The three people in the council hall were silent for a while, and it took a while for Shangguan Zheng to speak: "Big brother, I don't know if this matter is true or not, I think I should go to Mizhou in person." ”

Shangguan Lan sighed, the second brother's statement is also the only way at present. Without answering his words immediately, Shangguan Lan asked the person next to him, "The Haisha Gang is entrenched along the coast and has never had any contact with my Shangguan family. Is your news accurate?"

"Master of the family, this is true. I got the news that it was from Mizhou, thousands of miles away, and the letter was our unique mark. It has not been opened. Shangguan Wuji stood aside, he had just brought bad news to the family. At this time, the two heads of the family were discussing countermeasures.

"In this case, the situation in Mizhou is urgent, so I have to have the second brother Lao to deal with it?" Shangguan Lan knew that time was pressing now, and the second brother had just arrived at home for a few days, so he had to go out again. "I wonder when the second brother plans to leave?"

"Of course, the sooner the better. I'll go see Yuzhi and them first, and then I'll go. "Yuzhi is Mrs. Zhou's maiden name, Shangguan Zheng is going out again, so he has to say goodbye to Mrs. first.

Shangguan Lan knew that the second brother was working hard, but there was no other way, so she had to instruct: "I don't know what the situation is when I go here, please make more preparations and be more careful." ”

Shangguan Zheng said yes to his head, and said to Shangguan Lan: "Then this time in the clan, there will be Brother Lao." There are many coming-of-age ceremonies, and they will be handed over to the eldest brother Minghao. As he spoke, he glanced at Shangguan Wuji again and turned to leave.

Shangguan Lan watched the second brother leave, silent, and Shangguan Wuji on the side didn't dare to disturb. After a while, he slowly looked up at the sky outside the door and whispered to himself: "We just formed an alliance with the Spirit Sword Sect, and this happened, I don't know if it's a coincidence or something else!"

Shangguan Wuji saw the head of the family muttering to himself, and he didn't know what he was muttering. But I saw him suddenly say to himself: "Wuji, you will stay in the clan for the time being, the clan has been busy recently, so you can take care of me." You go down now."

"Yes, Master. Shangguan Wuji clenched his fists at Shangguan Lan and left.

Shangguan Lan was preoccupied, and after a while, he also walked out.

......

A little sunlight came in from the outside, but the inside of the cave was still not bright, and many torches needed to be lit around it to illuminate the inside. Around the walls, several unknown beasts had a large copper plate on their backs, filled with lamp oil, and their mouths were wide open towards the roof of the cave, and their tongues burned like candles.

I don't know how big and long the cave is, but hundreds of large and small lamps are neatly arranged in the direction of the cave. Illuminates every corner of the hole.

The entrance to the cave was closed by a large stone door. The door is carved with ancient patterns, there are mythical beasts and strange birds, mountains and water, and there seem to be a few people who can't see clearly. Perhaps because of the long period of time, although the material of the stone door is hard, it can not withstand the baptism of wind and rain, and it is no longer possible to see the graphics on the door. On the top of the door, there are three strong and powerful big characters "Baiyun Cave", and there are two small characters "Shangguan" in the lower left corner.

Looking at the Baiyun Cave, a vein of green mountains stretches endlessly. On the left and right sides there is a cross-cut hill like two horns inserted into it. The mountain stands high, and the flowing water seems to fall from the sky, melts into the mountain forest, and flows down from the top of the two cliffs.

Mountains have spirits, and water has shapes. From a distance, it looks like a long lying dragon, with the west head and the east tail.

At this time, there is a flat area underneath the mountain. A group of people were busy, and they built a huge altar and lit pots on both sides. Now that everything is almost done, it is time for the final ceremony.

Fourth Elder Li Shuyi was directing the final few processes. Shangguan Lan passed by here to say hello to the four elders, and then went to the Baiyun Cave above.

Shangguan Jinqing is the elder of the family, ranking third. This person is a cultivator, and he doesn't appear in front of outsiders much on weekdays, and he is cultivating in the Baiyun Cave at this time.

I saw him sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, his body motionless. I don't know how long it took, but suddenly he jumped to his feet, flipped a few somersaults in a row, and sat back on the spot. The body has not changed in the slightest as before, and even the appearance of the clothes seems to be exactly the same.

In a short time, there was no wind and waves in the closed cave, and an unknown wind blew his clothes, and the bun around his ears was also blown back and forth. But as if these were expected, Shangguan Jinqing was unmoved, and still sat cross-legged. Gradually, the wind became stronger and stronger, causing ripples on his face, and it became more and more fierce one after another. In a moment, I don't know what happened, Shangguan Jinqing's face was ugly, his originally plain expression became extremely anxious, he gritted his teeth and seemed to be enduring great pain, and beads of sweat fell on his forehead.

The road of cultivation and practice is extremely difficult, and it is inevitable to encounter difficulties, Shangguan Jinqing is also a strong-willed person, although the body is extremely uncomfortable, he still endures the pain and persists.

Suddenly, Shangguan Jinqing's whole body breath loosened, and a majestic internal energy burst out from his body, hitting the tables, chairs, and light cabinets in the hole. Shangguan Jinqing spat out a mouthful of blood from his mouth and sprinkled a piece on the ground in front of the stone bed.

