"Metal lungs!"
Li Huowang snarled and tore off his own lungs before slapping them onto the Profound Records on the ground.
As he howled in pain, the crescent moon in the skies became shrouded by dark clouds. The shadow of the clouds produced an illusion on the Bodhisattva statue, making it seem like it was closing its eyes.
"Wood liver!"
The guards that surrounded Li Huowang all dropped to the ground as their bodies wriggled in pain. Their agonized screams sent shivers down everyone's spines.
Zu Yi saw what Li Huowang was doing and exclaimed, "That's... that's the Five Elements Intercalation!"
The doll made from a Strayed One's skin could extend one's life, but in Li Huowang's hands, it could be used to perform that powerful technique without dying.
The blood-red bamboo slips transformed into wiggling maggots that burrowed into Li Huowang; some of them even crawled on Li Sui's tentacles.
Li Huowang sighed. The pain disappeared as his body became hollow. He stood up slowly and glared at the burning Zu Yi. "Come."
The tables had turned...
When Li Huowang took a step forward, the burning Zu Yi took a step back.
Soon, their steps became a slow jog. Soon, the two of them were running at full speed. Zu Yi was frantically running away from Li Huowang while the latter chased after him.
Zu Yi saw the princess standing still, so he shouted, "Be careful! He's using the secret technique of the Ao Jing Sect! He cannot be killed in a short period of time! He's covered in maggots, so don't get close to him until he's exhausted!"
"Hmph!" the princess scoffed and raised her chin. Several shadows flew past her and ran toward Li Huowang.
Li Huowang didn't even blink when the dark shadows made holes in him, as the holes were pervaded by maggots.
"Li Sui! Come!"
Li Huowang gnashed his teeth and ran toward the princess while Li Sui drew two talismans and slapped them onto the two largest tentacles.
The tentacles expanded and slammed the ground, propelling Li Huowang like an arrow toward the princess standing on a rooftop.
The princess waved her sleeves, and the ribbons around her flew into the air, forming an intricate formation.
Li Huowang didn't even bother to dodge. He slashed at the ribbons with the spine sword, and Li Sui threw the maggots at the princess with her tentacles.
The princess finally grew serious when she saw the sword slicing her ribbons so easily while the maggots flew past the gaps in her formation. How did he get so strong?
She wrapped a ribbon on the seven-layered furnace behind her and pulled herself away.
Li Huowang's maggots chased after her but were blocked by a wave of burning molten gold.
"Princess! We need to buy time! He will die once the Five Elements Intercalations ends!" Zu Yi explained.
"How annoying! In that case, block him for me while I go back to the palace!"
The princess was about to run away when Li Huowang blocked her. "Leave? I've paid a huge price, and you actually want to leave just like that?"
Li Huowang clenched his teeth and tore his torso apart before running at the princess. His torso was like a gaping maw, while his ribs were the teeth. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Boom!
All of a sudden, his white ribs exploded into a cluster of maggots that rained down on the princess.
Sensing danger, the princess's perfume pouch suddenly opened, and a multicolored cloud shot out to block the maggots.
The bodyguards of the Empress Dowager also ran over and surrounded Li Huowang along with the princess's bodyguards.
However, they weren't Li Huowang's match, as he was still in the middle of the Five Elements Intercalation. All of them died one by one, and soon Li Huowang had the upper hand; even the princess was wounded.
They fought with their lives on the line.
"Imperial Preceptor!" someone roared, forcing everyone to come to a halt and look in the same direction.
An old man reclining on a black ox slowly entered the fray. He was wearing a simple bamboo hat with a fishing rod in hand.
Li Huowang looked at the old man without letting his guard down. He was the same old man he had met in the palace not too long ago.
"Imperial Preceptor, save me!" the princess cried out. She appeared very pitiful with her tattered clothes.
The Imperial Preceptor's expression became sullen as he swept his gaze across the battlefield. He glanced alternatingly between the severely injured Li Huowang and the pitiful-looking princess before figuring out what was happening.
He patted the black ox lightly, and the ox ran away from the battlefield.
"Imperial Preceptor! You once carried me in your arms when I was young!"
Li Huowang stared at the Imperial Preceptor leaving the battlefield and heard the latter's aged and exhausted voice.
"Sigh. All things change. It's better to make it quick. Just let it go."
The black ox disappeared in the night. Li Huowang was about to continue his assault when he saw a glob of molten gold landing on the princess's face. "AAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Li Huowang was confused by Zu Yi's betrayal, but he said nothing as he slashed at the princess.
Zu Yi's betrayal was the nail in the coffin. Under their combined assault, the injured princess eventually lost.
The princess's clear irises reflected Li Huowang's silhouette as the latter walked up to her decapitated head and picked it up from the ground.
It was only when the maggots had devoured her brain did Li Huowang threw the head away. Then, he looked at Zu Yi, who was no longer burning.
"Zu Yi greets the elder." Zu Yi bowed to Li Huowang.
"Why are you calling me an elder right now and not earlier?" Li Huowang asked the charred Zu Yi.
Zu Yi said nothing and retreated.
Li Huowang did not chase after Zu Yi as he could feel extreme pain encroaching upon him. The Five Elements Intercalation would soon be over.
"Li Sui, let's go." Li Huowang walked in the opposite direction.
Fifteen minutes later, a hollowed-out Li Huowang sat underneath a large tree. He was dead.
Moments later, a doll made out of human skin crawled out of his abdomen and expanded.
Chapter 521 - Zu Yi
"Go and investigate this thoroughly! That criminal and their family must be executed! And they must suffer a slow death!" Ji Lin roared so loud that his voice echoed throughout the palace.
None of the civil and military officials below uttered a word. They stood silently in a row as they held crescent-shaped boards and stared at the spotless ground.
"Are you deaf? Huh?! My mother! And my sister!! That criminal has ignored their noble statuses and killed them like they're game!"
"Hahaha! Am I in the kingdom of our Ji family or not?! Am I in the territory of the Great Liang?!" Ji Lin yelled, tossing the thick memorials away.
The memorials landed on the heads of the officials.
Finally, a chubby military officer stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, witness accounts state that murder was an evil cultivator!"
"I don't care what kind of cultivator he is! I only want his head! I need to see his head within three days!"
The morning court ended amidst the oppressive atmosphere. Ji Lin walked through the palace toward his chambers with a furious look. All the eunuchs and palace maids were silent, afraid of incurring his wrath. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
When Ji Lin reached his chambers, the anger on his face disappeared instantly and was replaced by a bloodthirsty joy.
"Er Jiu, you did great! Your sword is indeed fast and sharp! Your sword is much better than those that are all bark and no bite! Tell me, what reward do you want?"
Li Huowang emerged from the giant golden sandalwood on the left and said, "Your Majesty, I don't want titles or money. I just feel that Your Majesty is the destined ruler."
Dressed in imperial robes, Ji Lin pushed his sagging left cheek with his hand. He circled around Li Huowang with his hands behind his back, "Hehehe, you don't want titles or money? So, does that mean you want me to owe you a favor?"
Li Huowang did not reply.
Since he had already demonstrated his value, the next step was to figure out how to use Ji Lin to deal with Shai Zi.
Ji Lin patted Li Huowang's left shoulder. Then, he waved to the old eunuch holding a tray in the corner.
Ji Lin picked up a golden token engraved with a dragon pattern from the tray and handed it to Li Huowang. "This is a death pardon token. You can use this to atone for any heinous crimes you commit in the future."
