The old man took Shen Lingshan and ran forward for a few miles, and when he saw that there was no sound behind him, he slowly stopped.

Taking a breath, the old man asked, "Baby, how did you meet those wicked people, and where are they taking you?"

Shen Lingshan heard the old man call the "Lingnan Eight Murderers" villains, and expected to meet a savior today. But after all, when Pingshui meets, it is better not to mention the grievances and grievances between himself and the "Eight Murderers of Lingnan". She pulled a handful of loose hair, bowed respectfully to the old man, and diverted the old man's question:

"The grace of the seniors to save each other, the little woman is unforgettable. Dare to ask the seniors their names?"

"Hehe, baby, you must not be 'toothless and unforgettable', my old man is just a meeting and a gesture. The old man's name, don't say it. It's just—you haven't answered what the old man asked you, why did those wicked people kidnap you?"

Shen Lingshan shook her head and replied vaguely, "I don't know. ”

"Hmph, yes, the 'Lingnan Eight Murderers' do all kinds of evil, why do you need any reason to do nonsense?" the old man paused for a moment and asked, "You shouldn't be from here, right? It's getting late, do you have a place to go?"

The night was vast, and Shen Lingshan was extremely anxious. Father and mother don't know their whereabouts, they must be very anxious, and they must be looking everywhere in Wuchang City at this moment. No, I have to go back as soon as possible so that my father and mother don't worry. Having made up his mind, he bent down and said to the old man:

"Senior, I...... I want to go home. Your old man's kindness to the rescue will be repaid in the future. Then he turned and walked back the way he came.

The old man hurriedly grabbed Shen Lingshan's arm and said:

"No, you can't. Seeing Shen Lingshan's stunned look, she hurriedly let go and asked, "Where is your home?"

"Wuchang City. ”

The old man frowned and said, "Baby, do you know where you are now?"

"I heard those wicked people say that they want to go to Huangzhou Mansion, could it be that this is Huangzhou?"

"Exactly. Think about it, Huangzhou Mansion is more than 100 miles away from Wuchang City, and now it's dark night, how can you go home? Besides, if those wicked people haven't left at this time, aren't you throwing yourself into the net?"

"That'...... What should I do? My father and mother don't see me coming home, and I should die in a hurry. Shen Lingshan said anxiously.

"Baby, it's useless to be anxious. Even if the old man agrees to send you home, there is no boat to cross the river at this moment. Why don't you take you to my brother's house for a night's rest and send you home tomorrow?" the old man comforted kindly.

Shen Lingshan thought that there was no other way, and the black light was not familiar with life, so she had to nod and agree.

Seeing that Shen Lingshan agreed, the old man asked again, "Baby, do you know how to ride a horse?"

"Yes. Senior, do you still want to ride a horse?" Shen Lingshan asked puzzled.

"Hmm. My brother's home is in Osaki Mountain in the north, and it is more than 100 miles away from here, so if you walk, you are afraid that you will have to walk until dawn. Let's go to the city and get two horses first. ”

With that, the two had already walked to Huangzhou City. After being pointed out, I learned that there was an inn called "Po Xianyuan" nearby, and in order to facilitate the travel of the guests staying in the hotel, a few good horses were specially raised and rented to the guests in need to ride.

When the old man heard this, he was overjoyed, followed the route guided by the man, and came to the "Po Xianyuan" with Shen Lingshan, paid a deposit of twenty taels of silver according to the rules of the store, and chose a horse to the stable, and galloped north one after the other. After running for about an hour, we arrived at our destination.

"Senior brother, junior sister, open the door. ”

A small courtyard with a low-eaves thatched roof ring building sits inconspicuously on the slope of a rugged mountain, and the old man stepped forward and slammed the door knocker of the courtyard door and shouted in a suppressed voice.

"Senior brother, why are you here so late?" came a slightly older voice.

In one of the rooms in the east wing, the lights suddenly turned on, and then there was the sound of the door opening. Almost at the same time, the West Wing also shone brightly.

"Squeak-" As soon as the courtyard door opened, a figure strode out, clasping the old man's hands, and said in surprise: "Senior brother, you are here, come into the house." Hey, this baby...... Who is it?"

"She's got saved by Brother Fool on the way. Baby, let's go in. The old man also looked very happy, greeted Shen Lingshan, took the hand of the "junior brother", and took the lead into the courtyard.

