The girl's figure was so beautiful that all the guests were astonished.
At the moment when everyone was stunned, the sound of silk and bamboo strings began to play. The pipa was noisy, the Qiang flute was melodious, the huqin was tinkling, and the waist drum was banging. When all the music was playing in unison, it was like the sound of nature.
The girl acted as if there was no one else around, bowed to the guests at the banquet, and then danced with bare feet in tune with the rhythm:
Sometimes he is swaying, sometimes his arms are spinning, sometimes he is leaping and flipping, sometimes he is stamping his feet and his shoulders are shaking...
The guests at the grand banquet originally wanted to perform a new "throwing order" through music and dance, so as to make the banquet atmosphere even better. However, as soon as the "Brahman" dance music started, everyone's eyes seemed to be glued to the girl, and they could no longer
Can't move.
In the middle of the grand feast, the old man who was honored as "Mingfu" held a ball of silk flowers in his hand, but he was unable to send it out.
Many black crotch heads moved left and right, covering most of the girl's dancing posture. Yang Chaoxi and Fang Qidou stood up in unison, looking past the crotch heads and back to the girl.
Taking advantage of the whirlwind dance, Yang Zhaoxi could clearly see the girl's delicacy:
She is tall and tall, with deep-set eyes, a slightly long face, and slender eyebrows. The scarf on her shoulders is purple, the round navel gemstone is green, her black hair is shining, and her eyes are full of emotion. It is still visible under the semi-transparent pink veil.
A tall nose, long and narrow lips. A little cinnabar between the eyebrows is better than a gold foil flower.
Fang Qidou was even more intoxicated. His arms could not help but dance to the rhythm of the music, and was slapped down by Yang Zhaoxi.
As the girl danced and whirled, the lavender scarf also floated up, like a flowing cloud lingering around her body. At this moment, a hibiscus suddenly bloomed from the girl's left hand, with pink petals like a heart, spotless.
Yang Chaoxi's heart moved, could this be Gongsun Zhenren's "The Universe in His Sleeve"?
No! The "universe in the sleeves" still needs to be covered with sleeves, and the girl's jade arms are gauze-free, so the lotus has nowhere to hide! This trick, which is almost "making something out of nothing", is really amazing!
The girl danced faster and faster, and all the guests felt that a whirlwind of makeup and powder appeared in front of their eyes. The fragrance was overflowing, making people feel fascinated. The girl seemed to blend with the dress, purple, white, gold and green turned into flowing lights and fit together.
, regardless of each other.
There was just a soft "bang" sound, and the girl exploded into a cloud of petals, scattering in all directions, and the fallen flowers were colorful. The girl's extraordinary beauty disappeared out of thin air like a dream! Like an immortal, her traces were faint.
In the wine shop, all the guests felt as if they were lost, and there was silence for a while.
Yang Zhaoxi poked Fang Qidou, and Fang Qidou suddenly came to his senses: "What, what's wrong?"
Yang Chaoxi smiled: "I've eaten, I've seen enough, let's go now!"
Fang Qidou nodded, then he and Yang Chaoxi stood up, straightened their clothes, and then walked out of the restaurant.
Suddenly the excited and hoarse voice of the old man who held the feast suddenly sounded from behind: "This is the dancer from the country of Tianzhu that I invited to entertain the gentlemen! Come on, come on! When you are about to drink, don't stop drinking! Make another 'throwing and beating order'"
'! So that all the princes can come and return with great joy!"
When all the guests heard this, they cheered continuously. Even the individual guests in the restaurant all held up their cups and greeted the old man. The excitement continued.
The two of them walked out of the Heshang Wine Shop and headed towards the gate of Xiu Shan Fang. When they passed by an intersection beside the square wall, Yang Chaoxi felt something, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the girl from that day.
The girl had taken off her veil and was draping a green rhombus-patterned scarf on her shoulders and back. As if she sensed the gaze, the Tianzhu girl was not shy and looked towards Yang Chaoxi's gaze with a bright smile.
Then he put his hands together and gave him a blessing.
A smile that captivated the city, dazzling everyone! Yang Chaoxi was in a hurry, and he only remembered to return the gift. When he looked up again, the girl had gone far away.
