Chapter 2, Enemies

Yan Shu thought to himself: This little ghost has no idea where Su Zhen Shui Qingying found him, so young yet so difficult to deal with

Su Zhiyu sat quietly on the bed, propping her chin on her hand, listening to the story with her eyes blinking.

The room suddenly fell silent, and from outside the darkened house, faint sounds of barking could be heard

You are bullying me!" Su Zhiyu said, sobbing.

Su Zhen waved his hand, and suddenly a faint red light illuminated the room, its hue quite eerie

"Su Daxia, Shui Xianzi, if you do not respond soon, we will come in ourselves!" The voice of the snow-clad Zhenren outside urged again.

Then he said: "You are an old friend of my mother, how come I have never heard of you?"

I did not dare to go home directly, hiding outside until it was almost dawn before quietly returning home. However, as soon as I entered, I discovered that the house had been ransacked, and my mother was nowhere to be found

The golden snake rebounded as if struck by electricity, crashing several feet against the wall. It twisted desperately a few times before falling still.

I quietly approached Ba Laosan from behind, drew my knife, and whispered, "Ba Yanluo, tonight I will take your life!" I plunged the knife into his waist, and blood gushed out immediately

You?" Su Zhen laughed and said: "Do you know how much you weigh?"

Rest assured, as long as I am alive, this little sister will not lose a single strand of hair! His height only reached Su Zhen's chest, and he possessed no cultivation whatsoever, yet his words were incredibly firm, making one almost forget his age

Ding Yuan hummed, "He was lucky; at that time, I was too small and could only stab him at the waist. Lacking experience and feeling extremely flustered, I ended up giving him a worthless life. However, I only learned this later. At that moment, I thought he was dead. When that maid called out, I panicked and hurriedly dropped the knife and escaped over the wall from the Ba residence.

"If you can't sleep, just count sheep. You'll fall asleep after counting to one hundred," Ding Yuan said casually.

"Go!" Su Zhen exclaimed softly, as the bronze lamp slipped from his hand and floated gently into the air. A faint red light cascaded down like a waterfall, forming a luminous shield that enveloped Su Zhiyu and Ding Yuan.

Ding Yuan was lost in thought, but was repeatedly interrupted by the little girl. A bit impatiently, he said: "It doesn't hurt. It's getting late; if you have nothing else to do, you should go to sleep first."

He said to Yan Shu: "Even if you make a hundred oaths, it is of no use; the Su family's girl will never go with you."

Su Zhen let out a cold laugh and said, "I don't want to give it. Let's see who has the ability to take it away"

In a fit of anger, I bit his arm. Ba Laosan's gang immediately rushed over and beat me half to death. They searched me and took all the money I had, leaving not a single cent, and trampled all the remaining jewelry into pieces. At that moment, over a hundred people gathered nearby to watch the commotion, yet they stood by and watched as these four or five ruffians acted out, with no one daring to say a word

No need. Ding Yuan glanced at Su Zhiyu and said: I will definitely kill him with my own hands in the future, and I hope he lives long enough

Su Zhen turned to Ding Yuan and said, "Kid, aren't you supposed to leave? Why are you still standing here?"

"Get lost! If you want to stop me, let that old ghost come himself. With your weight, you can't move me," Su Zhen replied

Su Zhiyu tilted her head and thought for a moment, then nodded and said: "Yuer listens to her parents' words, please come back quickly. Yuer wants her mother to coax her to sleep"

At the age of ten, as my birthday was approaching, my mother asked me to sell some items and return home early to celebrate my birthday. I set up a stall at the market early in the morning, and that day, business was quite good; by noon, I had earned what I would usually make in a day. Just after noon, the local bully, Ba Laosan, came out with a group of thugs to collect protection fees. Relying on the fact that both of his brothers were local officials, he acted lawlessly, and the townspeople feared him, secretly calling him 'Ba Yama'.

