Under the sky

Chapter 144 Moths to the flame

A simple sentence almost destroyed the fragile confidence that Yang Yan had built up in himself during this period.He felt that he had been seen through and that the lies could not be hidden from the old man.

But he has not surrendered yet, he wants to win, he wants to fight against the most authoritative old man in Nabu Batu.

"Maybe I'm not, but I can be. Wise Gulthas, do you think I should be?" Yang Yan asked.

He is like a warrior charging at thousands of troops with a dagger. His courage is commendable, but he has no chance of winning.

"There are two rooms behind me. The room on the left symbolizes strength, and the room on the right symbolizes wisdom." Gulthas did not answer Yang Yan's question, but asked another question, "Those are the two most important things for the glory of God Sa. , the venerable son of God Sa, can you answer me, what is hidden in them?"

Yang Yan was stunned, is this a guessing game?
"You can think, this is very important." Gulthas said, "While you are thinking, Nadia, please tell me what you saw and gained in the pass during this time."

Wang Hong didn't dare to raise his head, so he fell to the ground and said yes.

Yang Yan asked: "Can I move freely in this hall?"

"Of course." Gurthas replied.

In order to save her life, Wang Hong gave a clear account of all the information she knew within the customs during this period.Since the Holy Road was cut off, Gulthas has not received any news from the customs for nearly a year. Perhaps this is also his purpose of meeting Wang Hong in person.He wanted to ask for more details, but the communication from multiple intermediaries was always unclear.

Wang Hong also had her own intentions. She didn't want to rely on Gulthas's leniency to save her life, even though Yang Yan's brain wasn't very efficient.She wanted to give Yang Yan more room to think.

Yang Yan walked leisurely in the hall and came to the desk. The desk and chairs were all wiped spotlessly clean. There was no paper, pen or book, which made people doubt that they had been used.

He walked to the wide table and wooden chairs on the opposite side and wiped them clean as well.Would Gul'thas use this table to discuss business with his men?

He looked at the wall and raised his head. Like the front hall, there were several huge oval windows high up.He has no leisure to appreciate this building. He has never been a person who appreciates it.His appreciation of this building came from curiosity. Yang Yan walked around to find clues in the house to answer Gulthas' questions.

When he listened to Wang Hong reporting the news in Guan, saying that Wudang was still addicted to alchemy, Yang Yan suddenly understood why he felt the same as Xuanxu in Gursasi.

Looking down, he spoke in the same tone as Master Xuanxu.But it's not as rampant and contemptuous as a strict dog thief, it's a gentle look down, like a father looking at his child, guiding you in the direction.

However, Xuanxu is more like talking to himself, while Gursasi is talking to others.Xuanxu seemed to be standing on a high platform, and Gulthas was among the crowd.

Yang Yan could even imagine that when this old man explained the scriptures in public like Wu Erding, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of believers listened to him, and every word he said could be truly imprinted in their hearts and be regarded as a guide by the believers.They get guidance from it and are not at all confused in life.

However, he is definitely not Xuanxu. Xuanxu is not even one percent as smart as him.

Is this wisdom, or is it strength?Yang Yan thought, wisdom and power, what are they?
He wanted to ask Wang Hong, was Gursasi good at martial arts?
Even if a person who has learned martial arts is old, he is still a master if he maintains it well. He has seen Old Beggar Peng display amazing martial arts skills at the age of an eighty-year-old man.

Is Gursas this kind of person?From the outside, he looks a little thin.

He looked outside the door, and there were ten guards standing outside.There are a little few, but they should all be masters.He had heard Uncle Tian talk about the Eight Guards of the Tang Sect. Those eight people were all top masters. They might not be able to compare with top masters like Third Master Qi and Uncle Tian, ​​but with the combined efforts of the eight of them, even if the Third Master wanted to break through and assassinate Madame Lengmian, they would not be able to compare. Can't do it.

"Based on this, Mrs. Lengmian is the one with the best martial arts among the heads of the nine families." Uncle Tian said this.

But Uncle Tian and Third Master are not in the habit of bringing bodyguards...

Yang Yan suddenly came to his senses. If Gulthas wasn't very good at martial arts, would he have allowed himself, a stranger from Guan with no knowledge of his background, to meet him?Is it too risky for his status?Although he has no weapons, if he is a master like Brother Ming, he is very capable of killing him.

