Chapter 49 Fire Can Give Birth To Earth (4)

  Shuiyao'er poked Huoxiao with her elbow and said with a smile: "Monkey, you're as clumsy as a big bear on the way here, but you're actually quite agile! Who taught you this tiptoeing step?"

  "Huo Xiao Xie thought for a moment and said: 'Club!' "

  "Club? What club?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé said, "It's just the stick for beating people. When I was young, I followed Beifeng every day. If I got caught, I'd get a good thrashing. There were many people on the streets, so it was more convenient to run with small steps and not be easily caught. Because I was afraid of being beaten, I practiced and became skilled, so it's all thanks to the stick."

  "Ha ha, you're not bad! Looks like you're not a burden after all." The water demon child peeked outside again, clicked her tongue and said, "However, the next section of road is a bit difficult, I'm afraid you won't be able to pass. Why don't you wait until nightfall before going? I'll go scout ahead first."

  "Huǒ Xiǎo Yē was a bit anxious and said: "Hey, you just said I'm fine, why do you want to dump me now? Are you reliable? I can definitely do it!"

  The water demon said, "Stinky monkey, you're so glib! Did I intentionally deceive you? The next section of the road is treacherous, if someone discovers it, won't that be terrible? Alright, alright, I'll wait with you until nightfall. If I leave you alone, who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yē raised his head and gazed at the sun on the mountain top, saying: "The sun has not completely set yet, it's still an hour away! What if those people who chased us to the back of the mountain return, won't that be even worse!"

  The water demon's eyes blinked and said: "That's right! So, monkey, I'll give you something to cover yourself with, and then you can climb over."

  Huoxiao Ye didn't know what Shuixiao Er meant, but he saw Shuixiao Er take out a small cloth package from his backpack and unfold it with a rustling sound. To his surprise, it was a huge square handkerchief, grayish in color, wrinkled and thin, but one could tell at a glance that it was extremely light.

  "What is this?"

  The Water Nymph's expression changed again, and she said lightly: "Originally didn't want to give it to you... This is our Water family's thing, called the Gray Dust Curtain, specially used for hiding and escaping. If you cover yourself with this side, slowly crawl, plus the shade covering, as long as you don't jump up and run around wildly, from a distance, it's just a pile of floating soil."

  Huo Xiao's eyes widened in surprise: "Is there still such a good thing?"

  The Water Nymph nodded and said slowly: "Just now I saw your movement, it should be no big deal!"

  Huoxiao Ye said: "Such a good thing, I, I, I'll use it, just in case..." Huoxiao Ye wasn't being indecisive or afraid of not being able to pass it on, but rather he was a poor thief who had always been afraid to use valuable things, fearing that they would be broken or lost. When Huoxiao Ye was young, he had accidentally smashed an expensive antique vase in Qi'erzi's mansion and was beaten severely, losing half his life and suffering severe injuries, with blood in his urine for a month, but fortunately, he managed to survive. Having experienced this many times, Huoxiao Ye naturally became afraid of using valuable things.

  The water demon child interrupted Huo Xiao's words, flashing her eyes, and said: "There is no chance, I believe you can definitely do it. Remember, climb straight to the wall of the back kitchen next to the firewood pile, lie quietly and don't move, wait for me to come over. If anything happens on the way, don't move! Remember!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié listened to Shuǐ Yāo's words, and his heart was filled with pride and a mix of sadness and emotion, causing him to nod heavily.

  This piece of gray gauze covered Xiao Yan's body, very peculiar. Although it looked light and thin, it tightly adhered to his skin without any wrinkles. From the inside looking out, Xiao Yan could see the outside scene clearly, as if it were transparent. However, from the outside looking in, it was not translucent.

