No taboos in the world

Chapter 88: Encounter with Duan Zhengchun and Arrive at Chanhe Village

Drought clouds flew across the sky, and fire burned the sky; the sun seemed to have fallen into a steamer.

After the waiter at the teahouse brought the teapot, he immediately turned around, grabbed the palm-leaf fan attached to his waist and started fanning himself vigorously.

Xuan Ku took out a pill, held it in his hand and shook it into powder. He sprinkled it into the teapot, shook it, and poured three bowls of tea.

"Senior Brother, have you washed your hands?" Hong Chen frowned tightly.

Xuan Cheng laughed when he heard this, and Xuan Ku rolled his eyes at him: "What do you think Brother is doing squatting by the river?"

Hong Chen picked up the bowl and took a sip. He felt that the tea suddenly became cool and refreshing, with a natural herbal fragrance.

"How?" Xuan Cheng asked with a smile.

Hong Chen did not answer, but just picked up the bowl and took a big sip. Instantly, the heat on his face disappeared, and his eyebrows and eyes were relaxed.

The three of them drank a bowl each. Xuan Cheng looked at the dazzling sunlight and scorching earth outside the shed and said, "If we were in the temple, we wouldn't be able to see such a hot dog days."

Shaolin is located in Songshan Mountain, where the land is high and the forest is deep. The Zen temple is quiet and peaceful, and it is indeed not that hot.

After walking for many days, Hong Chen realized that Xuan Cheng, whose tendons and veins were broken and whose martial arts were completely destroyed, was most likely just a tourist along the way. He had no destination of his own, nor many suggestions or ideas. He seemed to go with the flow, going wherever he went and seeing whatever he encountered.

Xuan Ku once told him that Xuan Cheng was understanding Zen.

Hong Chen didn't understand what Zen was. He just felt that Xuan Cheng wanted to use this beautiful and magnificent landscape to fill his heart in order to let go of his obsession with martial arts.

Xuan Cheng and Xuan Ku started chatting, and Hong Chen felt it was boring after listening for a while, so he lowered his head and took out the Three Dragon Subduing Moves to continue his comprehension. This easy to learn but difficult to master martial art was another peak for him, and he had experienced the feeling of conquering the peak many times, so he never felt tired.

Another quarter of an hour later, the sound of hurried horse hooves was heard.

Hong Chen looked up and saw two white horses galloping from the front of the road. The man was dressed in brocade, full of vigor and handsome, and the woman was dressed in black, with two swords hanging from her waist, with a beautiful face and a heroic appearance. The two looked at each other from a distance and laughed happily.

The two senior brothers also stopped talking and cast their eyes over. Then, Xuan Ku smiled, while Xuan Cheng sneered and lowered his head to drink his tea.

"Acquaintance?" Hong Chen looked at Xuan Ku and asked.

Xuan Ku nodded slightly.

Soon, two white horses stopped in front of the tea station.

The man saw Xuan Ku before he dismounted his horse. His eyes lit up immediately and he shouted, "Master Xuan Ku!"

Xuan Ku nodded slightly.

The man got off the horse and turned to the woman, who smiled and slapped his hand away. Then she jumped off the horse and landed steadily on the ground, smiling and sideways, "Do I still need your help?"

The man smiled indifferently, then quickly brought her to the table, clasped his fists and said with a smile: "Master Xuanku, it's been a long time since we last met. How are you?"

Xuan Ku stood up and nodded: "Amitabha, I am doing well. Thank you for your concern, Benefactor Duan."

Hong Chen, who was drinking tea at the table, heard the words "Donor Duan". His eyes widened instantly, and then he quickly raised his head and looked carefully: he was about twenty years old, with a handsome face, eyes like bright stars, and he really had a good appearance.

It would be strange if this wasn’t Duan Zhengchun!
Then, he looked behind Duan Zhengchun: a man no more than 20 years old, wearing black clothes and holding two swords, with a pointed face, long eyebrows, and a heroic look.

As soon as his eyes fell, the other party quickly noticed it and looked towards Hong Chen.

When their eyes met, Hong Chen naturally would not shrink back, and the woman was roughly the same. So the two looked at each other for a moment, and in the end it was the woman who couldn't help laughing.

Xuan Ku and Duan Zhengchun, who were chatting, looked over. Xuan Ku followed the woman's gaze to look at Hong Chen. Hong Chen curled his lips and continued to drink tea. Duan Zhengchun asked curiously, "Why is Hongmian laughing?"

Qin Hongmian pointed at Hong Chen and said with a smile: "This little monk just stared at me intently. I had a contest of eyes with him, but in the end I lost."

Duan Zhengchun also looked at Hong Chen, and saw that although he was wearing monk's robes, he had his hair down. He couldn't help but look at Xuan Ku in confusion.

"Donor Duan, Xuan Chen is my junior fellow apprentice and a lay disciple of Shaolin."

Duan Zhengchun was surprised. In recent years, the Shaolin Temple has gradually changed from Ling to Xuan. The younger generation who joined Shaolin Temple must be Hui. This child is just a lay disciple, but he can become Xuan. He must be extraordinary. He immediately said in a serious tone: "Duan Zhengchun of the Dali Duan Clan, I meet Master Xuanchen."

Hong Chen could only stand up and return the greeting.

Then, Duan Zhengchun turned sideways and said, "This is the chivalrous lady from Jianghu who I have never met before, Qin Hongmian, the Asura Blade."

Qin Hongmian bowed to the three of them generously, and even winked playfully when facing Hong Chen.

Hong Chen could only secretly say it was a pity.

