April 24, Xiangxi Teng people, Baicui Lake.

Tengsanshi stood near the lake, his old face was full of sadness, a pair of blazing tiger eyes looked at the undisturbed lake, and sighed from time to time.

Baicui Lake used to be Teng Rou's favorite place. The grass is lush and green, and the peach and willow green are fragrant. The surface of the lake is tranquil, like a piece of natural amber, pure and smooth. Occasionally, the breeze blows a puddle of lake water, causing layers of ripples, which is also a unique scenery.

When Teng Rou first came to Baicui Lake, she was still a young child. At that time, Tengsanshi was young and vigorous, and he was in his prime. Teng Rou's mother is gentle and virtuous, and she is still in the world. Since then, the family has often come here to play and frolic, take a boat on the lake, and enjoy endless happiness.

Baicui Lake has witnessed Teng Rou's growth, from a little girl with pigtails, babbling all day long, and a toddler, to a slim and beautiful woman. At the same time, he also witnessed the transformation of Teng Sanshi, from a hairy boy with strong blood and impulsiveness, to a respectable, old and strong Teng chief.

Therefore, Baicui Lake, which is full of memories, is of great significance to Tengsanshi. He still vividly remembers that he and his wife and daughter chased and frolicked by the lake, playing swords and singing. It was the happiest day of his life, and it was also the happiest time.

It's a pity that the good times didn't last long, since Luo Tianjin came to Xiangxi more than 20 years ago and formed an indissoluble bond with Teng Rou by mistake, Teng Sanshi's happy days came to an abrupt end, and never returned. First, her daughter was injured by love and committed suicide by jumping off a cliff. Then Mrs. Xiao became ill with her daughter and died suddenly.

In just one year, Teng Sanshi lost two beloved ones one after another. The fatal blow brought him to a near breakdown, and he almost killed himself. If it weren't for the lifeblood of the Teng clan and the heavy responsibility of the patriarch, Teng Sanshi would have gone to Huangquan with his wife and daughter to relieve a thousand sorrows.

Since then, Teng Sanshi will come to Baicui Lake every three or five times to take a walk. Borrowing the scenery to lyrical, seeing things and thinking about people, and understanding the deep depression and sadness in my heart.

Today, there are two tombs built on the shore of Baicui Lake, one is the burial tomb of Teng Sanshi's wife Xiao, and the other is Teng Rou's clothed tomb.

In Teng Sanshi's heart, the magnificent pavilions and palaces, the luxurious and exquisite mansions and courtyards are only his temporary residences. This is the only place where he truly lives.

"Madam, Luo Tianjin caused my wife to be separated and my family was ruined, I should have done nothing for the rest of my life, and I was bent on seeking revenge against him. Teng Sanshi looked at his wife's tombstone and sighed, "But I promised our daughter that we would not abandon the life and death of the Teng clan because of this, let alone let ourselves fall into the quagmire of hatred." Luo Tianjin has the Xian Wangfu as a backer, and Shaolin and Wudang as the backing, for the overall situation, I can only swallow my anger, bury the things of the year in my heart, keep it secret, and watch Luo Tianjin, a hypocrite, in the ascendant, like the sky, but I ...... Nothing can be done, nothing can be said. A bad fate back then, so that you and Rou'er left me one after another, these years I was alone, and I lived a good and lonely life. Why don't I want to go down to accompany your mother and daughter as soon as possible, but the young generation of the Teng clan has not yet formed a climate, and I have not found a suitable person to inherit the great cause of the clan, how can I leave? Madam, if you know something, you must understand my hardships......

"Patriarch!"

Suddenly, a crisp voice came from behind Teng Sanshi. Immediately afterwards, Teng Qin'er, who was worried about everything, arched her hand towards Teng Sanshi from far and near: "Patriarch, I've been looking for you for a long time......

"What, don't you still want to give up?" Teng Sanshi interrupted without looking back, "To this day, you still believe that the Heartless Valley Lord is my daughter?"

Hearing this, Teng Qin'er couldn't help but hesitate, muttered for a moment, and then looked straight and said stubbornly: "Yes." ”

Teng Sanshi's eyes froze, he suddenly turned around, and asked, "Why? Is it because Luo Tianjin came forward to protect the Valley of Despair? Is it because of the boiling gossip in the rivers and lakes? You insist that 'Xiao Zhirou' is 'Teng Rou'?"

