Chapter 10 Qihuang Valley

After leaving Linhefang, Zuo Lingquan bought a good-quality black horse at the carriage and horse shop. After asking the locals for directions, he galloped towards Qihuang Valley alone.

Qihuang Valley is only thirty miles away from the capital, located on the outskirts of the city, backed by Evergreen Mountain.

Zuo Lingquan flew along the straight road, and within half an hour, he discovered a small town at the end of the road.

At the end of the town is an octagonal archway with the words "Qihuang Valley" written on it. Behind the archway is a ten-mile willow forest. In the distance, you can see the eaves of some buildings and the mountains at the end of the field of view.

In the early morning, there were few people in the town, except for a few medicinal farmers who had dug up medicinal materials and came to sell them.

Zuo Lingquan rode through the town and came to the Bajiao Archway.

There were four young men standing under the archway, acting as guards. When they saw Zuo Lingquan approaching, one of them took half a step forward and raised his hand to salute:

"Master, please stay here. Outsiders are not allowed to enter Qihuang Valley. Is there a way for you to get the documents?"

Zuo Lingquan took out the jade pendant from his arms and handed it to the other party: "I am Zuo Lingquan, a person from Qinghe County. I have longed for Qihuang Valley in my heart for a long time. I came here to visit you today. I wonder if my brother can introduce me to you?"

The young man at the head took the sign, saw the word "Wu" on the back, looked up at Zuo Lingquan, and said with a smile:

"It turns out it's you. I just said hello in the valley, saying that someone is coming with a sign and will take you directly to the alchemy room to meet Master Wu. Come on, I'll take you there."

Seeing this, Zuo Lingquan didn't say much. He got on his horse and entered the Bajiao Archway with the young man.

Qihuang Valley is located inside the mountains. The ten-mile willow forest on the outside is just to isolate outsiders and is not inhabited. It is more like a beautiful landscape garden.

The two of them went hand in hand, and in about a quarter of an hour, they arrived at the foot of the mountain ridge that separated the earth.

The Changqing Mountain range stretches for thousands of miles, across the west side of the Dadan Dynasty, and the mountain range in front of it is only a part of it, called Qihuang Ridge.

When the mountains stretched to this point, I don't know if it was due to geological activities that cracked, causing an opening to appear between the mountains. The cliffs on both sides were cut out like sharp blades. You could vaguely see a waterfall falling from the depths. Under the morning glow of the spring sunshine,

A rainbow appeared below, and the scenery was extremely beautiful.

Zuo Lingquan got off his horse and walked into the valley entrance with the young man. The scenery in front of him suddenly became clear - terraces, pavilions and pavilions were spread out in succession, and many lofty houses were built on the cliffs; there was a huge square in the middle, on which could be seen

I saw hundreds of people doing morning exercises; the lofts around the square were surrounded by green plants, and I could see a few white cranes circling in the sky. At a glance, it really felt like a Taoyuan wonderland.

Zuo Lingquan was new here and was not familiar with Qihuang Valley. He followed the young man who led the way and turned left and right. After walking an unknown distance, he came to a small lake on the side of the square.

The small lake is filled with lotuses, and in the middle is a school with bamboo curtains hanging on all sides.

There are futons placed in the club, and dozens of people are sitting in a circle. The oldest among them is seventeen or eighteen years old, and the youngest is five or six years old. They are all listening with great interest to the sermon of an elder behind the desk:

"...Back then, my uncle, I was in Linyuan City of Dayan Kingdom. I saw a strange woman coming in the wind and hanging above the imperial city. The Emperor of Dayan Kingdom personally came out of the city to greet her. You kids, don't take that scene seriously.

Cultivation, you will never see it in your lifetime..."

Zuo Lingquan listened attentively while walking. His impressions of practitioners came from storytellers in the market. Apart from knowing that there was a Great Yan Dynasty outside Beifang Pass, he knew nothing about it.

