Chapter 410
Chapter 410
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 410
>Chapter Title: Target
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> The moment he saw the shadow puppet play, Li Huowang immediately sensed something was wrong. He instantly heard a whistling sound coming from behind him.
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> As Li Huowang spun around, Li Sui's tentacles grabbed various torture implements to block a massive, heavy executioner's sword.
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> With a "crash," the floorboards couldn't withstand such immense force. The wooden planks under Li Huowang's feet snapped instantly, and the huge force from the executioner's sword sent him crashing down into the lower level.
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> When Li Huowang stood up in the lower floor of the wooden building, two Sitting Oblivion Daoists with flesh-and-blood mahjong tiles on their faces stared at him from left and right—one was Eight Bamboo, the other Nine Bamboo.
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> Though their bodies were engulfed in flames just like Li Huowang's, their skin rapidly blistering and charring, not a trace of pain showed on their faces.
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> Perhaps because of Zhuge Yuan's almanac, they didn't utter a single word to Li Huowang.
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> These two Sitting Oblivion Daoists were tall and burly, shouldering that enormous executioner's sword over ten feet long. They stood there like door gods who had left their shrines.
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> "Where did you swindle this weapon from! The military school, huh? Which military school!"
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> With Li Huowang's roar, the two Sitting Oblivion Daoists stomped a foot each and charged at him ferociously.
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> "Clang clang clang!" Li Huowang was instantly sent flying, but seeing the massive chip in their executioner's sword, a smile crept across his flame-wrapped face. Their weapon was far less sharp than his Violet Tasseled Sword.
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> "Li Sui, take the sword!" Li Huowang shoved the copper coin sword into Li Sui's tentacles.
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> Then, gripping the Violet Tasseled Sword in one hand, Li Huowang rushed toward one of the Sitting Oblivion Daoists.
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> Just before they clashed, Li Huowang swiftly slashed down, severing three of his own fingers.
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> Taking advantage of the moment his opponent was distracted by the fingers, Li Huowang swung his sword.
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> Seeing his companion in peril, the other Sitting Oblivion Daoist tried to come to the rescue, but the copper coin sword and torture implements on Li Sui's tentacles kept him at bay for the time being.
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> Even if some were severed, more black tentacles would emerge from Li Huowang's riddled body.
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> "Clang clang clang!!" Sparks flew amid the flames. With the final strike, Li Huowang cleaved their massive executioner's sword in two. He twisted his wrist and sealed the man's throat with one slash.
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> Li Huowang slowly turned around and threatened the other Sitting Oblivion Daoist, "Drop the sword, and I'll spare your life!"
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> Hearing this, the Sitting Oblivion Daoist stood there holding the huge executioner's sword for a moment before toppling straight backward.
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> When Li Huowang hurried over, he found the man had been burned alive. These two couldn't resist fire damage at all; they'd just made a desperate last stand before dying.
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> Li Huowang, who had hoped to interrogate them for more details, flew into a rage and viciously kicked the corpse.
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> He'd thought the Sitting Oblivion Daoist impersonating the Great Qi Emperor held the highest status, but since they'd died so easily, these two were clearly just lowly foot soldiers in the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
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> With a "clang," the darkened copper coin sword fell to the ground. Li Sui's burning tentacles frantically retracted into Li Huowang's body.
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> "Dad, waaah... it hurts... it hurts so much."
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> "I know, you did great. Next time I'm on fire, try not to come out."
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> Picking up the copper coin sword, Li Huowang rushed back. He had to deal with these Sitting Oblivion Daoists before the fire went out.
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> However, when he returned to the Liang manor, he was stunned to find that both the previous eunuchs and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had vanished without a trace.
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> If not for the massive bonfire still burning behind him, Li Huowang might have thought he'd hallucinated the whole thing.
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> When Li Huowang reached Zhuge Yuan, he saw the other man rolling up a landscape painting scroll.
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> "Brother Li, how did you know these were Sitting Oblivion Daoists? From that distance, I almost got fooled myself." Zhuge Yuan was quite surprised.
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> "I didn't know. In that situation, it was either them or the walking corpse emperor of Great Qi you mentioned. Either way, calling them Sitting Oblivion Daoists is always safe. If the Great Qi Emperor discovered your rebellion, how could he have a good end?"
