Sun Baolu's words confused Yang Xiaohai.
"Senior Bai took in a lot of foster children, so they were almost full. What's wrong? Do you want to come and stay with us?" Yang Xiaohai asked.
Sun Baolu looked at his tribesmen and whispered, "Our leader thinks we are not in danger, but I disagree. If Hou Shu falls, Qing Qiu will be next. Even though the tribe leader said that they will help Hou Shu, I still think that we have a low chance of succeeding. The Yu'er Kingdom is strong, and if the Liang Kingdom doesn't help, we might not be able to win. I want a safe place that my fellow tribesmen can go to."
Sun Baolu frustratedly said, "I wonder what that useless Emperor of the Liang Kingdom is thinking. Doesn't he know that everyone needs to work together to defeat the Dharma Sect? If they don't help Qing Qiu and Hou Shu, the two nations will collapse and get taken by the Yu'er Kingdom. By then, they will have to face the massive army by themselves."
"Baolu, the Emperor you are scolding is Gao Zhijian."
Sun Baolu was shocked. "Is he really the emperor? I thought you were joking!"
"I don't lie nor joke."
Sun Baolu smacked his head with regret. "Jeez! What's happening to the Liang Kingdom? Why did they choose a mentally challenged person like Gao Zhijian to become the emperor? No wonder they haven't sent any soldiers to help us. Where else can we go if the Liang Kingdom falls?"
"Sun Baolu, don't be so negative. Maybe the Yu'er Kingdom is not as strong as you think?" Yang Xiaohai was very optimistic since he didn't know what happened in the Liang Kingdom.
"Qing Qiu's grass has turned yellow. This means that the Immortal Heaven is angry. Ever since the last Natural Disaster, the Earth Dragon has moved numerous times in Qing Qiu. My mother is right in saying we need to prepare more. It doesn't hurt to have backup plans. That said, just what is Senior Li doing?"
Even though Sun Baolu sometimes thought Senior Li might be crazy, he always solved their problems in the end.
Yang Xiaohai wasn't sure what to say. "I don't know. When I set out, Senior Li had a lotus root in place of his head. He was still receiving treatment in the village back then."
"Alright. I hope I can contact him by letter. You have a safe journey, alright? If you can't endure it, then you should return as soon as possible."
Sun Baolu cheered him up and wished him a safe journey. Yang Xiaohai nodded, and his carriage soon started to move again.
Sun Baolu's mother had actually hoped that Yang Xiaohai would stay for a meal, but having learned that his family was in danger, Yang Xiaohai set off as soon as he could.
When he and his wife left the tents, there were several goats attached to the back of their carriage. They were gifts from Sun Baolu and were meant to serve as food during their journey.
Yang Xiaohai naturally would not accept it without reciprocating. He asked Zhao Xiumei to silently place the gold bars from earlier into Sun Baolu's tent.
They traveled for several days as Yang Xiaohai followed the map. Getting their bearings was challenging, as yellow grass stretched as far as the eye could see.
Sun Baolu was clear in his explanation, though. All he needed to do was to find the border wall between Qing Qiu and Hou Shu—the landmark he could use to locate the sea
"We should be there soon," Yang Xiaohai remarked when he saw jagged rocks in the distance amid the sea of yellow grass.
He stroked his newly grown beard a little apprehensively.
"Xiaohai, come and have some goat soup. The goats here are very nutritious."
Zhao Xiumei handed him a warm bowl of soup.
Yang Xiaohai took the bowl and drank the soup. It warmed his cold body, and even though it was only seasoned with coarse salt and wild vegetables, the delicious goat meat of Qing Qiu still made the meal amazing.
"Carefully wrap the unfinished goat meat and drain the blood. Even though the weather is cold and it probably won't spoil, the stench of blood might attract beasts," Yang Xiaohai said.
"Alright."
Zhao Xiumei was always impressed by Yang Xiaohai's cooking skills. That was why she chose him as her husband. She fell in love with how focused he looked when preparing his meals.
After finishing their simple meal, they resumed their journey again. However, they had only traveled a short distance when the horses began bucking wildly as they tried to run away. Even the goats that had been following their carriage without any issues tried to run away.
"What is happening?" Yang Xiaohai exclaimed, unsure of how to deal with the sudden chaos. He was about to say something when the ground started shaking violently.
"The Earth Dragon is moving! Get down!" Zhao Xiumei shouted, pushing Yang Xiaohai beneath her.
The weather changed. The two of them shrank in fear as they waited for this horrifying event to pass. Once the tremors subsided, Yang Xiaohai squirmed out from underneath Zhao Xiumei. He looked around and saw an incredible sight: the grass fields were moving like the sea, and Qing Qiu was almost like a yellow ocean! Yang Xiaohai's gaze was fixed on this sight when suddenly, a large crack opened up towards them!
The crack split apart, and the two of them fell into the ravine—it was as if Qing Qiu had been split apart.
A long time passed before Yang Xiaohai woke up. The first thing he remembered was his wife, Zhao Xiumei. He tried to look around, but it was so dark that he couldn't even see his fingers.
"Xiumei! Xiumei!"
His voice echoed loudly, but the space around him was vast. Yang Xiaohai looked up and saw that it was completely dark. He suddenly realized he was underground.
Yang Xiaohai's voice trembled as he called out. "Xiumei, where are you?!"
He knew what was underneath Qing Qiu. He carefully reached into his shirt, only to find that the scepter Li Huowang had given him was gone.
Yang Xiaohai panicked. He learned from Sun Baolu that the Earth Dragon had recently moved a lot in Qing Qiu, but he had never imagined it would end up swallowing them!
As he fretted over what to do, Yang Xiaohai heard something from his left. He didn't even want to think about the kind of monstrosity that might be lurking underneath Qing Qiu.
He tried to scuttle backward when he heard a familiar voice. "I remember this voice. Are you Yang Xiaohai?"
Yang Xiaohai calmed down a little upon hearing that the other person had recognized him, but he didn't let his guard down.
Yang Xiaohao asked, "Who... Who are you?"
"It's me."
The person approached Yang Xiaohai.
Yang Xiaohai soon saw the familiar face. It was Lu Juren! But his face was oddly greenish.
Chapter 661 - Someone Familiar
"Lu Juren?" Yang Xiaohai was shocked to see the man in front of him.
He recognized him as one of the troupe members who had followed him and Senior Li throughout their journey.
But didn't he follow Troupe Leader Lu to Shangjing to enjoy their lives? Senior Gao even gifted them a theater. Why is he here alone underneath Qing Qiu?
"Why... Why are you here?" Yang Xiaohai took a step back carefully. He wasn't sure if the Lu Juren in front of him was an illusion conjured by an evil entity.
"Why am I here?" Lu Juren was confused too. "I don't know. Yang Xiaohai, where am I?"
"How would I know?" Yang Xiaohai suddenly remembered something and panicked. "Wait, have you seen my wife? Zhao Xiumei, the woman that kept following me around."
They had fallen into the hole together, but now he was alone. Yang Xiaohai was worried about her safety.
But Lu Juren stood still as he stared blankly at Yang Xiaohai and tried to think.
"Do you know how to get out of here? Where is the exit?" Yang Xiaohai scanned the darkness with fear.
