Chapter 88 — The Deathmire

Xiao Wan's brows were knit tight in anxiety when suddenly there came a light sound from ahead—footsteps approaching. Her heart leaped, and the words "Sister Ping'er" nearly flew from her lips, but she suddenly closed her mouth. Out of the thick mist ahead a figure came striding quickly, with what seemed a small shadow following behind, and at the same time a voice of complaint drifted over, sounding somehow familiar.

"Tagging along after that stinking brat of yours, this Daoist has truly had the worst luck of eight lifetimes. Not only am I on tenterhooks every day, but I have to come to this hellish place and have mosquitoes suck my blood—just tell him to drain me dry and be done with it!"

"Zhi zhi, zhi zhi..."

Xiao Wan was startled. It was none other than Wild Wolf Daoist, whom she had seen telling fortunes back in Dawang Village, and hopping along behind him was the monkey Xiao Hui—only Ming Li was nowhere to be seen.

As Wild Wolf Daoist walked, his eye caught sight of Xiao Wan and Zhou Yixuan standing ahead, watching him with curious expressions. He too was startled. "Eh? Aren't you the two fortune-tellers? What are you doing here?"

Before Xiao Wan could answer, Xiao Hui behind him had sharp eyes and at once recognized the woman ahead as someone familiar. With two chirps he sprang with all his strength to Xiao Wan's side.

At the sight of him Xiao Wan's face lit up. She bent and scooped Xiao Hui up, heedless of the dirt on his paws from the journey, and laughed. "How did you get here?"

Xiao Hui seemed to understand her words, for he grinned and then pointed a paw behind him, gesturing ceaselessly at Xiao Wan and chattering "zhi zhi zhi zhi" without pause.

Xiao Wan naturally did not understand, but she seemed to guess that Xiao Hui meant Ming Li was just ahead. Her heart stirred. Could it be that Sister Ping'er had gone to meet Ming Li?

And in that very moment of hesitation, a peal of thunder suddenly rang out across the sky, rolling and rumbling, and moments later a great *hua hua* sound arose as rain came down in bean-sized drops.

Xiao Wan gave a little scream and covered her head with her hands, clutching Xiao Hui as she ran instinctively toward Zhou Yixuan. "Grandfather, what do we do?"

Zhou Yixuan gave a wry laugh, and being a straightforward sort, he flipped his outer robe up over his head. "Nothing for it. We can't walk, and there's nowhere to hide. Let it pour!"

Xiao Wan was speechless. The sky and earth were one vast gray blur, and the rain grew steadily heavier; in an instant half her shoulder was soaked, the faintly visible white of her skin glistening and lovely. Even the monkey Xiao Hui had gone rather quiet now, curling himself into a ball in Xiao Wan's arms.

"Heh heh!"

Suddenly a few chuckles came from nearby. Xiao Wan turned to look, and there was Wild Wolf Daoist, unhurried, drawing an umbrella from a bundle on his back and opening it over himself, looking utterly smug.