Chapter 43: Graduation Examination of Guigu Disciples (Seeking Follow-up Reading)

The killing in Weijiazhuang is still going on. Amidst the blood and fire, Weijiazhuang is completely shrouded in darkness.

Is there light at the end of darkness?
The answer is yes.

On the road from Heji to Xu County, a mule cart loaded with wheat straw was moving slowly on the road.

This is a very ordinary mule cart. The lighter wheat straw is piled high, obviously made by an old farmer. Such loading technology is really impossible for ordinary people except experienced farmers.

But a mule cart loaded with straw is just a mule cart and nothing will change.

But what if the person above is different?

The driver was not a farmer but a young man, who looked no more than twenty years old, with a handsome face and an upright figure. Although he was not dressed in gold or jade or silk or satin, he had a certain bearing.

If we consider the long sword pressed against his leg, it is clearly telling the world: I am not ordinary.

In fact, he was indeed extraordinary, for he was Gai Nie, the contemporary disciple of Guiguzi and the successor of the Zongheng middle lineage. Although he was only twenty years old now, he had already inherited all the Zongheng middle lineage of Guiguzi. His sword skills were enough to make him qualified to be the strongest person of the younger generation in the seven countries.

"Weijiazhuang? What could be there? It actually caught the teacher's eye and made him choose it as a test for Xiaozhuang and me?" Gai Nie looked at the city wall of Xu County that was vaguely visible in the distance. Weijiazhuang was not far away, but what on earth was there?

"Brother, your mind is in turmoil." While Gai Nie was lost in thought, a deep voice came from the tall straw mountain.

He was a young man with short white hair. What was even more peculiar was that even his eyebrows were white. He was lying on the hemp stalks in a lazy posture. He had a cold expression and a gloomy yet domineering look. It was obvious at first glance that he was not someone who was easy to get along with. Even though he seemed to be joking at this moment, his face was still very serious. It was just that his seriousness seemed a little inconsistent with his lazy posture.

Such a person shouldn't relax himself to such an extent, but he did it anyway.

Because he would only show this attitude in front of his senior brother.

He is Wei Zhuang, who is a disciple of Guiguzi together with Gai Nie, and inherits the horizontal lineage. He should call Gai Nie "senior brother", but he prefers to call Gai Nie "senior brother".

"Why do you think so?" Gai Nie asked back.

"The car is a bit bumpy." Wei Zhuang said.

"So it affected your sleep?" Gai Nie said lightly. The way of communication between fellow disciples was so strange.

"good."

"Then I'll pay attention."

As the fellow disciples were chatting in a strange way, Weijiazhuang had already appeared in front of them.

"It's really different." Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang walked into Weijiazhuang. It was already dusk. The manor, which should have been bustling with people, was now completely silent. The sun had not completely set, but it was eerie and strange everywhere.
Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang, who were both skilled and courageous, went straight into Weijia Village, but they were more cautious. As expected, as soon as they entered Weijia Village, they were besieged by villagers, who used swords, spears, halberds, longbows, and kerosene. They used every possible means.

But that’s all.

Amidst the flashing of swords and sabers, all the villagers were subdued. Fortunately, Zongheng and the other two came only for the assessment, not to kill people. After subduing all the villagers, they also saw the content of their own assessment. Wei Yong, Wei Sikong.

The appearance of Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang was a complete surprise for Wei Yong. Young people are mostly passionate, impulsive and naive, and are most likely to sacrifice their lives for what they believe is justice.

So in Wei Sikong's view, the young man who upholds "justice" has arrived.

So in front of the two righteous young heroes, Wei Yong portrayed himself as the backbone of the Wei State and the pillar of the kingdom, and the two also had a brief fight with Hei Bai Xuan Jian.

In order to enable Wei to have the power to fight against Qin and to prevent Luo Wang's plan from succeeding, the two young men Zong and Heng decided to protect Wei Yong, not because of Wei Yong, but purely because of the villagers of Weijia Village and the people of Wei State.

After some planning, Gai Nie, Wei Zhuang and Wei Yong decided to lure the snake out of its hole and then wait for the oriole to come back.

Wei Si impersonates Wei Yong, and then Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang escort the fake Wei Yong away, in order to lure out Black and White Xuan Jian and turn it into a cicada caught by the yellow bird.

When Guiguzi and Zongheng arrived at Weijiazhuang, Yan Lingji was practicing her skills enthusiastically by the creek outside Xiliu Village. The martial arts recorded in the Nine Yin Scriptures were profound and extensive. Now she was almost sure that Yang Chong had not lied to her. If she could master the martial arts, she could go anywhere in the world.

As for Yang Chong's true identity, Yan Lingji no longer cared. Anyway, she had already obtained the information she wanted, and there was also the unexpected surprise of the Nine Yin Scriptures, an encyclopedia of martial arts. More importantly, she most likely would not have to repay the favor. This feeling of getting something for nothing, getting everything without paying anything, was really great.

"I am now debt-free." After practicing for a long time, Yan Lingji should have been very tired, but she felt relaxed all over. She sniffed the cool breeze coming from the river and felt comfortable all over. However, in this relaxation, there was a sadness that was difficult to conceal.

"I'm not sick. It's so dangerous there, why should I go to help you? It's your own choice. Even if you die, it's your own choice. I don't care. Besides, it's very dangerous there for me. I'm not that stupid. The happiest thing in the world is that the creditor is dead and you don't have to pay the debt. You'd better die. When you die, I will be completely free. Well, of course I will practice the martial arts you left behind and won't waste your kindness." Yan Lingji muttered to herself, not knowing who she was talking to. Maybe she was just making excuses for herself.

But is this forced excuse really reliable? If you have never hesitated, why do you have to find excuses for your behavior?

Yan Lingji looked at the small river in the distance. Stars twinkled in the flowing water. It seemed that nothing had changed, but was there really no change?
Yan Lingji's eyes, which were swimming along with the flow of the river, gradually became firm: "I don't want this freedom anymore, but you must not die."

Yan Lingji stood up, buried the bamboo slips again, and then disappeared under the willow tree.

If that freedom is unintentional freedom, then Yan Lingji would rather not have it.

……

The summer morning came very early. Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang stood on the street of Weijia Village, enjoying the rare coolness.

"Wei Yong's justice is really a ridiculous thing." Wei Zhuang, standing with a sword in his arms, looked at the empty street and said with a bit of sarcasm.

"Xiao Zhuang, do you think it's ridiculous for us to stay and protect Wei Yong?" Gai Nie asked.

"I don't care about justice. What I'm interested in is that black sword." Wei Zhuang said coldly. He didn't care whether Wei Yong was good or bad.

While the two were talking, four carriages went in four directions. When the four carriages gradually went away, an ordinary carriage drove out from a corner and came in front of Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang.

(End of this chapter)