Taibai Mountain was covered by primeval forests. The waves were green and the scenery was beautiful.
Li Mu rode a cyan-maned horse and walked toward the outside of the mountain along the official road at a moderate speed.
Zheng Cunjian followed him closely on another cyan-maned horse.
Since Li Mu decided to go to Chang 'an this time, he did not bring any other attendants. Only Zheng Cunjian, a captive who was familiar with the situation in Chang' an, followed him as a human navigator.
Chang 'an City was located in the northeast of Taibai County, about seven hundred miles away.
From Taibai County to Chang 'an, there was only one official road built a hundred years ago. The road shuttled through the mountains like a white snake, winding and winding. Along the way, one could hear the long cries of wild birds, the howls of strange beasts, the towering trees, and the towering rocks. The scenery was breathtaking.
As they walked toward the periphery of the mountain, the terrain gradually became flat, and the mountains gradually stopped.
The official road became wider.
There were more and more pedestrians on the road.
Li Mu had always been curious about this world that was similar to the ancient style of China on Earth. Along the way, he kept observing and occasionally struck up a conversation with some passers-by, just for fun.
Zheng Cunjian followed him and said little.
Since Zhao Ling, the little swan of the Taibai Sword Faction, refused to treat his leg injury, he was only treated by a doctor from the county government's medical center. Of course, the effect was not as good as that of Zhao Ling, the pharmacist. So far, he had not fully recovered.
At dusk that day, the two arrived at Peace Town, which was 400 miles away from Chang 'an.
This town was as large as Taibai County, and even a little more prosperous.
At the beginning of the night, the lights were on.
Li Mu sat cross-legged on the bed in the inn and began to practice the Xiantian Skill.
He keenly noticed that the farther they went out of Taibai Mountain, the thinner the Spiritual Qi in the air.
Of course, the Spiritual Qi in Peace Town could not be compared with that in the county government, which was covered by the Earth Evil Polaris Formation. But compared with the normal areas in Taibai County, the Spiritual Qi there was much thinner.
"Grass, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, spiritual birds, Earthveins, air … These are all the sources of Spiritual Qi. In Taibai Mountain, the environment is primitive and the air is fresh. There are few traces of human activities, so the Spiritual Qi is richer. But in the world outside the mountain, there are many traces of human activities and great changes, so the Spiritual Qi is less."
Li Mu was enlightened.
The reason why there was no Spiritual Qi on Earth might be that the transformation and pollution of nature by human beings on Earth had reached an upper limit. Turbid air filled the earth, and it was difficult for clean air to be generated. Therefore, the immortal Cultivation Methods and martial arts practice methods mastered by the old faker were like trees without roots or water without a source without the support of Spiritual Qi. It was impossible for them to show their power at all.
If the environment on Earth were to improve, would spiritual energy be produced gradually?
In other words, tens of thousands of years ago … No, even thousands of years ago, when humans on Earth had yet to enter the industrialized era and the Earth's environment was still in a relatively primitive stage, perhaps there was spiritual energy on Earth?
Li Mu was enlightened by his practice. So, he walked out of the room alone and wandered on the streets of Peace County.
Li Mu seemed to have gotten used to this kind of scene as he walked through the quaint streets and alleys with gray bricks and green tiles. Except for his thick black short hair, which was incompatible with the surrounding atmosphere and made passersby look at him strangely, he had gradually fallen in love with this primitive and lively atmosphere.
"Wonton. It's the most famous Wang Mazi wonton in Peace Town."
"Chopped mutton noodles. I let you have one bowl, but you still want to eat another."
"Brown sugar sorbet … It's free if it's not sweet."
The streets of Peace County were very wide. The bluestone slabs were uneven. Most of the tile-roofed houses on both sides of the street were one-story. All kinds of shops were hung with the signboards of old brands. On the roadside, many hawkers were hawking their wares in their unique voices. It was very lively.
Because it was night time, many hawkers were hawking their wares on the roadside.
"Master, would you like a bowl of plain noodles? Zhou's Vegetarian Noodles, only one copper coin per bowl … "An old lady with a coarse white towel on her head greeted Li Mu with a flattering smile on her face.
Li Mu did not know whether to laugh or cry.
His short hair had actually been mistaken for a wandering monk.
Judging by the old lady's age, she was at least in her sixties. Her hair was gray, and her waist was thin. She did not have the skillful smile of other hawkers to attract customers. It seemed that she did not do business often.
"Big brother, give me a bowl. It's delicious."
A thin little girl in patched coarse clothes was helping her grandma wipe the tables and chairs. Hearing that, she also cast an expectant look at Li Mu.
Obviously, the grandma and her granddaughter's business was not good.
