- A monstrous flame, connected into a wall of fire. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info look up, directly heavy black clouds, can not see the blue sky. Look left and right, stretching to the horizon beyond the eye limit, with no end. The terrible heat wave dried the towering giant trees from a distance of tens of meters. Cold water poured on it—also tens of meters away—turned into an extremely hot, transparent superheated steam, which in an instant could burn a person's flesh and flesh and fall off the skeleton piece by piece.

This terrible flame is pressing into Changzhi Town. And look at the speed of the advance...... It will come in five days.

It is impossible for manpower to fight such a "natural disaster". According to the experience of the town's ancestors, it is impossible for even the Tulan River to stop the fire at this time. If you want to survive, there are only two options.

The first is the relocation of the town. The vicinity of Changzhi Town is full of wild forests, and in fact, the town is almost encased in forests. However, it is now autumn and winter is approaching...... What can you take with you in five days, and where can you go? The northern capitals are not wealthy, and in the winter it is customary for a large number of displaced people to gather in the big cities to survive those months. However, even in a good harvest year, dozens of unclaimed bones are found outside the large and small cities after the beginning of spring every year, not to mention that this year is not a good year.

They're gone, gone, and this cold winter is going to be unusually cruel – and they're probably all going to die.

So...... There is only the second option.

Around Changzhi Town, a circle of open space was quickly cut down. At this point, the monstrous flames may have crossed the town. But that would mean a terrible amount of work – encircling the town, clearing lots within a radius of tens of meters, cutting down hundreds of trees that were about to reach maturity...... This is an unprecedented challenge.

However, for the sake of the homeland that is difficult to leave, for the sake of at least ...... There is a place to stay to temporarily survive the coming harsh winter, and the people of Changzhi Town have chosen the latter.

They are challenged by this "natural disaster" caused by some terrible force that they cannot comprehend.

So on the first day, they started cutting down small trees around the town. These small trees, including "small trees" surrounded by one person, were brought down, dragged into the town, or used to fortify houses or made into various tools. The population of this town is small, only a hundred. However, among the hundreds, even the wealthiest Yu family, who dominated the town's timber buying power, were adept at such work.

However, on the same day, the news that Li Yunxin had torn Cheng Kangzi alive and was hit hard had spread throughout the southwest and northwest of Qing, Ye, Yu, Chen, Ping, Qi, and Luxury. The dozens of schools of Dao Tong and Sword Sect had mountain gates among these big countries, and they spread the news more widely.

It's just that Li Yunxin's whereabouts are still a mystery - they spilled out their disciples, but no one saw the demon. This seems to be a matter of common sense. Because the territory of these countries is so vast, and the number of monks is pitifully small compared to this territory. Even if there were stations in all the great cities, they only cast a general net—and the net was too big.

By the next day, the "small trees" around Changzhi Town had been cut down, and people began to deal with the larger, thicker giant trees. An entire town of people was mobilized. Young and middle-aged laborers are reluctant to work day and night, while the elderly, weak, women and children are responsible for food and sundries. The town has never been so united and busy, but the fear that accompanies busyness is also lingering.

But there are always outliers in the town - a young man, and two younger women.

These three people came to Changzhi a few days ago, borrowed to live in Yu's house, and it is said that they also have the surname Yu. It's just that the man's surname is Yu, and the two girls have no surname, only a name. One is called Wusu and the other is Lili.

The three became the only idlers in town. But in fact, the man is the most idle, and the two girls still have to be busy.

For example, a man surnamed Yu and named Yu Meng moved a chair at noon and sat at the door of his house to watch the people of the town go back and forth. On the bluestone paved road, the men shouted and carried the timber to the lumber yard in the north of the town with a face full of urgency. Their clothes were torn by grass and trees, and their faces were marked by dust, mud and sweat. The bun was also unkempt, and even the corners of the mouth were blistering.

