What's their goal? Do they know that I'm a Strayed One? Li Huowang pondered, and his expression changed intermittently as he arrived at many different conclusions. He looked around and found nothing unusual. In the end, he decided to return to the fishing village and wait until daybreak before doing anything else.
Li Huowang looked up at the round moon in the sky that the dark clouds had almost blotted out. Li Huowang took quick steps and scratched a nearby bamboo pole before heading back to his original position.
Li Huowang eventually left in the direction of the fishing village, leaving scratches on the bamboo pole every now and then to avoid getting lost.
The sky gradually brightened as he continued his journey, but his situation didn't improve at all despite the faint light. The hazy morning fog was everywhere, lowering visibility.
Li Huowang was starting to get tired when two faint lights pierced the morning mist.
The sight reinvigorated Li Huowang. I've arrived?
Li Huowang moved a few steps forward, only to find that the lights were two white lanterns hanging at the entrance of a building. Above the lanterns, there was a huge plaque displaying a word written in black—libation[1].
The walls were earth-toned and resembled arcs several stories high. Li Huowang glanced at the thin mist behind him. They're trying to deceive me, but who's the mastermind behind it?
Although the situation was utterly bizarre, Li Huowang wasn't really scared.
He had experienced far more bizarre situations, after all.
Li Huowang lifted his right foot and walked toward the door. After passing through a long corridor, Li Huowang found himself standing in front of a huge circular courtyard. The courtyard was surrounded by buildings with black roof tiles.
A cold breeze swept past Li Huowang, and it carried with it a piece of yellow paper money. Li Huowang followed the yellow paper money, and his gaze eventually landed in a distant memorial hall.
The memorial hall's interior was entirely in white, while a large and a small black coffin were inside. Li Huowang walked up to the memorial hall and looked around. The memorial hall had everything aside from mourning people.
"I mean no offense," Li Huowang said and bowed slightly toward the coffins.
Then, he moved quickly and rushed into the memorial hall. He reached out with one hand and pried open the lid of one of the coffins. Afterward, Li Huowang stuck his head inside and yelled, "Rest in peace!"
However, the coffin didn't stir. Li Huowang looked disappointed as he stepped backward. Then, he looked around the memorial hall, sweeping his gaze across the white cloth and paper offerings.
"I do not care what you are. I'm too busy to play with you. If you go too far, don't blame me for setting fire to this courtyard and the entire bamboo forest outside!" Li Huowang warned, and his voice echoed throughout the entire spacious courtyard.
Still, there were no responses whatsoever, no movements nor noises. Li Huowang patted the coffin and turned around to walk toward the exit.
Just then, a red figure appeared in the periphery of Li Huowang's eyes. The red figure was on the second floor of the building to Li Huowang's left. Li Huowang immediately turned and ran toward the red figure.
Before colliding with the wall, Li Huowang slapped two talismans, with inscriptions written using his own blood, on his thighs. Veins bulged throughout Li Huowang's legs, and he bent his knees, performing a mighty jump that allowed him to reach the second floor of the bamboo building, where he saw the red figure.
Li Huowang instantly felt his blood boil upon taking a closer look at the red figure.
"Sitting Oblivion Dao!" Li Huowang roared with all his might.
The red figure was none other than Li Huowang.
Li Huowang instantly understood what was going on.
The Sitting Oblivion Dao had long infiltrated Xing Island. He finally realized the mastermind of the bizarre encounter.
Just as gravity brought Li Huowang down, he took out the bronze coin sword and slashed out while chanting an incantation.
The red threads around the bronze coins extended rapidly like a whip and wrapped around a pillar. Li Huowang tugged, and he was propelled toward "Li Huowang" like a cannonball.
"Li Huowang" remained motionless as if he were too stunned to move.
Li Huowang's heart skipped a beat when his bronze coin sword pierced "Li Huowang."
There was no feedback at all—it felt like he had struck nothing but air.
Then, "Li Huowang" pulled out his own sword and thrust upward.
Li Huowang was stunned to see blood at the tip of "Li Huowang's" sword.
Li Huowang's abdomen was struck by a wave of sharp pain, and he was horrified to discover that "Li Huowang" could use his own projection ability!
The revelation made Li Huowang cast the same projection ability to escape, but he couldn't move an inch. Li Huowang realized it just then; the Sitting Oblivion Dao had used some method to deceive him and take away his projection ability.
Li Huowang had fought quite a few members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, but none of them had such a bizarre ability. In other words, there was a high chance that "Li Huowang" could be one of the Four Joys or perhaps even one of the Three Officials!
Li Huowang dared not to hold back. He gouged his right eye and squeezed it hard. A grotesque noise echoed as a semi-transparent liquid oozed from between his fingernails.
A strange light beyond human perception replaced the world before Li Huowang, and everything slowed down to a snail's pace. Li Huowang took advantage of this opportunity to remove the sword sticking out of his abdomen.
"Li Huowang" had somehow deceived Li Huowang's ability away from him, so the latter knew that he couldn't let himself be led astray.
Li Huowang took out the flint and got ready to execute a major move. Unfortunately, Li Huowang's fleshly body refused to ignite, and that was when he recalled that he had peeled off his skin to create an artifact.
He no longer had any skin to Ba-Hui.
"Li Huowang's" movement was about to return to normal speed, and the sight made Li Huowang's heart skip a beat. Left with no other choice, he took out a blackened iron piers and stuffed it into his mouth.
He decisively pulled out a few molar teeth, and he scattered them like flower petals.
Li Huowang was aware of his projection ability's range, which was three meters. He made sure to take that into account as he attacked with his teeth. Li Huowang willed, and his teeth exploded, raining shrapnels made out of teeth toward "Li Huowang."
"Li Huowang" couldn't even defend himself as the shrapnel transformed him into a sieve. Unfortunately, "Li Huowang" remained standing without any signs of collapsing despite his severe injuries.
Li Huowang's heart tightened, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. He pressed the wound in his stomach and realized that "Li Huowang" had deceived his powerful healing ability away.
His ability is too bizarre and tricky. What should I do? Li Huowang's heart sank as "Li Huowang" glared fiercely at him.
1. A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid, or grains such as rice, as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead. ?
Chapter 391 - Li Huowang
Li Huowang had no idea what to do as he stared at "Li Huowang" before him. He was afraid of engaging with "Li Huowang" for even the briefest moment, as there was a huge chance that "Li Huowang" would deceive his other abilities away.
Li Huowang reckoned that the only way to deal with "Li Huowang" was the Cang-Qiang Ascension, but he had no time to find extreme mental agony, considering that the enemy was already in front of him.
No, I can't fight under such uncertain circumstances. I need to retreat and find Zhuge Yuan! Li Huowang thought. Having made up his mind, he decisively severed both of his ears and hurled it at "Li Huowang."
Then, he turned around and ran.
The morning fog that had enveloped the bamboo forest had thinned out. Li Huowang ran with all his might in one direction. Li Huowang gnashed his teeth and used another bone to cast divination while running.
Li Huowang didn't care whether divination would lead him to Zhuge Yuan or not. He also didn't care, even if casting divination meant that he would be snitching on himself, as those two outcomes would help Li Huowang escape!
Li Huowang just had to find Zhuge Yuan.
Zhuge Yuan was strong enough to kill Fa Cai, so Li Huowang was convinced that he would be safe the moment he found Zhuge Yuan.
Just then, a donkey cart appeared before Li Huowang. The donkey was old, but it wasn't having any issues pulling its passengers—a mother and daughter pair.
"Benefactor?" The woman's eyes widened upon seeing the disheveled Li Huowang.
"Someone's chasing me! Help me hide!" Li Huowang exclaimed, diving into the donkey cart without waiting for her reply.
The woman had no idea what to do, and she was still in the middle of processing Li Huowang's words when "Li Huowang" emerged from the nearby bamboo forest.
"Did you see someone who looked exactly like me?!"
The woman became flustered in the face of "Li Huowang."
However, her daughter lifted her hand and pointed in a random direction.
"How dare he run away!"
"Li Huowang" soon disappeared.
The woman hugged her daughter tightly and peeked into the tarp.
Li Huowang was pressing on his wound, and he sighed in relief upon seeing the mother and daughter pair.
"Thank you for your help. I will remember your kindness," Li Huowang said. He truly didn't expect that his generosity at the time would end up saving his life.
The woman shook her head and said, "Benefactor, you saved my daughter on the ship, so helping you is the right thing to do. Ah, you're bleeding, sir. You should seek medical attention soon."
