Chapter 48: The Forty-eighth Chapter, Fire Can Give Birth to Earth (3)

  Huoxiao Ye and Shuixiao Er observed from the mountain slope for half a day. They watched as Zheng Dakuan and Qian Zhanggui's people were busy searching all around, finally gathering in the courtyard to discuss matters.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé said: "Looking at them like this, they might be looking for us."

  Shuiyao'er replied, "They're not in a hurry, Yan Jing Tian must be trapped and can't get out. It's strange, even if the whole house fell into the pit together, Yan Jing Tian shouldn't have trouble climbing out. Did they die?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié let out a startled cry: "It can't be, it can't be... they must just be trapped..." Huǒ Xiǎo Xié said this with his mouth, but his chest still felt a sharp pain.

  Shui Yao'er said: "If Yan Jing Tian and the others can't escape, we won't be able to save them either. We can't stay here for long, if they catch us, it will be even worse! Let's go!"

  "Run? Not saving them?"

  "Save them?" Shui You'er said coldly. "How can we save them? Do the Huo family still need our help? If we go, won't we just be adding to the chaos? Do you want to go down there and kill them all? Have you seen Master Qian's two henchmen? Do you think you can kill them? I'm not going to kill anyone."

  Hu Xiao Yan angrily said: "How can you be so heartless? Yan Da Ge and the others brought you along to take care of you, but Zhang Si Ye wants to catch you, not Yan Da Ge and the others! How could you just watch them die?"

  "Exactly! Zhang Si wants to catch me! Yan Jing Tian and the others are from the Huo family, guests of Zhang Zuo Lin. Zhang Si doesn't have the guts to offend them! The Ling Long mirror is with me, not in the hands of the Huo family! Do you understand? If you want to leave, follow me. If not, I'll leave on my own!"

  "Listen up, Water Demon! I'm Huo Xiao Xie. Although I'm not a member of the Huo family and don't have any special abilities, my name has the character for fire in it! The lives of Yan and his friends are mine to protect! You can leave now! Fire and water were never meant to coexist!"

  The water demon let out a cold snort, twisted her body and flashed behind the big rock. Her shadow flickered for a moment before disappearing without a trace.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yī was dejected and disheartened, let out a sigh, turned around and came back, lay down beside the big rock, and continued to observe the movements below.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié looked at the deep pit and muttered to himself: "How could Yan Dage be trapped? How could he?"

  The little devil suddenly thought of something: "The house that fell into the pit, could it be an iron cage? Is there really such a big iron cage? Hmm...there must be one, with such a big pit, there must be such a big iron cage!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yē scratched his head and said, "Aren't birds just trapped in cages?"

  "How did you think of that?" Suddenly, someone spoke from behind Huo Xiaoyao, and this sentence scared Huo Xiaoyao so much that seven souls flew away and three souls rolled over. With a muffled cry, he tumbled to one side, and when he came to his senses, he saw the icy water demon crouching on a rock behind him.

  The water demon sneered: "With your little courage, you still want to save people?"

  "Humph, I won't save people, but I can steal them!"

  Shui Yao's eyebrows furrowed: "Kidnapping someone?"

  Huoxiao Ye said: "I've seen some cats steal birds by knocking the birdcage to the ground and then prying open the bottom of the cage."

  "Are you saying you want to sneak into the underground to steal people out?"

  Huo Xiao Xie said: "Yes, I've been a thief since I was young, I only know how to steal. Cats steal birds, we steal people."

  The water demon child fell silent for a moment, his face as cold as an iceberg, suddenly changed to a smiling face, and hugged Huo Xiao's neck with great force. Huo Xiao was a head taller than the water demon child, but was still pressed down by him, his head pinched under the water demon child's armpit.

  "Monkey! Monkey! You're quite clever, aren't you? Stealing from Yan and the others, how fun! I love to play!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié's face was pressed against Shuǐ Yāo ér's chest, and all he could feel was softness. Huǒ Xiǎo Xié was already sixteen or seventeen years old, so he naturally knew what this softness was. His face turned bright red as he awkwardly said: "Shuǐ Yāo ér, you... let go..."

  The water demon child didn't think there was anything wrong, listening to Huo Xiao Yao's shouting and letting go, she knocked Huo Xiao Yao on the head, released her arm, sat down beside her, and laughed: "Then let's go steal people! Ah, what stealing people, is stealing Yan Da Ge and those four men. Hmph, you stinky monkey, thieving monkey, hooligan monkey, how did you come up with this term 'stealing people'!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yè saw Shuǐ Yāo ér like this, didn't know whether to hate her or love her. But thinking of Shuǐ Yāo ér leaving without caring about him, his heart was still suffocating. He didn't answer Shuǐ Yāo ér, only coldly asked: "How did you come back? Didn't you want to leave by yourself?"

