Let's say that Dai Hu followed Ruan Shuipei to get the food, and after about a quarter of an hour, the four of them returned with the food, and Huang Sheng had already returned to the cave with two jars of wine. The meal was laid out on the stone table, and it was full. Looking at the ingredients of the meal, there are a few common ones, but each of them is very delicately done, and the arrangement is also very neat, there are fried cabbage, fried bamboo shoots with mutton, dried bracken mixed with garlic, water cress rabbit meat, loofah soup, steamed fish and fried fish, and stewed pheasant with taro is placed in the middle and has quite a ridge on top. What Dai Hu served in his hand was a large pot of rice, put it on the other side, open the lid first, and the rice was fragrant. Ling Fangrui helped everyone serve rice.

A few people sat around the stone table, eight people, two people in each direction, just right. Huang Sheng and his granddaughter Ruan Shuipei sat facing the entrance of the cave, Ling Fangrui and Duanmu Kang on the left, Yang Yuzhong and Dai Hu on the right, and Yin Jingping and Yan Bin sat opposite.

Before starting, Huang Shang said: "For more than ten years, it is the first time to eat at the same table with so many people, and it is fate. ”

Yan Bin and others repeatedly said "yes".

Huang Sheng said again: "There is no need to say so much reason, since everyone already knows each other, not to mention that everyone is hungry now, let's talk while eating!" After that, chopsticks picked up a piece of fish meat and tasted it, a little surprised, and said slowly: "This is the taste of the south." ”

Ruan Shuipei was a little puzzled and asked, "Grandpa, how do you know?"

Huang Sheng said: "Grandpa used to travel all over the world, and he has eaten food from all over the world. Fish, both in the north and in the south, is common at the dinner table. However, there is still a difference in the way fish is made in the north and the south, the north likes to fry and fry, and the south likes to steam and stew, and the ingredients are more fierce than those in the south. But these are not the most critical, you think, a person who has lived in the north for more than ten years suddenly eats a meal in the south, and the similarities and differences can be naturally distinguished. After that, look at Ling Fangrui and say, "Listening to this girl's accent, you know that she is a southerner, right?"

Ling Fangrui nodded and said: "The seniors are really careful, I have lived in the north for several years, and I have learned a northern dialect, and now I feel that I am no different from talking to the northerners, I can't imagine that the seniors still know me as a southerner." My home is in Xiuzhou, South. ”

Huang Shang said: "Xiuzhou, a good place, it is closer to my own home, where I often went to play when I was young, and then a lot of changes happened, and I came to the north." Immediately, the two talked about some southern things, but Huang Sheng was an official, and no one mentioned it. Huang Sheng said something to the others.

Ruan Shuipei still only ate a few bites, then got up and squeezed between Ling Fangrui and Duanmu Kang, talking and laughing. Huang Sheng knew that her granddaughter didn't eat much, so it was useless to persuade her at this time, so she simply let her go.

I only listened to Huang Sheng and Yan Bin chatting a few more words, Yan Bin asked about his family motto, but it was completely different from what he imagined, Yan Bin's family motto, Huang Shang knew it from Yan Bin's person with the same surname many years ago, Huang Shang saw that the family motto was written in reason, so he wrote it down carefully, and later said it to Ruan Shuipei.

Duanmu Kang also only ate half a bowl of rice, then put down the dishes and chopsticks, closed his eyes and listened to the crowd, as if he was very tired. Ruan Shuipei kept talking and teasing him, and he only barely smiled.

Then, Duanmu Kang leaned back and fell to the ground. Seeing that the situation was not good, Ruan Shuipei immediately stretched out his wrist to wrap his neck, but despite this, because Ruan Shuipei was young and had less strength, the two fell to the ground together. Ruan Shuipei saw that Duanmu Kang's eyes were closed, and the arm holding his neck also noticed that his pulse was getting weaker and weaker, and shouted, "He passed out again." ”

Ruan Shuipei's words overshadowed the sound of several people chatting, everyone stopped chatting and looked over here, Ling Fangrui immediately squatted down to look, and helped Duanmu Kang on the ground with Ruan Shuipei.

Huang Sheng picked up the bottle that was brought into the hole with the two jars of wine, poured out a pill and stuffed it into Duanmu Kang's mouth, and scooped a spoonful of loofah soup into it. Seeing Duanmu Kang's throat move, everyone knew that Duanmu Kang had already taken the pill into his stomach, and the tense nerves and face at the moment slowly eased.

Ling Fangrui asked, "Senior, what is Akang's illness, didn't he wake up before, why did he faint again after such a while?"

