Chapter 351
Chapter 351
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 351
>Chapter Title: The Storyteller
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Chapter 351: The Storyteller
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> As soon as Li Huowang looked up, he spotted a black pigeon gazing down at him from above. It was the pigeon Tuoba Danqing used for sending messages.
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> After Li Huowang untied the letter from the pigeon’s leg and read its contents, he immediately set aside his meal and headed straight for the door.
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> Li Huowang never imagined that the Chronicler was still in Silver Tomb City! Not only had he not left, but he had specifically requested to meet him. This was an opportunity.
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> To Li Huowang’s great surprise, the place where the Chronicler had arranged to meet wasn’t some grand establishment, but a rather modest study.
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> It seemed his style of doing things was completely different from the flashy Tuoba Danqing.
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> The moment he stepped through the door, Li Huowang’s gaze was instantly drawn to a shriveled tongue.
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> It was a somewhat withered human tongue, its root nailed to a piece of rotten wood shaped like a ruyi with a coffin nail.
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> The instant he saw it, Li Huowang immediately recalled that this was the treasure Tuoba Danqing had bragged about before—the one made from a Heart Pure’s tongue.
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> Li Huowang took a slow, deep breath in and then exhaled slowly before performing a Daoist salute toward the pale-faced old eunuch who was clicking away on an abacus.
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> “I’ve come to pay my respects to Lord Chronicler.”
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> “Heh heh heh~ We’re not in the palace, and we’re all family here, so no need for such formalities. Sit, sit.”
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> Following the Chronicler’s gesture, Li Huowang saw that tea had already been prepared on the side table nearby.
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> Li Huowang didn’t sit. Instead, he cut straight to the chase.
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> “May I ask, Lord Chronicler, what urgent matter do you have for me?”
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> He remembered all too well how panicked this eunuch had been when he rode off on horseback back then. Yet now he was sitting here calmly and steadily. Something must have happened that he didn’t know about.
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> “Oh heh heh~ No rush, no rush. I hear you’re quite capable, young man?”
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> Being sized up by an old eunuch made Li Huowang feel deeply uncomfortable.
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> “Hong Da said those three fought you alone, and you still managed to escape? Assigning someone like you to a mere Ren Squad is truly a waste of talent.”
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> Li Huowang didn’t take this as praise. Instead, his heart tightened.
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> “Lord Chronicler, please speak plainly.”
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> “Fine, you’re straightforward, so this one will be too. I reckon you’ve already guessed what I was up to before, right?”
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> Seeing Li Huowang standing there in silence, the Chronicler continued.
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> “That’s right. This one’s mission this time was to retrieve the Heart Filth hidden in the Buddha Bone Temple, but the mission failed! So what should I do now, hmm?”
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> “Going straight back to accept punishment is out of the question, of course. So we need to make up for it!”
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> The Chronicler, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up.
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> “I’ll let you in on a little secret—this matter is no small thing. We absolutely cannot afford to botch it again!”
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> As he spoke, he jammed his fingers into the rosewood desk, carving a line into it with sheer force.
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> “If we fail this mission, everyone along this line is liable to get the chop!”
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> After hearing all this, Li Huowang finally understood.
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> “Lord Chronicler, you mean... we go find another Heart Filth to hand over?”
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> “Smart! The Supervising Heaven Bureau needs more people like you!”
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> The Chronicler’s round face broke into a grin.
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> “Don’t worry about where the Heart Filth comes from. They want a Heart Filth up top, so we give them one. Only this time, the Buddha Bone Temple one was dead, but the one we’re grabbing is alive.”
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> Hearing this, Li Huowang’s heart began to pound wildly.
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> “A living Heart Filth? Something that exists just like me, a living Heart Pure?”
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> For some reason, even without knowing the other’s name, Li Huowang felt a twinge of sympathy for that Heart Filth.
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> While Li Huowang was still mulling it over, the Chronicler’s words exploded in his ears like a bombshell.
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> “This one understands—this isn’t official Supervising Heaven Bureau business, there’s no reward, and a living Heart Filth is bound to be dangerous. If you’re not willing, I get it.”
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> “Didn’t Danqing say you’ve always wanted to see the Sitting Oblivion Dao records in the Four Treasuries? If you handle this matter beautifully, I’ll personally risk demotion to memorize them for you!”
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> Li Huowang’s breathing grew heavy. On one side was an unknown Heart Filth he’d never met; on the other was information that could determine whether he could escape being a Heart Pure. The choice seemed obvious.
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> Li Huowang performed another Daoist salute toward the Chronicler.
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> “Yes! Lord Chronicler!”
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> Seeing Li Huowang agree, the Chronicler’s face bloomed like a flower. Right now, he could only use inducements. With these scattered operatives, if they refused, he had no other recourse.
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> And this kid was said to have a bad temper—threats might backfire. But thankfully, he’d agreed, increasing their chances.
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> A thought stirred in Li Huowang’s mind as he looked at the eunuch before him.
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> “Lord Chronicler, back at the Buddha Bone Temple, our Heart Filth was snatched by someone. Will that person show up again this time?”
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> “What’s that person’s background, anyway? They even dare to hijack Supervising Heaven Bureau goods.”
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> The Chronicler looked utterly unconcerned at this.
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> “One Heart Filth is enough. Zhuge Yuan won’t snatch this one. If a living and a dead Heart Filth were to merge, that’d be more than he could handle.”
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> “And rest assured, Sitting Oblivion Dao took a big hit this time. Until a new leader rises, they won’t stir up trouble again.”
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> “So this time, aside from that living Heart Filth, we don’t need to worry about anything else.”
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> The Chronicler chuckled and patted Li Huowang’s shoulder, causing Li Huowang’s brow to furrow slightly.
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> The man had talked at length but completely ignored his question. Li Huowang still couldn’t tell if Zhuge Yuan was good or evil.
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> “Lord Chronicler, what exactly is Zhuge Yuan’s background? He’s so strange. I fear we might cross paths again—please give this subordinate some pointers.”
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> Li Huowang lifted his head, meeting the Chronicler’s gaze with eyes full of persistence and resolve.
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> Since the man needed his help, now was the time to ask—there might not be another chance.
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> Since Li Huowang had put it that way, the Chronicler couldn’t very well pretend not to hear. He let out a long, wistful sigh.
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> “This one didn’t want to mention that jinx, but since you insist, I’ll tell you.”
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> “Do you know Zhuge Yuan’s nickname? Others call him the Storyteller.”
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> The Chronicler slowly sat back down, fiddling with his jade thumb ring.
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> “He’s a strange one. Dressed like a scholar, yet he never pursues official exams. Instead, he likes going to crowded places to tell stories.”
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> “But he doesn’t tell tales of romance or generals marching off to war. This man only speaks of history books.”
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> “History books?”
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> Li Huowang was stunned.
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> “That’s right, history books—and ones he makes up himself. He talks about how nine hundred years ago, Qi never had its civil strife, how the Great Qi Emperor unified the world, and how today the new Great Qi Emperor ascends the throne with the reign name Yinghui, blessed by heavenly omens. A hundred birds flock to the young king, and the chambers glow red.”
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> “It’s utter nonsense. If Great Qi hadn’t fallen into chaos, where would Great Liang come from now? Where would the Four Qis come from?”
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