In an inn in Blizzard City, several rough men are eating hot pot and talking about the recent extermination of Blizzard City.

I heard that a murderous demon had infiltrated the city, and he began to commit crimes on a rampage. Almost wiped out several big families in Xicheng, and only a few clansmen and subordinates who were acting outside escaped.

For a while, as long as it is night, the West Side is like a ghost town, which is in stark contrast to the bustling and noisy East City.

There was a young man sitting by the window on the second floor of a famous hot pot restaurant in Dongcheng, and the young man stared blankly at the white soup on the table as if thinking about something.

"Young man, do you mind if you sit here?"

An old voice interrupted the young man's train of thought.

The young man looked at the old man in front of him in surprise, he didn't even notice the old man's approach. Just when he was about to refuse, the old man had already sat down and beckoned Xiao Er, and after asking for some hot pot ingredients, he looked at a cold bird outside the window.

Not far away, the rough men were still eating hot pot and talking about the extermination case, and the young man looked at the old man nervously, and the old man still looked at the cold bird outside the window.

"You say, is that murderer just killing for the pleasure of killing?" said the old man.

The young man did not reply.

"Judging by the method of killing, that person should be a cultivator, because there is something attached to the fatal wounds of those corpses. As soon as the old man finished speaking, the shopkeeper who came over came over with the hot pot ingredients.

After the old man put the yellowthroat into the white soup, he continued: "Only one family member in the whole world can make that thing, but that family was wiped out not long ago. ”

Hearing the word annihilation, the young man's eyes sank, and his hand slowly touched the knife in his waist.

The old man smiled after seeing his movements and continued: "That thing is called Lost Mind Dispersion, and its effect can even make cultivators under the Zhishou Realm faint, colorless and tasteless. It's a pity, so many people died this time, and the distraction is probably used up. ”

Just as the young man was about to pull out the things on his waist, he heard the old man say again: "Do you know that the things hanging on your waist were given to Zhao Rui by me back then?"

The young man looked incredulous when he heard this, and the old man picked up a piece of cabbage.

The young man slowed down his breath and asked, "Dare to ask, but is it the old immortal master of Penglai?"

"Your name is Zhao Ke?" the old man asked without answering.

Zhao Ke nodded lightly and stared at the old man in front of him tightly.

The old man picked up the wine glass next to him, took a sip of wine, and then asked, "How much did you learn by cutting off the water and drawing a knife?"

"Part of it. ”

"Partly? ”

After the old man finished speaking, he stood up and put down a piece of silver and walked out of the inn.

Zhao Ke immediately got up and prepared to follow, but when he just got up and looked up, he found that the old man was gone.

Why did he ask me how well I learned to cut off the water?

What did he come to me for? Could it be for that?

This is the question that Zhao Ke has been haunting his mind since he left the inn.

Late at night, the east city is still so bustling and lively, and the west city is still quiet like a ghost town.

There is a mansion in the east city, and the owner of the mansion is surnamed Cheng. For the younger generation of Fengxueren, it is just a very ordinary surname, but for the rest of the older businessmen, the weight of this surname Cheng is quite sufficient.

During this time, the families that were exterminated in Xicheng, if you dig deeper, then it is not difficult to find that those families actually have a deep relationship with the Cheng family.

About fourteen years ago, Blizzard City was not very prosperous, and there were even many refugees. But suddenly one day four wealthy merchants came, and they donated food for disaster relief, started business, and even funded the city owner to repair the city's buildings and facilities and fund the development of those scattered merchants in the city.

For the residents of Wind and Snow City at that time, these four wealthy merchants had even more say than those immortal masters and city lords.

In just five years, with the support of those wealthy businessmen, Wind and Snow City has become a famous city in the world.

But since then, those wealthy merchants have inexplicably begun to dilute the industries in their hands, leaving only a few inns, workshops, etc.

No one dares to underestimate the hidden wealth of these four, but these four seem to be determined to hide, no matter how turbulent the mall is, these four are still closed.

But just some time ago, the other three families were tragically wiped out, which was a major event that caused a sensation among the older generation.

Even Emperor Shen Cangqiong received the news, so the Investigation Department and the Intelligence Department began to operate day and night, and Tao Nanshan, the city lord with a keen sense of smell, found a little eyebrow.

When these four first arrived in Fengxue City, there was a major case in Nanhang City, which was the first city in the world, that shocked the whole city and even the entire Dazheng.

The Zhao family, who had the first merchant in Nanhang, was wiped out overnight. The only people who can wipe out a mortal family overnight are those cultivators.

All the people who had been supported by the Zhao family's relief went to the nearby cultivation sect to ask for an explanation, and even the city lord of Nanhang City said that he was bound to crush the bones of the murderer.

The later sects were annoyed, they began to kill people, and it was not enough to kill an ordinary person, so they killed a group.

