Li Huowang looked thoughtfully at Hong Zhong.
It wouldn't be challenging to get Hong Zhong to agree to his request again. He just had to follow the same steps as before.
However, Hong Zhong had already agreed earlier. Li Huowang still had some doubts in his heart since Hong Zhong was from the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
He had always been wary, even towards the previous Hong Zhong. He was unsure if the other had any ulterior motives.
Since this guy had just reset, why not take this opportunity to test the Li Huowang from the Sitting Oblivion Dao?
It didn't matter even if this guy saw through him. He wouldn't remember anything in an hour anyway.
Li Huowang calmly asked the distraught Hong Zhong, "Hong Zhong, can you answer a question? Why did you run away once you saw me? Do you really have such a poor impression of me?"
Hong Zhong chuckled. "What do you think? Do you really believe the impression others have of you... is good?"
He continued, "Stop deceiving yourself. If you had the choice, you wouldn't want to be with yourself either."
Li Huowang's brows furrowed. "Remember, you are Li Huowang too."
"Hahaha, that's right. I am Li Huowang too, so I also hate myself. Sometimes, out of boredom, I even deceive myself."
These weren't good words to hear. After a moment, Li Huowang asked, "So even if I sincerely wanted to help you, you wouldn't trust me?"
Hong Zhong smiled. "Would you trust someone who says they're sincere? You don't trust me, so why should I trust you?"
He added, "Zhuge Yuan didn't trust you either."
Li Huowang clenched his back teeth. He now understood the previous Hong Zhong's thoughts about him.
Maybe he would accomplish what he said he would, but he probably had his own hidden agenda too.
After considering things briefly, Li Huowang looked at Hong Zhong again. "Don't be so sure. The previous you cooperated with me."
"What did you tell the previous me? Let's hear it." Hong Zhong propped himself up.
"Fine, let's talk while we walk. I'll repeat what happened before, and you can judge if I'm lying."
Li Huowang began to explain quickly, knowing that Hong Zhong might forget everything again in an hour.
This time, Hong Zhong didn't run away. He silently listened as they walked.
After he fully understood the situation, he nodded in sudden realization. "Oh~! So that's how it is. You should have said so earlier."
"Would it have mattered? You ran away before I could explain."
As Li Huowang spoke, the Antrabhara Temple appeared upside-down on the distant ceiling.
"Well?" Li Huowang looked at Hong Zhong. "Since you understand me, Li Huowang, you should know I'm not lying now.
"You already made your choice once, but I'll let you choose again since you have different memories. Cooperating with me is better than waiting here aimlessly."
Hong Zhong replied, "Heh, not necessarily. Maybe someday Doulao will awaken and I'll be able to return."
"Don't repeat yourself. You said this an hour ago. If you keep saying this, your thoughts are the same as the previous Hong Zhong's."
"Is that so?" Hong Zhong chuckled and scratched his head. "Alright, my choice is the same as last time."
"Then let's go quickly. The next hour is almost here, and I really don't want to repeat this a third time."
Having made up his mind, Li Huowang led Hong Zhong toward the Antrabhara Temple.
As they approached the temple, Li Huowang heard the buzzing sound of the wheel again.
Although Hong Zhong couldn't enter the temple, Li Huowang could forcibly pull him in.
Their bodies began to stretch and elongate. Finally, with a buzzing sound, they entered the wheel in the hands of a Lama.
When Li Huowang opened his eyes again, he could clearly feel the people around him sigh in relief.
He gently reached out to pat Li Sui's head, who had come up to him. He sifted through his thoughts quickly.
Soon, he felt a new segment of memories in his mind. They were memories from childhood to becoming Hong Zhong of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. These were the memories Doulao had implanted in him.
With these, the technique to cultivate 'Lies' was naturally included as well.
Li Huowang sighed with relief. Despite the twists and turns he had experienced, the results were still acceptable.
"Thank you for your help, masters."
Li Huowang thanked the Lamas, but they said nothing in return and turned away indifferently.
Clearly, they had seen through Li Huowang's tricks and realized that the division hadn't disappeared.
Li Sui was very worried. "Father, are you alright? You really died just now, and it scared me."
"I'm fine. It won't happen again," Li Huowang patted her head and walked out of the Antrabhara Temple.
On the way out, Li Huowang began to eagerly review the memories from the Sitting Oblivion Dao, looking for the cultivation method of 'Lies.'
"To sit is to move. To forget is to contemplate. Without sitting, there is no end to labor. Without forgetting, thoughts cease. Without labor, the spirit calms down. Without thoughts, the mind is at peace..."
As Hong Zhong, he knew most of the Sitting Oblivion Dao techniques from childhood, even the incantations to summon Doulao. However, knowing them didn't mean he could use them.
Li Huowang wiped his face and tried to change his appearance, but nothing happened.
He sighed. Back then, he could use the powers of the Sitting Oblivion Dao because Doulao had directly infused them into him.
Now that Doulao was gone, everything had been stripped away.
Even though he had found Hong Zhong's memories, he had to relearn all the techniques of the Sitting Oblivion Dao from scratch.
However, Li Huowang wasn't too concerned. The Sitting Oblivion Dao wasn't proficient in direct combat, and he didn't expect their techniques to help him fight against the Dharma Sect. His own 'Truth' cultivation ability was sufficient for that.
He had sought these memories to balance his 'Truth' cultivation and mitigate its severe side effects, which he no longer wanted to endure.
"Let's see..." Li Huowang exited the Antrabhara Temple and sat down at a nearby teahouse, then began to review the most basic Sitting Oblivion Dao techniques.
However, as he sifted through the Liar's Scripture in his mind, he fell into deep thought.
The Sitting Oblivion Dao didn't start with how to cultivate or practice techniques, but rather with how to become a true scammer.
Chapter 741 - Liu Wan
"Brat, don't just study and follow the book's instructions. You won't learn anything like that. Here, let me teach you how the Sitting Oblivion Dao deceives others."
Li Huowang continued to drink his tea while looking at Liu Wan.
"Deceiving others is the lowest form of deceit," a man with shifty eyes explained to the young person standing before him. "A more advanced form is to allow them to deceive themselves."
He continued, "You need to make them reconsider their words and make them believe that they're the truth. They will then believe every single lie we tell them, no matter how implausible it may sound."
Just then, a frail old woman walked past the tea shop with a basket of vegetables.
"Look at her. Her husband has gone to the military and hasn't returned after ten years. Most people would've believed that their loved one had died, but she refused to believe that. She holds onto the hope that her husband will come back one day. This is how we can trick her and make her deceive herself. You don't even need to know what her husband looks like. The more they cling to their obsession, the easier it is to deceive them. Watch."
Liu Wan wiped his face with his hand. He changed his appearance to that of an old man with tattered robes.
Dang~ Liu Wan knocked on his bowl and approached the woman.
Li Huowang couldn't hear what they were talking about from afar, but he saw Liu Wan say something to the old woman. The old woman let go of her basket and the vegetables fell out. She immediately hugged him and cried.
