Bam! Chi Baishui's head hit the ground and rolled over to Yang Xiaohai's sister. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
Her icy expression melted into shock and fear. She started crying. "Father!"
Her scream flipped a hidden switch as everyone exploded into action. Curses and harpoons flew towards Li Huowang.
The harpoons phased through Li Huowang without harming him. Li Huowang rushed forward with the purple-tasseled sword in his hand. He was busy and didn't have time to talk to the people.
He also saw Yang Xiaohai being wounded and the old man taking the scepter. The girl from the Dharma Sect had solidified his suspicions, so there was no reason to hold back. It was faster to kill them all.
Li Huowang was alone while the young boat people used fishing tactics to take down Li Huowang. They moved in sync while encircling Li Huowang.
However, when Li Huowang became serious, he slaughtered them all without difficulty. The stench of blood filled the air.
The fish scale tattoos were useless here. Li Huowang's sword cut through their bodies easily.
Zhao Xiumei and Yang Xiaohai stood on the side and saw the bodies piling up. The corpses were Yang Xiaohai's relatives.
Yang Xiaohai wanted to shout at Li Huowang, but he didn't know what to say.
The battle ended before it even began. The boat people's anger quickly dissipated when they saw how fearsome Li Huowang was.
They immediately ran towards the sea, but this made them easy targets since Li Huowang would then attack them freely.
"Senior Li! Enough!" Yang Xiaohai finally shouted.
Li Huowang did not stop, but he didn't continue his chase. Instead, he ran towards Yang Xiaohai's eldest sister. She's the only Dharma Sect member here.
Li Huowang raised his sword but then Yang Xiaohai stopped him. "Senior Li! No!"
Li Huowang changed his trajectory and cut off her left leg instead.
With blood on his sword, Li Huowang turned around and asked Yang Xiaohai, "Why? Do you know her?"
"I... I..." Yang Xiaohai looked at the decapitated Chi Baishui and the corpses of the boat people before his lips quivered. He hesitated while in pain. "I don't know her."
Li Huowang swung the sword, and Yang Xiaohai saw his sister get bisected vertically.
Yang Xiaohai slumped to the ground.
Did Senior Li do the wrong thing? No, he came to save me, but I don't think this is the right answer...
"Father," Li Sui said, appearing from the path in front of them. The carriages of the White Lotus Sect were following Li Sui.
Bai Lingmiao walked towards Yang Xiaohai with a complicated look on her face, as if she had heard what was happening. She looked at Yang Xiaohai, Li Huowang, and Chi Baishui's corpse. The relic in her body sharpened her hearing, so she could hear sounds from farther away than others.
Is the Dharma Sect in Hou Shu this weak? Did they expand too fast? Li Huowang kicked the bloody foot of Yang Xiaohai's sister as he pondered.
He had fought with the Dharma Sect before. They never ran away when only a few of them had died. Li Huowang wiped the blood from his sword and sheathed it.
He approached Yang Xiaohai and frowned. He said, "What's wrong with you? You knew that Hou Shu was being besieged by the Dharma Sect, so why are you here? Do you not value your life? You should've returned to Cowheart Village immediately and set out again after everything calmed down!"
Yang Xiaohai sniffled as he held his tears back. "Senior Li, why are you here?"
"I came here to deal with some business. I crossed paths with Sun Baolu and he told me you were coming here. Luckily, I knew where you were and ran as fast as I could. If I had arrived any later, you and your wife would've died."
Li Huowang removed the harpoon from Yang Xiaohai's hand and foot before he took out the Fiery Scripture to heal him. The bloody holes were cauterized, and Yang Xiaohai shouted amidst the sizzling sound. Once he was done, Bai Lingmiao came over and started bandaging Yang Xiaohai.
Li Huowang looked at the dark sky and sea before he frowned and said, "I'm worried about you returning right now, so just follow me. I will ask someone to escort you back once we reach the Surveillance Bureau of Hou Shu."
Yang Xiaohai held his injured hands and nodded. "I understand."
"What are those three?" Li Huowang then noticed the three monkey children.
Even though they were human children, they acted like monkeys. Their demeanor made Li Huowang think that they were evil entities instead.
"We rescued them while on our way here. They are as pitiful as us." Yang XIaohai then explained their circumstances to Li Huowang. As he did, Yang Xiaohai slowly calmed down.
Even though his father was dead, he still couldn't bring himself to mourn it since his father wanted to sell his wife.
Chi Baishui was not his father, nor were they his family. Senior Li and the others were his true family.
However, he was a little sad over the death of his sister and relatives. They did hurt him, but it didn't warrant their death.
"Let's go." Li Huowang led the way to bring them away from there.
Since he had hurt his leg, Yang Xiaohai hobbled as he walked. It hurt a lot even though he was given first aid.
Li Huowang turned around and shouted at one of the carriages, "Xiucai! Carry Xiaohai onto the carriage."
"Alright, Master!" Lu Xiucai picked Yang Xiaohai up to put him in the carriage.
Yang Xiaohai saw Lu Xiucai's haggard face and remembered something. He hesitated and asked carefully, "Xiucai, is your brother alright?"
Chapter 681 - Touch
Lu Xiucai's face stiffened as the painful memories surged into his mind. He quickly suppressed them and said casually, "He's dead. He was killed by the Dharma Sect."
"What?! Juren is really dead?" Yang Xiaohai's eyes widened in shock.
Lu Xiucai turned slowly and glared at Yang Xiaohai. "What do you mean by that? What do you mean 'really dead'?"
Li Huowang also turned to look. He knew that when Yang Xiaohai left, Lu Juren was still enjoying his life in Shangjing. How did Yang Xiaohai know that Lu Juren had died?
"No, don't misunderstand. When I was in Qing Qiu, I encountered the Earth Dragon while it was moving. I came across something strange, which I thought was a dream at the time. I saw Brother Juren there, but he looked somewhat odd."
Yang Xiaohai quickly recounted his encounter with Lu Juren, "It wasn't just him. There was also another strange Senior Li in that place called the Feng Capital."
He saw Senior Li frown at him. "What did you say? Another me? Tell me what you experienced again."
Yang Xiaohai repeated his strange experience in Qing Qiu, this time focusing on the peculiar version of Li Huowang.
"Hong Zhong? Li Huowang? Hong Zhong Li Huowang hasn't disappeared?!" Li Huowang's pupils instantly shrank.
In the past, Doulao had bestowed upon him a segment of the Sitting Oblivion Dao's past, which had led to the creation of Hong Zhong Li Huowang.
Li Huowang always thought that with that past disappearing, the period of Hong Zhong Li Huowang should have also disappeared.
But now it seemed that wasn't the case at all. Hong Zhong Li Huowang had left his side but hadn't disappeared. He had only been hidden, just like the Great Qi!
But... why? Why was he trapped in the Feng Capital and not somewhere else? Li Huowang's brows knitted tightly. And this other Siming mentioned by Hong Zhong...