Yang Chaoxi was greatly puzzled: Such a gorgeous and extraordinary woman was actually a member of the Buddhist sect? If not, how could the compliant Namaste be done so naturally?
Fang Qidou pulled the lost Yang Chaoxi and teased: "If Junior Sister Cui and Junior Sister Qin know about this, I wonder what they will think of you?"
Yang Zhaoxi also smiled brightly: "It doesn't hurt to know that I am alone. I can just avoid her two at most. But Senior Brother Fang, if Senior Sister Tang knew that you took the opportunity to come here to drink and have fun, I don't know what would happen.
How many of your legs have you broken?"
Fang Qidou's mouth twitched slightly: "Junior Brother Yang, it's better to keep this matter tacitly known. Naturally, we can't go back immediately at this time, otherwise the smell of alcohol will definitely expose our secrets. We just want to go to Nanshi first to find the beggar.
I'll help Long in the field. After we finish talking about business, we'll take a walk around Nanshi and buy some things for home use. It won't be too late to go back after the alcohol has dissipated."
Yang Zhaoxi stretched out his thumb and said: "Wonderful!" The two of them walked out of the square gate and went straight into Nanshi diagonally opposite.
The Southern City is more prosperous than the Northern City in terms of scale and luxuriance. There are a lot of pedestrians coming and going, and the stalls under the eaves are full of dazzling products. To use a mantra of Luoyang people, "As long as you can't imagine it, there is nothing you can't buy."
Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea, everything from houses and carriages to food and clothing, as long as you have enough money, you can buy everything here.
In the morning and evening, Fang Qidou was strolling away, and saw in front of several fortune-telling stalls, a thin old man with a goat's beard was talking about something serious, which made the beloved man's face change.
There is also a square with swaying willow branches, the houses are shaded, Caijuan hangs the door, and the beautiful woman is leaning against the door, holding a small light fan in her hand, waving to every man passing by.
The young man who escaped couldn't help but sneer.
Fang Qidou's lips raised slightly: "I would rather cherish the flowers in the mirror than climb the willow trees in Zhangtai. Although a gentleman is fond of gold, he must have a way to get it. There are so many good things about women with fireworks, but they are not as good as having a wife to spend a good night."
Yang Chaoxi glanced at him sideways and said disdainfully: "It's sanctimonious and hypocritical. Is it because of your sharp tongue that you managed to abduct Senior Sister Tang?"
Fang Qidou raised his eyebrows and said, "Don't talk nonsense! I treat Juan'er with my heart as bright as the moon, and I vow to live and die together. What do you, a little Taoist priest who has never experienced love, know?"
Yang Zhaoxi ignored him and turned to recall the characteristics of the house that the old beggar dragon had dictated on Tian that day, and continued to search in Danan City.
"There are poplars on the left and willows on the right, flowers in the front and wine in the back, the copper ring is slightly rusty, the black gate is very ugly..."
Yang Zhaoxi searched for half a stick of incense, but still couldn't find the corresponding house. He couldn't help but curse the old beggar: What kind of mysterious incision is he doing?
The two searched for a while, and Fang Qidou also became confused: "Did you not hear clearly at the time? Or was this old beggar just teasing you?"
Yang Chaoxi shook his head, tilted his head and thought for a long time, and suddenly remembered a method taught by Zhang Wuhou. So without any explanation, he grabbed Fang Qidou and ran to the nearest square gate. Sure enough, he saw a little beggar leaning against him.
Under the doorpost of the square gate, he was holding a piece of firewood and concentrating on picking his teeth.
Yang Chaoxi smiled, took out nine large coins from his arms, and put them into the broken porcelain bowl in front of the little beggar: "Take me to say hello to your foster father!"
After hearing this, the little beggar's eyes were stunned, and he got up hurriedly: "Thank you two benefactors! My father has not eaten for ten days, and he will starve to death! I bought food and took my two benefactors to see my father.
.”
After the little beggar finished speaking, he actually shed a string of tears, ran to buy two more biscuits, and then walked around and led the two of them to a narrow lane.
