Chapter 11 The Tenth Mysterious Old Woman

The night is colder, and the water is colder. Chu Liuxiang fell on the ground and buried her head in the cold running water. He wanted to wake himself up, he really needed to. The water flowed over his face and his hair, and he suddenly thought of a sentence Hu Tiehua said. "The only thing wine is better than water is that it never makes you too sober." What Hu Tiehua said is always like this, it seems very unreasonable, but also seems very reasonable. Strangely, at this moment, what he thought of was neither the dead girl nor Zhang Jiejie, but Hu Tiehua. Because only in front of Hu Tiehua can he fully express all his pain.

Because only Hu Tiehua can understand his pain. Because Hu Tiehua is his friend. "Why don't I go to him?" Chu Liuxiang raised her head, and suddenly found that the moon in the water was no longer visible. On the clear flowing water, a mist like mist has risen without knowing when. The water is flowing, and the fog is also flowing. He suddenly found a black figure appeared in the flowing water. This person seemed to appear simultaneously with the mysterious smoke. Chu Liuxiang turned his head, but at this moment, a voice sounded behind him. Old, hoarse, and deep, but with a voice that was as powerful as a curse, he said word by word: "Don't look back, or you will never find her!"

These words are indeed more magical than all the spells in the world. When Chu Liuxiang was about to turn his head back, no one could make him not turn his head back, but all the power in the world now would definitely not be able to make him turn his head back. The black shadow in the water seemed to be more obvious, it looked like a white-haired old woman, and she seemed to be leaning on a very long walking stick in her hand. Chu Liuxiang couldn't help but said, "Do you know who I'm looking for?" The old woman in black said: "You are looking for someone you could never find."

Chu Liuxiang said: "You... who are you?" The old woman in black said: "I am the only one who can help you find her." Chu Liuxiang's whole body was ice-cold, but her heart was burning like fire, and said, "Do you know where she is?" The old woman in black said, "Only I know." Chu Liuxiang said: "Can you tell me?" The old woman in black said: "No, I can only help you find her, but that is not an easy task." Chu Liuxiang clenched her fists tightly, almost unable to make a sound. The old woman in black said: "Are you afraid of suffering?"

Chu Liuxiang said: "Not afraid." The old woman in black said: "Are you afraid of death?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Sometimes I'm afraid..." The old woman in black said: "But in order to find her, you are not even afraid of death?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Yes." The old woman in black suddenly sighed softly, and said: "Sure enough, I did not misunderstand you, you are indeed a person worthy of my help." Chu Liuxiang said: "You..." The old woman in black suddenly interrupted his words again, and said: "I ask you these words only because I want you to understand that only those who are not afraid of hardship and even death can find her."

Chu Liuxiang said: "I...I understand." The old woman in black seemed to be nodding her head slowly, and after a long time, she said slowly: "There is a very mysterious family in this world, some say they come from the end of the world, some say they come from the cape, Some people say they come from a snowy field where dripping water turns into ice, while others say they come from a desert where birds are extinct, but in fact..." She spoke in a lower and slower voice, and continued: "Actually, no one in the world knows where they come from." Chu Liuxiang said, "You mean the Ma family?"

The old woman in black said: "Some people say their surname is Ma, and some people say their surname is not Ma. In fact..." Chu Liuxiang said: "Actually, no one in the world knows what their real surnames are." The old woman in black said, "Not bad." Chu Liuxiang said: "Do they have anything to do with Zhang Jiejie?" The old woman in black didn't answer this question, and after a long time, she said slowly: "Since you know this family, you must also know where they live?" Chu Liuxiang nodded, and said: "It is said that they live on the mountain there, in a mysterious cave, but no one has ever seen them, and no one dared to look for them."

The old woman in black said coldly: "Someone has looked for it, but no one has ever returned." Chu Liuxiang let out a long breath and said, "Now you want me to find them?" The old woman in black said: "You dare not go?" Chu Liuxiang said: "As long as I can find her, I will go anywhere." The old woman in black said: "If you can't come back from this trip, don't you regret it?" Chu Liuxiang said: "What's the use of regretting then?" The old woman in black said, "I'm not asking if it's useful, but whether you regret it or not?"

