Li Huowang refused to die right after finally meeting Siming.
The Siming did not react to his words, so he materialized his body and decided to try a different approach.
"I am Ji Zai's Twisted One. Don't you recognize Ji Zai? Didn't you guys fight god Yu'er together?!" Li Huowang's left ear dropped off as he said that. He quickly picked it up and reattached it to his head.
The Five Dhyani Buddhas did not react to him. Li Huowang felt his brain hurting again and panicked. "What the fuck do you want? How come Xuan Pin can help you guys but I can't?! What do you want?"
This time, Li Huowang finally felt the Five Dhyani Buddhas react. In the next instant, he felt something incomprehensible enveloping him. He felt his skin, flesh, and bone being peeled away until there was nothing left. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
"Try and kill me if you can! Ji Zai will kill you if you do!" Li Huowang used all of his strength to materialize his body again. However, his body soon disintegrated again. The Five Dhyani Buddhas were assimilating his body until everything disappeared. There was nothing left in the space.
And just like that, the Five Dhyani Buddhas left.
"What the fuck is going on?! I'm here to help you! Are you crazy? Can't you differentiate who's good and who's bad? Can't you talk? Don't you have a mouth?"
As Li Huowang dejectedly prepared to leave, he felt something come to a halt at the spot where the Five Dhyani Buddhas had been.
Something was there, but Li Huowang had no idea what it was. It was a strange feeling, and his body wasn't being assimilated by any Heavenly Dao this time.
"Ji Zai? Is that you?" Li Huowang asked and readied himself to leave at any moment.
He wasn't sure if he was in the Baiyu Capital right now. If he was, he had to seriously consider what was behind him.
Li Huowang suddenly heard a fleeting voice. It was a profound and familiar voice that stirred his deepest memories.
"I've seen it before!" Li Huowang tried to recall, but the more he looked into his memories, the more he forgot.
Just then, the being appeared once more. Li Huowang could make out its size this time. It was a very profound being. Its body was both large and small—it was both so big it could cover the Heavens and so small that one could barely perceive it.
Li Huowang wanted to determine if it was a Siming, but his eyes had been blinded, so he had no choice but to rely on his other senses.
I don't think it's a Siming. I'm not being assimilated by a Heavenly Dao.
He extended his hands in a daze before touching something that resembled a ribbon.
The being appeared once more before disappearing for good. Li Huowang suddenly felt a strong force that pulled him downwards.
"Father! Father!" Li Huowang opened his eyes forcefully and saw Li Sui looking at him worriedly.
"Father, are you okay? Is everything fine? I tried to wake you up by shaking you, but it didn't work," Li Sui said, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a wet towel.
"I'm... I'm fine!" Li Huowang held his head in pain. He stared at the copper basin and washed his face with the cold water.
His grogginess faded as the cold water woke him up. He felt much better now.
What was that thing? What did it want? Li Huowang frowned and pondered when he suddenly noticed something was wrong with his reflection in the water. He had seven eyes!
Li Huowang finally realized what the ribbon-like being was. It was a Shangji Guankou! The very same Shangji Guankou that exchanged one secret for another secret.
However, in contrast to the Shangji Guankou he had encountered previously, this one was much older and held a higher rank.
Li Huowang had not revealed any secrets and yet received seven secrets.
It gave me the secrets... Does it want me to find out how Xuan Pin helped the Simings?
Li Huowang thought that it was possible since he had no use for the seven secrets to begin with.
His goal had been achieved, but he was still confused. What did that thing want? Why does it want me to help? If it's a Siming, it should be in charge of one of the Heavenly Daos.
Shangji Guankou... Secret... Heavenly Dao? Is there a Heavenly Dao of Secrets in the fifty Heavenly Daos?
His question would remain unanswered. He attempted to recall everything in hopes of learning something from the small clues.
Then, he felt that something wasn't right. His memories were swiftly disappearing!
"What's... What's happening?" As Li Huowang was trying to figure it out, someone knocked on his door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Chan Du."
I wonder if the abbots know anything. I did manage to meet the Simings through their ceremonies. Li Huowang didn't even wear his shoe when he opened the door in a hurry.
He saw Chan Du was standing there with the purple alms bowl with the group of monks behind him. All of them were clasping their hands and staring at him.
"Amitabha. The hour of the ceremony is approaching. I shall lead you there."
Li Huowang stepped back in surprise. "Are... Are you kidding me?"
He gazed at Chan Du but noticed that the Abbot was serious, with no signs of deception.
Was everything just a dream? Was it fake? Li Huowang tried to recall his hazy memories but realized that he couldn't differentiate them from reality.
He quickly looked at his reflection in the water and saw the seven eyes from before on his reflection. It hadn't been a dream. It was real!
"Benefactor Li, what happened? I thought you wanted to meet Buddha. Did you change your mind?"
Li Huowang heard his questioning and understood something.
Everything was real, but it hid the entire ordeal! It must've been the Siming that controls secrets!
Chapter 781 - Siming
"You recognize me, don't you? You definitely do. You once called me Ji Zai in the psychiatric hospital. That's absolutely true. Others might not know, but you surely know something!
"No need to hide it anymore. I already know. I am fully awakened now. I know who I am. I am Ji Zai—the Siming of Bewilderment!
"What kind of Siming are you? What Heavenly Dao do you oversee? Which Heavenly Daos do the others oversee?"
Qian Fu watched the rambling Li Huowang as he slowly stuffed his mouth with a hamburger. He turned his head and asked Chen Hongyu beside him in a muffled voice, "What's wrong with Li Huowang?"
"He's gone mad."
Li Huowang suddenly turned his head towards her. He asked emotionally, "Abbess? Or rather, a part of the Abbess? The thoughts of everyone at the Benevolent Nunnery were connected. As the Siming of Rot, you should have some memories of her, right?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
Chen Hongyu rolled her eyes in disgust and moved toward the back of the RV, where Wu Qi was making a phone call. She asked, "Has Qing Wanglai arrived yet? How much longer do we have to wait?"
Wu Qi didn't answer. She walked further in, holding her phone to her mouth as she chuckled.
"Huowang, don't be like this. Please take your medicine," Bai Lingmiao said, stopping Li Huowang from walking towards Wu Qi and handing him the medicine and water.
Li Huowang gripped the steaming glass cup, then sat down on the stool and let out a heavy sigh.
He had already understood his identity, and he was sure the others were also Simings.
Since they were Simings, the threats they faced had to be from god Yu'er and the Dharma Sect. This way, all the logic from before was completely connected.
Simings in the Baiyu Capital usually only cared about their own affairs. However, they were forced to unite when facing external enemies.
"Is god Yu'er really that powerful? Forcing seven Simings to join hands. No, it's probably not just god Yu'er. It doesn't seem like a single Siming could achieve the previous schemes by themselves."
Li Huowang looked at his companions again. Unfortunately, he could not communicate effectively with them, even if he understood. They wouldn't listen no matter what he said to them now.
This projection was obviously distorted when refracted, which made it difficult to convey the meaning of his words.