Su Zhiyu innocently asked, "Yuer also wants to go, that Biluo Mountain must be very fun"

The voice of the real person outside rang out again: "Since Brother Su has come near Biluo Mountain, why not come up the mountain to catch up with us old friends? If outsiders were to know, they would think that we at Biluo Mountain have lost our manners"

"Is it someone from Ba Laosan here to take revenge?" Su Zhiyu asked

Ding Yuan couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. If this could be considered bullying, then what should he make of the disdain he had previously faced and the random beatings he had endured? If it weren't for having promised Su Zhen and his wife, he would have turned around and left, as far away as possible.

Regarding Biluo Mountain, Ding Yuan has heard somewhat about it. Two hundred li to the west of this city lies a range of undulating mountains, perpetually lush and green, known as Biluo.

I have no father!" Ding Yuan's eyes suddenly shot out a glare of hatred as he said, "He abandoned us when my mother was pregnant with me, and I have never thought of having this father!"

Su Zhiyu glared at the young woman, then turned her head and quietly asked, "Brother Ding, what does she want with my parents"

Then what about your father? Su Zhiyu curiously interrupted and asked

Ding Yuan understood that this woman was feigning ignorance. He thought to himself that Su Zhen and Shui Qingying appeared to be sword immortals of high caliber. Regardless of the intentions of those who came to find them, they were certainly not to be trifled with. Since he had promised to protect their young daughter, he naturally could not go back on his word and would do everything possible to hold on until they returned

Su Zhiyu was regarded as a precious jewel by her parents since childhood, indulged in every way, and rarely encountered another person on Gathering Cloud Peak. When she was scolded so harshly for the first time, she immediately pouted and began to cry

Many people say that deep within Biluo Mountain, there are immortals residing. At midnight, hunters in the mountain can occasionally see streaks of seven-colored light, which signifies the descent of the immortals.

Su Zhiyu did not give up and smiled sweetly, saying: "You can tell me what you played with when you were a child, what books your parents taught you to read, and whether they forced you to practice swordsmanship"

Shui Qingying looked at her daughter's innocent little face, feeling a pang in her heart. She forced a smile and said, "Yuer, be good. Your father and I have something to attend to, and it's not suitable for children to go. You stay inside and wait, alright?"

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. So, I climbed into the Ba residence using a large tree. Inside, there were many people and it was quite chaotic. I pretended to be a servant, took a broom and rested it on my shoulder. It was dark, and no one suspected that I was just a child.

There are a total of nine people. The woman said calmly: "Surround this inn according to the nine palace positions. From their footsteps, they should be experts from Biluo Mountain, among whom at least four are elder-level figures. Perhaps the old stubborn Zhenren Tingyun is also among them"

Ding Yuan was immersed in memories and slowly said: "He came to my stall to collect money, and I handed it over to him as usual. Little did I know that this bastard said his big brother was turning forty, and today the protection fee had to be doubled. I didn't have that much money on me, so I had to argue with him. Ba Laosan chuckled and said it was fine if I didn't pay, but my mother would have to go to his house to be a maid for a year to settle the debt.

Ah! With a cry, Su Zhiyu grasped Ding Yuan's arm: "Brother Ding, are you going alone to seek revenge on Old Ba San?"

Yan Shu chuckled and said, "Little sister, do not be afraid. It is merely the usual trick of that old poisoner outside. With your elder sister here, he cannot act so arrogantly."

A flash of red light flickered in Su Zhen's eyes, revealing a terrifying killing intent. He said in a deep voice: "So the old rascal, Master Ting Tao, has also arrived. Among the Seven Sons of Biluo, he is the most hypocritical and insidious of them all"

Su Zhiyu let out a soft "oh" and obediently walked towards the edge of the bed. Strangely enough, the light shield that poured down from the heavenly lantern gradually expanded outward with Su Zhiyu's movement, still enveloping them within its glow

Su Zhen's expression remained unchanged as he slowly said: "Even if they all come, what is there for me to fear?"

Ding Yuan felt a sense of wonder in his heart. Upon closer inspection, he realized that Su Zhen was holding a palm-sized bronze lamp. The base of the lamp was intricately carved with a majestic and fearsome mythical beast, its visage both fierce and terrifying. However, the wick was as thin as a golden needle, flickering with a dark red flame.

As Su Zhiyu was about to say, "I will also go help you then," the Tianxin lamp above her head suddenly trembled a few times, emitting a low humming sound of "sisi".

