Of Mountains and Rivers

When the entire seawater mountain was slowly surrounded by rock-hard vines, the sky was all dimmed, not a ray of light could penetrate, and even the shadow that had been chasing ferociously was melted in the thick darkness, like It is back to a dark chaos.

There is only wind here.

Even the seawater has stopped flowing, and in this place, which is enough to arouse the panic phobia of anyone, there is only wind left.

Strictly speaking, it was a gust of air, which was extremely weak and yet extremely strong. It squeezed the irresistible vines out of a narrow gap, and then accompanied them slowly, giving people the illusion that someone was always by their side. .

But the fact is that in this world, Chu Huan is finally left alone, and the space he can move in is finally only left with this claustrophobic gap leading to the unknown.

Are those so-called vitality and hopes that make people's chest pounding and chasing endlessly really like this, there is always only a thread?

The poisonous snake Xiaolu has been taking idleness all over the mountains and plains as her main occupation since she was born, and this is the first time that she was entrusted with such an important task by the patriarch of the mountain guards.It didn't swim fast, and seemed to want to go back a little bit, but didn't dare. Under the light of the patriarch's scepter, its green figure shone with a translucent emerald-like light.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and took the scepter from its mouth.

The so-called "scepter" at this time is actually only the length of the fingers, like those weak fire folds in ancient TV dramas.

Xiaolu retracted her snake tail, wrapped herself around Chu Huan intimately, and rubbed against him hesitantly.

It was already a big snake, and even though it was still pretty in appearance compared to other snakes of the same size, it was always a cold-blooded animal with a ferocious face, and it seemed a bit unsuitable to act coquettishly.

Nanshan didn't strike hard, and Chu Huan woke up in just a moment.

But... maybe in a person's life, there are always a few moments that are full of vicissitudes.

Chu Huan said in silence, "Did he leave you and me here?"

Little Green let out a "hissing" sound, and the snake letter swept across his cheeks, perhaps because he drank the holy spring water, it didn't have the peculiar stench of beasts, it just made people feel a little itchy.

"Shhh," Chu Huan grabbed it off his face, glanced at the scepter in his hand that had almost turned into a real wood, and then seemed to follow the airflow to prop up the narrow gap for him, Continue to swim to the top of the mountain.

He said to Xiaolu, "Be quiet, we are going to the top of the mountain to find the big white stone that records all the secrets."

What he said was clear and clear, without mentioning Nanshan or Yuan Ping in a single sentence, and he seemed to walk step by step in an orderly manner, as if everything was under control, only his eyes were very blank.

To go to the top of the mountain, to find the life-saving big white stone before the scepter burns out, and then?

Chu Huan seemed to be unwilling to think about other things. For a while, he instinctively blocked all the things he should think about and what he shouldn't think about. His mind was clear, and only the two barren "mountain top" and "giant rock" remained. Key words.

At this moment, from the end of the passage down from the top of the mountain, a gust of wind suddenly blew, and the flames on the scepter jumped wildly. Without thinking about it, Chu Huan stretched out his hand to block the wind, and pressed the fragile and extremely precious flame to his chest.

The dancing flames were slightly absorbed by the small walnuts he hung there.

When the fire touched Chu Huan's flesh, the scorched smell suddenly arose. The flesh and blood of the living seemed to inject some kind of strange vitality into the dying flame. Chu Huan seemed to feel no pain at all, and he didn't even groan. , It seems that it is neither his skin nor his flesh that was burned.

He just faced the wind and continued to move forward numbly.

"Maybe I'll be burned before I get to the top?"

This thought flashed through Chu Huan's mind, but he was not moved. He didn't think it was serious or scary, and he didn't even think about how to deal with it.

Fortunately, in the dark place under the lamp, "it" seemed to be at its wit's end. As Chu Huan got closer to the top of the mountain, the gust of wind passed quickly.

The scepter left only the lighter captain.

The scalded flesh and blood on Chu Huan's chest was swept by the sea water from time to time, which was equivalent to sprinkling salt on the wound. It was a torture, but he seemed to have burned out the nerve endings, without any touch.

Suddenly, a warm red light flashed across the small walnut that had been hanging on his chest silently. Chu Huan didn't see it, but Xiaolu noticed it. It put its head on Chu Huan's shoulder, as if waiting for prey He focused on the little walnut that rose and fell with Chu Huan's breathing.

By this time, they could already see the top of this seawater mountain.

The top of Chu Huan's head was supported by Nanshan, hard and dark gray vines, and below was endless, like solidified sea water. At the end of the seawater mountain, there was a white boulder like an egg, which was holding his hand with Nanshan. The sworn big white stone is exactly the same... no, it's bigger.

The big white stone is at least four or five meters high, hanging over the entire seawater mountain like a strange species, like a wedge that sucks up the entire seawater mountain, standing there like stars holding the moon.

As Chu Huan approached the top of the mountain, he found that his feet gradually stepped on the ground. Near the white stone was a small piece of isolated ground without a drop of sea water.

The mountain formed by the seawater does not seem to be made of water invariably. With the big white stone as the center, it seems to have a solid central axis.