Huang Sheng sighed and replied: "There is nothing you can do! As I said before, there is really nothing you can do!"

Ling Fangrui then remembered that Huang Sheng had said that "powerless" was not modest, knowing that the pill was only temporarily allowing Duanmu Kang to act as usual, not once and for all, at the moment, his face was like ashes, tears were swirling under his eyelids, and he was almost about to rush out. The rest of the people didn't have the heart to continue eating, and wanted to wait to hear what Huang Sheng had to say.

Huang Sheng said: "The poison in this child is the same as my granddaughter's previous poisoning, but it is different, Shui Pei, this child is only poisoned and naturally weak, she can use internal force to help her breathe while taking the pill, but this child has eaten that poisonous palm, and all the internal organs are suffering from poisonous gas." If he uses internal strength to treat his internal injuries, the poisonous gas will spread homeopathically, and if the poisonous gas on his body is treated, the already damaged internal organs will naturally not be able to bear it. Therefore, he cannot rely on external forces, but only let him work hard to regulate his own pranayama. But I've already tried, this kid doesn't know martial arts at all, and naturally he can't do it by himself. ”

Dai Hu hurriedly said: "Then he should learn the method of internal strength quickly, can't he?"

Huang Sheng replied lightly: "Dry rut carp." He also said: "Practicing internal strength, he naturally can't do it in a short time, his internal organs are damaged, and now he is afraid that he will stumble even when he walks." Hey!"

Ling Fangrui said, "Is there really no other way?"

Huang Sheng shook his head and said nothing, took the bottle containing the pill, stretched it out in front of Ling Fangrui, sighed, and said, "The pills are all in it, one more day of life is counted as one day." ”

Ling Fangrui didn't immediately reach out to pick it up, at this time, the tears in her eyes had already gushed out, her voice was a little choked, and she said, "There is also a time when the pill is finished." He added: "Why wasn't it me who was injured, Ah Kang is still a child, he has been drifting with me all these years, and he has suffered a lot, and in the end, he can't even save his life, I hurt him." ”

Yin Jingping saw that his junior sister Ling Fangrui was very sad, and said softly: "Senior sister, you are not wrong, the fault is that I failed to resist the palm of the surnamed Zhang." Ling Fangrui was silent, and Yin Jingping continued: "Over the years, you have protected him everywhere and loved him, and your biological mother may not be able to do so well, besides, if you adopt him, he is an orphan and is destined to live in the rivers and lakes, and he may be even more miserable." ”

After taking the pill, Duanmu Kang had already woken up at this time, and said, "Mother, don't be sad, Ah Kang heard you speak, over the years, you and Brother Yin have loved me very much, and Ah Kang is very content." Ling Fangrui hugged Duan Mukang tightly, and let out a painful voice, it was really heart-rending pain.

Ruan Shuipei on the side looked at this scene, her eyes were already moist, she knew that comforting the sad person at this time would only make the sad person even more sad, so she didn't say anything comforting, just watched quietly.

Ruan Shuipei slowly turned his head and said to Huang Shang: "Grandpa, why don't you try again, Shui Pei really can't bear to see him die." ”

Huang Sheng shook his head and said softly: "It's not that grandpa can't save him when he sees death, it's that there is really no way, it will take five or six years to save this doll, but how can grandpa have five or six years to live? Fortunately, your illness is almost cured, and I have no regrets about leaving. ”

Ruan Shuipei heard that his grandfather said that he was going to die, and immediately hugged Huang Sheng and said: "Grandpa, you won't die, you can't die, if you die, Shui Pei will live alone in the mountains, who will hurt Shui Pei." ”

Huang Shang replied: "It's a human being, it will die, you have read those books, whether it is an emperor or an ordinary person, who can not die." Besides, grandpa has lived a lot of age, many years longer than ordinary people, and finally lived up to the trust, healed you, and after some time, when you go home healthy and healthy, grandpa has no worries. Both grandfather and grandson began to cry.

At this time, the sound of crying, choking, and sighing in the cave was one in unison.

After a long time, Huang Sheng said to Ling Fangrui: "Child, you must not be too sad, in this way, this doll will stay by my side, as long as I am alive, I will definitely do my best to save him, if I go before he is cured, there is no way." ”

Ling Fangrui said: "I don't know what to do, the senior and Sister Shui Pei are talking, and I also heard it." ”

Ruan Shuipei ran over and tightened Ling Fangrui's shirt and said, "Good sister, just let Duanmu stay, there is always a benefit to living one more day." ”

Ling Fangrui stretched out her hand to touch Ruan Shuipei's face, she was very grateful, thinking about it, knowing that Duanmu Kang stayed by Huang Shang's side, there was still a possibility of healing, if she stayed by her side, when the pill was exhausted, it should also be the time when Duanmu Kang died of poison. At that moment, he pulled Duanmu Kang to kneel on the ground and kowtowed to thank him.