With a muffled snort, he seemed unwilling to watch himself vomit blood. I must cultivate this supreme divine skill, so that everyone knows the prestige of my Shangguan Jinqing. It's just that he has never been able to succeed now, and it seems that he has to think of other ways, Shangguan Jinqing was angry in his heart.

took out a transparent bead from his arms, Shangguan Jinqing stared at it for a while, and couldn't find the crux of the problem. A finger turned into an orchid, and the beads in his hand popped out, and the beads actually hung in the air and shone brightly. Shangguan Jinqing has been investigating for a long time and still has no results......

The sound of footsteps came from the end of the stone cave, although it was light and slight, but Shangguan Jin Qing was clear and clear. Stretched out his hand to put away the beads and put them in his arms, and with a wave of the sleeve of his right hand, the blood on the ground dried up and was not visible.

"Three Elders. Shangguan Lan's voice sounded outside the stone gate.

"Come in. ”

"I'm bothering you to cultivate!" Shangguan Lan said apologetically to Shangguan Jinqing. The third elder had a withdrawn personality, although Shangguan Lan had already known him. But he is the elder of the clan, a generation higher than himself.

"The virtuous nephew is here for tomorrow's business. "Although Shangguan Jinqing is in the clan, he doesn't take care of things much. But tomorrow's things can only be completed by the joint efforts of several people, and he knows what Shangguan Lan is looking for him.

"Tomorrow we are going to open the Jade Dragon Cave and take out the ambergris. Shangguan Lan looked at Shangguan Jinqing and said.

Listening to his words, Shangguan Jinqing's eyes flashed with a gleam, and he sighed softly: "Unconsciously, it's time for the Jade Dragon Stone Gate to open again. ”

"How many people will be able to enter the cave this time?" Shangguan Jinqing asked at Shangguan Lan. Shangguan Jinqing, of course, asked the children who participated in the coming-of-age ceremony, not the people who had already entered.

"Minghao has already reached the age, and Xue'er has just turned twelve this year. Speaking of this, Shangguan Lan paused, "And Lin Xin can also go in." ”

"Is that the kid you brought from outside a few years ago?" Shangguan Jinqing was a little surprised, this was an outsider.

"Exactly, this son entered my Shangguan family six years ago, and his father and I are close friends, straightforward and free-spirited, and of superior character. This son has inherited his father's virtues, and he has extraordinary intelligence and great perseverance, and I think he can go. I hope that the three elders will not object. "Shangguan Lan, as the head of the family, has now been replaced by power. However, the clan stipulates that the gate of the Jade Dragon Cave is opened and closed by two keys, one is held by the four elders and the other is kept by the patriarch. When it's time to open the door, several people are present at the same time to open it.

To have the key is to have power, and who the treasures in the Jade Dragon Cave will be given to is up to the person who owns the key. The patriarch has the majority, but he doesn't have it entirely. Among the four elders, the fourth elder, Li Shuyi, is a close confidant of Shangguan Lan's father in the previous generation of the family, and the relationship with the two Shangguan Lan brothers is extraordinary, so he is naturally on his side. The Great Elder, on the other hand, has his own principles and is not very supportive of an outsider sharing the treasures of the clan. Shangguan Lan came to Shangguan Jinqing, but he came to find his support.

After listening to Shangguan Lan's words, Shangguan Jinqing's face remained unchanged. said to Shangguan Lan: "Whoever the head of the family wants to get ambergris will let whoever has ambergris, I have nothing to say." As long as the head of the family can handle it impartially, the people in the clan are too talkative, so don't let people gossip. ”

Although Shangguan Jinqing's attitude was expected, Shangguan Lan still smiled when he heard him say this.

"Lin Xin, this child I watched grow up, and he will definitely live up to everyone's expectations. Shangguan Lan said with a fist at Shangguan Jinqing.

......

"Ming Hao, have you been to the forbidden land before?" The group was walking on the way to the back mountain, and Lin Xin asked the two people beside him.

"I haven't been there, and the clan rules don't allow you to enter it without the permission of your father and elders, otherwise you will be punished by the clan rules. Cher hasn't been there either. Shangguan Minghao replied to Lin Xin.

Shangguan Xue'er listened to the words of the two on the side, and said to them: "Outsiders in the forbidden land of the clan rarely have the opportunity to enter, and we will not be allowed to do so when we are young, and my father rarely talks about this on weekdays. ”

Lin Xin wanted to climb up through the waterfall last time, but he didn't succeed, and his curiosity about the forbidden place can be imagined. I really can't wait to have a chance to go up and have a look this time. I was thinking about whether I should take a good walk on it, but suddenly bumped into a person in front of me.

Ouch, suddenly with an exclamation, Shangguan Xue'er pouted, stared at Lin Xin with big eyes, and said to him dissatisfiedly: "Lin Xin, you hurt me." ”

"I'm sorry, Cher, I didn't mean to, I was a little distracted just now...... Hmm, why didn't everyone leave?" Lin Xin suddenly noticed that everyone had survived at a mountain pass.

"I don't know what you're thinking. Oh, there's no way ahead. Shangguan Xue'er stared at the front, meaning you can see for yourself.