Mutated Tao

Li Huowang looked thoughtfully at Hong Zhong.

It wouldn't be challenging to get Hong Zhong to agree to his request again. He just had to follow the same steps as before.

However, Hong Zhong had already agreed earlier. Li Huowang still had some doubts in his heart since Hong Zhong was from the Sitting Oblivion Dao.

He had always been wary, even towards the previous Hong Zhong. He was unsure if the other had any ulterior motives.

Since this guy had just reset, why not take this opportunity to test the Li Huowang from the Sitting Oblivion Dao?

It didn’t matter even if this guy saw through him. He wouldn’t remember anything in an hour anyway.

Li Huowang calmly asked the distraught Hong Zhong, “Hong Zhong, can you answer a question? Why did you run away once you saw me? Do you really have such a poor impression of me?”

Hong Zhong chuckled. “What do you think? Do you really believe the impression others have of you... is good?”

He continued, “Stop deceiving yourself. If you had the choice, you wouldn’t want to be with yourself either.”

Li Huowang’s brows furrowed. “Remember, you are Li Huowang too.”

“Hahaha, that’s right. I am Li Huowang too, so I also hate myself. Sometimes, out of boredom, I even deceive myself.”

These weren’t good words to hear. After a moment, Li Huowang asked, “So even if I sincerely wanted to help you, you wouldn’t trust me?”

Hong Zhong smiled. “Would you trust someone who says they’re sincere? You don’t trust me, so why should I trust you?”

He added, “Zhuge Yuan didn’t trust you either.”

Li Huowang clenched his back teeth. He now understood the previous Hong Zhong’s thoughts about him.

Maybe he would accomplish what he said he would, but he probably had his own hidden agenda too.

After considering things briefly, Li Huowang looked at Hong Zhong again. “Don’t be so sure. The previous you cooperated with me.”

“What did you tell the previous me? Let’s hear it.” Hong Zhong propped himself up.

“Fine, let’s talk while we walk. I’ll repeat what happened before, and you can judge if I’m lying.”

Li Huowang began to explain quickly, knowing that Hong Zhong might forget everything again in an hour.

This time, Hong Zhong didn’t run away. He silently listened as they walked.

After he fully understood the situation, he nodded in sudden realization. “Oh~! So that’s how it is. You should have said so earlier.”

“Would it have mattered? You ran away before I could explain.”

As Li Huowang spoke, the Antrabhara Temple appeared upside-down on the distant ceiling.

“Well?” Li Huowang looked at Hong Zhong. “Since you understand me, Li Huowang, you should know I’m not lying now.

“You already made your choice once, but I’ll let you choose again since you have different memories. Cooperating with me is better than waiting here aimlessly.”

Hong Zhong replied, “Heh, not necessarily. Maybe someday Doulao will awaken and I’ll be able to return.”

“Don’t repeat yourself. You said this an hour ago. If you keep saying this, your thoughts are the same as the previous Hong Zhong’s.”

“Is that so?” Hong Zhong chuckled and scratched his head. “Alright, my choice is the same as last time.”

“Then let’s go quickly. The next hour is almost here, and I really don’t want to repeat this a third time.”

Having made up his mind, Li Huowang led Hong Zhong toward the Antrabhara Temple.

As they approached the temple, Li Huowang heard the buzzing sound of the wheel again.

Although Hong Zhong couldn’t enter the temple, Li Huowang could forcibly pull him in.

Their bodies began to stretch and elongate. Finally, with a buzzing sound, they entered the wheel in the hands of a Lama.

When Li Huowang opened his eyes again, he could clearly feel the people around him sigh in relief.

He gently reached out to pat Li Sui's head, who had come up to him. He sifted through his thoughts quickly.

Soon, he felt a new segment of memories in his mind. They were memories from childhood to becoming Hong Zhong of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. These were the memories Doulao had implanted in him.

With these, the technique to cultivate ‘Lies’ was naturally included as well.

Li Huowang sighed with relief. Despite the twists and turns he had experienced, the results were still acceptable.

“Thank you for your help, masters.”

Li Huowang thanked the Lamas, but they said nothing in return and turned away indifferently.

Clearly, they had seen through Li Huowang’s tricks and realized that the division hadn’t disappeared.

Li Sui was very worried. “Father, are you alright? You really died just now, and it scared me.”

“I’m fine. It won’t happen again,” Li Huowang patted her head and walked out of the Antrabhara Temple.

On the way out, Li Huowang began to eagerly review the memories from the Sitting Oblivion Dao, looking for the cultivation method of ‘Lies.’

“To sit is to move. To forget is to contemplate. Without sitting, there is no end to labor. Without forgetting, thoughts cease. Without labor, the spirit calms down. Without thoughts, the mind is at peace...”

As Hong Zhong, he knew most of the Sitting Oblivion Dao techniques from childhood, even the incantations to summon Doulao. However, knowing them didn’t mean he could use them.

Li Huowang wiped his face and tried to change his appearance, but nothing happened.

He sighed. Back then, he could use the powers of the Sitting Oblivion Dao because Doulao had directly infused them into him.

Now that Doulao was gone, everything had been stripped away.

Even though he had found Hong Zhong’s memories, he had to relearn all the techniques of the Sitting Oblivion Dao from scratch.

However, Li Huowang wasn’t too concerned. The Sitting Oblivion Dao wasn’t proficient in direct combat, and he didn’t expect their techniques to help him fight against the Dharma Sect. His own ‘Truth’ cultivation ability was sufficient for that.

He had sought these memories to balance his ‘Truth’ cultivation and mitigate its severe side effects, which he no longer wanted to endure.

“Let’s see...” Li Huowang exited the Antrabhara Temple and sat down at a nearby teahouse, then began to review the most basic Sitting Oblivion Dao techniques.

However, as he sifted through the Liar’s Scripture in his mind, he fell into deep thought.

The Sitting Oblivion Dao didn’t start with how to cultivate or practice techniques, but rather with how to become a true scammer.