Li Huowang immediately discerned the implied meaning behind Ji Lin's words, and he felt like the weight of the golden token in his hands had increased significantly. The death pardon token was only going to be effective during the ruling of the same emperor who had handed it to the receiver. Otherwise, the death token would become like jewelry—only good for pawnshops.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Ji Lin took a step forward and looked closely into Li Huowang's eyes. "I know that this cannot compensate for your contributions. Rest assured, you will become my most distinguished aide once I've ascended the throne."
"Your Majesty, do you hate the Sitting Oblivion Dao?"
Ji Lin was taken aback by Li Huowang's sudden question about the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
"Your Majesty, do you hate the Sitting Oblivion Dao?" Li Huowang asked once again.
"Of course! My father died because of the Sitting Oblivion Dao! They murdered him!" Ji Lin spoke through gritted teeth.
Li Huowang nodded, feeling reassured. He raised both hands and bowed to Ji Lin, "Your Majesty, I understand. Who should I kill next?"
It was enough to start off like that. Those two heads probably weren't enough to ask for Ji Lin's help.
"There's no hurry. I need to see everyone's reaction first. This is a tricky matter as well. You're good at killing people, but you can't help me get more supporters. Anyway, you're free to go and rest. I'll inform you again when it's time to act."
Soon, Li Huowang found himself outside the red walls of the palace under the lead of a group of imperial guards.
On his way back, Li Huowang solemnly pondered over Ji Lin's reaction. He was considering the implications behind every minute change in his expression.
In the past, Ji Lin was straightforward and had always said whatever came to his mind. Now, Li Huowang wasn't so sure whether he was still the same Ji Lin during that festival or not.
The Emperor of Great Liang himself was at odds with the Sitting Oblivion Dao. Li Huowang was once convinced that the emperor wouldn't refuse to help him against Shai Zi. After all, that decision made the most sense—both logically and emotionally.
But now, Li Huowang doubted it. Why did Shai Zi specifically want Ji Lin to ascend the throne? What profit would he reap?
Even if Ji Lin was willing to use the power of the Great Liang to deal with the Sitting Oblivion Dao, Li Huowang dared not reveal everything to him until he was sure of everything.
Could Ji Lin be a pawn of the Sitting Oblivion Dao? Alarm bells rang in Li Huowang's mind.
"Brother Li, rest assured. Ji Lin is not a pawn of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. The Surveillance Bureau is incompetent, but they're not incompetent enough for the Sitting Oblivion Dao to replace such an important figure with their own under the Surveillance Bureau's gaze." Zhuge Yuan said, his words dispelled Li Huowang's worries.
Li Huowang nodded thoughtfully and pondered over his next move. This was a difficult endeavor. For every possibility considered, he had to backtrack to think whether Shai Zi had already anticipated it or not.
"Dad, you're back? I made some steamed buns for you!"
Li Huowang had just entered the house when he was intercepted by Li Sui, who proudly displayed the results of her cooking. Li Huowang turned and saw lumps of dough in the pot. A few buns had been scorched black, and some hadn't risen at all. Li Huowang smiled wryly at the sight, but he still reached out and bit into one of the buns.
Li Huowang knew that dealing with a powerful enemy like Shai Zi couldn't be rushed at all. However, how could he not feel anxious when Miaomiao was in Shai Zi's hands?
Li Huowang patted Li Sui's white skull and felt a bit relieved.
"Dad, are they delicious?"
"No. Don't make them next time."
"Why not? I think the steamed buns I made are delicious."
Just then, there was knocking on the door.
"Zu Yi greets Grand Elder."
Li Huowang immediately stopped chewing. He and Li Sui looked at the door together.
"The door's not locked; come in," Li Huowang said indifferently, as though he wasn't surprised that the other party had followed him here.
When Li Huowang saw Zu Yi betraying the princess, he knew that he'd meet Zu Yi again.
The wooden courtyard door was pushed open by a man wearing a black veil and a wide coat. The man was covered thoroughly, and the only information Li Huowang could gather from the man was the pungent smell of charcoal emanating from him. Li Sui's keen nose also allowed her to reach the conclusion that the man before them was the same burning man from that battle not too long ago.
Chapter 522 - Ascension
Li Sui crouched, and her tentacles writhed as she growled at the newcomer.
"He's a guest," Li Huowang said to Li Sui before turning to look at the visitor. "Please be seated."
Li Huowang then pulled a long bench from the side of the table and dragged it toward the visitor.
"I dare not. Before the Grand Elder, there is no place for Zu Yi," Zu Yi said. He extended his charred hands and moved the bench aside.
"Since you know that I'm the Grand Elder, why did you oppose me?" Li Huowang asked.
"I owed the princess a favor long ago, so even though I knew the Grand Elder's identity, I still had to protect her, as I couldn't go back on my word."
"Oh? Then why did you end up betraying her?"
"I've repaid the favor by going all out to stop you, so my duty was considered fulfilled by then," Zu Yi said in a matter-of-factly way.
"I'm a disciple of Ao Jing, so I can't stand idly by upon seeing you facing difficulties, which was why I helped you deal with the princess."
"You're a really straightforward person. One thing leads to another, right?" Li Huowang covered Li Sui's mouth, as she was still growling.
"Some say it's better to live life in ignorance, but I think it's better to be on top of things."
"How did you recognize me as the Grand Elder? What if I'm not from the Ao Jing Sect?"
"The fact that you managed to use the Five Elements Intercalation and survive afterward means that you're undoubtedly the Grand Elder!" Zu Yi replied immediately before kowtowing to Li Huowang.
Li Huowang smiled and observed Zu Yi for a moment before asking, "Do you want to continue chatting? I can chat with you all night."
"Why do you say that, Grand Elder?"
"Why did you come here then if not for that?" Li Huowang asked, raising his voice slightly.
Zu Yi pondered for a moment, and then he knelt before Li Huowang. "Zu Yi is willing to give everything in exchange for the Grand Elder's method of ascension!"
Li Huowang finally understood why Zu Yi had decided to stick close to him. Li Huowang didn't immediately reject Zu Yi's request, as he considered whether Zu Yi could be useful against the Shai Zi or not.
"Do you know about the Shai Zis of the Sitting Oblivion Dao?"
Although confused by the sudden change in the topic, Zu Yi immediately answered, "Of course. The Shai Zis has caused a commotion in the capital not too long ago."
"Then, among the figures of the Ao Jing Sect, who do you think is strong enough to deal with a Shai Zi?" Li Huowang asked, leaning forward slightly.
Zu Yi thought for a moment and replied, "In terms of individual strength, the three Five-Calamity Grand Elders should be able to handle a Shai Zi."
"Five-Calamity Grand Elders?"
"Each time a member of the Ao Jing Sect ascends, they obtain a calamity. After ascending three times, they'll earn the title of Grand Elder. A Five-Calamity Grand Elder is someone who has ascended five times."
Zu Yi looked up at Li Huowang and was a little puzzled. "Grand Elder, don't you know that already?"
Li Huowang didn't answer, as he was still stunned by the shocking revelation. "The Cang-Qiang Ascension actually has such an effect? The more you ascend, the stronger you become? Ascending five times means becoming even more powerful than a Shai Zi?!"
"It's not just the Cang-Qiang Ascension. Other methods of ascension have that effect as well. We get closer to Ba-Hui with each ascension, and we can better use its power for ourselves," Zu Yi remarked.
"How about the person with the most ascensions in the Ao Jing Sect? How many calamities do they have?"
"Legend has it that they have ten calamities."
"Ten calamities? What's their name?"
"The Sacrificial God."
"The Sacrificial God is eternal. The Mother of all Beings, the Gateway of Creation, is the basis of the Heavens and the Earth! From nothing to something, birthing the Heavens and the Earth."
His words instantly brought Li Huowang back to a few years ago—to the statue sitting on the cross.
