Amidst Lu Juren and Luo Juanhua's fearful gazes, Li Huowang's body slowly floated up from within the ground.
Then, he stared at the silver in Lu Zhuangyuan's palms and said, "It seems like he has been threatened by someone else. Alright then, there's nothing much you can do now."
With that, Li Huowang turned toward the door.
As Li Huowang opened the door, he once again sank his illusion into the ground. Once he became invisible again, he entered the kitchen.
The cook remained the same as before as he covered his body in a blanket and stared outside the window while trembling as if he was afraid of something.
Compared to the woman from earlier, the cook didn't have the smell of blood or rust on him.
While Li Huowang was stealthily observing him, the cook suddenly placed both of his hands into his pants. At the same time, his face became very snarly.
Seeing this, Li Huowang frowned and left.
Li Huowang went outside and saw the waiter wiping the tables while looking in the direction everyone was staying. ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐๐จ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ง๐๐น.๐ฐ๐ผ๐
That fatty was right. The people of Pi County are indeed panicky and their faces really do look terrible.
Realizing that he wouldn't be able to find any information at the inn, Li Huowang walked out into the rain.
Just as he stepped out, he saw an old man who was wearing a raincoat and a veiled hat while coming from the opposite direction. He was wearing wooden clogs.
When the old man looked toward where Li Huowang was standing, he was horrified by what he saw. He cried out loud before directly fainting in the rain.
What the? Did he see me? How did he see me?
Li Huowang looked down but saw nothing wrong with his technique; he was still invisible.
However, after a moment, Li Huowang then realized what was happening. Even though his illusion was inside the ground, his real body could still interact with the physical world. Now that it was raining and he was standing in the rain, others could see a human-shaped void where there is no rain.
It was no wonder that the old man fainted. Even Li Huowang would've been frightened if he saw something like that.
On the other hand, everyone had heard the old man screaming, causing them to look in his direction.
I can't do this now. I need to wait until after the rain stops.
Li Huowang returned to the inn.
Back in the room where the Lu family was staying, they were still discussing what they had seen vehemently.
"Heavens! The young Daoist can phase through walls!" exclaimed Luo Juanhua, shocked.
"Why are you so surprised? Calm down. This is normal," said Lu Zhuangyuan before turning toward his youngest son. He extended his hand and carefully patted his son's head. "Xiucai, did you see that? That is an amazing skill. You need to learn it well. Who knows what else you will be able to learn?"
However, Lu Xiucai instantly growled at his father. If it wasn't for his older brother, then he would've directly spat at his father.
"Don't bother me you old fool! I'm busy!" Lu Xiucai closed his eyes.
Seeing how his youngest son had changed so completely, Lu Zhuangyuan sighed and sat down near him while smoking. He had always controlled his youngest son by beating him; now, that wasn't working anymore and so he didn't know how to teach his son.
The rain continued pouring throughout the night. It finally stopped the next day, but the skies were still dark.
Li Huowang wore a raincoat and exited the inn early in the morning. He walked past the awful-looking people within the town.
When they saw him, everyone scattered and stared at Li Huowang with fear in their eyes.
On the other hand, Li Huowang just ignored all of them and went straight toward the largest administration office of the town.
He had finally decided where to go after thinking about it last night.
If he wanted to find out what was happening within Pi County, then the administration office in charge of the entire county was definitely the place that would contain what he wanted to know.
I've been found.
Li Huowang glanced over his shoulder and saw two town guards following him. They were wearing blue robes and had the same awful look to them. Their lips were purple from the cold and they had heavy eye-bags under their eyes. Currently, they were glaring at Li Huowang's back.
Li Huowang decided to act as if he had not seen them before quickly turning into an alley.
Seeing this, the two town guards ran quickly and entered the alley behind him, but were shocked to find it empty.
"Old Wu, he's gone. What should we do?" asked the younger guard.
The older town guard looked at the ground, but couldn't find any footprints. After a moment, he waved his hand and said, "Let's go!"
Meanwhile, Li Huowang was hiding in a corner of the wall near the roof. After confirming that they had left, he quickly came down and carefully made his way to his destination.
Li Huowang knew that every county would have a book that recorded anything major that happened within the county. This book was Li Huowang's goal.
Li Huowang sank his illusion into the ground and turned invisible before easily entering the administration center. Once there, he searched around the offices and soon found what he needed.
Year of the Rat and Ox, Fourth Month, Famine... People sold their own children to buy food.
Year of the Earth Horse, end of the Lunar New Year, Eclipse.
Li Huowang flipped through the pages until the last entry. However, he was surprised to see that the latest entry was recorded two years ago and the only thing it recorded was that they had a good harvest that year.
Impossible. The entire County is struck with panic and fear, and yet they haven't recorded it down? Or... are they trying to cover it up?
Just as Li Huowang was thinking about it, he heard the painful cries of a boy. Surprised, he quickly placed the book back where it belonged. Then, he gently tiptoed across the hall to where the sound was coming from.
His sharp hearing could pick up the words that came from the child's mouth.
"Father... It's painful... Mother... I don't want it..."
Soon, Li Huowang found where the sound was coming from. It was coming from the firewood room. By now, the voice had also become very clear.
"Father! Stop! Don't pull it! Waaaa~ Mother~ It's painful! Stop..." The boy's voice was very miserable; it was as if he was being tortured.
Is this what the harvester told me about? They are beating up their child?
Li Huowang carefully approached the paper window and used his wet finger to poke a hole through it.
As soon as he looked into the room, his pupils shrank in shock.
He saw a crying boy who was tied to a pillar. He looked quite awful.
Two people stood beside the boy. Based on their looks, they seem to be the boy's parents. Even though they looked reluctant, they still held a metal clamp and used it to pull at the boy's genitals.
In response, the boy shouted, his chained body shaking from the pain.
Li Huowang couldn't believe what he was seeing. The pain that the boy was suffering from was probably almost comparable to his own torture methods.
Chapter 271 - Yin and Yang
The boy tied to a pillar kept screaming as his parents continued to torture him in the small and suffocating woodshed. The sound of his screams was so miserable that even Li Huowang couldn't bear it.
After a while, the pulling force of the metal clamp eventually reduced. Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, the boy tilted his head to the side and gasped, taking in big gulps of air.
On the other hand, the brightly-dressed couple crouched down and carefully examined their son's lower body. ๐ป๐ณโฏโฏ๐คโฏ๐ท๐ฏโด๐โฏ๐ญ.๐โด๐
"How? Is it helpful?" asked the woman.
Hearing the woman's question, the man carefully used his fingers to measure a few times, his expression becoming increasingly disheartened with each measurement. "No good! We can't delay any longer. We must lock it, or it will be too late!"
Hearing those words, the child, who was drenched with sweat, was taken aback. He pleaded with a quivering voice, "Dad, I don't want to be locked! I don't want to!"
The man was also hesitant, but eventually sighed as he softly touched the back of the child's head. "Listen to me, Jing'er. A true man shouldn't be afraid of pain. Once the lock is applied, everything will be okay. It may hurt a little, but at the very least, you won't lose your manhood. Without it, you may not even be a man in the future."
"That's fine, then! I don't want to be a man! I don't want to be a man!" The boy continued to yell at his father as if trying to grasp a lifeline.
As he heard his son's cries, the man broke down in tears, clearly feeling torn on the inside. Despite this, he still turned back and picked up an iron box from the ground nearby. After a moment, he opened the box and took out a small silver square lock with a silver chain.
"Dad!! Dad!! Please don't!!" The boy cried out in anguish, his terrified mind already anticipating the excruciating pain that was to come.
Just as the sharp lock was getting closer, the door suddenly burst open, and a gust of wind rushed in, making it impossible for the three of them to keep their eyes open.
Sensing the danger, the man holding the silver lock quickly turned around. With a panicked expression, he opened his hands to shield his son and wife as he shouted, "Who is it? Who is there? Help! Someone, quickly! Someone is trying to assassinate me!"
