(a)

The sky is windless, the sky is cloudless, the air seems a little dull and hot, the depths of the boundless grassland, there is a faint sound of rapid horses' hooves, and from time to time there are goshawks hovering over the green grass, their big wings fly in the wind, and their sharp eyes look around for the hare running in the grass, the hare raises its gray ears, and flies into the cave like a falcon. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

In the distance, across a grassland, a vibrant world is presented, with green mountains and green waters, reflecting each other, and in that world, its desolation and pathos are faintly revealed, and the silent ruins seem to tell a beautiful and legendary story. The ruins seem to have been washed by the war, leaving only the decadent walls, the black earthen walls are patterns of ghost paintings, and it seems to be some kind of religious totem, which seems extremely mysterious and terrifying.

This ruin is extremely vast, like a dilapidated town, many yurts dot this desolate ruined city, fortunately today is the most memorable day, here gathered merchants from all over the world, people in the rivers and lakes, as well as officials with fat brains, and even humorous Persians, fierce and vicious Rakshasas, eccentric and arrogant Loulan people, rough and straightforward Wusi people. In some mysterious faint peeks out some strangely dressed people, like dervishes from the 'temple'. Everyone knows that at a certain time, there will be batches of horse thieves who burn and loot on the grassland. However, horse thieves can kill and plunder on the steppe, lawless, but they do not dare to be presumptuous in the gathering place of the ruins, and whoever dares to provoke the owners of the ruins, what awaits them will be endless killing. No one knows who the owner of the ruins is, whether he is a man or a woman, only that this is the rule he has set, no matter who enters the ruins, it is forbidden to kill and rob, and whoever dares not to abide by this rule will be killed! There was once a man from outside who did not know the rules and robbed a valuable object in the ruins, and his head hung on the high earthen wall that day, and a group of horse thieves accidentally crashed into the ruins and looted them, and then all of them were killed on the spot, and the murderer was a black-clad masked man with a knife in his hand, and the knife was strange and strange. Since then, no one has dared to violate the ban on ruins. The ruins are not only a gathering place, but also a small trade fair, where you can buy what you want as long as you have enough gold. Yes, the ruins were traded with all gold, not silver or brass. However, the fair is not held every day, and it is only held on the ninth day of September every year. So far, the fair has been successfully held 30 times, so it can be estimated that 30 years have passed. And today is the time of the trade fair, and today is also the most lively time of the Ruins Festival, and the ruins gathering place has long been overcrowded.

When Shen Yuan's group of people stood at the gate of the ruins gathering place, they were stunned by what they saw in front of them, they couldn't believe their eyes, the empty grassland revealed a bit of loneliness and vicissitudes, and there were no people around, I didn't expect to see so many people in this ruins gathering place, and there were foreigners who had never seen before.

Leng Ruohan's eyes contracted suddenly, and he patted his forehead angrily: "Oh, I forgot, today is the Ninth Ruins Festival ......of the Ninth Lunar New Year!"

Mu Ning muttered with a strange expression: "It's really strange, I've been here every year for the Ruin Festival, but I've never seen so many people, why are there so many people this year, is there something strange or something treasure has been born?"

In order not to cause trouble, Yin Xue Ji has used a veil to cover her peerless face at this moment, Rao is so, her plump and delicate figure frequently attracts the eyes of the perverts, and the obscene ** gaze is extremely **, which makes Shen Yuanzhi frown, and the killing thoughts in his heart are frequent.

"What ruin festival?" Shen Yuan calmly relaxed his mood and asked puzzled.

Yin Xue Ji said in a low voice: "This trade fair has existed for thirty years, and it has always been presided over by an unknown mysterious person, and the transaction currency can only be gold, not silver? And there is also a prohibition in the Ruins Festival, no one is allowed to rob and kill people during the Ruins Festival, and the violators will die! Brother Yuan, you must not cause more trouble, so as not to attract death!"