According to his previous observations in the Cross Temple, the Sacrificial God was the only mortal who had achieved sanctification of the flesh and had forcibly seized a portion of the Heavenly Dao from Ba-Hui.
Achieving sanctification of the flesh after ten calamities? Li Huowang's heart suddenly raced.
The Cang-Qiang Ascension really lived up to its name. Through ascending step by step, one could eventually become a god! This was brand-new information to Li Huowang.
What am I waiting for then? I just have to perform the Cang-Qiang Ascension a few more times, and I'd be able to make quick work of Shai Zi! By then, my issue will be easily resolved!
However, Li Huowang was suddenly reminded of the hardship he had to go through during his previous Cang-Qiang Ascensions.
"Mom! I can't tell! I really can't tell!"
"Im.. impossible! I didn't kill them! I didn't destroy that village!"
"Huowang... why...?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
It was Yang Na last time, so who will it be next? My own mother? What cruel thing do I have to do to Sun Xiaoqin to attain the utmost physical and mental agony? No! No way! I won't do it! She's not fake! She's my mom!
Zu Yi noticed that the air around Li Huowang had distorted slightly, and he retreated into the courtyard in surprise.
"I'm fine! I'm fine..." Li Huowang muttered as he grabbed his head.
"Brother Li, there must be another way. The Cang-Qiang Ascension requires killing your close family and doing all sorts of despicable deeds. Ascending also gets harder the more you do it. If you keep doing it, what would be the difference between you and the evil Shai Zis?!"
Li Huowang gradually calmed down under Zhuge Yuan's persuasion. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do it again. I'll definitely find another way!"
Li Huowang looked up at Zu Yi in the courtyard and calmly said, "It's okay, come in. Let's keep chatting."
What bizarre technique is the Grand Elder practicing? What were those bizarre changes? Zu Yi pondered in confusion as he walked into the house.
"You've never seen a Shai Zi, so how can you say that a Five-Calamity Elder can defeat a Shai Zi? I've also tried the Cang-Qiang Ascension. There haven't been many other changes aside from being more sensitive to pain and one's regenerative ability becoming even stronger."
Li Huowang had calmed down, and he started doubting Zu Yi's words. After all, talk was cheap, and no one could verify the authenticity of his words.
"Grand Elder, there's no need to be doubtful of me. Obtaining Five Calamities means you're no longer an ordinary person. Moreover, the Sitting Oblivion Dao is not good at direct confrontation, so a Five-Calamity Elder is strong enough against their Shai Zi."
"But Shai Zis are extremely adept at deception, which makes sense, as they are leaders of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. It's extremely difficult to find a Shai Zi if they want to remain hidden. That's why the sect has never really found a Shai Zi after all these years."
"The sect is also looking for a Shai Zi? Why?" Li Huowang asked, but he immediately figured out the answer himself. "Right, the Ao Jing Sect is considered a famous orthodox sect, so the Surveillance Bureau must have approached the sect."
Chapter 523 - Letter
When Li Huowang learned from Zu Yi that the Surveillance Bureau had invited the Ao Jing Sect to deal with the Sitting Oblivion Dao together, he realized that he might be looking in the wrong place for a solution.
If the Ao Jing Sect truly had a way to deal with a Shai Zi, that Shai Zi wouldn't have threatened him.
Li Huowang sighed lightly while sitting on the bench. He then turned to Zu Yi and said, "Alright, you can go. We've settled our unfinished business at the time. From now on, we'll go our separate ways."
Zu Yi was momentarily stunned, and then he sounded nervous as he said, "Grand Elder, what about the secrets to Ascension..."
"There are no secrets!" Li Huowang exclaimed, sounding irritated upon recalling something. "Do you know how excruciating and desolate it is to reach extreme physical and mental agony? Yet, you masochists are actually chasing after it desperately!"
Li Huowang's outburst made Zu Yi retreat slowly into the courtyard. He glanced at Li Huowang sitting on the bench inside the house. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Grand Elder, did you encounter any issues today?
"As the esteemed Grand Elder of the Ao Jing Sect, please do not hesitate to give me any instructions if there's anything that I can help you with."
Li Huowang shook his head and waved his hand impatiently. "You can't help. If you could, I would have already employed you."
Zu Yi said no more and turned around to leave the courtyard. As he gripped the wooden door latch, a voice echoed from within his broad cloak. "Elder, forgive me for being presumptuous. All worldly troubles are meaningless before the pain of Ascension. And as disciples of the Ao Jing Sect... I believe we should focus only on the right path."
Li Huowang couldn't be bothered to argue with the masochistic lunatic. He turned around and ignored Zu Yi.
"Grand Elder."
"Are you not done yet?!" Li Huowang exclaimed, turning around with his sword in hand. To his surprise, he saw Zu Yi bend down to pick up a folded beige envelope from the ground.
"Grand Elder, this seems to be a letter for you."
"A letter?" Li Huowang walked over with his suspicions, and reached out to retrieve it and examine the contents.
"I'll take my leave since you have your personal matters. I'll send someone to report to you if there's anything important from the temple. After all, you are the esteemed Grand Elder of the Ao Jing Sect."
Li Huowang paid no attention to Zu Yi's words as his eyes were fixed on the letter.
Bai Lingmiao? How did she manage to write a letter to me after being kidnapped by that Shai Zi?
Li Huowang's fingers trembled slightly as he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.
Senior Li, are you okay? I'm really sorry for the fact that I haven't made any contact with you for so long.
I wanted to contact you a long time ago, but they wouldn't allow me until now. I can't write who they are, as they might change it. They've been good to me, and they haven't been mistreating me at all.
You must be searching all over for me, but don't worry, Senior Li. I'll be back soon. It's not going to take two years like you said. By the way, the persimmon cakes here are really sweet; I'll send you some of them.
From your wife, Bai Lingmiao.
Two years? Two years? How did Bai Lingmiao know about that promise? Li Huowang's pupils constricted as he recalled Yang Na standing before him behind a wire iron fence.
"Yang Na, wait! Give me three years! No! Two years! Just give me two more years!"
That's right! Bai Lingmiao left me back then, so the Yang Na at the time must've been the reflection of Bai Lingmiao from this world when she was taken away!
Li Huowang paced around the room; his emotions were tumultuous as he gripped the letter. This letter was of great significance!
Perhaps, this means that Shai Zi hadn't kidnapped Bai Lingmiao! He must've been lying to me all this while!
It was an uplifting conjecture. Just as Li Huowang's imagination was about to go wild, a beggar stuck his head into the courtyard through the doorway.
"Boss Hong Zhong! Ah, I'm really sorry," said the beggar with an apologetic look." I almost forgot about the persimmon cakes while delivering the letter."
The beggar carried the bamboo basket inside with his dirty hands, and he was panting as he walked into the courtyard.
After putting down the basket, he walked toward Li Sui and said, "Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you! You must be Boss Hong Zhong's dog, right? I've long heard of you."
Li Huowang looked at the envelope in his hand and then at the beggar chatting away with Li Sui. His heart quickly cooled down.
What's going on? Does Shai Zi think I've been making too many moves lately, so he's decided to send a letter to warn me?
Maybe Shai Zi has deceived me! Maybe Bai Lingmiao isn't by his side!
Thump!
Li Huowang reached and pressed the beggar's neck against the wall.
He didn't ask for the man's name; he took out a dagger to lift the man's face.
After flipping through a few faces, Li Huowang finally saw Jiu Wan[1] squinting at him.
"What are you doing here?!" Li Huowang gritted his teeth.
"Ah, what else can I do? I'm just here to deliver a letter. I didn't steal any of the persimmon cakes; they only sent these few pieces..."
