Chapter 833: Another Old Friend
They sat on the lawn in the backyard, took out wine sets and food materials, and began to cook by themselves. Ding Hao was a barbecue enthusiast in his previous life. When he went out for adventure and training alone, he also fed himself in this way. He enjoyed the way he lived.
"I happened to bring some fine wine from the Sword Province this time. Please have a taste." Hua Huai'an took out dozens of jars of sealed good wine from his Storage Ring, which were the famous wines he collected from all over the Northern Region. As he removed the lid, a tempting aroma wafted out of the jar.
"Good wine! It smells so good." Lyu Kuang, the Crazy Kuang, sniffed around and was the first to take the wine jar.
Since even Ding Hao called Hua Huai'an and Gu Shaochu brothers, others also had to respect them. Among them, Wang Xiaoqi had maintained frequent contact with the Camel Caravan because of the trade between the two sects. As a result, he was very familiar with them. He greeted them and had a good time together.
"When Master Qi Qingshan was still alive, he loved fine wine the most." Ding Hao sighed. He took out a glass of wine from each wine jar, faced the Valiant Burial Ground of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect, and sprinkled it.
Soon footsteps were heard outside.
Ding Hao got up with a smile and said, "Junior Sister Murong, Junior Sister Yu, Junior Sister Tianyin, you are all late. You shall drink for punishment."
The people who showed up this time were Murong Yanzhi, Yu Jueyao, Tianyin, Qingtan, and former female disciples of Li Yiruo. Ding Hao was in good spirits. He wanted to recall the old days when he was a nominal disciple, so he asked the sect disciples to invite all of them.
"Senior Brother Ding, you are now a busy man. We dare not disturb you." Yu Jueyao said with a grin.
The beautiful little girl had become a pretty young lady. Yao Jueyao was in a long green dress, beautiful enough to feast people's eyes. Behind her, Murong Yanzhi became more and more like an iceberg beauty and domineering lady. Qingtan and Tianyin, on the other hand, were less talented, but they were also outstandingly beautiful among the nominal disciples of that year with their style.
"Why are you in such a good mood today, Senior Brother Ding?" Murong Yanzhi asked with a smile.
"I suddenly miss the time in the past. When I was still a nominal disciple, although daily cultivation made me toilsome, I didn't have to worry about sect affairs. In the blink of an eye, more than six years have passed. Year after year the blossoms look-alike, while people never remain the same. Now, you and I both bear the responsibility of reviving the sect. There are not many opportunities for us to gather together again. Today, I make bold to invite you all to sit down and drink a cup of wine. It is also a kind of enjoyment to find a moment of leisure in a busy life!" Ding Hao said with a smile.
"That's right. Since you left three years ago, Senior Brother Ding, I have no chance to ask you about the difficulties in martial arts cultivation." Yu Jueyao was still as innocent as before. She just sat on the lawn, opened a jar of wine, raised it, and took a big sip.
During the experience inside the site of that ancient Sect on the Western Rock Mountain Range, Yu Jueyao and Murong Yanzhi had sworn to live or die together with Ding Hao. They were also Ding Hao's best friends.
In addition to Hua Huai'an and Gu Shaochu, everyone else was his Senior Brothers or Junior Brothers, and they had a friendly relationship with each other. Even Lyu Kuang, the Crazy Kuang, who used to be an asocial person, became more active under the guidance of Wang Xiaoqi and others.
In the past, when Ding Hao was not around, these people would take time to gather together from time to time. They were very close to each other.
There was a refreshing aroma of wine in the air.
Ding Hao also wanted to have a good talk with all his friends before leaving. He drank with them one by one and played the finger-guessing game loudly. Seeing that Ding Hao was in good spirits, everyone felt relieved and enjoyed themselves. If outsiders saw this group of drunk guys, they would not believe that they were martial arts masters above the Primordial Realm. People might think that they had entered a market where vendors gathered.
"Senior Brother Ding is a little strange tonight. He rarely drinks like this," Murong Yanzhi whispered to Yu Jueyao.
Yu Juehao nodded and said, "Yes, I also feel that he was worried about something. Maybe he is leaving again."
Murong Yanzhi looked at Li Yiruo, who was sitting next to her. The eyes of the former most beautiful lady among the five academies had been firmly fixed on Ding Hao. Obviously, she knew something that others didn't know, but it was not appropriate for Murong Yanzhi to ask anything.
Murong Yanzhi suddenly smiled and said to the distance, "Who's there? Girls, come out."
Nizi, Huanhuan, and Gao Xue'er walked over shyly from a distance. They greeted Martial Uncle Murong respectfully, and then came to Ding Hao to greet him.
Ding Hao laughed and sent gifts to them.
These three little girls were very talented, and now they were all experts above the Primordial Realm. They were the Three Beauties of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect and the focus of the Li Lan's training. Since their fates had changed because of Ding Hao, they admired and respected Ding Hao as if he had given them a second life.
