Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Who would have expect that after the eighteen men pushed him, not only did Hua Wu Que not fall, he did not even take a step back. His body actually sunk another few inches into the ground.
The more strength the eighteen men used, the faster he sunk. Beads of perspiration dripped down the heads of the eighteen men, who were using all their strength.
Hua Wu Que’s body has actually sunken down by two feet, and half his leg is embedded into the stone ground. He carried a slight smile on his face, as if he had not exerted any strength at all, and was just standing on sand.
The rest of the people stared in awe, as if they were witnessing a magic show, and even thought their eyes were playing tricks on them… could it be he is really standing on sand and not real stone.
Xiao Yu’er was also stunned.
Hua Wu Que’s approach may be more foolish than his own plan, and more difficult, but only this method would surprise and gain admiration from others.
After much thought, even Xiao Yu’er did not know if Hua Wu Que’s method was smarter, or his own plan was smarter.
Hua Wu Que’s body was sinking slower and slower, obviously the strength of the eighteen men wase getting weaker and weaker.
When Hua Wu Que stopped sinking, the eighteen men suddenly dropped to the ground, totally exhausted, and unable to stand up.
Hua Wu Que actually used ‘Shifting Flower and Grafting Jade’ and cleverly shifted the direction of their force. The force which was supposed to push him back, after Hua Wu Que’s shift, is now pressing him down instead. It looked as if they were pushing him, but in fact they were just pressing him down to the ground.
The rest of the people naturally did not understand the intricacy of the move, and the more they do not understand, the more in awe they are of Hua Wu Que’s martial arts, and finally could not help but cheered thunderously.
The Murong Sisters expressions changed unconsciously, and Hua Wu Que said with a slight smile, “Does Madams want to find others to push?”
Murong Shanshan forced out a smile and replied, “Sir’s capability is really incredible, we are all amazed.”
Little Fairy pouted and shouted, “We’ll consider the first task accomplished, but there is the second task.”
With a slight smile, Hua Wu Que bounded up, and when the wind blows, the half of his pants which was embedded in the ground immediately fluttered into the wind like butterflies.
The other heroes cheered continuously, and even after the cheers stopped, the clear, crisp sound of someone clapping could be heard from inside the carriage. Xiao Yu’er’s heart immediately tightened on hearing that sound.
Although he had to admit that Hua Wu Que’s martial arts is indeed worthy of ‘her’ applause, but once he thought of this point, he can’t help but feel miserable.
Hua Wu Que has already asked with a smile, “What would the second task be, would Madam please advice.”
Murong Shanshan rolled her eyes, and smilingly replied “Inside Anqing City, there is a shop that specializes in selling snacks, called ‘Xiao Fang Zhou’. I wonder if Sir knows about it?”
Hua Wu Que replied, “Brother Jiang has brought me there a few times.”
Murong Shanshan continued, “The Eight Treasures Rice, Thousand Layer Cakes made by ‘Xiao Fang Zhou’ is sweet but not overly so, melts in one’s mouth, and is really the most wonderful in the world.”
Hua Wu Que laughed, “I may not be interested in such sweet stuff, but I do have a friend who heaps praises on these two items.”
Xiao Yu’er naturally knows who this ‘friend’ refers to, and the thought of Tie Xin Lan enjoying the Eight Treasures Rice with him is enough to make him almost fall off the tree in anger.
Murong Shanshan smiled gently, “Not only do we heap praises on these two items, but we keep pining about them, and cannot forget them. I wonder if we can trouble Sir to make a trip there to satisfy our craving.”
This task seems to be too unreasonable, and also too easy.
Hua Wu Que was also feeling perplexed, but he would never reject a lady’s request. He was stunned for a moment before he finally replied with a smile, “It would really be my honor if I could be of assistance to Madams.”
Murong Shanshan replied, “But this two items, will only taste good when eaten hot.”
Hua Wu Que sighed, and replied, “When I come back, I’m afraid they will still be hot.” Murong Shanshan smiled even more sweetly and continued, “But for the trip, Sir’s legs cannot touch the ground, I wonder if Sir can do that?”
Once her words were spoken, the others realized therein lays the difficult part of her task. But how could he make the trip to and from An Qing City without his feet touching the ground?
