Chapter 535
Chapter 535
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 535
>Chapter Title: Upper Extreme Pouring Mouth
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> “Am I awake?” Li Huowang, engulfed in pitch darkness, suddenly opened his eyes and looked around anxiously.
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> When he realized he was lying in his home in the capital rather than on a hospital bed, he finally let out a long sigh of relief.
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> Li Huowang struggled to sit up and shook his somewhat groggy head vigorously. The world before his eyes swayed violently.
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> Ever since returning from Da Qi to Da Liang that day and finding himself in a stifling woodshed, Li Huowang had rushed straight to the Heavenly Surveillance Division to report Prince Ren’s collusion with the Dharma Sect.
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> The Heavenly Surveillance Division’s response was as expected. After learning from Nangong that someone had already taken the assignment regarding Prince Ren, Li Huowang knew Ji Lin’s task was complete—all that was left was to wait.
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> In the meantime, during this brief respite, Li Huowang needed to rest properly, recover his depleted energy, and dispel the persistent headache that hadn’t faded.
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> It seemed that forcibly cultivating the true self with Zhuge Yuan earlier hadn’t only affected his body but also his mind and spirit.
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> Not only was this sensation utterly unpleasant, but more importantly, it caused the innate one qi within him to spiral out of control, forcing him back to the White Tower Prison. He hated that.
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> After a simple wash-up, Li Huowang walked to the table and picked up the steamed bun that hadn’t risen at all, gnawing on it.
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> This bun was naturally Li Sui’s handiwork. Though made with dead dough that could only produce hard lumps instead of proper buns, it was already much better than before—at least the bottom wasn’t scorched.
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> Hearing Li Sui’s incessant chanting practice from downstairs through the floorboards, Li Huowang sat down at the table to enjoy this breakfast.
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> After chewing and swallowing slowly, Li Huowang turned toward the distant Zhuge Yuan and asked, “Brother Zhuge, I have a question on my mind. Could you help clarify it for me?”
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> “Speak freely.” At this moment, Zhuge Yuan had returned to his usual calm and composed demeanor, as if the Zhuge Yuan from Da Qi had been someone else entirely.
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> Li Huowang rolled the words around in his mouth a few times before asking gravely, “Brother Zhuge, with the Heavenly Surveillance Division chasing and blocking them at every turn, how could the Dice still send people to meddle in the battle for the throne? Could they have some other plan for the dragon vein?”
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> After learning the importance of the dragon vein and with that doctor’s reminder, Li Huowang couldn’t help but think in that direction.
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> Though he utterly despised Yi Donglai, what the man had said before held some truth. If Li Huowang wanted to deal with the Dice, he couldn’t let Ji Lin ascend the throne as planned.
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> Zhuge Yuan didn’t answer immediately. He tapped his palm lightly four times with his folded fan before slowly speaking. “That’s true enough, but Brother Li, do you think the emperor and the Heavenly Surveillance Division wouldn’t have considered what you’ve thought of?”
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> “Brother Li, know this: the dragon vein is vital, yes, but it’s not so fragile that it needs protecting. The dragon vein is housed in the imperial ancestral temple not to safeguard it—quite the opposite. It’s there to let the dragon vein protect the palace. In other words, ‘the emperor is the true dragon’s son’ isn’t mere flattery. Within the palace, the Dice can’t compete.”
>
> “The dragon vein is that powerful? Even the Dice can’t match it?” This was the first time Li Huowang had learned how formidable the dragon vein truly was.
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> Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. If the dragon vein was an anchor of history, that anchor couldn’t possibly be too fragile.
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> “Brother Zhuge, if it’s so powerful, then why did Da Qi’s dragon vein break before?”
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> Li Huowang’s question darkened Zhuge Yuan’s expression slightly. After a pause, he slowly shook his head. “I don’t know.”
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> “You don’t know?”
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> “I’ve been dead for some time now. Before I died, Da Qi was still purging its borders. There was no news of the dragon vein at all. As for what happened in Da Qi afterward... well, there are too many possibilities.”
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> Silence fell over the room as the two stood there wordlessly.
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> After a while, Zhuge Yuan spoke first, his face serious. “Brother Li, there’s no need for us to speculate on what the Dice are up to. We should focus on how to eliminate the root of the problem. If you want to deal with him, we need to hurry and finish what I mentioned before.”
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> “Now?” Li Huowang immediately recalled what Zhuge Yuan had told him that day—that in Da Qi, there was a way to track the Dice’s whereabouts!
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> “Now that the sitting illusion has manifested, who knows what will happen in Da Qi next. If we delay and something goes wrong there...”
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> At this point, Zhuge Yuan paused noticeably. “If something goes wrong in Da Qi, finding a way to locate the Dice will become far more difficult.”
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> Li Huowang’s spirits lifted at those words. Zhuge Yuan offered a rare breakthrough—he couldn’t let it slip away. This took priority over helping Ji Lin seize the throne. “Brother Zhuge, what should I do next?”
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> “Go to Da Qi and find the Upper Extreme Pouring Mouth. They have a way to locate the Dice.”
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> “Really?” Finding the Dice’s position—a task so difficult even the full might of the Heavenly Surveillance Division couldn’t achieve it—sounded almost too easy coming from Zhuge Yuan. Li Huowang couldn’t help doubting it for a moment.
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> “That’s the Dice we’re talking about, the ones even the Heavenly Surveillance Division couldn’t track with everyone mobilized. And the Upper Extreme Pouring Mouth can just step in and find them? If it were that simple, why wouldn’t the Heavenly Surveillance Division ask them for help?”
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> Zhuge Yuan glanced at Li Huowang in mild surprise. “Brother Li, because the Upper Extreme Pouring Mouth exists only in Da Qi. There’s none in Da Liang.”
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> Realization dawned on Li Huowang’s face. He immediately headed for the weapons under his pillow. “I see! Then let’s not delay—let’s go!”
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> “Hold on first, Brother Li. Let’s leave the city. If we transfer to Da Qi from here, we might end up in Youdu territory. Too many people, too much chatter—things could go wrong.”
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> “Got it!” Li Huowang slung his red Daoist robe over his back, grabbed two weapons, and hurried downstairs. “Brother Zhuge, what exactly is this Upper Extreme Pouring Mouth? A person? Or a sect?”
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> “Can’t say.”
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> “Can’t say? Why not?” As Li Huowang directed Li Sui to quickly don the raincoat, he pressed.
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> “To some, it’s a person. To others, an evil being. And to yet others, the Upper Extreme Pouring Mouth is a mountain gate.”
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> “That mysterious?” Li Huowang was taken aback. “Then, asking them to help find the Dice—does it cost something?”
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> “Don’t worry, Brother Li. Leave that to me. Though I’m dead, I still have some modest influence in Da Qi.” The confident Zhuge Yuan of old had returned.
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> “Giddyup!!” Li Huowang shook the reins and whipped the horse’s back, sending the carriage charging out the gate.
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> “However, Brother Li, while the Upper Extreme Pouring Mouth can find the Dice’s location, dealing with him will be up to you. You’ll need to find your own allies for that.”
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> “I know!” Li Huowang’s voice brimmed with confidence and resolve.
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> At last, there was hope of defeating the Dice. No matter how arduous the path, he would give it everything!
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> (End of chapter)