Shen Yuan's mouth was full of taste, and he originally wanted to take the opportunity to teach the group of lascivious people with bad intentions a lesson, but it seemed that it still wouldn't work, but in his heart, he had a curiosity about the Ruin Festival? Who is the organizer of the Ruin Festival? How high will his martial arts be? Is he a man or a woman? What are the rare treasures in the Ruin Festival? His heart can't help but be full of anticipation, maybe it will bring him many surprises, and his interest is suddenly high, and his narrow phoenix eyes flashed with joy and excitement. So far, there is gold, hehe, there are many owl beasts, and the coffin made of pure gold is only used a little bit, and I am wondering if there is no place to spend it?

"Brother Yuan, what are you thinking?" Yin Xue Ji saw Shen Yuan dancing with flying eyebrows, and asked in confusion.

Shen Yuan coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment: "I'm thinking...... Where is your secret place? Mo Lao's injury matters! hehe......"

Leng Ruohan's eyes looked at the bustling crowd indifferently, and he didn't know if there was any hidden enemy among them, his face became even more solemn, and he said in a low voice: "You come with me!"

A group of people moved along the yurts, large and small, and saw only that the stall setters and traders exercised extremely calmly, silently trading, and whenever they came across something they were satisfied, they would hand over gold and deliver it with the other. Shen Yuan escorted Yin Xueji as he walked, his eyes swept at the stalls around him, his lips twitched, phew, they are all some garbage goods, and they don't seem to be worth much, they actually dare to use gold as a unit, are those people wronged, or are all stupid.

Yin Xue Ji seemed to see Shen Yuan's disdain, and said in a low voice: "Brother Yuan, these are some scattered masters, take some defective products out to buy, and the people who buy are all powerless people, and there is not much spare gold in their hands, if I guess correctly, these people who buy goods are gold diggers under the gold mine boss." ”

At this moment, Shen Yuan found that these people who bought goods all seemed to be strong, dressed extremely plainly, and the fabrics were all folk homespun cloths, and their expressions were a little unnatural, their foreheads were full of beads of sweat, and their hands holding the gold were rough and trembling slightly, as if they were eager to pinch a little gold into two knots to use, and their eyes were wandering around in panic.

Leng Ruohan said lightly: "The ruin festival has not officially started yet, the real good goods are gathered in those yurts, and those rare treasures will appear even later, and there will even be an auction." ”

"Auction?" Shen Yuan looked at Leng Ruohan suspiciously, not knowing what he meant.

Mu Ning explained with a smile: "Sect Master, there will only be an auction if there is a strange treasure, and the person who presides over the auction is the owner of the ruins, this year is so lively, I am afraid that there will really be something amazing, so many people will be attracted to the ruins, and even the temple that has never eaten fireworks in the world has sent people?"

Shen Yuan smiled strangely and said softly, "Could it be that that strange treasure is a temple thing?"

Mu Ning looked startled, and said in amazement: "It's possible!"

"I'd like to see it!" Shen Yuan grinned with interest.

Leng Ruohan said indifferently: "The sect leader is still in the mood to participate in the Ruin Festival, aren't you afraid that our enemies will be hidden in it?"

Shen Yuan glanced at Leng Ruohan and said disapprerovingly: "Since you have encountered it, why don't you open your eyes? I have never seen this kind of scene, not to mention that there is still a ban in the ruins gathering place? Forgive them for not daring to deal with us openly? When you recover from your injuries, you will naturally have a way to deal with them!"

Leng Ruohan was stunned: "The sect leader wants to stay here?"

Shen Yuan rolled his eyes and said coldly, "Could it be that you disabled people still want to rush back to Xuanjiao?"

Leng Ruohan's face was red and white for a while, he lowered his head and was silent, and walked forward with a sullen breath.

At this moment, there are naturally some ill-intentioned people in the crowd, if it weren't for the rules of the fair, they would have picked up the guy and cut it down. From their obscene eyes constantly shooting between Shen Yuan and Yin Xue Ji, those old, weak, sick and disabled people naturally filtered, making people feel as if they had been stripped of their clothes by a pair of eyes, Yin Xue Ji approached Shen Yuan without saying a word, Shen Yuan frowned in annoyance, his anger burned, and his eyes burst into sharp light.

