Chapter Eighty-Nine: Nangong Tunnel (II)
In the Nangong tunnel, Xiao Tian and Su Jia continued to follow the direction of the torch, touching the dark passage, and slowly walked towards the depths of the secret passage......
"Where will this passage lead?" Su Jia walked for a long time, and when she turned around, she could hardly see the entrance she had just entered, so she suddenly asked.
"Who knows?" Xiao Tian replied in an echo, "but since this passage doesn't have complicated curves, I think it must be a shortcut to somewhere. β
"You mean the stone tablet that records the Heavenly Demon Divine Skills?" Su Jia asked again, "If you go there, you shouldn't meet with the people of the Shaolin faction, right?"
"Probably not," Xiao Tian continued...... "No matter how shortcut this road is, Nangong Luo should still reach our destination one step ahead of us." We can go slower, and if they get to their destination, they will make footsteps, and then we will notice......"
"Shhh......h
"No......" Xiao Tian was secretly startled for a moment, and then pricked up his ears and listened carefully.
Sure enough, there was indeed an intermittent sound of speech ahead, although I couldn't hear it clearly, but I could preliminarily judge that the distance would not be too far......
"Indeed, there is a voice......," Xiao Tian whispered, "and it seems that there are more than one or two people, and there are many people who are hazy and noisy......"
"Maybe it's Nangong Lu's seniors who have already brought the Shaolin disciples to that place......" Su Jia looked firmly ahead and said, "Ah Tian, let's hurry over." β
Xiao Tian nodded slightly, and then quietly continued to march forward with Su Jia......
After only one or two hundred steps, the speaker's voice became clearer and clearer.
"I heard it this time, it was indeed the voice of Nangong Luo's seniors......" Xiao Tian heard the voice of the speaker clearly, and whispered.
"Don't be too surprised, let's lean over quietly, be careful not to be discovered......," Su Jia reminded in a voice that couldn't be smaller, and then the two of them slowly moved forward along the wall next to them......
And the person who spoke was indeed Nangong Lu, who was led by the abbot of Shaolin Temple and the disciples of Shaolin.
And on the side of Nangong Luo, that is, twenty steps in front of the abbot of Shiming, there is a huge stone that seems to be embedded in the wall, and there are dense words engraved on it.
Xiao Tian and Su Jia were separated from the Shaolin disciples by two walls, and the two of them held their breath and looked at the stone tablet opposite them. Because the inside of the secret passage was extremely dark, and there was a slight smell of dampness everywhere, the breath of Xiao Tian and Su Jia was not easy to be discovered.
"That's the stone tablet that Shangguan's predecessor recorded about the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill, right......" Xiao Tian asked quietly.
"Shh-" Su Jia continued to raise her index finger and reminded gently, and then said in a smaller and louder voice, "It should be, let's not talk for now, let's listen to what Nangong Lu's predecessors say......"
Xiao Tian nodded lightly......
Nangong Luo Here, Nangong Luo still patiently explained to the Shaolin people about the Shangguan Immortal Sword's predecessors recording the Heavenly Demon Divine Skills.
Abbot Shi Ming patiently looked at every inch and corner of the stone tablet, as well as every word and symbol on it, and he was quite puzzled in his heart. Subsequently, Abbot Shi Ming asked: "Amitabha, Nangong Daxia, is the text on this really engraved by the Shangguan seniors himself?"
Nangong Lu said unhurriedly: "To be honest, this ...... But no one has a detailed record. Some people say that this is indeed recorded by the predecessors of Shangguan, and some people say that this is just a deliberate portrayal by a tomb robber, after all, the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill is just a legend, and the credibility is not high. β
"Amitabha, but the martial arts of Shangguan's predecessors are indeed unmatched from ancient times to ......the present," Shi Ming's abbot said with a smile, "Now I still have an impression of Shangguan's predecessors, I'm afraid there are only four people: Lu Qingfeng, Gao Ying, Lu Huan, and Zhang Sanfeng...... Lao Wei had a conversation with Zhang Sanfeng and Zhang Zhenren when he was discussing swords in Wudang back then, and Zhang Zhenren also recalled that the martial arts of Shangguan's predecessors were indeed comparable to the power of the Mongolian Thousand Horsemen, and even Zhang Zhenren himself could not live a few tricks in the hands of Shangguan's predecessors......"