Lu Juren remained still and couldn't provide an answer. However, Yang Xiaohai considered it good luck since the "Lu Juren" before him hadn't attacked him yet. At least "Lu Juren" wasn't an evil entity.
Even so, as happy as he was that "Lu Juren" was harmless, Yang Xiaohai was still racking his brain to figure out how to escape the pace.
"Wait, I remember Senior Li also got stuck here before. How did he get out last time?"
Yang Xiaohai stuck his thumb into his mouth, then raised it up high to feel the wind. He had to tiptoe before he felt a cold breeze coming from the south. He then started to make his way towards that direction.
He took a few steps and tore off a piece of his clothes. He wanted to leave a message for Zhao Xiumei in case she passed by, but then remembered she couldn't read, leaving him stumped.
I should find the exit and then find someone to help me locate her. Maybe she didn't fall in. Yang Xiaohai decided and walked towards where the wind was coming from.
He turned around and saw Lu Juren standing still. "Do you want to follow me?"
"Follow you? Where?"
"Out!" Yang Xiaohai felt that Lu Juren had turned into someone like Gao Zhijian. He didn't know what had happened to Lu Juren to make him act like a simpleton.
"Out? Alright." Lu Juren nodded and followed him.
Yang Xiaohai took shallow breaths as he followed the direction of the wind using the saliva on his finger.
They stumbled through the dark cave and Yang Xiaohai felt that they were heading downwards.
He didn't know if this was good or bad news. He only knew that this was the same method Senior Li had once used to escape Qing Qiu's subterranean caves. He just had to follow suit.
The other thing that made him feel better was that even though the place was dark, no evil entities were harming him. He started to think that his wife might be alive after all.
Just as he felt that, a sound came from the distance. He carefully made his way towards the direction of the sound. The closer he got, the louder the sound was. But he felt it was weird because those sounds were made by humans. What is this place? Why are there so many people walking underneath Qing Qiu?
Five minutes later, Yang Xiaohai finally saw what was making the sound. It was a group of people wearing various lengths of cloth.
They were very tall, to the point that Yang Xiaohai could only see the lower half of their bodies, with the upper halves hidden in the darkness above. They moved in unison in the darkness.
As Yang Xiaohai focused on the darkness above him, it somehow receded a little, revealing the silhouette of the strange giants. They were holding something that Yang Xiaohao could only describe as an umbrella. He still wasn't completely sure about what he was looking when he saw a horrific scene. The giants were dragging something...
Humans! The giants were dragging humans of all ages, but all of them were stabbed with a mourning staff[1] just like a kebab.
The giants dragged the mourning staves wrapped in white tassels as they walked. The humans wailed in pain every time the staves were dragged on the ground. Some of them planted their hands on the ground in pain and begged for mercy, but the giants ignored them even as the humans' fingers were ground from being dragged.
What is this?! What is going on?! Yang Xiaohai didn't know what to do.
Just then, Lu Juren suddenly regained his vigor and snapped out of his stupor when he saw one of the impaled humans was his wife, Luo Juanhua. "Juan'er! Run!"
The giants stopped when they heard Lu Juren shouting. They turned around and moved towards Yang Xiaohai and Lu Juren. Lu Juren charged towards the giants while Yang Xiaohai felt his entire body had been plunged into icy water. Fuck.
Just as Lu Juren tried to free Luo Juanhua from the mourning staff, one of the giant's hands shaked in the darkness. A new mourning staff was conjured from the darkness and then impaled Lu Juren's chest.
But it was not over. The mourning staff started flying towards Yang Xiaohai after it impaled Lu Juren.
Yang Xiaohai started running out of fear. The sound of whistling wind neared him, and he started to despair. Just as he thought he was going to end up like Lu Juren, a sudden gust blew from the back, and there was a loud thud. Yang Xiaohai was safe.
His entire body was trembling from fear when he slowly looked back. He saw a familiar face standing on top of the giant's corpse.
"Senior Li?!" Yang Xiaohai was dumbfounded when he saw the familiar face.
It was none other than the Senior Li he knew, who wore a red Daoist robe with a bronze coin veil. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
"Yang Xiaohai? What a special treat." Li Huowang walked down the giant's corpse as if he was walking down a set of stairs. He stared at Yang Xiaohai with glee.
1. A wooden staff covered in white paper, feathers, or completely white in color. It's used to signify the holder's sadness during a funeral. Also helps the user to vent out their sadness and as a warning to passersby to not disturb the funeral ☜
Chapter 662 - Feng Capital
"Senior Li, is that you? Did you come to save me?"
Yang Xiaohai knew he was safe when he saw Li Huowang appearing in front of him. He immediately told Li Huowang what had happened to him.
But when he finished his explanation, he saw Li Huowang staring at him with a weird gaze.
"Follow me." After saying that, Li Huowang ignored Yang Xiaohai and started walking toward the west.
Yang Xiaohai hesitated, but Li Huowang had just killed the giant to save him, so he thought that Li Huowang wouldn't hurt him. He quickly followed Li Huowang.
But what Yang Xiaohai had not noticed was Lu Juren struggling to stand up after getting impaled by the mourning staff.
The two of them walked in the darkness. With Li Huowang leading the way, Yang Xiaohai felt completely safe.
"Senior Li, where is this?"
"Where else? This is the bottom of Qing Qiu, the Feng Capital."
"Feng Capital? Wait, Senior Li, is my wife down here too? Could you help me find her?"
"You have a wife already? That's good!" Li Huowang smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, Senior Li!" Yang Xiaohai thanked him after Li Huowang agreed to help him find his wife.
"We are all companions. There's no need to be polite. Be quiet now—we will reach it soon."
The two of them continued walking and soon found themselves in a rugged space.
There were various large pillars stabbing the darkness above, but there were also various dark pits around them. It was a bizarre yet horrifying sight.
There were even green candlelights coming from the bottom of the pits. Yang Xiaohai saw more giants dragging the mourning staff full of impaled humans before they jumped into the pit.
Yang Xiaohai sensed something was wrong as he hid behind one of the pillars. "Senior... Senior Li, this isn't the exit."
Li Huowang said, "This is your exit. Do you see the pits as well as the various mounds?"
Without waiting for Yang Xiaohai to answer, Li Huowang told him what it was. "This is actually Kui Lei, the Siming that controlled the Heavenly Dao of Death. As for why it's not moving... well, it's already dead since it controls the Heavenly Dao of Death! Hahaha!"
Li Huowang thought he had made a really good joke and laughed so hard that he almost cried.
"Senior Li, what are you talking about? I don't understand." Yang Xiaohai panicked.
"Do you not understand? You died when you fell down here. Since you are dead, Kui Lei will take care of you. Go ahead and merge yourself with it. I even took you here specially."
Yang Xiaohai slumped to the ground when he heard that. "I'm dead? Am I really dead?"
He pinched himself so hard he wounded himself, but no blood flowed. He cried, "I'm really dead?! I haven't seen my parents! I don't want to die! I want to live!"
Yang Xiaohai cried in despair, but Li Huowang suddenly clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Hahaha! I tricked you! You're not dead yet! Your ten emotions and eight sufferings are still intact."
As he laughed, Li Huowang's face shifted into Hong Zhong's face, then back to his own.
Yang Xiaohai abruptly stopped crying out of shock and stared at Li Huowang. He didn't know what to feel right now.