The two of them finally reunited and entered their house as they held onto each other.
A short amount of time passed before Liu Wan exited the house, once again looking like a beggar.
"See? It's that simple."
Li Huowang ate some peanuts as he said, "You didn't even deceive her?"
"Who said I didn't deceive her? She would give me free food for her entire life if I wanted to. Even if she were to die, her son would still let me live out the rest of my life in peace while providing food for me, assuming her son didn't want to get scolded by the neighbors for being unfilial. This is called the cuckoo method. Some old, childless tricksters have used it to live the final moments of their lives in peace."
Li Huowang started drinking from his cup. "Wouldn't she eventually realize you're a fake if you lived under her roof for a long time?"
"Oh? This is where the method becomes interesting. So what if she realizes that I'm a fake? Would she tell the others? Would she tell the others that the reunion with her long-awaited husband after ten years was a deceit, even after having slept with him for several months? She would feel humiliated if she were to tell others that not only did her husband not come home, but she also slept with another man! It would tarnish her husband's family honor, and the village would kill her for it. She'd rather believe in a beautiful lie than face the tragic reality."
"Wow, senior. You are a prick and a lowly livestock."
"A livestock? We're all made of flesh. We are livestock to begin with. Morality is nonexistent to us, though we get to deceive so many people thanks to it."
Liu Wan put his tea down and said, "We are the Sitting Oblivion Dao. We need to deceive them with more elaborate tricks. The more people we deceive, and the more impact it has on the people, the more False Qi we get."
"False Qi?"
"Yeah, though it has several names. The name itself doesn't matter, but we call it the False Qi. With it, we can use the Sitting Oblivion Dao's techniques, ranging from simple face-changing techniques to planting spies or living dolls. The more you deceive others, the more joy you get!"
"Is that so? Thank you for your guidance!" Li Huowang revealed a thirst for more power.
"But you have to remember that we are the Sitting Oblivion Dao. We are not deceiving others to get False Qi—we are doing it for fun! The more fun we have, the more False Qi we get! More importantly, we get to laugh our hearts out every time we deceive others!"
"Liu Wan, you're right. We are in this world to have fun, which is why I joined the Sitting Oblivion Dao."
"Oh? You're very smart, but I think it's too early for you to deceive me. I know you didn't join it on your own accord. Those in the Sitting Oblivion Dao were deceived into joining it."
Li Huowang remained silent.
Liu Wan continued, "Don't worry, it's not the end of the world. That's also how I joined the Sitting Oblivion Dao. That's also how Shai Zi came in last time."
Li Huowang smiled. "These tricks are too crude for you, it seems. I just wanted to see how much False Qi I would get from tricking you."
"Oh? If you needed False Qi, you should've told me from the start. I've already prepared the stage and just need a partner. Want to join me? You can get quite a lot if we pull it off."
Liu Wan picked up his cup and drank his tea before he looked at Li Huowang. "Did you poison my cup while I was deceiving that old woman?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
"No," Li Huowang said calmly.
The two of them smiled at each other, then raised their tea cups in a toast. Their tea splashed into each other's cups as they clinked them together before drinking.
Liu Wan smacked his lips together. "Your poison is a little lacking. The women living in the mountains are more well-versed in poison."
Li Huowang ignored Liu Wan and said, "Alright, I will follow you to see what you've prepared. Thank you for your guidance! What should I do to deceive them?"
"What do you mean deceive them? We are helping them."
Li Huowang followed Liu Wan.
They walked on the clean street as they approached a more secluded area.
Li Huowang asked, "Senior, where are we going? Who are we helping?"
"We are going to help a certain good man. I should also tell you that the amount of False Qi we get differs from the type of people we deceive. Those who are illiterate yield the least amount, followed by those who can read a few words. People from the palace or officials come next, and finally, we have those within our own business. The greater the influence, the greater the False Qi we obtain."
"Oh? Is that so? Then wouldn't we get the most if we deceived an emperor?"
"Of course. How do you think our current Shai Zi became a Shai Zi in the first place?
Chapter 742 - Sitting Oblivion Dao
Li Huowang perked up when Liu Wan talked about the person at the peak of Sitting Oblivion Dao. "Please tell me how he became Shai Zi."
"He became one by ruining an entire small nation. Shai Zi is amazing—he deceived an entire nation!" Liu Wan longed for the day he could do the same.
Since he tricked the Liang Kingdom, he might actually have had the chance to replace Doulao.
While thinking about it, Liu Wan reached a large estate. "This is the place."
"How should we trick them?" Li Huowang was nervous.
Liu Wan looked at Li Huowang's Daoist robes and smiled. Liu Wan changed his appearance to that of an old Daoist before chuckling and entering the estate. "Just react accordingly."
The gardener tried to stop Liu Wan, but he ignored him. Instead, Liu Wan maintained an expression of worry. "Your lady has been possessed today. Do not block the way if you want her to live. Show me the way."
The gardener was shocked and didn't understand how the person before him knew about this.
"Stand aside! How dare you try to delay the mission of the Surveillance Bureau?!" Liu Wan pushed the gardener away. Unknown forces pinned the gardener to the wall.
Liu Wan then brought Li Huowang into the depths of the estate. They arrived safely, but they couldn't be certain that Liu Wan's fake identity as a member of the Surveillance Bureau had truly deceived them.
They had just entered the inner courtyard when they saw a room plastered with talismans and a crowd outside of it.
"Move away!" Liu Wan pushed through the crowd.
Li Huowang had barely managed to push past the crowd when he saw a young lady tied up in her bed. She was trembling a lot.
The people in the room seemed to be her family, looking at her with concern.
"Oh no! An evil entity has invaded her heart!" Liu Wan rushed to the side of the bed as he took out a strange bell. The end of the bell was a fork instead of a regular handle. He rang it wildly.
"Everyone, please don't be afraid. We are from the Surveillance Bureau. Your beloved will be cured soon." Li Huowang made the entire situation look even more realistic.
"That's amazing! You two must be the Immortals that have descended from the Heavens! Please save my daughter!"
Li Huowang wanted to say something else after seeing the patriarch believing them without any hesitation, but a massive man with killing intent blocked him. "You're from the Surveillance Bureau? Show me your identity plate."
Li Huowang raised his head and saw that the man was at least two heads taller than him. He kept calm and nodded as he reached into his pockets.
He felt something and was about to take it out when Liu Wan called for him.
"Disciple! Come and help your master now!"
Li Huowang's face turned serious, and he immediately ran towards Liu Wan. He recited and made some seals using his hands before stamping them onto Liu Wan's back.
When Li Huowang did so, the veins in Liu Wan's body bulged out.
Liu Wan took out a roll of red thread with talismans on it. He flicked the end of the thread, and it magically wrapped around the lady's hair.
"I seek the Supreme Treasured One to help your disciples, protecting our body and mind! Call for the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise and the Scarlet Phoenix to come and help us!"
He had just chanted when the lady's eyes turned white as she started fighting back against her restraints. It was as if something was coming out of her body.
