Huo Xiao Di listened carefully, his expression easing as he said, “It’s not Xiao Shao who’s coming.”
Zhan Ri Fei asked, “How do you know that?”
Huo Xiao Di replied, “Xiao Shao’s subordinates are all from the imperial guards of Xiang Yang Prince’s Mansion. The horses they use are well-trained military mounts, and their galloping rhythm is always distinct from ordinary horses. Listen to the sound of these hoofbeats. Though powerful, they lack the unique cadence of military horses galloping. Therefore, it’s clear that these people are not from the Xiang Yang Prince’s Mansion.”
—At this moment, the youth in the yellow jacket finally demonstrated the extraordinary skills of Ling Long Manor, known for their “Whisper of Flowers Heard Overnight in the Tower.” His sharp perception and excellent judgment were evident, and Zhan Ri Fei’s eyes already revealed admiration.
Huo Xiao Di pondered further and said, “Why have those travelers a few miles away suddenly gone silent? Could they have disappeared?”
Zhan Ri Fei responded, “Perhaps they didn’t disappear but have stopped moving, which is why we can’t hear any sound.”
Huo Xiao Di’s eyes lit up. “You’re right!” But he quickly furrowed his brows again and said, “Hmm, why are they retreating now? That’s really strange.”
Zhan Ri Fei glanced at him and smiled. “Do you actually wish for both groups to arrive here at the same time?”
Huo Xiao Di shrugged nonchalantly. “As long as it’s not Xiao Shao or people from the Xiang Yang Prince’s Mansion, I don’t care who it is.” It seemed that despite his apparent disdain for the person he called Xiao Shao—Shao Ji Zu—he was also quite fearful of him.
Zhan Ri Fei’s gaze turned profound, and he murmured, “Perhaps this time, we are all mistaken.”
As his words fell, the sound of hoofbeats on the mountain road grew closer.
Chang Hong Bi’s face had turned ashen. He looked at Zhan Ri Fei, then at Huo Xiao Di, his lips trembling, yet he didn’t know what to do.
—The two men before him remained utterly calm. Zhan Ri Fei’s only action was to slowly drape his black cloak over his shoulders. The cloak concealed the wounds left by Chang Xiang Si (lit. “Longing Forever,” possibly a sword or a person’s name) and covered his vest as well.
Huo Xiao Di said, “Soon, you’ll protect Chang Hong Bi and take advantage of the chaos to escape. I’ll handle them.”
His large, dark eyes fixed deeply on Zhan Ri Fei as he added, “Don’t even think about getting any ideas and trying to use this chance to abduct Chang Hong Bi and slip away. If you do, I’ll catch up with you sooner or later!”
Zhan Ri Fei’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I was just wondering, not long ago you were trying to kill me, and now you suddenly trust me. Why the change?”
Just as his words ended, the rapid sound of hoofbeats reached the temple gate.
With a loud bang, the decrepit, long-abandoned temple gate was smashed open by a single palm strike. The resulting cloud of dust, illuminated by the torches held by the riders outside, seemed to swirl like spectral figures dancing in the air.
As the dust rose, Huo Xiao Di was already outside the gate.
The voice of the man known as "Cao Cao" arrived before he did, clear and distinct:
—“I truly didn’t expect this. Since when did the brothers of the Hua family become so useless?”
—“And the Black Demon Fox of Xiang Yang Mansion—why is it so slow this time, like a Black Snail? If it were called the ‘Ever-Changing Black Snail,’ Xiao Shao would probably be furious enough to drop dead.”
As these light, mocking words echoed, the man in the yellow robe, “Cao Cao,” stepped gracefully into view.
Zhan Ri Fei looked up. As he expected, the first thing he saw was Huo Xiao Di’s bright, hopping “rabbit teeth,” followed by his round face beaming with a Cao Cao-like enthusiasm.
Huo Xiao Di, looking smug, pursed his lips in a way that made him resemble a little fox who had just stolen eight chickens.
As soon as he entered the forest, his sharp eyes caught sight of two familiar figures—one sitting, the other standing.
Then, his gaze landed on Zhan Ri Fei’s face, and, to his surprise, his heart sank.
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