"Don't worry, it's okay if you don't tell the truth. I'll make you tell the truth! I'm skilled in both Ao Jing and Sitting Oblivion Dao! You choose!" Li Huowang said as he opened his bag of torture tools.
Amidst the clattering of metal, Li Huowang suddenly noticed that the man's mocking smile seemed a bit off.
He released the man's throat, and he collapsed to the ground. The Jiu Wan before Li Huowang was dead.
***
"Officers, we're just a theater troupe; there's nothing to investigate here. See, these are costumes. Hehehe," Lu Zhuangyuan said to the city guards.
However, the guards only glanced at him once. They tossed the travel pass at Lu Zhuangyuan's face before rummaging through the carriage.
Lu Zhuangyuan quickly caught the travel pass with both hands. The travel pass had to stay safe. Without it, it would be difficult to navigate through Great Liang.
More importantly, it was a gift from the young Daoist. It was going to be problematic if he ended up losing it.
He tucked the travel pass back into his pocket before leading the others through the thick city gates.
The unfolding scene was overwhelming to all of them. They had finally arrived at Shangjing—the largest city in the world.
They marveled at the towering wooden buildings that lined the streets, and the distinct architectural styles of the buildings here were especially shocking to them.
Chapter 524 - Shangjing
Everyone was dazzled. Rare items that were seldom seen in bustling markets were commonplace here.
Puppy bought a well-crafted red rattle drum from a stall. He burst into laughter after swinging it around a few times.
"You're already so old, but you're still having fun playing with a toy? How embarrassing," Lu Xiucai said with his arms crossed in contempt.
"Why do you even care? At least, I'm better off than you. Those women in those brothels had almost sucked your soul away. You drool all over the place, probably thinking of them," Puppy retorted as he tucked the drum into his arms.
Lu Xiucai wanted to retort, but Lu Zhuangyuan said, "We've already arrived, so let's go and find a place to stay before anything else."
Lu Zhuangyuan felt like he hadn't done much except look around, yet found that two hours had already passed.
He saw that Puppy didn't respond, so he led the group to find an inn. After a while of searching around, they entered the smallest inn they could find.
Although it was an extremely small inn, Lu Zhuangyuan's eyes widened in surprise when he inquired about the prices. It was too expensive.
"Sixteen bowls of plain noodles~"
After the waiter left with a disdainful look, Lu Zhuangyuan cleared his throat and said, "Actually, noodles aren't bad. It's been a while since we've had noodles, so let's have something different."
Lu Xiucai wasn't paying any attention to the noodles. His brows furrowed, and he approached Puppy, "What now? We've arrived in the Shangjing capital, but it's so huge. How do we find Master and Mistress?"
Puppy picked up two chopsticks from the bamboo tube and put them in his mouth, "Why the hurry? Impatience won't get you anywhere. Do you understand? Let's finish the noodles first. I, Cao Cao, am so smart. Can't I think of a solution?"
"Hmph, you're smart. If you were smart, there wouldn't be any fools in the world." Lu Xiucai didn't ask any further questions. He reached into his pocket and took out a bronze coin sword's broken hilt tied with hemp rope. Then, he filled them in patiently one by one.
The plain noodles soon arrived. They were the cheapest meal, but they were still a delicacy for these weary travelers.
While the entire Lu Family Troupe slurped down their noodles, several people dressed in silk and satin walked into the inn.
They stopped to chat with a middle-aged man from the inn.
"Oh! Innkeeper Wu, nice to meet you."
"Hahaha, Old Wang, how's your theater troupe doing these days?"
"Oh my, isn't this our Mr. Zhao? Why do you look so gloomy? Did your pharmacy go bust?"
Lu Zhuangyuan looked over excitedly. After a while, he abandoned his noodles and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He then shook off the dust on his clothes and moved closer to where the conversation was happening.
"What's your dad up to?" Puppy asked Lu Xiucai.
"Hmph! What else can he do? The old man went to buy his own coffin!" Lu Xiucai replied impatiently. Laughter soon erupted from where Lu Zhuangyuan had gone.
"Where's this? This is Shangjing! Do you think that you're qualified to buy a theater here just because you're surnamed Ji? Even if you have money, there's no guarantee that you can buy one!"
"With just this meager amount of silver, you still dare to dream of buying a theater troupe in Shangjing! Hahaha! Even the tips my family's troupe gets in one night is worth more than this!"
Lu Zhuangyuan returned with an ugly look. He sat back at his previous seat and began eating his noodles without a word.
After swallowing the noodles, he stood up firmly and said, "Let's go! We'll find another inn. We're not staying no matter how cheap this place is!"
"Oh, look at the actors from the lowly nine classes. They actually have some backbone."
"You bitch!" Lu Xiucai cursed and lifted the broken hilt of a bronze coin sword in his hand. However, Lu Juren moved immediately and hugged him to stop him. "Xiucai! Don't kick up a fuss!"
Lu Juren let him go as soon as they were out of the inn.
Lu Xiucai kicked Lu Juren away and exclaimed, "I can't care less about all this! I'm not some damned actor. I can use supernatural powers! Puppy, let's go and find Master!"
Puppy whispered a few words to Lu Juren before running toward Lu Xiucai. "Hey, slow down. Why are you moving so fast? Do you even know where Senior Li is right now?"
Puppy's words made Lu Xiucai stop disgruntledly on the stone bridge. Lu Xiucai stared at the boats in the distance with disdain and said, "Look at them! They have supernatural powers right before them, but these idiots aren't even trying to learn them! They only think about those lowly theater troupes every day! They're so arrogant to their own people, but they can't even lift a finger to fight back against outsiders!"
"Hehe, weren't you planning to kill your dad? Why are you so resentful toward him for being so weak?"
"Of course, I'm going to kill him! Do you really think that I'm just boasting? I'll go back now and kill that damned old man!"
"Alright, alright. Are you going to find Senior Li or not? Did you come all this way just for a stroll?"
Lu Xiucai turned around and asked, "You have a method to find Master, right? Where is it?"
"Just follow me, Xiucai. Be polite. Your Master is my Senior, so you should call me Senior Uncle."
Lu Xiucai followed Puppy as they wandered through the bustling capital. Puppy headed straight to the entrance of an inn and restaurant.
He soon found the people he was looking for. It was a group of beggars eating leftovers.
Puppy held up a sling of bronze coins and tossed it up and down in his hand as he walked around the beggars.
When their eyes were all drawn to the coins, Puppy chuckled and said, "I'm looking for someone. Whoever finds them will receive this as their reward."
"This is your method?"
"Shh! Don't interrupt!" Puppy waved the coin in front of the beggars. "I'm looking for two people. A male Daoist with red Daoist robes and two swords on his back. The other is a woman with a skin so fair that her skin has the same color as a dead pig."
"I know! Six days ago, Little Grapefruit said he was delivering a letter to someone in the south of the city! That person seemed to be wearing red Daoist robes!"
"Oh? Then where's Little Grapefruit? Is he here? Where did he deliver the letter to?"
"He didn't come back after delivering the letter. The city south is occupied by other beggars. I dare not go find him."
A grubby hand reached for the sling of coins, but the sling was retracted. "What can I do with your outdated information? I asked you where they are right now."
"When you see them, bring me to them, and then this sling will be yours."
Under the influence of money, the beggars dispersed and began their search.
"Let's go back, Xiucai. All we have to do now is to wait," Puppy said smugly.
"Can we really find Master just like that?" Lu Xiucai asked, sounding doubtful.
Chapter 525 - Old Ox
In the face of Lu Xiucai's doubt, Puppy confidently responded, "You shouldn't even ask that. It's just some coins! A beggar can turn their life around with that much money, so those beggars will definitely go all out to find Senior Li!"
