The bright moon sits on the ground

After three years, it was another cold winter.

This year, the Righteous Way was in turmoil, and the Demon Cult seemed to have changed its leader. What is the name of the new leader? Nie Qiu didn't know either.

The heavy snow is pressing down on the cold city, and the hair tips and brows of pedestrians are stained with tiny snowflakes.

Nie Qiu's body has been healed, and the stubborn diseases in his body are almost healed. At least it won't be like that winter five years ago. Whenever he moves, he will feel pain all over his body, and the qi in his chest will be stagnant.

He put his hand on the slender knife handle at his waist, and gently stroked the Hanshuang knife.

It is true that Qi Qianyuan is the most suitable prince to be emperor.

The methods are old and fierce, and the killing is decisive. As long as you let go, you will not hesitate at all.

The snow fell bigger and bigger, and soon covered a thin layer of road surface, dyeing the world white.

Nie Qiu watched quietly, and vaguely remembered that he was sitting in front of the desk a few days ago, and there was a letter raft as white as snow on the desk.He had finished writing at this time, even the ink was completely dry, and there was only a faint fragrance of ink in the air, lingering in his nostrils, it was hard to dissipate.

He didn't care if his going to find Qi Qianyuan would cost him his life.

The letter he left completely separated himself as an adopted son from the Nie family.

After finishing all this, Nie Qiu neatly folded a corner of the letter raft and put it in the drawer.

Although it was at the bottom, if someone from the official family came to search, they would definitely find out his letter.Nie Qiu thought, gently closed the drawer, never mentioned a word to others, and went to the palace just like that two days later.

Qi Qianyuan probably saw that he had no way out.

Nie Qiu thought, but he left the Nie family behind, and Nie Chi, he believed that no matter how foolish he was, he would not make fun of the future of the Nie family.

Qi Qianyuan let out the thread, and Nie Qiu bit the hook.

Panicked, impulsive like a reckless man, afraid that he would not be swallowed alive, as if he would be eaten alive.

Nie Qiu didn't care much about how others viewed him.

All the beautiful scenery turned into burn marks in that moonless night in Shenyun Pavilion.

Others can only be regarded as passing by in a hurry, and he can't exchange a light glance.

As for Qi Qianyuan.

As long as he can really help him realize his long-cherished wish, after the matter is over, even if he wants this life, so what?

Nie Qiu turned his head and didn't look at the snowy scene beside the road.

There were traces in the snow, so when the group arrived at the town near the Lingshan Gate, they got off their horses and switched to walking.

Qi Qianyuan had a large number of dead soldiers, perhaps less than half of them were dispatched. They were all dressed in neat chivalrous attire, with half of their faces covered under a bamboo hat, and they were reticent. can not hear.

There are two hidden guards in front of the team, one is in charge of ordering the dead soldiers, and the other is in charge of dealing with Nie Qiu.

But after all, they are not talkative people, so they explained things clearly in a few words and went up the mountain.

For those who regard revenge as the first priority, they will be entangled in this kind of hatred all their lives, stained with blood, or they will not find the motivation to live after revenge, and they will collapse, or the revenge will be repaid, and the pain will be exhausted. Happy to wave goodbye to the past.

Nie Qiu is both, and neither.

He couldn't even remember exactly how they planned that day, how they got the roster and portraits of the disciples of the Lingshan Gate, how they went up the mountain cautiously, where they started and where they ended.

He only remembered that there seemed to be screams and cries on the mountain, but it had nothing to do with him.Those who ran down the mountain or those who resisted were dealt with by the dead guards hiding in the dark. No one left here alive. Even if they fell off the cliff or committed suicide by taking poison, they were picked up one by one to identify their faces. , broke his throat, and made sure he was not breathing before looking for the next person.

Han Shan seemed to be 11 years old at that time, and it was the time when the boy was twitching like a willow branch.

His appearance may be the same as when he was in Shenyun Pavilion, or it may have changed so much that Nie Qiu can't remember.

Nie Qiu only vaguely remembered that he was sitting next to Han Shan, and felt that the breathing of the people beside him gradually became slower and lighter, but he didn't take a look at the huge knife wound on his chest that was gushing blood, but just looked at the air in the air. snowflakes.

The bloody smell was buried under the heavy snow and could hardly be smelled.

But Nie Qiu is very sensitive to this smell. He would retch when he smelled it a few years ago.

So he held the icy snowflake that fell into his palm, and spoke the first sentence to Han Shan.

"I couldn't smell blood at first." After Nie Qiu said, he felt a little funny, and the corners of his mouth turned up, "Human life is really light. Bleeding will happen when you touch it, and it will be too painful to speak if you stab it Come on, if you are fatally injured and there is no one to help, you can only wait quietly for your consciousness to fade, your body to rot, and finally turn into mud."

Han Shan didn't answer.

Nie Qiu didn't want to hear his answer either.

"Master and sister died in front of you, was it also in such pain?" His words were soft, yet gentle, and was suppressed by Xue Luo's voice, "The disciples of Shenyun Pavilion beg for your mercy." Is it the same as when the disciples of the Lingshan Gate begged me for mercy today? Knowing that I will still attack, but still holding on to ridiculous and pitiful hopes?"