Li Huowang shook his head and took out the Fiery Scripture.
"Forget I'm here. Go ahead and continue down your original route," Li Huowang said.
The woman nodded and covered Li Huowang with the tarp. Then, she held her daughter in a tight embrace and urged the old donkey to walk faster.
Li Huowang proceeded to cauterize his wounds.
After a while, the cart suddenly stopped.
Li Huowang's heart skipped a beat. He peeked out of the trap and saw "Li Huowang," and the latter was holding a cracked skull. Somehow, "Li Huowang" had obtained Li Huowang's divination technique and had used it against the latter!
Li Huowang took a deep breath and jumped down the cart. He stood in front of the donkey cart and shouted at the woman. "Run! The farther, the better!"
The woman glanced at the two Li Huowangs before staring at her terrified daughter.
A flash of determination fleeted across her eyes as she abandoned the donkey cart that she had just purchased and ran into the bamboo forest with her daughter and some of her belongings.
Li Huowang took multiple deep breaths. "Li Huowang" opened his mouth and was about to say something when a peculiar sound echoed. The two Li Huowangs turned to look at where the sound had come from at the same time.
Li Huowang was instantly delighted upon seeing the newcomer—Zhuge Yuan!
Zhuge Yuan was dressed like a scholar and was fanning himself casually while staring with an amused gaze at the two Li Huowangs.
Li Huowang's mouth fluttered open to speak, but "Li Huowang" beat him to the chase, shouting. "Zhuge! I'm Li Huowang, and he's a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao!"
Li Huowang almost choked at "Li Huowang's" remark.
He didn't want to say the same thing, so he decided to just stare at Zhuge Yuan.
"Zhuge Yuan, you're strong enough to kill Fa Cai by yourself. Surely, you can see the real member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao between the two of us, right?" Li Huowang said.
Zhuge Yuan nodded and asked, "Did you bring the spindle with a Muddled One's hair around it?"
"Of course! It's with me!" Li Huowang opened his abdomen and took out the black spindle. However, he truly had no idea that the black hair around the spindle was a clump of hair from a Muddled One. If Zhuge Yuan hadn't said it himself, Li Huowang would have never known about it.
Li Huowang grinned while staring at "Li Huowang." It seems they have no idea that I've stored something in my abdomen. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
Li Huowang put away the spindle and looked at Zhuge Yuan, saying, "Zhuge Yuan, be careful. That guy has the bizarre ability to deceive other people's techniques away for his own use."
"Say no more. I know," Zhuge Yuan said. He put his fan away and took out a brush from his sleeves.
Li Huowang stared intently at Zhuge Yuan. He wanted to know just how strong Zhuge Yuan was. After all, he managed to kill Fa Cai.
"Li Huowang" took a step back and Li Huowang sneered at the sight. So he's finally afraid? How dare he imitate me.
Zhuge Yuan nodded at Li Huowang before pointing his brush at Li Huowang's left leg.
Li Huowang fell to the ground. He could no longer feel his left leg. Li Huowang was shocked, and he couldn't quite believe what was going on.
However, Zhuge Yuan raised the brush once again.
Li Huowang finally realized that Zhuge Yuan had decided to attack him.
"It's not me! That one is the enemy! He's a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao!" Li Huowang shouted, and his voice cracked from fury and bitterness. Zhuge Yuan had just betrayed him, after all.
Zhuge Yuan pointed his brush at Li Huowang, and the latter could no longer feel his lower body.
"You liar!" Li Huowang roared defiantly, "So your kindness has been a lie all this while?! You've actually been working for the Sitting Oblivion Dao all this while?!"
Zhuge Yuan smiled and ignored Li Huowang's accusation.
He pointed his brush at Li Huowang's neck.
"No! I can't die! They're waiting for me! I can't die here!" Li Huowang roared and squirmed.
Zhuge Yuan decisively drew a circle around Li Huowang's head with his brush. A dull thud echoed as Li Huowang ceased all struggle and collapsed. The black spindle fell out of Li Huowang's clothes, and it rolled slowly toward Zhuge Yuan's feet.
Zhuge Yuan used a white handkerchief to pick up the bloody spindle before handing it over to "Li Huowang."
"Li Huowang" stuffed the black spindle into his abdomen and approached Li Huowang's corpse. He whipped out a dagger and peeled off Li Huowang's face.
"Li Huowang" peeled and peeled until Li Huowang's face was replaced by the bearded bald man, who was the best leaf card player on that passenger ship and had unfortunately met his demise in the depths of the sea.
"Senior Zhuge, I think that Sitting Oblivion Dao member really thought he was me."
Chapter 392 - Zhuge Yuan
"Senior Zhuge, I think that Sitting Oblivion Dao member really thought he was me." Li Huowang said, looking up at Zhuge Yuan. He truly didn't expect that the Sitting Oblivion Dao member could steal his black spindle and weapon. To make matters worse, he had perfectly impersonated Li Huowang.
He must've made his move when I was stuck in the hallucination underwater. Perhaps he was the one who wanted to make sure that I'd get stuck in the hallucination!
Li Huowang recalled seeing a childish middle-aged man inside the White Tower Prison. Li Huowang was convinced that the childish middle-aged man was the persona of the Sitting Oblividion Dao, who had imitated him in real life.
"I also saw someone else while we were inside the belly of that monster! Perhaps that man had been waiting for you in the belly of that monster," the monk said, reminding Li Huowang of what he had seen.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Hong Zhong clicked his tongue as he walked up to the corpse. Then, he imitated the old monk's prayer to corpses and walked in circles around the corpse.
Everything was over, and Li Huowang had an explanation as to how the Sitting Oblivion Dao member had managed to impersonate him.
However, why did he decide to impersonate Li Huowang? Wouldn't his plan fail if Li Huowang had encountered "Li Huowang"?
Zhuge Yuan unfurled his fan, attracting Li Huowang's attention.
Li Huowang saw the same four words on the paper fan—"everyone has their values."
"No need to worry. They're here for me. They don't dare to approach me without any disguises, so they decided to use your identity to get close to me. Their plan would have worked if you hadn't arrived here in time," Zhuge Yuan said.
Zhuge Yuan then turned around to leave. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Li Huowang picked up his belongings and followed behind Zhuge Yuan. "I'm sorry. If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't be facing such issues right now."
Li Huowang was truly caught off guard by Zhuge Yuan's revelation. The fact that the Sitting Oblivion Dao's target wasn't Li Huowang himself was a bit of a hard pill to swallow for the latter, as both the Sitting Oblivion Dao and he had always butted heads whenever they stumbled upon each other.
Zhuge Yuan smiled faintly at Li Huowang's apology and replied, "Don't worry. This isn't the first time, so I've gotten used to it. They've been harassing me nonstop since I killed Fa Cai."
Li Huowang looked and saw the corpse vanishing in the morning fog. He imagined the entire Sitting Oblivion Dao chasing after him, and he instantly felt suffocated. The Sitting Oblivion Dao members could replace anyone around him, after all.
Li Huowang turned around and looked at Zhuge Yuan. Zhuge Yuan seemed to be doing fine despite the Sitting Oblivion Dao's quest for revenge. In other words, Zhuge Yuan was exceptionally strong.
He must be stronger than Dan Yangzi! No, he must be even stronger than Dan Yangzi, even though the latter has become a half-immortal.
While Li Huowang was deep in contemplation, Zhuge Yuan frowned at Li Huowang's torso and said, "Junior Li, there seems to be something alive inside you. Should I take it out for you?"
Li Sui's tentacles riddled with eyeballs poked out from Li Huowang's belly button and cast a curious look at Zhuge Yuan.
Li Huowang shoved the tentacles back into his belly button and said, "Don't worry. It's just a Black Taisui. He's taking over my body, but he's the only one capable of suppressing my hallucination."
"I see. I think I've read about that once, but it's my first time seeing someone actually employ such a method," Zhuge Yuan said, nodding. Then, he recalled something and asked, "Wait, did you remove the first Black Taisui in your stomach and eat another one?"
Li Huowang was confused by the question, but he still responded, "I did think of doing that, but I want to keep it as a last resort."
"Don't ever do it. I've read that you will suffer a miserable death if you do that."
Li Huowang was delighted by Zhuge Yuan's news. Otherwise, Li Huowang would have perished without knowing how he had perished. The incident had allowed the two to become even closer to each other.