"Those beggars are more familiar with the Shangjing capital than anyone else. They can find people much faster than we can."
"Yang Xiaohai used to be a beggar, and he taught me that method. He said many people use this method to find others."
"So after all this, this isn't a method you thought of," Lu Xiucai replied with a look of disdain.
"This is my method."
The two talked as they walked together. After a while, Lu Xiucai revealed a puzzled look and asked, "We still don't know whether Master is in Shangjing or not. Anyway, what are we going to do once we find him?"
"Once we find him?" Puppy rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "If he's fine, that's great. We can all go back to Cowheart Village together."
"If he's sick, we'll tie him back with the chain we brought with us and wait for him to wake up."
"If he has encountered any issues, Xiaoman has instructed us to notify Cowheart Village immediately, and they will come over to help."
"If he's dead, we'll bring his corpse back and give him a grand burial on Cowheart Mountain. We still have the shroud we bought for him. It couldn't be refunded, so I decided to put it away."
"My master is still alive! There's no way he's dead!" Lu Xiucai replied firmly.
"Just in case. I don't want him to die, either. Wait, Xiucai, isn't that your family's troupe up ahead?"
Puppy's words made Lu Xiucai look down the street. Puppy was right; his family members were indeed up ahead.
Lu Xiucai saw his father's worried face. The three carriages were parked at the roadside, and they seemed unsure of where to go next.
"What's wrong with the old man?" Lu Xiucai asked his elder brother, Lu Juren.
Lu Juren also had a troubled expression as he sighed deeply. "Just now, our father learned from the storyteller that in this Great Liang Empire, theater troupe performers are not allowed to study and take the imperial exams. Here, the descendants of theater troupe performers can only remain as performers for life."
"Study for the imperial exams? Are you stupid? There are supernatural powers for us to learn, but you want to study instead?" Lu Xiucai was exasperated.
"You, milk-sucking scoundrel, what do you know?!" Lu Zhuangyuan exclaimed, and he scolded Lu Xiucai with a red face. He waved three fingers vigorously in front of Lu Xiucai's eyes and said, "Our Lu family only has three male descendants! Three eggs can't be put in one basket! Do you not understand that?!"
"I won't stop you if you want to learn supernatural powers! But you have to know that you're walking on a dangerous path! Look at the young Daoist; how many times has he gone through hell?! Can you even become as powerful as him?"
"You can go down that path, but the other members of the Lu family can't walk down on that path with you! Juren taking over the Lu Family Troupe is the stable path! While the children becoming scholars is one of our Lu family's way out! In case one path doesn't work out, there will be other paths to take!"
Lu Xiucai was stunned. It was his first time hearing Lu Zhuangyuan's explanation. The latter had always just ordered him what to do or ought not to do without any explanations. He had always thought that Lu Zhuangyuan looked down on him from the bottom of his heart, which was the reason behind his opposition. However, he didn't expect that Lu Zhuangyuan still considered his path as one of the Lu family's way out, even though it was an extremely dangerous path.
Lu Xiucai's heart became filled with complicated emotions.
"Huh? Where did this troupe come from? Are they here to make trouble on my Golden Leopard's territory?"
Several men approached and eyed them. "Have you paid your respects yet? If you haven't, then do it quickly."
"Get lost!" Lu Xiucai lifted his sword hilt, and the bronze coins flew up to form a sword.
Just as Puppy thought that they would be scared off and scatter, those few rough-looking men burst into laughter instead.
The leader swaggered up to Lu Xiucai with a haughty expression on his face.
"I've seen plenty of bumpkins like you. Do you really think you know everything just because you've learned some supernatural power?"
"Do you know where we are right now? We're by the emperor's feet, and even a dragon will have to bow down before the emperor! My brothers are guarding the gates of the Surveillance Bureau! Attack us, and believe me when I say that I'll call them and have you all thrown in jail!"
The words "Surveillance Bureau" made Puppy's face change. Senior Li had told him many things about the Surveillance Bureau.
He subconsciously covered his chest, where he hid the scepter that Senior Li had given to him. He couldn't let the Surveillance Bureau discover it.
Puppy walked up to Lu Xiucai and whispered, "Don't act rashly! They're just a bunch of street thugs; it's not worth it!"
Lu Xiucai stood still, unsure whether to strike or not.
"What? Why are you making me wait? Hurry up and pay your respects !"
Just then, Lu Zhuangyuan walked up to the men with a smile tugging at his lips. He was holding a few silver coins in his hand and was fawning over them to send them away.
Lu Xiucai gripped the bronze coin sword tightly and slammed it heavily on the ground. "Let's go! This place is too oppressive!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
He had come to learn supernatural powers, but to think he'd still get bullied by a few thugs in the capital. It was just too frustrating of an experience.
"Go? Where can we go?" the wrinkled Lu Zhuangyuan took out his tobacco pipe and lit it.
"Where can't we go? If there's nowhere to go, we'll go back home! The theater performers back home can still take the imperial examinas! Buying a theater there is cheaper than staying here!"
"It's gone... It's all gone..." Lu Zhuangyuan sighed deeply. "Fortunately, we made it out fast. The emperor of our hometown has even been dragged out and beheaded. I heard that even Si Qi was destroyed."
"De.. destroyed?" Lu Xiucai repeated with shock. He didn't really care about his hometown, but he was still surprised to learn that he could no longer go back to the place where he had spent about ten years of his life.
"Can we really never go back there?"
"Probably not within ten years. I heard that even Hou Shu is in chaos. Who knows when this damned world will become peaceful again," Lu Zhuangyuan said, tapping his worn-out pipe on his head before putting it away.
"Kid, let's go. We'll find an inn to rest. This place is too expensive, and I don't know if we can find cheap lodging here."
Lu Zhuangyuan had experienced many hardships throughout his life, and like an old ox; he remained quiet as he endured yet another hardship with his iron plow.
Chapter 526 - Method
"No, Brother Zhuge, you don't understand Shai Zi. That letter is a warning to me! Anything related to him is definitely bad! It's bad!"
Li Sui opened her mouth, revealing her sharp teeth and three tentacles. Then, she yawned and stretched her arms and nails to stretch. Afterward, she leaned on the Eight Immortals table and rested her slender head on her arms before staring at Li Huowang talking to someone invisible.
Dad is talking to those invisible people again... I used to be able to see them, but I can't see them anymore. I really want to know what they're talking about. I cannot understand what they're discussing just by listening to Dad.
Li Huowang frowned and massaged his temples. He paced back and forth for a while, then continued, "Brother Zhuge, let's stop here. Arguing like this is just a waste of energy."
"All right. If Bai Lingmiao is fine, and she'll eventually come back here by herself, then we don't need to do anything, right? We just have to wait, and the situation will resolve itself. Of course, that's good, but... does that even make sense? I've never had any luck in this damned place! What if Bai Lingmiao is really in the hands of that Shai Zi? If I just sit and wait here, she'll end up dead! I can't afford that gamble! Moreover, this is not just for Bai Lingmiao but for ourselves, too. Since Shai Zi has already made a move against me, he'll keep attacking us until we fight back!"
"The content of that letter doesn't mean anything at all! Perhaps the letter was really written by Bai Lingmiao, but don't forget that they're the Sitting Oblivion Dao! I've seen this kind of scam too many times, even within my memories as Hong Zhong! Perhaps Bai Lingmiao has been imprisoned, but she hasn't realized it yet! I'm not kidding; the Sitting Oblivion Dao can trap someone without using any force! They could do it just by talking to that person! They can make someone stay in one place willingly until they die!"
