Mutated Tao

Bai Lingmiao clenched her hands slowly as her expression turned extremely grim. She seemed to have some trouble standing steadily.

The Hometown of True Void does exist. The Heavenly Mater said so herself. Her family now leads carefree lives there.

Bai Lingmiao was very certain that she would join them after her death.

However, Bai Lingmiao felt deeply conflicted when this deeply held belief involved the lives of 1.81 million people.

If the Hometown of True Void is real, dying is merely moving to a different place. If so, why am I... why am I hesitating?

At this moment, the Si Qi emperor continued, “Miss Bai, think about it. With the lives of around a million old, weak, and disabled followers, you can secure nine million good followers in the future. When has there ever been such a profitable deal?”

“You see, it’s a win-win situation—even the Heavenly Mater in the Hometown of True Void wins. No one loses. What are you still hesitating for, Saintess?”

Bai Lingmiao took a deep breath. Her hand, which trembled over her chest, suddenly steadied. She had made up her mind.

“Your Majesty, is this really a deal? Do you always calculate things like this? Do you understand that they... that they are all people, living people? Even if they are disabled or useless, they are still living people!” Bai Lingmiao recalled everything from Cowheart Village.

She continued, “Do you know how much pain their deaths would cause? Do you know how painful it is to lose family members?!”

The Si Qi emperor and the plump general beside him were visibly shocked. They hadn’t expected the leader of a cult, known for its sacrificial practices, to say such things. It was as if hell had frozen over.

“And Your Majesty! Among those 1.81 million, the majority are your subjects. Have you not considered them at all?”

A hint of anger appeared on his face. “Hmph! Why should I care about them? Do you know what I have sacrificed for this throne? I have earned all of this with my hard work!

“My main concern is my empire! Without it, I am just a king without a country! Those common people are like grass growing on my land. Even if they are cut down, they will grow back in time.”

Bai Lingmiao clenched her fists tightly. Her sharp nails dug into her palms, but she did not let go.

She replied with a sharp tone, “Your Majesty! I cannot comply! They are not grass—they are people! They can’t die like grass. Once they die, there’s nothing left!”

The Si Qi emperor seemed puzzled. “Hmm? Haven’t you realized? According to your beliefs, they aren’t really dying. They are going back to the Hometown of True Void.”

“What? Does the esteemed Saintess of the White Lotus Sect believe there is no Hometown of True Void? Is it all a lie fabricated by the Heavenly Mater to gain your faith?”

Bai Lingmiao took a few deep breaths and suppressed her anger. “Your Majesty, the Hometown of True Void does exist, but the Heavenly Mater has decreed that suicide violates divine laws. Those who take their own lives cannot enter the Hometown of True Void.”

“Ridiculous. Why haven’t I heard your White Lotus Sect say this before?” The Si Qi emperor frowned as he sensed rejection from her.

“I am the Saintess of the White Lotus Sect, and naturally, I receive divine messages. If I say the Heavenly Mater has said it, then the Heavenly Mater has said it! This matter is not up for discussion.” Bai Lingmiao stood up to leave.

The Si Qi emperor stepped before Bai Lingmiao again. His expression filled with cold anger as dragon scales began to appear on his body. “Wait. You should carefully consider your actions, Miss Bai. Do you realize who you’re defying?”

Bai Lingmiao, who had been looking down, slowly raised her head as a slight smile lifted her lips. Her entire demeanor seemed to have shifted. “Your Majesty, Si Qi is still occupied by the Dharma Sect, isn’t it? If you’re so capable, why don’t you reclaim your lost territory yourself? Oh, that’s right. We were the ones who saved you from the Dharma Sect, weren’t we?”

Bai Lingmiao poked the Emperor's dragon robe with her finger, its nails painted black.

“I am from the Great Liang, not Si Qi. Besides, you are still a dethroned emperor. A fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken. What can you do if I defy you?

“Will you send troops to destroy the White Lotus Sect? Alas, Your Majesty, you have no soldiers under your command now. You only have a group of old eunuchs.”

Bai Lingmiao glanced disdainfully at the general beside her, who had his hand on the hilt of his sword but did not draw it. She chuckled. “You’re still putting on airs with me when you’re so short on men that you even dare bring such lowly individuals out in public.”

The Si Qi emperor trembled with rage, yet he dared not act against Bai Lingmiao. He could not afford to make enemies of those who had helped him reclaim his kingdom, even if he could defeat them.

Bai Lingmiao stepped out of the grand courtyard, her expression gradually softening. She silently walked through the chaotic city.

The voice of the Second Deity resounded in her mind. “What are your thoughts? Do you believe in the Hometown of True Void or not? I’m confused.”

Bai Lingmiao didn’t know. She could no longer care about her own matters.

She realized that, at some point, she had gained the power to control the lives of millions of people at her whim. If she wished, she could command these people to die.

Her power had unknowingly grown to such an extent that this invisible pressure made her anxious.

Bai Lingmiao continued to walk as she observed the lives of the White Lotus followers in the city.

In times of war, the lives of the ordinary people were naturally difficult. However, they always found ways to eat and live as well as they could.

She had seen it before, but what she saw seemed slightly different from before.

A group of people gathered around a large black pot emitting white steam by the roadside, eagerly holding long chopsticks.

Inside the pot was a mix of leftover food sold by the street. Each bite was a bronze coin, regardless of what one picked.

Despite seeming dirty, this sort of business became more popular the more chaotic the times were. People often arrived early to ensure they didn’t miss out on the best selections.

This was the place where they could eat meat for the least amount of money.

A young girl, around thirteen years old, had a white lotus drawn on her brow and wore patched clothes. She hesitated for a long time before finally tossing her bronze coin into the bowl.

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