A date mahogany dining table with a broken leg was propped up by two rough green bricks and placed at the corner of the street. A few gray porcelain bowls and a few pairs of bamboo chopsticks were wiped clean and shiny. At the feet of the old granny was a simple bamboo pole. On one end of the pole was a noodle box and seasoning jars. On the other end was a simple small stove with a small iron pot on top. The white noodle soup was bubbling in the pot.
Li Mu shook his head.
Plain noodles and bland soup really didn't have much of a competitive edge in this street full of fragrant food.
"Perhaps the old lady mistook me for a wandering monk who doesn't eat meat, so she took the initiative to recruit me?"
Li Mu's subconscious shaking of his head made the old lady look a little sad. The thin girl also became anxious. She gently tugged at the corner of Li Mu's clothes and begged, "Big brother, just one bowl. Just one bowl, okay? It's delicious …"
In the eyes of the little girl, Li Mu saw a kind of sad light.
"Okay, then I'll have a bowl." Li Mu walked over and sat in front of the jujube rosewood low square table with a broken leg.
The little girl cheered, "Thank you, big brother."
"Sit down, Master … The noodles will be ready soon." The old lady's wrinkled face also showed an unconcealable joy.
As she said that, she quickly turned around and went downstairs with trembling hands and feet. What she took out from the noodle box was light black extremely coarse hair. Her hands were full of calluses, and her waist was as slender as a mountain that was about to collapse.
Soon, the little girl carried a bowl of plain noodles with bland soup and put it in front of Li Mu.
There were a few vegetable leaves floating on the noodles, which looked like some kind of unknown wild vegetables, but also fresh and green.
In the little girl's eyes full of expectation, Li Mu took the first bite.
"Big brother, how is it? Is the noodles made by my grandma very delicious? " She looked like a kindergarten child waiting for the teacher to praise her, full of expectation to be recognized by others.
Li Mu nodded with a smile, "Well, it's so delicious that I almost bit my tongue off."
The little girl immediately cheered.
His skinny and shriveled face was filled with joy, as if he had heard the best compliment in the world.
Li Mu took another bite and slowly swallowed it.
In fact, it was very bad.
For Li Mu, who had been accustomed to the delicacies cooked with artificial seasonings on Earth and had enjoyed all kinds of delicacies under the service of the county government chefs since he came to this planet, the plain plain noodles were a bit boring. Even the seasoning was made by the old granny herself with wild vegetables, so it was hard to say it was delicious.
However, under the expectant smile on the thin little girl's face and the grateful gaze on the granny's wrinkled old face, Li Mu gobbled up the bowl of noodles in one gulp like a whirlwind sweeping away the clouds.
"Haha, it's delicious. Auntie, two more bowls. I'm a little hungry today." Li Mu laughed.
"Really … really?" The little girl stammered and looked at Li Mu incredulously.
Li Mu nodded very seriously, as if he wanted more. He took out three coins and gave them to her.
"That's great … Grandma, Big Brother wants two more bowls …" She excitedly bounced up and down as she received the silver. She held it in her hands carefully as if she was afraid of losing it. She ran to the small wooden box at the end of the pole and took out a small bag of money. She placed the money inside and then counted with her fingers. She said to herself, "I got three more copper coins. I just need to save up another three hundred copper coins and it will be enough."
Li Mu looked at her and couldn't help sighing in his heart.
Li Mu wondered where the little girl's parents had gone. How could they let an old man in his sixties and a little girl live such a hard life on the street? The image of the little girl counting the money with her fingers lingered in Li Mu's mind for a long time.
"Auntie, a bowl of noodles."
A fragrant wind blew over, and a clear and melodious voice came from behind.
A woman in white wearing a round gauze hat came over and sat on the other side of the red wooden table. With a clatter, she put a long sword in a white scabbard on the table.
Li Mu couldn't help glancing at her.
It was a young woman with a slender and graceful figure. She was dressed in a white neutral robe that was as clean as snow, without a speck of dust. Her black hair was as thick as a waterfall, pouring down from behind the veil of her veil. Her hair was sparkling and translucent. Her facial features were obscured by the white veil, but one could vaguely make out the outline of her face. There was a kind of elegant arc to her face. Her hands, which were placed on the table, were as white as jade. Her skin was smooth and creamy, and she naturally had a kind of magical charm that attracted people's gazes.
Li Mu could tell that this was definitely an extremely beautiful woman with a stunning appearance.
Unconsciously, he looked at her a few more times.
"Little monk, a monk shouldn't look at indecent things." The woman in white suddenly said.
Li Mu was stunned and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
He was being treated as a wandering monk again.
Obviously, the woman was a little annoyed by Li Mu's scrutinizing eyes.
