I don't know how many hours passed, Liu Ling woke up slowly, tired all over, like a patient who had just recovered from a long-term illness, and her whole body was very sore.

Since I learned martial arts, I haven't had such a feeling for many years, and my thoughts seem to have returned to my youth, the green years of splitting fists and horses, practicing Sanjiu in winter, and practicing Sanfu in summer.

He leaned against a stone wall, and there was a bonfire burning on the other side of the pit in front of him, and the flames were blazing, and the burning wood was crackling. The temperature reflected by the firelight made Liu Ling feel all over, and the dim firelight shone on her face, sickly pale.

Liu Ling listened intently, and there was no superfluous movement around, not like someone else.

In the beep and peeling sound of the flames burning the wood, from time to time splashed sparkling flames, bringing out a strange fragrance.

Liu Ling shrugged her nose, this fragrance was somewhat familiar, and it was like the strange fragrance she smelled before she passed out.

He tried to keep his eyes open and look ahead, but unfortunately his eyes were out of reach, and the surroundings of his body were clean, as if nothing had happened.

The overwhelming poisonous tide before, now it was like a snake and insect encountering a yellow bird, and I don't know where the turtle has shrunk, but there is not a single one. Under his feet was a tragic picture of poisonous insect corpses and blood and venom, but now it is also clean, like land washed by a flood. It's just that I can vaguely see that the ground seems to be paved with a different color, and the flowers are green, like ointment seeping into the ground, which is more and more fertile.

I just don't know if if a melon seedling is planted at this time, it will be able to produce melons in a few months.

Liu Ling moved, tried to move her body, there was a tingling sensation from her calf, and she looked at it, and there was a piece of cotton cloth tied to the place where she had been stung by the blue-tailed scorpion before, which was the one that she had soaked in wine and used as a mask before, but she didn't know where it fell in the later fight, but now it was quietly tied there, and the tragic picture before waking up to herself is still vivid.

Liu Ling shuddered, there was not much moonlight shining in the depths of the valley, and a round of oblique moon hung in the night sky, which was not real.

He struggled to sit up with his hands on the ground, trying to get closer to the campfire.

It's just that he was a little lucky, and there was an immediate pain in his chest, and he was nauseous.

"I advise you not to move for the time being, your injuries have just recovered, and the true qi in your body has been emptied. ”

Liu Ling was horrified, as if someone was whispering beside her, every word was real, was there really someone?

Although he was seriously injured at this time, he couldn't hear the man's breathing for a moment at such a close distance? If he really had this ability, even if he was in his heyday, he would be out of reach.

He was calm, and the words of the person who came were calm and not malicious, and he knew that it was probably the friend who had saved him.

Liu Ling stretched out her hand and clenched her fists, her voice was loud, "I don't know which senior is coming, please come out and talk about it?"

His voice is full of energy, like a frail patient recovering from a serious illness.

Liu Ling knows that she is bitter, and she has the heart to guard against others.

There was a dead silence all around.

After a while, there was still no answer.

Liu Ling frowned slightly, turned her head and looked around, it was pitch black.

In the depths of the valley wrapped in darkness, it is like an open-mouthed beast crawling on the ground, devouring everything.

Liu Ling straightened her mind and just wanted to say goodbye, when she could vaguely see a figure vaguely appearing in front of the bonfire that had been smashed out of a deep pit by herself.

After a while, there was one more person in front of him, who was wearing a moon-white robe, with a wooden hairpin inserted in his bun, and a pine pattern ancient sword on his back, with a clear appearance, a long beard, and some dry firewood in his hand.

Liu Ling seemed to remember something, her expression was moved, and she stumbled and was about to get up and salute.

The man put down the firewood, stretched out his hand and pressed it, indicating that he did not need to be polite.

Liu Ling smiled bitterly, she really spent the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain, and the little caution before was really ridiculous and generous.

The man had just come out, and Liu Ling seemed to have completely unloaded his defenses, and suddenly collapsed on the stone wall, not worrying about what would happen next.

He still tried his best to make a salute, and said to the Taoist man in white: "Thank you for the grace of the Taoist for saving your life, I have offended a lot before, and I hope that the Taoist will not blame!"

The man leaned down and sat down, added the firewood he had gathered into the fire, and said in a calm voice, "The people of the public gate are outside, and you don't need to worry about everything, but I don't know why you came to this valley?"

Liu Ling didn't dare to slack off, and replied respectfully: "The younger generation came here for a murder case, which concerns the Miao people, so I delusionally wanted to go here to find out." ”

The Taoist did not move, and still asked calmly: "The valley here is very hidden, for many years, the Miao people have been guarding themselves, and the imperial court has not added troops, seeing your clothes, it should be the yamen to catch fast, how do you know about this place?"