How can I make them understand my point? Wait, if I am a Siming, does everything from before exist? Are Puppy, Bai Lingmiao, and Gao Zhijian still around? How are they doing? Li Huowang thought of them and his expression turned heavy.
"Come on, be good. Take your medicine quickly." Yang Na placed the medicine in Li Huowang's hand and then guided his hand to his mouth. "Place the medicine at the base of your tongue first, then wash it down with water so it won't be bitter."
Li Huowang still didn't take the medicine. He held the medicine in one hand and the cup in the other as he stared blankly at Yang Na. "Nana, what kind of Siming are you?"
Li Huowang was certain that he had only been a Siming for a short time, so there shouldn't have been any Simings that had such a good relationship with him.
This was very strange. Or maybe, the projections on both sides were not perfectly matched.
Yang Na couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into tears as she leaned on the table.
Li Huowang's heart trembled when he heard her heartbreaking sobs, snapping out of his previous state.
It didn't matter what Siming Nana was—she was his Yang Na first and foremost.
He had been too eager to uncover the truth and had completely ignored her feelings. It must have seemed like his mental illness had relapsed.
As Li Huowang comforted Yang Na, Wu Qi hung up the phone and walked over. "What's going on here? Why are you crying all of a sudden? Are you two breaking up?"
"Li Huowang is going crazy and upset his girlfriend. Who were you calling just now?" Chen Hongyu asked while fighting with Qian Fu for fries.
"My best friend." Wu Qi put her arm around Yang Na's shoulders and gently comforted her.
"You have a best friend? I thought you were too busy driving this broken car around to make friends."
"How can you say that? How come I can't have friends? Come help out. Can't you see that she's crying?"
Chen Hongyu grabbed the Coke from Qian Fu's hand. "I wasn't the one who made her cry, so why should I help? Anyway, don't interfere. This is a small issue. If they can't handle this, how will they deal with getting married and having kids in the future? This is nothing. They'll break up eventually."
"Nana! Look, I will take the medicine." Li Huowang displayed the medicine and capsules in his hand to Yang Na, then put them in his mouth and swallowed them.
Yang Na felt slightly less overwhelmed. Li Huowang's recent manic behavior was clearly caused by his old illness relapsing due to not taking his medication.
She realized she would need to monitor him to ensure he takes his medication. Yang Na didn't want Li Huowang to be sent back to the psychiatric hospital, and she didn't want to see him lose his sanity again.
Wu Qi saw Li Huowang signal her with his eyes, so she tactfully left her seat and gave him some space.
Li Huowang sat in Wu Qi's place then gently hugged and softly comforted Yang Na.
Li Huowang let out a soft sigh as he thought about the past. His feelings towards everything here were very complicated.
If everyone was a projection, then was it this side projecting that side, or that side projecting this side?
The only thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to give up now. He had to protect her and consider her feelings.
He couldn't talk to Yang Na about the current situation. He himself could not properly differentiate things, and he had been unable to care for both sides.
Now that he understood things clearly, he had to consider both sides.
After Li Huowang comforted Yang Na, she sniffled and got out of his arms. She grabbed her bag and went to the bathroom to fix her makeup.
At this moment, the sound of Qing Wanglai's car came from outside the RV.
He seemed very happy, grinning broadly as he placed the food on the table. "I have good news. After days of persuasion, the other side finally agreed to negotiate with us."
Li Huowang felt a bit better. As long as god Yu'er wasn't looking for a fight, the Simings wouldn't fight to the death either. It wouldn't benefit anyone.
If they fought up there, many people in the mortal realm would die.
"Great! The Leotians finally caved! Although it's a pity we didn't get their UFO."
"Wanglai, be careful. The groups that steal special abilities are very cunning. They might say it's a negotiation, but they could actually be setting a trap."
Chapter 782 - Clothes
"Don't take that. It's too heavy and not flexible at all," Li Huowang took the steel spear from Qian Fu's hands and then looked over at Wu Qi.
"Sister Wu, didn't those guys let us seize a lot of weapons before? Bring them all out."
Wu Qi used a key to open the storage box in the bathroom and piled the previously seized items on the table.
Li Huowang reached for two heavy pistols. These pistols were a bit different from the ones in television dramas. Their stocks were long and looked like they could hold a lot of bullets.
Li Huowang weighed them lightly in his hands, then nodded at Qing Wanglai. "We have time now, right? Teach me how to use a gun."
Li Huowang didn't know how to use a gun, but he could still understand the value of firearms.
The gun is fast beyond seven steps and both fast and accurate within seven steps.
He didn't know what the gun corresponded to, whether it was the Simings' use of the Heavenly Dao or some kind of weapon belonging to them.
It was sufficient for him that this thing could kill his enemies, no matter what they were.
"Uh... Li Huowang, we are going to negotiate, not fight," Qing Wanglai said helplessly as he looked at the table full of weapons.
"Just because we say it's a negotiation doesn't mean it will be. The chances of successful negotiation might actually be higher with these things."
"Hey, we have their people in our hands. They should be much more willing to negotiate this time."
Li Huowang looked at Qing Wanglai. "Why talk so much? Just teach me how to use a gun. What's the matter? Do you have to keep those skills from me too?"
Li Huowang's expression suddenly became serious as he held the two guns and walked towards Qing Wanglai. He stared at his face persistently, carefully discerned his features, and then compared them to the Simings he remembered.
Li Huowang's pupils shrank. "Zhuge Yuan? Qing Wanglai? You are... you are the Three Pure Ones!"
"Heavens, this guy has completely lost it. You were right not to teach him how to use a gun." The others quickly gathered around, pulled Li Huowang back a few steps, and then took the guns from his hands.
"What are you guys doing? I'm not crazy!" Li Huowang shook off the hands holding his arms in frustration. He wouldn't have blurted out his thoughts if he hadn't been so shocked just now.
He had spoken the truth, but the others just viewed him as someone having an episode. He realized these people didn't understand the true nature of reality.
Wait... The other Simings should know that Qing Wanglai is the Three Pure Ones. Why are they acting like this? Li Huowang looked uncertainly at the others.
If he was here, why were the other Simings surrounding him in the Baiyu Capital? What kind of event was this a reflection of?
"It's okay, everything is fine." Yang Na placed herself before Li Huowang. "He took his medicine. Just a few more courses and he'll be better."
Wu Qi leaned her back against the wall and sighed deeply. "What kind of people do I have around me? There's not a single normal person."
Li Huowang no longer planned to explain anything. They would always misunderstand him no matter what he said.
In the future, he would have to use the projection method to communicate with them. As long as the main goal was to join forces against the god Yu'er of the Dharma Sect, everything else could be set aside.
"Qing Wanglai, what Chen Hongyu said before was right. Think about it carefully; what if this is a trap? If we are not fully prepared, what if they wipe us out in one fell swoop?"
The others said nothing and simply looked at Li Huowang with confused expressions. What was going on with this guy? Why was he acting so erratically?
Qing Wanglai patiently explained, "Since I agreed to the negotiation, I have everything prepared. You don't need to worry."