  Huoxiao Ye listened to Shuiyao'er's command, crawled out from the wall of the thatched cottage, held his breath and slowly moved forward, peeking through the reed curtain. Qian Zhanggui, Zhao Yiqiang, Jia Chunzi and Jia Qingzi were sitting around a table, not paying attention to Huoxiao Ye's side. Occasionally, when someone glanced over, Huoxiao Ye would be startled, but then remain still, making it seem like he wasn't crawling towards the back kitchen at all.

  Although the distance was short, Huo Xiaoyao had already broken out in a cold sweat and was extremely exhausted. Just as he saw that there were only ten steps left to reach the wall of the rear kitchen, he suddenly saw Jia Qingzi get up and run towards him with loud footsteps.

  The fire was small but the evil was great, and he was so frightened that all the hairs on his body stood upright. He secretly exclaimed: "Oh no! Have I been discovered?"

  Shuiyao'er hid behind, seeing Jia Qingzi rush over in the direction of Huo Xiaoxie, his expression tense, secretly thinking: "Huo Xiaoxie, don't move! One move and it's all over!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yè saw Jiā Qìng Zǐ getting closer and closer, his heart was racing like a thousand rabbits jumping non-stop, his heart almost bursting, all the muscles in his body tensed to the extreme. With just one thought, he would have jumped up and run away. But Huǒ Xiǎo Yè suddenly remembered Shuǐ Yāo ér's warning, his heart skipped a beat, and he scolded himself: "You're such a coward! Even if he discovers me, what's the worst that could happen? He can trample me to death, but I won't move! Come on, try to step over my grandfather's head! See if I don't break your legs!"

  The fire is small, but the evil spirit has made up its mind.

  He didn't move, staring at Jia Qingzi as he rushed over, muttering to himself: "Cao cao cao cao cao cao..." Jia Qingzi ran straight towards him, and if he took more than a dozen steps, he would trample Huo Xiaoyi's body.

  Jia Qingzi rushed to the front of Huo Xiaoxie, but stopped about ten steps away. He patted his forehead and turned around, heading towards the back kitchen instead. Jia Qingzi ran to the woodpile by the back kitchen, rustling as he picked up a large bundle of firewood, muttering: "There's some here, there's some here, almost forgot!" With the firewood in hand, Jia Qingzi turned around and rushed back again.

  Huoxiao Ye looked at Jia Qingzi's back and scolded, "You're going to kill me! What are you doing with the firewood?" Huoxiao Ye was truly lucky. Jia Qingzi had indeed come for the firewood. He had originally planned to head straight to the woodshed but then remembered that there was still some unused dry firewood by the wall of the rear kitchen, and naturally didn't want to go far when something was nearby.

  Originally in the northeastern border, this season was very cold. If there was sunshine, it would be a bit better. Once the sunlight was blocked, it would quickly become freezing to death. Qian Zhanggui ordered Jia Qingzi to fetch firewood and lit a bonfire in the courtyard. Jia Qingzi indeed did not notice that on the ground, there was still a piece of gray felt, and below it was a small stove. Looking at its straight and swift approach, it's no wonder that the small stove had just been in such a miserable state.

  A hero emerges in youth. This kind of crisis that would make ordinary people jump up and run around in a panic, was endured by Huo Xiaoyao with just one gritting of her teeth.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yè was unwilling to wait any longer, calmed himself down, and slowly moved forward, finally arriving at the wall of the rear kitchen without incident. Huǒ Xiǎo Yè was exhausted, lying on the ground, not wanting to move even a little bit.

  Jia Qingzi fetched some firewood and lit a fire at the edge of the table. He squatted beside it to drink his wine, not daring to take a seat.

  Zhao Yanguan stayed here by himself, without any backing, with a flattering expression on his face, and said to Qian Zhanggui: "Qian Zhanggui, how can you bear the loneliness, guarding the Fallen Horse Inn for ten years?"

