The Daoist in yellow robes looked at Lu Xiucai kneeling on the ground and hesitated. Is he tricking me?
In the end, he dared not risk his own life. He made a seal with his hands and phased through the walls of the courtyard.
The black robe flew into the air to follow its master.
Puppy realized that they had narrowly escaped death from the Daoist's hands.
He gripped his bleeding hand and approached the stunned Lu Xiucai.
"Hey, what did you do just now?" Puppy said, giving Lu Xiucai one kick to the knee. "How did you scare him away?"
Lu Xiucai wasn't sure either. He looked at the piece of cloth depicting a white lotus on the ground. "I ... I don't know."
"How could you not know? You must've done something that made his sword explode."
"Sword?" Lu Xiucai snapped out of it and immediately picked up the scattered bronze coins on the ground.
"You better get out of here! These are all mine! How dare you run away just now?! Ptoeeey!"
"Are you blind? Didn't you see me reposition myself so that I can strike him?" Puppy picked up the scepter and gave it a quick scrub before putting it away in his clothes.
"Bullshit! Since when were you that smart? You're just a coward with no balls!"
"Coward? So what if I'm a coward? I cannot let my daughter live without a father! Ouch~ My hand hurts."
The two bickered while Lu Xiucai was picking up the coins on the ground. They were almost done with it when they heard footsteps coming from the outer courtyard.
"Quick! We need to hide now, or they'll think that we are responsible for this mess!" Both of them immediately hid behind the fake mountain.
"Dad! Dad, what's wrong?!"
They heard noises inside; both Lu Xiucai and Puppy took advantage of that opportunity to quietly go back to where they came from.
They were nervous, but thankfully, no one saw them because it was too late into the night. Soon, they returned to where the Lu family was staying.
The Lu family was so tired after the performance that they didn't even bother removing their makeup as they ate at their table.
They were all confused upon seeing Puppy and Lu Xiucai's disheveled appearances.
"Did you guys fight a bear in the forest or something?" Luo Juanhua's mouth was filled with food as she spoke.
Without even waiting for Lu Xiucai and Puppy to explain, a commotion erupted from the Zhang's family inner courtyard.
Lu Zhuangyuan's ears perked up to listen to what was happening. Moments later, he smiled upon realizing what was going on. He sucked his greasy fingers and pulled his pants up. "Hehe, what a joyous day! We've got work to do again!"
***
Shangjing was so prosperous that there was a massive line outside the city gates. Naturally, everyone was waiting in line to enter the city.
Li Huowang sat on the carriage and looked at the oppressive gate. He thought he would never return to Shangjing, but he was here again.
"Where is your letter of recommendation? Why have you come to Shangjing? Come down so we can inspect your carriage!" the city guards shouted and questioned Li Huowang.
However, they immediately shrunk back in fear when they saw Li Huowang's Surveillance Bureau identity plate. They stood still and greeted him politely. "We greet the esteemed Lord!"
Li Huowang ignored them and guided his horse carriage towards the imperial palace.
"Dad, where is First Mother? Did she really get kidnapped? But he was so kind, and he even treated your wounds."
"Li Sui, you have to remember what I'm about to say: no matter what others say, you must believe me. If someone is fighting me, you need to remember that I'll never lie to you. Do you understand?"
"I understand. Dad, I will kill the bad guys and rescue First Mother."
"Yes. You must listen to me, and we will bring back your first mother."
"And Second Mother, too."
"..."
The carriage traveled slowly on the wide streets. Soon, they reached the palace's door.
Li Huowang coughed and wasn't sure what to say to the guards when the heavy doors parted open slowly.
Li Huowang instantly felt numerous gazes land on his back.
I haven't even entered the palace, but everyone has already branded me Ji Lin's follower.
Li Huowang held onto the reins and lowly entered the palace.
His plain horse carriage was ignored by the consorts and officials.
When the horse carriage reached the white jade stairs, Li Huowang finally disembarked. He climbed up the stairs and walked toward the palace.
All of a sudden, he frowned. He touched his abdomen and found out that he had a painful scar.
His recovery ability had strengthened to the point where his injuries would heal even if his abdomen was torn open.
However, something had changed. His wound had healed as usual, but it left a scar. This was a first for Li Huowang. This was a wound from when he failed to defeat Shai Zi using the Cang-Qiang Ascension.
It's probably related to Ba-Hui, but I should focus on this matter for now.
He was more than happy to have countless scars as long as he killed Shai Zi and retrieved Miaomiao.
"Surveillance Bureau, Seventh Banner, Er Jiu~"
"Surveillance Bureau, Seventh Banner, Er Jiu~!"
"Surveillance Bureau, Seventh Banner, Er Jiu~!!"
Li Huowang removed his hands from his abdomen at the eunuchs' call. Then, he walked into the palace without hesitation.
The palace was massive. It appeared to be the place where the emperor would call for a morning meeting every day, but it was surprisingly dark.
A golden throne was floating in the darkness, and Li Huowang could only see the legs of the emperor even with his keen eyes.
"Er Jiu, have you decided to join me? Good, good! Hahaha! You did great coming to aid me when I need it rather when I'm already safe. I shall remember your courage for helping me during my time of need!"
Li Huowang frowned. It was Ji Lin's voice, but the tone of voice and the speech pattern had changed.
Li Huowang stepped forward, and that was when the shrill voice of a eunuch pierced the darkness. "Impudent! How dare you not kneel in front of our Lord?!"
"Ah! No need for such formalities! From now on, Er Jiu does not need to kneel to me."
With that, Li Huowang slowly approached Ji Lin.
Once he was close enough, Li Huowang finally managed to catch a glimpse of Ji Lin's face behind the beaded veil, and he was surprised to see the changes in Ji Lin's face.
Chapter 511 - Ji Lin
The hall was dim, but Li Huowang's keen eyes allowed him to see the changes in Ji Lin's face and demeanor.
Li Huowang could swear that he had seen a bold, confident, and pure Ji Lin during the Double Third Festival. At the time, Ji Lin was the epitome of an energetic child.
However, Ji Lin had changed completely. He was hunched over like a snake lurking in the darkness. His gaze was gloomy, and his eyes radiated a sinister light. He was also exuding an extreme air of malice.
Li Huowang couldn't even imagine what had happened to Ji Lin before his return to Shangjing.
The left side of Ji Lin's face was drooping, but Ji Lin pushed them back up by him.
The sight allowed Li Huowang to deduce a few things. After pondering for a moment, Li Huowang bowed to the Great Liang emperor sitting on the throne and asked, "Your Majesty, have you consumed a spiritual sin?"
Li Huowang had captured the spiritual sin used to pay respects to the late emperor, so he naturally understood the effects of its pure malice on a mortal body.
The effects were especially obvious on Ji Lin's face. Ji Lin's face was drooping, looking like a viscous liquid. It was the hallmark of anything possessed by a spiritual sin.
Ji Lin neither confirmed nor denied Li Huowang's words. Instead, he gestured toward the throne behind him and asked, "What? Must I inform Er Jiu of everything I do?"
Li Huowang immediately dismissed his previous speculation.
The radical change was definitely not just because of a malicious spiritual sin. Perhaps the aura of a military family or something else was at play here.
Under the influence of such things, Ji Lin had become what he was right now.
"Your Majesty, the spiritual sin is ominous. Stay in contact with it for too long, and you'll breed evil thoughts constantly."
Since Li Huowang was going to be working under Ji Lin in the future, he found it necessary to give the latter a reminder.
"Evil? Who defines evil? What is evil? What is good?"