Liu Ling smiled bitterly, "Don't hide it from the elder, before the junior entered, he was a wanderer in the rivers and lakes, and he studied under the golden knife Cao Liu. Five years ago, the family teacher was unfortunately killed in a disaster, and the younger generation survived. ”

The right hand of the Taoist who added firewood was imperceptible to a slight pause.

"Earlier, you said that you came here because of a murder case involving the Miao people, can you elaborate?"

Liu Ling saw that the Taoist chief asked for details, his expression was solemn, and he told the story of what he was talking about that day and what he investigated during the day, and he didn't dare to omit it at all.

The man frowned, and said to Liu Ling: "Since there is no witness, you dare to assert that it was done by the Miao people just based on a corpse, could it be that you have seen this poison with your own eyes?"

When Liu Ling heard this, his expression was sad, as if he remembered some sad past, he spoke softly, and his voice choked: "Five years ago, the family teacher died of Gu poison in Miao Jiang, which is exactly the same as the symptoms of the deceased a few days ago. ”

The Taoist sighed slightly, looked at the official who was paralyzed against the stone wall in front of him, and said softly, "Aren't you talking about the witch plague five years ago?"

Liu Ling looked stunned, although she had already been sure in her heart, she was afraid of being abrupt, and she didn't dare to ask directly.

He plucked up his courage and said to the Taoist: "It is that calamity, the Taoist knows the past, but he worships the mysteries... ”

The white-clothed Taoist nodded slightly without waiting for Liu Ling to finish speaking, and stopped speaking.

Liu Ling couldn't wait for the next thing for a long time, and although she had all kinds of questions in her heart at the moment, it was not good to ask again.

Just as he didn't know how to break the dullness, the man suddenly shook his head and sighed, looked at Liu Ling and said, "It's a pity that the body has been burned by you, otherwise... ”

Although the Taoist was only halfway through speaking, Liu Ling should know the meaning of the Taoist's words even if he was a fool.

He thought for a moment, stretched out his right hand and reached into his arms, and took out a black cloth from his chest, which was slightly bulging, as if wrapped in something.

Liu Ling wanted to open it in person and explain a thing or two to the Taoist chief, but at this moment he was really powerless, and the left hand that had just been raised trembled slightly and hung down.

Seeing him do this, the Taoist knew that there must be something important hidden in the black cloth, he got up and stepped forward, shook out a small cyan pill from his sleeve and put it on Liu Ling's left hand, took the cloth on his right hand, and said: "This is the 'Qinglian Pill' of this door, although I said that I will help you remove the poison in your body, but your foundation is too poor, and your follow-up is weak, this pill can help you calm your mind, accelerate the regeneration of the true qi of the Qi Sea Dantian, and you are so pranayama." ”

Liu Ling suddenly received a great grace, moved, struggled to sit up and bowed his head to the Taoist, and choked up again in his mouth: "Thank you Daoist for sparing no internal force to drive the remaining poison in my body, and the grace of recreation, Liu Ling has nothing to repay, and I am inexplicably appreciative." ”

As he spoke, a huge burly man actually leaned against the stone wall and whimpered and cried, looking particularly desolate in this lonely valley.

Five years have passed, Liu Ling was lucky to steal her life that day, and she saw her mentor who was like a master and father die in front of her eyes, but she was powerless.

In the past five years, I have been nervous all the time, and today it is rare to let go of my defense, tell the old things in one breath, and get the grace of the Taoist life, how can I not be sad from it.

The boy does not dust off his tears because he has not reached the sad place.

Liu Ling whimpered, like a child who made a mistake, as if she dared to cry in front of outsiders until today, telling her what she owed to her teacher in those years.

The stupid big man in front of him was scattered, flustered, and delirious, for fear that he would be careless, crying and crying and fainting again.

He shook his head slightly, stretched out his hand a little, and a soft energy drilled into Liu Ling's acupoint along his fingertips.

Liu Ling only felt that the Shangqi Sea Acupoint at the pericardial meridian was hot, and there was a soft internal strength that came straight through, and the middle was peaceful, peaceful and calm.

With that internal strength, Liu Ling's mind improved, and then he saw that the chief was looking at himself, and he couldn't help but blush.

The Dao man didn't care, and said: "Take this opportunity to take that 'Qinglian Pill', whether you can get twice the result with half the effort depends on your own creation." ”

Liu Ling received the signal from the Taoist chief, did not dare to hesitate at all, immediately crossed his legs, stuffed the cyan pill in his left hand into his mouth and swallowed it, closed his eyes and breathed his luck.

