Mutated Tao

In the desolate Cold Palace, Li Huowang looked at the monk’s illusion with some dissatisfaction.

Li Huowang wasn’t a heartless person. However, he really had no time to deal with a pregnant old eunuch of unknown origin.

After all, this was the Great Qi and not the Great Liang. Nobody knew if this guy was setting a trap.

His priority was to return and inform the Surveillance Bureau about Prince Ren's collusion with the Dharma Sect.

“Let’s go!” Li Huowang said and turned to leave. He had only taken a few steps when a horrifying scream echoed from behind him.

He saw the eunuch grip a dagger with one hand before thrusting it into his swollen belly. A mixture of amniotic fluid and blood sprayed out from the wound.

It seemed that he intended to deliver the baby himself since Li Huowang wasn’t going to help him.

The monk's illusion couldn’t sit still anymore at the gruesome scene. He scratched his head as he blocked Li Huowang again and said, “Daoist, please save him. Saving a life is more important than building many houses. Even if we don’t save him, the baby in his belly isn’t guilty of any crimes, don't you think so?

“One is reborn as a human as a result of accumulated blessings throughout lifetimes. This is a precious life.”

Li Huowang sighed lightly and pressed his temple with one hand. “Fine! You have a kind heart; you are a living Bodhisattva. If you want to save him, do it yourself.”

The monk's illusion didn’t immediately grasp what was happening, but he soon noticed the changes in his body.

“I’m alive? I’m alive?!” the monk exclaimed with joy. He patted his bald head and bounced around like a child.

“Aren’t you going to save him? I can’t hold on much longer.”

“Oh, right, right!” The monk regained his composure and hurried over to the eunuch.

However, the monk seemed at a loss when faced with the bloody scene. He obviously had no idea how to deliver babies.

The eunuch, who seemed on the verge of death, didn’t care where this unexpected helper had come from. He propped himself up as sweat poured down his face.

He opened his cracked lips, and his lips trembled as he pleaded, “Master! Forget about me! Save the child! I can die, but I will not let my ancestors down as long as the Wang family will have a descendant!”

“Okay, okay!” The monk nodded repeatedly and knelt down. He grasped the dagger sticking out of the eunuch’s belly and pulled downward.

“AAAAHHHH!” The eunuch screamed in agony as blood and amniotic fluid sprayed out of the wound and drenched the monk.

“Thank you... Master... May you... may you achieve enlightenment soon...” the eunuch trailed off, and his head tilted lifelessly to the side. His face lost all signs of vitality, but a satisfied smile was tugging at his sweaty lips.

The monk was covered in filth, and he was still rummaging through the eunuch's stomach.

Li Huowang couldn't take it anymore and walked over.

The monk felt as though there was a treasure trove filled with blood-red objects before him, and his hands were moving incessantly within the treasure trove.

Suddenly, he felt he had grabbed the ankle of the child. With a delighted expression, he pulled hard, but he ended up yanking out the eunuch’s intestines.

Li Huowang jumped into the fray, and his keen senses allowed him to detect the only thing moving in the treasure trove.

He yanked out the object as if pulling out a radish from the soil.

The monk's eyes widened in shock when he what Li Huowang had yanked out.

He took several steps backward and muttered, “What is that thing?”

Li Huowang was holding a baby in his hand—no, it seemed like a baby, but it had the body of a cow or a sheep, and it was covered in short, damp fur. Its limbs had hooves at the end instead of five fingers.

The monk wouldn’t have been so frightened if it were just a calf born from the eunuch. What was most terrifying was that its head had a human face.

The eunuch didn’t give birth to a male infant who could carry on his lineage. Instead, he gave birth to a strange creature with a human face and the body of a cow!

“What a mess!” Li Huowang exclaimed in disgust. He tossed the creature against the wall forcefully.

Bang! The human-faced sheep hit the wall and fell to the ground. It surprisingly didn’t die. Instead, it stood up with its hooves and spat out amniotic fluid in big mouthfuls.

Li Huowang finally saw the appearance of this human-faced cow. It had the exact same face as the eunuch who gave birth to it. It had the same bald head and the same wrinkled face as the eunuch, but it seemed to embody the ugliness of the world. Li Huowang furrowed his brows and gripped the hilt of his sword, ready to eliminate this evil being. The human-faced cow opened its deformed mouth and cackled. Although its face was that of an old man, it had a baby's voice, which created an eerie combination.

“Hahaha! The moon will rise, the sun will dip, and the well water will overflow through the golden gate. The morning seeks to rise; the evening seeks to unite. It’s difficult for the panchi[1] to survive against the serpent. Kill the cows and sheep, and drink wine. Everyone, big or small, will be happy! Eat his mother! Everyone, have a good time! Hahaha!” After singing the nonsensical phrase, the human-faced cow went limp and collapsed to the ground. Its eyes rolled up, and it died just like that.

Li Huowang couldn’t understand what he had just witnessed. Why was everything in Great Qi so bizarre? What nonsense was it singing just now? Was it cursing me?

Li Huowang sheathed his sword with a frown, and then he looked at the monk, who had returned to being an illusion, “What did I tell you? You didn’t listen and had to try it out. How was the good deed?”

Li Huowang didn’t wait for the ashamed monk to reply. He prepared to leave this Cold Palace of Great Qi with Li Sui.

“Brother Li!” Zhuge Yuan’s words made Li Huowang stop. He turned toward Zhuge Yuan and was shocked to see that Zhuge Yuan’s expression was tense with a hint of regret.

“Brother Zhuge, what’s going on?” Li Huowang asked. He sensed something off with Zhuge Yuan’s emotions.

“I need you to do me a favor. Help me pass on a message to some friends in Great Qi!”

“Of course. But... Brother Zhuge, can you tell me what exactly is going on?”

Li Huowang didn’t think for a moment that Zhuge Yuan’s current demeanor was all because he was so touched that he managed to return to Great Qi and that he couldn't wait to reminisce with some of his old friends.

Zhuge Yuan wasn’t that kind of person.

Moreover, he had never seen Zhuge Yuan lose his composure. Zhuge Yuan had remained calm even in the face of Doulao and his own despairing death.

1. a creature similar to a dragon ☜

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