Chapter 2

Six hundred years later, Longxi Village --

"why do you have these strange dreams? The war between the three races of man, beast and demon? It's better to get up and sell the firewood. "

In a shabby wooden house, a 17-year-old boy named Zhang mingtianshi lived alone, cutting firewood for a living.

The wooden house the boy lived in was in the south corner of a village named Longxi village on an unknown mountain. The village was surrounded by clear water and green trees, and there were terraced fields one by one everywhere. It was full of farmers' sweat and chatting voices all the time.

There are hundreds of families in the village, many of whom have moved in from other places. This young man, who is seven feet tall and walks on the village road with firewood, is no exception.

Although Zhang Tianshi is also a young farmer who works for a living just like other farmers, his facial features are upright, fresh and elegant, and he walks with a high head and a strong heart. If he is from a famous family, he is also a handsome man.

"The boss is collecting firewood!" Every time Zhang Tianshi moved the firewood that had been cut yesterday to the old Uncle Wang's house in the north entrance of the village to sell it.

"Good! Put away the twenty-eight Wen! " Every time, old Uncle Wang tidies up the firewood collected at a low price in the village, and goes to the county to sell it to the rich families and inns at twice the price. Although the villagers all know that Uncle Wang has doubled the price difference, it is all the ways that Uncle Wang has made money by his personal contacts. Therefore, although everyone is a little unbalanced, they will not say anything publicly.

"Well, the firewood that I've been cutting back can only be exchanged for such a small amount of money every time. I wish I had the connections of Uncle Wang." Helpless Zhang Tianshi said as he went home.

"I want to be handsome and strong, but I have to cut firewood every day for money. This life is really boring." Zhang Tianshi, who lived here since childhood, often complains about this boring life.

"Have you heard? In another month, it's time to recruit new students every five years in Shushan! " When Zhang Tianshi was passing by the big, thick and luxuriant tree in the center of the village, he heard several aunts chatting in the shade of the tree. It seemed that some topics were different from usual.

"Yes! I have also heard that all the people in Shushan are very good. If my son is lucky enough to enter Shushan to learn from his teacher when he grows up, I will be at ease in my whole life. " Aunt Wang, who pinned all her hopes on her son, was very optimistic about Shushan.

"Shushan? It's like I've had a dream in my dream. " After hearing the aunts' news that Shushan was recruiting new students, Zhang Tianshi was immediately full of interest.

"Aunt Li, what did you just say about the recruitment of new students in Shushan?" Zhang Tianshi ran to him with expectation.

Aunt Li is recognized as a warm-hearted voice in the village. She usually organizes other aunts to chat in the shade of the tree to kill time.

The aunts stopped chatting when Zhang Tianshi ran over, and all of a sudden felt that the boy could go to Shushan to have a try.

In the face of Zhang Tianshi's question, Aunt Li said, "Tianshi! I heard a friend who has been to Shushan said that Shushan would recruit new disciples every five years. The age limit was between 14 and 18 years old. Moreover, the entrance test was very strict. It seemed that only two or three percent of the people were qualified to enter the school. However, I think you are 17 years old and cut every day Chai also exercises a good body, so I think you can go to Shushan to have a try. Maybe if you are lucky, you will get into it. "

After listening to Aunt Li's words, Zhang Tianshi felt that it was a choice to go to Shushan to learn from a teacher, which could change the boring life at present, so he immediately asked, "how can I get to Shushan?"

"Shushan is not far away from us. People who have been to Shushan said that it should be about 2500 miles west after going down the mountain. Moreover, it is said that Shushan mountain is a fairy mountain, so it should be different from other mountains, so you will recognize it when you get to the place." Aunt Li pointed to the West where the sky seemed far away, but not very far away, where the sky was full of clouds and fairy spirits.

"Yes! Yeah! What's more, I've heard that some places above Shushan are floating in the air. It's amazing! " Aunt Wang, who has never seen the world around her, also said immediately.

After hearing these aunts' words, Zhang Tianshi felt that Shushan had to go!

"Ever since I was a child, I thought that the West was a magical and unique place, and it was really what aunts called Shushan." Before Aunt Li said where Shushan was, Zhang Tianshi had already guessed it was this place.

"Thank you aunts for telling me, I will go! And I will surely be successful in worshipping Shushan! " At this time, Zhang Tianshi was full of passion and confidence, and felt that it was God who asked him to listen to the aunts' conversation, thus giving him a chance to start a turning point in his life!

"My God! It's said that it's not peaceful outside recently! Be careful when you go After listening to Zhang Tianshi's language and tone, Aunt Li knew that he would definitely try, but he didn't hold much hope for him who had been cutting firewood for a living.

"Well, I'll be careful, so I'll go back first." Zhang Tianshi, who was determined to go to Shushan, remembered some things and said goodbye to aunts and left.

When he got home, Zhang Tianshi took out a wooden box with thick dust. After blowing the dust on the lower surface, he slowly opened it to see that there were scattered old things. Then he took out a broken sword wrapped in white cloth and half a book from these old things.This broken sword is not special like other swords sold in the market. It's just that the edge of the sword has been broken by two inches, and the blade has many blade edges. It doesn't look as sharp as the wood knife he usually uses to cut wood. The rusty handle of the sword can't see the patterns and patterns on it. Without the scabbard, it can only be wrapped in white cloth.