When the dust settled, the gate of the mausoleum was as quiet as if it was not in this world.

After a while, Nie Qiu heard Han Shan's intermittent voice, with a muffled cough, "You still chose to attack."

Nie Qiu lowered his eyes to look at him, only to realize that Han Shan was smiling.

"You chose the same path as me, brother."

Those eyes were not buried by the heavy snow, no different from what Nie Qiu saw in the pitch-black bamboo forest that night, they were still beast-like eyes, bright and without any real warm emotion.

Han Shan didn't know Nie Qiu's name, and Nie Qiu knew Han Shan's real name, but he didn't want to call it.

They do look alike in some ways.

For example, Han Shan chose to live on fire after the Shanzhai was destroyed, and Nie Qiu chose to put all his eggs in one basket after the Shenyun Pavilion was destroyed.

For example, Han Shan never forgot his hatred for a single minute, and Nie Qiu woke up every night.

It is impossible to forgive, and there is no need for self-sufficiency. What needs to be repaid must be repaid with blood.

So at this moment, Han Shan is smiling, and there is no trace of timidity in his eyes - Nie Qiu understands the reason.

Nie Qiu thought again, he is covered in other people's blood now, and the knife in his hand is covered with dried blood, not only his body, but his hands, eyes, and even his soul are stained with blood, which cannot be wiped clean, and he doesn't need it Wipe it clean.Even if he died at the hands of the latecomer, died in a ridiculous political confrontation, fell asleep in his sleep, died in pain, or chose to commit suicide...

He himself has no complaints.

Human life is the least valuable thing in the world, and it is also the most valuable.

No one deserves to die, and no one doesn't deserve to die.

Han Shan was probably in the same state of mind.

Blood flowed from his mouth, staining the snow red, and Han Shan didn't seem to feel the pain, he still looked at Nie Qiu, "After so many years, I can't remember who the master and sister you mentioned... …On that day, the head of Shenyun Pavilion, together with more than a dozen masters and senior disciples, none of them begged me for mercy, let alone cries for help, I didn’t even see a single tear.”

Nie Qiu was startled.

"Are you satisfied?" Han Shan's eyes were cold, he pulled the corner of his mouth reluctantly, and said, "There is a back and forth, either you die or I die, the so-called revenge is just that."

"It's not worth being happy, and it's not worth being sad. Just do it, and do it."

No guilt, no regrets, no anger, no loss.

His breathing became slower and slower, and finally returned to nothingness, his filthy soul dissipated, and his body gradually became cold, like a piece of hard ice, buried by heavy snow.

Nie Qiu also lay down in the snow, not feeling cold at all.

The long black hair is scattered, spread out in the white snow, stained with fine snowflakes, gradually turning gray, and mixed with the snow, regardless of you and me.He looked up at the gray sky, the breath he exhaled turned into white mist in the air, and then spread out silently, maybe it melted into the falling snowflakes, maybe it disappeared completely... such a thing, who could Clearly.

After a long time, the boy's answer was long overdue.

"The path I chose is different from yours." He sighed vaguely, "Li Hanshan, I am different from you."

So far, the five years of life in Shen Yun Pavilion and the hatred that has never been forgotten in the three years are over.

The last scene that remains in Nie Qiu's memory is not Hanshan in the snow, nor himself lying in the snow.

After leaving the mausoleum gate, he suddenly stopped and looked back into the distance.

The Lingshan Mountain was covered in white and white, and it was probably no more than the snow on the Lingshan Mountain that Nie Chi went to visit.

Han Shan was right, he didn't feel happy or sad, just felt a little pity.

The ground is full of bright red, wasting the falling snow on this mountain in vain.

There was no snow on the day when we returned to Shenyun Pavilion, it was a sunny day that hadn't been seen for a long time.

Nie Qiu actually hoped that there would be rain, or a strong wind, but it was a pity that the sky did not come true.

He was holding a paper bag with pastries in his hand, and two knives hung from his waist. It broke into two pieces. When walking, the scabbard shook slightly, and there would be a crisp sound of broken knives colliding inside.

Standing in front of the bamboo grove, I don't know if it was Nie Qiu's illusion, but he could vaguely smell a corpse.

When it was time to walk in, Nie Qiu felt that his guess was a little funny.

After such a long time, the corpses inside must have been turned into bones.

Under the sun, the green bamboo sea exudes vitality, and Nie Qiu feels as if he has returned to eight years ago.

"Your master is easy to get along with!"

He heard a boy say this, the voice was far and sometimes near, as if separated by layers of green bamboos, he couldn't hear clearly.

Nie Qiu involuntarily quickened his pace and followed the voice.

The boy talked a lot, and he could babble on for quite a while.

