"Please die."
Everyone froze at Qing Wanglai's words.
He caught everyone off guard. No one, not even Li Huowang, had anticipated him to say something like that. They didn't think he was capable of it.
"Fuck!" Ba Nanxu cursed.
With a deep drag of her cigarette, she prepared to blow Qing Wanglai's head off.
However, Zhao Shuangdian stopped her. "Don't be rash. Let him finish."
Unlike the others, Zhao Shuangdian remained eerily composed.
Qing Wanglai turned to Li Huowang. "I need you to die. The projections on both sides must shrink simultaneously. You don't see what I see, Li Huowang. You can barely contact the other projection, but I have a way to contact my true self and figure out what to do. This is the only way."
Li Huowang's eyes narrowed. "Every projection? Every projection? Are you saying everyone here—including the Simings—is just a projection to you? You want to destroy everything? This is your plan?"
Qing Wanglai nodded confidently and without hesitation. "Li Huowang, you have to see the bigger picture. Some things must be sacrificed for the greater good."
Li Huowang stared at Qing Wanglai as though seeing him for the first time.
Qing Wanglai smiled faintly and patted Li Huowang's shoulder. "Don't worry. I know what you're afraid of. But our death this time is not the end—it's the beginning. We're just projections, less important than you think. Once the crisis is over, we can be projected again and live in peace."
Li Huowang's mouth parted slowly. "You crazy bastard!"
Li Huowang finally understood what kind of person Qing Wanglai was. He wasn't just misguided. He was deranged—a madman, a lunatic!
Disappointment flickered briefly in Qing Wanglai's eyes. "Li Huowang, you've let me down. I thought you'd understand. I thought you would become my ally."
Li Huowang opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. He lowered and shook his head.
There was no point in reasoning with a madman. Trying to change a madman's mind was futile, which he had learned the hard way.
"Qing Wanglai, I know Da Nuo has gone mad, but I didn't expect the Three Ancient Ones, the holder of the Heavenly Dao of Truth, to be just as deranged. Your craziness is one thing, but dragging me into it is something else. If the heavens fall, someone must hold them up."
Li Huowang reached behind his back to secretly unsheath his knife.
"Are you always this quick to dismiss those who don't think like you?" Qing Wanglai asked. "Are you really gonna label me as insane or mentally ill just because I don't share the same perception? If that makes me insane, then what about the rest of you? Are you all not crazy too?"
Qing Wanglai turned and pointed at everyone.
"If I'm crazy by your standards, then to me, all of you are crazy too! All of you are mentally ill too!"
Ba Nanxu frowned and glanced at Zhao Shuangdian, who was still typing away on her laptop. "Hey, I think I've heard enough. Let's just kill him."
The next instant, Li Huowang lunged. His injuries reopened from the movement, but he refused to stop. He drove his knife toward Qing Wanglai's waist, determined to kill him.
The Three Ancient Ones had descended into madness and wanted to kill everyone. Li Huowang had to kill Qing Wanglai and seize the Heavenly Dao Of Secrets. Only then could they have a better chance.
The blade struck, but no blood flowed. Instead, a loud clang echoed across the hall.
Li Huowang's eyes widened in surprise—Qing Wanglai was wearing a vest beneath his shirt.
Without hesitation, Li Huowang shifted his grip and slashed upward, aiming for Qing Wanglai's throat.
"Nana, shoot him! Blast his head apart!"
Yang Na didn't hesitate. She raised her gun and fired.
But Qing Wanglai was faster. He twisted his neck and dodged the bullet. As he did, he grabbed Li Huowang's wrist and wrenched it aside to make him stumble. Then, he quickly took out his own gun and pressed it against Li Huowang's temple.
"Don't move!" Qing Wanglai yelled.
Now, no one dared to shoot. They were afraid that the other party would shoot first.
Qing Wanglai looked down at the severely injured Li Huowang and smiled. "Stay still. You've already lost too much blood. I chose the moment to show myself carefully. If you were at your peak, I might have actually died."
Bam! 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Behind Qing Wanglai, someone kicked the door open.
A man entered the room, bombs strapped to his chest and a detonator clutched in his hand. Reflective sunglasses obscured his eyes, and he seemed oddly nonchalant, idly playing a game on his phone with his other hand.
"Don't move!" he barked. "One wrong step and we all die!"
The presence of the explosives created a tense atmosphere.
Even Zhao Shuangdian stopped typing, glaring at Qing Wanglai. "Qing Wanglai, do you really think it's appropriate to weaken our forces before the final battle?"
Qing Wanglai shrugged. "Appropriate? Do you think unity will help us win? Don't be foolish. You don't even understand what we're facing. Isn't that right, Li Huowang?"
He turned to Li Huowang, his usual smile missing. "If you calculate with the flow of time in this projection, you should know that that thing will reach the real world in eight days. Eight days! That's all we have.
"We have no time to waste. If my plan fails within that time, not only will our projections on both sides be destroyed—our real bodies will vanish too.
"The outcome is set no matter what we do in those eight days, so why not destroy our projections on both sides now? That way, our true selves have a chance of survival."
Chapter 1005 - Food
Tension filled the hall. Part of it stemmed from Qing Wanglai pressing his gun against Li Huowang's temple, but the greater weight came from his words.
Eight days? Li Huowang's mind raced as he processed Qing Wanglai's words.
Fu Shengtian will superimpose with the Baiyu Capital in eight days, and we'll have to fight in eight days? Li Huowang's heart started beating rapidly from that frightening thought.
Eight days wasn't long enough. Their fate was sealed against the might of Fu Shengtian—they could only wait for death.
"No, it's much more frightening than you think. The Fu Shengtian you saw is just one side of its projection. Do you know what it would look like in this world?"
Surprisingly, Li Huowang felt calm. He had endured and experienced so much that he was just numb.
More importantly, he still couldn't trust Qing Wanglai's one-sided information. "I don't believe you. Maybe it's not as terrifying as you claim—assuming you're even telling the truth."
"What?" Qing Wanglai tilted his head, his glasses glinting and obscuring his eyes. "You still think I'm just some lunatic?"
"Heh. Trust you? Why should I? I stopped trusting you when you took away the Heavenly Dao of Lies," Li Huowang said. His tone was growing harsher, but he was actually very calm.
His course of action became simpler now that he realized there was nothing to discuss with Qing Wanglai.
What he needed to do was to kill Qing Wanglai and take away his Heavenly Daos. Only then could he confirm whether Fu Shengtian's arrival in eight days was real.
However, Li Huowang was sure that Qing Wanglai would shoot him based on the cold metal pressing into his temple. Li Huowang was too injured. He needed to find a way to get out of the predicament.
Qing Wanglai was a madman to Li Huowang. Qing Wanglai could do irreparable damage if he wasn't careful.
Zhao Shuangdian broke the silence. "Qing Wanglai, don't be rash. It might not be as serious as you think. First, tell us how you calculated the eight-day timeframe. What method did you use?"
Qing Wanglai didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gave her a playful look, his gaze flicking to her laptop.
"Calculate it? Do you really think typing into your laptop will prove anything? Stop lying to yourself. Your so-called calculations are nothing but a joke. You've been deluding yourself from the start—pretending you can understand this.
"If you managed to get results, why don't you enlighten us? After all these years, have you managed to calculate anything besides shapes? Do you even realize how insane you sound? Have you ever seen madmen in mental wards claiming they can explain everything and anything? You're no better than them."
