Lu Xiucai was in awe as he stood inside the messy room.
He never thought the blind old man would kill everyone just like that.
Aren't Daoists supposed to help kind and innocent people and punish evildoers? Why did he kill everyone? Aren't they innocent? I guess Daoists are different from what my old man told me. Lu Xiucai pondered.
Just then, Blind Chen turned around and looked at Lu Xiucai. Although Blind Chen was blind, Lu Xiucai felt that the old man could see him as he broke out into a cold sweat.
"Oh? Why is there someone still alive?" Blind Chen raised his mirror toward Lu Xiucai.
Lu Xiucai was scared out of his wits. He raised the bronze coins in his hands and shouted, "Don't kill me! My master is Li Huowang!"
Blind Chen came to a halt.
Lu Xiucai felt that he had been spared, but he still pleaded mercy to Blind Chen. "Do you know my master? Please spare me! I don't know these people at all!"
Blind Chen walked over and took the bronze coins away from Lu Xiucai's palm. "Li Huowang? I don't know him. However, the five bronze coins in your hands contain a trace of spiritual power, and they're going to come in handy. Not bad, I'll consider these coins payment for your life."
Blind Chen then turned around and walked away with his white banner while playing with the bronze coins.
Lu Xiucai stood blankly for a while until the soft night breeze swept past him, snapping him back to reality. Lu Xiucai stared at the puddle of flesh outside, and he couldn't believe that the powerful Sir Kui had perished just like that.
Sir Kui was like a mere ant compared to Blind Chen.
Blind Chen had thoroughly destroyed Lu Xiucai's ego.
Blind Chen wasn't the same as his master Li Huowang. Even though Li Huowang was cold and crazy, he wasn't the type of person to kill indiscriminately. However, Blind Chen was different. He seemed to be the type of person to kill as he wished.
A stronger sense of fear gripped Lu Xiucai's heart, and he started trembling from fear. If it hadn't been for those coins, he would have died like Sir Kui and his group members.
The fear soon disappeared, replaced by determination. Why? Why am I so worthless? I want to become like that blind man! 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
Lu Xiucai learned something from Blind Chen that he hadn't learned from Li Huowang. Food? Women? Those are nothing! I have to become strong like that blind man!
Lu Xiucai trembled at the thought that he could actually become strong enough to decide the life and death of other people.
I have to find my master and ask him to teach me how to become powerful! Lu Xiucai clenched his fist and ran out of the mansion.
***
"Come here, and let me test you. Who built the Qi Kingdom's foundations? I know you don't know, so let me just tell you. When the disaster of the Black Heavens befell us, General Qilu braved the seas with his people to come here.
"At the time, this land was in turmoil. Small countries were fighting against each other; the general fought in numerous wars to unify the countries, and he established the great Qi Kingdom when he was ninety-five years old.
"His grandson Qiheng continued his legacy by leading everyone to prosperity. He also established the Surveillance Bureau during that time period."
Bun was sprawled on Black Taisui, and its head was tilted sideways in curiosity. It was a dog, so it couldn't understand what Zhuge Yuan was saying.
The Black Taisui had occupied most of the space inside the carriage. As for the remaining empty spaces, Zhuge Yuan had filled them up with books and drawings. He didn't mind the Black Taisui's presence as he continued talking to Bun.
Bun yawned and was about to leave the carriage when it saw Zhuge Yuan holding a sausage in his hands. Bun sat down immediately and listened to what Zhuge Yuan had to say.
Li Huowang was driving the carriage, and he sighed upon taking a peek inside. Is Zhuge Yuan crazy enough to teach history to a dog?
Li Huowang didn't want to learn more about the Qi Kingdom's history, so Zhuge Yuan actually came up with an excuse to teach the dog and speak loud enough for Li Huowang to hear from the outside.
For some reason, he's trying to teach me the history of the Qi Kingdom. If not that, then he'd try to teach me calligraphy. What is wrong with him? Li Huowang lampooned inwardly.
Zhuge Yuan was very passionate about teaching, and his chatterbox trait didn't make him appear powerful at all.
The carriage traveled slowly on the dirt path. Li Huowang saw a stall by the roadside in the distance. There was white smoke coming up from the stall, and it seemed to be a stall selling food.
"Junior Li, why don't we stop here? We've eaten nothing but rations these days. I think it's good to have some 'real' food from time to time," Zhuge Yuan said, opening up the tarp at the front.
Li Huowang was holding onto the reins when he glanced at the customers at the stall and the old lady serving the noodles. "No, it's not safe. Who knows? They might be members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao with a trap waiting for us."
The Sitting Oblivion Dao hated Zhuge Yuan and would do anything just to kill him.
"The Sitting Oblivion Dao wouldn't stoop so low as to imitate a stall owner and poison food. Also, aren't you looking for Bei Feng? With your guard so high up, how are we going to find Bei Feng?"
Li Huowang froze, realizing his mistake. Indeed, he was supposed to look for his target, so he couldn't be so wary about everything. After all, how would he encourage his target to make a move against him if he were so wary about everything?
Li Huowang stopped the carriage and alighted. Zhuge Yuan alighted as well, followed by Bun.
"Table for two? Do you want some noodles? Fish noodles are our specialty. We use the entire fish, including the scales and bones to make the soup," said the kind-looking old lady, who came up to them upon seeing them.
"Three. Bowls. Please." Li Huowang enunciated each word while glaring at the kind-looking old lady.
The kind-looking old lady was shocked by Li Huowang's glare. She turned around and ran in a panic to talk to the old man cooking the noodles.
"Junior Li, calm down and eat properly. They're not members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao," Zhuge Yuan said, using a white cloth to wipe the chopsticks clean.
"Oh? How can you say for sure? Do you have a method to uncover the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao?" Li Huowang asked, looking curiously at Zhuge Yuan.
"I guess you can say that. Since the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao cultivate 'Lies,' I would see a thread from their body if they got close enough to me like that kind-looking old lady."
Li Huowang's curiosity was piqued, and he asked, "A thread? What does that mean?"
Li Huowang reckoned that he could learn Zhuge Yuan's techniques and use them against the Sitting Oblivion Dao members.
"It's the thread that connects them to their Siming."
Li Huowang was shocked. Zhuge Yuan's revelation was a bit different from what he had learned.
"They have a Siming?" Li Huowang asked.
"Of course. How would you explain their techniques if they don't have one?"
"Of course, it was deceived from elsewhere! The Sitting Oblivion Dao deceives the heavens, the earth, and the Simings."
Zhuge Yuan smiled and opened his fan with a snap. Then, he gently fanned himself and said, "Who said that? They fooled you. However, there are indeed rumors disseminating similar accusations.
"They don't want others to know, so they spread rumors that the powers of Sitting Oblivion Dao are all from deception. But think about it, Brother Li. What if a mortal could other Siming to bestow upon them power?"
Coaxing the Sitting Oblivion Dao's Siming? Wouldn't that mean controlling all "lies"? Li Huowang thought. After careful consideration, Li Huowang said, "Brother Zhuge, what is the name of the Sitting Oblivion Dao's Siming?"
"Doulao Taiyin."
Doulao Taiyin? Is that Siming responsible for all the "lies" in this world? Li Huowang fell into deep contemplation. Was the Siming in Baiyu Capital back then? Have I seen them before? Li Huowang tried hard to search through his memories from a year ago.
Zhuge Yuan seemed to have sensed something. He looked up at the sun and snapped his fingers before Li Huowang.
Li Huowang's mind cleared instantly, and he couldn't remember his thoughts just now.
"Brother Li. Mere mortals like us should avoid matters beyond the heavenly realm. It's better not to get involved, lest we disrupt our karma and destiny," Zhuge Yuan said.
Li Huowang nodded, and he sounded exhausted as he asked, "None of them will work?"
"It's best not to dwell on it."
Li Huowang had many questions about the Simings, but he could only swallow them for now and change the subject. "Brother Zhuge, can you teach me your cultivation method? Once I learn it, the Sitting Oblivion Dao will no longer be a concern."
Zhuge Yuan waved his fan once again.
He was about to speak when a mocking voice echoed from the side. "Look at this scholar. It's so cold, but he's waving his fan. He must be crazy."
Zhuge Yuan's expression stiffened. Then, he snapped his fan shut and turned to Li Huowang, saying, "The Twisted One's fate cannot be learned. However, once you master the Strayed One's cultivation method, the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao will flee quicker than a rabbit once they see you."