"I don't believe there could be such a coincidence. Teng Qin'er said stubbornly, "In Jiangzhou, Luo Tianjin personally came forward to protect the Valley of Despair, this incident happened in front of everyone's eyes, it is true, how can it be fake?"

"Even so, it can only show that Luo Tianjin has something to do with the Heartless Valley secretly, and it doesn't prove that he has a personal relationship with the Heartless Valley Lord, let alone that the Heartless Valley Lord is my daughter. Teng Sanshi said angrily, "Rou'er is dead, how can you allow you to slander wantonly? Do you want her to have no peace under the Nine Springs?"

"The patriarch is angry, I have no intention of blaspheming the eldest lady!"

Teng Qin'er's face changed, and she quickly knelt on the ground, and asked Teng Sanshi rhetorically, "Don't the patriarch want the eldest lady to be alive?"

"I'm ......" Teng Sanshi's eyes were stunned, the muscles on his face trembled slightly, turned to look at Teng Rou's tombstone, and said weakly, "How can I not want Rou'er to live in the world?" It's just that at the moment, based on a rumor between Luo Tianjin and the ruthless valley master, I can conclude that Xiao Zhirou is Rou'er, and the old man is really ...... Can't believe it. Luo Tianjin is hypocritical and selfish, greedy for power and lustful, when he was a married man, he still deceived Rou'er with rhetoric, who knows how many women's feelings he has deceived over the years? Perhaps, the ruthless valley master is just one of them. ”

"I understand what the patriarch means, but ......" Teng Qin'er still refused to give up, and said stubbornly, "It's a matter of life and death for the eldest lady, even if there is only the slightest hope, we must not give up, right?"

Teng Sanshi's old eyes flashed with regret, and he said in a low voice: "Girl, do you know what it will mean to track down this matter?"

"What?"

"If the old man investigates this matter, it means that he will make public a dusty old incident from more than 20 years ago. Teng Sanshi said sadly, "This is not only about Rou'er's reputation, but also about the status of the entire Teng clan in the martial arts, and even the future of life and death." As the patriarch, the old man must not put the entire Teng clan in danger for his own selfishness. As a father, I don't want Rou'er to be under Jiuquan, still being pointed at, slandered and laughed at. In case we recognize the wrong person, not only will the family be ugly and discredited, but the Teng clan will also be charged with secretly fornicating with the martial arts pagan religion. At that time, we will not only tear our faces with Luo Tianjin, but also have an estrangement with Jin Jianwu and the other three major families. After all, they abide by the name of righteousness and will never allow us to have the slightest relationship with the Valley of Despair. Once the abdomen and back are enemy, it is difficult for the Xiangxi Teng people to have a place to stand in the rivers and lakes. Not to mention ......"

As for this, Teng Sanshi's eyes suddenly flashed with a profound light, and he added: "What's more, the old man would rather die than believe it, my daughter Teng Sanshi will become a heretic demon." The four pagan religions have always acted unabidely, not only killing people mercilessly, but also refusing to let go of the elderly, weak, women and children. Bullying the weak and bullying the less with more is even more commonplace. Such a wicked and infamous person, how can it be my daughter of Teng Sanshi?"

"Although there are great traitors and evildoers in pagan religions, there are also people who have clear grievances. Teng Qin'er defended, "It's like the Valley of Despair, these years have only targeted the Xianwang Mansion, and there hasn't been too much bad ...... with other sects."

"Joke!" Teng Sanshi sneered contemptuously, "Isn't there much of the lewd deeds that the disciples of the Ruthless Valley have done to collect money to buy their lives? The ruthless swordsman has always been cold-blooded and brutal, killing people without blinking, and everyone in the rivers and lakes talks about it, is he also a clear grievance?"

"This ......" Teng Qin'er was speechless for a while, "maybe they have a hard ......"

"Girl!" Teng Sanshi's face sank, and he said sharply, "The Xiangxi Teng clan is the right way of martial arts, and it is incompatible with all evil sects. As an elder of the Teng clan, you must not have compassion for the pagan religion, otherwise there will be endless troubles in the future. ”

"Patriarch's teachings, Qin'er remember!" Teng Qin'er agreed, and then raised her eyebrows lightly, and hesitated, "But what if Xiao Zhirou is really the eldest lady...... Is it possible that the patriarch will also be at odds with her?"