"Come, let me show you the real way out." Li Huowang smiled and extended his hands to pull Yang Xiaohai up.
Yang Xiaohai didn't know if he should accept the hand because he felt that Li Huowang was acting weirdly. "Senior Li, you won't fool me again, right? This is not the time for jokes."
"Hahaha, relax. I know when to stop. I'm just messing with you just now." Li Huowang pulled Yang Xiaohai up. They then retraced their steps.
They soon encountered Lu Juren again. Lu Juren saw them and said in a daze, "Young Daoist? And you are Yang Xiaohai? Why are you here?"
"Juren, what happened to you? Didn't we meet just now?" Yang Xiaohai was confused.
"We did?" Lu Juren stared at Yang Xiaohai and tried his best to remember.
Li Huowang said, "No need to talk to him anymore. His ten emotions and eight sufferings are gone. Even his soul has dispersed. The only thing he has left is his death Qi. He's already a part of Kui Lei, and his memories will be reset after a certain time period has passed. He won't know what happened in the past and the present."
Yang Xiaohai looked at Lu Juren with pity. "Senior Li, why is he like this? Is he dead?"
"I don't know." Li Huowang continued to walk.
Yang Xiaohai hesitated before quickly following Li Huowang. This time, Lu Juren did not follow them but just stood there motionlessly.
Yang Xiaohai followed Li Huowang in the darkness as they started moving upwards.
Just as Yang Xiaohai thought he would get out for real this time, there was another earthquake. The sound of a mirror cracking came from both above and below them.
Li Huowang frowned and quickly turned around to look at the place they had escaped from. He saw that the area with the large pillars and pits was changing. Li Huowang cursed when he noticed that the pits were shrinking.
"Senior Li, what's coming for us?" Yang Xiaohai was worried.
"Evil entities, and those that came from a different world! Someone is trying to revive Kui Lei! We need to run now or we will get affected!"
Li Huowang pulled on Yang Xiaohai and hastened their escape.
"Senior Li, what happens if Kui Lei gets revived?"
"Kui Lei controls the Heavenly Dao of Death. What do you think will happen if he comes back to life?"
The earthquake intensified. Yang Xiaohai suddenly heard the sound of crashing waves that came from the depths of the darkness.
"They are here! We need to go up!" Li Huowang stomped onto the ground and jumped onto the ceiling with Yang Xiaohai.
They hung upside down from the ceiling as they ran. Even though they were upside down, they showed no signs of falling downwards.
Yang Xiaohai soon noticed something had changed on the ground above him. He saw a dark, iridescent sea of water that resembled an oil slick.
The weird-looking water surged towards where the pits were. The vapor of the strange liquid started melting Yang Xiaohai!
He felt his body melting like a lit candle as the wax dripped upwards!
Chapter 663 - Qing Qiu
Yang Xiaohai looked up as he hung from the ceiling. He didn't know what the strange water was, but he felt his body melting and his consciousness fading.
"Quick! We need to run faster!" Li Huowang dragged Yang Xiaohai and ran even faster. Their bodies gradually shrank as the sea started to come alive. It howled and hissed at them.
The waves crashed upwards and became like tongues that lapped on everything that melted off the bodies of both Li Huowang and Yang Xiaohai. The sea was trying to consume them!
Yang Xiaohai felt his brain begin buzzing as he lost strength in his limbs. Just as he thought that he was going to collapse, he saw an upside-down temple in front of him.
The temple had golden Buddhist stone pillars[1] with treasure vases on the roof of the temple. It was built on a large mountain with various stalagmites that resembled spines.
The temple was as large as a mountain. The tip of some of the pagodas were submerged in the strange sea of water but the tips remained unaffected.
"Senior Li, there's a temple there!" Yang Xiaohai shouted excitedly.
"I see it! That's the Antrabhara Temple[2]! It's the exit, so quickly go there!" The closer they got, the larger the temple was. For some reason, the temple exuded an oppressive feeling.
Just as Yang Xiaohai entered the range of the Antrabhara Temple, the sound of a bell came from it. Li Huowang stopped just in front of the temple.
Li Huowang said, "Oh? Yang Xiaohai? What a rare guest."
Yang Xiaohai saw that Li Huowang was staring at him while smiling curiously. Li Huowang was acting just like Lu Juren.
"Yang Xiaohai, why are you here?" Li Huowang beckoned for Yang Xiaohai to come out of the range of the temple.
Yang Xiaohai hesitated and shook his head.
"Why are you standing there? Come here. Let me ask you something."
Li Huowang had just raised his foot to walk toward the temple when the bell rang again. Li Huowang stood at the same spot and repeated, "Yang Xiaohai? Why are you here? What a rare guest."
"Senior Li, are you dead too?" Yang Xiaohai stared at him in fear.
"Dead? Maybe, but I think it's more correct to say I was abandoned. Come here, let me show you the way out."
Yang Xiaohai ignored Li Huowang calling for him as he ran towards the upside-down Antrabhara Temple.
Senior Li is actually dead, just like Lu Juren! He's not even a ghost now—he's just a fragment of his previous self repeating for all eternity!
Yang Xiaohai had just stepped into the temple when everything behind him disappeared. The sounds of Li Huowang shouting and the churning water both disappeared.
Yang Xiaohai became nervous due to the silence. The temple was strange because there wasn't a single monk there.
"What's happening? Didn't he say that this is the exit? Is he fooling me?"
Just then, Yang Xiaohai heard something from above. He looked up and saw that both the monks and the Buddhas' statues were up there.
Rows of Lamas[3] were wearing red robes as they chanted in unison. They were also turning a prayer wheel in their hands.[4] 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Yang Xiaohai realized that the reason he saw nothing when he first came in was because he was upside down!
Before he could react, the verses of the mantra forced their way into his ears. Yang Xiaohai felt his body go numb before his consciousness faded.
"Weng Ni Yi ma Ha Yan Ah Mi Ah Niu..."
He lost consciousness and fell downwards as his body merged with the mantra scroll. Then, the Lamas spun their player wheels repeatedly with their skeletal hands.
"Xiaohai! Xiaohai! You can't die!" Yang Xiaohai groggily heard a familiar voice calling for him.
"Xiaohai! How am I supposed to go on living if you're gone?!" the person wailed.
As the voice got louder, Yang Xiaohai struggled to open his eyes, finding that they were sealed shut by his own coagulated blood. With some pain, he forced his eyelids to open slightly and saw Zhao Xiumei's crying face.
"Husband! You are awake! You are finally awake!" Zhao Xiumei quickly took out some pills from her gourd and forced them into Yang Xiaohai's mouth.
"Ugh, I can't eat too many Blood Nourishing Pills, or all of my blood will get clotted." Yang Xiaohai ate three and spat the rest out.
Zhao Xiumei placed a gourd filled with water near his mouth. Yang Xiaohai took some sips and felt his mind clear up. He struggled to stand up and saw that they were stuck in a ravine. The water had disappeared, and all he saw was the ground.
"Xiaohai, are you okay? Do you still remember me?"
Yang Xiaohai inspected his body. He realized that his left arm was twisted in a strange direction, and even his fingers were twisted.
He felt his head hurt. Apparently, he hit his head when he fell.
"Xiaohao, how are you feeling? Don't scare me... Are you okay?" Zhao Xiumei saw Yang Xiaohai staring at her blankly and almost cried.