Li Huowang searched for an opening while Qing Wanglai was distracted, but the gun remained pressed against his head. He couldn't move.
Just then, Li Huowang and Yang Na locked eyes.
He saw the tension in her eyes and knew what she intended to do. He subtly signaled her to stop.
Li Huowang gestured for her to move back and away from the range of Shai Zi's explosives.
Meanwhile, Zhao Shuangdian continued her conversation with Qing Wanglai, her expression turning into a frown as she crossed her arms with indignation.
"Qing Wanglai, you can't be so certain. Do you think you can explain everything I've calculated? Don't you think there's a chance I've succeeded? You might know some things I don't, but there are also secrets that only I am privy to. Let's exchange information instead of acting rashly."
Qing Wanglai shook his head. What might've once been a handsome gesture now looked feral, his bloodied, severed ear creating a savage impression.
"Stop lying. You're not going to coax any information out of me. You wouldn't know a thing about the ambush if I hadn't leaked it myself."
As their argument escalated, Li Huowang's focus shifted to the bombs strapped to Shai Zi's body. As if sensing Li Huowang's gaze, Shai Zi glanced up from his game and looked back at Li Huowang.
Li Huowang glared at Shai Zi, who not only survived but also became a new Siming.
Li Huowang raised a single eyebrow, a deliberate signal. Shai Zi lowered his sunglasses, his sharp eyes glinting with slyness.
Two seconds later, Shai Zi smirked and raised an eyebrow in return.
Li Huowang suddenly shouted, "Shai Zi, do it now!"
Shai Zi froze in surprise. Do what?
But Qing Wanglai didn't hesitate—he turned his gun on Shai Zi.
Li Huowang's gamble paid off. He put himself in Qing Wanglai's shoes and believed he would also be wary of Shai Zi. Shai Zi's oath of allegiance couldn't automatically earn Qing Wanglai's trust.
Just as Qing Wanglai moved his gun away, Li Huowang jumped up and headbutted Qing Wanglai in the nose.
The moment Qing Wanglai stumbled back, Li Huowang grabbed his knife and stabbed Qing Wanglai's neck.
Warm blood splattered over him as Ba Nanxu rushed in, kicking the gun away from Qing Wanglai's grasp. The tide had turned.
Shai Zi stared in disbelief. "Aren't you afraid that I'll detonate the explosives and kill everyone here?"
Li Huowang idly raised his knife. "I would've believed the threat if it came from Jiang Xiangshou. But you? I don't trust you. Qing Wanglai never should've made you an ally. I know too much about the Sitting Oblivion Dao—you wouldn't dare to fight physically."
Li Huowang ignored Shai ZI afterward, tearing off Qing Wanglai's shirt before taking off the protective vest beneath it.
"What are you doing? He's already dying," Wu Qi said. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pity, as Qing Wanglai had been one of her long-time allies.
Blood spattered Li Huowang as he plunged his knife into Qing Wanglai's chest and dragged it down.
"What else? He has several Heavenly Daos in him! We must consume him!"
Chapter 1006 - Suppress
In the timeless chaos of Baiyu Capital, the other Simings stood fused in a ring. At the center were Ji Zai and the dying Three Ancient Ones.
Ji Zai's gaze lingered on the Three Ancient Ones' form. It was woven from interconnected secrets, concealing its nature so well that Ji Zai couldn't distinguish the Heavenly Dao of Secrets from the Heavenly Dao of Growth. For the Siming in control of secrets, concealment was second nature.
But this posed no obstacle for Li Huowang. He didn't need to identify the correct Heavenly Dao—he simply had to consume everything.
As Li Huowang devoured the body of the Three Ancient Ones, he turned to the other Simings with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong? Don't you want the Heavenly Daos of the Three Ancient Ones?"
However, none of the Simings answered him. They just stood there motionlessly.
Li Huowang shrugged and returned to his task. Better that than leaving it to unreliable hands. It was far safer for him to hold the power.
It'd be troublesome if someone else acquired the power but decided not to help. Li Huowang preferred to rely on himself.
Just then, the Heavenly Mater approached and sat beside him. She extended her "arm" covered in white feathers and carefully caressed his own twisted six arms.
Li Huowang felt a warmth in his heart. It felt nice to have someone that would trust him no matter what.
Perhaps that trust was what kept him going through every ordeal.
Ji Zai and the Heavenly Mater shared a fleeting smile before continuing to absorb the Heavenly Dao.
To Li Huowang's surprise, Qing Wanglai was still alive despite his severe injuries.
Still, Qing Wanglai was on the brink of death. He coughed up blood and chuckled. His gaze shifted to the skies, and he felt a tugging sensation on his body.
Soon, a tattooed woman with a cigarette in her mouth blocked his vision. "It must hurt, doesn't it? Want me to release you?"
A smoke ring drifted downward, enveloping his face.
Even so, Qing Wanglai flashed his signature smile. "Li... do you really... think that... I don't have a backup plan...? You think... I would... so easily?"
Li Huowang paused momentarily, then continued to munch on Qing Wanglai's body. "What are you talking about? In your state, what could you possibly do? Don't tell me you poisoned your own flesh."
"Why... not? I have... caught up... with your perception of the world... I have... anticipated that... you would... do this..."
Shock rippled through Li Huowang as he retched. "You actually poisoned yourself?!"
As Qing Wanglai laughed, Li Huowang felt his abdomen cramping in pain. It was just as intense as the pain he had experienced when he first took the pills at Zephyr Temple, the ones that Dan Yangzi had refined to become immortal.
Li Huowang stuck his finger down his throat to induce vomiting.
He emptied his stomach, but the pain continued to intensify in his abdomen.
"Li Huowang... since you... don't want to die... I will... send you... to your death. My plan... must be completed..."
The others rushed to aid him. Wu Qi was frantic, trying to help him flush out the poison from his system.
Li Huowang's condition deteriorated. His complexion turned pale, and beads of sweat streamed down his face.
Even Yang Na had the same symptoms.
Li Huowang snarled and forced himself up after pushing everyone away. He grabbed Qing Wanglai and pulled the latter upwards forcefully, asking, "What did you do?!"
However, Qing Wanglai could no longer reply. His lifeless body sagged, his lips frozen in a smile.
Despite everything, Li Huowang saw a white object tucked into Qing Wanglai's collar. He took it out and discovered it was a note.
As he read the note, he quickly realized that it was explicitly addressed to him. These were Qing Wanglai's final words.
Li Huowang, if you're reading this, you chose not to help me. You were too shallow to care about the survival of the projections. Since you wouldn't listen, I had no choice but to force you. After consuming me, you'll have no more than two days to live. Of course, I didn't give you two days out of generosity. It's just that a higher dose would've killed me instantly.
Do you think I didn't fight you directly because I couldn't win? No, it was because of hope. The futile hope that maybe, just maybe, you might see reason.
Unfortunately, I was wrong. Up until the very end, I remained the sole voice of reason. Don't worry, though—you won't die alone. The key to saving our true selves is beneath my corpse. Destroy the projections here, and you might save our real bodies.
Li Huowang's eyes darted to the blood-soaked ground beneath Qing Wanglai and spotted several shattered test tubes, their glass shards glinting among the pools of blood.
