Chapter 502
Chapter 502
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 502
>Chapter Title: New Thing
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Li Huowang, his expression grave, gripped the Zhuge Vertebral Sword steadily in his hand. Right now, he was staring at the bamboo leaf green snake coiled around a lush green bamboo stalk in the distance.
With his qi sinking into his dantian, his hands suddenly tightened on the sword hilt. He swung the vertebral sword forcefully toward it.
The next moment, an invisible sword qi seemed to slash out from the blade. This half-moon-shaped sword qi distorted anything it touched into something else.
For instance, the verdant bamboo leaves turned yellow and riddled with wormholes, while the bamboo leaf green snake flicking its tongue became a patterned flower snake.
The snapping sounds of bamboo stalks rubbing against leaves rang out nonstop. The bamboo pole snapped in two and crashed down. As the sword qi gradually dissipated, all the distorted things vanished along with it.
Li Huowang began experimenting with his new weapon against the bamboo grove nonstop. Gradually, the entire grove became unrecognizable.
After several days of practice, Li Huowang could already wield the vertebral sword proficiently. Not only could he use that "sword qi" to slice something into three segments, but if he encountered something he couldn't deal with, he could expand the "sword qi" and hurl the whole thing into Great Qi.
This "sword qi" was ultimately like another layer of history. It made sense that no ordinary ritual artifact or divine ability could block something like this.
Not only was it formless and colorless, making it hard to dodge, but more importantly, it was penetrating. Even if someone stood in front to block, it would be useless.
An hour later, Li Huowang stood panting in place, staring in astonishment at the vertebral sword in his hand.
He had to admit, it was truly worthy of being a ritual artifact forged from a Heart-Mind Coil. This sword was genuinely powerful—stronger than any ritual artifact he possessed.
It was a good thing he'd closed in for close-quarters combat with that woman before. If she'd managed to pull away and use this vertebral sword against him, it really would have been troublesome.
"With this sword, my strength has increased by at least forty percent."
Li Huowang thought to himself as he picked up a white cloth strip from the ground and began wrapping the blade.
"Dad, why are you wrapping it up?"
Li Sui asked curiously, squatting beside him.
"Because I stole this thing from the Bureau of Celestial Surveillance. If I just carry it openly on my back without covering it, and they spot it, think about what the consequences would be."
"What consequences?"
"You'd... be hunted down by them."
Li Huowang picked up some bamboo fragments from the ground and bound them to the sword body, making the entire vertebral sword look bulky. From the outside, it resembled a blunt heavy sword.
After wrapping it, Li Huowang took out several sheets of black talisman paper and pasted them on. These talismans actually meant nothing.
"Dad, what are these talismans for?"
"Just random scribbles to fool people. I can't even understand what I drew myself, so naturally others can't either. Most people steer clear of things they don't understand."
"So this is what tricking people is like?"
With everything prepared, Li Huowang slung the sword onto his back and headed toward the carriage with Li Sui.
"Dad, isn't this sword heavy? Want me to carry it for you?"
Hearing this, Li Huowang tossed the copper coin sword from the Luo Cult at him.
"Carry this one for me."
Li Sui's seven or eight tentacles quickly wrapped around it, poking in and out through the holes in the coins. Clearly thrilled to have a new weapon of his own.
"Thanks, Dad."
"What are you thanking me for? I didn't say it was yours—just carry it for me. Give it back when I need it."
"Oh."
Hearing the disappointment in Li Sui's voice, Li Huowang chuckled helplessly. He reached into the conical hat and gently patted the skinless, fleshy forehead.
"Fine, fine. You can use it when I don't need it."
"Yay!"
Hearing the joy in that voice, Li Huowang shook his head slightly in exasperation. He looked so terrifying, yet this guy was like a child who hadn't grown up.
Back when he was in Li Huowang's belly, to prevent him from harming him, he'd raised him so innocently. Now, it seemed that might have been a mistake.
"Let's go. Stop grinning like an idiot. Time to head back."
When Li Huowang returned to the carriage with Li Sui, the wheels started turning again, rolling out of the woods.
Li Huowang still had no intention of heading straight back to Oxheart Village. To keep tabs on the royal succession struggle, he snuck off to the relay station every few days to gather news.
If the emperor truly ascended the throne, the news would spread through the relay stations everywhere to notify all the officials. He planned to wait until everything was settled before returning.
But to Li Huowang's disappointment, there was still no news from the capital.
As long as the emperor hadn't ascended and the royals weren't all wiped out, he couldn't live in peace.
This left Li Huowang irritated. In such a state of constant anxiety, even cultivating in a quiet place was difficult.
"Stop driving the horse. Let it rest too. Long hauls or short ones, it's all the same."
After saying this to Li Sui, who was driving the carriage, Li Huowang turned to Bai Lingmiao, who was holding a book, and asked,
"Can you still see what's written in the book now?"
Though Bai Lingmiao's eyes still had some pink flecks, they were mostly covered in white. If judging solely by her eyes, she was indeed blind.
"Senior Brother Li, I can see."
Bai Lingmiao gently traced the characters with her fair, slender fingers and said softly,
"Though my eyes can't see anymore, I can feel where the ink has blackened things. It's very clear."
"What book are you reading?"
Li Huowang asked again.
"Some spirit possession techniques. I can't perform the great rite anymore—I've become defenseless. So I want to learn something to protect myself."
"The White Lotus Cult's stuff is too useless. Don't worry, I've got everything covered. I can protect you."
Strands of white hair swayed gently along the sides of Bai Lingmiao's face as she shook her head.
"Senior Brother Li, I can't always rely on you. You'll leave someday too. No matter how poor the White Lotus Cult's techniques are, they're still better than nothing."
Her words stunned Li Huowang slightly. He sensed that Bai Lingmiao's personality had changed a bit—she'd become stronger.
"Wait. Don't learn that yet. I just realized something that's perfect for you right now."
Li Huowang pulled back the carriage curtain and reached into Li Sui's abdomen to rummage around.
Soon, the talisman book he'd gotten for Li Sui was pulled out again.
"Dad, that's mine."
Li Sui's voice carried a hint of grievance.
"I know it's yours. What's wrong with letting your mom borrow it?"
Li Huowang placed the book in Bai Lingmiao's hands.
"Learn this. These talismans can be used for harming enemies, self-defense, divination, fortune-telling—all sorts of things."
"And unlike us, you can use them freely. Your eyes are already blind, so their side effects don't affect you."
(End of chapter)