It was winter in the north, and the ruined temple was covered with a thick layer of snow. Pedestrians would squeak when they stepped on it.
A group of Jianghu heroes, men and women, old and young, strong and weak, walked through the snow with their luggage on their backs. When they reached the ruined temple, the leader shouted, "It's hard to walk on a snowy night. Let's rest for now and continue at dawn."
He exhaled a cloud of white air, which was cold.
"Alright, I'm no longer in my prime. My limbs are a little stiff from the cold," a bald old man replied with a smile.
With him taking the lead, many people agreed. They split into several groups and arrived at the entrance of the ruined temple one after another. They climbed the steps.
"Stop." The leader was a middle-aged man with a fur cloak and a sword at his waist. "There's fire inside. I'll go in and take a look."
The others immediately looked into the temple warily, only to see a warm orange light seeping through the gaps of the closed doors and windows.
The middle-aged man pulled out his sword and pushed the temple door open. He focused his vision and looked inside. He suddenly exclaimed, "Why isn't there anyone?"
He didn't dare to be careless and looked at the door from afar. After a while, he saw Mengqi lying between the fire and the incense table, his body curled up.
His hair was tied up in a bun, and he wore a water gown. There were sabers and swords by his side. Although he couldn't hear the sound of breathing, he could clearly feel the breath of life.
"It's a sleeping young Taoist." The middle-aged man exhaled. As long as it wasn't an enemy, an underworld expert, or a disciple of the Moon Village, it was fine. "Let's be quiet and not disturb others. Make another fire outside."
The crowd entered in a line and closed the temple door to block the cold wind. They made a big fire in the center and sat in a circle. It was obvious that they were a temporary team.
They were all silent as if they were thinking about something. They just melted the snow and took out their dry rations to eat as they roasted.
Mengqi couldn't be bothered with them and continued to practice the first volume of Muscle-bone Strengthening Scripture. He practiced each of the thirteen postures for ten minutes.
"Daddy, Daddy, look, the young Taoist's sleeping posture is so strange." A teenage girl with braided hair poked her father's arm curiously and excitedly, drawing everyone's attention to Mengqi.
Her father was the leader of the group. After taking a look, he coughed lightly and said, "Don't watch others practice martial arts. Be careful not to make enemies."
"Practice martial arts? Daddy, is this training? "The little girl was very lively and curious.
The leader looked around and said solemnly, "I heard that the orthodox Xuanmen Sect has the Daoyin Breathing Technique, and their postures are different from ordinary people."
"It's not like I haven't seen the disciples of the Taoist Sect. How could they be so weird …" The young man with acne on his face muttered.
The cold wind was strong, blowing against the windows and doors, covering up his words.
The bald old man coughed and said, "Mr. Wen's words are reasonable. We've only met by chance. Let's not talk about the Daoist priest. We're running on this snowy night. Taking care of ourselves is the most important thing."
Upon hearing the word "run", the slightly livelier atmosphere instantly froze again.
At this moment, someone knocked on the temple door.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. The sound traveled very far in the cold, snow-white night.
"Who's there?" Mr. Wen held his sword tightly and asked in a loud voice. He hadn't even noticed that someone was approaching him. His Qing Gong must be extraordinary to be able to conceal his movements in the snow!
A woman in her twenties, wearing a plain white cotton-padded jacket and a cloak. She came out of the forest while you were talking about my postures. The sound of her steps on the snow was very faint. She left only shallow footprints, which were soon covered by the snowflakes. Moreover, there was an old man beside her. He was tall, wearing a green robe, and had a hunchback. He had the Upstanding Qi to protect his body … Mengqi had just finished a round of practice.
He was' answering 'their questions in his mind. He felt as if he had become one with the world in the state of the Muscle-bone Strengthening Scripture. He felt as if he had returned to his womb. His perception of the surroundings was much better than usual. He could see and hear things even though he was twenty or thirty feet away.
"Lost on a snowy night." A woman's voice was heard from outside the door. Her voice was soft and had a southern accent.
