Chapter One, Luring the Tiger Out of the Mountains.

Younger generations like Zhou Fei and others may not even know that there is a woman named "Kou Dan" in the village, and even if they see her with their own eyes, they may not necessarily recognize her. This is because in the past decade or so, she has rarely appeared in public. She is the only one in the entire forty-eight villages who stands out from the rest, yet is indispensable - Ming Feng.

His smile is not only not bitter, but also a bit carefree. Although Zhou Fei is not good at observing words and expressions, she always feels that there is something wrong with Xie Yun's body.

The iron axis of the wooden box has rusted, and as soon as the lid is opened, a musty smell follows with a "creak," signaling the end of its life. However, contrary to expectations, what was carefully collected by Mr. Li is not some treasure or secret manual, but a pile of miscellaneous items.

Head Chef, everything is ready. Would you like to take a look?

What they care about is the collapse of the Huo family fortress; After twenty years of accumulated grievances, Beidou still does not regard the declining Central Plains martial arts as important, and is becoming more and more reckless; After Huo Liantao fled to the south, he began to gather forces from all sides, under the guise of "family and country" and "righteousness", with the intention of convening another hero conference; Under Hengshan, a successor of the Southern Knife emerged, killing the leader of the Four Symbols. Apart from Zhuque, who defected from the Four Symbols, the living and dead of the other two factions all expressed their desire for revenge; The recently famous owner of Qingyun Gorge originally claimed to challenge the Central Plains with his sword, but unexpectedly suffered a defeat under the new "Southern Knife". Under the guise of "family and country" and "righteousness", there is a strong intention to convene another hero conference; Under Hengshan, a successor of the Southern Knife emerged, killing the leader of the Four Symbols. Apart from Zhuque, who defected from the Four Symbols, the living and dead of the other two factions all expressed their desire for revenge; The recently famous owner of Qingyun Gorge originally claimed to challenge the Central Plains with his sword, but unexpectedly suffered a defeat under the new "Southern Knife". The ignorant youth from the wilderness also shamelessly announced this result, causing both the righteous and evil factions of the Southern Dynasty to search for this extraordinary successor... As well as the leader of the Forty-Eight Villages, Li Jinrong, quietly leaving the village and getting involved in this storm. The ignorant youth from the wilderness also shamelessly announced this result, causing both the righteous and evil factions of the Southern Dynasty to search for this extraordinary successor... As well as the leader of the Forty-Eight Villages, Li Jinrong, quietly leaving the village and getting involved in this storm.

Zhou Fei hesitated for a moment and said, "Then you...".

This time, Li Jinrong finally decided to leave Shuzhong. Apart from the recent incidents of several dark posts in the forty-eight villages in the north suddenly losing connection, forcing her to deal with them, the other reasons are all in this letter.

Kou Dan's smile remained unchanged, her voice was very sweet, almost with a hint of coquetry, saying, "Naturally, Mr. Zhou wanted to leave back then, and even the head of the family didn't stop him, so how could they stop us? Master Uncle, you know that what my niece is asking is not about this."

Distant winds pass through mountains and dense forests, their sound already piercing. Only by carefully distinguishing can one hear a faint mixed whistle within.

Although Li Yan was interrupted on her first outing, she did not object at all. After hearing about the situation in Yueyang and Huarong, the elders had a serious expression, while Li Yan cried without any hesitation. Her anticipation of exploring the world was completely shattered by the news of Brother Chenfei's death.

His voice fell silent, and another group of birds soared into the sky, circling aimlessly, with a mournful bird cry echoing from afar. Zhou Fei subconsciously pressed the Wàngchūn Mountain at his waist.

However, it is inconvenient to show timidity in public. After thinking for a moment, she replied with great reason and evidence: "Well, the mountain road is difficult to walk after dark, and there is fog in the forest, which makes it particularly easy to get lost..."

At this moment, a hand quickly reached out and steadily caught the fallen vase.

Girls' Generation's Li Jinrong dared not be careless. Even when her father threw a piece of cloth at her, she cautiously took two steps back and adjusted her posture before reaching out to catch it. What Li Zheng threw over was a very lively floral jacket, skillfully tailored with neat stitches. Although the craftsmanship was not top-notch, it was still quite decent. Whether it was the color, style, or size, it was clear that it was made for her to wear.

That is too naive.

Kou Dan looked at his stubborn appearance, shaking his head and laughing while rearranging the cup with his hands. "Master Uncle, while the country may change, one's nature is hard to change. Why make things difficult for yourself? I am not an outsider."