The three children were jumping around, scratching their ears and cheeks like monkeys.
Yang Xiaohai touched the top of his head and felt a large blood clot on the top of his head. He checked the inside of his clothes and saw the scepter that Li Huowang gave him was there too.
"I think I had a strange dream. I dreamed that Lu Juren and Senior Li were dead."
Even Yang Xiaohai wasn't about whether everything he saw had actually happened.
"Xiaohai, that's enough. Let's get out first."
Zhao Xiumei tied him to herself with a rope before she climbed up the ravine. The three children had prepared a rope, which they tied to the top of the ravine.
"Xiumei, don't do this. Let me rest a bit first. We can't go up like this."
"Don't worry. I'm not a weak damsel. I followed my father and worked in the fields ever since I was ten. I'm actually very strong." Zhao Xiumei pulled herself and Yang Xiaohai upwards while holding onto the rope.
The three children climbed up like monkeys and didn't need a rope.
Zhao Xiumei was sweating buckets when they finally crawled out from the ravine.
Yang Xiaohai raised his head in pain and saw that Qing Qiu had completely changed. The hills had moved. Areas where hills once stood were now flat, while new hills had formed in other places.
1. Stone pillars inscribed with sutras ☜
2. This first came up in chapter 632. Antrabhara is a period of 49 days before someone gets reincarnated after death. ☜
3. Honorific title given to a spiritual leader in real-world Tibetan Buddhism. ☜
4. A device consisting of a hollow metal cylinder with a mantra scroll tightly wound onto it. Each rotation of the wheel by hand is equivalent in efficacy to the prayer's oral recitation multiplied by the number of times the mantra was printed on the scroll. ☜
Chapter 664 - Dismiss
Li Huowang was wrapped in a dense murderous aura as he slowly walked into Shangjing with his horse. His red robes were now even redder. No one dared to get close to him.
His appearance naturally attracted the informants inside the city but they were already used to it.
The informants knew that Li Huowang was close to the Emperor. There was no reason to dig into Li Huowang's identity unless they wanted trouble.
Li Sui was currently wearing the skin of Princess Anping. She sat sideways on the horse as her head nodded in sync with the gait of the horse. She seemed tired.
Cowheart Village was quite far from Shangjing, but Li Huowang had gone back to clear out the bases of the Dharma Sect surrounding the village. Li Sui used this opportunity to take Princess Anping's skin. She also let them know she and Li Huowang were safe, and told them about the Lu family's tragedy.
Li Huowang went straight to the Surveillance Bureau, taking no detours.
"Where else are the Dharma Sect hiding? In which places are they instigating rebellions?" Li Huowang questioned the man behind the counter.
"Eeek... Dear Sir, please wait a moment." Nangong Yun was sweating as he checked his record.
Nangong Yun was a careful person. He knew that Li Huowang was now related to the Emperor and had a different position now.
"Dear Sir, most of the larger bases have been cleared out, all thanks to you. Also, let me calculate your rewards for all the missions you've completed."
Li Huowang waved his hand in dismissal. "No need."
He didn't accept the missions for the rewards—he did it because he really wanted to destroy the Dharma Sect. He needed to stop their expansion and prevent the Liang Kingdom from ending up like the Qi Kingdom.
Li Huowang exited the Surveillance Bureau and decided to go find Gao Zhijian. After working in the Surveillance Bureau for so long, he knew that the information disseminated by them was often incomplete.
Li Huowang would not rest until the Dharma Sect was completely eradicated.
He had just exited the Surveillance Bureau when he saw someone he didn't expect. Lu Xiucai was standing in front of Li Huowang with a bronze coin sword behind his back. Lu Xiucai had stubble and his eyes were bloodshot as he held onto the reins of two horses. Both horses were foaming at their mouth and looked like they could collapse at any moment.
"Master, where is my father?" Lu Xiucai's voice was hoarse, as if he already knew the answer.
Li Huowang said nothing and guided him to the small estate. Lu Xiucai hadn't even entered the estate when he heard a familiar singing voice. Lu Xiucai trembled as he entered. He finally saw the crazed Lu Zhuangyuan behind a room with iron bars.
Lu Zhuangyuan was singing grandly like a general on the stage.
"I miss my mother and wife~ For there's no one I can rely on here~ I looked in the direction of my home and saw how far away it was~ I fear that the distance has delayed our reunion~"
Even though there weren't any instruments, his years of experience in performing still stirred the emotions of his listeners.
"Father!" Lu Xiucai held onto the iron bars and shouted.
But Lu Zhuangyuan didn't react as he continued to sing.
Just then, an old eunuch came down from the second floor with Xiu'er in his hands.
The eunuch kneeled to Li Huowang. "I greet you, dear Sir. When you were away, Sir Lu was living well. He could eat and sleep."
Li Sui carried Xiu'er in her tentacles and played with her, but Xiu'er remained silent.
"Master, what about my brother? And my sister-in-law?" Lu Xiucai's eyes were red when he asked.
Li Huowang looked at the corner of the room. Lu Xiucai followed his gaze and saw the two urns on the cabinet. The urns were white and had red paper stuck onto them.
Lu Xiucai walked over and held onto the two urns as he cried.
He had a family. He didn't like his family because his father was stubborn, his brother was a wimp, and his sister-in-law was very calculative. But now he had lost all of them. He just didn't like them—he never wished for his family members to be gone.
He cried for a long time before he asked Li Huowang, "Master, where is my nephew? Where is Lu Tongsheng?"
"I don't know. He was supposed to be with your father. He was missing by the time your father became crazy. I tried divining but couldn't find him. I fear that he's dead in the war," Li Huowang answered simply.
Lu Xiucai stood up suddenly and pointed at Li Huowang as he cried. "You! It's all your fault! And also Gao Zhijian's! Why did you bring them here?! Why did you give them a theater? WHY DID YOU LET THEM ENJOY THEIR RICHES? IF THEY WERE STILL AT THE VILLAGE THEY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!"
Li Huowansg stood still and didn't react.
After he cursed Li Huowang and Gao Zhijian, Lu XIucai crumpled to the ground while he cried. He kept slapping his own mouth out of frustration. He slapped again and again until his hands were swollen. Blood dribbled from his mouth without any signs of stopping.
It wasn't until Lu Xiucai's cheeks were swelling due to his own slaps that Xiu'er jumped down from Li Sui's embrace and hugged him. Lu Xiucai stopped slapping himself and hugged his niece. Both of them cried together.
Li Huowang turned and made his way towards the palace when he saw them hugging. He wasn't cold-blooded. It was just that he had seen the same scene too many times. If he didn't deal with the Dharma Sect, these kinds of tragedies would happen again.
Li Huowang entered the palace without anyone stopping him, though he still felt a lot of people gazing at him from the dark.
However, Li Huowang was used to it.
Li Huowang entered the main palace and saw that Gao Zhijian was having his morning assembly. Li Huowang projected his body image into the ground and turned invisible as he waited for the morning assembly to be over.
"My Lord, Qing Shang is still having a drought without a single drop of water."
"My Lord, He Dong's granaries were burnt in a fire. The people don't have anything to eat."
Gao Zhijian was massaging his temple when he heard the reports. "These were already reported by someone else. Is there anything new?"