At the door of the main hall, two women with lamps and candles appeared at the same time, and they shouted to the old man in unison: "Senior brother." ”

"Hehe, I've alarmed you. The old man smiled happily, and pulled Shen Lingshan to the front again, "Come, baby, let me introduce you: this is my junior brother, this is our junior sister." She (the woman on the right) is my brother-in-law, and she (the woman on the left) is a clumsy thorn. Senior brother, junior sister, this is the girl I rescued from the hands of Wu Yun and others in the 'Eight Murderers of Lingnan'. ”

"The little woman Shen Lingshan has seen all the seniors. Shen Lingshan bowed to a few people.

"Don't be polite, come inside. The woman on the right said with a smile.

"Hey, isn't this the 'righteous brother' of my nephew Qi'er?" said the woman on the left suddenly.

Shen Lingshan took a closer look when she heard this, wasn't the person who spoke the white-haired mother-in-law who had a relationship in Ningxia-Zhu Yiyun?

Zhu Yiyun pointed to the woman on the right and said, "No, come to my sister's house to stay for a few days." ”

Shen Lingshan had already guessed who the woman on the right was, and as soon as Zhu Yiyun said it, she turned around and saluted Zhu Banyun again, and said respectfully: "Lingshan pays a visit to the master." ”

Zhu Banyun had already heard her sister talk about Chen Wenqi and Shen Lingshan, and when she saw Shen Lingshan at this time, of course she was very happy, she pulled Shen Lingshan over, looked at it carefully, and praised her: "Well, Qi'er has a good eye, and the baby is so peugeot and dignified." ”

Shen Lingshan knew the meaning of Zhu Banyun's words, her eyes turned red, and she said faintly: "Master, he ...... It's my brother. ”

"Brother?" everyone was taken aback, and for a moment they didn't know what to say. Zhu Banyun came to his senses, pulled Shen Lingshan, and said, "Don't stand, everyone, come into the house and talk." ”

Several people came to the hall and sat down, Shen Lingshan saw his brother Chen Wenqi's uncle Yang Xianyu and master Liu Mufeng again, and under the urging of Zhu Banyun, Chen Wenqi's life experience was explained to them in detail.

Everyone was amazed when they heard this, and they were both happy and sorry for the strange encounter of their brother and sister.

Seeing that it was not early, Sister Zhu Banyun went to the kitchen to cook noodles for Yang Xianyu and Shen Lingshan, and then cleaned an empty room and placed Shen Lingshan to rest.

That night, Shen Lingshan lay on the bed tossing and turning, where could she sleep? Finally, when the sky was twilight, Shen Lingshan got up quietly, she knew that her father and mother must have been sleepless all night, and decided to return home as soon as possible. In order not to disturb the rest of several seniors, they prepared to quietly descend the mountain. She searched around the room and couldn't find anything to write about. In the middle of nowhere, I suddenly thought of lipstick (the modern equivalent of lipstick - the author). So, she found a board in her room and wrote with lip balm:

Seniors: The juniors are home. In the near future, I will come with my father to thank the great kindness.

After writing, he laid the plank flat on the table, tiptoed open the door, and came to the courtyard. I took a deep breath of the mountain air, and a fresh and moist smell came into my heart and spleen, and I suddenly felt refreshed. She approached the courtyard wall gently, and suddenly saw that the fence-like courtyard gate was hidden, and there seemed to be a slight sound outside the courtyard. She walked out of the courtyard and followed the sound to take a closer look, and it turned out that Yang and Liu were practicing kung fu in the open space on the side of the courtyard.

Mo Daojun walked early, and there were even more early pedestrians. Shen Lingshan smiled silently, and was about to leave quietly, when Liu Mufeng called out to her: "Miss Shen, why don't you sleep for a while?"

Shen Lingshan stepped forward, greeted Yang and Liu, and replied: "The juniors are afraid that their parents will miss their parents for too long, and they want to go back as soon as possible, so as not to disturb the seniors, so they tiptoe." I don't want you to be ...... earlier than the juniors."

Liu Mufeng laughed loudly and said, "We are old, and we feel young. Let's go, go home, your aunt and aunt have already made breakfast, and it's not too late to leave after eating. ”

"Aunt and Aunt...... Have they all gotten up too?" asked Shen Lingshan shyly.

"Don't you care, we're like that. Liu Mufeng was afraid that she would be uneasy, so he hurriedly explained.

