Starting with the divine power of the Great Vajra, he traversed the heavens.

Chapter 220 Playing PUBG on a Snowy Night, A Friendship Beyond Age

The moon hangs high in the sky, its silvery light reflecting off the snow.

The lively atmosphere in Taohuadian was as strong as ever, with many young children playing with a white donkey.

The tall, magnificent white donkey carried them up and down the hills, and the sound of children's silvery laughter echoed through the countryside.

The small courtyard in the east of the village is inscribed with the words "Three Highs Residence".

"You're saying you made this by hand?"

Ren Shaoyang held up a short sword that was completely black but had a starry sky pattern on it, looking completely incredulous.

The people in the pavilion were also astonished, for the knife looked too beautiful and the patterns too intricate.

"Yes!" Ding'an, his face covered in soot, answered loudly, "What's wrong?"

As he spoke, he added more charcoal to the brazier in the middle of the pavilion. When he felt the fire was not burning well, he puffed out his cheeks and spat it out.

"boom!"

The flames shot straight up, suddenly illuminating the faces of Ren Shaoyang, Little Beggar, Xi Yingzhen, and Little Half-Taoist who were sitting around.

The little Taoist took the short knife from Ren Shaoyang's hand, examined it carefully, and was very puzzled: "It shouldn't be like this. Ding'an, how could your little blacksmith shop, with that small furnace, forge such a divine weapon?"

Ding An raised his face, which was blackened by the smoke, and grinned, showing his white teeth. "I hammered out the steel ingot, then twisted it by hand a dozen times. Then I cut it into several pieces, stacked them, and that's how it was forged."

"So simple?"

"Yes, it's that simple!"

Hearing him say it was easy, the group looked at each other in disbelief.

The Taoist priest even plucked a few strands of hair and gently placed them on the blade.

"Hey~!"

A faint, ringing sound, like a gentle breeze rustling across the water, rang out, and then that strand of hair was cleanly severed in two.

Xi Yingzhen stroked his beard, his face filled with disbelief: "Ding'an, your forging skills are truly astonishing!"

The little Taoist asked earnestly, "Brother Ding'an, could you help me reforge a longsword?"

Ding An paused for a moment, then slowly said, "My stove exploded."

The young Taoist patted his chest and said, "It's alright, I'll just add another one for you!"

“It’s different!” Ding’an shook his head and said, “Our sect’s ancestral teachings state that divine weapons are produced when the furnace explodes, and no weapons may be forged within a year.”

"Huh?" the young Taoist priest exclaimed in surprise, "Really?"

"Ahem~!"

Ren Shaoyang raised his right hand somewhat helplessly and said with an embarrassed smile, "My Dragon-Capturing Sword was forged by their ancestor. He blew up the furnace back then, and I heard the entire family was wiped out afterwards."

The scene fell silent for a moment, and after a long while, Xiao Ban Dao gave an awkward smile: "It seems that Brother Ding An's blacksmith shop will have to be closed for a year."

"That's right!" Ding'an said, somewhat annoyed, then looked at the brazier and cheered, "The beggar's chicken is ready!"

"Really?" The little beggar jumped up suddenly, grabbed the plate, and went over excitedly.

"Come on, little fatty, go move the table," Xi Yingzhen ordered. "Xiao Ren, go to my house and bring me my treasured Shaoxing wine. Oh, and the chessboard and chess box too. Let's have a good battle!"

"Okay!" *2
Ren Shaoyang and Xiaoban Daoren each accepted their orders and walked out of the pavilion.

Ding'an reached into the fire with his bare hands and easily grabbed a few lumps of yellow earth. The little beggar quickly stepped forward and took them from him with a plate.

At this moment, Xiao Ban Dao Ren and Ren Shao Yang also returned with their things.

With everyone helping each other, the table was set up in no time.