Li Huowang smiled bitterly at Zhuge Yuan's remark. It seemed that if he cultivated the Strayed One's cultivation method, he would become the Sitting Oblivion Dao arch-nemesis.
"I hope so. I just want to get rid of these illusions. The rest doesn't matter."
"Hehehe, here it comes! Hot and steamy fish soup noodles. Please try my old man's masterpiece."
Li Huowang picked up his chopsticks and took a few strands of noodles from each bowl before throwing them to the ground. Bun enthusiastically devoured the noodles.
"Brother Zhuge, let's make Bun eat first."
Zhuge Yuan had just taken out a silver needle, and he nodded knowingly at Li Huowang's remark. "That's not a bad method. I was wondering why you have a dog. What if it's a slow-acting poison? What if the dog dies after you've eaten it all?"
"No worries. I can just cut open my belly and expunge everything inside."
Zhuge Yuan looked at Li Huowang in amazement. His mouth fluttered open to say something, but he couldn't find the words to say.
Bun squatted on the side, wagging its tail. Li Huowang saw that and picked up his chopsticks again. "Brother Zhuge, there's no poison. Let's eat."
The kind-looking old lady was right—the fish soup noodles were delicious. The fish roe scattered in the soup went well with the milky-white broth, and it was an incredibly comforting meal amidst the cold weather.
Just as Li Huowang was contemplating whether to order another bowl or not, he suddenly looked up with furrowed brows, staring at the woods on the left.
Zhuge Yuan ate leisurely. He gulped and calmly asked, "What's wrong, Brother Li?"
"Something's happening in our south. Sounds like there are people fighting each other," Li Huowang replied.
"Brother Li, how come your ears are so keen? You can actually hear quarreling from so far away," Zhuge Yuan said, shaking his long sleeves and standing up.
Li Huowang stood up as well and followed him into the woods. They brushed aside the bushes and leaves, making a path for themselves. Eventually, they came to a halt upon getting hit by the strong smell of blood and stared at the chaotic scene in the distance.
Two groups were engaged in a fierce battle that was at its climax. Each one fought with determination, using unfamiliar and lethal techniques brand-new to Li Huowang. Lives were claimed every second as they fought.
Li Huowang's gaze landed on a corpse with a waistplate. Then, he turned to Zhuge Yuan and said, "One side is from the Surveillance Bureau, but I don't recognize the other side. Brother Zhuge, do you know them?"
Zhuge Yuan watched as someone pulled out a white maggot and slapped it on his wound with an exposed bone. Zhuge Yuan shook his head and said, "I have no idea, but one of them should be a Sitting Oblivion Dao member."
"Sitting Oblivion Dao? Who?!" Li Huowang exclaimed with a solemn expression. It seemed the word Sitting Oblivion Dao was now capable of evoking an instinctive reaction from Li Huowang.
"It should be that Miao woman with purplish lips."
Li Huowang's gaze darkened as he stared at the glimmering silver headdress fluttering amidst the tumult. However, Li Huowang decided not to make a move. "Brother Zhuge, she doesn't look like someone important from the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
"I'm afraid we'll alert them if we approach hastily."
Li Huowang's objective was unchanged—to capture Bei Feng and extract information.
Li Huowang had no intention of getting involved in anything else.
"Brother Zhuge, let's head back. Let's refrain from stirring up unnecessary trouble."
Zhuge Yuan nodded and got ready to leave with Li Huowang.
However, a masked man in the crowd noticed them and shouted, "Lord Zhuge!"
Zhuge Yuan opened his fan swiftly and kicked off of a tree trunk, charging decisively toward the black-robed man.
Li Huowang couldn't just stand by and watch Zhuge Yuan. He promptly drew the purple-tassel sword and joined the fray.
The deadlock shattered, and the enemies of the Surveillance Bureau were soon forced to retreat, all thanks to Li Huowang and Zhuge Yuan.
Li Huowang wiped away the blood on his face and walked up to Zhuge Yuan. Upon arrival, he saw the surviving individuals kneeling before Zhuge Yuan.
"Greetings, Lord Zhuge!" they shouted.
Li Huowang was dumbfounded. Zhuge Yuan actually has such a high standing in the Surveillance Bureau? How come he seemed like the plague in the eyes of Lord Ji Xiang back then?
"Ah, Brother Li, you're here," said Zhuge Yuan, helping up the same masked man earlier with a smile. "He happens to be a dear friend from my younger years. Don't let his affiliation with the Surveillance Bureau mislead you; he's also a grandmaster player recognized at the national level in the Great Qi!"
"A Grandmaster recognized in the Great Qi?!"
"Oh, remember that game we played with black and white stones? He's one of the strongest in the Great Qi at that game."
Chapter 402 - Great Qi
Li Huowang stared at the masked man in shock.
The black and white hair strands on the side of the masked man's face made it clear that he wasn't young at all. Regardless of his age, however, it was impossible for him to be a grandmaster from Great Qi!
If the masked man were from the Great Qi, then he would be over a thousand years old. Li Huowang stepped back and looked around. For some reason, he felt that he had unknowingly crossed into a weird place.
The others were surprised by Li Huowang's reaction. "Lord Zhuge, he's..."
"Oh, he's fine. Brother Li is a good friend of mine, and he has his unique way of doing things."
Zhuge Yuan turned to the masked man and asked, "Qin Lao, who were they? Why were they chasing you?"
Qin Lao seemed indignant as he cried out, "They are the lapdogs of the eunuchs! We were on our way to a secret meeting at the Three Kings' Mansion, but they ambushed us. This is no coincidence! There's a traitor in the Bureau!"
Zhuge Yuan was surprised. "Oh? There are traitors among the eunuchs of the Bureau? I had no idea that the court was in such turmoil."
"Yes, exactly! Our ancestral teachings say that imperial power should not interfere with the Surveillance Bureau. Considering those eunuchs' influence, no one cares about the rules anymore. Without rules, everything is in chaos!"
Li Huowang went back to the noodle stall, allowing Zhuge Yuan to talk with the members of the Surveillance Bureau. Li Huowang sighed in relief upon seeing that the customers were still eating noodles and the couple was still cooking noodles.
It seemed that Li Huowang hadn't inadvertently crossed into a weird world.
Li Huowang walked up to the old man cooking noodles and solemnly asked, "Old man, may I ask something? Are we in Great Qi or Great Liang?"
The old man looked confused and opened his mouth, revealing his few remaining teeth to respond, "What? Great Qi? Where is that? We've always been in the Great Liang Kingdom."
The old man's words confirmed Li Huowang's assumption. He had traversed the entire Great Liang—from the border of Qing Qiu to Xing Island—Apart from what he had heard from Zhuge Yuan, he had never come across a place called Great Qi.
Right, we're in Great Liang. What's up with that Great Qi Grandmaster, then? Where is he from? I have to clarify this, thought Li Huowang. He turned around and walked toward the woods when a group of people emerged from the woods
Zhuge Yuan supported the so-called Great Qi Grandmaster, and they were walking at the helm of the group. Among the survivors, they seemed to hold the highest status. The Miao woman from the Sitting Oblivion Dao was among them as well.
"Brother Li, good thing I found you. Qin Lao is seriously injured. We'll go ahead and let him rest in your carriage," Zhuge Yuan said.
"Brother Zhuge, I need to talk to you. Come to me later. There's something I want to ask," Li Huowang said.
Zhuge Yuan nodded and helped Qin Lao into the carriage. Then, he walked over to Li Huowang and asked, "What's the matter?"
Li Huowang stared deeply at Zhuge Yuan's face. He wasn't convinced that Zhuge Yuan was deceiving him. If he were being deceived, it wouldn't be for such a ridiculous reason.
"Brother Zhuge, tell me the truth. What's going on?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
"Oh? Brother Li, I don't understand what you're talking about. I've always been upright, and I have never lied to anyone."
"All right, come with me, then," Li Huowang said, bringing Zhuge Yuan to the noodle stall and asking the same question he had asked the old man earlier.
Li Huowang then turned to Zhuge Yuan with a questioning look.
"What? Great Liang? Where is that? We've always been in the Great Qi Kingdom," replied the old man.
"What?!" Li Huowang looked at the old man in shock. If the old man weren't just an ordinary person, Li Huowang would think that he was a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao and was trying to lie to him.
"Old man, that wasn't what you said to me earlier."
"Earlier? Sir, I'm sorry, but this is our first conversation."