Ji Lin suddenly stood up from the throne. He then raised his right hand and waved his sleeve vigorously.
"I am the emperor. I never have to abide by any rules. I am the one who sets the rules! What I say is evil, is evil! What I say is good, is good!"
Li Huowang looked at the Great Liang emperor in front of him. According to his memories, Ji Lin's personality had changed completely. He was just like the old Bai Lingmiao and Second Deity.
The current Ji Lin looked more like an emperor than before, even if he seemed like a complete tyrant.
Ji Lin sat back down, his voice tinged with exhaustion as he asked, "You think I've changed, right? I never wanted to change, but I had no choice! If I were still the Ji Lin from when you first met me, I would have died a long time ago."
Li Huowang couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Ji Lin was still too young, and if he were living in Li Huowang's modern world, the former would still be a middle school student.
Of course, Li Huowang's pity quickly disappeared. He didn't feel qualified to sympathize with Ji Lin, and he decided that he ought to take care of himself first.
"Your Majesty, I'm not good at anything else. You can find me in the future for any matters about killing people. Er Jiu is willing to clear all obstacles for Your Majesty's ascension to the throne."
Ji Lin immediately clapped his hands in joy. "Great! Hahaha! Er Jiu is so straightforward! Much better than those who beat around the bush! Come, confer him a title!"
A eunuch with a wrinkled face walked out from the darkness, carrying a golden whisk[1]. He sang in a sharp voice, "By the decree of His Majesty~ Er Jiu shall be conferred~ Left and Right Jinwu Guards~ Cavalry Commander."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Li Huowang bowed to Ji Lin.
Ji Lin said with a meaningful tone, "Er Jiu, I am very pleased that you have come. Rest assured, I still have that fake jade cat. Everything in the palace is genuine, so fake things have become more precious, don't you think?"
Li Huowang gently nodded. "Indeed."
Since the official matter was over, it was time for Li Huowang to leave the palace.
As he took a few steps down the white marble steps, someone shouted from behind, "Commander Er, please wait!"
Li Huowang turned and saw a middle-aged man with a black beard running toward him. From the military cap on the middle-aged man's head, Li Huowang deduced him to be a Middle-rank official.
"Congratulations, Commander Er! Although the title of Cavalry Commander is only eighth rank, the Left and Right Jinwu Guards are one of the twelve forbidden military guards."
"I have never seen His Majesty give an outsider so much importance. Commander Er, you will soar to the skies soon."
Li Huowang listened quietly to the middle-aged man, who was a bit shorter than Li Huowang, blabbering on for a while. When the middle-aged man finally paused to catch his breath, Li Huowang asked in confusion, "Who are you?"
"My name is Dong Zhongshou. Hehehe, my rank is insignificant before Commander Er, so I'll be less conspicuous. I'm from Zhong Heng."
"Zong Heng Jia?" Li Huowang subconsciously looked at the half-bodied Jin Shanzhao next to him. Jin Shanzhao was the first Zong Heng Jia he had encountered in this world, and he didn't expect to encounter a second one.
"Ah, we can't talk about it; I've talked a lot. I'm just someone who spends some time by His Majesty's side. When His Majesty needs enlightenment, I can offer some advice."
Dong Zhongshou finally revealed his goal for approaching Li Huowang.
"Commander Er, in the future, both you and I will be planning things around His Majesty. There are some things I think you should know about. How about we talk in the mansion tomorrow night?"
Li Huowang looked at the sky to the left, and then he said to Dong Zhongshou, "It seems that His Majesty has unknowingly attracted many talents."
Dong Zhongshou chuckled. "Mastery of both civil and martial arts is to better serve the imperial family. Commander Er, I want to talk to you about that. I am also sure that you're unfamiliar with the majority of our people, so I'll introduce them to you tomorrow."
"All right, I'll see you by then."
Upon Dong Zhongshou's departure, the quiet Zhuge Yuan said, "Brother Li, don't get swayed by hearsay at this critical juncture. People from the Great Liang emperor's side will definitely be biased toward the emperor. I suggest you find out for yourself how many forces are involved in this succession war. Find out who is strong and who is weak. Don't be blinded by the opinions of a mob."
"Yes, I know. I'll investigate things through the Surveillance Bureau. Besides, I also want to find out how many cards Shai Zi still has left under the encirclement of the Surveillance Bureau."
Li Huowang headed toward the carriage down below.
The Surveillance Bureau wasn't far from the palace. After just one hour, Li Huowang found himself in the grand hall with the screens.
"Why are there so few people? Has something happened?" Li Huowang asked Nangong while staring at the desired hall.
1. a stick with horse hair sticking out at one end, that eunuchs carry ☜
Chapter 512 - Shangjing
"Oh, it's another rebellion by the Dharma Sect and the encirclement of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. The people are all dispersed for their duties."
Nangong seemed a bit annoyed about the ongoing situation.
Li Huowang felt his heart tighten. "How is the encirclement of the Sitting Oblivion Dao going?"
"Go and see for yourself; I'm too busy right now."
Li Huowang opened the thick book and looked at the wanted posters depicting the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. There were phrases written in large blocks, and the phrases were all demanding for their execution.
Li Huowang was relieved. The Surveillance Bureau was doing a really good job in dealing with the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
With the records in this booklet combined with the previous battle in the capital, Li Huowang estimated that the pawns[1] had been mostly eradicated.
Even without the Three Officials and Four Joys, the Surveillance Bureau had still profited a ton. All four Bei Fengs, three Dong Fengs, two Hong Zhongs, one Bai Ban, and one Fa Cai had perished.
Moreover, one of the Shai Zis had died as well. The remaining Shai Zi would have to lead the Sitting Oblivion Dao by themselves.
"Our Surveillance Bureau has truly put in a lot of effort to deal with the Sitting Oblivion Dao," Li Huowang said to Nangong behind the wooden cabinet while flipping through the pages.
"It's not just that. I heard that we also enlisted the help of some orthodox sects in addition to creating contracts with the Surveillance Bureaus of other countries. We spent a ton of money to persuade them to help us."
"Orthodox sects?" Li Huowang asked, and he frowned upon recalling some unpleasant memories.
"Yeah, but it's hard to find members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao right now. They've gone into complete hiding, and we haven't caught anyone in the past month."
Li Huowang nodded silently. Shai Zi had threatened him, and he was in a bad spot himself.
However, Shai Zi was in a spot, too.
It seemed that his chance of winning wasn't too bad.
The most difficult part here was the fact that Bai Lingmiao was in his hands. Winning was pointless if Bai Lingmiao ended up dying.
Li Huowang closed the booklet in his hand and looked at Nangong again, "Why haven't I seen any wanted notices for the Sitting Oblivion Dao's Shai Zi?"
"Oh? You know quite a bit. You even know about Shai Zis. Anyway, handling them is the responsibility of the Surveillance Bureaus' Chief. A Shai Zi is the head of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, after all. Ordinary people won't cut it."
Chief... Li Huowang remembered the three pairs of hands with strangely long nails beneath the cloak.
It wasn't surprising that the Chief could handle a Shai Zi. However, even he himself, a Hong Zhong from the Sitting Oblivion Dao, had no idea where Shai Zi's true body was at the moment. Could they really find Shai Zi?
Hang on, what if the Sitting Oblivion Dao members of the Great Qi are still here? Had they conspired to ambush the Chief? The thought alone sent a chill down Li Huowang's spine.
"Brother Li, rest assured, they are not Twisted Ones. After all, they are people of Great Qi. They can't stay in Great Liang for too long," Zhuge Yuan replied.
Li Huowang breathed a sigh of relief.