He had never imagined that the Siming in control of death was truly dead and hidden beneath Qing Qiu.
"Xiaohai, you said there was seawater with a strange color flowing into that cave?" Li Huowang clarified.
"Yes! That seawater was very strange. Even from a distance, it felt like my body was being pulled in. If I hadn't eventually run into the upside-down Antrabhara Temple, I wouldn't have made it back."
Yang Xiaohai couldn't help but feel scared as he thought about his previous experience. It seemed that the experience was indeed real judging by Senior Li's attitude, and he had barely managed to return.
"Was the seawater this color?" Li Huowang asked. He pulled out the spine sword and slashed forcefully towards the distance.
The rift leading to the Great Qi opened, and those dark, metallic, multicolored substances gushed out. They fell to the ground and writhed like living creatures. Anything they touched would mutate. Lifeless objects regained life, and living things grew increasingly distorted.
"Yes! That's it! That's what I saw, but there was much more of it! As much as the sea!" Yang Xiaohai said and backed away. He was afraid that those things might approach him again.
"God Yu'er... it's really god Yu'er." Li Huowang's face was very grim. The Dharma Sect, which worshiped god Yu'er, was conquering cities in Hou Shu. Meanwhile, god Yu'er was attacking the Siming in charge of death. "
What does god Yu'er want? Does it want to seize even the Heavenly Dao of Death?
Li Huowang was lost in thought, and his attention was diverted by a soft touch on his right hand. He looked down and saw Bai Lingmiao holding his hand.
"Senior Li, what's wrong?"
Li Huowang shook his head out of habit. "Nothing, let's go."
As he was about to leave, he felt Bai Lingmiao's hands pull him back with a soft but firm grip.
He turned to look at Bai Lingmiao, whose eyes were covered with a white silk band. "Senior Li, I am now the Saintess of the White Lotus Sect. The White Lotus Sect is spreading widely in Great Liang. I can help you now."
"If you encounter trouble, there's no need to endure it alone like you did before. Tell me what's going on and we can figure it out together."
He looked at Bai Lingmiao's delicate face, then reached out and gently stroked her face. He could feel her genuine concern for him.
After a moment of hesitation, he said, "This is a long story. You know the god Yu'er that is worshiped by the Dharma Sect?"
"Yes, I know. The Heavenly Mater mentioned that god Yu'er is a betrayer."
"The actual events are like this," Li Huowang started to explain the whole story, but suddenly stopped mid-sentence. He frowned and looked at the dark sea in the distance.
A line of torches formed a long dragon that approached them. "Hmm?"
"Xiaohai, what's going on? Have those people been bewitched by the Dharma Sect?"
Yang Xiaohai's face instantly turned pale. He said anxiously, "Senior Li, they are not from the Dharma Sect. They worship the Dragon King. Let's go quickly! Hurry!"
His father and elder sister were already dead. He didn't want to lose more family members, even if they hadn't treated him well.
"Are you hiding something from me?" Li Huowang glanced at him but didn't press further. He turned and led the others to leave.
He hadn't forgotten his purpose for coming to Hou Shu, which was to find the Dragon Vein of Hou Shu. He couldn't be bothered to delve into whatever Yang Xiaohai had in mind.
After only a few steps, he saw the light of fire on the dirt road in the distance. Clearly, these people had already surrounded them during their conversation and had not intended to let them leave.
"Heh, this is interesting. I wasn't looking for trouble, but trouble found me. Li Sui!"
Li Huowang opened his mouth and Li Sui entered his body. The squirming tentacles protruded from his body and danced wildly.
"Master! Let me go this time! I want to seek revenge from the Dharma Sect!" Lu Xiucai said firmly. His eyes were filled with hatred as he stepped forward.
Li Huowang glanced at him. "Alright, you take care of yourself. As I've always said, I don't want a burden."
"I'm not a burden!" Lu Xiucai said. He took off his shirt to reveal his paper dudou, which was covered in curses.
He pulled out two serrated swords, then stomped his right foot and knocked the sword against his forehead while chanting incessantly.
Chapter 682 - Water
After a while, the blood flowing from Lu Xiucai's forehead covered his entire face as he rapidly recited an incantation.
"Disciple sincerely comes to worship. May the deity of this altar descend swiftly. Transform the body into the spirit, and the spirit into the body, and open the path of enlightenment! Guide us, step by step! Support the medium, inch by inch! Awaken the medium with divine light, speak clearly with a golden mouth, command the urgently divine soldiers and fire!"
While Lu Xiucai was invoking the spirit, the torches had already approached Li Huowang and his companions. The figures were now clearly visible.
They were the same people who had fled before. They had dared to return despite losing so many of their own. Li Huowang quickly noticed the source of their confidence—several elders dressed in fish-skin Daoist robes that stood at the front of the crowd.
These elders were unlike the others in both appearance and attire. They solemnly held thick incense sticks and offered sacrifices in all directions while murmuring incantations.
It was in a dialect that Li Huowang could hear but not understand.
The white incense smoke did not disperse. Instead, it gathered, forming densely around them.
The crowd carried a large mural behind them. No, to be precise, they had dismantled an entire wall.
"What kind of evil spirit is this?"
When Li Huowang saw these fishermen with dragon scale tattoos, he couldn't help but be reminded of the water bandits he had encountered on the lake before.
"Forget it, whatever!" Li Huowang didn't care anymore. He lunged forward and charged at them with his sword, while the blood-covered Lu Xiucai followed closely behind.
As Li Huowang approached, the elder boat people in fish-skin robes raised their giant incense sticks and thrust them into the ground. The smoke above them instantly formed a dragon's head that lunged towards Li Huowang.
Li Huowang didn't flinch. He gripped the purple-tassel sword in one hand and the bronze coin sword in the other. As the dragon-shaped smoke contacted him, he crossed the two swords, which could dispel evil, and pushed them forward.
The dragon-head-shaped smoke was instantly split into a cross. Li Huowang did not hesitate as he pounced on the boat people. The mural and the entire wall behind it came crashing down towards him.
Boom! The wall shattered into pieces and buried Li Huowang underneath.
As the dust settled, Li Huowang emerged from behind the towering figure of Peng Longteng, who had acted as a shield at the critical moment.
He held his two swords and glanced at the shattered mural on the ground, then at the boat people kneeling and bowing towards the sea. "Is that all? Just like that?"
He noticed the distant dark sea seemed to grow even darker, as if an oppressive mountain range had risen there.
Mountains? The thought barely appeared in Li Huowang's mind before cold sweat broke out on his body. No! That's not a mountain, it's a tsunami!
The next moment, the tsunami carried the boat people's boats and their stilt houses, and it surged towards Li Huowang with overwhelming force.
"Watch out!" Li Huowang quickly grabbed the bucket from Yang Na's hands as she staggered. Fortunately, the dirty water inside was barely prevented from spilling.