"You...!" Li Huowang pointed at the old man and was about to say something when Zhuge Yuan's folding fan blocked Li Huowang's pointed finger.
"All right, all right, let's discuss these trivial matters later, Brother Li. Qin Lao is seriously injured. Our priority is to get him to receive treatment," Zhuge Yuan said. Then, he turned around and walked up to the carriage. "Qin Lao, don't worry! The Black Taisui in the carriage is bound securely! It's not going to harm you!"
Li Huowang looked at Zhuge Yuan's back with a puzzled expression as his suspicion grew even stronger. Everything appeared really strange to him. Moments later, Li Huowang emerged from his contemplation and turned to the old man beside him.
"Are we in Great Liang or Great Qi?"
"Great Liang. Why are you asking me that question again?"
Li Huowang was no longer surprised upon hearing the old man's words. The changes had to be related to Zhuge Yuan's power as a Twisted One, but Li Huowang couldn't figure out how Zhuge Yuan was doing all this.
"Woof, woof!" Bun popped its head out from under the carriage, barking at Li Huowang. It seemed anxious that a group of strangers had taken the reins of its master's carriage. Li Huowang picked up the pace and caught up with them. The matter wasn't over yet, and he was determined to ask Zhuge Yuan what was going on.
After a few hours, the group finally began tending to their injuries, convinced that their attackers were gone. Li Huowang observed them silently. Aside from the Great Qi Grandmaster and the Miao woman from the Sitting Oblivion Dao, everyone wore peculiar clothes. They seemed to be people from a variety of places, which made sense as they were members of the Surveillance Bureau, famous for its diverse members.
The group was also keeping a close eye on Li Huowang. If it hadn't been for Zhuge Yuan introducing Li Huowang as his friend, they wouldn't have relaxed their guard around someone like Li Huowang.
It couldn't be helped as Li Huowang gave off an air of mystery and aloofness from his get-up, which consisted of a black bamboo hat, and a red Daoist robe stained with blood. To make matters worse, he also had a Black Taisui tied up in the carriage.
The air between the two groups was cold. Zhuge Yuan had been attempting to improve it, but the results weren't exactly that great.
The Great Qi Surveillance Bureau was wary of Li Huowang, and Li Huowang was similarly wary of them, who were allegedly from Great Qi. Just like that, the group continued their journey to the capital amidst the air of distrust so thick it was palpable.
Meanwhile, Li Huowang made sure to pay extra attention to the member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao in this group of people from the Great Qi Surveillance Bureau. Li Huowang wasn't sure why she had infiltrated the group, her motives were unclear as well.
Li Huowang was already aware of her identity as a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao, but he had no intention of exposing her right now, thinking that he might be able to use her to lure out Bei Feng.
Chapter 403 - Twisted One
"Come, take these. Junior Kun refined them," said Zhuge Yuan, handing over ten pills to Li Huowang, who was nibbling on dry rations.
Li Huowang accepted them and asked, "What are these?"
"Brother Li, aren't you skilled in pill refining? How come you don't recognize these Fasting Pills? They're great substitutes for meals, and you'll feel invigorated just eating them. They're perfect pills for traveling," Zhuge Yuan explained.
Li Huowang took one and examined it carefully beneath the sunlight. The fingernail-sized pill was dark brown and was emitting a strong herbal scent.
"Brother Zhuge, let's refrain from making a move against that small fry from the Sitting Oblivion Dao. We should employ a strategic approach and wait for the right moment to strike. That way, we'll achieve our goals," Li Huowang said while staring at the pill.
Li Huowang had many burning questions, but his main goal remained the same—to find Bei Feng.
"Rest assured; I understand," Zhuge Yuan replied.
Li Huowang loosened his grip on the pill, and it "fell" to the ground, rolling away.
Bun rushed over and gave it a quick lick. It instantly lost all interest in the pill and crouched, staring at Li Huowang's dry rations.
Li Huowang's expression turned grim as he stashed the rest of the Fasting Pills into his pocket. Then, he turned to Zhuge Yuan and asked, "Brother Zhuge, do you have a moment? There's a question that has been bothering me for a while now."
Zhuge Yuan wasn't surprised at all. He had long guessed what Li Huowang wanted to ask him. There were outsiders around them earlier, which made it inconvenient for Li Huowang to approach Zhuge Yuan and ask questions.
"I guess you want to know whether we're in Great Liang or Great Qi?" Zhuge Yuan said.
Li Huowang nodded. His earlier visit to the Surveillance Bureau to ask about Zhuge Yuan's information yielded no decent results whatsoever, which caught him by surprise.
Zhuge Yuan snapped open his white folding fan and lamented, "These matters involve the higher-ups, and for the sake of your safety, I dare not tell you too much. However, the Great Qi has always been there; the Great Liang is the fake one."
The Great Liang is fake? What did I experience then? Were my hardships in the Great Liang fake as well? Li Huowang found it amusing.
Were the hardships and trials he had experienced in this vast world all fake? Were they just illusions, similar to the hallucination? He had slaughtered Bai Lingmiao's entire family, but was that fake all this while? It'd be great if that were the case.
Li Huowang patiently said, "Brother Zhuge, you must've encountered people from the Great Liang throughout your travels to many different places. You snatched that Muddled One's corpse from the Great Liang's Surveillance Bureau. Why do you insist that the Great Liang is fake?"
"Ah, Brother Li, it's not exactly a straightforward lie. Take the old noodle seller we've encountered earlier. In your eyes, he's a decision of the Great Liang, but in my eyes, he's a denizen of the Great Qi.
"If neither of us looks at him, where do you think he's from?"
"He's from the Great Liang! He's not from the Great Qi!"
"How can you say that?"
"He is from Great Liang because he was born in the Great Liang, he grew up in the Great Liang, and he'll die old in the Great Liang."
"But in my eyes, he's from the Great Qi because he was born in the Great Qi, he grew up in the Great Qi, and he'll die old in the Great Qi."
"Brother Zhuge, are you suggesting that everything is from the Great Qi in your eyes? Why is it that only you can see that kind of scenery while everyone else sees the Great Liang? Have you never thought about that?" Li Huowang asked.
"No, everyone else also sees Great Qi, just like me. I understand what you're seeing, but what you're seeing is wrong, and it must be corrected," Zhuge Yuan replied.
"Why is it so difficult to make you understand? It's obvious—" Li Huowang stopped mid-sentence when he met Zhuge Yuan's eyes. He suddenly realized that arguing with Zhuge Yuan was a waste of time.
"Fine, the old noodle seller is from the Great Qi. You win."
"Sigh, you still don't trust me. Forget it, I'm not going to argue with you. Arguments are just going to cause conflict. Anyway, just watch, you'll know whether the Great Qi is real or fake once you've seen enough," Zhuge Yuan said. Then, he turned around to leave.
Zhuge Yuan seemed disappointed that Li Huowang didn't actually believe in the Great Qi's existence.
Meanwhile, Li Huowang frowned, thinking about many different possibilities.
The Strayed Ones, the Twisted Ones, the Muddled Ones. None of them were easy to handle. Regardless of what the Twisted One would obtain from the so-called Three Ancient Ones, Zhuge Yuan was definitely the reason behind the strange changes.
Unfortunately, Li Huowang still couldn't quite figure out how these strange changes had come about.
Could it be that Zhuge Yuan had brought me with him, traversing a thousand years to connect the Great Qi from a thousand years ago with the Great Liang of a thousand years later? That doesn't make sense, though. How could that old couple exist a thousand years ago and a thousand years later?
The old man cooking noodles had changed his statement thrice as if there had always been two different noodle stalls. However, Li Huowang was standing right next to the old man, and he was certain that the old man had never changed.
It's like the whole world is putting up an act, holding two different scripts. The world is acting according to the first script in front of me and the ordinary people, but it's acting according to the second script in front of Zhuge Yuan. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
Li Huowang contemplated silently. He couldn't help but recall what Ji Xiang had told him at the Buddha's Skeleton Temple. Is this what he meant by strange but reasonable things? Does this kind of thing happen often around the Twisted One?
The Abbess' Siming deals with decay, and Ba-Hui deals with suffering. What do the so-called Three Ancient Ones deal with? How could they create such strange changes around Zhuge Yuan?
Li Huowang knew it was best not to think about such things to avoid trouble, but he couldn't resist. After all, the "strange" situation was unfolding right before him.
Never mind, never mind, never mind... Li Huowang shook his head eventually; his head throbbed from the hodgepodge of assumptions and speculations. In the end, Li Huowang decided to believe whatever Zhuge Yuan would say. It wasn't his concern, anyway.
