Si Tian Guan

Chapter 186

The more than ten-mile road from Dingling Hill to Chengsongling is not easy. Not far from the official road, there is no feasible way to ride a horse.

They left one person at the foot of the mountain to guard the horses, and walked up the mountain on foot.

Liu Chongming unfolded the map and looked at it.

Many herb collectors and woodcutters said they knew the location of the three graves, and after a little inquiry, they had a clear direction.

According to their foot strength, they would have to walk for more than an hour before arriving nearby. Although they couldn't get back to Dingling Hill before dark, sleeping in the open during this season is not a difficult thing.

Although the sun was shining overhead, it was blocked by layers of tree crowns, leaving only mottled halos on the ground, and the transpired water vapor on the ground covered the deep tree trunks to only a faint shadow.

The forest was very quiet, and occasionally there was a strange cry of an unknown bird, which sounded a little scary.

Ding Lekang looked around, walked a few steps behind, came to Qu Chenzhou, and asked softly: "Qu Sitian, there are so many trees here, tell me...will those legendary tree demons gather in groups?"

Although they estimated that the weirdness here and the strange tree were two different things, the news that came early in the morning was not the case.

Yesterday, the middle-aged businessman that Qu Shenzhou asked them to keep an eye on had disappeared after all. He disappeared when he went to drain the water by himself.

The place where the person disappeared was not far from Chengsongling, so they had to be vigilant.

"Impossible," Liu Chongming interjected in front of him, "Since that thing only picks out those who are alone, it must have scruples about crowds. If there are really so many monsters in groups, the entire Dingling Hill will not be able to survive."

Qu Chenzhou looked at the position of the sun, and replied: "Probably not. If there was such a big commotion, the three prefectures would have dispatched troops earlier, and it wouldn't be just some verbal rumors."

Ding Lekang agreed, feeling a little relieved.

Although he is in charge of the Jinwu Guard, this is the first time he has encountered such a ghost, and he can only rely on the same strange pair of demon eyes unconsciously to force himself not to panic.

After resting twice, when he looked up at the sun slanting to the west, he suddenly raised his voice: "That's not right."

"Isn't that right?" Liu Chongming looked around calmly: "It's broad daylight, there are really ghosts hitting the wall."

Not far in front of them, a clump of yellow mushrooms grew out of the dead half of the tree hole. This was the place they had walked through twice.

"A ghost?"

Ding Lekang and several attendants drew their weapons at the same time, looking around vigilantly.

"There are indeed ghosts."

Qu Shenzhou was not as physically strong as the others, and was surrounded and walked in the middle. Only now did he step forward and took the map from Liu Chongming.

"There are ghosts with you." He pointed in one direction: "I've been curious since just now, there is a road over there, why do you go around the same place. Go this way."

"Wait, over there..." Ding Lekang thought he was bewitched, and just reminded him that there were thorns entangled in front of him, and he couldn't walk through, but he saw Qu Chenzhou walking straight, it was just an ordinary tree, beside the tree was A road formed by the grass being trampled down.

Even Liu Chongming was inexplicably surprised, but immediately followed.

After only a cup of tea, the scenery I saw was no longer the place I passed by before. Through the mottled canopy, I could even see the smoke dissipating.

Ding Lekang finally convinced: "Qu Si is really a god alive."

Qu Chenzhou waved his hand to silence him, then pointed forward: "Is there someone in front?"

There is smoke in the air, if this is the place they are looking for, it is obvious that someone is worshiping right now.

Sure enough, as Xiao Er said, it was just that he couldn't find the way up the mountain, but he was just in danger.

The tiredness of climbing the mountain in the middle of the afternoon was gone, everyone quickened their pace, and soon they could see the fire from the gap in the woods.

There are three graves standing on the open space in the forest, which have been trimmed and cleaned. As expected, there are two people kneeling in front of the stele, slowly throwing yellow paper into the brazier, and the ashes of the burnt paper are blown away by the mountain wind. one place.

The situation in front of him was very ordinary. If it hadn't been for passing through the ghost wall, if it hadn't been for a big bird as tall as a person standing motionless in the open space, I am afraid that no one would have paid more attention to these two people.

Hearing the footsteps here, the two also looked up together.

They were two young men with very similar appearances, except that one of them had a cloth band wrapped around his eyes, and his eye sockets were sunken. He was actually blind.

Ding Lekang waved his hand, and the attendants behind him drew their knives and surrounded him: "Who is it!"

"Don't be rude!" Qu Chenzhou scolded, and waved his hands to make everyone retreat.

Before he stepped forward, the blind young man was already walking towards him. Although he was blind, his steps were light and steady, as if he could see the road.

Not only can you see the road, but it looks like you are heading straight for Qu Shenzhou.