While the others were panicking, Qing Wanglai had silently smashed three test tubes onto the bloodstained ground.
The three fluids in the test tubes had mixed together, releasing an invisible, odorless gas. Li Huowang didn't know what the fluids were, but he was certain they wouldn't be as simple as anesthetic or paralyzing agents.
Qing Wanglai had been deceiving everyone. It was all a ruse—even without consuming the other Heavenly Daos, he intended to poison everyone else. His goal was to kill every Siming in the Baiyu Capital.
When Li Huowang rechecked Qing Wanglai's corpse, the grin seemed even wider.
Fury ignited within him. He grabbed Yang Na's gun and shot Qing Wanglai's head open with a deafening bang.
Amid the splatter of blood and brain matter, another piece of paper fluttered free.
Chapter 1007 - Death
A jolt of shock ran through Li Huowang when he found the paper note hidden inside Qing Wanglai's head. It meant Qing Wanglai had somehow foreseen that his head would be blown apart.
Qing Wanglai had calculated that there was a chance that a gun would blow away his head.
Clutching his cramping abdomen, Li Huowang watched Qing Wanglai's broken corpse collapse into the spreading pool of blood. Snarling through gritted teeth, he snatched the blood-red paper.
If you're reading this, I've successfully predicted the outcome again. How is it? Do you now see how I am telling the truth? Still, that doesn't matter right now. An arrow released from a bow will continue flying forward. My plan will not stop.
One more thing: the poison inside me is slow-acting, but the ones in the test tubes are not. I'm not giving you two days to work out the antidote—there's no time for that. Heh, how does it feel to suddenly realize all hope is gone? You thought you had two days, and now you have none. Are you afraid yet? Soon, everyone will die.
Oh, forgive me, I misspoke. You're all just projections, after all. I suppose it's more accurate to say you'll simply be snuffed out.
Li Huowang's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles went white. Yang Na's moans of pain echoed in his ears.
As these projections are snuffed out, the entire projected world will collapse, retracting into the real one. Eight days should suffice for the real world to retract this projection entirely.
This is just the beginning, so don't worry. Without your interference, the other side of the projection will retract just as quickly, and my plan will succeed.
Li Huowang kneeled on the ground as he held his stomach in pain. His vision blurred, and the words on the note seemed to twist and writhe. Qing Wanglai's other poison, the one that acted quickly, was killing him.
Li Huowang rubbed his single eye and continued to read the note.
Li Huowang, your thinking is too shallow, just like Zhuge Yuan's. He was a fool who couldn't see the bigger picture. What a waste of education. Fortunately, I'm here. Thanks to me, your childish games will not destroy the real world. I will save the world. I am the savior.
When this crisis ends, the real world will project itself anew. And I, Qing Wanglai, will be reborn. I will no longer be a mere projection. I will be something greater—an existence closer to my real self.
"Fuck you, Qing Wanglai!" Li Huowang roared, his vision darkening as he staggered. Fresh blood seeped out from his reopened wounds.
He tried to hold on but realized that the others weren't in better shape. They were all limping or collapsing onto the ground.
He tried to steady himself, but the others were faring no better. They were all limping or collapsing into the ground, their faces etched with pain.
Wu Qi drained herself of as much blood as possible while trying to figure out how to fend off the poison.
"Nana! Nana!" Li Huowang stumbled toward Yang Na and cradled her frail body. She clutched her abdomen, and her face contorted in agony as tears streamed down her face.
She buried herself in Li Huowang's embrace and weakly whispered, "Huowang... My stomach hurts... Are we dying?"
Li Huowang's breath grew erratic at the sight of her injuries. He pressed his palm against her stomach, rubbing it gently. "Don't be scared, Nana. There's a way out of this. I'll find it. I promise you—you won't die. Just hold on."
"Hahaha!" A shrill, mocking laugh rang out. "A plan? You think you have a plan? You're already as good as dead!"
Li Huowang raised his head to look at Shai Zi, who pointed weakly at him while making fun of him.
Li Huowang was filled with rage, nearly attacking Shai Zi with his bloodied blade.
However, he suppressed his anger and shouted back, "What are you laughing at? You got deceived by the Three Ancient Ones too! You wanted to become a Siming, but he was actually after your life! You're the leader of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, and yet you were thoroughly deceived. Pathetic!"
Li Huowang changed the subject promptly after scolding Shai Zi. "Shai Zi, no matter what, we're in the same boat now. Use your backup plan now, or we will all die!"
Shai Zi pushed his sunglasses lazily and shook his head. "I don't have a backup plan. I admit defeat. He used his life to seal this. He wins."
"No! This is impossible!" Li Huowang rushed over and grabbed Shai Zi by the collar. "You must have a backup plan. I know you, Shai Zi—you never trust anyone completely, especially not Qing Wanglai!"
Shai Zi wasn't afraid of Li Huowang. He lazily scratched his left arm and yawned. "I thought it would be very fun up here, but it's boring. All of it."
With an air of indifference, he took out a pistol seemingly out of nowhere.
Li Huowang tensed, but Shai Zi turned the gun on himself, pressing the barrel to his temple. "It's no fun at all. It was more fun down there."
Shai Zi shot himself without any hesitation.
"Shit!" Li Huowang kicked Shai Zi's corpse aside and frantically scanned the room for any hint of salvation.
However, Qing Wanglai would never let anyone stop his plan. Qing Wanglai's poison had already seeped into their veins, and it was killing them quickly. There was no escape.
Bam! Chen Hongyu fell face down while eating a sausage. She was dead.
Li Huowang knew this was just the beginning. As Qing Wanglai's poison spread, every Siming in the Baiyu Capital would die.
Yet even as pain wracked his body, Li Huowang clung to one thought: I won't die. I won't let them die.
He turned to look at Zhao Shuangdian. Her hands were frozen over her laptop.
However, she wasn't typing. The laptop displayed a waterfall of data, as if it was automatically calculating something.
"Zhao Shuangdian!" He held her up, only to realize that she was dead as well.
"Damn it! Can any of you be more useless?" he shouted, his voice raw with desperation.
"Huowang..." Yang Na's faint voice drew him back. He dropped Zhao Shuangdian and approached Yang Na carefully.
"I'm sorry..." she wept, her bloodstained tears streaking her face. "I think... I'm dying... You have to... survive..."
Yang Na cried until her breath stopped. Her pale hands slipped from his grasp.
Chapter 1008 - Consuming the Heavenly Daos
"Nana!" Li Huowang's shout of despair echoed throughout the entire place. Yang Na had died in his arms.
Her peaceful face was a cruel contrast to the torment inside him, as though a dull, rusty blade twisted endlessly in his chest.
"Don't panic. Stay calm. We haven't lost yet! There has to be a way!"
His breaths came in rapid bursts as he struck his head with the hilt of his knife, desperate to calm himself down.
But it was useless. Despite repeatedly smacking his head, he felt no pain. The Siming of Pain was dead too.
Li Huowang's vision began to blur as he caught the faint sound of music.
He swept around the corpse-filled place and noticed Zhao Shuangdian's laptop. It was a notification.
Li Huowang stumbled over and noticed the screen was no longer filled with data. The screen displayed a single infinity symbol.
He realized the symbol was the final clue left by Zhao Shuangdian. There was still a chance.
"What... What is this? Infinity? A loop?"