"The headmaster always likes to join in the fun, but his favorite thing to do is to teach his disciples—actually, it's not really a lecture, it's more like a small talk? But the headmaster is old, and when chatting with juniors, basically I’m telling you, yesterday I said you have to work hard, today I said you should pay attention to your body, and you should rest.” He suddenly smiled, “Actually, I think he is like my grandfather. Don't go to him, or the master will drag you to chat for a whole day."

"This is your first time coming to Shenyun Pavilion, it is inevitable to get lost, but you will get familiar with it in the future."

"Passing through this bamboo forest, Shen Yun Pavilion is in front—"

The warm and dazzling sunlight suddenly broke through the shadows in the forest, and the bamboo sea faded away, revealing Shen Yun Pavilion behind it.

Nie Qiu came to his senses, looking at the bones lying on the ground, he didn't think it was eerie, but kind.

He stopped in his tracks, smiled slightly with downcast eyes, and responded to the person who was no longer there: "Yes."

"I am back."

Although they couldn't distinguish their faces, fortunately, the disciples of Shen Yun Pavilion all had a word of their master tattooed on their clothes, or their titles. For example, the one with the word "crack" tattooed should be Yin Qingqing, the one who protected her. It should be the constant light.The one with the word "Wen" tattooed on it, the one with chaotic swords next to it should be Wen Yi, the one with a crack from the brow bone to the cheekbone should be Wen Er, the one with some beautiful patterns embroidered on the clothes should be Wen San, the one cut in half The bone should be Wen Si, the one kneeling on the ground, the one with arms stretched out should be Wen Wu, and the one holding the yin and yang swords tightly with both hands and refusing to let go should be Wen Yunshui.

For the rest of the disciples, even if some of them were unfamiliar to Nie Qiu, they were able to put their bones back into their respective bedrooms.

Nie Qiu put his arms on the table and gently leaned his head against it.

He was selfish, so he put a long table in the courtyard with constant lights, and arranged them according to the seats of that night.

Ever since Wen Wu got into trouble and fell headfirst on the table, overturning the table top, Chang Deng discussed with Yin Qingqing to build a more sturdy table instead of the original one that rests on the stone.

So now even if Nie Qiu is lying on the table, there is no need to worry about the table turning over.

He maintained this posture and looked at the others carefully.

In a daze, Nie Qiu felt as if he had returned to that moonlit night, everyone was still alive and well, and the constant lamp was dazed; Yin Qingqing kept a straight face and refused to let others toast her junior; Yun Shui was taciturn as usual, but he could clearly feel that he seemed to be in a good mood; Wen Yi held his chin with his hands dignifiedly and reservedly, sipping wine in small sips; He will overturn the table and will definitely stop Wen Er; Wen San looks at the scenery in the courtyard, his fingers wiggle slightly, as if he is thinking about how to describe this scene; Wen Si has no idea what will happen next, his body I have always been unhappy, and after drinking the medicine, I feel a little distracted, as if I was sleepy.

It would be nice if time could stay at that moment forever.

But the ones in front of him were clearly eight white bones, sitting upright on the chair, motionless, just looking at him.

In my memory, those who should have been as tall as him, or should be taller than him, now seem to be short in stature, and they look like young bones that have not grown, with youthfulness and immaturity.

Their time stood still at that moment forever.

After a long silence, Nie Qiu dared to speak to break the silence——

"haven't seen you for a long time."

No matter how long Nie Qiu stayed in Shenyun Pavilion, he talked to them for as long as possible.

He never felt that he was the kind of person who talked a lot, perhaps because of the influence of Wen Wu, he can now babble on for several hours by himself, as if there is endless things in his belly, talking about The falling snow at the Lingshan Gate stopped.

Then he stood up silently, stood behind the end of the long table, and kowtowed respectfully to them.

"I hope I have lived up to your expectations." Nie Qiu said, "Master Chang, Sister Yin, Master Wen Yunshui, Brother Wenyi, Brother Wener, Senior Sister Wen, Brother Wensi, Brother Wenwu..."

He read the names one by one.

"If you are all here, maybe you won't recognize the good and evil in my heart."

As Nie Qiu talked, his Adam's apple rolled slightly, feeling a little sad, "But you are gone, and I have to walk the way forward. In this chaotic world, everyone is in danger, and good and evil are indistinguishable. Just treat me as if I killed you." Strong sex, deviant."

After he finished speaking, he kowtowed twice again.

When leaving, Nie Qiu put the cakes on the table, thought for a while, then took off the fire-drinking knife, put it in front of Chang Deng, and said softly: "Master, return the fire-drinking knife to you. I'm sorry, I broke it off."

At the beginning, the master said to give him the Hanshuang knife, so he will not take away the fire drinking knife.

After returning the drinking fire, Nie Qiu still felt reluctant, so he kept the fringe of the knife that Yin Qingqing tied to it.

After he left Shenyun Pavilion, he stood and watched for a long time at the edge of the bamboo sea.

Maybe he will come back in the future, maybe he won't come back, he can't say for sure.

but……

Nie Qiu thought, it would be great if he could be buried here after death.

The Taoyuan in the mountains, the secluded bamboo sea, the stream surrounded by stones, silent and silent, is a good place to live.