Early morning.

The drizzle continued, a faint mist filled the city of Lin'an, and a pedestrian with an oil-paper umbrella hurried through the busy streets.

Ning Chen sat quietly on the stone chair on the side of the street, carrying a bookcase on his back, and looked at the Shanqing Daoyuan across the street with lonely eyes, his heart was full of faint bitterness.

That was the place where Ning Chen studied the Taoist scriptures and learned the Taoist method before, but now he only had less than two taels of silver on him, and he couldn't afford to pay the incense money this month.

In Lin'an City, there are many Taoist courtyards, all of which belong to the Lingqiu Sect, like one small sect after another, the strongest of which is naturally the headquarters of the Lingqiu Sect, once you enter the Lingqiu Sect, you are undoubtedly the inner disciple of the Lingqiu Sect, and it is easy to worship the marquis.

Next to the main part of the Lingqiu Sect is the Shangqing Temple, the Zixia Temple, and the Fengze Temple.

In addition, other Taoist temples, although there are good and bad, as long as you pay the incense money, you can go in to listen to the class, or ask for some talismans.

A gold-lacquered carriage suddenly roared from afar, two tall white horses, pure as snow, and the coachman was wearing armor and carrying a scimitar at his waist, and the raindrops fell on it, splashing countless splashes.

In a moment, the gold-lacquered carriage stopped beside Ning Chen little by little, and a woman in a long white skirt walked slowly down with an oil-paper umbrella, she was tall, fair-skinned, and her cold and handsome appearance was full of innate pride, holding a little white fox in her arms.

She is the daughter of King Qian---- the ninth princess.

"Ning Chen, don't you go to the Taoist Academy, why is it raining here?" the Ninth Princess asked suspiciously, with a big sister's tone, and covered the broken rain on Ning Chen's head with an oil-paper umbrella.

"Chirp. The little white fox in his arms also jumped down at this time, and his little head kept rubbing against Ning Chen's body.

This little white fox was picked up by Ning Chen a year ago when he went to the mountains alone to worship his ancestors, when a small foot was stuck in the hunter's trap, Ning Chen rescued it, and later put it in the ninth princess for fostering, after all, Ning Chen has no ability to take care of it, but he will be here every day to take a look at this little guy.

Since then, it has been rumored by the outside world that Ning Chen and the Ninth Princess are very close.

Slightly raising his face wet by the rain, Ning Chen just smiled, but in this smile, there was an imperceptible sadness, like a thin autumn rain, there was a kind of moisturizing and silent coldness.

Gently stretching out his hand, Ning Chen touched the little white fox's head, and then looked at the little white fox's wound, there was only a small scar left, which was almost healed.

"I heard about you the day before yesterday. The ninth princess slowly sat next to Ning Chen, one foot apart, neither close nor distant.

"What I lost, I will take it back, and one day, I will put my mother's spiritual seat back in the ancestral shrine of the Ning family. Ning Chen's words are very light, but there is a kind of firmness beyond ordinary people, and everything needs to be strengthened by his own strength.

Then, the two looked at the little white fox silently and did not speak, as if there was a natural tacit understanding.

"What are you going to do next?" said the ninth princess with a slight brushing of the bangs in her hair.

"I want to leave Lin'an for a while, the Hou Mansion has not allowed me to practice and take the imperial examination, it is only inconvenient to stay in Lin'an, and by the way, put the fox girl in the original place, she should be able to find her way home." Ning Chen replied lightly, then quietly took out a scroll from the bookcase and put it in the hands of the ninth princess: "The painting you want, I have already painted it, and I will send it to you." ”

The ninth princess slowly unfolded the long scroll, and her handsome eyebrows couldn't help but move slightly.

I saw the steep peaks in this painting, like a man's arm, majestic and magnificent, the faint mist is like a girl's light veil, the peaks and the mist are intertwined with each other, blending, like a couple in love, a round of the first day rises from the sea of clouds, as if to dispel the mist, the helplessness of the peaks, the reluctance of the mist, like a couple with ten fingers interlocked and about to separate, the picture scroll is fixed here, it makes people sad and heartbreaking.

"A good picture of the first day of Yunshan, they all say that there is a spirit in the painting, and I saw it today. When the ninth princess saw such a picture scroll, the corners of her eyes were a little red, and she sighed in her heart, even if those calligraphy and paintings were painted with a ball of shit, they were worth a thousand gold, and an unknown person like Ning Chen, no matter how good the painting was, it was worthless.

"If you like it, if you like. Ning Chen didn't look at the Ninth Princess, and looked in the direction of the Daoist Academy hopefully.

