The Chief said nothing in response to Shai Zi's words, but Li Huowang was different.
Li Huowang grabbed his pain with an agonized look and pointed at Shai Zi. "Gao Zhijian, what are you doing?!"
Gao Zhijian hesitated once again, but he recovered even faster this time.
"It's useless, Sitting Oblivion Dao. I am the Chosen One. Your tricks will not work on me," Gao Zhijian said. Then, he swept his gaze across the commanders and asked, "Ma family, Qiu family, Xue family, and Yu family... did all of you come here to spectate? I hope you haven't forgotten your ancestor's pledge."
Gao Zhijian's throne burst open, revealing the previous emperor tied to the tail of the Dragon Vein. Gao Zhijian then swung the bloody emperor in front of the commanders.
The next moment, many different weapons wrapped in a dense killing intent flew toward Li Huowang and the Chief.
"Scram!" Li Huowang shouted.
The projectiles flying toward him transformed abruptly, transforming into something else. No, it wasn't just the projectiles—everything around him except the Chief had transformed into something else. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
Li Huowang growled, and the surroundings were starting to transform.
The Chief saw that Shai Zi was trying to run away, so he flew over to the latter to stop him.
"Do not get close to that man! Archers, fire!"
"Fire!" A dense blanket of arrows flew from a mountain not too far away. It blotted out the sky and cast a deadly shadow over Li Huowang as the rain of arrows plummeted toward him. However, the attack didn't harm Li Huowang at all. The poison-coated arrows twisted into raindrops the moment they made contact with Li Huowang.
I can't keep this up! There are too many clouds of primordial breath! I can't control them all! I have to use them NOW! Li Huowang was bleeding from all of his orifices. He let out a roar and a clearing appeared around him as the soldiers frantically ran away from him for fear of transforming into something else.
"Hehehe. How many times must I tell you that your tricks are not going to work on me!" Shai Zi flew high up in the air, avoiding the Chief. Just then, something appeared before Shai Zi.
The man had leprosy and three heads of different ages—young, adult, and old. He was holding a bronze coin sword, and he was covered in black feathers.
"Hm? What is that thing?" Gao Zhijian's slender figure twisted in mid-air, dodging the spacetime rift that Li Huowang's spine sword had sent toward him. Shai Zi looked down and saw a familiar face. It turned out that the attack just now had come from Zhuge Yuan rather than Li Huowang!
Zhuge Yuan swung the spine sword once more before flying toward Shai Zi. "Junior Li, do not be afraid! I'm here to help!"
Li Huowang collapsed to the ground in pain, and his head throbbed painfully, but he smiled at the familiar voice.
Li Sui's tentacles moved, helping Li Huowang up the ground. Li Huowang brandished his purple-tasseled sword and ran toward Shai Zi.
The Dragon Vein had bizarre properties that allowed Gao Zhijian to fight toe-to-toe against Li Huowang, but it didn't matter how great Shai Zi was at dodging; he was still getting cornered by the Chief, Dan Yangzi, Zhuge Yuan, and Li Huowang.
Just as they were about to capture Gao Zhijian, a sharp sword pierced Li Huowang's chest. The next moment, a spear fashioned from the bloody horns of a dragon pierced Dan Yangzi, and his grotesque form dissipated from the attack.
Gao Zhijian instantly felt the weight on him becoming lighter.
This is impossible! How could someone get so close to me without me noticing them? Li Huowang spat a mouthful of blood and turned around. To his surprise, he saw soldiers wearing armor made from bloody dragon scales.
The bloody scales weren't fake scales made from iron. The scales had come from the past emperors on the Dragon Vein. To make matters worse, even the soldiers' weapons were made from dragon bone!
"Hahaha! I knew you guys were going to attack me, so I prepared a countermeasure. Do you really think that I can't handle a crazy Strayed One? Unfortunately for you all, I have multiple contingency plans!"
Several soldiers leaped out from the bushes, each of them donning an armor made from dragon scales. They surrounded Li Huowang, and they seemed unaffected by Li Huowang's ability that he had obtained from cultivating the "Truth."
"Are you crazy?!" the Chief howled upon realizing something horrible. "How dare you scatter the luck of the Dragon Vein so recklessly?!"
"Does it really matter? The end of the world is coming, anyway. Might as well as make it come earlier. I'd prefer if the world ended sooner; that way, we'll be spared of the agonizing wait."
Shai Zi then swept his claw across the past emperors. Large swathes of dragon scales fell from the sky, and cracks appeared in the clouds itself. It looked like the heavens had fractured!
"Kill them! The officials and the military are one! Kill them, and I will give you everything!" Shai Zi exclaimed.
The soldiers clad in dragon scale armor quickly moved to surround Li Huowang. He glanced at the Chief, but he saw that the latter was busy fighting Shai Zi. The Chief didn't have any time to spare for Li Huowang.
Li Huowang looked around and saw Shangguan Yuting with her head covered in eyeballs.
I need to do something! Li Huowang grabbed Shangguan Yuting and ate one of her eyeballs. "I need to find a way to defeat Shai Zi!"
An eye manifested on Li Huowang's forehead, but he saw nothing. It made sense, as Shai Zi had already become the Dragon Vein after fusing with it.
However, Li Huowang wasn't going to give up. He ignored Shangguan Yuting's cries of pain as he devoured the eyeballs on her head. Li Huowang's third eye started to shine even brighter as he ate more of Shangguan Yuting's eyeballs.
Unfortunately, the soldiers weren't going to wait for Li Huowang to finish.
One of the soldiers shouted, "Jingyan formation!"
The soldiers lined up in a formation before charging at Li Huowang.
Swoosh!
The air shrieked as a dragon horn made a beeline for Li Huowang. Before the dragon bone could hit him, however, a white ribbon descended and wrapped around the dragon horn, lifting it up.
Li Huowang had barely managed to avoid getting hit by the attack.
The soldiers looked up and saw white lotus lanterns in the air.
Bai Lingmiao was standing at the helm of a group of White Lotus Sect disciples, and they had come here to protect Li Huowang. The disciples looked different from each other, and they were either topless or were wearing dudous embroidered with pearls.
Their eyes were half closed, and their faces were solemn. The metal rods sticking out of their cheeks had talismans attached to them, and the disciples had tattoos depicting white donkeys.
Chapter 581 - Secret
When the commanders of the army saw the White Lotus Sect disciples, their belief in their emperor's words strengthened. The rhythm of the war drums changed, and the soldiers in dragon-scale armor worked together to corner the cultists.
Meanwhile, the archers on the distant mountain began to tighten the strings of their octagonal crossbows.
At the next moment, a mighty fire ignited near the catapults.
The Ao Jing Sect had made their move.
The pressure on Bai Lingmiao had decreased sharply, but she still felt immense pressure as she stood before the lines of troops. The pressure was truly immense, as this issue concerned not just herself but Li Huowang's survival as well.
Bai Lingmiao glanced at Li Huowang, who seemed to be immersed in his own world.
A fierce expression appeared on Bai Lingmiao's face as she shouted, "Spiritual communication!"
The disciples around her took out a jagged knife and thrust it into their foreheads. The next moment, they started chanting as crimson blood flowed down their faces.
"Invoke the spirits, please manifest. I invite the spirits and wish to worship the generals of this altar. The revered masters of golden light. Suppress the five generals, take five steps, and turn once to reveal the wheel of characters, the great Bodhisattva Pu'an!"
The mediums' eyes shot wide open. They seemed to have been possessed by the spirits as they charged at the towering soldiers with no signs of fear on their faces. In terms of skills, these spirit mediums were no match for the seasoned military troops. The mediums quickly found themselves riddled with holes of varying sizes.
However, the mediums seemed unaffected. They stood before the towering soldiers, holding them back with their bodies.
Bai Lingmiao made a lotus seal with her hands, and she smacked her head forcefully with the lotus seal. The lotus on her forehead became a twin lotus.
Then she immediately started chatting. "The strong and weak fragrances shall combine and scatter. The east and the west diverge but remain intertwined!"
Bai Lingmiao trembled, and her expression was part angry and part sorrowful. She looked rather bizarre as her shadow began to grow larger.
