Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a year had passed.
Under Uncle Niu's careful guidance, Ding Meng and Zheng Ming grew up very quickly. Furthermore, the Star Weave Grass had been harvested this year, and the two children no longer suffered from the cold and hunger. Coupled with their hard work every day, their bodies gradually became stronger.
It was midsummer's night again. Zheng Ming and Ding Meng pushed a wooden cart back from the town. This time, it was empty. The food they had stockpiled was enough to last them for a long time, so recently, they had directly exchanged the Star Weave Grass for money.
As they were tired from the day's work, the two of them rested under the big tree in front of the shed.
"Brother Zheng Ming, what are we going to do with the money?" Ding Meng expressed his confusion. In his mind, food was much more precious than money.
Zheng Ming smiled and said, "Ding Meng, I want to save some money and then leave this place!"
Ding Meng was even more confused. "Aren't we living a good life?
Why do we want to leave? "
Zheng Ming's gaze fell into the distance. "I want to walk around the outside world and take a look. At the very least, we should go to the capital of the Da Sheng Kingdom and take a look, right?
I think Uncle Niu is right. We are good men, so we shouldn't stay in the mountains forever. We should go out and make a name for ourselves... "
Ding Meng said, "If we leave, what will happen to Uncle Niu?
Who will take care of him? "
Zheng Ming patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, when this year is over, we will collect all the Star Weave Grass here in winter and have enough money for the journey. When the time comes, we will bring Uncle Niu with us..."
Ding Meng nodded. "Yes, my life was saved by Uncle Niu. We can't leave him behind."
Zheng Ming smiled and said, "Well said. That's my good brother. Let's go over there and get some well water to relieve the heat."
Once the two of them left, the door of the cowshed was slowly pushed open. Uncle Niu crawled out with his old body curled up. As usual, his face was expressionless, but tonight, the music he was playing was exceptionally melodious and deep.
Drunken and wild songs, the sword's light is cold, the cold moon's lonely shadow covers the snowy mountains. When we wake up, it's hard to sever our gratitude and enmity, but after we get drunk, we'll forget each other …
The old man in his twilight years had been using music to express his feelings all these years, because he knew that the time of parting was coming, but he could never have imagined how suddenly this other way would come.
In the middle of the night, Ding Meng was suddenly awakened by the sound of thunder.
There was often heavy rain in the summer at the border. Before the heavy rain, there was always lightning and thunder. But this time, the sound of thunder was very strange. It was as if someone was stepping on a plank above their head. It was very close to them. It would be strange if they could fall asleep.
Ding Meng snuck out of the shack. He realized that Uncle Niu had been alerted as well. He crawled out of the shack and looked up at the sky with a serious expression.
"Kacha kacha kacha —"
A few twisted bolts of lightning streaked across the night sky. Ding Meng and the other two felt their hair stand on end, which meant that the lightning was very close to them.
Sure enough, a few seconds later, there was an explosion, and the entire canyon seemed to tremble.
"Kacha kacha —"
Another bolt of lightning tore through the sky. This time, the lightning was actually a twisted and thick purple-red. It was like a strange insect tearing at the sky. Ding Meng and the others were all stunned. This was because this was the might of heaven and earth. This was the wrath of heaven that was enough to make any human fear.
"Boom!" A thunderclap fell to the top of the valley, as if something had been blasted into pieces. After a few sparks flashed, Ding Meng and Zheng Ming's complexion changed at the same time. These sparks scattered down, and all of a sudden, the grass was ignited.
Star Weave Grass was very sensitive to fire. Once it caught fire, the fire spread very quickly and was very difficult to put out.
Not good!
Zheng Ming was already rushing up the slope, dragging the soaked carpet behind him!
To those rich and powerful people, Star Weave Grass was really not worth mentioning. But to Ding Meng and the others, this was the only precious place that could provide them with a livelihood. They could not let the mountain fire burn the grass.
Ding Meng was not slow either. He rushed into the grass and raised the carpet, desperately trying to put out the fire. But the fire spread very quickly. When the wind blew, the flames would float 20 to 30 meters away. Zheng Ming could not put out the fire in time. After the two of them put out the fire for a while, the fire grew bigger and bigger. The sudden rise in temperature made it impossible for them to get close.
By the time Ding Meng came to his senses, he was shocked to find that the entire canyon was on fire. Moreover, the fire was spreading from the top to the bottom of the two mountain ridges.
Ding Meng rushed into the fire and hugged Zheng Ming's waist desperately. "Stop putting out the fire, Brother Zheng Ming. Let's go, it's dangerous here!"
"Oh my god!
I worked so hard to plant this grass! "Zheng Ming shouted in despair.
The two of them returned to the bottom of the mountain and found that the trees and shacks were all on fire. Zheng Ming said, "Let's get out of here, we can't stay here any longer!"
Ding Meng looked anxiously at the shacks. "Uncle Niu is still there!"
"I'll go!" Zheng Ming dashed into the fire, carried Uncle Niu on his shoulder, and ran.
Ding Meng was right behind him, using the carpet to put out the fire on the two of them. After a long time, the fire on Zheng Ming's body was put out, but Ding Meng himself was set on fire by the mountain fire. He rolled on the ground and screamed in pain.
"Bro, hang in there!" Zheng Ming used the carpet to hit Ding Meng.
After a while, the two of them were burned beyond recognition. Uncle Niu sighed. "Let's take this opportunity to run. Don't worry about this old man."