"Okay, as long as you say so. Now teach me how to use a gun."
"I already told you not to worry. Why do you still want to learn how to use a gun?" Qing Wanglai seemed a bit troubled by Li Huowang's request.
"I'm not worried about the negotiation, but I do worry about potential problems afterward. Learning a new skill opens up new paths. Why are you being so stingy about teaching me?"
Li Huowang focused on Qing Wanglai's expression, trying to figure out why he was hesitant to teach him how to use a gun.
What kind of Siming is Qing Wanglai? Why is he so wary of me? Does the gun symbolize something?
"It's not as simple as you think. This thing isn't as easy to use as you imagine. The way they show it in movies and TV, hitting the target with a single shot, is all just an act.
"Moreover, this thing is very sensitive. If someone sees it or if it's caught on surveillance, it'll be big trouble."
"You can't say that. If someone shoots at me, I can't just rush at them with a knife." Li Huowang became more suspicious the more Qing Wanglai explained. What is this guy guarding against?
"Actually, Li Huowang, I prepared something more suitable for you."
"What?" Li Huowang frowned.
Li Huowang saw a black protective suit presented in front of him, but it didn't feel quite right when he picked it up. The suit was very heavy and weighed down in his hands, with some hard sheets inside.
"This is..."
"Try it on."
Li Huowang looked at Qing Wanglai, glanced at the others, and quickly changed into the heavy suit.
After putting it on, Li Huowang felt his breathing become more difficult. This suit probably weighed over twenty pounds.
"What is this?" Li Huowang asked. Before anyone could react, Qing Wanglai took out a gun and fired several shots at his chest.
The incredibly shocked Li Huowang was knocked to the ground by the strong impact.
As he quickly reached for his chest, he found there was no bleeding, and the pain in his chest was actually decreasing.
"How is it? With this bulletproof vest, you'll be invincible if you combine it with your close combat skills. I also prepared a helmet for you."
Qing Wanglai picked up a helmet thicker than a motorcycle helmet and was about to explain again.
Smack! Yang Na rushed forward and slapped him hard in the face.
Yang Na was trembling with anger. She stood in front of Qing Wanglai and glared at him with eyes filled with rage, as though she wanted to eat him alive.
Chapter 783 - Motorcycle
Qing Wanglai saw Yang Na looking like an enraged lioness, so he paused momentarily and calmly explained, "I had him wear it because the suit is bulletproof. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing, your little boyfriend won't get hurt."
He waved the helmet in his hand towards Li Huowang, who had now climbed up. "And this thing is also bulletproof. It protects your head as well.
"More importantly, unlike a gun which can easily cause trouble, wearing a bulletproof vest is completely legal. You can even buy them online. These items cause much less trouble than a gun.
"If anyone asks about them, you can just say they're motorcycle helmets and riding gear."
"Really? Then I have to try it!" Li Huowang pulled Yang Na behind him, then took the helmet from Qing Wanglai and put it on.
"Why is this thing connected to my shoulders? I can't even turn my head once I put it on."
"The helmet needs to be connected to the shoulders. Think about it, if a bullet hits your head and the helmet isn't connected to your shoulders, the impact could break your spine several times over."
"Is that so? I've learned something new." After putting on the whole set, he jumped up and down a few times before excitedly remarking to Qing Wanglai, "Awesome! This thing is amazing! Come on, shoot me again. Let me feel it."
The gunshots rang out again, but Li Huowang was prepared this time. He staggered a few steps but didn't fall down.
He pulled out a military knife and started attacking imaginary enemies in the air, trying to get a feel for combat in this gear.
Wu Qi, who had pulled Yang Na to the side of the bed, frowned. "He could dismantle a truck with a knife before. Now, he could probably take apart a plane."
Qian Fu added, "Not just that. This guy is also mentally unstable, and killing people wouldn't even be illegal for him. He's practically invincible and can do whatever he wants."
Yang Na's face grew even darker upon hearing this.
Zhao Lei, who had been mostly silent, let out a cold snort while playing with a black fidget spinner.
"Here, catch." Li Huowang caught two keys and a small black notebook that were thrown to him.
He opened the notebook and found it was a motorcycle license, complete with a photo of himself taken at some unknown time.
"What's this?"
Qing Wanglai opened the RV door, revealing a heavy, brand-new black motorcycle.
"How can there not be a motorcycle if you have a riding helmet and protective gear? As long as you're riding this, you can go anywhere. Even the traffic police won't stop you."
"Wow! You got this? You really went all out. This must've been expensive."
Li Huowang got off the RV and circled the motorcycle, examining it just like a kid with a new toy.
"It's not expensive. These are all just projections, and the cost doesn't matter as long as they help us."
The bike had a streamlined design and sporty side panels. It gave off a muscular feel, with many steel pipes that made it look even more robust.
The overall sense was full of mechanical beauty, and Li Huowang noticed a small hp4 logo on this beast. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
He didn't understand what it represented.
"Can a mentally ill person get a driver's license?" Wu Qi asked Qing Wanglai.
"Yes, as long as they can prove they're cured." Qing Wanglai lightly touched his own face as he answered.
"Hmph, cured? I doubt it."
Qing Wanglai chuckled and walked over to Li Huowang. "Li Huowang, do you know how to ride a motorcycle? I can teach you."
"Don't underestimate me. I can ride an electric bike."
Under Qing Wanglai's patient guidance, Li Huowang finally managed to ride the motorcycle after a long time. He enjoyed the thrill of speed as he rode through the unfinished buildings.
"You actually dared to let him ride it? Aren't you afraid he'll crash into a wall?" Chen Hongyu asked as she watched Li Huowang on his motorcycle.
"It's fine. I told him to never exceed fifty kilometers per hour. As long as he stays under that, it's no different from an electric bike. Some electric bikes are even faster. It's safe, and this bike is just a disguise for his bulletproof gear."
After Li Huowang rode for a while and got used to the new vehicle, he slowly stopped in front of the others. He struggled to take off his helmet and said to Yang Na, "Come on, let's go for a ride!"
Yang Na glanced at the others, who said nothing. She then hopped onto the back seat and wrapped her arms around Li Huowang's waist.
"Text me the time for the negotiations! I'll be there!" The engine roared as Li Huowang and Yang Na sped away.
Li Huowang rode down the road at a slow pace, with Yang Na clinging tightly to his back. Her soft black hair fluttered in the wind as she listened to his heartbeat.
"You felt it too! He didn't hesitate at all when he shot you! Qing Wanglai is just pretending!"
Li Huowang put one foot down, and waited for the red light. He replied calmly, "Of course, but so what? It's good enough that he's pretending. After all, we're not related."
"Since we need to cooperate against external enemies, we have to at least maintain appearances. If we don't even pretend, it'll be awkward for everyone."
"Once this crisis is over, we probably won't see them again. After all, I'm going to spend my life with you, not them."
The light turned green, and Li Huowang twisted his wrist and slowly rode the new motorcycle home. "Trust me, Nana. I'm not crazy."
"..."
