Chapter 381
Chapter 381
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 381
>Chapter Title: The Storyteller
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“Does this mean that North Wind is different from ordinary Sitting Oblivion Daoists? Is my inability to control my hallucinations because I can’t utilize this Innate One Qi? And North Wind being free from hallucinations—is it because he can fully and proficiently wield the Innate One Qi within him?”
Li Huowang carefully analyzed everything that Sima Lan had said.
However, as he thought about it, Li Huowang calmed down again. From what Sima Lan had said, all of this came from that giant who was already dead.
So, was it possible that the giant had gotten it wrong? After experiencing so much along the way, he felt that the words of people in this world had very low credibility.
Li Huowang hesitated for a moment but didn’t voice the doubts in his heart. Directly questioning the authority of the Mohist school’s highest leader would likely make the other party flip out on the spot.
“You want to deal with North Wind? What did he do to you?”
Hearing this, Li Huowang’s expression turned extremely ugly as his fists clenched tightly. In a low voice, he said: “It’s not just North Wind I want to deal with! I hate all of the Sitting Oblivion Dao to the bone! Back then, the Sitting Oblivion Dao disguised themselves as the six great elders within the Mantled Scenery Cult...”
After hearing Li Huowang’s account, Sima Lan nodded in understanding, showing no surprise at all, as if he had seen such things many times before.
“Don’t be too obsessed with revenge. Approaching that group of swindlers with such an obsession will make it easy for them to use you.”
“Thank you for the guidance, Brother Sima. I understand.”
“Then take your time looking. If there’s anything you don’t understand, go find Nangong from earlier. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first.”
Sima Lan stood up to go.
“But if you want to deal with the Sitting Oblivion Dao right now, I’m afraid you won’t find them. The Storyteller killed Fa Cai, so they’re at odds now. They probably won’t have time to show up anywhere else.”
That casual remark from the other party immediately made Li Huowang’s heart tighten. The Storyteller—Zhuge Yuan?
Li Huowang rushed forward at once, blocking his path with a very tense expression as he asked: “Brother Sima, is this really true?”
“Of course. The Storyteller killed a Three Yuan, so naturally the other Sitting Oblivion Daoists won’t rest until he’s dead. Just the day before yesterday, some commoners saw the Storyteller fighting with the Sitting Oblivion Dao.”
“For things like this, just sit back and watch the show. Isn’t it nice to have someone avenge you for free?”
Once Sima Lan had walked past the screen, Li Huowang immediately turned to the eunuch kneeling there.
“Go to the Four Libraries for me and find all records on Zhuge Yuan and the Storyteller. Hurry!”
The eunuch soon delivered it, but surprisingly, unlike the thick stacks from the previous two times, this was just a thin booklet.
“There’s only this one record on Zhuge Yuan?”
“In response to Your Excellency, there are more in the Six Libraries, but you need at least the rank of Bing Jiang to access them. You don’t qualify yet.”
Hearing this, Li Huowang couldn’t help but gripe inwardly: “I really don’t know why the Celestial Surveillance Division does this—hiding and withholding everything. Could knowing certain things really change the world?”
Li Huowang didn’t bother puzzling over it. He rallied his spirits and began reading the book in his hand.
What was written in the book didn’t differ much from what Li Huowang knew, but there were a few details.
According to the Celestial Surveillance Division’s records, there had always been a Storyteller, but not always named Zhuge Yuan.
Every time they appeared, the world would undergo great upheaval, and the Storyteller was elusive, with no one able to pin down their location.
Logically speaking, something like the Storyteller, which didn’t threaten Great Liang’s stability at all, should be something the Celestial Surveillance Division couldn’t be bothered with.
Yet that wasn’t the case. “The Storyteller Zhuge Yuan confuses the masses with demonic words; exterminate his three clans.” That was the exact wording of the decree issued by Great Liang’s emperor.
If they couldn’t be found, fine—but once encountered, the Celestial Surveillance Division personnel were required to find a way to kill this person.
Li Huowang was certain that the Celestial Surveillance Division had far more information on Zhuge Yuan that they hadn’t told him.
For instance, his personality. Was he really the benevolent, charitable good person he seemed? What was the purpose of him wandering around telling stories? And what had been the goal of snatching Heart Turbidity before?
Li Huowang pondered silently, mulling over these questions.
A long while later, Li Huowang pressed his hand against his stomach, sensing the presence of the spindle through his belly.
He had helped him. Without that thing, he might have run into huge trouble last time.
“And...”
“Farewell for now, Er Jiu. This humble Zhuge Yuan says: if you run into unsolvable troubles, remember to come find me on Apricot Island in the Western Sea. Though my abilities are limited, I’ll do my best to help where I can.”
Those had been Zhuge Yuan’s exact words back then. Li Huowang knew he couldn’t fully trust others, but what if? What if he really could help?
After pondering for a long time, Li Huowang shook his head, stood up, and walked out from behind the screen.
In truth, whether to trust him or not didn’t make much difference either way. Since the Sitting Oblivion Daoists were currently entangled with him, if he wanted to pinpoint North Wind’s location, he would have to seek him out in the end.
“Since it’s Your Excellency’s first time here, this servant will see you out.”
“Do you have a map of Great Liang? Give me one—the more detailed, the better.”
Under the eunuch’s guidance, Li Huowang arrived outside the Celestial Surveillance Division. He stared at the massive armillary sphere in the distance and slowly exhaled.
On the map in his hand, the location was already marked: the Western Sea. That was the place Zhuge Yuan had mentioned to him back then.
To get there, he needed to cross half of Jiangnan Circuit.
Li Huowang had originally planned to leave that very day, but by the time he hurriedly bought some dry rations and other road necessities, it was already dusk.
Sitting at a roadside stall, Li Huowang silently watched the distant sun gradually sink between the buildings of the capital.
“Rest well tonight and set off tomorrow. Regardless of Zhuge Yuan’s attitude toward me, there’s bound to be a brutal fight ahead.”
“Sir, your yangchun noodles and two meat buns. I’ve placed the vinegar dish here for you.”
Li Huowang pushed the vinegar dish farther away. Dinner with buns was one thing, but they even brought vinegar— this world was truly mad.
“Woof woof...”
Smelling the bun aroma, Mantou kept nudging Li Huowang’s trouser leg with his big black nose.
After fishing out a few strands of noodles and some bits of bun crust for it, Li Huowang ignored it. The fat on its body needed to be trimmed down.
At that moment, the noodle stall owner wiped his hands on his apron and said with a hearty laugh: “Guests, eat slowly. Even though the sun has set, there’s no rush. Today’s Little New Year’s Eve—no curfew in the capital.”
Li Huowang’s chopsticks paused mid-slurp as he continued wolfing down his food. “Another year gone by without realizing it...”
That night, Li Huowang lay in bed listening to the lively sounds outside. It seemed there was some kind of event in the capital for Little New Year’s Eve.
But he had no interest whatsoever. His mind was entirely filled with thoughts of the dangers he might face next, and his mood began to grow uneasy.
He knew what came next would be very dangerous, but dramatically boosting his strength in a short time seemed impossible.
There was no way he could refine some extraordinary magic artifact using Heart Elements. Was he supposed to refine himself?
“Hm?”
(This chapter is finished)