Chapter Twenty-Three: Green Bamboo Residence

  "Ji Kang was quite an interesting person. Historical records say that 'his writing is magnificent, he likes to talk about Laozi and Zhuangzi while admiring the extraordinary and chivalrous'. This kind of personality really suits my taste."

  "Zhong Hui was a high-ranking official at the time, and Xi Kang went to visit him in admiration. However, Xi Kang ignored him and continued to work on his ironwork. Zhong Hui left disappointed and Xi Kang asked him: 'What did you hear that made you come, and what did you see that made you leave?' Zhong Hui replied: 'I heard what I heard and came, and saw what I saw and left.' Although Zhong Hui was a clever and intelligent man, he had a narrow mind. He was angry about this incident and spoke ill of Xi Kang to Sima Zhao, who then had Xi Kang killed."

  "Ji Kang played a tune on his lute before his execution, which indeed showed great composure. But when he said 'The Guangling San will be lost from now on', this remark inevitably belittled the people of later generations. This piece wasn't even composed by him. He was a man of the Western Jin dynasty, and even if this piece were to be lost after the Western Jin, must it have been non-existent before the Western Jin as well?"

  When Luo Zhuang finished speaking, Qu Yang, the elder of the "Sun and Moon God Sect", had a more intense expression on his face. He smiled twice before continuing to recount everything from the beginning.

  "Before Western Jin?"

  Linghu Chong, who was listening intently to the side, saw Qu Yang Old Man stop asking questions and also looked puzzled, so he asked a sentence in pursuit of the sound.

  "Yes! I was quite resentful of his words, so I went to excavate the tombs of emperors and ministers of the Western Han and Eastern Han dynasties. I dug up twenty-nine ancient graves in a row, and finally found the score of "Guangling San" in Cai Yong's tomb."

  Linghu Chong asked, and the elder of the "Sun Moon Divine Cult" who was narrating the story, nodded his head, and after explaining the ins and outs, burst out laughing, apparently very pleased to have found the "Guangling Melody".

  "Luò Zhàn Shǎo Xiá, although I don't know which sect you belong to, I shouldn't have troubled you. But the matter is urgent and I had no choice but to implicate you. Please help me deliver Fēi Fēi to the 'Sun Moon Divine Sect' Saintly Maiden, no need to be polite."

  As soon as the words were spoken, Qu Yang of the "Sun Moon Cult" immediately retracted his smile and looked gloomy. He said a sentence to Luo Zhuang, then turned to Liu Zhengfeng and said, "Brother, we can go now."

  "Yes!"

  Liu Zhengfeng seemed to understand Qu Yang's intention, and after responding with a calm tone, he stretched out his hand. Then, the two men clasped each other's hands, burst into loud laughter, and with their internal energy surging, they simultaneously severed their inner breath meridians. In an instant, they had closed their eyes and passed away.

  "Grandpa, Liu Grandpa..."

  "Senior, Uncle Liu."

  At this scene, suddenly, Qu Feiyan, Linghu Chong and Yilin were all shocked, crying out in grief, calling each other. Luo Zheng, who had stepped forward two steps, stretched out his hand to feel the noses of the two people, already completely without breath.

  ——————————————————————————————————

  Time flies like an arrow, years pass like a shuttle, in the blink of an eye, after the passing of "Riyue Shenjiao" elder Qu Yang and "Hengshan Sect" Liu Zhengfeng, several days have passed, like a white horse crossing a gap, flashing by in an instant.

  On this day, in a green bamboo forest outside the suburbs of Luoyang City, two tourists appeared. Judging from their appearance, they were a young man and woman. If it were Linghu Chong and Yilin who had returned to the pugilistic world, they would have been recognized at once. The young couple was actually Luo Zhen, who had been entrusted with the score by the dying elder Qu Yang of the "Sun Moon Divine Sect", and his granddaughter - Qu Feiyan.

  "Brother Luo Zhuang, this is Sister Ren's hidden 'Green Bamboo House'."

