Mutated Tao

The commotion caused by Li Huowang unsheathing his sword startled Lady Cui, instantly jolting her awake.

“Ah, what’s happening? Weren’t you asking rice? Why are you so worked up?” She asked in a flustered voice, as though genuinely unaware of what had just transpired.

Li Huowang had been ready to strike, but paused and looked at the bewildered Lady Cui with an uncertain expression. He couldn’t determine whether she was pretending or whether she was truly perplexed. Logically, if they were interested in him as a Strayed One, then they shouldn’t be acting this way.

“Are you going to ask or not? If not, I’m leaving,” Lady Cui said as she lifted her basket and prepared to leave.

After a moment, Li Huowang decided that he did not want her to leave. He dragged over a nearby wooden stool and sat down with his sword. “I want to continue asking questions. Summon that supreme being back.”

Hearing this, Lady Cui hesitated for a few moments, then placed down her basket and re-lit the incense sticks.

The same sequence of actions as earlier were repeated, and then the male voice reappeared.

After learning that Li Huowang lacked his five elements, the voice gave a very strange answer. “Change your name and surname! Lack five elements~ Fill five elements!”

Then, ‘Lady Cui’ reached into the basket and grabbed a handful of rice, scattering it onto the ground before Li Huowang.

Change my name?

Li Huowang looked at the name on the floor and was rather puzzled.

Could having the five elements in my name really compensate for the missing elements? Is this person just trying to deceive me?

After pondering for a while, Li Huowang decided to once again test the ability of this entity. He faced Lady Cui who was drinking the tea and wine, and then asked, “Thank you for the clarifications. I have another question I wish to ask; could you help provide an answer for it?”

“Ask~!”

“Why has the process of ‘decay’ stopped in this world recently?” asked Li Huowang. If this unknown entity could provide a real answer, then Li Huowang would immediately change his name.

The disappearance of ‘decay’ had to be related to the Abbess. He was deeply troubled by her death, and wanted to know what was going on.

“The Bodhisattva, out of compassion, sympathizes with all living beings in the world, who endure the suffering of decay,” said the voice.

“You liar! You are exposed! There is no Bodhisattva or Buddha! Beyond the heavens, there are only those… those…” said Li Huowang before trailing off. Soon, fear was revealed in his eyes, and he could not continue anymore. He did not know how to describe those entities, those things that he had intentionally avoided thinking about ever since waking up.

He had believed that by not thinking about them, he could just pretend that they did not exist. Those beings were immensely more powerful than ordinary humans, and had the ability to easily annihilate anyone and everyone if they so desired.

However, when he thought about them again, Li Huowang could no longer ignore them. Instantly, his expression grew agonized and his breathing became more rapid. At the same time, some indistinct voices started echoing in his ears.

“Senior! Stop thinking about it!” Bai Lingmiao’s anxious voice pulled Li Huowang’s attention back.

As Li Huowang looked at the worried, delicate face before him, he took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right, I won’t think about it. I won’t think…”

Yes, that’s right. Regardless of what those things truly are, or no matter whether what she said is true or false, this world has gone mad. Since I can’t do anything about it, I just need to live my life peacefully.

With constant reassurance from Bai Lingmiao, Li Huowang gradually calmed downas he placed the things he should not be thinking about aside.

With renewed composure, Li Huowang once again looked toward Lady Cui. At this point, his trust in her words had significantly diminished.

“I have another question for you. What exactly is the Strayed One?” asked Li Huowang.

This question caused her to pause. She looked over with her blank eyes. At that moment, Li Huowang could instantly feel eight gazes examining him.

“As a deity, I of course know. But if I were to tell you, then you would die on the spot,” said the voice.

This reply caused Bai Lingmiao to grab onto the hem of Li Huowang’s clothes tightly.

“Hmph!” Li Huowang sneered, his trust in Lady Cui vaporizing completely. “Playing tricks with me, huh? The Sitting Oblivion Dao has taught me one thing—not to follow the path of someone else.”

Then, he raised his sword that radiated killing intent, and pointed it toward Lady Cui’s head. “Get lost! No matter what you are or what intentions you have. Scram! Do you hear me?”

“Little~ Strayed One~ Amusing~ Very amusing~ Since it’s like this, then I shall inform you~ what a Strayed One is~ burp,” said the voice.

However, before they could say anything more, a sharp crack echoed through the room. The black cauldron, the basket filled with rice, and the bronze mirror had all been sliced into two halves. The sword’s edge was already on Lady Cui’s neck.

“Oh my~ What’s going on?!” asked Lady Cui, her voice returning to normal.

“This again? You’re quite skilled at pretend acting! I’ll repeat this one last time! Get lost!” shouted Li Huowang.

At this point, it was evident that Lady Cui was quite frightened by Li Huowang’s killing intent. In a panicked state, she picked up her belongings from the ground and stumbled outside.

Clang!

Once she left, Li Huowang sheathed his sword, and the room gradually returned to normal.

“Let’s go get some sleep. We should have a good rest while we still have a bed,” Li Huowang said. As he stepped into the inner room, he put on the bronze-coin mask.

Feeling the weight of the mask, he let out a sigh of relief. “I’ll need to bring this thing with me from now on. My identity as a Strayed One is too enticing to some people.”

“Master~ What if… What she said was true?” asked Bai Lingmiao.

“That was the only reason I didn’t strike her body. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let her leave through the door. Also, don’t call me Master!” said Li Huowang.

That night, Li Huowang hardly slept, fearing a night-time ambush by the other party.

Next day, even though nothing had happened, Li Huowang had everyone hastily pack their luggage and leave this troubled area.

It was only after they arrived at the bustling streets of the border town of the kingdom of Si Qi that Li Huowang finally relaxed.

Compared to before, there was much less tension over here, suggesting that they might no longer be at war.

Li Huowang and the others took some time to rest in the town, and then prepared to re-enter Hou Shu. But before that, there was something that they needed to do.

At the Hutou Escort Office, the burly Chief Escort read the recommendation letter in his hand, while scrutinizing the peculiar red-robed Daoist with a mask of bronze coins on his face.

After much consideration, he placed the letter back. “Alright, since Leader Zhao is taking your guarantee, then I’ll trust you! However, let’s make it clear beforehand. If you’re escorting goods, then we’ll take a twenty percent cut from each deal. After all, we’re the ones signing the contracts. Is this agreeable?”

“Yes,” Li Huowang readily agreed. Escorting cargo was quite convenient for his group, and the earnings were essentially free money.

“If the goods are lost, I won’t hold you accountable. We have our own guarantors too. Since you said Leader Zhao is your friend, don’t disappoint him,” said the Chief Escort.

1. the three characters of the name Jin Zaomu has the radicals of the five elements, 金灶沐 ☜

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