Tomb Robber: I, Chen Yulou, am dedicated to cultivating immortality!

"Stag?"

Chen Yulou was just about to follow him into the temple to take a short rest.

His body paused for a moment, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

You should know that "麈" is elk, and what is elk? It is the legendary four-legged beast.

It is clearly recorded in the Shan Hai Jing that the four-legged beast was born in Dongting Lake.

Unfortunately, in the late Qing Dynasty, due to natural disasters, man-made calamities, endless hunting, and large-scale capture by invaders, the stag had become extinct at least twenty years ago.

At least for the next few decades.

No trace of wild elk has been seen in the Dongting Lake area.

I don’t know how many people regret this.

The story of immortals riding deer to heaven only exists in red books and green scrolls.

Among the musk deer, elk, elk and stag, only three out of the four species survived.

It is even more difficult to see the deer walking on Sutai, and one can only find a hint of it in history books.

In later years, every time he heard someone mention it, he felt quite emotional.

So much so that during the Republic of China period, when a scholar suggested that the 麈鹿 was most likely the four-beast recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, he was met with countless ridicule.

that's because.

At that time, there was no sign of deer in the vast swamp.

What's more, the Shan Hai Jing was written thousands of years ago and is so imaginative and beyond imagination that most people think it is nonsense and pretentious.

Before coming here, Chen Yulou had thought of the incident with the Four-Unlike-Beast.

only.

Even he didn't expect it.

As soon as he arrived on the island, Uncle Jiu brought him such a big surprise.

"Is it really a stag?"

"A deer that makes a deer cry, eats wild apples, has two horns on its head, and steps on the breeze?"

"Uncle Jiu, please don't make a mistake!"

Trying hard to suppress his surprise, Chen Yulou said in a deep voice.

"If not a stag, what else could it be?"

"Young shopkeeper... your words are full of nonsense. I, a rough man like you, can't understand you, but I can still tell the difference between an elk, a horse, and a deer, right?"

I noticed the seriousness in his words.

Uncle Jiu also stopped subconsciously.

"Then... where is the stag?"

After hearing this, Chen Yulou was already 50% convinced.

Although Uncle Jiu is illiterate, he has been traveling around the world for many years and is knowledgeable. Before entering Changsheng Mountain, he was born a hunter. If the world was not difficult and he could not survive, he would still be an old hunter now.

Since he said so.

There must be enough confidence.

"It's kept in the backyard."

Uncle Jiu pointed to the depths of Junshan Temple and said, "We went to take a look this morning. It's not small. I'm afraid it weighs more than 100 kilograms."

"You didn't really kill him, did you?"

Seeing him grinning and talking like that, Chen Yulou felt even more uneasy.

The guys on the island have been eating either fish or shrimp for the past six months, and they have almost given up eating birds. Now that they have finally hunted a stag, they have probably already figured out how to cook it.

"Should...probably not."

"It's not time to eat yet."

Old Uncle Jiu frowned, but he obviously didn't dare to guarantee it. He turned around and looked at a guy next to him, "Old Huang, go to the backyard and take a look. Don't let those bastards really do anything."

"okay……"

"no need!"

Chen Yulou raised his eyebrows.

The moment Uncle Jiu pointed out the direction, a wisp of spiritual consciousness had already spread out from his Niwan Palace, tearing through the void and heading straight for the backyard.

now.

Although he was outside the temple.

But he had a clear view of the situation in Junshan Temple.

The ancient temple has two entrances, front and back. Behind the main hall, near the foot of the cliff, is a small courtyard surrounded by high walls and with side rooms on both sides. There is a deep well and towering ancient trees in the courtyard.

A path divides the courtyard.

Each one is surrounded by a fence.

It was clearly a garden used by the monks in the temple to grow vegetables.

However, the ancient temple was forcibly occupied by bandits on the lake, and after the monks in the temple were expelled, the place became deserted and overgrown with weeds.

now.

The backyard was bustling with activity.

There were several servants in a row, some were sharpening knives, some were boiling water.

A simple fire pit was built on the blue bricks in the yard, with a large iron pot on top. The firewood was burning brightly, and the well water in the pot was showing signs of boiling.

And in the deserted garden.

One of them was more than half a person's height, snow-white all over, with two horns on its head, hooves as big as a cow, a tail as thin as a donkey, and long and narrow cheeks. It looked like a wild animal that was three parts like a horse and seven parts like a deer.

His limbs were tightly bound with thick ropes.

Lying on the ground.

A pair of eyes full of spirit were now filled with despair and pain.

Two lines of tears kept falling from the corners of my eyes.

From time to time, a few chirping sounds came out of his mouth.

"Really!"

The moment he saw it, Chen Yulou's heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

The reason why the elk is called the four-legged beast.

This is because it has the characteristics of four animals: deer, horse, cow and donkey.

Just like the dragon in the legend.

