The Wheel-Turning Master.

Chapter 42 Tracking
After Elder Tong assigned the tasks, everyone left on horseback.

Lin Bai had sharp ears and could still distinguish the discussions of the gray-clad swordsmen amid the sound of horse hooves.

"Miss Pei was a bit angry today and didn't give Master any face at all. Did she take the wrong medicine?"

"What do you mean you took the wrong medicine? I think it's probably because Lin Zhuanlun was weak and didn't take good care of her!"

"I see, no wonder the Lin Zhuan Lun Kung Fu is passed down. Our Junior Sister Pei knows how to drain the pond to catch fish!"

Pei Ning was indeed in a bad mood just now. Lin Bai guessed that it was because Xiuxiu didn't cook eggs for her.

"Take the things with you, don't lose them." Pei Ning rode his horse forward.

"..." Lin Bai quickly checked the things again.

Two iron bows were carried on his back, and a quiver was hung on the saddle. There was also a long sword, which Lin Bai held in one hand.

Apart from that, there was nothing else, not even a change of clothes.

I climbed onto the horse. I was not used to it at first, but after a while I felt at ease.

No matter what it is, you will become proficient in riding it after riding it more.

After catching up with Pei Ning, the two of them went out from the north city gate together.

According to Elder Tong, Master Qi saw purple air rising from the north of Huaxi County, but it was too far away to determine where exactly it was.

However, it can be roughly confirmed that it is in Tianlang Mountain, but Tianlang Mountain stretches for thousands of miles. Let alone dozens of people, even if hundreds of people are thrown in there, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

So we can only grope our way through it slowly and do the best we can.

The trip was divided into seven teams, four of which went directly up the mountain; the other two teams walked around the eastern foot of Tianlang Mountain.

Pei Ning and Lin Bai were investigating from the western foot of Tianlang Mountain.

The weather is getting cooler, and it's only a little hot at noon.

The two walked along the foot of the mountain, but did not go into the mountain. However, whenever they came across a village at the foot of the mountain, Pei Ning would come down to ask carefully about any strange sights, strange noises, or unusual things.

Five days passed and they only traveled a little over a hundred miles.

I didn't gain much, but I did hear a lot of legends about mountain ghosts, most of which were told by ignorant men and women.

The two were not in a hurry. Two days later, they came across a village. Lin Bai bought some new clothes, had a big meal with Pei Ning, and continued their investigation.

In the afternoon of that day, we arrived at a village.

Lin Bai had inquired about this village beforehand and learned that the name of the village was Taoist Fen. Half of the people made a living by farming and the other half by hunting. There were less than a hundred households.

Taoist Fen Village is located at the foot of the mountain. The houses are scattered and of different heights, and most of them are surrounded by fences.

Arriving at the entrance of the village, Lin Bai threw out a few copper coins and asked the children who were playing there to lead the way to Muramasa's house.

Muramasa was an old man in his fifties or sixties. When he saw the tall horse and the visitor carrying a sword and a bow, he called him a noble person.

After a few polite words, Muramasa invited Lin Bai and Pei Ning to sit down in the courtyard, and asked his wife to pour tea. Then he asked, "I wonder what brings you two gentlemen here?"

Pei Ning looked around the fenced yard and looked at Lin Bai, motioning Lin Bai to come and ask.

Lin Bai was used to being ordered around these days, so he didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "About a month ago, did anyone in your village hear or see anything unusual on the mountain?"

"If you want to talk about strange things, there are some every year. Just in the spring of this year, a wolf took away Xianglin's baby, and a black bear stole Tang Laosan's clothes." Muramasa frowned and thought carefully, then asked, "I wonder what exactly you are asking about?"

"Things about gods and ghosts." Lin Bai said.

"Gods..." Muramasa thought for a long time, clapped his hands, and said happily: "It's true! Last month, Li Huozi went up the mountain and said that he saw gods flying in the sky!" Pei Ning was picking walnuts to eat, and when he heard this, he immediately looked at Lin Bai.

Lin Bai looked at her, then at Muramasa, and said, "Please ask Muramasa to invite Li Huozi to come over for a chat."

"That's easy!" Muramasa immediately waved his hand and asked the children who were watching the horses to go find Li Huozi.

Soon, the group of children came back chattering, and there was also a group of adults, both men and women, who came to see the novelty.

"Huozi, come here quickly! The nobleman wants to ask you about the gods!" Muramasa spoke much more harshly to Li Huozi.

This Li Huozi lived up to his name, with a slightly cleft upper lip and a slight limp in his left leg, but his clothes were fairly clean.

He came closer, looking very timid, obviously a country bumpkin who had never seen the world.

"Let me ask you, did you really see the gods?" Lin Bai asked with a smile, very kindly.

"I saw it, I really saw it!" Li Huozi got excited when he said this. He pointed to the mountain and said, "The immortal is flying in the sky! His beard has grown long! They don't believe me and say I'm crazy..."

Lin Bai looked at Li Huozi carefully and felt that this man did have some problems, but he could not be called stupid.

"How did you see it that day and why did you go up the mountain? Tell me the whole story honestly and completely." Pei Ning spoke.

"This child has no mother. It's a long story. It happened about a month ago, when the weather was not that cold..."

Li Huozi became more energetic and not so scared anymore. He said, "I got up early in the morning to collect manure, but when I came back I couldn't find my woman. I looked for her in the east and then in the west..." There was a leak in his mouth, but he spoke without stopping.

Lin Bai and Pei Ning listened with great interest.

After a while, Li Huozi finally finished speaking, and Pei Ning personally poured him a bowl of water.

Lin Bai also figured out the reason.

It turned out that after Li Huozi couldn't find his wife that day, he was anxious and worried. He thought of the Taoist Tomb Village next to the mountain and the incident where a hungry wolf came down the mountain to look for food, so he went up the mountain to look for her.

As a result, after walking for half a day, he still didn't find his wife, but he heard shouting, and then he saw from afar a long-bearded immortal with purple air shrouded in purple air, flying deeper into the mountains.

Finally, Li Huozi knelt down and kowtowed for a long time, then went back to the village and told people about it, but no one believed him.

Lin Bai looked at Pei Ning, and Pei Ning nodded slightly. They both thought they had found the right place.

"Have you found your wife?" Pei Ning looked at Li Huozi.

"Of course! God bless you!" Li Huozi's face was full of smiles. "It turned out that my wife thought our toilet smelled bad, so she went to borrow Wang Er's toilet next door to pee. My wife doesn't know how to live, and that shit is good stuff!"

When these words were spoken, the villagers watching all laughed.

Pei Ning did not mind Li Huozi's vulgar words. He just nodded, took out a silver ingot and threw it to him, admonishing him: "Don't go picking up manure in the future. Take good care of your woman and don't let her leave your sight. I will come again in two years. If anyone bullies you, just tell me."

Li Huozi took the silver ingot and knelt on the ground to express his gratitude.

After driving away the villagers who came to watch the fun, Lin Bai took out some silver and asked the village chief to find someone to feed the horses and kill the chickens and geese.

After eating and drinking, they rested in a thatched hut of Muramasa's house at night. Pei Ning slept on the bed and Lin Bai slept on the ground.

The next morning, they both got up early, washed up, and had a full meal.

He prepared some salt and some bread and handed the horses over to Muramasa for care.

Everything is ready, Lin Bai and Pei Ning go into the mountains.

(End of this chapter)