Upon hearing the commotion, it didn't take long for several constables clad in green to hurriedly rush in. Holding their straight knives, they clasped their fists toward the man. "Lord Yang, what's the matter?"
The county magistrate, Yang Hongzhi, pointed to the open door of the woodshed with trembling hands and fear in his eyes as he said, "The door just opened suddenly. It's here! That thing is here!!"
Meanwhile, Li Huowang was walking on an empty street with an odd expression. His mind was jumbled from what he had just seen as he kept muttering to himself, "They... they..."
Just then, Li Huowang heard another sound coming from the courtyard beside him. He immediately went into stealth mode once again. Then, he climbed over a nearby wall, and once again used his hands to peel open the paper window.
Soon, Li Huowang noticed a thin man in the room. The man was sitting on the edge of the bed, tilting his head back while ripping open his garments like a bat being dissected. He shamelessly displayed himself to the woman in front of him.
The man's expression appeared quite uneasy; it was as if he was awaiting some sort of impending judgment. "My wife... Darling... how is it? Has it shrunk at all?"
The woman carefully examinedย himย for a moment, and then replied in an uncertain voice, "I think... it probably hasn't gotten smaller."
Hearing those words, the man instantly became agitated. "Liar!! I've measured it myself! It's over! Tying it up with a rope won't help! I'm going to become an eunuch soon!"
Upon hearing her husband say this, the woman couldn't help but feel anxious. "Then... then what should we do? Does tying it up with a rope not help at all?"
Upon hearing those words amidst his desperation, the man suddenly pounced on his wife and knocked her to the ground. At the same time, anger replaced the sadness on his face. "Damn it! No way! I haven't even gotten a son yet! You must give birth to a son for me right away!"
As Li Huowang watched this situation, coupled with the boy tied to the pillar he had seen earlier, he finally started to grasp what they were all up to. He stood back up with a strange expression on his face.
So, everyone in this county is afraid ofย that... No wonder they were forcefully using chains earlier. But... how is that possible?
Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine.
Wait a minute, is all this... really happening or is all this just an act?
"Ah! Dear! You hurt me! It's locked now!"
The woman's cry of pain made Li Huowang look back into the room once again. There was not much to see among the tangled masses of pale flesh and blood. However, after a moment, Li Huowang noticed the chain close to the woman's chest.
Compared to the silver lock and chain he saw earlier, this family could only afford iron ones.
The sharp chain was tightly wrapped around the woman's chest, forcefully pulling at her bosom, causing abrasions and bleeding where the skin met the metal chain. Rust had started to form as the blood continued to erode the chain. This device was basically torture.
With this, Li Huowang finally understood where the scent of blood and rust on the woman from earlier came from. They'd all been locking up to stop their organs from shrinking.
"Dear, don't panic. Look at me, I've locked it with a chain, so that it won't retract. You should do the sameโtie it up with a chain, just like me."
Both the man and the woman are 'retracting' here. Just what kind of situation could have caused them to become like this?
Thinking about this, Li Huowang's heart felt heavier. Even with his extensive knowledge, he had never seen this kind of strange change before.
Li Huowang suddenly felt lost. Though he now understood what the residents of the county were terrified of, he did not know exactly what had caused all of this. While he was capable of dealing with the other issues, when it came to something so illogical, he couldn't even find a target to address.
Li Huowang stood on the roof, looking over the empty county. After a while, he stepped off the tiles beneath his feet and headed straight toward the inn.
No more dawdling! Who knows what caused all this. We must quickly find the reason!
In Li Huowang's eyes, the entire county now seemed like a trap. Even if it meant having to use unconventional techniques, it would still be better than sitting around idly while waiting for catastrophe.
Although the people in the county knew that something was wrong, they were deliberately trying to keep it from him. Since diplomacy wasn't working, it was time to resort to more forceful methods.
As soon as Li Huowang entered the inn, he noticed the members of the Lu Family Troupe singing a pink show in the inn's empty lobby. Even though there weren't many people, there were still a few spectators.
Puppy was sitting with his legs crossed as snuggled with the pear-faced woman while watching the pink show with joy. Seeing Li Huowang, he waved his hand, signaling Li Huowang to come over. "Senior Li, come here! The Lu Family Troupe's performance has grown considerably more fascinating!"
Li Huowang glanced at him, then turned and walked toward his room, his voice carrying a hint of coldness, "Puppy, have the waiter come to my room."
"Alright!"
Not long after, the waiter knocked on Li Huowang's door. When he entered, he saw the guest with the copper coin mask sitting at the round table while sipping tea.
"Yes? I heard that you were looking for me?" The waiter hunched his back as he approached the round table and asked cautiously.
"Sit," Li Huowang said as he poured a cup for the person in front of him.
"You're too kind; it's fine, I'll just stand. Do you have any instructions for me? Is there anything our inn hasn't taken care of properly?" asked the waiter.
Having been in the presence of foreigners for so long, the waiter no longer seemed to be so apprehensive of them.
Soon, a pinky-sized gold ingot was placed in front of the waiter as Li Huowang said, "I have some questions for you. If you can answer them, this gold is yours."
Before the waiter could fully comprehend what was happening, Li Huowang went straight to the point. "Why are the people in the county so afraid of genital retraction? What is the cause of it?"
Hearing this, the waiter, who had a forced smile on his face, was stunned before immediately turning around to flee.
But as soon as he turned around, his head collided with the stone slab on Gao Zhijian's chest. Seeing stars, his body lost all its strength as he staggered backward before falling onto the ground.
When he came to his senses again, he found himself bound tightly with tough ropes made of cow tendons. At the same time, a tall man was standing by, eyeing him fiercely.
Whoosh...
Accompanied by the sound of metal clanging, Li Huowang's set of torture tools slowly unfolded in front of the waiter.
As the waiter saw the sharp tools stained with dark red blood, he shuddered.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not very good with words. When I want to know something, I often tend to resort to my best skill set. I apologize for my lack of manners. After all, I haven't learned much else ever since arriving into this world. But I appear to be quite skilled at torturing people in a variety of ways," said Li Huowang.
As he heard Li Huowang's calm voice, the waiter felt like he had suddenly entered an icy cave, causing him to shudder.
"This thing is used for gouging out a person's eyeballs. Let me tell you something interestingโthe eyeballs don't actually feel any pain. If you don't believe me, try prying open your eyelids and touching them. Any pain that you end up feeling will be from the flesh surrounding your eyeballs."
Goosebumps rose all over the waiter's body as the round iron instrument in Li Huowang's hands grazed the edge of his face.
The waiter was terrified by Li Huowang's words. But despite his pale face, he tightly pursed his lips, showing no intention of answering any of Li Huowang's questions.
Seeing that this approach wasn't working, Li Huowang put down the round iron clamp and picked up an iron spindle, displaying it in front of the waiter. "Do you know what this is? This is used for winding intestines, not threads. It's quite easy to use. You just need to make a small incision at your belly button, pull out one end of the intestine from within, wrap it on this spindle, and then continue pulling and pulling... Do you know how that feels? Close your eyes and think about it. If you don't want to think about it, that's fine too. After all, in a while, you'll personally get to experience it. Spoiler alert, it's not a pleasant feeling, and it makes you feel quite empty inside."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Huowang ripped open the waiter's clothes, revealing his withered abdomen.
The waiter finally broke down just as Li Huowang's fingertips reached his navel.
"I'll talk! I'll talk!!" The waiter exclaimed as an unpleasant smell of urine slowly seeped out from his lower half.
Seeing all this, Gao Zhijian scratched the back of his head. He was quite impressed that Senior Li could intimidate people like this just by using words.
On the other hand, Li Huowang slowly removed his hand from the man's stomach. "Tell me! What's the reason behind the Pi County's people suffering from genital retraction?"