When they returned to the neighborhood, Li Huowang's new outfit immediately caught the attention of the old security guard at the gate. "Who are you? Are you a resident here?"
"It's me."
The security guard observed Li Huowang removing his helmet. He promptly took two steps back and directed his attention towards Li Huowang's motorcycle.
"Oh, no wonder you've been leaving early and coming back late recently. You've been going to a driving school to learn how to ride a motorcycle."
Li Huowang nodded immediately. "That's right. I've been learning how to ride a motorcycle."
After Li Huowang left, the security guard nodded with satisfaction. "Not bad, the young lad has ambition. Even if he can't go to college, he can rely on his motorcycle to make food deliveries. That's much better than staying at home and living off his parents. It seems like his illness has truly been cured. It's no small feat."
Chapter 784 - Dragon-Slaying Immortal-Killing
Li Huowang had returned from the Righteous Monastery. He was back in his simple bedroom, looking at his reflection.
He saw seven eyeballs on his forehead, which seemed to have a consciousness of their own as they stared straight back at Li Huowang.
These were seven secrets, and Li Huowang understood their value.
One eyeball alone had been able to determine the location of the head of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, Shai Zi. If Li Huowang wanted, he could use these seven secrets to uncover any secret in the world.
At this moment, however, Li Huowang's primary concern was how Xuan Pin had helped the other Simings in Baiyu Capital.
Although the problem had been resolved, Li Huowang was still worried about the origins of this thing.
Li Huowang's expression became solemn when he recalled his past experiences.
That being had casually given him such a precious thing, and the only thing Li Huowang understood about the being was its hair-like texture.
At this moment, his memories had disappeared. He could only understand what had happened before by relying on the notes he had written when he still had his memories.
Even though Li Huowang wrote the notes himself, they still felt unfamiliar to him when he read them.
"The Siming who controls all secrets...?" Based on his personal experience, this Siming could easily uncover or conceal all secrets.
Anything that was concealed could become a secret, including a period of time, an object, or even an entire timeline different from his own!
Unlike Ji Zai and Ba-Hui, this unnamed Siming was obviously very mysterious and powerful.
The only thing that reassured him slightly was that this Siming didn't seem to be aligned with the Dharma Sect, at least for now.
Still, if we haven't defeated the Dharma Sect with such a powerful Siming as an ally, just how strong is the other side? Li Huowang thought silently.
Well, let's do our best and leave the rest to fate. Li Huowang shook his head and stared intently at his reflection.
"Back then, how did Xuan Pin help the Simings?"
He saw the seven eyeballs close slowly on the forehead of his reflection.
The next moment, Li Huowang's vision suddenly blurred. Various images quickly flashed before his eyes.
He clutched his head in pain as memories of what Xuan Pin had done slowly emerged in his mind. It seemed like a fragment of a past recollection.
"Chief, everything is ready." Xuan Pin heard the response from the imperial guard and put down the pen in his hand. He turned slowly and walked out of the house, heading to a huge altar stacked with torches at the edge.
In the center of the altar were the others who had died with Xuan Pin.
At the center of the circular altar stood a massive bronze tree, towering dozens of meters high.
Xuan Pin stopped under the tree and made various gestures with his six hands. Then, he suddenly halted.
"What's wrong?" asked Huangfu Tiangang, the Imperial Preceptor of the Liang Kingdom. He was barefoot and holding his Constellation Sword while preparing to perform a ritual.
Xuan Pin shook his head. "Someone is here."
"Someone?" Huangfu Tiangang's face immediately darkened. He pulled out a Daoist bell and shook it violently, causing the sound to echo around the altar.
When the sound of the bell ceased, Huangfu Tiangang looked back at Xuan Pin in confusion. "Where's the person? I set up a great formation outside. Not even a bug should be able to get in. It's impossible for someone to be here."
Xuan Pin didn't explain further. He seemed to notice Li Huowang's gaze and looked in the direction of his line of sight through the hole in his red Daoist robe. "I don't know who you are, nor do I know why you need the Dragon-Slaying Immortal-Killing Array.
"But since you need to learn it, the world must be in a very dire situation. I will teach you now, so pay attention.
"To begin the array, one must step on the Gang star that transcends the three realms. This step is the foundation of the Yu step. By retracing the steps, nothing is impossible. The steps need not be complex, but the heart must connect with the nine stars. The feet must inspire the nine spirits, and the body must embody the nine energies, thus achieving clarity."
As he spoke, Xuan Pin began to demonstrate to Li Huowang. "For men, the left foot goes first. For women, the right hand leads. The left hand follows, with the right hand forming the Taiyi gesture. The left hand follows again, with the right hand forming the Siming gesture for longevity. The left hand follows the right hand to form the Tianguan gesture."
As Xuan Pin explained, his three pairs of hands emerged from his Daoist robes and coordinated to form various gestures.
"Step into the Yang stance and recite with me: ?????????????????????????????"
The incantation from Xuan Pin's mouth was incredibly cryptic, but Li Huowang immediately understood its meaning. Among the positions of the twenty-eight constellations, the Purple Star is the golden beam that supports the jade column.
As Xuan Pin continued step by step, the so-called Dragon-Slaying Immortal-Killing Array became imprinted into Li Huowang's mind.
The Imperial Preceptor raised the Constellation Sword and pointed it forcefully at the sky. Two Dragon Veins flew over from afar, coiling around the gigantic bronze tree. One of them was Gao Zhijian.
As the two Dragon Veins settled on the bronze tree, the tree brightened significantly, shifting from its original color to a shade of gold.
The clouds in the sky dispersed and revealed stars. Xuan Pin and those beside him continued to chant and perform rituals as the sound of dragon roars echoed in the air. The Dragon Veins connected with the Earth Veins, altering the landscape and Feng Shui across the world. The stars moved aside and revealed a patch of pitch-black sky.
Li Huowang finally understood why this secret required seven secrets to exchange. In that extreme darkness, he saw a massive jade door—the Ox Tail Gate.
A vast, multi-eyed creature was looking down through the Ox Tail Gate.
As Xuan Pin chanted and performed rituals, the Imperial Preceptor raised the Constellation Sword and lifted three Nine-Dragons Light-Emitting Talismans.
"With bare feet, urgently tread the Heavenly Gate. The energy of the Yin demons invades the south while the Nine Dragons rise and return the sun's rays. The sky clears as brilliance spreads across the vast universe. The evil Yin spirits perish, their shadows scattered. Om, Black Wheel Deity, heavenly light piercing the sun, obey the command urgently!"
The gold talismans on the Imperial Preceptor's sword ignited instantly as dragon roars echoed in the air. Golden dragon bodies rapidly climbed from the bronze tree onto everyone on the altar.
Immediately, dragon scales and horns began to appear on everyone. They tore through their clothes and exposed deformed dragon scales as dragon qi emanated from them.
Conversely, the Dragon Veins on the bronze tree weakened, and numerous withered corpses hung all over the bronze tree.
Chapter 785 - Emperor
"It's time!" Huangfu Tiangang shouted.