When the little beggar bravely cracked open the clod of earth, revealing the leaves inside, a sweet aroma of meat wafted out. Peeling away the dried mud, one could see that the chicken was white, tender, and smooth, with a rich and fragrant smell.

"Wow~!"

Everyone looked on with enjoyment and praised the performance in unison.

The little beggar raised his hand: "Three chickens, five people, how do we divide them?"

Xi Yingzhen chuckled and said, "Tear each one into three pieces, and give me the chicken butt."

The little Taoist priest had a drooling look on his face, looking impatient as he looked at Xi Yingzhen, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

He also wanted to eat chicken butts.

Hongxiu went to tear apart the chicken, while Ren Shaoyang opened the wine jar, and the aroma of wine immediately filled the air. He poured several cups for her.

Everyone raised their glasses and drank heartily. After gulping down a few mouthfuls, they began to devour the food in a whirlwind.

The young Taoist priest, his hands covered in chicken oil, licked his fingers as he ate, exclaiming, "Wonderful! Wonderful! How can this stuff be prepared to taste so good?"

The little beggar, his cheeks bulging from eating, exclaimed, "Ding'an is naturally lucky; anything he makes has a special flavor!"

“Yes, yes!” Ren Shaoyang nodded repeatedly. “It’s the same whether it’s forging knives or cooking.”

Xi Yingzhen ate with gusto, shaking his head and laughing, "I've seen my fair share of food and drink in the capital, but I've rarely seen such delicious chicken!"

"Oh, my belly!" the little Taoist lamented, patting his enormous belly. "Now that you've seen such a wonderful thing, you're probably going to suffer in the future!"

Everyone ate and drank their favorite Shaoxing wine, enjoying the snowy scenery outside the pavilion while the brazier inside kept them warm. They were all very happy.

When only a few chicken bones remained, the Taoist priest, who was quite drunk, insisted on dragging Ding'an and Hongxiu to sing and dance in the snow.

Xiao Ban Dao Ren was born at the foot of Wudang Mountain, and according to ancient times, he was a person from Chu.

Therefore, he was well-versed in the traditional songs and dances of the Chu region from a young age, and was skilled in Chu dances and loved Chu songs, especially the "Song of the Great Wind".

This was created by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang. Some people keep the rhythm, while others can "tap the ground to keep time" themselves. It emphasizes "three steps and one pause," which means the right foot touches the ground, the left foot follows and turns in a circle, and then when the third step is stomped, it makes a neat, muffled sound.

The fat Taoist taught the little beggar and Ding'an for a while, and the two of them learned it. Then, to his high-pitched singing, the three of them followed the rhythm and changed formations.

Inside the pavilion, Ren Shaoyang and Xi Yingzhen used chopsticks as mallets to strike the wine jar, singing in unison: "The wind rises, the clouds fly, our might extends across the land, we return to our homeland, where can we find brave warriors to guard the four directions!"

Despite his plump figure, the Taoist priest was agile, spirited, and walked with graceful steps.

The little beggar was like a rose in the snow, twirling and leaping with her eyes closed.

Ding'an, on the other hand, was just a carefree fool, laughing and joking around with the little beggar. They played and laughed for a long time until they were drunk and the charcoal had burned out, at which point everyone returned to the pavilion, their fun exhausted.

The little beggar danced with joy, her cheeks rosy and fair, like the morning sun reflecting off the clouds. Her eyes were clear as a deep pool, bright as two morning stars. The corners of her mouth turned up, a half-smile playing on her lips, which were as red as flowers, looking lovely and inviting.

Xi Yingzhen sighed, “Hongxiu is neither a fairy nor a mortal. Men, women, young and old all want to get close to her. Monks regard her as a demon, while mortals regard her as a god. Such a woman, who embodies the creation of heaven and earth, is indeed rare.”

He let out a long breath, and a smile appeared on his aged face: "Born with a bone structure imbued with the rosy clouds, I belong neither to the Jade Palace nor to home. Do not ask what I was in my past life, for I am but a candle in the human world."