The room went silent just then, and there weren't any noises except for Li Huowang's rapid breathing. The two contrasting possibilities made Li Huowang feel extremely anxious. He also hoped that Bai Lingmiao was fine and that he didn't need to get involved in these troubles so they could just return to Cowheart Village and live a peaceful life. However, he really did not dare to gamble. After pacing around a few laps, his tone softened as he whispered to the empty window, "You're right; I'm feeling impatient. However, this is a lose-lose situation, so you can't blame me for being impatient!"
"We don't even know the location of our enemy nor their goal. And they're holding Bai Lingmiao as a hostage. I really... I really..." Li Huowang trailed off, and his worried eyes suddenly lit up.
He turned to the empty window and asked, "Brother Zhuge, is that true?"
"Hmm.. This is a problem. I need to find an opportunity to test it! But it's okay; it's a small matter."
"Hello, is Commander Er at home?"
Li Huowang smiled with joy at the voice outside the wooden door, "Speak of the devil, Brother Zhuge! The opportunity has come!"
"I'm here, the door isn't locked! Come in!"
The courtyard door was pushed open, and a eunuch walked in alone. His face was covered with a white powder, and a golden duster was in his hands.
Li Huowang recognized him. He was the same eunuch who had been delivering messages to Ji Lin.
The old eunuch coughed and walked up to Li Huowang. Then, he cleared his throat and raised his chin. "Er Jiu, receive the imperial decree~"
Before Li Huowang could react, he pulled out a roll of yellow silk and handed it to Li Huowang. Then, he decisively turned around to leave.
Li Huowang was puzzled as he opened the embroidered decree. Li Sui also came over and looked at it.
After a while, Li Sui stopped looking. There were many words written on it, many of which she recognized, but she couldn't understand what they meant when placed together. "Dad, what does it say?"
"It tells me not to enter the palace and let Ji Lin come out himself." Once Li Huowang's words fell, the yellow silk in his hand quickly ignited and burned into nothing.
"Is there another fight?" Li Sui excitedly raised her ear halfway and said, "Dad, I'll help you peel your skin!"
"No, I have to wait for the other layers to regenerate. I only have one layer of skin left now. I'll run out of skin if we peel that layer."
"Oh, I see. Shall we go now?"
"Don't be impatient. There are some things I need to deal with first."
Li Huowang walked into the house and picked up a pickle jar in the corner. He didn't know how to pickle vegetables, but what was pickled inside was his corpse. The corpse was hollow, but it was still the corpse of a Strayed One. Li Huowang believed that it would eventually come in handy.
Li Huowang carried the pickle jar and walked to a hidden cellar under the bed. He opened it and placed the jar inside. Then, he stood up and picked up another pickle jar from the corner.
The pickle jar also contained the corpse of a Strayed One, but this one had five organs without a head. The headless corpse belonged to the Strayed One pretending to be Hong Zhong to deceive the Surveillance Bureau.
Things were busier back then, and he had to bury it somewhere after pickling it. In the end, he had forgotten it. If it weren't for the fact that he had been reminded of it by his recent handling of corpses, Li Huowang would have forgotten where he had buried it.
Li Huowang glanced at the two big jars in the cellar before closing the door and walking away. "Let's go see what Ji Lin is going to make us do this time."
The meeting point was in a gambling den. After Li Huowang won 318 taels, he was invited to the cellar in the backyard.
Surrounded by a group of eunuchs, Li Huowang saw Ji Lin once again. He didn't look great; half of his left ear was missing, and his face was wounded. The wound was deep enough to expose his bones.
"Your Majesty, what happened to your face?"
Ji Lin was stroking the fake jade cat as he revealed a sinister smile and said, "It's nothing serious. I dispatched people to kill someone else. Naturally, that person will seek revenge on me. It's only fair."
"It's just that I didn't expect the palace to be so dirty. Seems like it needs a cleaning."
Li Huowang was shocked. Ji Lin couldn't die right now, so he suggested, "Your Majesty, do you need me to protect you whenever I'm not out running errands?"
"No need. There are still some capable people around me. I can take care of myself. You just focus on what you're good at." Ji Lin waved his hand to motion for a eunuch to bring over a painting scroll.
Chapter 527 - Prince Ren Mansion
Li Huowang accepted the scroll and saw that it depicted a highly detailed map of a complex of buildings.
The layout of each room and their names were labeled clearly. There were three words written in red underneath—Prince Ren Mansion.
"Prince Ren Mansion?" Li Huowang frowned and looked up at Ji Lin. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
"Prince Ren is my second brother. Take it slowly. It's rumored that there are many evil cultivators among his followers. Back then, his followers were the ones responsible for the deaths of my mother and my sister."
Li Huowang instantly understood what he needed to do next. He said nothing else and bowed to Ji Lin before leaving with the scroll.
"Er Jiu, do your best! Help me ascend the throne, and I will not let you down!"
Shangjing was vast, but it wasn't that difficult to find Prince Ren Mansion.
It's strange that the mansion is not built in the prince's fiefdom but in the capital. Li Huowang thought to himself. He was kneeling on a roof as he silently gazed at the large plaque in the distance.
Li Huowang muttered to himself once again, "Yes, indeed. Perhaps the imperial family has always been planning to raise a Gu."
As Li Huowang spoke, his colored phantom merged slowly into the tiles. His invisible body began to move stealthily towards Prince Ren Mansion.
The towering walls posed no obstacle to Li Huowang, as Li Sui's tentacles effortlessly scaled the wall.
Li Huowang sensed several hidden sentries behind the wall. Instead of leaving quietly, he approached one of them.
After some time, Li Huowang stood on a roof beam and looked down at the eunuch who lay motionless by the window.
This person was one of Prince Ren Mansion's hidden sentries. He had been fixedly staring outwards through a small hole in the window.
He's just the test subject. Li Huowang mentally thought to Zhuge Yuan in his mind, as he grasped the hilt of his spine sword.
Swoosh! Li Huowang sliced his sword downward from the beam, and a silent wave of Great Qi history swept across.
This time, instead of cutting the man into three pieces as usual, the piece of history engulfed him completely.
Wait, it didn't completely engulf him. Half of his hand has been left behind in Great Liang.
"Brother Li, slash out once more so we can see whether that man is still alive in Great Qi or not," Zhuge Yuan said with a solemn face, which was a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor.
It made sense, as this would determine whether Li Huowang could stand toe-to-toe against a Shai Zi.
"Li Sui, I'll strike again later. Remember to stick your eyeballs in to see if the man is still alive in Great Qi. Make to pull them out in time so they won't get left behind."
"Dad, I know, don't worry."
After his instructions to Li Sui, Li Huowang once again carefully gripped the spine sword's hilt and swung it forcefully. As the invisible gap between Great Qi and Great Liang appeared, a black shadow emerged from Li Huowang's body and flew into it with a lingering afterimage.
Just before the gap vanished, Li Sui pulled out her eyeballs entwined with tentacles.
"Dad, the man is still there. He's alive. He's clutching his severed hand and yelling something out the window."
"Excellent!" Li Huowang clenched his fist in excitement.
This means that not only can this sword kill people, but it can also safely transport them to Great Qi! It's not just others. If used properly, I might even be able to send myself to Great Qi! If that's the case, Zhuge Yuan's plan can be implemented!
Li Huowang was eager to try it out and go to Great Qi right away, but he forcibly suppressed this urge.
Since I'm already here, I should just deal with Prince Ren first. We cannot afford to delay things here. We need Ji Lin's help to deal with Shai Zi, so it doesn't matter even if we find him early. we can't deal with him without Ji Lin's help. Li Huowang thought as he put away the spine sword and made his way to his destination along the rafters.
Thanks to Ji Lin's map, Li Huowang wouldn't get lost in this maze-like mansion. He headed straight for Prince Ren's quarters.