"Wow. ”

The ninth princess suddenly unloaded a brocade bag from her waist and handed it to Ning Chen: "There are ten taels of gold in it, I know that you are not rich, and you have to travel far away, accept it, and use it as painting money." ”

"I don't sell my paintings, I treat you as a good friend and give you paintings. Ning Chen didn't look at the brocade bag, glanced at the ninth princess, and said lightly.

Ning Chen's words were very cold, but imperceptibly, the ninth princess actually felt a warm current, flowing in her heart, she could feel that in Ning Chen's heart, friends were more important than a thousand gold.

Then, Ning Chen didn't say anything, propped up his oil-paper umbrella, gently picked up the little white fox, and left silently.

The drizzle, fallen leaves, and oil-paper umbrellas formed a unique picture with Ning Chen's lonely back that seemed to be isolated from the world, until Ning Chen's back was drowned in the mist, and the ninth princess couldn't help but sigh: "I hope you will come back......"

Leaving Lin'an City all the way to the north, the drizzle gradually stopped, and the sun pierced the clouds and spread on the ground, which couldn't help but make Ning Chen's damp heart get a little comfort.

Holding the little white fox, Ning Chen kept thinking about where to go next, leaving the Hou Mansion, the only place that could let him settle down temporarily was an ancient temple in the deep mountains of Yunlan, he had given the host a Buddha statue last year, so he had some friendship with the host.

"It is also a good place to study the Taoist scriptures and make talismans there, and there is no need to worry about Mrs. Tong's restraints, or the chief manager's disadvantage for you, and you can prepare for the imperial examination wholeheartedly. ”

He made up his mind and put away the oil-paper umbrella, and Ning Chen's steps were much faster.

After traveling in the mountains for a day and a night, sleeping in the open air, Ning Chen finally entered the mountains, completely away from the people, and also calmed Ning Chen's heart.

When he came to the place where the little white fox was injured, Ning Chen carefully put the little white fox down and asked softly, "Sister Fox, can you find your way home here?"

The little white fox looked at Ning Chen reluctantly, and finally nodded his little head lightly.

"Then you can go home and reunite with your family, your father and mother are probably in a hurry. Ning Chen continued, although he was also a little reluctant, he knew that the little white fox had its own life and was not his pet.

The little white fox standing in place paused for a moment, then opened his calves and quickly turned around Ning Chen's side for three weeks, then turned around in three steps, entered the woods, and finally disappeared without a trace.

For the three weeks that the little white fox was spinning in front of him, Ning Chen didn't care,

In the evening, Ning Chen reached the halfway point of the mountain, cleaned the graves of the ancestors and mothers of the Ning family, put on incense, and then walked straight into the deeper mountains.

It was already dark, and Ning Chen came to the ancient temple located in the mountain col.

This ancient temple called Qingxin Temple is not very large, the size of two courtyards, due to disrepair, and located in the deep mountains and old forests, most of the houses have collapsed, only two or three scattered rooms remain.

The monks in the temple have gone seventy-seven eighty-eight, only one person is left, after all, the Lingqiu country has now become a country of cultivation, although there is no persecution of the temple, but there are more people who cultivate, the little monk can seek to be promoted and make a fortune, and the big monk can seek immortality, why not?

In the Lingqiu country, the second layer of condensation can become a talent, and the third or fourth layer of condensation can become a lifter, and receive the imperial court, if you reach the ** layer of aura, you are qualified to become a feudal official, with a lofty status, if you are lucky enough to touch the way to build the foundation, you have the qualification to seek the mystery of eternal life.

"Lord Ning, I haven't seen you for a long time, don't come unharmed. ”

As soon as he stepped into the ancient temple, a deep voice came into Ning Chen's ears, and when he looked up, in the dusty hall, an old man was sitting cross-legged on the futon, his body was thin, like a withered tree, like a rock, and he didn't even feel any vitality on his body.

This old man is the ---- Kujue, the presiding officer of Qingxin Temple.

"Ning Chen came to beg for mercy, and I hope that Master Kujue will forgive me. Ning Chen clasped his hands together and bowed deeply to Kujue.

"Last year, Lao Wei was given a painting by Ning Chen's benefactor, and he had a deep understanding and benefited a lot. Kujue closed his eyes slightly, his expression was solemn, and he said word by word.

Subsequently, Ning Chen and Ku Jue had a brief chat, and Ning Chen rested in a side room in the ancient temple, the so-called side room is just a stone house that has not collapsed, covered with moss on all sides, dilapidated wooden beds, mottled tables and chairs, and thick dust.