"Hey, young lady, can you just stay put? Stop trying to help." Li Huowang carried the bucket to the toilet and emptied it.
Yang Na pouted and said, "I... I just wanted to help. Why are you being so harsh on me? I didn't do anything wrong."
"Look, I'm just casually saying. Why are you so upset?" Li Huowang put down the bucket, then walked over and gently hugged her.
"It's okay! Everything's okay! You all need to leave this place. Something's not right here!" Li Huowang shouted to the others in the pouring rain.
"Senior Li, you should come too!"
Half of his body was in the water as he wiped his face with his hand and shouted again, "Stop talking nonsense! This rain is too strange! I'll cover the rear! You all leave now!"
Suddenly, Li Huowang felt a sharp pain in his legs. There was something in the water!
He threw several glowing stones into the water. The faint light dispersed and scattered the surrounding shadows. He saw some shadows move towards the carriage, then reached into the water and pulled hard.
The rainwater, which reached up to their waists, rolled up like a blanket and was unable to approach the carriage.
Li Huowang's 'Truth' cultivation had advanced to the third level, and naturally allowed him to learn new techniques.
Although his abilities had improved, they were ineffective if he could not pinpoint the enemy's location.
What are these things? Li Huowang frowned while he scanned the surroundings, unable to figure out the enemy's tactics.
The situation seemed too intense for them to be ordinary evil spirits. Could the Dragon King really be the one causing the heavy rain?
From the light of the glowing stones, he saw several shadows that crept along the bottom and headed towards him again.
"Suisui! Ribs!" Li Huowang crossed his arms, and inserted his rib bones into his chest. The shadows stopped advancing and they writhed in place.
A tentacle pulled out the bronze coin sword and flung it at a shadow in the water. The bronze coins pulled further apart, and finally dragged a man out from within the water.
The tattoos on his bare upper body showed he was with the previous group, but he was now wearing a wooden dragon mask.
"Who's behind this? Where are they?!" Li Huowang choked and questioned him.
The man retorted angrily, "The Dragon King has appeared! You dare offend the Dragon King, so you're dead meat!"
"Damn you!" Li Huowang roared. His throat released a barbed tentacle that tore out a chunk of the man's neck.
"You Dharma Sect scum! Come out!" Lu Xiucai stood in the water and shouted angrily.
At that moment, the boat people climbed out of the water, and stood scattered in the rain as they cursed Li Huowang and Lu Xiucai.
The pouring rain mixed with their curses only fueled Li Huowang's rage. All he could think of was killing these scumbags. He tightened his grip on his sword and prepared to charge forward while the rhythmic sound of drums began.
The rhythmic drumbeat began to overpower the rain and curses. Bai Lingmiao, who was beating on a drum, came to stand back-to-back with him.
"Li Huowang! What the hell is going on?! I told you to leave! Why are you still wasting time?"
Li Huowang's heart sank at Bai Lingmiao's scolding. He realized something was wrong.
At some point, everyone's hearts, including his own, were overtaken by rage. It felt as if this emotion controlled them. Something was manipulating their ten emotions and eight sufferings!
Chapter 683 - Ten Emotions
Li Huowang stood in the seawater as he realized his emotions were being manipulated. He closed his eyes firmly and mentally repeated to himself. No! I am not angry. I am not mad!
As he continued chanting, the overwhelming rage in his heart gradually stabilized. However, this feeling did not last long. When he reopened his eyes and the rainwater hit them again, the intense anger surged back uncontrollably.
He could think clearly, but his emotions were beyond his control.
By this time, the boat people had disappeared again by submerging themselves in the dark and ghostly water.
Li Huowang and Lu Xiucai slaughtered them frantically, but with each person Li Huowang killed, the rage in his heart intensified and nearly consumed his remaining sanity.
Li Huowang knew this couldn't continue. If he became a mindless, raging lunatic, it would be over.
He suppressed his anger against this unknown enemy and their elusive presence. This seems related to the water. A wise man should avoid danger. I must get away from the water!
"Go! Everyone, go!" Li Huowang shouted to his companions, who were all soaking wet in the torrential rain.
The boat people tried to block their way, but their strength was no match for Li Huowang.
Li Huowang and his group quickly fled the shore with their carriage. Finally, they got their lower bodies out of the seawater and headed inland towards Hou Shu.
However, their anger did not diminish. Their rage accumulated, making them suspect each other of having the worst intentions.
It should have been dawn by now, but the sky remained gray and gloomy.
Why is the effect still there? Is that thing following us? Where is it? Enraged, Li Huowang looked up at the raining sky and then angrily stabbed a dagger into his thigh.
His fury dulled the pain so much that he almost didn't feel it.
Yet suddenly, the rage vanished. Before he could feel happy about it, the anger was replaced by a profound sadness. Unlike the blazing anger, this sorrow was like the black water in a gutter, subtle but long-lasting.
As they continued to walk, this new emotion drew out their past sorrows. This was unlike anything Li Huowang had experienced before. The enemy was unseen and intangible, tormenting them with the ten emotions and eight sufferings.
Past sorrows filled Li Huowang's mind, which left him mentally exhausted and unable to think clearly.
It was the same for the others. Even the horses that pulled the carriage stopped to shed silent tears.
"Waah... Dad... Mom..."
Li Huowang heard a woman's sorrowful cries and turned to see Yang Na curled up by the washing machine, tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong? We just emptied the bucket of water. Why are you so sad?" Li Huowang crouched beside her with concern and asked gently.
Yang Na's eyes were red from crying. She shook her head slightly as tears dripped off her face. "I... I don't know... I just feel so..."
Li Huowang paused in confusion, then seemed to realize something.
"Nana! Is your depression acting up? Have you been taking your meds recently?"
"Since being with you, I've been so happy, I thought..." Yang Na sobbed.
"You can't skip your meds!" Li Huowang panicked. It was a serious matter if one did not take their medication for mental illnesses. He stood up, grabbed Yang Na's bag, and quickly rummaged through it.
After a moment, he found the bottle of pills. He rushed back to her and urgently persuaded, "Nana! Be good, take your meds! You'll feel better."
"I don't want to take them. They make me feel worse... I don't want to..." Yang Na lay on the ground with overwhelming sadness. She cried helplessly like a child who was incapable of rational thought.
"Nana! Nana!" Li Huowang hugged her close. "Look at me! Don't be scared. I'll take them with you!"
With that, he took a few pills from the bottle, then chewed and swallowed them.
"These are for depression. Why are you taking them?" Yang Na's crying intensified.
Li Huowang took a few more pills, put them in his mouth, then kissed her and gently transferred the pills with his tongue.
When he finally withdrew his tongue, he saw that Bai Lingmiao in his arms had calmed down. Her sorrow had dissipated, and he also felt normal again.