Their stroll became one of the rare moments in Li Huowang's life when he didn't have to worry about someone trying to kill him. The two strolled for an hour before they arrived at an elegant two-story building. The building was completely green, and the dark green bamboo forest provided a great camouflage for it.
In addition, the entire building was sticking out of the ground, which meant its pillars were hidden underground.
"I hope you don't mind stepping into my simple abode," Zhuge Yuan said, pushing the door open and gesturing to Li Huowang to come in.
The building had no locks, but Li Huowang knew that there was no way a thief could come in here. The interior also emitted a scholarly vibe; there were caricatures, paintings, and poems hanging on the walls.
Li Huowang could tell that every single painting was one of a kind. A certain painting caught Li Huowang's eyes: a painting depicting a white sedan chair being carried by four yellow skeletons. A white weasel holding a white lantern was standing at the helm and was guiding the sedan bearers down the right path.
The majority of the paintings were portraits of human beings, and there were portraits of men, women, elderly people, and children.
It seems that Zhuge Yuan enjoys painting portraits of other people; the paintings are very realistic as well.
Zhuge Yuan sat on a cushion and prepared some tea. "Junior Li, what type of tea would you like? Mountain's Essence? How about Gentleman's Silver?"
"I'm fine with either," Li Huowang said as he sat across from Zhuge Yuan to watch him prepare tea.
Li Huowang had many burning questions, but he didn't want to interrupt Zhuge Yuan.
Li Huowang decided to wait patiently and watch. Of course, he had no idea what Zhuge Yuan was doing, but Li Huowang could feel that Zhuge Yuan was doing something that required focus and true skill.
"Thrice-brewed Gentlemen's Silver. The tea leaves on Xing Island are excellent, but the water here is ordinary, so I hope you won't mind the taste."
Li Huowang took a sip and realized that Zhuge Yuan had put away the utensils he had used to make tea, replacing them with a game board. The board was for a game called Go[1].
Li Huowang didn't even bother waiting for Zhuge Yuan's explanation as he placed a black stone on the board. "Senior Zhuge, why did you help me? Are you a Strayed One like me?"
Li Huowang's heart beat wildly against his chest as he waited for Zhuge Yuan's reply.
Zhuge Yuan placed a white stone on the board and answered, "No, even though both of us have the word 'One,' I am not a Strayed One. I'm a Twisted One."
"You're a Twisted One?" Li Huowang asked, sounding disappointed. While he was on the passenger ship to Xing Island, Li Huowang had pondered over the matter and concluded that Zhuge Yuan was a Strayed One.
Li Huowang was disappointed, as he knew his life would become much easier if there were a powerful senior guiding him in this crazy world. At the very least, he wouldn't have to risk his life so often.
Li Huowang sighed, but he was still curious, so he asked, "Twisted? What does that mean?"
Zhuge Yuan made sure that the tea leaves wouldn't enter his mouth as he took a sip of his tea before replying, "Washing the windowsill during a good day; one will find the snake and the earthworm twisted together in the soil. The Twisted One's character is using the very same character as the 'Twisted' snake and earthworm[2]. Junior Li, it's your turn."
1. A game where players have to surround the pieces of others using their own pieces ☜
2. He's basically flexing by reciting a poem and telling Li Huowang what character of 'Twisted' was it. Man, this guy would be best friends with Jin Shanzhao ☜
Chapter 393 - Really?
Li Huowang placed down a black piece and pondered over Zhuge Yuan's words before asking, "Twisted? What does that mean?"
Li Huowang was a Strayed One himself. He had witnessed the powers of a Muddled One, but it was his first time hearing of a Twisted One.
Zhuge Yuan shook his head slightly at Li Huowang's clumsy play. He placed a white piece on the board and replied, "The word 'twisted' means that my life is forever twisted with the existence of the Three Ancient Ones. I cannot escape from them even if I were to live or die."
"What are the Three Ancient Ones?" asked Li Huowang, placing another black piece.
Zhuge Yuan smiled and pointed upward with his fan. Li Huowang instantly understood what Zhuge Yuan was trying to say. After all, he could still remember the beings hidden deep within his memories.
"Junior Li, it's not that I don't want to tell you. It's dangerous to know too much of a particular knowledge. You can't make too many mistakes in life as well," Zhuge Yuan said, placing another white piece on the board.
Zhuge Yuan's implied message was clear: the Three Ancient Ones meant one of the Simings inside the Baiyu Capital. Zhuge Yuan didn't dare to utter the name of the Siming.
"I understand," Li Huowang muttered with a nod.
Silence descended upon the room, and only the chirping of the birds could be heard.
Zhuge Yuan's head throbbed at the messy board.
Li Huowang suddenly asked, "Thank you for answering my questions, Senior Zhuge. However, may I know why you are helping me even though you're not a Strayed One?"
The question had been gnawing away at his mind over the past few days, and he had finally asked it.
"Why do you ask?" Zhuge Yuan was surprised. "Our previous encounter was brief, but saving a life is still a noble thing to do. I can't just look at you throwing your life away for nothing. Your bronze coin veil is useless to those who are stronger, too."
"Is that all there is to it?" Li Huowang asked, sounding. He had been thinking about why Zhuge Yuan had decided to help him, which was why he was taken aback when Zhuge Yuan's motive wasn't as deep as he initially thought.
"Why do you think otherwise? My help isn't limited to those with 'One' in them, but those with 'Spirit' or 'Illusion' as well. If I can help, I'm going to help."
Is he trying to fool me? Just what does he want? Li Huowang thought, but he quickly abandoned the idea. Li Huowang's status as a Strayed One was the reason he was being chased. If Zhuge Yuan didn't want him for that, there wouldn't be any compelling reasons behind why he had decided to help him.
"Junior Li, did you travel all the way here just to ask me that question?" Zhuge Yuan asked, sounding perplexed.
"No, I'm here to ask for help," said Li Huowang. Then, he sat up straight and told Zhuge Yuan that he was chasing after Bei Feng.
Zhuge Yuan was kind and helpful to him, but Li Huowang wasn't the type of person to exploit someone's kindness. Li Huowang decided to propose a solution that would benefit them both.
"Senior Zhuge, you don't have to do anything. Since the Sitting Oblivion Dao is hunting you. Bei Feng will come to you soon. You just need to keep me close so I can fight them, too!"
Zhuge Yuan's hand holding a white piece in mid-air froze abruptly.
Li Huowang saw that and added, "Senior Zhuge, don't worry. I'm not going to leave immediately, even after I've achieved my goal. I'll help you with your problem first before leaving.
"Is it because you're unsure of my strength? I'm not as strong as you, but I know quite a few techniques from the Ao Jing Sect.
"I even managed to perform the Cang-Qiang Ascension three times, even though it's the hardest technique to perform! Even half-Immortals will not be able to withstand my Cang-Qiang Ascension!"
Zhuge Yuan raised his hand and gestured for the anxious Li Huowang to calm down.
"Junior Li, calm down. I never disagreed with your suggestion, but there are several things we should consider before anything else. First of all, you said you wanted to fight with me, but do you even know what I'm about to do?"
Li Huowang was stunned. "You mean you're not done yet even after taking away that Muddled One from the temple?"
Zhuge Yuan definitely had a reason for stealing the Muddled One. If he still hadn't resolved that despite his strength, the issue had to be particularly difficult.
Zhuge Yuan peered over Li Huowang's shoulder, and his gaze landed on one of the scrolls hanging behind Li Huowang.
It was a scroll depicting a beautiful mountain with a lake.
A dried-up corpse was in the middle of the mountain.
"I'm strong enough to kill Fa Cai, but those with the words 'One' will struggle fiercely to survive. The fate of foreign beings has tainted us. It's difficult, indeed.
"I'm about to embark on a suicide mission, and the Sitting Oblivion Dao is going to interfere with me from time to time. Junior Li, it is exceedingly dangerous, and you'd most likely perish. Are you sure it's worth it?"
"Of course, it's worth it!" Li Huowang exclaimed. He didn't even ask what Zhuge Yuan wanted him to do. "As long as I can get rid of my bewilderment and the hallucination, everything is going to be worth it!"
Zhuge Yuan took a sip of the tea, which had cooled down long ago.
"All right, let's talk about the second thing. Bei Feng is indeed a Strayed One, and he has indeed gotten rid of his hallucination. However, how can you be so sure that his method is going to be suitable for you?
"He's a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, after all. Perhaps he had deceived it away from someone else, and there's also a high chance that the method is evil. Do you intend to cultivate it even if that were the case?"