"Ghost! There are ghosts!" The waiter sounded extremely miserable and wretched, with tears and snot all over his face. "The wandering spirits and ghosts travel to the human world to take advantage and reincarnate as men! That's why they want to steal our manhood!"
Li Huowang found the waiter's words to be utterly absurd. "What kind of nonsense is this?"
This wasn't what he had in mind. Originally, he had thought that the genital retraction was caused by evil spirits.
Could they be mistaking certain evil forces for ghosts? Maybe they are being attacked by some strange evil force? But... wouldn't the Surveillance Bureau send someone to investigate such a case?
Li Huowang furrowed his brow in contemplation. Then, he looked at the waiter and asked again, "Have you ever seen these so-called ghosts? What do they look like? Are they the sort you can touch with your hands or the kind that you can't?"
He would be able to be more prepared if he encountered them after learning more about them.
When the waiter heard this, he shook his head vigorously. "No! People can't see ghosts! Their genitals just keep retracting, ultimately shrinking until they are completely gone!"
After seeing that he was now willing to communicate properly, Li Huowang untied the waiter. Then, he helped the terrified man onto a chair.
When he asked again, Li Huowang's tone was much gentler compared to before, "Alright, isn't it just a simple matter of answering a few questions? Was it really necessary to hide or run away? Why didn't you tell me anything sooner? Whether you believe it or not, we are here to help you."
Hearing Li Huowang's words, the waiter burst into tears and hid his face. He sounded terrified, with a trace of despair in his voice, "You can't talk about it! Now, both you and I will be haunted by the ghost because we discussed it!"
Li Huowang felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard this. Instantly, he gazed around with heightened vigilance as one of his hands grabbed the hilt of his sword tightly.
Li Huowang examined everything in the room, from the window to the wooden door and even under the bed. However, in the end, he didn't find anything unusual; everything appeared to be perfectly normal.
Li Huowang recalled all the strange things he had experienced in the past; this was the first time he had heard that such evil spirits could spread to others through word of mouth!
Despite the numerous loopholes in the waiter's story, Li Huowang chose to believe that there was some truth to it and not dismiss it entirely.
Li Huowang immediately looked up at Gao Zhijian, who was guarding the main door, and said, "When we leave later, remember not to mention this to anyone else!"
Hearing this, Gao Zhijian vigorously nodded. He too, had no intention of exposing his peers to this danger.
Paying no attention to the danger, Li Huowang stretched out and forcibly released the waiter's hands, his expression unusually grave as he peered at the man's misery. "Who told you all these things? Who said that talking about it would attract ghosts? Did they mention any ways to deal with these evil spirits?"
Though he was carrying two swords capable of exterminating evil spirits on his back, the entity he was faced with this time seemed quite unusual.
"I... I don't know! That's what everyone says!" After saying that, the waiter hesitantly leaned down to untie his belt and cautiously glanced inside, ignoring Li Huowang beside him.
The next moment, the waiter froze in place as if struck by lightning.
"It's turned smaller..." The waiter's voice trembled, while the entire room was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere.
After checking his lower half, the waiter collapsed mentally, and did not even bother fastening his belt. Instead, he directly knelt onto the ground and started kowtowing continuously in fear. "Grandpa Ghost! I really didn't want to say it; it was him who forced me! You should look for the right person to settle your grievances! Please don't steal my manhood! If my manhood is stolen, then I won't be able to reincarnate! I'll become just a lonely wandering ghost!"
His words caused Gao Zhijian to cover himself with both hands, while Li Huowang also instinctively looked down.
Could this so-called ghost who steals people's privates be here right now?
Li Huowang swiftly scanned around the room with an ugly expression on his face.
With his keen perceptions, he would definitely sense it if there really was something watching him within this room.
But he didn't sense any gazes. This could mean only two things. Either the ghost was deliberately choosing to not look at him, or the entity simply had no eyes.
An invisible evil spirit? Could it be something like the Eighteenth Lunar?
Li Huowang dared not be careless when faced with an unknown enemy like that.
In this eerie place, Li Huowang couldn't bring himself to believe that an evil spirit capable of harming an entire region was only capable of slowly stealing from others.
Unnoticed by everyone within the room, Li Huowang separated his illusion and his invisible body. At the same time, his right hand grabbed onto the hilt of the sword behind him.
Gradually, the atmosphere in the room became unusually oppressive. Just as Li Huowang was concentrating on surveying the empty surroundings, the waiter, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly stood up and dashed out of the door.
Is it possible for this thing to possess others as well?!
Li Huowang subconsciously raised his sword and stabbed at the back of the fleeing waiter.
Seeing this, Gao Zhijian raised his stone slab, using it to block the sword. They collided with a clang.
In the blink of an eye, the waiter had already rushed out of the door.
Seeing this, Li Huowang turned his gaze filled with killing intent from the waiter onto Gao Zhijian.
Is this thing really so difficult to deal with? It already managed to take control of Gao Zhijian's body?
On the other hand, Gao Zhijian, who was holding the stone slab, could see Li Huowang's look of hatred as the latter looked at himself. Feeling anxious, he quickly said, "It... it's me. I... I... I'm Zhijian."
However, Li Huowang didn't completely trust him at this moment. He looked at the honest face in front of him and asked, "You say you are, and that's it? I judge others based on their actions and not their intentions. Gao Zhijian would have never tried to stop my sword! Who are you?"
"Senior... Senior Li, that person... is not possessed!" said Gao Zhijian.
"If he wasn't possessed, then why did he suddenly run?" asked Li Huowang. ๐๐ฃ๐ฒ๐๐จ๐ฒ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐.๐ฐ๐๐ฆ
Li Huowang looked at the clear-eyed Gao Zhijian as he began pondering. Soon, he pointed outside with his sword. "Alright, since you say that you are Gao Zhijian, then prove it. Toss aside the sacred text and go find the waiter."
The other party's sudden movements were very strange. Whether he was possessed or not, Li Huowang had to get to the bottom of the matter.
Under Li Huowang's coercion, Gao Zhijian tossed aside all his belongings in the room and went out to find the waiter who had escaped earlier.
It was quite easy to find the man; he had been scared by Li Huowang into peeing his pants, and so they just had to follow the trail of urine.
The trail did not continue for long. After wandering around the inn, Li Huowang finally found the waiter, pantsless, while hanging from the rafters in the kitchen.
A thick rope was wrapped around his neck, lifting his entire body into the air. As his body gently swayed from side to side, creaking sounds rang out.
It was obvious that the man had done it himself, since there was half a winter melon lying on the floor.
Since he had hanged himself, the waiter's tongue was stretched out, and his face had turned purplish-black. He looked quite frightening, his eyes seemingly staring at Li Huowang.
"He... he..." Gao Zhijian was quite shocked as he pointed at the waiter, not knowing what to say. This person had been fine until just a moment ago, and yet had hanged himself now. It was all too sudden.
Li Huowang studied the fear and despair in the waiter's eyes, as well as the hands that were firmly grabbing at his own neck. Then, he turned to look at Gao Zhijian and said, "You're right; he wasn't possessed. This guy decided to take the initiative to kill himself while he was still alive and could still reincarnate. Otherwise, he would have never been able to reincarnate."
The thing that had killed the man was not some ghost stealing his manhood, but his own fear.
Li Huowang held his sword and slowly circled around the kitchen, searching for this so-called ghost. He had encountered many evil spirits before, but he had never been as clueless when dealing with one as today.
Even though he had not seen anything, someone had already died.
As he circled around, Li Huowang shifted his gaze downward to look at the waiter's genitals; they seemed quite small.
"Daoist, what should we do? We don't even know where the rest of them are. You're going to be in trouble!" said Monk, looking worried; it was as though he was genuinely concerned about Li Huowang.