However, the soldiers didn't care about her bizarre appearance at all. The ground burst open, and a soldier radiating an intense, killing intent jumped out of the fissure. He was holding a weapon made out of a dragon's horn as he rushed toward Bai Lingmiao.
Just as Bai Lingmiao was about to get hit, she split apart, allowing her to dodge the attack. However, Bai Lingmiao's upper body was the only part of her that had split apart; her lower body hadn't changed.
One of Bai Lingmiao's two faces showed compassion and mercy, while the other showed cruelty and ferocity.
Bom, bom, bom!
Four slender palms with black nails moved like whips, slapping the white drums around Bai Lingmiao's waist. As the drum beats intensified, a red veil manifested, covering the two faces.
Behind the red veil, the Second Deity started singing.
"The treasured foal grows wings in the nine heavens, and the iron pagoda shines with the light of the eight treasures! I smile once, my partner smiles twice, and the old immortal laughs three times for reasons unknown!
"I call upon the old Immortal; you must come!"
A patch of fur grew out of the back of Bai Lingmiao's hand. The wolf teeth protruding from behind the red veil gnawed at the palms of the towering soldier, tearing them apart in the blink of an eye.
While Bai Lingmiao and the spirit mediums were busy buying time, Li Huowang had already devoured the majority of Shangguan Yuting's head. The eyeball in the middle of his forehead was bloodshot, and it had become larger than his head.
He had transformed into a terrifying monster, and the tentacles all over him made him look even more terrifying. Li Huowang's expression was frightening too, and he looked like he was having a hard time catching his breath.
Unfortunately, Li Huowang still needed more. Not enough! Still not enough!
Li Huowang's mouth split abruptly, opening up all the way to his ears. His eyes widened to the maximum as he leaned forward, sucking Shangguan Yuting's head into his mouth.
Shangguan Yuting abruptly stopped moving, and she dissipated into nothingness. Li Huowang looked up, revealing an eyeball that had become swollen to the point that it looked like it would explode at any time soon.
Li Huowang's scalp had become almost transparent, allowing others to peek at his skull.
"I-I-I can see it!!" Li Huowang roared hysterically.
His head swelled up, expanding by half its size before shrinking to the size of a walnut. Afterward, Li Huowang's head exploded with a bang as if it were a firework.
At the same time, Shangji Guankou's hidden secrets became available to Li Huowang. He saw what was hidden beneath this world, and everything that was once shrouded in fog became extremely clear to him.
He was a Hong Zhong, and his past had changed completely when Doulao had gifted him with the identity of a Hong Zhong.
One's past wasn't just the past. Whenever a Siming changed someone's past, that someone's past would inevitably change as well! The Simings cared so much about the past because they were fighting for each other's future!
Zheng Boqiao was right—only with a "cause" would there be an "effect."
The Simings didn't actually exist completely, and they'd disappear the moment every single trace of their existence was gone.
In the darkness, Li Huowang caught a glimpse of the secrets of the birth and the death of the Simings. He finally understood what the Simings were all about. At the same time, Li Huowang noticed that many heavenly entities had noticed his existence, but he couldn't care less about them at the moment.
His attention was on the fact that he had found many valuable pieces of information through the secrets of the Shangji Guankou, including the secrets written on Zhuge Yuan's fan at the time.
Li Huowang knelt down and looked up.
"Is this part of your plan?" Li Huowang asked.
He was staring at the stolen Sacred Mountain Ghost's Eye, and he saw his own reflection in the eye so colossal that it blotted out the skies.
If he were to become Doulao's Twisted One, then the current Doulao would be his future self. That was the eye's plan...
Li Huowang just had to follow its plan, and the current crisis would be resolved.
Shai Zi has deceived my future self, and I'm going to avenge myself, Li Huowang thought. It seemed to be the most logical course of action.
When Li Huowang got close enough to the eye, his flesh cracked open by itself. The scars that had yet to vanish all split open like flower petals.
Pain... intense pain. The excruciating pain brought Li Huowang back, pulling him away from the Sacred Mountain Ghost's Eye in the sky. Upon savoring the familiar feeling, Li Huowang smiled. I had no idea that I was so popular! I should have known of it earlier.
When Doulao was in the middle of setting up its scheme, Ba-Hui was setting up its trap as well. To be more precise, the two of them wanted to turn me into their Twisted One the moment I obtained the Profound Records from the water bandits!
Li Huowang felt like an eternity had passed. His brain matter, blood, and broken bones that were flying in all directions were falling slowly to the ground.
The sudden change stunned everyone, including the spirit mediums and the soldiers. They all slowly stopped what they were doing to stare in disbelief at Li Huowang, who had suddenly lost his head but was still somehow muttering to himself.
Moreover, Li Huowang's fleshly body seemed to be in the middle of being subjected to lingchi[1]. His flesh and skin were splitting open, revealing the wriggling black tentacles underneath.
Li Sui was inside Li Huowang, so she reacted faster than anyone. Moreover, she knew quite a few things for sure, and one of them was the fact that a person would die upon losing their head.
"Father, are you alright? Your head—"
"Shh!" Bai Lingmiao hushed as her two bodies rushed over to the tentacles that had sprouted out of Li Huowang's broken mouth.
"Suisui, listen to me. Don't say anything to your father!" Bai Lingmiao warned.
Right then, Li Huowang made a move. His mouth was the only part of his face that was somewhat intact as he rushed toward Shai Zi, who was busy fighting the Chief of the Great Liang's Surveillance Bureau.
Bai Lingmiao's fangs closed forcefully as she chased after Li Huowang. The soldiers in dragon-scale armor attempted to block them, but Bai Lingmiao and the spirit mediums put their lives on the line to stop them.
When the Chief and Zhuge Yuan saw Li Huowang's current appearance, they seemed to have understood something, so they didn't say anything.
However, Shai Zi was different. He roared, "Hong Zhong! Where did your head go?"
Li Huowang roared, "Don't think you can fool me again, Sitting Oblivion Dao!"
"Your head really isn't there! If you don't believe me, try and touch your head!"
1. a form of slow execution by a thousand cuts ☜
Chapter 582 - Siming
Shai Zi said, "Your head really isn't there! If you don't believe me, try and touch your head!"
Li Huowang couldn't care less about Shai Zi's tempting words. He looked up at the sky and roared, "You want me to become your Twisted One, huh?! Fat chance! Since I'm the coveted one, then I can just find someone else! Why do I have to settle with you all?!"
"I am Li Huowang!" Li Huowang shouted, pointing fiercely at the sky. "I am destined to become the Siming! The future Li Huowang is destined to come and help me right now!"
Li Huowang immediately felt the rapid depletion of his primordial breath, and it was all because he was currently cultivating his future Siming self. Since Doulao was backing him up, why not take a bigger risk? He was risking his life, anyway.
Shai Zi looked bewildered. He had no idea what Li Huowang was up to.
"What nonsense are you spouting, Hong Zhong?! Have you gone crazy?"
Li Huowang could feel his memories as a Hong Zhong rapidly eroding his own memories, but it seemed that Doulao didn't want to sit idly by.
Unfortunately, his wounds from the past manifested all over him, and his flesh split open. The extreme pain made Li Huowang stagger backward. He could feel his mental and physical self splitting apart. He felt like he was on the verge of death.
However, this torture was what stoked the flames of perseverance in Li Huowang's heart. He decided to persevere with his belief. His method had to be incredibly effective. Otherwise, why were they trying so hard to stop him?
Cultivating a future Siming seemed impossible, but Li Huowang truly believed that it was possible. Li Huowang let out a peal of laughter filled with immense joy.
After an unknown amount of time, he came to his senses, and he found himself in a vast white expanse. Feeling confused, Li Huowang looked around and saw the Chief walking up to him to help him up.
"Li Huowang, are you sure you want to go down this path? You've already gotten involved with the "effect" of the Siming, but it doesn't mean that you have to become one."
It didn't matter to Li Huowang whether the Chief was real. He just replied, "Do I even have a choice? If I don't go down this path, am I supposed to become Doulao and Ba-Hui's puppet?"
"Anyway, do you know anything about my future self? Am I powerful? Which Siming will I command?"
"Bewilderment," the Chief answered.
"Oh? Are you saying that I will be able to use the 'Truth' and 'Lies' like Doulao along with 'Bewilderment'?" Li Huowang asked curiously.