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> "Ah~ I see. Brother Li is so clever; I truly admire you." Zhuge Yuan held the painting and cupped his hands toward Li Huowang.
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> Li Huowang looked around again and confirmed no one else was there. Puzzled, he asked, "Brother Zhuge, where are those Sitting Oblivion Daoists?"
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> "Them? They've all left."
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> "Left? We finally caught some Sitting Oblivion Daoists, and you just let them go? At least leave one alive!"
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> Hearing this, the fire in Li Huowang's heart—and on his body—flared up instantly.
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> "Brother Li, calm down. Why don't you dispel your supernatural ability first? You look like you're in quite a bit of pain." Zhuge Yuan, his own face reddened from the heat, took a slight step back.
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> Li Huowang, too furious to speak properly, glanced around and jumped into a nearby pond.
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> When the charred Li Huowang emerged from the pond like a drowned rat, he saw Zhuge Yuan extending a hand toward him.
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> Li Huowang sighed deeply and reached out.
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> Zhuge Yuan pulled him up with a tug.
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> "Tell me, where did those Sitting Oblivion Daoists go?"
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> Li Huowang asked irritably, his gaze shifting to the doorway. There was no one outside either; everyone had long since vanished.
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> "I've used my Heart Turbidity Painting to make them forget everything about Great Liang and rediscover their identities in Great Qi. They've gone back to Great Qi."
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> "Huh?" Li Huowang stared at Zhuge Yuan in shock. "What did you say? Where are they now?!"
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> "Yes, as I said, with the curfew in Youdu now, they insisted on leaving. They're probably at the west city gate by now."
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> Li Huowang looked around, then kicked off a nearby wall. His body shifted rapidly, landing him on the wall's top.
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> He dashed across rooftops, shifting several more times, until he stood atop the tallest one.
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> Though it was night, his exceptional eyesight clearly spotted the distant massive city gate and broad streets below—silent and empty, not a soul in sight.
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> Clearly, Great Liang's west city gate was unguarded. Zhuge Yuan was right; those people had truly gone to the so-called Great Qi!
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> "Brother Li, what are you looking at?" Zhuge Yuan's voice suddenly appeared beside him.
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> Li Huowang leaped back several steps, staring at Zhuge Yuan in utter shock. "Does that mean Great Qi isn't just around here—it's real?! As long as they forget everything about Great Liang and believe your words, they can go to your so-called Great Qi?!"
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> Zhuge Yuan, fanning himself, looked somewhat displeased.
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> "Brother Li, what kind of talk is that? What do you mean 'my words'? I've always said Great Qi exists. After all I've said, did you not listen at all?"
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> "But..." Li Huowang's mind was in chaos. If Great Qi really existed, where was it? A parallel world? Was heart anchor the key to another parallel world?
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> But if it was a parallel world, why were Great Qi's male prostitutes twisted versions of Great Liang's prostitutes, rather than independent ones?
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> He truly couldn't comprehend the strangeness of heart anchors.
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> As Li Huowang's thoughts grew more tangled, Zhuge Yuan spoke up. "Is this so hard to understand? As I said, Great Qi is real, Great Liang is the fake one—you just can't tell the difference."
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> "No no no." Li Huowang shook his head vigorously and took another step back, forcing himself to stay patient. "Brother Zhuge, no need to say more. Even if Great Qi is real, next time, please hold off on the Sitting Oblivion Daoists. Let me interrogate them first, then you can send them to Great Qi."
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> "Interrogate what?"
> Zhuge Yuan's face showed a playful smile.
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> "Naturally, to find out where Bei Feng is now and what his strength is like!"
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> Realizing his voice was too loud, Li Huowang took a deep breath to suppress his irritation.
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> "Brother Zhuge, don't blame me for being hasty, but I still have zero leads, and my time is running out."
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> Zhuge Yuan nodded in understanding, then casually lifted the painting canvas and shook it sharply.
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> With a "swish," the white canvas unfurled, and a half-dead man tumbled out from within.
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> "Brother Li, this is Bei Feng."
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> (End of Chapter)