Moreover, the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau knew that the Sitting Oblivion Dao of the Great Qi was coming, so he had to have prepared countermeasures.
"By the way, Brother Nangong, there's been a lot of commotion in the capital recently. Do you have any inside information from the Surveillance Bureau?"
The indifferent-looking Nangong suddenly looked solemn, and his voice sounded distant for some reason as he said, "Er Jiu, you know the rules of the Surveillance Bureau. We never participate in the struggle for power in the imperial family. If you want to find inside information, don't come to the Surveillance Bureau. You won't be able to find anything at all. There's none even in the Four Repositories. Since we're acquainted, though, I'll give you my two cents. You're the Seventh Banner, but you have no official position. In the Bureau, your status isn't really that high. In other words, the Bureau won't intervene If you insist on getting involved.
"However, if something untoward was to happen to you, the Bureau wouldn't come and collect your corpse. The Bureau wouldn't assist you, too, if you somehow got abducted and are being tortured. In other words, I want you to think properly about it.
"The coronation of the new emperor is a major event. Does the Bureau really not care about it?"
"Why would the Bureau care about it? The Surveillance Bureau does have some matters to discuss with the emperor, but the emperor's position isn't stable yet. Let them fight it out. The winner will become emperor. This kind of sight is common throughout history, and the Bureau has long gotten accustomed to them. Also, you don't have to worry; the civil and military officials aren't blind. A few people will die at most; the foundation of the country will not be shaken, and someone will step in if something actually goes wrong."
The Surveillance Bureau was even more indifferent to the succession war than Li Huowang had imagined. They only cared about when the most devious and strongest king would appear and how many Gus would die during the breeding process. They didn't even want to take a look at what was going on.
"Thank you for the advice, Brother Nangong," Li Huowang said. Since he couldn't gather relevant information here, he didn't linger and made his way back to his house.
Li Huowang sat on a stool beneath the short tree in the courtyard of the house that Ji Xiang had given to him. He silently pondered over the information he had gathered in the capital so far.
Li Huowang reaffirmed his objectives. His goal was to rescue Bai Lingmiao and assist the Surveillance Bureau in eliminating Shai Zi if possible.
After the first time, there would definitely be a second time. A problem had to be destroyed at its roots for it to be eradicated; only the dead posed no threat to himself.
However, achieving these two goals was extremely difficult.
He didn't know where Shai Zi's true body was located, and he also had no idea where Bai Lingmiao was being held captive. In fact, he didn't even know how to start looking for her.
Li Huowang's gaze grew more resolute as he thought about it. He clenched his fists and thought, I'm still too weak. I can't afford to stop cultivating!
This isn't just about Zhuge Yuan's revival. This also concerns my beloved ones in this chaotic world. I don't even know if there are still any spies from the Sitting Oblivion Dao here in the capital or if they have been eradicated. I'll stick to Shai Zi's plan for now and accumulate resources while waiting for an opportunity to strike. There are definitely people here who are nursing a grudge against Shai Zi. Both the imperial family of Great Liang and the Surveillance Bureau harbor deep hatred toward him.
But how can I sow discord among them to achieve my goals?
"Boss Hong Zhong, you need to be careful. Boss Shai Zi knows your identity. Push him into a corner, and he might reveal your Strayed One status and your affiliation with the Sitting Oblivion Dao to the world. Things will become interesting by then."
"I'm not from the Sitting Oblivion Dao!" Li Huowang roared.
"Hahaha! Surely, you jest, Boss Hong Zhong."
Li Huowang stood up abruptly and glared at the Sitting Oblivion Dao illusion. The next moment, he clenched his fist and struck the illusion's face.
The illusion of the Sitting Oblivion Dao sat on the ground in a daze. After a while, he realized what had just happened and exclaimed, "Hahaha! I'm alive! I'm alive!"
Li Sui's tentacles reached over and wrapped around him, but they passed through his figure.
"Hahaha! You're dead again! The Daoist has bamboozled you!" the monk exclaimed and laughed heartily at the Sitting Oblivion Dao illusion's dismay.
1. Tiao Zis, Bing Zis, Wan Zis ☜
Chapter 513 - Indoor
The illusion of a Sitting Oblivion Dao member's face flashed with a hint of annoyance at the monk's ridicule. He got up slowly and pretended to brush away the dust on himself before rubbing his left cheek.
"Boss Hong Zhong, you're capable now. If you want to beat me up, then make me real. I'm already dead, so what can I do if you want to bully me? Can you kill me twice? Believe it or not, I was genuinely concerned about you just now. After all, we're in the same boat. If you die, we're all done for," the illusion of a Sitting Oblivion Dao member said, walking up to Li Huowang. He stared quietly at Li Huowang with the two holes in his face.
"Maybe we shouldn't worry about Shai Zi for now. Let's deal with the immediate trouble first, such as your problem of cultivating the 'Truth but not 'Lies.'"
"You have to address that issue sooner rather than later, or you'll go mad before you can even deal with Boss Shai Zi."
Li Huowang was quiet.
The illusion added, "I don't think it's difficult. Boss Hong Zhong, our Sitting Oblivion Dao's cultivation method of 'Lies' is clearly in your mind. Why do you insist on not cultivating it?"
Bang!
Li Huowang's fist struck the illusion's face. His head jerked violently to the side as blood burst out of his nose and splattered into the air.
Then, Li Huowang kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying away.
"Li Huowang, are you crazy? I was serious!"
The clinking of metal against metal echoed as Li Huowang opened his bag of torture tools. The instruments gleamed with a crimson cold light as Li Huowang held the illusion by the head.
Finally, the illusion stopped talking. He looked reluctant expression, but he ran away from Li Huowang.
"Brother Li, what he said does make sense. Why not listen to him?" Zhuge Yuan asked.
"Brother Zhuge, have you already forgotten about who told us that we should cultivate 'Lies' when cultivating 'Truth'?"
"Shai Zi."
"Yes, exactly! It's a Shai Zi! I'm a Strayed One. Why do you think he told me that?"
"When I obtained this Hong Zhong's past, the thoughts of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members had become clearer to me more than ever! We must always be wary of their influence on us when dealing with them. Thus, I believe he was lying. it is enough to cultivate the 'Truth.' There is no need to cultivate 'Lies'!" Li Huowang exclaimed, and his voice sounded unusually firm.
"What if—"
"No! There are no what-ifs! I am convinced that I'm right! For the sake of cultivating 'Lies,' the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao committed countless heinous crimes! Wouldn't I become like them if I were to cultivate 'Lies'? Shai Zi is trying to deceive me, and I absolutely will not fall for it!"
Li Huowang stared at Zhuge Yuan with a determined expression. "If I were to cultivate 'Lies,' I wouldn't be Li Huowang anymore. I would become a Hong Zhong of the Sitting Oblivion Dao! And when I say he's lying, he's definitely lying!"
"Oh~" Zhuge Yuan nodded; he seemed to have understood what Li Huowang was trying to say.
Li Huowang's words just now were his response to Shai Zi's suggestion to cultivate the "Truth" along with "Lies."
And his response was unmistakable...
"Are you suspecting that Shai Zi is using your Strayed One ability to make you go mad by making you cultivate 'Lies' along with 'Truth'? Since you believe that's the case, you've decided to tackle the root of the issue?"
Li Huowang shook his head forcefully and explained, "No. Whether the Sitting Oblivion Dao cultivates 'Lies' but not 'Truth' doesn't really matter. The point is... why would I have issues cultivating just the 'Truth'? He's definitely lying; we need not dwell on this matter any further. He has lied to us!"