Li Huowang frowned. He downed his cup of tea, and he sounded bitter as he responded, "But what choice do I have? It doesn't matter what kind of technique it is, I have to see it for myself."
Zhuge Yuan went silent, seemingly falling into deep contemplation. "Hm, I remember reading about a Strayed One's technique ."
"What is that technique?" Li Huowang's heart beat wildly against his chest.
"The hallucination of a Strayed Ones is all thanks to the primordial breath running rampant inside of them. The book said that if the Strayed One can control their primordial breath, the hallucination might stop altogether."
"You've really read something like that?" Li Huowang needed it badly.
"I forgot some parts, but I think it's real."
"Why do you say so?"
"It's all because of the Sitting Oblivion Dao's consistency. I've always been wondering why the Sitting Oblivion Dao has always loved to torment Strayed Ones above anything else.
"They've never inflicted such torment on the Muddled Ones or the Twisted Ones, so at first, I thought perhaps there's a long-standing grudge between the Strayed Ones and the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
"However, the book gave me enough puzzle pieces to solve the puzzle. If the book contained nothing but the truth, then the cultivation methods of the Strayed Ones are directly opposite of the Sitting Oblivion Dao's cultivation methods. If that's the case, then the reason behind their hatred for the Strayed Ones can be explained."
"Directly opposite the Sitting Oblivion Dao's cultivation methods? They cultivate, too?"
"Of course. The crazy things they've been doing were for the sake of establishing lies as truth. There are many different cultivation paths in this world. There are even those who cultivate 'Ghosts,' 'Dao,' 'Evil,' and 'One.'
"The Sitting Oblivion Dao cultivates 'Lies.'"
"Wait, if they're cultivating 'Lies,' and the Strayed One's cultivation methods are directly opposite of their cultivation methods, then what is the cultivation path of the Strayed Ones?"
Zhuge Yuan didn't answer. Instead, he placed a white piece on the board. Li Huowang's gaze turned to the board, and he saw that the black pieces he had placed on the board had created a single character—Truth.
"They cultivate 'Truth'?"
Chapter 394 - Past
"They cultivate 'Truth'?" An epiphany struck Li Huowang, and he pondered deeply over the strange yet familiar term. He had read about what Zhuge Yuan was talking about in novels, but he knew that those novels were far from the truth.
If the Sitting Oblivion Dao is cultivating 'Lies,' and the Strayed Ones are cultivating 'Truth,' they're most likely each other's archenemies. That is indeed going to explain why they hate the Strayed Ones so much.
Li Huowang felt like the events he had gone through finally made sense. However, he had more burning questions rather than answered questions.
"Wait, wait, wait. Give me a moment to think about this, Senior Zhuge," Li Huowang said. Then, he closed his eyes to focus on recalling everything he had gone through.
Zhuge Yuan stared at Li Huowang, waiting patiently. Eventually, he put the Go board away and retrieved the utensils he had used to make tea.
Zhuge Yuan was soon finished brewing another pot of tea.
Li Huowang finally opened his eyes just then and asked, "Senior Zhuge, I don't think that's right. If the Sitting Oblivion Dao truly cultivates 'Lies,' it would explain why they want to turn something real into something fake.
"However, if Strayed Ones like me can cultivate 'Truth,' doesn't that mean that we can turn nothing into something out of thin air? I don't have any powers like that!"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course! Ever since I became a Strayed One, except for the illusions that I can't seem to get rid of, the only other power I got was the illusion projection!" Li Huowang exclaimed; he sounded very certain when it came to himself.
Li Huowang had been living in this bizarre world for more than a year now, so he had experienced many bizarre things, acquiring bizarre powers in the process. However, he had never obtained any powers related to the cultivation of 'Truth.'
If he had such a powerful power, he wouldn't have struggled so much. Li Huowang pondered deeply. He had to be extremely sure about anything capable of changing his life. In other words, he couldn't easily trust the words of other people.
"Senior Zhuge, are you sure that Strayed Ones can cultivate 'Truth'? Is there really a cultivation method that will allow us to do so?"
Zhuge Yuan pondered over it before answering, "I've read it in a book, but I'm not sure whether it's real or not. Based on my observations of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members, however, I'm certain that it's true.
"Plus, are you sure you've never experienced changing reality itself? As far as I know, anything can happen to the Strayed Ones. Perhaps you've done it before, but you simply failed to notice it. Why don't you try telling me everything that has happened to you so far? Perhaps I can point out what you might've overlooked."
Li Huowang thought about it hard and long before nodding. He decided to trust Zhuge Yuan. Zhuge Yuan already knew that he was a Strayed One, so he didn't really have anything to hide.
"Alright, let me tell you everything that has happened to me from the very beginning. Let's start from when I was in Zephyr Temple. I met an evil cultivator named Dan Yangzi. He was illiterate, but he somehow obtained a sacred text that made him yearn for immortality to the point of..."
Beneath the elegant bamboo eaves, Li Huowang slowly recounted his experience over the past year.
Li Huowang had experienced a lot and thought he would be speaking for a very long time. He even thought that he would talk overnight, but Zhuge Yuan stopped him when he was talking about the Benevolent Nunnery.
"Junior Li, look at this. Is this the pill recipe you told your master, Dan Yangzi, to eat?" Zhuge Yuan said, handing over a piece of paper filled with text.
Li Huowang couldn't appreciate calligraphy, but he could appreciate Zhuge Yuan's neat handwriting. The pill recipe he had given to Dan Yangzi was recorded on it, while the cultivation method to become an Immortal was written below the recipe.
Li Huowang looked at it and nodded. "Yep. This is it. What about it?"
Zhuge Yuan's calm voice rose a bit as he replied, "What do you mean, 'what about it?' Your pill recipe is like how you play Go—it's extremely messy. You really thought your recipe would help your master become a half Immortal?"
"Yeah, but I'm curious as well. Why did Dan Yangzi become—" Li Huowang stopped mid-sentence, and his eyes widened upon realizing something. "Are you saying that I used my power as a Strayed One to help Dan Yangzi ascend? No way. I hated him to the core, so I couldn't have helped him!" Li Huowang affirmed.
"However, Dan Yangzi still ascended. Junior Li, I want you to think about it. What was in your stomach at the time?"
"My stomach? Half of Dan Yangzi's face—" Li Huowang came to a halt mid-sentence, discovering the missing puzzle piece to complete the puzzle.
Zhuge Yuan nodded and took the words out of Li Huowang's mouth. "That's right. Even though he only had half a face, he was still alive! His flesh was within your stomach. He had used his obsession to become an Immortal and your powers to ascend!"
Li Huowang blanked out. Every single burning question in his mind was answered at once. He had never thought that he was the reason behind Dan Yangzi's ascension to immortality.
"See, what did I say? " Zhuge Yuan said, "A third party can easily spot something wrong within the narrative. Your master used a very crude method to do so, and he ended up becoming that abomination. However, he still became a half Immortal.
"Even if you don't quite understand it right now, I'm sure you're smart enough to know that he had used your powers to become a half Immortal. In other words, the Strayed Ones can indeed transform lies into the truth."
Li Huowang had no idea what to say in the face of the truth. As a Strayed One, he knew he had a strange power, but he truly didn't expect that he would be so clueless about it.
Wait! Aside from when I had inadvertently helped Dan Yangzi become a half Immortal, have I ever used this power unconsciously?
Li Huowang tried hard to recall anything strange from his experiences, but he had no idea which was real, and which was born from his power.
What's real? Li Huowang pondered.
Zhuge Yuan unfurled his fan and said, "Aside from your pursuit of Bei Feng for that method, I'm sure you have other plans, right?"
Li Huowang nodded seriously. "Thank you for your help, Senior Zhuge! Your words have allowed me to see that I have one more path to choose. However, how should I cultivate the 'Truth'? How should I take control of my primordial breath?"
"Hmm..." Zhuge Yuan wasn't sure as well. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that. All I know about it was from a book, and I can't really remember the details because it's been so long..."
Chapter 395 - Storyteller
Li Huowang understood what Zhuge Yuan was trying to say.
Zhuge Yuan was trying to tell Li Huowang that there were other methods to deal with his situation rather than risking his life by staying by Zhuge Yuan's side just to lure Bei Feng out.
But I don't know how to use my abilities even though Zhuge Yuan told me that I can cultivate 'Truth.' I don't even know where to find any books or scrolls describing it. What should I do?