"Yes, but the bewilderment in your heart will become even deeper the stronger you become. Those two are mutually reinforcing, after all," the Chief explained. Then, he sounded serious as he said, "Let me ask you once more. Are you sure you want to go down this path?
"If you go down this path, everything you care about might become illusions. And what you once thought were mere illusions might become real."
"Hehe, you speak as if I have a clear understanding of everything right now," Li Huowang replied in a self-deprecating manner.
The Chief nodded lightly at that and took off his red robes, revealing a white robe underneath. It was Yi Donglai's white robe.
"Li Huowang? Li Huowang?" Yi Donglai asked, snapping his fingers in front of the young man while holding a ballpoint pen in his other hand.
The scenery peeled back before Li Huowang, and Yi Donglai transformed into the Chief wearing the red Daoist robes. Li Huowang found himself standing in the middle of a battlefield thick with the smell of blood.
After just a second, the Chief's towering figure shrank as he became Yi Donglai again. The scent in the air changed from the smell of blood into the smell of hospital disinfectant.
"Li Huowang, are you sure you haven't forgotten what you have to do?" Yi Donglai asked, bringing Li Huowang back to his senses.
Li Huowang looked around and saw a spiral iron slide in the ward. The iron slide was long, and it almost reached the ceiling. Li Huowang lifted the covers and walked slowly toward the spiral slide under Yi Donglai's watchful gaze.
The spiral slide became the Dragon Vein in Li Huowang's eyes. Then just as Gao Zhijian was about to fly away, the Dragon Vein became a spiral slide once again. Li Huowang scratched his head and dragged his feeble body up the slide. He was so weak that such a simple task proved exceptionally difficult for him. There were even times when he lost his grip and slid back down.
When Sun Xiaoqin saw what was going on, she had the urge to charge at Li Huowan and help him up the spiral slide.
However, her husband held her back firmly, saying, "Doctor Yi is in the middle of giving hypnotherapy for our son! You can't go in and disrupt the session. Just believe in Doctor Yi's words!"
Li Huowang heard his father's words and glanced at his parents. His mother transformed into the soldiers, while his father became Bai Lingmiao, who stood bravely in the soldier's way.
Eventually, Li Huowang made it to the top of the slide, but he found nothing there. Moments later, he looked up and saw a round energy-saving light fixture hanging from the ceiling. Li Huowang half squatted on the slide, and then he reached out to unscrew the cover of the energy-saving light.
"This is impossible! This is absolutely impossible! I've become the Dragon Vein, and I will remain real wherever I am! You cannot control me!" Gao Zhijian roared, his voice carrying a strong protest and unwillingness.
Is this true? Or is this fake? Li Huowang thought.
His eyes revealed his confusion. He was having trouble distinguishing what was real. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
Li Huowang finally removed the cover of the energy-saving light fixture, and he pulled out an eighteen-sided die. He placed the cover back on and looked down at the die in his hand.
A smile blossomed on his face.
Yi Donglai approached Li Huowang from the other side of the slide. He reached out and took the eighteen-sided die from Li Huowang's hand, placing it into the pocket of his white coat.
"Let's go down," Yi Donglai said.
He supported Li Huowang down the steps before bringing him back to the bed in the ward.
Yi Donglai enquired, "How do you feel about this treatment?"
Li Huowang turned and saw Gao Zhijian standing in the distance, scratching his head with a puzzled look.
Shaking his head in confusion, Li Huowang responded, "I can't say for sure, but it seems like the issue has been resolved, at least for the time being."
"Brother Li, did we manage to save the Great Qi?!" Zhuge Yuan asked loudly as his figure dissipated slowly.
"I guess my illness can be considered cured now."
Zhuge Yuan revealed a look of relief before disappearing into thin air.
"How are you feeling?" Yi Donglai asked.
"I-I... I feel like both sides are starting to overlap," Li Huowang said, looking down at his bony hands in confusion.
"Well, that is not strange at all," Yi Donglai remarked. "It means that my treatment method is effective. Anyway, remember to take your medicine on time; the medicine will allow you to rapidly recover to full health."
Just then, the door to the ward was pushed open. A group of doctors rushed in, and they stared in awe at Li Huowang.
Sun Xiaoqin pushed them aside and burst into tears of joy.
"My son, you're cured! Goodness, your illness is finally cured!!"
Chapter 583 - Li Huowang
The morning sunlight shone into ward the through the windows of the White Tower Prison, warming up the cold room.
"Son, take it slow. Don't scald your tongue."
Under Sun Xiaoqin's encouraging gaze, Li Huowang picked up the short spoon with half a scoop of porridge and fed himself with a trembling hand.
It was an action that most people had long taken granted for, but Li Huowang found it incredibly difficult to perform at the moment.
His muscles had atrophied due to the long-term bed rest. He had started rehab, but it wouldn't yield any results until months later.
"Let me feed you, son."
Li Huowang shook his head gently and refused, "No need, I want to move more by myself. Everything I do is going to be beneficial to my health."
Bai Lingmiao withdrew her hand at Li Huowang's remark.
Li Huowang ate slowly, a few mouthfuls at a time. Just then, his face distorted in pain, and he clutched his head.
However, he ended up touching a hard and slightly smooth shell rather than his scalp or hair.
"What's this?" Li Huowang muttered. He used his fingernails to scratch at the shell, removing some crisp, yellow crumbs.
"Senior Li, don't scratch it. It's very brittle," Bai Lingmiao warned.
"What is this?" Li Huowang asked again sluggishly.
"The doctor said that these phase-three psychiatric drugs are going to have some side effects, but they're effective. Huowang, endure it a bit, okay? Once your condition has stabilized, we'll switch to drugs with less severe side effects."
When the intense pain passed, Li Huowang tapped his head with his fingers, and he heard a hollow sound. "Is this lotus root? Is this the result of the White Lotus Sect's techniques?"
Bai Lingmiao cautiously touched Li Huowang's crispy lotus root head. The white hair at her temples swayed gently as she shook her head and said, "No, Si Qi's Chief of the Surveillance Bureau is the one who did this to you. The supernatural powers of the Fangxian Sect truly are strange. The Fangxian Sect says that everything can be used as medicine."
Bai Lingmiao's heart jumped into her throat when she saw Li Huowang missing his head. She was really worried that Li Huowang would realize that he had no head and die on the spot as a result.
Fortunately, they were on the same side as the imperial court, so the Si Qi's Chief intervened to help Li Huowang.
"How long will it take me to recover? I can't bear to live with this on my head for the rest of my life," Li Huowang asked while drinking porridge.
"The Daoist master said that your fate is different from ordinary people, but it will still take you forty-nine days to recover your fleshly body."
"All right." Li Huowang nodded gently. "It's okay. It's been so long, and it's just forty-nine days. We can afford to wait that long."
"Yes, yes, it's been so long. There's hope for your illness. Speaking of which, public medical services are indeed better than private ones. Those private doctors in the past couldn't even compare to our Doctor Yi."
Just then, Sun Xiaoqin heard movement at the door of the ward. She picked up her small purse and welcomed Yi Donglai.
"Oh my, Doctor Yi, thank you so much! You are truly Hua Tuo's[1] incarnation!" Sun Xiaoqin took out a thick red packet[2] from her purse and stuffed it into Yi Donglai's coat pocket.
"Sister Sun, what's the meaning of this? You can't do this... our hospital has rules..."
"Hehehe, there's no meaning behind it. It's just a token of appreciation. Keep it. You've been working so hard for my son, so you deserve it. Anyway, how old are you, Doctor Yi? Are you married yet? If not, shall I introduce you to a nice girl?"
Sun Xiaoqin's words were like a flurry of punches that caught Yi Donglai off guard, and he found himself unable to respond properly, even though he could face Li Huowang without any hesitation.
"Mom," Li Huowang couldn't stand it anymore.
"I got it, I'll leave now."
Once Sun Xiaoqin was out of the ward, Yi Donglai smiled wryly at Li Huowang.
He sat on the chair that Sun Xiaoqin had previously occupied, took out the red packet, and shook it toward the corner of the room where the camera was located before putting it into the pocket of Li Huowang's patient clothes.
"Give it back to your mom once you're discharged. I trust your character. You wouldn't use this money to gamble for some skins in a game, would you?"
