Mutated Tao

“Hm …” The Imperial Preceptor nodded and stroked his white beard at Li Huowang’s response.

Li Huowang wasn't sure whether the Imperial Preceptor believed him or not. All he knew was that he was certain he couldn’t run away since the Imperial Preceptor was much stronger than him.

He was thinking of a way to say goodbye, so he could leave as soon as possible, but the Imperial Preceptor said, “The emperor regards you highly, so you should consider yourself lucky. Make sure to seize the chance properly.”

“Yes!” Li Huowang wasn’t really sure whether he was lucky or not. He wasn’t even sure if Ji Lin could successfully ascend the throne, as the other princes were making a move behind the scenes.

“Go and work diligently. The Liang Kingdom needs people like you.” The Imperial Preceptor patted Li Huowang’s shoulder.

Li Huowang felt something sharp entering his shoulder before rushing to the base of his tongue. He instantly deduced that it was some kind of seal to prevent him from talking about what he had seen today. It seems that the Imperial Preceptor still doesn’t trust me despite threatening me.

However, he didn’t mind it. He never wanted to talk about it, to begin with. If he were to do so, he'd find himself in a quagmire of endless trouble.

“Yes. I understand. I'm leaving, then.” Li Huowang bowed and exited the imperial temple. It was only when he left the red-colored palace wall with Lian Zhibei and the lifespan pills that he sighed in relief.

He looked back at the oppressive palace and was convinced that he truly hated them—both the palace and the city. It was as if the entire city was eating people constantly behind the scenes.

Knowing that the princes were going to scheme against each other soon, Li Huowang was certain that Shangjing would become chaotic pretty soon. He decided to finish his tasks and leave Shangjing as soon as possible.

Li Huowang didn’t even consider helping Ji Lin to secure the throne. While Ji Lin was kind to him and appeared to be suitable to befriend, there was no way Li Huowang would risk his life for him. They had only met once, and Ji Lin didn't seem like someone suitable to be the emperor.

“Time to honor your words.” Li Huowang looked at Lian Zhibei, who was holding the jade plate with excitement.

Pure lifespan couldn't be made into lifespan pills, and someone had to infuse it directly into the recipient. The jade plate was proof that the holder was entitled to pure lifespan.

“Of course! I'll keep my word!” Lian Zhibei exclaimed. Then, she turned around to leave.

"Where are you going?" Li Huowang asked, stopping her.

“Of course, I’m going to bring my mother here so that he'll get her pure lifespan. Wasn't that what we had agreed upon?”

Li Huowang took back the jade plate and explained, “Bring your mother here and find me. Be quick; if you don’t come here in a month, I will give the jade plate to my wife.”

“No, wait, you still don’t trust me even though we are at Shangjing? Do I need to give my identity plate to you as collateral?” Lian Zhibei begged.

But Li Huowang didn’t even bother negotiating with her. He shook the jade plate in front of her before walking towards the Surveillance Bureau.

There was no way he was going to fall for that.

Back in the vault, Li Huowang spared no time to talk to the eunuch with coins for eyes. He poured out four hundred lifespan pills without any hesitation and said, “I want you to exchange these for the relic we talked about last time! Be quick!”

The relic was inside a seven-layer pagoda. The eunuch opened the pagodas one by one until they reached the final layer, which contained a glimmering box made from agate. The box was translucent, and Li Huowang immediately saw the relic filled with holy light. It was a small piece of human bone, which glimmered strangely like a gem.

“A relic is a human bone? You need to eat a human bone to get the mind’s eye?” Li Huowang asked, casting a doubtful look at the eunuch. Eating a human bone did not seem like a holy thing to do.

“Please be at ease, esteemed customer. This is the last remaining. The first six have been redeemed by others, and they all said that it was fine. But I need to remind you again that only the kind can use it!”

“Fine, I get it. You didn't have to say that again. You're getting pretty annoying,” Li Huowang said. He was busy thinking about how he could persuade Bai Lingmiao to swallow the bone.

Bai Lingmiao was still traumatized by her experience in the Zephyr Temple, and she refused to eat anything human to the point that she wouldn't even take "normal" pills.

Li Huowang carried with him the box with the relic and two roasted geese before returning home. He was relieved to see that Bai Lingmiao was feeling her way in the darkness. In other words, she had become completely blind and couldn’t see that the relic was a human bone.

“Senior Li, you're back?” Bai Lingmiao looked tired as she walked slowly toward Li Huowang.

“How did you know it was me?” Li Huowang asked, placing the roasted geese wrapped in lotus leaves on the table.

“I could hear you, and I recognize your footsteps too. Senior Li, I discovered that my hearing has become so much better when I lost my vision."

Li Huowang approached her and gently guided her to a chair. “Miaomiao, don’t worry. I have a way of letting you see again.”

Li Huowang took out the agate box as well as a gourd full of water. “Come, open your mouth.”

“Senior Li, what kind of miraculous pill are you going to make me eat? To think it can let me see again,” Bai Lingmiao said. She was curious and was looking forward to it, so she immediately opened her mouth.

Li Huowang did not answer as he placed the relic on the base of her tongue. “Don’t chew. Swallow it whole and take it with rainwater.”

Once the rainwater entered Bai Lingmiao's mouth, she coughed out of surprise. Li Huowang patted her back in a hurry. Amidst their panicking, neither of them noticed the golden swastika flashing on Bai Lingmiao's chest.

Eventually, Bai Lingmiao felt better and frowned. “Senior Li, what was—"

Bai Lingmiao stopped mid-sentence as she realized that she could see once again. To be more precise, she couldn’t see with her eyes, but she could see everyone's Qi, allowing her to see the outline of the chair, stool, Li Sui, and the outlines of the two short trees in the courtyard.

It was a profound feeling that she couldn't quite describe. She felt like everything within a certain radius had been carved in her heart.

“Senior Li?”

Bai Lingmiao stared at the weird humanoid blob before her, and the humanoid blob was the only different "thing" in her "vision." The humanoid blob flickered in and out of existence and was quivering violently. Moreover, there were afterimages that converged and diverged from time to time around the blob[1].

1. She can see his illusions! ☜

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