Chapter 90: Side by Side

At noon on the third day, there were more people at the point of convergence. They were a few lamas, and they looked a little more fierce than ordinary people. When they saw me and my master, they tried to hide it, but the complex emotions in their eyes would occasionally show.

Perhaps sensing the atmosphere was not right, one of the messengers of the Snow Mountain lineage at the point of convergence said inexplicably, “The pure land of the Snow Mountain lineage, including every point of convergence, is free from grudges and hatred.” Then he silently retreated.

However, this casual remark had a great warning effect. After listening to it, the few lamas first looked stunned, then they walked to another corner of the cave on their own initiative, talking to each other in low Tibetan, making an appearance of not interfering with us.

I don’t have any personal feelings about the lamas, but ever since I first entered the Tibetan region, I have vaguely felt that I have a relationship with the lamas in a certain mysterious temple, and it seems that it is not a good relationship… For example, the Man people who chased us to the border, the lamas who followed Wu Tian, and some grudges in Lushan… So when this group of lamas walked into the cave, I was subconsciously very vigilant.

Especially after seeing their strange gaze, my vigilance turned directly into defense.

But since this is the territory of the Snow Mountain Sect, my master and I are safe, so apart from being on guard, my master and I didn’t pay too much attention to them.

We don’t understand Tibetan, so naturally we don’t know what these monks are saying. I’m sensitive, so I can feel that these people will look at me and my master from time to time when they are talking. I pretended to be cooking noodles as if nothing had happened, and then whispered to my master, “These people are up to no good.”

My master took a sip of hot water and whispered back to me, “I’ve sensed it for a long time.”

In this mutual defense, the two of us managed to spend a peaceful lunch. After lunch, as usual, a messenger from the Snow Mountain Sect came out to ask us when we were leaving, so that they could send someone to pick us up.

My master and I were waiting for Qiangzi, so we naturally weren’t in a hurry to leave… But to our surprise, the lamas didn’t leave either. One of them said to the messenger in Chinese, “We’re not in a hurry either. Let’s just go with them, and save you the trouble.”

The messenger from the Snow Mountain sect naturally wouldn’t care what was going on. Since the lamas had made their position clear, he left with a faint smile. But I felt a chill in my heart. Why did they want to leave with us? Did the lamas already know who we were?

But no matter how much I speculate, there is no way we can talk to each other. I guess I can’t guess their purpose and identity, and I can only pretend to be like water that doesn’t interfere with the river.

Two more days passed, and the lamas were really determined. If we didn’t leave, they wouldn’t leave either… and the looks that the master and I exchanged were getting more and more strange.

But in the afternoon two days later, we finally waited for the person we were waiting for – Qiangzi.

He was escorted by several people who were obviously shamans at first glance. As soon as he arrived, he excitedly hugged me, and as for the few trumpeters, Qiangzi simply ignored them.

“Brother, I knew everything as soon as I woke up. I…” Qiangzi ignored the trumpets and spoke without any concern. I knew that some of the lamas could speak Chinese and naturally understood Chinese, so I quickly laughed and pulled Qiangzi out of the cave.

Qiangzi was a little confused, but at this time, the several shamans who had escorted Qiangzi were about to leave, and they pulled Qiangzi aside to whisper something, interrupting Qiangzi’s conversation with me.

Fortunately, these shamans were not long-winded. They probably had already explained everything to Qiangzi on the way, so they just said a brief goodbye and left.

After they left, Qiangzi was very happy, as if he had gotten rid of something. He walked over to me, put his arm around my shoulder and continued, “Brother, why did you drag me out just now? I’ll tell you, all these years…”

I could only interrupt Qiangzi again because I saw that Master was giving me a wink in the cave not far away, meaning that I should keep Qiangzi away from me… I could only walk away with Qiangzi again.

“Brother, what’s going on? Why are you acting so strange?” After this happened twice, Qiangzi was a little dissatisfied and said to me in a distracted manner.

I lit a cigarette quietly. From this meeting, I really realized that Qiangzi’s personality had changed a lot. He naturally wouldn’t be angry with me, but the kind of impudence and impulsiveness in his conversation could be felt.

I was vaguely worried, but I just hoped that Qiangzi could suppress the so-called ancestral spirits… But I couldn’t tell Qiangzi these things, lest he get the wrong idea, so after I exhaled a puff of smoke, I lightly put my arm around Qiangzi’s shoulder and said, “Actually, it’s nothing. There are a few lamas in the cave, and they don’t look friendly. My master and I have to be on guard against them. There are some things that we naturally can’t let them hear.”