"What does the abbot mean......" Nangong Luo asked again.
The abbot continued: "Amitabha, what the old man said, that is, the Shangguan seniors have such unprecedented martial arts, if it is really as recorded on this stone tablet, even the Shangguan seniors dare not fully understand this set of heavenly demon divine skills called the 'evil martial arts', if these are true, then ......" Shi Ming's abbot's tone implied a kind of worry.
Nangong Luo seemed to hear the meaning of the abbot of Shi Ming, so he said with a smile: "Abbot Shi Ming don't worry, everyone will exaggerate, if this is just a trick played by someone to deceive people, it is not unreasonable to deliberately engrave the so-called 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' on this stone tablet......
"Amitabha, if this is really just a legend, or if it is false, aren't we, who are called the respected teachers in the martial arts, all of us deceived......" The abbot of Shi Ming continued to say in a puzzled tone, unhurriedly, "After the Mengyuan Dynasty came to power, the Nangong family business was only thirty years, at least more than thirty years ago, and Shangguan's predecessors did not pass away for long, and Yu Wei still existed in the world. At that time, there were four saints of martial arts who only said that the majesty of the rivers and lakes was all there, and what thief would dare to play such a shocking lie under the noses of all martial arts celebrities in order to deceive the world?"
"If it is as Abbot Shi said, it is indeed not unreasonable......" Nangong Luo paused for a moment, and then said, "But...... If the words on this stone tablet were really recorded by Shangguan's predecessors, wouldn't it have to be counted fifty years ago before the Four Sages of Martial Arts? Moreover, the theory of the Four Sages of Martial Arts originated from the battle between Lu Qingfeng and Gao Yinghuashan fifty years ago, when Shangguan's predecessors passed away not long ago, and further on, Shangguan's predecessors were already in their old age, and their martial arts could not be compared with those when they were young. Further premise, if the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill really exists in the world, if the predecessors of Shangguan want to understand it, it must be the most prosperous year of martial arts, and this will have to be pushed forward for more than 40 years. In the past ninety years, when the Song Dynasty died, and Meng Yuan had just been established, for such a long time, why was there almost no one in the Central Plains in the world who talked about this matter, but stayed in Nangong for thirty years, and the stone tablet in the authentic place suddenly became the focus of the martial arts?"
"Amitabha, it's not unreasonable for Nangong Daxia to say this......" Abbot Shi Ming said with a smile.
Nangong Luo paused, and then continued: "So when I was young, I thought that this was just a lie made up by someone for some purpose. The so-called Shangguan senior's record of the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' on the fake stone tablet may have achieved some ulterior motives for him...... Of course, this is just a personal guess in the next place, and as for whether the legend of this 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' is true or false, I can't be very sure in the next place. β
Abbot Shi Ming looked intently at the recorded stone tablet opposite him, shook his head, and sighed softly: "Amitabha, I don't know that this legend has plagued the martial arts for more than ten years, it is really sad and lamentable, sad and lamentable......"
Nangong Luo thought for a moment, and then said: "To be honest, I also sighed deeply about the huge impact of the 'Legend of Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' on the martial arts, and I don't want to talk about this matter too much...... Thinking about it, since I have seen the legendary stone tablet record, I should also persuade the abbot and the Shaolin disciples to stop here, and it is enough to see it today, and I hope that the scholars and the next will leave this damp tunnel, return to the house, and treat it with tea in the next. Nangong Luo didn't want to continue to stay in this damp tunnel, so he persuaded the Shaolin soldiers to return to the land together.
Shiming Abbot Zuihou looked at the huge stone tablet embedded in the wall, and felt that there was really nothing new here to let himself and his disciples stay any longer, so he said: "Amitabha, whether it's good or not, when I return to the house, the old man and the disciples will thank Nangong Daxia again." With that, all the people of the Shaolin faction saluted to Nangong Spirit.
Seeing this, Nangong Luo hurriedly replied: "The abbot is heavy, this place is dark and damp, and he is not good at etiquette, when he returns to the house, he will talk to the abbot again......"
The abbot Shi Ming got up and nodded, that is, he agreed, so he followed Nangong Lu to another passage in the tunnel, really to leave here and return to the ground......
