谢贻香一怔之下,脱口问道:“混沌兽?”
要知道之前言思道曾在梦中向自己讲述了一个“穷盗匪和富盗匪”的故事,说那所谓的“混沌兽”,其实是指当年鄱阳湖救驾的老鼋,难不成曲宝书等人在那团迷雾当中,当真见到了一只巨大的老鼋?
她立刻便否定了这个想法,就连言思道也曾说过即便是这“老鼋”一说,也只是市井中人虚幻出的鬼话罢了,做不得真。更何况曲宝书方才这番话,分明和言思道的说法有些不同,却是把“阴兵舞”和“混沌兽”两者的顺序颠倒了。
转念间,谢贻香又想起当夜众人强行拆除姚家古宅里的阁楼时,曾有一块诡异的石雕自废墟中滚落出来,当时曲宝书曾说这石雕取的乃是“混沌”之相,莫非他们在迷雾中遇到的东西,便是和那块石雕类似的东西?
曲宝书似乎猜到谢贻香心里在想什么,当即一笑,说道:“小姑娘可别胡乱猜想,穷酸所谓的‘混沌兽’,可不是那夜姚家古宅里的那块石雕。那石雕不过是以《山海经》里的神话描述雕刻而成,所以它越是和神话中的模样相似,反而越不可信了。何况在这江西一带,自古便有迷信之人,信奉以凶物镇压凶宅之说,但凡是公认的险恶之处,便必须要用更为凶恶的神兽加以镇压,方可保得安宁。诸如青龙、白虎、朱雀、玄武乃至麒麟,都曾被用做于镇压。相比起来,混沌这一盘古开天辟地时的上古凶兽,更是凶恶无比,那姚家古宅里既然藏有那么多尸体,选用混沌的石雕来镇压凶煞,倒也在情理之中。”
说到这里,曲宝书的双眼中忽然泛起一股兴奋的神色,沉声道:“然而在那日的迷雾当中,我们所见到的‘混沌兽’,却决计不是这样的,而是真真正正的一只凶兽了……”说到这里,他忽然展颜一笑,说道:“说来倒也惭愧,要知道当时的情形凶险至极,生死只在一瞬间,合穷酸、戴老七和牛鼻子三人之力,也只是侥幸逃脱出来。至于那凶兽究竟是怎生模样,我们却是谁也没能看得清楚。”
若是旁人说出那迷雾中暗藏着‘混沌兽’,谢贻香非但不信,甚至还要以此笑话于他。但此刻这位潮音洞前掌门人曲宝书亲口所说,一时倒叫谢贻香不知如何是好。她当即忍不住抬眼望了望队伍前面的戴七,又转头去看后面软轿上的海一粟。海一粟见谢贻香望向自己,不禁苦笑道:“曲施主所言不差,只怪老道无能,苦心学道半生,空有一身道法,当时也是无计可施,倒叫女施主见笑了……”他的声音越来越小,说到这里,忽然止住话语,旁边的曲宝书也换作了一脸凝重之色,一时间,周围的气氛随之变得不大对劲。
谢贻香心中一跳,右手五指微动,已握紧了腰间的乱离。此刻她虽然身在软轿之上,却是因为之前被海一粟施下了“七星定魂阵”,从而将她的神识封印起来,引起的短暂失智,身体却是无恙。如今这一凝神查探,顿时感到四面八方都有轻微的气息涌动,正是有高手在暗中行进的征兆。再看队伍前方领头的戴七,此时也已停下脚步,将手中擒拿的吴镇长和金捕头两人丢在一旁,两脚不丁不八站立,一副如临大敌的模样。
只听前面软轿上的鲁三通用嘶哑的声音缓缓问道:“这次来了几个?”身后的海一粟默念片刻,忽然笑道:“何止几个?简直便是十面埋伏,和之前我们遇到的那些黑袍施主相比,武功只强不弱。”曲宝书当即冷笑道:“哼,看来经过多次尝试,这些个孤魂野鬼已然准备妥当,这才大动干戈设下埋伏,要在此地和我们做一次了断。至于方才那杂货店的李老汉,便是他们最后一波前来查探之人。”
要知道众人此刻依然身在赤龙镇中,虽然已临近小镇的边缘,周围还是零零星星地修建着不少房舍,隐隐露出一副荒败之象;房舍之外也不见农田,只有无尽的野草枯树,蔓无边际,远处依稀还能听到鄱阳湖中轻浪拍岸之声。谢贻香突然生出一个奇怪的念头,心道:“这赤龙镇地处江西的鱼米之乡,在赤龙镇衙门的赋税文书中,分明也有粮田赋税的征收记录,而且镇上每年的赋税分明都已照例缴清。但为何我来此地一月有余,却从未见过镇上有百姓务农?倘若镇上的百姓从不种田,赋税又是如何交齐的?”
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