Chapter 546
Chapter 546
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 546
>Chapter Title: East Gate
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Standing in the grand hall, Li Huowang gazed at the dragon throne shrouded in dimness, silently calculating in his mind how to respond to the other's question.
“Er Jiu, where have you been this time?” Ji Lin's offhand voice drifted slowly down from behind the pearl curtain.
“Busy with some personal matters midway.”
“Heh, you’ve got some nerve. You’re handling business for me, and you dare squeeze in personal affairs.”
“Anyway, isn’t Prince Ren already dead? Your Highness, who’s next to kill?” Li Huowang cut straight to the point.
Ji Lin slammed his right hand—now with only two fingers left—down hard on the dragon throne’s armrest. “Good, you’re direct, so I’ll be direct too. There’s one last imperial sister remaining. You finish her off.”
“The last one!?” Li Huowang’s pupils contracted slightly as his eyes widened.
He remembered killing only three people. How much time had passed? How had the gu worm in the jar refined so quickly!
Ji Lin seemed to sense Li Huowang’s shock and let out a light chuckle. “Er Jiu, it had to be you. You stirred up this storm of wind and rain. Otherwise, how could I have ascended the throne so swiftly?”
“Also, your blade is fine, but a king always keeps spares on hand. Heh, so don’t get too cocky.”
As his words faded, figures emerged from the shadows behind the dragon throne—some eunuchs among them, along with unfamiliar faces.
Li Huowang didn’t recognize any of these people, but one cradling a golden ingot in his arms felt utterly familiar.
That was Prince Ren’s former literary wealth god. Unexpectedly, he’d now become Ji Lin’s subordinate!
Gazing at Ji Lin in the darkness, Li Huowang’s heart sank a little. This drastically changed Ji Lin was far more formidable than before. While Li Huowang had been helping him carve out an opening, Ji Lin had swiftly expanded his power in the shadows, beyond Li Huowang’s sight.
“Er Jiu, are you taking the job or not? Say something. Or do you have other personal business to handle?”
An eunuch with copper coins dangling over his eyes presented a golden silk imperial decree to Li Huowang with both hands.
“I’ll take it.” Li Huowang snatched it and turned to leave the hall.
Beneath the overcast sky, Li Huowang unfurled the decree. It detailed the target’s identity: Princess Anping.
As if worried Li Huowang might not recognize her, a portrait was thoughtfully attached.
The so-called Princess Anping was a shy girl of delicate, modest beauty—appearing even younger than Yang Na.
The beauty mark at the corner of her right mouth lent her an extra touch of allure.
Yet Li Huowang harbored no intention of underestimating this woman. With nine gu worms now refined down to just two, she was no one to take lightly.
After exiting the palace, Li Huowang bought a pigeon first, then immediately rummaged through his own body.
When a full moon appeared amid the flesh and blood, Li Huowang dug it out with his finger.
This item was for contacting Moon Gate’s Liu Zongyuan. Since his intelligence network was so sharp, it was perfect for inquiring about the Celestial Supervisor.
He bound the moon and letter paper to the pigeon’s leg, gripped his weapon tightly, and slowly made his way toward Princess Anping’s palace.
“What do you plan to do about this princess?” Zhuge Yuan asked.
Li Huowang’s expression grew steely. “Nothing. Drag things out as long as possible. If need be, help Princess Anping weaken Ji Lin’s forces.
“Ji Lin’s grown faster than I expected—slipping out of my control. I’m not even sure the current him will still help me take down the dice.”
At those words, Zhuge Yuan nodded approvingly and withdrew.
Li Huowang had never lost sight of his true goal: slay the dice and rescue Bai Lingmiao.
Let whoever wanted to claim the throne do so—that was secondary. He just needed to buy enough time to deal with the dice.
That very day, Li Huowang infiltrated Princess Anping’s residence. Spotting a body double in her place, he breathed a silent sigh of relief.
She was sharper than he’d anticipated. Perfect—he could use the hunt for her real self to string Ji Lin along for a while.
And so, for days on end, Li Huowang visited Princess Anping’s mansion without striking. He even occasionally cleared out mysterious scouts lurking nearby.
On the third day, new developments arose: Li Huowang received Liu Zongyuan’s reply.
“Brother Er Jiu, you want to meet the Celestial Supervisor? The Bureau of Astronomy isn’t your family’s business. Folks like us don’t have the standing to see him.
“But you could try the east gate on the twenty-third of this month. Word is, the Celestial Supervisor took a big entourage out of the city.
“Whether you actually meet him? That’s on your own skills. It’s the best I can do.”
Li Huowang, perched in a tree, pocketed the letter and leaped down without hesitation, heading toward the east city gate with Li Sui in tow.
Right now, the Celestial Supervisor mattered far more than any princess.
Great Liang currently had two Celestial Supervisors. With the dice’s location in hand, convincing both to strike together would win half the battle!
The capital’s east gate came into view soon enough. Li Huowang sat at a cool tea stall, waiting in mounting anxiety.
Per Liu Zongyuan’s intel, the Celestial Supervisor was traveling with a large group this time—a grand procession that should be easy to spot.
Time ticked by. As the sun wheeled across the sky, Li Huowang’s anxiety mounted.
“Why hasn’t he come yet? Did Liu Zongyuan’s info go wrong? Isn’t Moon Gate’s intelligence supposed to be the sharpest?”
“Senior Brother Li! Senior Brother Li!! I finally found you!!”
Someone suddenly grabbed his leg in a hug. Li Huowang nearly cleaved them in two, but Gouwa’s grating voice saved his life.
It wasn’t just Gouwa. Once the beggars passed the word, the entire Lv Family Troupe showed up.
Seeing this, Lv Xiucai refused to be outdone and lunged for the other leg—only to get booted away by Li Huowang.
“What are you all doing here?” Li Huowang hoisted Gouwa up like a chick.
“Senior Brother Li, we’re here to find you, of course! You said you were taking Junior Sister Bai to fix her eyes, but it’s been ages with no sign of you. My heart’s been so empty—hurts like hell.”
Gouwa hammed it up, rubbing ginger hidden in his sleeve at the corner of his eye.
“Scram back home right now! You hear me? This isn’t a place for you! Do you have any idea how dangerous the capital is right now!!”
Li Huowang shot anxious glances toward the road junction as he spoke in a rush.
“Yeah! Master, the capital’s way too dangerous! These days, the locals have bullied us rotten. You’ve got to stand up for us!”
Lv Xiucai charged back and latched onto Li Huowang’s thigh once more, venting his grievances.
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