No sooner had he said that, a martial officer[1] looked at Li Huowang before he reported, "My Lord, Hou Shu's envoy committed suicide yesterday by swallowing gold.[2] Before he died, he had written a letter with his own blood and tears. My Lord, please dispatch the troops to save Hou Shu."
He had just said that when another martial officer stepped forward. "My Lord, the envoy from Qing Qiu brought the Khan's personal enamel gold blade to request for an audience."
Gao Zhijian sighed and waved his hands. "Dismissed."
1. An official who's in charge of the military ☜
2. The gold here refers to unrefined gold ore which may contain arsenic ☜
Chapter 665 - Gao Zhijian
After leaving the noisy hall and entering the peaceful inner palace, Gao Zhijian felt more relaxed. He looked at the greenery and flowers in the garden and sighed.
He entered the garden and sat down on a stone stool to enjoy the peace and quiet.
Suddenly, he stood up and approached a boulder in the garden before he lifted it up.
He threw the boulder up high and caught it with his bare hands. He then used the boulder to practice the martial techniques he had learned from the military cultivation manual. The eunuchs observing him from the darkness were frightened.
Gao Zhijian sighed when a thin film of sweat covered his body as he placed the boulder down.
Even though the palace had everything he wanted, he still preferred the days he lived in Cowheart Village. He could see the woman he loved, and he could use his strength to protect his comrades. More importantly, he was not as smart as he is now. He didn't have to worry about so many things.
"You are lacking as an emperor. What kind of emperor merely listens and does nothing?" Li Huowang appeared from a shrub.
Gao Zhijian sighed and sat on the boulder, seemingly unsurprised by Li Huowang's sudden appearance.
Gao Zhijian said, "The Dharma Sect is causing a lot of trouble, and the refugees from the Qi Kingdom as well as the war have drained the palace of much of its money. What else do you think I could do? I can't conjure money out of thin air. Senior Li, being the Emperor is not as simple as it looks. Still, it's reassuring that there are many officials in the palace who could deal with it, albeit simply. The people would have to compromise."
"Compromise? Deal with it simply? If those issues aren't dealt with properly, people will die!"
"Then what do you think I should do? What would you do if you were in my position?" Gao Zhijian didn't know what to do.
He continued, "Everyone says that the Liang Kingdom is the best kingdom in the world, but only the people working inside know that this 'best' is nothing but a sham. We have leaks everywhere, and all the Emperor can do is patch up some of the leaks here and there."
Gao Zhijian took a deep breath before he said, "Senior Li, I'm so sorry. I know that I shouldn't talk to you about this, but I have so many things to worry about."
Li Huowang shook his head. "Don't worry. I understand your predicament, and I don't blame you, but the issue with Hou Shu and Qing Qiu is of utmost importance. You need to prioritize it. They are fighting the Dharma Sect directly. If we don't help them and they get taken over, the Liang Kingdom will be in big trouble."
"I know, I know. But the Dharma Sect in the Liang Kingdom hasn't been dealt with yet. We haven't even sorted out our own problems, so how could I have the strength to go help the others?"
Li Huowang suddenly pieced the news together and frowned. "Zhijian, do you think the reason why the Dharma Sect suddenly attacked the Liang Kingdom was so that they could distract and keep us here?"
Li Huowang had been perplexed as to why the Dharma Sect had suddenly attacked Shangjing with those cannon fodders. It was unrealistic for them to think that they would win.
But what if they didn't want to win? What if they just wanted to stall the Liang Kingdom rather than kill Gao Zhijian?
Li Huowang then remembered how the cannon fodders of the Dharma Sect could, at best, catch their eye then die like flies, without achieving any significant goals. Even though it was troublesome to deal with them, Li Huowang realized that they hadn't encountered any significant foes—even Taishan Shi was absent. All of this made Li Huowang think that this possibility was very plausible.
"And what if you know that they are using this tactic?" A voice came from the small forest to the left.
Li Huowang saw the Imperial Preceptor walking out from amongst the trees.
The Imperial Preceptor said, "Are you not afraid that they would attack us if we send out our forces? Do you really think the world would be at peace if the Dharma Sect is eradicated?"
"Then would you rather they expand without any restriction?"
"Of course not. We have our methods." The Imperial Preceptor took a step back.
Gao Zhijian stood up and looked at Li Huowang. "Of course, we need to help. The Surveillance Bureau had sent people over there. We will see how many troops we can squeeze out to help them after the situation stabilizes here."
"How much you can send?! Zhijian, we're talking about the Dharma Sect that worships god Yu'er! Do you understand how terrible it is to fall to them?! We need to fight to death against them! Do you know what happened to the Qi Kingdom when they were overtaken by god Yu'er?! Do you know what happened to the Qi Kingdom?!" Li Huowang unsheathed his spine sword and swung it at a vase.
A rift shot forward and a strange liquid poured out. The liquid splattered onto the flowers and grass. A strange sound arose as the flowers and grass started crawling around as they tainted the ground itself.
The Imperial Preceptor frowned and pointed his sword at the sky. Lightning fell from the sky and burned the mutated plants to a crisp.
"I don't know what that is, but the Qi Kingdom is gone." Li Huowang sheathed his spine sword again.
"I know. I know that. But Senior Li, do the generals and officials know? Do the soldiers know? Do the people of the Liang Kingdom know? Will they gladly work for half a year without pay? Will they pay their taxes early? Will they join the military and fight? I might have the ability to command them since I'm the Emperor, but I cannot do so on a whim. Every decree I give out will affect a lot of people, and many might die. Senior Li, being the Emperor doesn't mean I can do anything I want. Those are the actions of a tyrant."
Gao Zhijian was silent before he worked himself up to console Li Huowang. "Don't worry. The battle is not as bad as you think. We have our own expectations. Qing Qiu and Hou Shu are also strong, so they won't get defeated so easily. Also, Xuan Pin brought Zheng Boqiao over. The Chiefs of Qing Qiu, Hou Shu, Si QI, and the Liang Kingdom will work together so the Dharma Sect won't be able to do much. Don't worry. Once the Liang Kingdom stabilizes I will send out the troops."
Li Huowang doubted his strategy. The Dharma Sect wasn't an evil entity, but rather an endless army of civilians. The Surveillance Bureau might have a lot of members, but against an entire kingdom of people, they wouldn't be able to do much. The Surveillance Bureau alone wouldn't be able to go a long way.
Leaving aside how strong the higher-ranking officials of the Dharma Sect were, an endless amount of enemies was not something the Surveillance Bureau could deal with. More importantly, those who were contracted by the Surveillance Bureau were only working for the lifespan pills. Once danger came, they would abandon their loyalty and run away.
The only organization that could destroy the endless amount of cannon fodder from the Dharma Sect was the military that craved blood and war.
Li Huowang looked at Gao Zhijian and nodded. "Fine, but be quick."
Li Huowang was about to leave when Gao Zhijian stopped him. "Senior Li, where are you going?"
"Where else? I'm going to Qing Qiu to destroy the Dharma Sect!"
Chapter 666 - Confidant
"Senior Li, Senior Li, wait a moment!" Gao Zhijian hurriedly stopped him upon seeing Li Huowang's determined expression.
"Senior Li, it's too dangerous for you to go to Qing Qiu alone. Why don't you stay here?"
"No need. I'm not that weak. Besides, if I stay by your side, some people might not sleep well at night," Li Huowang said as he glanced at the Imperial Preceptor.