Since then, Su Jia has never dared to relax at all, and even her breathing is restrained and weak. Knowing that Nangong Lu led the Shaolin disciples to leave completely, and knowing that he couldn't hear the slightest sound of footsteps, Su Jia dared to put down his hanging heart.
"They're gone,......," Su Jia whispered suddenly.
When Su Jia was nervous, Xiao Tian was also nervous. Seeing that Su Jia was relieved at this time, Xiao Tian himself breathed a sigh of relief.
"How is it now, do you want to go and have a look?" Xiao Tian asked unnaturally.
Su Jia nodded slightly, and then the whole body emerged from behind the two walls, and then walked straight towards the stone tablet in front of her.
"Hey, wait, Jia'er......" Xiao Tian looked at Su Jia's appearance more anxious than himself, and hurriedly quickened his pace to follow.
Of course, Su Jia's mood at this time was indeed a little anxious, and she couldn't wait to quickly and carefully observe the record of the "Heavenly Demon Divine Skill" in the legend of Shangguan Immortal Sword. Su Jia walked to the stele, looking at the huge stele embedded in the stone wall and the dense text on it, her curiosity suddenly increased.
Xiao Tian also looked at the dense text on the stone tablet, and couldn't help but ask curiously: "Jia'er, there are dense words on it...... What exactly is written?"
Su Jia looked at the previous columns of words, thought while reading, and then said slowly: "What is recorded above seems to be about the life experience of Shangguan Xianjian's predecessors......"
"Experience?" Xiao Tian wondered, "Is it related to the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill'?"
"Hmm......" Su Jia nodded slightly, and then continued, "The meaning of what is written above seems to mean that Shangguan's predecessors once discovered an ancient divine skill here in Bianliang, called 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill'. Because this magic skill is quite powerful, not only can I not penetrate it, but my body also feels disordered, and I suddenly feel that this is a very evil and dangerous martial art. As a result, the predecessors of Shangguan Immortal Sword felt that if this divine skill was passed on to the world, it might harm the world, so they sealed it underground. It's all in Chinese, but the meaning is easy to understand, and what I said above is probably what I said just now......"
"But if these legends are true, now they have become the authentic of the Nangong family. Then the people of the Nangong family discovered this trace, so they passed it on to the world......" Xiao Tian said, "Perhaps, this is true, not a legend." β
Su Jia thought about it seriously, and then said softly: "Just now, Nangong Luo's predecessor raised doubts, Shangguan Xianjian Weishenme did not announce the secret of his discovery of the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' to the world for decades, I am afraid that it is because I am afraid that outsiders will know about it and will have the heart of swallowing it privately, so that the martial arts may start a bloody storm to seize the treasure because of the desire to seize such a divine skill, so this secret is hidden......"
"But decades later, the people of the Nangong family still discovered this secret......" Xiao Tian said silently.
Su Jia thought for a moment and continued: "I think Shangguan's predecessors should also consider that this secret will not be discovered forever, so they engraved the word vigilant on the stone tablet to remind future generations not to learn such exercises. Ah Tian, you see, there are several columns of words written on Zuihou, 'Future generations do not learn it', I think Shangguan's predecessors also thought of this problem...... However, these are also some legends, after all, Nangong has been in the family business for thirty years, and no one has really found the secret book of the real 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' in this tunnel, so future generations only regard these as legends......"
"In this way, the so-called 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' is really just a baseless legend...... Xiao Tian said.
"After so many years, it can't be said to be groundless, after all, no one in the world dares to casually take a respected martial arts predecessor like Shangguan Xianjian to joke about ......it," Su Jia continued, "If there are any useful clues to be found on this stone stele, maybe it will be better for us to judge the authenticity of the legend...... So, Su Jia looked at the details on the stone tablet again.
Xiao Tian thought for a moment, and then said, "Maybe there are some other things like organ marks in here......"
"What?" Su Jia listened to Xiao Tian's doubts, thinking that Xiao Tian knew a little bit of the trick of the mechanism, and he would definitely be sensitive to these things, so he couldn't help asking.