Li Huowang stared at the screen and tried to figure it out, but he had no idea.
He struck his head again with his broken hand, though the gesture was meaningless—the world no longer had any Pain.
"Why... why can't any of you... Why can't any of you just give me a straight answer? Why do you always make me guess?!" Li Huowang exclaimed, kicking Zhao Shuangdian's corpse away.
When he saw Zhao Shuangdian's corpse roll over, inspiration struck. "No wonder I can't understand—I hold the Siming of Bewilderment. I don't know Zhao Shuangdian's Heavenly Dao, but it must hold the key. If I absorb it, I'll understand her message!"
Li Huowang prepared to absorb Zhao Shuangdian's Heavenly Dao.
But his consciousness once again became hazy, and a wave of drowsiness enveloped him. Pain had long since ceased to exist, but his body was still growing weak and unresponsive.
Li Huowang instantly recognized this familiar sensation—the feeling of impending death. His time was running out.
"No... I can't die! Not now! If I do, everything ends! I need to figure out a way! There has to be a way!"
He stabbed his own leg, trying to jolt himself awake. However, the drowsiness persisted, becoming heavier and more insidious.
When he next opened his eyes, Yang Na's peaceful corpse was before him. She looked as if she was sleeping peacefully.
Li Huowang stumbled backward. "No! Nana! I cannot do that! I cannot take away your Heavenly Dao of Death! I cannot!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Even as he stumbled, the drowsiness hit him again. He snarled and shouted angrily, "Qing Wanglai! Just you wait!"
He didn't want to do it, but the only way to survive was to absorb the Heavenly Mater's Heavenly Dao of Death.
He couldn't die. If he did, Yang Na would never return.
Li Huowang cried tears of blood and crawled to Yang Na's side with the last of his strength. Shaky and frail, he gently cradled her head and kissed her deeply.
After devouring the Heavenly Dao of Death, Li Huowang felt the sensation of death in his body freeze.
Even though he had temporary immortality, the pain in his heart was so intense that he could hardly breathe.
Even so, he didn't have time to mourn. If he stopped now, everything would be over.
"Don't worry, Nana. I won't leave you here alone. Let's go together!" Li Huowang fashioned her hair into a makeshift rope, tying her head securely around his neck.
Ji Zai glanced downwards and noticed the Heavenly Mater's constantly shifting Chaos fragment hanging on his chest, keeping him company.
"Nana, let's go. We still have a chance," he murmured, stumbling toward Zhao Shuangdian's corpse.
Absorbing Zhao Shuangdian's Heavenly Dao filled him with clarity. As he gazed at the laptop screen, the infinity symbol took on meaning.
"The factory... It's the key. It's still alive. If I destroy it, the timeline resets. We can start over!"
Li Huowang stood up without hesitation and prepared to attack the hidden factory.
As he was walking past Shai Zi, Li Huowang noticed the sunglasses. He quickly squatted down and picked them up. He put them on and absorbed Shai Zi's Heavenly Dao, feeling his body getting slightly better.
He wiped his mouth and grabbed his weapons before approaching the main doors.
He held onto the handle and took a deep breath before opening it. The familiar-looking dunes appeared in front of him again.
He snarled and walked past the dinghy wooden doors to explore the place.
Sweat mingled with blood as he trudged forward, but he wasn't thirsty.
The dunes were massive, and every direction appeared identical. Li Huowang believed he had gotten lost until a distant black dot caught his eye.
He quickened his pace and approached the black dot.
Minutes later, he reached the black speck. It was Chen Hongyu's corpse, shrouded in a writhing mass of flies.
Chapter 1009 - Reset
The flies on Chen Hongyu's corpse buzzed into the air in unison as Li Huowang approached. Some of them landed on him, greedily drinking his blood.
Li Huowang followed the flies' trajectory, nodded slightly, and then stepped past Chen Hongyu's lifeless body. He pressed on.
After two days of travel, he arrived at the familiar culvert. He walked in confidently, the path ingrained in his memory.
He reached the factory again. There were still fires burning inside, though their light was dimmer than before. The people inside moved about frantically, seemingly searching for something.
The bandits fixed their gazes on Li Huowang and aimed their guns directly at him. Interestingly, some of them were wrapped in bandages.
Li Huowang stares at them peacefully. He reached behind his back and slowly unsheathed his bronze coin sword.
They fired as Li Huowang swung. The bullets hit Li Huowang squarely, but he wasn't afraid—he had the Heavenly Dao of Death.
They had been no match for him before. Now, after absorbing so many Heavenly Daos, they were mere distractions.
With a swift swing of his sword, three heads tumbled to the ground, with blood spraying upward in chaotic arcs.
"Nana, look at this! We're so close to resetting the timeline again!" Li Huowang shouted at the head hanging from his neck as he continued cutting down the bandits. "Wait for me! It'll all be over soon!"
Li Huowang jumped and landed heavily, bisecting someone in half.
A deafening engine roar cut through the chaos. Blinding headlights swept over him as a massive, spike-covered jeep barreled toward him. Four men inside took aim, their guns trained on him. The vehicle was huge and resembled the head of a beast.
The engine roared, and the jeep charged towards Li Huowang.
Li Huowang pounced, his blade raised high. With a cold flash, he cleaved the jeep in half. Diesel sprayed from the ruptured fuel tank.
He snapped his fingers before touching the ground. "Fire!"
Boom! The jeep exploded, and viscera rained down around Li Huowang.
The viscera slowly pooled together and condensed, forming a coffee and chocolate-flavored mooncake.
Various voices surrounded Li Huowang.
"The Mid-Autumn Festival program is becoming worse over the years."
"Yeah. Even the prison band is better than this."
"Hey, did you know that our mooncakes are popular outside? A lot of people wanted to have a taste of them."
"Ward twenty-six! It's time to eat your medicine."
Li Huowang looked around the familiar place and saw his left arm was complete again. He was back.
"HAHAHA!"
His laughter shocked everyone, but they weren't surprised by this. They just skirted around Li Huowang and went on their way.
Li Huowang happily chewed on the mooncake. He felt the paper note inside and chewed even harder. He was grinning from ear to ear right now.
While the other prisoners were performing, Li Huowang kept his calm and walked towards the toilet.
There, an unexpected figure blocked his path. Yi Donglai stared at him, wide-eyed. "What happened just now? What was that? Why did I come back?"
"You... remember?" Li Huowang hadn't expected anyone else to retain their memories after a timeline reset. Yi Donglai had always forgotten everything before.
His words shattered Yi Donglai's fragile hope that it had all been an illusion. Yi Donglai said, "Was everything real? Everything? What is real? What is fake?"
The other patients turned to look at Yi Donglai, so Li Huowang tried to calm him down. "Don't move! Do you want the others to think that you are crazy too?"
Li Huowang pulled Yi Donglai into the bathroom and whispered, "Don't panic and listen to me. Don't forget what happened at the Baiyu Capital! Listen to me."
Yi Donglai wanted to say something, but in the end, he merely nodded.
Soon, he walked out with Li Huowang, heading for the main gate.
With a swipe of his card, the large metal gates opened.
As they walked, Li Huowang spoke in a low voice, saying, "You already know everything, so I won't explain again. Trust me no matter what, and talk to me through your phone."
The two Ba siblings were surprised to find the two walking towards them.