Xiao Yu’er can’t help but want to laugh again, and thought to himself “The tasks set by this Miss Murong are really ridiculous. Two feet not touching the ground, can’t he travel by carriage or horse?”
This is another treacherous task, and if Hua Wu Que is unable to accomplish it but Murong Shanshan was able to do it, with Hua Wu Que’s character, he would admit defeat.
Hua Wu Que suddenly took off his shoes, revealing a pair of clean, white socks and replied with a smile, “Whether my feet touches the ground or not, these socks will be the evidence.”
Before he has even finished speaking, his had already flown off like smoke.
He did not go up the carriage, neither did he ride on the horse, but flew to a large tree and broke off two branches. The branch on his left hand landed lightly on the ground, and he has flown thirty feet away, followed by another light tap on the ground with the branch on his right hand, and he is now sixty feet away. His voice could now be heard coming from a distance, “Madams, please wait a moment, I will be right back.”
He has executed the Lightness Skill ‘Frosty duck plays with water’ to perfection. Although another can use this Lightness Skill, but to cover several li in a moment is impossible.
As the discussion continued, time seems to pass very quickly, and a person could be seen from afar. Hua Wu Que has really arrived, and was holding on to something with his mouth.
His two branches tapped on the ground, his body immediately turned upside down, and his pair of clean white socks were still clean, not a speck of dirt to be seen.
Amidst the cheers, Hua Wu Que somersaulted, and both his feet slipped into the shoes which he had taken off earlier. He threw away the branches, and presented the parcel to Murong Shanshan, and smiled “I have not failed you, please eat it while it’s still hot.”
Murong Shanshan forced out a slight smile and said, “Thank you, Sir.”
She took over the parcel, opened it up, and inside were indeed steaming hot Eight Treasures Rice and Thousand Layer Cakes. She had no choice but to pick up a piece and slowly eat it.
This sweet and fragrant Thousand Layer Cake, actually seems to taste a little bitter in her mouth.
That’s right, Hua Wu Que might have used a dumb method, but Xiao Yu’er not only cannot call him stupid, but he could not help but secretly admire him.
His first ‘stupid plan’ showed off his amazing internal strength, and again with this second ‘stupid plan’ he showed off his remarkable Lightness Skill.
If he had not used these two ‘stupid plans’, not only will the gathered people not clap, they might even throw rotten eggs, orange peels at him.
Murong Shanshan managed to swallow a piece of the Thousand Layer Cake with much difficulty, and she could not imagine that it would be so trying to swallow a piece of cake.
Hua Wu Que did not move until she has finished eating, and asked with a smile, “What about the third task?”
Little Fairy could not take it any longer and shouted, “There’s a house with a closed door. You are not allowed to touch that door with any part of your body, nor are you allowed to hit it with any object. Can you enter this house?”
Xiao Yu’er secretly sniggered, “This third task is even more ridiculous than the second task. He can’t touch the door, couldn’t he just open the window and go in?”
But by now he also knows that Hua Wu Que will never use such a plan. Hua Wu Que was silent for a while before he replied, “There are no houses here, I wonder if this horse carriage…”
Murong Shuang interjected, “The horse carriage will do as well. Your hands cannot touch the door of the carriage, and if you can enter the carriage, you would have won.”
Hua Wu Que shifted his gaze towards Murong Shanshan and asked, “Is that the case?”
Murong Shanshan thought for a while before replying with a smile, “The horse carriage and the house are the same.”
Hua Wu Que asked with a slight smile, “If I accomplish this task, will Madam have anything to say?”
Murong Shuang cast a look at Murong Shanshan, and Murong Shanshan replied, “If Sir can accomplish this task, we would leave immediately.”
She really could not think of anything else that could make it more difficult for Hua Wu Que, and even if they were to fight, they are no match for him, so what else could they do but leave?
Hua Wu Que smiled, “Since that is the case, then would Madam please witness…” As he spoke, he was already walking towards the horse carriage.
Xiao Yu’er thought to himself, “Could it be he can use ‘Hitting the bull from across the hill’ or a similar palm stroke, and shatter the door of this horse carriage?”