However, inside the gate of the bluestone brick city, Yu Meng sat on a rattan chair steadily. He held a pot of fragrant tea in his right hand, and played with a small black sword in his left hand. Two girls, one pinched his legs, and the other peeled peanuts and put them in his mouth...... It's hateful to look laid-back.

In this town, which is dominated by heavy physical labor, there are not many girls. Even if there is, it has long lost its delicate and lovely appearance because of the years of wind and frost and boiling. The thirteen or fourteen-year-old daughter's family has a dark complexion and a stout body, like those rough women of twenty-three or fourteen in Weicheng. Therefore, Wusu and Lili made the eyes of the people of this town shine.

They were born beautifully, with a snow-white complexion. Although a pair of small hands are not weak and boneless, they are not comparable to those rough hands full of calluses. And most importantly...... They had a different temperament than anyone else in the town had ever seen. They are dignified and elegant, and naturally carry an indescribable sense of nobility when dealing with people, but they do not have the power of those big families in the nearby county towns - on the one hand, they feel that they cannot be played with and are difficult to approach, and on the other hand, they make people feel that they are ...... Very kind.

- At least, that's what Shaoping thought. Sun Shaoping was now carrying a log with a thick bowl mouth alone and walking to the north of the town. He was sandwiched between two sides, and could only be seen through the gap between the woods. But that's at least ...... You can tell him to see "in the open." If he were to walk outside, he would probably "not squint" like the other young men, and only glance at them hurriedly and intently when he "wipes his sweat" and "coughs" too often.

But even that time is too short. They quickly walked past the door of Yu's house. Sun Shaoping took a few more steps sullenly, feeling that his shoulders were hot and itchy from the rough bark. So he suddenly took a sip on the ground: "That Yu Meng, it's so lazy to eat." I don't move my own hands, I just call people - the two girls are also miserable. ”

Talking about these things at such a time, no one should have paid attention to him. Unexpectedly, it received a warm and widespread response—the originally dull and anxious atmosphere eased slightly, and it seemed that the topic of the two girls had temporarily relieved the men.

And they began to talk about it. But it's not a help. Some people who have been to the house and the state laughed, saying that when Yu Meng saw it, he was the noble son of a big family. This big family is not the kind of big family in the county, but at least it has to be a rich young master in the state capital. The maids around such a noble man are probably much better than the old man Yu in the town, and in the future, the young master married Mrs. Zheng, and these two maids who have served since childhood are not able to marry into the concubine room.

From now on until death, as long as the family is undiminished, they will be clothed and fed...... It's still called life bitter like this, what are they called these bitter haha?

Shaoping understood in his heart, but he was not convinced, and muttered a few words angrily. So the man who became a family laughed. First of all, for such a big family, those things are their own affairs-if the young master did it himself, they would have to cry in panic. The two weak girls know that they are pampered when they look at their hands, so Young Master Yu doesn't need them to do things, what are they going to do?

After saying this, he joked about Shaoping, saying that he didn't have affection for those two maids - the one named Wusu looked like a sister, with a pair of almond eyes, and he looked very dignified, and he probably did things steadily. The one called Lili looked like his sister, and he had a pair of phoenix eyes, and he was also three points of charm when he didn't smile. It's just that two cute people like this probably don't look down on Shaoping you, so don't be delusional-

When he finished talking, he burst into a burst of good-natured laughter.

The laughter ran through the streets, and seemed to make the black clouds in the distance fade a little.

But after a while...... But suddenly the laughter stopped, and the people fell silent.

Because it's "snowing".

Clouds of white powder fell from the sky, as if winter snow had arrived early – a sign that the waves of fire were getting closer, they knew. If they don't get away with it...... Those two lovely people are going to be buried too.

The fire...... There is no distinction between expensive and cheap lives.

"It's ash. Yu Meng put the small sword on his lap, raised his hand to catch the ashes and looked at it, "There are still three or four days of effort." ”

His current tone and expression are completely different from the stupid Young Master Yu in Weicheng. Even because of the rush these days, his complexion has darkened and his body has become thinner. It seemed that his eyes were bigger.