Mr. Wen smiled vigilantly and said, "It's an ownerless place. Please do as you wish."
He was still able to recognize them since they were outside the door.
The door of the temple opened again and two people came in. They matched Mengqi's description. The woman had an oval face and willow-leaf eyebrows. She shook off the snowflakes on her cloak and held a long sword tied with a red string. She walked to the side with the old man.
Mr. Wen and the bald old man's expressions changed when they saw them. It was unknown whether they were afraid or embarrassed.
The red string woman and the hunchback old man did not light a fire. They sat on the ground and looked at Mr. Wen and the bald old man. They were puzzled at first, then suddenly enlightened, and then showed some contempt. It was as if they knew each other from the past.
But they did not speak. There was an indescribable silence in the temple.
"Another group of people is coming. They are hiding their breaths. They are sneaky …" Mengqi changed his posture.
In this state, he had a subtle visual difference in the internal force, bladesmanship, and swordsmanship that he had learned. He was looking at them from a different angle.
Meng Qi subconsciously changed the flow of his genuine Qi and the route of his meridians unconsciously changed. He made some minor adjustments according to this vague feeling, but he could not sum them up. It was too mysterious for words.
"Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall, Redline Lady, where are you going?" Suddenly, a gloomy voice rang out. It seemed to be near and far, left and right, making it impossible for Mr. Wen and the others to identify its specific location.
The little girl with braided hair was so scared that she almost cried. "Is it an evil ghost?"
Redline Lady snorted coldly. "Stop playing tricks. Do you dare to come out? I am going to God-gathering Heights! "
"The old hunchback is also going to God-gathering Heights," Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall said in a low voice.
Mr. Wen and the bald old man's faces darkened when they heard the words "God-gathering Heights". They were shocked and frightened. Mengqi stopped practicing the Muscle-bone Strengthening Scripture. "Is this related to God-gathering Heights?" "Did the Dominator of Samsara in Six Realms deliberately choose the place where I was sent?"
The gloomy voice rang out again. "Just as I guessed. What are you going to God-gathering Heights for?"
"To stop Miss Huangfu Fei from marrying your Moon Village, of course!" Although Redline Lady was a woman, her words were direct and straightforward with hidden anger.
"A marriage alliance is a wonderful thing. Why should we stop it?" The gloomy voice pretended to be surprised. His voice was erratic and made people's scalps go numb.
Redline Lady stood up with her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Senior Huangfu Tao broke through the shackles of his predecessors and became the strongest in history. He went crazy and entered the mountains before he reached his twilight years. His disciples and daughters are not yet accomplished. Your Moon Village bullies orphans and widows by forcing a marriage alliance. You want to seize God-gathering Heights. How can this be a wonderful thing?"
Compared to the Nine Villages that had been passed down for many generations, God-gathering Heights created by Huangfu Tao did not have any masters of the same generation as him. The strongest of his disciples was only at the Nine Acupores level. If he had not gone crazy for 20 years, God-gathering Heights would have been completely stabilized. After all, for an expert of the Exterior, around 60 was considered to be in the prime of his life. Huangfu Tao thought so too. That was why he did not marry and have children until he was 40.
"Heightslord Huangfu passed away young. Our Moon Village wants to help Miss Huangfu stabilize God-gathering Heights. How can we bully orphans and widows?" The gloomy voice answered without any surprise.
"Humph, Miss Huangfu has someone she likes. Everyone knows that she has repeatedly rejected him. Madam Huangfu only reluctantly agreed when she cried and prayed to his cenotaph. Why? Heightslord Huangfu's third disciple, Young Master Xue, has been running around trying to contact people about this matter. Who killed him? " Redline Lady was furious and her words were sharp. "Mr. Moon-washing wants to fight for the position of Emperor of Tengen. I'm afraid he lacks good karma!"
"Mr. Moon-washing" Wen Haogu, the current owner of the Moon Village, had just reached the Exterior realm a few years ago. This world had inherited the Zhenwu's Decoy Grave, so the division of Kung Fu was the same as that of the main world.