Yang Yan has the answer.He returned to Wang Hong and waited for Gulthas to call him. This was truly a rare docility on his part.

Gulthas asked Wang Hong many questions, mostly about the changes in the situation of the Nine Families, and also asked Wang Hong's views.With Wang Hong's knowledge, she couldn't make any sense, but she still tried her best to answer.

After about half an hour, Gulthas nodded and looked at Yang Yan.

"Do you have an answer ready?"

Yang Yan nodded.

Gulthas nodded and signaled Yang Yan to speak out.

"This is your residence, Sasi. You are the conveyor of God the Father's will. This is your wisdom and strength. I think the right side is your study room, which is the source of your wisdom. The left side hides your subordinates. You conquer the blind and protect your safety."

"Strength and wisdom, swords and books, that's a good answer." Gulthas nodded.

Yang Yan was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Gulthas continued: "But you are wrong."

"You are not the son of Sa God. A son of Sa God would not make such a mistake." Gulthas said.Yang Yan wanted to argue, or ask Gulthas to open the room and prove to him, but he swallowed the words as soon as they reached his lips.

Haven't he seen enough?People with power can confuse right and wrong. As long as Gulthas refuses to acknowledge him, what if it is really a study and a guard inside as he said?It would be easy for him to kill himself.Expose him, make him unable to step down, make him angry, and involve Wang Hong in it?

Yang Yan may be reckless, but he has the advantage of knowing that he is reckless.So when he realizes that his recklessness will hurt innocent people, he will do his best to restrain his recklessness.

He just replied respectfully: "Respected Gulthas, you cannot answer this question and you cannot deny my identity."

"Then leave this problem to another person, the person who guided you." Gulthas looked at Wang Hong.Wang Hong was shocked again, lowering her head and not daring to look at Gulthas.

"I remember you, Nadia. Your father's name is Munduk, your mother Mira, and you have a brother named Balder. You were originally slaves of Prince Hugen. Prince Hugen's Kaler died in the slave room, and your father Bear the crime and be sentenced to death. At the age of ten, you find Kong Xiao Daji and are willing to take the path of a hero and become Huo Miaozi to atone for your father's sins."

Kalle means "prince" in the Sa language.Wang Hong didn't expect that Gulthas not only remembered herself, but also remembered everything, and even remembered the names of her parents and younger brother.

"Kong Xiao Daji interceded for you. I ransomed you and let your family work in my slave room. You walked the path of a hero and became a flame child before you were 13 years old. You have courage and perseverance. And the virtue of sacrifice for your family.”

"It's not a crime for you to escape privately. The old eyes will not watch every flame all the time. The flames need to be able to judge for themselves. After the holy road is cut off, I really need to know the news inside the customs and know about this war that has been planned for several years. Did the plan go well? You came back, came back to avoid unnecessary death, and told me the news in the pass. This merit is enough to redeem your family's freedom."

After hearing this, Wang Hong's tense heart relaxed a little.Gulthas said that this was not a sin, but even meritorious. She couldn't help but be happy and kowtowed quickly: "God Sa, Nadia thanks Gulthas for his generosity."

"But you brought blasphemers." Gulthas continued, and Wang Hong was stunned again.

"Now this is your problem. Your sins offset your merits." Gulthas asked, "If you insist that he is the Son of God, then you and your family will continue to be slaves. If you admit it, it is to compensate for your escape." His sin is that he pretended to be the Son of God, I will kill him, and you and your family can be forgiven."

"Nadia, do you really think he is the Son of God?" Yang Yan said angrily: "This is a threat!"

"Don't contradict Sa Si!" Wang Hong, covered in cold sweat, stopped Yang Yan.

Going back to being a slave?Continue to stay in the slave home with your family?Wang Hong could not imagine it.She has been a slave since she was a child. She was supposed to be branded with a slave mark on her shoulders when she was 12 years old. Finally, she got the chance, but she has to go back to being a slave?
This donkey has caused me so much suffering and so much misery along the way. What reason is there to sacrifice myself and my family for him?What's more, I've only known him for a few months, and we've had more fights than meals.

"He...isn't...it's me..." Wang Hong gritted her teeth, somehow unable to speak clearly.She glanced sideways at Yang Yan, who still straightened his chest. She couldn't guess what Yang Yan was thinking.