Li Huowang glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "Don't panic. Since this thing spreads through speech, currently, it's now only targeting Gao Zhijian and me. The rest are safe for now. And with my current state, it's still too early for whatever it is to try and kill me. As for Gao Zhijian... he will be fine."
"Senior... Senior Li, what... should we do?" asked Gao Zhijian. As someone who had always been slower to react, he now seemed a little panicked. He had loosened his pants and was anxiously reaching in and tugging at the thing within. He was afraid that the thing might accidentally shrink into his stomach without him noticing.
Li Huowang stood on the spot and surveyed his surroundings. The kitchen should have been very normal, but now, it seemed exceptionally terrifying. The chili peppers, the kitchen knives, the chopping boards, the firewood; each item seemed to be concealing danger within.
After a while, Li Huowang pulled his pants and looked inside. Upon confirming that there were no changes just yet, he heaved a sigh of relief. From the looks of it, this process of shrinking yang was not something one-off. It was a gradual process, and he still had time to figure out a solution.
"Don't panic. As long as we understand the origin of this thing and find out its weaknesses, we will definitely be able to take care of it!" said Li Huowang as he sheathed his sword and turned back toward the inn. "Gao Zhijian, stand guard in the inn! Tell everyone else to stay put and not to run around. Also, don't tell anyone else about this matter. I will think of a way to expose this thing from its hiding spot!"
"Daoist, where are you going?" asked Monk who had half his body stuck in the wall in a confused voice.
"Now that we know that all the residents of Pi County are victims, they are on our side too. There's no need to hide anything anymore. I am going to need the Magistrate of Pi County to help me deal with that thing!"
Shortly after leaving the inn, Li Huowang once again arrived at the residence of the highest authority in all of Pi County. There were two stone lions at the entrance of the county government gate along with a large drum.
This time, Li Huowang didn't plan to sneak in. Instead, he openly walked to the entrance and had the people inside report to the county magistrate.
Perhaps if the others did the same, they might be considered unruly troublemakers and get thrown out. However, Li Huowang had two longswords on his back, a copper coin mask on his face, and was wearing a red Daoist robe. To top it off, he directly stated that he could help solve the genital retraction problem that the residents of Pi County were suffering from. As a result, he was immediately invited inside respectfully.
County Magistrate Yang Hongzhi lifted his blue-and-white porcelain teacup, used the lid to take out the tea leaves floating on the surface, and carefully took a sip. As he drank his tea, he re-evaluated the strange man before him. The man's attire was bizarre, and he wasn't quite able to guess his origin.
Based on the information he got from his head constable, this person came to Pi County with a troupe that performed pink shows. From the direction they had come from, it was likely that they came from the Qing Qiu region.
Most importantly, this person claimed that he could solve the genital retraction problem, something that had tormented him for a long time.
Since his own son was suffering from the problem, it was worth a try even if there was only a slight possibility of success.
As Yang Hongzhi observed Li Huowang, the latter was also carefully analyzing the various expressions on his face. After carefully interpreting the meaning behind his expressions, Li Huowang had an idea of what he should do next.
"Magistrate Yang, let's talk about what's going on. The Bureau is busy and has no time to waste, " said Li Huowang, breaking the strange and awkward silence between them. ๐ณ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ป๐๐๐๐ฅ.๐๐ ๐
In order to quickly understand the details about the evil spirit causing genital retraction, and to obtain the assistance of the entire Pi County's administration, Li Huowang had decided to pretend to be someone from the Surveillance Bureau. After all, given the situation, the local official should have already contacted the Bureau.
Since the problem still persisted, it meant one of two things; either the Surveillance Bureau had not yet arrived, or that they had arrived but had not yet solved this problem. Li Huowang could take advantage of this gap to achieve his own objectives.
Upon hearing Li Huowang mention the Bureau, Magistrate Yang was startled and accidentally scalded himself with the tea. He hastily put down the teacup and clasped his hands together before bowing toward Li Huowang. "My heavens! The Rites Department has finally sent someone! Ah, I've waited for quite a long time. I must have sent over a hundred letters through carrier pigeons! Each time, they only replied to get me to stabilize public sentiment and wait for good news. However, I can't even calm myself, let alone the public sentiment!"
Seeing Yang Hongzhi continually expressing his struggles, Li Huowang felt more relieved. Since the magistrate believed him, he wouldn't need to use the alternative explanation that he had prepared.
"Alright, Magistrate Yang, no time for idle chatter. Tell me about the whole story. How did this issue of genital retraction come about? And when did it start?" asked Li Huowang.
Compared to the waiter, the county magistrate should know quite a bit more. If he wanted to prepare himself before dealing with this so-called ghost that could not be seen or felt, he had to understand more about it.
"Ah! The whole issue started around this year's Ghost Festival. Five miles east of this county, there was a night watchman at a graveyard..." began Magistrate Yang. However, he suddenly seemed to recall something and stopped as his mouth gaped open and fear crept onto his face.
"Go on, what happened next?" asked Li Huowang as he leaned slightly forward.
However, instead of answering Li Huowang's question, the magistrate changed the topic, and bowed to Li Huowang with a troubled expression on his face. "Lord, please save the people of Pi County! This matter affects everyone's lives!"
Li Huowang was about to ask again but suddenly stopped. He understood what the other party was hesitant about. This person also had the same reservations as the waiter who had died earlier.
"Are you afraid that the ghost will cause trouble for you if you speak? Relax, as long as you are courageous and tell me about it clearly, I'll definitely be able to help you deal with these matters," assured Li Huowang.
However, even after this reassurance from Li Huowang, Magistrate Yang didn't show any joy on his face. Rather, he fearfully hid from Li Huowang as though trying to hide from the plague.
Soon after, he brought a few green-clothed constables back. Each of them held a small copper gong, and there was a red cloth bag covering each of the gongs. They surrounded Li Huowang and started chanting while continuously striking their gongs. "If there's something strange, don't blame the one handling the matter!"
Li Huowang watched the comical performance, and asked, "What are you doing? Is this method effective at solving the invisible ghost problem?"
Magistrate Yang nodded vigorously in response.
Li Huowang noticed that each of them held a large pair of tongs and firmly used it to clamp onto their middle fingers. They refused to let go even as their fingers started to bruise.
One of the constables who was sweating profusely from banging the gong, turned around and urgently said to Li Huowang, "Hurry! You've already been targeted by that thing! If you don't want to start retracting, follow us quickly! We are all on the same boat, so do you think that I will try to harm you?"
This statement made Li Huowang instantly tense up. He reached out for a gong, and began to move in a circle while banging it.
At the same time, for some unknown reason, this series of events in Pi County gave him a strange feelingโa sense of familiarity mixed with disgust.
As he continued to ponder, the others surrounding him began to add new movements to their ritual. They draped the red bags containing the gongs on their necks and got down on all fours like turtles carrying their shells before crawling around the round table.
This scene was completely bizarre and absurd. At the same time, the others were all looking at him urgently, expecting him to follow suit.
Is this really effective? Where did they learn this from? How does this deal with the so-called ghost that steals people's privates?
Just as Li Huowang held the gong and draped the red bag across his neck, the others suddenly spread their legs apart, as though preparing to urinate.
However, they were not urinating, and simply took off their pants. Then, they grabbed a handful of red chili powder from behind, and sprinkled it toward their genitals.
Even as they grimaced from the spiciness, these people dared not slow down and continued to crawl on the floor with the gongs on their backs, all the while sprinkling chili powder.
"Daoist, hurry! Follow us! If not, you'll die soon!" shouted Magistrate Yang.
Watching this ridiculous scene unfold before him, Li Huowang's brows furrowed as he slowly squatted down and picked up a handful of chili powder.
After a moment of hesitation, he slowly released his hand and watched as the bright-red spicy powder floated from his hand down to the ground.
Why do I feel like this is going overboard? Even if this world is mad, this is too preposterous! It's like a farce!