Li Huowang opened the red packet and saw a stack of red notes inside. He counted them roughly and estimated the amount to be around four thousand.
"That's hard to say. I'm a delinquent back at school, and I'm not exactly the smartest student at the time."
Yi Donglai adjusted the frameless glasses on his nose and stared deeply at Li Huowang's face. "Actually, I'd be happy if you use that money to gamble for some skins in a game. It means that you have the desire of a normal person. When that day arrives, your illness can be considered to have been truly cured."
Li Huowang put away the red packet, and his expression turned serious as he said, "Your method is indeed effective, but can it really cure me completely?"
"Of course. You need to have confidence in me. Don't think that you're the only one with that kind of illness. I've used that method on others before, and the results were great. I once had a patient who was convinced that he was a wooden stake. He didn't take medicine, sleep, or cooperate with our treatment. But I told him that even wood needs to sleep and take medicine. And to prove it, I showed him an anime involving trees. He watched a few episodes and believed that trees actually need to take medicine and sleep. With that, he started taking medicine and cooperating with us for his treatment. Three months later, he was discharged."
"The last time I checked up on him, he was doing fine. He works as a deliveryman and doesn't earn much, but he can make ends meet and return to society."
Li Huowang nodded slowly, but there was still a hint of confusion on his face. He extended his right hand and clenched it before opening it again.
"The memories of Hong Zhong, which Doulao had bestowed upon me, have completely disappeared. I've become Li Huowang once again. However, my memories of the Profound Records are still there, and the scars on myself are still there. I still have the elevated senses bestowed upon me by Ba-Hui."
"Do you understand what I mean? Even if I become my own Twisted One, the true Li Huowang is always entangled with Ba-Hui's effect."
The Chief looked at Li Huowang silently for a long time. Then, he opened his mouth and spoke in his multi-layered voice. "Bewilderment itself is a kind of pain. You should stay ignorant about some things for the time being."
Li Huowang's face showed a hint of confusion; he couldn't quite understand what the Chief was talking about.
"Very well, keep it up." The door was pushed open as the Chief walked in, and the Chief before Li Huowang dissipated rapidly like yellow sand dispersing into the air.
1. a famous Chinese physician from the late Eastern Han Dynasty, often known as the Medical Saint or Divine Physician ☜
2. a gift of money in Chinese customs ☜
Chapter 584 - Shangjing
Lu Zhuangyuan was holding his grandson, Lu Tongsheng, as he sat inside a sedan chair that traveled down the streets of Shangjing. Lu Zhuangyuan swept his gaze across the shops along the streets.
The luxurious decorations inside the sedan chair told him that the sedan chair had to have been expensive to hire. Someone like him couldn't possibly afford to hire one.
Delighted, Lu Zhuangyuan kissed his grandson's face; his white beard scratched the baby's face, making him cry.
"Tongsheng, my little ancestor! Look! Our Lu Family is about to make a fortune!"
"I, Lu Zhuangyuan, have been dreaming about riding a sedan chair throughout my entire life, but I truly hadn't expected that one day, I'd end up riding in one! Hehe, so this is what riding a sedan chair feels like," Lu Zhuangyuan said, patting his bottom with a pleased look.
"Bleeeck!"
Lu Zhuangyuan frowned upon hearing someone vomiting outside the sedan chair. He pulled back the curtain and looked out to see Lu Juren's head sticking out of the sedan chair.
Lu Juren was vomiting his breakfast, making it splatter on the ground.
Lu Zhuangyuan winced in pain upon seeing the minced meat and white noodles that Lu Juren had vomited out. "What are you doing?! Juren! Look at the ground! Look at what you wasted! Do you not have any idea just how expensive the food that you just vomited?"
Lu Juren's face was pale as he turned to his father and said, "Father, the sedan's swaying is making me feel nauseous. Can I get out of the sedan and just walk?"
"You can't even recognize a blessing when it's right in front of you, so shut your trap! You better not vomit again, or I'll make you eat what you've vomited!"
Lu Juren nodded bitterly, and then he covered his mouth as he retreated into his sedan chair.
Fortunately, Lu Juren's torment didn't last long, as the sedan chairs carrying the Lu Family members eventually came to a stop.
Lu Zhuangyuan carried his grandson out of the sedan. A three-story green building appeared before him. There were three large characters written on the prominent red plaque above it—Guangde Garden.
Lu Zhuangyuan's eyes widened as he walked in slowly. He dared not blink as he swept his gaze across everything before him.
The roof, walls, beams, and windows...
He was dazzled by the exquisite reliefs, carvings, and paintings. There were even some parts that were gilded and silvered.
Lu Zhuangyuan was completely overwhelmed. He had never seen such a beautiful place before.
Lu Zhuangyuan fixed his gaze on the stage in the courtyard while an eunuch approached them and said cautiously, "Sir Lu, this is the theater that the emperor has bestowed upon you."
"This... this... this is mine?" Lu Zhuangyuan stuttered, seemingly by Gao Zhijian.
"Yes, are you satisfied with it? Otherwise, you can take a look at the other places throughout Shangjing until you're satisfied."
Lu Zhuangyuan couldn't even hear the latter part of the eunuch's words. His eyes reddened, and he stuttered out a bunch of gibberish as he rushed toward the stage.
He circled the pillars and inspected the stage; he touched the tiles over and over again. If there were no one else here, he would definitely stick out his tongue to lick the tiles.
"Father, Father! Stop this, will you?!" Lu Juren exclaimed, pulling the crazed Lu Zhuangyuan away with Lu Xiucai's help.
Lu Zhuangyuan still looked bewildered.
Lu Xiucai spat on his palm and slapped Lu Zhuangyuan several times across the latter's face.
Lu Zhuangyuan finally came to his senses, and he looked at Lu Xiucai in astonishment. "You dare hit me?"
"Hmph! Shame on you, don't say that you're my father whenever you're outside," Lu Xiucai replied with a look of disdain.
"How dare you hit me?!" Lu Zhuangyuan rolled up his sleeves and raised his tobacco pipe.
In the end, he didn't start a fight with his youngest son, as a group of people surrounded them from all sides of the theater.
"The Feng family troupe pays respects to the master!"
A series of dull thuds echoed as a group of hundreds of people—comprised of men, women, and children—knelt down to Lu Zhuangyuan.
"Oh, please don't do this... you're shortening my lifespan," Lu Zhuangyuan said in disbelief. He pushed his two sons away and tried to pull them up.
"Sir Lu, please accept it. A theater isn't enough; you need a troupe as well. With them, the entire Guangde Garden will make a fortune every day."
Lu Zhuangyuan resisted the idea at first, but upon realizing that the other party was sincere, he finally stood in front of them with a nervous expression.
"The Feng family troupe pays respects to the master!" the group shouted.
Lu Zhuangyuan stood steadfast before them, and a tingling sensation spread all over him as he muttered, "Uh... friends... Can you please say that again?"
Although they were a little confused, they saw the eunuch waving his hand gently under his whisk, so they shouted, "The Feng family troupe pays respects to the master!"
"Hehehehe~" Lu Zhuangyuan laughed like a fool, and he felt like jumping for joy. "Don't... don't... don't stop!"
"The Feng family troupe pays respects to the master!"
"Hehehehe~"
"The Feng family troupe pays respects to the master!"
"Hehehehe~"
Lu Juren remained calm as he watched from the sidelines. He was fine, as this theater belonged to his father. He'd have nothing to do with the theater until his father was dead. Of course, Lu Juren was still extremely excited.
The large-framed simpleton actually became the emperor. Lu Juren still couldn't believe it, and he also couldn't believe that Gao Zhijian would bestow upon them such a boon.
It was so unbelievable that Lu Juren felt like he was dreaming.
He turned to look at his brother Lu Xiucai and saw the latter picking his nose with an impatient look.
Lu Xiucai felt Lu Juren's gaze.
He turned and flicked his snot in Lu Zhuangyuan's direction.
"I'm leaving if there's nothing else. Stay here and accompany that old lunatic," Lu Xiucai said. Then, he turned around and walked toward the exit of the theater with the bronze coin sword on his back.
"Hey! Where are you going, Xiucai?"
"The others are preparing to enter the palace to see my master. Of course, I have to go and take a look. My master has become very powerful. Perhaps he can bestow upon me a great power," Lu Xiucai said, running toward the palace gate.