If it was normal, Chu Huan would definitely study the material of the ground under his feet carefully before approaching, but at this moment his mind was at a loss, and only the almost mysterious boulder was left in his eyes.

This is the holy book.

Chu Huan paused, and was about to rush forward, but maybe he was nervous, maybe he had been soaking in the water for too long, his knees softened, and he staggered and knelt directly on the ground.

Pressing the life and death of the whole world on a stone, if Chu Huan heard this more than a year ago, he would definitely laugh his teeth out, but at this moment, he seems to be in a demon, and he firmly believes in it , and even regarded this thing as a life-saving straw.

Before the scepter fell to the ground, Xiaolu tilted his neck accurately, and grabbed the short handle of the scepter. Chu Huan smiled wryly, recovered, and took the small torch again. The scepter was no longer available to him. Holding it, the length of the small wooden stick was barely long enough for him to hold it with his fingers.

"For such a long time, I either ran for my life or fought. I hope I haven't forgotten what the old goat taught me." Chu Huan didn't know whether he was talking to the snake or talking to himself. Jade, it really looks like that engagement stone, Chu Huan said, turning to the front of the stone, "Let me see what is written on it..."

His voice stopped abruptly.

Stone front—still nothing.

No, it has no pros and cons. What is the difference between a common mountain rock and its pros and cons?

It is just a stone that has been ground by water for a long time, even if it is as smooth as suet-maybe it is just a little better than other stones, other than that, there is nothing special about it.

This is impossible!

How could there be no words in the holy book?

Chu Huan almost fell into the brink of some kind of collapse. He groped across the cold stone surface of the boulder like crazy, trying to find out the "mystery" of this thing.

But the stone was so perfect that it didn't even have a pit.

Chu Huan's pupils dilated violently, and he murmured: "The end of the mountain, the top of the water, the heart of stone... yes, the heart of stone..."

As if he had found the key point, he pulled out the short knife pinned to his trouser leg, and slashed at the big white stone almost hysterically.

With a sound of "choke", the silence on the seawater mountain was broken by his knife, sparks splashed between the stone and the cold iron, Chu Huan's wrist was almost unconscious from the shock, and a bloody gash was torn at the tiger's mouth on the spot, but the big white The material of the stone was unknown, but the legendary dagger that could split the wind actually left a pale mark on it.

The dagger that Nanshan gave him was curled.

Chu Huan stared at it blankly, and his fingers trembled uncontrollably. At that moment, the moment when Nanshan handed over the dagger suddenly appeared in his numb and dazed brain - in the border county, the dilapidated small At the guest house, the man with long hair and handsome face said "Take care, friend" to him in half-baked Chinese.

His memory and logic finally broke through the self-deception he relied on for self-protection under the huge blow.

They walked countless roads, narrowly escaped death, and all of them used their lives to send him to the end, but all they found was a blank stone... This cruel fact was finally laid bare in front of him without any concealment.

The holy mountain, the holy spring, his friends who don't understand the language, the annoying children, the unfriendly gatekeeper, the old enemy-like Fa Xiao, and Nanshan...his Nanshan.

They left him one by one, forcing him to be the last person in the world, forcing him to face the worst joke at the end of the world.

Chu Huan grabbed the white stone with his hands, and his ten fingers quickly rubbed blood on the boulder. The blood stains left traces along the pure white stone, which looked extremely terrifying.

Chu Huan knelt down slowly on the ground.

He felt out of breath at first, and then he laughed lowly like a madman.

Yes, after knowing that this island is "it" itself, what else is there to do?Is it possible to expect that "it" will put the Holy Book on its head?

There is no point in being born or dying, and in the end, all the wonders of this world are but temporary flukes.

There is no chance of survival... It was all imagined by his ignorant patriarch.

Once again, they gave him all their hopes, and he failed to complete his mission, but this time he didn't have three years to waste, and there was no chance to wipe his own ass after three years.

The scepter finally burned to the end, and the flames reached Chu Huan's fingers. He let go of his hand half-reflexively and half-connivantly, and let the flames fall to the cold ground at Baishi's feet.

The shadow hidden in the darkness was like a demon waiting for an opportunity, and when the flame was getting weaker and weaker, it enveloped Chu Huan.

The feeling was very mysterious and indescribable, as if some kind of external force transmitted its emotions, and what the shadow transmitted was not pain or anger, but indescribable joy and joy.

Accelerated heartbeat, peaceful sight, the ditties of the Awakening of Insects in the sun like drizzle washing dust...they came one after another, enveloping Chu Huan softly and irresistibly.

Nanshan said that when a person knows where he is and that he is being swallowed, he should be conscious, and his consciousness can resist this kind of sinking.

At this moment, Chu Huan was as clear as a mirror in his heart, but he was willing and did not resist, allowing the strange joy to penetrate into his limbs, and he was like a drug addict, borrowing this illusory emotion, Call up all the memories in his life that can make him smile willingly——

That day, he woke up from the humble guest house, saw Xiaofang glaring at him for some unknown reason, and saw Nanshan with his back turned to him, playing a happy little tune.