Li Huowang only had one goal—to find Bei Feng.
Zhuge Yuan had killed Fa Cai, so the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao would definitely not let him go. Li Huowang just had to stay by Zhuge Yuan's side, and he would have a good chance of finding Bei Feng.
Footsteps echoed just then. Li Huowang looked up to see a young man in a white robe.
Li Huowang could smell blood from the white-robed young man.
"This one's name is Xia Risheng. Greetings, Lord Li."
"What's wrong?" Li Huowang asked. The white-robed young man was a member of the Great Qi's Surveillance Bureau. However, Li Huowang wasn't sure whether Xia Risheng had come here to gather information or for something else.
"Lord Li, I'm a disciple of the Ao Jing Sect!" Xia Risheng exclaimed, opening his robe to reveal hooks hanging from him.
"Is that so? You should go back if there's nothing else. We have a long journey ahead of us," Li Huowang said, dismissing the young man. He was afraid of speaking too much and inadvertently revealing that he wasn't a true disciple of the Ao Jing Sect.
"Lord Zhuge said that you've executed the Cang-Qiang Ascension three times. May I ask if it's true?" Xia Risheng asked, staring at Li Huowang with admiration in his eyes.
Chapter 404 - Grand Elder
"Lord Zhuge said that you've executed the Cang-Qiang Ascension three times. May I ask if it's true?"
Li Huowang stared coldly at the young man in front of him and asked, "So what? What is it to you?"
"So it's true?!" Xia Rusheng exclaimed and immediately knelt on one knee. "I pay respects to the Grand Elder!"
Li Huowang stood up and sidestepped. "I'm not a Grand Elder or anything! You've got the wrong person!"
"You're the Grand Elder! You definitely are the Grand Elder! Anyone capable of executing the Cang-Qiang Ascension three times using the Profound Records is undoubtedly a Grand Elder of the Ao Jing Sect!"
"At your level, you can forgo the Profound Records and directly feed the master with your flesh[1]! And that is the ultimate symbol!" Xia Rusheng exclaimed with extreme excitement.
Goosebumps broke out all over Li Huowang. He wasn't that knowledgeable about the Ao Jing Sect, so he had no idea that they had such a concept.
"You're mistaken! Zhuge Yuan lied to you. I've never executed the Cang-Qiang Ascension!" Li Huowang retorted. Then, he turned around and walked away, ignoring Xia Rusheng's response.
What's going on? The Cang-Qiang Ascension ritual involves exchanging extreme agony for power with Ba-Hui, right? According to him, is this ritual a symbol of some status within the Ao Jing Sect? Li Huowang knew about the so-called Grand Elders of the Ao Jing Sect, even though those Grand Elders had all been impersonated by the Sitting Oblivion Dao members.
Even if there were people higher in status than Grand Elders, those with the Grand Elder title definitely had a high position in the Ao Jing Sect.
Wait, I can now sacrifice myself to Ba-Hui without using the Profound Records? What does that mean? Does that mean I'm getting closer to Ba-Hui? Li Huowang pondered, but he didn't think that it was a good thing at all.
It seemed that the Cang-Qiang Ascension had hidden dangers that weren't mentioned in the Profound Records. Li Huowang pondered for a bit more and decided to give it a try. He glanced at the others in the distance and into the nearby woods.
Li Huowang took off his red Daoist robe once he was deep enough in the woods. Then, he held the bronze coin sword horizontally in front of his chest.
"Li Sui," Li Huowang uttered.
Li Sui's tentacles emerged, wrapping around the hilt of the bronze coin sword before slicing open Li Huowang's skin, which had just healed. As time went on, more and more tentacles reached out and wrapped around the embedded Profound Records.
Moments later, the tentacles gave the Profound Records a forceful tug. Li Huowang ignored the pain and forcefully lifted the corner of his index finger's fingernail. With a swoosh, a deep blood mark appeared on a tree trunk ten meters away.
Can I really do without the Profound Records? Li Huowang wasn't so sure. Is this a good thing? It should be a good thing, right?
Li Huowang stood in place, staring blankly at the falling tree in the distance. The old problem had yet to be resolved, but new problems had already popped up. Li Huowang felt annoyed.
In the end, Li Huowang was still a bit reluctant to give up his advantage. At least, he could be considered without a weakness. Something similar to what Peng Longteng had done would never happen again.
I'll take it step by step. First of all, I have to get rid of the Strayed One's maladies. The rest will follow along. Ah... Why is life so exhausting? Li Huowang made up his mind and returned to the group.
After a short rest, Li Huowang and the group continued on their journey.
Qin Lao stood at the helm and led the way. Qin Lao had chosen to go off the beaten path for the sake of avoiding any ambushes. However, Li Huowang didn't really care. His task was to wait around Zhuge Yuan until the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao appeared to attack Zhuge Yuan. With that in mind, Li Huowang wasn't exactly afraid of getting involved in a fight.
Meanwhile, Xia Risheng clearly didn't believe Li Huowang's words of denial earlier, as his attitude toward Li Huowang changed radically.
Xia Risheng walked into a dilapidated roadside inn and wiped the stool and table clean with his sleeves. Then, he turned to Li Huowang and gestured for him to come in, saying, "Grand Elder, please sit here!"
Li Huowang sat down, and Xia Risheng immediately poured tea for him. Xia Risheng even stopped the waiter to order dishes for Li Huowang.
Xia Risheng's strange behavior made Li Huowang feel extremely uncomfortable. He neither needed a servant nor needed someone to wait on him.
"What do you want?" Li Huowang asked, sounding impatient.
"Nothing! It's my honor to serve you, Grand Elder!" Xia Risheng replied.
Xia Risheng appeared humble on the outside, but he had some ulterior motives. It'd be great if you could tell me how you successfully performed the Cang-Qiang Ascension!
"Okay, I'm the Grand Elder, right? Good. I order you to go far away! Don't appear in front of me until we've reached the capital!" Li Huowang said.
"Um, yes, sir!" Xia Risheng replied and left.
Li Huowang sighed in relief. Then, he glanced at the Miao woman sitting with her companions. Strange, it's been so long, but there's been no movement from the Sitting Oblivion Dao. This is different from what I thought.
The members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao were supposed to attack Zhuge Yuan like moths to a lamp once they caught wind of Zhuge Yuan's activities.
However, there had been no attacks at all since the incident on Xing Island. The Sitting Oblivion Dao was silent. The only encounter they had related to the Sitting Oblivion Dao was the encounter with a low-ranking soldier whose identity as a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao had been completely exposed.
Perhaps they're thinking that any minor disturbances won't harm Zhuge Yuan at all, so they're planning on doing something major? Li Huowang thought. He couldn't help but think about the worst-case scenario.
Of course, Li Huowang wasn't afraid. He was alone, so he genuinely had nothing to fear. His only concern was if Bei Feng would get involved. Fa Cai has died, so Hong Zhong and Bai Ban will definitely come. To kill Zhuge Yuan in one fell swoop, the Four Joys should come too, right?
While Li Huowang was busy contemplating many scenarios, Zhuge Yuan appeared and sat down in front of him.
"Brother Zhuge, where did you go?" Li Huowang asked.
"Oh, I bought a carriage. I want the interior to become more comfortable for Qin Lao."
"You handle that kind of matter, too? I'm curious, Brother Zhuge. How did you get to know Qin Lao?" Li Huowang asked, picking up the teapot and pouring a cup of tea for Zhuge Yuan.
"I was in You Capital one day, and I saw Qin Lao playing chess under a tree with someone. Qin Lao's playstyle was outstanding, and he won every game in an upright manner. I couldn't help but approach him and make friends."
"You got to know him just like that?"
"How about you, Brother Li? I don't really consider the identities or status of my friends. I only value fate and mutual affection."
"Brother Zhuge, your character is admirable."
"Admirable? Shouldn't that be the norm? Nowadays, I think people tend to overthink and complicate things, and that is exactly why they can't make true and trustworthy friends. Nowadays—"
The waiter approached with a tray of dishes, interrupting their conversation and allowing Li Huowang to break free from Zhuge Yuan's endless chatter, which had gotten quite a bit annoying these days.
"The dishes are here~ Stir-fried lamb, stir-fried water spinach, and an eight treasures duck. Please enjoy your meal," the waiter said.