He was now completely transformed. Everyone resolutely extended their dragon claws and forcibly gouged their eyes out.
"Go!" Huangfu Tiangang said as he threw his Constellation Sword into the air and leaped onto it.
Then he flew toward the Ox Tail Gate.
Xuan Pin's robes shrank. A strange golden dragon covered in golden claws emerged from it and charged toward the Ox Tail Gate.
Once they left, everyone else used their own unique abilities and followed them toward the Ox Tail Gate.
As they moved, the entire world's Feng Shui and spiritual veins shifted with them. They weren't only borrowing the luck of the Dragon Veins—they were tapping into the luck of the entire world.
When Li Huowang opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on the ground. He was bleeding heavily from his nose and felt so dizzy that he could barely stand.
Despite this, Li Huowang clearly remembered everything that had just happened, down to the smallest detail. This was not just a display of the secret but a forceful implantation of it into Li Huowang's mind.
"So that's what happened! On their own, they couldn't help the Simings. They needed to borrow the power of two Dragon Veins and the world's Earth Veins to intervene in the Simings' battle! I knew Xuan Pin had a backup plan!"
Li Huowang's excitement gradually faded when he realized that Xuan Pin and the others were still dead.
Before he could mourn, something strange happened. His memories about the events began to fade.
Li Huowang exclaimed frantically, "What's happening?! Aren't you helping me? Why are you taking it back!"
As the fading accelerated and even affected the spell Xuan Pin had recited, Li Huowang grabbed his head. "Come back! Don't disappear!"
He tried to use his "Truth" cultivation abilities to stop the process, but they had no effect on the already fleeting memories.
"I said come back!"
Veins bulged on Li Huowang's forehead. As he increased his force on both hands, he suddenly heard a crack as his skull fractured.
Li Huowang was momentarily stunned by the shattering sound, then his face showed a trace of joy. He inserted his right hand into the fissure in his skull and began to rummage through his brain.
Li Huowang quickly found the vanishing memory. He tightly held onto it with his right hand to prevent it from disappearing.
He used his trembling left hand to dip into the soft memory and quickly wrote on the ground.He couldn't let the memory vanish, so he had to record everything.
Li Huowang held the memory in one hand as he wrote frantically. He wrote wherever he could, filling the floor, the walls, and even his own body with notes.
Finally, when he could no longer dip into the memory, he pulled his hand out of his head.
Li Huowang stood in the center of the room, surrounded by his writings. He breathed a long sigh of relief. He had recorded everything.
After resolving this issue, Li Huowang began to review his notes and organize his thoughts.
As he looked through them, he sensed something was off and frowned.
Something's wrong! If they went to Ox Tail Gate, how did the Dharma Sect ambush them? Didn't Xuan Pin get killed due to a Dharma Sect ambush?
Zhang Tan wasn't there, so he might not know, but Gao Zhijian was there. How could he not know?
The truth Gao Zhijian had previously relayed to him now began to blur. Was he lying to me? Was he lying to me as well?
Li Huowang couldn't believe this possibility. He decided to confront Gao Zhijian and ask him personally.
He found Gao Zhijian on a large road outside of the military camp. He was dressed in his dragon robes and seated on a jade chariot pulled by sixteen carriages. The entire procession looked very grand.
The people dared not block his path, kneeling and bowing as he passed.
Li Huowang's appearance alarmed the eunuchs and guards, but they stood down at Gao Zhijian's command.
Gao Zhijian said, "Senior Li, can it wait? I'm heading to the military camp to send off the soldiers. If I'm late, it might upset them."
Li Huowang jumped onto the chariot and yelled, "Tell me the truth! How did Xuan Pin and the others die?"
"The Dharma Sect ambushed and killed them while they were helping the Simings."
"Nonsense! They set up the Dragon-Slaying Immortal-Killing Array, borrowed your luck and the world's luck, then went to the Ox Tail Gate! How could the Dharma Sect have harmed them?"
Gao Zhijian froze. "How do you... know all this?"
"Don't ask me how I know! I just want to know why you lied! You were there. You even participated in the array, so why didn't you tell me?"
"Are you still Simpleton, the one I could entrust my life to, or are you now a calculating emperor on the dragon throne?"
The yellow silk of the canopy fluttered in the wind as Gao Zhijian sat silently.
After a moment, he said, "Senior Li, Xuan Pin entrusted some things to be kept from you, and I agreed. I am still the person you can entrust your life to, but you once told me to be a good emperor.
"A good emperor can't speak freely—a good emperor must be shrewd and capable of lying without blinking.
"A good emperor must prioritize the country's affairs over personal matters.
"A good emperor must use imperial tactics without hesitation while treading carefully to avoid becoming a tyrant or a muddler.
"But if being a good emperor conflicts with being a simpleton you can entrust your life to, which one should I choose?
"Senior Li, you saved my life multiple times. Tell me which one to choose, and I will choose it without question." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
Li Huowang's anger dissipated, giving way to a complex expression as he looked at Gao Zhijian. He remained silent.
As they stared at each other, a groan interrupted them. A pregnant woman kneeling nearby collapsed, with blood flowing from her body.
Gao Zhijian urgently pointed. "Quick, help her deliver the baby! Don't let her die!"
Eunuchs and maids from within the convoy rushed to assist.
Li Huowang finally replied, "A good emperor."
"Good."
Another shriek filled the air as the eunuchs and maids assisting in the childbirth fled fearfully.
A monstrous creature with a baby's head and a vulture's body emerged from the blood, laughing with a mouth full of rotten teeth.
Chapter 786 - Decree
"HAHAHAHA!"
The human-faced beast ignored everyone as it lay in the puddle of blood. The monster struggled to control its limbs as it laughed.
"Hahaha! May the sun and moon fall! The sun sets at dusk. It sets in the evening and rises in the morning! The Nine Calamities, the Celestial Dragons, and the Fallen Star! The Crimson Court falls, and the white jade darkens! The Celestial Deities' ichor shall flow!"
Everyone saw the naked human-faced vulture ranting and laughing maniacally before falling lifelessly to the ground.
The events unfolded so quickly that no one could comprehend what had just happened. They just had their eyes fixed on the motionless corpse.
Despite the gaping wound on her abdomen, the woman who had been pregnant just a moment ago draped herself over the corpse of the beast and cried. "My son! Aaaaah!"
Her scream spurred everyone into action. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
"GUARDS!" Gao Zhijian shouted.
His guards immediately surrounded him.
Li Huowang almost lost his balance when he realized what had happened. His face contorted in disgust and hatred.
It was an Omen. He had seen it once in the Qi Kingdom. The Qi Kingdom had fallen shortly after the Omen's appearance.
The Omen was a sign of great misfortune, and now it had appeared in the Liang Kingdom. Li Huowang didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew that everything was in grave danger.
Gao Zhijian did not recognize what it was, but some of the people around him did. An old eunuch with bronze coins sewn into his eye sockets quickly explained the Omen to Gao Zhijian in a hushed tone.
Gao Zhijian's eyes widened with shock as he stared at the monster in the puddle of blood.