"How do you feel? Are you better?" Li Huowang asked softly.
Bai Lingmiao nodded, then suddenly looked at the sky. "Senior Li, there's something up there!"
Li Huowang also looked up. The clouds were extremely low, and faint thunder rumbled within them.
But unlike earlier, there was now a fleeting sense of being watched. They had come again!
"Finally found you!" Li Huowang's expression turned ferocious as a fire ignited within him. This time, it was from his own emotions, not manipulated.
Peng Longteng appeared beside him, grabbed him, and hurled him towards the low-hanging clouds.
Bai Lingmiao flicked her sleeves and wrapped two white ribbons around Li Huowang's legs and followed him up.
Li Huowang couldn't see within the dark clouds, but Bai Lingmiao's mind's eye was very helpful as she guided him toward the target.
Peng Longteng repeatedly threw him high up, and Li Huowang finally pierced through the thick rain layers. He spotted a transparent, smoke-formed entity swirling in the air.
It wasn't a dragon, or at least not like any dragon he had seen.
With another powerful throw from Peng Longteng, Li Huowang was hurled towards the entity. The incense figure didn't dodge and allowed Li Huowang to phase through it.
"Again!" Peng Longteng grabbed Li Huowang's left foot in mid-air and threw him again. Li Huowang closed his eyes tightly. I can touch it, I can reach that creature!
The next moment, he felt himself crash into something soft like cotton. Without hesitation, he raised his sword and stabbed forcefully.
"Die!"
With a squelch, long tendrils with sticky liquid stuck on them sprayed over Li Huowang's face.
Chapter 684 - Eight Sufferings
With his eyes shut tightly, Li Huowang sensed that he had wounded his opponent. He decisively drew a flint across his skin, and flames enveloped his entire body.
Whatever this creature was, he needed to go all out given its immense size.
He controlled his two arms and a dozen tentacles, then grasped the wound's edges and tore it open further with a fierce roar.
Li Huowang plunged into the wound, accompanied by a ripping sound. He wielded three swords in his three hands, then charged through the creature's body while engulfed in flames.
He repaid the frustration they had suffered back to this unknown creature by a thousandfold.
He soon heard the sizzle of burning flesh interspersed with anguished roars resembling the agonized cries of a dragon. The intense trembling nearly made him open his eyes.
The more the creature struggled, the deeper he burrowed. When the pressure eased, Li Huowang realized he had pierced right through the creature.
The sizzling sound of burning flesh gave way to the sound of intense flames, and Li Huowang felt himself falling.
Just as he hit the ground, he opened his eyes and saw the storm clouds turning into burning clouds that quickly dissipated. He had won.
Water! Li Huowang landed in the mud with a splash. Moments later, he spat out the mud and crawled out of the soil.
When he stood up again, the rain had stopped. The thin rays of the morning sunlight shone on his charred face.
The air after the rain was fresh, and everything seemed finally over, regardless of whether the creature was dead or just wounded.
The three monkey children had never witnessed such things before. They regarded Li Huowang as a god, and they kowtowed to him with utmost reverence.
Li Huowang didn't care about their reactions. Instead, he gazed at the sky as he contemplated other matters.
That creature was not an ordinary evil spirit. However, it didn't feel strong enough to be a Siming.
If he had to define it, he thought the creature resembled a God of Happiness, or something similar to the beings outside Baiyu Capital.
The world was not simply black and white, nor were there only mortals and Simings. There was a vast spectrum in between.
Has god Yu'er started to recruit those things? This realization darkened Li Huowang's mood, and the extent of the enemy's influence increased again in his mind.
If these creatures were present even in such remote areas, what guarded the Dragon Vein of Hou Shu?
Li Huowang saw everyone look at him and shook his head. "It's all over now. Let's rest. We've been through a lot tonight, and everyone's exhausted."
Everyone felt more reassured and began to tend to their tasks. Some tended to wounds, while others started to cook.
Their fear and anxiety quickly dissipated as the piping-hot food entered their mouths.
Li Huowang gently unwrapped the bandages on Yang Xiaohai's wound, examined it, then rewrapped it. "Have your wife change the bandage. It got wet, and the wound is turning pale."
"Senior Li, my injury is minor, but your wounds..." Yang Xiaohai hesitated, looking at Li Huowang's charred body.
"Take care of yourself. This is also a minor injury," Li Huowang replied. He moved back to the campfire and began to eat a bowl of noodles with grilled salted fish.
"Senior Li, don't move. I'll get the Bai Family to treat your injuries," Bai Lingmiao said and began to drum.
"I don't have any lifespan pills left. Don't summon the Immortal families."
"Senior Li, they are quite accommodating now; they don't need lifespan as payment anymore," she said as she beat her drums.
As Li Huowang ate, he sensed something approaching that was watching him.
Though he was tense, he pretended to be calm, removed the long bones from a piece of braised fish belly, and then placed it into Yang Na's bowl.
Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw Madam Qi and then relaxed a bit. It wasn't them this time.
Yang Na had now recovered. She noticed Li Huowang's actions but said nothing, praising Sun Xiaoqin's cooking instead.
After the meal, Li Huowang walked to his bedroom and sat on the stool with a serious expression.
This couldn't continue. Yang Na had just taken her medication when those people's gazes had returned. He had briefly confronted them last time, but he hadn't managed to take a photo of them with his phone.
He didn't care about himself, but he was concerned about Yang Na and his mother.
Li Huowang opened his phone and dialed a number. "Hello, it's me. Have you found the source of those two severed fingers?"
"It's been so long, and you still haven't found anything? Is your database comprehensive or not? You can't even trace two severed fingers."
"What do you mean there are more important matters than two fingers? Once again, I am not crazy! Someone is actually trying to kidnap me!"
He heard the door open behind him, then hung up and turned to see Yang Na holding a a fruit platter. He asked gently, "How are you feeling?"
Yang Na shook her head slightly and placed the fruit platter on the table. She held his hands and asked, "Huowang, what's wrong? Is it the side effects of the medicine?"
"Of course not, haha, I'm fine. Just thinking about some things." He hesitated for a while, then said, "Nana, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what do you need?" Yang Na nodded.
"I need to visit Kangning Hospital to see an old friend, but I don't want my mother to come along. Can you go with me?"
The enemy was still around and he needed to see Qian Fu, even if the man was mad and incoherent.
His words had proven true. The surveillance had been tampered with, and someone was indeed after him. Li Huowang couldn't ignore this.
Yang Na didn't ask further because Li Huowang needed her help. She hugged him gently and nodded. "Okay."
Li Huowang and Yang Na set off while Sun Xiaoqin was away.
Before they could leave the complex, Madam Qi and two elderly men blocked them at the gate. "Little Li, where are you going? Where's your family?"
"I'm going to Kangning Hospital," Li Huowang replied honestly.
"Why are you going to the psychiatric hospital? Do you have a valid reason?" Madam Qi asked suspiciously.