This half of the book looks like some martial arts sword technique, but only the first half, and the cover of the book has been blurred. It is estimated that it was also a Book of a long time ago. For Zhang Tianshi, who has not learned swordsmanship specially, the content in it is basically a book with words.

Zhang Tianshi took the book in his left hand and the sword in his right hand. After a while, he could not help but shed tears.

Seven years ago --

"Mom, what are these things?" Seeing that his mother took out half a broken book and a broken sword for the first time, Zhang Tianshi asked in doubt.

"Tianshi, you are ten years old. My mother taught you how to read and write when I was a child. I hope you will grow up to be a decent man. Cough! Don't bully the weak to do harm to others and benefit oneself, and don't shame Zhangjia! Cough Zhang Tianshi's mother coughed and said.

"Yes, mother. I will protect you when I grow up." Looking at the mother who has been coughing and her body is weak, Zhang Tianshi's heart is full of pain.

"I know I can't stay with you for long, cough! You must take good care of yourself in the future, and you must put away this book and sword. These are the relics left by your father. Cough! You must take good care of it. If you go anywhere in the future, you should remember to take it with you and never be taken by others. Cough Zhang Tianshi's mother coughed and said earnestly.

"I see. I will protect it." In the face of repeated instructions and face full of unprecedented serious mother, Zhang Tianshi can imagine that this is a very important thing for her.

Zhang Tianshi, who had never seen his father since he was a child, had been living with his mother. From the beginning of his memory, he saw his mother weaving bamboo baskets, bamboo baskets, straw sandals and sometimes sewing cloth to the market to buy rice for me to eat and raise me.

From childhood to adulthood, seeing that other children are accompanied by their parents, Zhang Tianshi will ask the mother who has been making and sewing things. What kind of person is his father?

Every time I heard such a question from Zhang Tianshi, my mother would blush with wet eyes and reply with pride: "your father is a great hero, he sacrificed himself for the sake of the world."

Every time when Zhang Tianshi felt his father was a great hero and left to play alone, his mother secretly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and continued to work on his hands.

Zhang Tianshi's mother was not in good health, but for the sake of her mother and son's rations, she had been doing things day and night. As a result, she became weaker and weaker. Finally, she fell ill and died soon after she handed her book and sword to Zhang Tianshi.

As time flies by, Zhang Tianshi, a 17-year-old, can't help thinking back to the days when he was with his mother when he saw the half book and the broken sword. He was full of tears in his heart for this situation, so he secretly swore: I must learn the true skills from Shushan and become a great hero who stands up to the heaven and earth, and must let his parents and his parents be proud of me !

"No matter how fast I went, it would take me about 20 days to walk. Now I have dozens of articles on my body. It is estimated that I will starve to death within a few days. There is still a month to go when I can recruit new disciples at Shushan. It seems that I have to find a way to get some travel expenses quickly." Zhang Tianshi was alone in the cabin.

"If you want to raise money, you have to eat first. If you want to do something about money in the afternoon, you'll have to find something to eat after you've been tired all morning." After feeling the complaint from his stomach, Zhang Tianshi started to cook with a fire.

In the afternoon -

"auntie Li, I'm going to Shushan, but I don't have much money on me. Can you lend me some as money?" After asking all the people in the village who could borrow money, Zhang Tianshi finally came to see Aunt Li.

Aunt Li takes good care of Zhang Tianshi who has been dependent on his mother since childhood. If someone is willing to lend him money, he will not trouble Aunt Li.

"My God! It's not that the aunt is not willing to lend you money. You see, the harvest this year is not very good. The aunt really has no extra money to lend you. Otherwise, you can go to Aunt Wang or other people to have a look. If you can't, go to the old Wang who collects your firewood. He should have the money to lend you. "

"I have asked Aunt Wang and other people. The old Uncle Wang wants to give his son a daughter-in-law, and he has no money to borrow from me. I know aunt, you are the best in the village. Can you help me? It's a very important thing for me to go to Shushan this time. It's time to recruit new disciples in another month. I'll pay you back when I'm familiar with Shushan! " In the face of Aunt Li, who did not want to borrow money, Zhang Tianshi had no other good way but could only ask again and again.

"This... Otherwise, you go to the county gate, where there is a place where people in the county specially issue notices offering rewards. You can see what kind of reward can be done, so that you can earn money to go to Shushan." When Zhang Tianshi borrowed money again and again, Aunt Li, in a dilemma, suddenly thought that she saw a notice offering a reward when she passed the gate of the county last time."You can try it. Thank you, Aunt Li." Helpless Zhang Tianshi heard such a good way, then rushed to the county.

"Be careful!" Looking at Zhang Tianshi running farther and farther, Aunt Li felt a little guilty. After all, the reward was not something he could easily accomplish as a young boy.

"It seems that he has made up his mind to go to Shushan. In order to make money, I hope nothing will happen to him." As she walked, Aunt Li talked to herself to protect Zhang Tianshi.

Farmers in Longxi village are relatively poor and most of them depend on farming for a living. Since the establishment of the village, although a small number of young people have gone to Shushan to learn from their teachers, none of them have successfully entered. After all, the villagers have little money, so that the children do not have a solid foundation of martial arts since childhood. Facing the strict entrance test of Shushan and the way of more than 2500 miles, the young people in Longxi village who want to go to Shushan to learn martial arts gradually become the same It becomes very few.