Zhuge Yuan noticed Li Huowang's distress and consoled the latter. "No worries. I will help you on my end by paying attention to any news about it. If I do hear anything, I'll let you know immediately."
Zhuge Yuan's leisurely attitude made Li Huowang feel anxious. He felt like Zhuge Yuan couldn't sense Li Huowang's desperation.
Maybe he will understand if I show him. Li Huowang showed Zhuge Yuan his arm covered in scabs. He used his purple-tassel sword and shaved off his skin, revealing his blood vessels underneath.
Numerous black tentacles wriggled inside each of his blood vessels. Some wormed their way out of the weaker walls of the capillaries like maggots.
"Senior Zhuge, I want to take it slow, too, but I don't have any time left. The Black Taisui can suppress my hallucinations, but it's taking over me. I don't know how much longer I can hold it back, but I really don't have much time.
"The Black Taisui would snatch away my body if I were to take it slow. I must cultivate 'Truth' as soon as possible."
Li Sui's sobbing echoed in Li Huowang's brain. Li Sui seemed to have learned how to express sadness.
The scene was gory, but Li Huowang had to make it clear to Zhuge Yuan. The search for the cultivation method to cultivate 'Truth' was indeed a tempting idea, but Bei Feng was just right in front of them.
Li Huowang also couldn't let go of Bei Feng so easily.
Li Huowang inwardly consoled the crying Li Sui while staring at Zhuge Yuan's face.
"I also think that Bei Feng has a cultivation method for cultivating 'Truth.'"
Zhuge Yuan remained indecisive, fanning himself as he said, "Do you really have to do this? You're only going to have hallucinations without the Black Taisui. That's the worst that can happen. You're not even going to die, so why are you so anxious?"
Li Huowang's pupils widened when he recalled that scene. "You don't know what I've gone through! I know it's a hallucination, but I'd rather die than get stuck in that hallucination again! I want to be able to tell which is real and which is fake!"
The bamboo building went quiet afterward.
The two of them sat silently, seemingly pondering over something.
A bird landed on the window sill and pecked it before leaving.
"All right, since you need it urgently, let's bait out the Sitting Oblivion Dao. They might attack me soon, so you can just follow me.
"Thank you for your help, Senior Zhuge!" Li Huowang exclaimed, extremely pleased with the outcome. He had achieved one of his objectives and found a reliable ally as well. Bei Feng was strong, but he and Zhuge Yuan could fight Bei Feng together.
Li Huowang was never going to stop until he acquired the method to get rid of the hallucinations from Bei Feng.
Zhuge Yuan sighed inwardly in the face of Li Huowang's delighted face. He had decided to agree, as Li Huowang would most likely follow him secretly, anyway even if he had refused.
Zhuge Yuan would rather agree than allow Li Huowang to follow him secretly. In addition, they could communicate better, as they had decided to work together.
Zhuge Yuan also found Li Huowang to be quite pitiful. After all, everyone with the word 'One' was bound to live a challenging life.
"Relax, Junior Li. Since you've decided to follow me, I have to tell you what I'm about to do. This way, you won't be surprised by what's going to happen."
"Sure, tell me!" Li Huowang replied, ears perking up to listen attentively. He really wanted to know why Zhuge Yuan had taken a Muddled One away from the Surveillance Bureau.
Zhuge Yuan took a sip of his tea and said, "Junior Li, I'm sure you've noticed that things are getting chaotic. It feels like something big is going to happen soon, right?"
Zhuge Yuan was right. Li Huowang did feel like something big was about to happen, and he could still remember seeing that colossal navy ship at sea. Ji Xiang's departure from Shangjing to hide elsewhere had been nagging at him as well.
"That's true, but I don't think what's going to happen is related to me."
"Sigh," Zhuge Yuan sighed. It's all because of the royal family. I heard that the Empress of the Qi Kingdom had decided to revive the late emperor, who perished when he was just six years old. She apparently did that to solidify her power.
"Hahaha, the absolute leader of the Qi Kingdom is actually a zombie. What a joke." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
Qi Kingdom? Didn't the Qi Kingdom fall to ruin hundreds of years ago? Isn't it the Liang Kingdom now? Maybe he thought the Liang Kingdom had annexed the Qi Kingdom, and he's used to calling it the Qi Kingdom. Li Huowang was confused.
Zhuge Yuan failed to notice Li Huowang's confusion as he continued, "That's not all. A skinny camel is still larger than a horse. The Qi Kingdom is slowly inching to ruins, but it's still a massive kingdom that few can afford to invade.
"Unfortunately, the officials of the Qi Kingdom have become corrupt. I don't know what method they used, but they managed to bestow upon the late emperor a 'fake' consciousness, and the late emperor came to life, giving out decrees.
'It even chose concubines. Let's ignore the fact that he's dead and think about his age. He's just six years old. Why would he need a concubine? He even specifically chose concubines born on the Yin year, Yin month, and Yin hour.
"I asked my friends to help me gather information and was shocked to find that the emperor was not only taking in concubines but also conscripting many men.
"Now that I think about it, it's been such a long time since there was such a massive conscription. I don't think it's necessary to conscript so many people just to fix the walls, so I think the emperor wants to build a tomb!"
"A tomb?" Li Huowang couldn't comprehend what Zhuge Yuan was saying. As far as he could remember, Zhuge Yuan's revelation had never happened, especially the mass conscription.
Zhuge Yuan ignored Li Huowang's confusion and added, "A zombie emperor, concubines born on the Yin year, Yin month, and Yin hour. Then, a tomb. Think about it: something grand and serious is about to happen."
Zhuge Yuan poured out the cold tea inside Li Huowang's cup and replaced it with hot tea.
"The officials have taken control of the palace, and they've collaborated with the Righteous Monastery. They've fallen into depravity and are infecting the entire capital with their corruption.
"Thankfully, there are still some righteous people within the palace. I'm just an ordinary storyteller, so I initially had no plans of getting involved.
"However, I realized that the lives of so many people would be at risk if I were to avoid getting involved. I can't afford to ignore it. That's why I took away that Muddled One and asked an old friend of mine to turn it into an artifact capable of wiping out memories. That artifact is going to be an important tool for me."
Li Huowang stared intently at Zhuge Yuan, but he hadn't been listening at all.
I thought the Twisted Ones were somewhat better off, but it seems that we have some similarities. The Twisted Ones, the Strayed Ones, and the Muddled Ones all have their own distinct abilities, and we also have our distinct curses.
Chapter 396 - Two Blooming Flowers
"Senior Zhuge, please wait." Li Huowang interrupted Zhuge Yuan. "I know what you're trying to say. You don't have to explain it any further."
Zhuge Yuan was confused. "Junior Li, do you really understand me? Those who have heard my explanation so far have always told me that the Qi Kingdom doesn't exist. They'd always argue with me."
"Since you say that the Qi Kingdom exists, then it exists."
Li Huowang was a Strayed One, so he truly understood Zhuge Yuan's feelings. He wholeheartedly accepted Zhuge Yuan's explanation. There was no need to cause distress to another person with 'One' in their name.
Zhuge Yuan frowned, sensing that Li Huowang didn't believe him at all. "Junior Li, the Twisted Ones and the Strayed Ones are two different entities. The Qi Kingdom exists! The Liang Kingdom is fake!"
"Yes, I know. The Liang Kingdom is fake. The Qi Kingdom is real." Li Huowang nodded. He made up his mind that even if Zhuge Yuan were to go and save the Qi Kingdom from ruins, even though the kingdom was no more, Li Huowang would still follow Zhuge Yuan.
Zhuge Yuan was kind, and Li Huowang was more than happy to help him.
Of course, there was a limit to it.
After all, the Twisted Ones' curse was related to a Siming inside Baiyu Capital. Li Huowang wasn't sure what Heavenly Dao was under the Three Ancient Ones' control, but he was sure that he couldn't do much about it with his meager power.
His current goal was to help Zhuge Yuan fight the Sitting Oblivion Dao and track down Bei Feng.
"Why won't you believe me? The book explaining how the Strayed Ones can cultivate the 'Truth' is located in a library somewhere in the capital of the Qi Kingdom. Come, let me tell you the history of the Qi Kingdom."
"Senior Zhuge, you don't have to do that," Li Huowang hurriedly said. He had to stop Zhuge Yuan, or the latter might speak for three days and nights straight. feared that it would take three days and nights to fully explain it. "You just need to tell me where we should go, what we should do, and who we should kill. I'll follow your orders."