Huang Sheng said: "No need to do this, I don't dare to guarantee that this doll will be cured before I die, if I can't do anything, I hope you don't blame me." ”

Ling Fangrui said: "The younger generation naturally knows this truth, and promised to save Ah Kang, our mother and son are already very grateful, whether it succeeds or not, it depends on Ah Kang's creation." ”

Huang Shang said: "In this case, let's make a rule!"

Ling Fangrui said, "What are the rules?"

The three people of Jifeng Village were a little surprised when they heard that Huang Shang wanted to establish rules, and they didn't know how Huang Sheng would "embarras" this mother and daughter.

I only heard Huang Sheng say: "The rules are simple to say, but it is still very difficult to ensure that they are done." ”

Ling Fangrui heard Huang Sheng say this, but her heart sank, she didn't know what kind of rules Huang Sheng would use to "embarras" herself, and said: "Senior, please say, I will do my best." ”

Huang Sheng said lightly: "This rule is similar to the rule set when Shui Pei first went up, this child stays on the mountain and is healed by me, without my permission, you must not secretly go up the mountain to visit." ”

Ling Fangrui nodded in agreement and said, "What else?"

Huang Shang said: "No." ”

Hearing that Huang Sheng only said such a rule, everyone was a little surprised.

Huang Sheng explained: "It's not that I'm an old man who deliberately embarrasses you, but practicing the inner strength of the mind and emphasizing the word 'quiet', if you often go up the mountain to visit, how can this child calm down." When Shui Pei's child went up the mountain for treatment, I couldn't bear to let them be separated and not see each other, so I allowed her parents to go up the mountain to visit every year, so that Shui Pei's illness was cured a year later. Now the situation is different, there is no time to waste, therefore, you cannot go up the mountain to meet each other, I hope you can understand. And he said, "You leave an address, if you die, I am not dead, and in six years the child will be healed and healed, and then he will go down the mountain to find you." If you are afraid that I will harm this child, everything is another matter, and you can come and take this child back at any time. But if you break the rules, I won't cure you anymore!"

Speaking of never seeing each other, although Ling Fangrui was a little embarrassed, if she wanted to say that Huang Sheng would harm Duanmukang, Ling Fangrui naturally didn't believe it, and nodded and agreed in order to recover Duanmukang as soon as possible.

The three of them kowtowed to Huang Shang again and got up. The three of Jifengzhai said goodbye and left, and Ling and Yin prepared to go down the mountain the next morning. Before going down the mountain, Ruan Shuipei took Dai Hu to the cellar again and took a lot of melons and fruits as farewell gifts, Dai Hu took off a knife ring and gave it to Ruan Shuipei, and said: "Little doll, if you encounter any difficult things, ask someone to send this knife ring up the mountain, it is the sword mountain and the sea of fire, I will also break through for your little doll." Ruan Shuipei knew that Dai Hu's kung fu was still inferior to herself, but when she heard Dai Hu say this, she was also very moved. The two talked a lot more, and they were happy.

There were only five people left on the mountain, and Huang Sheng took advantage of the fact that Ruan Shuipei and Duanmu Kang went to play outside the cave, and asked about the accident at Ruan Shuipei's house mentioned in the letter.

Huang Shang said: "Right now, the injuries on Shui Pei's body have almost been healed, since Ah Bing is still alive, it is okay for Shui Pei to go home and let Ah Bing work hard for her at night." Shui Pei, this child has been on the mountain for so many years, and she should be allowed to go home for a good reunion. The most important thing is that her father had an accident, and she should be filial piety as a daughter. After that, he sighed and said, "But, how should I tell her about this matter!"

Ling Fangrui saw that Huang Shang's face was very embarrassed, and she was grateful in her heart that he promised to save Duanmu Kang, and immediately said: "I will go to her for my predecessor and tell her that I will send her home after going down the mountain tomorrow morning." ”

Huang Sheng nodded in thanks and said, "Then it's bothering the girl!" Ling Fangrui turned around and went out. Huang Sheng said to Yin Jingping: "Good man, help me go and set up the Dan furnace, and start refining the pill for that kid tonight." ”

It was time for dinner, and Ling Fangrui had already prepared the meal and called Huang Sheng and Yin Jingping to eat. It's still a place where a few people eat at noon, and the food is still very exquisite, but the amount is obviously much smaller. Huang Sheng sat on the stone bench and saw Ruan Shuipei walking in with a dish, her eyes were red and swollen, she had cried, and her face no longer had the playful smile she had before, obviously, she already knew about her father's murder.