Since Li Huowang was about to head to Qing Qiu to confront the Dharma Sect, the Imperial Preceptor was naturally very pleased, "Good! Brother Li, you are truly righteous! I admire you!"
Li Huowang snorted coldly, said nothing more, and left Shanjing imperial city, which had been uncomfortable to stay in.
Qing Qiu was far away, and given the unknown state of the battles there, Li Huowang decided to depart that very day to prevent wasting more time.
As Li Huowang stepped out of the main gate, he saw Lu Xiucai standing there with his eyes wide open.
Suddenly, Lu Xiucai bent his knees and kneeled in front of Li Huowang. He banged his forehead on the ground and gritted his teeth. "Master, I want revenge! I want to avenge my family!"
Li Huowang looked at him and asked, "Who do you want to seek revenge on?"
Lu Xiucai lifted his head, his eyes filled with extreme hatred. "The Dharma Sect! It was the people of the Dharma Sect who killed my elder brother and sister-in-law. They also drove my father insane!"
During the short time Li Huowang had been in the palace, Lu Xiucai seemed to have figured out some things.
"Against the Dharma Sect's witches, can you survive with just your mediocre skills?"
"When the time comes to fight, don't expect me to help you. If I have to take someone along, it will be someone useful and not a burden. Remember, I am not your master. We are done with each other."
"I am not afraid of death! I am ready to give up my life! Killing one is breaking even. Killing two is a gain!" Lu Xiucai puffed out his chest and roared.
Li Huowang saw the fearlessness in his eyes and knew he was serious this time.
In Li Huowang's memories, Lu Xiucai had always been carefree. This was the first time he was seeing this side of Lu Xiucai. It seemed the tragedy that befell the Lu family had finally made him mature. He was no longer the ignorant youth he once was.
Li Huowang looked at him for a while, then tossed the Surveillance Bureau's waist badge and a gourd containing lifespan pills to him.
"If you dare to go through with this, take this to the inner vault of the Surveillance Bureau and exchange it for some life-preserving items. Just say that Er Jiu sent you."
"Yes, Master!" Lu Xiucai took the items without hesitation and left. He seemed to have already made up his mind.
After returning to his residence, Li Huowang spoke to the eunuch who took care of Lu Zhuangyuan and Xiu'er. "I may have to leave for a while. Take good care of them until I return. If Xiu'er comes of age, find a scholar to teach her. If I die, ask His Majesty what to do with them."
"Understood, your orders are as good as His Majesty's. I will not delay in executing your orders!"
After settling his worries, Li Huowang took out a map of Shangjing city and began to plan his travel route.
"Dad, are we leaving again?" Li Sui asked while holding Xiu'er.
"Yes, we are. Go pack up. Once Lu Xiucai returns, we'll set off."
Li Sui nodded obediently and went to prepare.
These days, she had followed her father to many places and knew very well what to prepare. She was a great help to her father with these little things.
As Li Huowang replaced his tired horse with a much more energetic one from the inn, there was a knock at the door.
He opened the door and saw Lu Xiucai standing there, his eyes slightly red. "Back already? That was fast. What did you get?"
Lu Xiucai tremblingly pulled out a scroll of blood-red bamboo slips from his chest and handed it to Li Huowang.
"The Profound Records?"
"Yes." Lu Xiucai nodded. "I didn't recognize some things and wouldn't be able to use the others, but I have seen Master use this before. It's very useful, and it doesn't require cultivating or breathing techniques. I can use it right away!"
"Do you know the price you have to pay to use this?" Li Huowang opened the scroll and looked at the various horrifying tortures and rituals depicted on it.
"I am not afraid of pain! I want revenge!" Lu Xiucai responded firmly, his eyes filled with a deep intensity.
"Maybe you should reconsider. You are the last male of the Lu family. If you die, your family line ends."
Li Huowang's heart had softened a bit, so he tried to persuade him to go lead a peaceful life.
However, Lu Xiucai's attitude was resolute. "No! I want revenge! They killed my family! I must get back at them!"
"My family was destroyed! If I don't pay them back tenfold or a hundredfold, what is the point of all the abilities I painstakingly cultivated? Should I just let it go to waste?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
Li Huowang stopped trying to persuade him. He tossed the Profound Records back to Lu Xiucai and prepared to set off.
As he was about to open the door, someone knocked on the courtyard's gate again. Someone else? Who could it be? I shouldn't know anyone else in Shangjing.
When Li Huowang opened the door, a delicate and refined face appeared before him. Her bright, clear eyes looked at him excitedly. This was his confidante in this world.
"Huowang!" Yang Na couldn't contain her excitement and threw her arms around him.
Yang Na's body was very light. She almost jumped onto Li Huowang, who caught her steadily with both hands.
Li Huowang was momentarily dazed when he smelled the faint fragrance of her hair.
After a few seconds, Li Huowang came to his senses. Yang Na had come to find him, and he was seeing her again!
"Nana?" Li Huowang released her, looked at the girl in front of him carefully, and hugged her tightly once more.
"It's me! It's me!" Yang Na hugged him back as she jumped with joy.
After embracing for a while, Li Huowang suddenly felt something was amiss behind him. He turned around and saw Sun Xiaoqin holding a bowl of fruit, standing there with a knowing smile.
Yang Na blushed slightly, then pulled Li Huowang into his bedroom and closed the door.
The two of them looked at each other and then hugged tightly once again. They had waited too long for this moment and felt that no amount of time spent embracing would be enough.
Li Huowang's face moved closer, and he gently kissed her soft, lipstick-coated lips.
Chapter 667 - On The Way
The atmosphere in the room was just right. As Li Huowang was about to continue kissing her, Yang Na suddenly burst into laughter.
Why are you laughing?" Li Huowang was confused.
"I'm just happy. Huowang, I'm genuinely delighted that you're really out of the hospital. I can't help but laugh." Yang Na gave him a heavy kiss on the cheek.
Upon seeing his expression, she coughed lightly and quickly straightened her face, then gently closed her eyes.
"Alright, let's not talk about it. Let's start over as if that didn't happen."
Li Huowang looked at her delicate face and moved closer. Suddenly, he felt a gaze from outside the window.
When he turned around, he saw Madam Qi holding a pair of binoculars and peering in their direction.
Li Huowang lost all interest. "Madam Qi! Are you enjoying the view? Care to join us? I don't mind!"
Yang Na could not hold back her laughter as she playfully punched his chest. She walked over to the window and drew the star-patterned curtains.
"She's so old. How can you joke like that with her?"
"If she weren't that old, I'd be swearing at her. She's been keeping an eye on me so closely that I can't even leave the neighborhood," Li Huowang said, pulling up his pants to reveal the electronic monitors on his ankles.
"Haven't you recovered and been discharged? Why are there still so many restrictions?" Yang Na squatted down to curiously inspect the devices on Li Huowang's ankles.
"It's because of what happened before," Li Huowang said. He sat down on a nearby chair as he recounted his experiences with a hint of irritation.
"I gave evidence that those two severed fingers must have belonged to the kidnappers. However, they said the blood on me was all my own, and the fingers had no DNA match. No injured people showed up to claim them either, so they still couldn't fully believe my story."
"I've clearly recovered, which even the doctors have certified, but they still don't believe me. They think I might still have episodes."
