bookbashuk Page 252
Page 252
"Whether one is physically strong or not is indeed related to lifespan. Extending one's lifespan is certainly a good thing." He was secretly pleased and no longer hesitated. He opened his eyes and began to eat his nourishing meal.
During meals, one can nourish and warm the blood and qi, and provide abundant nutrients and energy for the continuous and slow transformation of the blood and qi.
Time flies, months pass quickly, autumn turns to winter, and the chill deepens. Goose feather snowflakes dance in the air, Han Feng, wearing only a thin robe, stands under the eaves admiring the snow without fear, holding his younger sister Yun Ji, who is wrapped up tightly in her arms.
When Yunji first saw the snow, she was fascinated by the sight, as she came from Baiyue. She would reach out her little hand from time to time to gently catch a few large snowflakes, watching them melt in her palm, and revealing an innocent smile, completely oblivious to the cold.
"The snow scene, untouched by industrial pollution, is breathtaking!" Han Feng's gaze fell into the depths of the courtyard, where the bare tree trunks were encased in crystal-clear ice, resembling ice sculptures and jade carvings. Under the sunlight, they shone with vibrant colors, as if one were in a dreamlike fairyland.
The artificial hills, eaves, and roads are all covered with snow, showcasing the pure beauty of nature.
"This winter is truly beautiful!" Han Feng said in a low voice.
"It's beautiful, but it's freezing cold." Senior Brother Dian Qing walked over and stood side by side with Han Feng, gazing at the swirling snow in the courtyard, his eyes filled with deep worry. "This harsh winter, I wonder how many more people will freeze to death on the streets."
He was shirtless, seemingly unconcerned about the cold, but he knew full well that not everyone could do the same. Every winter, some people fall asleep forever in the cold, damp nights.
"These pure white snowflakes seem to be paving their funeral road in advance," Dian Qing sighed. "Firewood, how expensive it is!"
Although there are 480 trees in the forest, some belong to the state, while others are the private property of powerful individuals. Unauthorized felling could lead to death. This timber could be exchanged for vast wealth in a critical moment, so no one wants to give it up. Ordinary people are lucky if they can gather even a little firewood from the forest; at least they won't starve because they can't cook. Even livestock need to be fed regularly.
Han Feng listened silently to his senior brother's reflections, speechless.
Fortunately, not all nobles are greedy and stingy.
The swirling snowflakes, like a grand carnival, seemed to be frantically trying to transform the entire world into a silver-clad wonderland.
330. The Mysterious Little Beggar
However, for those impoverished people struggling at the bottom of society, this snow is both a blessing and a disaster.
A timely snowfall promises a bountiful harvest next year. However, the harsh winter, with its biting winds that cut like knives, will undoubtedly be a severe test to get through.
"crunch..."
On the wide streets, snowflakes crunched underfoot, making strange sounds. General Jin Wen led a troop of his personal guards, weaving through the streets and alleys, his sharp eyes scanning the various effects of the heavy snow.
Suddenly, the group arrived at a plum tree standing proudly in the wind and snow. Beneath the tree, a ragged little beggar was huddled, a stark contrast to the blooming red plum blossoms on the tree. The little beggar was silent, his stiff body seemingly frozen in ice.
Jin Wen's eyes flickered slightly, and a guard behind him immediately stepped forward to check the little beggar's vital signs.
"General, this little beggar still has a breath left."
"He's still not dead!" Jin Wen quickly stepped forward, placing his wrist on the little beggar's wrist. A faint pulse flickered at his fingertips, as if it might be extinguished at any moment.
"His breath was barely a thread, and his life hung by a thread."
"It's a girl."
"However, his physical attributes are quite remarkable. Although he is not as good as Aqing and Ayuan, he is far superior to the ordinary disciples in the sect."
After a brief examination, Jin Wen immediately used his inner strength to protect the little beggar's heart meridian, then bent down and gently picked him up, heading straight for the Armored Gate's encampment, while simultaneously issuing orders without turning back:
"Leave one person with me, the rest continue to patrol the snow situation within Daliang City."
"As ordered!"
The guards responded in unison, one of them following closely behind Jinwen, while the rest continued deeper into the streets to closely monitor the impact of the snowfall on the city.
In the courtyard corridor, Dian Qing was talking with his second junior brother Han Feng when suddenly a gentle breeze rustled past his ear. He turned his gaze to the courtyard gate and saw his master carrying a ragged little beggar in his arms as he entered.
"Master, this is..."
"I encountered her by chance under a plum tree while on patrol. She was still alive." Jin Wen stepped into the courtyard and instructed Dian Qing, "Aqing, quickly prepare hot water and give this little girl a hot bath to help her blood circulation."
He then turned to Han Feng, with Yun Ji nestled quietly in his arms: "A Yuan, have your two maids come and help her wash her body and change her into clean clothes."
Han Feng nodded in acknowledgment, and Zhu Zhao quietly departed. Instantly, only Han Feng and the innocent Yun Ji remained in the corridor. The little girl was still engrossed in playing in the snow, her clear and melodious laughter composing a harmonious symphony with the falling snow.
In just a few days, thanks to Jingdian Qing's meticulous care, the little beggar girl who had been brought back by Jinwen had regained her vitality and was no longer in a state of hanging by a thread and on the verge of freezing to death.
Inside the room, Jin Wen, dressed in casual clothes, sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at the girl whose complexion had improved, his tone gentle:
"Your physique and aptitude are excellent. I intend to take you as my personal disciple. Are you willing?"
