The carriage arrived at a small town outside the capital of Chu Prefecture, Luoma Town, at dusk. The town got its name because travelers often stopped here to rest and change horses. Although it is not as prosperous as Chuzhou Prefecture, there are still many inns and it is quite lively.
Qin Zhengshan decided to rest overnight here, first to let Shen Qing and Su Muyun treat their wounds, and second to avoid the risk of traveling at night. They chose a relatively quiet "Yue Lai Inn" at the eastern end of the town and booked three upper rooms.
At dinner time, Lin Fu looked at the wound on Su Muyun's shoulder and frowned slightly. He couldn't help but ask, "Su Muyun, is your wound okay?"
Su Muyun was wiping the medicine on his arm with a cloth, and when he heard this, he smiled and said, "It's nothing, just a little skin injury. Shen Qing gave me the best gold ointment, and it will be fine tomorrow."
Shen Qing, who was sitting across from him, snorted and said, "Black Wind Hall's scum, their weapons might have something in them. It's best to be careful." The wound on his own arm had been bandaged, but his face was still pale.
Qin Zhengshan took a sip of wine and said sternly, "Although the Black Wind Hall is a heretical sect, it has not yet fallen to the point of using poisoned weapons. It is most likely some filthy things, and applying some herbs will not cause any harm." His gaze swept over Lin Fu, "Today on the way, you did very well."
Lin Fu was a little embarrassed by the praise, and lowered his head to pick at the rice in his bowl:"I just... Coincidentally."
"It was very difficult to remain calm and counterattack at that time." Qin Zhengshan put down the wine cup,"The rivers and lakes are dangerous, and having only goodwill is not enough; one must also have the courage to protect oneself. If you want to learn, I can teach you some basic martial arts."
Lin Fu suddenly raised his head, and there was a flash of surprise in his eyes. He knew that in this world, without martial arts, it would be difficult to move an inch, let alone seek revenge. "Is it really possible?"
"Of course." Qin Zhengshan nodded, "However, martial arts are not achieved in a day, one must have perseverance."
"I have it!" Lin Fu nodded vigorously, his eyes burning with a light he had never seen before.
After dinner, it suddenly started to rain again outside, and it was even bigger than the rain that night in Qingshi Town. The strong wind blew the raindrops onto the window, making a "crackling" sound.
Qin Zhengshan asked Shen Qing to inquire about the news of the Chu Prefecture branch, while he stayed in the inn and taught Lin Fa some breathing and fortune-cultivating methods first."This is the entry-level method of the "Qing Zheng Jue," which can solidify the foundation and nourish the body. You should first memorize the mantra, and practice it for one hour each morning and at night, remembering to keep your mind clear of distractions."
Lin Fu learned very seriously, memorizing the mantra word by word, and adjusting his breathing according to Qin Zhengshan's instructions. At first, I only felt that my breath was sluggish, but after practicing for half an hour, I gradually felt that a warm current was gathering in my dantian, and my whole body felt much more comfortable.
"Alright, that's all for today. Go back and reflect on it." Qin Zhengshan gestured for him to stop, "I'll teach you kung fu moves tomorrow."
Lin Fu respectfully bowed and turned back to his own room. He didn't go to bed right away, but sat at the table and tried to breathe again according to the incantation taught by Qin Zhengshan. The warm current reappeared and slowly circulated along the meridians, dispelling a lot of fatigue.
After practicing for about an hour, he stopped and took out the black wooden box from his chest.
The sound of rain outside the window dripped, and there was only one oil lamp in the room swaying, pulling his shadow very long. He opened the wooden box and took out the half lotus pendant. After the incident during the day, he felt that the jade pendant was not simple.
He brought a basin of clear water and gently put the jade pendant into the water.
When the jade pendant went into the water, it did not sink, but instead floated on the surface of the water. The jade, with its green and white color, shone with a warm luster under the light. Lin Fu stared at it for a long time, but he didn't find anything unusual.
"Am I overthinking this?"He frowned and reached out to grab the jade pendant.
As soon as the fingertips touched the jade pendant, a sudden change occurred!
The originally calm surface of the water suddenly rippled, and the half-piece of jade pendant emitted a faint green light. The light passed through the water waves and formed a blurred shadow pattern on the table.
Lin Fu was startled and leaned in to take a closer look. The light and shadow pattern was crooked, like several crisscrossed lines, vaguely resembling a map on parchment paper!
He quickly took out the parchment and spread it on the table. The map on the parchment was simple in lines, with the character "cang" marked in the center. Although the light and shadow pattern of the jade pendant is blurred, it can be seen that there is a long line in it, which seems to be pointing to a certain position on the map.
"This... Is this indicating the direction?"Lin Fu was surprised and delighted. He tried to turn the direction of the jade pendant, and the light and shadow pattern on the water surface also changed. Those lines seemed to come to life, constantly adjusting their angles.
Just then, a very slight sound came from outside the window, as if someone had stepped on a tile.
Lin Fu immediately became alert and quickly put the jade pendant and the sheepskin paper back into the wooden box, hiding them in his arms, and blew out the oil lamp. The room fell into darkness instantly, only the rain threads outside the window with a faint light, outlining the outline of the window.
He held his breath, walked to the door, and looked out through the crack of the door.