Yang Na leaned back on her hands on the bed as she patiently listened to Li Huowang.
"You saw the monitors on my ankles. They say it's to prevent me from being kidnapped again and that it's for my protection. But I know they're just doubling down on precautions."
"Huowang, was there really someone who kidnapped you? Who are they?" Yang Na was worried, and she tilted her head in thought.
Li Huowang recalled what the mad Qian Fu had said in the psychiatric hospital, which cast a shadow over his heart.
"How would I know? Who knows why those people went crazy and decided to kidnap me. Maybe people like me are just rare." Li Huowang changed the subject.
Whether it had to do with Qian Fu or the mysterious Leotians he mentioned, Li Huowang didn't want to drag Yang Na into it. Even more so since Yang Na had been mentally unwell before, as it would be a terrible loss if things got too complicated and caused a relapse.
Once he had a bit more freedom, he would personally go question Qian Fu.
Yang Na brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, revealing her exquisite green earrings, "Huowang, since that's the case, you should stay home for now. It's safer that way."
"I wasn't planning to go out. I've been taking online classes to catch up on the basics. It's really tough."
"Online classes? Why—"
Yang Na's eyes started to well up. Even after all this time, he still remembered their promise to get into the same university together.
"Huowang, I really, really like you." Yang Na felt touched and hugged him again. The two of them enjoyed the brief moment of warmth.
Soon, Li Huowang's words broke the tranquility. "Nana, do your parents know you're here?"
"They don't. If they knew, they wouldn't have let me come."
Yang Na's expression darkened, but it quickly brightened up again. "Never mind that. You said you're taking online classes? Let me, the top scorer, help you!"
Li Huowang said, "Can you? I heard that once you get into college, you forget everything from high school faster than you learned it."
"Don't underestimate me. What are you studying?"
Yang Na picked up Li Huowang's phone and skillfully entered her birthday as the password. She opened the newly downloaded educational app, and a series of videos popped up.
Having Yang Na's help was much better than studying alone. At least, it wasn't as hard as the previous days, where studying felt like a battle.
Li Huowang took a deep breath, shut off his senses, and concentrated. He pushed the inner sight between his eyes and wrapped it with his primordial breath.
Next, he painstakingly pushed the wrapped primordial breath toward his abdomen.
The 'Truth' cultivation method had seven levels, and Li Huowang had already reached the third.
Although the method came from Doulao's memory and seemed dubious, he didn't mind.
Since all true and false Heavenly Daos were under Ji Zai, the method was genuine now, despite it being possibly either true or false before.
Li Huowang's forehead dripped sweat as he struggled to control the wrapped primordial breath.
Each push felt like moving a mountain.
After what felt like an eternity, when he had no strength left, he released all his effort and slowly opened his eyes.
He was close, but there was still progress. He would soon break through the third level.
As he opened his eyes, various objects that floated in the air fell to the ground. Dawn was breaking.
He was almost at Qing Qiu. Since Ji Zai couldn't help, the stronger he was, the better his chances against the Dharma Sect.
Not long after, Li Huowang saw a convoy, with most of the people having red lotus tattoos on their foreheads. Many had tattoos on their exposed skin, but their clothes obscured the details.
Li Huowang ignored their stares and walked straight into the largest carriage pulled by four horses.
As he entered, Bai Lingmiao handed him a steaming bowl of food.
While he ate, Bai Lingmiao removed his socks and shoes, and then brought over a basin of warm water to wash his feet.
After quickly finishing his meal, he wiped his face with a towel and lay down to rest.
Due to the unusual phenomena caused by his cultivation, he had been traveling at night and hiding by day. The only time he could train was in the secluded spots where the convoy rested at night while they were on their way to Qing Qiu.
"Nana, thank you. You've been a great help," Li Huowang whispered with his eyes closed.
"Senior Li, there's no need for thanks between us."
Chapter 668 - Li Sui
A gray wild rabbit hopped swiftly through the forest in the darkness before dawn. In the dim light, its dull fur made it nearly invisible and impossible to spot.
However, the rabbit seemed panicked, and it almost crashed into a tree at one point. The ground's trembling suggested that something was chasing it.
The leaves behind the rabbit were forcefully parted as a large bear charged out, frothing at its mouth and frantically chasing after the rabbit.
As the rabbit was about to be caught, several barbed tentacles suddenly emerged from the bushes and ensnared it like a net. The sudden appearance of these writhing tentacles in the dark forest frightened the bear, as it hastily turned and fled. The tentacles tightened and retracted, dragging a red-eyed gray rabbit to Li Sui's feet.
At this moment, Li Sui focused entirely on the rabbit, paying no mind to the fleeing bear. Li Sui grabbed the rabbit securely as the tentacles slowly retracted back under her skirt. Li Sui gently stroked the rabbit's furry head, then opened her small mouth and forced the upper half of the rabbit in.
Her cheeks bulged as she chewed, and her eyes squinted with pleasure. She enjoyed meat that had many bones. It was juicy and flavorful when she chewed. The only downside was having to spit out the fur before she swallowed.
After finishing the upper half of the rabbit, Li Sui didn't continue with the bottom half. She ran happily toward the nearby dirt road while she held onto the half-eaten rabbit.
"Mom, here you go. This is delicious." Li Sui presented the half-eaten rabbit to Bai Lingmiao, who was trying to start a fire.
"A rabbit? Did you catch this? Such a good girl." Bai Lingmiao received it, and then quickly skinned the rabbit with her long black nails.
She had gotten along well with Li Sui. Just like a child, some praise would delight her for a long time. As long as Bai Lingmiao treated her sincerely, Li Sui would genuinely regard her as her mother.
"Mom, why aren't you eating? It's really tasty and hard to catch."
Bai Lingmiao smiled gently and shook her head, then cut the rabbit meat into small pieces to add to the white porridge later. "It's almost dawn. I'll prepare this for your Dad."
"Oh." Li Sui nodded, then jumped back into the nearby woods. "I'll go see if Dad's back and receive him."
"Wait," Bai Lingmiao stopped her and touched her exposed waist. "Look, your clothes are torn and frayed. If you keep wearing them, they'll turn to rags. Take my clothes instead."
After being pulled into the carriage, Li Sui emerged a while later when the sky had lightened. She was dressed in a crescent white outfit, and she dashed toward the woods.
Bai Lingmiao warned, "Suisui, don't get too close! It's dangerous when your Dad is cultivating!"
"I know. I'll just watch from a distance." Li Sui disappeared into the woods instantly.
Back in the woods, Li Sui didn't hold back anymore. Various tentacles emerged from her clothes, substituting her feet and making her even faster.
As she neared her destination, she heard a noise from the woods and approached cautiously. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
She soon found the source of the noise. It was Lu Xiucai, trembling as he held a red bamboo slip and raised his thumb.
Lu Xiucai gritted his teeth as he pierced three long needles into his nail bed, then pressed his thumb against the ground. "Ahhh!"
"What are you doing?" Li Sui asked curiously and came closer.
Lu Xiucai relaxed his guard when he saw who it was. He knew she was the evil spirit his master raised.
Despite the pain in his finger, Lu Xiucai took a deep breath and forced a response. "I wanted to test how to use this thing so that I don't mess up when I actually need it."
"Does it hurt?" Li Sui asked.
