his ears moved slightly, his nose sniffed slightly, trying to find some clues, at the same time, his footsteps moved in the direction of the compass, his fingers pressed the compass, twisted it left and right, and found that it was a little loose.

He turned in the opposite direction, and there was a click, and the sound of the buckle being unhooked.

As soon as Shubai exerted his strength, he lifted the compass, and his hand probed into the space below, and his palm touched a few tightly tied cloth bags, his hand hung on these heavy money bags, and the blade in his heart trembled violently, prompting him to reach down and grab the money bag and turn around and leave.

"I really don't dare to take it?!" Shubai gritted his teeth, his eyes showed a fierce light, he grabbed a bag, put it in his palm, and said: "I'll spend it all later, and see if your immortal is really benevolent or falsely kind!"

Shubai picked up the bag of money and walked out of the house, he looked back at the light, this lifeless house was so annoying even if he looked at it more. Originally, he wanted to burn down the house with a fire, but he thought that if he was dry today, he was still afraid of endangering his neighbors, and if he burned down a street, it would be a great sin.

Shubai walked out of the door with the bag of money and began to think about how to spend the bag of money as quickly as possible.

Buy some gold, silver, jadeite, curiosities...... I don't know if it's enough, so I still go to the restaurant and order a table of delicious food...... No, those two people also went to the restaurant, what if they bumped into each other?

Then go to the song house to learn from the literati and listen to the music? I'm wearing tattered clothes, I'm afraid I won't even be able to enter the door......

He thought about it for a while, and thought that he had to go buy clothes first.

When passing by a steamed bun shop, the steaming heat wafted out from the steamer of the drawer, like a white cloud.

Shubai stopped, wiped the tip of his nose, usurped the bag of money in his palm, looked left and right, and saw that no one was paying attention to him, so he took out a few pieces from it, and bought a cage of meat buns very luxuriously.

The buns were hot, and he tossed them left and right in the palms of his hands, and in the cold wind, they also dissipated sharply in temperature.

Shubai stopped in front of an elaborately decorated clothing store and hesitated for a while, until the buns in his hands were a little colder, and he didn't have the courage to step in.

He grabbed the bun and took a bite, not knowing what he was thinking, and suddenly hung his head a little dejected, and walked towards an old street.

"Master. Shubai pushed open the empty wood door, and there was a faint smell of smoke and dust in the dim room.

Shubai shouted, lifted the smoky blackened curtain, and walked inside.

There was no light in the room, and in an old-fashioned chaise longue, an old man with a withered white coat lay down, wrapped in a linen garment that wrapped his old body, like a large piece of wood that was about to die in autumn and winter.

"Are you back?" the old man spoke slowly, his pipe gently tapping on the bamboo armchair, and then pointed to a corner, and said, "When the time comes, send these white copper horn ornaments to Old Man Li's mansion, and the last business will be done." ”

Shubai hurriedly said, "Got it." ”

The old man's copper painting is very famous, and most of the paintings are some immortals slaying demons and demons, or the picture of demons killing each other, and the fabulous breath seems to be able to come out of the drawing board, lifelike.

Shubai asked, "Master, are we going to close the store?"

The old man said, "It's closed, no one is here anyway." ”

Shubai answered.

The old man asked, "Are you going to find the old Taoist priest again?"

Shubai was silent for a while, and then hummed.

The old man sighed: "If you can't kill it, and unfortunately die, I will raise you for so many years, old man." ”

Shubai's voice was weak: "It's the disciple who is sorry for the master." ”

The old man struck the cigarette stick a little slower, and said, "I don't blame you, it's also a good thing to know how to repay your kindness, if it weren't for your strength, I wouldn't have opened the door and let you in." ”

Shubai put his hands behind his hands, tightened the money bag, and said, "If the disciple doesn't go in the future, he will follow the master wholeheartedly and pass on your old man's skills." ”

The old man smiled, and with a crunching sound, his old body was pulled up from the bamboo chaise longue and walked towards the hut at the back of the backyard.

"Two days after Chinese New Year's Eve, accompany Master to see the lanterns. The old man said suddenly.