Lotus, out of the mud but not stained, poke clear ripples but not demons. Since ancient times, it has been a mascot for keeping the right and repelling the evil and collecting the mind.

It is rumored that one of the three Qing saints of Taoism wears a lotus crown, and Taiyi saves the suffering of the great Tianzun sitting on the nine-colored lotus platform, turning the beginning of the Xuanyuan, the true body of the wonderful way, and crossing the immeasurable calamity.

Liu Ling has great compassion today, if she can understand from the Qinglian Pill, she will definitely be able to go to a higher level in her mood in the future.

After about two cups of tea, Liu Ling's expression improved, and her pale face, which was still sickly before, gradually became ruddy, and her blood was full.

After his luck was finished, he only felt that his whole body was comfortable, as if he had taken a hot bath, and most of his strength had recovered.

The Taoist stroked his long beard and nodded slightly.

Liu Ling opened her eyes, stood up, and respectfully slapped the Taoist man.

The Taoist accepted it calmly.

Liu Ling was no longer hypocritical, sat cross-legged in front of the bonfire, and saw that the black cloth under the Taoist's feet had been opened, and the clods of soil wrapped in it had already been broken into powder.

Liu Ling looked embarrassed and said: "Dao Chief, the clod of soil wrapped in the cloth is left after the place where the deceased's body was roasted by the fire, and I originally intended to cut it out as evidence to confront the Miao people. ”

The Taoist nodded approvingly and said, "I already know about this matter, it is the traces left by the 'red phosphorus powder' of Miao Jiang's Gu poison. ”

"Red phosphorus powder?"

"'Red phosphorus powder' is one of the hundred Gu in Miaojiang, and it is also the main means of raising Gu worms 'red beetles'. Once the body temperature is too high, sweating and fever, this powder will infiltrate into the human body with sweat, and flow through the whole body with the blood. ”

Liu Ling's head was as big as a fight, and her face was numb when she thought of the poisonous tide that had risen during the day.

The Taoist continued: "If the person who uses this Gu has the intention to release the red beetle for it, it will be a different situation. ”

The size of the tail finger of the red beetle, the whole body is covered with a layer of red fish scale armor, the ribs have wings, thin as a cicada, and the sharp mouth is like a boning steel knife. What's even more peculiar is that after the red beetle feeds on the red phosphorus powder, it will emit a highly toxic poison, once the poison is contaminated with the blood, it will produce a high fever sharply, and the poisoned person's whole body will swell until it cannot be dispersed for a long time after death, unless the blood dries up. The red beetle drills out of the heart vein, and the wound will inevitably leave a dark green tail poison.

Five years ago, Cao Liu of the Golden Dao Gate died of this poison in that witch curse, and Liu Ling also survived by luck in that disaster.

Afterwards, the bodies of the poisoned were all required by the imperial court to be destroyed secretly, and Liu Ling could only watch the master's soaking body turn to ashes in the raging fire.

Seeing his expression, the Taoist sighed slightly.

"As you said before, after the red beetle burrows out of the human body, it escapes, and the holes in the body's body and body veins will leave a trace of dark green tail poison, and the blood of the deceased seeps into the ground, and after being roasted at high temperatures, the blood evaporates, and the Gu poison will be brought out from the ground by the high temperature and attached to the surface of the soil. ”

The Taoist stretched out his hand and pointed to the black cloth under his feet and said, "It's the piece you cut out of the circle, and the dead you said must have been hit by red phosphorus powder." It's just that what puzzles me is that the person you are talking about is just a scoundrel in the countryside, what kind of hatred does he have and needs to use the poisoner to release the red beetle after the Gu powder? Generally speaking, the red phosphorus powder of the small punishment and the big commandment is enough to make people miserable, tortured and die slowly. ”

Liu Ling didn't know the doorway, he had always hated the Miao people of the Five Immortals Sect, and said angrily: "Those Miao people are ruthless, they have always acted unscrupulously, and the Taoist is compassionate and compassionate, and they are too kind-hearted. ”

The Taoist looked as usual, and he couldn't see his joy or anger.

Seeing that the Dao Chief did not answer, Liu Ling changed the topic and said, "I don't know why the Immortal Chief is here?

The Taoist looked slightly moved, and he didn't mind that the public man in front of him quietly changed his name, and he said to Liu Ling: "I'm just thinking about an old grievance, don't mention it, it's just... ”

Liu Ling was fiddling with the fire with one hand, and when he saw that Dao Chang suddenly stopped in the middle of his words, he also stopped, looked at the life-saving benefactor in front of him, and asked curiously: "If the immortal chief has something to say, if it is useful to Liu, it is not too late to die!"