Ba Nanxu leaned against the car window and chuckled. "Not bad, Li Huowang. To think you could kidnap a doctor at the same time."
Li Huowang ignored her and got in the car. "Give me Zhao Shuangdian's number."
After dialing the number, the car slowly headed towards Qing Wanglai's mansion.
Li Huowang looked at the scenery outside and shook his phone at Yi Donglai to exchange contact information. They texted each other as the car approached its destination. After a long time, Li Huowang saw the familiar mansion again.
He entered the hall and darted past Chen Hongyu on the couch, racing straight up to the third floor.
He threw open the door to find Yang Na curled up in a corner. Tears streamed down his face as he embraced her tightly, refusing to let go.
"Li Huowang? How did you know she was here?" Qing Wanglai smiled as he brought the others with him into the room.
Li Huowang shook his head. "Get out. I want to be alone with Nana."
"Of course. Let's give the couple some space."
While Li Huowang wanted them gone, he didn't want Qing Wanglai to leave yet. "Qing Wanglai, wait."
Chapter 1010 - Past
Li Huowang stood at the top of Shangjing's east gate and looked down.
Even though the murderous aura had tainted the people, they needed to continue their lives. However, there were more criminals now, and the people were rowdier.
Though the murderous aura had tainted the people, life continued. Still, crime surged, and the people became rowdier.
"Are you selling it at fifty coins or not? I will stab you if you're not!"
"You bastard! Look at my neck—go ahead and stab if you've got the guts! Think I'm scared of you?"
"How dare you trick me?! It's one catty lighter than you promised! I will shave the weight off your flesh!"
Li Huowang's eyes scanned their faces, but his mind wandered elsewhere.
Suddenly, something caught his eye, and his pupils shrank. He leaped and dashed across the algae-covered roof tiles.
He brushed past the white banners and saw Bai Lingmiao sitting on a lotus seat. She was okay.
Overcome with emotion, Li Huowang lunged forward, pulling her tightly into his embrace.
Bai Lingmiao blushed when she sensed the gazes from the others. "What are you doing? Look at where we are!"
She waved all four of her arms, and the two of them disappeared.
When Li Huowang regained his senses, he realized they were back in Bai Lingmiao's room.
He let her go and noticed that all four of her eyes were emitting a murderous aura.
"You... were tainted by the murderous aura too?" Li Huowang was stunned momentarily. "That's fine. As long as you are alive."
He was worried that Bai Lingmiao would never return when he saw Yang Na and Bai Lingmiao superimposing on one another.
Bai Lingmiao was still alive. That was all he cared about. Her changed personality was nothing serious.
Li Huowang hugged her once more, holding her incredibly tightly.
Bai Lingmiao pushed him away slightly before unbuttoning her clothes. "Hurry up. There are still issues for me to handle in the Tianchen Kingdom."
"Wait, Miaomiao. This isn't what I intended to do." Li Huowang laughed, quickly stopping her. Bai Lingmiao had become more brazen after being tainted by the murderous aura.
"Miaomiao, that's not quite what I wanted. I just wanted to hug you, even though it's been so long since we've had time for ourselves."
Li Huowang carefully hugged her again.
He sniffed her fragrant hair and recalled what they had all been through. After a long while, Li Huowang broke the silence. "Miaomiao, you can't leave. You're the only one I have left..."
The murderous aura in Bai Lingmiao's eyes softened as she felt the change in his emotions.
She gently patted his back with all four hands and sighed. "Don't worry. I won't go anywhere. We still need to find a way to revive Suisui."
"Yes."
Li Huowang nodded and closed his eyes. Too many things had happened in a short period of time. He was exhausted and could feel himself going unconscious.
For the first time in a long while, he felt safe. He could finally relax a little.
"Senior Li, what'll we do once we save Suisui?" Bai Lingmiao asked, her voice laced with longing, as if she had just escaped the Zephyr Temple.
"Once we find Suisiu, we can return to Cowheart Village. We don't have to do anything. I just want to live peacefully. I'm too tired..."
"Is that so? What do you think a peaceful day should be?"
"As long as no one dies, that's enough. To me, that's a normal day," Li Huowang replied, his voice barely audible as though speaking in a dream.
Their conversation drifted to other topics, unhurried and aimless. They held each other close, and their injured hearts seemed to mend a little.
One division later, Bai Lingmiao rested on Li Huowang's chest, draped in his red Daoist robe while listening to his heartbeat. "I have to go soon. I can't stay away from the Tianchen Kingdom for long. Most of the people and evil entities now worship the Heavenly MaterWhite Lotus Sect, but there are still stubborn bandits who resist."
"Sure. I need to find Gao Zhijian to discuss some matters too."
Li Huowang took off Bai Lingmiao's golden anklet and gave her some white clothes.
"Senior Li," Bai Lingmiao said, putting her silk eye covers back on, "we should talk like this more often. It makes me feel at ease."
Li Huowang nodded as he put on his boots and robes. He froze as he turned to the bronze basin to wash his face.
He saw Ji Zai in the water instead of his own reflection. Ji Zai was panicking.
"Li Huowang! Quick! The Baiyu Capital needs Dragon Qi! The sky will tear open if we don't patch it up!"
Li Huowang's thoughts spiraled. Baiyu Capital existed outside the flow of time. The nightmare wasn't over—it was only beginning!
"What's wrong? Are you alright?"
Li Huowang shook his head as if he was hiding from something. He stumbled towards the front door. "I... I need to go and find Gao Zhijian. The Baiyu Capital requires Dragon Qi."
Li Huowang ran out, using his cultivation to travel quickly. He phased past the walls of the palace and finally found Gao Zhijian. He was eating while holding onto his imperial son.
Gai Zhijian stuffed a scallion pancake into his own mouth and asked, "Senior Li, what's wrong?"
"Dragon Veins!" Li Huowang shouted. "The Baiyu Capital is in danger. I need two Dragon Veins and the support of all five emperors to send them up!"
Hearing the urgency in Li Huowang's tone, Gao Zhijian turned serious and stood up, abandoning his meal. "Understood."
Soon, five emperors stood before a bronze tree Li Huowang had conjured. The Dragon Veins were also there, each dragging the past emperors behind them. Their chains had long been undone.
"Daoist Li," the Khan of Qing Qiu said, "for the sake of our nations, I am more than happy to ascend. I don't doubt you, but this is an important matter—why will you not come with us?"
"You can just ascend to find me up there. My past self is up there waiting for you!"
Li Huowang started to snarl uncontrollably, as if afraid of something up there.
The Khan wanted to say more, but Gao Zhijian interjected, "Senior Li's word is law. Without him, the Dharma Sect would've destroyed us. We cannot doubt him."
The dragons roared, and the five Dragon Veins brought two other Dragon Veins to the Baiyu Capital. The people of Shangjing kneeled in worship.
Li Huowang pounded his head in pain as the dragons' roars grew weaker. He murmured to himself, "Don't worry... There's still hope. There must be."
As he muttered, his reflection spoke again, its voice mirroring his panic. "We still need more help! We need allies! Call everyone you can!"
Suddenly, Li Huowang heard quiet footsteps behind him. A gentle hand patted Li Huowang's shoulder. "Senior Li, is it my turn?"
Chapter 1011 - Death
"Senior Li, is it my turn?"
Li Huowang shuddered at the sound of that familiar voice.