Chu Liuxiang sighed and said, "I will never regret it!" The old woman in black said: "Since you don't regret it, why are you sighing?" Chu Liuxiang was speechless.Of course he couldn't tell her, he sighed, just because he felt that her questions were too long-winded, and there was no need to ask some questions at all.But she wanted to ask, and asking once was not enough, she had to ask again. Originally, he might be sure whether the figure in the water was really old, but now he didn't even have any doubts. The most chattery among humans must be a woman, and the chatterest among women must be an old woman.

There is no doubt about this truth. No matter what kind of person she is, no matter how high her identity and status is, no matter how mysterious and terrifying she is! But old wives are old wives. Perhaps the greatest misfortune of a man is that when you are clearly in a hurry, you meet an old woman who asks you some inexplicable questions, but you still have to answer them. At such a time, what else can you say but sigh? The old woman in black didn't force him to answer this time. She herself seemed to sigh softly, and said slowly: "Now you may feel that I ask too many questions, but you will understand in the future that the questions I asked are not superfluous."

Chu Liuxiang could only listen. The old woman in black said: "Now let me ask you the last question, if you already know that you will never return, will you still go?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Go." The old woman in black said: "Okay, then you can go and find those people surnamed Ma." Chu Liuxiang couldn't help but said, "But I'm not looking for them, I'm looking for Zhang Jiejie." The old woman in black said, "I understand." Chu Liuxiang said: "But until now, you haven't told me what relationship Zhang Jiejie has with them?" The old woman in black said, "I don't." Chu Liuxiang said: "You didn't tell me where she is?" The old woman in black said, "Me neither." Chu Liuxiang smiled wryly and said, "What exactly did you tell me?" The figure of the old woman in black fluctuated in the water, and said slowly: "I didn't tell you anything, I just asked you to go to them and find their altar." Chu Liuxiang said, "Holy altar?" The old woman in black said, "The altar is in the cave you know." Chu Liuxiang said: "What kind of place is that?" The old woman in black said: "No one knows, except for himself, no one else has ever been there." Her voice became fainter and more distant, and she continued slowly: "What they believe in is a very mysterious religion. Their god is in their altar, which is not only their holy place, but also their holy place." Forbidden land, no outsiders are allowed to step in." Chu Liuxiang said: "But now you want me to go?" The old woman in black said: "You must go, because only their gods can tell you about Zhang Jiejie." Chu Liuxiang asked, "Their god?" The old woman in black said, "You don't believe in their gods?" Chu Liuxiang said: "I'd like to believe it, but I'm just a mortal, how can a god communicate with a mortal like me?" The old woman in black said: "Other gods can't, but their gods can." Chu Liuxiang said: "Why?" The old woman in black said: "Because their gods are different from other gods." Chu Liuxiang said, "What's the difference?" The old woman in black said: "Their gods are neither idols nor fairies. Their gods are living gods. You can not only see the image of the gods, but also hear the voice of the gods." Chu Liuxiang said: "Can I find God?" The old woman in black said: "It depends on you, can you go to their altar?" Chu Liuxiang said: "How can I get to their altar?" The old woman in black said: "Use your wisdom and courage, but the most important thing is to have the determination to sacrifice everything. Before you go, you must be prepared to give up everything you have in the world of mortals. Give up, and..." Her voice was as cold as ice and snow beyond the horizon, so cold that one's blood would freeze. Chu Liuxiang gritted her teeth, and said, "Then what?" The old woman in black said: "Then you can be desperate and use whatever means..." Her voice suddenly became hot like the flames in hell, and she continued: "You can use all means, no matter how despicable, as long as you can get their altar and see their god, they will never die!" I can't hurt you any more." Chu Liuxiang said: "But..." The old woman in black suddenly interrupted him again, saying: "But there is one more thing, you must remember." Chu Liuxiang said: "What's the matter?" The old woman in black said: "You can use tricks to trick them, knock them down with a stick, or even use hidden weapons or drugs, it doesn't matter, but you must not make any of them bleed." She continued word by word: "As long as you are stained with a drop of their blood, you will regret it for the rest