Leng Ruohan was enraged by their unscrupulous gaze, snorted coldly, a silent chill spread everywhere, and the air around seemed to enter the extremely cold place for a moment, and the crowd looked at them, slightly surprised in their hearts, and a little excited and surprised, they all gathered their greedy eyes and made a detour.

Leng Ruohan didn't want to meet with these people for a moment, and hurriedly led everyone to another place, separated by a ruin, erecting one wall after another, where a group of people who hid from enemies and wars or wanted to hide in the mountains and wilderness, using the prestige of this gathering place, silently living in this vast grassland, undisputed and unrestrained.

When everyone entered this ruined place, they found that this place was extremely quiet, the dark earthen houses hidden under the earthen walls seemed extremely silent, Leng Ruohan led everyone to a earthen house, not far from the door squatted an old man smoking tobacco from Dashi, wrinkled, dark face, like a hill has dried up and cracked field, there is no expression of joy and sorrow, there is no other color in those eyes, all are white, it looks extremely empty.

Looking at the old man, Leng Ruohan's cold face finally showed a layer of relief and joy, and he called softly: "Bai Nuo, you ......"

"Slow!" Shen Yuan interrupted him, stretched out his hand to stop Leng Ruohan's progress, his eyebrows were deeply locked, his ears trembled slightly, his keen eyes swept around, and he said coldly, "Come out!"

"What are you doing?" Leng Ruohan was a little annoyed and angry, and he still didn't like Shen Yuan very much.

Shen Yuan's gaze swept towards the earthen wall, and he said indifferently, "Do you come out by yourself, or let us invite you out?"

As the words fell, the surrounding air seemed to be pulled by some invisible force, and a white figure appeared in the field, and then the old man with a sad face stood up, his white eyes rolled slightly, and in an instant he returned to black and white eyeballs, and said approvingly: "This must be the new sect leader of the 'Xuanjiao', it is really terrifying!"

"Who are you?" Leng Ruohan's face changed greatly, his voice trembled violently, and an extremely cold murderous aura burst out, "What about Bai Nuo?

The old man shook his head leisurely: "Leng Ruohan, you have always been a very calm and conceited person, why are you so irritable today?" When Leng Ruohan's murderous gaze shot over again, the old man smiled and said, "Don't worry, the old man only let him sleep peacefully, and there is absolutely no danger to his life?"

Shen Yuan asked suspiciously: "Since the predecessors have no grievances and no enmity with the 'Xuanjiao', why are the people who injured me still ambushed here today? Could it be that you have this habit? I understand that some people have a lot of strange tempers, like to play pranks, and like to hide and be scary?"

The old man's face turned red and white for a while, and he scolded: ", the old man is not a child, he likes to play pranks? Hmph, in fact, I am saving him, and you 'Xuanjiao' owe the old man a favor?"

"Oh, what kind of rescue is hiding and hiding cats, the kid doesn't know, and I hope the old man will explain?" Shen Yuan said with disdain, muttering in his mouth, "Nothing to offer, either treachery or theft." ”

The white shadow man said in a coquettish voice: "You are not allowed to speak ill of the master?" Her voice was clear and clean, but it was full of anger, and a pair of cold eyes glared fiercely at Shen Yuan through the thin white veil.

Shen Yuan said contemptuously: "Who knows what kind intentions the old man has, what attention does he pay attention to?"

The old man's face was full of smiles, and he said slowly: "The old man doesn't spare the circle anymore, it's too much to say." Here's what happened: cough, old man...... It should be Xiang'er who accidentally discovered a big secret. The ghost old man is connecting with people in the gathering place, and he wants to destroy you when you go to the 'Yellow River Valley', but he is afraid of being driven away by the people of the Central Plains, after all, the other party is still a Rakshasa people, so they are ready to use the firearms of the Rakshasa people to do it on your way out of the customs, so that you will never be able to return to the 'Xuanjiao', then the 'Xuanjiao' will become their world!"