Chu Huan understood what he was thinking in an instant, and he slowly smiled, knowing that he would be trapped in this illusory memory until he died.

But he was willing to do so.

Chu Huan also saw that Nanshan was wearing that tasteful suit and vest, walking over with a shy and cute smile, stretched out his callused hands, cupped his chin, and bent down on Chu Huan's forehead Gently imprinted a kiss on his face, and said to him: "It will be fine soon, don't be afraid."

When Nanshan said this, he closed his eyes, as if he was holding the most precious treasure in his life, his thick eyelashes were still trembling slightly, making others feel as if they were being swept by a feather, and they were so crisp that they didn't even want to move.

Just as Chu Huan was about to nod his head and say "yes", a circle of flames suddenly appeared in his vision, and the shadows and hallucinations around him were quickly dissipated.

Chu Huan suddenly opened his eyes and found that he was still on that weird seawater mountain and under the ridiculous white stone.

But the scepter has been burned out, where did the fire come from...?

Chu Huan lowered his head slowly, and saw the big green boa constrictor holding the last flame on the scepter with its mouth - I don't know what kind of magical power this is, but Chu Huan had seen it devour the flames on the scepter on the sacred mountain.

Xiaolu formed a circle on the spot, surrounded Chu Huan, held the flame in his mouth, and ignited himself bit by bit from tail to head. It probably hurt too much. To tremble violently.

In a blink of an eye it had turned into a fire dragon, with smoke and burnt smell coming out of its body, only the snake's head didn't catch fire for some unknown reason.

After all this was done, it uttered the snake letter impatiently, lowered its head, and rubbed Chu Huan's knee on the ground.

Chu Huan could feel the scorching fire from a distance.

It was burned alive...does it hurt?pain?

It must have been extremely painful, but its face was covered with hard scales, except for sticking out its tongue, its emotions, anger, sorrow, and joy were all indistinct.Because it is a naturally ignorant animal, so it doesn't have to have any emotions.

So why go to drink the holy spring?

Chu Huan stretched out his almost stiff palm, and put it on the snake's head, which was already lying on the ground, and suddenly wanted to ask it, why did it drink the water from the holy spring?Wouldn't it be nice to be a snake that knows nothing but steals birds' eggs?Life does not know life, death does not know death, and one day is full of food and drink.

Also, why use yourself as a fire starter?

Even a snake was buying time for him, but why didn't anyone come to tell him, what should he do now?

Xiaolu shook her head slightly, as if she was still acting like a baby when she was about to die, but she had no strength left.

It violated its own nature, maintained such a rigid posture, and gradually became motionless.

And the fire still burns on its remains.

Chu Huan knelt on the ground, keeping one hand on the snake's head. The burning snake seemed to give him the last booster. He began to pull himself together, desperately recalling what he had learned about "it" all speculation and information.

The existence form of Shen Xingdao verified Chu Huan's initial guess, "it" was indeed endlessly similar to the little white flower, so Chu Huan suspected that the essence of "it" was also a special vine.

How did they deal with Little White Flower back then?

Chu Huan frowned and thought for a long time—yes, it was a fire, but now it seems that ordinary fire... even the fire on the scepter can't do anything to "it", and those shadows can only be destroyed. Dodge briefly within the range of the fire and cannot be destroyed.

So what kind of fire should this fire be?

The wizard I ran into on the way once called them Tinder, but the words were a little vague. At that time, Chu Huan thought he was talking about the burning scepter of the patriarch.But at the same time, he remembered that the elder with the goat face of the mountain guard had never called Nanshan's scepter fire. The holy fire in his mouth was...

Chu Huan suddenly lowered his head, it was the walnut on his chest!

The walnuts gave off a slight heat, and in the blink of an eye, Chu Huan suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

Even if it is a living thing, it only takes a moment from birth to a pile of ashes. Except for the blackened head, almost every part of Little Green's body has been turned into charcoal ashes, and the fire on its body can no longer be suppressed It went cold.

At the end of the fire is the shadow from where it came from, and the pervasive gloom surrounded Chu Huan again, and he felt the joy and happiness that did not belong to him again.

This time, Chu Huan did not follow "it".

He suppressed his emotions, stared at his fingertips, and put all his joys and sorrows behind him for a while, waiting for the critical moment when he was completely swallowed by the shadows.

At that moment, he will be included in the rules, but he may not be completely swallowed by the shadows. He wants to seize that moment and take a gamble.

When the last spark on the snake disappeared, shadows covered Chu Huan's fingertips, and Chu Huan suddenly had a strange feeling—the barrier between him and the rules of the fallen land was opened.

Chu Huan's energy has already been highly concentrated, and everything is ready, only owed to Dongfeng. At the moment when it reached the critical point, Chu Huan mobilized his consciousness: "I want to enter the holy fire."

With a flash of this consciousness, his eyes flickered, and the ubiquitous shadows seemed to disappear suddenly. After a moment of upheaval, Chu Huan found himself in a strange space.

There are mountains and water here, as if it is the sacred mountain where the mountain guards live, but there are no stone houses in those cottages.

A man was sitting with his back to him, by the river, as if rubbing something.