Li Huowang's previous perception of Pi County began to change as he stared at the people in front of him lying on the ground like dogs.
The idea of a ghost stealing people's privates, combined with such humiliating treatment methods and the finishing touch of chili powder all just seemed too ridiculous.
The entire county was buzzing with rumors about "ghosts" stealing people's privates and retracting their genitals. But... what if everything they were saying was completely false? Perhaps there never was such a thing?
As he recalled the waiter who hanged himself earlier, as well as everything else he had witnessed in Pi County, Li Huowang questioned the others lying on the ground, "You guys keep talking about the genitals being retracted, but has anyone here witnessed it themselves?"
Hearing this, the group stared at Li Huowang, and then silently exchanged stares.
Finally, one of the constables spoke up, "My father said so! He witnessed someone experiencing the genital retraction!"
"I'm not asking about your father. I'm asking about you! Have any of you personally witnessed it?" reiterated Li Huowang.
Li Huowang's sharp gaze left the constable stuttering and unable to find any words.
Seeing this, Li Huowang once again shifted his gaze toward Magistrate Yang Hongzhi and said, "Earlier, you mentioned that your son's genitals had become small and needed to be locked with a silver lock. But children's genitals are naturally small. Is it possible that there's nothing wrong with your son at all, and you're just being overly suspicious? Have you never doubted that at all?"
"Really? But how is that possible? The person clearly statedโ" said Magistrate Yang.
"Who is that person?! Where is he now?" Li Huowang suddenly raised his voice. Whoever this person was, they had to have a significant connection to this absurd situation.
"He... he... he's dead. He died from the retraction, just because he uttered those... words to someone," replied Magistrate Yang.
"Heh!" Hearing this, Li Huowang's face revealed a faint smirk, his suspicions growing even stronger.
There was no such thing as ghosts stealing people's genitals, and there certainly was no method to ward off the "ghosts". All of it was fake!
As he thought about this issue, he realized the identity of the culprit.
Coming across one's enemies often evokes a strong sense of resentment. Reflecting on their past mistreatment of him, Li Huowang clenched his fists so tightly that they produced a creaking sound. With a fierce expression, he gritted his teeth and exclaimed, "Sitting Oblivion Dao!"
Immediately, Li Huowang took off the copper gong hanging from his neck and fiercely threw it onto the ground. Then, he kicked away the constable blocking his path before charging directly toward Magistrate Yang.
At this moment, he finally realized why he felt that inexplicable sense of familiarity earlier. It was the feeling of being deceived by the Sitting Oblivion Dao, something that he had experienced once before!
Li Huowang kicked Magistrate Yang in the chest before using his longsword to slice at Magistrate Yang's chin. As Yang Hongzhi screamed miserably, his face was lifted slightly by Li Huowang.
However, there weren't any other layers beneath this man's face. He wasn't a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, and neither were the other constables. They had all been deceived by the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
There was no "ghost" that could cause gentail retraction through word of mouth. It was all an absurd rumor spread intentionally by the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
The Sitting Oblivion Dao had played everyone in Pi County for fools by relying solely on these rumors.
"Who told you about these methods to treat genital retraction? Where are they?" demanded Li Huowang. It was vital to track down the Sitting Oblivion Dao members if they were still residing in Pi County.
Li Huowang's bloodshot eyes frightened the injured Yang Hongzhi into revealing everything without concealing anything.
If Li Huowang had to name a nemesis, then the Sitting Oblivion Dao would undoubtedly be at the top of his list.
"It was a self-proclaimed Shaman! He insisted that a lock could secure one's genitals! However, because he revealed the divine secrets, he too, suffered from genital retraction and died two months ago," responded Yang Hongzhi immediately, struggling to collect himself.
"Oh yeah? He just spread the rumors, and then died from genital retraction himself? What a coincidence! Where's his body? I will need to open the coffin for an autopsy!" said Li Huowang.
With Li Huowang's identity as someone from the Surveillance Bureau and his unyielding stance, Yang Hongzhi eventually complied.
Creak~
Slowly, the black coffin nails were pulled out.
Li Huowang approached the scene while covering his nose. Confirming that there was no corpse inside the coffin, and only a Liu Wan[1] mahjong tile, he realized that his assumption had been accurate. This was indeed the work of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, and the member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao had long since departed. The people of Pi County were just toys that the Sitting Oblivion Dao had grown tired of playing with and thus were casually discarded.
However, Li Huowang wasn't too disappointed either. His goal this time was to join the Surveillance Bureau, and not to single-handedly confront the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
After understanding the events that had transpired in Pi County, Li Huowang devised a plan.
"Everyone, gather around and take a good look! This is the so-called Shaman you've been talking about!" Li Huowang spoke to the others who had retreated to a distance.
However, Li Huowang's previously unusual behavior had frightened all of them. They all just stood there, covering the wounds on their chins while not daring to get too close.
"I said come over here, didn't you hear?!"
Li Huowang's stern words finally made them approach him.
When they saw the empty coffin, their eyes widened in astonishment. After all, they distinctly remembered that someone had been buried there before.
As he observed them, Li Huowang carefully chose his words before speaking slowly, "You have all been deceived. There is no such thing as genital retraction. It was just a rumor. There's no need to be on edge."
"How is that possible?" Yang Hongzhi was in disbelief. After all this time of people's hearts being in turmoil, it turned out to be nothing more than self-induced fear.
"The truth is right in front of you, and you still don't believe it? Go gather all the people in the county. I have something to tell them," said Li Huowang.
Upon hearing Li Huowang's words, Yang Hongzhi hesitated. He just stood in place with an uncertain expression as he contemplated something.
"What's the matter? Don't forget my identity. Do you think a fool like yourself knows more about this than the Surveillance Bureau does?" questioned Li Huowang.
This finally convinced Yang Hongzhi. He covered the wound on his chin and walked outside. "Wait a moment, Sir. I... I need to check on my child first."
After saying that, he dispersed the group of constables.
On the other hand, Li Huowang sheathed his bloodied sword and turned around to walk back toward the inn.
Once he was back at the inn, Li Huowang explained everything to the frightened Gao Zhijian.
"Everything is okay. They are just a bunch of poor souls who have been deceived. We'll explain everything later," Li Huowang sat at the Eight Immortals table and spoke to the big fellow in front of him.
After knowing that everything was a hoax and there was no danger in Pi County, Li Huowang finally eased up and was no longer as tense as before.
While he was helping these people recognize the deception of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, he hadn't forgotten his original purpose in coming to this place. Regardless of who the Surveillance Bureau sent, as long as Li Huowang took care of the trouble in advance, they would have no choice but to contact him.
The beginning was always difficult. But once he managed to get in touch with the Surveillance Bureau, things would be much simpler.
1. six characters in mahjong ?
Chapter 276 - Ghost
"Hahaha, are the people of this county idiots? Why would they believe in something stupid like their sexual organs gradually becoming smaller and disappearing?" remarked Puppy.
"You would probably act the same if you see everyone around you doing that," said Xiaoman.
As they spoke, they suddenly saw many people converging onto the streets. They placed down their tea and walked outside.
"Everyone follow me and bring your weapons. All of you will stay near the perimeter and look for anything suspicious," instructed Li Huowang.
They didn't know how Yang Hongzhi spread the word, but the guards had managed to herd all of the terrified people to the streets. At the same time, there were many more who were standing on the walls and roofs in the surroundings.
Thousands of people gathered together like flies.
Yang Hongzhi carefully approached Li Huowang and exclaimed excitedly, "Daoist, this should be alright, yes? Almost every home sent out a person."
Yang Hongzhi had gone back and checked on his son, and was relieved to see that the boy's penis had not shrunk. Thus, he now trusted Li Huowang's words completely.
Staring at the dense crowd, Li Huowang nodded and leaped up toward the head of the stone lion in front of the gate.