He looked up and saw Bai Lingmiao standing before him.
Memories flooded his mind—from when she gave him a bun back in the Zephyr Temple to all the moments they'd shared together. His expression twisted in pain.
"Why... why?! Why is this happening?" Li Huowang exclaimed, tightly clutching his head.
Bai Lingmiao gently pried his hands away from his head. "Senior Li, is it my turn?"
"No! It's not your turn yet! Not yet! We need to run and escape!"
Li Huowang didn't know where they could go. He just wanted to flee.
He gripped her hand and channeled his cultivation, dragging her along. The world around them blurred as they sped through the Qi Kingdom, then the Tianchen Kingdom, and finally Hou Shu.
However, no matter how far he ran, what he sought to escape loomed ever closer.
Li Huowang ran past the places where he had once trodden upon, but the more he ran, the slower he became.
He had nowhere left to run when he arrived back at the destroyed Zephyr Temple.
Staring at the three charred statues on the altar, Li Huowang howled. He clutched his head and trembled, knowing there was no way to hide. He couldn't alter the path ahead. If he didn't send Bai Lingmiao up with the two Jiang Xiangshous, history itself would change.
And if it did, everything would be over.
On one side lay the lives of everyone in the world. On the other, Bai Lingmiao's life. He had to choose.
The pain torturing his heart would've been more than enough for him to use the Cang-Qiang Ascension. He wanted to do something to remove his heartache.
He drove a sharp pike into his palm, ripping at his flesh. Pain seared through him, but it did nothing to ease the mental torment. Blood and tears fell to the ground.
Li Huowang reached for another torture tool, but Bai Lingmiao stopped him. "Senior Li, you can tell me what's troubling you. You don't have to bear this alone."
"I... I can't..." His voice faltered as he met her gaze.
While he longed to change everything, there was no way out. Everything up to this point was a consequence of his actions, and the only way forward was to follow the path he'd forged.
Bai Lingmiao, as if understanding her fate, remained calm. She carefully placed her slender fingers on Li Huowang's mouth. "Senior Li, you don't have to worry about me. The Heavenly Mater told me."
Li Huowang pulled her into an embrace, his heart breaking. He couldn't bear the thought of Bai Lingmiao dying.
Bai Lingmiao whispered, "Senior Li, will I die once I go up there?"
Li Huowang shook his head in pain. "I don't know. I really don't know."
Bai Lingmiao patted his back lightly. "Senior Li, don't worry. The Heavenly Mater promised to send me back once everything is over."
Li Huowang wanted to trust her, but he knew it was impossible. Bai Lingmiao was just lying to make him feel better.
Bai Lingmiao was the Saintess of the White Lotus Sect. From the mural in the underground chamber of Cowheart Village, Li Huowang knew the truth. The Heavenly Mater wanted Bai Lingmiao to ascend and be reborn as the Heavenly Mater of the past—the same one who once ruled the Tianchen Kingdom.
There was an impassable gap between Simings and mortals, except for the Siming in control of the Heavenly Dao of Bewilderment.
He didn't know what fate awaited Bai Lingmiao when she was up there. He wasn't even sure if he would be able to see her again.
"No! I won't accept this!" Li Huowang bit his lips and looked at Bai Lingmiao, determination flashing in his eyes.
"Miaomiao, don't worry. I'll save you! I must save you!
"I won't let this end here. We promised to return to Cowheart Village together. I won't accept this outcome.
"The Heavenly Mater may be untouchable now, but I swear, once we've dealt with Fu Shengtian, I'll tear her apart!
"I will save you, and I will even save Suisui! In this crazy world, anything is possible!"
The Second Deity chuckled and kissed Li Huowang's forehead. "Now that's the undefeatable Li Huowang that I know and love. We'll just be assisting them up there, so don't worry. We are not marching to our deaths. We will kill Fu Shengtian!"
Li Huowang wiped his tears and rose to his feet. There was still hope, and he couldn't give up. How could he save Suisui if he faltered now?
He turned to look at the three charred statues and howled. "Three Ancient Ones! Just you wait! I will kill you!"
With a single blow, he smashed the statues to pieces.
"Senior Li, send me back. There's no time."
But he shook his head. "Not yet. We need to go somewhere else first. You weren't alone with the six White Donkeys... There was someone else too."
Gao Zhijian soon returned from the Baiyu Capital. The mission was so smooth that he doubted himself. Why does Senior Li require all five of us emperors just to send two Dragon Veins up there?
Just as he passed the Ox Tail Gate and returned to Shangjing, he couldn't help but notice Li Huowang frowning and Bai Lingmiao smiling. They had been waiting for him at the altar.
"Gao Zhijian, something else needs to be sent to the Baiyu Capital."
"Hm? What do you need to send up there?"
"Two Jiang Xiangshous."
Li Huowang's words were like a cold wind, chilling everyone to the bone. The meaning behind them was unmistakable.
Gao Zhijian froze for a moment, then quickly composed himself. After a brief exchange with the other Emperors, he let out a strained smile. "Understood. I'll give the orders right away."
Turning to Bai Lingmiao, he added, "Senior Bai, I need the White Lotus Sect's help for this. Can you do it?"
Bai Lingmiao was no longer as calm as she had been. Two streams of tears stained her cheeks. Li Huowang reached out to wipe them away, but the tears didn't stop.
The Second Deity answered in her stead. "Yes."
The White Lotus Sect and the palace soon issued the command to assemble. Soon, both the soldiers and White Lotus devotees gathered in the open fields to the west of Shangjing. The murderous area influenced everyone present.
The purpose of their assembly became clear when the orders were relayed.
The millions of soldiers were anxious. Almost half of them were devotees of the White Lotus Sect, and they were pretty much the same as the soldiers after being influenced by the murderous aura.
The devotees of the White Lotus Sect surrounded Bai Lingmiao and kneeled sincerely. The sight was awe-inspiring, a testament to their devotion.
The White Donkeys at the front spoke on behalf of the other devotees. "Saintess, is this the will of the Heavenly Mater?"
Bai Lingmiao had almost cried herself dry. She used her remaining strength to utter a single word. "Yes."
The devotees all stood up when they heard her.
"Heavenly Mater! The Void Home! Brothers and sisters! It's time for us to finally return to the Void Home!"
The voices spread out like ripples in a lake.
Everyone from the White Lotus Sect cheered with a thunderous boom, their murderous aura adding to their excitement.
Chapter 1012 - Arise
Under the command of the banner holders, soldiers gathered in the fields outside Shangjing.
There were lots of people, but everything unfolded with meticulous order thanks to the White Lotus Sect's enforcement and the constant stream of directives from their superiors. Banner holders on horseback zipped around the soldiers, ensuring coordination.
At the forefront, Li Huowang stood and saw nothing but an ocean of people. The ground was covered with a dense crowd that extended as far as the eye could see.
A specific ritual was required to summon Jiang Xiangshou. While the Chief of the Liang Kingdom's Surveillance Bureau had died, the Deputy Chief was still alive and fit to conduct the ceremony.
Gao Zhijian, clad in his robes, held onto a special tiger seal. As the murderous aura continued to condense, the tiger seal glowed in a red light and even started to tremble. A faint roar could be heard emanating from it.
He split it in two, keeping one half while handing the other to four Deputy Chiefs.
They bowed ceremoniously before running down to make the final preparations.