"This ......"

When he mentioned his daughter, Teng Sanshi inevitably felt abrupt, and his eyes were entangled.

"Patriarch, judging from all kinds of rumors, the ruthless valley lord is really like the eldest lady, even in the name...... All have a 'soft' character. Teng Qin'er saw that Teng Sanshi's heart was shaken, and immediately persuaded him, "What's more, the lady's surname is 'Xiao', and the ruthless valley lord is also surnamed Xiao." Could it be that all this is too much of a coincidence that the patriarch doesn'......t realize it? Unbelievable. ”

"But ......"

"Patriarch, the eldest lady only has clothes in the tomb, and there is no corpse, how can you assert that the eldest lady is really dead?" Tang Qin struck while the iron was hot, and the cannon was full of words, "Back then, the eldest lady was trapped by love and jumped into the abyss, which can be said to be lifeless and dead. Maybe the eldest lady's life should not be extinguished, Jiren has his own natural appearance, not only did he not die after falling off the cliff, but experienced some kind of adventure, practiced a peerless martial arts, and created a valley of despair. Ruthless, ruthless, is exactly the meaning of 'breaking off love', which coincides with the eldest lady's heart knot trapped by love. ”

"If the Ruthless Valley Lord is really a Rou'er......" Teng Sanshi's tone was much soothed and complicated than just now, "Why have so many years passed...... She won't come back to see me?"

Teng Qin'er groaned: "The eldest lady was deceived by Luo Tianjin back then, which affected the whole family. I think she may have no face to face the patriarch and the children of the clan again, so she changed her name and surname and became a new person. Patriarch, all the mistakes are Luo Tianjin's fault, and they have nothing to do with the eldest lady. Over the years, she must have endured all the hardships and grievances......"

"Rouer ......"

As if moved by Teng Qin'er's sincerity, Teng Sanshi's resolute and stubborn eyes finally flashed with a trace of tears. When he looked at Teng Rou's tombstone again, the past scenes between father and daughter came to his heart like a tide.

Several spring and autumn, countless days and nights, Tengsanshi has never really been put down.

"Patriarch ......"

"Girl, don't say any more. Teng Qin'er hadn't yet spoken, Teng Sanshi suddenly waved his hand and said, "I have made up my mind, and the matter of tracking down the ruthless valley master must not be publicized, let alone harm the Teng clan." ”

Hearing this, Teng Qin'er was stunned for a moment, then showed ecstasy on her face, and asked, "What does the patriarch mean...... Can I be secretly pursuing this?"

"Yes. Teng Sanshi's expression was complicated, and he nodded in response, "Girl, I will leave this matter to you to deal with." You led people to Jiangzhou secretly to secretly inquire about all the news about the ruthless valley lord. Remember, no matter what happens, you must not reveal your identity, let alone your intentions. Even if you find out that the ruthless valley master is really Rou'er, you can't say anything, you just need to rush back immediately to report me. ”

"No problem......"

"Don't be too happy. Teng Sanshi rolled his eyes and said in a deep voice, "If you leak your whereabouts, the old man will never admit to knowing about it, and the Teng clan will not support you, so all the consequences will ...... It's all up to you. In this section, you have to think clearly. ”

Teng Qin'er understood what Teng Sanshi meant, hesitated for a moment, and resolutely nodded: "Don't worry, patriarch, I know what to do." In order to find the eldest lady, Qin'er will never give up!"

"In any case, you must not startle the snake before the martial arts conference. ”

"Written down!"

"Let's go back!" Teng Sanshi was deeply pleased, and advised, "Go to Jiangzhou, be careful in everything!" After that, Teng Sanshi's eyes were straight, the gloom on his face gradually dissipated, and he turned his gaze to the vast blue waves, and muttered to himself, "The old man should also pack up and prepare to go." ”

"Where is the patriarch going?"

"Jingjiang Mansion, Jinjian Dock. ”

"Why?"

"The Lord of Jinwu sent an invitation, and invited the heroes to gather in Jingjiang Mansion during the Dragon Boat Festival in May, and wanted to invite us to watch a great show. The old man is very interested in this, and will wait and see. ”

......

(End of chapter)