"The ancient temple in the deep mountains is bleak, when will the bright moon be autumn?" Ning Chen looked at the desolation in front of him and couldn't help but sigh, but he didn't have to be angry in the Hou Mansion, and his heart was comfortable.

Lighting a dim oil lamp and cleaning the room briefly, Ning Chen took out his mother's picture scroll from the bookcase little by little, hung it beside him, and looked at it for a long time: "Mother, don't worry, the child will work hard, improve his cultivation, strive for the imperial examination high school, and win back his place for you." ”

Then, Ning Chen slowly sat on the dilapidated wooden chair, took out the "Nanhua Fu Jing" and continued to study, and kept thinking in his mind, tomorrow he would go into the mountain to collect some materials and start drawing talismans.

The materials needed to draw the fire talisman are completely different from those used only to make evil talismans, but fortunately, these are all primary talismans on the first layer of condensation, and the materials are easy to collect in the mountains.

"It would be nice to have another book of runes that is more profound than the Nanhua Runes. Ning Chen muttered to himself, but unfortunately the more esoteric scriptures are worth a lot of money, and Ning Chen's current income can only be thought about.

WhewW......

Deep in the mountains, a gust of night wind suddenly blew, like a flood beast, and like a ghost crying wolf, the broken windows "clicked" straight out, and the books were blown into a mess.

There are demons in the mountains, Ning Chen has heard about it for a long time, which is also one of the reasons why he wants to make evil talismans, but thinking about the hall not far away where Master Kujue is sitting, Ning Chen's heart is slightly relaxed.

The wind was getting stronger, and the roof tiles were even blown up.

Click!

Under the strong wind, a rotten wooden beam on the roof finally couldn't bear it and broke, and two pieces of wood smashed into the house, but fortunately, Ning Chen had been sitting against the wall and was not injured.

It took a long time for the wind to subside, and the surroundings were eerily quiet, and the house had become a mess.

In this regard, Ning Chen could only shake his head helplessly, and then clean up the mess in the house little by little.

Well?

Just when Ning Chen was about to drag the broken wooden beam out, Ning Chen's brows suddenly frowned slightly, with the help of the dim oil lamp, Ning Chen could clearly see that the broken part of the wooden beam was very neat, like a knife cutting, which was too abnormal.

Looking carefully, Ning Chen found that there seemed to be something embedded in the fracture of the wooden beam.

Slowly squatting down, Ning Chen pulled the thing embedded in the fracture outward, only to see that embedded in the wooden beam was a folding fan, which looked very, very ordinary, without any modification, and was full of mottled spots left by the years, giving people a sense of vicissitudes of life, very ancient.

Who hides a folding fan in a wooden beam?

Ning Chen was very puzzled in his heart, and slowly unfolded the folding fan, Ning Chen's heart moved, what was painted on the fan was an ethereal and boundless mountain peak, and the pavilions and pavilions floating on the clouds and mist were even more lifelike, a monk with a vivid name was doing all kinds of things, cultivation, talisman making, and alchemy......

"This painting ......" Ning Chen was a little fascinated, his attainments in calligraphy and painting were quite profound, but when he saw the painting in front of him, he actually had a sense of dwarf, the grass and trees in the painting were lifelike, as if they all had their own spirituality, just like a window, to see another world, a world of immortals.

"What a small picture of a thousand thousand spirits, just this painting is a priceless treasure. Ning Chen muttered to himself, his eyes exuded endless brilliance, Ning Chen loves to paint, such a painting naturally makes him ecstatic.

On the back of the folding fan, there are lines of text that Ning Chen can't understand, the rules are square and square, but between these rules, there is a little more freedom and freedom, and the strength to penetrate into the bone marrow.

"This power should have reached the point of penetrating gold, right?" Ning Chen's heart was shocked, this power through gold is the highest level of pen power, ordinary literati show talents, the pen can usually reach the power through the back of the paper, which has already shown that some pen power, and then a higher realm, can penetrate the driftwood, one stroke down, the ink into the wood three points.

And Ning Chen has practiced hard for so many years, and the pen power has reached the strength of the stubborn stone, which is also a necessary prerequisite for drawing talismans, you must know that the more advanced talismans are not made of paper, some are made from jade and quenched, and some are made of black iron wire and silkworm gold silk.

If there is no certain pen power to pass through the rune paper, the rune will not be able to gather spirit at all, and it will be wiped off.

This painting, this word, Ning Chen like a treasure, looked at it for more than two hours, felt the mystery of the stroke, until midnight, Ning Chen put the ancient folding fan into the clothes, and slept with the clothes.