22, Xu Shenxiu

On the mountains, a huge blanket floats by.
Zhou Buhuo stood still with his hands behind his back, his long hair and green robe billowing in the fierce wind, making a rustling sound. However, he was just staring into the far distance where the setting sun was gradually sinking, lost in thought.
尝云和袁修坐在后面。
袁修倒没第一次时那么紧张了，伸手摸了摸怀中。那里鼓囊囊的，除了十来张符箓，还有一本临行前许老送给他的小册子。
"If you have leisure time, you can flip through it."
At the time, Old Xu just said this sentence, without any extra words. Yuan Xiu just glanced at it, and there was no name on the cover, not knowing what it was about.
"Yuan Xiu, do you know the background of Xu Lao?"
After a long time, Zhou Buhuo suddenly turned around and asked, even though the wind was raging, his voice was clear.
Yuan Xiu shook his head.
周不惑说：“许老本名许慎修，在我之前，他是小队队长。”
袁修和尝云对视一眼。
关于许老的来历，小队似乎也只有队长才知道，他们虽然都好奇，可也不好问，现在周不惑主动说起，自然要认真倾听。
“再之前，则是天庭边军，驻守剑南道，于天启三年退役回长安。”周不惑声音平淡，娓娓道来。
“他之所以退，并非受伤，只是想找个清闲之地，研究一门术法。”
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“With his current idea, if this technique truly succeeds, it might even overturn the balance of the war between humans and demons, hence receiving immense support from the Heavenly Court.”

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“但很可惜，他失败了，术法虽然推演出来，却与道经并不契合，他强行修炼，所以变成了如今这幅模样。”
“此后才由我来接手这支小队的队长之职，可许老并未放弃对这门术法的研究，他虽化身异类，人性却未泯，整日枯坐钟楼，距今已二十载。”
"No one believed he could succeed, even the attention from the Heavenly Palace was gradually decreasing, until forgotten. Even I didn't believe it. But half a month ago..."
Suddenly, Zhou Buhuo turned around.
"He did it!"
坐着的两人，都心中一震。
枯坐二十年，专门研究一门术法，需要怎样的毅力与坚韧心性？何况是自身已化为异类，许老当初变成这幅模样，引来的异样目光可以想见，可他仍不曾放弃。
于是成功了。
“难怪许老性情如此冷漠孤僻……”袁修心中一动，又摸了摸怀中的小册子。
“这门术法，叫易术，五行变易，化身万千。”
Zhou Buhuo's gaze fell on Yuan Xiu, "It is a technique of transformation from the inside out, far superior to disguises and other forms of deception."
Facing the captain's gaze, Yuan Xiu finally confirmed that the little booklet that Xu Lao gave him before leaving was the culmination of his life's work - Yi Shu!
“许老会把它交给天庭，但此术特殊，估计很长时间内都不会对外开放借阅，所以先给了你一册。”
周不惑眸光深邃：“他很看重你。”
Yuan Xiu didn't know what to say for a moment.
He had never imagined that the eccentric old senior would have such a deep connection with him, especially after learning that he was about to leave Chang'an, he realized that it wasn't the case.
他心情有些复杂，扭头看去，长安城已被抛到了极远处的地平线外，再也看不到了。
脚下的飞行器风驰电掣，往东南疾驰。
山高林愈密。
自长安往东南方向去，不过百里，地势经由平原、低矮丘陵，猛地拔高，成为绵延千里、帝国境内最大的山脉：横断山脉。
The Hengduan Mountains extend south to Jiannan Road and west to Longyou Road. To the north lies the end of the Kunlun Mountains, known as the origin of countless other mountains. The geographical location is of great importance. However, this is a land that has not yet been completely 'conquered'!
Because Jiannan Road and Longyou Road do not directly border each other, they are separated by several tens of miles. This distance has become a gap in the empire, allowing the Hengduan Mountains to connect with the foreign demon realm, where there is often demon activity in the mountains. Although every year the Heavenly Court and the empire organize large-scale sweeping operations deep into the mountains, there are still some unrest in these towering mountains where people are often eaten by demons. Even the local people who live on the edge of the mountain range do not dare to venture deep into the mountains.
Zhou Buhuo said that Lu Xiaoyou grew up here.
He piloted the aircraft and sped forward at full speed, and only arrived in a small mountain village in the early hours of the next day.
"It's up on that mountain."
To avoid disturbing the locals, Zhou Bu Huo put away the aircraft and pointed to a small hill in the distance.
The hill was not tall and there seemed to be a small temple near the top.
Next to the mountain, a small stream flowed down from a deep forest and meandered through the village of about a dozen households in front of their eyes.
三个外人的到来，惹来不少本地村民的诧异目光，大约是没想到这样的闭塞小山村还会有外人来。
三人沿小径登山，不多时，就来到那座小庙前。小庙真的很小，不过一座院子，一间不算大的大殿，以及几座偏房，掩映松柏间。门口还挂了个斑驳的牌匾：长生观。
道观旁边，还有几座小坟包，没有墓碑，倒是打扫得干干净净。
"Captain!"
三人刚一到，陆小悠清脆的声音就响了起来，蹦蹦跳跳从观里跑了出来，旋即狐疑的看着尝云和袁修：“你们怎么也来了？”
三人相对无言。
还是周不惑最先开口：“此事容后再说，你师傅呢？”
陆小悠指指山下小村：“师傅打酒去了。”
“这种事该你去才对。”周不惑责怪道。
"Oh, I wanted to keep an eye on them. What if they run away?"
Lulu stuck out her tongue and quickly led the three of them into the Taoist temple.
Yuan Xiu and Chang Yun were both visiting for the first time and couldn't help but look around curiously. This was where Lulu had grown up. As soon as they entered the temple courtyard, their gaze fell on the figure standing in the middle of the yard.
"Is it him?!"
两人齐声轻呼，瞪大了眼。
院子中一个穿着不太合身道袍的中年人，正在青石地面上打坐吐纳，虽然胡子已刮了，头发也梳理得整整齐齐，可两人还是一眼就认出了他的身份。
丁度！
“How did he get here?”
袁修脚步一顿，颇为意外。
当日刺杀之事结束，他就已知道，不良人的主谋者正是丁度，此人装疯卖傻数年，就为了等一个刺杀李景行的机会。
After the assassination failed, almost all the members of the Night Raiders were either dead or arrested, except for Ding Du, who fled and disappeared.
But Yuan Xiu never expected to meet him here.
He couldn't help but look at Zhou Buhuo beside him. Could it be that the captain arranged this?