While talking, Zhu Yiyun held the wooden board of Shen Lingshan's message, hurriedly walked out, and when he saw that Shen Lingshan was still there, he took a long breath and said again and again: "It's okay, it's okay." Then he said to Shen Lingshan in a slightly reproachful tone: "Why are you in such a hurry to leave? ”

"Aunt Shi has something to say, and the younger generation listens to it. Shen Lingshan bowed down and said.

Zhu Yiyun seemed to be speechless, and when she was hesitating, Zhu Banyun, who was following behind, said: "My sister, she is going to compete with your mother for a daughter." ”

Yang Xianyu glanced at his wife and said, "Senior sister, you really know how to think of wonderful ideas, aren't you afraid that other people's children will think you are old?" After speaking, his eyes looked at Shen Lingshan, obviously, he also agreed with his wife's idea.

Shen Lingshan was so well-behaved, and immediately knelt down and said, "My daughter kowtows to her father-in-law and mother-in-law. After that, he kowtowed a few times to Yang Xianyu and Zhu Yiyun.

Zhu Yiyun pulled Shen Lingshan up with a smile, and said to her husband proudly: "What's the matter? Shan'er doesn't think we're old, right?"

"That's Shan'er afraid that you won't have face, so you can't agree to it. Yang Xianyu smiled and "raised the bar" with his wife.

Shen Lingshan smiled, "No, no, it is Shan'er's blessing to be loved by her father-in-law and mother-in-law." To be honest, I have always envied Sister Hanxiang before. Uh, stepmother, how is Sister Hanxiang?"

"She, the woman is not staying and is married. Zhu Yiyun's mouth complained, but her face was full of love.

Shen Lingshan asked in surprise, "She and Senior Brother Ren got married?" ”

"If you don't drink their happy wine, you will soon be able to eat their happy eggs. Zhu Banyun interjected at this time.

"Happy eggs?" Shen Lingshan was stunned for a moment, and then understood, "Mother-in-law, Sister Hanxiang, is she happy?" According to the customs in the Huguang area, whoever has a child will boil some eggs during the "Nine Dynasties" (the ninth day of the child's birth), paint the eggshells red, and distribute them to relatives and friends to show joy.

Zhu Yiyun pursed her lips and smiled, and nodded.

"Oh, that's a gift for my unborn nephew, or the boy will grow up to say that my little aunt is stingy. Shen Lingshan said happily.

"Yo, really, I'm so happy, but I've forgotten one thing. Zhu Yiyun patted her forehead and said embarrassedly.

"What's the matter?" asked Zhu Banyun.

"Gifts. Since you recognize your daughter, you always have to give a greeting gift as an elder, right......? I didn't have anything with me when I came out this time. Zhu Yiyun said embarrassedly.

"Mother-in-law, don't ...... I'm not ......" didn't think of a sentence that made him want to ask for a gift, Shen Lingshan was very embarrassed, and wanted to explain but didn't know how to explain it.

"Shan'er, it's none of your business, how can there be elders who don't give some gifts when they see the child, but the stepmother doesn't have it for the time being, let's make it up later." Zhu Yiyun took Shen Lingshan's hand and said.

"It's not easy, sister, you come with me. Zhu Banyun pulled his sister and Shen Lingshan and wanted to go to the courtyard.

"Wait. Yang Xianyu said: "Is Shan'er a worldly daughter? If you want to give a gift, you have to be different." ”

"How is it different? do you have?" asked Zhu Yiyun, puzzled.

"Of course I have. Yang Xianyu turned to Shen Lingshan and asked, "Shan'er, last night you said that before Wu Yun attacked you, you subdued a few ruffians?"

Shen Lingshan didn't know why her father-in-law asked about this, so she nodded blankly and said, "Hmm." ”

"So, you've learned kung fu?"

"Since my little mother taught her daughter a little, there is also ......" Shen Lingshan looked at Liu Mufeng and said, "My brother taught me a set of palm techniques. ”

Yang Xianyu said: "Oh, let's take a look at the palm technique first." ”

"Father-in-law......" Shen Lingshan was afraid of showing ugliness in front of them, so she twisted and was reluctant to make a palm.

"Shan'er, what are you afraid of? Zhu Yiyun encouraged.

Shen Lingshan couldn't, so she practiced the twelve moves of "Brushing the Acupoint Palm" from beginning to end.

Yang Xianyu looked at it and smiled, while Liu Mufeng shook his head and laughed.

"People say they don't practice......" Shen Lingshan blushed and said aggrievedly in Zhu Yiyun's arms.

