Chapter 56 Thunderstorm After nightfall, the sky suddenly turned as dark as ink without any trace of the sunset. After a gust of wind, a rainstorm followed. There was a crackling sound, which gradually turned into a gurgling sound, and muddy water began to overflow from the mountains. For Bian Weikang, who was kneeling in front of the mountain gate, things were extremely difficult. Not only the sect, but even God seemed to be unwilling to look favorably upon him. There was a piece of sandalwood gold placed on the steps in front of him. The purple flame was not affected by the rain and could still provide light. His body was already soaked like a drowned rat, water was flowing on his face, and his whole body was cold. What was even colder was his heart. He had been kneeling for so long, but his parents really didn't even want to see him. But what could he do? In order to win his parents' forgiveness and to prevent his beloved woman from suffering any more, he could only continue to kneel until his parents were willing to see him. There is no grass or trees growing on Wukang Mountain, and it cannot store water. The rainwater flowing on the mountain quickly gathers into streams of various sizes. The sound of flowing water beside the steps of the mountain gate makes a roaring sound. The three big characters "Wu Kang Shan" on the mountain gate archway are vigorous and powerful, and still clear under the swaying light. Two disciples wearing straw hats and raincoats were standing under the archway. They could only watch Bian Weikang kneeling for a long time and dared not even say a word. There was no way out. The sect leader had spoken personally. This person had been expelled from the sect and had nothing to do with Wukang Mountain anymore. He was not allowed to step into the mountain gate, and no one was allowed to pay attention to him, otherwise he would be severely punished. The disciples had never expected that the sect leader would be so resolute towards his own son, and they realized even more how strict the sect's rules were.
Bian Weikang, who was kneeling and unable to get up, sometimes looked up at the bright lights on the top of the mountain, and sometimes looked back at the lights of thousands of homes in Linkang City. He was also anxious in his heart. Seeing that he was not returning for a long time, he must have thought that Lan'er was worried about him. But he couldn't give up halfway, so he could only continue in the wind and rain. On the mountain, bursts of lightning illuminate the glazed tiles. In the elegant residence deep in the jade-step palace gate, the smell of sandalwood incense curls up and the lights flicker. When conditions permit for normal lighting, the flame of sandalwood gold will not be used, because the lighting color will be purple, which will distort the color of the object and make people feel unhappy. In front of a round window, a beautiful woman in a black long skirt and with a rosy face stood slenderly in front of the window, looking at the wind and rain outside, and the faint light and shadow at the mountain gate at the foot of the mountain. She knew that her son was kneeling there. She was Bian Weikang's mother Yin Huixin. From time to time, wind and rain blew in, wetting her dress and disturbing the curling green smoke. All the potted plants around, no matter what kind of exotic flowers and plants, green, red, or pink, are fake, just because the mountain is very strange and no plants can grow on it. Any plant placed on the mountain will rot within three days. Occasionally, her cold eyes would retract from the window and look outside the door. In the window pane of the palace opposite the door, there was a shadow swaying. She knew that her husband was discussing matters with the sect's top leaders. She was also considered a sect leader, but she did not participate to avoid suspicion, because what was being discussed was her son's matter. Someone suggested a good way to educate her son to her husband. After getting her husband's tacit approval, she immediately took the lead and called some people to plead with her husband, the clan leader, to give the old clan leader's grandson another chance for the sake of the old clan leader. She could hear her husband's angry roars here, and his words showed that he would never agree and wanted to set an example. She knew that her husband's "rejection" could not change the outcome, the outcome was already predetermined, and "rejection" was just a necessary process. She is here waiting for the results. Later, the hall became quiet and the people dispersed. Not long after, a sturdy man strode towards the door. He was strong but not tall, with a short beard on his slightly fat face. He looked majestic, as if he had been in a superior position for a long time. He was also dressed in black clothes, which was the uniform attire of the high-ranking officials of Wukang Mountain. The only high-ranking member of the sect who could enter the sect leader’s wife’s house so late at night was her husband, Bian Jixiong. He walked to the window and looked at the mountain gate at the foot of the mountain. The raindrops that drifted in stuck to his beard and sparkled. He said in a steady tone, "I can't disagree. They are going to knock on my father's door. My father's death is not far away, and it is a critical period for breakthrough. Whether he can overcome that hurdle is of vital importance. How can I disturb my father because of the matter of that evil beast? I had no choice but to agree." After knowing the result, Yin Huixin remained calm, and her tone was as cold as her own, "As long as you are happy, why bother to show off in front of me?"
