I, Hu Xiaoer, and Xiaojiu hurried up the mountain to the cave.

I don't know if it's because I'm in a heavy mood today, but I feel that this deep hole is much darker than usual. There was a hint of blood in the hot air, and a man was lying on a stone couch, his chest scarlet.

"Brother Mao, Brother Mao!"

Aunt Gua threw over and shook his body, "Brother Mao! Brother Mao wake up, the doctor is here!"

Master Mao on the stone couch had a pale face, chapped lips, and a little blood stain on his chin, and the whole person looked very weak. He opened his eyes weakly, and when he saw someone coming, he muttered indistinctly. But soon, he fell into a coma again.

"Brother Mao, Brother Mao!" Aunt Gua shouted anxiously again.

"Aunt Gua, let me take a look. Xiao Jiu comforted her, sat on the edge of the stone couch, and took out the silver needle in the medicine bag.

After a stick of incense, Xiao Jiu slowly plucked the silver needle from the top of Master Mao's forehead. The tips of the thin needles glowed with a blue-black glow, and when he looked at them closely, he gathered them all in the medicine bag.

Xiao Jiu said: "It's okay, it's just a little rushed." ”

"But Brother Mao, he ......"

Aunt Gua was hesitating, but she saw Master Mao on the stone couch waking up faintly.

His eyes were misty, he raised his arm slightly towards everyone, and said softly, "Is there any, water?"

Aunt Gua immediately jumped up, "Yes, yes! Brother Mao waits." She went away like a gust of wind, and came back like a gust of wind, holding a glass of warm water in her hand.

Master Mao on the stone couch had already sat up with Xiao Jiu's help. He took the warm water and drank it all, then put the cup down, took a big breath, and said to the melon lady in front of him quite modestly and politely: "Thank you Zhuzhu." ”

I was surprised, Master Mao's expression has always been indifferent, and when he woke up this time, he seemed to be a different person.

"No thanks," Aunt Gua also noticed his change, her eyes revealed a hint of surprise, and she couldn't believe it, "Brother Mao, you ......"

"What's wrong with me?" Master Mao's eyes showed doubt, and then he rubbed his stomach and smiled very embarrassedly, "Zhuzhu, I'm a little hungry, have you brought food here?"

Aunt Gua was stunned for a moment, and stammered a little on his face, "I, I went up the mountain in a hurry, I forgot, I forgot to bring a food box...... Brother Mao, why don't I go back to the guest house immediately now, and you wait for me, okay?"

"Good. Master Mao bowed his head, his eyebrows bent, and his tone softened a little, "I'm not in a hurry, I have to trouble Zhuzhu to run." ”

"No, it's not troublesome, Brother Mao. A hint of crimson appeared on Aunt Gua's face, and she staggered towards the entrance of the cave. When she was halfway there, she suddenly turned around again, turned her gaze to the three of us, and finally landed on Xiao Jiu.

"Doctor, Brother Mao, is he really okay?" she frowned and asked cautiously.

Xiao Jiu said lightly: "Senior Mao is fine, but he vomited blood, and he needs to eat something nourishing after waking up." ”

Aunt Gua nodded suddenly after hearing this, and was about to turn around and leave, when the person on the stone couch stopped her again, "Zhuzhu, I miss the roast chicken and radish balls you made very much, if it doesn't bother......

"No trouble, no trouble!" Aunt Gua waved her hand hurriedly, her eyes shining brightly.

Master Mao smiled with her: "Then I will wait here for you to come back." ”

After Aunt Gua left, the cave was quiet for a moment. I, Hu Xiaoer, and Xiao Jiu stood silently in front of the stone couch, watching Master Mao's face shrink inch by inch, and his soft expression became serious again.

He asked Xiao Jiu very calmly, "How is my body?"

"It's really a rush of urgency. Xiao Jiu's expression froze, "It's just that the yang in your body suddenly grew stronger, swallowing up a part of the yin deficiency." If yin and yang are out of balance, then what efforts we have made before ...... It's all in vain. ”

Xiao Jiu pursed her lips tightly as she spoke. Master Mao on the stone couch was just stunned and speechless, not knowing what he was thinking at the moment.

I lowered my voice and asked Xiao Jiu, "Do you have any other ways to save it?"