Li Huowang faced her scrutinizing gaze and retorted, "You know I have a mental illness. Why else would I go to a psychiatric hospital? Of course, it's for a follow-up. What, is that not allowed?"
Chapter 685 - Kangning
Although Li Huowang was a key target of assistance and visitation by the Neighborhood Office, he was generally not allowed to leave the small district.
However, going to a psychiatric hospital for a follow-up was very reasonable. There was no excuse to refuse, as preventing a follow-up could lead to serious issues if he had another episode.
"You should have said earlier you were going for a follow-up. Here, fill out this form. Young lady, are you his caregiver? What is your relationship with him?"
After Li Huowang filled out some forms under Madam Qi's supervision, a ride-sharing car was waiting at the community gate.
Before Li Huowang and Yang Na could get in, Madam Qi stuck her head into the front passenger seat and instructed the driver, "Mister Wang! Is the tank full? Remember, only drop them off at Kangning Hospital, and don't stop midway. Keep your phone on the whole time!"
"I need to go to the fruit stall to buy some things," Li Huowang interjected.
"Aren't you going for a follow-up? What do you need fruit for at a psychiatric hospital?" Madam Qi eyed him suspiciously, as if afraid he might use this as an opportunity to escape.
"I have a lot of friends there. Can't I visit them while I'm at the hospital?"
"Friends from the psychiatric hospital? They must be psychiatric patients too, right?"
After some back-and-forth, it was finally resolved by Yang Na going to the neighborhood supermarket to buy the fruits.
Though the ride-sharing driver looked somewhat like the previous police officer, Li Huowang didn't overthink it. It didn't matter whether he was being monitored or protected—he didn't want any trouble on the way.
Once Li Huowang and Yang Na got into the car, it started heading onto the road. Li Huowang rested his head against the window as the car sped up, his eyes unfocused as he thought about everything that had happened.
What are those people? What do they want from me? What do I have that they are so interested in?
There were no answers to these questions, and even the police couldn't help. In any case, they didn't trust him. His only clue now was Qian Fu at Kangning Hospital.
Since they could alter surveillance footage, it was highly likely they were also the ones who placed needles in his food.
But... why? If they wanted to kill me, they could have poisoned my food. Why put needles in it? The needles merely caused pain and nothing else.
Hold on. Could Qian Fu have been right? Maybe they were trying to drive a wedge between me and him. That way, I would suspect and stay away from him.
This thought solidified Li Huowang's determination to meet Qian Fu again.
Yang Na sensed Li Huowang's anxiety and clasped his hand. They interlocked their fingers in silent comfort.
Li Huowang turned to her and smiled reassuringly. "It's nothing. I'm just going to the hospital to ask some questions. I'll be back soon."
"Alright. No matter what happens, don't bear it alone. I'm here with you."
"Sure." Li Huowang closed his eyes and hugged her gently, just like that night on the rooftop.
The car sped along the road. As they got closer to Kangning Hospital, Li Huowang grew increasingly anxious.
After what felt like a long time, the car finally stopped. Li Huowang and Yang Na walked towards the hospital with white walls and green windows.
His attending physician, Wu Cheng, greeted him. It was clear that Li Huowang was being treated much better than before.
In Wu Cheng's office, Li Huowang casually chatted with him while holding a disposable cup.
"I heard you were kidnapped?" Wu Cheng asked while holding his tea cup.
"It wasn't an episode. Someone really tried to kidnap me," Li Huowang explained.
"Of course. Don't worry, I didn't say you were having an episode. Since you have two severed fingers as evidence, there must be real people involved. What did the police say?"
"They told me to wait. They even put a tracker on me. It's not easy for me to even leave my neighborhood now," Li Huowang said, lifting his left foot.
"Don't worry. They'll find something with so much surveillance around. So, why are you back this time?"
"Nothing much, just a follow-up to check if there's any change in my condition," Li Huowang naturally didn't mention he was there to see Qian Fu.
"If you're aware of that, it means you're mostly fine. Since you're here, let's do some tests."
When Li Huowang held the tablet with the test questions, he felt a bit nervous. Perhaps he didn't fully trust his own perception, and he wondered if he was actually still insane due to his previous experiences.
Li Huowang sometimes doubted his own senses after having gone through so much.
He focused on the test questions and completed them one by one.
After he discussed the results with the doctor and he saw Wu Cheng's relaxed expression, he sighed in relief. He wasn't crazy. Everything he experienced was real and not hallucinations caused by his illness.
"Don't be too stressed. If there were really an issue, we wouldn't have let you leave the hospital. Relax at home and take your medicine on time."
Li Huowang heard him and knew his follow-up was over. He should be heading home, but he had something else to do.
He stood up and looked towards the inpatient ward, then he hesitantly asked, "Doctor, can I visit some other patients? I made some friends during my stay here."
"Sure, go ahead. You know your way around the hospital. Most of them are still here."
When Li Huowang entered the visitation area, he felt a strange sense of familiarity. He had always exited from the inside door before. This was his first time entering from the outside door.
He couldn't go directly to Qian Fu since that would be too conspicuous. He visited several acquaintances and handed them the fruits he had bought.
Everyone else was fine, but when he saw Zhao Ting, the girl with depression, he immediately felt a resentful gaze.
Li Huowang patted Yang Na lightly. "I have nothing with her. I'll explain when we get back. I just got one more friend to see."
Li Huowang took a deep breath and anxiously waited for Qian Fu, but he never showed up. Instead, he received bad news.
"Qian Fu had an episode and is in the seclusion room. You can visit him next time."
Li Huowang's heart sank, and a bad premonition arose.
What's going on? Did I come too late? Did those people get to him?
Chapter 686 - Qian Fu
Li Huowang was not satisfied with the answer. The more the nurse insisted that Qian Fu's illness had worsened and made them limit visitations, the more suspicious Li Huowang became. He was determined to meet Qian Fu.
Instead of pushing it, he chose to remain silent. He was still in the mental hospital, and if he displayed any aggressiveness, he could get caught.
Thanks to Wu Cheng's help, Li Huowang managed to get a short meeting with Qian Fu.
Li Huowang sighed. At least the people outside haven't infiltrated this place yet. Otherwise, they would've used all kinds of tactics to stop me from meeting Qian Fu.
Because he had to enter the hospital, Li Huowang asked Yang Na to wait outside while he followed a nurse into the building.
Li Huowang soon reached the place where Qian Fu was locked up. He opened the small window on the door and saw that Qian Fu was wrapped in a straitjacket. He was wriggling on the floor like a maggot as he spewed nonsense from his mouth.
"Qian Fu!" Li Huowang wanted to get close, but the nurse stopped him.
"What are you doing? I thought you were only here to look at him. Are you trying to talk to that crazy patient?"
Li Huowang came up with a random lie. "Please let me go. His family asked me to give him a message."