If I were thirty years old now, I would give you a warm home; if I were twenty years old now, I would take you to see all the prosperity in the world.

But... sorry, I'm only six years old.

Duan Zhengchun and Qin Hongmian sat on a bench, and five people sat around a table, but it was basically Xuan Ku and Duan Zhengchun who talked.

From them, Hong Chen heard many familiar names and learned a lot about the trends in the martial arts world.

Today's Jianghu is similar to the imperial court and the world. Although there may be occasional frictions, it seems to be relatively calm overall.

But this is just the surface. Take the Yanmen Pass Massacre that just ended not long ago. Most of the Central Plains martial artists killed by Xiao Yuanshan were famous for their chivalry, but now no one knows that they are dead.

"Where is Master Xuanku going?" "Gusu Canhe Manor."

"Oh? But is it the Murong family's Chanhe Manor?"

"Exactly."

Duan Zhengchun immediately said with a look of regret: "I originally wanted to visit Suzhou, but I ran into Hongmian on the way, and now I have to follow her north..."

"If you don't want to go, no one will force you." Qin Hongmian suddenly spoke.

Duan Zhengchun smiled bitterly and turned to comfort her: "Don't misunderstand me, Hongmian. We agreed before that I would go wherever you go. How could I not want to be with you?"

Qin Hongmian's expression softened a little, but she still didn't look at him well.

Hong Chen: Ugh...

This kind of scumbag's quotes can actually attract female heroes, so if I use the endless routines and dirty words that emerge in later generations, won't I just kill them all?

After sitting for a while, Duan Zhengchun stood up and said goodbye, and rode away with Qin Hongmian.

"Two junior brothers, it's time for us to set off."

Xuan Ku took the lead, and Xuan Cheng and Hong Chen also stood up and continued on their way.

The three of them walked all the way, neither fast nor slow, neither fighting nor rushing, which just fulfilled Hong Chen's intention.

When he rested every night, there was nothing much to say about the basic internal skills he practiced. His internal strength continued to grow faster than that of ordinary people, but he would always transfer a part of it into the third eye between his eyebrows, trying to make it awaken its magical powers sooner.

While walking during the day, he would take the opportunity to practice the Three Dragon Subduing Moves and the Burning Wood Sword Technique.

Xuan Cheng and Xuan Ku don't know the Three Dragon Subduing Moves, so he can only figure it out on his own.

However, both senior brothers were very proficient in the Burning Wood Sword Technique, especially Xuan Cheng. Although he no longer had martial arts skills, his experience was still there. In many places, his guidance was often to the point, which made Hong Chen feel like he had suddenly realized something. Even Xuan Ku benefited a lot from it.

From this we can see how much of a pity it is for Shaolin that Xuan Cheng was scrapped.

In addition, Xuan Ku would always disappear for a while inexplicably along the way, but would return to the team soon after. He himself did not say anything, and Hong Chen was too lazy to ask. Xuan Cheng did not care at all, and it seemed that there was only the scenery of mountains and rivers in his eyes.

Given this, it’s no surprise that the journey was slow and leisurely.

Ten days later.

On the Taihu Lake.

The waves are rippling and the cool breeze is blowing on your face.

No matter the fire in the heart or the heat in the body, they seemed to be completely wiped out at this moment.

Hong Chen sat cross-legged at the bow, diligently cultivating his inner strength. The wind blew up his long hair that fell to his shoulders, which was out of tune with his monk's robes.

In the cabin, Xuan Cheng looked at his back and said, "Senior Brother Xuan Ku, you have good taste."

Xuan smiled bitterly and said modestly: "It's fate, I dare not take credit for it."

Xuan Cheng rolled his eyes when he heard this and suddenly didn't want to say anything more to him.

But after a moment of silence, he could not help but say, "During this journey, I have practiced the three styles of Dragon Subduing Palm quite well, and I have also mastered the Burning Wood Sword Technique. Even the Dragon Capturing Technique that I have just learned for three days cannot be performed because I do not have enough internal strength."

"Yes, he is indeed a martial arts genius. Of course, compared to my junior brother, he is still a little behind."

"Hehe, let me think about what I was doing when I was six years old... Oh, I remember, I peed on your quilt and you beat me up." Xuan Cheng had a blank expression on his face, as if he was not talking about himself.

Xuan Ku couldn't help but laugh, and for a moment his eyes seemed to travel through time and space and see decades ago.

After a while, Xuan Cheng spoke again, his voice very low.

"He has tattoos on his hands."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xuan Ku's expression suddenly became serious. He quickly shook his head, signaling Xuan Cheng not to continue.

But Xuan Cheng didn't care, and said to himself: "I'm not doubting Xuan Chen, I just think his identity and background seem to be questionable. At his age, his knowledge and performance are like an adult. Not to mention ordinary families, even dignitaries and even the royal palace can't cultivate this. Besides... don't tell me you can't see that he has martial arts skills."

"Amitabha!" Xuan Ku sighed. He glanced at Hong Chen and continued to shake his head: "Junior brother, everyone has their own secrets, even you and I who often sit under the Buddha. If that's the case, why do we have to get to the bottom of it?"

Xuan Cheng smiled carefreely: "I never have this habit, I'm just reminding you."

"Junior brother, you worry too much. Master already knew about this matter."

"That's fine. If anything happens in the future, it will definitely be you guys who will take the lead. If you can't handle it, the worst that can happen to me is that I will die on the spot."

A quarter of an hour later, the ship docked.

As soon as the three got off the boat, someone from the island came to greet them.

"The Shaolin monk has come from afar, and we are here to greet him on Madam's orders!"

(End of this chapter)