Mutated Tao

Li Huowang looked at Hong Zhong silently before looking at Monk, Peng Longteng, and Jin Shanzhao.

Ever since all of them had appeared, they had been constantly following him. Thus, he had thought that it had something to do with his identity as a Strayed One.

But when Hong Zhong told him about Human Xiao, he instantly knew that something was not right.

Maybe Tuoba Danqing knew more about this, but Li Huowang dared not to ask. He was afraid that Tuoba Danqing would find out his identity.

If they are not illusions, then what are they? Why are they following me constantly?

This was the first time that he had thought about it seriously.

He then recalled Jiang Yingzi who had appeared abruptly and then disappeared just as abruptly.

She appeared when I felt ashamed, but then she disappeared on her own when she felt ashamed instead. Maybe…

Li Huowang felt like he had a clue, but the answer was still very far from him. It was as if his thoughts on the matter were shrouded in a veil that would not dissipate. The more he thought about it, the less he knew.

Hong Zhong smiled wider when he saw Li Huowang thinking about it. “You don’t know? Maybe I can help you a little. Do you know about the story of the spirits that serve the tiger?[1] Legends says that people killed by the tigers would become ghostly slaves in their stomach, luring others to also be eaten by the tigers. Maybe you are something like that and we are the enslaved souls?”

“Enslaved souls?” Li Huowang looked at Hong Zhong in disbelief before continuing in a serious tone, “If you guys really are my enslaved souls, then you’ve brought me nothing but trouble. You guys are useless! The only thing you do is to make others think that I’m going crazy when I’m talking to you!”

Hearing this, Hong Zhong smiled and laughed. “Hey, maybe you really are going crazy. I’ve always thought that you were abnormal.”

Li Huowang glared at Hong Zhong as if he wanted to bite Hong Zhong’s head off. His veins pulsated on his forehead.

“Hohoho~ You are glaring at me again? What can you do if I keep scolding you and calling you a crazy person? My little Huowang~” Hong Zhong arched backward, his skinless face rippling as the flesh wiggled, revealing an absurd smile.

With that taunt, Li Huowang suddenly felt his brain go numb. He immediately grabbed his sword and placed it against his own neck, the sharp edge piercing the skin. Then, he snarled, “Oh? Come on then! Let’s fucking die together!”

Hong Zhong panicked when he saw the blood spraying in the air, “Hey hey hey, what are you doing?!”

However, before Hong Zhong could say anything else, a massive halberd pierced through him and lifted him up before smashing him onto the ground.

It was Peng Longteng’s halberd. She was the one who swept her weapon filled with killing intent at Hong Zhong.

At the same time, Monk quickly ran over and tried to persuade Li Huowang. “You can’t die, Daoist! You still haven’t gotten rid of your status as a Strayed One. Didn’t you want to go back and find your family? You can’t give up.”

Just then, a tentacle wriggled out from within Li Huowang’s belly button and wrapped itself around his wrist tightly.

As more and more tentacles sprouted out to grab his arm, Li Huowang sat on the ground, panting.

Li Huowang didn’t like this feeling. It felt like his internal organs were being moved around.

Seeing that Li Huowang had finally stopped, Monk ran over to Hong Zhong and scolded him, “Stop taunting him. The Daoist has nothing else to lose and would not hesitate to throw away his life. He’s like a dry match that can light up instantly.”

Hong Zhong glared at Li Huowang from afar and then scoffed before he sunk himself into the water, “What a crazy bastard.”

Li Huowang cooled down after being stopped by the tentacles and Monk’s persuasion. He removed the sword from his neck and the black tentacles quickly plugged the wound.

At that moment, Li Huowang realized that he was not who he was. Why did he become so irritable and why was he so easily taunted? Was that really him?

“Daoist, let’s move quickly. They are using the babies to refine pills. Saving a person’s life is much more noble than constructing numerous temples. You have to persevere in doing good deeds; after all, Buddha is watching. Maybe Buddha will come and help you if you save enough people,” said Monk.

Monk’s words made Li Huowang laugh out loud as he placed his sword back into its scabbard. Then, he stood up and started walking in the direction where the candle had gone.

“Monk, you are not my enslaved spirit. You were not killed by me, and I don’t even know if you are still alive or dead yet,” said Li Huowang.

Hearing this, Monk’s illusion flickered lightly; however, this went unnoticed. At the same time, Monk’s eyes opened wide as he muttered to himself, “I’m not dead? Then who am I?”

Li Huowang did not answer him as he navigated through the dark cave.

Li Huowang hadn’t gone too far when another Human Xiao crawled over to where he was earlier. It licked Li Huowang’s blood that was splattered on the ground before quickly receding into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Li Huowang remained invisible as he continued to look for the Human Xiao that had disappeared with the candle. Since he had found them, it was time to deal with them. Li Huowang was feeling quite pent up and needed a place to vent.

As he continued walking, Li Huowang heard a voice. The voice was chaotic, yet was rhythmic, as if it was chanting something.

Li Huowang followed the voice and saw something bone-chilling. A group of Human Xiao were sitting around and listening to another Human Xiao who was chanting something while wearing a tattered Daoist robe.

The Human Xiao with the Daoist robe had a black horse-tailed whisk stuck to the back of its neck. Based on how it was chanting something while reading from a paper, it was most likely the leader.

Even though the Human Xiao’s four limbs were gangly, all of them still somehow managed to sit cross legged with their absurdly long toenails.

Li Huowang was surprised at the suspiciously familiar sight.

Is this a morning lecture? They are having a morning lecture?

The Human Xiaos were indeed having a morning lecture. Li Huowang remembered how he did the same back in Zephyr Temple. The same monsters and the same dreams to become Immortals.

When he realized the familiarity, Li Huowang wanted to puke. He suddenly felt extremely disgusted.

What kind of fucking monsters are cultivating to be Immortals?

Li Huowang gritted his teeth as he ran toward the leader.

“Wait, Daoist! We need to find the babies first! If the babies can’t return home, then their mothers will be stricken with grief,” called out Monk.

Li Huowang slowly came to a stop when he heard Monk’s words. He hesitated for a bit before slowly walking back to the darkness.

However, just as Li Huowang was about to start searching for the babies, he saw another Human Xiao crawling swiftly on the ground as it approached the leader of the Human Xiaos and whispered something to it.

1. A folklore story where people killed by tigers would have their souls enslaved by it. The enslaved souls would then help the tiger to trick other victims. As an idiom, it means helping evil people do their bidding and luring victims ☜

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