Beginning with the Ubume Bird

Chapter 225: Chapter 62 A Preliminary Test of Skill

“`

Zhang He was inclined to make a move: he had several proud disciples and sworn brothers under him with formidable strength, but none of them was absolutely sure they could win against Yan Laoba, the man under Cai Qian’s command. Losing the first battle would be too much of a blow to morale.

But for him to enter the fray himself from the start would really undermine the authority of a leader.

He glanced unconsciously in Li Yan’s direction and saw that this fellow was making faces, his mouth crooked to the point it was almost hanging a kettle, gesturing to where the members of the Red Flag Gang were seated.

“Go on! Fight!”

“Will you reimburse me if I lose?”

...

“Cut the crap. Losing a match costs ten thousand taels, I’m not paying that unjust debt.”

“You’re so stingy. Why don’t you go up?”

“When have you seen the Dragon Head fight first?”

“I’m just a horse boy of Red Flag, Brother Zhi Nong, Zhao Xiaoyi, and there are so many Gaoli ghosts too. If I go up now, those Red Flag folks will surely poke my spine. I don’t like to listen to them.”

“Horse boy, is it? When it’s time to divvy up the loot, I’ll take ninety percent, you get ten. Just sit down and smoke. I’ll make sure no one sends you in.”

Upon hearing this, Cha Xiaodao clicked his tongue, slapped his buttocks, and stood up.

He hiked up his sagging pants with one hand, and with a clear voice, announced, “I’ll go~”

“Xiao Daozi, you…”

Some Red Flag pirates frowned. Apart from being close with Tianbao Dragon Head, Cha Daozi was not so prominent. Even someone like Gu, who was considered skilled among Gaoli ghosts, had to wait for the decision of Zheng Xiu’er and Tianbao Dragon Head at the head of the round table.

Yet, a few Gaoli ghosts who had fought side by side with Cha Xiaodao during the destruction of Humen and the event of Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea showed indifferent faces, as if it were only natural for him to do so.

One with a scar on his hand’s back grinned, as if reminiscing about the time on Zhufen’s ship with the decapitated snake corpses and the shimmering golden flames.

“Tianbao, is Brother Daozi up to it?”

Zheng Xiu’er also looked confused as he recalled that this big brother loved to smoke foreign cigarettes, made tasty snacks, and even crafted little carrot bunnies for him, being really laid-back. But in matters of martial arts, he’d never seen him in action.

“No problem, let him fight,”

Li Yan said in a low voice.

Only after hearing Li Yan’s words did Zheng Xiu nod.

Cai Qian also pondered for a moment, observing the languid fellow swaggering over with a cigarette in his mouth.

Bare-chested in a short gown, wearing shorts and straw sandals, cropped hair, and two knives hanging on his belt, his face covered in stubble.

Cha Xiaodao unsheathed two knives, humming a tune with a dancing cigarette between his lips:

“At the third watch, heaven’s drums beat, moon high in the center sky~ A devoted pair sits facing, talk of love intertwining, ah~”

“Mandarin ducks play in water, I speak my heart’s truth, hands holding a confidant, tears flowing incessantly~”

Mr. Cai turned his head to Yan Laoba and said, “Laoba, do not go overboard.”

Laoba frowned at first; the Yan surname colleague was Cai Qian’s trusted aide. There was no need for directives on the spot, especially when the boss’ words were so heavily weighted…

After looking into Cai Qian’s eyes, Laoba was startled.

Bright, yet profound.

“Don’t hold back; this man is deep waters!”

Yan Laoba pursed his lips, understanding tacitly. He bowed respectfully, “I understand, boss.”

Cai Qian nodded and then casually took his seat.

Cha Xiaodao spat the cigarette butt onto the deck and stomped it out. Yan surname Laoba held his knife horizontally and charged head-on with a lowered head; the wooden deck where he stepped sprouted a two-inch-deep footprint, emitting blue smoke.

[Fiery Cauldron Species · Terrifying Zhen]

Category: Demon Species

Specialty: Sword Skill 82%, Demon Power 55%

Skills: Treading Water (Fiery Cauldron Species exclusive)

Gu without restraints (Burst speed, flying instinct, temporary entry into another dimension)

Overall Evaluation: Ten Cities

Cha Xiaodao gripped his knives tightly, the words clear as he sang without the cigarette:

“At the fifth watch, the Great Ming dawns, do my parents know my plight~ Shameless girl, eh, you’ve dishonored my family name~”

“Today for sure, I will beat you, the whip soaked in chilling water will show no mercy~”

As he sang, his hands moved deftly up with his knives, their feet weaving and shifting; three blades clanked and clattered, long and short.