Aside from Li Yan, who was still rubbing her eyes in confusion, even Wu Chuchu became alert and panicked.

Upon hearing Xie Yun's question, Zhou Fei thought to herself: "How would I know?"

Li Jinrong ignored this consolation. In her opinion, "consolation" was also a kind of nonsense. She still frowned and asked, "Where did Majili and them leave off in their last letter?"

Li Jinrong casually pulled out a copy of "The Great Learning", shook off the dust on it, and opened it. Inside, she saw more annotations written in familiar handwriting than the actual text. A strong bookishness accompanied the dampness in the air. She couldn't help but sneer, gently placing it aside. She then took down several book boxes from the middle layer of the bookshelf one by one, reached out and touched the wooden shelf, and then pried and twisted it. With a "click", she removed a wooden board.

Kou Dan tilted his head slightly, with a faint smile at the corner of his eyes, and said softly, "A person who has silently guarded a cold river for twenty years, like Shishu, wouldn't speak if he didn't want to. My nephew understands this boundary. I suppose I won't be able to obtain the secret of the boundless sea and sky from you, so I won't ask anymore."

Kou Dan was taken aback.

At this moment, in the small town at the foot of the mountain, Xie Yun doubtfully pushed open the window that had been blown shut by the wind, squinted his eyes and looked in the direction of the Forty-Eight Villages, then turned to ask Zhou Fei, "There are people coming and going in your village every day, and there are patrols everywhere in the mountains. Is it so easy to startle a flock of birds?"

In the study, most of the things left behind are still in their original places, including stationery and books that have not been touched. There is a large row of bookshelves in the corner, filled with the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as various other classics. If one were to thoroughly read and understand all the books on this shelf, it would probably be enough to pass the imperial examination. However, since Zhou Yitang left, these books have been neglected and covered in a layer of dust.

Fish looked at her, the smile at the corner of his mouth gradually faded, and his drooping cheeks suddenly appeared somewhat stern.

That's a bit too naive.

It is now close to midnight.

"I heard that the head of the family has left. I came to see how things are going." Kou Dan said. She sat down in front of Fish Lao absent-mindedly, took out a piece of silk from her bosom, carefully wiped a cup, and poured herself a glass of water.

He spoke, reluctantly suppressing the urge in his throat, deliberately reaching out to disrupt the positions of several cups on the table.

After Li Jinrong left the Forty-Eight Villages, the defense in the village naturally reached its peak. At this time, although Yu Lao was guarding the center of the Ximo River, the giant monster submerged in the water did not go into hiding to rest. If someone stood in the center of the river, they would find that the giant stones under the water mist were constantly moving. Once someone intruded, Qianji would immediately create huge waves and a terrifying storm, a power that even Zhou Fei had never seen before. Yu Lao only scared her and would not really give this earth-shattering giant to a little girl who had not yet graduated. Once someone intruded, Qianji would immediately create huge waves and a terrifying storm, a power that even Zhou Fei had never seen before. Yu Lao only scared her and would not really give this earth-shattering giant to a little girl who had not yet graduated.

At this point, Li Jinrong felt that Zhou Fei was actually quite different from her. Although Zhou Fei was a bit of a wild girl who didn't like to deal with people most of the time, her thoughts were more mature than when she was young. Whatever Zhou Fei saw and thought in her heart, she was not willing to speak out. Except for the fact that she did not learn to be "gentle and polite", her personality was more like Zhou Yitang.

Zhou Fei's footsteps paused. Finally, she came back to her senses from the excitement of returning home soon. She realized one thing - whether it was "Duan Wang" or Xie Yun, their return this time was only as guests and they could not stay for long. "Duan Wang" was not suitable for his identity, and Xie Yun... Zhou Fei felt that he seemed to be more accustomed to the life of a wandering adventurer.

So the person who has been through life and death together may soon be separated.

Zhou Fei remembered Xie Yun's passing mention of "my home is in the old capital." Now, beneath Mount Shu, she inexplicably felt a sense of boundless desolation.

In a small town in Shuzhong, life is quite leisurely. The old man who tells stories is used to chatting with people every day and is not short of money. He has a somewhat indifferent demeanor. When his white beard trembles, he begins to speak: "If we talk about the great heroes from our place, the first one has to be the old chieftain Li Zheng..."

Wu Chuchu couldn't help but laugh first, while Xie Yunduan lifted his teacup to cover his face.