"Brother Li, I understand. I have to say that this Strayed One method of yours might actually work." Zhuge Yuan nodded and stepped back to join the other illusions.
The Sitting Oblivion Dao member leaned in and whispered to Zhuge Yuan.
Zhuge Yuan waved his fan and smiled before shaking his head.
Li Huowang watched them from a distance. He felt somewhat weary, so he headed toward the bedroom on the second floor.
The burdens on Li Huowang's shoulders had gotten a bit heavy and were taking a toll on him both physically and mentally. Moreover, he had just transformed an illusion into reality twice in quick succession, so it wasn't strange that he was tired. Tonight, Li Huowang needed a good night's sleep.
Li Sui silently followed Li Huowang as he walked past her. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
When Li Huowang closed his eyes and lay on the bed, Li Sui followed suit and snuggled close to him. Li Sui could hear the familiar sound of Li Huowang's heartbeat. Li Sui always liked sleeping close to her father, as it made her feel like she was back inside him once again.
Li Sui recalled something just then and nudged Li Huowang with her head. "Dad, can I help you? I really want to help you."
Li Sui's concern brought a rare sense of warmth to Li Huowang's heart. He patted her head gently without opening his eyes.
"I understand, but you can't help with what's to come. Just stay put and don't get into trouble. That's good enough for me."
Li Sui felt a sense of frustration for the first time. She knew she was strong, as even Second Mom had praised her. How come Dad is convinced that I can't do anything?
Li Huowang slept soundly that night, perhaps due to the accumulated fatigue throughout the journey.
He woke up on the afternoon of the next day.
How long was I asleep for? Thirteen hours? Fourteen hours? No, this world only has twenty-two hours in a day. I shouldn't have slept for so long.
Li Huowang was about to get up when Li Sui rushed toward him and said excitedly, "Dad, I did many things last night! I cleaned the floor! I cleaned the entire house! I even filled the water jar!"
"Good job, well done," Li Huowang said, sitting up on the bed. He grabbed his Daoist robes and bronze coin veil from the stool.
After putting them on, he still felt like something was missing. His bag of torture tools was missing.
"Did you take it with you?" Li Huowang asked, staring at Li Sui. There was no way a thief would steal those bloody tools.
"Yes, I washed off the blood on the tools, and I also noticed that some of them had dulled, so I sharpened them with a whetstone."
Li Sui then took out many different torture tools from inside of her. The tools seemed to shine brightly as if they were brand new. Li Sui presented them like treasures before Li Huowang.
Li Huowang nodded. He took the bag and hung it back on his belt. Then, he patted Li Sui as if rewarding her.
"Dad, did I do well?"
"Yes."
"Really well, you're so damned filial," Li Huowang responded and glared fiercely at the Sitting Oblivion Dao illusion that had spoken in his stead.
The illusion shrank back and darted out of the room.
Chapter 514 - Own People
In light of last night's incident, there were some changes in the relationship between Li Huowang and the illusions.
In the past, nothing could threaten them except for Li Huowang's suicide. However, things had changed drastically. Li Huowang could now give them fleshly bodies temporarily, and it was all thanks to his cultivation of the "Truth."
Li Huowang could beat them up and inflict excruciating pain on them. Li Huowang stared deeply at the illusion of a Sitting Oblivion Dao member before turning to Li Sui. He then reached out and tore a piece of dead skin from his scabbed wound and threw it out the window.
Li Sui barked and jumped out of the window to chase after the dead skin. When she returned to the house with the dead skin in her mouth, she found that Li Huowang was missing. She also found a note left on the table.
Protect our home. It's dangerous outside, so don't wander around. I'll bring you something delicious upon my return.
Li Huowang had gone to a secluded place outside the city to cultivate "Truth." He had seen and experienced many things so far, so he knew just how powerful the cultivation method that only Strayed Ones could cultivate.
The ability to make use of the Heavenly Dao's strength was extraordinary and could be compared to the Siming's existence itself.
Li Huowang had to master this ability as soon as possible so he could resurrect Zhuge Yuan and protect himself.
Li Huowang didn't stay outside the city for long. He returned as soon as it got dark. He had an appointment today with a strategist named Dong Zhongshou from Zhong Heng Jia. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
Li Huowang was sitting in a purple sedan chair in Shangjing. He had a frown as he looked outside through the ajar window.
The capital had a curfew, but there were still many other sedan chairs on the deserted streets.
The patrolling guards seemed oblivious as they marched neatly past the sedan chairs.
These sedan chairs seemed to be like wooden boats that drifted with the current in darkness. They appeared to have an unspoken agreement, as they kept a considerable distance from each other. From afar, only a white or red lantern bobbed in the darkness, which made the streets appear a bit eerie.
Dong Zhongshou had invited him, but who had invited these people?
At first, Li Huowang thought that he would soon arrive at Zhong Heng Jia's mansion. When his sedan chair passed a tall stone arch bridge, he saw a sedan chair floating on the pitch-black river. Red threads were squirming from the sedan chair.
What does this mean? Did someone die? Who killed them?
The next moment, he found the answer to his question.
Swoosh!
Three straight scimitars pierced the flimsy sedan wall as well as Li Huowang.
Half an hour later, a damaged sedan chair slowly came to a halt at a certain mansion. There were stone lions on both sides of the mansion's gate. A servant holding a lantern bowed respectfully and said, "My lord, please alight."
A foot emerged from the sedan chair and pressed down on the ground, leaving behind a crimson footprint. The other foot followed, and it carried with it a tremendous power that shattered the ground.
A cold light then flashed, and a stone lion next to the gate was split into two along with a huge chunk of the wall.
The wall collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Dong Zhongshou was enjoying the moon with his wife and concubines when he noticed the commotion and saw Er Jiu through the smoke.
"Commander Er, come here! We've been waiting for you."
There were several other people seated before their own short table. It seemed that they were Dong Zhongshou's aforementioned people.
"What's the meaning of this?!" Li Huowang roared. He charged at Dong Zhongshou with a sword in hand, but a thin monk and a chubby monk stood in his way.
"Hehehe, Commander Er, calm down. You boasted about being in charge of the dirty work before His Majesty, so don't you think it's necessary for me to test your skills?"
"Besides, those people weren't sent by us. They were dispatched by the other well-informed princes."
Dong Zhongshou chuckled and pointed at the last remaining short table.
"Come, Commander Er, your seat is over there. Go to your seat, and I will introduce you to the other comrades."
"He's the son of the current prime minister! Situ Bowen is the most favored son of the prime minister. He's already helping with official affairs. He has yet to enter the court as an official, but he already has many connections in the court."
Situ Bowen was a short and chubby man; his chest was exposed, and a flower was tucked behind his ear. He didn't even lift his head as he sipped on the wine from his leather cup.
"This is the calligraphy master, Gong Sunyan. He has a myriad of students throughout the world! His unique style is unparalleled, and everyone respects him."
Gong Sunyan was an old man with a white beard. His wine cup was trembling as he took a sip of his wine before casting a look of dissatisfaction at Li Huowang.
"And this is my junior, who is also from Zong Heng. Not long ago, the two of us cooperated to foil the conspiracy of the third prince and the princess."
The beardless middle-aged man immediately clasped his hands toward Dong Zhongshou, but he didn't even glance at Li Huowang.
Li Huowang took a mental note of the people who were rude to him even as he listened to Dong Zhongshou's introductions.
Once the introductions were over, Dong Zhongshou coughed lightly and spat to his left. A beautiful girl, who had been kneeling on the side for quite a while now, immediately opened her mouth to catch Dong Zhongshou's spit.