Liu Wan then took out a bronze coin pagoda and placed it on one end of the red thread. A white light flowed from the lady's head into the pagoda. The pagoda started shaking violently as the little bells on it rang wildly.
"Disciple! Hold the pagoda down! The pagoda is protecting the lady's soul, so you must not move it!" Liu Wan then threw the rest of the red thread to Li Huowang.
Li Huowang took the red thread and pushed the pagoda onto the ground when Liu Wan carried the lady out of the house. When he carried her out, the lady was releasing black smoke from her orifices.
Liu Wan soon disappeared with the lady as the red thread became longer and longer. The only one left in the scene was Li Huowang, along with the pagoda and the red threads.
Everyone looked at Li Huowang and the pagoda with anxious looks.
They had all heard that the pagoda was the thing protecting their daughter's life. All of them watched Li Huowang holding the pagoda down without moving.
Time slowly passed, and the pagoda's bell ringing became softer. Everyone started to panic.
No one dared to ask Li Huowang any questions, fearing that it might distract him from his intense focus and put their daughter's life at risk.
"Patriarch! Patriarch! Bad news!" The gardener from before ran into the inner courtyard.
"Patriarch! The old Daoist ran out of the city! He cut off the red threads on the lady's hair before he ran away. We couldn't stop him even on horseback since he ran into the woods!"
"What?!" The patriarch was shocked, and his wife even fainted. Everyone suddenly glared at Li Huowang, who was holding the pagoda down.
As he looked at them staring at him, Li Huowang gently lifted the pagoda and found nothing inside.
Li Huowang realized he had been deceived! Liu Wan had never intended to work with him!
This was a trap set for Li Huowang. Liu Wan left him behind to prevent them from chasing after him! Li Huowang was just a tool.
Li Huowang smiled calmly as he stared at the people surrounding him. "Don't worry."
He then tore off his face and revealed the lady's face.
Everyone fainted when they saw the lady's face in front of them.
Liu Wan was already fifty Li away from the city when he laughed. Tears poured out of his eyes as he recalled how he had deceived Li Huowang.
"Brat, remember that the Sitting Oblivion Dao has no junior or senior relationships in your next life! Our only rule is to deceive others! Serves you right for getting deceived by me!"
"Senior Liu Wan, the lady is just a Curved One. Is there any reason to be that happy?" Li Huowang's voice suddenly came from below his chin.
"Huh?" Liu Wan thought he was holding the lady when a stabbing pain blossomed in his chest.
Liu Wan threw the lady onto the ground. He looked down and saw a metal rod had been stabbed through his body.
He raised his head and was shocked to see the lady tearing off her face to reveal Li Huowang's face instead!
Chapter 743 - Real or Fake?
"Hehe... You brat! You are fucking vicious!"
Liu Wan held his injury in pain. He twisted his arm to remove the steel rod from his back, but his efforts proved futile. The steel rod had somehow fused into his body.
Li Huowang chuckled, approaching the dying Liu Wan. "Don't try to take it out, senior Liu Wan. You won't be able to do so. I am a Sitting Oblivion Dao member myself, so I know what kind of techniques you have. This is an artifact that I acquired by deceiving others, and I went to great lengths to obtain it. It's specifically designed to kill you."
Liu Wan stared at the young man before him, a mix of fear and respect filling his eyes. "You... You were pretending. To use False Qi so easily... You must've been in the Sitting Oblivion Dao for quite a while. I can't believe I fell for your deception..."
"You faked being my senior to try to trick me, right? I just set up another plot to counter yours."
Liu Wan nodded approvingly. "To think there's someone better than me at tricking others here. The future of the Sitting Oblivion Dao is going to be bright. I lost. The Curved One is yours! I won't take it from you."
Li Huowang shook his head, "No. Liu Wan, you must be kidding me. What use do I have for a Curved One? You should know what I want. Honestly, I don't even have an identity, so I can't call myself a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao."
Liu Wan panicked and touched his face because he knew what Li Huowang wanted. Li Huowang wanted his face!
Li Huowang took out a dagger and slowly approached the struggling Liu Wan, but it was too late. Li Huowang soon dismembered Liu Wan's limbs.
Li Huowang looked down at Liu Wan before sitting on his chest and grabbing Liu Wan's neck. Li Huowang used the dagger to slowly carve the sides of Liu Wan's face.
"Do you know how long I planned for this day? How long I have been stalking you? I know how many secret agents you have and how many backup plans you have. I even know you have a son." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Li Huowang cut off the old Daoist's face before putting it on. Li Huowang's voice became the old Daoist's voice too.
"But that doesn't matter to you anymore. All of this is mine now." Li Huowang cut off another face with a mustache before placing it on his face. "Your secret agents are mine. Your backup plans are mine, and even your son is mine."
Li Huowang carefully carved out the faces before plastering them onto his own. Only one face remained—the original face of Liu Wan, adorned with the mahjong tile bearing the Liu Wan symbol. Li Huowang didn't stop at all.
Li Huowang chuckled. "Don't blame me. These are the rules of the SItting Oblivion Dao. I need to trick others into thinking I'm the real Liu Wan. I will then become the real Liu Wan."
He plastered the final face onto his own before cutting off Liu Wan's neck. "Now, I am Liu Wan."
Li Huowang laughed out loud when he saw Liu Wan's hatred seething in his eyes. "Senior, you were right. I should deceive as many people as I can!"
Li Huowang's faces flickered like the pages of a turning book before his face returned to normal.
He slowly closed his eyes and removed himself from the memories of the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
Li Huowang slowly explored the memories in his room.
He now had a deeper understanding of the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
"I need to trick others to obtain False Qi... And then use it to cultivate the Sitting Oblivion Dao's techniques?"
Since he also had Hong Zhong's past, he already had a good understanding of the techniques of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. What he needed now was False Qi.
However, False Qi was different from the primordial breath of a Strayed One. He needed to deceive others to obtain it. He had to cultivate 'Lies' to counter the side effects of cultivating 'Truth.'
Still, he wasn't sure of how to do so—he also didn't want to truly become someone from the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
Li Huowang looked around and saw Li Sui lying on the bed. He stood up to leave, but Li Sui suddenly woke up.
"Dad, where are you going?"
"Watch the house. I will be back soon." The stench was unforgiving within the city since there were feces everywhere, but at least it was a proper city. Even though there was a war with the Dharma Sect, there were still a lot of people here too.
"How should I trick someone?" Li Huowang looked around and squatted down in front of a stall.
The stall owner saw Li Huowang was an outsider and tried to communicate in the official language, saying, "Do... What... Do you want?"
Li Huowang picked up the objects being sold. He looked at the honest-looking merchant before he placed the items down.
Sigh. Li Huowang didn't feel like doing something against his morality.
Li Huowang was thinking about what to do when he picked up some unusual sounds.
Since I don't want to trick ordinary people, I can just trick some bad people instead. I would feel better doing that too.
Li Huowang followed the voice's direction before he found several young people from Qing Qiu brandishing knives and surrounding a man.
The man's skin was tender and pale, suggesting that he was not from Qing Qiu. He appeared to have been taking refuge here.
