The gravel road is often covered with mud splashed by horses' hooves.

It was barely possible to walk after the rain.

The night journey is definitely coming.

Lin Jue calculated the distance and looked at the sky. He estimated that he would not be able to catch up much. In addition, there were many businessmen traveling with him on the road, so he felt relieved.

Not long after walking, it became dark.

Gradually it reached the point of becoming comatose.

The business travelers who had set out together before had gradually moved to the front and back due to different load on their feet. However, human figures could still be seen vaguely in the gloomy sky and earth. Although the bamboo forest beside the road was deep and the dusk mist blocked people's sight, the mule could not

The sound of the bells of horses and donkeys still came clearly and echoed in the mountains, which was also reassuring.

At least understand that you are not the only one on this road.

Since Lin Jue began to practice the method of nourishing Qi, the aftereffects of being breathed out by the monster in the Wang Family Ancestral Hall have gradually faded away, but he is still a little uneasy. In addition, when he was sheltering from the rain at the tea stall, he listened to many business travelers.

If it doesn't make people uneasy, there will be some concerns after all.

So I craned my neck and looked back and forth to see whether I should speed up the pace and catch up, or walk slower and wait. In short, I found someone to walk with.

Previously, the purpose of visiting the Wang Family Ancestral Hall in Hengcun was to treat his uncle's illness and save his life. Now that there is no reason to take risks, who would be willing to run into monsters easily?

Lin Jue quickly found a companion.

The man in front of him was also a man. Like him, he was looking up and looking for someone to go with him.

This man simply stood still on the roadside.

Lin Jue quickly caught up with him.

Before Lin Jue could speak, he heard his voice first.

"Ouch! He's a scholar!" This man was quite handsome and quite young. He said as soon as he saw Lin Jue, "Unfortunately, I am forced to travel at night. I wonder if we can go together to strengthen our courage?"

"It's true that I can't ask for it." Lin Jue said.

"You speak so elegantly."

"No, no."

"May I ask how you call me Mr. Lang?"

"My surname is Lin Mingjue."

"You haven't picked up the characters yet, have you?"

"Not yet old enough."

"I think so." The man said for a moment, "My surname is Huang, and it is a full name. I mean it wholeheartedly. Don't get me wrong. I'm older than you, so just call me Brother Huang."

"Brother Huang, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you!"

Huang Quan walked forward with him as he spoke. Perhaps he was afraid of being bold, so he kept talking and kept talking: "Why are you walking alone when you are not old?"

"My family is poor, so I come out to study."

"Studying is difficult, especially for children from ordinary families. It is really difficult to find a famous teacher. If you can't find one, it will be difficult to pass the exam." Huang Quan sighed.

"Who says it's not?" Lin Jue agreed.

"There is no peace in the world now."

"Indeed."

"I heard from the people in front that there are ghosts on this road!"

"I also heard about it in the tea shed."

"How brave is Brother Lin?"

Huang Quan looked at Lin Jue with some uneasiness, as if whenever Lin Jue said that he was timid, he would pull him to stop and wait for a few more people to go with him.

"It's not bad."

"Then I'll be relieved. Haha, actually I'm quite courageous and can do anything." Huang Quan laughed a few times, "But it's lonely at night. It's good to find someone to chat with for fun and take care of each other. Don't tell me how to do it.

You won’t encounter any ghosts or robbers, but the road is uneven and if you accidentally step on the ground and fall, it would be nice to have someone to help you.”

"What Brother Huang said is true."

Lin Jue saw through it but did not expose it.

Humans are indeed social animals, and most fears and uneasiness come from being alone and isolated. Once we chat with others, some originally uneasy thoughts will temporarily disappear.

Although this Huang Quan is timid and loves face, he is a talkative person. In addition, he often travels on this road and wanders outside, so he has a lot of experience. Lin Jue chatted with him while walking, and the conversation was very good.

It was quite speculative, and I gradually became interested.

Whether it was the loneliness and boredom of walking at night, or the anxiety and fear, I let go of them all at this time.

"Where is Brother Lin's destination?"

"Go to Qiyun Mountain first."

"Ah? Qi Yunshan?"

Huang Quan seemed a little surprised by this.

"It seems that Brother Huang has also heard of it?"

"Hahahaha, Qiyun Immortal Mountain is like thunder, why haven't you heard of it?"

"Is he that famous?"

"Of course it is." Huang Quan said, "There used to be man-eating monsters on this road. I invited many gentlemen but couldn't get rid of them. It was the Taoist priests from Qiyun Fairy Mountain who came to get rid of them."

