Chapter 115 Chapter 110

  Huoxiao Ye took the second place lantern and returned to his room to rest. He washed up briefly, then fell asleep, sleeping soundly until he was startled awake by a knock at the door.

  Huoxiao Yan hastily sat up from bed and shouted: "Who is it?!"

  Outside the door came a familiar voice: "It's me, Zheng Zedao. Huo Xian-di, are you awake?"

  "Wake up! Wake up!" Fire Xiao Ye heard Zheng Ze Dao, hurriedly got out of bed, put on his clothes and went to open the door.

  Zheng Zedao stood at the door with a smile, and beside him was another person who was also smiling at Huo Xiaoxie. Huo Xiaoxie took a closer look and found that the person standing next to Zheng Zedao was actually the thirteenth-ranked Panghai Wei.

  Huo Xiao Ye was taken aback for a moment, then hastily invited Zheng Ze Dao and Pang Hao Wei into the house.

  Zheng Zedao and Pang Haowei entered the room, sat down at the table, with Huo Xiaoxiao sitting beside them.

  Zheng Zedao said excitedly: "Hu Xian Di, I was worried to death! Later, when I heard that you had passed the checkpoint with four number plates, my heart finally felt at ease."

  "Right! Right! Congratulations, Huo Xian Di!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yī said with a embarrassed smile: "It's all luck, it's all luck. I have two name tags, they were given to me by Smoke Brother."

  Zheng Zedao hummed and asked: "Could it be the 14th one, Haerbin Li Liao Zhuo? Nicknamed Smoke Worm?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé nodded and said: "Right, it's him! Hehe."

  Zheng Zedao asked in doubt: "How did he give you two license plates at once? So generous?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié said: "Cough, it's like this...". Huǒ Xiǎo Xié roughly told the whole story of how he had tricked Bào Zhōng into getting poisoned by Huā Niáng Zǐ's Spring Poison and finally giving him the token.

  Zheng Zedao and Pang Hao listened with rapt attention, and Zheng Zedao sighed: "Huo Xian-di, you are a lucky man with a heavenly aura! It should be like this, it should be like this! This little worm looks sloppy, but unexpectedly he's a man of great loyalty. Huo Xian-di, how did you get the other two plaques?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié didn't want to hide the truth, so he told Zheng Zédào about seeing Hóng Xiǎo Chóu's corpse, how they won against Kǔ Dēng and Shàng, and how they kicked over the four-sided clock at the last moment. Upon hearing this, Zheng Zédào nodded repeatedly and praised: "Huǒ Xiān Dì, you're really clever to think of such a wonderful plan, winning against Kǔ Dēng and Shàng."

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé shook his head and said, "I think Sù Dēng and Shàng intentionally let me win. He must have thought of using the method of fetching water to get fire, but didn't do it after all. After all, I was the one who came up with the question, so he had to think about it a bit, not as quick-witted as me."

  "Fire Brother is too humble." Zheng Zedao stopped talking about this topic, took a look at the fat good taste beside him, and smiled: "Right, Fire Brother, today I am specifically introducing you to a friend, that is, this Sichuan-born Fat Good Taste."

  Pang Hao Wei hastily stood up and bowed with his fists, Fire Xiao Xie also quickly stood up and returned the courtesy, politely saying: "I don't dare, I don't dare!"

  The two sat down, and Páng Hǎo Wèi said: "Huó Xiān Dì, Zheng brothers have done me a favor. I was able to pass the test all thanks to Zheng brother's care. If he hadn't given me that numbered plate, who knows if I could be here now? From today on, I'll be one heart with Huó Xiān Dì and Zheng brothers! Let's work together to get through the second test!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé's face was filled with astonishment, his mouth agape but unable to utter a word.

  Zheng Zedao smiled and explained, "That day I was in the cave, originally wanted to give the token to Huo Xian, but he insisted on not accepting it. I thought Huo Xiao must have had his own plans, so I gave up. Later, I met Brother Pang, I think he's a good person, we're on the same path, so I gave him a token and let him pass."