Liu Mufeng stopped laughing and said, "Shan'er, don't get me wrong, you have practiced this set of palms well enough." The reason why I shook my head was to laugh at my own little tricks, which you had practiced decently. ”

"Really?" Shen Lingshan turned from shame to joy.

"Really, how could Master lie to you?"

"Shan'er, what your mother taught you is ......" Yang Xianyu asked again.

"Sword moves. ”

Yang Xianyu glanced at Liu Mufeng, Liu Mufeng understood, and immediately took a short sword from the room and handed it to Shen Lingshan, "Come, try a few tricks." ”

Shen Lingshan was no longer shy, took the short sword, and danced the seven-move forty-nine style blade swordsmanship. Because the authentic sword moves that have been cracked have not yet been memorized, they sometimes pause, and sometimes they simply use the original tampered moves, and the sword moves are not smooth after a trip to practice.

This time, Senior Brother Yang Xianyu did not laugh, but looked solemn, as if he attached great importance to the sword technique.

After being silent for a while, Yang Xianyu asked: "Shan'er, your father-in-law asks you a few questions, if it's convenient, just say it, if it's inconvenient to say, don't be afraid that your father-in-law will be unhappy, just don't say it." ”

Shen Lingshan nodded, she knew that people in the martial arts paid the most attention to the things of the portal, and grandmaster-level masters like Yang Xianyu and Liu Mufeng cared more about their reputation, and they didn't want to be accused by others of coveting the kung fu of other sects, so they had said this in advance.

Yang Xianyu pondered for a while and asked, "This set of swordsmanship that your mother taught you is a family heirloom swordsmanship?"

"Exactly. It is said that it was created by my mother's distant ancestor Zhou Dong, and it is called 'Blade Sword Technique'. ”

"'Blade Sword Technique'?" Yang Xianyu and Liu Mufeng said in unison, secretly ashamed in their hearts. The people in the rivers and lakes respect my senior brother's generation of sword sects, but they are so lonely and unheard of, they don't know that there is still this kind of swordsmanship on the rivers and lakes.

"Last night you said that your brother's life and death have not been known since he was a child, and he didn't recognize you until recently?"

"Yes. It can be said that it was yesterday. ”

"So, your brother still doesn't know this 'sword technique'?" On Shuozhou Road, Yang Xianyu had seen Chen Wenqi use the "sword double kill" to fight Li Yuan and them, which was similar to the "sword sword technique" that Shen Lingshan had just made but was different, so he had this question.

Who knew that Shen Lingshan said: "My brother not only knows, but also authentic 'sword technique'." ”

In a word, Yang Xianyu and Liu Mufeng said inexplicably, "Isn't what you just practiced authentically"?

Shen Lingshan saw that the two were puzzled, so she briefly told the two of them the cause and effect, and finally excused Chen Wenqi and said: "Master, my brother practiced this sword technique when he was idle in the prison. Without the Master's prior consent, my brother has always been haunted, and he is ready to come back this time to plead guilty to the Master. ”

"Hehe, Master doesn't have so many insights on the portal, how can he be blamed?" Liu Mufeng shook his hand and lightly revealed the matter

Yang Xianyu followed his train of thought and asked, "Shan'er, you said that there is also a quick internal skill in the sword spectrum, have you practiced it?"

Shen Lingshan nodded and said, "During my days in Phoenix City, my brother guided me to practice for a few months. ”

"How many layers of power do you have now?"

"This ...... I do not know. ”

"Come, Shan'er, you slap me in the face with all your might. Yang Xianyu bent his legs slightly and stretched out his right palm.

"This ......" Shen Lingshan glanced at Liu Mufeng, hesitating and not daring to make a move.

Liu Mufeng smiled: "Don't be afraid, you can do it with all your might." ”

Shen Lingshan knew that their skills were profound, so he no longer hesitated, and slapped his palm with all his might, only listening to the sound of "tent", Yang Xianyu retreated half a step, and Shen Lingshan "pedaled" and retreated as many as five or six steps.

"Ho, the exercises created by Zhou Dong's predecessors are really wonderful, Shan'er has only practiced for a few months to achieve this, and over time, there will be great success. Yang Xianyu praised.

At this time, Zhu Yiyun, who was standing aside, said: "Senior brother, you said that you had a gift for Shan'er, so hurry up and take it out?