Shen Yuan said with a strange expression: "Old man, your news is too ill-informed? First, the ghost old man's treacherous plan was exposed, and he went to hell one step earlier; second, we not only met the Rakshasas, but also sent them to see the ghost old man?"

"I naturally see it, otherwise there wouldn't be so many disabled people?" the old man smiled slyly, "The young man only knows one thing, but he doesn't know the other, and the ghost old man has set three plans: one is to send a master to kidnap the son of the Black River and seize the 'Xuantian Order'; If it weren't for the old man who stunned Bai Nuo first, he didn't know how many times he would have died?

Shen Yuan smiled indifferently and said, "Their courage is really big, they actually dare to do it in the gathering place, has that ban become an ornament?"

Leng Ruohan's eyes were shining, and he shot at the old man like a blade: "Who are you? Why are you so clear about every move of the 'Xuanjiao', what is your purpose?"

The old man paced with his head on his chin, with a light and breezy expression, his eyes looked at Shen Yuan quietly and smiled: "Leng Ruohan, the old man is not interested in you, but he is interested in your new sect leader?"

Shen Yuan only felt a chill in his heart, this old man would not have any bad habits! The figure hurriedly retreated far away, fearing the old man like a snake and scorpion.

The old man felt a little crying and laughing at Shen Yuan's attitude, and sighed helplessly: "Don't guess, everyone else calls me Feng Lao, she is my adopted daughter Xiang'er, and the old man is the master who presides over the trade fair." ”

Shen Yuan looked at the old man in amazement, and everyone also looked at him with surprised eyes, with a faint fanaticism and disappointment in their hearts. After all, he is a legendary person, but he couldn't imagine that he was such a bad old man, but unfortunately he was not a beauty?

Elder Feng smiled and said: "The rules of the ruins are set by the old man, naturally he will not let others act recklessly, who dares to break the ban here, then the old man can only take their lives." ”

Shen Yuan was speechless and asked puzzledly: "Old man, what does this have to do with me? You got rid of the people who broke the rules, why are you waiting for us in ambush here? Do you also want to get the 'Xuantian Order'?"

Everyone's hearts tightened, their expressions were extremely unnatural, and their hands suddenly clenched their blades tightly, just waiting for the old man to make a move, desperately trying to maintain the dignity of 'Xuanjiao'.

Elder Feng looked at Shen Yuan silently and said with a smile: "If the old man just wants to see what the new sect leader of the 'Xuanjiao' looks like, what is the origin?"

Shen Yuan was stunned, scratched the back of his head with his right hand in annoyance, and said angrily: "Old man, are you playing us?"

Elder Feng laughed, put his hands on his hands, and looked at Shen Yuan with a keen gaze and said: "Why is the young man so angry? Everyone who comes is a guest, and the old man, as the host, naturally has to be comprehensive, not only to analyze the ins and outs of the other party, but also to observe the other party's combat effectiveness, otherwise, who broke the ban, what will the old man do to deal with him?"

Shen Yuan said with an unnatural expression: "Old man, you stunned my person, and then pretended to be him to deceive us, just to see me......?

Feng Lao waved his hand, a layer of white light appeared in his keen eyes, and he said cautiously: "Young man, your murderous nature is too heavy, this problem is not good?"

Shen Yuan sneered: "The kid has always only killed the damned, and there are never innocent people under the sword, what's wrong?"

Feng Lao was dumbfounded for a moment, and sighed: "If you are too murderous, it will change your personality more and more, affect your life, and make you fall into the devil unconsciously." Alas, are you very excited to kill people, and there is no fluctuation in your heart?"

Shen Yuan was stunned for a moment, and said lightly: "Everything is casual, why not?"

Feng Lao shook his head, looked at Shen Yuan deeply, and sighed: "Young man, don't be presumptuous about the will of heaven, alas, the will of heaven is difficult to do!"

Shen Yuan's eyes widened, and he said angrily: "Old man, what do you mean? I'm not an immortal, when did I worry about the will of heaven?"

"That's it, that's it!" Feng Lao said lightly, "You guys come with the old man! Bai Nuo is now in my place, and your men are all seriously injured, so it's better to treat them as soon as possible!"