"He is not fake." Wang Hong kowtowed, "I think he is the son of God Sa, and I am willing to be his family's slave."

Gursasi said: "I will send someone to brand you as a slave. As for the fake Son of God," he looked at Yang Yan, "I will accept you as a member of Nabu Batu, and you will live as a civilian. "

"That's not fair, wise Gul'thas. Whatever wisdom may be hidden in the room to your right, you have not grasped its essence."

"Yang Yan!" Wang Hong couldn't remember how many times she shouted at him today.However, this time Yang Yan did not shut up obediently.He originally thought that Wang Hong would betray him, but even so, it was not surprising. For the sake of his family, he could understand Wang Hong. This was originally an adventure and a big gamble, just like the old beggar Peng gambled on breaking the formation map. The loser got nothing.

But Wang Hong saved him, and Yang Yan also wanted to help Wang Hong.

"I'm from Guannai. Wang Hong found me. When she saw me, she knelt down and knelt down, shouting that Sa God is glorious and Sa God forgives me. She firmly believed that I was the son of Sa God. She guided me on my mission and led me through the heroic journey. The road passed through countless hardships and dangers. When I made a mistake due to ignorance and became a refugee prisoner, she volunteered to become the saint of the refugees in Atuli, and used three choices to ask the refugees to escort me back to Nabu Batu. God Sa protects us , made us escape, and then we arrived at the Priesthood. She made me believe that I was the son of God Sa and had a mission in life."

"She may have mistakenly recognized the son of God Sa," Yang Yan said, "but she should not be punished for her faith. She is stupid, so she can be taught, but if she is not evil, she must be killed!"

These words were so powerful that even Wang Hong was dumbfounded. This stupid donkey actually had moments of eloquence.Of course, the part about kneeling down and begging for mercy is purely fictional. Yang Yanhua used the scene when Qi Xiaofang first met him, but it also adds a bit of credibility.

"If I blasphemed God, then I should be punished." Yang Yan said, "It's not that I am innocent and she should be punished."

"She saved you for her family, not for you." Gursas revealed the truth with a hoarse voice. "She was only ten years old when she volunteered to be a flame to save her family. For the sake of her family, she can deceive."

"These are heart-breaking words." Yang Yan suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said, "Gulthas, just now, in order to prove that I am the son of God Sa, she would rather let her family become slaves to her, proving that her determination comes from faith. And can you prove that she did all these things for the sake of glorifying God Sa and her determination to bring God Sa’s son to you?”

Gulthas closed his green eyes and said slowly: "I use my power according to my judgment, but your excuse makes this matter seem to have room. How much of her thoughts are for God Sa? Half, Or half and half? I believe less."

"I pardon you, only you, Nadia." Gursasi said, "You can live as a commoner in Nabu Batu. If you earn enough money, you can come and redeem it from me. your parents."

"I'm tired." Gulthas waved his hand, "Step back, Nadia, and Yang Yan, who is pretending to be the Son of God."

He had heard the names reported in the Potu Festival.

Wang Hong didn't dare to fight anymore. She knelt for more than an hour, holding on to Yang Yan's arm, and climbed up tremblingly like an old man. Yang Yan supported her and walked out the door.Potu Daji was waiting outside the door and sent someone to lead the two of them out.

On the way back, Yang Yan and Wang Hong had their own thoughts and were silent. It wasn't until they got on the carriage that Yang Yan asked: "What are you going to do next? Go see your parents and brothers?"

"I don't know." Wang Hong shook her head and said, "They are the property of Gursas. I can't see them without Gursas's permission."

"So you knowingly broke the rules yesterday?" Yang Yan said, "It turns out I'm not the only one who breaks the rules."

Wang Hong snorted and said, "It's better to be a slave and still be with your family."

"Blame me for talking too much?" Yang Yan said dissatisfied.

"No, thank you." Wang Hong rarely relented and added, "If they hadn't saved you, they wouldn't have continued to be slaves." After she said this, she became angry again and couldn't help but continue, " I should have seen that you are a god of plague, and whoever comes into contact with you will be unlucky! Why did I have such a whim to capture you and bring you back to play the role of the son of a god!"