Zhuge Yuan relented upon seeing Li Huowang's determined look. Of course, he was a bit sad at the rejection. "Junior Li, you must not stop learning throughout your life. The sea of knowledge is boundless, and all past scholars only had one regret—the fact that they haven't read enough."
Li Huowang had no idea what to say, but he finally understood why Zhuge Yuan had the moniker—Storyteller.
"If the officials and eunuchs are truly causing havoc in the palace of the Qi Kingdom. I don't think we should discuss that here, Zhuge Yuan."
"Fine. There's still time. I can just tell you as we travel." Zhuge Yuan stood up and took some of the paintings on the wall. "Follow me to the capital, where we'll meet the Imperial Preceptor."
"All right," Li Huowang said. Then, he stood up and helped Zhuge Yuan take some of the paintings.
"Senior Zhuge, you said that Dan Yangzi had used his obsession and my power to become a half Immortal. Doesn't that mean that I can use that power, too?" Li Huowang asked.
"Of course, the Strayed Ones can use that power. Why do you think others resort to trickery just to capture them? That's exactly the reason why. They're afraid of the Strayed Ones' power.
"However, I think you shouldn't think about wielding your primordial breath for now. You're just going to harm yourself without the proper technique to wield it. Or what? Do you want to become a half Immortal like your master?"
Li Huowang went silent when he remembered Dan Yangzi's three heads. No one deserved to live such a life, even his enemies. Li Huowang had decided to wield the Profound Records rather than attempt to use his powers.
After all, the Profound Records was easier to use.
"Junior Li, I think you should still try to search for the cultivation method to cultivate the 'Truth.' I mean, think about the Muddled Ones. Unlike us, they have no choice, and most of them usually go crazy after using their powers haphazardly."
***
"Shit! There's no way I'm going to lose! One head and one tail! No way I'm losing here!"
"Two heads! I bet ten coins!"
"Two heads!"
"Shit! Get out of here! Stay away from me! Don't you dare steal my luck!"
A group of people raised a cacophonous din, betting their money away in a gambling den filled with the sweat of its patrons.
Some of the patrons were notorious gang members, and it wasn't really a strange sight. After all, where there was light, there was also darkness. Yinling City was prosperous, and there was a reason behind its prosperity.
Surprisingly, Sir Kui's gambling den was considered one of the cleanest gambling dens in the city.
"Anyone else? Anyone else who wants to place their bets? Bets are confirmed once you lift your hands off of the table!"
Lu Xiucai sat in the middle of the gambling den with a demeanor that made him appear as if he were a general heading to the front lines. His naive demeanor was no more and had been replaced by a demeanor hardly seen in someone his age.
Lu Xiucai chuckled as he swept his gaze across the tiny hill of coins and silver on the table. He made a seal with his right arm inside his sleeves and stomped with his right foot; the coins inside the bowl moved unbeknownst to everyone.
Everyone howled and sighed when the bowl was opened. The two coins inside the bowl were both tails, and it was coincidentally the outcome with the least bets.
A few unrelenting gamblers grabbed the coins and inspected them, but they found nothing strange with the coins. Lu Xiucai were using rusty coins, but they were ordinary coins.
"Shit! I can't believe my luck is so bad tonight! Guys, let's go to Sir Kui and borrow some money!"
Time passed slowly amidst the cacophonous din. Soon, the roosters crowed to greet the day, and the gamblers exited listlessly as if their souls had been sucked out of their fleshly bodies.
Lu Xiucai stood in front of a chubby man while counting the money he had earned overnight. He could only take forty percent of the revenue, but his share was already big enough to make Lu Xiucai happy.
"Sir Lu, this is your share."
"Thank you, Sir Kui!" Lu Xiucai exclaimed, eyes shining in greed as he happily accepted the money.
I really want to show Father just how much money I can earn overnight! This is more money than he can earn through performing for several days! Hmph! How dare he say I'm useless, even though he's a useless and senile old man.
Lu Xiucai was putting away his money into his two pouches when Sir Kui, the owner of the gambling den, advised, "Sir Lu, make sure to let them win from time to time. Let them win once every three or four rounds; that way they'll certainly come back."
"Sure, I'm going to do that next time," Lu Xiucai walked out of the gambling den with a spring in his steps. A few gangsters outside smiled at him and congratulated him.
Lu Xiucai seemed to be on good terms with the gangsters. He waved his arm and shouted, "Come here, let's go have breakfast! It's my treat today!"
The gangsters cheered at Lu Xiucai's words.
"Sir Lu truly is a righteous and generous man!"
"Sir Lu is the most generous man in Yinling City!"
"Of course! Who would dare to say otherwise?!"
Lu Xiucai felt like he was floating on cloud nine, and he couldn't suppress his grin.
This is how life is supposed to be! My previous life as a performer was almost like living as a prisoner!
Chapter 397 - Lu Xiucai
Lu Xiucai and the others happily walked into a restaurant for their breakfast.
Lu Xiucai didn't care, even though it was too early in the day—he ordered eight meat dishes. When the wine came, some of the smarter gangsters poured a glass of wine for Lu Xiucai.
Lu Xiucai drank it in one go and was greeted with cheers again.
The other customers cast contemptuous gazes upon them.
"Sir Lu has a great alcohol tolerance! Sir Lu is amazing!"
"Haha. I can't drink as much as Sir Lu. Would you be so kind as to give me pointers?"
"Hmph! This is nothing! When I was still hunting demons in Qing Qiu with Master Li Huowang, I could drink an entire jar of wine this high in one go!" Lu Xiucai replied.
"Sir Lu, tell us more about how you hunted demons with your master in Qing Qiu!"
"Okay, let me tell you that even though Qing Qiu looks safe on the outside, it's actually an extremely dangerous place with surging undercurrents! If it hadn't been for Master helping me, I would have died there!"
Lu Xiucai recounted everything that he had experienced in Qing Qiu while eating and drinking with the gangsters. Of course, most of the story had come from Puppy; Lu Xiucai recounted the story with him as the main character.
Amidst the cheers, Lu Xiucai's face turned bright red from the wine.
He was already slurring, but he felt that he could still drink more.
They indeed drank more and drank everything. Afterward, Lu Xiucai waved at the gangsters and said, "Let's go to the brothel! It's on me!"
Everyone cheered louder, and they were so loud that the roof was almost torn apart from the volume of their voice. The gangsters served Lu Xiucai, and some of them even almost recognized him as their foster father.
Lu Xiucai laughed with them, feeling an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.
It was already noon when Lu Xiucai walked out of the brothel, but he wasn't hungry at all. The brothel was famous for giving its customers donkey meat buns. Of course, even though Lu Xiucai wasn't hungry, he got a bit too busy, so he decided to go back to his accommodation and rest.
Lu Xiucai wasn't exactly the ideal tenant to the landlords, but Sir Kui had managed to find several landlords willing to accommodate Lu Xiucai.
Upon arriving at his accommodation, Lu Xiucai pushed the door open and saw a woman doing laundry next to the well. The woman seemed to be quite skillful at doing laundry.
Lu Xiucai had purchased the woman somewhere, and her name was Tao'er. Lu Xiucai had purchased her, as she wasn't that expensive because of her tiny hips and ordinary looks.
Lu Xiucai wanted to make her his wife, but he no longer wanted to touch her after his first visit to a brothel. Tao'er was like a log in bed, and she couldn't be compared to the accomplished prostitutes in a brothel.
Lu Xiucai was now treating her as a servant—her task was to clean the house, wash Lu Xiucai's clothes, and cook some meals for them to eat.
Lu Xiucai collapsed on the bed right away and snored away.
Tao'er stood up and used a wooden bucket to scoop out hot water that she had prepared beforehand. Then, she dipped a towel into the bucket and used it to wipe Lu Xiucai clean.
Afterward, Tao'er removed his socks and soaked his feet in the warm water. After a while, she covered Lu Xiucai with a blanket and even wrapped his pillow with clean clothes.
Night soon arrived, and Lu Xiucai finally woke up. He rubbed his groggy eyes, and his nose twitched upon catching a whiff of dinner. Lu Xiucai then rolled down the bed and made his way over to the table.
Tao'er could not sit with him while he ate, and she could only eat his leftovers.
Tonight's dinner was two vegetable dishes, a soup, and a fried egg. The vegetables were stir-fried with lard, and it was an extravagant meal that Lu Xiucai once only dreamed of eating, but now, he had long gotten tired of it.