"really?"

Lin Jue was very interested.

"It's natural."

"What immortal magic and Taoism do the Taoist priests of Qiyun Immortal Mountain know? How to get rid of them?"

"I don't know the details. I didn't dare to run over and take a look. I only know that there was a lot of commotion and it seemed like a fierce fight. Finally, I heard that a priest went down to the realm and beat the monster to death with a stick."

"It's so..."

"yes!"

"Then I have to ask Brother Huang: How to get to Qiyun Mountain after passing Dangu County in front? How high is Qiyun Mountain? Is it difficult to climb? Are the Taoist priests on the mountain easy to deal with?"

"Qiyun Mountain is in the north, and Dangu County is also in the north. When you get to Dangu County, you will naturally continue walking north." Huang Quan paused, but did not answer the rest of the question, but continued to look at Lin Jue, continuing to be surprised, "

Brother Lin is a scholar who goes out to study. Why would he go to a fairy mountain Taoist temple instead of going to those academies where famous teachers and scholars sit?"

At this time, the sky was a little darker, and there was only a faint light at night. The road surface could be distinguished by different colors. Huang Quan turned to face him, his eyes a little bright in the darkness.

"To be honest..."

Lin Jue did not go into details, but simply said the reason he often said: "Because of some things, I met a monster in the ancestral hall at night, and was breathed out by the monster. Later, I heard at the temple fair that the Xuantian Temple in Qiyun Mountain was very special.

It’s famous for its efficacious effects, so I wanted to go and experience it.”

Lin Jue didn't lie.

"I see!"

After hearing this, Huang Quan blinked and was very surprised. He thought for a moment and then said, "Brother Lin has actually seen a monster?"

"That's right."

"He wasn't killed?"

"That monster didn't harm me."

"This is quite a monster."

"Yes." Lin Jue paused for a moment, then asked for advice, "Brother Huang is well-informed, what do you think of the 'asking for immortality' issue?"

"Brother Lin has the desire to seek immortality and seek enlightenment?"

"I have some ideas."

"Haha, most people in the world yearn for immortality, and it is normal to have this idea. However, since ancient times, countless people have sought immortality and visited famous teachers. There are often celebrities and scholars, but not many have actually found them. This is enough to prove that you want to follow this path.

It's not easy." Huang Quan told him very calmly.

"That makes sense..."

Lin Jue thought about it carefully and felt convinced.

"It is said that in addition to opportunity, there is also character, character, qualifications and talents, all of which are indispensable. In the end, they are inseparable from the word "fate"."

"How do you say that?"

"I just heard about it, so I don't know that much." Huang Quan smiled, "But Brother Lin has seen monsters, and his knowledge is better than many people."

"It's all coincidence."

"I wonder what the monster Brother Lin saw looks like?"

"To be honest, I have never seen my true face."

"Um?"

"I really didn't see it clearly."

"That's such a shame."

Huang Quan lowered his head as if thinking.

"Then Brother Lin, where are you looking at me?"

Lin Jue suddenly said a sinister voice next to him.

I thought it was a joke, so I turned around and saw Huang Quan slowly raising his head. In the dimness, there was a monster's face——

It has a fierce face with a long mouth, intertwined fangs, and green eyes.

"!"

Lin Jue was suddenly startled.

The face suddenly came closer to him.

Deng Deng Deng——

Lin Jue instinctively took a few steps back.

At the same time, a breath of fire has reached the throat.

Looking at the monster again, there was a bang and a cloud of smoke appeared. Then it turned around and quickly disappeared in the smoke.

"this?"

Lin Jue couldn't help but be surprised and suspicious.

Is this person actually a demon?

Are there really ghosts on this road?

Where did he go?

"Gudong..."

Lin Jue swallowed his saliva and looked around. He saw nothing but empty space. He didn't dare to waste it easily and swallowed his anger again.

He took out the knife from the book and waited cautiously for a while, but there was no movement around him.

It's like he has completely left.

Lin Jue still looked left and right, his eyes saw the dark night of the barren mountains and the boundless bamboo forest. After the rain, the clouds opened and the moonlight appeared, making the gravel road as white as jade. The barren mountains and bamboo forests were outlined, but they did not appear bright because of it.

Under this cold light, it becomes even more profound.

I am alone on a mountain night, and the puddles on the road are full of silver light.

I feel uneasy when I leave, and I feel uneasy when I stay.

Lin Jue listened carefully and found that at some point, the business travelers in front had already walked far away, and the ringing was almost inaudible. He immediately knew in his heart that it might not be easy to catch up with others.