Shen Yuan said dissatisfiedly: "Old man, what do you want to do? Ambush us for a while, and want to save them for a while, you make it clear?"

Elder Feng raised his head indifferently, his eyes were full of endless sorrow, and he looked at the empty sky for a long time: "The old man has been in charge of the ruins for thirty years, and there has never been a mistake. But...... But this year is a little different?"

"What's the difference?" Shen Yuan couldn't help but ask.

Feng Lao sighed faintly and said: "The old man is old, and some things are beyond his strength, I am afraid that the Ruin Festival will not be able to continue, and this year may be the last trade fair." ”

"What does this have to do with us?" Shen Yuan rolled his eyes at him, always feeling in his heart that this old man was extremely weird, as if he was paying attention.

Elder Feng looked at Shen Yuan silently and said, "The old man is unwilling, so I want to ask the 'Xuanjiao' to help preside over the Ruins Festival so that this fair can continue." ”

"Ah!" Shen Yuan's eyes widened in surprise and said hurriedly, "Old man, what are you kidding?"

Old Feng looked at Shen Yuan with a serious expression, nodded and said: "The old man has always had this look, but the previous 'Xuanjiao' disappointed me too much, although the masters in the sect are like clouds, but the people are not aligned, and there are frequent infighting. Now that I have inadvertently found out about the plan of the ghost old man, I am curious in my heart, no matter although you 'Xuanjiao' presides, as long as you can unify it, then it is natural and easy to become the new master of the 'Ruins Festival', and the old man can rest assured!"

Shen Yuan looked at everyone hesitantly, hoping to get their advice, but Leng Ruohan didn't speak, and lowered his head silently, as if he was also thinking about the pros and cons.

Feng Lao only knew that this matter was in a hurry, and he didn't want to embarrass everyone, so he sighed and said: "It's better to be like this! This 'Ruin Festival' is the grandest trade fair in thirty years, and there will be three days, gathering all over the country, and even many rare treasures that have never been seen, and on the last day of the auction, there will be real strange things!"

Shen Yuan nodded without hesitation, and said with a solemn expression: "Old man, this matter is very important, I'm afraid that we won't be able to agree to your request immediately, let's discuss it again!"

Elder Feng nodded: "The old man understands in his heart, I hope you will have a good visit in the past three days, if you have anything you like, the old man can buy it for you at a good price, Xiang'er...... Take them there! Treat them well for me, and ask someone to heal the wounds of some elders!"

"Father-in-law......" The woman in white glared at Shen Yuan unhappily, but she didn't dare to disobey her father-in-law's order, and said in a low voice reluctantly, "Yes!"

Feng Lao's heart was a little heavy, his body was a little rickety, and he bowed his hand gently: "The old man is patrolling around, you go first!" and then left in a hurry.

Shen Yuan looked at Feng Lao's figure, his heart was uncertain, he had an objection to Feng Lao's request, he had no intention of being the leader of the 'Xuanjiao', not to mention that he came to take over the hot potato of the 'Ruins Festival'. In the past, Feng Lao's authority was still there, and others had no intention of making a mistake, in order to save his face; now that someone is actually killing people in the ruins, he naturally has the consent of some people, and he deliberately embarrasses Feng Lao, so secretly people want to fight the ruins. But Feng Lao knew that although he was a little powerless, after all, he still became an old fox who was fine, although he was unwilling, but he was helpless, and in desperation, he wanted to pull the 'Xuanjiao' into it and use the power of the 'Xuanjiao' to deal with that force. Although Shen Yuan didn't know the source of that force, the person who dared to fight Feng Lao's idea was not a fuel-efficient lamp, and the 'Xuanjiao' originally had frequent infighting, and if it annoyed other forces, I was afraid that it would make matters worse. However, will this old fox let go of this opportunity? If the 'Xuanjiao' refuses his request, what will he do? Will he compromise or refuse, which makes Shen Yuan a little dilemma? The more he thinks about it, the more troubled he is, he just wants to leave here with Yin Xueji's mother and daughter immediately, go to Jiangnan, and never come back!