After passing through the narrow winding road, the front suddenly opened up, and a small dilapidated house came into view:
Under the rough pergola in front of the house, there are many potted flowers and trees, including peonies, iris, calamus, orchid and so on; behind the house, there is a wine shop, with dark red flags flying high;
On the left and right, poplars and willows were planted. The canopies of the trees blocked the sunlight, and it was cool in front of the door. When I got closer, I saw that half of the Wutou Gate had collapsed and was propped up perfunctorily with thick sticks. It was really ugly; a pair of
The door knocker is green and rusty, shaped like tree bark, and its tentacles are extremely rough.
There are poplars on the left and willows on the right, flowers in the front and wine in the back, copper rings slightly rusty, black gates and ugly... This is it!
Yang Zhaoxi picked up a door knocker, knocked slowly three times, then rolled up his sleeves and waited quietly.
After a few breaths, the door was opened a crack, and an old beggar with unkempt hair stuck his head out from the crack in the door. He was mentally weak, his eyes were dull, and he looked half like a human and half like a ghost, which frightened Fang Qidou.
As soon as he jumped, he was about to chop him off with the knife. Yang Chaoxi held him down.
When Long Zaitian saw that the person who came was actually Yang Chaoxi, his energy suddenly perked up, his eyes shone like a flash of light, and he said with a kind face, "It's little friend Yang who's here. I'm sorry for the delay in greeting you from afar, please forgive me!"
While he was talking, the old beggar opened half of the door and let the two people in. Then he turned to the little beggar and said,
"Little monkey, go and bring me my tea-making treasure, and boil half a pot of hot water. I want to entertain distinguished guests today."
The little monkey nodded vigorously, but did not leave. Instead, he handed over two biscuits to Long Zaitian to eat.
Long Zaitian smiled slightly: "Father is not hungry, you can keep it for yourself! Go to work first." The little monkey then jumped up and ran to a room next to it.
Yang Chaoxi, Fang Qidou entered the courtyard and began to look at it - it was a small three-entry courtyard, with a dilapidated and depressed look everywhere.
There should have been a screen at the entrance, but it had been uprooted long ago and has disappeared. The large open space in the courtyard has been reclaimed into vegetable beds, and vegetables such as radish, spring leeks, sunflowers, and green onions are planted. However, the vegetable seedlings are still small.
Standing rustling in the wind.
The doors, windows, beams and columns of the main hall are all painted with black paint, which has gradually cracked and fallen off after years of wind and rain erosion. The verandas on both sides have been sealed with worn-out wood and transformed into simple houses for beggars.
Come back and stay.
Looking towards the backyard, we still see a courtyard that has been reclaimed as a vegetable patch, as well as houses of different sizes.
The kitchen was located in a corner of the front yard, and was a small thatched hut. The smoke came out from the thatched roof, and it seemed that the little monkey had already lit the firewood stove and started boiling hot water.
Long Zaitian led the two of them through a path between the vegetable beds and into the main hall, where the guests and hosts sat down. Then he said slowly: "My little friend is here today, but you want to talk about Taoism and exchange martial arts with the old beggar?"
Yang Zhaoxi clasped his fists and said, "Senior Long, I am not in a hurry for Taoism and martial arts. I took the liberty to come here, but I came here because of the monster the night before. Please help me answer my questions."
Long Zaitian smiled and said: "Although the old beggar has escaped from Taoism for many years, he has not forgotten some of the Taoist skills he learned in his early years. If I can help my little friend solve his doubts, I will definitely tell you everything."
Yang Chaoxi nodded and said: "Yesterday, I asked Monk Yuchi for confirmation and concluded that the monster that caused trouble the night before was a tiger monster. However, the tiger monster's Taoism is profound. What we have seen is just an incarnation, but it can drive ghosts.
The walking corpse is causing chaos. I don’t know its true identity, so what kind of existence is it supposed to be?”
Long Zaitian muttered: "My little friend, you are also a Taoist, so you should have heard something about 'Tao cultivation' and 'demon cultivation'. I, the human race, practice Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and witchcraft. To the demon race,
They are all called 'Tao Xiu'.
On the contrary, all kinds of practices of the demon clan, whether good or evil, are also called "demon cultivators" by our human race. We have all seen the tiger demon. He should be a demon cultivator of the sixth level of Qi training. If there is another chance, he can do it at any time.
You can enter the realm of refining gods."