Lu Xiucai drank a mouthful of the winter melon soup and wiped his mouth clean with his sleeves. He was ready to win some money in the gambling den. He had to go early, or he would be locked out of the gambling den due to curfew.
Lu Xiucai stood up and glanced at Tao'er. He was astonished to see blood on her trousers, and he became angry after the initial shock had passed.
"What the fuck is that?! What happened?! Who dared to touch my woman?! I'm going to kill him!" Lu Xiucai roared.
Tao'er shook her head and said softly, "No one. It's just that my period is heavier this month, and it leaked out."
"Period? I'm asking you about the blood on your trousers! What the fuck are you talking about?!" Lu Xiucai shouted.
Tao'er then told Lu Xiucai what she meant by "period," and Lu Xiucai learned for the first time that women would bleed every month.
"I see. It all makes sense now. No wonder my sister-in-law is always unwell for a few days every month. I asked her once, but she scolded me for asking..." Lu Xiucai muttered.
Lu Xiucai handed over some silver fragments at the bottom of his pouch to Tao'er before heading out. "Go and buy some meat for me. I'm not going to eat leaves anymore! I've been eating vegetables all my life!"
The majority of the gamblers in the city were heading to the gambling den as well. A curfew was in place, but they would be fine as long as they stayed in the gambling den for the whole night.
Lu Xiucai entered Sir Kui's gambling den and took out the five bronze coins that Li Huowang had given to him. He played with it in his hands and revealed a greedy grin. With his techniques, there was no way he would starve again.
When he was ready to go to his usual post, Sir Kui stopped him.
Lu Xiucai turned and noticed the dragon tattoo on Sir Kui's shoulder and arm.
"Sir Lu, don't worry about earning money for now. I have something to discuss with you."
The two walked into the small courtyard behind the gambling den.
A hotpot was prepared with mutton slices next to it.
Lu Xiucai sat down and immediately started eating. He hadn't eaten his fill at home, so he was quite hungry. "Is something wrong? Please tell me if there's anything wrong. You accepted me that day, so you're now my benefactor!"
Sir Kui chuckled and poured Lu Xiucai a cup of wine. "Sir Lu, I heard that you were once a disciple of a Daoist? Is it true?"
"Of course! In fact, Master Li Huowang is an Immortal! He could even reattach his head! Evil beings are nothing but appetizers to him!" Lu Xiucai exclaimed, slapping his chest proudly as if he were Li Huowang himself. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
"Since you are his disciple, you must be strong, too."
"Hehehe." Lu Xiucai took a slice of mutton and placed it in the hotpot. Once it was done cooking, he took it out and munched on it with a grin. "Somewhat. I'm roughly forty—no, sixty percent as strong as him!"
"Good! Youngsters nowadays are truly amazing! Impressive!"
Lu Xiucai smiled sheepishly. It was amazing to think that the infamous Sir Kui would treat him with so much respect. Sir Kui had stroked his ego so much that he was already thinking about bragging to his brothers tomorrow morning.
However, he failed to notice Sir Kui's slight frown.
"Sir Lu, I have a difficult problem. I wonder if you can help me with it. I actually have a sworn brother, but for some reason, he ended up getting possessed. I'm not sure whether it was because he was just unlucky or not, but he has gone crazy. Neither the monks nor the Daoists whom I managed to find for him could help him. If you can help me, I'll allow you to take eighty percent of my earnings here!"
Chapter 398 - Half-Immortal
Eighty percent commission?! That's double my current commission! Lu Xiucai exclaimed inwardly, and he even started drooling from greed at Sir Kui's proposal.
However, he calmed down quickly. After all, he had seen a fair share of evil beings from his travels with Li Huowang. He knew that there were weak and evil beings. Li Huowang had told him that the bronze coins could cut down evil beings, but Lu Xiucai had never tried it before.
Sir Kui sighed with disappointment upon seeing Lu Xiucai's conflicted expression.
"It's okay. I'm not going to force you. It's not something an ordinary person can resolve, anyway," Sir Kui said.
Sir Kui's words made Lu Xiucai feel insulted, and his brain came to a screeching halt as he immediately exclaimed, "Shit! I'm going to do it! It's either I die, or that evil being will die. Do you really think I'm afraid of evil beings?
"If Li Huowang can do it, I can do it, too!"
Lu Xiucai was still confident in his chances of escaping, and it was all thanks to the bronze coins.
"All right! I knew you were an amazing guy! Here, let me toast you!" Sir Kui exclaimed.
However, Lu Xiucai placed his cup on the table and copied what he had seen in a book. "Don't worry about the wine, Sir Kui. Allow me to savor it with you slowly once I've dealt with that evil being!"
Sir Kui grinned at Lu Xiucai's confidence, and he even gave a thumbs-up!
Lu Xiucai savored every moment. He truly didn't expect to one day experience what Li Huowang himself had gone through.
"All right, then. Let's go," Sir Kui said.
Lu Xiucai's confidence seemed to have vanished once he was inside the carriage. He felt anxious as he kept trying to recall what Li Huowang had done when they stumbled upon evil beings during their travels.
The cogs in Li Xiucai's brain desperately, but he couldn't remember anything relevant at all. After all, he had always been the first one to run and hide every time there was danger. If there was nowhere to hide, he would hide under the carriage, not daring to take even a peek until the danger had passed.
Lu Xiucai lampooned his past self when the carriage finally stopped.
Lu Xiucai looked around and saw that they were out of the city.
They were in a small town, but the utterly bizarre part was that every single house had no light. Lu Xiucai had no idea where he was, but he knew instinctively that this small town was most likely somewhere near Yinling City.
A massive mansion stood before them, and the size of the mansion alone made it clear that the owner wasn't an ordinary Tom, Dick, and Harry.
"Sir Lu, follow me. My friend is inside," said Sir Kui before knocking on the mansion's door.
A creaking noise echoed as the door was opened by an old man carrying a lantern.
Upon seeing Sir Kui's face, the old man quickly ushered in the two. The old man's frantic manner seemed as if he were afraid that something strange would follow them inside.
"Sanjin, he is...?"
"Uncle Fang, don't worry. He's one of my sworn brothers, and he's a Daoist!"
The old man cast a puzzled gaze at Lu Xiucai puzzlingly.
Lu Xiucai put on a cold facade, copying Li Huowang's demeanor.
"Sanjin!" someone shouted.
Lu Xiucai turned around and saw a group of people walking toward them.
A large-framed muscular man stood at the center of the group. He was wearing a silk brocade, and prayer beads were hanging on his neck. However, his bulging muscles made him look incompatible with his clothes.
The others weren't anywhere better, either. They all looked fierce and ruthless. If it hadn't been for the other houses near the mansion, Lu Xiucai would have thought that he had entered a bandit's den.
Kui Sanjin bowed slightly toward them and greeted the large-framed muscular man earnestly.
Lu Xiucai noticed that something was off. Who are they to Sir Kui? Why do I feel that they're not the type of people to establish legal businesses?
Lu Xiucai regretted coming here. To make matters worse, he was in a foreign place, and it was pitch-black outside.
Soon, Kui Sanjin introduced Lu Xiucai to the large-framed, muscular man.
"Sir Lu, he's Sir Zhao. His son was the one who got possessed," Kui Sanjin said.
Lu Xiucai stared deeply at the large-framed muscular man with a fierce demeanor. He was about to say something when Sir Zhao grabbed Lu Xiucai's hands and exclaimed, "You must be half-Immortal Lu Xiucai! Please save my son! He's the sole successor of my family!"
"Yes, yes, we can take our time discussing what happened," Lu Xiucai said, smiling. He truly loved seeing someone beg him for help, as it made him feel incredibly important.
"Half-Immortal Lu, we can't take our time. Please follow us! My son can't last any longer," Zhao Tianhu said, pulling Lu Xiucai into the depths of the mansion.
The mansion was large. Lu Xiucai felt dizzy from the amount of turns they were taking to go somewhere.
Shit! I'm going to buy a mansion this large next time! Just as the thought crossed Lu Xiucai's mind, he was pulled right in front of a room. There were no lamps inside the room, and it seemed as if there wasn't anyone inside.
"Half-Immortal Lu, my son is inside! Save him, and I will do anything!" Zhao Tianhu exclaimed.
Lu Xiucai listened carefully but heard nothing.
"Sir Zhao, are you sure your son is inside by himself?" Lu Xiucai asked.
"Yes. he has already killed the two servants we sent inside!" Zhao Tianhu replied.