1. a figurative expression that suggests a deep level of commitment or sacrifice, often used in a spiritual or ritualistic context. It seems to imply a significant and profound connection between the individual and a higher power or entity. ☜
Chapter 405 - Discrepancy
Zhuge Yuan tossed a few silver pieces on the table.
The waiter picked them up and said, "Thank you for the three silver pieces, scholar."
Bun ate heartily beneath the table. As Li Huowang and Zhuge Yuan ate, Zhuge Yuan expressed his concerns in a low voice in between chewing, "Brother Li, it is imperative that you remain calm while you're looking for them. You don't want them to know your intentions.
"Relax. I'm here, so they'll definitely come."
"Brother Zhuge, I just feel that if we're in a den of burglars, no one is going to be wary of burglars barging into our homes. What I'm trying to say is that what if we—" Li Huowang stopped mid-sentence just as he started chewing on a piece of stir-fried lamb. He smacked his chopsticks on the table and roared, "Damn it, we're eating human flesh!"
Li Huowang rushed over and placed his sword against the neck of the cashier.
Meanwhile, Bun trembled as it stood up. Li Huowang smacked the pommel of his sword on the cashier's head before slicing open his stomach and pouring out the contents of his stomach.
Li Huowang washed his stomach with wine to make sure that the drug wouldn't take effect.
The others moved about busily while Li Huowang was busy washing his stomach clean.
Some swallowed pills, and some chanted scriptures. Xia Risheng reached into his clothes and pulled hard on the hooks hanging from certain acupoints.
Li Huowang's actions had not only alerted the others in his group, but it had also alerted the staffers. The waiter's fawning expression had vanished, and he rushed over to Li Huowang and the others with a large knife in hand.
The red-robed Daoist brandished his sword with a fierce look and kicked off of the table, jumping toward the waiter.
And that was the last scene the waiter saw before his consciousness went dark...
Everything went swimmingly afterward, and there was no suspense whatsoever. It was just a one-sided slaughter, and the entire inn was soon drenched in blood amidst the chaos.
Li Huowang was like a god of slaughter as he stood in the sea of corpses. Eight tentacles were sticking out of him, and every tentacle squirmed as they wielded a variety of weapons.
The Great Qi's Surveillance Bureau was shocked by the sight. They had seen many bizarre scenes, but they had never seen something like this before. Their reservations toward Li Huowang vanished just then. They finally considered Li Huowang worthy of being Lord Zhuge's friend.
Li Huowang panted heavily as he approached Zhuge Yuan.
Li Huowang sounded astonished as he asked, "Did you not see that the dishes were drugged?"
Zhuge Yuan had been vomiting since Li Huowang revealed that they were eating human flesh. He wiped away the saliva on his lips, and he looked disgusted as he replied, "Of course, I saw that it's drugged. However, I thought they only used drugs to make us fall asleep. It'd be a waste to throw away so much food, and I was going to take care of the drugs once we're done eating, but...
"Who would've known that the lamb we were exacting was actually human flesh? This is absolutely disgusting!"
Li Huowang sighed deeply as he stared at the gaping hole in his stomach. He was in great spirits today, but to think he'd be involved in such a disgusting incident. Although he wasn't exactly afraid of something like this, it still left a bad taste in his mouth.
"Hasn't the Liang Kingdom always been stable? How could shop owners drug their own customers?" Li Huowang asked.
Hong Zhong had been absent for quite a while now, but he finally reappeared, emerging from behind a nearby table, saying, "Hehehe, Li Huowang, that's just your wishful thinking. Didn't you hear what the Twisted One say? We're in Great Qi, not Great Liang!"
Li Huowang paused slightly. Has this really become the Great Qi? What exactly is the Twisted One's special ability?
Li Huowang thought about many things in the blink of an eye. He wanted to ask Hong Zhong some questions, but he refrained from doing so after seeing Hong Zhong's eager expression. In the end, he took out the Fiery Scripture to heal his injuries.
However, Hong Zhong didn't give up so easily. "Ah, Lord Li is so knowledgeable. He's actually familiar with the taste of human flesh! How remarkable!"
Hong Zhong was about to say a few more words when Li Sui interjected, "Dad, can you give me a few swords?"
"A few swords? Why would you want that?" Li Huowang asked, stopping his chanting.
"I want to help you, Dad. Next time we encounter bad people, I want to be able to help you like what I did just now!" Li Sui replied.
"My body doesn't have any room for swords, so stop it with the nonsense, all right?"
Li Sui didn't want to give in and protested, "No, no, no! I want swords! I want swords!"
Black tentacles emerged from Li Huowang's legs and rolled on the ground. The sight resembled children running down a street in protest against their parents who didn't want to buy candied hawthorns for them.
Damn it, where did Li Sui learn to be rebellious? Li Huowang lampooned inwardly. He soothed Li Sui for a while, and Li Huowang finally managed to silence Li Sui by offering him his own bag of torture tools.
"See, there's everything in here—knives, saws, awls, scissors, clamps, shovels. These are yours now. Whenever we encounter bad people, you can just use these to deal with them."
Li Sui's tentacles emerged from Li Huowang's navel, and he started playing with the tools. Li Sui's laughter echoed in Li Huowang's ears. Li Huowang shook his head slightly and joined the Great Qi's Surveillance Bureau members outside the shop.
Li Huowang had killed the staffers, so the mounts in the backyard now belonged to them.
Li Huowang's horses finally had new companions.
Zhuge Yuan walked up to Li Huowang and said, "Rest assured, our people in You Capital already know that Qin Lao has encountered enemies. They'll send someone to pick us up soon, and we'll be at You Capital in no time."
Li Huowang wasn't very optimistic as he glanced at Qin Lao, who needed assistance just to get on and get off the carriage.
Li Huowang soon got into his own carriage and took out a map to pinpoint their exact location.
"At this rate, it's going to take us a while," Li Huowang muttered, tracing his blood-stained finger along the coastline and toward the center of the Jiang Nan region, "Hmm? You Capital?"
Li Huowang looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar characters and thought that he was mistaken. Li Huowang frowned and stared at it for a while, but nothing really changed. Shangjing had vanished and was replaced by You Capital.
Li Huowang cast an astonished gaze at Zhuge Yuan. "This is your map?"
Zhuge Yuan seemed annoyed as he replied, "Brother Li, you must be joking. I'm well versed in geography, and I've never needed maps to travel."
"If that's the case, then why..." Li Huowang trailed off, hesitating.
Hong Zhong popped up once again and said, "Isn't that normal? You're in Great Qi, so it's not strange that you're using a map of the Great Qi."
Li Huowang's brows knitted as he looked down at the map in his hands. He looked around the map, and his gaze soon landed on a red stain in the upper left corner of the map.
The red stain was from a drop of oil he had unintentionally dropped on the map when he was eating oily noodles while trying to find Xing Island on the map. The red stain made it clear that this was the same map he had used at the time.
However, Li Huowang had purchased the map back in Shangjing, so how come Shangjing wasn't on the map and had been replaced by the You Capital of the Great Qi?
Chapter 406 - You Capital
Li Huowang's mind was in complete chaos as he looked down at his own map.
He had no idea what happened to his map.
It was one thing if the Twisted One's ability affected only humans. He could at least explain it as some sort of hypnosis that affected people in a certain radius around the Twisted One, but why did his own map become a map of the Qi Kingdom?
What's up with the Twisted One's ability? Why is it so bizarre? Li Huowang was confused. Is the Great Qi from another parallel universe? Or maybe the Great Qi did not exist and was born from the Twisted Ones' ability?
"Junior Li, it's getting dark soon. We have to leave soon, or we will have to camp outside," Zhuge Yuan said, ushering Li Huowang into the carriage.
Li Huowang looked up and stared at Zhuge Yuan. "Senior Zhuge, can you tell me the truth? What is the Twisted One's ability? I really don't feel like guessing it after all this while."
"I can't say it," Zhuge Yuan said, using his fan to point at the sky.
"I'm not asking about the source. I'm asking about the bizarre things happening around you. I want to know because I don't think I can get used to it," Li Huowang asked.
"Around me?" Zhuge Yuan replied, "I've met people who would tell me that they're from the Great Liang and that the Great Qi had fallen to ruins years ago, just like you. However, I know that the Great Liang is fake while the Great Qi is real."
"But the Qi Kingdom..." Li Huowang trailed off. He decided not to argue about it, as he could foresee the outcome.
"Fine, I'm not going to ask any more questions," Li Huowang said, putting away his own map. "Let's go to the capital of the Qi Kingdom, the You Capital!"