Zheng Ming gritted his teeth. "No way!
I'll carry you on my back!
We agreed that we'd leave together! "
He would never know how much of an impact this sentence had on Ding Meng. It was also from that moment onwards that Ding Meng felt that his life had been greatly influenced by Zheng Ming and Uncle Niu.
Zheng Ming carried Uncle Niu on his back and rushed towards the entrance of the valley. However, no matter how fast he ran, he could not outrun the spread of the fire. As soon as they left, the flames engulfed a few shacks like a monster.
Ding Meng and Zheng Ming rushed to the entrance of the valley and were both dumbfounded. The mountain road out of the valley was already surrounded by fire. At this moment, the mountain fire no longer looked like a fire. It was like the clouds in the sky, rolling and surging wildly. The entire valley was a sea of fire. There was no way out. They could only stand there and wait for death.
Zheng Ming gritted his teeth. He wanted to run for his life, but this mountain fire was not like bandits or soldiers. No matter how determined he was, he could not escape.
He could not even get close to it, let alone escape. He felt like he could not even open his eyes if he got even a little closer.
"Zheng Ming, put me down!" Uncle Niu suddenly spoke.
This time, Uncle Niu did not curl up on the ground. He sat up cross-legged and looked at the dancing flames in front of him. His expression was very calm. "Ding Meng, do you know?
My hometown is also covered in colorful clouds! "
At this time, they did not know why Uncle Niu would suddenly say this. However, Uncle Niu still had to say it. "In my village, I also did not see a single Origin Ability user, but I am the first one!"
Ding Meng and Zheng Ming turned their heads at the same time and looked at him in surprise.
At this moment, Uncle Niu did not look dirty or sloppy at all.
His back was as straight as a pencil. His eyes were bright and full of expression. His expression was full of confidence. His whole body was emitting a brilliance that had never been seen before.
He was like a sword that had been hidden for many years. Normally, the sword was in its scabbard, and the scabbard was ordinary and even somewhat rotten. However, now that the sword was unsheathed, its brilliance shone in all directions. Ding Meng and Zheng Ming were completely stunned by his aura.
"I protected that village for twenty years. Unfortunately, I was still defeated and became a cripple. Everyone thought that I was useless, that I had become a piece of trash. I wonder if I am still useful this time?"
As he said this, Ding Meng and Zheng Ming felt a slight chill. The temperature around them seemed to be dropping. When they looked up, they saw that Uncle Niu had pressed a palm against the ground. The ground was beginning to mist. Obviously, the water was being vaporized.
However, a thin layer of ice quickly formed on the ground. The ice layer gradually spread into the flames, and the surrounding flames began to dissipate. This was the release of an ice-type Origin Ability user's Origin Energy.
Ding Meng and Zheng Ming's eyes lit up. They saw hope in escaping.
With a whoosh, the flames that had been dispersed by the ice-type Origin Energy gathered together once more. The sea of flames was like a flood that once again covered the mountain path.
Uncle Niu's expression changed. Ding Meng and Zheng Ming's faces were also ashen. It seemed that Uncle Niu would not be able to disperse the raging flames. Everyone was destined to die here.
As he gazed at the approaching flames, Uncle Niu suddenly laughed loudly. His laughter was very heroic, just like his youthful vigor. However, his laughter was also very sorrowful. "After living for so long, I finally understand this principle. It turns out that a person's greatest enemy is their own inner demons. Zheng Ming, Ding Meng, the two of you are good children. You have served me for so many years. You don't deserve to die here. Uncle Niu will send you on your last journey.
Ah! "As he roared, his entire body began to burn with white flames. This was the Devil Kingdom's unique technique, the" Art of Returning to the Sun ". It burned the Origin Spirit at all costs to stimulate one's potential.
"Go!"
Uncle Niu slammed his palm into the ground again. A layer of ice spread through the flames at a speed visible to the naked eye. This time, it was as if a river of ice had broken through the sea of flames and opened up the mountain path.
"Go!" Uncle Niu roared angrily.
Ding Meng hesitated. "But Uncle Niu, you …"
Uncle Niu had already completely turned into an eye of light, but his voice was still ringing out. "Kids, you have to live well to be worthy of me. Remember, no matter how difficult the situation is in the future, never lower your head and compromise. Hurry up and go. I can't hold on for too long …"
Ding Meng and the other man rushed up the mountain path at top speed and ran out at top speed.
Only when they reached a safe zone did Ding Meng and Zheng Ming turn around. The mountain path that the river of ice had broken through was slowly being consumed by the flames once more. The eye of light also gradually dissipated. Uncle Niu's figure disappeared from this canyon forever.
Zheng Ming knelt on the ground with a thud and kowtowed respectfully toward the mountain path.
Ding Meng also knelt down and kowtowed along with Zheng Ming. This was the first time he had seen an Origin Energy user, but it was not the first time he had seen such astonishing courage.
Uncle Niu, Ding Wenhe, the Civil Guard, and the little girl all possessed this kind of courage that would never lower their heads. It was also this courage that had always motivated him to advance courageously and never give up …
…
Ding Meng slowly opened his eyes. The strange ripples in front of his eyes disappeared, and the scenery of the bridge reappeared before his eyes. Moreover, it was incomparably clear. His low spirits were completely dispelled. He slowly stood up, and a surge of courage welled up in his heart.
No one can defeat me!