Then, Zhao Tianhu and his people pushed Lu Xiucai into the room.
"Sir Zhao, stop being so pushy. You have to tell me what kind of evil being is inside first! Is it strong? Is it a male, or is it a female?"
Lu Xiucai was pushed into the room, and the door was immediately slammed shut.
"Don't close the door! What are you guys doing?! I'm not going to run away, so open the door!" Lu Xiucai exclaimed, banging on the door. However, he received no response.
Dekdekdekdekdekdekdek~
An eerie peal of laughter echoed, making Lu Xiucai flinch as goosebumps broke out all over him. He turned around, revealing the five bronze coins in his hand. However, Lu Xiucai was already trembling from fear. Something was jumping around in the dark room, but it was so dark that Lu Xiucai couldn't see it.
Unfortunately, there was no going back. Lu Xiucai mustered his courage and shouted, "Stupid evil being! You're nothing before me! My master is Li Huowang! Touch me, and you are as good as dead!"
Lu Xiucai's threat echoed throughout the room, and he felt somewhat braver when the room went silent.
Heh, this is easy. Lu Xiucai gnashed his teeth and walked toward the middle of the room. Lu Xiucai groped around and realized that he was in a bedroom. However, he failed to find Zhao Tianhu's son.
No, it's too dark. I need a lamp. Lu Xiucai moved toward the table and saw a flint placed conveniently near the lamp.
Sparks flew as Lu Xiucai struck the flint. A spark made contact with the lamp's wick, igniting it.
As soon as the darkness was vanquished, Lu Xiucai saw a pale and thin face staring at him blankly on the other side of the room.
"AAAAAAHHH!"
Chapter 399 - Savior
Zhao Tianhu sighed upon hearing Lu Xiucai's voice. "And another one bites the dust..."
Kui Sanjin said nothing.
Meanwhile, a short man among their group spoke, saying, "Sir Kui, I have someone with relations to the Surveillance Bureau. Want me to talk to them?"
Zhao Tianhu slapped the short man on the head. "Are you stupid? Don't you know what we do? We're graverobbers! Why would you go and consult the Surveillance Bureau? They're going to kill us all!"
The short man retreated into the group of people.
"They're not the imperial guards. They won't care about us at all."
Zhao Tianhu sighed. "We should just give up on it if it's really impossible. We've sought so many people to help, but they all failed. We've done our best for Fourth Brother's sake."
However, the others disagreed. "You can't do that, Sir Zhao! Since it managed to turn Fourth Zhao into that ghastly creature, that item is definitely a prized treasure!"
"Yeah! We can just sell it and earn a lot of money since we're too scared to use it."
"Sir Zhao! I heard those cultivators have pills to extend their lifespan! We can exchange that treasure for those pills!"
"Shut up!" Zhao Tianhu shouted.
Everyone went quiet.
"If you think you can do it, why don't you personally try and tear off that wicked skin from Fourth Brother? That treasure will belong to you if you manage to do it! What? Do you dare try it? I know that it's a treasure that we can sell for good money, but it can fucking kill you!
"It already killed Fourth Brother and Sixth Brother. How many lives would you need just to take care of it?
"Anyway, just listen to me! We've got to block the windows and doors. We'll leave before daybreak, and hopefully, the officials won't discover our trails."
No one else dared to disobey Zhao Tianhu, and they prepared to carry out his orders.
"AAAAAAAAAH!" Lu Xiucai's shout echoed just then.
"What?!" Zhao Tianhu was astonished, but he was immediately delighted. "He's still alive! It seems we finally have a chance. Let's stay here and wait!"
"AAAAAAH!" Lu Xiucai shouted, running around the room while holding the bronze coins. A figure with a long neck and long hair chased him around as if it were a snake.
Lu Xiucai finally saw the corpses in the corner of the room, and the limbs of those corpses were tangled up with each other. Lu Xiucai ran with all his might, afraid of meeting the same horrible fate as those corpses.
Unfortunately, Lu Xiucai was eventually pushed into a corner. He gnashed his teeth and raised the coins. The long-necked evil retreated slightly.
It's fine! It's fine! It's afraid of the coins! Lu Xiucai consoled himself while catching his breath. The brief respite allowed him to take a good look at the evil being. The evil being was a humanoid evil being with its neck and limbs horrendously elongated, allowing it to wriggle them like snakes.
A moldy piece of leather was attached to the evil being's chest. The leather seemed to be made out of several human faces and scalps. The scars on the scalps indicated that the owners were monks. The orifices of monks' faces were sewn shut, while their foreheads were lined with what looked like intricate runes.
The entire piece of leather emitted an ominous air, and it would move every time the evil being.
Is that leather made from human parts? Is that why this evil creature can stretch its neck to such an extent? Lu Xiucai thought, but he honestly couldn't care less. His priority was escaping his predicament, but he couldn't see any way out of this.
The evil being quivered and squirmed as it slowly approached Lu Xiucai. At the sight, Lu Xiucai thrust the bronze coins toward the evil being, forcing it to retreat.
Lu Xiucai saw that and came up with an idea. He made sure his hands were raised as he moved slowly toward the window. Upon reaching it, he banged on the wooden window with his elbows.
After creating a hole in the window, Lu Xiucai judged that the hole was big enough for him to escape, so he turned around to jump into it.
However, the window was abruptly opened from the outside. The window struck him in the chest, knocking him down. Lu Xiucai immediately attempted to stand up, but the pale, emaciated face was only a few inches away from him!
Lu Xiucai briefly stopped breathing at the terrifying sight.
The evil being opened its mouth to devour Lu Xiucai when a strong beam of light struck the evil being from behind Lu Xiucai. The evil being's flesh melted, and it collapsed with a dull thud.
Lu Xiucai saw a white skull rolling on the floor.
The evil being's head had melted away, and it was considered dead without a head.
The leather sensed the death of its host, and it immediately detached from the fleshly body of its deceased host. Then, it launched itself at Lu Xiucai.
Swoosh!
A wooden pole flew into the room, impaling the leather to the ground.
Lu Xiucai stared at the leather and looked up slowly, tracing the pole's wooden shaft until he saw the banner tied to it. A Taiji symbol was drawn on the flag along with six words at the bottom of it.
If Lu Xiucai could read, he would understand some of the words that said—fortune-telling, glyphomancy, and divinations. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
"Haha, I guess my good luck has returned. It makes sense, as I've been so unlucky over the past few days," said Blind Chen as he entered the room. He looked around before going over to his wooden pole.
He was the same Blind Chen whom Li Huowang had met before. Blind Chen stepped on the leather and walked up to the wooden pole.
Lu Xiucai crawled up and stared at the blind man with a bamboo basket on his back
The blind man was stroking the leather with a pensive look, seemingly oblivious to Lu Xiucai's presence.
"Thank you for your help," Lu Xiucai said.
Blind Chen ignored Lu Xiucai. He pulled out a black cloth and grabbed the leather with it. Then, he took out a mirror—the same mirror that Li Huowang had returned to him.
Zhao Tianhu and Kui Sanjin huddled next to the window, staring in disbelief at Blind Chen. They had no idea where the blind man had come from, and why he was so strong.
Blind Chen pinched the mirror in his armpit and used his wooden pole to poke around.
"Why are you blocking the window? Step back a bit. It's too crowded," Blind Chen said.
The people outside took a step back upon seeing that the blind man wanted to exit through the window. However, they made sure that the old man was within arm's reach, and their greedy gazes were fixated on the old man's bamboo basket.
"Now that's better," Blind Chen said. He then assumed a horse stance and raised the mirror high up in the air using his right hand while making seals with his left hand. He chanted an incantation at the same time.
Lu Xiucai admired Blind Chen and wondered when he would become a sage-like individual like the latter.
Lu Xiucai was also surprised by the strength of Blind Chen's Bagua mirror. Lu Xiucai knew that Bagua mirrors could deal with evil beings, but the issue was that Bagua mirrors were definitely expensive.
Lu Xiucai wondered how much it would cost to buy one.
While Lu Xiucai was deep in his thoughts, Blind Chen reached a crescendo.
When his chanting ceased, Blind Chen pointed his mirror at the group of people in front of him and roared. "The limitless Heaven and Earth upholds justice for the world!"
A dazzling, radiant light erupted from the mirror, piercing everyone.
They only managed to utter a single shout of despair before dying. Blind Chen's Bagua mirror had reduced all of them to a puddle of red flesh.