The pounding of war drums and the blare of horns filled the air, echoing as everyone's hearts thumped rapidly. Eunuchs distributed jars of potent wine, prepared in advance for this moment.
Everyone was given a single bowl of strong wine, and no one wasted a single drop. They drank it all in one gulp with eyes filled with conviction, including the children and the elderly.
Li Huowang's heart ached when he looked at the people. He had never imagined the cost of the help he sought back in the Baiyu Capital.
Everything had a price. Some payments were required upfront, while others could be paid later.
Bai Lingmiao, on the other hand, was calmer now. Maybe it was because she would be going up with the others too...
The devotees brought up a massive floating lantern fashioned into a grand lotus throne. Six of the White Donkeys were seated on the outer edge of the lotus throne, just like lotus seeds.
The time was up. Gao Zhijian and the four other emperors stood at the forefront. The light gust rippled their robes and black beards.
Were this a conventional battle, Gao Zhijian would have delivered a rousing speech to inspire the troops, but this was no ordinary war. He hesitated, unsure of what to say. The people before him were marching to certain death.
However, silence wasn't an option—not for a good emperor. A good emperor had to bear the weight of the people's lives, even when there were a million of them.
"My warriors!"
Li Huowang froze as Gao Zhijian's voice covered every corner of Shangjing. "My warriors! My brothers! If we live, we live. If we die, we die. Today is the day when we determine the survival of our people!"
Gao Zhijian chose honesty over pretense and revealed the truth, including secrets about the Baiyu Capital known only to the highest ranks of the Surveillance Bureau.
Suddenly, the ground shook and the sky split apart. A massive upside-down tree slowly crashed onto the ground. "The sky is falling."
The people filled with murderous aura grabbed their blades and glared at the broken sky. "Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The murderous aura swirled upward, engulfing their bodies. They faced the enormous tree without a trace of fear.
Li Huowang averted his gaze as they raised their blades in unison. The sight was too unbearable for him to watch.
Footsteps approached. He looked up to see Chun Xiaoman, who was wearing new clothes on purpose.
As she cried, she looked at Li Huowang, Bai Lingmiao, and Gao Zhijian. Her voice trembled with despair. "Why? Why is this happening?! I need to know!"
"Xiaoman..." Bai Lingmiao gently extended an arm to Chun Xiaoman, aware of how painful this must have been for her.
The White Lotus Sect was Chun Xiaoman's home. Everyone in there was her family, and now her family was gone.
However, Chun Xiaoman slapped Bai Lingmiao's arm away. She looked at the heads of her family members tumbling down and wept, her gaze fixed on the hole in the sky.
"Chun Xuan! Gou Zi! Wang Kunsheng! They were people—real, living people! Just like you! They weren't beggars anymore. Their life had finally improved, and they could finally eat their fill!"
In her despair, Chun Xiaoman unsheathed the sword that Li Huowang had gifted her. Then, she cut off her own head with one swift motion.
"Xiaoman!" Bai Lingmiao shouted, her tears streaming down her face.
Chun Xiaoman's head fell among the soldiers' lifeless bodies, her blood spraying across the earth.
Gao Zhijian stepped forward but stopped, clenching his fists as he bit his lips. Unable to bear the sight, he turned away.
The solidified murderous aura soared upwards and formed into two roaring heads.
With the two Jiang Xiangshous completed, the other living humans in the area gradually went crazy from the murderous aura. Their bloodlust rapidly increased while the range of effect slowly expanded.
"Senior Li! Jiang Xiangshou has been completed! We must send it up, or there will be more trouble down here!"
Still sobbing, Bai Lingmiao clutched Li Huowang's hands. "Senior Li, I will go now. Send me up, please."
Li Huowang nodded painfully, clenching his fists incredibly tightly. He trembled as he escorted Bai Lingmiao to the lotus throne.
Seated on the throne, Bai Lingmiao clasped sacred artifacts in her four hands. Her face glowed with a pure white light, the lotus mark on her forehead shining brightly as it resisted the murderous aura.
The Twelve Merit Jade Lotus glowed brightly, and the sky above Bai Lingmiao opened up. A single lotus seed descended, embedding itself into her body.
At that moment, she understood everything that was happening and why it had happened. She finally smiled, but it was devoid of any sadness or joy. It was a serene smile.
She made a lotus seal with all four hands and floated upwards with the six White Donkeys. They floated past the two Jiang Xiangshous, who were fighting with each other. Then, they dragged them to the Ox Tail Gate.
The pressure from the two Jiang Xiangshous soon subsided, but Li Huowang continued to pant as he watched Bai Lingmiao disappear into the sky.
Despite repeatedly punching himself in the chest, even to the point of caving it in, nothing changed.
Li Huowang fished out the bronze mirror in his pocket and shouted, "Ji Zai! Everyone is gone! They are all gone! You must send her back! You must! You promised me!"
Chapter 1013 - Truth or Lies
Burning tears streaked down Li Huowang's cheeks, dripping onto the floor. He stared at the unmoving Yang Na in despair. There was nothing he could do.
Wu Qi sighed and spoke gently, "You used to live in a mental asylum, didn't you? Then you should recognize what's happening to her. Severe depression often ends like this. I can't even imagine how she managed to find us here."
"Nana?"
Li Huowang shook her gently, but her unfocused pupils remained vacant. The timeline had reset, but something was different this time.
Yang Na had always asked about his missing eye when she first saw him in the past.
Now, she looked like an empty husk.
Trying to shake her out of her stupor, Li Huowang suddenly recalled something. "Nana, is this because I took your Heavenly Dao of Death? Is that why you're like this?"
He repeated the question, his conviction growing as he did. He nodded, convincing himself. "Alright, then. I'll give it back to you. I'll return it all!"
Li Huowang kissed Yang Na's lips and bit his tongue hard. Blood flowed freely, which he funneled into her mouth.
But it wasn't enough. He tore chunks of flesh from his mouth and fed them to her.
Holding her tightly, he murmured in her ears, "Nana, come back. I've returned the Heavenly Dao of Death to you. You're the Heavenly Mater again. You've reclaimed it, so please come back. I need you. I need your help to deal with Qing Wanglai."
Wu Qi pursed her lips and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the couple to themselves.
Li Huowang talked incessantly to Yang Na, who finally replied after thirty minutes.
She placed her emaciated hand on his back. "Huowang? What's wrong? Why are you crying? Is it because I'm not good enough?"
Li Huowang released her, noticing the light return to her eyes.
"Huowang... What happened to your eye? Why do you only have one? Is it because of me?"
Li Huowang sighed in relief after hearing those words. Yang Na had returned to normal.
Relief washed over him as he hugged her tightly. "As long as you are fine... As long as you are fine..."
Knock, knock. The lovely atmosphere was interrupted by the knocking on the door.
Li Huowang turned to see Yi Donglai standing there, his face anxious.
"Talk. Nana is an ally."
Yi Donglai entered, locking the door behind him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Li Huowang interrupted, "Wait."
Li Huowang stood up and started rummaging around the furniture in the room.
The room didn't have many things, making it easy for him to search. He quickly found what he was looking for: a black microphone.
"Damn it! I knew it! Qing Wanglai always has a backup plan. Of course he didn't leave this room unmonitored!"
Li Huowang removed the black SD card from the microphone, chewed it up, and swallowed the pieces.