There was no one in the courtyard of the inn, only rainwater flowing down the eaves and forming small puddles on the ground. But the noise just now was definitely not an illusion.
Could it be that the people from Black Wind Hall are coming after us?
Lin Fu's heart was on the verge of his throat, gripping a wooden stick hidden behind him - he had specially found it during the day, thinking he could have something to defend himself with.
Just at that moment, a low shout came from Shen Qing in the next room, "Who's there?"
Immediately after, there was the sound of swords clashing!
Lin Fu's heart tightened. Just as he was about to open the door and go out, he heard the voice of Qin Zhengshan, calm and powerful: "Your Excellency, what do you want to teach me in the middle of the night?"
"Commander Qin, how are you?"An old voice rang out, with a hint of raspiness, "I'm sorry to bother you in the middle of the night, but I want to ask Qin Bangtian about something."
"Oh? Your Excellency, please speak."
"May I ask, Commander Qin, did you encounter a young man carrying a black wooden box in the area of Qingshi Town today?"
Lin Fu trembled all over, hiding behind the door, not daring to breathe. This person is coming for him!
"Who are you, sir? Why do you want to find such a young man?"Qin Zhengshan's voice was filled with caution.
"It doesn't matter who I am." The old voice said, "That wooden box was originally the property of the Shadow Pavilion. Please, Commander Qin, be so kind as to return it to me."
People from the Shadow Pavilion!
Lin Fu's heart sank. The Black Wind Hall has not been resolved, and the people of the Shadow Pavilion have come to the door again.
"The matter of the Shadow Pavilion, the righteous alliance is not suitable to interfere." Qin Zhengshan said sternly, "The young man is now by my side. If he does not want to hand over the wooden box, no one can forcibly take it."
"Lord Qin, are you going to make an enemy of the Shadow Pavilion because of an unrelated young man?" The old man's voice turned cold.
"It's not about being enemies, it's about reason." Qin Zhengshan's voice remained calm,"If you want to take the wooden box, you need the young man's consent. Otherwise, please go back."
There was a moment of silence in the yard, only the sound of rain continued.
"What a good reason." The old voice seemed to smile,"Since Lord Qin is protecting him, I will not take it from him today. But the wooden box was of great importance, and it was not something a young boy like him could protect. Lord Qin, take care of yourself."
As soon as the voice fell, I heard a sound of clothes tearing through the wind, clearly indicating that the person had left.
Shen Qing asked with caution, "Qin Senior, do you want to pursue?"
"No need." Qin Zhengshan said,"The people from Yingge come and go without a trace, and it is impossible to catch up with them. Moreover, he did not use his full strength just now; it was obvious that he only came to investigate the situation."
Lin Fu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and his back was already soaked in sweat. He opened the door and saw Qin Zhengshan and Shen Qing standing in the yard. Su Muyun also came out wearing a coat and looked pale.
"Senior Qin, I'm sorry, I've caused you trouble." Lin Fu lowered his head, full of guilt in his heart. If it weren't for protecting him and the wooden box, Qin Zhengshan and the others wouldn't have encountered danger after danger.
Qin Zhengshan shook his head:"It's not your business.Both the Shadow Pavilion and the Black Wind Hall have their eyes on the wooden box, and there must be a bigger secret behind it."He looked at Lin Fu,"Do you still plan to carry this wooden box with you? It will bring you endless troubles and may even endanger your life."
Lin Fu clenched the wooden box in his arms, remembered Lin Ironworker's death, remembered his promise, and looked up with determined eyes:"I want to bring it. This is what my father gave his life to get, I must find out the secret in it, and I must avenge my father."
Qin Zhengshan looked at the resoluteness in his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and nodded."Okay. Since you have made up your mind, I will protect you one more time. But remember, the journey of life is long, and people's hearts are unpredictable. In the future, you must rely on yourself to go your own way."
"Thank you, Senior Qin!"Lin Fu bowed deeply.
"All right, go back to your rooms and rest. We have to travel to Chuzhou Prefecture in the morning." Qin Zhengshan said, "Shen Qing, you should pay more attention. Tonight may not be peaceful."
"Yes, Senior Qin."
Back in the room, Lin Fu couldn't sleep anymore. The appearance of the Shadow Pavilion made him realize that the secret of the wooden box was much more significant than he had imagined. He took out the jade pendant again and placed it in his palm. The jade pendant had regained its warmth and no longer shone, but he could feel that there seemed to be a mysterious connection between himself and the jade pendant.
The rain outside the window is still falling, beating on the window frame and also beating on his heart. He knew that from the moment he stepped into this small town, his fate was tightly bound to this wooden box and this jade pendant, and could no longer be separated.
And the Chu Prefecture, the larger stage of the underworld, was waiting for his arrival. There is a branch of the righteous alliance there, there are more kung fu forces, perhaps there are clues about the Black Wind Hall and the Shadow Pavilion, as well as traces of his life.
As the night deepened, Lin Fu lay in bed, repeatedly recalling Qin Zhengshan's breathing mantra in his mind and feeling the faint warm current in his dantian. He knew that only by becoming stronger as soon as possible could he protect himself, protect the secret, and carve out his own path in this turbulent world.
(Chapter 4 ends)