Ruan Shuipei put the food in his hand on the stone table, approached Huang Shang, snuggled in his arms, and said softly: "Grandpa, I will go down the mountain tomorrow morning." ”

Huang Shang saw that Ruan Shuipei, who was usually lively and lovely, became so sad and responded softly: "Okay." ”

This time she ate, Ruan Shuipei was no longer chewing and swallowing as slowly as before, at this time, she put the food into her mouth in one go, gobbled it up, and then ran to the cave and vomited.

Several people knew that Ruan Shuipei was covering up the pain in his heart, and it was not easy to persuade him. When he returned to the cave, he said, "I'm full, I'm going to study." "Turn around and leave, Huang Sheng and the others naturally don't stop them.

The sullen meal was finally over, and the sky was getting dark. The four of them walked out of the Five Immortal Caves, and Huang Sheng took the three of them to the Eight Immortal Caves to rest. Compared with the Five Immortal Caves, the Eight Immortal Caves are much smaller, looking at the decoration inside, it looks like a girl's boudoir, and there are only two stone rooms in the cave. Huang Shang said: "There are two stone rooms here, the room on the right is Shui Pei's room, and the room on the left, I will sleep every few days, and the three of us will live here tonight! ”

After Huang Sheng left, Yin Jingping said: "Senior sister, after going down the mountain tomorrow to send the little girl doll home, are you going to live at the bottom of the mountain, or do you have other plans?" The "other plans" he said naturally meant whether Ling Fangrui would continue to look for Duanmu Kang's father, but he didn't say it explicitly.

Ling Fangrui seemed to be told through by Yin Jingping, she originally had the intention of living at the foot of the mountain and waiting for Duanmukang, but she thought of the rules set by Huang Shang, knowing that doing so would only cause unnecessary incidents and was not conducive to Duanmukang's treatment, so she asked rhetorically: "What are the plans of the eldest brother?"

Yin Jingping shook his head and said: "I have already violated the agreement between you and Master, I have already used martial arts when I was hunting in the mountains yesterday, and now I can't follow you anymore, I am ready to go back to Master, it has been several years, and I miss the people in Zhuangli." ”

Ling Fangrui said lightly: "Let's go back together." ”

Yin Jingping heard this, and hurriedly said: "Senior sister, you, do you really go back?" Obviously a little surprised by Ling Fangrui's words, Ling Fangrui nodded, he knew that what Ling Fangrui said was true, and at the moment, he said to himself: "This is really good." The people of the village will definitely miss you. ”

Ling Fangrui said: "Big brother, I've been tired for two days and one night, you go and rest, tomorrow we must send Ruan Meizi to her family safely, but we can't be negligent." ”

encountered so many things, Yin Jingping naturally didn't rest well, and felt very sleepy, and said, "Okay, you and Ah Kang should also rest early." ”

Ling Fangrui said: "Don't close the stone gate, I'll talk to Ah Kang for a while, and Ah Kang will be with you later." As she spoke, her white cheeks were already slightly red, Yin Jingping looked at Duanmu Kang's size, and immediately understood that she was no longer a child, and her junior sister Ling Fangrui was still an unmarried girl. Yin Jingping was a little embarrassed, nodded immediately, and entered the stone room.

Ling Fangrui chatted with Duanmukang, first chatted about some interesting things when she was wandering in the rivers and lakes in the past few years, and later, Ling Fangrui said some things that she had only seen with Mukang's father, and then Ling Fangrui told Duanmukang some things about her family.

More than half an hour has passed,

It was already dark, Shui Pei came into the cave, Ling Fangrui said, "Coming?" Ruan Shui Pei nodded in agreement. The three of them chatted for a while, Duanmu Kang went into the stone room to find Yin Jingping to rest, and Ling and Ruan walked into another stone room.

Tomorrow morning, Ruan Shuipei will leave the cave where he has lived since he was a child, leaving his grandfather who has been taking care of him; Duanmu Kang will also be separated from his adoptive mother Ling Fangrui and Yin Jingping, who have been with him for many years; although Yin Jingping is resting on the bed, what has happened in the past few years is spinning in his mind from time to time, plus he will go to Lihuazhuang in the south, he is very excited, and he can't sleep for a long time; Huang Sheng is also very sad, although he knows that Ruan Shuipei's grandmother is still alive, and he has almost cured Ruan Shuipei's illness, but for so many years, he has regarded Ruan Shuipei as his own granddaughter, and he thought that his granddaughter will go home tomorrow morning, that kind of inseparable mood can't be expressed.