Under the operation of people with intentions, this matter began to slowly deviate from the original trajectory, starting from asking for an explanation for the Zhao family, and slowly deviating to the opposing level of ordinary people and cultivators.

In the end, it was in Penglai, the Sword Domain, the Imperial Court, the Jingzhu Zen Monastery and the Kunlun Shrine, the most influential forces, that the pranayama ended.

But the source of this matter, the destruction of the Zhao family, no one mentioned it at all. There are also people in the Investigation Department who once wanted to investigate, but the result in exchange was either to be removed from their posts or to evaporate from the world.

In the City Lord's Mansion, Tao Nanshan looked at the case file in front of him and said in a low voice: "Zhao family, Zhao Rui, the head of the Zhao family, died in the study, no obvious fatal external injuries, no internal injuries. The porter, the chief butler, the second butler, and the bookkeeper died in the fire. The eldest young master of the Zhao family died in the bedroom, and the cause of death was suffocation. ”

"That's a coincidence. Tao Nanshan looked at the case file in his eyes and sneered.

Tao Nanshan was thinking about the relationship between these people in his mind, and then began to simulate the situation of the Zhao family's extinction in his mind.

"Cause and effect, cause and effect, there is cause and effect. An old voice disrupted the simulation in Tao Nanshan's mind.

"In my opinion, this is a matter of a boy who has endured for many years to come back for revenge, what do you say?" the voice sounded again.

Tao Nanshan looked around and said, "No matter what, he still killed so many people, and the death of those four people was their cause and effect, but what about the rest?"

"That's their cause and effect with that person. The voice became clearer, Tao Nanshan looked at the seat on the left, and found an old man sitting there.

This old man is the old man who sat at the same table with Zhao Ke during the day, and he is also the old owner of Penglai, Sang Huaqing.

Sang Huaqing looked at Tao Nanshan and smiled with satisfaction, when he passed through the Southern Wilderness, he saw a young scholar curled up in a corner shivering, he put down a piece of silver and left, but the scholar kept following him, and kept saying stupid things like uneaten food.

"All these years have passed, and it's still like this. Sang Huaqing said with a kind smile.

"I admit that he is a poor man, but he makes more people more pitiful than him. Among those subordinates, some of them had just given birth to their children, and some of them still had parents to support at home, so why did he kill so many innocent people because of his momentary anger. ”

"I acquiesced. Sang Huaqing said suddenly.

Hearing this, Tao Nanshan looked at Sang Huaqing in disbelief.

After being silent for a while, Tao Nanshan said solemnly: "Even if he wants to enter Penglai in the future, no matter how amazing his cultivation talent is, I will never bend the law to protect him for personal gain!"

Sang Huaqing nodded and said, "I also agree with what you said, if it had been decades ago, I would have made him suffer and even let him be punished as he deserved." But Nanshan, we don't have much time. ”

Tao Nanshan looked at Sang Huaqing puzzled, he didn't understand what Sang Huaqing meant when he said that there was not much time.

Sang Huaqing walked to the window and looked at the moon wheel in the sky and said, "Do you remember the story I told you at the beginning?" ”

After hearing this, Tao Nanshan thought about the story that Sang Huaqing said at the beginning, the story about the catastrophe of the world.

"But isn't that a legend?" Tao Nanshan asked.

"Yes, that's a legend, but not long ago, when I was looking at the sea of stars in the Moon Tower, I vaguely deduced something. In order to confirm some things, I have traveled many places these days, and slowly this calculation began to be verified. Sang Huaqing looked at the moon ring on his head and said.

Tao Nanshan fell into deep thought, he didn't know how high Sang Huaqing's cultivation was, but he knew how strong Bu Sansi's deduction skills were, and he had seen it when he followed Sang Huaqing.

"But there is a variable, that variable is in Penglai, Fang Han's guy followed Bu Sansi to Penglai to ask for it, I didn't agree. ”

When that variable was mentioned, Sang Huaqing seemed to think of something, and actually smiled.

After being silent for a long time, Tao Nanshan finally nodded.

Sang Huaqing slowly walked to the front and back of the door and pushed the door open, before leaving, Sang Huaqing handed Tao Nanshan a thing, after seeing that thing, Tao Nanshan's face was full of shock.

"I'll leave it to you for safekeeping, and a few little ones will come here in a few years, so you can hand it over to them when the time comes. Sang Huaqing walked towards the outside of the courtyard, saying as he walked.

Tao Nanshan said to the place where Sang Huaqing left: "No matter what happens in the world in the future, he still commits a great crime that is unforgivable by people and gods, and when the matter is over, I must personally arrest him on death row." ”

After finishing speaking, Tao Nanshan made a big gift and walked into the house.

Today's Cheng Mansion is too different from the past, and today's Cheng Mansion is exceptionally quiet.

The lights in Cheng's mansion were still bright, but not a single sound came out.

There is an old attic in the inner courtyard of the house, where Old Man Cheng lives.

