Mutated Tao

Li Huowang got to know them better as he traveled with them. Even though they came from different backgrounds and exaggerated many of their stories, Li Huowang knew there was a kernel of truth in their words. At the very least, the black glutinous dumpling tied in the red thread was working. They were deep in enemy territory, yet no one blocked them. It was a stark difference compared to how things were last time.

Xuan Pin floated up from the ground as he looked at the various moving red dots on the Shimmer Mirror. “Don’t worry, I chose some of the best for you. We will succeed and destroy the Dharma Sect’s plan.”

“I hope so.” Li Huowang knew that it was useless to argue about it right now. The most important thing for him to do was to succeed in his mission.

“What’s happening on your end? When will you start your plan?”

Li Huowang was sitting in front of a tea stall. At this point, they were all incredibly close to the ritual site. Li Huowang was certain that they would’ve been discovered if they didn’t have the black glutinous rice.

“Look over there.” Xuan Pin pointed at a red dot in the Shimmer Mirror. The red dot was close to Li Huowang. “Once the fight starts, we will shift the battle towards this direction. Afterward, you can begin your mission.”

Li Huowang tapped on the red dot and immediately saw rows upon rows of soldiers. All of them were standing calmly despite the upcoming difficult battle.

“Do the soldiers have a Siming?” Li Huowang asked suddenly.

Li Huowang had long pondered this question about it but never had the time to ask.

“Which Siming is it?”

“Jiang Xiangshou.”

“It should be helping us in the Baiyu Capital too, right?”

Xuan Pin shook his head. “You ask too much. Prepare yourself. The war drums are beating, so it's time for you to move now. The fate of everyone’s lives is in your hands.”

The sound of war drums spread far and wide. Li Huowang raised his head and saw a massive dark cloud in the sky. The sound of thunder coming from the clouds rumbled dangerously.

Li Huowang quickly finished his tea before leaving. He walked past Xuan Pin’s illusion and headed towards one of the smaller paths to the left.

The path led deep into the mountains. The deeper they walked, the more desolate it became. But it was surprising that such a desolate place could hide so many people.

As Li Huowang continued to walk, the experts gathered by Xuan Pin gathered around the bushes as they moved discreetly.

They swiftly took down the guards stationed by the Dharma Sect along the way.

The atmosphere grew tense as the thunder rumbled consistently, resembling the beat of a drum. Everyone’s heart was racing.

Li Huowang touched the banner icon on the Shimmer Mirror but realized too late that it was a mistake. The bloodlust and murderous aura pouring out from the mirror made it hard for him to breathe.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!” To the left of the battlefield was a massive formation. The soldiers inside the formation were cloaked in murderous aura. Their eyes were bloodred as they snarled and howled.

They looked like they had lost their sanity, but their movements were surprisingly coordinated. They moved in unison as their formation shifted from one to another.

Hundreds and thousands of soldiers moved as one. Their bodies were like a shared skeleton, while the murderous aura enveloping them was their blood.

Compared to them, the Dharma Sect was just a group of ragtag refugees. Despite their massive numbers, their formation was in shambles.

Just then, You Zixiong swung down his yellow-colored triangular flag. “Charge forth towards the Heavens and Earth! Transform into a tiger with wings! Subdue the tiger and amplify its power! Use it wisely and transform it infinitely! Never doubt your potential!”

The soldiers shouted. The murderous aura solidified and pushed Li Huowang’s vision out from the mirror.

Li Huowang decided not to touch the Shimmer Mirror for now. He also noticed that he had reached his destination.

In front of him was a massive wooden city wall. To think that the Dharma Sect had built a city in the middle of a mountain.

Even though the wall was covered in red cloth, the green leaves on the wood were a clear indication that they had been chopped down not too long ago.

The sound of thunder rumbled again as it started to rain heavily.

Li Huowang took a deep breath as he saw the Dharma Sect members pouring out from the city to charge into the battlefield. He ensured he was safe before several tentacles sprouted out from his body.

“Let’s go!” Li Huowang stomped the ground and jumped forward. He was about to crash into the wall when he imagined that he was entering a pond instead.

His body phased through the wooden walls and he entered the city.

Li Huowang was surprised by what he saw inside the city. There was a massive statue of a deity with four legs.

The statue was hidden under a massive bamboo hat. Underneath the bamboo hat were innumerable red ribbons tied to several different areas of the city, forming red bridges leading towards the statue.

Li Huowang ignored the gazes on him as he grabbed one of the red ribbons. He looked down and saw an altar covered in white smoke.

I have to destroy it no matter what they’re trying to summon.

Several witches from the Dharma Sect approached Li Huowang in an attempt to stop him. This was where the experts came in. They intercepted the witches so that Li Huowang could fight freely.

Li Huowang approached the altar before being stopped by a strange person blocking his path.

The person wore a rectangular hat, but instead of having a regular veil at the front, it was a veil made of flesh.

At first, Li Huowang thought the person’s face had melted off, but he then realized that it was actually a veil. The veil was essentially several organs and skin sewn together.

The person also had red ribbons coming out from his sleeves or hanging from his body.

Li Huowang then saw the person’s legs. To his surprise, the person had chicken legs!

The chicken-feet man ignored Li Huowang as he worshipped the deity on the altar. He carefully lit up some incense and danced.

The white smoke from the incense pot moved according to the chicken-feet man’s rhythm.

Every time he finished a section of the dance, the chicken-feet man would lie down or kneel down, raising the incense high up into the air to pray to the deity.

The white smoke from the incense floated towards the top of the statue and into the depths of the bamboo hat, where numerous red ribbons originated from.

The strange ritual was being conducted during the rain.

Li Huowang gritted his teeth as he saw the chicken-feet man ignoring him.

He’s not from the Dharma Sect! His strange dance, the statue, and the entire ritual look entirely different from what the Dharma Sect does!

Li Huowang didn’t care what it was—he knew that the chicken-feet man was his enemy, and that was enough.

Li Huowang raised his head. A horse neighed loudly while Peng Longteng charged towards the chicken-feet man with her halberd. She swung her halberd down with enough force to crush the chicken-feet man’s head.