After all, this world was not Earth, where etiquette and customs were much more conservative. A monk would indeed misunderstand if he stared at a young and beautiful woman like this.
"I'm distracted." Li Mu smiled and didn't explain.
This kind of indifferent attitude seemed to make the white clothed woman's grudge disappear and she laughed softly.
"You're a monk. You're young, but you have a good heart." She said. Her voice was as sweet as pearls sliding and colliding on a jade plate, extremely pleasant to the ear.
Li Mu was stunned, and then he understood that the woman in white must have just seen him trying his best not to eat and ordering two more bowls of noodles after eating. She deliberately took care of the grandma and granddaughter.
"Humph, this woman in white is also warm-hearted."
Therefore, she followed suit and ordered a bowl of noodles.
Li Mu nodded with a smile and didn't say anything more.
The little girl soon served three bowls of vegetarian noodles.
The woman in white slightly lifted the white gauze covering her face, revealing a delicate face as flawless as white jade.
Li Mu only felt that his eyes lit up, as if everything around him had lost its color in an instant.
"How could there be such a beautiful woman in the world?"
In his mind, such a sentence immediately popped up uncontrollably.
In front of him, the face under the white gauze had starry eyes, red lips, clear facial features, fair skin, and flawless skin. Compared with the strict image of a beautiful woman, Li Mu couldn't tell what was particularly good, but it gave people a feeling that she was irreplaceable and incomparable.
Just a glance at her made Li Mu feel as if he had been electrocuted.
For a moment, he couldn't help but be stunned again.
The woman in white noticed Li Mu's gaze, but she didn't care. Instead, she picked up the chopsticks and began to eat the noodles delicately. Her movements were gentle, and she didn't look like a Jianghu woman carrying a long sword, but more like a royal princess who had been influenced by noble etiquette.
"Wow, even watching her eat noodles is a kind of enjoyment."
Li Mu finally came to his senses.
Now he finally understood the meaning of a word — a feast for the eyes.
"Big brother, the noodles are ready." The thin and dark little girl, seeing Li Mu in a daze, couldn't help reminding him softly, "If you don't eat, the noodles will be soaked."
Li Mu immediately blushed and stammered an "oh". He took a bowl of noodles next to him, lowered his head, and started to eat in a hurry.
"Shameful."
Li Mu scolded himself in his heart. He didn't expect that he would be shocked by a woman's appearance.
However, he didn't have any distracting thoughts in his heart, nor did he want to get close to the woman here.
The reaction just now was probably just the instinct of a male creature.
After fiercely eating a few mouthfuls of noodles, Li Mu silently ran the Xiantian Skill, and his mind soon calmed down.
Li Mu finished two bowls of noodles, and the woman in white opposite him had just finished a bowl of noodles.
She took out a gold ingot, about ten taels of silver, and stuffed it into the little girl's hand, saying, "Keep the change."
"Ah?" The little girl was a little scared. She looked confused, holding the silver in a daze, and didn't know what to do.
The old grandma beside her was also startled, and she hurriedly said, "You can't do that, you can't do that …" As she said, she quickly took the gold ingot from the little girl's hand and stuffed it into the woman's hand, saying, "A bowl of coarse noodles. Miss, you've given us too much. We dare not accept it. Just give us a copper coin."
A hundred copper coins was just one tael of silver.
This ten-tael gold ingot was probably worth tens of thousands of copper coins.
The woman in white was so generous that it scared the two grandchildren.
Li Mu watched and couldn't help shaking his head.
He also knew that the woman in white absolutely had good intentions, but the way she expressed it was a little wrong.
Perhaps ten taels of gold was just a drop in the bucket for her, but for most of the peddlers in Peace Town, it was definitely a huge sum of money. Giving such a huge sum of money to the two grandchildren, who could be said to be at the bottom of the social class and had no ability to protect themselves, might not only not help them, but also bring them some unnecessary trouble.
Li Mu could already conclude that the woman in white was born in a rich family and grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth. She didn't know the sufferings of the world, especially the rules of life of the small people at the bottom of the social class, so she made such an abrupt move.
For example, although Li Mu was kind enough to help the two grandchildren, he didn't directly give them money, but ordered two more bowls of noodles, which was a kind of respect to the dignity of the people, and at the same time, the help they could bear. Although the woman in white also ordered a bowl of noodles, what she gave them was far beyond the scope of a bowl of noodles, which was kind of like charity.
Moreover, even if it was charity, it had exceeded the limit.
When things reached an extreme, they would go in the opposite direction.
At this time, around the stall, some people had already noticed what happened here.
In particular, some scorching eyes fell on the shining big gold ingot.