Lu Xiucai ran as fast as he could until he finally caught up with the sedan chairs at the palace gate. It was a good thing that the sedans were slow-moving vehicles.
"Hey! Lu Xiucai! Why are you here? You look like a wet dog," Puppy teased. He was draped in silk and was leaning out of the sedan chair.
"Damn you! Anyway, only you guys are entering the palace?" Lu Xiucai asked, looking at the other sedan chairs. He only saw Chun Xiaoman, Zhao Wu, Yang Xiaohao, and Puppy.
"Why? Are we not allowed to enter the palace? I don't think you know, so I'm going to tell you this. Being able to enter the palace is a big deal. That simpleton wasn't looking for you, so you shouldn't cling to him in such a shameless way."
"Hmph, I'm not going to find him. I'm going to look for my master," Lu Xiucai said. Then, he hopped into Puppy's sedan chair.
"Hey, get off! This sedan chair can only fit one person!"
"Don't be so stingy, all right! If it hadn't been for me saving you on that night, that Daoist would have killed you. You still owe me a favor!"
"It was the other way around, so get lost!"
The sedan chairs swayed as they brought their passengers through the wide-open palace gates.
Chapter 585 - Palace
Puppy and Lu Xiucai stopped arguing upon entering the palace gates. They peeked their heads out of the sedan chair, looking at the vermilion palace walls in awe.
There seemed to be a solemn and oppressive force that made them hesitant to speak loudly, and when they came to a halt before a three-story palace, they felt the urge to kneel down.
"Are you sure Senior Gao lives here?" Yang Xiaohai asked Chun Xiaoman, who had just gotten off the sedan chair beside him.
Chun Xiaoman shook her head silently, and then she took the lead, walking toward the palace.
The others snapped out of their shock and followed after her.
The unfamiliar environment made everyone restrained and obedient. They were uneasy as they traveled down the palace, but their anxiety instantly vanished upon seeing Gao Zhijian's familiar figure sitting on the dragon throne.
Gao Zhijian was wearing dragon robes and was seated on a throne made entirely of pure gold, but he was still the same old Gao Zhijian in their eyes.
A familiar sincere smile tugged at Gao Zhijian's lips as he stood up from the dragon throne and welcomed them.
"Hey! Zhijian! What's going on? How did you end up in the capital and even become the emperor? Puppy asked.
The faces of all the eunuchs in the palace changed instantly, and they cast hostile glances at Puppy. They found Puppy's words to be quite rude.
Chun Xiaoman pushed Puppy aside with the scabbard in her hand, and she addressed the emperor directly, "Zhijian, are Senior Li and Miaomiao here? Your people told us that they're here..."
Gao Zhijian nodded, but he sounded hesitant as he said, "They're here..."
"Ah! You're not stuttering anymore?! That's great! Becoming the emperor is actually a cure to illnesses?" Puppy exclaimed in surprise.
"The imperial physician gave me some medicine, which was quite helpful to me."
Puppy was thrilled. "That's awesome! Can I borrow that imperial physician to see if he can cure the white patches on me?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
"Puppy!! Are you done yet?! Did you come all the way here just to chat?" Chun Xiaoman roared, and she almost drew her sword against Puppy.
Puppy retreated a few steps and obediently shut his mouth in the face of Chun Xiaoman's fury.
Chun Xiaoman took a deep breath, and then he turned to Gao Zhijian again before getting down to business. "Since Senior Li and Miaomiao are here, can you take us to see them?"
"I can take you to see Junior Bai, but Senior Li... I can't take you to see him because he's not in a condition to see anyone."
"What's wrong? Did he peel off his own skin again? What exactly happened?"
Gao Zhijian hesitated, "I don't know how to explain it to you. It's complicated. You can just ask Senior Li himself once he has recovered."
"Never mind, then take me to see Miaomiao first," Chun Xiaoman said with a hint of anxiety in her voice. She wouldn't feel at ease until she saw with her own two eyes that they were still alive.
Gao Zhijian nodded and was about to lead the others toward the imperial kitchen when four eunuchs appeared before him and knelt down on the floor.
"Your Majesty," one of the four eunuchs said, "You are the true dragon emperor with the loftiest status in the world. We can handle these lowly tasks for you."
Gao Zhijian scratched the back of his head, which made his imperial crown tilt slightly, "All right, you guys take Xiaoman to Junior Bai."
The others were about to follow Chun Xiaoman, but Gao Zhijian stopped them and said, "Do you guys have anything you want? I'm the emperor, so I can give you anything you want."
"Are you serious?! Anything?" Puppy's eyes lit up.
"Anything."
"All right, then give me the throne."
"How dare you!" the old eunuchs roared, almost scaring Puppy into wetting his pants.
"I... I... was just joking!" Puppy hurriedly exclaimed, "We often joked like this back then..."
Gao Zhijian waved his hand toward the old eunuchs before looking at Puppy with a complicated expression. "I can't do that. It's not necessarily a good thing to become the emperor. Choose something else."
Puppy glanced cautiously at the old eunuchs before falling into deep contemplation. He leaned close to Gao Zhijian's ear and whispered softly into the latter's ear.
Gao Zhijian nodded and agreed. Then, he looked at Zhao Wu and asked, "How about you?"
Zhao Wu leaned on his crutch and stared in the direction where Chun Xiaoman had left. After a while, he looked back at Gao Zhijian with a complex expression and shook his head. "I don't want anything."
Gao Zhijian didn't insist and turned to Yang Xiaohai. "Do you have anything you want?"
Yang Xiaohai was a little nervous as he asked, "Senior Gao, can you really give me anything?"
"Yes, anything."
"Then, can you help me find my parents?! Can you help me find them?!" Yang Xiaohai exclaimed in excitement.
Gao Zhijian hesitated briefly before beckoning an old eunuch over and asking him a few questions.
The old eunuch walked up to Yang Xiaohai and sized the latter up before asking in a delicate voice, "What are your eight characters of birth?"
"What's that?"
"Your date and time of birth."
"Oh, I see," Yang Xiaohai's face lit up with understanding, and then he shook his head, "I don't know."
The old eunuch's relaxed face twitched slightly. He reached out his eagle's claw-like hand and placed it on Yang Xiaohai's figure. "Come with us."
Gao Zhijian consoled Yang Xiaohai with his gaze as the latter nervously followed the old eunuch.
While Yang Xiaohai was leaving the grand hall, Chun Xiaoman found Bai Lingmiao making porridge in the imperial kitchen.
"Miaomiao!" Chun Xiaoman exclaimed. She couldn't hold back her tears as she pounced on Bai Lingmiao from behind and hugged her slender waist.
"Be careful, don't spill the porridge!"
Bai Lingmiao placed the bowl of porridge next to the stove before turning around to hug Chun Xiaoman.
"Sister Xiaoman, why are you here? Don't cry. I had something urgent to do, so I couldn't come back."
"I left a letter for Senior Li... I thought he'd tell you guys about it."
Bai Lingmiao comforted Chun Xiaoman until she finally stopped crying.
"Next time, take me with you no matter where you go, okay? It's not safe for you to be with Senior Li all the time," Chun Xiaoman said.
"Don't say that, Sister Xiaoman. Senior Li's illness seems to be improving."
Chun Xiaoman shook her head vigorously and said, "No, you're so beautiful. What if something happens to you? This is final, all right?"
"And I've mastered the divine martial arts of the White Lotus Sect, so I've become even more powerful than before. I can definitely protect you!" Chun Xiaoman added.
Bai Lingmiao smiled and said, "I know."
"You know? How do you know?"
"Give me a moment. I have to go and feed Senior Li first, and then I'll tell you what happened afterward. This bird's nest porridge will lose its effectiveness once it's cold."
Bai Lingmiao let go of Chun Xiaoman and placed the bowl of porridge in a food box before walking out of the imperial kitchen.
"Then, I'll go with you... I want to see Senior Li, too."
"No, you can't. Really. It's inconvenient for Senior Li to meet others right now. Anyway, I'll be back soon; just wait for me here, Sister Xiaoman."
Chapter 586 - Gao Zhijian
Bai Lingmiao took the lunchbox outside and Chun Xiaoman sighed. She didn't know why Miaomiao loved Senior Li so much.
