North Journey

Drought, famine, plague.

The city became dead silent, and the eyes of the refugees were numb and lifeless.

Chu Ze carefully hid some fruits and herbs in his arms, avoiding those beggars who raised their heads when they heard footsteps.

After quickly turning a few alleys, Chu Ze heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was following him.

The food that can be eaten in the town is getting less and less, and the capable people have left. Most of the people wandering in the town are refugees from places where the famine is more serious. Those people can eat food to fill their stomachs. Murderer.

Carefully knocked on the door, twice lightly, once again, and soon the door was opened.

"Qin'er, how is grandma doing today?"

Inside the door was a little girl about seven or eight years old, her hair was combed into two buns, and she was wearing a water-blue sarong. Although it was washed a little white, it was rare to be neat and tidy in this day.

Seeing her brother coming in, the girl quickly plugged the latch, and then smiled at her brother.

"Grandma seems to be feeling much better today."

She took the fruit that Chu Ze handed her, wiped it with her sleeve, but didn't eat it, and ran into the house with it in her arms.

Chu Ze heaved a sigh of relief when he heard her words, and quickened his pace to follow.

The yard is not very big, and after a few steps, you can also step into the house.Chu Ze looked at the dim room, and with a wave of his hand, a flame appeared out of thin air, floating in mid-air, illuminating the room.

"Zere is back?"

An old man's voice came from the back room, still a little weak, but with a rare spirit.

Chu Ze put the things in his arms on the only table in the room,

"Well, I'm back. Grandma, please wait a moment, and I will make medicine for you."

"Ze'er," several coughs came from inside the room, followed by the voice of someone getting up, "Ze'er, take your time, come in, grandma has something to tell you."

Chu Ze stopped picking up the herbs, wiped his hands, and walked into the back room.

"grandmother."

Chu Qin'er moved her body to make room for Chu Ze by the bed.Chu Ze sat down a little bit. Although he was not restrained, his demeanor was far less intimate than that of Chu Qin'er.

Even after living together for nearly three years, Chu Ze still failed to fully integrate himself into this family.Perhaps it was because the past was too difficult that he was instinctively wary of such warmth.

He was originally an orphan, and has been wandering alone since he can remember.With a little charity from others to get by, like every beggar on the side of the road, I don't know when it will be.

He instinctively felt that his life should not be like this, because under his ragged clothes, there was a jade pendant that he always wore next to his body.He didn't let anyone see it, because even though he didn't know anything about his life experience, subconsciously, he realized the importance of this jade pendant to him.

When he was six years old, he came to this small town, and was picked up by Grandma Chu on a snowy night.

At that time, he actually didn't have any hope for Grandma Chu's acceptance.Because, before that, he had been abandoned and kicked out time and time again, just because he was a monster.

Yes, he is a monster, a monster who can manipulate fire like the yokai in the storybook.

When he's focused, he can set fire in the air, and when he's emotionally unstable, things around him will often burst into flames.

Those who tried to adopt him because of his pleasing appearance and sound limbs would always drive him out in fear when encountering such a thing. The original pity and kindness would turn into resentment. Those who adopted him said Soft words will also turn into sharp driving.

So, even though he tried his best to conceal his differences, he still had to leave time and time again, traveling around again and again.

However, when his abnormality was discovered by Grandma Chu, everything he had imagined and experienced never came.Grandma Chu just sat at the table kindly and comforted herself who was pretending to be strong and trying to look at others with mocking eyes, and then smiled and told him in a tone that was different from most people he had met before. The power of ordinary people is an extra gift from heaven. Instead of being afraid, it is better to learn to cherish and then try to control this special.

Thus, his heart, which had been vacant for a long time, finally settled down.For the first time, he began to face up to that ability, and gradually he was able to barely control its existence, and then he used it freely - lighting fire, heating, lighting... Grandma Chu always smiled and watched him do these things, her eyes were full of relief and joy. encourage.

He also has a surname and first name that he recognizes - Chu Ze.It followed Grandma Chu's surname, and her name was taken from the inscription "Ze" on the jade pendant.

He has always distinguished himself from Chu Qin'er, Qin'er is Grandma Chu's child, and he is just an outsider, so he tries his best to do everything he can, and only hopes that Grandma Chu will not think he is useless.

However, he knew that such persistence would collapse one day, because happiness was too warm and beautiful, and he couldn't refuse it for too long.

However, all happiness was almost destroyed by this famine.

When Grandma Chu fell down in front of him, he almost thought the sky was falling apart...

Fortunately, everything will pass.