  The water demon child giggled and said: "One idea from the Water family, do you care? I'm back, what about you? You're so angry, you're so angry! Your monkey butt is all red with rage!"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Xié patted his forehead, and his temper towards Shuǐ Yāo ér also dissipated. Huǒ Xiǎo Xié was a broad-minded person, as long as he wasn't forced into a desperate situation, he wouldn't hold grudges excessively.

  Qian Zhanggui and Zheng Dakuan sent someone to search, but did not find Shuiyaotou and Huoxiaoxie in the pit. After gathering together for a discussion, Zheng Dakuan led his men to search on the mountain slope behind the house, leaving Zhao Yiqiang with Qian Zhanggui, Jia Chunzi, and Jia Qingzi to continue guarding the entrance of the cave where Yan Jingtian and others were.

  Zheng Daquan and his men searched for the place where Huo Xiaoxie and Shui Yuer had been, and soon found a table that Huo Xiaoxie had carried up the mountain. Zheng Daquan was overjoyed and continued to investigate, following the clear footprints that clearly pointed towards the back of the mountain. Zheng Daquan thought to himself that this man and woman were probably no match for him, and that a little girl's legs couldn't be that fast, so he shouted to his men and chased after them towards the back of the mountain.

  Zheng Daquan and his men chased after Huo Xiaoyao to the back mountain, only to find that the back mountain was barren and rocky. Zheng Daquan lost sight of Huo Xiaoyao's footprints, but he refused to give up, relying on his own agility and that of his subordinates, they continued to pursue forward, soon disappearing into the mountains and rocks, going further and further away.

  Zheng Dahe and his men all chased into the back mountain. Huo Xiaoshu and Shui You'er only crawled out from the grass at one side of the entrance to the back mountain.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yā was extremely surprised and said: "Shuǐ Yāo ér, you're really something! How did you know they would definitely chase in?"

  "Ha! You numbskull! If you were leading a group of seven or eight agile people to chase after a young couple, could you have stopped?"

  Huo Xiao Xiāo xiāo chún xiào: "Yě shì, yě shì!"

  English Translation:

  Huo Xiao chuckled mischievously: "Indeed, indeed!"

  "The Water Demon said: 'Now that a group of people have left, it's more convenient for us! Follow me, let's think of a way to dig into the ground first.'"

  Shuiyao'er and Huoxiao Xie quickly descended the mountain slope, arriving at one side of the Luoma Inn courtyard, where they hid in the woods. Shuiyao'er removed the outer garment that had been dressed on Xiaofu, revealing her tight black clothes underneath, then pulled out a piece of black gauze to wrap around her hair.

  At this time the sun was setting in the west, near dusk. The sun stuck to the top of the mountain, only revealing half its face. The shadow of the mountain spilled down, covering half of the ground of the Luma Inn.

  Huoxiao Ye and Shuixia'er sized each other up for a moment, seeing Qian Zhanggui, Zhao Yanguan, and Jia Chunzi standing in the courtyard. Qian Zhanggui and Zhao Yanguan were chatting comfortably, sitting at a table set up in the courtyard, their heads close together. Jia Chunzi was sitting by the well, his two feet dangling into the well, looking carefree. The only one missing was Jia Qingzi, who was holding two kitchen knives.

  Huo Xiao and Ye waited for a while, then saw Jia Qingzi running out of the already half-collapsed back kitchen, holding two jars and a stack of bowls and plates, with a bamboo basket tucked under his arm, carrying mountain goods on his shoulder, and still hooking several cooked cured wild chickens in his hand, rushing towards the courtyard.

  Shuǐyāoér said to Huǒ Xiǎoxié: "How's playing with the wind at your back?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé said, "I'm an expert! In the city of Fengtian, there are only a few who can compare to me." Following the wind is actually one of the basic skills in thievery, which means following the "horse" (the person being stolen from) without letting the horse notice, emphasizing light footsteps and quick movements.

  "Follow me! We're going to the kitchen!"

  Shuiyao'er said, emerging from the forest and following the fence of the Luoma Inn, finding a gap to slip into the courtyard. Huoxiao'e closely followed, also silent and effortless, not falling behind. The two hid behind a haystack.

  The water demon child turned back slightly, and Xiao Xie smiled lightly. She quickened her pace, crouched down, and jumped to the wall of the uncollapsed woodshed like a fox spirit. She stuck close to the wall, looked at Qian Zhanggui and the others, and waved at Xiao Xie. Although Xiao Xie couldn't jump forward like the water demon child, she took small, quick steps, moving silently and swiftly, and soon arrived beside the water demon child.