Chapter 6, Yunmengze
At that moment, the person who had just entered the room came out, accompanied by another individual. It turned out that there had been someone in the room all along during these three days
Is he coming over this winter? Has he been here before? Or will he wait until the depths of winter or even until spring arrives after winter?
Wu Sheng slowly rose to his feet, momentarily at a loss for words
Is that guy named Jin Wuhuan still alive
Once a thought arises, it becomes difficult to withstand the feeling of hunger. By the afternoon of the third day, Wu Sheng decided to endure until nightfall to return home for a visit
I remember when I left home, there was half a jar of grain stored in the house, and dried meat was hanging from the beams, which made Wu Sheng increasingly anxious, as if a cat's claws were scratching at his heart.
The current situation is fraught with many uncertainties
Since then, the two gradually had less contact, especially after the birth of Zou Qi's son, which completely severed their connection
Damn, if only my past self had taken the appointment he proposed more seriously, at least I could have set the time more accurately
Wu Sheng did not dare to proceed further, but quickly retreated, contemplating his course of action beneath a rocky outcrop.
As the sky gradually darkened, and when the crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a faint glow on the snow-covered ground, Wu Sheng let out a sigh. He felt that this was the longest day he had ever endured
As the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking intertwined, before long, the sky began to brighten. A woman pushed open the courtyard door and stood at the entrance with her hands on her hips. She wore a simple blue dress and a plain coat, lacking any luxurious silks or furs, nor did she adorn herself with hairpins or pearl pendants. She appeared to be dressed like an ordinary peasant woman, yet her radiant and beautiful features could not be concealed, making her a strikingly beautiful woman.
However, out of caution, he does not plan to return home and intends to stay here to watch for the person named Jin Wuhuan. The view from the mountaintop is very open, and as soon as Jin Wuhuan appears, he will be able to see him very clearly
Does he still remember the promise made ten years ago and uphold his word
Wu Sheng leaned half-heartedly against the tree, his heart pounding wildly
On the hillside, there is a circle of wooden fences and two thatched cottages; this is his home
The overwhelming uncertainty left Wu Sheng in a state of turmoil, prompting him to circle around Tianmen Mountain, waiting idly by the mountain paths for an opportunity. Given his current appearance, coupled with the loss of his cultivation, as long as he did not venture into the mountains, there was not much danger even if he were discovered by the Chu army
Wu Sheng did not knock on the door in the past, but instead sat patiently on a stone known as the "Sleeping Ox" outside the courtyard, waiting for Zou Qi to come out. Zou Qi's woman did not like him, not because of him personally, but because she disliked assassins and Zou Qi's past life.
As Wu Sheng descended from the deer platform, he was momentarily at a loss as to where to go. His stomach growled again; he had been hungry all day. After considering the forest where game was more abundant, he decided to try his luck. However, after the snowfall, it was difficult to find wild animals, and capturing anything would indeed not be so easy
Zou Qi was originally not a hunter; like Wu Sheng, he was also an assassin. It is not surprising that Yunmengze is rich in assassins and thieves.
Just as I was about to rise, I saw a figure appear from nowhere at the foot of the hill, gliding across the snow and drifting into my own house!
It is fortunate that he has returned to his own doorstep, as he is very familiar with this mountainous forest. He knows exactly where to gather enough berries and where to set hunting traps, so he will not starve.
On the second day, the snowflakes continued to fall. Wu Sheng tightened the several rabbit skins he was wearing with a rope, then picked up a branch to use as a walking stick, and ascended the mountain along the path. After crossing two mountain hollows, he followed a small stream towards the north of the mountain, and ahead lay Cuiyun Valley. He did not dare to enter immediately; instead, he climbed to the summit on the eastern side and, sheltered by the rocks, looked down from a terrace.
Wu Sheng paused for a moment, slightly bowed, and turned to leave while leaning on his wooden staff
Is it not that scoundrel Jin Wuhuan
As he turned over a mountain ridge, Wu Sheng halted his steps, and before him stood a hunter, holding a hunting fork and shouldering a bundle, who was none other than Zou Qi
Could it be Jin Wuhuan? Should we go meet him?
That night, Wu Sheng still did not dare to ascend the mountain, but instead went to the cave where he had been staying for the past few days, steadily lit a bonfire, enjoyed a warm meal of roasted rabbit meat, and had a good night's sleep
On the day when snowflakes danced on the summit of Tianmen Mountain, Wu Sheng had already been waiting at the foot of the mountain for more than a month, and on this day, the Chu army began to withdraw
In a lifetime, who doesn't have a few friends? Wu Sheng also has one, who is both a neighbor and a friend. This person is named Zou Qi, the hunter Zou Qi
I come to Luta not for anything else, but to meet people
The beautiful woman first looked at Wu Sheng with confusion, and finally confirmed, biting her lip, "My husband and the library have not been concerned with external affairs for many years... Last year, our family welcomed a daughter..."
Leaving Cuiyun Valley, after a moment of hesitation, he turned onto the mountain path leading to Lutai. Lutai is a high platform in Tianmen Mountain, separated from Cuiyun Valley by several mountain ridges. It took approximately two hours of walking on the mountain path, and when Wu Sheng arrived, it was still not yet dawn
Two days later, Wu Sheng finished all the rabbit meat he had hunted a few days ago and began to consider the issue of food
Zou Qi's courtyard is much more impressive than Wu Sheng's, featuring seven wooden houses connected by pavilions and corridors. The exterior is surrounded by tall walls made of green bamboo, while the interior includes a pond garden, as well as a chicken coop and a dog kennel.
Only two people clasped their hands in farewell, one walked away through the snow, while the other returned to the thatched cottage, disappearing into the darkness
Wu Sheng widened his eyes and looked on as the figure entered the house, remaining inside for a long time without coming out. He hurriedly descended the mountain, and halfway down, he hid behind a tree. He was now much closer to the thatched cottage, allowing him to see more clearly, yet the cottage was silent, with no light shining through.
Hundreds of troops from Chu descended along the mountain path, among them were more than ten sword-wielding cultivators. Such a formation is quite extravagant and indicates that the State of Chu is genuinely intent on capturing him
Repeatedly contemplating this issue, Wu Sheng found himself in a state of hesitation and uncertainty
Wu Sheng hid under a distant rock to avoid the snow, secretly watching them tread through the snow until the banners disappeared into the snowy landscape, at which point he finally sighed in relief
The only problem is the lack of food. He does not dare to go hunting, fearing that he might miss the arrival of Jin Wuhuan
Although the possibility of these provisions being ravaged by the Chu army is quite high, what if there are some remnants left? Furthermore, the weather is becoming increasingly cold. In the past, I was not afraid of the cold, but now, having lost all my cultivation, I find it difficult to withstand the biting wind
Wu Sheng slowly retreated step by step, not daring to linger any longer in this place, and directly exited Cuiyun Valley
The two had collaborated numerous times in the past, and when faced with formidable targets, they would join forces, thus forming a bond akin to that of life-and-death friends. Seven years ago, Zou Qi encountered a woman, and subsequently decided to wash his hands of the past, relying on the savings he had accumulated to lead a tranquil life, transitioning into a hunter.
After waiting for a while, the lights in the courtyard were lit, but shortly after, they went out again
He saw clearly that, although he could not see the appearance of the two individuals, they were both dressed in black and lying in ambush in his own home, clearly waiting for an opportunity. Fortunately, he had endured for three days; otherwise, he would have already fallen into their trap at this moment