In an opening, Yan Laoba swiped his blade’s edge toward Cha Xiaodao’s face, right as the latter’s song reached the word “beat.”

Bang! Like a rice explosion!

“`

Cha Xiaodao’s figure flew backwards unexpectedly, a gust of air crashed into Yan Laoba’s blade, and the twin Owl Kiss Knives crossed past each other, fast and ferocious. Yan Laoba couldn’t resist, and his long knife was sent flying by Chef Cha!

Gluttonous Heart 59%, Kui of the Chief Celestial 10%

With two inheritances, Cha Xiaodao had already reached Ten Cities Peak!

Facing the unarmed Yan Laoba, Cha Xiaodao’s dual blades came slashing down!

Culinary Skill: Straw Raincoat Blade!

The gleaming blades sliced through the air but hit nothing!

Cha Xiaodao had already lost sight of Yan Laoba, and a slender wound appeared on her cheek, bleeding…

The chef’s eyes darted around, her demeanor not the slightest bit disorderly as she continued to sing:

“The girl she has no words to say—in duress, into the river she leapt away!”

Cai Qian held up a cup of tea, shocked that the Red Flag pirates had forced Yan Ba to reveal his trump card in just a few exchanges.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Figures vanished in the blink of an eye, too fast to see clearly; with every flash, another wound was inflicted on Cha Xiaodao. In no time at all, she was covered in cuts and scrapes.

But Cha Xiaodao didn’t care in the slightest, wiping the blood off her face: “Autumn rain pours unendingly, the frost descends upon Qingshui River so gently. What a pair of lovestruck fools, together they dove into the depths so cool~”

Cai Qian nodded, “Brother Tianbao, this brother of yours has quite the style.”

Li Yan kept waving his hands dismissively: “Singing during a fight is too frivolous, it’s completely nonsensical.”

Bang!

Clang~

An Owl Kiss Knife fell to the ground. Cha Xiaodao grabbed the wrist of the flickering Yan Laoba, her gaze indifferent.

Upon closer inspection, the wounds on Cha Xiaodao’s body had already healed!

Before the pirates could make sense of it, a large round white dough enveloped both of the combatants.

Wrapping dumplings!

“What is this?!”

“Magic!”

The crowd buzzed with amazement. Zhang He narrowed his eyes: “One of them has a demonic aura, while the other is clearly a mortal, no, there’s a hint of the constellations about them. But what is this?”

Gurgle! Gurgle!

The white dumpling began to show a hint of red before the dough skin burst, and a fiery magma erupted!

After witnessing the Yan Capital Fruit Core collapse, Cha Xiaodao was inspired.

She created her own Culinary Skill: Heaven’s Dawn Fire Lotus!

Rose-red flames burst through the clouds, the golden-red fire waves swept expansively, and black smoke swirled over the arena.

“Laoba!”

A figure, emotionally agitated, charged crazily into the fire, unafraid of the high heat and dense smoke, and dragged Yan Laoba out of the flames—it was Yan Laosi, who had fought Li Yan.

Yan Laoba was wrapped up in a blanket, and Cai Firm’s Colleague quickly carried him off to find the ship’s doctor.

“I held back, it’s nothing serious, he’s just passed out,” said a voice.

Those around winced at those words. With such actions, if someone said Yan Laoba was thoroughly cooked, they might believe it. And yet you say it’s nothing serious?

The Red Flag Gang has such a character?!

An old man with a melon cap stepped forward, and took off his cap, only then did the crowd realize that there was a small flame burning on the top of the old man’s head.

“The Red Flag brothers are truly impressive, and what a coincidence, our paths seem to be similar. I am but a humble man, but I would like to learn from your superior techniques.”

Cai Firm’s Colleague, one of the top three in Ten Cities Peak, Yan Laoda.

Cha Xiaodao looked towards Cai Qian: “I won against that one just now, right?”

“Indeed.”

Cai Qian nodded; not showing any sign of disappointment from the initial defeat.

Cha Xiaodao saluted Yan Laoda: “I’m no match, I take my leave.”

With that, she turned and left without any hesitation.

Yan Laoda’s eyebrows twitched, remembering the boss’s orders, and with no choice, he sat back down in the crowd.

Red Flag Gang, a victory in the first round.