Hua Wu Que walked to the front of the carriage, and suddenly said, “Miss Tie, open the door.” A tinkling laughter could be heard replying from within the carriage, “It’s opened.”
The gathering heroes were first stunned, then perplexed, and finally can’t help but started roaring with laughter. Even Xiao Yu’er almost wanted to laugh as well, but on hearing that tinkling giggle, he really was unable to laugh. The Murong Sisters stared at Hua Wu Que walking in the door, and were confounded as well.
Hua Wu Que could be heard asking from within the carriage with a laugh, “I have not broken any of Madam’s rules, and have walked into the carriage. Would Madam agree that I have won?”
The Murong Sisters were tongue tied, and was unable to speak.
The method, which Hua Wu Que used, was even smarter than what the Murong Sisters and Xiao Yu’er have thought, and even more ridiculous. He only used such a plan at the last task, and by now not only will the gathered heroes not look down on him or find him a disappointment, instead they were even more in awe of his intellect. One by one, they all cheered, “Of course Master Hua has won, that goes without saying.”
Even if Murong Shanshan tried to force out a thread of smile, she failed.
She stomped her feet, turned around and walked up the sedan. Murong Shuang followed behind and Little Fairy stared at Jiang Bie He with hatred, and said with a vengeance “Don’t be too smug, I won’t make life easy for you.”
Jiang Bie He looked at her with a smile, not answering.
The eighteen men carried the three large sedans and three small sedans, and ran out of the Valley as if they are fleeing.
Jiang Bie He said with a smile, “Brother Hua’s intellect and martial arts is really the best in the world, I am really impressed.”
As the gathered heroes cheered thunderously, Hua Wu Que clasped his fists in thanks from within the carriage, and the carriage horse rode off amidst the cheers.
Xiao Yu’er looked at the horse carriage, and thought of Tie Xin Lan in the carriage, feeling bewildered. His heart felt like a handkerchief that had been tied into knots, and after a while, he suddenly said, “Since when have I treated her so nice? Why must I suffer for her? I must have seen a ghost!”
When Tie Xin Lan was with him, he did not feel anything, but when Tie Xin Lan is now with someone else, he suddenly felt that she is more important than anything else.
Xiao Yu’er was dazed for quite a while, when he suddenly saw two tall and huge fat men walk out from the crowd, and only then did he remember what he had promised Du Jiao Jiao.
He jumped down the tree, squeezed his way through, and lightly tapped on that ‘Luo Jiu’ Ouyang Ding’s shoulder. Ouyang Ding turned around suddenly, his expression changed.
Xiao Yu’er laughed, “You are always so nervous, it’s strange that you did not get any thinner.”
Only when Ouyang Ding recognized him did he start smiling, “The gratitude of a beauty is most difficult to swallow, and I have no beauty who is gratuitous towards me, so I can only eat to while away my time, so naturally I would become fat.”
Xiao Yu’er rolled his eyes and smiled, “So the two of you already knew that I was the one who took that lady away?”
Ouyang Ding grinned, “Who else would she leave with besides with Brother?”
Ouyang Dang laughed, “Only we did not expect that Brother would also be interested in that silly maid, and took her away as well.”
None of their guesses were correct, and they would not expect that ‘silly maid’ is actually Du Jiao Jiao, and thought that Xiao Yu’er also took that ‘silly maid’ away.
Naturally Xiao Yu’er did not correct them, and grinned “To have is better than not to have, and two is better than one, right?”
As they spoke, they have already walked out of the Valley, and were almost upon Du Jiao Jiao’s carriage.
Xiao Yu’er suddenly stopped walking, and said “The two of you can go ahead, we’ll meet again tonight.”
Ouyang Ding chuckled, “Could it be Brother is going to meet a lady again?”
Xiao Yu’er smiled mysteriously, and said “Maybe…” He deliberately cast a look towards the carriage.
Ouyang Ding rolled his eyes and laughed loudly, “We have nothing to do anyway, and were thinking of having a chat with Brother.”
Xiao Yu’er pretended to be anxious and said, “I have to go someplace else, the two of you…”
Ouyang Dang suddenly raised his voice, “I’m afraid Brother is going someplace else.”
Ouyang Ding had already dashed to the front of the horse carriage, pulled the door open and started clapping and laughing, “My guess is indeed correct, the lady is really here.”