Yi Donglai and Yang Na froze in alarm. The discovery prickled their skin as if there were still unseen gazes watching them. They rummaged around the room to help Li Huowang search for extra cameras.
They soon found a second microphone concealed inside a stool's leg and a third wedged atop a cabinet. Qing Wanglai had been very careful.
Li Huowang crushed all of them. "What a despicable bastard."
Qing Wanglai had never intended to work with them. He had intended to execute his own scheme from the beginning, monitoring them in secret. That was how Qing Wanglai had always managed to seize the initiative.
But now it was different. The timeline had been reset, and Li Huowang already knew Qing Wanglai's plans. Now, Li Huowang had the initiative.
"Huowang, what's going on? Why are these here? Who placed them?"
Glancing at Yi Donglai and Yang Na, Li Huowang gently guided Yang Na to a stool. "Nana, there's something I need to explain. A lot has happened, but you've forgotten."
He proceeded to tell her about Qing Wanglai's betrayal. Li Huowang needed as many allies as possible to kill Qing Wanglai later.
"Nana, do you understand what I'm talking about? Qing Wanglai is the Three Ancient Ones. He's gone mad, and we need to find a way to control him. We need to devour his Heavenly Dao."
Yang Na nodded without hesitation. "I understand. What do we do next?"
Li Huowang pondered momentarily and said, "We need to find Zhao Shuangdian first. We can't fight Qing Wanglai yet—it's too risky. He could turn others against us if we're not careful."
Having taken the initiative, it was simpler to formulate a plan. Li Huowang felt confident that the Three Ancient Ones and Shai Zi wouldn't threaten the Simings of Baiyu Capital this time.
"Wait," Yi Donglai interrupted. "Little Li, you need to tell me what's going on. What's happening?"
With so much chaos, Yi Donglai was utterly lost.
Frustration flashed across Li Huowang's face. "What do you mean you don't understand? I'm saying that I'm not ill and that everything I've said is real. Everything you've written in your thesis is true too!"
But Yi Donglai couldn't believe it, "But... even if everything you've said is true... what does that have to do with me?"
"Everything! You said it yourself—you're Da Nuo! You're a Grand Siming!"
Yi Donglai's face visibly turned red from anger.
"That's because they're holding my sister hostage! I only said that to fool them. It's all a lie!"
"A lie?" Li Huowang laughed bitterly. "Do you think something becomes a lie just because you call it one? I thought the pill recipe I gave Dan Yangzi was fake too, but he became an Immortal! There's no truth or lies here. You are a Grand Siming. You were Da Nuo from the moment you said you were Da Nuo."
Chapter 1014 - Start
Yi Donglai leaned against the wall, bringing a cigarette to his mouth with trembling hands. He lit the cigarette and took a deep drag.
He coughed violently, likely because it had been a long time since his last smoke.
After a few seconds of coughing, he wiped the tears off his cheeks and looked at Li Huowang.
"No, I can't trust you. What you're saying doesn't make sense—not in this world and not in that other world you keep talking about. There's no proof the timeline resets, except for your words. What if you're wrong? Maybe it's not what you think."
Li Huowang sighed. "Is logic really that important? Not everything is logical. Also, what does that have to do with our situation right now? We just need to deal with the problem at its roots! Do you want to get poisoned by Qing Wanglai again?"
Yi Donglai remembered the pain he suffered the last time, and his expression twisted. Clutching his hair, he stammered, "Why... Why is this happening?"
Li Huowang exhaled sharply and opened the door to check that no one was eavesdropping from the outside. "Doctor Yi, you don't need to overthink it. You don't have to understand my perspective—you can stick to your own. What matters is that you're Da Nuo in my world. Whether or not I'm Ji Zai in yours doesn't matter. The crucial point is that our enemy is the same."
Yi Donglai took another drag. This time, he didn't choke. White smoke obscured his face as he carefully considered Li Huowang's words.
Yi Donglai carefully considered Li Huowang's words. "Then, did you experience this so-called timeline reset before?"
"You've seen my medical records and even wrote a thesis about me. Shouldn't you understand me better than anyone else?"
"But this is different! You were ill last time, and now... I don't know what you are!"
Li Huowang's voice rose. "I wasn't ill! You just couldn't understand my world!"
Noticing Li Huowang's growing agitation, Yi Donglai tried to calm him down. "Calm down. I didn't say I won't help you. I'm just trying to understand here. I don't want to go through the timeline reset again."
Li Huowang chuckled darkly. "You think resetting the timeline is bad? Wrong. Every time, I had to sacrifice so much! Without those resets, we'd all be dead! Qing Wanglai would've absorbed all our Heavenly Daos!"
"I... I need more evidence..." Yi Donglai muttered, pacing around the room in circles and clutching his hair. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
Li Huowang grabbed him out of frustration. "Fine! Find your evidence! But before that, we need to act! Fu Shengtian is closing in, and we don't have time to waste."
A long silence followed before Yi Donglai quietly said, "Fine. Bring Zhao Shuangdian first."
Li Huowang knew that Yi Donglai was now officially an ally, although he was struggling to cope with it.
"I called her while I was on the way here. The Heavenly Dao she controls is the key to defeating Qing Wanglai. We can't let him catch wind of our plan. We need her to shoot him from a distance before he has the chance to poison us."
From the previous timeline, Li Huowang was already aware of Qing Wanglai's plans and how he would carry them out.
"Does she trust you?" Yi Donglai asked out of worry.
"She might not, but I know how to earn her trust. I've lived through this enough times to know."
Turning to Yang Na, Li Huowang continued, "Nana, you control the Heavenly Dao of Death. It's crucial, and I need your help—no matter what."
"Alright!"
Yang Na nodded spiritedly. With her energy restored, her eyes seemed to gleam.
Li Huowang trusted her completely. He didn't need to explain much—she was his Yang Na, after all.
After laying out the plan, he glanced at Yi Donglai, who decided not to complain. Instead, he asked a peculiar question. "If I'm Da Nuo in your eyes, what would Da Nuo do now?"
Li Huowang smiled. "Follow me and find a way to treat me."
They descended the stairs together, joining the others lounging in the hall. Everything looked identical to how it had been in the previous reset.
They sat down and watched the television together like they did in the previous reset.
The weather report came on after the program they were watching ended.
"Good afternoon. This is your weather update. Hurricane Manao is expected to make landfall from the southeast. Coastal residents are advised to take precautions. Here's the projected path..."
Crunch crunch. Chen Hongyu munched on chips, mumbling, "So the hurricane will pass by our place..."
She then noticed that Yang Na had recovered and offered some chips. "Eat up. It'll help you recover."
Yang Na glanced at Li Huowang, who was glaring at the door. Then, she took one of the chips and ate it. Her eyes lit up with delight. "Wow, these tomato-flavored chips are amazing!"
She plopped down beside Chen Hongyu, eating chip after chip.
Wu Qi emerged from the kitchen, sighing. "It's not that they're amazing. You just haven't eaten in days, and your body is starving for nutrition."
She turned to Li Huowang. "Hey, Li Huowang! Aren't you her boyfriend? Shouldn't you be doing something about this?"
But Li Huowang did not answer her. His sharp gaze slowly swept across the room. "Where's Qing Wanglai?"
"He's cooking in the kitchen. Do you want to help him?"