"Yes, I am the God of Plague!" Yang Yan couldn't help but said, "I went on such a stupid path, got chopped down, and was hunted down, and yet I went to save you. I really asked for it! You deserve to be a slave. Life, why do I care so much! Now, why don’t you walk all this way just to live outside the customs? How about this scenery? "

The two glared at each other. After a while, Yang Yan said, "What are your plans? Do you have the money to redeem your parents?"

"Where does the money come from! Do you think slaves are cheap?" Wang Hong said, "Tell me, a girl went to work as a flame when she was twelve or thirteen years old, and now she is here alone. How can I make money in this place? How much does it cost? How can I redeem my parents and brother with money? Please help me find a way!"

Yang Yan was silent now. He thought of the recruitment of a younger brother in Qunfang House. What could she do?

Wang Hong thought he had given in, but she was embarrassed. After all, it was Yang Yan who had won this chance for her. Her tone turned gentle and asked: "What are your plans? Go back to the pass? The holy road is gone. Go back and take the path of a hero to take revenge." ? Do you still know the way? Can you go back alone?"

Yang Yan still didn't reply. He looked out the window and saw the statues of Yanabhata and Tenges again.He threw open the door and jumped out of the carriage.Wang Hong was shocked and shouted: "What are you doing?!"

Yang Yan came to the statue of Tengges. It was really two feet tall, taller than both of himself.He reached out and touched the icon. The stone was hard and cold, but the texture and the folds of the robe were clear.He suddenly wanted to climb up and see what the scenery would be like from above.

He did whatever he wanted, grabbing the waist of the stone statue with his left hand, reaching up with his right hand to grab Tenggers' knife-holding arm, and was about to climb up the stone statue.The driver had already stopped to stop him. Yang Yan felt his calf being pulled and yelled at, but he ignored it and kicked it. At the same time, he stretched out his waist and grabbed the neck of the stone statue and continued to climb up. He felt that His waist and abdomen were hugged and pulled by several hands. It turned out that passers-by passing by in the priest's courtyard also rushed to grab him. He felt that his body was extremely heavy, but he still crawled with all his strength regardless of his own safety. It was useless for anyone to stop him.Finally, he put his left hand on the top of the stone statue and was about to throw away the crowd. Unfortunately, a strong pull made him unsteady. His feet slipped and he fell. The crowd finally managed to pull him off the stone statue. At that moment, he had a good meal. beat.Yang Yan hugged his head and face to protect him, and suddenly felt a burst of joy and excitement.I couldn't help laughing.

Everyone thought he was crazy, so Wang Hong rushed into the crowd and pulled him out, yelling: "Are you crazy! Do you really want to die that much?"

Yang Yan didn't care whether he was injured or not, he just kept laughing.Everyone originally wanted to punish him, but fortunately the coachman was afraid of implicating himself and interceded for him. Some kind-hearted apprentices and Xiaoji saw that he was crazy and said that he was probably crazy. In addition to Wang Hong's pleading, Yang Yan was let go. .

Yang Yan was driven into the car, and Wang Hong grabbed his arm and cursed: "You want to die so much, why didn't you die just now? You are ruining my family as slaves!" She was so angry that she sacrificed her family in exchange for his He didn't know how to cherish his life.Does this stupid ass still not know what taboos are?
"I won't go back to the pass, I want to stay here." Yang Yan's face was covered with redness, swelling and blood, and the corners of his mouth were cut. His two red eyes were swollen, which was particularly scary. He was beaten because he had just desecrated the stone statue.

He finally understood that in fact, everyone was the same whether they were people inside or outside Guan, whether it was Gursasi or Yan Feixi, Master Xuanxu, Li Xuanxuan, or Xu Fangge.

They all believe that there is a power in this world that can make them omnipotent and do whatever they want.In Guan, they call it power, so they fight for power and make themselves gods.Outside the customs, this power is called God, so they fight for God and let themselves have power.

"I want to stay in the Sa religion, no matter where I am in Nabu Badu, I will not go back to the customs."

"I will become the Son of God, hope and faith."

"Because I am the son of God Sa!"

Yang Yan's tone was firm and his expression was resolute, leaving no room for doubt.

"You must kneel down and worship me!"

Wang Hong was stunned. At this moment, she almost believed that the person in front of her was the son of God Sa.

(End of this chapter)