An ominous premonition suddenly rose in Shubai's heart, he couldn't grasp the source of this premonition, and hesitated for a while before slowly speaking: "Good ......"

……

……

Ning Chang put the chopsticks on the table, took a rare sip of wine, and looked faintly at the river that passed through the city under the tall buildings.

Ning Xiaoling was grabbing the dazzling menu and looking at it, thinking about what to eat next time, while tinkering with the much shriveled money bag, her face full of distress.

"Senior brother, our family background is limited, so we can't spend money like this in the future. Ning Xiaoling pinched the money bag, thinking back to its bulging appearance before: "This is our hard-earned money!"

Ning Changchang smiled and asked, "Then are you going to drink flower wine?" Ning Xiaoling held the money bag and hesitated: "Will the money be enough?" ”

Ning Chang smiled and said: "How can you watch the sisters of the song building dance to see you marry the master and dance the sword to be pleasing to the eye, if you really go to see it and let Xiaoling down, it will not only cost money but also be bad, it is better to keep a thought." ”

When Ning Xiaoling heard this, she felt that it made sense, so she put the money bag in her arms, put it away carefully, and said, "Then listen to Senior Brother!"

After eating, Ning Changjiu went downstairs with her.

The cold winter wind passed through the hall, but the crowded streets were lively and festive, many of the shops had red lanterns hung high in front of the doors, and many of the tall horses were also wrapped around the necks of streamers, pacing forward.

"Senior brother, when you left earlier, did you cast any spell on that kid named Shubai?" Ning Xiaoling suddenly asked.

Ning Changchang was slightly startled and said with a smile: "Senior sister, not only has her realm increased, but her eyesight has also increased a lot, but she has not lived up to the little snow fox you squeezed." ”

Ning Xiaoling asked curiously, "What kind of spell did Senior Brother cast?"

Ning Chang said: "It's just a little carving insect skill, it's nothing." ”

Ning Xiaoling snorted coldly: "Hit the edge again, senior brother will lose his hair sooner or later!"

Ning Chang said: "Let's go for a walk in the city with my senior brother, it's only been two months, but I always feel ...... It's like I haven't been back in years. ”

Ning Xiaoling snorted and stretched lazily.

In fact, along the way, many people have cast strange glances at this pair of brothers and sisters, not for any special reason, but because they are really thinly dressed.

There have been several snowfalls this month, no matter how bright the winter sun is, there is no temperature, the residual snow between the cracks of the green tiles is of course difficult to melt, and the ice cubes hanging under the eaves reflect the sunlight, more like a curtain of dogs' teeth, which can be hung until the beginning of spring this year.

In such a cold winter, most of the people in the prosperous places of a city wore fur and mink fur robes, while the common people were much worse, the richer wore cotton or silk clothes, and the poor still wore robes made of kudzu linen.

And Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling are both cultivators at the moment, and their ability to keep out the cold is of course not the same as that of ordinary people, Ning Changchang is still wearing a cold-proof coat, and Ning Xiaoling is just wearing a cold skirt.

She didn't feel cold, but seeing others wearing so much, coupled with strange eyes, the psychological level became a little colder.

"Senior brother, let's go buy some thicker clothes and dress up. Ning Xiaoling proposed.

Ning Changjiu suddenly stretched out his hand and pointed towards the bridge: "Senior sister, don't panic, isn't there anyone who wears less?"

Ning Xiaoling stood on tiptoe and looked at the position of his finger.

On the side of the big arched bridge across the river, under a large willow tree with withered leaves, a girl in thin clothes, with long sleeves raised, dancing barefoot on the cold floor, an old man sat beside her, with a black cloth covering his eyes, and a musical instrument in his hand, his voice drowned out by the crowd, although it was difficult to hear, but always with a faint sense of desolation.

Ning Xiaoling pulled his sleeve and said, "Senior brother, take a look." ”

Ning Chang was dragged by her towards the bridge.

Approaching Chinese New Year's Eve is a very good day, and many solid families also like to beg for some joy at this time, even for those beggars on the side of the road, they are willing to give a few more copper plates.

