Li Huowang retreated from the execution site while his mind was still full of the scenes he had just seen. It was hard to imagine someone would stuff themselves full of pills until their stomach bulged visibly.
Li Huowang pondered over the prisoner's status and was convinced that there was a deeper reason behind it.
Historically speaking, emperors often consume pills to extend their lives. The practice may hold true in this world as well. Even Dan Yangzi, that damned illiterate baldy, wants to become immortal, so how could the Emperor of the Liang Kingdom, which was the strongest kingdom, not desire immortality? It’s normal for people to fear death, but…
Li Huowang could still remember Emperor Xu Fu, who had taken five hundred children with him to find the secret of immortality.[1]
However, Li Huowang couldn't even begin to comprehend just how crazy the Emperor of the Liang Kingdom's search for immortality had been, as they were in a crazy world, after all.
Li Huowang looked up at the palace walls, and he couldn't help but think about what was happening in the palace.
Upon sensing the wary gazes of the guards, Li Huowang shook his head and walked toward the prison.
The happenings in the palace weren't Li Huowang's business. The mission was complete, and Li Huowang just wanted to acquire the method to treat Bai Lingmiao.
Li Huowang entered the heavily-guarded prison once again. Cao Baihu grinned upon seeing Li Huowang. “Oh? You're back, Brother Er Jiu? Tell me everything that happened during the mission.”
There was no reason to lie, so Li Huowang recounted everything.“Cao Baihu, I've completed the mission. I hope you'll fulfill your end of the deal.”
“Of course, of course.” Cao Baihu smiled and reached into his clothes. He took out a tiny black coffin, which was the size of a forearm, and gave it to Li Huowang.
Li Huowang wasn’t sure whether he was just being too sensitive or not, but staring at the large red "longevity" character on the coffin made him feel as if the coffin was exuding the air of death. Li Huowang felt like it truly contained a corpse.
The coffin emitted the same air as the droves of deceased sheep beneath Qing Qiu.
This definitely doesn’t belong to the military. It belongs to another sect. Li Huowang was certain of it. It was far too "different" from the items usually associated with the military. The difference was quite literally heaven and earth.
Cao Baihu rapped his fingers on the table three times. “Take the coffin, aim it at the person who had been inundated by killing intent, and then open it. The killing intent will vanish in just three breaths.
"However, you have to remember that the coffin must not stay open for more than three breaths, or there will be consequences.”
“It's that easy?” Li Huowang accepted the black coffin and was astonished by its light weight. The coffin was so light that he thought it was made out of paper.
“Hoho, it’s just killing intent, right? It's not a serious matter. If it weren't for my post, I would go and deal with it myself. It wouldn’t take long,” Cao Baihu said nonchalantly before downing a cup of wine.
Rumble!
The ground shook lightly just then, and an unknown aura rose from the bottom of the earth. Li Huowang stood up instinctively as goosebumps broke out all over him. It was clear that something sinister was sealed underground.
“Fucking hell! That shitty thing!” Cao Baihu slammed the cup on the table and picked up his blade. He started walking toward the prison door while saying, “I need to do something so I won’t force you to stay here. Just return the coffin to me once you're done using it, as I don’t want to go and collect it myself.”
Li Huowang soon walked out of the prison and found everything surreal. He looked down at the coffin in his palm and thought, It's that easy? I can turn Bai Lingmiao back just like that? Was he lying to me? Wait, what if everyone lied to me? Do they know that I’m a Strayed One?
Li Huowang felt cold at the absurd idea. Li Huowang grimaced and looked around, feeling as if everything around him was out to get him, including but not limited to the roof, stone lion statues, the tiles on the floor, and even the pebbles on the ground.
Li Huowang took a while to calm down, and he looked down at the coffin in his hands once more. He patiently rummaged through his memories to try and make sense of what was going on.
Li Huowang took a deep breath. No, I don’t think they know my true identity. Otherwise, they wouldn't have let a variable like me anywhere near the palace.
Li Huowang was soon convinced that he was overthinking things. Since the military could make use of killing intent, it wasn't strange that they could disperse it as well.
Perhaps it was truly just a small issue.
Now that I got the item that I needed. Li Huowang put away the coffin in the pocket behind his shirt and returned to the inn. Upon opening the door to his room, Li Huowang instantly clapped his eyes on Bai Lingmiao sitting in front of a mirror.
Bai Lingmiao was combing her hair with a dark fluid.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m using black vinegar to dye my hair black. I don't really like this white color; it doesn't suit me at all.”
Li Huowang went silent and took a deep breath before taking out the small coffin.
Before returning to the inn, Li Huowang had paid a man to raise his sword against Li Huowang. Li Huowang used the coffin on that man, and the man's killing intent was sucked away by the coffin.
Bai Lingmiao saw the object in Li Huowang's hand through the bronze mirror.
“What is that? A coffin?” Bai Lingmiao asked.
Li Huowang opened the coffin while aiming it at Bai Lingmiao. A strange suction force rushed out of the coffin, and it sucked away Li Huowang’s hesitation and regret. Li Huowang even felt that the coffin was sucking away his will to find Bei Feng; the coffin was insatiable, seemingly capable of sucking away everything.
“One, two… three!” Li Huowang exclaimed and closed the lid. Then, he stared at Bai Lingmiao.
A crisp noise echoed as the comb covered in black vinegar fell to the ground.
Bai Lingmiao turned around slowly, and she stared at Li Huowang in fear with her tear-filled eyes.
Li Huowang trembled at the familiar sight, and he rushed to hug her as hot tears welled up in his eyes.
Li Huowang hugged her tightly for a long time before releasing her. Then, he examined her to see whether there were any side effects. “How are you feeling? Do you feel uncomfortable anyway? Tell me!”
Bai Lingmiao was crying, but she didn't respond.
Soon, she reached out for the purple-tassel sword.
Li Huowang smacked Bai Lingmiao's hand away and retreated. When Li Huowang looked up, he found that Bai Lingmiao’s eyes were filled with pain and resentment.
“Senior Li, please… I can’t live without it,” Bai Lingmiao muttered.
1. Actually, it was recorded to be 3000 children ☜
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