Upon hearing this, the girl immediately knelt down on the bed and respectfully kowtowed.
"I'm willing to shake it!"
"Alright, we'll hold the apprenticeship ceremony for you shortly." Jin Wen thought for a moment, then asked, "Child, what's your name? Who else is in your family?"
“My mother passed away, and I never met my father.” The girl sobbed, “I don’t have a name, and my mother always called me ‘silly girl.’”
"Nameless?" Jin Wen sighed inwardly, pondered for a moment, and said, "Since you were nameless in the past, I will give you a name. I met you under the plum blossom tree, so I will take 'Mei' as your surname."
331. Is Bai Yifei, the Bloodthirsty Demon?
“This is your eldest senior brother, Dian Qing, and this is your second senior brother, Han Feng.” Jin Wen introduced them one by one, and then said, “You will become my third personal disciple, and my only female disciple, so I will name you ‘Third Sister’.”
"Mei San Niang?" the girl murmured, tears of excitement and joy welling in her eyes. "I have a name? I'm not a silly girl anymore!"
She bowed again reverently, paying her respects to Jin Wen, Dian Qing, and Han Feng in turn:
"Mei San Niang thanks Master for bestowing upon her a name! She pays respects to her eldest and second senior brothers."
Dian Qing smiled kindly and said gently, "Junior Sister, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, don't hesitate to come to me. If you have any questions about cultivation, you can consult your senior brother or master."
Han Feng also smiled in response, while Yun Ji in his arms stared wide-eyed at Mei San Niang kneeling by the bed with curiosity.
"Come with me to hold a formal apprenticeship ceremony for Xiaomei." Jin Wen stood up and went first, followed closely by Han Feng carrying Yun Ji. Dian Qing patiently waited for Mei San Niang to get out of bed, and then led her away, patiently explaining the various rules of the Pijia Sect along the way.
Mei San Niang's apprenticeship ceremony was not held in the underground chamber, but rather in the main hall above ground. This was because, being a woman, she could not inherit the battlefield body-refining methods of the Wei Wu Zu. Therefore, although Mei San Niang was Jin Wen's third direct disciple, she was unable to learn the Wei Wu Zu's external martial arts, the Hundred Refinements of Shield and Armor, and instead focused on the Armored Sect's supreme martial art—Armored Skill.
Jin Wen, Dian Qing, and Han Feng tacitly chose to remain silent, as if the Armored Sect were merely an ordinary martial arts sect.
After the apprenticeship ceremony ended, Han Feng quietly left with Yun Ji in his arms, returning to his room to immerse himself in the study of Yin-Yang techniques, cultivate his Purple Mansion, and strengthen his three souls and seven spirits. At the same time, he did not dare to neglect the cultivation of his lower dantian.
At the same time of year, for the northern states of Wei, Zhao, and Yan, the biting wind is like a knife, and the snow falls like cotton.
The surrounding area was covered in a blanket of silver.
However, in the Baiyue region of southern Xinjiang, it is still as warm as spring and as mild as summer.
Half a year has passed since the allied forces of Han and Chu marched south and entered the Baiyue region. Most of the Chu army has already returned to Chu.
The South Korean army remains stationed in Baiyue to this day and shows no intention of withdrawing.
No one can understand its underlying motives.
Deep in the dense forests of the Baiyue region.
"Hurry up, don't delay General Bai's important matter!" A middle-aged squad leader of the Korean army stood to the side, sternly urging his soldiers.
His face was covered by a helmet, and he looked unremarkable.
However, there are two intersecting horizontal and vertical scars between his eyebrows, resembling the peaks and valleys of an electric wave, which are quite conspicuous.
Although the two scars have stopped bleeding and healed, only mottled marks remain.
For veterans on the battlefield, it is not a disgrace, but a symbol of glory.
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers responded in unison.
They were moving corpses at that moment, but the corpses were in bizarre and terrifying shapes.
They were all young women from the Baiyue region, their blood drained from their bodies, as if they had been completely devoured by a bloodthirsty demon.
Even more chilling is that
Their serene and joyful expressions contrasted sharply with their tragic deaths, making it all the more bizarre.
They have dealt with countless such corpses over the past few months.
Thousands? Tens of thousands? Or more?
New corpses appear every day, seemingly without end.
Tang Qi watched as his subordinates dug pits every day to bury the corpses of these strange girls, noticing that their mental state was deteriorating.
Panic, fear, timidity, dullness, anxiety, and excessive tension.
He even suffered from insomnia, nightmares, and sometimes screamed in the middle of the night.
332. Tang Qi Submits
"If this continues, their psychological defenses will likely collapse when faced with such bizarre corpses."
"These soldiers are now useless." Tang Qi looked up, his eyes slightly closed. The warm sun shone on him, but it couldn't dispel the chill in his heart.
"Perhaps after this triumphant return, I should consider retiring from military service and returning to my hometown."
On several occasions late at night, when all was quiet, he vaguely sensed shadowy figures wandering around him.
In the darkness, blurry figures surrounded him, silently bowing their heads, their gazes fixed on him.
Those faces were those of the mysteriously deceased Baiyue girls, their faces bearing joyful and serene smiles, yet also deathly pale and sinister.
They just stood around him, silently watching him fall asleep.
Every time this happened, he would be awakened by the same nightmare.