The gloomy voice was silent for a while before saying, "I tried to persuade you with kind words, but you took advantage of me. Aren't you afraid of death?"
Redline Lady drew her sword and pointed it at the roof. She said sternly, "You're taking advantage of the situation. Do you think God-gathering Heights has no helpers? Senior Huangfu has been a hero for many years and has given his juniors many pointers. He has friends all over the world. How can you bully him? "
"Haha." The gloomy voice laughed. "It's a pity that none of his friends are experts of the Exterior. That's why in the three months since the marriage was announced, no more than ten people, including the two of you, have gone to God-gathering Heights to help. Moreover, after I persuaded them, most of them retreated. A small number of them went to see Huangfu Tao."
"Everything in the world depends on one's strength. You should know that most people are cruel and unscrupulous. What's the point of doing chivalry and giving favors? Of course, there are a few people like you. They're not cruel and unscrupulous, but there's something wrong with their brains. "
Redline Lady was so angry that she laughed. She pointed her sword at Mr. Wen and the bald old man. "Yes, I know most people are cruel and ungrateful. But you! Wen Qichang was chased for thousands of miles by the Wei River's Six Ghosts and almost died. Fortunately, Senior Huangfu passed by and helped him. That's how he survived. Later, he saw that you were seriously injured and asked you to stay in God-gathering Heights as a deacon to help you get married. Is that right? "
"You! Chi Feng, you offended a Heavenly Village disciple and your family was ruined. Who took you in and who helped you get justice from Heavenly Village? "
…
She called out names one by one. Mr. Wen, the bald old man, and the others blushed. They felt ashamed and angry at the same time.
"Is this how you repay him? You escaped with so many experts when God-gathering Heights was in danger? " Redline Lady shouted. "Although I'm a weak woman, I've been taught by Senior Huangfu. I'll remember his kindness. Today, I'll go to God-gathering Heights and get justice for Miss Huangfu, even if I have to die!"
Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall stood up and said in an old voice, "If it weren't for Heightslord Huangfu, I would have died 30 years ago. I've lived for 30 more years in my prime. It's worth it to exchange my old bones for it!"
"Stupid! You don't know what's good for you!" The sinister voice said viciously.
"Good! That's what a chivalrous man should be like! "Suddenly, a clear voice sounded.
Redline Lady and the others turned around and saw a handsome Taoist standing by the fire in the innermost area. He wore a Taoist robe with a silk ribbon tied around it. He wore hemp shoes, carried a sword on his back, and carried a long saber. He looked free and unfettered.
"What is this Taoist doing …" Wen Qichang and the others were at a loss.
Mengqi smiled and walked forward. "But chivalrous men don't force others. Mr. Wen has lost his strength and has a wife and daughter. Even if you stay, you won't be able to help. Instead, you'll harm your entire family. It's understandable …"
He continued Redline Lady's words. Wen Qichang and Chi Feng sighed, Redline Lady frowned, and Holy Hunchback Beyond the Great Wall looked gloomy.
"Hey, little Daoist Priest, you seem to understand reason." The sinister voice praised.
Redline Lady was about to speak when Mengqi caressed the hilt of his saber and said with a smile, "I'm Qingyuan. I've been taught by Senior Huangfu in bladesmanship. I'm willing to go to God-gathering Heights with you two."
"You …" Redline Lady didn't expect such a drastic turn of events. She looked at the handsome Taoist in front of her and didn't know what to say.
The sinister voice snorted. "So you're also a reckless …"
Before he could finish speaking, Meng Qi's words were like thunder in spring. His voice was compressed into a bundle.
"Hiding your head and showing your tail, get down here!"
He used the Eight Nine Mysteries to simulate the Purple Thunder Force to push the thunder.
"Hiding your head and showing your tail, get down here!"
His voice was like thunder, and there was a faint flash of purple lightning in the air.
"Crack!" Someone fell from the roof. His body twitched as if he was struck by lightning. The sinister voice disappeared completely.
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