Arriving at Qihuang Valley at this time, Zuo Lingquan was naturally curious after hearing these strange people and strange things, and asked the young man leading the way:

"I grew up in Qinghe County, and I have heard very little about things outside the Great Dan Dynasty. Brother, can you tell me a little bit about it?"

The young man who led the way was young but friendly. Hearing the words, he slowed down a little and walked side by side with Zuo Lingquan:

"Just call me Wang Rui. I entered Qihuang Valley when I was six years old and haven't left for ten years. I don't know much about the outside world. However, I have heard my teacher talk about it before."

Seeing this, Zuo Lingquan also slowed down and pretended to be listening attentively.

Wang Rui's face clearly had a look of longing and yearning. After thinking about it for a moment, he said seriously:

"The Great Dan Dynasty is just a small place, facing the sea in the southeast and isolated by the Evergreen Mountains in the west. It can only be said to be a remote place in the world.

The Great Yan Dynasty outside the Pass is different. A state may be larger than ours. However, I don't know the details of the secular court. I only know that there are nine practicing sects outside, and they are also called the "Nine Sects of the South".

Our ancestors in Qihuang Valley came from one of the nine sects, the 'Jingping Terrace'.

Nowadays, if there are outstanding disciples in our Qihuang Valley, the teachers will also rely on this layer of incense to send them to the Jingtai of the Great Yan Dynasty for further study. Master Zheng, who just gave a lecture, went there when he was young, but it was a pity that he was out for training.

I was injured, otherwise I would still be staying there now."

Zuo Lingquan nodded slightly, and after carefully writing down these words, he asked a question that all new practitioners would ask:

"People over there can fly into the sky and escape from the earth?"

Wang Rui spread his hands, shook his head and said:

"I've never been there, so how do I know? But the teacher said that practicing a path is divided into five levels of 'Qi Refining, Spiritual Valley, Youhuang, Jade Steps, and Forgetting Machines', and you can reach the sky step by step.

Those who enter the Netherworld can fly to the sky and escape from the earth with the help of their utensils, and those who enter the Jade Stage can control the wind and soar with their bodies. When we live in the Phoenix Valley, the headmaster and several uncles entered the Spiritual Valley. We don't see such masters here.

It’s not here.”

Zuo Lingquan nodded thoughtfully, thought for a moment, and then looked at his long sword:

"Among these sects, is there anyone with a particularly powerful sword?"

Everyone in Qihuang Valley is a swordsman, so Wang Rui is naturally very interested in this issue. He looked at Zuo Lingquan's sword and said with a hint of pride:

"Our Qihuang Valley Master came out to Jingtai. Let me tell you, the ones who are good with swords outside must be Jingtai. However, the leader once said that there is a 'Sword Imperial City' outside the Nine Sects. It is very powerful. If you dare to fight

The Nine Sects are challenging. The monks there are specifically called 'Sword Cultivators'. There is also a saying of 'The Eight Lords of the Nine Sects and the Ten Sword Emperors of Central Continent'. Unfortunately, the headmaster has only heard about it, and I don't know the details.

Not sure..."

While the two were chatting, they passed the lakeside and walked for about a quarter of an hour before finally stopping next to a bamboo forest.

The bamboo forest is close to the back side of the valley. From the outside, you can see a building halfway up the mountain, located near the waterfall you saw when you entered.

"Uncle Wu is right above. I won't go in. Just say hello and explain your intention when you get down there."

Wang Rui arrived at the entrance of the bamboo forest, said no more, raised his hand and saluted, turned and left.

After Zuo Lingquan said goodbye with unfinished feelings, he stepped into the path among the bamboo forests with his sword in hand. He saw several bamboo huts along the way. Many young girls in their prime gathered in the bamboo huts, either pounding medicine to cool in the sun, or taking meditation dishes.

Sit down and look at him curiously when he passes by.

Zuo Lingquan came to the bottom of the cliff and was about to ask some girls who were making medicine in the distance to ask someone to inform them. The upper body of a person was revealed from the top of the cliff.