I do not know; I only know that my mother is missing, and no matter how hard I search, I cannot find her. I asked the people nearby, but no one could provide a clear answer. I am also afraid that Ba Laosan's men will come seeking revenge, so I had no choice but to leave quickly. I returned a few times afterward, but I still could not find my mother. It seems... she was killed by Ba Laosan.

"I will not leave; you all go ahead. I will stay to protect this little sister," Ding Yuan said, placing his hands on his hips.

"You tricked me again," the young woman chuckled, "Little brother, don't you know that deceiving someone can be fatal? Su Zhen and Shui Qingying are probably still fighting with the ragged Taoists of Biluo Mountain. How could they return so soon?"

"Look at what you are saying." Yan Shu let out a delicate laugh: "I merely wish to take her to find her parents, what is wrong with that? If you do not believe me, I can swear that I will never harm this little sister."

I cannot tell stories! Ding Yuan thought to himself, this little girl is truly spoiled by her parents, how troublesome she is

She appears to be under thirty, around her twenties, but in fact, she is already over a hundred years old, nearly the same generation as the Su Zhen couple. She hails from the sect of the Emotionless Old Woman of the Wanhe Valley in the Great Snow Mountain, relying on the prestige of her master and the Purple Spirit Whip in her hand to traverse the heavens and the earth.

Although she behaves capriciously and oddly on ordinary days, she has never committed any great evil; therefore, those of the righteous path have not made things overly difficult for her

However, in the past, I could only fall asleep at night after my mother told me stories about immortals

Su Zhen pondered, "Although the Taoist from Biluo Mountain is shameless, he would not stoop to bullying a little girl. What we should be wary of is that when we engage in battle, someone else might intervene, which would be troublesome"

This is the ancient divine artifact, the Heart Lamp, which can ward off evil spirits and malevolent beings. You should remain still inside and refrain from touching the lamp stand. If any strangers come to harm you, there is no need to panic; with the protection of the Heart Lamp, the number of people in this world who can break its defenses is few and far between.

Sister, my name is Yan Shu. Everyone who knows me calls me the 'Purple Silk Fairy.' Would you like me to take you to find your parents?

When I was a child, I lived with my mother in a remote little town. My mother earned a living by making embellishments for others' clothing. When I was about eight years old, I began to take the embellishments made by my mother to the market to sell, and I could earn a few copper coins each day

Unfortunately, the mountain paths are rugged and the perilous peaks are difficult to ascend. Even monkeys find it hard to climb to the summits of the seven highest peaks in Biluoshan, which is why no one has ever seen what the immortals truly look like

Ding Yuan suddenly stood up and said, "Don't speak; it seems that some villains are coming!"

Su Zhen let out a long howl and responded, "There is a mound twenty miles east of the city, filled with countless graves. If you are not afraid, then feel free to follow me!"

Ding Yuan discerned from her words that although this young married woman was not from Biluo Mountain and her origins were unknown, she was not there to assist Su Zhen

My name is Su Zhiyu, who is my sister? This little girl does not understand the lurking dangers at all. Looking at this young woman, she appears very beautiful, her voice soft and delicate, inevitably evoking a sense of closeness

Su Zhiyu was taken aback and immediately hugged Ding Yuan, exclaiming: "Snake!"

The young woman cast a warm glance at Su Zhiyu and asked, "Little sister, you are the daughter of Su Zhen and Shui Qingying, aren't you?"

Indeed, the name of Yan Shu contains the characters "Zi Lian" because she is skilled in wielding the magical treasure, the "Zi Ling Whip." However, the title "Fairy" is self-bestowed, and most people still refer to her as "Demoness."

Really? In Su Zhiyu's bright, sparkling eyes, tears were still swirling, yet a smile had already blossomed on her small face. She truly could say she wouldn't cry and not cry; it seems this is one of her usual tricks in front of her parents

Su Zhen's expression of disdain gradually faded, and she nodded, saying: "Alright, you stay and help me take care of Yu'er"

There was not much to say about my childhood

Unexpectedly, Su Zhiyu tugged at his sleeve and gently asked, "Brother Ding, when do you think my parents will come back?"