"Everyone! Do not panic! I am here to tell you that there are no ghosts that steal away your genitals! You have all been lied to! The shrinking of sexual organs is a giant lie! It was never anything more than a rumor!" shouted Li Huowang.
These words caused everyone to start panicking as they started discussing what they had just heard. The situation almost went out of control.
Ring ring ring~
At that moment, the piercing sound of a bell rang out, covering all the noise. It was so loud that it caused everyone to hold their ears in pain. ๐ป๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ธโฏ๐ท๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฃโฏ๐.๐ค๐๐ฎ
Once the sound of the discussion finally died down, Li Huowang stopped ringing the bell and gave it back to Chun Xiaoman.
Everyone slowly removed their hands from their ears.
After a moment of thought, Li Huowang spoke in a loud voice, "Everyone! We've checked on the so-called Shaman that "died" from his genitals shrinking away and determined that he had faked his death! He has long since run away! I need all of you to think carefully; have any of you ever seen anyone's genitals actually shrink back into their abdomens? I am not asking about the stories that you heard from your son or your neighbors, but ones you have witnessed for yourself! Have any of you seen it?!"
In the face of Li Huowang's question, everyone fell silent.
"I did!" A woman with half a head of white hair walked out from the crowd. She held a baby in her arms.
She carefully undid the baby's clothes and raised the baby high enough for everyone to see. "Everyone, look at this! My baby's penis has shrunk! This man is a liar; you cannot trust him!"
Li Huowang carefully looked at the woman and confirmed that she was not from the Sitting Oblivion Dao. Then, he turned to look at the baby. "Is this your child? Did you see the ghost stealing his penis?"
"Correct! Look! His penis is gone! Aaaa~ My poor son is so unfortunate!" The woman held the baby and started crying.
It really shrunk?
Li Huowang stared at the baby and saw that it was indeed missing the penis.
But, Li Huowang soon realized another possibility, causing the expression on his face to turn weird as he asked the question, "Erm... Have you ever considered that your baby is a girl?"
The baby's crotch was far too natural and it didn't seem like anything had shrunk back there.
Hearing the question, the woman was shocked and showed her baby to the crowd even more enthusiastically. "Fuck you! My stomach was sharp[1] when I was pregnant! How could I have possibly given birth to a girl?! I gave birth to a baby boy!"
Then, the woman kneeled in front of an old man with her baby and explained fervently, "My dear, don't believe him! You can't blame me! I really did give birth to a baby boy and then the ghost took away his penis! You can't blame me for this."
As they heard the woman pleading so fervently, everyone started feeling uneasy.
"You didn't want your husband to be shamed and so you forcefully started telling others that your daughter is actually a son. Why weren't you that smart when you were facing the Sitting Oblivion Dao?" muttered Li Huowang.
Just as the sound of discussion started getting louder once again, and Li Huowang was about to take control of the situation, someone screamed from within the crowd.
Soon, there was an empty space within the crowd. In the middle of the clearing was a beggar covered in tattered rags. Currently, he was holding a rusty knife high in the air while kneeling beside a man.
The beggar had chopped off the man's penis and was now hanging it on his body with a pleased expression on his face. On the other hand, the victim was crying and shouting in pain.
After a moment, the beggar slowly stood back up and smiled creepily at everyone around him. "Hehehe~ Penises~ All of them belong to me~ I will be able to reincarnate once I collect enough of them~"
As he spoke, his body suddenly floated like a ghost before pouncing toward another man beside him.
"AAAAA!" A woman's scream woke everyone up as they started running away to save their lives.
On the other hand, by the time the beggar pushed down the man, Li Huowang had already sent one of his fingernails flying toward the beggar.
Dang~
The fingernail hit the beggar's body, but the sound that rang out was akin to a loud metallic clang.
Meanwhile, Li Huowang started running toward the beggar while weaving through the crowd. By the time he arrived at the clearing, several men and women were already lying on the ground.
Jiang!
Li Huowang ran forward and slashed his sword down on the beggar.
But he would never have expected his extremely sharp sword to not even pierce the beggar's skin. All he heard was the sound of metal once more.
Everyone else ran up to help Li Huowang.
Gao Zhijian's footsteps were heavy as he ran over, his club already swinging down onto the beggar.
As Li Huowang fought, he rained more and more blows toward the beggar. But the more blows he exchanged with the beggar, the more Li Huowang felt like something was off. The ghost was different.
It was too weird.
How could a "ghost" not get hurt by a sword that could cut down evil beings? And why did it appear in broad daylight?
Just as Li Huowang was thinking about what to do, he suddenly saw the ghost wink at him. For a moment, he thought that he was seeing things.
Meanwhile, the people of Pi County in the surroundings witnessed as the man wearing the bronze coin veil fought against the ghost. Their emotions rose and fell with the tides of battle.
After some time, Li Huowang managed to stab his sword into the ghost's chest. Then, he then took out a yellow talisman and placed it onto the ghost's forehead. Everything was finally over.
Li Huowang panted and looked at the crowd around him before speaking in a serious voice, "There was indeed a ghost that stole people's genitals, and here it is! I've just killed it!"
1. Superstition: Sharp stomach = boy baby, round stomach = girl baby. ?
Chapter 277 - Surveillance Bureau
As he spoke, Li Huowang dragged the "ghost" by the hair and raised it up for everyone to see. "Look closely! The ghost has been killed by me! It's no longer a threat and the people of Pi County will no longer suffer from having their sexual organs shrink!"
Li Huowang's voice echoed throughout the entire county.
Bam!
Soon, everyone within Pi County started shouting and celebrating until the entire place shook. Everyone was crying tears of joy. They were no longer plagued by it anymore!
All of them reached inside their clothing and took out the ropes or chains before throwing them high up into the air.
Many of them even kneeled in front of Li Huowang and started calling him their Godfather. It was funny to think that they had previously doubted him.
The town guards quickly used long rods and strings to tie up the ghost's body before parading it around all of Pi County.
Soon, the news spread and everyone in the County had learned of it.
With this, Li Huowang's position and popularity within the County rose dramatically. Almost everyone gave him some food while the elders even kneeled and thanked him for saving their grandchildren.
That night, Magistrate Yang booked the best restaurant of the County to treat the guests to a meal.
Having saved all of Pi County, Li Huowang was assigned to the main seat, and many of the high ranking officers from the magistrate's office even poured wine for him.
The worries that had clouded the minds of the people within Pi County had now completely disappeared. The desolate county soon regained its normal hustle and bustle.
Puppy, Gao Zhijian, and everyone else ate the best meal that the restaurant could offer. All of them felt like they were in Heaven.
Even if the ingredients were familiar to them and things that they had cooked many times before, the chefs of the best restaurant were able to turn them into something extraordinary.
"Xiucai, you need to learn properly! Once you become as great as the Young Daoist and obtain justice for others, then everyone will treat you to such a good meal!" Lu Zhuangyuan was busy stuffing his mouth with the delicious food and lecturing his youngest son.
"What do you know, you damned old man? I can't believe that even such amazing food can't stuff your asshole mouth into shutting up!" said Lu Xiucai as he placed down the chicken in his hand and took a bottle of good quality wine, wanting to pour a cup for Li Huowang.
However, before he could do so, Bai Lingmiao took away the cup of wine. "Senior Li can't drink; he gets drunk too easily."
Then, she took a bowl of the glistening shark fin soup[1] to Li Huowang. "Senior Li, why don't you have this instead? You did quite well to save everyone within the County."
Li Huowang smiled forcefully before throwing one of the chicken drumsticks underneath the table, allowing Bun to happily eat it.
As he sensed Bun's tail wagging and hitting his leg, Li Huowang's mood gradually improved to a certain extent.
Li Huowang took the bowl of soup and drank the shark fin soup in one go before standing up. Then, he pointed at Yang Hongzhi and said, "Take care of him and don't let him get too happy or he will die from overdosing on alcohol."