The Taoist smiled slightly, "It's just that there is still a long way to go to the Five Immortal Sect, and your injuries have not healed yet, early tomorrow morning, you will leave this Leaning Moon Valley, turn around!"

Liu Ling was anxious, where would he have thought that the Taoist would think about sending himself back at this time.

He hurriedly said: "Liu Ling never dares to leave the immortal chief alone, if there is really a vicious fight tomorrow, even if Liu's skills are low, he can't help much, but even if he fights for his life, he will never drag the immortal chief down!"

These words are sincere and gratifying.

The Daoist nodded lightly, stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Although the poor Dao is not good at skills, a small Five Immortal Sect is still difficult for me, and the little brother can only go back with confidence." ”

As he spoke, he shook his sleeves and found two things from them.

Liu Ling looked down, and there was an emerald green bamboo tube the size of a palm, and a white flower on the other side, which was also the size of a palm.

The Taoist first handed the bright white flower to Liu Ling and said: "Your injury has not healed, just in case, when you turn back to the original way, take this white bone flower with you, and you can ensure that you can go all the way." ”

Liu Ling stretched out her hand to take it, the smell was fragrant, although she had never seen it, but she was surprised in her heart, "Isn't this the smell I smelled before I passed out?"

Seeing that he frowned slightly, the Taoist didn't explain, stretched out his hand and handed him the emerald green bamboo tube, and said: "This is the 'Crane Singing Order', after you return to the city, once you find that there is a situation that you can't deal with, launch this thing at the moment of crisis, I will definitely come when I see it, don't forget it." ”

Liu Ling took the bamboo tube, and it was even more incredible, a palm-sized bamboo tube, since it was still so verdant after being made into an arrow, it was obviously not ordinary.

The Taoist repeatedly advised, "Don't forget, don't forget!"

Liu Ling took the matter with both hands, put it in his arms, bowed solemnly, and said: "Since the immortal chief has an entrustment, Liu must do his best, but the immortal chief is alone on this trip, so he should be more careful." ”

The Taoist laughed, "The little brother dares to go into the tiger's den alone, for the brave, for the people under the rule, although there are small selfish thoughts, but still do not change the righteousness, it is for benevolence, the brave man is afraid that the old man will take risks, and the house is kind, not bad, not bad." ”

Liu Ling was praised by the Taoist abruptly, and her face was red with shame, but fortunately, it was not conspicuous by this Yingying firelight, otherwise she would really have to find a crack to drill down at this time.

He solemnly saluted again and said: "I don't dare to bear the praise of the Taoist chief, and seek his own affairs in his position, what Liu did was just a routine matter, and the Taoist chief said this, it is really ashamed that Liu has no place to be ashamed, and he is embarrassed!"

The Taoist replied: "Little brother does not need to be humble, if most of the people in the public family are like the little brother, it can be regarded as a blessing for the people." ”

Liu Ling was in the prime of life, in his thirties, and being abruptly called a little brother by the Taoist in front of him at this moment did not make him feel anything wrong. Taoist cultivators in the mountains, I don't know the changes of the cold and summer years, and it is rumored that the real people who have achieved cultivation have passed in a flash, and the appearance is still in the prime of life. What's more, after returning to the basics, if the baby looks like a baby, it is not a false rumor.

Moreover, there has been such a saying on the mountain and down the mountain, the monk does not say that he is famous and does not say longevity.

Although the Dao Master in front of him doesn't seem to be very old, the ghost knows if he has practiced a few Jiazi Dao Sect Gao Zhen?

Chongxuanguan has always been the premier Daomen holy place of the Liang Kingdom, even if you add the Jingyu Dynasty and the nomadic barbarians in the north, among the seventeen continents in the entire world, it is also a supreme existence that can be on a par with the Taiqing Palace of Cuizhu Mountain.

How can the depth of the profound heritage of such a high mountain sect be known by his small yamen?

But listening to the tone of the long words, there was a little loss.

However, this is also the case, not to mention anything else, as far as the current dynasty, which occupies the land of the four continents, does not know how many corrupt officials and mediocre officials are few. Although at the beginning of the new emperor's succession, the national teacher Shang Yuan wrote the "Ten Policies for Governance", one of which was to address the redundant official system of this dynasty, advocating the abolition of redundant officials and Sha Taiyong.