After a while, I suddenly heard a cry from behind:

"Monster!!"

His voice was full of fear, as if his throat was about to be torn.

That kind of fear seems to be contagious and makes people shiver.

Did other people also encounter monsters?

Just listen to the sound of footsteps moving forward.

Lin Jue quickly grasped the knife. The feel of the handle and the weight of the blade made him feel much more at ease.

Gritting his teeth again, the young man's energy and blood surged up, and for a moment, all the surprise and anxiety in his heart was transformed into the feeling of being intimidated and threatened.

Village elders often say that when a person dies, he or she becomes a ghost. Ghosts are weaker than humans. Mountain monsters who gain enlightenment will not become much stronger unless they are originally ferocious beasts or have already reached a very deep spiritual level. Even foxes that become spirits will be afraid of ferocious dogs and rats.

Rabbits that become spirits are still afraid of cats and hawks. Centipedes, snakes and insects that become spirits are eventually conquered by chickens and ducks. Humans are not weak, so most demons and ghosts harm people by taking advantage of the situation or by seducing and deceiving them. Therefore, there are demons that arise from humans.

statement.

Lin Jue felt calm in his heart, with strong vitality, no illness or disaster, and even maintained his energy for two months. At this time, his anger surged, and he deliberately controlled his thoughts, and his heart immediately calmed down.

This method is really effective and has immediate results.

I even want to look around and ask, where are the evil monsters here? Do they dare to come out and fight me?

Which one is more powerful, minions or blades?

"Tap tap tap..."

There was a sound of hurried footsteps and horse hooves.

Lin Jue turned around and saw that there were no monsters in the moonlight. There was just a pedestrian who was also frightened by the monsters. He ran near him, but did not dare to go forward. He was half-hidden in the moonlight in the bamboo forest.

"Who...who?"

That man also saw Lin Jue and shouted in panic.

"I! I'm human!"

Lin Jue replied loudly.

"Are you human?"

"It's human!"

"There are...there are monsters in this mountain!"

"Did you see it too?"

Lin Jue stood firm and stared at this man.

This man also didn't move, and he didn't dare to approach him easily.

The two talked at a distance.

"Have you encountered it too?"

That man was as surprised as Lin Jue.

"That's right."

Lin Jue felt no fear at this time, so he responded decisively: "The monster pretended to be a human and walked with me, chatting, and suddenly showed his true form and threatened me. Most likely he wanted to scare away my courage. Seeing that it failed, he

Suddenly a cloud of smoke appeared and left temporarily."

"It's the same one I met! Exactly the same!"

The man subconsciously took two steps towards Lin Jue, but stopped quickly, still retaining some vigilance: "Are you really a human?"

"I'm really human."

"Where do you live?"

"Next door county, Shucun."

"Shu Cun? I've been there!"

"Have you been there?"

"But everyone in the village is named Shu, the one with the three bridges?"

"Huh? Shucun is indeed a village with the surname Shu, but the whole village is built across a stream. There are bridges everywhere, but there are only three?"

"call……"

The man seemed to have succeeded in testing, and he breathed a sigh of relief, but continued to ask: "What is your name?"

"My surname is Lin Mingjue."

"That's not right!" The vigilance in his words came back, "Shu Cun's surname is Shu, why is your surname Lin? No, no!"

"We are immigrants and have a long history with the Shucun people. We finally settled in Shucun."

"..."

"If you don't believe me, I will get out of the way and let you go first."

"Still not right!"

"So what?"

"I met a monster and was very frightened. You also met a monster. Why didn't I hear your exclamation?" The man was very suspicious and seemed to be scared out of his wits. "And I even doubted you.

Why don’t you doubt me at all and don’t ask me a single question?”

"To be honest, I have always been bold, not to mention that I have seen monsters before. Although I know that they are strange, if I am particularly afraid of them because of this, I will be put into a weak position."

Lin Jue said for a moment, then his tone suddenly became serious:

"The reason why I don't doubt you or question you is because I feel that meeting you by chance in the mountains is fate. Since I want to go with you, I should retain some trust! If you are also a human being, I will have no doubts about you.

Let's walk this night together! But if you are not a human, this knife in my hand will see the blood of monsters tonight!"

The last two sentences were almost said through gritted teeth.

In a daze, I felt a bit like the people in the village elders' stories about those people who not only were not afraid of evil spirits but dared to fight them after encountering evil spirits at night.

"..."

The man hesitated for a moment and finally stepped forward.