Xiao Tian continued: "If there is any mechanism mark or something like this stone tablet on it, maybe it can solve the other mysteries of this thing. β
"Hmph, it's not unreasonable for you to say that...... Ah Tian" Su Jia first smiled, and then said, "However, thinking that Shangguan seniors can use divine skills to improve their martial arts to unexpected cultivation, I really admire Shangguan seniors' talent for martial arts." β
"You can also give it a try, Jia'er......" Xiao Tian said again, "Don't you have the Cold Spirit Divine Skill in your body, and you have tried it before? If you raise the Cold Spirit Divine Skill in your body to a higher level, maybe the martial arts can go to the next level." β
After listening to Xiao Tian's words, Su Jia thought for a moment, then nodded and smiled: "It's right to think about it...... When I first started practicing the Cold Spirit Divine Skill, I only used it for healing. After gradually getting used to it, when I was fighting against Lu Huan, Lu Huan also said that when I played against me, I felt the internal force of the cold spirit magic skill in my body. Later, at Plum Blossom Villa, Master Gao Ying said that the cold spirit function in my body resists external poisons on its own...... If my Cold Spirit Divine Skill is refined again, maybe it can really have an unexpected effect. Ah Tian, you're right, I'll give it a try when I return to Lu Mansion today......" As she spoke, Su Jia's whole body suddenly felt a little excited.
"Doesn't I also have the Cold Spirit Divine Skill in my body?" Xiao Tian suddenly sighed to himself, "Why don't you see how much improvement my martial arts have been?"
"It's because your foundation is too poor, besides, there are many, many things you have to learn......" Su Jia first "laughed" at Xiao Tian, and then said, "Okay, okay, it's important to get down to business, let's hurry up and see what is on this stone tablet." β
The previous few passages of the mechanism Shiyan allowed Xiao Tian to accumulate experience, and he could even tell at a glance what the problem with the mechanism or the mark wasβit seemed that he was quite talented in these things. So, Xiao Tian just glanced at the stone tablet twice, and his eyes were fixed on the two strange symbols under the words.
"Is there something strange about these two marks?" Xiao Tian suddenly pointed and said.
Hearing Xiao Tian's words, Su Jia immediately turned her head sideways, and her eyes followed the direction of Xiao Tian's finger. I saw two strange symbols under a few columns of words, like totemic marks, and like hieroglyphs.
"What are these two signs?" asked Su Jia suspiciously.
Su Jia was puzzled by what he meant, however, Xiao Tian seemed to know these two signs, and his eyes widened and said, "This ...... These two symbols are ......"
Hearing Xiao Tian's voice, Su Jia immediately turned around and asked, "What's the matter, Ah Tian, do you know these two symbols?"
"This is the text of the mechanism recorded in Master Demon Master's "Technique of Mechanism"...... Xiao Tian said in surprise, "This text was invented by Master himself, in order to give himself a code word when he was exploring to avoid repeating mechanisms...... This, this code word is known only to the master himself, this place ...... How could there be a code word written by Master?"
"Could it be that the Demon Ghost Master has also come to this Nangong Tunnel?" asked Su Jia.
"But after Master gave me the "Mechanism Technique", he didn't mention it......" Xiao Tian was also very puzzled.
Su Jia stood up, thought about it calmly, and then seemed to suddenly realize something, and couldn't help but say: "Could it be ......" Then, a smile appeared on the corner of Su Jia's mouth.
"What's the matter, Jia'er, do you know something?" Seeing Su Jia's seemingly confident appearance, Xiao Tian felt that Su Jia must have thought of something, so he hurriedly asked.
"There is only one possibility, this code word was not invented by the demon master...... Su Jia smiled secretly, "Since this code word has not been passed down to the world, it means that this code word was only passed on by the master to his apprentice alone, just like the demon master only passed it on to Ah Tian and you alone......"
"What...... What do you mean......" Xiao Tian felt that Su Jia had solved some mystery, so he asked with concern.
Su Jia looked at Xiao Tian, who had a bad head, still with a puzzled expression, so he asked, "Ah Tian, let me ask you, who is your master, the master of the demon master?"
"Yes...... Master Xuanqing!" Xiao Tian replied suddenly, and he seemed to be beginning to realize something.
"That's right!" Su Jia replied with a smile looking at Xiao Tian, and then continued, "Shangguan Immortal Sword seniors and Xuanqing Master seniors are always good friends, which is well known to martial arts people...... The reason why the demon master used this code language was because this code language was taught to him by his master, Master Xuanqing. And Shangguan Immortal Sword Senior and Master Xuanqing are friends, so it's not surprising that they know a little bit about these aspects......"