Liu Chongming considered himself to be well-informed, so it can be seen that his scalp was a little numb, but he still took a step sideways and stopped the person halfway: "Stop!"

"Sir!" The young man stood still with a good temper, and across from Liu Chongming, he gave a deep salute to Qu Shenzhou, surprised and delighted, and extremely attentive.

"Sir, we meet again. Do you remember us? Did you come here to play, sir? Did you eat? Where do you live now? What's your name?"

The young man behind pulled him hard, and reminded him softly, "An Ning, you're going to scare people when you talk like that."

All eyes were on Qu Chenzhou, even Qu Shenzhou himself was inexplicably surprised: "You know me?"

"I used to be taken care of by my husband a lot, but I have never met him again," the young man said in a gentle voice, but he looked very nervous, as if a child who didn't go out often was pushed into full view, and he pinched his fingers uneasily and asked: "May I ask, sir, have you ever found Chongming?"

Now it was Liu Chongming's turn to be stunned for a moment: "Find me?"

The two people with similar looks glanced at each other, both heaved a sigh of relief and laughed.

"Congratulations to the two of you for renewing your relationship and getting back together again."

Liu Chongming's heart skipped a beat.

If he heard these words on another occasion, he might be happy in his heart, but it shouldn't be now, Ding Lekang's expression changed a few times in the corner of his eye, even a fool should be able to hear something wrong with these words.

"What nonsense are you talking about!" He scolded, "Who are you!"

"Yes, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I forgot... My name is An Ning," the man pointed to his companion behind him: "His name is Yan Guiqi, and the thank you gift for Mr. has already been prepared, but I didn't expect to meet him today, so I didn't bring it with me , I'll go get it right now...can you wait here, sir..."

"I don't know you guys, and I'm not the gentleman you said, so don't talk nonsense," Qu Chenzhou coldly interrupted him, and then glanced at the wooden bird over there: "You play mysteries first, and then deceive the public with evil words. I don't care who you are, just go to the yamen with us and talk about it."

The young man named An Ning didn't expect Qu Shenzhou to be full of hostility, and immediately panicked: "Sir, I'm not..."

He was clumsy with words, his eyes flickered, and he looked even more suspicious, as if he was about to step forward, but was held back by another person.

"An Ning, let's go first, he doesn't remember."

"Stop!" Ding Lekang suddenly yelled, without further ado, he slashed at An Ning.

The power of his saber is like a thunderstorm, if it hits, the person will be cut in half.

But there was a sound of gold and stone under the knife, and it was cut on something, sparks flew everywhere, and half of the broken blade collapsed and flew away.

Behind him were the terrified screams of the servants.

Before Ding Lekang could stop sternly, he saw that what wrapped around his wrist along the handle of the knife was actually a section of branch as thick as a finger, which was flexible and tough.

"Dare to touch An Ning?"

"Ah...return date, don't..."

The branch seemed to be alive, it stood up like a snake's head, and it was lifted up a little in the direction of the heart, and suddenly penetrated his shoulder.

Ding Lekang yelled in pain: "Everyone surround me!"

I don't know how many branches protruded from the soil, as if a shield wall grew in an instant, blocking everyone.

Amidst the dust, the huge wooden bird carried the two people up into the air with a creaking sound, and the sound came from mid-air.

"Thank you for your help, sir. Today is not the time to talk. We will meet again some other day."

As early as when Ding Lekang dropped the saber, Liu Chongming quickly threw Qu Chenzhou into his body, rolled beside him, and was busy letting him go before everyone got up in disgrace.

Seeing the roots and branches standing on the ground shrink into the soil, everyone's face turned pale.

Before coming to Chengsongling, no one expected to encounter such a thing.

"Tree... tree demon?" Finally, someone suppressed the fear and spoke in a trembling voice.

Qu Chenzhou's face was also pale, he stood up and patted the dirt on his body, he didn't speak, and he didn't look at Liu Chongming who was beside him.

The development of the matter completely deviated from his expectation.

The two strange and inexplicable people were clearly the "tree demon" they dubiously believed in, which was completely contrary to what he had sworn before.

To make matters worse, the two seemed to be on good terms with him, even saying Chongming's name.

All things are twisted together and become an unsolvable knot.

The eyes of several people looking at him are different from before.

He took a slow breath and ordered: "Search around to see if there is anyone else?"

No one obeyed his order, Ding Lekang pointed at him with half of the saber in his hand: "Qu Shenzhou! Who are they! Who are you!"

Several attendants looked at each other and turned their blades.

"He knew the monster just now..."

"The monster's ghost can't stop Qu Sitian from hitting the wall..."

"What is it called Qu Sitian! He is a monster!" Ding Lekang scolded sharply, "What are you trying to do by leading us here!"

Everything is off track.

monster……

These two words are layered on top of each other, it seems that countless people have called him like this.

