Mutated Tao

Hong Zhong looked at Li Huowang. “I think combining the cultivation of ‘Truth’ and ‘Lies’ might actually cure your madness. However, that might be Shai Zi's bait to lure you in.

“The scary part is that Shai Zi probably foresaw this situation long ago, setting traps and waiting for you to merge the cultivation of ‘Truth’ and ‘Lies,’ then triggering the traps.”

Li Huowang couldn’t help but seriously consider it.

“Why would he set traps if he’s already dead? Does he want to deceive me to revive him?” Li Huowang asked.

Currently, the Heavenly Daos of Truth and Lies were in Ji Zai’s hands. There was no way he would borrow divine powers from his future self. No matter how useless he might be, he would not do something like that to aid the enemy.

He managed the Heavenly Dao of Bewilderment, not the Heavenly Dao of Stupidity.

Without divine powers, even if Shai Zi came back to life, he’d just be a clever old scammer.

The fate of the White Lotus Sect had been very miserable since they worshiped the Heavenly Mater, who had lost all Heavenly Daos. Li Huowang had seen it firsthand.

“Don’t always assume their motives are so selfish. The Sitting Oblivion Dao’s schemes don’t always have a reason. Sometimes, they just do it for fun to trick you.”

Hong Zhong rested his chin on his hand. His expression mirrored Li Huowang’s, with both of them frowning deeply.

They stood there pondering for a long time, unable to figure out what Shai Zi’s real plan was.

After a while, Li Huowang said, “No matter what Shai Zi is planning, I have to cultivate ‘Lies.’ If I don’t, I might explode before Shai Zi’s traps do.”

He continued, “Now that we know there might be traps, it’s not too bad. We can try to take the sugar coating and throw the bomb back.”

Hong Zhong felt frustrated. “Would Shai Zi’s sugar coating be that easy to swallow? Why did you even cultivate ‘Truth’ in the first place? Didn’t Zhuge Yuan warn you not to cultivate it?”

Li Huowang replied, “Don’t mention him! Without cultivating ‘Truth,’ how could I deal with the Dharma Sect when they get stronger every day? With the Profound Records? Do you think Ba-Hui is more reliable?”

At this moment, Li Huowang noticed the chanting in his ears growing fainter. He knew his time was running out.

“I can’t stay in this damned place much longer. Let’s get out first!”

Hong Zhong thought for a moment before finally nodding. “Once we’re out, find a way to use your ‘Truth’ cultivation to turn me into an existence like the monk. That way, I can stay by your side.”

He continued, “I’ll keep an eye out for you. If any of Boss Shai Zi’s traps emerge, I can warn you in advance.”

Li Huowang looked at Hong Zhong as a thought flashed through his mind.

Does this guy have any schemes of his own? Maybe Shai Zi’s traps aren’t the real problem—maybe it’s Hong Zhong.

Hong Zhong seemed impatient. “What are you thinking about? Didn’t you say there’s no time? Hurry up!”

“Let’s go.” Li Huowang ran towards the source of the chanting, with Hong Zhong following closely behind.

“How has everyone been while I’ve been away?” Hong Zhong suddenly inquired.

“They’re fine. After Gao Zhijian became the emperor, everyone's life improved. The Lu Family Troupe is gone, though.”

“I know. I saw Lu Xiucai.”

They hurried along. As time passed, the chanting in Li Huowang’s ears grew softer.

As the chanting disappeared, Li Huowang felt his body becoming heavier, making it even more difficult to move.

“Hurry!” Hong Zhong reached out to him.

“Now you’re in a hurry? Why were you wasting time chatting earlier?” Li Huowang grabbed his arm.

They picked up speed together. Just as Li Huowang thought nothing could go wrong, a black mist began swirling on the left.

This movement was familiar to Li Huowang. “Kui Lei is coming!”

He was about to close his eyes, but this time, Kui Lei’s body suddenly emerged from the black mist.

It looked like an amorphous mass, with pale, dark, abyss-like holes lining the edges.

Kui Lei was shrouded in a strange pale glow. Li Huowang found it extremely difficult to describe the feeling he got when he looked at Kui Lei. It was beyond terrifying and abnormal, and he felt profoundly shocked.

At that moment, the buzzing sound of a wheel brought Li Huowang back to his senses.

In that brief moment, he found his body had almost entirely melted, with some parts of his body even dislodging and drifting towards Kui Lei.

Li Huowang immediately closed his eyes, crouched down, and dragged Hong Zhong towards the Antrabhara Temple.

It quickly became apparent that he couldn’t move faster than Kui Lei. A familiar sense of oppression descended from above once again.

Li Huowang froze. He pressed himself to the ground with Hong Zhong and waited for Kui Lei to pass.

Time dragged on at a snail’s pace. It felt like a long time, but the oppressive feeling still didn’t dissipate.

“What’s going on?” Li Huowang struggled to open his left eye by a tiny crack and glanced at the ground.

The next moment, he froze. It was incredibly dark around him. It was a shadow—Kui Lei’s shadow.

Whether it was part of Kui Lei or Kui Lei itself, it was now right above Li Huowang, and it remained unmoving.

Has it discovered me? Li Huowang froze in fear, feeling as though he had been plunged into an ice cave.

Even if Kui Lei did nothing, its mere presence was extremely deadly for Li Huowang.

Time passed slowly, and Li Huowang felt his body continuously melting. Some of his insides felt instinctively drawn towards Kui Lei.

Li Huowang clenched his teeth and made up his mind. I can’t keep this up! Even if it’s a gamble, I have to do something!

He started to move and dragged Hong Zhong towards the Antrabhara Temple. You can’t see me! You can’t see me!

“Hong Zhong! Don’t just freeze! Use your skills from the Sitting Oblivion Dao! Use them even if they’re useless!” Li Huowang said with great difficulty.

There was no response. Instead, Hong Zhong pulled his hand away.

Li Huowang looked down and saw him moving in the opposite direction. “Hong Zhong! What are you doing?”

Hong Zhong turned to reveal his mahjong tile face.

Even under this Siming, Hong Zhong’s mahjong tile face seemed to mock him. “Oh, look who it is. Li Huowang, such a rare guest.”

“Damn it! The hour’s up!”