"How can you see it?" Yang Zhaoxi had heard Liu Xiaomu mention the system divisions of the demon clan's cultivation, but he had never studied it in detail. He didn't know why the old beggar was so sure.
Long Zai Tiantiao analyzed it and said: "Although the incarnation of the tiger demon is ferocious, it is condensed and unreal. It is obviously a demonic aura separated from the essence of the monster after the fourth level of Qi refining.
This demonic energy only needs some hair and scales of the monster to transform into the original body, so that it can travel alone and practice some evil arts that are easy to backfire on behalf of the original body. One day, returning to the original body can help the original body to make rapid progress in magic.
Those who are willing to do this must be demon cultivators who have been trapped in the sixth level of Qi training for a long time. After all, no demon would take the initiative to try the heart-crushing pain of separating demon Qi."
"The sorcery practiced by demon cultivators seems to be similar to that of Taoist cultivators, but it seems that there are more secret techniques from heretical practices." Yang Zhaoxi guessed uncertainly.
At this time, the little monkey had put the tea utensils on the table. He also put a large pot of hot water aside and then silently left.
Long Zaitian started playing with it skillfully and quickly served several cups of tea soup in front of everyone:
"It's not all heresy. In ancient times, the practice system was rough and mixed. People, beasts, birds, fish, and insects not only had similar practice methods, they could even marry and reproduce across races, so many half-human and half-human beings were born.
Demons, and even four different powers. This is recorded in "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" and many ancient scriptures.
Later, as time progressed, the human race became dominant due to their good use of wisdom and stratagem, and the practice system was different from that of the demon race. Therefore, from the perspective of the human race, all the practices practiced by the demon race were black magic, but they did not know that the demon cultivators also had many magic techniques.
So we can’t generalize.”
Long Zaitian narrated this story based on what he had seen and heard in most of his life.
"Senior Long, from what you said, it seems that you know some of the magic techniques of the demon cultivators?" Yang Zhaoxi heard this and couldn't help but ask.
Long Zaitian smiled and said: "Just a little knowledge! The birds, beasts, fish, and insects I just mentioned later evolved into the four main bloodlines of the demon clan, which are called: the feather clan, the beast clan, the water clan, and the insect clan. The four clans
They no longer intermarry and reproduce, each has its own cultivation techniques.
For example, the beast tribe, what we commonly call beasts, specializes in the method of demon elixir, which is somewhat similar to the inner elixir method of the human race. However, it only absorbs the essence of the moon and inhales and nourishes the inner elixir. This is because many beasts have
The habit of staying up during the day and coming out at night.”
"That means there are demons who can absorb the energy of the sun?" Yang Zhaoxi asked tentatively.
"Of course you can. But it's not called 'Sun Qi', but 'Sunday Flame Qi'. In addition, there are 'Thunderbolt Qi', 'Fuyao Qi' and 'Dandan Water Qi'... all of which the demon clan relies on for their cultivation.
That's my external aura." Long Zaitian raised his eyebrows and said leisurely.
"Does it mean that if you understand the magic skills practiced by monsters, you can find their weaknesses and control them?" Yang Chaoxi nodded thoughtfully.
"That's the truth, but since the beginning of Shang Dynasty, we human Taoist cultivators have been on the same level as the demon cultivators, and we rarely exchange spells with each other. How can we figure it out without alarming the demon cultivators?
How deep is his path? What if he has any other tricks? Wouldn't it be like a sheep entering a tiger's mouth?" How could Long Zaitian not hear Yang Chaoxi's intention to put himself in danger, so he tactfully advised him.
"Even if you don't take the initiative to provoke it, Luoyang Daomen has ruined its good deeds now, and this Liangzi has been settled. It escaped again. If it comes back one day and takes revenge wantonly, wouldn't it be a disaster for the Daomen? We should take some measures.
This is the best way." Yang Chaoxi also heard the implication of the old beggar, and had no choice but to confess his concerns frankly.
As expected, Long Zaitian's expression became much more serious: "If it were a vulgar Taoist priest from Tongxuan Temple who was slaughtered by it in one glance, the old beggar would not feel the slightest pity. If other fellow Taoist monks were involved, that would be a different matter.
In fact, there is nothing we can do to deal with such monsters."
Yang Zhaoxi immediately clasped her fists and said, "I'd like to hear the details!"