These two brothers, one would always want to take advantage of others, and the other would rather die than be at a disadvantage, and after seeing the ‘beauty’ that they found being stolen by someone else, felt that they had suffered a huge loss. If they don’t take some advantage back, they won’t even be able to sleep in peace. Unanimously, the brothers went up the carriage.
Ouyang Ding laughed, “Brother should come up too, as my brother and I will not be chased off.”
Xiao Yu’er was secretly snickering, “You’d ‘rather die then be at a disadvantage’, seems like you will certainly take advantage today.”
He went up the carriage dejectedly, and sighed “If I had known, I should have avoided you earlier, and not run up to greet you…. ai, I’m afraid all the excitement had gone to my head.”
And so the carriage starting moving, running forward.
The Ouyang Brothers were grinning and sat down comfortably on the thick and soft seat, not knowing that seated opposite them is their nemesis.
Du Jiao Jiao lowered her head, as if she was shy, but actually she did not want the ones sitting opposite her to have a good look at her face.
Ouyang Ding chortled, “It’s only been a day, how did Miss become so pretty.”
Ouyang Dang grinned, “The flower will bloom even more beautifully with the morning dew, don’t you even understand this?”
Although these two brothers are always on their guard against others, but in this carriage, with the wall of the carriage behind them, what is there to guard against.
Even though Xiao Yu’er knows that Du Jiao Jiao wanted to trick these two up the carriage so that she can settle scores with them, but he does not know how she would go about doing it.
Du Jiao Jiao continued sitting there shyly. She did not seem anxious to reveal her cards, neither was there any intention of asking for Xiao Yu’er’s help, as if she is already sure of her plans.
Xiao Yu’er felt that this show is more interesting than the one earlier, and almost couldn’t wait to see how Du Jiao Jiao would strike, and how the Ouyang Brothers would retaliate.
By now the horse carriage has traveled faster and faster, away from the crowd, into the wilderness.
Ouyang Ding can’t help but ask, “Why is Brother’s love nest so far away?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed out loud, “If you want to taste the fruit, you have to be patient.”
Ouyang Dang chortled, “That’s right, that’s right, but….”
Du Jiao Jiao suddenly lifted her head and said with a coquettish smile, “But this fruit is extremely sour, I’m afraid you won’t be able to take it.”
The Ouyang brothers were both stunned, as if they already felt that something was not right.
Ouyang Ding laughed loudly, “Since when did Miss become such a good talker!”
Du Jiao Jiao smiled, “Very long ago, about twenty years.”
The expressions on the Ouyang Brothers’ faces changed again, and the two of them were getting ready to rush out of the carriage.
Xiao Yu’er was secretly furrowing his brows and thought, “When did Du Jiao Jiao become so impatient in her affairs, those two sentences of her, isn’t she afraid of alerting them?...”
Right at this time, there was a ‘poof’ sound, and beneath the spacious carriage seat, four hands shot out from the thick and soft cushion!
The two of them felt numb between their elbows, and their arms were pressed down by the four hands, in addition to an iron hoop around their chest, and they were unable to move at all!
Ouyang Ding was extremely startled and stammered, “Bro… brother, you… why are you doing this?”
Xiao Yu’er felt surprised and funny, and said “This has got nothing to do with me, don’t ask me.”
Ouyang Ding turned towards Du Jiao Jiao and asked, “Could this be… Miss’s idea?”
Du Jiao Jiao giggled, “Who else but me?”
Once the Ouyang Brothers heard that tone, their faces paled, and Ouyang Dang asked, “You… Who are you really?”
Du Jiao Jiao smiled, “It was genuine when you did not recognize me just now, but if you still don’t recognize me now, you must be faking it.”
Ouyang Dang stammered, “We…. How would we know Miss?”
“If you don’t know me, why are you so afraid?”
Ouyang Ding replied with a forced smile, “Afraid? Who’s afraid….”
Ouyang Dang chuckled, “We brothers of course know that Miss Jiao is joking.”
Du Jiao Jiao sighed, “Ouyang Ding, Ouyang Dang, there is no use in you pretending anymore…”
Ouyang Ding said, “Sister Du, you think it’s funny too! A skinny person could actually become so fat.”