Li Huowang nodded and said in a grave tone, "He's right. We are in grave danger."
Gao Zhijian didn't have the mood to go to the barracks anymore. He waved quickly. "Quick! Return to the palace!"
As if dissatisfied with how slow they were going, Gao Zhijian hopped on a horse and charged back towards the palace.
Li Huowang walked over and picked up the dead Omen from the lady's embrace before quickly following Gao Zhijian.
As the Liang Kingdom's Emperor, Gao Zhijian had the highest authority and could command everyone. He commanded his officials and the soldiers to prepare to depart at any moment.
The city was shrouded in uncertainty and depression. The civilians somehow sensed something was wrong. Even in broad daylight, the streets remained empty. Anyone who had to venture outside scurried like frightened rats and huddled close to the walls.
Before long, the upper-ranked officers were summoned. All of them stared at the dead Omen and listened to Gao Zhijian's explanation, but none of them said anything.
After some time, a young eunuch entered the room and reported, "Your Majesty, I've received news that we are not the only place to have produced an Omen. Si Qi, Qing Qiu, Hou Shu, and even the other counties in the Liang Kingdom... have... have reported the appearances of Omens."
The miniscule hope in everyone's heart was shattered. Something more dangerous than the Dharma Sect was now at play. The entire world was going to experience great danger.
"Your Majesty" A general with two scars on his face swiftly kneeled down. "Please allow me to fight! I will fight with my life on the line to destroy the Dharma Sect and destroy these inauspicious omens!"
With his words, a chain reaction ensued as everyone began echoing his words. The appearance of the Omens worried everyone, making them want immediately to leap into action. Even the civil officers and the Surveillance Bureau wanted to join.
Li Huowang was standing in the corner to observe the situation. Their reactions... They are afraid that the world is going to end.
Li Huowang was afraid too. The Qi Kingdom was gone, so its inhabitants ran to the Liang Kingdom. But what if the Liang Kingdom fell too? Li Huowang dared not imagine such an ending.
"General, do not be rash! We have to be careful. The Dharma Sect has lost a lot of their manpower. They are most likely using this to trip us up. Haste makes waste!"
Gao Zhijian calmed them down and started giving them different orders. He gave every person a suitable task and started aligning their hearts as one.
Gao Zhijian appeared to have learned a lot from the previous Dragon Veins. He had learned how to calm everyone during a major crisis and devise plans to tackle it.
The officers and generals slowly left one by one.
Then, Gao Zhijian looked at Li Huowang. "Senior Li, what do you intend to do?"
The Omen's appearance had solidified Li Huowang's thoughts. "I need to conduct the Dragon-Slaying Immortal-Killing Array. An Omen's appearance usually indicates that something bad is happening up there. I need to go up there and see what has happened."
"Senior Li, is there a need for you to do so?"
"Yes."
Gao Zhijian sat on his throne and stared at Li Huowang. "Senior Li, do you remember what I said earlier about my choice?"
"I still remember."
"Then I will have to advise you to not do so. Xuan Pin had told me that the array could destroy the Dharma Sect in one go, so I allowed him to take that risk. I let him become the nexus of the array, but look what happened.
"They all died, and now even Omens began appearing. That method is useless! I have a plan to deal with the Dharma Sect here. I need you to help me."
Li Huowang shook his head. "No, this method will work. No matter what that Siming was, it gave me seven secrets in hopes that I would conduct the array. The Siming needs my help."
Gao Zhijian gripped his throne tightly. "And what are those Simings? You don't even know who the Siming is and you trust them? Can you be confident that they aren't using you like a pawn? Maybe Xuan Pin died because he was fooled by those Simings. The fate of humanity must be held in our own hands and not in the hands of other beings!"
Li Huowang could tell how much Gao Zhijian detested the Simings from his tone.
"Senior Li, you are strong. You should stand where you are needed the most. With Xuan Pin's death, you have to be our main strength. Only then can we win."
Li Huowang's anger started to bubble after seeing how stubborn Gao Zhijian was. "You think I'm only trying to destroy the Dharma Sect? Do you think everything would be solved with that? What if everything worsens even after we destroy the Dharma Sect?"
Gao Zhijian waved his arms after seeing Li Huowang still refused to listen to him. An eunuch quickly brought out a brush and a golden decree.
Gao Zhijian wrote his decree swiftly before placing it onto the tray. The eunuch then displayed the tray to Li Huowang.
"Li Huowang, receive the decree."
Li Huowang did not move.
Chapter 787 - Explode
Li Huowang did not move, so Gao Zhijian repeated his command. "Surveillance Bureau, Third General Li Huowang, accept the decree."
Li Huowang was about to say something when Gao Zhijian stood up from his chair, approached Li Huowang, and stared at him calmly.
"Left and Right Jinwu Guards, Cavalry Commander Er Jiu, accept the decree."
Li Huowang looked at Gao Zhijian with a complicated expression on his face.
Gao Zhijian, in his dragon robes, suddenly knelt on both knees and kowtowed, his crown hitting the ground heavily in the process. "Senior Li, please accept the decree!"
Li Huowang looked at the massive body kneeling in front of him and relented. He took the decree and raised it up high in the air.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Li Huowang accepts the decree!"
Li Huowang kept the decree in his robes and walked out.
Gao Zhijian stood back up after seeing Li Huowang exiting. The eunuchs quickly dusted him off with their horsetail whisks.
Gao Zhijian calmed down and sat back down on his throne. An imposing pressure emanated from him as he resumed his duty as the Emperor.
He said, "Da Nuo is facing great danger. Issue my imperial orders, and summon everyone into the palace. I shall meet each sect and each faction myself."
Li Huowang walked out from the cold palace without opening the decree. He didn't know what Gao Zhijian had ordered him to do.
Gao Zhijian wouldn't help Li Huowang even though he had finally obtained the Dragon-Slaying Immortal-Killing Array. And without Gao Zhijian's help, he couldn't use the Array.
Nevertheless, he was more worried about Gao Zhijian than himself.
Li Huowang had barely left the city when the sound of rapid drumming reached his ears, coming from within the city.
He listened carefully and recognized the signal. It was the signal for the soldiers to prepare for battle. They were heading out to Nan Ping.
It was hard to believe they only managed to obtain a brief respite before heading out to a gruesome battle.
Li Huowang's heart felt heavy when he recalled Gao Zhijian and the weight of the foreign object in his robes.
Gao Zhijian had changed immediately after saying that he had to change. He was not a stranger to Li Huowang, but there was nothing he could do. He was the one who had told Gao Zhijian to change in the first place.
"Father, are you upset?" Li Sui piped up.
"There's nothing to be sad about. No matter what I chose, we would still be sad," Li Huowang replied, feeling tired.
He then walked past a White Lotus Sect disciple who only had a single leg. Li Huowang stared at the white lotus motif on their shirt before approaching the White Lotus Sect's main hall.
He wanted to find someone to vent to, but there weren't many people he could talk to. Somehow, as time passed, there were fewer and fewer people he could confide in.