"Martial Uncle Ding, I propose a toast to you on behalf of my former friends in the slums district." Huanhuan lifted her wine glass and plucked up the courage to say so.
"And we..." Gao Xue'er and Nizi also came to him.
Ding Hao flicked the foreheads of each of the three little girls with a smile and said, "There is no seniority in the sect today. Girls, you can call me Brother Ding." All sorts of feelings well up in Ding Hao's mind. In the blink of an eye, the three little girls had also become beautiful and charming young ladies.
Hearing Ding Hao call them girls, the expressions of the three beautiful girls were quite different. Gao Xue'er sighed. She had always admired Ding Hao, but obviously, there was a big gap between them in terms of seniority and strength. She also knew that she couldn't marry this handsome man in front of her, so she could only give up now.
Seeing the three little girls went back and sat down, Ding Hao shook his head gently.
At this moment, the sun had set completely, and the emerald moon was hanging in the sky. The silver light emanated by the moon made people have the misconception that they were intoxicated even they didn't get drunk.
Ding Hao was about to say something, but the next second his expression changed tremendously. He stood up suddenly, and his eyes suddenly became ferocious. He turned around to look at the back and said, "Who are you? Why don't you show up? Why are you hiding sneakily?"
Everyone froze with shock.
They didn't notice it at all, but they couldn't approach Ding Hao's strength. Was there someone peeping from the dark? Who dared to break into the Swordsmanship-seeking Villa? Didn't he know that the Saber and Sword Addict and the Mad Saber were guarding the villa now?
The moon was shining hazily in the clear sky. No sound could be heard.
Ding Hao sneered and said, "Since you don't want to show up, please excuse what I will do next."
Before he finished his words, a flash of bright sword light shot out from Ding Hao's fingertips as fast as lightning.
Darkness came over people's eyes. Where the sword light passed, in the void twenty meters away, a shadow of a golden brick wall flashed and successfully blocked the sword with a boom.
How could he ward off Ding Hao's attack?
Who on earth was this person? How could his strength be so terrifying?
Ding Hao looked grave. He took a step forward, pointed out two fingers, and a row of silver sword light and sword intent erupted.
"Amitabha. I didn't expect Almsgiver Ding's strength to have improved so much. It seems that it's impossible for me to show up a little later." Following the chanting of the Sutras was an explosion of golden light in the sky, whose sound wave seemed tangible at that moment. When it collided with the silver sword light and sword, it perished. Then, a figure in light yellow in coarse linen slowly walked out of the void.
Ding Hao was stunned, and then a look of joy appeared on his face.
Everyone looked up and saw a slender young monk with a jade-like face and big ears. He was extremely handsome and elegant and a rare handsome man. He had stolen the hearts of countless girls, making them crazy. Even with six scabs on his head, he had a kind of evil temperament that could easily make women's hearts skip a beat.
The young monk could draw with Ding Hao. He was obviously powerful.
However, he looked pale and seemed to be mentally ill.
"Ah? It's the Golden Cicada. Since you're our old friend, why did you sneak in?" Wang Xiaoqi said loudly.
This handsome young monk was Golden Cicada, the successor of the Great Leiyin Monastery, a sacred place of Western Desert Buddhism. He had visited the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect before.
Ding Hao's gaze swept across Golden Cicada, and his face suddenly revealed a trace of surprise. He nodded thoughtfully and said to him, "You are our guests coming afar. I'm sorry for neglecting you. Please follow me." Then Ding Hao smiled and said to the others. "Excuse me for a moment. Please enjoy yourselves."
Golden Cicada nodded and waved to the crowd. Then he followed Ding Hao, disappearing in a few steps.
Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what was happening.
Wang Xiaoqi patted his forehead and suddenly realized that Golden Cicada had a close relationship with Ding Hao. "He could have sent someone to report to Ding Hao, but he snuck into the Swordsmanship-seeking Villa. Obviously, he did not want others to know his whereabouts. However, I shouted so excitedly. Did I do something wrong?"
"Moreover, Senior Brother Ding looked so serious. Did something big happen?"
In the secret chamber, Ding Hao frowned and asked, "What happened? Why are you so badly injured?"
Just now, Ding Hao could tell at a glance that Golden Cicada could only rely on Power of the Origin to survive although there were no wounds on his skin. If it weren't for his profound cultivation, he would have died long ago if he were an ordinary person badly injured.
Golden Cicada was the successor of the Great Leiyin Monastery, a sacred place of Western Desert Buddhism. Not to mention his extraordinary strength, how could a master with such a high status be seriously injured? What kind of person would dare to hurt him so badly regardless of his sect? Wasn't he afraid that the Great Leiyin Monastery would take vengeance on him?
Since there was no one else around them now, Golden Cicada immediately resumed the true qualities of a rogue monk. He no longer pretended to be an eminent monk. Instead, he just sat down on the ground and grinned, "Amitabha. Let's not talk about anything else. Do you have the healing medicine? The best kind? I'll die if you don't treat me immediately."