However, he found nothing when he arrived. Of course, Prince Ren was nowhere to be seen.
It's already so late, but he's still awake? Where is he? Li Huowang reopened the map and studied it carefully. He put it away again and felt his way toward the east.
He searched several places successively but found nothing. In the end, he found Prince Ren by following the bustling noises within the estate.
The grand stage adorned with lanterns was filled with tropes taking turns to perform. Every single performance involved over a hundred performers, and every single performer could easily become a star outside.
They were far better than the Lu Family Troupe by many times.
These troupes were all for one person's enjoyment. It was Li Huowang's first time seeing Prince Ren's face. He was a middle-aged man with a pale complexion and pale lips. If it weren't for the dragon robes he was wearing, Li Huowang wouldn't have thought he was someone vying for the throne with Ji Lin. Prince Ren's eyes were squinted as he lay on a plump woman. His fingers were adorned with sharp nail guards decorated with gold and jade, and he was tapping his knee to the music.
Li Huowang was crouched on a tree branch, and he swept his gaze across everyone. He didn't know what the so-called "evil cultivators" were like. However, none of them looked evil.
Should I just make a move now? No, this place is too open. There are so many people around as well, so I could get easily ambushed. I can't afford to make the same mistake twice. Perhaps Prince Ren, like the eldest princess, is also pretending to be weak. This might be a part of his scheme.
Li Huowang squatted silently, waiting for an opportunity to move.
An hour passed just like that. When it was the second section of the night, Li Huowang assumed that Prince Ren wanted to watch the performance all night, but the performance eventually stopped.
Prince Ren sat inside a grand sedan that was being lifted by twelve people. A group of eunuchs surrounded the sedan as the precision headed toward Prince Ren's quarters.
Li Huowang followed the sedan but found nothing unusual.
Li Huowang didn't believe that anyone daring to vie for the throne would be this careless, especially after the recent death of the Empress Dowager and the eldest princess.
The incongruity made Li Huowang become even warier.
The crowd outside gradually dispersed as Prince Ren called it a night.
Li Huowang sensed an opportunity and cautiously followed inside.
Li Huowang was surprised to hear singing inside Prince Ren's quarters.
Li Huowang followed the singing and found Prince Ren sprawled out on his bed. A woman stood before him and was singing a song. The woman's makeup made it clear to Li Huowang that she was an opera performer, but she wasn't wearing anything else aside from her makeup.
Chapter 528 - Slice
Li Huowang stared at the unfolding scene from the rafters. Then, he retrieved two eyeballs wrapped with Li Sui's tentacles. "This Prince Ren is really playful."
Prince Ren's face lacked vitality, but it wasn't apparent because he was wearing makeup. He was now on the bed together with the opera performer, who was singing and moving at the same time.
Li Huowang's right hand turned slightly pale from excessive force as he listened to their vulgar words sung with a cadence. He would cover Li Sui's ears if he could find them.
Li Huowang was ready; he was ready to strike the moment his target was at their most relaxed state.
"Ah~~Yi~~I see your heart~~~my dear~~~"
As the singing became more and more intense, thick, killing intent began to pervade Li Huowang's eyes. He exerted force and flew downward with his sword in hand.
An afterimage of the spine sword in his hand was left as it made a beeline toward Prince Ren on the bed.
The spacetime rift that represented the Great Qi streaked across the air, which emitted a shrill cry as the rift traveled across it.
Just then, a transparent mosquito net made with thin metal wires suddenly appeared before Li Huowang.
Clearly, the mosquito net was Prince Ren's countermeasure against an assassin. Unfortunately, it was useless against the rift, and it was cleanly severed.
The opera performer on the bed reacted faster than Prince Ren; her face turned pale from the shock.
"Master~!" She sang with a mournful tone and pushed Prince Ren off the bed with all her strength.
However, Li Huowang had also taken this into account and had deliberately extended the rift.
The opera performer and the fallen Prince Ren were severed in two by the rift; their blood spurted all over the ground, staining it.
It's over just like that? Isn't it too easy? Li Huowang thought he had succeeded, but a palm-sized yellow leather figure emerged from Prince Ren's hair.
It dared not expand here and rushed outside for safety.
This Prince Ren still has that thing on him! Li Huowang gnashed his teeth and pulled out his sword before chasing after it.
As Li Huowang's weapon was about to hit the fleeing Prince Ren, a large group of shadow puppets emerged from under the bed and grabbed Li Huowang's shadow, immobilizing him.
Li Sui's tentacles swiftly swung and extinguished the candles on both sides, which made the shadow puppets disappear.
Li Huowang regained his freedom. However, the palm-sized Prince Ren had finally expanded to a human's size. However, his figure was still as thin as a sheet of paper.
White smoke spread rapidly from the wooden windows, accompanied by the rapid beating of gongs. The white smoke concealed Prince Ren's thin figure.
"Die!" Li Huowang swung his spine sword toward where Prince Ren disappeared, and the crack cut through the white smoke. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
To Li Huowang's disappointment, there was no sign of Prince Ren amidst the smoke. There was only a strange-looking person with a giant gold ingot in hand. The strange-looking person was wearing a white mask with a black beard as well.
The large official hat with bronze coins on the man's head swayed back and forth. His legs seemed jointless as he jumped toward Li Huowang along with the rhythmic beats of the gongs.
Li Huowang immediately recognized the other party's identity upon seeing the two bronze coins in the eyes of the mask.
"Jumping God of Wealth, huh?"
Li Huowang gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the spine sword before charging at the masked God of Wealth.
Since the surprise attack had failed, he could only mount a direct confrontation. He had to eliminate Prince Ren before reinforcements from the Prince Ren Mansion arrived.
As the two approached each other, Li Sui acted first. A tentacle drilled out from the left side of Li Huowang's neck and wrapped around the bronze coin sword on his back, slashing toward the God of Wealth.
"Brother Li, put that sword away! The entire sword is made out of bronze coins!"
Zhuge Yuan was halfway through his reminder while the bronze coins swooshed out with the red thread. It quickly elongated like a whip and lashed towards the opponent.
When the bronze coins collided with the giant gold ingot, the coins on the sword trembled and broke free from Li Sui's control.
The scattered coins all flew toward the giant gold ingot as if it were a magnet.
The God of Wealth forcefully lifted the gold ingot, and those bronze coins reassembled into a sword that flew toward Li Huowang.
Li Huowang had been using his bronze coin sword for a long time now, but it no longer belonged to him.
Swoosh!
Li Huowang swung his spine sword, sending the bronze coin sword to the Great Qi.
The next moment, alarms suddenly rang in Li Huowang's mind. He whipped around and raised the spine sword above his head.
Clang!
The floor beneath Li Huowang's feet exploded, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Li Sui's eight tentacles pierced the ground, but Li Huowang could barely withstand the immense weight.
A huge silver mace, which seemed to be made out of broken silver, was pressing down on the spine sword with the weight of a mountain.
"Li Sui! Take the sword!"
The black tentacles wrapped around the spine sword's hilt. At the same time, Li Huowang drew the purple-tasseled sword and slashed it toward his own left hand.
His arm shattered and became a claw. Then, he wasted no time and attempted to grab his enemy.
The enemy retreated in response, and Li Huowang took advantage of that opportunity to take the spine sword back from Li Sui before widening the distance between him and his opponent.
Li Huowang looked at the ambusher. He was wearing an identical mask to the man who previously portrayed the Jumping God of Wealth. However, their clothes were markedly different from each other.
This man was eight feet tall and was riding a golden leopard dressed in bronze coin armor. Four yellow banners with the word "Wealth" were sticking out of his back.
"Martial God of Wealth? Scholar God of Wealth?" Li Huowang scanned the two enemies shrouded in white smoke.