Their journey to the You Capital continued, and they failed to encounter any members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. If it weren't for the incident in Xing Island, Li Huowang would think that the Sitting Oblivion Dao had given up on Zhuge Yuan.
Their pace became a bit quicker, all thanks to the carriages that they had plundered from the shop that tried to poison them. Although they were off the beaten path, they still arrived at their destination fairly early.
The red sun rose from behind the city wall.
Standing on the roof of the carriage, Li Huowang sighed and said, "We're finally at Shangjing—no, we're finally at the You Capital."
Li Huowang looked around and saw people approaching them. He felt out of place as he stared at everyone crying, happy to see their loved ones once again.
"Daoist, today is the first day of the month. Don't forget to eat a chunk of the Black Taisui, or you'll go crazy again," said the old monk's illusion.
"I know." Li Huowang took out his dagger and carved a chunk of the Black Taisui. He chucked it into his mouth and started chewing.
"What are you eating, Grand Elder? Is it going to help with your cultivation?" Xia Risheng asked. He had been stealing glances at Li Huowang, and he saw Li Huowang throwing something into his mouth.
Li Huowang ignored Xia Risheng and jumped down. He took hold of the reins and guided the horse toward the main city gate.
Li Huowang looked around the city to see if there were any differences, but the You Capital looked the same as Shangjing. There were still many people walking on the wide streets, and the shops he had seen in Shangjing were still around.
However, Li Huowang could see a few minute differences between Shangjing and the You Capital.
"Sir~ Come and play~" A soft voice entered Li Huowang's ears. He turned around and saw a feminine-looking man. The feminine-looking man was wearing a see-through shawl that barely covered anything as he stood in a bamboo cage decorated with red flowers. The feminine-looking was in a provocative pose, too.
"Uhhh..." Li Huowang frowned while staring at the feminine-looking man covered in heavy makeup inside the bamboo cage. Wasn't this shop selling women? When did they start selling men?
"Hmph!" Qin Lao snorted with clenched fists.
Just then, two pale-looking plump men alighted from a carriage while holding hands.
They were far away, but Li Huowang still caught a whiff of their scent. It was the same scent as that Ji Xiang—a scent born from a strong perfume mixed with urine.
The two eunuchs ignored the gazes of everyone else as they held hands and entered the shop that was selling men. At the same time, an old scholar walked out of the shop accompanied by two beautiful men. They flanked the old scholar and stuck closely to him as they walked toward an ox cart.
One of the two beautiful men knelt on all fours, becoming a ladder for the old scholar to climb into the ox cart. Once the old scholar was in the ox cart, the two beautiful men entered it as well rather than returning to the shop.
Soon, the three disappeared into the distance.
"Ridiculous! This is all the fault of those officials! To think that such immoral acts are done in broad daylight in this city! They even have the guts to say that what they're doing is normal and respectable! Fuck them! They've colluded with those corrupt officials! The books they've read have been wasted on them!" Qin Lao roared.
Qin Lao was wheezing from anger. He found it hard to catch his breathing after his outburst, as he had just recovered from his injuries, after all. Everyone did their best to take him away to make sure that his stitch-up injuries wouldn't open. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
Li Huowang stood quietly, seemingly waiting for something to happen.
When Zhuge Yuan was a certain distance away, the beautiful feminine-looking man in the cage became a woman. His appearance didn't change, but his face became much softer and less angular.
The man had become a woman right before Li Huowang's eyes.
Li Huowang frowned and stopped an old man walking around to sell his firewood.
"Are we in the Great Qi or in the Great Liang?"
The old man thought that Li Huowang had a few screws loose."We're in Shangjing, the capital of the Liang Kingdom. What are you talking about?"
"Hehe." Li Huowang chuckled. His assumption was right. There was a certain range to the changes, and if anyone got close enough to Zhuge Yuan, they'd find themselves in another kingdom—the Great Qi Kingdom.
However, Li Huowang didn't have the time or the knowledge to figure out the details.
Li Huowang had no idea whether the Great Qi was real or not. He also had no idea why this was happening. In the end, he chalked it up to the Three Ancient Ones and blamed them for the changes.
There was no need to spend that much resources to figure out Zhuge Yuan's ability as a Twisted One. Li Huowang had no plans of doing so, as Zhuge Yuan's wasn't exactly harmful to him.
"Let's go!" Li Huowang jumped onto the carriage and grabbed the horse's reins, urging it gently to follow Zhuge Yuan and the others.
Chapter 407 - He's Here
Li Huowang urged his horses to run faster. The bystanders had no idea that they were slowly becoming denizens of the Great Qi Kingdom.
When Li Huowang finally caught up, he looked around and saw the denizens of the Great Qi whispering to each other about their plans for the day. Li Huowang found the scene utterly bizarre. It felt like everyone had agreed beforehand to play along with Zhuge Yuan.
"Junior Li, where did you go?" Zhuge Yuan asked, sounding curious."There are many people here, so you have to be careful. They could be from the Sitting Oblivion Dao."
"Relax, I know what to do. This isn't my first rodeo. Anyway, where are we going, Senior Zhuge?"
Zhuge Yuan continued to fan himself even though it was cold. "We need to go to Sir Liang's house. Old Qin and the others will meet with us tonight to plan our next step."
Li Huowang nodded, and his eyes were filled with pity as he stared at Zhuge Yuan. The latter was very strong, but he couldn't shake off his own curse. Zhuge Yuan still had no idea what was happening to him.
Li Huowang knew that no one could help Zhuge Yuan. Changes would only occur once Zhuge Yuan realized that there was something wrong with him. The words of any third party would be meaningless until then.
The carriages traveled deep into the city center, and they stopped at one of the mansions outside the palace. There were two stone lions carved from black stone outside the mansion gates, and a plaque was above the gates—House of Liang.
A middle-aged man clad in his official uniform walked out. The middle-aged man's distinctive feature was his goatee, and he looked to be around forty to fifty years old.
The middle-aged man's fast response to their arrival made it obvious that he had been waiting for them. The middle-aged man immediately bowed toward Zhuge Yuan and cried out, "Sir Zhuge! I really didn't expect to see you here!"
"I'm just a commoner so no need to bow to me, Sir Liang. Anyway, this isn't the place to discuss things. Let's go inside."
Sir Liang greeted his master, Old Qin, before leading them into his mansion.
Li Huowang was visibly out of place as if he was just a passerby.
They crossed the courtyard and reached the guest hall of Sir Liang's mansion.
Everyone immediately started talking about many things just as they sat down. They didn't even take a sip of the tea before them. Their main topic was to address the power gap between them and the imperial family.
Of course, saving the Great Qi from ruin was a part of their discussion.
However, Li Huowang didn't get involved. He simply stared at Sir Liang's side while thinking about other issues. I wonder what kind of identity Sir Liang has in the Liang Kingdom? If I asked him to leave Zhuge Yuan's side, would he treat me as an assassin? Wait, perhaps he's someone from the Sitting Oblivion Dao?
Engrossed in his thoughts, Li Huowang forgot the passage of time. The sun gradually set as more and more officials arrived at the mansion.
They all joined the discussion within the guest hall, and there were so many of them that there wasn't even a place to stand.
Li Huowang was too tired from the journey, so he walked outside to get some fresh air.
"Father, what are they talking about? Why can't I understand them?" Li Sui's voice echoed from Li Huowang's ears.
"It's fine if you don't understand them. It doesn't concern us," Li Huowang said, realizing that Li Sui was becoming more energetic and inquisitive. He had once thrown a tantrum so that Li Huowang would give it a sword. Today, Li Sui had just asked for an explanation for something he couldn't understand.
"Father, you're hungry," Li Sui said, using his tentacles to wrap around Li Huowang's empty stomach. He had once used Li Huowang's stomach as a hiding place, but now, he was too big to fit.
Li Sui was slowly but surely filling up Li Huowang's cavities.
Meanwhile, Li Huowang learned one new thing about Li Sui: he had learned to empathize with people. Li Huowang felt warm but it was a bad thing, as it meant that Li Sui was maturing.
Li Huowang frowned, seemingly agitated. If he couldn't obtain the method from Bei Feng's mouth before LI Sui matured completely, he would have no choice but to endure the hallucination.
Li Huowang never once thought that one day, he would wish to see members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. Footsteps echoed, prompting Li Huowang to turn around to see an old man with a lantern.
The old man was Sir Liang's butler.