Wu Su stopped and raised his hand: "Do we really have to stay here? I went to see the fire a few days ago, young master, it doesn't look like a mortal fire, it looks like a Taoist priest made it...... Could it be that they're looking for you—"

Yu Meng laughed: "Find me where to use this to mobilize the people." It's almost the same to deal with Li Yunxin...... But there's not been much news lately. No one dared to go to Dongting. ”

After a while, Lili suddenly said, "These people are really stupid. Why do you want to cut down the tree? I used to hear my third uncle say that at this time, just put a fire and burn it from the inside. ”

Yu Meng smiled again: "Time-sharing." They will definitely use this method, but not right now. We had to cut down and transport all these big and small trees, and then set fire to the remaining bushes. Otherwise, this forest is so dense, a fire has been lit and has not burned out, and the waves of fire over there have come again, which will not be good. ”

"Besides, the fire is over, but there is nothing left. Well, I can barely eat and save food. But what to heat in winter. It's freezing cold, and the roots of the trees beneath the ground are frozen—another snow crushes the house, or the next spring will have to sell some wood for money...... So they're not all about fire prevention right now. This is also considered to be a proper response to the master. In the past, I wanted to be a ...... of our family."

I accidentally said this, so I stopped and stopped talking. After being stunned for a while, he closed his eyes and leaned back on the rattan chair, and sighed softly: "Wait for Mr. Lu." ”

Wusu and Lili didn't speak, they only went to work in silence and distress.

It's been half a month since they came here. The young master of her family didn't say why he came here, but only said that he was the other person - his former mentor, one of the most famous masters in today's martial arts, and Lu Gongjiao, the "Water Sword" [Note 1].

So the next day also passed—and the Taoist priests of the schools in the countries still did not find any clues of Li Yunxin's deeds. It was also at this time that mortals in the world discovered a terrible fire. The capable state capital began to organize Xiang Yong to extinguish the fire, but soon realized that this flame was not an extraordinary fire - Li Yunxin and Cheng Kangzi fought, one side released the Nine Heavens Thunder Fire, and the other side released the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder. Where can mortals extinguish the flames of these two forces that are not worldly?

So this disaster could not be concealed, and it was reported layer by layer and heard to the sky.

At this level, it has to alarm the resident Taoist priests in the major cities. Nohara Forest ...... It feeds almost half of the surrounding population. Even the most stupid officials know what terrible consequences this reckless forest would have if it burned out. So the Taoist priests began to cast spells to try to extinguish the flames......

But it soon became clear that it was not as easy as they thought.

This is the flame ignited by a dragon son in the true realm, a Taoist priest in the true realm, who specializes in thunder and fire, when he is trying his best to fight to the death. Where can such a fire be easily extinguished by those disciples of the artistic conception and the virtual realm?

Therefore, three days later, after the disciples who had been sprinkled out to try to find Li Yunxin's traces had tried hard, the higher-ranking Taoist priests had to participate in this ...... Extinguishing the wildfires.

As a result, the originally scarce manpower became even more scarce, and Li Yunxin's whereabouts became even more mysterious.

And so, on the fifth day.

On the night of the fifth day, the sky in Changzhi Town was still not dark.

Instead, it turned a horrible, heart-palpitating blood-red.

You can already see the waves of fire. The waves of fire covered the sky and the sun, like a wall hundreds of meters high. The waves of fire bring not only high temperatures, but also strong winds. The powerful air currents swept into the sky, and the howling of gods and ghosts could be heard between the streets and houses of the entire Changzhi Town. This terrible hot wind dried everything away, and even the surface of the Turan River was covered with a misty white mist, as if the whole town had been swept into another dimension.

A day earlier, they had set fire to the dwarf bushes outside the town, and now there was a strip of separation between the town and the wild plain forest, which was tens of meters wide. People gathered in the streets, breathing in the scorching, choking air, with containers of water in their hands, waiting in horror for the verdict of the flames.