Zuo Lingquan raised his eyes and saw that under the warm spring sun, the roar of the waterfall brought out a hazy rainbow, and a woman in a light green dress stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down.

You can't tell her age at first glance, but she has almond-shaped eyes, swollen eyebrows, a charming figure, and a mature temperament and appearance. It may be more appropriate to describe her as a woman. Her black hair is rolled up, without hairpins, only tied with a hairband, and her face is pure and white.

There are no traces of makeup, no makeup, and the dress is thin without any accessories. It looks extremely clean. Under the support of the spring sun and the waterfall, it even has a fairy-like feeling.

Zuo Lingquan blinked, unsure whether this woman was 'Uncle Wu'. After looking at each other, he raised his hand politely:

"My dear Zuo Lingquan, may I ask if your senior is Master Wu?"

After speaking, wait for the reply.

However, the woman above did not speak. After looking down, her figure disappeared from the cliff.

Zuo Lingquan thought that the other party was coming down for an interview, so he stood at the foot of the cliff and waited quietly...

——

Above the cliff, the waterfall roars.

The platform carved out of the rock wall is three feet wide and about ten feet long. The left side leads to the bottom of the cliff by a curved stone staircase, and the right side leads directly to the bottom of the waterfall.

At the entrance of the stone staircase, there is a wooden house built. Near the waterfall is an open stone flat, which is probably a place for martial arts practice. There is also a stone platform for people to sit cross-legged on the edge of the cliff. Looking out,

It is a panoramic view of the picturesque Qihuang Valley.

Wu Qingwan, who was wearing a light green dress, looked away from the edge of the stone platform and then looked at the letter in her hand, her eyes filled with confusion.

Wu Qingwan is the young apprentice of the national master Yue Pingyang. She is the fifth among the masters of Qihuang Valley and is in charge of one of the five alchemy rooms. She taught Princess Longli's martial arts and is considered Jiang Yi's master.

However, Princess Long Li did not call Wu Qingwan master.

First, because of the special status of princes and princesses, according to the rules, they can only worship the national master.

Secondly, Princess Longli's biological mother, Queen Liu, and Wu Qingwan came from Jintang County together. They had known each other since they were young and they were like sisters, so Princess Longli called her "aunt" since she was a child.

Princess Longli went to Qihuang Valley to practice cultivation when she was six years old, and was raised by Wu Qingwan herself, so she was half a princess.

Although Jiang Yi has been back in the palace for nearly four years, spending less time together and more time apart, she still understands the princess's temperament very well - she is aggressive and proactive on the outside, with the arrogance of a royal family by nature, but she is delicate and considerate on the inside, and knows how to 'self-examine'.

In the past in Qihuang Valley, Jiang Yi had been helping Wu Qingwan to discipline many fellow apprentices. No matter how angry she was, she would act in accordance with the principle of fairness and justice, and would never favor anyone based on her personal opinions, let alone

I filed a complaint with Wu Qingwan.

But at this moment, when Wu Qingwan saw the letter in her hand, she couldn't understand how wronged Jiang Yi was to write these things.

"Don't reveal my identity, let him hang out for a long time. When he can't stand looking around, just say he's not sincere and tell him to get out." If he doesn't leave, let him go to the living room to do the laundry. "Finish the laundry."

Go to the animal pen to give the white crane a bath'...

Isn't this bullying?

Wu Qingwan has been cultivating in the mountains since she was a child. She likes to live alone and ignore foreign affairs. She doesn't even have many disciples. She has neither interest nor ability to do such troublesome things.

However, Jiang Yi called her "aunt" and could write such a "crying" letter uncharacteristically, which shows that she is really annoyed by the child below. If Jiang Yi does nothing, she will be the next time Jiang Yi comes over.

It’s not easy to explain either.

Wu Qingwan put away the letter and hesitated for a moment, but still followed Princess Long Li's instructions and did not talk to Zuo Lingquan immediately, thinking that Zuo Lingquan would stand there for a long time and talk about other things later.
Chapter completed!