But Chun Xiaoman soon recovered and returned to her usual cheerful self. As long as Miaomiao and Senior Li were fine, she was fine too. She just hoped the two of them would be able to live the rest of their lives happily.
Miaomiao was fine, Senior Li was still alive, and Gao Zhijian even became the Emperor. Everything turned out to be fine. She felt the stone in her felt finally falling and her mind became clearer.
"Bird's nest congee? I wonder what it tastes like?" Chun Xiaoman looked at the congee in the pot and tried scooping some for herself. "Tastes like nothing. Very bland too."
Just then, someone entered the kitchen. It was Gao Zhijian, and he was alone.
Chun Xiaoman became nervous when she saw Gao Zhijian wearing his dragon robe approach her and block the sunlight coming in. She calmed down and pulled at his robes.
"Your robes suit you. What is it made of?"
"Gold, and cloth."
"You could wear gold?" Chun Xiaoman was curious.
"Xiaoman, do you want it? I can give it to you."
Chun Xiaoman shook her head. "No thanks. It must be heavy to be wearing so much gold."
"Xiao ... Xiaoman." Gao Zhijian started to stutter again as he looked at the girl covered in black hair with a complicated look on his face.
He didn't know when he liked her, and why he would like someone with long hair all over their body. He could not forget her.
Gao Zhijian's heart was struggling as he clenched his callus-covered hands.
He suddenly opened his arms and hugged her. "The eunuchs and the Imperial Preceptor are urging me to choose an Empress so that I can give birth to a son soon. My forest thought was you, but ..."
He started choking and hugged her tightly.
"I can't choose you. If you become the queen, our children will have to kill each other next time until there is only one left. I'm sure you will be devastated then and I don't want you to feel that because I like you! I don't want to make you feel pain."
Amidst his sobbing, Chun Xiaoman struggled to get out of his embrace. "Did you treat my words as nothing? I thought I've told you clearly that I can still live even if I don't get married! Don't think anything changed just because you became the Emperor! My words are final and I will not change. If you continue to do this, don't blame me if we can't even be friends!" Chun Xiaoman ran out of the kitchen in anger.
But after she ran out, her expression turned solemn as she slowly slid down the wall. She hung her head between her knees.
After some time, she looked up with reddened eyes and took a deep breath before she ran towards where Bai Lingmiao disappeared.
Three specific people were chilling at a faraway gazebo when they saw what was happening.
Zhao Wu looked at Puppy, "Hey, did Xiaoman turn down to become the Empress? Doesn't that mean she prefers me?"
"Huh?" Puppy's showed an expression of disgust as if he had swallowed a fly. "Since when does it concern you?"
"Why not?"
Lu Xiucai butted in. "I think it does concern you. Hurry up and get married to Xiaoman so that I can help you hold the horses when you get married."
Zhao Wu opened his mouth but no words came out.
Just then, Gao Zhijian walked out from the kitchen. He looked at Xiaoman's back before walking towards the gazebo.
"Shh! Simpleton is coming over here! Quick, pretend to do something! We can't let him know that we are following him!"
Gao Zhijian saw the three were squatting down and looking at the same leaf on the ground. "What ... Are you doing?"
"Aaah ... Ahem. Your house is so big and we wanted to look around and got lost."
Gao Zhijian nodded. "Let me find ... a eunuch to guide you. You can walk around anywhere in the palace ... But there are some restricted areas so please forgive me for not allowing you there."
A eunuch floated down from above the pillars of the gazebo and kneeled in front of Gao Zhijian, "Your highness, I am available."
It was clear that the eunuch had heard what the three had been discussing.
"Ah ... Hahaha, then we would have to thank you for your help." Puppy chuckled to cover his embarrassment. They followed the eunuch out.
They had just taken a few steps when Puppy took out some silver and shoved it into the eunuch's hands even though the latter was reluctant.
When the three of them were gone, Gao Zhijian's lowered his head in loneliness. He sat on the stairs of the gazebo and looked at the neatly-laid brick path.
Fifteen minutes passed when he said to the empty space, "I will follow your suggestion ... To choose an Empress ... So that the lineage can be continued. Prepare the consorts."
He was now the only Emperor of the Liang Kingdom. In order to protect it, he must quickly sire children. The faster and more numerous, the better.
He actually didn't want to get married to anyone if he couldn't marry Chun Xiaoman, but his marriage did not concern himself only. It would affect the Dragon Vein and the people of the Liang Kingdom.
"Understood. I heed your orders." The Imperial Preceptor appeared out of nowhere and bowed to Gao Zhijian before leaving.
He had just turned around when he saw the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau in red robes. The two of them nodded without exchanging words before walking past.
"Your majesty." The Chief sat down beside Gao Zhijian. He was surprisingly taller than Gao Zhijian. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
"As the Emperor of a kingdom, you need to focus on the pressing matters, especially after the previous Natural Disasters. The people of the Liang Kingdom barely survived it. I've made a divination and found out that it won't be easy for next year either. It's time for you to get familiar with the work of an Emperor."
Gao Zhijian rubbed his face with his callused hands before standing up. "I understand."
"Xuan Pin, am I really ... Cured? Will that Shai Zi ... Really cannot control me anymore?"
The work of an Emperor could wait for now. This was more important. It was too scary to think that he could easily get controlled by Shai Zi at any point.
He felt fear when he recalled how the Sitting Oblivion Dao controlled him and ordered the army to kill his allies.
The Chief didn't nod or shake his head. "I'm afraid we have to ask Li Huowang. He was the one who got rid of Shai Zi. I don't know if Shai Zi is dead or not."
Chapter 587 - Ji Zai
The emperor listened to what the Chief had to say as the two sat in the gazebo. "The Imperial Preceptor and I have been using our divination nonstop, but we still cannot ascertain whether Shai Zi is dead or alive."
Gao Zhijian walked slowly toward the palace while the Chief followed him from behind.
"Let me see what happened on that day," Gao Zhijian said.
The Chief nodded. He then extended a frail finger covered in dry skin and his own shadow. Moments later, he hurled it toward the sky.
The black shadow blotted out the skies. The Chief and Gao Zhijian soon found themselves on a chaotic battlefield.
Gao Zhijian saw Senior Li in the middle of the bloody battlefield. Li Huowang was facing Gao Zhijian, who was under Shai Zi's control.
Li Huowang's head was left with nothing but his mouth, but he was still alive and standing for some reason.
Gao Zhijian had a feeling that if Senior Li had a face, he'd look incredibly heroic.
Senior Li scratched at the empty space where his head was supposed to be before he started approaching the Dragon Vein.
Shai Zi wanted to run, but Senior Li was steadily closing the distance between them. His speed seemed irrelevant to the chase.
Senior Li would become even faster the faster Shai Zi moved, and the same was true vice versa.
Senior Li wasn't moving step by step, but the distance between him and Shai Zi was getting shorter in fixed intervals.
Soon, Senior Li reached the tail of the Dragon Vein. He grabbed the golden chains and climbed up. He was so slow in his climb that even an old man would look faster than him.
Despite that, Shai Zi could not shake Senior Li off, no matter how hard he struggled.
The past emperors extended their Dragon Claws and stabbed Li Huowang with their claws, but their figures abruptly froze like statues.
"Impossible! I'm the Dragon Vein! I'm real no matter where I go! You cannot control me!" Shai Zi roared, and his voice revealed his unwillingness to perish here.
Shai Zi was trying his best to attack Li Huowang, but the Dragon Vein had frozen up and could no longer move.
"I thought... the Dragon Vein... the luck of the Liang Kingdom... are immune to such techniques..." Gao Zhijian muttered.
Even the Chief had no idea what to say.
Soon, Senior Li reached the top of the Dragon Vein. He looked left and right before grabbing Gao Zhijian's head.
Then, he easily twisted Gao Zhijian's head off of his shoulders, but Shai Zi was still alive.
Shai Zi was trying to trick Li Huowang into thinking that he was dead.
However, Li Huowang seemed unaffected by the trick as he reached into Gao Zhijian's brain to pull something out.
"There. Can you give me a closer look at that?" Gao Zhijian said.
The Chief obliged, and Li Huowang soon appeared in front of them.