Everyone couldn't sleep, and Ling Fangrui told Ruan Shuipei about some things that had taken Duanmu Kang to the north and south in the past few years. In a daze, it's already dawn. This night was hard for everyone here, but after all, they had survived, and everything had to be done.

Ruan Shuipei woke up very early, or rather, she didn't sleep all night.

Ling Fangrui woke up and found that she was the only one in the bed, so she immediately got up, woke up Yin Jingping and Duanmu Kang in the other stone room, and went out of the cave to find Ruan Shuipei's traces.

Fortunately, it began to snow last night, and according to the footprints on the snow, the three of them looked for it, but as they walked, the footprints on the ground became dense, and they did not look like human footprints. When he was confused, he saw Huang Shang wandering with his hands in his hands, and then he turned his neck to look into the distance. When he met Ling Fangrui and the other three, he didn't speak, and several people looked at each other. It turned out that he was refining pills in the cave, and early in the morning, he saw a group of snow wolves roaring past outside the cave, and knew that it was not good, so he hurried to see what was going on.

A howl broke the dull atmosphere at this moment, and Huang Sheng said, "It's a snow wolf!" Before the words fell, I saw a long dragon rushing out from the bend of the mountain, extremely fast. Where the long dragon passed, the snowflakes on the ground were driven to fly in the air, which was very spectacular.

Closer, a few people saw clearly that this long dragon turned out to be a team composed of some wolves, leopards and other beasts, and there was no trace of Ruan Shuipei. Not far away, the team stopped, and a person jumped down from the back of the leopard, it was Ruan Shuipei. It turned out that Ruan Shuipei was lying on his body with the leopard around his neck, and his short stature made him short, so he didn't see it. She was still dressed in the same way that Ling Fangrui and the three of them had when they first met, but her eyes were slightly red, obviously crying.

Ruan Shuipei walked straight over and said, "Are you all here to look for me? I won't run away, my father was killed, and my daughter should go back to keep filial piety, I understand these truths." ”

The crowd was silent. Ruan Shuipei continued: "It's time to go down the mountain, I got up early today to let these livestock out, and I may not see them in the future." He said, "Sister Ling, when are we going down the mountain?"

Ling Fangrui said: "I'll leave after breakfast!"

Ruan Shuipei said "um", turned around and put his little hand in Huang Shang's palm, and said, "Grandpa, I had a lot to say to you last night, but I don't know where to start." I also learned what the book says, kowtow to you. "Kneel down.

Huang Sheng hurriedly pulled Ruan Shuipei up, hugged him in his arms, and then carried it on his back, and several people walked in the direction of the Five Immortal Cave. Huang Shang's eyes were also a little moist, and the granddaughter who she took care of was going down the mountain today, and the reluctance in her heart was indescribable. In his heart, Ruan Shuipei was already his dearest person, although he knew that she would have to go down the mountain to find her real relatives sooner or later, but when this day suddenly came, that kind of reluctance came to his heart, and he was faintly in pain.

This moment has finally come, breakfast is over, Ruan Shuipei followed Ling and Yin down the mountain according to the agreement, and asked Duanmu Kang to help take care of her domesticated livestock before leaving.

Huang Sheng and Duanmu Kang sent the three of them across the frozen lake until they stopped at the path down the mountain.

Ruan Shuipei wiped his tears with his sleeve, and so did Duanmu Kang.

Although it is not a parting of life and death, the separation at this time still makes several people sad.

At the lower mountain pass, Huang Sheng handed the vial he took yesterday to Ling Fangrui, and said, "The rivers and lakes are sinister, give this vial to the girl for self-defense!" Ling Fangrui looked at it, but did not reach out to take it, and said: "The pill is not easy to refine, and the younger generation does not dare to take it lightly, this pill is used to save Akang." Huang Sheng said: "You're welcome, there is still half a bottle of such a pill on the mountain! Can it detoxify other poisons, the old man has not tried it, but this pill is specially configured for Zhang Hongshan's kid's poison skills, if you fight them again in the future, it can be used for self-defense." Besides, last night, the old man had already set up the Dan furnace and refined it again. ”

Ling Fangrui said: "Thank you seniors for your kindness, but the juniors will be disrespectful!", and at that moment, she put away the medicine bottle.

When the figures of the three slowly faded out of sight, Huang Sheng sighed, and then said to Duanmu Kang: "Child, let's go back!"