Du Jiao Jiao smiled, “I’m afraid you ate pig’s food.”
Ouyang Ding replied, “That’s right, that’s right, we brothers really seemed to have eaten pig’s food, ha ha…”
Du Jiao Jiao stared at them and said frostily, “Now is the time you spit out the pig’s food, right?”
The two of them kept going ‘ha ha’, but did not say anything, and Xiao Yu’er knows that these two must be up to no good again.
Suddenly a person could be heard laughing from beneath the carriage, “Besides getting themselves round and fat over the last twenty odd years, I did not expect the Ouyang Brothers to learn the skills of Ha Ha, why don’t you just accept them as your disciples.”
It was an eerie, weird voice, and it’s Bai Kaixin.
Someone laughed loudly, “Haha, if I accepted these two as disciples, I’m afraid they would even take my trousers, and I can only walk on the streets with my naked butt, haha.”
These two sounds of ‘haha’ were loud and the genuine, ‘child like’, ‘Dagger in Laughter, Little Monk’ Ha Ha’er is here.
The Ouyang Brothers were originally thinking of escaping, but once they heard those two were hiding underneath, what hope do they have of escaping.
Ouying Ding laughed dryly, “Little Brother here unexpectedly sat on two elder brothers, what a sin.”
Bai Kai Xin laughed underneath the cushion, “That’s all right, Sister Du made the bottom area here more comfortable than my own bed at home, and there’s wine and meat….”
Ha Ha’er continued with a laugh, “But the thought of your fat butts right on top of my head, makes me lose my appetite.”
Ouyang Dang replied, “The two of you won’t let go, little brother here is unable to stand up, and if little brother can’t stand up, the two of you can only continue squatting underneath… Sister Du, what should we do?”
Du Jiao Jiao smiled, “Isn’t that easy? As long as you spit out the pig’s food, they will let go immediately.”
Bai Kaixin added, “If not we can always kill the both of you.”
Ha Ha’er continued, “Haha, this is not a bad idea.”
Ouyang Ding sighed and said, “The things that Sister Du handed to us brothers, we had long wanted to send them to the Valley of Evil, but…”
Du Jiao Jiao asked with a frosty smile, “But the things were lost, right?”
Ouyang Ding replied with a dejected expression, “Sister Du’s guess is indeed correct, the second year you went to the Valley, those things were all snatched by someone. My brother and I were afraid that Sister Du would blame us, so we can only…. can only….”
Du Jiao Jiao’s expression did not change at all, even her eyes did not blink, and she said “This is indeed a good reason, but who was the one who snatched the things?”
Ouyang Ding heaved another sigh and replied, “Lu Zhong Da.”
Du Jiao Jiao suddenly giggled, and said “Brother Ha, do you think they told a good lie?”
Ha Ha’er responded, “Haha, not bad indeed, they obviously know that there is no way we can ask Lu Zhong Da.”
Bai Kaixin chuckled, “This is called the dead cannot verify.” Ouyang Dang replied, “If there is any ounce of untruth, then may I be destroyed by heaven and earth, and die a horrible death. I will be reincarnated as a sow in my next life and be barbequed and eaten by Brother Ha.”
Xiao u’er secretly sniggered, “This curse really sounded ridiculous, I wonder how many times a day he says it, or else how could he rattle it out so smoothly…”
However, Du Jiao Jiao raised her head and ignored him. Ha Ha’er and Bai Kaixin were also silent under the cushion, but sounds of chewing could be heard. Apparently Bai Kaixin is starting to eat the meat.
The Ouyang Brothers kept talking, and were sweating from their speech, as if they have talked their mouths sore, but Du Jiao Jiao did not seem to have heard a single word.
The more Xiao Yu’er saw the proceedings, the more interesting he felt it was, and although he wanted to leave initially, now he couldn’t bear to. By now the horse carriage suddenly stopped, and then, a face appeared at the window of the carriage.
This face is cold and pale, so pale until it looked as clear as ice.
The Ouyang Brothers saw this face, and looked as if they had just been whipped, their whole body crouched into a ball, and Ouyang Ding stammered, “So… so Du... Brother Du is here too!”