"No! This is the rule! Why didn't you say so just now?"
"All rules can be bent a little, plus this is a private hospital and not a government-funded one." Li Huowang stuffed the money that Sun Xiaoqin had given him into the nurse's hands.
Li Huowang knew that even though the doctors profited greatly, the nurses were not paid well despite handling most of the physical work.
The nurse's reaction confirmed his thoughts. "Be quick, then. He's very crazy right now. Don't blame me if he ignores you."
Li Huowang got close to the door and shouted, "Qian Fu! Qian Fu!"
Hearing his voice, Qian Fu crawled towards the door with his straitjacket on.
Eight minutes had passed by the time he plastered his sweaty face on the small opening of the door.
Qian Fu looked weird as he glared at Li Huowang with bloodshot eyes. His eyes were fearful, excited, and on the verge of collapse. "You finally came to look for me! I knew you would see through their tricks!"
QIan Fu cried happily.
"Quiet! Don't alert the doctors!" Li Huowang looked towards the corridor and whispered harshly.
Qian Fu sniffled and swallowed his snot. "I've waited for you too long! Did you know how they tortured me while you weren't here?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
"Tortured you? Are they here in the hospital?" Li Huowang panicked when he heard that.
Qian Fu whispered as he stared at the nurse standing guard in the corridor, "They are here, but there's not many of them. You need to be careful!"
"Who are they?" Li Huowang needed answers.
Looking wide-eyed at Li Huowang, Qian Fu asked, "What? You still don't know who you are dealing with?"
"You know who they are?" Li Huowang recalled the woman with the umbrella and the people who tried kidnapping him. He really didn't know who they were.
"Of course! Didn't I tell you? They are the Leotians!"
"Fuck!" Li Huowang would've beaten Qian Fu up if it wasn't because of the door. He thought that Qian Fu was tricking him.
Li Huowang calmed himself down. He had to accept the fact that his ally was a patient. Even though Qian Fu might know something, he's still a patient in the hospital right now.
Thankfully, Li Huowang had experience in dealing with people with mental illnesses. "Where is the spaceship of the aliens that came from Leo?"
"Their spaceship is still in space. They can't come down for now, but some aliens could reach Earth first. Some humans coveted their technology and bowed down to the aliens! They became traitors!"
Li Huowang had to reconsider his approach even though he was here to get some information from Qian Fu.
Li Huowang had no choice but to believe only half of the ramblings of a patient.
After some time, Li Huowang frowned and spoke, "Where did you get this information?"
If he couldn't verify the information from Qian Fu, he had no choice but to find the source of the information itself.
"Where did I get it? Isn't it obvious? I saw it myself! Don't tell me you saw nothing even after so many things had happened!" Qian Fu glared at Li Huowang.
Suddenly, Qian Fu's hands passed through the small opening and grabbed Li Huowang's shirt collar. "Li Huowang! You need to save me! You're the only one who can do it!"
"Let go!" Li Huowang tried to escape his grip, but Qian Fu's hands held on like iron vises.
"Save me! Take me outside! Only then can we defeat the Leotians together! They are too strong! They will dismantle us one by one! They are afraid of us working together, so they chose to separate us first!"
Qian Fu's words were annoying, but Li Huowang understood something from his ramblings. "Wait, you know how to defeat them? What does a crazy person like you have that could threaten them? If you tell me, I will find a way to save you!"
"I'm crazy? You're crazy too! We are on the same side!"
The nurse saw something was wrong and immediately ran towards them. "Hey! Let go of him! Let him go!"
Li Huowang escaped Qian Fu's grip thanks to the nurse's help.
She asked, "What's going on? Why is he pulling on your collar? Nothing serious has happened yet, so let's leave now! I'll be in trouble if there's an accident!"
Li Huowang hesitated as he looked at Qian Fu before he left. Numerous thoughts clouded his mind, and he needed time to sort them out.
Qian Fu panicked when he saw Li Huowang leaving. "Wait! Don't go! Save me!"
Li Huowang was at the end of the corridor when Qian Fu plastered his face on the opening and shouted as loud as he could, "Ji Zai! Save me!"
Li Huowang stopped and looked back. "What did you call me?"
"Ji Zai! You are Ji Zai!"
Chapter 687 - Plan
In Kangning's Hospital men's bathroom, Li Huowang was panting as he let the cold water from the tap flow down his head.
Ji Zai! You are Ji Zai!
Those words rang again in Li Huowang's mind as he closed his eyes in pain.
His head hurt as if his brain was bulging outwards. Only the cold water calmed his head down.
Li Huowang raised his head and saw his wet hair. He looked into the mirror and saw his soaked face, which became unfamiliar as time passed.
Who is Ji Zai? I thought Ji Zai was the fake name Zhuge Yuan gave me in the hallucination. Why did he call me that? Unless that world...
Some of his forgotten memories started to resurface. Li Huowang felt a growing pain in his head and ducked under the running water again.
After some time, he raised his head and saw a bizarre scene. The reflection in the mirror did not get up, and he saw how the water was still running down the back of his head.
Li Huowang started to get afraid. Not only was his reflection not following his own body, but the back of his reflection's head had a face! It was his own face. The reflection had faces on both sides of the head!
"AH!" Li Huowang shouted and retreated. When he looked into the mirror again, he saw that his reflection had returned to normal. There was nothing else other than the scared Li Huowang. It was just an illusion.
What's going on? Is that world real? Then what about here? A strange fear filled his heart as he instinctively wanted to hold something.
He then became angry, and his fear turned into wrath. Fuck! Are they trying to trick me?! They've tried doing this so many times! I won't believe it! I'm not a crazy person or an idiot!
Since Qian Fu had read Yi Donglai's thesis, it was possible for him to know Ji Zai's name.
Also, Yi Donglai's treatment had been successful in preventing Li Huowang's hallucinations until now. It was clear that whatever he saw just now was merely an illusion.
Li Huowang clenched his right fist and smashed the mirror out of rage. He looked at his reflection shattering and felt better.
What bad luck! I really can't enter this place too many times. I didn't manage to solve my problems and I nearly got tricked by Qian Fu!
Li Huowang placed his injured hands under the tap, washing the blood away. He saw the glass and blood flowing out of his wounds and remembered Qian Fu again.
No matter what Qian Fu had called him, Li Huowang still needed his help.
If I save him, he might be the one who could deal with the organization behind my kidnapping.
But should I do it? Li Huowang hesitated. Qian Fu was a patient, and Li Huowang couldn't determine how much of it was the truth.
Still, no matter how crazy Qian Fu was, those threats were real.
The organization would continue to target him. If Li Huowang did not deal with them soon, he would never be able to find peace.
Will Qian Fu really help me if I rescue him? Or was he lying? Did he lie just so he could escape the hospital?
"Holy shit! What happened to you?!" Someone shouted from his back.