Little monster, kill him...

Qu Chenzhou clenched his hands slightly in his sleeves, looked at Liu Chongming as if feeling fear in his heart, stepped back facing him, and stood opposite him... beside Ding Lekang.

"I don't know them," he took a step forward, his legs were shaking, "I'm not a monster either!"

Ding Lekang couldn't help but take a half step back under the gaze of those monster eyes, but when he saw Liu Chongming from the corner of his vision, he became bolder again.

"Shizi! Let's take him down together! Let's see what he is!"

"Okay, together..."

Liu Chongming shook his hands and pulled the blade out of the sheath, and suddenly turned his wrist and fell, the sword was like a rainbow, and he slashed straight at Ding Lekang.

The distance between them was too close, even Ding Lekang was alerted immediately, and the sword also slashed diagonally from his shoulder to his side.

"Liu Chongming! You're crazy!" Ding Lekang's knife fell to the ground, clutching his wound and yelling: "Do it! Do it quickly!"

"You dare to call him a monster!" Liu Chongming yelled, "What the hell are you!"

He dodged the windy knife at the back of his head with a low body, turned around and slashed obliquely, without looking at the screaming and fallen man, stepped forward a few steps, and stabbed straight at the man closest to Qu Shenzhou.

The man was startled by a series of sudden changes at first, until he saw the bright sword pointing towards him, he suddenly woke up, grabbed Qu Chenzhou's shoulder with one hand, and quickly raised the knife horizontally with the other.

"do not come……"

Before he could finish his sentence, he spat out a mouthful of blood, a short sword pierced out from Qu Shenzhou's sleeve, and pierced into his heart.

"Well done." Liu Chongming took the time to boast, without looking back, he rushed to the other side.

The man fell to the ground, vomited a few mouthfuls of blood, and suddenly burst into tears.

"Qu... Qu Sitian, don't eat me, I haven't hurt you... I'm also obeying orders..."

His words stopped abruptly, and he fell to the ground, with two swords pierced in each of his chest and back.

"Ding Lekang fled down the mountain." Liu Chongming drew out his sword and threw it over: "We can't let him escape!"

Ghost Daqiang had disappeared, and he chased down along the bloodstains on the soil. After running for a while, he suddenly realized that their hands were holding each other.

The hand that had been held countless times in the dream was held by him so naturally, without breaking free.

He stared uncontrollably, his eyeballs almost popped out, if he hadn't been pulled violently, he would have almost hit the tree head-on.

"It's this time, why are you in a daze! Hurry up!" Qu Chenzhou pulled out his hand calmly, glanced over from the corner of the eye, frowned and said disgustedly: "What are you laughing at?"

Liu Chongming quickly restrained his expression, not daring to be distracted.

He didn't delay for a long time. He thought he would catch up with the injured person soon, but the bloodstains suddenly disappeared.

Everything was weird here, they didn't dare to disperse, they chased forward together for a while, and had to turn back to find someone.

Ding Lekang couldn't stay if other people were going to die. Even if he died, he had to see the corpse with his own eyes.

"There are several drops of blood here, denser than before. He stayed here before," Liu Chongming looked at the traces on the ground carefully, and said to himself, "but from here, not only the blood, but also the footprints are gone."

A person who is so badly injured can bandage the wound, but it is impossible to cover the heavy footprints.

Qu Chenzhou didn't look down at him, but his eyes fell on the tree not far away. The half-dried trunk revealed a dark tree hole, and yellow mushrooms grew on it.

"Why is it here again?"

He stepped forward slowly, looked at the mushroom bush carefully, and felt that it seemed to be different from the ones he had seen before.

The clump of mushrooms just now seemed to be only bright yellow, but now the spiers are dyed with a faint blush.

Someone is tugging at his sleeve.

"Wait, I'll take a look here first..."

He was about to pull back his sleeve, and wanted to reach out to pick a mushroom, but his wrist was grasped, and the touch was rough, not like a human hand.

"Sink the boat!" roared sharply and ran towards him with crazy footsteps: "Get out of there! Hurry up!"

Qu Shenzhou turned his head hastily, and saw the winding dry branches wrapped around his wrists, climbing up his arms.

A drop of blood dripped on his shoulder from a high altitude.

He raised his head in horror, and saw Ding Lekang covered by spider web-like branches above his head, and the countless branches were like an iron cage, covering his head.

The author has something to say: It’s not good to write too much about An Ning, for fear of overwhelming others, it’s enough to know that An Ning is an ally. Hundreds of years ago, she was almost beaten out by Shen Zhou, but after turning an enemy into a friend, I was retreating towards the end. Now it’s all in the manuscript box. If you feel confused and can’t understand it, it’s still the old practice. You can understand it later. It’s not messy. [A specialty that is not something to be proud of...]