Now I finally saw clearly that he was a short middle-aged man with three beards, holding a rein in his hand and leading a mule behind him.

"My name is Yao San, and I live right in front."

"What are you..."

Lin Jue asked while looking at him warily.

"The inkstone produced at home was carried to the caravans today. They took it to Jiangnan, the capital, to sell it, but they were left to drink a few glasses of wine. Coupled with the rain, they were all on the road at night." The man regretted, "

If I had known that I would encounter a monster, I would rather go back the same way!"

"I see."

Lin Jue looked at the mule he was holding again.

"What about you? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Qiyun Mountain."

"Where is Qiyun Mountain?"

"I haven't been there either, it's said to be in the north."

"Why are you walking alone at night?"

"Aren't you alone too?"

Lin Jue turned to look at him. This was what made him most suspicious of this person so far.

"Why am I walking alone? I have long heard that some people have encountered monsters on the road here. When I was still at the tea shed over there, I waited for a few local businessmen to walk together. Unexpectedly, halfway through, I didn't know why.

There was a dark wind, and when I looked again, I was alone, and then I met the monster. At first he pretended to be a human, chatting with me about the visitor, and even the price of the inkstone."

As Yao San spoke, he quietly looked at Lin Jue.

There was a hint of worry in his eyes.

"I see……"

Lin Jue nodded, probably accepting.

This man's words were correct, plus he knew about the tea shed and had brought a mule. At least among the stories about monsters told by village elders, it was rare to hear that monsters could transform into mules and horses. Generally,

They can only change within limited range and conditions.

If you have this ability, you are considered powerful.

"Then let's go."

In any case, staying on this deserted mountain road at this night is not a good choice. We have to leave after all.

So the two of them walked forward, one behind the other.

The sound of mules' hooves behind me was clear, and sometimes there was a snort.

"Oh, why do you also encounter monsters, and I also encounter monsters? How many monsters are there on this road?" Yao San sighed and complained.

"Are there many monsters encountered on this road?"

"It's not too much, it's not too much. I am a picker of stones and inkstones in the countryside. How can I know many people?" Yao San said with a trembling voice, "I only hear about this kind of thing occasionally."

"What about the monster?"

"I don't know either. It's hard to say. I just haven't heard of anyone being eaten by a monster on this road. The monster doesn't seem to eat people, it just scares people on the road, and it's all at night." Yao San said.

He was still a little scared when he said, "I don't know what kind of monster it is. When I first met it, I was a little suspicious, but it chatted with me. Not only did it know the situation of the surrounding villages very well, but it also knew everything about pen, ink, paper, and inkstone."

Everyone knew who was leading the caravan along the trade route, so I let down my guard."

"Don't eat people, just scare them?"

"Yes. But then again, this road is also an important commercial route nearby. If there is a monster that eats people, even if it is only at night, the government will have to find a way to deal with it."

"That makes sense."

"Excuse me...please help me lead the mule, little brother."

"Why?"

"I...I need to pee urgently."

Yao San had an expression and tone that was hard to say, as if he wanted to pee in his pants.

"..."

Lin Jue took the reins and pulled the mule.

Soon there was the sound of water being discharged around me.

There was also the sound of Yao San finally breathing a sigh of relief.

"Brother Xiaolin, did you just see what that monster looks like?"

"It was too dark, so I could only get a rough look."

"Do you have fangs?"

"some."

"Can it have claws?"

"It seems so."

"is that so?"

Yao San raised his legs and put his feet on the tree beside the road. He suddenly turned his head to face Lin Jue. Unexpectedly, his appearance had changed. He had a fierce face, a long mouth, intertwined fangs, and green eyes, making him look like a monster.

"hiss!"

Lin Jue couldn't help being shocked again.

When the monster saw this, he immediately grinned.

"hey-hey……"

Walking in the deserted mountains at night, there was actually snickering.

At the same time——

"Canopy..."

A cloud of smoke exploded in front of me.

Lin Jue was stunned for a moment, and instinctively wanted to step back, but as soon as he took half a step back, he took a step back.

"You piece of shit!!"

In order to be on guard against monsters, he had been deliberately suppressing the anger in his heart. It was hard to tell whether this anger was real or fake, but when it came to his head, it still directed at people.

"Come again!"

Lin Jue was so shocked that he became angry, staring and gritting his teeth.

"brush!"

One hand suddenly stretched out!

Through the demonic mist!

Before the monster could leave, he was grabbed by the collar.

His knuckles turned white from exertion.
Chapter completed!