Ren Shaoyang paused, his hand holding the glass still raised. He knew that Xi Yingzhen had praised Hongxiu in a poem.

"Human candlelight" indicates that although it gathers the essence of heaven and earth, it is attached to the mortal world. "Neither belonging to the Jade Terrace nor to home" means that it is elusive, mysterious and profound, and its inner and outer appearances do not match.

Ren Shaoyang laughed and said, "Were you frightened by Hongxiu's 'Red Candle Flower'?"

"Have you seen it all?"

Ren Shaoyang nodded: "I already knew that."

Xi Yingzhen set up the chessboard, arranged the pieces, and nodded, saying, "That knife reminds me of the 'Blood-Drinking Blade' from back then."

Ren Shaoyang paused, holding the black chess piece, and hesitated before asking, "Blood Drink? Not Snow Drink?"

“It’s ‘Blood Drinking’,” Xi Yingzhen said, emphasizing each word. “Does Brother Ren know about it?”

Ren Shaoyang said, "Is it the legendary assassin, Liehuo's Demon Blade? By the way, isn't his opponent the famous hero Mingyang?"

"I didn't expect anyone to still remember them." Xi Yingzhen sighed softly. "Ever since the famous hero died at the hands of Pang Ban twenty years ago, people have hardly remembered his name."

What the hell!

There's actually a "famous flower drum" in this world?
Xi Yingzhen continued, "As for why 'Red Candle Flower' reminds me of the 'Blood-Drinking Blade,' it's because I personally witnessed Miss Hongxiu drinking blood with the blade. Her aura shifted, and an evil aura flashed by, which was truly terrifying."

Ren Shaoyang did not reply. As far as he knew, Wei Jinzhong's cultivation of the "Heavenly Wrath Heart Method" also required him to kill and suck blood with the Heavenly Wrath Sword in order to reach the level of being invincible in the world and even unkillable by lightning in just ten months.

The little beggar's demonic blade was forged from the transparent bead of the "Heavenly Wrath Heart Method" in fusion with the "Blood Transformation Divine Blade" of the Blood Blade Sect.

It seems to have the ability to feed back to its host by sucking blood.

But the most crucial question is whether "Candle Flower Red" will have a backlash against the little beggar, just like the Heavenly Wrath Sword?

It's still uncertain; we need to observe further.

Ren Shaoyang was torn, and his hand gripping the chess piece unconsciously tightened slightly.

Then came Xi Yingzhen's distressed voice: "Hey, hey! Don't break it!"

Ren Shaoyang released his grip and then noticed that fingerprints had been left on the black chess piece in his hand. He quickly apologized, "It was my fault. I was lost in thought."

Xi Yingzhen shook his head and sighed, "Although the materials used in this chess set are ordinary, it is still a token of my disciple's goodwill."

Upon hearing this, Ren Shaoyang looked down and saw that the black stones were carefully selected black stones, and the white stones were polished from seashells. Each stone was as smooth as jade, showing that a lot of effort had been put into them.

Then look at the chess box, which is engraved with a few small characters: "Respectfully congratulating you on receiving your instruction, may your master be as constant as the moon."

“Tianxi?” Ren Shaoyang murmured, “Master Xi’s apprentice is really dedicated.”

"Haha, my little disciple has become a monk." Xi Yingzhen stroked his beard and laughed, "and will learn the arts of Yin and Yang from this humble Taoist."

A monk? Someone who has renounced worldly life to become a monk?
Ren Shaoyang's eyes flashed: "Is the Daoist's disciple Dao Yan of Changzhou?"

"Oh?" Xi Yingzhen smiled, "Brother Ren knows about my apprentice?"

“I’ve heard of him. This monk is famous for his profound knowledge of Confucianism. I’ve heard of him.” Ren Shaoyang finished speaking, then added in his mind, “I’ve heard of him countless times in my past life. The black-robed demon monk Yao Guangxiao!”