  Suddenly, a clear and pleasant voice came from beside Luo Zhan, the tone was gentle but with a hint of reluctance to part, it was obvious that Luo Zhan's good treatment of Qu Feiyan on their journey had made the usually mischievous Qu Feiyan feel somewhat affectionate.

  "Not bad, indeed it's a great place for self-cultivation and spiritual growth!"

  Upon hearing the words of Qu Fei, who was not a smoker, and seeing Luo Zhan's gaze sweep across the place with a hint of curiosity, he nodded his head lightly in approval. He highly commended Sheng Gu Ren Yingying for choosing this place as her residence.

  "Hehe......, that's natural, Ren Jie is extremely good."

  Luozhen's words made Qu Fei laugh, and she couldn't help but smile as she said a sentence before turning her head and shouting loudly through the bamboo door towards a secluded bamboo house inside.

  "Older sister Ren, I've come to see you, not to smoke."

  Jian and Qu Fei Yan walked into the inner courtyard, transmitting their voices. Luo Zhan didn't stop them, but he somewhat disagreed with her previous words. As the Holy Maiden of the "Sun Moon Divine Cult", Ren Yingying was quite tolerant of Qu Fei Yan, but if it were someone else, she might not have been so lenient.

  Lu Zhen couldn't help but smile wryly and shake his head slightly as he stood there lost in thought for a moment, then stopped thinking about it and gazed into the inner garden of "Green Bamboo Residence" from afar.

  "What's going on? You come in, how dare you bring an outsider here!"

  The next moment, a pleasant and slightly joyful voice came from the "Green Bamboo House", with a hint of displeasure mixed in, apparently very dissatisfied with Luo Zhan, an outsider.

  "Yes, elder sister."

  Upon hearing the orders being transmitted from within "Green Bamboo Residence", Qu Feiyan didn't dare to be slow, and after responding with a sentence, she turned her head and whispered something to Luo Zhan before lightly stepping into the garden of "Green Bamboo Residence".

  As Qu Feiyan entered the garden, the entire bamboo forest fell silent once again. However, the birds chirping and jumping among the nearby bamboo branches added endless vitality to the quiet green bamboo forest.

  "Hello, young Master Luo! My aunt is inviting you!"

  Before long, an old man with white hair, holding a three or four feet long green bamboo stick in his hand, walked out of the garden of "Green Bamboo House" and bowed to Luo Zhuo, inviting him in a hoarse voice.

  "Thank you, sir!"

  Looking at the elderly "Green Bamboo Old Man", Luo Zhan did not underestimate him. Although the "Green Bamboo Old Man" was old, his cultivation had reached the peak of the Ninth Heaven, and he was extremely loyal. In the world of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer", he finally died protecting Ren Yingying of the Sun Moon Holy Cult.

  He didn't delay either, and after returning the salute with a bow, he walked into the "Green Bamboo House" garden together with Luo Zhu.

  "A friend with a chicken and millet, invites me to the fields. Green trees surround the village, blue mountains slant outside the city walls. Open the window facing the vegetable garden, drink wine and talk about mulberry and hemp. Wait until the Double Ninth Festival, come again to appreciate the chrysanthemum flowers."

  Following the "Green Bamboo Old Man" slowly, I see that the vegetables in the garden are lush and green, with haystacks and bamboo firewood standing nearby, and the occasional crowing of chickens, presenting a beautiful rural landscape.

  This scene brings back memories of my hometown in childhood, and I recite a poem by Meng Haoran that I once read, but I don't know if I'll have the chance to take a sip later.

  "You're the one who saved Nononono's Luo Zhen!"

  Then, passing through the two corridors, Luo Zhuang finally followed "Green Bamboo Old Man" to a bamboo pavilion, and in the main hall, there were two slender figures standing alone.

  One of the women with a silk mask was undoubtedly the Holy Maiden Ren Yingying of the "Sun and Moon Cult". The girl attending her was none other than Qu Feiyan, the granddaughter of the late Qu Yang.

  ;