It's just that the official system of the country and the dynasty has been around for a long time, and although the new policy has been implemented, it still needs to be simmered slowly. In all dynasties, the interests of the official families touched by the New Deal have always been widely implicated, and under the deep-rooted general trend, it cannot be achieved overnight, otherwise it will only hurt the foundation of the country.

The small Fallen Leaf City is the first touchstone under the New Deal, a city, full of calculations, and there are probably only two people who can be regarded as "officials".

Liu Ling looked lonely, if the dynasty wants to be free from the constraints of friendly countries, it still needs a long way to go, and there is a long way to go.

The Taoist has traveled all over the world and has a clear understanding of the contrast between the national strength of the dynasty and the Jingyu dynasty, but since he is an outsider, he is not willing to be too involved in public affairs. The large and small mountains that have been opened in the view are more or less involved in the imperial court, but the Feilai Peak of his own cultivation is alone, compared to the pavilions and pavilions in other places, there are only three or two thatched huts, and a lone pine. What's more, that Shang Yuan is 。。。。。

There are some things that are left unsaid.

——————

On the east gate of Fallen Leaf City, Zhang Si walked along the middle straight road, and turned right at the corner of the street in the direction of Fukelou, and happened to meet the fat man Wang San who had just returned.

The third servant Wang followed Chen Wen all the way in the evening, and followed after the man entered the Fuke Building with a big grin.

After explaining some things to the shopkeeper at the front desk, he turned around and left without stopping.

The shopkeeper is a good person, and he doesn't dare to slack off, so he nods his head again and again.

Wang San went out of the gate of the Fuke Building, and wanted to go to the Yamen, when he suddenly heard a rapid sound of horses' hooves at the intersection on the left side of the corner, and looked up to see that it was Zhang Si who had returned from the Jimingshan Market.

The two were shocked when they saw it, Zhang Si turned over and dismounted, followed Wang San, and led the horse.

Under the moonlight, the two of them gradually disappeared into the night.

In the guest room in the back hall of the Fuke Building, Li Yunfeng reached into his arms, took out the cotton cloth towel embroidered with red camellia and the beautiful handwriting note, and grinned at a lamp on the candlestick.

In the courtyard of the front hall of the county government, Chen Wen and other cadres had already returned, and after the narrative was finished, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Chen Wen looked up at the sky, frowned slightly, and just wanted to move out of the hospital, he saw two figures appear at the entrance of the main hall of the yamen, one tall and one fat.

After seeing Chen Wen, the two figures walked up quickly.

As soon as Zhang Si saw Chen Wen, he turned his head and looked around, but he didn't see the figure in his intention, and asked, "Where is the team leader?"

Chen Wen's expression was solemn, his brows furrowed, and he shook his head.

The three of them looked at each other, and their hearts were in a state of kinship.

Chen Wen opened his mouth and said: "My sister-in-law came here just now, and I only shirked that Brother Liu was busy with official business today, and he was discussing things with Lord Huang in the back hall, and I am afraid that I will have to stay in the Yadian tonight." ”

Zhang Si asked, "Lord Huang's side?"

"Lord Xiancheng has learned the news, and I'm afraid I'm already in the prison mansion at this time. After Chen Wen finished speaking, he looked at Wang San and asked, "How is the situation over there?"

Wang San replied: "The man has chosen a guest room in the Fuke Building to stay, and I have told the shopkeeper to keep an eye on the man's movements. ”

Chen Wen nodded slightly, "I think this matter will only be decided if Lord County Cheng comes back from the Prison Mansion, and I will talk about it early tomorrow morning." ”

Zhang Si was already tired after a day of traveling, and now there was no principal, and there was no better way, so he nodded in agreement.

Needless to say, the three of them dispersed.

It is said that Ye Qinglime and his party of three people, after entering the boundary of Yunding Mountain, until sunset, failed to reach the Chongxuan Temple on the top of the mountain.

The three of them are the first time to travel to the Liang country, the scenery around the Chongxuanguan of Yunding Mountain is beautiful, and the Liang country intends to build this place as the first place of Taoism in the country, and the southern area of Funiuzhou is also the most beautiful here.

The three of them walked and stopped all the way, enjoying the landscape, and finally had to stop at an inn called "Yuezhong Pavilion" when it was dark.

Before the Laojun's birthday conference, it was actually no problem to be able to rush to Chongxuanguan to meet Uncle Fengzheng, so the three of them did not have too much burden, after all, when Chongxuanguan was over, there was still a "double mountain" waiting for them.

Somewhere in a dyeing workshop in the west of Fallen Leaf City, a hunchbacked man hid in the shadow of the eaves, staring fiercely at a family without saying a word.

In the dark night, it is like a poisonous snake that chooses people and loves people.