Mutated Tao

“Mistress, have you let go?” Lu Xiucai’s words made Bai Lingmiao’s heart tremble as some buried memories surfaced in her mind.

She wanted to say she had let go, but no words would come out.

Lu Xiucai saw Bai Lingmiao standing there in silence, then bowed to her and turned to leave the White Lotus Sect hall.

“Mistress, you don’t need to persuade me. I, Lu Xiucai, may not be of much use. Still, if I can kill even one more follower of the Dharma Sect, then I am of some use.”

The sound of drums calling for the military camp’s assembly echoed in the distance. Lu Xiucai excitedly adjusted the bronze coin sword on his back. He ran towards the sound, singling theater lyrics as he did.

“If I succeed, I return to my homeland. If I fail, I die in a foreign land! It is my duty to avenge my relatives! Alone I stand, with loyalty! Boiling blood, burning with passion!”

Lu Xiucai’s song faded away. Bai Lingmiao’s mind became increasingly unsettled as she silently turned and walked deeper into the hall.

This area was heavily guarded since it housed the most important treasure of the White Lotus Sect.

She pushed past a door and walked behind two screens. A white lotus that emitted a soft glow appeared before her.

The lotus had blossomed even further since its discovery in the ancestral hall of Cowheart Village. Its gentle radiance now remained constant.

A group of people of both genders and all ages formed a circle around the white lotus. Only those most qualified within the White Lotus Sect could approach it.

Bai Lingmiao sat cross-legged on a mat and quietly prayed to this Twelve Merit Jade Lotus.

“Heavenly Mater, Hometown of True Void. Heavenly Mater, Hometown of True Void...”

She prayed to the Heavenly Mater, as if trying to convince herself that the Hometown of True Void existed.

The white lotus mark on her forehead mirrored the white lotus on the table, and her upper body involuntarily split into two halves.

The two upper half bodies were back to back, with four hands forming lotus seals. They floated in mid-air like tree branches, making her look like a short and white fleshy tree.

This appeared to be a cultivation method of the White Lotus Sect, but only the White Lotus Saintess knew its specifics.

After two hours, the sky outside had gradually darkened, but the room remained as bright as day, illuminated by the white lotus.

Suddenly, Bai Lingmiao stopped. She stood up calmly from the mat, then turned to one side and listened intently. “What is it?”

Her senses were very sharp, and even the slightest sound couldn’t escape her notice.

“Saintess, the people from the Si Qi said that His Majesty wants to see you.”

“The Emperor of Si Qi?” Bai Lingmiao couldn’t help but recall the two Dragon Veins used as bait.

Although she didn’t know why he was looking for her, Bai Lingmiao didn’t dare to take her time since he was the emperor of a country. She quickly set off with her entourage.

Even though Si Qi had fallen, the emperor’s title still held weight. It was enough to secure a courtyard with three entrances as his residence in this crowded city.

Bai Lingmiao almost couldn’t recognize the Emperor of Si Qi because he looked completely different from his previously disheveled state. The last time she had seen him, the Dragon Vein had just been dragged out of the mud, covered in dirt and unrecognizable.

But now, the Emperor of Si Qi was dressed in a bright yellow robe embroidered with the pattern of a dragon soaring over the sea. The imperial crown, with its pearl tassels, glinted like black jade. He exuded the majestic aura of a ruler who commanded respect without the need for force.

“No need to kneel. Provide a seat for Miss Bai.”

The Emperor of Si Qi waved his hand. Two elderly eunuchs immediately brought over a chair.

Bai Lingmiao bowed and thanked him, then gently sat down. “May I ask why Your Majesty has summoned this humble woman?”

The Emperor of Si Qi looked Bai Lingmiao up and down. “It’s said that the White Lotus Sect has been rapidly expanding recently and taking over many areas previously held by the Dharma Sect. Almost all the common people have been converted.”

Bai Lingmiao felt uneasy, sensing something off about his words. “Your Majesty, you flatter us too much. The White Lotus Sect’s efforts are insignificant, and it’s all done to prevent the Dharma Sect from making a comeback.”

“No flattery at all! Not in the least!” A plump man in armor came forward. “The people who believe in your White Lotus Sect are worth a country with a thousand chariots. Nothing else can compare if that’s insignificant.”

Bai Lingmiao remained silent. She was unsure of his intentions.

“I looked for you, and there’s no special meaning.” The Emperor of Si Qi descended from his throne and slowly walked toward Bai Lingmiao’s side with his hands behind his back.

“Since so many White Lotus Sect followers now heed your command, I wish to discuss a small matter with the Saintess.”

Bai Lingmiao slightly turned her head and waited for him to continue.

The plump man interrupted, “Hey, Your Majesty, let’s cut to the chase.”

He didn’t wait for the emperor to speak. “Saintess, here’s the thing. The Antrabhara Temple in Qing Qiu has a plan. They can perform a ritual to defeat all remaining Dharma Sect forces in Si Qi. However, the ritual requires something strange, so we’re here to seek your help.”

“Antrabhara Temple?” Bai Lingmiao felt a wave of unease at the mention of the name.

“They need human lives, not the kind extended by lifespan pills. They need human sacrifices. 1.81 million, to be exact.”

Bai Lingmiao remained silent. She was clearly stunned by the number.

The Emperor of Si Qi glanced at the chubby general. The general continued, “The strange part is that those Lamas insist that they must be willingly sacrificed.

“Can you believe it? The people of Qing Qiu must have twisted brains. How can we manage voluntary deaths? Hence, we seek the Saintess’s help.

“There must be some useless people in the White Lotus Sect, right? For instance, the old, weak, sick, and disabled. Why not make good use of them?

“Just use the same words as before, like telling them that dying will take them to the Hometown of True Void. They’ll happily go to their deaths.”

After the general finished, the Emperor of Si Qi added, “Rest assured, as long as you help rid Si Qi of the Dharma Sect and restore my throne, I’ll compensate you with five times the followers!

“What? Do you think I’m not a man of my word? I can swear before my ancestors! That much should be enough reassurance, right?”

Bai Lingmiao’s hands began to tremble. She suddenly recalled the female general Peng Longteng as she looked at the emperor.

“Your Majesty!” Bai Lingmiao’s voice trembled. “It’s 1.81 million lives!”

“So what? They’re going to the Hometown of True Void to find happiness. Or does the Saintess doubt the existence of the Hometown of True Void?”