But in the basin in front of the father and daughter, there was no money, perhaps because the song and dance were too cold, and the clothes were too plain, and the erhu was babbling and pulling, more like a funeral, destroying the liveliness of the city in vain.

The dancing little girl looked very young, about the same as Ning Xiaoling, but her body was extremely thin, and when she danced, the dress was very ill-fitting, so it looked a little bloated, and the girl's exposed ankles were like skin and bones, not to mention any beauty, only to make people feel distressed and pitiful.

She sings in the dialect of the city, Ning Changchang can probably understand a few words, and the lyrics seem to be what "the tree yellow bird goes, the snow piles up the remnants of the monument, the ferry boat is far away, the reed flowers become snow for a few years, the pearl topaz is old, sigh one by one...... How. ”

The tone is tactful and sad, and I can hear that I have practiced the song, but this song is mournful, and it is really unpleasant, such a good festival, since no one wants to listen to this.

Ning Xiaoling couldn't understand what she was singing, but thinking about the lonely days after the death of her father and brother, she couldn't help but empathize, so she took out her money bag, grabbed a handful, and spilled it into the basin with a bang.

The old man of Nala Erhu was indifferent.

The dancing girl stopped a little, bowed down to Ning Xiaolingfu, saluted and thanked her, her thin little face was slightly lowered, and her eyes were like cold mist looking at her sadly, full of gratitude.

Ning Xiaoling was shocked by the crying eyes, and put some copper coins into it, and the girl's soft body was a blessing again, and she kept thanking her, and her weak appearance seemed to be about to fall to the ground at any time.

After Ning Xiaoling did a good job, her waist straightened up, and she waved her hand very generously, and said, "No thanks, it's just yours." ”

Ning Chang stood aside and watched.

It can be seen that this little girl still has a foundation, and this posture should have been practiced hard all year round, but it's a pity that the old man who plays the piano doesn't seem to know the customs, and the good seedlings dance such a depressing song and dance, sighing and sighing, and others are unwilling to give money.

Beyond the noisy streets, two rows of low eaves come into view.

After walking through the bustling neighborhood, under the short and old house, Ning Xiaoling sighed: "There are still many people in this world. ”

Ning Chang said: "Yes, so cultivators should take on the heavy responsibility. ”

Ning Xiaoling nodded and said, "Actually, I know that even if I just gave her so much money, she will definitely be harsh in the future, and maybe she won't even be able to eat a mouthful of food......

Ning Chang snorted, many of these street performers were coerced and lured out by others, and after they closed the stall, no matter how much they earned, the little girl might only be able to drink a bowl of porridge that could not satisfy her stomach at all.

If it was in the past, Ning Xiaoling might find out all the people behind the scenes in a fit of anger and bring them to justice, but now she is just stuffing some more money after all.

Ning Chang said: "This is also the reason why many immortals practice and are reluctant to come to the mortal world to see, this is already the city, those mountains and villages that are attacked by wild beasts, it is much more miserable, after a demon attack, it is likely to be ten rooms and nine emptiness, cultivators are mortal after all, and after seeing too much of these, it is inevitable that they will have bonds with the world, how to become immortals?"

Ning Xiaoling sighed and said, "Cultivators don't plow or do, they are supported by the world, but cultivators have to avoid the world as much as possible...... Isn't this a waste of human support?"

Ning Chang said: "But if there is no cultivator to kill demons in the annual god abandonment moon, the world will be even more miserable, this is the duty written into the cultivator's creed, and it can be regarded as the greatest contribution that the cultivator has made to the world." ”

Ning Xiaoling asked softly: "But in my hometown, there are still often mountain ghosts attacking the city......