The two Gods of Wealth began to orbit him as the urgent and piercing beats of gongs pervaded the surroundings.
This can't go on like this. Prince Ren would have already escaped by the time I'm done with these two! Li Huowang thought, feeling anxious as many ideas flashed through his mind.
When he saw more shadows in the white smoke, Li Huowang made up his mind. He gripped the spine sword tightly and swung it forcefully.
He carved open a rift large enough for a human being to use.
"Li Sui! Charge in!"
Li Huowang swiftly arrived at the edge of the crack. The Great Qi was within arm's reach, and he could already see it.
Li Huowang had decided to use the Great Qi as a shelter to escape the people of Great Liang's encirclement.
Li Sui took out two talismans and stuck them on Li Huowang's legs. Li Huowang then ran as fast as he could toward the rift, but he still seemed a bit too slow!
Chapter 529 - Great Qi
The rift wasn't stationary; it was moving at the same speed as sword qi.
If Li Huowang wanted to enter it, he had to be faster than it, but he was just a tad bit too slow.
I can go faster! I can definitely go faster! Li Huowang's speed increased explosively, and he plunged head-first into the narrowing rift.
He jumped to the left as soon as he arrived in the Great Qi. The rift behind him tore his cloak to shreds before disappearing.
Li Huowang breathed a sigh of relief. He finally had the time to look around at his surroundings.
He was in a prince's bedroom in Great Liang, and it seemed no different in Great Qi. The house was very large and spacious.
However, the broken tiles above, the weeds by the house, and the dust all over the furniture indicated that the glory of this place had already passed.
"It seems like this place has been abandoned for a long time," Li Huowang's voice echoed in the house as he stood up.
"Dad, where are we?" Li Sui's eyeballs emerged from Li Huowang's belly button, and they looked around the dilapidated surroundings.
"Who cares where this is? We haven't finished our business yet." Li Huowang gripped his sword tightly and rushed toward where Prince Ren had fled.
The inside was in ruins, but the outside wasn't much better. It seemed like everything here had been abandoned completely.
He searched up and down in Great Qi for a while before taking out the spine sword once again.
It had to be said that this weapon crafted using a Twisted One was really practical.
It could be used for both killing enemies and saving lives. Li Huowang was really happy that he didn't end up burying the sword back then.
"We should have escaped the encirclement. Let's go back and take a look," Li Huowang said. He exerted force to slash out a rift that led to Great Liang.
Upon arrival, Li Huowang found himself standing on a roof; Li Huowang's higher vantage point allowed him to see Prince Ren's sedan chair being carried to the east.
We caught up! Li Huowang's legs had the pasted talismans, and he leaped forward like an eagle toward the sedan chair.
Just as Li Huowang was about to succeed, a woman with a black cloth covering her face appeared on his back through an unknown means.
She raised the obsidian dagger in her hand and was about to stab Li Huowang in the neck, but Li Sui's tentacles stopped her in time.
When Li Huowang saw a large "Wu"[1] character written on the black cloth covering her face, his pupils shrank in shock.
No! She's a member of the Dharma Sect! Prince Ren actually has connections with the Dharma Sect!
This matter was much more serious than the succession war. It wasn't something that could be handled by just defeating a few evil cultivators. After all, the Dharma Sect worshiped God Yu'er, which was believed to be a god of natural disasters. More importantly, the Dharma Sect was widely considered to be an evil cult.
Li Huowang made a decision in mid-air and kicked the woman away. Instead of using the momentum to chase after Prince Ren, he plummeted toward the roof on the left.
"Dad, the sedan chair is leaving. Aren't we going to chase after it?" Li Sui looked at the sedan chair rapidly shrinking into the distance.
"There's no need to chase anymore. In this game of raising Gus, Prince Ren has already crossed the line. We just need to report this to the Surveillance Bureau."
Someone vying for the throne in Great Liang actually had helpers from the Dharma Sect. It was difficult to imagine what consequences would arise if they really ascended to the throne. A rebellious group like the Dharma Sect could not participate in the succession war. The Surveillance Bureau would remain indifferent to other matters, but they would definitely not stand idly by on this issue.
Since the Surveillance Bureau would definitely intervene, Li Huowang felt that he didn't need to spend too much effort or place his life on the line to confront Prince Ren. Moreover, the Martial God of Wealth and the Scholar God of Wealth weren't exactly easy opponents to handle.
Soon, Li Huowang heard the familiar beats of gongs and realized that he was about to be surrounded once again. Knowing that, he decisively created a rift that led to the Great Qi and dove into it.
The dilapidated courtyard was full of fallen leaves, while spider webs grew between the tree branches and the rafters. It was so quiet here that there wasn't even a breeze.
Li Huowang raised his head to look at the half-moon covered by dark clouds. He found it difficult to get used to the sudden transition from extreme movement to extreme stillness.
"Let's go." Li Huowang quickly identified his bearings and walked in the direction of the Surveillance Bureau.
He just had to find the Surveillance Bureau here and return to the Great Liang to report his findings. The issue would be considered finished by then.
He was willing to do anything for this task, but he wasn't foolish enough to ignore external help when it was available.
"Dad, you threw my sword here. Shouldn't we pick it up?"
"Oh, right, I almost forgot," Li Huowang turned back toward the direction where he had fought the Scholar God of Wealth earlier.
"Brother Zhuge, what place is this in Great Qi?" Li Huowang asked Zhuge Yuan, who was in mid-air.
"Hmm... we should be in the Cold Palace[2]," Zhuge Yuan answered solemnly.
"This Cold Palace is indeed too cold. How come there isn't anyone here? Did something happen in Great Qi?"
Zhuge Yuan tightened his grip on his folding fan and contemplated silently.
With no one stopping him, Li Huowang soon found the bronze coin sword stuck in a broken water tank. He picked it up and placed it on his back before getting ready to return to the Great Liang.
The next moment, Li Huowang opened his eyes wide, and the tip of his sword pointed at the dilapidated building in the distance. "Who's there?! Get out!"
"Ahh... ahh... ahh..." Intermittent screams echoed in the distance. It was deep in the night, and Li Huowang was in the middle of a desolate ruins with absolutely no one else around; the intermittent which made the surroundings feel extremely eerie.
Of course, Li Huowang was not buying it. He charged toward where the voice was coming from with his sword in hand.
Li Huowang swung the spine sword repeatedly, sending massive chunks of walls to the Great Liang.
Eventually, he found where the screams were coming from. The screams were coming from a eunuch on a mat. The eunuch was bald and was completely naked. His abdomen was swollen, and he clutched it strongly as he screamed.
His bloated abdomen was covered with veins, which twitched occasionally. The edges of the eunuch's abdomen had cracked, leaking blood and amniotic fluid.
What kind of evil spirit has caused this? Li Huowang thought. However, he instantly understood what this eunuch was up to upon recalling that he was in Great Qi.
Righteous Monastery's Buddha could even allow a eunuch to give birth to a son. It seemed this eunuch was about to give birth. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Li Huowang's eyes flashed in a light of understanding, and then he turned around to leave.
The old eunuch noticed Li Huowang and screamed in distress, "Save me! Benefactor, save me! I'm having a difficult delivery!"
"Nonsense, do you even have a hole down there? Who's having a difficult delivery?" Li Huowang replied and picked up his pace.
The illusion of the monk stood in his path with a desperate look. "Daoist, please help him. Your refusal to lend a hand could lead to two deaths at once!"
"That's easy for you to say. Regardless of whether that eunuch is deceiving us or not, just think about what I can do. Do you really think that I can assist in childbirth? When did I learn to deliver babies, not to mention delivering a man's baby?"