However, Gao Zhijian was exasperated. Li Huowang had clearly reached into his head to take something out, but Li Huowang's hand was empty.
"Perhaps what he had pulled out at the time was so profound that my illusions cannot replicate it."
Gao Zhijian pondered over it before asking, "Did you guys check... my head again? Was there really nothing in there?"
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I swear with my life that there's nothing in your head anymore. Shai Zi is no longer there. Moreover, we've woven a restriction on your dragon robes to make sure that something like that will never happen again. It's a restriction created from the combined powers of me, the Imperial Preceptor, and Zheng Boqiao."
However, Gao Zhijian didn't feel great even after the Chief's reassurance. His eyes were unwittingly transfixed on Li Huowang, who looked up at the sun and grinned.
The Dragon Vein collapsed to the ground.
"Junior Li, has the Great Qi been saved?" Zhuge Yuan asked.
Li Huowang looked at Zhuge Yuan and said, "The Great Qi is saved."
Zhuge Yuan's face revealed a sense of liberation and relief before disappearing.
Just then, Bai Lingmiao, the Chief, the Imperial Preceptor, and the soldiers surrounded Li Huowang.
However, Gao Zhijian wasn't sure whether they were there for the Dragon Vein or for Li Huowang.
"Senior Li, are you okay?" Bai Lingmiao asked, staring nervously at Li Huowang. Bai Lingmiao's figure was split into two, but she was still more worried about Li Huowang rather than herself.
"I'm fine. My illness has just been cured, so don't worry about me," Li Huowang said curtly.
The next moment, radiant sunset-like light burst out of Li Huowang's body.
The light flew upward and disappeared into the skies.
"What... is that? the thing that came out... of Senior Li."
"I think that was the power of Doulao. I was right; he was being targeted by Doulao. Since Shai Zi had betrayed Yinyang Doulao, I wanted him to fight Shai Zi first so that I could make use of Doulao's animosity toward Shai Zi, but to think that they'd make a move first."
"Who is it?"
"Unspeakable. It's a special Siming. They taught me my illusion techniques. You should know that a normal Siming cannot manifest in the world, all thanks to the Dragon Vein's existence, but they are different. Even though they taught me my illusion techniques, they had never concerned themselves with my well-being or the well-being of others. Two hundred years ago, the Liang Kingdom found itself on the brink of annihilation, and I swore to sacrifice everything in exchange for their help, but they did not even look at me."
Gao Zhijian was confused at the Chief's words, and it was all because the answer he had heard was different from what the Dragon Vein had told him. "I thought... there are no more... Simings..."
"Did they tell you that? Listen to them, then. Since they said that the Simings don't exist, then they don't exist."
Gao Zhijian decided not to pursue it any further as he changed the subject, saying, "Senior Li... should be feeling better by now... we can just... go and ask him... I might... understand it better if it's coming from him."
The Chief said nothing and followed Gao Zhijian toward where Li Huowang was located.
Li Huowang was nearby, and Gao Zhijian could actually visit him any time he wished.
They saw Bai Lingmiao exiting the room with a food box in hand.
When Bai Lingmiao saw the Chief standing next to Gao Zhijian, her eyes widened in shock as he asked, "What's happening? Why is there another one here?"
"Another one? What's wrong?!" Gao Zhijian exclaimed.
"The Chief of the Surveillance Bureau entered the room while I was feeding Senior Li some congee."
At the remark, the Chief made a seal with his three pairs of arms and charged at the heavily guarded door as fast as possible. He moved so quickly that he left a trail of afterimages.
However, the Chief heard Li Huowang talking to someone in the room. There really was someone else aside from Bai Lingmiao.
The Chief pushed the door open and saw Li Huowang staring at him with his lotus root head.
Shockingly, no one else was in the room.
"Who were you talking to?"
Li Huowang frowned and tried his best to remember before answering, "Ji Zai."
Chapter 588 - Talk
Ji Zai was the name that Zhuge Yuan had given Li Huowang as a cover for his true identity.
However, the name now belonged to the Siming controlling the Heavenly Dao of Bewilderment, which was Li Huowang's future.
At first, Li Huowang didn't know that it was the name of his future self, but the name felt familiar to him.
Li Huowang deduced that the person who had just disappeared like sand was either Ji Zai himself or a part of him.
Li Huowang wasn't sure if he truly had a conversation with his future self, who was a Siming in the distant future. He could only guess whether that was the case or not.
More importantly, Li Huowang had no idea what Ji Zai had told him before he left.
"I think he's called Ji Zai," Li Huowang said.
However, his answer confused even the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau. Isn't Ji Zai his own fake name? Was he talking to himself?
While they were both feeling confused, Gao Zhijian and Bai Lingmiao finally arrived at the room. The two sighed in relief upon seeing that Li Huowang was fine.
They were worried about his safety upon realizing that the Chief whom Bai Lingmiao had seen was fake.
"Men! Send some troops and guard this room! Check the identity of anyone who approaches this room!" Gao Zhijian shouted.
Several eunuchs appeared out of nowhere and kneeled before him.
"You don't have to mobilize so many people just to do something like that. I'm fine. Let everyone do what they're supposed to do. You don't have to keep worrying about me." Li Huowang pulled the blanket back up and laid down on the bed.
"Senior Li, that Chief was fake!" Bai Lingmiao exclaimed, walking toward Li Huowang with a food box in hand.
"I know." Li Huowang patted her hands lightly and said, "Don't worry. Even though I'm heavily injured, I can still fend for myself. Those daring enough to assassinate me might end up dying themselves."
Li Huowang was confident. After all, he was Ji Zai's Twisted One at the moment.
Gao Zhijian nodded in agreement. Li Huowang was strong enough to fight Shai Zi, so who could be his match?
"Senior Li... who... was that?" Gao Zhijian asked.
"It was a friend. Don't worry, it doesn't concern you," Li Huowang replied. Then, he sized up Gao Zhijian and nodded in approval. "Not bad. Gao Zhijian, that dragon robe looks great on you."
Li Huowang didn't bother explaining, as he didn't want the others to worry about him becoming his own Twisted One.
In addition, Li Huowang himself didn't know when he would become Ji Zai.
It could be a year, ten years, or perhaps he'd become Ji Zai once he was dead, but he didn't really care. He knew that something like this would happen way before he executed the plan to defeat Shai Zi.
Gao Zhijian scratched his head and looked at Senior Li. The latter still looked the same as always, but something was slightly different about him. Li Huowang's personality had become much more relaxed.
Xuan Pin said nothing.
Gao Zhijian glanced at the Chief and recalled why he had decided to visit Li Huowang. "Senior Li, is Shai Zi... really gone? Will he come back and... control me again?"
Li Huowang recalled the eighteen-sided dice that Yi Donglai had taken away.
"He's gone," Li Huowang said with a nod. 'Don't worry. He will never return."
Gao Zhijian sighed in relief. He had faith in Senior Li, and since Senior Li had said so, Shai Zi would definitely never come back.
"Zhijian, prepare a carriage for me to return to Cowheart Village. My wounds are almost healed."
Gao Zhijian shook his head.
Li Huowang only had his mouth left, so there was no way his wounds were almost healed. "No. There are doctors here, and they can take better care of you. Your wounds are too serious. You need to rest here."
"It's okay. Why should I rest here? Do you really think that I'll die with this level of injury?" Li Huowang asked, standing up.
Gao Zhijian ran up and carefully shielded Li Huowang's lotus root head, seemingly afraid that Li Huowang would stumble to the floor and smash it open.
Li Huowang wanted to leave, but Bai Lingmiao dragged him back into the room.
"Senior Li, please stay here. I beg you. We can just go back once your wounds are fully healed. You're too injured to travel right now," Bai Lingmiao begged.
Li Huowang relented and said, "All right, but at least let me walk around. I need some fresh air."
Gao Zhijian was willing to let Senior Li do whatever he wanted to do as long as the latter wasn't risking his life doing it.
They talked for a bit before Gao Zhijian asked out of curiosity, "Senior Li, Senior Bai told me that your illness is finally cured. Is it true?"
"Yes, it's cured." Li Huowang nodded. "I never thought that it'd be cured just like that."
Gao Zhijian was genuinely happy for Li Huowang.
Senior Li was a great person, but his illness was the worst among those from Zephyr Temple.