  Qian Zhanggui shook his head slightly and said, "I'm just trying to survive, so I had to hide my identity. This life of mine was exchanged by my senior brother Panti Dragon from Zhang Siye's hands. Although I fear Zhang Siye, I cherish the kindness of my senior brother even more, and I am willing to guard this loneliness. This Fallen Horse Inn is actually where Panti Dragon's descendants secretly studied the Giant Pit Array. I've been waiting for the day when Zhang Siye would come out again, and I could use this Giant Pit Array to help him capture people, then I could regain my freedom! I thought it was hopeless for a lifetime, but unexpectedly, we really caught four of Zhang Siye's Five Hundred Miles Messengers! Haha! Haha!"

  "Boss Qian is indeed a good fellow, a man of his word! I, Zhao, admire him greatly! Admire him! Boss Qian, come on, let's have a drink!" With that, Zhao Gun raised his head and downed the wine in one gulp.

  Qian Zhanggui said: "Brother Zhao is being polite!" He also picked up his bowl and drank the wine.

  Zhang Yanguo poured another cup of wine for Qian Zhanggui and asked, "Now that the Luoma Inn has sunk, what do you plan to do in the future?"

  Qian Zhanggui said with a sigh, "Originally, these ten years, guarding this inn, I've gotten used to being the boss. Although it's lonely, it's also carefree. We're from the Dragon Clan, and for half of every year, we're underground digging and eating dirt. Thinking about it, it's really miserable. Hehe, so when Zhang Siye comes, I'll return my freedom and go far away to the south, find a bustling city and open another inn, retire from the Jianghu!"

  Zhao Yanqiang sighed: "Boss Qian is really thoughtful! Come on, let's have another drink! Another drink!" Zhao Yanqiang wanted to finish his drink in one gulp again.

  Qian Guanju declined, saying: "I'm old, can't drink like this! Slow down, slow down! Drinking too much will make mistakes!" Qian Guanju raised his bowl and only took a big sip. Just as Qian Guanju finished drinking, he suddenly turned his head towards the back kitchen, looked intently, and saw that the mountain wind was blowing leaves away, nothing unusual. Qian Guanju hummed: "It's cold!"

  Zhao Yanguan saw Qian Zhanggu's focused expression, looked to one side, and also glanced over, only to see the leaves dancing in the air. Zhao Yanguan said: "As soon as the sun sets, the wind starts blowing wildly, this weather is really annoying!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié looked at Shuǐ Yāo ér with a tilted head, watching as she jumped out from behind the woodshed. Shuǐ Yāo ér had already covered her entire face with a black cloth, revealing only her two eyes. Huǒ Xiǎo Xié was even more shocked by Shuǐ Yāo ér's movements!

  The water elf is no longer advancing with a jump, but rather like a fixed frame, swiftly moving forward a few steps, and then stopping still, either crouching or falling motionless, just like a mechanical person. The frequency of the water elf's movements is sometimes fast, sometimes slow, and the duration of its pauses varies from long to short. Each time it stops, its posture is not completely the same, as if the entire body is following the undulations of the ground, the flow of air, and the changes in light intensity and direction, like a shapeless, formless blackness that is constantly changing, flowing and transforming instantly, and when still, taking on different forms like water turning into ice.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yè crouched on the ground, staring blankly and sighed: "Is there such a movement in the world? It looks like flowing water, from one container to another." If Huǒ Xiǎo Yè didn't know that Shuǐ Yāo ér was moving from behind the woodshed, he might not have noticed anyone moving at all.

  Shuiyaoer bent down and flashed to Huoxiao's side, patted Huoxiao on the back with one hand, and removed his face mask with the other. In a low voice, he said: "Get up!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié only dared to move at this time. Shuǐ Yāo ér picked up the gray tent on Huǒ Xiǎo Xié's body, folded it and put it back into her backpack.

  Shuǐyāoér turned her head and saw Huǒ Xiǎoxié looking at her with a silly expression, his face suddenly flushing red as he whispered: "Monkey, what are you staring at me for?"