As everyone laughed, Li Huowang walked out of the restaurant. While the restaurant was crowded, the streets were even more lively. The sound of firecrackers rang out constantly while red paper could be seen flying everywhere, covering the streets and alleys in a festive red color.
Just as the sound of the firecracker stopped, a group of children wearing new clothes ran around while collecting the ones that had yet to explode. The children didn't know what had happened. All they knew was that they would no longer be tormented and that today they would be able to eat good food.
At the edge of the street, a man was wearing a massive puppet head while raising up a ball of flowers. They were performing a Dragon Dance.
The sound of musical instruments came from behind the Dragon Dance.
The children were all attracted to it and stopped collecting the firecrackers. Instead, they ran around happily as they watched the Dragon Dance.
The entire Pi County was reveling in festivities; it was as if they were celebrating New Year's.
However, amidst all this, Li Huowang didn't even have the hint of a smile as he walked around. He looked very out of place.
Li Huowang was not the only one upset. Some of the houses had green couplets stuck on them while white clothes covered their courtyard. These were the houses of the people killed by the "ghost" earlier today. Their families were crying inside their houses.
Li Huowang looked at the sad scene in front of him before continuing to walk. He soon arrived at the morgue.
Even though it was very lively in the town, there were still some people dutifully guarding this place.
Still, the County treated them equally well. The guards were eating from a clay pot filled with meat and drinking wine from a massive black cask.
When they saw Li Huowang walk in, the town guards immediately greeted him politely before inviting him to eat with them.
"All of you, get out first. The ghost has been cultivating for thousands of years and I need to make sure to get rid of it properly," said Li Huowang.
None of them objected and quickly ran out of the morgue.
As he walked in, Li Huowang saw rows of corpses that were covered with a white cloth on the floor of the cold morgue.
Li Huowang walked past all the cold bodies until he reached the final one and took off the white cloth, revealing the dead beggar who was possessed by the ghost.
The beggar's face was covered in stubby hair and his clothes were tattered, but for some reason, they looked quite neat on him and there was no stench coming from him. He looked quite normal, like someone who would easily blend into the crowd. The only distinguishing feature of the beggar was his unibrow.
As Li Huowang examined the body, the body also opened its eyes and stared at Li Huowang.
Seeing this, Li Huowang took a step back as the beggar tore off the yellow talisman from his forehead. "Interesting. What kind of talisman is this and what is its effect?"
"I don't know. I just used it randomly. It was drawn by someone else," answered Li Huowang calmly; it was as if he had already expected all this.
The beggar rolled off the wooden pallet and shook off the dust on his body. As he moved, a metallic clanging sound could be heard from within his body.
"How should I address you?" The beggar bowed toward Li Huowang, his eyes resolute.
"Ao Jing Sect, Er Jiu." Li Huowang would never reveal his true name and thus, he decided to use the name of the dead Jiang Yingzi.
"If I am right, you must be from the Surveillance Bureau," continued Li Huowang.
The beggar did not deny it. "Yep. I'm one of the underlings. You are very smart. All I did was wink at you and you followed my plan."
1. Don't eat shark fins folk! But I won't be surprised if the sharks in this world have six dorsal fins ?
Chapter 278 - The Creditor
Li Huowang was right. There was never a ghost that stole people's genitals. It had all just been a lie that the Sitting Oblivion Dao had spread. The "beggar", however, had a different approach when it came to dealing with it.
"Was there any need to kill them? Did it really need to be that realistic?" Li Huowang pointed at the several bodies beside them.
"This was something that the Sitting Oblivion Dao came up with. If we did not do it right, then we would have failed. Did you think the people would listen to you just like that? Plus I only killed the normal civilians," replied the beggar.
Li Huowang felt his heart grow cold when he heard that.
How could he say something like that so easily? Is everyone within the Surveillance Bureau like that?
After seeing what he did, rather than feeling mad at the deaths of those innocent people, Li Huowang felt wary of the beggar.
I should be more careful when I come into contact with them next time around or I will become nothing more than their puppet.
As Li Huowang stood there silently, the beggar took the chance to introduce himself, "My name is Hong Da, and I am a creditor[1]. A pleasure to meet you."
This was the first time Li Huowang heard of the term. The characters used for the title literally meant "someone who loaned knives to others". However, since Hong Da was able to become an underling of the Surveillance Bureau, the title he held definitely meant something else rather than its literal translation.
"Creditor?" asked Li Huowang.
"Yep, I'm a creditor that doesn't belong to any sect. Do you want me to loan you one?" offered Hong Da as he opened his tattered robe, revealing the numerous blades hanging from within it.
The blades were all old and rusty. Some of them were even shattered or broken. They were the reason why Li Huowang's sword had failed to cut him down.
But, this also meant that the rusted blades were not ordinary metal objects. After all, how could a regular rusty blade block the attack of a weapon that was once owned by a military personnel?
"Do you want me to loan you one?" Hong Da asked once again before picking out a broken blade for Li Huowang while smiling politely.
"How should I pay you back after you loan it to me?" asked Li Huowang.
"If I loan it to you, then you will naturally pay me back once the time has come," Hong Da answered vaguely.
Hearing this, Li Huowang slowly extended his hands and tried to touch the rusted blades while carefully staring at Hong Da.
But in the end, he had just touched the blade for a moment before pulling his hand away. "No need, I already have enough weapons."
"Fine, fine. No need for it then. Now, since the matters in this County are over, I will take my leave. I hope we will meet again, Er Jiu," said Hong Da as he kept away the blade with a face full of regret. Then, he bowed and started walking out of the morgue.
Just as Hong Da had touched the bronze door knob, a bloody fingernail flew past his face and stabbed into the wooden door.
"Wait, I've heard that the Surveillance Bureau gives out rewards for their missions. SInce I took part in the matters of Pi County, I should also get something, right?" asked Li Huowang.
Staring at the bloodied nail embedded within the wooden door, Hong Da raised his voice eerily, "Oh? And what if I don't want to give it?"
In an instant, the atmosphere within the morgue tensed up.
"That's fine too. Let me join the Surveillance Bureau and I will consider the matter between us to be over," said Li Huowang, dispelling the tense atmosphere.
Hong Da was surprised that someone would say that. "Really? Then let's go to the Rites Department and register your name."
"Do we need to go to the Rites Department?" asked Li Huowang, deciding against going there. It was too risky to enter their main camp. If someone found out that he was a Strayed One, then he would definitely die.
"It's too far away, and currently, I need to urgently get something else done. Hmm... let's do this instead. I've heard that the Surveillance Bureau can contact someone individually through a proxy," suggested Li Huowang.
Hong Da thought about it for a moment and agreed. "Sure. Then, let me talk to my supervisor. That way, there will be no need to go and find him. If he agrees to your request, then he will come and find you instead. No need to worry. I've worked with him for a long time and I will help vouch for you."
After saying that, Hong Da then walked out of the morgue. Back on the lively street, he quickly took a porcelain doll's head and used it to cover his own head. Then, he took out a broken fan from his waist and started fanning himself as he walked out of the town.
Once he was out there, the surroundings finally quieted down. Only the sound of insects chirping could be heard.
He continued to walk for an hour before finally throwing away the doll's head into the forest and saying, "Daoist Er Jiu, there's no need for you to follow me. If I really was someone from the Sitting Oblivion Dao, then today's matters would not have ended this swiftly."
Hearing this, Li Huowang walked out from within the forest and gave his greeting before walking back toward the town.
It was only after Li Huowang disappeared back into town that Hong Da opened his mouth, "How about it?" ๐ง๐๐๐๐คโฏ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฃโฏ๐ญ.๐คโด๐ฎ
The sound of crunching leaves rang out as someone walked out. The newcomer was a rotund man and wore a red sash over his waist. He wore a green robe and a massive doll head on his head. He was still holding onto a long pole covered in a red sash used for the Dragon Dance.