Around the end of the day (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.), the forest outside the zone was finally set on fire. The waves of fire stood up outside the town - even if you put your head up, you couldn't see the top of the waves. It seems to burn all the way to the sky, and the next moment it will collapse. The town is surrounded by flaming peaks – on the edge of the fog-heavy Turan River.

The crackling sound of the trees burning is louder than the firecrackers during the Chinese New Year. But the whistling of the air stream was louder than the crackling sound—the sensible but not very old children cried in fright, but the cry was faint in such a sound, and it was only an inconspicuous vignette.

The burning continued for half an hour—the water in the town's buckets and basins began to warm up. But the efforts of the previous five days seem to have finally borne fruit, and the flame has not crossed the barrier. Among the scorched earth they burned was uncut roots, which were beginning to smoke from the extreme heat. So in the land outside the town, it seems that there are hundreds of smokers smoking pots underground. But fortunately, it was only green smoke - after half an hour, it didn't burn.

This scene is strange and terrifying, but people slowly relax and feel that this catastrophe is probably indeed going to escape.

And so, two more hours passed. No one dared to sleep with their eyes closed, and they were all on guard - most of the houses in the town were made of wood, and if there was a fire, all the work would be lost.

While keeping vigil, people began to talk slowly and in low voices. It seems that if you speak loudly, you will alarm the evil spirits hidden in the flames and bring bad luck. They drank water, ate and watched vigilantly about everything around them, on the terrible waves of fire not far away.

But in general, their tension was slowly relieved. What to think about next...... It's how to survive this cold winter. The coming year is spring, how to find a way out. Maybe you can switch to farming. If the wilderness forest burns like this, the land will be extremely fertile. Maybe bring in a few croppers from a neighboring state capital, and they can switch from foresters to farmers.

It's just that I don't know whose family belongs to this wild forest - they have guarded this forest for so many years, except for the taxes of the government, it is true that no one has come to declare ownership. However, I heard from the old people in the town that the forests in this part of the town they ruled, including the wider and wider forests, were indeed someone's private property.

And just like that, two more hours later.

People began to get sleepy, some became drowsy.

But at this moment, someone frowned again.

Sun Shaoping and a few young companions stood outside the town. At first, they stood with water on their shoulders, gritting their teeth and enduring the scorching heat, ready to extinguish the flames. As the three hours passed, they also felt tired, so they laid down their buckets and sat down. Eat the dry food you brought with you first, and then occasionally chat a few words to pass the time.

Sun Shaoping was concerned not only about the fire, but also about the girls in the town's house - he didn't know why he couldn't eat or sleep well these days, and there was always an indescribable energy in his heart, but he really didn't know how to get rid of it.

So this night, he stared at a tree dozens of meters away, next to the separation zone, stunned, and thought about his thoughts.

For example, when is the girl leaving...... His third uncle said that in the future, Young Master Yu would accept them as concubines, so what about now......?

He felt that he was much better than that Young Master Yu, and he would not summon people. If you marry a Wusu girl or a divorced girl, you must not even let them touch the spring water......

He had studied in the county school for three years in the past, and he was literate, so it was not a humiliation to them...... At that time, the family was also fine......

Staring at the tree like this, I thought about it in a mess...... Then he straightened up, frowned, and sighed softly.

No one could hear his exclamation. But Sun Shaoping then stood up and took a few steps forward, leaned his neck to see the tree in the distance that he had been staring at for a long time-

Something is wrong......

[Note 1]: See Chapter 102 The Young Master's Secret.

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5000 words delivered.

I also want to add a change to yesterday's new helmsman. But don't wait, it's the second half of the night.

Something is very wrong with the recent subscription. If I continue like this, not only will I not have a good New Year, but I may not be able to guarantee a normal life.

Therefore, some measures may be taken in the near future on the premise of ensuring updating.

Forgive me if life is forced. (To be continued.) )