  He looked at Zheng Zedong with great admiration, and said somewhat awkwardly: "I almost failed to repay the kindness of Brother Zheng. I took the token he gave me and rushed back to get my own, because as soon as I entered the cave, I hid it away. But just as I got my own token, I ran into Huā Niángzǐ (Flower Maiden). She had several silver needles with small claws on her hair, and she was quite fierce. I didn't want to get entangled with a woman... ah, no, I didn't want to get entangled with a woman... so I ran away. Hehe, just as Flower Maiden was about to catch me, that man who smokes suddenly appeared. Flower Maiden seemed to be very afraid of him, and after scolding him, she ran away. The smoker didn't pay attention to me either, and chased after Flower Maiden instead. That's how I managed to escape the cave."

  Zheng Zedao smiled and glanced at Piao Hao Wei, continuing to say: "The three passes of the Fire Gate, we have already passed one pass, and the next two passes are unknown to us. I dare to guess that the next two passes will not be about stealing from each other, but rather about testing our skills in stealing other things. Although we are all used to acting alone, it's hard to predict what kind of tricky questions the Fire family will come up with. So if the three of us work together and use our respective strengths, I think we can avoid a lot of trouble and pass smoothly."

  Fat Good Taste laughed and said: "Brother Zheng, you're absolutely right! At this time, we should unite and work together. Not only is it beneficial to us, but it can also resist the secret calculations of others." Fat Good Taste's behavior was probably because he felt that he had climbed onto a high branch with Zheng Ze Dao, and his face showed joy, obediently following Zheng Ze Dao's arrangements.

  Huǒ xiǎo xié ā le yī shēng, màn màn shuō dào: "zhè yàng me…".

  English Translation:

  Huo Xiao Xi ehhed softly and said slowly: “Is that so…”

  Zheng Zedao quickly glanced at Huo Xiao Xie and said: "Young Master Huo, is there something on your mind?"

  He smiled slyly and said foolishly: "It's all right, it's all right! Everything will be done as Brother Zheng says!"

  Zheng Zedao smiled and said: "Since Fire Brother has no objection either, let's strike our palms as a pledge!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié Hāhā yī lè, shēn chū shǒu zhǎng, sān rén hù xiāng jī zhǎng, suàn shì jié méng.

  English Translation:

  Huoxiao Xie laughed and stretched out his palm, the three of them slapped each other's palms, sealing their alliance.

  "Good! Fire brother, then we won't disturb your rest!"

  "It's okay, it's okay, I'm already awake and starving. Why don't we go get something to eat together?"

  "Alright! Fire Brother is right, I'm starving too!"

  Zheng Zedao smiled lightly and said, "Alright then, let's go eat together."

  Zheng Zedao and Pang Haowei were waiting in the living room, Huo Xiaoxiao hastily washed up, changed into new clothes provided by Qingyun Inn, took her own number plate, and went out of the room with Zheng Zedao and Pang Haowei. They came to the lobby of Qingyun Inn and sat down at a table.

  At this time, there were already two tables in the hall. One table was Ben Ganzi and Liang Ba, and one table sat alone with Ku Deng and Shang.

  Ku Deng and the monk saw Huo Xiao Xie coming, slightly nodding to indicate, Huo Xiao Xie remembered Ku Deng's kindness, hurriedly nodded in return. Bing Gan Zi and Liang Ba looked at Huo Xiao Xie, sizing him up from head to toe, without any expression, lowered their heads and continued eating, neither of them spoke.

  Zheng Zedao sat down and looked around before saying, "Everyone who passed the test this time is here except for Jia Dingyi, Yibai and Yan Chong."

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé asked: "Why doesn't Little Treasure's mischief count as passing the test?"

  Zheng Zedao said: "Xiao Bao should still be unconscious, I'm afraid it's up to him when he wakes up, Qingyun Inn will decide whether to let him pass."