"No! Compared to my dad's madness and my brother's death, this pain is nothing!" Lu Xiucai gritted his teeth and replied fiercely.
"Oh, then you carry on. I'm leaving." Li Sui was left confused. She turned and dived back into the forest.
Li Huowang's cultivation spot was easy to find, as there were few places where trees flew in the sky.
Li Sui climbed to the top of a large tree and watched Li Huowang from afar. He was sitting cross-legged while upside-down, with his head buried in a rock. His body and everything around him floated erratically.
After a while, Li Huowang's head emerged from the rock and collided with a flying tree, which shattered like bubbles. It was as if all of the world's rules had ceased to exist around him.
Li Sui quietly observed Li Huowang's strange cultivation. Though he rarely spoke to her, she understood some things through silent observation. Her father wanted to become stronger to protect them and prevent their deaths. Lu Xiucai had the same goal. He wanted to become stronger too.
Li Sui recalled her father's opponents. If he wasn't strong, he would have been killed. This thought made her anxious. She didn't want her father to die, and she began to ponder how she could help him.
They all want to become more powerful. What should I do to help Dad?
Usually, she burrowed into her dad and served as an extra hand for him, but she wanted to do more.
The question was complex, and Li Sui couldn't figure out what to do even after thinking for a long time.
She was only a year and a half old, and she had never seen how anyone became strong. Her father was an exception, but she couldn't understand his methods.
She saw Li Huowang's shadow float out from the ground along with his body. She quickly descended the tree and ran towards the carriage. She wanted to ask the others for advice.
"Why do you want to become more powerful?" Bai Lingmiao asked with surprise as she tested the porridge's saltiness with a careful sip from a spoon.
"I want to help my dad and protect him. I want to be useful too."
Bai Lingmiao thought hard, then gently shook her head. "Suisui, I don't know either. You're an evil spirit and not human. Maybe... you could follow them and worship the Heavenly Mater? She's very compassionate. If you're fated, she might accept you."
Li Sui turned to look at the White Lotus Sect followers gathered by the carriages. They knelt and worshiped a glowing white jade lotus amidst white incense smoke.
Chapter 669 - Stronger
Will worshiping that lotus make me stronger? Li Sui was somewhat confused, and she followed the White Lotus Sect followers in their rituals.
However, after a while, she felt no change and became discouraged. At that moment, a small centipede crawled past her and burrowed into the clothes of a nearby follower. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
Li Sui's skirt quickly bulged as the head of a skinned dog shot out. It bit the centipede with its sharp teeth and shook it violently.
Li Sui watched the centipede get torn apart, and she suddenly realized how she could become stronger. She had always imitated her father, but now she understood that she and her father were different.
What her father could do, she couldn't, but there were also things she could do that he couldn't.
Am I Li Sui or Bun? Li Sui didn't want to ponder this question. Instead, she focused on her unique abilities.
When she merged with Bun, she gained its sharp teeth and claws. If she merged with other creatures, wouldn't she become even stronger?
The more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed. Her father often said that Black Taisui was born to possess others. This was her innate ability.
She decided to test this, and she got up to hurry into the forest to find a suitable host.
There weren't many options in the forest, and even fewer that could enhance her power. Fortunately, she had recently encountered one.
As daylight broke, Bai Lingmiao waited for Li Huowang to join her for breakfast. Suddenly, a bear covered in tentacles walked out of the forest, as the ground shook with each step.
"Protect the Saintess!"
Bai Lingmiao stepped out from the protective circle of followers, and looked up in surprise at the huge mass of flesh. "Suisui?"
The bear opened its mouth, revealing Li Sui's happy face. "Mom! How did you know it was me? I thought you wouldn't be able to guess it. Look at all the meat on me. I'm really strong now."
Li Sui controlled the bear's body and walked to a large tree, then shook it with her powerful paws.
The soil scattered, and as the roots loosened, she pulled the tree from the ground. "Mom! Look! I'm really strong now! Aren't I powerful?"
Li Sui was not just thrilled by her strength, but also by her discovery of how to become stronger.
The Black Taisui's ability to possess was innate. She could use the strength of more powerful beings by possessing them.
It was not just limited to a bear. As long as she possessed more powerful beings, she could better protect her dad in future.
"Alright, I know you're strong. Now, get out of that bear skin. You're getting your new clothes dirty again by burrowing into its belly."
"Mom, I'm not inside it. It is me!"
Li Sui, Bai Lingmiao, and the nearby White Lotus followers suddenly felt a tugging sensation from deep in the forest, as if the whole world had become a piece of fabric that was being pulled.
"Dad?" Li Sui called out towards the direction of the sensation.
After a moment, a smiling Li Huowang emerged from the forest. Around him, bushes and tree trunks twisted and collapsed to clear his path.
"It's at the Sacral Chakra! My 'Truth' cultivation has advanced another step!" Li Huowang announced the piece of good news to Bai Lingmiao.
"Brother Li, that's so quick! We haven't even reached Qing Qiu yet!" Bai Lingmiao understood what he meant, since she had spent a lot of time living with Li Huowang.
According to Brother Li, there were seven chakras in his 'Truth' cultivation. His 'Truth' cultivation abilities were enhanced each time he advanced through a chakra.
"I don't know why it was so fast this time. Maybe I'm talented." Li Huowang knew that the stronger his cultivation, the better he could deal against the Dharma Sect when he went to Qing Qiu and Hou Shu.
This way, not only could he materialize things in a faster and simpler fashion, he could maintain them for a longer time as well.
Li Huowang noticed Li Sui inside the bear. "Suisui, what are you doing?"
"Dad, you became stronger! Look, I became stronger too! I can help you now!" Li Sui explained in excitement.
Li Huowang took the rabbit porridge from Bai Lingmiao then sat down to eat. As soon as he tasted it, his expression turned serious. Although the porridge looked delicious, it had no flavor.
Li Huowang handed the bowl to Bai Lingmiao to see if it was just him affected. "Taste this."
Bai Lingmiao tasted it and was puzzled. "Strange, I added salt, but there's no flavor."
"It's not just the salt. There's no taste of meat or rice. This is a Natural Disaster!" Li Huowang looked up at the sky and wondered what was happening in Baiyu Capital.
Natural Disasters signified changes in the Heavenly Daos or problems with the Simings.
"Senior Li, it's true! There's no taste or smell at all!" Bai Lingmiao exclaimed in surprise.
Li Huowang conducted several tests. The disaster only affected taste and smell for now, and he did not know if this was good or bad news. It was not too scary to lose these two senses for now, but it could be just the beginning.
Ji Zai was also a Siming. If someone seized Ji Zai's Heavenly Dao, the previous troubles that had vanished could return. Doulao's fate showed that even Simings could die!
Is this related to god Yu'er expanding his influence? Is he seizing the Heavenly Daos of other Simings? Li Huowang pondered.
He didn't know which Siming governed taste and smell, nor whether that Siming had followers on earth.
"Let's go. We need to reach Qing Qiu as soon as possible!" Since the Surveillance Bureau existed to prevent Natural Disasters, they must know something.
As Ji Zai was useless now, the only way to gain more information was through the Surveillance Bureau.
Li Huowang wasn't sure how much he could contribute in this catastrophe, but he was determined to give his best.
He urged the horses forward and the carriage sped off, leaving trails of yellow dust behind.