Chapter 311
Chapter 311
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 311
>Chapter Title: Speak
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“You want me to lie to her!” Li Huowang’s words squeezed out through gritted teeth as he stared at Hong Zhong in front of him.
“Hey! What’s wrong with lying? Why look down on it? Lies can be used for evil or for good! If you do what I say this time, it’ll be a well-meaning fib!”
As Hong Zhong grew more excited, the sighing monk nearby walked over and pulled him away from Li Huowang’s side.
“Senior Brother Li?” Sensing something off with Li Huowang, Bai Lingmiao’s voice softened considerably.
She reached out with her soft, pale hand and gently placed it over Li Huowang’s charred, skeletal fingers.
“Senior Brother Li, don’t overthink it. You’ve been traveling so far for so long—you must be exhausted. Rest for now. We can talk about anything tomorrow.”
Bai Lingmiao helped Li Huowang to her bedside, showing no disgust at his terrifying appearance as she tucked him under her covers.
Covered by smooth silk quilt and resting on a pillow filled with rustling rice husks, Li Huowang took a gentle breath. It was all the familiar faint fragrance from Bai Lingmiao’s body.
“Senior Brother Li, you got caught in the rain. I’ll go brew some ginger soup to drive out the chill.” With that, Bai Lingmiao stood and headed toward the kitchen.
Li Huowang raised his hand and grabbed her wrist. “Miaomiao, can I ask you something? In your eyes, what kind of people are the Bai family?”
“My clansmen? They’re all great. We help each other out every day—no bickering like in other places.” Bai Lingmiao answered matter-of-factly.
“Senior Brother Li, what’s wrong? Why ask something like that all of a sudden?”
“You haven’t noticed... anything strange at all?”
“No, oh wait—the Bai family does go into the ancestral hall more than in other places. When I was little, I pestered Grandpa endlessly to take me inside to see what it was like, but he always said girls aren’t allowed in the ancestral hall.”
At that, Bai Lingmiao seemed to realize something. Her mouth fell open in surprise as she subconsciously covered it with her hand.
“Senior Brother Li, have you met them? Where are they now? Are my mom and dad okay?”
Li Huowang took a deep breath and exhaled forcefully, as if trying to vent all the pent-up emotions in his heart. But it did nothing.
He desperately wanted to follow Hong Zhong’s advice. That way, nothing would change. But he just couldn’t.
“Miaomiao, I’m sorry. They’re all dead. I killed them.” Bai Lingmiao, sitting on the bed’s edge, froze in place, her body rigid like a statue.
Lying in bed, Li Huowang spoke calmly and steadily, recounting everything that had happened. Throughout, Bai Lingmiao made no sound—only her grip on his hand grew steadily colder.
Once Li Huowang finished explaining the whole story, the room fell silent, save for the steady patter of rain outside.
Her long white lashes blinked slowly, and two trails of clear tears slid down from the corners of Bai Lingmiao’s eyes. Her trembling voice emerged.
“Senior Brother Li, did I do something wrong? Why did you kill my entire village?”
Images flashed in Li Huowang’s mind: Bai Lingmiao pawning her gold bracelet for travel money, weeping with rain-streaked cheeks after getting hurt, dreaming together about returning home.
“I don’t know why it turned out like this. It was so cold over there. I just wanted to warm myself by the fire. I... I really just wanted to warm myself by the fire. I really just wanted to warm myself by the fire...” Li Huowang defended himself in feeble words.
Terror gradually spread across Bai Lingmiao’s face. She yanked her hand from his and backed away step by step.
Just as she retreated faster and was about to bolt through the door, Li Huowang grabbed her from behind in an embrace.
Bai Lingmiao’s doll-like features crumpled instantly. She struggled desperately, pounding her fists madly against Li Huowang’s body, her wide-open mouth emitting a piercing scream.
In the end, she even lunged at him and bit down hard, tearing open the black scabs.
But when she saw the wounds oozing blood on his body, she stopped biting. Clutching her face with both hands, she slowly sank to the floor, sobbing.
One stood, one crouched—they stayed frozen like that.
Li Huowang stood there quietly, gazing at Bai Lingmiao’s white hair. Whatever was in his mind at that moment, only he knew.
This lasted a long time, as the light in the room gradually dimmed.
Much later, the sobbing Bai Lingmiao stood up and walked toward the door without so much as glancing at Li Huowang.
Li Huowang blocked her again. “No, you don’t need to leave. This is Cowheart Village. This is your home. The one leaving is me.”
With that, Li Huowang turned and walked away. He made no attempt to hold her back.
“You’d already figured it out, hadn’t you? The moment you opened your mouth, your fate with Bai Lingmiao was probably sealed. So why do it anyway?”
Li Huowang’s expression was wooden as he completely ignored the hallucination’s words. “Regretting it now? Didn’t use my well-meaning lie after all?”
“A lie’s a lie! No good or evil to it! I made the mistake, so I own it! My conscience is clear!” Li Huowang’s sudden roar startled the other apprentices approaching him.
“Senior Brother Li, you just got back and you’re leaving already? Miaomiao was so worried about you. Whatever you do, at least think about how she feels,” Chun Xiaoman said.
“Take good care of her for me. From now on, live your peaceful lives here. The world’s chaotic—don’t wander around.”
As Li Huowang made his way through Cowheart Village, more and more of his fellow apprentices gathered around him.
When he reached the village entrance again, everyone was there.
Without hesitation, he charged straight into the pouring rain.
“Senior Brother Li, where are you going? We’ll come with you!”
“Stay put!! No one follows me!” Li Huowang’s sharp command rooted them all in place.
In the torrential downpour, his clothes soaked through, Li Huowang turned to face them all. He took several deep breaths before unleashing a barrage of curses.
“Get lost! Get the hell away from me! I delivered your ashes! I passed on all my final words from Clear Wind Temple! I kept every promise I made! What more do you want?!”
“Look at all these wounds on me! I’ve done more than enough for you all!! I’m tired!! You bunch of crippled freaks—do you want to drag me down forever?!”
Staring at their heartbroken faces, Li Huowang—his own face streaming with water—whirled around and rushed out of Cowheart Village.
Truth be told, ever since it happened, Li Huowang had already resolved on the way back: to leave everyone behind.
He truly didn’t dare let anyone stay by his side anymore. The closer they were, the more terrified he felt—terrified that one day, he’d burn them all to death in a single fire, just like the Bai clan.
A madman who didn’t know what he was doing was scary enough. A madman with all sorts of unfathomable powers was even worse.
(End of chapter)