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé nodded and asked again: "What happened at Qingyun Inn when I was sleeping?"

  Zheng Zedao smiled lightly and said, "You really asked the right question! I came up relatively early, and the shopkeeper was very polite to me, not hiding anything, so I learned some things."

  "Brother Zheng, please go ahead and speak."

  "If we don't count Little Rascal, there are eight of us who made it through this time: you, me, Fat Good Taste, Jia Ding Yi, Ku Deng and Shang, Smoke Bug, Bright Eight, and Sick Can. After the chaotic thief's closure, Shopkeeper Xiao Er and his men went down to clean up the remaining mess. San Qi Feng and Zhao Shun Cai were killed by Jia Ding Yi, Gui Long died at the hands of Bright Eight, and Jingzhou Sharp Ears was stabbed three times and also died. Ah Ti Mu was killed with a silver needle through his throat, just as Fire Brother said, it must have been done by Flower Maiden. Flower Maiden was carried out of the cave by Shopkeeper Xiao Er and his men, although she's gone mad, but not dead yet, now we don't know where she went. And there's also Red Little Clown, who died at the crossroads, reportedly in a very strange way. Fire Brother, I've heard you mention Little Rascal before, so Red Little Clown's token should have been taken by Little Rascal and ultimately ended up in your hands. Whether or not Red Little Clown was killed by Little Rascal, that's unknown."

  "Red Little Clown's neck had a piece of flesh dug out, and his face was still charred black, it was indeed what I saw with my own eyes. Although Xiao Bao is good at playing with fire and can burn others' faces black, he doesn't seem like someone who would use a knife to kill people. Zheng Ge, do you think Red Little Clown was killed by Jia Ding Yi?" Huo Xiao Xie said.

  "This I also can't infer, but Hong Xiao Guai is notorious, committing crimes in the Sichuan and Yunnan regions. He's not a good person at all. Dying in the chaos of Huo Jia's bandits is fitting for him." Zheng Ze said with disdain, seemingly disliking Hong Xiao Guai very much.

  Fat Good Taste interrupted and said: "I saw Red Clown, I felt uncomfortable all over my body, it looked so eerie, I think it must be the work of A Ding Y."

  Zheng Zedao said in a low voice, "It's hard to say for sure, maybe it was Liang Ba and Bing Huai Zi who had a dispute with Hong Xiao Jiao, and Hong Xiao Jiao tried to snatch their number plates, leading to mutual slaughter. But at present, the most likely explanation is still Jia Ding Yi. This time in Luantouguan, six people died, and Hua Niang Zi went mad, while Nao Xiao Bao fainted, it's a truly bloody affair. Although these people brought it upon themselves, I still think that Huo Jia recruiting disciples might have other purposes besides selecting talented individuals."

  "What did you just say?"

  "Ah, I think the Huo family is using the recruitment of disciples as an excuse to eliminate the evil and inferior sects on the rivers and lakes, as well as their enemies. That Jia Ding Yi, he looks mysterious, his subordinates are ruthless, but when it comes to killing people, he has his own set of principles. Otherwise, why didn't he kill Liang Ba, or Hua Niangzi, or you and me? I think he's actually a Huo family plant, who deliberately faked his own death at the beginning to make everyone think he's not on good terms with the Huo family. And then Jia Ding Yi took advantage of the chaos during the trial to get rid of those who are not up to par."

  Huoxiao Yinying's head was dizzy and swollen, muttering: "It's so complicated? I'm a bit confused."

  Bao Hao Wei listened on the side, frowning repeatedly, scratching his bald head and thinking unclearly just like Huo Xiao Xie.

  Zheng Zedao smiled lightly: "Cough, this is just my speculation, maybe I'm thinking too much, don't take it seriously. Let's call for food now."

  Fat good taste heard eating, suddenly came the spirit, stood up and shouted: "Shopkeeper, shopkeeper, starving to death! Why don't you come to greet us?