"Jia'er, what do you mean......" Xiao Tian seemed to finally understand, and was surprised.
"That's right!" Su Jia smiled confidently, "Only those who know this kind of code language will leave such two symbols on this stone tablet." In other words, the words on this stone tablet are indeed left by the predecessors of Shangguan Immortal Sword. In other words, the legend of the so-called 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' is very likely to be true!"
As soon as these words came out, Xiao Tian's eyes widened in surprise.
"Now the question is what these two symbols mean...... Su Jia continued to look at the symbols on the stone tablet and asked.
"This wrap on me......" Xiao Tian looked carefully at the two symbols on the stone tablet, and then recalled carefully, and then said, "There are only dozens of code symbols on the "Organ Technique", and these two symbols represent two words - 'fire' and 'blood'!"
"'Fire' and 'blood'?" Su Jia asked puzzled, "What does this mean, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with what is recorded on this stone tablet......
"This ...... I don't know very well......" Xiao Tian lowered his head, Su Jia couldn't even think of something, and he couldn't even think of it because of his stupidity.
"In short, knowing the fact that the 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' is really not a legend, it is not a ......trip in vain," Su Jia said.
"However, if this kind of magic skill really exists, and it is really as evil as the Shangguan seniors said, wouldn't it be a disaster to the world if it spreads in the world?" Xiao Tian said worriedly.
"You don't have to worry about this for the time being......," Su Jia continued, "After all, this tunnel is only a record of a stone tablet, and as for where the real 'Heavenly Demon Divine Skill' is, it is still unknown......
The two were talking, when suddenly, there was a sound of a secret door closing in the tunnel......
"What is the sound up there, as if some secret door is closed......" Xiao Tian heard a strange voice and said with some concern.
"Don't worry, I think it should be Nangong Luo who took the Shaolin disciples out of the Qianqiu Pagoda......" Su Jia said calmly, "The Shaolin disciples are also leaving, it seems that we have to leave quickly, Ah Tian ......"
As soon as Su Jia finished speaking, Xiao Tian suddenly thought of something, so he exclaimed: "Oh, it's too bad, it's only the two of us who came in, we don't know what the situation is outside for Brother Tang and Sister Jing." They haven't been in, so maybe they're in trouble......"
Su Jia listened to Xiao Tian's words, and couldn't hold back and said, "Yes, I forgot too." It's not good, let's get out of here quickly and find the two of them......"
So, Xiao Tian and Su Jia didn't stop any longer, immediately packed their respective packages, and then went back the way they came......
On the ground, because Nangong Luo led the disciples of the Shaolin faction out, and then Nangong Luo led them to the hall again, Nangong Yong and Nangong Luo's sons and daughters also went to the hall to entertain them, so Xiao Tian and Su Jia's departure was not noticed by anyone concerned......
When they got out of the Nangong compound, Xiao Tian and Su Jia saw Lu Jing and Tang Zhan who were waiting on the side.
"They're really outside the door!" Xiao Tian found out and couldn't help but exclaim.
When Tang Zhan heard the voice, he immediately said to Lu Jing beside him: "Jing'er, Brother Xiao, Miss Su, they have come out." β
However, Lu Jing had a sad expression on her face at this time, and only heard Lu Jing mourning: "You two can really go around, let us stay up for so long......"
"Because there are indeed too many secrets in that tunnel......," Su Jia explained calmly first, and then turned to Lu Jing and asked, "Sister Jing, and Brother Tang, didn't you two go in?"
"Well, what did you say......" Tang Zhan also became squirming and pinching.
"I also said that we were blasted out by the people of the Nangong family before we entered the door of the Qianqiu Tower today!" Lu Jing vented loudly because he failed to enter the Nangong tunnel and lost face in front of the Nangong family.
Su Jia saw it, smiled and comforted: "It's okay, anyway, Ah Tian and I have seen it, and we'll talk to you slowly when we go back......"
When Lu Jing heard this, her expression immediately turned from gloomy to sunny and said, "Okay, Sister Su, you have to tell me about it!"
"No problem. Looking at Lu Jing's innocent and lively appearance, Su Jia smiled lightly.
So, the four of them returned together in the direction of the landing mansion, completing a short journey in the morning......