"Maybe I can try something here..." Li Huowang approached them.
"Uh... There's a fire."
He coughed to get the attention of the youths. They all turned around and saw fire at the base of Li Huowang's feet.
Li Huowang tapped the ground with his feet. The fire snaked towards the youths and scared them away.
After scaring them away, Li Huowang stood still but felt nothing. There wasn't any False Qi.
Huh? I just tricked them, so why am I not getting any?
He then realized that even though he tricked them, the fire was real since he used his cultivation to conjure it. Since the fire was real and could've burned them, it was not trickery.
Should I use my cultivation to conjure something fake? To use 'Truth' and conjure 'Lies'? Cultivate 'Truth'... Cultivate 'Lies'...
He frowned from his confusion.
Chapter 744 - Sitting Oblivion Dao
Li Sui was riding in the carriage as she rounded the small alleyway. Behind her carriage were two people. One was a skinny man with a messy beard, while the other was Li Huowang, who had changed his attire.
The skinny man was a pickpocket, but this time, he was Li Huowang's prey.
As the carriage trundled along the street, a small bag slowly opened up, revealing the reflection of silvers inside. The bag of money instantly attracted the skinny man.
"Go!" Li Sui drove the carriage even faster. The bag fell off the carriage and onto the ground before spilling out the silvers onto the alley.
Li Huowang was in front of the skinny man. When Li Sui's carriage wandered off, he quickly grabbed the bag of silvers. He then looked around and saw the skinny man.
"Shh! Let's be quiet and split this in half!"
"Al... Alright!" The skinny man's body trembled when he saw the bag of money.
Li Huowang chuckled when he saw the skinny man's reaction. Since I can't really fool others, I should just refer to the tricks that I read in the Liar's Scripture.
This was the missing bag trick, and also one of the classics.
It was a simple and reliable method of deceiving others. People still fell for this trick, even though it has been used since ancient times.
As long as the tricks remained reliable, there was no need to introduce new ones incessantly. This particular trick targeted the greed residing within one's heart.
Now that the bag had been picked up, Li Huowang needed to take some of the silver, hide them away in a corner, tie up the bag again, and then wait for Li Sui to return to search for the bag. In reality, Li Sui was an accomplice. Li Sui was also a natural-born actor when she shouted to call the officers, saying that the money in the bag was less than the original amount. All they needed to do now was give the money in their own purse to appease Li Sui.
Even though Li Sui's expression was slightly exaggerated, it was still very believable. After Li Sui left, Li Huowang took out the hidden bag of silver that he had taken from Li Sui's bag.
Soon, Li Huowang took his portion from the skinny man before leaving. He then hid in a corner to see the skinny man holding his half of the share.
The skinny man waited until he confirmed that both Li Huowang and Li Sui weren't returning. He quickly opened his bag and checked the silver in it. He bit onto one and was happy to realize they were real silvers.
"Hm? What's going on?" It was Li Huowang's turn to be confused. According to the scripture, the man should've found a bag of stones rather than silvers, thus completing the deceit.
That was how Li Huowang was supposed to get some False Qi, but why wasn't it working?
"Dad, he didn't get deceived. That really is a bag of silvers," Li Sui muttered.
"I know, but I placed stones in that bag just now, so why did it turn into sil..."
Li Huowang suddenly realized his mistake. He had turned the stones into silvers!
Now that he couldn't control his powers to cultivate the 'Truth,' everything he said would become true. The trick would fail in that case since it was the 'Truth.'
The skinny man had indeed taken a bag of real silver. It wasn't a trick at all!
Shai Zi was right to say he would suffer by cultivating 'Truth' but not 'Lies.' It would be difficult for Li Huowang to cultivate "Lies" right now since he was too powerful.
"Wait, let's follow him!" Li Huowang refused to give up. He took Li Sui and tailed after the man.
When he saw the happy-looking man trying to pay for a prostitute, Li Huowang focused on the bag and kept muttering, "Those are stones! Those are stones!"
The man opened the bag and realized the silvers had become stones!
He panicked and shouted. He ran out to find Li Huowang for payback, but the latter was long gone.
Technically, the trick should've worked, but Li Huowang didn't feel any False Qi flowing into his body. It had failed.
Utilizing 'Truth' to set up a trick to obtain False Qi appeared ineffective. The two sides of the same coin balanced each other out, and Li Huowang gained nothing.
"Sigh, it's one thing to not get any by turning them into real silvers, but why didn't I get any even after I turned them back to stone? Why is this so hard?"
Li Huowang made several attempts and continued until sunset, then returned to the inn feeling defeated.
He reached his room and saw Li Sui sitting on the stool with an unhappy face.
"Dad! You lied to me! You said you would come back soon! Why did you return so late?"
She had just said that when Li Sui, who was beside Li Huowang, disappeared. Li Huowang suddenly felt a faint trace of tingling coming from the base of his spine entering his brain.
Even though it was very faint, Li Huowang immediately knew what it was. This is False Qi!
Li Huowang now understood what it took to cultivate 'Lies.' He had to use lies and tricks. He couldn't use his cultivation of 'Truth' at all.
"So this is how I should do it!" He finally found the most important aspect of cultivating 'Lies.' It was exceedingly simple, but Li Huowang overcomplicated it.
Li Huowang didn't bother explaining to Li Sui why there was another her when he decided to look for his next "victim."
As Li Huowang was celebrating the success of his trip to Qing Qiu, Xuan Pin's illusion floated up from the ground
Li Huowang stared at Xuan Pin's illusion and felt the little trace of False Qi in his brain as he pondered.
He was already annoyed from seeing Xuan Pin, but there wasn't much False Qi for him to use. He could only change his face.
Xuan Pin was about to say something when Li Huowang sat on the stool as he changed his face. His face flickered, and soon, Shai Zi's eighteen-sided head replaced his actual head.
Li Huowang then copied Shai Zi's tone and chuckled. "Xuan Pin, did you really think I didn't have a backup plan? It's not that easy to kill me."
Xuan Pin's illusion froze up and Li Huowang felt a tsunami of False Qi surging into his brain. He couldn't withstand it and laughed.
"HAHAHA! You fell for it! You really fell for it!"
Chapter 745 - Information
When he saw Li Huowang laughing hard, Xuan Pin realized he had been tricked.
"Do you think this is funny?" Xuan Pin revealed a rare unfriendly side of himself.
"Of course! You lost nothing and helped my cultivation a lot! Be proud of it." Li Huowang held his stomach and laughed again.
Xuan Pin remained still and Li Huowang stood up. He changed his face back to his original one.
"Don't be so stingy. You've been using others all this time, so why does it matter if I tricked you? How about this? Let's say our grudge from when we fought the Earth Dragon has been settled."
Li Huowang had obtained a lot with just a simple trick. He quite literally received an ocean of False Qi.
It was also payback since Xuan Pin had left him in the Earth Dragon's stomach.
Ignoring LI Huowang, Xuan Pin explained his purpose. "I'm here to tell you that Taishan Shi has confessed."