Li Huowang turned around. A janitor was staring at the cracked mirror and Li Huowang's bloodied hands.
"And how do I know? The quality of the mirrors here is terrible! I was washing my hands when it suddenly exploded!" Li Huowang scolded the janitor.
The mirror exploded and injured the guest's hands. It was indeed a clever lie and a terrible day for the hospital's customer service.
Fortunately, bandaging Li Huowang's hands was a simple task since he was still technically in a hospital. Once his hands were bandaged, he walked out of the hospital with Yang Na. At this point, Li Huowang already made a decision to rescue Qian Fu.
No matter how crazy Qian Fu was, Li Huowang was certain that Qian Fu was still on his side. It was clear that someone had tried to separate them by placing needles in his food last time.
Since the opposing party was trying to separate them, Li Huowang decided to try and ally himself with Qian Fu. There might be some unexpected gains there.
However, helping a patient to escape the hospital was a monumental task. Qian Fu hadn't killed anyone before, which was a relief.
"Huowang, look! The weather today is so clear! There's not a single cloud in the sky."
Li Huowang looked up and saw the clear blue skies. The warm sunlight gently caressed his face and made him feel good.
Li Huowang then thought about how funny the incident in the toilet was. How could this world be fake?
"Yes, today's weather is so good. Unfortunately, the weather cannot be this good every day." Li Huowang walked towards the car at the entrance of the hospital.
Even though he didn't know which organization was monitoring him and why they were doing so, Li Huowang was determined to fight back. Since someone was targeting him, he would bring the fight to them no matter what!
The car started moving. While in the car, Li Huowang was thinking about his identity and how to rescue Qian Fu.
To his knowledge, it was very hard to move a patient without alerting anyone. By the time he reached his neighborhood, he had a good idea. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
It was both simple and hard. Since Kangning Hospital was a private hospital, as long as Li Huowang cut off Qian Fu's source of money to stop his treatment fees, then the hospital would send Qian Fu out.
"Little Li, you're back back? How was your treatment?" Madam Qi sighed when she saw Li Huowang was back.
Staring at the lady in front of him, he thought about it before he said, "Madam Qi, I need to go to the hospital again."
"Again? Why?"
"To get medicine. I don't have a lot left and I might relapse if I don't take my medicine."
Chapter 688 - Guacang City
The differences between Hou Shu, Qing Qiu, and Si Qi were vast. Si Qi had many rivers and lakes, while Qing Qiu had lots of livestock.
Hou Shu, on the other hand, was very impoverished. The land was dry, and various crags and stones were present. There was some vegetation, but not a lot. Most of the plants here were resistant to drought.
Li Huowang was used to seeing this. After killing the thing in the sky, they finally left the seaside.
Li Huowang and the others had changed their appearance to mimic refugees instead. Hou Shu and the Dharma Sect were still at war, so it was not wise to alert the others who they were.
But even so, there were various incidents since soldiers ran amok.
Ding ding! Dang! Two swords clashed in the air as Li Huowang opened his mouth. A large tentacle shot out and tore off the bandit's face.
Lu Xiucai held his serrated blade and charged at the enemy. He didn't even hesitate when he used a bamboo slip to peel off his fingernails before shooting them forward.
Several arrows landed on his dudou inscribed with runes, but there were only sounds of clinking metal as the arrows deflected off his body.
Lu Xiucai wasn't afraid as he faced the bandits. His eyes were filled with hatred.
Li Huowang had seen how much Lu Xiucai had changed. It was clear that the latter wanted to take revenge for his family.
Every time they encountered the Dharma Sect, Lu Xiucai was the first one to charge at them.
Several bandits dipped their arrows into the blood of a black dog. They aimed the arrows at Lu Xiucai, but Li Huowang swung his spine sword. A rift flew forward at extreme speed.
The rift not only split the bandits apart but also glued them together with the strange liquid that poured out from it.
Even though he couldn't use the spine sword to travel to the Qi Kingdom right now, it was still more than enough to kill others.
The bandits used to be in the military. Hou Shu and the Dharma Sect were at war while several smaller factions were fighting for the crumbs.
But all of them were no match for Li Huowang. The battle soon ended, and after clearing up the corpses, Li Huowang's group started their journey again.
This was not the first time something like this had happened, so no one panicked. It was clear Hou Shu had fallen so far that bandits now roamed just outside the cities.
Li Huowang had sent some of the White Lotus Sect followers and their carriages away to recruit more followers into the White Lotus Sect.
"With our speed, we will reach the city in six hours!" LI Huowang's words made everyone else move faster.
The closer they got to the city, the more animal feces and footprints could be seen. However, there were also more corpses the closer they got.
The corpses were thrown onto the side of the road like garbage.
Bai Lingmiao was hesitant, but she knew she couldn't bury all of the dead. This was the reality of war. During times of strife, the most worthless thing was life, whether it belonged to Hou Shu's civilians or the Dharma Sect's followers.
Dong Dong Dong~ Her black fingernails rapped on the drum as she sang a sad song.
"Hold some incense in your hands~ May the smoke rise up to the Nine Heavens~ Hang up paper on the front gate~ And hang white banners on the second door~ May the wind clear the smoke and guide the spirit back to their home~"
As she drummed, the wind blew past and made everyone feel uneasy.
"Amitabha... Amitabha... Amitabha..."
Li Huowang sighed when he heard the old monk repeating it again and again. There were times when Li Huowang hoped that ghosts existed.
If there were ghosts, then kind people could take revenge for the victims after they were killed by evil people. If there were ghosts, they could complain to the King of Hell to seek justice. If there were ghosts, they could be reincarnated again.
Everyone was afraid of ghosts, but they were actually the world's true beauty. It was a beautiful lie.
Bai Lingmiao's singing never stopped because the corpses never stopped appearing.
As she sang, they soon reached a massive stone city. The entire city was built on a mountain, making it easy to defend against attacks.
Li Huowang looked up and saw that they were reaching their destination, Guacang City. It was the capital of Hou Shu, and also the location of Hou Shu's Surveillance Bureau.
Staring at the marking on the city walls and the wooden barricades, it was clear that the city had been assaulted before this.
Even though the city hadn't been breached, the situation was still dire if the Dharma Sect had managed to reach the front of it.
Li Huowang and the others entered the city safely after he flashed his identification.
Dressed in his signature red Daoist robes, Li Huowang chose not to hide. The Surveillance Bureau of Hou Shu immediately knew who was coming.
What surprised Li Huowang was that Hou Shu's officials completely ignored Li Huowang while they welcomed Bai Lingmiao and her White Lotus Sect.
Before long, someone escorted them to the Surveillance Bureau.
The Surveillance Bureau of Hou Shu was also underground, but it was built directly into the mountain.
"Where's Xuan Pin?" Li Huowang asked Shangguan Yuting. He had learned how dangerous the situation was.
"Wait here. Let me find him," she said, then phased into the walls.