"Sir Li, dinner is ready, so please follow me," the old man said.
Li Huowang listened carefully and realized that the guest hall was quiet. It seemed that they had left, while Li Huowang was engrossed in his thoughts outside.
They're going to revolt soon, but they still have time to eat? Li Huowang stood up and followed the butler. He soon found himself in front of a table filled with delicious food. Li Huowang was so grumpy that he ignored Old Qin's words and ate quietly.
If Old Qin had so much authority in the palace, why was he in the Surveillance Bureau? Li Huowang felt that there was no point in risking his life for someone like Old Qin.
Everyone found Li Huowang's behavior to be quite rude, and they cast piercing glares in his way. However, that was the only thing that they could do. Eventually, they started eating, but Li Huowang was already done with his meal.
Li Huowang stood up and walked up to Zhuge Yuan. "How's your discussion going? When are we moving, and who should we kill?"
Perhaps the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao are waiting for a chance to strike. If I do something huge, I might be able to lure them out
Zhuge Yuan used his sleeves to cover his mouth. Then, he downed the wine in his hands and placed his sleeves down slowly before replying, "Relax, Junior Li. We have such a grand plan, and we can't afford to move hastily.
"Many officials were imprisoned because they refused to submit to the empress. There were also many who ended up getting relocated to remote places. To make matters worse, those corrupted officials had plunged the You Capital into depravity.
"The denizens are dissatisfied, but we need more time to convince some of those on the fence to follow us. They're all denizens of the Great Qi, after all, so it's best to minimize casualties."
"Why are you pulling people like them to your group?" Li Huowang asked, frowning. He lost all interest in the matters of the Qi Kingdom the moment he learned of the Qi Kingdom's fate.
"Those on the fence belong to the military. With that in mind, do you really think they'd be useless in our cause?"
Zhuge Yuan had a vague inkling of Li Huowang's feelings, so he said, "Relax, I haven't forgotten your circumstance. Once this is done, I'll ask everyone in the Qi Kingdom to help me find the cultivation method to cultivate the 'Truth' for you."
Zhuge Yuan and Li Huowang's conversation was interrupted just then by a shrill voice that echoed from the mansion gates. "The Emperor is here~"
"The Emperor?!" Everyone, including Li Huowang, was shocked. Li Huowang suddenly recalled what Zhuge Yuan had told him—the current Emperor of the Qi Kingdom was nothing but a reanimated corpse.
Chapter 408 - Emperor
Gong!
Gongs echoed outside, and a piece of solemn, grand music approached.
The Emperor of the Qi Kingdom had truly arrived.
Before Li Huowang could even do anything, the officials busy eating their meals with vinegar stood up with pale faces and ran to the door.
When Li Huowang reached the courtyard, he saw everyone, including Old Qin and Sir Liang, kneeling on the ground. The music got closer and closer, and the heavy stench of perfume pervaded the courtyard. The massive sedan with a rounded dome soon appeared before everyone's eyes.
The red-colored dragon engravings on the pillar of the sedan were covered in ribbons while curtains with motifs of dragons soaring across the sky covered the entire sedan. Most importantly, no one could peek into it.
Li Huowang thought that was the entirety of the sedan, but it got bigger and taller as if there were no end to it.[1]
Li Huowang saw more decorations: lanterns, dragon flags, round jade decorations, bells, and even saddles. Every decoration was made with care, but they were strewn haphazardly.
The massive and heavy sedan towered over everyone like a small mountain.
Even Li Huowang found the massive wooden structure to be quite oppressive. The sedan seemed like a massive infant corpse, sweeping across everyone in the courtyard from above.
The stench of the perfume soon became so thick that some people in the courtyard felt suffocated.
Li Huowang turned to Zhuge Yuan and was about to ask questions when red-robed guards descended upon the mansion and surrounded it.
Bald eunuchs appeared after the red-robed guards, wielding horse-tail whisks. They lined up in front of the guards, forming a barrier between them and the people in the courtyard. They stood silently in the darkness, their pale faces making them appear more like paper dolls than real people.
The music had stopped at some point, and a deafening silence descended upon the courtyard. Everyone didn't dare to even breathe.
Li Huowang stood in a corner, staring at the unfolding scene as if he were a passerby. His gaze soon landed on the massive wooden sedan, and he looked as if he were contemplating something.
"They said you guys are playing. Why did you not bring me along to play?" A childish voice echoed behind the curtains.
Blood drained out of everyone's faces, and those with a faint heart collapsed to the ground out of fear.
"What are you guys playing? Bring it out for me, so I can play as well." The same childish voice echoed, and a child emerged from the curtains. The child was wearing the Emperor's Crown and was clad in a dragon robe in a black and gold motif.
Just then, the massive wooden structure became like the body of a child, creating an utterly bizarre sight.
Li Huowang stared deeply at the child. His keen intuition roared at him, saying that he wasn't staring at a child. There was no way a six-year-old could have such a piercing gaze. Moreover, the child seemed to be scrutinizing everyone's flesh and bones rather than their appearance and demeanor.
Li Huowang's heart started to beat wildly against his chest as he started doubting himself. Zhuge Yuan has told me about this! Does this mean he has the power to transform his stories into reality? This sight is just too realistic for it to be fake!
Just then, the eunuchs finally noticed the two people standing in the corner rather than kneeling on the ground, and they roared, "How dare you two stand there when His Majesty is here! Why are you not kneeling?!"
Li Huowang decisively whipped out two talisman papers. Then, he bit his fingers open, using the blood to draw on the talisman.
He slapped both talismans on his knees before taking out his purple-tassel sword and running toward the massive sedan. Li Huowang moved so fast that he became a blurry shadow.
"You guys have been fooled! That emperor is fake! He's a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao!" Li Huowang roared, and his voice sounded as loud and as deafening as a detonated bomb.
The red-robed guards immediately fell in position and stood to block Li Huowang's path toward the massive sedan.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Yuan's expression changed, becoming solemn after a long time of nonchalance. He flipped his hand, and an old almanac the size of two palms appeared on the ground.
Zhuge Yuan then took out a brush and pointed it at the night sky.
The darkness of the starry night sky seemed to congeal into ink, covering the tip of Zhuge Yuan's brush.
The brush shining with starlight touched the almanac, and Zhuge Yuan wasted no time, writing swiftly—Year of the Wood Pig, Tenth Month, on the Day of Gold. Prohibited: Lies. Prohibited: Changing Faces!
Zhuge Yuan lifted his brush once more, and the words he had written followed the tip of his brush. Zhuge Yuan then thrust his brush toward the starry sky and the darkness that had congealed as his ink flew out of the tip of his brush, becoming one with the starry sky.
The yellow words then scattered throughout the starry sky.
The emperor and the eunuch's faces distorted instantly, astonishing the red-robed guards.
"Haha! I've been waiting for you to appear and you've finally appeared!" Li Huowang took out the pliers without hesitation and pulled out his teeth before scattering them into the air. Several playing cards then manifested on the ground, puncturing Li Huowang's stomach.
However, no blood gushed out of Li Huowang. Instead, he melted slowly and eventually disappeared into the ground. The red-robed guards looked around, but they couldn't find him anywhere.
Moments later, the red-robed guards out of their confusion, but the red-robed Daoist was already on the mansion's roof. Before they could do anything, Li Huowang took to the air, jumping onto the emperor's sedan.
Li Huowang's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at the "emperor."
His hatred and killing intent seemed to have consumed him as he used a flint to set himself on fire. A conflagration erupted, engulfing Li Huowang in the proverbial blink of an eye.
"WHAT MOTHER FUCKING MAHJONG TILE ARE YOU?!" Li Huowang roared.
Li Huowang was like a blazing kite lighting up the night sky, and the heat that he was radiating was so strong that the air seemed to distort around him.
The member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao masquerading as the emperor quickly retreated into the sedan.
However, it was too late. A blazing fire engulfed the entire wooden sedan; thick, black smoke soon rose, and a cacophonous din erupted as everyone came to their senses upon the terrifying sight.
"Come out! Where are you?!" Li Huowang roared, searching for the "emperor" amidst the roaring flames.
Just then, a shadow rushed past him, escaping the burning sedan.
"Think you can run away?" Li Huowang took out the rib bones that the Black Taisui had given to him and thrust them into his own abdomen. Every living creature in a certain radius around him felt the same excruciating pain.
The shadow let loose a cry of agony before falling into the flames.