Li Huowang quietly went to his seat and didn't pay attention to whatever Dong Zhongshou was saying. He couldn't figure out how Ji Lin had been able to stay in his position, even though he had a bunch of ragtags as supporters.
"You're one of us from now on, so don't be angry, okay? Anyway, let me offer you a toast!"
Everyone present saw Li Huowang sitting like a statue with no intention of lifting his wine cup.
"I just want to ask: where are the workers and the killers?" Li Huowang asked, and his remark elicited laughter among the crowd.
Dong Zhongshou smiled and asked, "Commander Er, the workers naturally have their own place to go. How can they stay with those whose jobs are to plan and strategize? Of course, I'm not saying that you're one of them. His majesty favors you deeply, and you have a limitless future ahead of you."
This is too bad. Looks like Ji Lin has yet to understand his current situation. He has devoured a spiritual sin, so how come he's still so dense? He's not going to become the King of Gus at this rate...
"Hmm? What's wrong, Commander Er? Are you still unhappy about what happened to you on your way here? Hehehe, you're being a bit petty as a man. Haven't I already apologized?"
"All right! Since we're all under His Majesty, I'll apologize again to Commander Er today," Dong Zhongshou said. He raised his glass and emptied it, and then he showed the empty bottom to Li Huowang, "How's that?"
"I don't think any of you have understood the current situation." Li Huowang smiled like a lunatic and pinched his temples with his hand. Then, he tapped the table heavily with his other index finger.
Peng Longteng's towering and armored figure suddenly appeared next to Dong Zhongshou. Her armored hands plunged into Dong Zhongshou's mouth before anyone could react. Then, Peng Longteng forced open Dong Zhongshou's jaw with her left and right hand before tearing him apart into two as if he were a thin piece of paper.
Chapter 515 - Task
Dong Zhongshou's crimson blood and organs flew into the air. However, his heart was still beating as if Dong Zhongshou was still alive despite being torn into two halves.
The headless Peng Longteng leaned back and used her heavy armor to catch what was falling from the sky. Then, she clenched Dong Zhongshou's lower jaw until it was reduced to powder.
Peng Longteng trembled uncontrollably. She craved slaughter, and she yearned to kill one living person after another.
It had been a while since she wanted to kill, and she finally got to kill today.
Bang!
A spiked meteor hammer slammed heavily against Peng Longteng's heavy armor, eliciting a dull thump. Peng Longteng was thrilled, and she wasted no time, rushing toward those trying to kill her.
They seemed to be the servants of the Dong family, but to Peng Longteng, they were just food to satisfy her craving for slaughter.
The outcome seemed predetermined. A warrior with no fatal weaknesses was impossible to defeat.
Initially, it seemed that the others wanted to send their own vassals to help. However, all fell silent when Li Huowang joined the fray, and they got to witness his strength.
After some time, the bustling courtyard was silent.
Li Huowang walked up to Peng Longteng's towering figure. He looked down at the people below, who were supposed to be related to Ji Lin.
They were all huddled behind their guards, and they were staring at the red-robed Daoist with fear and confusion in their eyes.
Some had chosen to stay, while some quietly slipped away.
"Someone tried to kill me on my way here, and I managed to pry open some information through their mouths using some of my 'tools.'" Li Huowang said, patting his bag of torture tools. "Guess what I discovered? Those who had perished all this while were nothing but pawns. None of the nine vying for the throne had perished, and I realized that you guys and them have gotten it wrong—very wrong! The changes this time aren't just political changes. Set aside the methods that you know are working, as vested interests and political exchanges are unnecessary here! There's also no need for schemes!
"What's needed is killing! We need to raise Gus! Except for the one on the throne, everyone must die! They must be annihilated !"
There was one more thing Li Huowang didn't say aloud, which was the late emperor's iron-clad law in the imperial temple. it was a law that could not be modified.
"When someone threatens His Majesty's life, what do you think His Majesty wants us to do? It's not to think about who his allies are or whether they have any connections. Our goal is to kill them all!"
Li Huowang lifted one foot and stomped on a corpse's head on the ground.
After a brief moment of silence, the beardless person from Zong Heng Jia stood up with a pale face. He pointed a trembling finger at Li Huowang and roared, "My senior has made great contributions to His Majesty! He was an indispensable subject to His Majesty. How dare you kill him! His Majesty won't let you off!"
"No, His Majesty won't bother me with such a small matter. What His Majesty wants is someone who can eliminate the obstacles to his ascension. Since your senior couldn't even deal with one opponent, he is of no value to His Majesty."
Just then, Peng Longteng vanished behind Li Huowang.
Li Huowang walked forward and grabbed a roasted goose from the table. Then, he muttered, "Your Majesty, at this rate, you would waste that spiritual sin. You can't keep on hesitating. It's time to make a move.
"I am your sword—a very sharp sword. Don't let your sword go to waste."
Li Huowang left the mansion under everyone's gaze. Li Huowang didn't know whether there were spies in the courtyard, but he was sure that his words would reach Ji Lin's ears.
Sure enough, the next morning, Li Huowang received an imperial edict brought by an old eunuch.
The Empress Dowager was about to leave the city to worship the Bodhisattva at the Putan Temple, and Princess Chang Ning was going to accompany her.
"His Majesty wants me to kill Princess Chang Ning under the gaze of the Empress Dowager. Is that it?" Li Huowang asked the old eunuch.
The old eunuch shook his head indifferently. Then, he began to tell a short story. "Even children born in an ordinary family aren't equal to each other, much less children in the imperial family. The Empress Dowager gave birth to three sons and a daughter, but she favored the fourth prince. She has always been much less affectionate toward His Majesty since His Majesty was young. Before the late emperor ascended the throne, His Majesty was still young and was still living in Prince Heng's mansion. Every winter, he'd receive less money for charcoal than the other children, and His Majesty grew to hate winter thanks to that."
Li Huowang nodded. He immediately understood what the other party was trying to say. It seemed that Ji Lin hadn't eaten the spiritual sin in vain, and he wanted Li Huowang to "handle" his elder sister and mother.
The Empress Dowager couldn't vie for the throne. She believed her son, Ji Lin, had no chance to become emperor, so she pinned her hopes on another son.
The old eunuch smiled meaningfully at Li Huowang. Then, he tapped Li Huowang with the golden whisk in his hand.
"Princess Chang has excellent bodyguards. You've declared that you're a sharp sword, but I want to know whether you're fast as well."
"Sir, a sharp sword is naturally fast. I don't like fame nor fortune, as it invites many troubles. I only hope that my friends who owe me favors will help me when I encounter trouble in the future."
"Ah, you're already talking about conditions when the deed has yet to be carried out? Finish this first, and then we can talk."
Li Huowang stared at the old eunuch as the latter walked out of the courtyard before vanishing into thin air.
Looks like Ji Lin's side isn't filled with just a ragtag bunch of garbage.
There a few powerful eunuchs in the palace. Li Huowang couldn't help but wonder about how he could make use of them against Shai Zi.
"Dad, why can't I understand what you're saying?" Li Sui asked while gnawing on a roasted goose.
"You don't need to understand. Anyway, how is the food? Does it taste good?"
"Yes."
"That's good. Once you're done eating, pour out the water in the jar, fill it with soil, and move it to the bedroom for me."
Li Huowang rummaged through the carriage for a while before taking out an iron box. The box was sealed tightly, and even the tiny gaps were sealed with wax as if the one who had sealed the box was afraid that what was inside the box might escape to the outside world.
Chapter 516 - Increase
Li Sui carried in the water jar filled with dirt. Li Huowang used a knife to open the wax seal before prying the box open.