"Oh!" Li Huowang became serious. "Can I see?"
"Alright." Xuan Pin waved his bone-like fingers and placed them on Li Huowang's shoulder. Everything shifted around them.
Li Huowang blinked and saw that he was in a dark and humid dungeon. The lines around them were squiggling a lot, but soon became solid.
"Hm? Hm..." Xuan Pin looked around him in confusion.
"What's wrong? Is there danger?" Li Huowang realized that this differed from the illusions Xuan Pin showed him in the past.
Li Huowang touched the metal fence and felt the coldness of rusted steel. He looked at Xuan Pin in amazement.
"Xuan Pin, you are truly wondrous! To think you could transport me from Qing Qiu to Si Qi. Why didn't you do this last time?"
Compared to the Imperial Preceptor flying on his sword, teleportation was exceedingly more powerful.
"..."
Xuan Pin remained quiet for a moment before he nodded. "You know I prefer to be secretive. I don't trust others, and there was no reason for me to show you this before."
Li Huowang never thought someone could be shameless enough to say something like that.
"Let's talk more about it next time. Where is Taishan Shi now?"
"Here." Xuan Pin led Li Huowang into the depths of the dungeon.
They walked down a stairway plastered with talismans before Li Huowang saw Tai Shanshi. The latter was currently immersed in blackish water, with numerous talismans floating on the surface.
Compared to his previous self, Taishan Shi looked much more disheveled now.
His eyes were sunken and his face was pale. It was as if he would die at any moment.
More importantly, someone had removed Taishan Shi's scalp, leaving his brain missing and the interior of his skull exposed to the open air.
"Oh, to think we have rare guests here." Zheng Boqiao was confused to see both Li Huowang and Xuan Pin here.
"So the Chief of Si Qi interrogated him personally. Is there any news?" Li Huowang said.
"You can see them yourself."
Zheng Boqiao took out a porcelain bowl and dipped it into Taishan Shi's exposed skull. He scraped the insides of Taishan Shi's head against the side of his skull before scooping out a large jumble of his blood and brains.
He swallowed it as if he was drinking soup. Zheng Boqiao used his own body as a furnace to refine a pill.
Li Huowang frowned when he saw what was happening. "Uh... You can just tell me. There's no need to show me."
Zheng Boqiao blinked before regurgitating the contents back into his mouth, then chewing and swallowing them again.
"There wasn't much valuable information, but I did obtain a backup plan from him. They plan to summon a god into the mortal realm if they start losing the war. They are willing to put in a lot of effort into it."
"Summon? Who? Is it god Yu'er?" Li Huowang frowned.
"No. If god Yu'er could be summoned, they would've done so already. There would be no need for them to fight and scheme so much. They shouldn't be summoning a Siming, but something else—something just below a Siming."
Something just below a Siming? Li Huowang recalled the beings waiting outside of Baiyu Capital.
"Something like the God of Happiness?" Li Huowang recalled how hard it was to fight against it.
"No. You don't even need to summon them. You can just call for them here. It's something stronger than a God of Happiness. Since Taishan Shi came from the Great Qi, he only knows this much. The others didn't reveal anything to him."
Li Huowang looked into the glowing mirror and checked the situation at the frontline. The war was not looking good for the Dharma Sect, so Li Huowang thought this would be when they sprung their plan.
The reinforcements from the Liang Kingdom had arrived at Si Qi. The Dharma Sect would fall if they failed to get their own reinforcements.
Li Huowang considered it and looked at Xuan Pin. "Do you have anything to fight against the thing they are summoning?"
"We shouldn't even let them summon it in the first place. Since we know what they will do, we should stop them."
He continued, "We can't send the army to their location since that would reveal our intentions. We need to send a small group of elites to destroy their plans."
"Why are you looking at me? Isn't there anyone else?" Li Huowang frowned.
"The strong naturally get the most work. Don't worry, others will accompany you. But I will only truly be at ease if you go. To be honest, you are stronger than me now."
"Stop trying to place me on a pedestal. I don't have time to do this. You need to figure out a plan yourself."
LI Huowang actually wanted to go destroy the Dharma Sect, but he needed to cultivate 'Lies' first. He was just starting and didn't want to stop.
If he couldn't deal with the side effects of cultivating the 'Truth,' he would be in big trouble on the battlefield. No one would know what would happen to him.
"Don't worry." Zheng Boqiao stopped them. "We also need to send informants and spies to see if it's true. You can tell us when you're ready. It would be best if you could make it, but if you can't, then it's fine."
Li Huowang took one last look at the half-dead Taishan Shi before he left the dungeon. "Xuan Pin, remember to take my daughter from Si Qi."
Li Huowang left, and the dungeon was quiet once more. The two chiefs looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Working with him is not easy."
"Don't worry, his fate won't be a good one. I have a feeling that we won't be in contact with him much longer after this crisis is over."
Chapter 746 - Let Go
In the incense-filled temple, Bai Lingmiao sat cross-legged on the lotus stone table with her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her teeth protruded from the corners of her mouth, while black porcupine quills and green snake scales were hidden among her white hair.
It was already a significant improvement compared to before. At least her face now had exactly two eyes, although one of them was still a beast's eye.
The monks of the Great Qi Righteous Monastery stood around her lotus platform. They sat cross-legged on their mats and rhythmically struck their wooden fish.
As they struck the wooden fish, they chanted esoteric Buddhist scriptures, "Assembly of the Lotus Pond, Amitabha Buddha, Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta sit on the lotus throne, guiding us to the golden steps. The great vow is widely opened. May all be free from the dust of the mundane world. Homage to the Lotus Pond Assembly..."
As they chanted, Bai Lingmiao's body began to change gradually. The foreign elements within her body started to squirm and slowly transformed her deathly pale skin.
Some monks exhibited signs of beastly transformation, but they were quickly suppressed.
After two hours, the transformation slowly ceased. Bai Lingmiao lowered her hands and gently touched her face with her four hands. She found that her previously disfigured face had returned to its original state.
Bai Lingmiao bowed from the lotus platform and respectfully bowed to an old monk with a kind and benevolent face. "Abbot, thank you for your care over these past few days."
"Amitabha, there is no need for such words, female benefactor. In this realm of Luoism cultivation, this humble monk can offer only this meager assistance."
After exchanging some polite words, Bai Lingmiao bade farewell to the Abbot of the Righteous Monastery. She turned and left the backyard, walking into the bustling temple at the front.
In the main hall, a giant, run-down Buddha enjoyed the offerings and worship of the people.
Bai Lingmiao took four incense sticks, followed the others, bowed three times to the Buddha, and then carefully placed the incense sticks in the incense burner.
As she walked out of the hall, a chaotic and bustling city came into the scope of her perception.
It was hard to imagine that just a month ago, this large city was under the control of the Dharma Sect, but it was now occupied by Great Liang.
The once ubiquitous black cloth strips and white scarves were gone. They were now replaced by white lotus marks on their foreheads.
"Saintess! The Saintess has arrived!"
"Hurry! Son, bow to the Saintess! May the Saintess bless your father to return soon."