Ning Chang said: "Because I can't finish killing." Even the biggest cultivator can't kill even the weakest mountain ghosts. ”

Ning Xiaoling was not convinced, and asked: "The cultivators of the Purple Court Realm have a flying sword and turned into a rainbow in the blink of an eye, those mountain ghosts are very powerful in our eyes, but under their swords, they are not worth mentioning at all. ”

Ning Chang shook his head and said: "But they are not cabbages, they will not grow motionless in the ground, the world is too big, there are too many places to hide, just like you close the door of the house and start killing the mosquitoes in the house, thinking that you have killed it cleanly, but when you wake up, you may find that you still have a bloated lump on your forearm." ”

Ning Xiaoling sighed, subconsciously scratched her forearm, a little depressed.

Going deeper, all the way, the old red paint peeling wooden door with a deep water-stained color, the posted couplets are also very old, the words on it are almost unreadable, only a few children carry chairs, in front of the door hanging a brand new red lantern.

The red lanterns along the street hang high and low, and if the long street is a branch, then they are a red tidbit.

"It's still a little festive. Ning Xiaoling said with emotion.

Ning Chang said: "We also grew up through hardships, and it is of course good to still have compassion after becoming rich, but it is not good to be sad and sad all the time." ”

Ning Xiaoling muttered, "But it's winter now." ”

Ning Chang said: "Yes, it will be the New Year in two days, even if it is a small border town, it will be very lively, if it is some rich places, it is full of gold powder lanterns, more beautiful, people are in it, often forget that they are in winter." ”

Ning Xiaoling raised his head and asked, "Senior Brother refers to cultivators who are used to cultivating outside the world, so they won't care about the injustice in the world?"

Ning Changjiu smiled and said, "Talk casually, junior sister, don't think too much." ”

Ning Xiaoling said: "Senior brother must mean this!"

Ning Chang sighed: "In fact, it is not incomprehensible that many cultivators have avoided the world, because they have been in seclusion for a long time, have not experienced the sophistication of human feelings, and what they practice every day is to compete with the ethereal avenue. ”

Ning Xiaoling nodded thoughtfully and said, "Therefore, the cultivation of the great sect is very important to cultivating the heart, and marrying my sister is also very strict with us. ”

Ning Changchang clasped his hands in his sleeves, and seemed to have a slight complaint about this statement, and retorted: "If you marry the master, you will know how to beat people's boards, what do you know about real heart cultivation?"

Ning Xiaoling snorted coldly: "These bad words, I have the ability to say them in front of the master." ”

Ning Chang said: "I'm not stupid. ”

Next to a stone pier, Ning Xiaoling stopped, she sat up, hammered her legs, and said, "Forget it, I can't walk, there is nothing to see in these broken alleys, senior brother, let's go back......"

Ning Changchang said: "Okay, junior sister is now in charge of the money, so she is naturally in charge of the house." ”

Ning Xiaoling covered her money bag and said, "Okay, but I have to go back from another way." ”

"Why?"

"I'm afraid that if I cross that bridge again, the last money left will be gone. ”

"But there's like there's a bridge in the city. ”

"Ah......h

……

When I turned home, it was already approaching dusk, the westerly sunset filled the streets with mild light, and even the cold wind faded the temperature in the light, Ning Xiaoling stood at the door and looked into the distance, and there was a rare peace in her heart, just like the kind of steadiness when she returned home from a long journey, her fingers touched the wooden door.

If it's so good every day, even if you don't go back to the mountain gate to practice.

However, this calm was quickly shattered.

"Senior brother, why is there a bag of money missing! I'll just say that kid can't be trusted! Senior brother, what are you doing to abuse good people, good people have good rewards, but bad people don't!" Ning Xiaoling opened the dark grid under the compass, squatted down a little, looked at the vacant piece inside, and was heartbroken, the kid who stole the money was not in front of him, so naturally he could only transfer his hatred to his senior brother.

Ning Changjiu walked to her side, looked in, and said softly, "Is it gone......?"

……

……

(PS: Yesterday on the first day of the shelves, thank you for your support, thank you for the long-term reward of the alliance leader and Sister Meow for the grandmaster!Thank you very much!! and thank you to the book friend Flashwaltz, Clannad, , , Qiankun Wanyu, Butterfly Beihai, Mochen Fenghe for their reward support! Thank you for the genuine subscription~ Thank you for the motivation!)

(There's another chapter in the evening!)