Mutated Tao

“I just want you to do me a small favor," the chubby man said.

Li Huowang chuckled. “You think I’m omnipotent? What makes you think I can do something that you couldn't?”

The chubby man ignored Li Huowang as he served the other customers. It was only when the customers were gone that the chubby man took out two stools for him and Li Huowang to sit on.

“Come, sit. Don’t stand and talk like that. Only you can do this because the Dragon Vein will detect my presence the moment I get close enough to it.”

Li Huowang looked at the man’s plump face and scoffed, “We've already angered the Surveillance Bureau. Are you not satisfied yet?”

Even though Li Huowang was putting up a nonchalant face, he was already very aware of what was going on around him.

The man in front of Li Huowang was none other than one of the Sitting Oblivion Dao's leaders, Shai Zi!

Li Huowang couldn't forget how terrifying Shai Zis were.

Shai Zis loved tricking other liars. It could even be said that Shai Zis had tricked the majority of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members into joining them.

“Don’t say that. We're not even going after the Surveillance Bureau’s treasure. Why would they be angry at us?” Shai Zi took out the two remaining unsold dough sticks and ate them.

“Hong Zhong, the emperor was trying to pull you to his side last night, right? Why are you running away from something so interesting? Just go back and agree to his demands. We will then help find a way to let him succeed to the throne.” Shai Zi told Li Huowang what to do.

Li Huowang was not even surprised that the Sitting Oblivion Dao wanted to interfere in the succession war.

But no matter what they wanted, Li Huowang had no intentions of joining them. “Boss, I don’t have time. Find someone else.”

Shai Zi chuckled when he heard Li Huowang's rejection. “No need to do that. You are not a child anymore. Relax, once the emperor succeeds to the throne there would be nothing else for you to do. Hong Zhong, we have very few people in the palace, and most of them perished during that incident. You are the only one who can stay by the emperor’s side, so it has to be you. Don’t forget the favor you owe me.”

Shai Zi patted Li Huowang’s shoulder with his oily hands. “Look, it makes complete sense. Only you can do it.”

Favor? Li Huowang had no recollection of Shai Zi helping him last time.

“I won’t do it. Find someone else,” Li Huowang said, rejecting the offer before standing up to leave. “Many of the Sitting Oblivion Dao members had died during our last battle with the Surveillance Bureau. I think it’s best if you rest and recuperate instead of doing what you're thinking of doing.”

Li Huowang was betting that Shai Zi would not fight him since the Surveillance Bureau was monitoring Shangjing.

Li Huowang had no plans of listening even further, as he knew that the best way to avoid getting deceived was to avoid listening to Sitting Oblivion Dao members in the first place.

Li Huowang had just taken a few steps away when Shai Zi’s voice echoed behind him. “Are you really not doing it? Then don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Li Huowang turned around and stared calmly at Shai Zi, asking, “Boss Shai Zi, what do you want to do? Do you want to fight me?”

“Look at you talking like that. We're the military. I would never fight our own people,” Shai Zi said in a gentle voice.

Li Huowang merely smiled coldly.

“One month ago, you asked me for a favor to safeguard something. You can decline to work for us this time, but don’t blame me if that thing somehow escaped.”

Li Huowang frowned. He was certain that he did not meet any Sitting Oblivion Dao a month ago. Is he tricking me?

“Boss Shai Zi, must you do this? I’m tired from the previous ordeal, and I want to rest in the meantime. Find someone else.” Li Huowang threw the cold food onto the ground before walking to his carriage.

Shai Zi did not chase after Li Huowang and busied himself with the customers.

Li Huowang sat on his carriage and headed to the western city gate when the chubby man turned around and stared at the horse carriage, shouting, “Brat! If you don’t cultivate ‘Lies’ when you cultivate ‘Truth,' you will become a demon!”

They managed to leave Shangjing in peace.

Shai Zi didn't do anything to them, but Li Huowang was not stupid enough to relax.

Once out of Shangjing, Li Huowang traveled non-stop with Li Sui and Bai Lingmiao in the carriage. They did not dare to talk to anyone on their way to avoid getting tricked.

They would hunt and fish whenever they were hungry, just like cavemen.

The fire scorched the skin of a fish that was roughly the size of her arm.

After sprinkling some salt on the fish, Bai Lingmiao carried the fish over to Li Huowang.

Li Huowang was looking around warily. “You can eat first. I’m not hungry.”

Bai Lingmiao shoved the fish into Li Huowang's arms before turning around to cook another fish.

“Senior Li, how far are we from Cowheart Village?” Bai Lingmiao asked.

“We're not going back for now. I don’t want trouble to follow us back to the village.”

“How much longer must we stay outside? Several years?” Bai Lingmiao was worried.

“No. Since the Sitting Oblivion Dao wants to interfere with the succession war, we only need to wait until the new emperor is crowned. By then, they won't trouble me anymore regardless of whether the Sitting Oblivion Dao had succeeded or not.”

Li Huowang was more worried that Shai Zi would do something to him from the dark. Shai Zis were incredibly strong, and they were the type of entity to greet their victims only after they had ensnared their victims in their traps.

Li Huowang's clenched fists loosened, and he couldn't help but feel that he was still a bit too weak. There wouldn't have been no need to be so wary if he had just cultivated the "Truth."

Li Huowang wolfed down the fish and rested in the carriage, but he did not fall into a deep sleep. He'd wake up the moment he sensed something.

Late at night, Bai Lingmiao and Li Huowang opened their eyes in unison. “Senior Li, there’s something on the eastern side of the forest.”

“I heard it, too. Let’s go see what it is together. I don't want any of us to get kidnapped.”

The three of them carefully approached the location where they heard the noise. Soon, they heard people crying and shouting, along with the shrill clashing of weapons.

Li Huowang peered into a hole amidst the tree branches and saw what was happening.

Chacha and Char's Thoughts

For reference, this is what his head looks like. Credits to 格子的乱七八糟on douyin!

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