of your life... Now that you know everything, if you don't go, you will regret it for the rest of your life." The wind wasn't too cold, and the water wasn't too cold. But Chu Liuxiang couldn't help but shivered in Lingling. He seldom has any fear, but the voice of the old woman in black seems to carry a mysterious magic power, as if just a single curse from her can change your life's fate. Has Chu Liuxiang's destiny changed in this life? he does not know. Just because I don't know, I'm afraid. Is what the old woman in black said true or false?He doesn't know either.But he seemed to have no choice but to believe it, and he dared not not believe it. His wisdom and will seem to have been controlled by some mysterious power, which is neither human power nor divine power. It is a kind of delicate and mysterious magic power. "That's not magic!" Hu Tiehua sat upright, looking at Chu Liuxiang opposite, without any drunkenness in his eyes.He hadn't been this lucid in a long time. If you have a good friend, it took two days to come to you, with a tiredness and expression on his face that you have never seen... Then even if you are a super alcoholic, you will try your best to keep yourself sober. Hu Tiehua's eyes were not only sober, but also more determined. Looking at Chu Liuxiang, he said slowly, "That's by no means magic power." Chu Liuxiang said: "Why not?" Hu Tiehua said: "Because there is absolutely no monster in the world who can restrain you." Chu Liuxiang said, "Oh?" Hu Tiehua said: "It's just for one thing that you become this dazed and obedient look." Chu Liuxiang said: "What matter?" Hu Tiehua said: "You really fucking fell in love with that little fairy." Chu Liuxiang lowered her head. He was indeed very tired. In the past two days, he had barely closed his eyes - no matter who wanted to find Hu Tiehua, it would never be easy. He couldn't refute Hu Tiehua's words. What power in the world can be more terrifying than the power of love? Hu Tiehua said: "A holy altar that no one has ever visited, a talking god... Do you really believe these nonsense?" Chu Liuxiang clenched her hands tightly and said, "This is definitely not a lie." Hu Tiehua said coldly: "Is the old woman a living ghost?" Chu Liuxiang said: "No." Hu Tiehua said: "How do you know if she is a human or a ghost? You didn't really see her at all." Chu Liuxiang did not. What he saw was only her shadow in the water... The smoke and water are miserable. The figures in the water are like ghosts in the wind. Suddenly, a strong wind blew from nowhere, causing ripples on the surface of the water. The figure disappeared in the ripples. When the water waves calmed down, the figure disappeared... Hu Tiehua said: "Then the old goblin just disappeared?" Chu Liuxiang said, "Yes." Hu Tiehua said: "Could it be that you haven't looked back from the beginning to the end?" Chu Liuxiang said: "No." Hu Tiehua said: "At the beginning, you didn't dare to look back, because you were afraid that she would refuse to tell the news about Zhang Jiejie?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Not bad." Hu Tiehua said: "But after she said it, why didn't you look back?" Chu Liuxiang said: "I... I don't know why!" When he looked back, there was no one behind him. When the figure in the water disappeared, the old woman in black had also disappeared, and it was unknown whether it disappeared in the water or in the wind. I don't know if she really came here, or is it just that ghostly shadow in the water? But if there is no one, how can there be a shadow? Hu Tiehua stared at Chu Liuxiang for a long time, then heaved a long sigh and said, "You have indeed changed a bit!" Chu Liuxiang said, "Oh?" Hu Tiehua said: "It's not that it's changed a little, it's that it has become very powerful. Even if you beat me to death before, I don't believe you will become like this." Chu Liuxiang smiled wryly, "How am I doing now?" Hu Tiehua said: "A dejected and listless look, a look that made me look angry." He suddenly patted the table and said: "That old woman may not be an old monster, but Zhang Jiejie is a little monster." Chu Liuxiang said: "She is not..." Hu Tiehua said loudly: "Who is she? If it wasn't for her, how could you become like this?" Chu Liuxiang said: "But... you can't blame her either." Hu Tiehua said: "Don't blame her who is to blame?" Chu Liuxiang said: "What is going on, no one knows until now, how can you blame her?" Hu Tiehua said: "So you still want to find her?" Chu Liuxiang didn't speak, which usually meant admitting. Hu Tiehua said: "In order to find her, are you really willing to give up everything and sacrifice everything?" Chu Liuxiang said: "I..." Hu Tiehua said: "Are you really willing to give up your boat? Those old Persian wines? And the little reputation that you have worked hard for more than ten years?..." The more