Xiao Jiu shook his head slightly, "I'm afraid it's all useless." Also, as I said earlier, there may be 100 days left, and I am afraid that more than half of it will be reduced. ”

He looked at the stone couch with a bit of sadness in his eyes, "Senior Mao, you...... You also need to prepare in advance. ”

When this voice fell, before I could calm down, I saw a sad smile leaking from the corner of Master Mao's mouth, "No need to prepare." ”

He opened his eyes wide to look at the fire in front of him, and said in a firm tone, "I have something I want to entrust to you this time. ”

There was a "crackling" sound in the bright light from the depths of the cavern.

Master Mao said, "Have you noticed any changes here?"

The four of them all stared at the same square, and Hu Xiaoer said first: "The fire on that fire wall seems to be much weaker. ”

"Good eyesight!"

Master Mao stayed down and slowly approached the wall of fire from the semi-darkness. A red light shone on his pale face, and fine beads of sweat immediately appeared on his forehead, and when he stood still, he pointed to the wall and asked, "Do you know where this fire comes from?"

Hu Xiaoer asked tentatively, "Is it from the lava river?"

Master Mao's eyes lit up, and he nodded with his hands together, "It is said that Qingquan is a treasure land for forging swords, and it is advantageous to gather time and place, and most of the credit for this is due to the lava and fire river in the mountain." ”

"This river of fire can be said to have fallen from the sky, and the first generation of swordsmiths did not know its origin when they settled here. And this river has two major advantages, first, the terrain next to the river of fire is steep, and there is magma invasion, which is easy to mine the strange material of sword casting. Second, the fire in the river is extremely fierce, the temperature is extremely high, and the quality is refined and pure. ”

"Eighteen years ago, I recklessly went up the mountain and wanted to die, but I didn't expect to wake up and find this cave. Deep in this cave is connected to the river of fire in the mountain, which has a complex winding path, and the fire cannot be rushed, but it forms a natural wall of fire here. This fire comes from the lava river, and the fire never stops, and it is best used for sword refining. ”

He paused, and couldn't help but nod with a satisfied look.

"Then why is it so weak now?" I asked.

Master Mao frowned, his face was more aggressive,

"The day before yesterday, I went to the lava river to collect material, and after the last collapse in the cave, I found that the fire in the river had the intention of receding. The terrain in the vicinity is already unstable, and it is possible that the river of fire has completely retreated to the depths of the valley floor. It's just that I'm afraid that it will affect the wall of fire in this cave, after all, this sword has been refined to a critical period, and only one mistake will fall short. ”

His brows furrowed into a mess, and his expression was very painful: "The last thing I want to see happened this morning. The fire in the wall is waning, and I don't see it going to go away in three days. ”

"In less than three days?" I murmured, "isn't the sword in it just ......?"

"Not bad!"

Master Mao's eyes were solemn, "But I will never let such a thing happen." ”

Hu Xiaoer said: "It seems that the predecessors have already had a countermeasure. ”

He nodded solemnly at us, and said with great fascination,

"I will sacrifice my sword with flesh and blood. ”

Sacrificial Sword!?

Boom –

The wall of fire in front of him suddenly made a loud noise, and the flames rushed to the ground, and the cave was bright. But in the blink of an eye, the fire receded, the light faded a lot, and the shape of the sword became clearer and clearer.

"Senpai, you-" I said in a shocked tone with my eyes wide open, "don't joke about this. ”

Master Mao looked calm, "I'm not kidding. ”

"Sacrificing a sword in flesh and blood was a secret recipe for sword casting in ancient times. ”

He said sharply: "That cadre Mo Ye died with his sword, and only then did he refine the two peerless swords of male and female. My life's ambition is to forge a good sword, cut through thorns and thorns for the blade of chivalry, righteousness and courage, and eliminate the traitors in the world. ”

"If I die, I will fulfill my will. Then I am willing to be like a food, and my heart desires. ”

Facing the flames, he stretched out his hand and made an oath, "I, Maurith, would like to forge a good sword with my flesh and blood." After I die, the essence will be covered on the sword body, and I will turn into a sword soul, protect the loyal and good, kill the treacherous and evil, see the mountains and rivers for thousands of miles, and keep Chang'an forever!"

Master Mao's voice was like a loud voice, and when it came into his ears, his blood boiled, and his eyes became moist and hot. Hu Xiaoer and Xiao Jiu were both extremely solemn, and their clenched fists trembled slightly.

After standing for a long time, Master Mao slowly faced us, and his eyebrows softened, "In this way, I will entrust you with the matter of finding the master of this sword." ”