The fact that he was finally cured meant that he could finally live a normal life.
Moreover, Gao Zhijian was the Emperor of the Liang Kingdom, which meant he could fulfill any of Li Huowang's wishes.
"Zhijian, how does it feel being the emperor?" Li Huowang asked.
"Great..." Gao Zhijian smiled. "It feels great. I can eat a ton of good food, even food that I had never seen before. Once your wounds are healed and you can finally eat proper food again, I will let the chefs prepare some of those great dishes for you. Also... I'm going to have... many wives... a hundred wives."
"That many? You better not tell Puppy, or he'll die from jealousy."
"No, I have to tell him." Gao Zhijian grinned. "I have to brag my wives to him."
The air in the room mellowed out, and everyone chatted like they were back in Zephyr Temple.
In the end, Xuan Pin had to remind Gao Zhijian of his duties.
Gao Zhijian left the room promptly. He had too many things to learn as the new emperor, so he had no time to waste.
He had just walked out of the room when Xuan Pin said, "I can't see through him anymore. Your Majesty, please be careful of him."
Gao Zhijian looked at Xuan Pin with displeasure. "Why? He's Senior Li. He's not going to harm me."
"I'm not talking about that, Your Majesty. All I'm saying is that it's difficult to deduce the hearts of other people. You have to understand that Shai Zi had become the Dragon Vein, but he still managed to defeat him. In other words, he can definitely deal with you quite easily. Can you really sleep peacefully despite knowing that? Also, he has a relationship with the Saintess of the White Lotus Sect. Of course, I've already removed the White Lotus Sect from our bounty list, as they've assisted us greatly. However, you must ponder whether interacting with them is worth the risk.
"Of course, the decision is still up to you. You are the emperor, after all. I'm just the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau. This is out of my jurisdiction, but I still felt obligated to warn you for the sake of the Liang Kingdom."
Gao Zhijian's face fell as he started walking away.
"The job of the emperor is hard, but it can be easy. If you have something you don't understand, just go ahead and ask the Dragon Vein. They can teach you everything—from how to control the officials, how to handle national affairs, to handling the sects and factions scattered throughout the palace."
Gao Zhijian remained silent as he listened to Xuan Pin's words.Chapter 589 - Mental Hospital
Li Huowang was sitting in a wheelchair with his mother pushing him out of the room. His thin arms—the size of chicken legs—were cuffed to the wheelchair.
Despite his condition, Li Huowang was surprised that they didn't make him wear a straitjacket. It seemed that they were convinced that he was cured.
Li Huowang glanced at the four guards around him and said, "I'm just going out for some fresh air. Do I really need this many guards?"
"It's fine; let them be. They're here under the orders of the higher-ups. Little Liu's job is already hard, so don't make it harder for him.
Li Huowang smiled at his mother's words. Clearly, his mother was doing well here. Otherwise, she wouldn't have given the people here any nicknames.
"Huowang, it's raining outside, so let's just stay inside. We can still stroll inside the hospital."
"All right."
With that, Li Huowang was pushed around the hospital. After several turns, Li Huowang found himself in a larger room.
A group of people wearing the same blue-and-white hospital gown were staring at the television on the wall.
Li Huowang wasn't a doctor, but he was quite knowledgeable about mental illness, as he himself had been diagnosed with a mental illness.
He swept his gaze across the other patients and deduced their illness.
Those with a penchant for talking nonsense, or those lucid but had a penchant for talking nonstop were a part of the so-called mental breakdown group. The majority of the patients here had no one to take care of them at home and were sent to the hospital by their relatives, while a big chunk of the rest were those who were caught having an episode on the streets.
Li Huowang deduced that those withdrawn and silent were most likely diagnosed with depression.
Those who were easily excited and incredibly anxious most likely had hypomania, while those with glazed eyes had probably just taken their medicine.
Li Huowang looked around and noticed that some were close to a complete recovery. He judged that they could have anorexia, bulimia, or perhaps they were just pretending that they were about to recover.
Unfortunately, Li Huowang wouldn't know unless he asked them. Perhaps some of them were like him and had been locked up against their will.
However, those allowed to watch television were patients with milder symptoms.
There were many types of mental disorders out there—too many for Li Huowang to know, as he was just a layman.
Just then, Li Huowang saw the patients turning around at the same time to stare at him. They looked like they were having more fun staring at his face than staring at the television.
Li Huowang was confused. "Why are they looking at me?"
A guard, nicknamed Little Liu, answered, "Li Huowang, you're famous here. It's not just them. Your name has spread throughout the fifteen sections of the prison." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
"I'm that famous?"
"Yes, but your fame is actually not going up anymore. However, when news about your daring rescue went viral, your name went on the 'most searched term' on the Internet for several days. Why do you think the higher-ups are paying so much attention to you?"
Li Huowang finally had a faint understanding of what kind of status he had in the people's hearts.
Then, he saw the patients distancing themselves from him, staying at least ten meters away from him.
"Mom, let's stop here. I want to watch TV. I haven't watched TV in a long time." Li Huowang looked at the afternoon news. It was boring, but Li Huowang found the experience to be quite refreshing.
"Good afternoon, everyone! Today is the twenty-third day of the last month of the Lunar Calendar. Only seven more days to the new year! Today is the day to pray to the Stove God[1], while tomorrow is a good day to clean up the house!"
"Is it going to be the new year soon?" Li Huowang felt like he had just traveled back in time. He didn't expect that so much time had already passed.
"Yes, and you'd have lived another year by then. What do you want to eat? I'll go and make anything for you. Ah, I've heard that there's a popular game coming out soon. I'll give you some money so you can buy that game once you are discharged."
"Mom, I'm not a kid anymore."
"You're only eighteen. You're an adult according to the law, but you're barely a young man.
Just like that, Li Huowang spent quite a lot of time amidst his mother's nagging and the cheery tune of the news.
Li Huowang loved this peace and quiet, and he wanted it to last until he died of old age.
Beneath this peace and quiet, Li Huowang felt like everything he had experienced so far was all just a bad dream.
"Mom, where is Doctor Yi? Haven't seen him in a while."
"I heard that he no longer has time to come to work anymore. He's busy writing a thesis."
"He's a doctor. Why is he writing a thesis?"
"I don't know anything about that. But Sister Ma, who is working in the kitchen, told me that a media outlet has interviewed him. I think he's going to appear on TV."
"Is that so? Then I have to congratulate him."
"Yes. Doctor Yi is a really responsible man. I heard that he's still single, even though he's already thirty years old. How nervous do you think his mother is right now? I'll definitely be nervous if you're still single despite being so old."
Li Huowang felt like scratching his head out of awkwardness. Are middle-aged aunties these days so well informed? How did she even know that Doctor Yi is single?
"Sister Sun, the times have changed. It's normal for people to remain single even in their thirties," one of the prison guards said.
The guards relaxed a lot upon realizing that Li Huowang's condition was improving. They had let their guard down so much to the point that they started joking around Sun Xiaoqin.
"Ah, I think you guys just want to play around. There's an advantage to marrying earlier. If you get married and have children earlier, your parents can help you raise those children. In other words, your wife will have an easier time recovering after birth."
"It's not that we don't want to get married, but we were already twenty-something when we graduated. We have neither savings, cars, nor houses. Who'd want to marry us? We also work in the prison for half a month at a time. How can we even find a girlfriend when we're spending so much time here? In fact, most of the girls we were courting ran away once they discovered that they could only see us for six months throughout an entire year."
"But you guys have a stable job! There's no way you can't find a wife. If you think that your work here is what's hampering your search for a wife, then what about those working as gig workers? You might as well say that they'll be forever alone."
Upon hearing that, another guard chimed in, but Sun Xiaoqin didn't retreat even against two guards. In fact, she talked with even more vigor.
Li Huowang felt his scalp going numb as he watched them argue with each other, and he couldn't help but look away; his gaze landed on the corridor to his left.
1. The Stove God is a minor deity that reports to the Heavenly Palace about the conduct of a family throughout the year. Praying to it involves bribing it with sweets so that it will report only good news to the Heavenly Palace and in turn the Heavenly Palace would reward the family for their good conduct. Good conduct involves not wasting food, cleaning up promptly, not overeating, sharing their food with their neighbors and the less fortunate, etc ☜