There was only one person he could rely on, the one who could make him feel slightly better, even if it meant resting on her shoulders temporarily.
Li Huowang soon found Bai Lingmiao. She was reading some papers.
As he approached her, she suddenly stood up. "No, this won't work. Nan Ping is too far away, and there are too many people. We don't have enough food for them. Quick, contact the people and find a way to do this."
"Understood, Saintess."
"Also, send out some of our people to test out their capabilities on the battlefield. If they do well, we can rotate some of our people to go to war to help the Liang Kingdom end this as soon as possible. Please give me notice every time our disciples are heading to war. I will request the Heavenly Mater to bless us so that we may achieve victory. One last thing... Send out orders for our disciples to stop any rumors the moment they encounter them."
Bai Lingmiao suddenly felt something to her left and stopped talking. She felt a familiar gaze and turned around.
She walked towards the direction from which she sensed the gaze and extended her hands, searching for someone. However, no one was there.
"What's wrong?"
"No, everything's fine," Bai Lingmiao said, shaking her head. She turned around and resumed her work.
They were in a crisis. As the Saintess, she had various things to do. She could not rest now.
Just as the situation had finally stabilized, everyone was spurred into unrest again. The Dharma Sect, who had been forced away from Si Qi, would not relinquish it that easily. The witches from the Dharma Sect also detested the Surveillance Bureau. Neither side refused to go down without a fight.
Li Huowang had no choice. He followed the decree's instructions and accompanied the military as they marched down towards Nan Ping.
Near the borders, both the soldiers and the Dharma Sect charged towards each other on sight.
Words were useless here—there was no room for reconciliation.
Li Huowang was the vanguard. Black tentacles sprouted out from his body as he raised his spine sword high into the air. He stood on the skull of Peng Longteng's horse as he charged into the Dharma Sect.
Explosions of blood came into view wherever he went. Every path he took turned crimson red.
Li Huowang was like an incredibly sharp weapon for the soldiers. Every time he broke through one of the Dharma Sect's formations, the soldiers following him would immediately surge into the cracks of the formation, destroying any members of the Dharma Sect they encountered.
Li Huowang's appearance had attracted the Dharma Sect's attention, but they did nothing. It was as if they were waiting for something. Meanwhile, Li Huowang continued butchering their ranks.
Half a division later, when the Dharma Sect was slowly breaking down, a ragged umbrella brushed past Li Huowang. A tall and skinny man wearing ragged Daoist robes appeared in front of him.
Li Huowang recognized that man. It was the same person who had tried to ambush him! He never thought the umbrella man would appear.
The man was tall. His head seemed elongated, with the top of it stuffed into a white urn. The only thing he revealed was his mouth.
There was a red cloth wrapped around the white urn. One word was written on the cloth—tribute.
Li Huowang took half a step back when he felt someone behind him. An eye opened on the back of his head, and he saw another umbrella man standing behind him. The newcomer looked exactly like the first umbrella man.
No, there were two more, one on his left and another on his right. They had isolated Li Huowang from the others.
It was clear that they were here to ambush Li Huowang!
Just then, a massive general appeared. He expanded before exploding into bits of flesh. An old monk wearing a robe of flesh walked out from the remnants of the general's body. It was Chan Du.
"Daoist Li, do not be afraid. We are here to help!"
Chapter 788 - Ru Shou
"Fire!" Li Huowang roared as he and Peng Longteng were engulfed by fire.
They broke through the entrapment of the four strange men, charging towards the other Dharma Sect members.
Li Huowang had allies on the outside, so he wanted to group up with them to increase his chances of winning.
But the Dharma Sect was clearly trying to stop him from doing so. The four weird men opened their umbrellas simultaneously. It suddenly started raining out of nowhere, and the rainwater suppressed Li Huowang's fire.
Fire and water collided, forming a dense mist of steam that the four weird men held onto. They pulled the steam and covered their surroundings in white mist.
With the concealment of the mist, Li Huowang and Peng Longteng lost sight of their targets.
Chan Du disappeared as well. Li Huowang had lost his bearings and didn't know where his allies were.
Splat! Peng Longteng impaled Li Huowang with her halberd and launched him high up into the air. Li Huowang needed to find a way to escape through the white mist.
Li Huowang flew high before landing back into the white mist. Suddenly, he saw something red flashing in the mist.
Without hesitation, he stabbed towards the red light with his sword.
There were two stabbing sounds. One came from Li Huowang stabbing his sword into Peng Longteng, while the other was Peng Longteng stabbing her halberd into Li Huowang.
They stared at each other in a daze as the flames burned their bodies.
Peng Longteng swung her halberd and threw Li Huowang to the side. "What's going on? Didn't you fly up just now? How did you end up behind me?"
Li Huowang held his chest and stood up as he observed the white mist.
He had a gut feeling that something was wrong. He stabbed his sword into his mouth to pry off some of his molars before spitting them out like shotgun pellets towards his front.
He was surprised when the molars hit his back, causing sparks to fly from the impact. "Something's wrong with the mist!"
The moment the words left Li Huowang's mouth, the rain became heavier, threatening to extinguish his fire.
What should I do? Am I trapped?
Li Huowang shook his head to snap out of it. "No, this is good. I need them to buy as much time as possible! I already have a team of elites heading towards them from the back. They are doomed to die today from our pincer attack!"
He felt False Qi enter his body.
They believed it!
He smiled without anyone knowing.
Just then, the white mist to his left started to bubble and swirl before a weird man with the umbrella walked into his line of sight.
Li Huowang asked, "Who are you? Give me a name!"
He stomped on the ground and ran towards the weird man.
"Ru Shou."
"Ru Shou."
"Ru Shou."
"Ru Shou."
Four identical voices answered as the weird men threw their umbrellas at Li Huowang from four different directions.
Li Huowang swung his spine sword, sending a rift towards every umbrella.
The umbrellas spun through the air, shaking off droplets of rainwater. The rifts diminished in size as the rain continued to fall on them.
Who are they? Li Huowang wondered, looking at the four umbrellas flying towards him.
Without any hesitation, he tore off one of his rib bones and stabbed his own chest. Just as he did, he saw an eyeball underneath one of the tattered umbrellas.
The four umbrellas didn't stop at all, seemingly unaffected by the pain. They tried to stab Li Huowang, but they were not the only ones attacking Li Huowang. Even their shadows had joined in, attacking Li Huowang's shadow.
Peng Longteng's massive frame suddenly appeared in front of Li Huowang and blocked their attacks.
The umbrellas pierced her before spinning wildly. Peng Longteng's flaming body was split into pieces before scattering onto the ground.
Li Huowang stood still and glared at the four men in front of him. "You don't feel pain? Are you not alive?"
The four of them, Ru Shou, did not answer. Their emaciated bodies suddenly trembled. Li Huowang even heard their urns shatter underneath their umbrellas.
The four men suddenly expanded, though their lower halves were still long and thin.
Li Huowang thought they were going to attack him again, but the white mist around him suddenly cleared up a lot.