All the followers of the White Lotus Sect immediately prostrated themselves on the ground and bowed deeply. Nearly half of the people in the street also knelt down.
The speed at which the Dharma Sect expanded was now matched by the rapid growth of the White Lotus Sect, especially with the imperial court's support.
Notices were even posted throughout the city, which mandated belief in at least one faith. Anyone who dared not to was directly executed.
Though simple and crude, this method was very effective in countering the infiltration of the Dharma Sect. As long as they believed in the Heavenly Mater, few would place their hopes in god Yu'er.
The Heavenly Mater could also deliver what god Yu'er promised, so why not choose the safer option?
Bai Lingmiao slowly walked past them with a gentle expression.
As she did, she lightly touched some people's heads, making them feel ecstatic as though they had received the Heavenly Mater's favor.
She saw an injured little beggar struggling to crawl towards her and approached him.
He looked at Bai Lingmiao with eyes full of longing. "Saintess, my parents and my elder brothers are dead. If I believe in the White Lotus Sect, will they really not become wandering spirits and live well in the Hometown of the true void?"
Bai Lingmiao saw that his face was unnaturally yellow, and his belly was already infested with maggots. She knew the child had little time left.
Regardless of how a war was fought, it always caused suffering for the same kind of people.
"Yes, rest assured, your parents and siblings are all in the Hometown of the true void." She gently patted the beggar's head, and he looked genuinely happy.
"That's great. I will be able to see them soon."
Bai Lingmiao saw him smile happily. She took out a small drum from her waist and lightly beat it. The boy's appearance quickly improved with the help of the Bai family immortals.
"Your parents also said they want you to live well and have many descendants."
"I will! I will rebuild our Yao family ancestral hall and get married to carry on the family line!"
Bai Lingmiao stood up and began to comfort others, just as she had comforted the boy.
When she returned to a White Lotus Sect hall, she saw Lu Xiucai focused on explaining cultivation matters to some new followers.
Lu Xiucai had completely changed from when he first arrived. His left cheek was sunken, with all his teeth missing. His collarbone was wrapped in a blood-stained cloth where the skin was gone.
His left sleeve was empty, and his right hand had only four fingers without nails. His body was covered with scars, and he looked extremely tragic.
The Profound Records had allowed Lu Xiucai to survive the horrendous flesh-and-blood mill, but it came at the cost of parts of his body.
Lu Xiucai heard her voice and waved his four-fingered hand happily, "Mistress![1] Long time no see! Are you here to see Master?"
The bitter and vengeful Lu Xiucai was gone, replaced by the carefree figure he had once been.
Bai Lingmiao's expression turned complex as she sensed the unhealed wounds on his body. "Go back to Cowheart Village. Your father is just mad and not dead. Don't forget your little niece."
Lu Xiucai's smile remained on his face. "It's fine. Puppy and Zhao Wu will take care of them. I swore in front of my father that I wouldn't stop until the Dharma Sect was eradicated."
"I can't return as long as the Dharma Sect still exists."
The vengeful Lu Xiucai hadn't disappeared. He had just learned to hide his feelings.
Bai Lingmiao sighed lightly. "Xiucai, there are many to fight against the Dharma Sect. One more or less won't make a difference. You should let go."
It was foreseeable that Lu Xiucai would soon die if he continued like this. Too many members of the Lu Family Troupe had died. She didn't want Lu Xiucai to follow the same path.
Lu Xiucai's smile gradually faded. He looked at Bai Lingmiao and asked, "Mistress, have you let go?"
1. As in his master's wife. ☜
Chapter 747 - Help
"Mistress, have you let go?" Lu Xiucai's words made Bai Lingmiao's heart tremble as some buried memories surfaced in her mind.
She wanted to say she had let go, but no words would come out.
Lu Xiucai saw Bai Lingmiao standing there in silence, then bowed to her and turned to leave the White Lotus Sect hall.
"Mistress, you don't need to persuade me. I, Lu Xiucai, may not be of much use. Still, if I can kill even one more follower of the Dharma Sect, then I am of some use."
The sound of drums calling for the military camp's assembly echoed in the distance. Lu Xiucai excitedly adjusted the bronze coin sword on his back. He ran towards the sound, singling theater lyrics as he did.
"If I succeed, I return to my homeland. If I fail, I die in a foreign land! It is my duty to avenge my relatives! Alone I stand, with loyalty! Boiling blood, burning with passion!"
Lu Xiucai's song faded away. Bai Lingmiao's mind became increasingly unsettled as she silently turned and walked deeper into the hall.
This area was heavily guarded since it housed the most important treasure of the White Lotus Sect.
She pushed past a door and walked behind two screens. A white lotus that emitted a soft glow appeared before her.
The lotus had blossomed even further since its discovery in the ancestral hall of Cowheart Village. Its gentle radiance now remained constant.
A group of people of both genders and all ages formed a circle around the white lotus. Only those most qualified within the White Lotus Sect could approach it. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
Bai Lingmiao sat cross-legged on a mat and quietly prayed to this Twelve Merit Jade Lotus.
"Heavenly Mater, Hometown of True Void. Heavenly Mater, Hometown of True Void..."
She prayed to the Heavenly Mater, as if trying to convince herself that the Hometown of True Void existed.
The white lotus mark on her forehead mirrored the white lotus on the table, and her upper body involuntarily split into two halves.
The two upper half bodies were back to back, with four hands forming lotus seals. They floated in mid-air like tree branches, making her look like a short and white fleshy tree.
This appeared to be a cultivation method of the White Lotus Sect, but only the White Lotus Saintess knew its specifics.
After two hours, the sky outside had gradually darkened, but the room remained as bright as day, illuminated by the white lotus.
Suddenly, Bai Lingmiao stopped. She stood up calmly from the mat, then turned to one side and listened intently. "What is it?"
Her senses were very sharp, and even the slightest sound couldn't escape her notice.
"Saintess, the people from the Si Qi said that His Majesty wants to see you."
"The Emperor of Si Qi?" Bai Lingmiao couldn't help but recall the two Dragon Veins used as bait.
Although she didn't know why he was looking for her, Bai Lingmiao didn't dare to take her time since he was the emperor of a country. She quickly set off with her entourage.
Even though Si Qi had fallen, the emperor's title still held weight. It was enough to secure a courtyard with three entrances as his residence in this crowded city.
Bai Lingmiao almost couldn't recognize the Emperor of Si Qi because he looked completely different from his previously disheveled state. The last time she had seen him, the Dragon Vein had just been dragged out of the mud, covered in dirt and unrecognizable.
But now, the Emperor of Si Qi was dressed in a bright yellow robe embroidered with the pattern of a dragon soaring over the sea. The imperial crown, with its pearl tassels, glinted like black jade. He exuded the majestic aura of a ruler who commanded respect without the need for force.
"No need to kneel. Provide a seat for Miss Bai."
The Emperor of Si Qi waved his hand. Two elderly eunuchs immediately brought over a chair.