Bian Jixiong: "Are you still angry with me? I told you this was my father's decision. If jade is not polished, it will not become a useful object. If it is not experienced, the truth will not be revealed. If he can't really wake up, how can he take on the responsibility of the entire sect in the future? Do you think the other families in the sect are really not interested in the position of the sect leader at all?" "The men in your Bian family are the ones who are in charge and make decisions. There is no need to explain to a woman like me. Nothing I say will be of any use anyway." Yin Huixin left after saying this. Having been too close to the sect master for too long, he had already lost the proper respect for him. Boom! A thunderbolt flashed outside, and the lightning shone into the window, illuminating Bian Jixiong's face. The raindrops on his eyes and beard sparkled even more. He turned around to look at his departing wife and shouted, "Let him kneel for another night, and we'll talk about the rest tomorrow!" The sound he made seemed to be more majestic than the thunder, but it seemed hollow. Because Yin Huixin did not look back and did not respond, her figure left quietly, and her long hair draped over her back was shining blue in the lightning. It was raining outside, and the house fell into silence. Bian Jixiong stood in front of the window for a long time without moving... The entire Linkang City was swaying in the wind and rain, with lanterns swinging everywhere under the eaves, and the water in the ditches was rushing but not overflowing, with a very high drainage efficiency, showing that it was a place that had been tested by wind and rain for a long time. Outside Anle Tower, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang pulled a bench and sat side by side under the eaves on one side of the inn's door to enjoy the scenery. In this respect, they are unique in the whole city. It’s no wonder that the two of them had such a refined taste, as they had never seen the scene of a city when it rained. At first I was planning to walk around the city and see the night view, but now it’s raining, so I have no choice but to make do with it. Anyway, it’s a view I’ve never seen before, and it’s an eye-opener. I took off my shoes, rolled up my trouser legs, and walked barefoot to greet the running water from the eaves. This was a beauty that I could never enjoy even in my dreams in the place of exile. Wu Jinliang touched his cheek from time to time, and later he couldn't help but reach out and touch Shi Chun's cheek. Shi Chun immediately turned around and glared at him, "What?" Wu Jinliang chuckled, "You know what, our rough faces seem to be a lot smoother now." Is there? Shi Chun immediately touched his own face, then touched Wu Jinliang's, carefully touched and tasted it, and felt that it was indeed smooth. A huge wild boar, about ten feet long, with sharp fangs, walked across the stone road in front of the two people. The man riding on the wild boar's back was holding an umbrella. He turned his head and stared at the two men touching each other's faces at the door of the inn. He walked and turned his head back, as if he was looking forward to the next scene in a daze. Not long after, another huge black snake, as thick as a bucket, with dark scales, slid across the street with its head held high and chest puffed out. Its eyes flashed green light from time to time, and it flicked its tongue in and out. Its head was higher than the eaves of the first floor. Shi Chun watched one thing after another that he had never seen pass by. Although the wind and rain were strong, his heart was much calmer, simply because the huge stone that had been weighing on his heart had been released. He still told Wu Jinliang that he discovered that he was a member of the demon sect, because he felt that there was no need to hide this from Wu Jinliang any longer, especially at this critical juncture, when his identity as a demon sect had been discovered and he might be in danger at any time. He wanted Wu Jinliang to make his own choice, and if Wu Jinliang decided to leave, he would give him the 50,000 sandalwood gold as well. Wu Jinliang was indeed shocked, and then he asked a bunch of questions, but in the end there was actually no response. He felt that there was no need for everyone to go their separate ways, and even comforted Shi Chun, saying that it didn't matter whether it was the righteous path or the evil path, they should just take whichever path they could. Well, it was still the pragmatism of the Exile Land, and Shi Chun realized that he was overthinking. In the inn room, Xiang Lan'er put on his cloak again and was about to go out. Feng Chi held her back and advised, "Kneel for a whole night and accompany him in this suffering. Is this necessary?" Xiang Lan'er: "Since I like him, it is reasonable for me to go and see him even though he hasn't come back yet. I can't let him suffer alone. I should kneel with him. That's the proper way. As for you, that sloppy old man might be following you. You should be more careful." Feng Chi was not too worried. "The situation has already been reported. If nothing unexpected happens, the experts sent from above to deal with the old man should be here soon. They fly around very quickly." Xiang Lan'er nodded slightly, opened the door and went out. Feng Chi didn't want to go out to see her off.