Sure enough, what they feared came. Footsteps sounded.
"Well, Aunty Cai, they gave you money, so you should take it. Why don't you want it?" A joking voice with undisguised ridicule sounded.
At first glance, several ruffians, who looked like loafers on the street, came to the noodle stall with smiles on their faces.
The leader was a horse-faced man with a thick frame. He held two shiny steel balls in his right hand and spun them around. When he smiled, he revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth. He was the one who had spoken just now.
"Ah, Master Ma …" When the old granny saw this group of people, her face immediately changed.
The old woman looked terrified, flinching, and didn't know what to say.
And the little girl was also scared to the extreme. She hurriedly shrank behind her granny, her little hands clutching her granny's clothes tightly.
"Well, well, a bowl of noodles for ten taels of silver. That's a reasonable price." The yellow-toothed horse-faced man put on a fake smile and directly snatched the gold ingot from the old granny's hand. He casually weighed it in his hand and laughed, saying, "Since you don't want to take it, Master Ma will take it for you. Consider it your monthly allowance for this month, hahaha!"
"No, no, no, Master Ma, this … this is not my money, I …" Aunty Cai's face was full of fear. She wanted to say something but dared not, looking extremely pitiful.
"That's not my granny's money or mine, it's that fairy sister's money. You can't take it, give it back to her." The little girl hiding behind her granny clenched her fists and summoned up her courage. Her voice was trembling, but the concept of right and wrong in her heart still made her say such words.
"Stupid girl without parents, you know nothing. Do you want to die?" A ruffian raised his foot and kicked over a bench.
The little girl was so scared that tears fell down her face.
"Put down the gold ingot, kneel down and apologize, and then get out," the woman in white said.
"Ah?" The horse-faced yellow-toothed man was taken aback. His eyes fell on the woman in white, and then he immediately leaned over with a cheeky smile and said, "Well, I didn't expect to see such a beautiful fairy in my Taiping Town. Just now when I saw you eating noodles, I almost lost my soul … You can put down the gold ingot, but as long as you accompany us to drink with the courtesans, we can even give you an ingot of gold. What do you think?"
The other ruffians immediately burst into laughter.
The eyes of the woman in white under the veil flashed a ray of light as sharp as a knife. Even through the veil, a ray of light could be seen.
Obviously, she wanted to kill Li Mu.
Li Mu's heart skipped a beat. He stood up and said, "Amitabha. Benefactors, there is no door to fortune or disaster. You can only ask for it yourself. Please leave, lest you get yourself killed without knowing it." Since he was mistaken as a wandering monk, he might as well play the role to the end.
The reason why he stood up and said that was that he didn't want the woman in white to really kill people here.
Li Mu believed that the woman in white had an extraordinary background, and she definitely had the strength to kill a few ruffians who were not worth mentioning. He also believed that after killing those ruffians, the woman in white could leave easily and no one could do anything to her. But the problem was, after the woman in white killed those ruffians and left, how could Granny Cai and her granddaughter stay out of it?
Not to mention the investigation of the government, even if the other ruffians in Peace Town vented their anger, it would be enough to plunge Granny Cai and her granddaughter into a terrible hell.
The woman in white was used to being arrogant. The way she solved problems was completely dictatorial, which was obviously not suitable to settle disputes between ordinary people in a small town.
Seeing Li Mu speak, the woman in white really held back and did not make a move.
But the horse-faced, yellow-toothed ruffian turned his head and stared at Li Mu with a sneer. Then, he said in a threatening tone, "Little monk, how many brains do you have? How dare you meddle in our business? Two days ago, a foreigner overestimated himself and meddled in other people's business. Do you know where his body is now? "
"Haha, that foreigner cultivated internal qi and claimed to be a martial arts master. But what happened in the end? We caught him with sleeping gas, lime, and animal traps. Then, we cut off his limbs and gouged out his eyes and tongue …"
"That's right. Now, his body has been eaten up by the wild dogs in the west of the town. Hahaha!"
The other ruffians laughed complacently.
"Amitabha. Lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha immediately." Li Mu looked calm as if he were an enlightened monk. He said earnestly, "Benefactors, you've committed a grave sin. You'd better repent and turn over a new leaf. Otherwise, a great disaster is right in front of you …" But in fact, Li Mu had the intention to kill them.
Those ruffians were so vicious that they treated human life like grass. They really deserved to die.
"Stinky bald ass, you motherf * cker. You're so noisy. Are you courting death?" The horse-faced, yellow-toothed ruffian's face turned vicious. He yelled, "I gave you face, but you don't want it. You don't want to get lost, do you? Brothers, let's remove the bald ass's legs first, marinate them into bacon and feed them to him. "
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