Seeing that Grandma Chu finally had a bloody face today, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.However, at this time, Chu Ze didn't know that there was a word in this world called "returning to the light".

Different from the optimism of Chu Ze and Chu Qin'er, Chu Yuanxiu is very clear about his current physical condition.Her body was already failing when its foundation was destroyed, these seven years were just lingering.Today, I am afraid that the deadline is approaching.However, if they go by themselves, these two children...

Her eyes fell on Chu Qin'er with some nostalgia, no matter how ruthless that person was, she never took her anger out on this child.However, the love in the past is a bit cruel today. If she is gone, how will this child live?

And Chu Ze.Back then, my heart softened for a moment, and I didn't want to see this special child tossing and turning in the mortal world. It's a pity that I was expelled from the house, and I had no face to pass on the master's celestial law to the outside world. Now, it's just letting this child barely control the blood talent.However, today, I am afraid that I am threatening to ask for repayment.

She stretched her hands out of the quilt, and held Chu Ze's hands tightly, looking at each other with pleading and expectation in her eyes.

"Ze'er," the unstoppable cough interrupted her, Chu Yuanxiu felt the smell of blood in his mouth, his eyes dimmed, "Ze'er, if I have an emergency, Qin'er..."

Before he finished speaking, he coughed again.

Chu Ze held Grandma Chu's hand back in a panic, and Chu Qin'er rushed forward in a hurry,

"grandmother?!"

The two children were frightened by the bright red blood, and they didn't notice the faint blue flash in Chu Yuanxiu's eyes at all.

"Ze'er, I'm running out of time. If something happens to me, you can take this Tong Qin'er and leave here, go to Yangzhou, go to Mingde Academy to find Mr. Feng Jingfeng, he is my old friend, Follow him well..."

Before he finished speaking, Chu Yuanxiu already tilted his head and closed his eyes.The back room seemed to be completely dark at this moment, only the jade dagger she had taken out before gave off a pale light in the darkness.

"grandmother--"

The shrill cry suddenly cut through the silence, and Qin'er tremblingly touched Chu Yuanxiu's body that had gradually cooled down, as if she had finally come to her senses, she burst into tears.

"grandmother……"

Chu Ze sat there in a daze, isn't Grandma Chu much better?He has already planned that when Grandma Chu gets better, they can move to a more prosperous city together.It won't be like here, where you can't buy good food even if you have money.

Why did grandma go away so suddenly?

His hand was still holding Grandma Chu's tightly, and the icy temperature came from his palm, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.How did it happen?How could this happen all of a sudden?He was thinking about some messy things rationally and chaotically. He suddenly thought of the old beggar who died in front of his eyes four years ago, and thought of the bone-chilling winter when Grandma Chu picked him up... so cold...

"elder brother……"

Qin'er's voice awakened him from those memories, he slowly lowered his head, looked at his red-rimmed eyes, and timidly tugged at his sister in the corner of his clothes.The hot flames reflected her pale and thin body, she tried her best to shrink, but the flames gradually approached her.

Little Qiner!

His sanity returned, and the flame went out in an instant, and he almost...

Chu Ze withdrew his hand, then hugged his younger sister, tightening it bit by bit.Can't cry, can't lose control, and little Qin'er, can't...

The blazing flames engulfed Chu Yuanxiu's body, Chu Ze and Chu Qin'er kowtowed three times with their lips tightly pressed together, and then collected grandma's ashes bit by bit.

They did not dare to bury grandma outside, because some people were so hungry that they went to dig the grave, so they had to cremate and bring grandma's ashes with them.

Taking Chu Qin'er's hand and holding the jade dagger in his arms, Chu Ze took a last look around the courtyard where he had lived for three years, and then set off on the long journey without looking back.

Behind him, the flames wiped away all traces of their lives, leaving only a piece of scorched earth, witnessing everything that had happened.

"Chu Ze...Chu Yuanxiu...is really interesting."

After they left, a black figure silently appeared on the scorched earth, his face was completely shrouded in black mist, only a sly smile was faintly visible.

"It's really interesting..."

The arm was raised, and the black robe slid down slightly, revealing slender and white fingers.Seeing no movement from him, the land sank into the ground, and new soil surged up, completely obliterating the scorched black.

"Well, so those flies won't find it..."

With a wave of his sleeves, everyone in the town suddenly fell asleep, and when they woke up, they would never remember that there was a family named "Chu" living here.

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Volume III·Cultivation of Immortals

Visually, it will be quite long, and the daily update may be difficult, so try to update it every other day =￣ω￣=