"I never imagined that after so many years, my little apprentice would become famous!" Xi Yingzhen was truly gratified.

Ren Shaoyang laughed and said, "These chess pieces are wonderful. Mr. Xi, how about we play a game?"

"I was just about to test Brother Ren's chess skills!" Xi Yingzhen laughed. "You play black, I play white." With that, he picked up a white piece and placed it on the 73rd position.

Ren Shaoyang glanced at the three people building a snowman and having a snowball fight in the snow, smiled slightly, and happily picked up a black piece, responding with a move.

One of them was a master of Yin-Yang numerology, and the other was a master of the "Emperor's Qi Observation Technique." With a glance, they had already made a thorough calculation and made their moves extremely quickly.

After playing seven or eight moves in a row, Xi Yingzhen's chess skills proved to be superior, while Ren Shaoyang was gradually forced into a precarious situation.

Ren Shaoyang has mastered the "Emperor's Qi Observation Technique" and is most adept at avoiding the strong and attacking the weak. He knows that everything in the world has weaknesses, so he often has strange ideas and has managed to save a seemingly hopeless game several times.

Xi Yingzhen exclaimed in amazement, stroking his beard as he said, "Young Master Ren is extremely talented. The Book of Changes says to act according to circumstances, but Young Master Ren can still create opportunities even when he has lost the initiative. His spirit and demeanor are truly rare."

Ren Shaoyang laughed and said, "I am only considered to be naturally intelligent, while the little beggar is truly gifted. Master Xi is the most learned man in the world, and we would like to learn from you."

Upon hearing this, Xi Yingzhen smiled slightly: "Brother Ren's martial arts are already unparalleled in the world, why would you want to learn from me?"

"The core of Ren's kung fu is to connect the three realms of 'heaven, earth, and man,' with the heavens as the chessboard and the stars as the pieces, avoiding the strong and attacking the weak, and maneuvering across the stars."

Ren Shaoyang casually placed a chess piece and smiled, "Therefore, this junior wishes to follow Master Gao, truly cultivate my foundation, refine my skills, and reach the pinnacle."

Xi Yingzhen smiled and turned to look at the three people rolling and frolicking on the snow. At this moment, Xiao Ban Dao Ren had been piled up into a big, fat snowman, and the little beggar was patting snow on him and laughing loudly.

"You two siblings, one with a magnificent bearing and soaring sword aura; the other with innate intelligence, unrestrained by worldly constraints. I can teach you little, but I hope to truly nurture you into extraordinary masters!"

"I will certainly not disappoint the professor!"

Ren Shaoyang clapped his hands and laughed, poured him some fine wine, and they raised their glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

Xi Yingzhen raised an eyebrow slightly: "You have already formed your own school. At most, I can give you some pointers, but I cannot take advantage of that to become your master."

Xi Yingzhen felt a deep sense of regret and said "What a pity" twice.

Ren Shaoyang laughed heartily, stood up and bowed, casually scattering the chessboard as he did so: "Being master and disciple is certainly good, it would be our honor, but being friends despite the age gap is also our destiny!"

Seeing that he had just managed to ruin a perfect situation that was about to kill the dragon, Xi Yingzhen couldn't help but point and laugh, cursing, "What a shameless scoundrel Ren!"

The two men looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Immediately afterwards, Ren Shaoyang poured wine for Xi Yingzhen and handed it to her.

Xi Yingzhen casually accepted it and drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing that the old Taoist had finished drinking, Ren Shaoyang pondered for a moment, then said somewhat hesitantly, "Elder Xi, my second brother Ding'an is blessed with unparalleled fortune, but I don't know..."

Xi Yingzhen remained silent for a moment, then waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "This child is foolish yet wise; it is a gift from heaven!" He then shook his head repeatedly, "This old Taoist priest wants to live a few more years."

(End of this chapter)