No, Li Jinrong always has a hurried appearance. She lowered her head and waved her hand, then asked, "Mr. Zhou and Mrs. Wang still haven't replied?"

Although Zhou Fei was unclear about the reason, her heart suddenly started to beat wildly, as if she had suddenly developed hysteria. Cold sweat instantly formed in the palm of her hand, and she turned around and ran upstairs to smash Magil's door.

In the cracks swaying in the wind and rain, can a corner of paradise really last?

Zhou Fei suddenly asked, "What was the old capital like?"

Yu Lao looked at her with a half-smile, and asked, "Since you are not an outsider, how did you learn to have secret conversations with your master's junior brother?"

When Zhou Fei first arrived at the small town near the Forty-Eight Villages, she was completely like a country bumpkin who wished she had eyes all over her body. But familiarity breeds fondness. After such a long time, when she returned, she had already considered herself a half-host, guiding Wu Chuchu and Xie Yun through the sights and sounds of Shu. Most of what she shared was what Deng Zhen and Madam Wang had told her when she left home last time. Zhou Fei improvised and added a few sentences based on her faint impressions, speaking with a serious and solemn tone, as if it were a matter of great importance. She guided Wu Chuchu and Xie Yun through the sights and sounds of Shu, most of which were what Deng Zhen and Madam Wang had told her when she left home last time. Zhou Fei improvised and added a few sentences based on her faint impressions, speaking with a serious and solemn tone, as if it were a matter of great importance.

The world's top assassin strikes ruthlessly, leaving no room for mercy. A poisonous needle, aimed at the throat, pierced Fish Lao's blood vessels and meridians with pinpoint accuracy. In an instinctive burst of anger, Fish Lao's palm accelerated the spread of the poison, and in the blink of an eye, the black qi had already enveloped his face. He stared incredulously at the woman who had just been chatting and laughing with him, wanting to say something, but suddenly realized that his tongue was numb and his limbs were trembling uncontrollably.

Zhou Fei heard Majili sighing softly beside her and said, "It is our duty to serve the bandits. The old leader has shown us a life-and-death kindness."

Li Jinrong walked into her small study and carefully closed the door by latching it.

She was about to speak, when suddenly a sharp bird cry came from the mountains not far away, and a flock of birds, startled by something, whistled away into the night sky. Suddenly, a gust of evil wind rose from all around, and with a "snap," the open wooden window was closed, causing the dim lights in the inn to swing violently.

Ma Jili emphasized the importance of the following: "You're talking about a man who, with his wife and children at home, can't even protect their lives properly. He fills his mind with 'nobility' and rushes out to seek death. Is that meaningful? Even if he dies without a complete body, he still manages to involve his family. Can he still be considered a man? Does he deserve to be called 'father' by his children from childhood to adulthood?"

This fierce and ferocious dog quietly fell asleep.

She has reached middle age, her once plump cheeks slightly sagging, with visible lines at the corners of her eyes when she smiles. However, she still possesses a unique beauty - not the natural grace of young girls, nor the dazzling allure of a performer in a feathered costume. Her features are not flawless, but when she looks at others with a hint of a smile, it is hard not to be drawn into her eyes. Those eyes seem to be composed of layers upon layers of mysterious and captivating secrets, indescribably enigmatic and alluring.

Fish Lao stood up and opened the door, saying, "The machine is working well. You have seen it yourself. Even if Beidou himself came now, he could be cut into pieces. It's getting late, you should leave."

Xie Yun slightly tilted her ear and murmured, "Is this the sound of the wind or..."

Magli couldn't bear to listen anymore and ordered the disciple next to him, "Check the number, list, and tokens carefully, and deliver them to the first sentry post at the entrance of the mountain."

The wind on the river is getting stronger, blowing the intricate and tangled fishing lines on the water's surface, emitting a faint buzzing sound. In the small pavilion, two people sit and stand, silently, as if frozen in the darkness of the night.

Kou Dan seemed to want to reach out and support him. Her delicate hand touched Fish Lao's lower back. She evoked memories from him with just a few words, causing him to sigh almost imperceptibly. And in this moment--

Finally, Yu Lao twitched very slightly, and the breath got stuck in his throat. His cloudy pupils slowly dilated.

Qualified to escort Li Yan, in addition to being deeply trusted by Li Jinrong, each of them also has their own abilities. Although Ma Jili was awakened by Zhou Fei in the middle of the night and still had a slight smell of alcohol on him, he immediately became sober after hearing her explanation. In a blink of an eye, the escort team gathered by the lobby window, well-trained.