Mutated Tao

Li Huowang found it annoying that these familiar people just had to appear before him today. He didn't expect that they'd come here and kick up a fuss at a critical juncture.

All of a sudden, Li Huowang's expression changed when the sound of galloping hooves entered his ears. He turned and saw twelve sleek horses pulling a carriage the size of a small house. The horses were belching yellow smoke as they raced toward the East Gate.

From the tokens on the waists of the riders, Li Huowang could tell that the person he was looking for was inside of that carriage.

“Um, Daoist, there’s something I need to discuss with you. Are you familiar with anyone in Shangjing? Someone influential with power and authority.”

“I truly don’t want to bother you, but I need to buy a theater in Shangjing. I need some connection to buy one. I also need some money but don’t worry; you’ll be the owner, and as for the sharing...” Lu Zhuangyuan trailed off upon seeing Li Huowang’s odd expression. He then bent down to pull his shameless son up to the ground.

Li Huowang pinched Puppy, and his incessant talking transformed into a squeal. Then, he dared not talk anymore.

When the carriage entered the East Gate, Li Huowang let go of Puppy and grabbed the latter by the neck before saying, “Listen to me! Go back to Cowheart Village immediately! No one is to come looking for me again! If you don’t want to listen to me, then you and your wife can leave the village!”

Li Huowang gave the Lu Family Troupe a cold glance. Everyone fell silent and dared not even breathe too loudly.

The former Daoist was usually reasonable, but it seemed he was truly angry today.

“Li Sui, let’s go!” Li Huowang said. He rushed toward the dirt-scattered road and left behind the speechless group of people.

“What’s wrong with Senior Li? Is he sick again? This shouldn’t be. He never acted like this before. And what about Miaomiao? How come she disappeared when her eyes are already healed?” Puppy muttered in surprise while massaging his neck.

“Maybe the Daoist has something urgent to attend to. So what should we do next? Say something,” Lu Zhuangyuan puffed on his tobacco pipe.

“He’s so ruthless toward his own, but since Senior Li has spoken, what else can we do? Let’s go back home.”

The others were relieved at Puppy’s words. In this place where even drinking water required money, they had had enough and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

The Lu Family Troupe and Puppy hastily grabbed bought dry rations and began to make their way back home.

Meanwhile, the letter that Puppy had commissioned some wandering merchants to deliver had finally arrived at Cowheart Village.

In the Bai family courtyard, everyone sat on stools and listened to Gao Zhijian stutter out the content of the letter.

When they heard that Puppy hadn’t found Li Huowang and Bai Lingmiao in Shangjing, their faces didn’t look good.

Chun Xiaoman especially was very anxious.

“It’s been so long, but why is there no news at all? Could something have happened to Miaomiao?”

“It’s impossible. Li Huowang is so powerful; who could defeat him? Maybe he’s busy with something, and he’ll come back soon.”

Zhao Wu softly comforted Chun Xiaoman, but it didn’t have much effect.

“I... I... I... I’ll go!” Gao Zhijian stood up firmly.

“If Puppy can't even find him, how can you possibly find him? Senior Li is strong, so he must be fine.”

However, Gao Zhijian seemed to have made up his mind, and he walked toward his house.

He didn’t take much. He picked up his heavy armor, a halberd, some dried rations, and some money to buy more rations.

When he finished packing, he turned around and saw Chun Xiaoman standing with a carriage at the entrance to his courtyard.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to persuade you. I know you’re not stupid, just a bit slow-witted. There must be a reason behind your decision to go out there."

“I’ll be in the village, and there are already seven people who know divine incantations. Your troops are here as well, so the village is well protected.”

Gao Zhijian nodded silently, took the reins, and made his way toward the village.

After walking a few steps, he turned back and stammered to Chun Xiaoman, ”I... I am... I am the emperor! I... I can... find... them!”

***

“I found them! They’re right in front!” Li Huowang looked at the clear carriage marks on the ground. The tentacles on his body allowed him to move at breakneck speeds.

He had also pasted two talismans on his legs; Li Huowang moved so fast that his figure became blurry.

Just as he was about to climb over a hill, Li Huowang twisted instinctively to dodge a flying vajra[1].

Li Huowang pushed himself off the ground and took to the air before pulling out his Surveillance Bureau's identity token. “Wait! I have an urgent matter to report to the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau!”

The attacks stopped, but Li Huowang was instantly surrounded the moment he landed on the ground.

A black bird circling in the air landed on one of the people's shoulders.

Li Huowang swept his gaze across them, but he felt like the Chief wasn't among them. He pondered briefly before speaking slowly, “May I know where's the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau? I have an important matter to report, and it is about the Sitting Oblivion Dao."

“Just talk to me. You’re not qualified to see the Chief,” a gloomy-looking man said, stepping forward with his hands behind his back. The compass in his hand pointed straight at Li Huowang. A long braid was hanging from the back of his head all the way down to his calves.

“I have a method to locate Shai Zi! I'm here to ask the Chief to make a move against that evil beast!”

Li Huowang had no intentions of hiding anything, and the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau would surely hear his words.

“Er Jiu, true name Ji Zai, Grand Elder of the Ao Jing Sect having ascended thrice, Seventh Banner of the Surveillance Bureau, Commander of the Left and Right Jinwu Guards, accompanied by a dog-faced evil spirit. Forty-six days ago, you snatched Ji Xiang Fo Yulu’s Ancient Sword. You lived for a long time at the foot of Cowheart Mountain. Is that correct?”

Li Huowang felt a shiver down his spine despite the gloomy-looking man's casual tone of voice. The latter knew more than Li Huowang had imagined.

“Yes, that’s right! But there's one thing missing—the irreconcilable conflict between me and the Sitting Oblivion Dao!” Li Huowang roared with clenched fists.

Li Huowang took a deep breath and then narrated what he had experienced in the Great Qi, including everything about Shangji Guankou.

There was a saying about how one had to hide a tree in a forest, and Li Huowang was proving the legitimacy of that saying.

“Nonsense! I’ve lived for so long, but I’ve never heard of that so-called Shangji Guankou!!”

The gloomy-looking man's words made Zhuge Yuan frown. “Just because you haven’t heard of it does not mean that it doesn't exist. These ignorant people are the reason why Shangji Guankou is becoming rare to come by.”

1. a type of club with a spherical head ☜

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