The burning and bleeding Li Huowang endured the pain and approached the shadow. Grabbing the "emperor" by the shoulders, Li Huowang flipped the "emperor" around and saw that he had been tricked!
The "emperor" wasn't a human being but a mere puppet!
1. So basically a limo lmao ☜
Chapter 409 - Goal
Li Huowang felt something was wrong the moment he saw the puppet.
And that was when he heard something behind him.
Li Huowang turned around and saw a saber flying toward it. However, Li Sui managed to block it with his tentacles and his array of torture tools.
The wooden floor cracked under the pressure, and Li Huowang's leg sank into the floor. The saber contained a terrifying force that sent him plummeting downward. Li Huowang recovered quickly and stood up to see two Sitting Oblivion Dao members waiting for him.
Ba Tiao and Jiu Tiao[1].
The two of them were burning just like Li Huowang. Their skin and flesh were bubbling, slowly becoming charcoal. However, the both of them didn't even wince from the pain.
The almanac was still active, as the two didn't speak to Li Huowang.
The two Sitting Oblivion Dao members were tall, and they each wielded a huge saber. They emitted a domineering aura akin to deities as they stood quietly, staring at Li Huowang.
"Where did you steal those weapons? Which military family did you deceive?!" Li Huowang roared.
The two Sitting Oblivion Dao members took to the air, jumping toward Li Huowang.
Clang!
A resonant clang echoed, and Li Huowang was blasted away by the impact.
However, Li Huowang was delighted when he saw the damage on the sabers of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members. It made one thing clear for Li Huowang—their weapons weren't as sharp as Li Huowang's!
"Li Sui, take this!" Li Huowang handed Li Sui the bronze coin sword and ran toward one of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members with his purple-tassel sword. The two exchanged blows, but Li Huowang suddenly cut off three of his fingers.
The Sitting Oblivion Dao member was distracted by the fingers.
Li Huowang took advantage of that opening to send a flurry of attacks toward the Sitting Oblivion Dao member.
The other Sitting Oblivion Dao member ran toward their comrade to help, but Li Sui's bronze coin sword and his array of torture tools stood in their way, stopping him from approaching Li Huowang.
The other Sitting Oblivion Dao member sliced off some of Li Sui's tentacles to no avail, as tentacles bursting out of Li Huowang would simply replace the tentacles that had fallen to the floor.
Sparks flew everywhere as Li Huowang attacked with the ferocity of a deluge. His enemy's saber shattered just then, and Li Huowang twisted his wrist, slitting the throat of the Sitting Oblivion Dao member.
Then, he turned to the other Sitting Oblivion Dao member and shouted, "Put down your saber, and I'll spare you!"
The other Sitting Oblivion Dao member ceased all movement and stood still. In the next moment, he fell backward and collapsed to the ground.
Li Huowang rushed to the check on Sitting Oblivion Dao member's condition, but the Sitting Oblivion Dao member was dead. He had died of extensive burns. It turned out that they weren't immune to fire. They had simply decided to fight till their last breath.
Li Huowang had wanted to interrogate one of the two, but they all ended up dead.
Li Huowang was so frustrated that he kicked the corpse out of spite. He initially thought that the Sitting Oblivion Dao member masquerading as the Emperor of the Qi Kingdom would be a high-rank Sitting Oblivion Dao member, but the fact that they died so easily meant that they were nothing but mere pawns.
Clang!
The bronze coin sword fell to the ground, and it had taken on an orange hue due to the surrounding flames. Li Sui retracted his tentacles into Li Huowang and cried out, "Father, it's hot... it hurts."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. Next time, don't come out if I'm on fire," Li Huowang replied. He put away the bronze coin sword and emerged from the flames. He needed to kill the other Sitting Oblivion Dao members before the flames were gone.
However, the group of eunuchs and even the red-robed guards had vanished. If it hadn't been for the blazing fire behind him, he would have thought that he was hallucinating.
Li Huowang walked up to Zhuge Yuan and saw that the latter was rolling one of the art pieces he had taken with him into a scroll.
"Junior Li, how did you know that he's a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao? He was too far away, so I almost ended up getting fooled by them," Zhuge Yuan said, sounding impressed.
"I didn't. There were only two options: either he was a member of the Sitting Oblivion Dao or the real zombie emperor of the Qi Kingdom.
"Regardless, we have to deal with the Sitting Oblivion Dao members. It's either we are right that he's a Sitting Oblivion Dao member, or the real emperor has truly come here to kill all of you after learning of your plans. Either way, we'd have to fight." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
"Oh! You are so smart. I truly am impressed," Zhuge Yuan said, putting away the scroll and praising Li Huowang.
Li Huowang looked around and saw that everyone else had vanished. He then cast a confused gaze at Zhuge Yuan, asking, "Senior Zhuge, where are the rest of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members?"
"Them? They're gone."
"Gone? We finally stumbled upon them after such a long time of waiting, so how could you just let them escape? You should've at least forced one of them to stay for me to interrogate!" Li Huowang exclaimed, and his figure shone brightly.
The smell of flesh wafted over to Zhuge Yuan, telling him that Li Huowang was once again.
"Junior Li, calm down. Why don't you stop your technique first? It looks painful," said Zhuge Yuan as the flames illuminated his face.
Li Huowang was angry, but he still listened and jumped into the nearby pond.
When Li Huowang poked his head out of the water, he saw Zhuge Yuan extending an arm toward him. Li Huowang sighed and reached out for Zhuge Yuan's arm. The latter then pulled him out of the pond.
"Just tell me, where did the members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao go?" Li Huowang asked. Then, he sighed as he looked around. There wasn't anyone else around him.
"I've used the art scroll made out of a Muddled One to erase their memory of the Liang Kingdom before replacing that memory with their memory of the Qi Kingdom. Then, I sent them back."
"Hm?" Li Huowang was shocked. "Wait, what did you say? Where are they right now?"
"They're heading back to the Qi Kingdom. There's a curfew, but they insisted on going back. I think they'd soon reach the western gates."
Li Huowang looked around and quickly climbed a wall. Then, he ran across the wall and hopped onto roof after roof until he reached the highest roof in the estate. It was night time, but Li Huowang's eyesight was superb.
He could see the massive gates and the wide streets, but the place was empty with not a single person in sight.
No one was at the western gates. Zhuge Yuan was telling the truth! The members of the Sitting Oblivion Dao had gone to the Qi Kingdom!
"Junior Li, what are you looking at?" Zhuge Yuan said from next to Li Huowang.
Li Huowang took a few steps back and looked at Zhuge Yuan with shock. "Does that mean the Qi Kingdom actually exists somewhere? It doesn't just exist around you. Once someone forgets about the Liang Kingdom and trusts your nonsense, they'll end up finding themselves in the Qi Kingdom?!"
Zhuge Yuan revealed a displeased look while fanning himself.
"Junior Li, what are you talking about? What do you mean by 'nonsense'? I've always told you that the Qi Kingdom exists. Did you not listen to what I've said?"
"But..." Li Huowang trailed off, confused. If the Qi Kingdom existed, then where was it? Was it in a parallel world? Were the Twisted Ones capable of connecting the parallel worlds?
If it were a parallel world, would that mean that the male prostitutes in the Qi Kingdom simply transformed into female prostitutes in the Liang Kingdom and were the same individual all throughout?
The Twisted Ones were utterly bizarre, and Li Huowang couldn't quite wrap his head around their ability.
While Li Huowang was trapped in his own thoughts, Zhuge Yuan explained, "Is it that hard to understand? I said that the Great Qi is real, while the Great Liang is fake. I think this issue is more about you—you can't differentiate the truth from the lies."
"No, no, no..." Li Huowang trailed off, taking a few steps backward. Moments later, he calmly explained, "Senior Zhuge, let's not talk about it anymore. Even if the Great Qi exists, you should have left at least one of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members alive. You could have just sent them to the Great Qi once I was done with them."
"Why would I leave one for you?" Zhuge Yuan asked, smiling cheekily.
"What do you mean, 'why'? I have to Bei Feng's strength and their whereabouts!" Li Huowang exclaimed and sighed in frustration. "Senior Zhuge, I'm sorry for that outburst. I really don't have a single clue right now, and I'm running out of time."
Zhuge Yuan nodded. He took out a scroll of art and unfurled it. Then, he shook it vigorously until a dying individual rolled out of it.
"Junior Li, this is Bei Feng," Zhuge Yuan introduced.
1. Eight and Nine Bamboos respectively. ☜