Shui Qingying softly said: "That Yu'er ... ... "

"How can this little brother speak like that? Where does it seem that the elder sister is a villain?" The door, which was originally closed, opened without a breeze, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman in purple standing at the entrance with a beaming smile

Father! Su Zhiyu exclaimed

Su Zhiyu asked again, "Brother Ding, does your wound still hurt?"

Ding Yuan knew that the visitor must be after Su Zhen and his wife, so he coldly said: "You did not knock on the door, nor did you ask if the owner inside was willing to see you, yet you barged in. What else could you be if not a villain?"

In the quiet courtyard, a hoarse voice slowly emerged, saying: "Purple Lotus Demoness, you even deceive a ten-year-old child; indeed, you are becoming more and more regressive."

Su Zhiyu exclaimed: "Did you kill him?"

Who are you again, and what do you want

Ding Yuan was also unaware that, compared to Su Zhi Yu, he was much more sensible. He understood that Su Zhen and Shui Qing Ying must have gone to an open area outside the city to confront the Seven Sons of Bi Luo. As for why the Seven Sons of Bi Luo sought out Su Zhen and his wife, it seemed to involve other secrets.

At this moment, Su Zhiyu felt that that Ba Laosan was truly the worst person in the world, so she said: "Brother Ding, when our parents return, I will definitely ask them to help teach that Ba Laosan a lesson"

That being said, if it were not for the heart lamps above the heads of the two children, why would she need to waste her breath here

Su Zhen slightly curled her lips, responding with a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown: "Old rascal, what brings you here so late?"

"Do not speak," Ding Yuan first signaled her to be silent, then said to the young woman, "Uncle Su and Aunt Shui will be back soon, you can stand there and wait for a moment."

Her words are uncertain in their truthfulness, but Ding is resolute about one thing: no matter who it is, no one shall take Su Zhiyu away!

You can tell me stories from your childhood

The young woman smiled charmingly, dazzling like a blooming peony, and said: "Who is this child, so eloquent and sharp-tongued?"

After listening to my mother, I indeed stopped crying, only thinking about how to take revenge on Ba Laosan. That night, since all the money earned at the market was taken by Ba Laosan, my mother and I had to make do with two corn cakes to celebrate my birthday. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. Unable to sleep in the middle of the night, I got up, took a knife from the stove, tucked it behind my waist, and went out.

Shui Qingying's expression tightened slightly as she whispered, "It is the real person of Tingxue. It seems that four of the Seven Sons of Biluo have indeed arrived."

As soon as the words fell, an aged voice echoed from the opposite rooftop: "Brother Su Zhen, how are you and the two of you, Shui Qingying and Shui Xianzi?"

Another woman's voice spoke up: "Hero Su, what a bold claim! If Senior Brother Ting Tao alone cannot persuade you and Miss Shui Xian, how about if I join him along with two other senior brothers?"

If a way is not found to deceive Su Zhiyu, it is likely that such a good opportunity will be hard to come by in the future. After all the effort put into waiting for this day, as long as I can take Su's precious daughter hostage, I need not fear that the couple will not yield. Could it be that a mere child is going to disrupt everything?

Let me tell you a story from my childhood. " Ding Yuan thought for a moment and sat down by the bed

Ding Yuan looked up at the lantern in the sky, wondering what kind of treasure this was from the celestial realm. However, could that faint red light truly be of any use?

Su Zhen snorted, "They arrived so quickly. Do they think that after sixty years of self-cultivation, I, Su Zhen, have become easy to talk to?"

The young woman looked up at the lantern in the sky and replied, "I am an old friend of the Narcissus Fairy! It has been sixty years since we last met, so naturally, I wanted to pay a visit. What, are they not here?"

"Do not listen to her nonsense." Ding Yuan positioned himself in front of Su Zhiyu, glaring at Yan Shu with vigilance, "Since you claim to be an old friend of Aunt Shui, you should be a person of some renown. How could you be so despicable as to target a ten-year-old child?"

Ding Yuan nodded and said: "At that time, I only wanted to teach Ba Laosan a lesson. When I arrived outside the Ba residence, it was bustling with people coming and going. It turned out they were celebrating Ba Laoda's birthday. I stood in the corner, smelling the rich aroma of wine and meat, feeling very uncomfortable. Ba Laoda had wine and meat for his birthday, while I only had two corn cakes to share with my mother. Why is that?"

