Mutated Tao

Their limbs twisted and danced while the white fangs fluidly protruded and retracted from their mouths, following the rhythm of the musical instruments.

Li Huowang stood there, just watching their performance from afar. At this moment, he didn’t feel like a spectator, but a tree watching wild beasts.

After some time, a high pitched voice rang out from behind their wooden masks as they began to sing in an unknown language.

Li Huowang and the rest did not recognize it. However, the singer’s tone fluctuated high and low along with the musical instruments; it had its own charm.

After listening to them singing for a little longer, Li Huowang continued walking. Regardless of how weird their performance was, it had nothing to do with him.

He had just taken a few steps when he noticed Lu Zhuangyuan just standing motionlessly.

“No need to worry about us, please go ahead. Hmph! I want to see what’s so special about their show,” said Lu Zhuangyuan. For some reason, a burning sense of competition had been ignited within Lu Zhuangyuan.

Maybe it’s because they are performers as well?

“Dad, why don’t we watch their performance next time? We are in foreign lands and it might not be safe,” suggested Lu Juren.

Lu Zhuangyuan's eyes widened and he brought his smoke pipe up to hit him. “Are you trying to control your father? There are so many people on the street. Why wouldn’t it be safe?”

While they argued, Li Huowang brought the rest of them and departed.

After fifteen minutes, they finally found an inn and booked their rooms.

In an old musty room, Li Huowang placed his belongings on the table and sighed.

Two swords, the Profound Records, the sacred text, and all his torture tools. All of them added up, making it so that his traveling gear was not light at all.

At that moment, he poured some water from the teacup and drank it before frowning.

When Bai Lingmiao, who was arranging the sheets, saw him frown, she asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Here, taste this. Do you think the water tastes weird?” Li Huowang passed her the cup of water.

Bai Lingmiao tasted it and was astonished. “You are right. There’s an earthy taste to it.”

“I thought it was due to my heightened sensitivity, but it seems that the quality of Hou Shu’s water is subpar,” said Li Huowang as he opened the window. “I need you guys to go out tomorrow and gather some information. It would be best if you can obtain a map so that we don’t have to make any unwanted detours.”

“Okay. As you wish.” Bai Lingmiao finished arranging the bed before taking off Li Huowang’s Taoist robes. “When we were tying up the horses, I saw a well nearby. Since we have some time, I will go wash your clothes. Also, I recall that one of the assistants who died used to live in this town. We can send her ashes back home.”

Li Huowang suddenly remembered that someone did say that one of the dead assistants was from the Hou Shu Kingdom.

“Who’s taking care of the ashes? I will go and send them back home now,” asked Li Huowang.

“Now? It’s already quite late. Why don’t we go tomorrow?” suggested Bai Lingmiao.

But in the end, Li Huowang still took the ashes and exited the inn with Yang Xiaohai and Bun. He was not someone who delayed such small tasks.

He needed Yang Xiaohai to come with him, because the dead assistant was his friend; Yang Xiaohai knew where her house was.

At the same time, Li Huowang's other purpose in bringing Yang Xiaohai with him was to have at least one person beside him in case he got caught up in his hallucination once again. Li Huowang required at least one person by his side. Then, at the very least, that person could run back and call the others.

At this moment, Yang Xiaohai held the ashes as he told Li Huowang about the dead assistant.

“Back in Zephyr Temple, we used to call her Liar Mao because she loved to lie. She kept saying that her house was larger than the Zephyr Temple and that her family had over a hundred goats and cows. She also said that she was the only daughter in their house, and so everyone loved her. Her father would kill as many goats as she wanted and they had unlimited mutton to eat,” explained Yang Xiaohai.

Li Huowang stared at the ash jar. “The assistant was a girl?”

“Yeah. Do you not remember her, Senior Li?” asked Yang Xiaohai.

Li Huowang shook his head. He never remembered any of the assistants' names; he had never paid attention to the hardworking children.

“Sigh… Such a pity. She had already managed to escape the Zephyr Temple and yet, she drowned.” Li Huowang pitied her.

“Do you know how disgusting those words sound when you say them? Do you have any qualifications to say those words? Do you know how just many people you strangled to death with your own hands?”

Jiang Yingzi’s words annoyed him, causing Li Huowang to lose his patience. “Shut up!”

Hearing those words, Yang Xiaohai jumped up from surprise. Even though he had seen Senior Li talking to himself so many times, it was still quite unnatural to him.

Li Huowang’s face was gloomy as they silently walked toward the dead assistant’s house. He tried to ignore the illusions, but it was not so simple this time.

They walked further and further away from the town center until they reached the border of the town.

At this moment, the sun was setting and there were very few people out on the streets. Many of them were hurrying back to their homes.

Just as Li Huowang was about to ask if Yang Xiaohai really knew the way, a joyous shout rang out from behind them.

“Hey! Taoist! Taoist, it’s me!”

Hearing the shout, Li Huowang turned around and was surprised to see who it was.

It was the old monk that stayed behind in the Righteous Monastery, Monk!

Compared to his clean and well-groomed look from back then, he was now back to his old disheveled self.

“Monk, how did you get here? Weren’t you staying at the Righteous Monastery?”

Monk grumbled and lamented. “Don’t talk about it. I was so bored back in the monastery. Not only could I not do anything, they even forced me to read the sutras. I couldn't stand it any longer and just left. Wait, where are you guys going?”

“We… are sending something to someone. Let’s go together. By the way, did the Monks from the Righteous Monastery try to stop you from leaving them?” asked Li Huowang.

“No. Not only did they not harass me, but they even gave me some money. The monks were all good guys,” said Monk.

“Heh.” Li Huowang snorted, too lazy to argue.

Having met an old face, Li Huowang felt happy. It was much more relaxing to be with simple folks.

As they talked, Li Huowang and Monk continued walking. Li Huowang kept talking about the past and Monk was somehow able to keep the conversation going.

Just as they were happily talking to each other, Yang Xiaohai’s voice brought them back to reality. “Senior Li… We are here.”

Chacha and Char's Thoughts

So this is how a Nuo Opera performer look like...Credits to 格子的乱七八糟 on douyin

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