Soon after, Li Huowang saw a familiar Buddha consuming the white mist. It was the one he had seen in the Righteous Monastery. It was sucking the white mist into the holes on its body.
"Nan wu shi ji chui~ Yi meng ah li ye~ Po lu ji di shi fo luo leng two po~"
There was a superimposed chanting coming from the Buddha as a fleshy Bodhisattva with two faces crawled out from one of the Buddha's orifices.
The two faces were none other than Abbot Chan Du and Abbot Xin Hui.
"Sa po pu duo~ Na mo po jia~"
As they chanted, the four Ru Shous swelled up more and more, with lumps of flesh protruding out.
Li Huowang recalled that this was one of the very few times that he was fighting with his allies!
"Keep going, don't stop!" he yelled.
Li Huowang watched the four weird men, Ru Shou, slowly turn into mud.
Their umbrellas suddenly fell downwards, blocking Li Huowang's vision. Ru Shou had disappeared by the time the umbrellas landed on the ground.
The white mist scattered, and Li Huowang was back on the battlefield filled with bloodthirst and a murderous aura.
"He ran?" Li Huowang muttered, scanning his surroundings.
"No, he would not. If the Dharma Sect couldn't even hold their ground here, they wouldn't be able to defend all of Nan Ping," Chan Du replied.
The ground suddenly trembled.
"Is the Earth Dragon turning again?"
Li Huowang focused on the ground to prevent himself being swallowed by the Earth Dragon once more.
Just then, the eyes growing at the back of his head widened with shock. "Father! Water! There's a lot of water behind us!"
Li Huowang turned around and saw muddy water surging towards them like a yellow dragon.
The water submerged everyone on the battlefield, both the soldiers and the Dharma Sect members. All of them were washed away.
Chapter 789 - Trust
The raging river surged through the battlefield, sweeping away horses, chariots, and even the soldiers in their formations. The murderous aura dissipated soon after.
However, amidst the tumultuous waters, one being remained unwavering—a massive Bodhisattva. It was Chan Du and Xuan Pin, who had transformed into a Bodhisattva several meters tall with two faces. They also had a thousand arms behind their back.
They stood with their waist submerged in their water. One of their bloody arms scooped up Li Huowang from the water.
Li Huowang didn't realize what had happened. He touched the Shimmer Mirror to inspect what had transpired.
He soon let go of the mirror and frowned. "Those crazy bastards destroyed the river banks!"
Si Qi, a kingdom abundant with rivers, faced a difficult situation because the Dharma Sect had decided to flood the entire battlefield. That single flood instantly erased the momentum that the soldiers had obtained.
The Dharma Sect also didn't care about how many people would die from the flooding water flowing downstream.
Just then, the flesh Bodhisattva suddenly stumbled. The two Abbots frowned. "Be careful. There are enemies in the water!"
Li Huowang scanned the water but saw nothing except for the muddy water.
The rain continued to fall and scattered his reflection in the water.
Swish! Suddenly, a black rope shot out from the water, wrapping itself around Li Huowang's neck before dragging him into the water.
"What is this?" Li Huowang held onto the rope with his hands before opening his mouth. Li Sui's tentacles shot out and chased after the enemy.
When Li Sui retracted her tentacles, Li Huowang saw a strange entity entangled within them. It resembled a monkey, but its eyes were wide, like those of a fish. Furthermore, it had gills behind its ears.
"A water monkey?"[1]
Li Huowang remembered seeing them once on a boat, but they were completely different. The water monkey in front of him looked even more gnarly and ferocious.
Li Huowang had just said that when the massive Bodhisattva lost its balance and fell into the river. "It's not just those smallish evil entities in the water! Be careful! There's something massive in the water!"
With those words, Chan Du fell into the water along with Li Huowang.
The icy cold water of the river submerged Li Huowang.
Numerous tentacles sprouted out from Li Huowang's body, allowing him to navigate freely in the water.
Regardless of what was in the water, Li Huowang understood that he could not fight it in its natural habitat. He had no reason to do so either.
He started swimming upwards with the help of Li Sui's tentacles.
He attempted to resurface, reaching out to push through the water. However, he soon realized he couldn't break through. It was as if he was trapped in the muddy water.
No matter how hard he pushed or how high he was, he was stuck underwater!
"This is just the surface. I can get out! I can get out!" Li Huowang mumbled, using his powers to try to surface.
As his hands finally broke through the water's surface, a surge of joy washed over him. But just then, numerous gazes fell onto him from beneath the water.
He looked down and saw four people standing in the muddy water. He didn't recognize three of them, but he did recognize Ru Shou and his four umbrellas.
It was clear that they were here to hunt Li Huowang down. It doesn't matter which side won today as long they caught Li Huowang. All in all, it would be the Dharma Sect's victory if they did.
Xuan Pin was dead. The Dharma Sect was naturally aiming for him next.
"I can get out! I can get out!" Li Huowang continued to push upwards.
He had just extended his arm out of the water when a flash of steel cut both of his arms off. His arms sank down into the muddy water with blood trailing out from the wound.
One of the figures, the one at the left, opened its mouth and ate both Li Huowang's arms.
Li Huowang had no choice but to fight. He raised his wounded arms up as the water was diluting his blood.
Two tentacles sprouted out from the opening of Li Huowang's arms. He snarled before charging towards the four figures. "Let me see how strong you guys are!"
The four figures split apart and charged towards Li Huowang from different directions.
As they got closer, bubbles floated up from the bottom, obscuring Li Huowang's vision. All of a sudden, a stone mask tangled in weeds flew towards Li Huowang's face.
Li Huowang stared at the stone mask intently. The person behind the stone mask slowly turned into stone and sank into the bottom of the water.
Both of Li Huowang's legs were spread apart out of nowhere. It was as if something was holding each of his legs, pulling them further and further apart until the sound of cracking bones rang out. If the pulling continued, Li Huowang would be split in half!
Li Sui held the purple-tassel sword and came out from Li Huowang's body to swing it at the thing holding Li Huowang's legs, but Li Sui's sword hit nothing.
"It's not invisible! It's the water! The water is alive!"
The next instant, Li Huowang's legs were torn apart from his body.
Splat! An umbrella suddenly stabbed into Li Huowang's chest. The umbrella had come from nowhere.
As the umbrella was on the verge of opening up to tear Li Huowang to pieces, he used Li Sui's tentacles to wrap around the umbrella. He was trying to prevent the umbrella from opening.
But it was useless as the other witches of the Dharma Clan encircled him.
Li Huowang stared at the single eye inside the broken urn of the umbrella before he laughed out loud.
"Did you really think I came unprepared despite knowing that you all were targeting me? How about it? Am I really that good at acting? Hahaha! To think that you believed me! You thought you were ambushing me? In reality, I am the one ambushing you! Didn't you realize that Chan Du is missing? I'm just bait to lure you all in!"
The witches of the Dharma Clan quickly looked around to prepare for the unseen attack.
Li Huowang laughed extremely hard upon seeing them. He laughed until he almost cried.
"Hahaha! I tricked you guys! I can't believe you guys believed it! Hahaha!"