Li Huowang sat on the stone stool and waited patiently. He was thinking about what to do if the worst-case scenario happened.
"You've arrived? A bit later than I'd imagined." Xuan Pin appeared and sat on the other side. His red robes parted, and a gaze from the darkness within focused on Li Huowang.
Li Huowang ignored Xuan Pin's remarks and said, "If you want me to be faster, you should call me when you first come here instead."
"You were busy that time. I was worried you wouldn't come even if I called you." Xuan Pin moved to the side and revealed someone else.
The person was wearing a bronze mask with two snarling faces.
The faces were complete with whiskers, fangs, and angry eyes. They were positioned in a vertical line and appeared to be attempting to take each other's position.
At the top of the mask was a hat made from a skull ring.
Chapter 689 - Chief
Li Huowang looked at the oversized mask that covered half of the person's body. Only a pair of green pants could be seen beneath the mask.
"This is the Chief of Hou Shu's Surveillance Bureau. His name is Zhang Tan. Since you are here to help, I think it's beneficial you get to know each other." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Xuan Pin then pointed at Li Huowang and spoke to Zhang Tan. "This is the one I told you about."
Li Huowang looked at Zhang Tan before he greeted the Chief. "The disciple of Zephyr Temple, Li Huowang, greets the senior. May I know which sect you are from?"
Zhang Tan uttered a single word, "Nuo."
"Nuo? As in the Nuo Opera?" Li Huowang was surprised. To his knowledge, Da Nuo was the crazy world itself.
If Da Nuo was crazy, why was someone still worshiping him? It's one thing to worship Da Nuo, but how did someone from their sect become the Chief of Hou Shu's Surveillance Bureau?
Is Da Nuo a Siming? Or is he a Greater Siming in the legends? Or is he an imaginary God like the Immortal Heaven of Qing Qiu?
Li Huowang pondered and asked, "Is Da Nuo still granting you powers?"
Zhang Tan shook his head lightly.
Just then, Xuan Pin's voice came from beside Li Huowang. "It's best if you don't ask that. No matter where you came from, it's very rude to ask such a question, especially when this is also your first time meeting him."
Li Huowang nodded. He was asking out of curiosity, but he was more worried about the situation in Hou Shu. "How is the war going? How strong is the Dharma Sect?"
"We are losing. The Dragon Vein of Hou Shu has been seized. The trail of corpses you saw was the aftermath. To be honest, since the Dragon Vein was taken, the kingdom's 'luck' has been affected too. That's why we've been losing a lot. If you had come any later, Hou Shu would have really fallen."
Li Huowang frowned. He knew the situation was dire, but he didn't think it would be this bad.
"Then what are we waiting for? We need to take the Dragon Vein back! Where is it?"
Xuan Pin and Zhang Tan looked at each other and sighed. "We might've been able to do so last time, but the situation has worsened to the point where it would be difficult."
"What do you mean?" Li Huowang realized something else had gone wrong.
"The war is constantly changing. We cannot expect the enemy to wait for us to fight back. Last month, the Dharma Sect of Nanping, Si Qi, and even Hou Shu found an unknown method to merge all three Dragon Veins into one. They then told everyone that they established the Li[1] Kingdom and also had a Dragon Vein. "
Li Huowang had a terrifying image in his mind. He imagined the three Dragon Veins bundled together like a thread. A single Dragon Vein was already very hard to defeat, much less three.
The Dharma Sect will surely guard the three Dragon Veins as if they were their life!
Li Huowang suddenly felt a pressure on his heart. Ji Zai was so useless that a single thought from Li Huowang would wipe him out of existence.
He pondered a bit before he asked again, "I've just arrived here, and you guys have been here for longer. You should have a better understanding of the situation than me, so what countermeasures does the palace of Hou Shu and the Surveillance Bureau have?"
Xuan Pin remained quiet before he said, "We've tried a lot of things before you came. Even though we caused some inconveniences for the Dharma Sect, we still didn't manage to get the Dragon Veins back. The palace of Hou Shu decided to abandon the kingdom and retreat to Qing Qiu."
"What? That's it? We give up on Hou Shu?" Li Huowang was stunned at how easily they gave up. How could they be the rulers of Hou Shu like this?
"The Dragon Vein has been lost and our luck has run out. That's why they came to that conclusion. But don't worry, not all has been lost. Even though we can't recover the Dragon Vein, we can retreat to Qing Qiu to regroup our troops. Qing Qiu is also closer to the Liang Kingdom so it's easier for us and the Emperor to rally the troops there."
Li Huowang frowned and paced around the room. He didn't want to give up now. He was here to take back the Dragon Vein, not to retreat back to Qing Qiu.
"Wait, what if we still have a chance?" Li Huowang had an idea. "How much primordial breath do you still have? Give it to me and I can use it!"
He was already here, so it was worth a shot. As long as he had enough primordial breath, Li Huowang could fight against even a Dragon Vein.
Xuan Pin's answer was brief. "I don't have any left."
"What? How come?"
"Because I've extracted everything from the Strayed Ones that we've caught. It's not easy to find fresh Strayed Ones with how chaotic the world has become."
"Wait, you mean that the primordial breath you had was harvested from Strayed Ones?" Li Huowang's pupils shrank from shock when he heard that.
"Of course. Strayed Ones are the only ones who possess primordial breath. Where else would you find it? Regular people think that a Strayed One's organs or sense of bewilderment are what make them valuable, but what they don't know is that the valuable part of a Strayed One is their primordial breath."
Li Huowang couldn't accept it. He never would've imagined the primordial breath that allowed him to become so strong had been extracted from live Strayed Ones.
Just then, someone floated down from the ceiling and whispered to Xuan Pin.
The person was also one of Xuan Pin's illusions. When he was done, Xuan Pin said, "It seems that we might actually have a chance."
"Huh?" Zhang Tan finally spoke after being quiet all this time.
"Qing Qiu's tribal leader is here. He wishes to fight the Dharma Sect head-on rather than wait for them to invade Qing Qiu."
Just as Xuan Pin finished speaking, all three of them sensed something was wrong and looked up.
Xuan Pin extended a slender hand from beneath his robes and pointed at the ceiling. The ceiling turned invisible and revealed the cloudy skies. Rain fell as thunder roared in the heavens.
Xuan Pin felt something was wrong and quickly did calculations with his fingers. "Wait, the time doesn't match. We are missing half a division[2]."
"Wait, what did you say?" Li Huowang was shocked.
"We should have eleven divisions in a day, but we've lost half a division."
"Half a division?" Li Huowang recalled something similar had happened before.
"Xuan Pin, what if the Dharma Sect didn't want to keep the Dragon Vein? What if they wanted to destroy them?"
Li Huowang had just said that when an earthquake happened. The Earth Dragon was moving again.
1. The character for Li here means Black. ☜
2. A division = two hours. So half a division means one hour. ☜