Yang Xianyu laughed: "Senior sister, you are also anxious, my kung fu for the school Shan'er is thinking about what gift is appropriate for her." Shan'er, it's too cheesy to give you gold, silver and jewelry, my father-in-law originally planned to pass on a set of swordsmanship to you, but your family's 'sword-cutting technique' is no worse than my father-in-law's swordsmanship, so I won't drop my schoolbag in front of the saint's door." In this way, your internal strength is not bad, and I will pass on the 'Ice Palm' to you as a meeting gift from me and your stepmother. ”

"Father-in-law, I can't help it, Shan'er can't afford it. Shen Lingshan hurriedly excused herself. People in the martial arts regard peerless learning as life, and would rather lose it than pass it on easily. After all, the righteous daughter is not her own daughter, the symbolic meaning is greater than the practical significance, and Shen Lingshan can be said to be the successor of the Zhou family's swordsmanship, and according to the rules, she cannot teach the martial arts of her sect.

"What's so unbearable? Didn't your master say that just now? We don't have such a heavy view of the door. Seeing that Shen Lingshan was about to resign, Yang Xianyu deliberately sank his face, "Do you want to make your father-in-law angry?"

"That'...... It is better for the daughter to be respectful than to obey her fate. Shen Lingshan finally relented and agreed.

Finally able to give the "gift" out, Yang Xianyu turned "anger" into joy, and said: "This 'cold ice palm' is profound and profound, when your master taught me, it took three years, and it was not considered to be in the hall. You are smart and have a foundation of internal strength, so you should be able to get twice the result with half the effort, but it will take a few months to master the key to the 'Ice Palm'. I came this time to take your stepmother home, but since you and my father and daughter met by chance, I will bother my junior brother and sister for a few more months, I don't know if my junior brother and junior sister are too disturbing?"

Liu Mufeng was overjoyed: "Look at what the senior brother said, what is there to bother and not to bother?" If it weren't for ......" Liu Mufeng knew that he was almost speechless, and secretly glanced at Zhu Yiyun, "We were originally a family." ”

"Yes, senior brother and sister, it's better to simply settle in Jiangnan, how good it would be for us to be like before. Zhu Banyun was afraid that his sister would be embarrassed, so he hurriedly said.

"It was all mine before, but everyone bear with me. I like this place in Jiangnan very much, and I can't bear to let my sister and Shan'er go. Senior brother, why don't we stay here for a while? Zhu Yiyun said generously.

Yang Xianyu smiled "hehe" and said, "Since you are all willing, I have nothing to say." ”

Shen Lingshan was concerned about her father and mother, and thought that it would take months to learn the "Cold Ice Palm", so she said to her father-in-law: "Father-in-law, I want to go back to the house first and tell my father and mother, so that they don't worry." ”

"Shan'er, aren't you just afraid that your father and mother won't find you? I know a vendor selling fresh fish, named Duan Ming, who is from Wuchang City. Every morning, he would transport fresh fish from Wuchang to Huangzhou, sell them to local vendors, and return to Wuchang in the afternoon. You can write a letter of peace, and I will ask him to bring it to your uncle when I go to Huangzhou to return the horse, so as to save you from going back and forth. Liu Mufeng said.

Shen Lingshan thought about it, she was just afraid that her father and mother would be in a hurry, and there was nothing else to do. Now that my brother has become my own brother, although I also miss him, after all, it is not the kind of childlike thoughts, and my father has also returned to my mother's side, and my mother has less worry and loneliness. It is better to concentrate on learning art in this mountain, so as not to go back and add to the sadness. So he went to the study to write a letter to his father and mother, and handed it to Liu Mufeng to take to his home, and then followed Yang Xianyu to learn the "Cold Ice Palm" method, and under the guidance of Yang Xianyu and Liu Mufeng, he also practiced the "authentic" sword technique (Feng Pu was carried on his body when he left home) and "Yi Marrow Gong". Due to the dedication to studying martial arts, and the two sisters Zhu Yiyun and Zhu Banyun are also mothers and friends all day long, Shen Lingshan gradually faded away from the sadness of "falling out of love", except for occasionally missing her mother in the dead of night and recalling the past since she met Chen Wenqi, she has gradually become accustomed to and even a little nostalgic for the quiet and fulfilling life in this mountain.

But unexpectedly, Duan Ming, who carried the letter for her, happened to fall off the Yangtze River on the way back that day, and disappeared in the surging river. While she was happily living in seclusion in the mountains to practice martial arts, Shen Qing, Han Ming, Chen Wenqi and others ran day and night through the streets and alleys of the city and country lanes, frantically searching for her whereabouts......