he spoke, the louder his voice became, and suddenly he jumped up and said loudly: "Even if you don't want all these things, don't you even want friends?" Chu Liuxiang didn't speak. Not speaking means not necessarily admitting. Hu Tiehua stared at him for a long time, and suddenly fell down on the chair again, sighing: "Actually, of course I know, you still want a friend, otherwise why would you work so hard to find me?" Chu Liuxiang still didn't speak, because he didn't need to say any more. As long as you can really understand the existence of friendship, you don't need to say anything. After a long time, Hu Tiehua continued slowly: "But you'd better not forget that you have many friends besides me!" Of course Chu Liuxiang will not forget. Who can forget Su Rongrong?Song Tian'er?Li Hongxiu? Hu Tiehua said: "They are waiting for you every day, even caring about you more than me, don't you understand?" Chu Liuxiang said: "I understand." Hu Tiehua said: "I also know that you will never want these friends, but once you go, you may never come back." Chu Liuxiang said: "I... I will come back." Hu Tiehua said: "You don't need to lie to me. I have heard the legends about those people. As far as I know, there is probably not even one person in the world who is more terrifying than them." Chu Liuxiang said, "Oh?" Hu Tiehua said: "Because Shi Guanyin, jellyfish, and blood-clothed man, no matter how powerful they are, they are just one person, but they are a family. It is said that everyone's martial arts have reached perfection!" Chu Liuxiang said: "The legend is a legend, in fact... I haven't really seen it before." Hu Tiehua said in a deep voice: "It's even more terrifying because no one has seen it." He didn't let Chu Liuxiang speak, and continued: "But the most terrifying thing is not their people, but the cave where they live." Chu Liuxiang said: "Why?" Hu Tiehua said: "Because no one knows what mechanism or ambush is in that cave." Chu Liuxiang forced a smile, and said, "I've even been to caves like Bat Island, what other places can't I go?" Hu Tiehua said: "Don't forget how many people you went there that time? If it wasn't for Hua Zhenzhen, you would never have come back that time." He continued loudly: "Can you still find someone like Hua Zhenzhen to accompany you this time? I..." Chu Liuxiang interrupted him and said, "Even if I can find it, I can't let her go with me." Hu Tiehua said: "Why?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Because this matter can only be done by me alone, otherwise..." Hu Tiehua hurriedly said: "Otherwise, you will never see Zhang Jiejie again?" Chu Liuxiang sighed and nodded. Hu Tiehua said: "That old woman also said that?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Not bad." Hu Tiehua said: "So you are going to go alone, to deal with their family, even I can't accompany you?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Not bad." Hu Tiehua sneered: "Who do you think you are? A living god with three heads and six arms?" Chu Liuxiang said: "I am not." Hu Tiehua said: "But you still have to go?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Yes." Hu Tiehua said: "Is she really worth it?" Chu Liuxiang showed pain on his face, and said sadly: "Whether she is worth it or not, I will definitely do this." Hu Tiehua said: "Why?" Chu Liuxiang said: "Because I must find out the truth of this matter and find out who that person is. If you were me, I believe you would do the same." Hu Tiehua was suddenly speechless. Chu Liuxiang didn't say anything anymore, she was silent for a while, then slowly stood up, walked over, shook his hand firmly, then turned around abruptly and walked out with big strides. His footsteps were still steady, but also heavy. Hu Tiehua didn't stand up to see him off, and didn't even look at him. It was dark outside the door. Without a star or a moon, his people had disappeared into the darkness. Then Hu Tiehua turned his head and stared at the darkness, as if the old woman's curse sounded in his ears: "...if you go, you have to make up your mind to give up everything you have in the world of mortals..." "...If you don't go, you will be in pain for the rest of your life..." "Even if this trip never comes back, you can't regret it..." Now Chu Liuxiang finally left. What kind of path has he embarked on? Is there a way of no return? Hu Tiehua didn't know...no one knew. He could only feel the cold sweat dripping from his forehead one by one, slowly flowing down the side of his nose. He only knew that Chu Liuxiang would suffer a lot of torture and pain no matter whether he could come back or not. In their view, danger is not a big deal, but some torture and pain are unbearable. Hu Tiehua suddenly jumped up and shouted loudly: "If you are Hu Tiehua, can you just watch Chu Liuxiang go to such a dead end like this?"