“Brother, are you serious? Can we meet people with ill intentions at such a secret meeting point?” Qiangzi’s eyebrows furrowed.

I smiled and said, “Of course it’s true. You know how Yang Sheng is now. My master and I are like rats on the street. It’s only natural that we meet a few people who don’t mean well to us.”

“Then you’re still so relaxed…” Qiangzi complained to me, and the next moment he turned and walked towards the cave, rolling up his sleeves as he walked and angrily shouting, “Since they don’t have good intentions, then I’ll beat them to the ground and make them look for their teeth.”

How could I let Qiangzi do something so reckless? I could only run two steps, grabbed Qiangzi, and said, “It’s all speculation. You’re just scaring the snake. Let’s observe the situation for a while.”

Qiangzi seemed to be angry again. It took a long time for him to calm down. He said in a muffled voice, “Brother, I’ll listen to you.”

How could this be? I looked at Qiangzi, my eyes full of worry. I took a deep drag on my cigarette, and for a moment I suppressed the urge to try to persuade Qiangzi. Instead, I changed the subject, half joking, half serious, and said to Qiangzi, “You are now the treasure of the eighteen villages of the Ancestor Wushu. How come the great shaman who escorted you here this time just left so abruptly?”

In fact, I was a little worried about Qiangzi. With such an impulsive personality, if something really happened in the future, what if something happened to him? In my heart, Qiangzi has such a good future that he must not be damaged.

Even if I die, Qiangzi must live. So, isn’t it safer to have a few great shamans protecting him?

“Oh, that’s what the great shaman Budeng told me. This time, my actions are personal and do not represent the attitude of the eighteen clans of the ancestral shaman. Therefore, it is not good for these great shamans to get involved.” Qiangzi didn’t hide anything from me and told me everything.

After hearing this, I was even more worried and at the same time more confused. What did my master say to the great shaman that made him almost completely “hand over” Qiangzi to protect him? So, with these complicated thoughts, I could only pat Qiangzi on the shoulder and say to him, “That’s okay. No matter what kind of fight we’re going to fight, I’ll always protect you.”

“Brother, you still think you have to protect me… Now, I’m very strong. Do you believe it?” Qiangzi was a little dissatisfied with my words, took my hand off his shoulder, and embraced me with his other hand, his tone a little proud and serious.

“Of course I believe you are strong, but that doesn’t affect my desire to protect you.” I said with a smile, but I was serious. I of course believe that Qiangzi is very strong. Just by looking at the shadow of the monster behind him, it is already full of infinite potential… But thinking about the enemy we are facing, I think I can only protect him a little.

“Okay, you’re my brother, so whatever you say goes.” Qiangzi seemed in a good mood, and this was the second time he had said that. Without giving me a chance to respond, he began to speak excitedly: “Brother, I actually wanted to tell you just now. When I woke up, the great wizard told me everything. Before he finished, I told him firmly that I would fight with you, no matter what.

“Silly,” I said with a smile, but I was actually very moved. This was a continuation of the relationship between Master and Sun Kui, and it had continued to me and Qiangzi. It was so strong, a strong determination to live and die together. I should be grateful, in addition to being moved.

It’s just that at this age, I can’t express it anymore. One word, “stupid,” contains all the emotions.

“How can it be silly? Brother, in fact, when I was in a coma, I was still conscious. I could vaguely know a little bit. You and Master Jiang wanted to take me away and let me fight with you. I wanted to say that I was going to… But I couldn’t move or speak… I’m sure you were troubled by that old man, Bude. “Qiangzi said seriously.

That old man, Bude? I guess only Qiangzi would dare to call Bude the great shaman so insolently in the Miao village of Leishan.

“It didn’t make things difficult for us… It’s just that, Qiangzi, this battle is unpredictable, and I don’t even know when it will come, or how it will come. I don’t have a clue about how many forces will be involved, so…” I said very seriously.

But this time, Qiangzi patted me on the shoulder and said, “Brother, don’t say anymore. Before I went down the mountain this time, I became stronger. You can trust me… Also, don’t say anything moving to me, because it was my grandfather’s wish to be able to stand side by side with Master Jiang… And now, I am very happy that I can fight side by side with Master Jiang’s only disciple at such a young age.”