Bai Lingmiao bowed and thanked him, then gently sat down. "May I ask why Your Majesty has summoned this humble woman?"
The Emperor of Si Qi looked Bai Lingmiao up and down. "It's said that the White Lotus Sect has been rapidly expanding recently and taking over many areas previously held by the Dharma Sect. Almost all the common people have been converted."
Bai Lingmiao felt uneasy, sensing something off about his words. "Your Majesty, you flatter us too much. The White Lotus Sect's efforts are insignificant, and it's all done to prevent the Dharma Sect from making a comeback."
"No flattery at all! Not in the least!" A plump man in armor came forward. "The people who believe in your White Lotus Sect are worth a country with a thousand chariots. Nothing else can compare if that's insignificant."
Bai Lingmiao remained silent. She was unsure of his intentions.
"I looked for you, and there's no special meaning." The Emperor of Si Qi descended from his throne and slowly walked toward Bai Lingmiao's side with his hands behind his back.
"Since so many White Lotus Sect followers now heed your command, I wish to discuss a small matter with the Saintess."
Bai Lingmiao slightly turned her head and waited for him to continue.
The plump man interrupted, "Hey, Your Majesty, let's cut to the chase."
He didn't wait for the emperor to speak. "Saintess, here's the thing. The Antrabhara Temple in Qing Qiu has a plan. They can perform a ritual to defeat all remaining Dharma Sect forces in Si Qi. However, the ritual requires something strange, so we're here to seek your help."
"Antrabhara Temple?" Bai Lingmiao felt a wave of unease at the mention of the name.
"They need human lives, not the kind extended by lifespan pills. They need human sacrifices. 1.81 million, to be exact."
Bai Lingmiao remained silent. She was clearly stunned by the number.
The Emperor of Si Qi glanced at the chubby general. The general continued, "The strange part is that those Lamas insist that they must be willingly sacrificed.
"Can you believe it? The people of Qing Qiu must have twisted brains. How can we manage voluntary deaths? Hence, we seek the Saintess's help.
"There must be some useless people in the White Lotus Sect, right? For instance, the old, weak, sick, and disabled. Why not make good use of them?
"Just use the same words as before, like telling them that dying will take them to the Hometown of True Void. They'll happily go to their deaths."
After the general finished, the Emperor of Si Qi added, "Rest assured, as long as you help rid Si Qi of the Dharma Sect and restore my throne, I'll compensate you with five times the followers!
"What? Do you think I'm not a man of my word? I can swear before my ancestors! That much should be enough reassurance, right?"
Bai Lingmiao's hands began to tremble. She suddenly recalled the female general Peng Longteng as she looked at the emperor.
"Your Majesty!" Bai Lingmiao's voice trembled. "It's 1.81 million lives!"
"So what? They're going to the Hometown of True Void to find happiness. Or does the Saintess doubt the existence of the Hometown of True Void?"
Chapter 748 - Choice
Bai Lingmiao clenched her hands slowly as her expression turned extremely grim. She seemed to have some trouble standing steadily.
The Hometown of True Void does exist. The Heavenly Mater said so herself. Her family now leads carefree lives there.
Bai Lingmiao was very certain that she would join them after her death.
However, Bai Lingmiao felt deeply conflicted when this deeply held belief involved the lives of 1.81 million people.
If the Hometown of True Void is real, dying is merely moving to a different place. If so, why am I... why am I hesitating?
At this moment, the Si Qi emperor continued, "Miss Bai, think about it. With the lives of around a million old, weak, and disabled followers, you can secure nine million good followers in the future. When has there ever been such a profitable deal?"
"You see, it's a win-win situation—even the Heavenly Mater in the Hometown of True Void wins. No one loses. What are you still hesitating for, Saintess?"
Bai Lingmiao took a deep breath. Her hand, which trembled over her chest, suddenly steadied. She had made up her mind.
"Your Majesty, is this really a deal? Do you always calculate things like this? Do you understand that they... that they are all people, living people? Even if they are disabled or useless, they are still living people!" Bai Lingmiao recalled everything from Cowheart Village.
She continued, "Do you know how much pain their deaths would cause? Do you know how painful it is to lose family members?!"
The Si Qi emperor and the plump general beside him were visibly shocked. They hadn't expected the leader of a cult, known for its sacrificial practices, to say such things. It was as if hell had frozen over.
"And Your Majesty! Among those 1.81 million, the majority are your subjects. Have you not considered them at all?"
A hint of anger appeared on his face. "Hmph! Why should I care about them? Do you know what I have sacrificed for this throne? I have earned all of this with my hard work!
"My main concern is my empire! Without it, I am just a king without a country! Those common people are like grass growing on my land. Even if they are cut down, they will grow back in time."
Bai Lingmiao clenched her fists tightly. Her sharp nails dug into her palms, but she did not let go.
She replied with a sharp tone, "Your Majesty! I cannot comply! They are not grass—they are people! They can't die like grass. Once they die, there's nothing left!"
The Si Qi emperor seemed puzzled. "Hmm? Haven't you realized? According to your beliefs, they aren't really dying. They are going back to the Hometown of True Void."
"What? Does the esteemed Saintess of the White Lotus Sect believe there is no Hometown of True Void? Is it all a lie fabricated by the Heavenly Mater to gain your faith?"
Bai Lingmiao took a few deep breaths and suppressed her anger. "Your Majesty, the Hometown of True Void does exist, but the Heavenly Mater has decreed that suicide violates divine laws. Those who take their own lives cannot enter the Hometown of True Void."
"Ridiculous. Why haven't I heard your White Lotus Sect say this before?" The Si Qi emperor frowned as he sensed rejection from her.
"I am the Saintess of the White Lotus Sect, and naturally, I receive divine messages. If I say the Heavenly Mater has said it, then the Heavenly Mater has said it! This matter is not up for discussion." Bai Lingmiao stood up to leave.
The Si Qi emperor stepped before Bai Lingmiao again. His expression filled with cold anger as dragon scales began to appear on his body. "Wait. You should carefully consider your actions, Miss Bai. Do you realize who you're defying?"
Bai Lingmiao, who had been looking down, slowly raised her head as a slight smile lifted her lips. Her entire demeanor seemed to have shifted. "Your Majesty, Si Qi is still occupied by the Dharma Sect, isn't it? If you're so capable, why don't you reclaim your lost territory yourself? Oh, that's right. We were the ones who saved you from the Dharma Sect, weren't we?"
Bai Lingmiao poked the Emperor's dragon robe with her finger, its nails painted black.
"I am from the Great Liang, not Si Qi. Besides, you are still a dethroned emperor. A fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken. What can you do if I defy you?
"Will you send troops to destroy the White Lotus Sect? Alas, Your Majesty, you have no soldiers under your command now. You only have a group of old eunuchs."
Bai Lingmiao glanced disdainfully at the general beside her, who had his hand on the hilt of his sword but did not draw it. She chuckled. "You're still putting on airs with me when you're so short on men that you even dare bring such lowly individuals out in public."
