It was night, the moon was cold, and the mountain breeze was slightly cool.

A young man in white with a long sword hanging from his waist and a scholar with a book basket on his back walked side by side on the mountain road. The scholar stumbled on a walking stick with difficulty on the sheep's intestine trail in the mountains.

Unable to walk, the scholar simply threw away his walking poles and sat down on a gray stone on the side of the road.

"Brother Chen, I really can't walk. The mountain road is rugged and winding, and it is really difficult to walk. Let me take a break. The scholar lifted his sleeve, wiped the sweat from his face, took out the kettle from the bamboo basket behind him, and poured it down. "Brother Chen, it's still you who practice martial arts who are strong and strong. You and I have walked together for so long, and I am already panting like a cow, but you still don't change your face, just like a walk in the courtyard. It's useless to be a scholar, and the old saying is true. ”

The white-clothed young man with the sword smiled when he heard this, and joked to the scholar: "Yes, you said that you scholars, except for those who have four books and five meanings, have no ability. If you can't hold it in your hands, you can't pick it on your shoulders, and if you meet a peasant woman in the village, you can knock it down with one punch. Dong Shusheng, you don't want to go to any academy to study, it's better to learn boxing with me. Let's go back and find a place, open a martial arts gym to teach boxing, and marry a beautiful lady, wouldn't it be beautiful. ”

The scholar sat on the boulder and rubbed his legs, and laughed when he heard this ridiculous remark.

"Brother Chen, don't make fun of me, you see my thin arms and thin legs, which is the material for martial arts practice. My Dong Qishan family is poor, my parents died early, and I have also been ridiculed by many neighbors. But I don't care, I don't want to play with my peers in the township on weekdays, as long as I have time, I want to study. There is a golden house in the book, and as long as I have the book in my hand, I feel at ease. I think that thousands of truths in this world have been written in books by the sages of the past. Although I am destitute and have no long things, the wealth in this book is like a mountain of gold, which stretches inexhaustibly. In this life, I only want to read all the books of the sages and understand the principles of the sages. In the future, if you are fortunate enough to gain fame and fame in the examination, you will definitely give peace and tranquility to the people under your rule. Self-cultivation and Qi family rule the country and level the world, my generation of scholars only wish to do so. ”

The scholar lowered his head and rubbed his legs and feet, his eyes just staring straight at the dirt underground. The mouth is babbling, as if he is chatting with his companion in front of him, but also talking to himself and his heart. The scholar's voice became smaller and quieter, but his eyes became brighter and brighter.

The young man in white looked at this scholar who was weak in writing, and there was no reason for a trace of respect in his heart. This powerless scholar, the firmness in his heart to study and study, made him, a cultivator, look sideways. The purity of this "Dao Heart" is probably beyond the reach of many people on the mountain.

"Let's go, Brother Chen. Continue on your way, and you see that the house at the foot of the mountain is still lit up. We hurried down the mountain road and went to the host's house to spend the night. ”

Brother Chen smiled when he heard this, reached out and picked up the mountain stick and handed it to the young scholar, glanced at the house at the foot of the mountain, and walked down the mountain first.

This young scholar named Dong Qishan was met by Zhuo Yu in front of the mountain tomorrow. This scholar has a cheerful temperament, and he is not afraid of carrying a long sword, in case it is the arrogant and fierce high-roller. came up to have a conversation, and he had to be dragged all the way. Zhuo Yu saw that it was interesting, so he slowed down and walked with this scholar.

This Dong scholar is Qiu Zeguo's Taohua County people, and this trip is a study tour because he wants to go to the White Deer Academy of the Great Sui Dynasty to study. Bailu Academy is the most prestigious Confucian school in Dongsheng Prefecture and even in the entire void spirit world, located in Qingyang County, Great Sui. Mengfuzi in the academy is a famous Confucian in Kyushu, and the Bailu Academy where Mengfuzi is located has naturally become a holy place for many scholars to seek knowledge.

After a cup of tea, the two of them finally walked down the hill and came to the courtyard.

Dong Qishan stepped forward and lightly buckled the door knocker, and after a while, an old woman with a flower armor opened the door with a lantern. The old woman's eyes were vigilant, and she looked up and down at the two young men who were both civil and martial.

"The old woman, she is harassing late at night, and she is offended. In the lower Dong Qishan, the people of Taohua County. I went to Dasui with this Chen Yun brother, passing by your mansion, just because the mountains were heavy and cold, and I wanted to spend a night with my master, I don't know if I can make it convenient. ”

When the old woman heard this, she looked at Zhuo Yuming carefully. It seems that he is worried about the young man with the sword. But seeing that the other party was clear-eyed, and he didn't look like the fierce and evil person, he finally nodded, turned sideways, and let the two of them enter the door.

After the scholar saluted, he entered with Zhuo Yuming. The old woman didn't say anything, just silently closed the door and led the way for the two.

The two walked through the stone path to the antechamber. A young woman sat in the hall.

The woman was dressed in a plum red dress, with willow eyebrows and phoenix eyes, red lips and white teeth. When he saw the two of them come in, he got up and gave a blessing.

"The two sons, the night is cold and heavy, and the concubine asked Grandma Sun to heat some meals for the two and make a pot of hot tea. After the two sons use it, let's go to the wing room to rest. ”

The woman's voice was soft and soft, and her expression was gentle. Dong Qishan hurriedly thanked him repeatedly, and said that he felt guilty when the two of them came to disturb him late at night. The hostess was also earnest, and soon chatted with the scholar about homely things. During the conversation between the two, Dong Shusheng made it clear to the woman where the two of them came from.

"Chen Gongzi, the concubine sees that you are carrying a long sword, you must be the rumored ranger in the market, right?"

The woman, who claimed to be surnamed Li with her deceased husband, seemed to notice that she was only concerned with talking to the scholar and ignoring the other person, so she felt rude and quickly provoked the conversation.

Mrs. Li smiled, she was not a ranger in the world, but she just practiced some rough fists and feet. As for this sword, it was given by an old fairy in Runze Mountain in Peach Blossom County, saying that he was afraid that I would encounter some demonic and evil flow while trekking through mountains and rivers, and he used it for my self-defense. Listening to what the old fairy said, it was very powerful. ”

Zhuo Yuming seemed to be smiling, and a pair of eyes just looked at each other. The woman seemed to be staring at her with such a straight gaze and was a little uncomfortable, and her eyes were evasive and refused to look at Zhuo Yuming. The scholar saw it on the side, and his intuition was out of manners, and he was about to remind him.

At this time, Grandma Sun, who had opened the door with the light earlier, walked in with a food box. It broke this slightly stiff and embarrassing situation.

At the dining table, the three guests and hosts sat down separately, and after Mrs. Li accompanied the two to have some simple meals, Grandma Sun led the two to the small courtyard on the left side of the house.

The house has exactly two rooms, one for two people. Although it is rarely inhabited, the room is spotlessly cleaned. Even the bedding on the bed seems to be new. After Grandma Sun brought the two of them, she turned around and left with the lantern. Just let them rest well, and tomorrow morning breakfast will be ready.

"Brother Chen, I was very tired from running all day, so I went straight back to the house to rest. ”

After Grandma Sun left, Dong Qishan turned around and said hello to him, then went back to the room and closed the door. Leaned slightly, and the candle flame in the house was extinguished.

Zhuo Yuming also entered the door and sat down at the table. Unloaded the sword and laid it across the table, two fingers tapping lightly on the scabbard. His eyelids drooped, as if he was closing his eyes and waiting for a guest to come to the door.

Not long after, hearing a slight snoring from the next room, the corners of Zhuo Yuming's mouth raised slightly.