A small drop of mercury dripped out and landed on his red robes before dripping onto the ground, creating numerous tiny puddles of mercury.
"I never thought the lessons I learned from my science teacher would be so useful now. Mercury can evaporate at room temperature. If I hadn't sealed it in the box with wax, I would've needed to source more just to skin myself."
Li Huowang took off his clothes and carried the box filled with mercury toward the big jar full of soil.
Both the Empress Dowager and the princess stood at the top of the kingdom. The Surveillance Bureau was banned from working with them, but they were bound to have powerful bodyguards.
He had to be meticulous in his approach if he wanted to kill them and leave with his life. An artifact made from the skin of a Strayed One would be his insurance.
Li Huowang handed the iron box to Li Sui before burying himself in the jar of dirt. "Li Sui, you already know what to do, right?"
"Yes, I know, I know!" Li Sui exclaimed excitedly. Then, she used her sharp claw to open up Li Huowang's skin starting from the crown of his head. "Dad, am I really being helpful to you right now?"
Li Huowang nodded amidst the pain and said, "Yes, really helpful."
Li Sui was so ecstatic, and her tentacles wriggled in mid-air. Li Huowang rarely complimented her, so it wasn't strange that she was so happy.
Just then, Li Sui pried Li Huowang's skin open and was about to pour in the mercury when Li Huowang called out, "Wait."
He took a moment to calm himself down before speaking softly toward the empty air. "Mom, are you there? I might make some noises in a few but don't worry about it. I'm just bungee jumping. Yes, I'll be bungee jumping for a very long time, but please be worried."
After calming his mother down, Li Huowang turned around and nodded at Li Sui. "Do it."
He had done this so many times before, but he still couldn't get used to the extreme pain. He tried to be silent, but he still ended up screaming from the pain.
He was panting by the end of it as he sprawled out on the bed. He could see the illusions whispering to each other and were clearly talking about him.
Li Huowang had used the Fiery Scripture to heal his wounds, but the extreme pain was still tormenting him.
This is too much. I really need to find a way to skin myself with as little pain as possible. Otherwise, my mind will eventually crumble at this rate.
"Dad, are you okay? How can I help you?" Li Sui's tentacles touched the scabs on Li Huowang. "Since it hurts so much, how about you don't do it again."
"Hehe. It's painful, but it must be done. Just massage me, and it should help with the pain."
Li Sui wrapped her sticky tentacles around Li Huowang and moved around. Eventually, Li Sui found herself clinging to Li Huowang as if she were a robe. "Dad, does it hurt if I do this? Did I manage to stop the pain?"
"No, it doesn't hurt anymore," Li Huowang whispered and suddenly felt exhausted. He tore off a piece of red cloth from his robes and covered his own eyes. His eyelids had been torn off as well, so he needed a blindfold.
He slept soundly that night. When he woke up the next day, he found out that Li Sui was controlling his body to carry the heavy jar downstairs. "Li Sui?"
"Dad, did I wake you up? I want to put the jar back since we're no longer using it ."
"No, you didn't wake me up. I also need to wake up early today, so the timing is perfect."
Li Huowang and Li Sui then carried the water jar back to its original place before heading to the well in the courtyard to wash up.
When Li Huowang saw his own reflection in the well, he realized that he didn't have to wash his face.
Li Huowang looked at his own reflection and stared at the tentacles moving in and out of his body before coming up with an idea.
"Li Sui, can you enter my body?"
"Dad, didn't you say that I might end up eating you up if I enter your body?"
"No, you're not going to stay inside permanently. It's temporary. I just realized that since the Luo Sect can use the Nascent Soul to speed up their cultivation, I should be able to do the same thing."
There was no harm in having another hidden card against hidden enemies. He also had a ton of experience working with Li Sui.
"Oh. Let me try."
Li Huowang opened his mouth, and Li Sui's tentacles poured into his throat. Bun's skinny limbs also stuffed themselves down Li Huowang's throat. Li Huowang felt like he was being stretched out from the inside, and it was a bizarre feeling overall.
The pain was bearable, but it was all because he was already in extreme pain. At this point, he couldn't even tell whether the pain was coming from the outside or from inside of him.
Once Li Sui was done, Li Huowang looked down at his reflection once more.
His skinless look was terrifying, but his deformed appearance right now looked downright monstrous. He appeared to be bloated, like someone who had forced themselves to wear a tight shirt. The only difference was that his body was the shirt, while Li Sui was that someone. Li Huowang's bulging blood vessels had been pervaded by Li Sui's black tentacles, and Li Huowang's flesh was shrouded by a black net of veins and tentacles. Li Huowang knew that he was staring at his own body, but he still couldn't help but feel repulsed by the sight.
Li Huowang tried to take a few steps and said, "No need to stuff all of your tentacles inside. You can extend some of the useless ones outside."
Some black tentacles burst out of Li Huowang like bamboo shoots after spring; the tentacles wriggled in mid-air. Li Huowang still appeared bloated, but at the very least, he was no longer that bloated. He no longer felt encumbered as well.
Li Huowang swung his purple-tasseled sword while Li Sui's tentacles wielded the bronze coin sword and some talismans.
Their teamwork was great, as the two of them were once one. As time ticked by, Li Huowang realized that his plan was feasible.
In addition to Li Sui's help, he'd be able to conceal his identity as well. Even Li Huowang could no longer recognize himself, so how could others recognize him?
"Dad, you can no longer wear your red robe..."
"We don't have to wear it. No need to wear such flashy clothes when we're going on an assassination. The last thing we want is getting recognized."
Li Huowang took a simple gray blanket and cut some holes in it to transform it into a large robe that concealed his bloated figure.
Chapter 517 - Bodhisattva
Li Huowang was invisible as he stood at the top of the tree and observed the endless procession.
Thousands of eunuchs, consorts, and guards formed a long line. He didn't even know where the line started and ended.
According to the information provided by Ji Lin, his target was the Empress Dowager, and the princess would be in the middle of the procession.
But Li Huowang knew now was not the right time to act, especially when he didn't know which carriage they were on.
It would be bad if he startled them, and they ended up secluding themselves in the palace. It would be hard for him to kill them by them.
Li Huowang deduced that he'd have the highest chance of success by assassinating the Empress Dowager and the princess rather than attempting to kill them in the open.
Of course, he could always find them head-on later.
"Suisui, let's go," Li Huowang said. The two of them were invisible when Li Sui's tentacles slithered out of Li Huowang and wrapped around the nearby branches.
Li Sui exerted force, and Li Huowang's figure shot toward the tree top.
Li Huowang followed the procession from afar.
Shangjing was in chaos right now, so the Empress Dowager and the prince would never travel far away from Shangjing to pray to the Bodhisattva. Li Huowang soon saw a massive statue of the Bodhisattva holding a jade vase carved into the mountain walls. It was a grand sight amidst the cloud-covered mountain peaks.
Li Huowang didn't recognize what Bodhisattva was because it was different from the one he knew. The Bodhisattva of the Liang Kingdom was a male instead.
The male Bodhisattva statue was holding a jade vase in one hand while the other hand made a seal. The statue's eyes were staring at the mortals with pity and mercy.
"Let's go to the temple!" Li Huowang quickened his pace and reached the grand temple at the base of the Bodhisattva statue.
The temple was not a simple one, as it had such a massive Bodhisattva statue. The temple was so large that it had tens of mu of land.[1]
The temple was filled with greenery, and its yellow walls, grayish green roofs, thick scent of incense, and the grand bell toiling in the distance told everyone of its grandness.