The Si Qi emperor trembled with rage, yet he dared not act against Bai Lingmiao. He could not afford to make enemies of those who had helped him reclaim his kingdom, even if he could defeat them. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Bai Lingmiao stepped out of the grand courtyard, her expression gradually softening. She silently walked through the chaotic city.
The voice of the Second Deity resounded in her mind. "What are your thoughts? Do you believe in the Hometown of True Void or not? I'm confused."
Bai Lingmiao didn't know. She could no longer care about her own matters.
She realized that, at some point, she had gained the power to control the lives of millions of people at her whim. If she wished, she could command these people to die.
Her power had unknowingly grown to such an extent that this invisible pressure made her anxious.
Bai Lingmiao continued to walk as she observed the lives of the White Lotus followers in the city.
In times of war, the lives of the ordinary people were naturally difficult. However, they always found ways to eat and live as well as they could.
She had seen it before, but what she saw seemed slightly different from before.
A group of people gathered around a large black pot emitting white steam by the roadside, eagerly holding long chopsticks.
Inside the pot was a mix of leftover food sold by the street. Each bite was a bronze coin, regardless of what one picked.
Despite seeming dirty, this sort of business became more popular the more chaotic the times were. People often arrived early to ensure they didn't miss out on the best selections.
This was the place where they could eat meat for the least amount of money.
A young girl, around thirteen years old, had a white lotus drawn on her brow and wore patched clothes. She hesitated for a long time before finally tossing her bronze coin into the bowl.
Chapter 749 - Cultivation
The little girl picked up the chopsticks and squinted closely along the edge of the pot for a long time. After a while, she forcefully plunged the chopsticks into the pot.
She pulled her chopsticks out and found she had grabbed a braised duck head with a portion of the neck still attached.
She paid no heed to the heat and cheerfully brought the duck head to her two waiting sisters.
The three of them ate the duck head as if it were a gourmet delicacy, their eyes brimming with joy. The youngest even tilted her head back and giggled with delight.
Bai Lingmiao walked silently, seemingly able to sense their happiness as her lips curled into a slight smile of her own.
She once had a younger brother too, and she would share her tasty food with him. As she watched the young girl, Bai Lingmiao seemed to see her former self.
Soon, she reached a bustling alley where a newlywed couple was worshiping the God of Prosperity. Everyone was cheering and laughing as if the hardships they had just endured were merely an illusion.
They brought out two cherished persimmon cakes and cut them into small pieces to share as wedding candies.
No one looked down on the makeshift candies. On the contrary, they ate them eagerly and savored this rare sweetness by letting them dissolve in their mouths. Some even carefully stored the candies in their pockets to take them home.
Are they all dead, having gone to the Hometown of True Void to the Heavenly Mater?
Bai Lingmiao was suddenly overcome with a blinding sensation as this thought emerged. The telepathic connection granted by the relic stopped responding, and she felt that she had been plunged into darkness.
No, they... they don't need to go to the Hometown of True Void. Living well is enough for them. Only someone like me, who needs to escape, needs the Hometown of True Void.
Suddenly, Bai Lingmiao felt her telepathic senses granted by the relic extend even further. She could feel activities up to two or three miles away.
The next moment, she sensed Li Huowang speaking with a young man on the main street.
"Senior Li?" Bai Lingmiao stopped walking. She felt the emotions of other people within her sensory range.
In the past, she valued her own emotions greatly. Now, she realized that these emotions were not everything in life.
Her feelings were insignificant compared to the lives of all the followers of the White Lotus Sect.
Bai Lingmiao turned and walked towards the entrance of the White Lotus chapel, "Second Deity, let's go."
"Where to?"
Bai Lingmiao sensed the emotions of half the city and slowly said, "Too many people and too many lives depend on us. We can't just think of ourselves.
"We need to find a way to prevent more people from losing their families. The feeling of losing loved ones is very painful. I don't want my past experiences to happen to others." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
The Second Deity replied, "Alright then. At least you're not conflicted anymore. If that brat Lu Xiucai can do it, surely we can too."
***
In the kitchen, stones were constantly boiling in a pot of water. A man with a white cloth wrapped around his head earnestly added firewood to the stove.
Hu Biao followed his routine and poked the stones in the pot with chopsticks. His expression turned very excited. The stones had actually softened from boiling!
Sir Arrogant Stone had said that once the stones were boiled soft, eating them would cure all diseases and even lead to Immortality.
"Father! Father!" Hu Biao rushed out with the ceramic pot filled with soft stones.
As soon as he ran out the door, he saw his senior coming towards him with a pot.
Hu Biao quickly pretended to be calm, carrying the softened stones home.
As they passed each other, Hu Biao's senior suddenly raised the pot and smashed it towards Hu Biao's ceramic pot.
The ceramic jar broke, and the stones tumbled onto the ground, bouncing softly. His senior watched on dumbfoundedly.
"You! You actually boiled it soft! It's real!"
The Dharma Sect members peeked out from the eaves, windows, and behind wooden doors. They all watched the stones on the ground with shock and desire.
Hu Biao immediately reached out to grab the soft stone and stuff it into his mouth.
However, a flying stone hit his head and caused blood to stream down. The stone in his hand fell to the ground.
"Grab it!" Someone shouted, causing all the Dharma Sect members present to charge at Hu Biao.
The once close members turned against each other for this opportunity to become immortal, and they fought brutally in the narrow alley.
The soft stone kept changing hands. Even if someone swallowed it, others would cut open their belly to retrieve the stone and swallow it themselves.
After some time, the alley was completely covered in blood and corpses. Only two severely injured people remained and stared at each other. Hu Biao was one of them.
He swayed and muttered to himself, "It's mine... it was supposed to be mine..."
Li Huowang was currently standing on the eaves and watching the carnage below. Stones couldn't be boiled soft. This was all part of Li Huowang's plan.
Li Huowang smiled as the last man eagerly swallowed the stone. He didn't achieve immortality and instead revealed a look of despair.
Tricking people felt really good, especially when it came to his enemies.
Li Huowang nodded with satisfaction as he felt the False Qi flow into him. He jumped down and kicked the man's head, causing it to explode.
Li Huowang finally understood why the Sitting Oblivion Dao liked to deceive so many people at once. Even the tiniest amount of False Qi from deceiving mortals could accumulate significantly.
Some experts of the Sitting Oblivion Dao liked to set up schemes that, when well-maintained, provided a continuous flow of False Qi akin to a spring.
The schemes could be complex or simple, sometimes needing only a rumor. The genital shrinkage scam he encountered a few years ago was such an example by the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
As he felt the increasing False Qi within him, Li Huowang realized the importance of shifting his mindset.
In the past, he often couldn't distinguish between the truth and falsehood. After many deceits, he finally sensed the true difference between what was real and fake.
The Sitting Oblivion Dao often lost their genuine emotions through their deceit, which made them believe everything was fake—morals, family, friends, and even themselves.
If everything was fake, then one could naturally act without any restraint.
Cultivating 'Truth' but not 'Lies' would lead one to easily go crazy. On the other hand, cultivating 'Lies' but not 'Truth' would have the same effect.