The antlers are like a deer, the head is like a camel, the eyes are like a rabbit, the neck is like a snake, the belly is like a mirage, the scales are like a fish, the claws are like an eagle, the palms are like a tiger, and the ears are like an ox.

It is for this reason that the dragon is called the king of scaled insects. It can be dark or bright, fly or dive, and control the clouds and rain.

It is a pity that the dragon’s whereabouts are elusive and rarely seen, but for thousands of years, the deer has been living on the banks of Dongting Lake, so it has become an object of worship for countless people and is regarded as a sign of good fortune.

In the minds of the ancients.

It is second only to the tortoise, dragon, unicorn and phoenix, and is as famous as the crane.

Looking at its pair of antlers, it already looks majestic.

It is estimated that it has been hiding in Dongting Lake for at least several decades.

You know, there are people coming and going on Junshan Island, and there are bandits in Dongting Lake. In recent years, it has been occupied by Jiu Tou Long and Hei Jiao Qi.

It is hard to imagine how it has survived in the cracks for so many years without being discovered or hunted.

"almost."

"Brothers, get ready to act."

"It's been a long time since I last tasted meat. Today I can finally have a big meal."

The guy who was sharpening the knife by the well looked at the already shiny blade, stood up and greeted his fellow workers with a grin.

seriously.

Until now they still find it a little unbelievable.

In the forest bay near the lake in the back mountain, they had deboned countless times but had never seen a stag. They didn't know how they were so lucky today as to hunt such a big deer.

There are so many brothers on the mountain.

Finally I can eat meat.

"Come."

"We'll hold it down. You better hurry up and stew it. The brothers are waiting for big chunks of meat and big bowls of wine."

A few people clapped their hands and came over from the surroundings with smiles on their faces.

Although this deer is a little small, it is estimated that only about 100 kilograms of meat can be cut off, but a mosquito is still meat. Besides, I have been eating fish and shrimp for more than half a year, and now I feel a little nauseous when I smell the fishy smell.

"Don't worry."

"Don't you think about what you did before you went up the mountain? You killed cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses, what have you not killed?"

He rolled up his sleeves and gently wiped the blade.

The guy curled his lips.

Then several people went straight to the stag in the garden and surrounded it.

He kept muttering slangs and colloquialisms like "Don't blame the deer, you are a dish on the table."

His ancestors were butchers.

Grandpa and dad have been killing cattle and sheep all their lives.

By his generation, the butcher shop was occupied by someone else, so he had no choice but to rely on the Chen family for a living. Over the years, he followed the guys from the mountain to travel around the country robbing tombs and searching for dragons. Unexpectedly, after so many years, he would have the opportunity to return to his old business.

The most taboo thing in their line of work is.

After all, cows, sheep, pigs, and horses are all living beings. Who doesn’t fear going to hell after death?

Therefore, this sentence is always recited before slaughtering animals, simply to seek peace of mind.

"Okay, stop talking like that, kid."

"If you miss the meal later, you will suffer when Old Nine blames you."

Hearing him mumbling, the guys who had gathered around him couldn't help but laugh and scold.

The guy nodded, rolled up his sleeve and wiped the blade.

Suddenly, cold light flashed from the boning knife.

The stag seemed to be aware of its upcoming fate and struggled desperately, its cries becoming even more shrill.

But this obviously couldn't stop the guys. They came forward with knives in hand and scanned the area. The guy took a deep breath. The quickest way to kill a pig or sheep was to cut its throat with one knife.

Three to five minutes at most.

Even a six or seven-year-old cow can no longer move.

brush--

Raise your hand and sweep across.

The boning knife shone with a cold light.

The look of the musk deer was even more desperate, with tears streaming down its face. It had been hiding on Junshan Island for many years, and never thought that it would end up as meat in a pot today.

only……

The moment the long knife stabbed at the throat.

Suddenly, an invisible energy force descended from the sky and knocked the extremely sharp boning knife to the ground, breaking it into two pieces.

"This……"

"Who?"

The deer, who thought it was doomed, had its pupils widened.

Not only it.

The other guys were in a state of panic, thinking that some pirates had invaded the island. They looked at each other, supporting each other, their brains racing, thinking of countermeasures.

but.

Without waiting for anyone to make any move.

A calm voice suddenly came from a distance.

"it's me!"

Several people looked up subconsciously.

Only then did I see a group of more than ten people appearing from the corridor in the back hall.

The person walking in front was wearing a green shirt and had an extraordinary look.

"The head of the company?"

Several guys looked incredulous.

I thought it was an enemy attack, but I didn't expect that the one waiting for me would be the leader.

In addition to him, several other leaders including Lao Jiuye, Kunlun, Hua Maguai and Hong Gu Niang were also present.

"so far so good……"

"You bastards, luckily I acted a step too late, otherwise I wouldn't be able to save you."