At the front desk of the inn, Xiang Lan'er borrowed an umbrella. As soon as she walked out of the door, she met eyes with two people sitting at the door. She shook her head slightly to signal them, then opened the umbrella and walked into the rain. The two people at the door looked at each other. Wu Jinliang was puzzled, "Where is she going?" Shi Chun narrowed his eyes slightly, "He should go find Bian Weikang, and he may have to kneel with him." Wu Jinliang understood instantly and said with a click of the tongue, "She's gone with your love rival, why don't you go after her?" Shi Chun had already told him what was going to happen next. At the city gate, a skinny man in blue clothes, with a clean face and no beard, deep eyes, and hands as skinny as chicken claws, walked out of the darkness and walked into the city slowly in the rain. The rain splashed on his shoulders and body, creating mist. Under the lights in the city, his body seemed to be covered with a halo. His clothes and hair were not stained with any water. When they reached the crossroads inside the city gate, the man in blue suddenly stopped in the middle of the crossroads and looked coldly at a beggar sleeping under the eaves of a house. The beggar was none other than the sloppy old man with the red nose. He had gathered a pile of hay from somewhere as a cushion, and used a wine gourd as a pillow under his arm. He lay on his side, propping up his head with one arm, and dozed off, tapping his fingers on his thigh. He didn't believe in the strong wind or rain and was very leisurely. Suddenly, the hand that was beating the rhythm stopped, his brows furrowed, and his eyes suddenly opened. He saw a carriage of people in an oxcart passing through the intersection in the rain. There was no other figure. Then he slowly closed his eyes and pretended to sleep... On the city wall, a large pavilion in the corner was brightly lit, with wine and food, and a beautiful woman sitting alone, the city lord Bian Weiying, who was drinking and watching the wind and rain. Wukang Mountain appeared from time to time under the thunder, and Bian Weiying was like facing a giant beast with sharp fangs. Suddenly, a masked man in black flew up from outside the city, walked quickly to her side, and handed her a wax pill. Bian Weiying crushed the paper and took out the folded paper inside, then spread it out to examine it. As he looked at it, a charming smile appeared on his face, and he murmured, "After going around in circles, I am still paving the way for him. Didn't you say it is unforgivable? Didn't you say that you can only rely on me, your daughter, now? You encouraged me to work hard, but it turns out that in your heart, daughters are inferior to sons, no matter how despicable this son is. A woman who helps others snatch their sons, you guys can think of that, haha..." She laughed louder and louder, until she was shaking with laughter and crying. Suddenly she grabbed the wine cup and drank the bitter wine in one gulp. Then she slammed the wine cup on the table, smashing it into powder. She turned around and said decisively, "Save the trouble for the sect master and the others. Get rid of the people from Anle Tower!" (End of this chapter)