Su Zhen's figure flickered, merging with the red light, and vanished outside the window

Shui Qingying bitterly smiled and said: "The things we conceal within ourselves have made countless people envious in secret. If it weren't for their ignorance of the location of Juyun Peak, they would have likely come knocking on our door long ago. Today, these Taoists appear to be here to subdue you, the demon, but in essence, are they not still after that * map * and * book *? "

Su Zhiyu exclaimed angrily: "Brother Ding, this Ba Laosan is too wicked. When my parents return, I will tell them and have my father avenge you"

The real person of Ting Tao replied: "My family's sect leader, upon learning that the esteemed couple is passing by Biluo Mountain, is overjoyed and insists that I invite both of you to come up the mountain for a meeting. There is no other intention, only to reminisce about old times"

I apologize," Su Zhiyu said softly, "Please continue speaking."

The young woman was taken aback and then giggled charmingly: "Don't fool me, sister. Do you think I don't know that Su Zhen and Shui Qingying only have one daughter?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a dazzling red light illuminated behind him. It turned out to be the magic sword "Crimson Blood" hidden in its sheath, which roared forth and transformed into a bolt of lightning shooting into the night sky

As I pondered, a small snake silently slithered in from beneath the windowsill. Its golden body was barely over three feet long, swiftly making its way towards the bedside. However, the moment the snake's head touched the red light emitted by the Tianxin lamp, a sudden buzzing sound erupted, and the brilliance of the Tianxin lamp surged, trembling even more violently.

Shui lightly nodded to Ding Yuan and said: "Ding Xiaoyou, I entrust you with Yu'er." With a flick of her jade wrist, a streak of emerald sword light soared into the sky, and in an instant, she vanished without a trace

Ding Yuan shook his head and continued, "I dragged my injured body home only after it was dark. My mother, worried about me, went outside to look for me and naturally heard about this incident. I cried bitterly in my mother's arms, and as she helped me clean my wounds, she said, 'Don't cry, child. There is no real justice in this world; justice is taken by those who are capable or those who are domineering. Just bear with it for now.'"

Su Zhen turned around and bent down to pat his daughter's little head: "Yuer, stay here obediently. Your father and mother are going to meet a few old friends, and we will be back soon"

Shui Qingying glanced at her daughter, who was completely bewildered and unaware of the impending crisis, and sighed, "With the two of us joining forces, we naturally need not fear the Biluojiumian Sword Formation, but what about Yuer?"

"Brother Ding, I can't sleep," Su Zhiyu called out while sitting on the bed

Ding Yuan looked at Su Zhen with indifference, and only after the laughter ceased did he respond: "There is nothing to laugh about. Since I have said I would repay you, at most it would just be the sacrifice of a worthless life."

But now, I can only endure the pain and say: "Alright, don't cry anymore, I will tell you a story"

Ding Yuan recalled his childhood, and could not help but feel a wave of frustration, exclaiming: "Go to sleep quickly!"

Perhaps your mother left on her own

Ding Yuan gazed out at the night sky, lost in thought, and mused: "Is this the legendary Sword Immortal? If I could possess such abilities, what would I have to fear from those scoundrels?"

Ding Yuan sighed inwardly, knowing that yet another troublesome individual had arrived

I arrived at the entrance of the main hall of the Ba residence, just in time to encounter Ba Laosan coming out to see off a guest. He was quite drunk and unsteady on his feet. I followed him, and after he finished seeing off the guest, he did not return to the main hall but instead went to the adjacent courtyard, as he was in urgent need to relieve himself. This scoundrel deserved his misfortune; in that courtyard, there was no one else except for a maidservant attending to him.

"Impossible," Ding Yuan shook his head and said, "Even if my mother were to leave, she would definitely take me with her, and she wouldn't leave in the middle of the night!"

Ding Yuan was quite troubled by her. He was not afraid of others resorting to violence, but he could not tolerate the crying of the little girl. He could only try to speak in a gentle voice: "Don't cry, please go to sleep, okay? When you wake up, your parents will be back."