Walking around Chen Yulou, Old Uncle Jiu walked quickly forward and looked at the muntjac in the garden. Although its limbs were still tied, at least it was fine and alive. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief for a moment.

Just now outside.

He saw the young shopkeeper's appearance clearly.

This would be slaughtered.

There’s no telling how much trouble it will cause.

"what?"

Hear this.

Several guys looked at each other in bewilderment.

It was not your order to slaughter the deer and have a meal, but you said that it was for the brothers to enjoy a snack.

However, the atmosphere was clearly not right at the moment, and a few people only dared to complain in their hearts, not to speak out loud.

"Ah what?"

Uncle Jiu also secretly wiped a cold sweat.

He glanced at them and gave them a look.

Several people understood instantly and walked aside with bitter faces.

"Young Shopkeeper, look, this is the deer that our brothers hunted in the back mountains this morning..."

Looking at the beast with a strange appearance, shaped like a mountain monster, its aura is clear and transparent, without any ferocity. Instead, it gives people a feeling of being out of this world and ethereal.

How could the crowd bear it?

They gathered around.

He looked at me through the fence with a look of surprise.

"Is this the stag?"

"Is this the one that Tieguai Li rode?"

"I heard that hundreds of years ago, this area around Dongting Lake was full of them. I thought it was a rumor, but I didn't expect it to be true."

"Crane is a fairy bird, deer is a lucky animal, and crane and deer come together in spring. It should refer to the stag, right?"

Although everyone present was an experienced veteran, none of them had ever seen this auspicious beast that only existed in legends.

Even those who have lived by the Dongting Lake for generations.

I've only heard about it through word of mouth.

If this happened hundreds of years ago, it would have been considered a blessing from heaven.

"What a good omen, shopkeeper! Just when you were about to go to the island to practice, this deer that hadn't been seen for a hundred years appeared from the mountain. Doesn't it mean..."

The beggar clenched his fist and said with a smile.

but.

Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Yulou laughed and scolded him back.

"You are the only one who knows how to flatter."

"I think I'm the emperor, why would I want to do this auspicious blessing thing?"

But, even though I said this, I couldn't help but feel a little surprised in my heart.

Just as he said, there hadn't been a deer seen in Dongting Lake for at least a hundred years, so its sudden appearance was indeed a good sign.

“It’s so beautiful.”

"It's completely white, without even a trace of other colors."

Hua Ling leaned against the fence, her little face full of joy.

Compared with the sighs of Chen Yulou and others.

What surprised her even more was that this strange beast turned out to be so outstanding in appearance.

You know, after being in the world for so long, she had encountered many monsters and beasts, but even the colorful Luofu was too cold and made her feel difficult to get close to.

As for the old ape, he was too ferocious, and the two armored beasts were not related to the word "out of this world".

They all say that cranes are graceful.

But until now, she had only seen it in calligraphy and painting.

Unexpectedly, I had the chance to see the legendary elk today.

Especially the sound of the bird, which sounds indescribably ethereal.

"Uncle Jiu, have someone untie the rope."

The more Chen Yulou looked at it, the more delighted he became, and he immediately greeted Uncle Jiu.

Maybe it’s because he has stayed in Junshan Island, this paradise, for too long.

This elk has a very strong spiritual energy.

His eyes were clear and lively, as if they could understand human nature.

"This... Young Shopkeeper, this can't be easily untied. You don't know how many men were dispatched early in the morning and how much effort was put into hunting it back."

"If you untie the rope, I'm afraid he'll escape in a blink of an eye."

Upon hearing what Chen Yulou said.

Uncle Jiu immediately waved his hands.

"Don't worry."

"As long as I am here, it can't leave this ancient temple."

Chen Yulou shook his head and smiled.

Seeing that he wasn't joking, Uncle Jiu hesitated for a long time and finally agreed.

He greeted a few guys.

Several people approached carefully and untied the ropes one by one. The elk seemed to know that it was free again and jumped up from the ground lightly.

Subsequently.

In the astonished eyes of everyone.

He really didn't run away.

Instead, he walked along the open door on the fence and approached Chen Yulou step by step.

See this scene.

In an instant, the whole courtyard became silent. Everyone dared not even breathe loudly. They just stared with wide eyes at the elk's every move, for fear of disturbing it.

Uncle Jiu and his group looked even more worried.

The body is tense.

Obviously ready to take action at any time.

But Chen Yulou remained calm as always, and just shook his head implicitly at the few people.

Subsequently.

The elk walked all the way to the outside of him, raised its head and rubbed his arm gently.

There was intimacy in his eyes... and gratitude.

See this situation.

Even Chen Yulou couldn't help but smile.

Gently stroked its beautiful head.

"What a spiritual deer."

"I heard that in ancient times there was an elk with a silvery white body that lived in a large marsh, so it was also called the White Marsh."

"I see that you have extraordinary spiritual energy today, how about calling yourself Bai Ze?"