"No, he's too suspicious and we don't even know where he came from. Also, when you asked him to go to the Rites Department, he directly refused. There's also a possibility that he's someone from the Sitting Oblivion Dao."
The voice was smooth and feminine, completely betraying one's expectations.
Hong Da squatted on the ground as the sound of metal clanking rang out. "I don't think he's someone from the Sitting Oblivion Dao. They wouldn't do something this simple."
The doll's head slowly turned and looked at Hong Da. "What if they guessed our motives and did this to lower our guard?"
"We already killed two of their higher-ranking disciples today. I don't think we would be that unlucky," replied Hong Da.
However, the man with the doll's head did not move and just repeated the question, "What if they guessed our motives and did this to lower our guard?"
Hong Da growled, feeling annoyed, "Enough with that. I don't feel like messing around today."
Hearing this, the man with the doll head turned and looked toward Pi County. "One of the two swords he was carrying was the bronze coin sword used by the disciples of Luoism, while the other sword that was wrapped in cloth emanated the killing intent that usually belongs to the soldiers. He's even using the secret technique of the Ao Jing Sect. He is too mysterious."
Hong Da nodded in agreement. "He is indeed weird... But, he is strong. Even if there's a possibility that he's someone from the Sitting Oblivion Dao, we could still make use of him."
"And then?"
Hong Da squinted and scratched his chin. "And then we observe him while using him."
1. An ancient occupation. A creditor would give someone something like a rusted knife or pot and then give them a prophecy. If it came true, they would return and demand payment ?
Chapter 279 - Technique
Everyone within Pi County ate and celebrated late into the night. Thus, almost everyone woke up pretty late on the next day.
After finding out that Li Huowang's party was leaving, the magistrate dragged his hungover body and his wife to send them off. "Daoist, may you have a smooth future ahead of you! I will write down a detailed record praising you and your activities before submitting it to my superiors! Safe travels!"
Despite Li Huowang's face still being bloody and looking quite scary, Yang Hongzhi sent him off while waving both his hands and smiling.
Li Huowang's acting was also perfect, not letting anyone discover what had happened last night.
Puppy was quite happy when he heard how much they were praising all of them, but Li Huowang didn't say anything about it.
"Magistrate Yang, could you give us a recommendation letter? Mine was destroyed last night from accidentally being soaked in wine," requested Li Huowang as they were leaving.
He learned from Bai Lingmiao that the Liang Kingdom was different from the other places. They might be fine in smaller towns, but without a recommendation letter, they would not be able to enter any of the cities.
Even though Li Huowang would be able to easily handle the issue, he didn't want to trouble Bai Lingmiao.
"Recommandations? Sure sure!" Yang Hongzhi readily agreed. Now that the issue of the ghost had been resolved and his career was steady, the magistrate was more than happy to write them a few recommendation letters.
Actually, the magistrate really wanted to send Li Huowang off as soon as possible; the latter was just too dangerous. Thus, he did his part for the people by sending Li Huowang off till three or four li away before returning.
"Hmph! He was so diligent in sending us off that people might have thought that he was sending off his father. Also, why didn't he give us some money for our travels?" Xiucai spat onto the ground and grumbled.
Pa!
Suddenly the bronze smoke pipe hit him square in the face.
Li Huowang couldn't be bothered with their antics; he was busy thinking about what Hong Da had told him yesterday.
He had managed to take the first step and established contact with the Surveillance Bureau. However, it was much more difficult than he had thought. All Hong Da had said was that he would go back and report it. There was no guarantee that it would succeed.
Li Huowang needed backup plans in case this ended in failure.
It would've been fine if he had just been directly rejected. Instead, Li Huowang was more afraid that Hong Da was someone from the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
At that moment, Monk's illusion touched the bronze coin veil on Li Huowang's face. "Don't worry. You didn't even take this off while sleeping. He shouldn't have been able to discover your true identity. As long as they don't find out, you will definitely be able to escape."
However, Li Huowang didn't feel anything in the face of Monk's encouragement. Having just a single bronze coin veil to cover up his identity was far too dangerous. He needed another layer of protection if he wanted to feel safe.
But Monk was right. As long as no one discovered what he was, he would be relatively safe.
I need strength. As long as I'm strong enough, there won't be any problem.
The recommendation letters they got from Yang Hongzhi wouldn't just be useful when trying to enter cities, but they could also serve as temporary identities. With them, Li Huowang and the rest could be considered half-civilians of the Liang Kingdom.
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Jiang jiang jiang jiang~
Someone was performing in a regular town of the Liang Kingdom.
Puppy continued to strike the gong while Lu Juren walked onto the stage with his makeup and started singing.
Captivated by their new song, the audience threw food and money onto the stage. Some of them even gave them a basket of pond loaches, causing Luo Juanhua, who was dressed as a beggar, to scurry away in fright. Seeing this, the audience laughed at her.
Meanwhile, Lu Zhuangyuan was at the side of the muddy road, happily counting the money they had received with Zhao Wu.
Li Huowang was quite surprised by just how much money they were earning. After the Lu family decided to change up their performance to something else, the money they started earning was quite a bit more than what they had earned before. And as their employer, he would be able to obtain half of it.
Even though the Lu family was no golden goose, at the very least, they were a goose that was consistently laying eggs with double yolks.
"Brother Zhao Wu, looks like our calculations match! We have earned quite a lot today, so let's have something nice to eat. We can have some pond loaches with tofu today!" suggested Lu Zhuangyuan. Since they already had the pond loaches, he only needed to buy some tofu from the village to make the dish.
Having been around Lu Zhuangyuan for so long, Li Huowang already had a general grasp on his temperament. "Troupe leader Lu, why did I not see Xiucai during the performance?"
The smiling Lu Zhuangyuan revealed a sad expression when he heard about his youngest son. "Him? Forget about him. Even if he manages to learn some supernatural powers, he would never take care of me. We should still rely on others, don't you think so too, my good grandson?"
Li Huowang walked away when he saw Lu Zhuangyuan was playing with his grandson. He walked toward the large rock where Lu Xiucai was training.
As he got closer, Li Huowang heard Lu Xiucai chanting.
There were two bronze coins in front of Lu Xiucai. As he chanted, the bronze coins became attached together.
He then stomped the ground, causing the two bronze coins to be separated once more.
After training for so long, Lu Xiucai had finally managed to forcefully memorize the chant and learn how to use it!
As he observed the boy, Li Huowang finally came to understand just how much effort Dan Yangzi had put into his practice to obtain his powers before his death.
"Master!" greeted Lu Xiucai.
"Not bad. How are you feeling?" asked Li Huowang, silently observing Lu Xiucai.
"Good! I feel great!" replied Lu Xiucai. In fact, he was overjoyed at having managed to learn the chant. He even felt that he had changed completely into someone else.
Hearing his reply, Li Huowang was disappointed and happy at the same time.
He was disappointed by the fact that his guess was wrong. He had thought that this technique used by the disciples of Luoism would be able to drive away the rage and killing intent from Lu Xiucai's body.
At the same time, he was happy that Lu Xiucai was fine even after having learned the technique. This meant that the technique that the Nascent Soul had left behind did not contain anything harmful. Now, it was time for Li Huowang to learn it.
"It's fine for you to train hard, but why did you not perform together with your father?" asked Li Huowang.
Lu Xiucai revealed a look of disgust when he heard that. "I'm now an expert that is capable of using supernatural powers. Why should I join them on stage and go back to being at the bottom of the caste system?"
Li Huowang frowned. He found Lu Xiucai to be detestable. To think that he was this prideful even though he had barely learned anything. How could he look down on his father and brother like that?
But Lu Xiucai was destined to fail. The supernatural power that he learned was only usable with the bronze coin sword. Without it, he wouldn't be able to do anything even if he had managed to learn the chant.