Devotees were swarming the temple place, and the incense sticks in their hands smothered the temple with a thick and unique scent. They held their palms together and raised them above their chest and head before kneeling on the ground to pray. The stone floor had many holes from the countless devotees praying through the ages.
Clearly, the temple was an important place in the people's hearts.
"Let's go!" Li Huowang was still invisible as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop to find a place to hide.
Li Huowang wasn't afraid of the temple monks hunting him down. According to Ji Lin, the monks of the temple were just ordinary people.
Even if the temple held secrets, they would never dare to involve themselves in the chaotic succession war of Shangjing.
The monks were no fools either to be able to establish their temple so close to Shangjing. They knew not to interfere in the succession war, or they'd end up getting destroyed.
Li Huowang finally found a suitable hiding place. Just then, the first batch of people in the procession finally reached the entrance of the temple.
Rows of monks wearing yellow robes followed several abbots to welcome their royal guests at the entrance of the temple.
Li Huowang held his breath and carefully observed what was happening.
He finally managed to catch a glimpse of the Empress Dowager and the eldest princess for the very first time after the attractive consorts parted away like colorful fans.
Pretty and attractive. That was Li Huowang's first thought when he saw them.
As Ji Lin's elder sister, the eldest princess was extremely gorgeous, and her mother, the Empress Dowager, was even more gorgeous than her.
The Empress Dowager had pale skin that revealed the slightest blush and thin lips that parted like rose petals. Age did not leave a single mark on her face.
If it wasn't because of the difference in their attire, Li Huowang would've never been able to distinguish who was the Empress Dowager and who was the eldest princess.
Under Li Huowang's gaze, the eldest princess whispered to the abbot. The guards behind her moved forward and chased away the other devotees before surrounding the entire temple. The place was now completely impenetrable.
The Empress Dowager and the eldest princess entered the temple with the consorts surrounding them.
They never stopped as they walked through the temple's ground. They climbed up the stone stairs and reached the tallest pagoda before kneeling on the cushions and praying to the large Bodhisattva statue carved from the mountain wall.
The Bodhisattva statue looked at them without any emotions.
"Dad, what are they doing?" Li Sui had never seen people praying before and didn't understand what was happening.
"They are praying to the Bodhisattva. They are probably asking for forgiveness. I guess it's natural since they are asking one of their sons to kill the others. I doubt anyone would feel at peace for ordering that," Li Huowang explained to Li Sui.
Li Huowang was patient, and he stood still like a statue for a long time.
He knew that the Empress Dowager and the eldest princess would not return immediately after traveling so far away. They must be staying here tonight.
Ding! Dong! The bell toiled, and the monks sitting in a circle around the tallest pagoda started chanting their mantras.
The grand scene unfolded as the sun sailed past Bodhisattva's head and sank behind it.
At nightfall, Li Huowang finally felt that he had a chance to succeed. He used Li Sui's tentacles to scamper up the roof and make his way to the quarters of the Empress Dowager and the eldest princess.
He moved extremely slowly, as he knew that the two would have quite a few bodyguards protecting them around the clock.
Li Huowang managed to avoid the hidden bodyguards and reached the quarters in two hours.
It was already late at night, but the quarters were still surrounded by numerous eunuchs and consorts.
"Li Sui, we need to head left before going right past this point. We have to run away after killing them. Do not engage in battle unless necessary."
Li Huowang raised his right arm and gripped his sword. He was about to move when the door on the left abruptly. Several muscular consorts were carrying a young monk wrapped in a blanket, and they were heading to the room on the right.
"Stop! What are you doing? It's already so late." An old eunuch with his face painted white stopped the consorts.
"The eldest princess saw how tired the Empress Dowager was during the prayers earlier in the day, so she wanted to express her filial piety toward the Empress Dowager."
1. 1 mu = 667 square meters. ☜
Chapter 518 - Kill
The old eunuch heard their answers and nodded. "Is that so? Wait here. I will report to the Empress Dowager first."
With that, he opened the door slightly and entered the room.
After some time, he brought out two handsome monks from inside the room. "Carry him in. The Empress Dowager is waiting."
"Dad, what are they doing?"
Li Sui's question stumped Li Huowang. How shameless are they to do something so devious beneath the gaze of the Bodhisattva? Do they not hold any respect toward it in their hearts?
Li Huowang didn't respond to Li Sui's question and slowly made his way into the room. He crawled through the rafters, and his eyes twitched when he saw the "fiery" scene in the room. It was even more "intense" than what he saw in the Righteous Monastery.
Li Huowang thought that the Empress Dowager and the eldest princess were feeling guilty for their actions that had spurred the princes into killing each other, but it seemed that he was mistaken.
He took one look around the room and decided it was time to act. He jumped from the roof towards the large bed in the center of the room.
To prevent the empress dowager, who was buried under a group of people, from escaping, Li Huowang crushed his left eyeball without hesitation.
A strange light covered the bed, and everyone on it suddenly found themselves unable to move.
Li Huowang swung the spine sword downward. The spacetime rift leading to the Qi Kingdom was about to tear the Empress Dowager in half when the entire bed suddenly moved left, avoiding the attack.
Realizing that his chances of success were becoming increasingly thin, Li Huowang attacked relentlessly. He opened his mouth and spat his molars toward the Empress Dowager.
A humanoid shadow appeared to block the attack. She used a white ribbon to block the molars but failed to notice that Li Huowang had sent another attack behind the molars. Li Huowang's severed arm pierced the bodyguard's abdomen and plunged into the Empress Dowager's chest.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager's eyes were becoming dull, Li Huowang immediately ran toward the exit. "We have to go and kill the eldest princess!"
Li Sui's tentacles burst forth from Li Huowang's stump and grabbed the severed arm before connecting the two once again. "Dad, you almost forgot your arm."
Li Huowang reached the exit and saw that the eldest princess's door was already open; there was a horde of guards standing by to stop him. The guards, eunuchs, and consorts surrounded the eldest princess as she made a break for it.
Li Huowang never thought that they would choose to run immediately rather than confront him head-on.
"Scarm!" Li Huowang swung his spine sword toward the guards. Li Sui mimicked his movement using the bronze coin sword.
To protect the eldest princess, the guards and the eunuchs ran fearlessly toward Li Huowang, but they were immediately cut in half.
Li Huowang was getting closer to the eldest princess when the clear toiling of bells echoed in the air. A petite escort wearing a transparent veil was dancing as she made her way toward Li Huowang.
The bells on her arms and feet emitted a hypnotic tune; strands of gold burst out of her hair and wriggled in mid-air.
Li Huowang fell into a daze. When he looked at the escort again, a strange surge of emotions came from the bottom of his heart. All of his love for Bai Lingmiao and Yang Na was suddenly concentrated on the escort.
The escort approached Li Huowang and danced as the golden strands from her hair thrust into Li Huowang.
Li Huowang was being penetrated, but he felt no pain. Instead, he was ecstatic. He felt like the golden strands were Bai Lingmiao and Yang Na's hands, and he felt like they were caressing him.
The escort pried open her veil and pursed her lips to kiss him. The golden strands dug even deeper into Li Huowang as the escort's lips approached him. Li Huowang didn't notice the pill at the base of the escort's tongue.
Just then, several tentacles with hooks burst out of Li Huowang's mouth and tore off the escort's face in a single brutal swing.
The escort cried out in pain as the tentacles dragged her face into Li Huowang's throat. Li Huowang woke up from his stupor and stabbed his legs to wake up.
The intense pain cleared his mind, and he cut down the escort before chasing the eldest princess.