"You're finally here. In the attic, Old Man Cheng sat on a chair and looked at the ancient book in his hand.

A man wearing a blue-faced fanged mask stepped out from behind the screen, holding a knife in his hand, which was ordinary, but it could cut a person's soul with a single slash.

Old Man Cheng turned around and looked at the knife and fell into thought.

Click.

The masked man flicked the knife, interrupting Old Man Cheng's thoughts and saying, "Do you remember this knife? ”

Hearing this Cheng Bo, Old Man Cheng showed a relieved smile on his face.

"Young Master, the old man is seriously ill and can't get up to greet him. Old Man Cheng looked at the masked man and said.

After hearing this, the man wearing the mask slowly took off the mask on his face, and when he saw that face, the tears in the corners of Old Man Cheng's eyes could no longer be contained.

Old man Cheng's eyes seemed to appear in front of the child in the house back then, the child's name was Zhao Ke, and he was the eldest son of the master of the house.

"Is there anything to explain in the future?" Zhao Ke walked in front of Old Man Cheng with a knife.

Old Man Cheng put down the ancient book, restrained his emotions and said calmly: "The old man doesn't have the luxury of expecting the eldest young master to let go of this family of more than thirty people, I just hope to let them go happily." ”

"Promise you. Zhao Ke walked behind Old Man Cheng and said.

A knife light cut through the moonlight that came in from the window and slashed through Old Man Cheng's neck.

Zhao Ke, who walked out of this old attic, exhaled heavily.

He turned to see a child standing in a gazebo not far away, and waved to the child.

The boy waved at him happily, he didn't know what was going on in the attic, he only saw a very kind big brother playing games with him, and then went into the attic.

The people in the Cheng Mansion were all lying quietly on the ground, either lying on the table, but they were not dead, for them, they just slept.

Looking at the wind and snow gate slowly closing behind him, Zhao Ke walked towards the official road outside the city with ease, where is the next destination, maybe he will find a place to marry a wife and have children to live and work in peace and contentment, maybe he will go to the army, where he will go in the end, who knows.

Life is a journey full of accidents.

"Are you done?" A voice suddenly came from his ear and broke Zhao Ke's thoughts.

Zhao Ke was shocked when he heard it, and then he looked behind him, and it was the immortal master he met in the inn during the day, that is, Sang Huaqing, the old master of Penglai.

"In the end, you can spare the lives of the rest of the people in the Cheng Mansion, which makes me very curious. Sang Huaqing touched his beard and said.

After hearing this, Zhao Ke hugged his arms and rubbed his hands, this year's winter day is colder than before.

"There's always something to be left behind, and I'm getting a little bored. ”

"Aren't you afraid that they will seek revenge on you?"

"The cause and the cause I planted are naturally not afraid of what kind of fruit will be produced. ”

After saying this, Zhao Ke just walked forward, but he suddenly felt that he was frozen. No, it's not so much that I'm frozen, but rather that I feel tired when I lift my feet, as if I was being dragged by an invisible piece of iron.

Sang Huaqing walked in front of Zhao Ke with a smile, and did not stop, with a slight wave of his hand, the invisible piece of dark iron pressed on Zhao Ke's feet seemed to have disappeared.

"Sometimes it's better to walk honestly. Sang Huaqing said in front and walked.

"Immortal Master, please wait a minute!" Zhao Ke shouted and ran to Sang Huaqing.

"If you are really the one from Penglai, then I have a few questions that I must ask you. Zhao Ke looked at Sang Huaqing and said.

"There are some things that I don't have a perfect answer to even after many years, so why are you sure I can know about it?"

You know the answers to those questions. ”

Sang Huaqing looked at Zhao Ke calmly, then touched his beard with a smile and bypassed Zhao Ke and continued to walk towards the official road.

"Some answers, it's better to know than not to know, now you are too weak, and knowing more is a burden. ”

After speaking, Sang Huaqing's hand waved, and the knife on Zhao Ke's waist suddenly flew towards Sang Huaqing.

"Go to the East China Sea and find a fisherman, and he will take you where you need to go. ”

When Zhao Ke was stunned, Sang Huaqing's figure had disappeared.

The snow was getting heavier and heavier, and Zhao Ke turned his head to look at Wind Snow City.

The hot pot in that hot pot restaurant, the red mansion by the river, the sound of reading books in the school and the cries of street vendors are endless.

Everything in these days seems to be vivid.

Now the people who deserve to die are dead, and the people who don't are dead.

In the end, he still wanted to return to the Zhao family's eldest boy in Nanhangcheng that year.

I still remember that when the clan meeting was held, the porter Uncle Zhang asked him what he wanted to do in the future, and he said that he wanted to take Ah Bao and them to join the army, and he would not give up without killing him as an enemy general.

He remembered a beggar he met on the street back then, and after he gave the beggar three copper coins, the beggar said before leaving: Guiyun is gone without a trace, where is the early stage?