I've never seen that technique before! That was dangerous! Li Huowang raised his guard up and prepared himself for unexpected attacks.
If it hadn't been for Li Sui, the eldest princess would have escaped successfully under the lead of her powerful bodyguards.
He saw two old eunuchs holding flying guillotines standing in his way. Li Huowang knew that he couldn't afford to waste his time dealing with these obstacles.
"Li Sui, ribs!" Li Huowang exclaimed after having made up his mind. Li Sui immediately broke Li Huowang's lowermost ribs and handed them to him through his belly button.
Li Huowang stabbed his ribs into his abdomen, and the eunuchs cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground.
Four black tentacles burst out of Li Huowang and sent him forward. Li Huowang then ran on the rooftops, chasing after the escaping eldest princess.
More and more guards collapsed to the ground from the extreme pain as Li Huowang stabbed himself using his ribs. Meanwhil,e he was getting closer and closer to the princess.
Upon seeing that he was close enough, he pulled out the blunted ribs from his abdomen and exclaimed, "This isn't enough pain! Li Sui! Skin!"
Li Sui's exposed tentacles stuck themselves to Li Huowang. Then, the hooks on the tentacles latched onto his scars and scabs.
When Li Huowang stabbed himself with his ribs once again, Li Sui instantly skinned Li Huowang.
"AAAAAAAH!" The terrible pain almost made Li Huowang collapse, but it was worth it. Everyone, including the eldest princess, fell to the ground and cried out in extreme agony. They had been incapacitated.
Li Huowang let go of his ribs and wielded his spine sword to deliver the killing blow. Before he could do so, however, someone wearing a black veil stood before him.
The black veil revealed nothing but a single outstretched arm. Li Huowang's heart sank when he saw the layers of scars on the arm as well as the blood seeping out from beneath the veil.
He's must be from the Ao Jing Sect! Ordinary people can't possibly stand up after being subjected to such intense pain!
Chapter 519 - Eldest Princess
Clang, clang, clang!
Li Huowang swung his spine sword to deflect the three fingernails flying toward him.
That attack confirmed his suspicions. The figure before him was from the Ao Jing Sect.
"I thought you guys never meddled with society and single-mindedly chased after the most exquisite pain? Why are you meddling here?" Li Huowang asked.
The black-veiled figure chuckled. Then, he knelt on the ground and took out a clay statue of the Ao Jing Sect's deity before placing it close to his chest.
"You took the words out of my mouth. Why are you even here? As for myself, I'm just here to return a favor."
Boom!
An intense heat wave burst out of the black-veiled figure, and it made Li Huowang's veil flutter. Moments later, a burning man was standing before Li Huowang.
Li Huowang frowned. His opponent was indeed from the Ao Jing Sect, and he was quite strong, too.
Even though the Ao Jing Sect's techniques came with extreme downsides, they granted the users immense power. The techniques of the Ao Jing Sect were so powerful that it propelled them into becoming one of the strongest sects in te world.
"Scram!" Li Huowang roared, swinging the spine sword and sending out a rift in spacetime toward the burning man.
The man knew that he had to avoid that attack. He propelled himself into the air using his flames. Then, he opened his mouth and breathed fire toward Li Huowang.
Li Huowang cut the flames apart using the spine sword and sent them to the Qi Kingdom. Moments later, Li Huowang finally caught a glimpse of his opponent.
The person on fire was humanoid, but Li Huowang was certain that a normal person didn't have two heads. It wasn't a Nascent Soul of the Luo Sect; they were just normal heads. The flames had scorched the two heads, but Li Huowang could still make out how the dents in the heads. The heads looked like winter melons that had been stomped on.
Li Huowang's opponent even had four arms and three legs. The humanoid figure before him seemed like he was made out of multiple people that had been sewn together!
I can't waste my time with this bastard! I can kill him, but I'll fail in my mission if the eldest princess manages to survive! Li Huowang stared at the eldest princess being carried away by an old eunuch.
Several ideas popped up in Li Huowang's mind as he looked around the burning temple. Eventually, he settled on one idea.
Li Huowang turned left and ran inside one of the burning buildings. The burning man from the Ao Jing Sect chased after him.
"Black smoke covers the skies! Hang low upon the heavens! Gang Bo Ba Nie Li! Gu Da Lu Ying Hua! Mi Duo Luo Tian Cheng!"
The clay statue in the burning man's hands had become red from the high temperatures, but he didn't hesitate to shove it inside of him through his navel.
In an instant, one of the golden Buddha statues melted. The gold plating melted and became like a tidal wave that swept across the burning building to block Li Huowang's escape route.
Everything burned brightly, and even the air itself took on an orange hue from the extreme temperatures. Li Huowang's veil was reduced to ashes as well.
The burning wave of gold was about to seal Li Huowang by covering him in gold when something unexpected happened.
There was no one beneath the veil. Instead of a person, a skinned dog covered in black tentacles was there.
"Shit!" Zu Yi[1], the Ao Jing Sect member who had been trying to stop Li Huowang, realized that he had been tricked. He ran out of the building along with the blazing molten gold.
The fire followed Zu Yi, and the building stopped burning. Li Sui was left all alone in the middle of the charred building.
"Strange. Why is it not happening as Dad had told me?"
Li Sui took out the human-skin doll from its belly to examine it before stuffing it back. He then ran like a bloodhound to chase after Zu Yi and Li Huowang.
Li Huowang chased after the eldest princess by jumping from roof to roof while in his invisible state. He was fast approaching her.
Faster! I need to be faster! Li Huowang's killing intent grew deeper. Just as he felt a wave of heat flying toward him, he swung his sword at the eldest princess.
Li Huowang saw the spacetime rift leading to the Qi Kingdom getting closer and closer to the eldest princess when the latter abruptly twisted herself in a bizarre way. She kicked herself off the old eunuch's shoulder and dodged Li Huowang's attack.
A long ribbon flowed out from her sleeves, and she hovered in mid-air.
Li Huowang suddenly felt like he was staring at a gorgeous goddess that had descended on the mortal world.
Li Huowang was unfamiliar with that technique, but he knew that the eldest princess still had more cards up her sleeves.
Clearly, she had been hiding her cards by acting like she was weak. It turned out that she was more than capable of fending off an assassin!
Swoosh!
A wave of flames seared off the scabs on Li Huowang's back.
The eldest princess and Zu Yi flanked Li Huowang. The next moment, numerous bodyguards appeared and surrounded Li Huowang. The hunter was now the hunted.
"Who sent you here?"
The eldest princess stood at the top of a gazebo and looked down at him with pride. Her translucent ribbons floated around her like snakes.
Li Huowang said nothing. He steeled himself for a bloody fight. He knew something like this would happen, as those involved in the succession war were all experts who had numerous cards up their sleeves.
"I will not punish you even though you've killed my mother. I will double your reward as long as you work for me."
The eldest princess's voice was cold, much to the irritation of Li Huowang.
"No need. I am poor, but I am loyal! I will never betray my Lord!"
Li Huowang immediately charged in the direction with the least amount of people.
"Zu Yi, don't destroy his soul. I want to know his master's identity."
"Understood." Zu Yi was still shrouded in fire when he chased after Li Huowang.
Li Huowang reached one of the buildings when a shadow appeared and pounced on him.
"Dad, I didn't use the doll!" Li Sui's tentacles sprouted out from his body again.
"Great! I can use it now!"
When the guards shrouded in killing intent surrounded him again with their weapons in hand, Li Huowang thrust his fingers into his own chest and tore it open, exposing his organs.
1. Meaning Feet One ☜