Mutated Tao

Everyone around Li Sui grew tense. A horn rang out in the distance as more soldiers gathered toward them. Everyone started to prepare their trump cards.

A playful, androgynous voice cut in. “Oh, stop it, all of you.”

The atmosphere gradually calmed down. The crowd parted, and Li Sui saw a man step forward. He had a round face, appeared to be in his thirties, and was dressed in green silk.

He looked at the injured Li Sui, twirling a strand of hair by his left temple with his finger. “A Black Taisui Strayed One? Oh my, how interesting. You speak so fluently. It’s been a thousand years since I’ve seen something like this.”

Although he looked like a man, there was something feminine about him. It reminded Li Sui of the eunuchs in the palace, but this person seemed even more feminine.

“Excuse me... are you a eunuch serving the Emperor? Do you know the Emperor?” Li Sui thought the Emperor of the Great Qi would surely know her father.

The person, who appeared to be neither entirely male nor female, snorted and replied, “Not all androgynous people are eunuchs. When I was six, I did want to enter the palace for work, but they didn’t want me because I allegedly wasn’t qualified. What could I do? People need to eat, so now I’m just serving as the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau.”

“You’re the Chief of Great Qi’s Surveillance Bureau? Really?” Li Sui became excited. She felt she had finally found someone who could help.

“Please help my father! He’s in danger!”

She quickly recounted the entire story to him. The Chief of the Surveillance Bureau hesitated for a moment and studied her closely. It all seemed too strange.

After some time, he glanced at the chaotic streets around him. He pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe away his nonexistent sweat, then turned down a side alley. “Come with me.”

Li Sui quickly followed, trailing behind him through the bustling streets. Eventually, they arrived at a small courtyard. It wasn’t large, with only a grape arbor, a rocking chair, and a stone table beneath it.

This place felt exceptionally quiet compared to the streets outside. The Chief of the Surveillance Bureau reclined on the rocking chair, crossed his legs, and squinted as he observed Li Sui carefully, trying to deduce what she truly was.

Could she be lying? How could a Black Taisui know about the Great Liang and speak so clearly about it? But if she was telling the truth, how could her father be helping the Simings? That’s even more absurd!

“Can you send me back to Great Liang? Something urgent is happening there, and my father is waiting for me.” Li Sui couldn’t wait any longer.

“Hold on. You need to explain everything in detail before I can think of a way to help you. Start with the Dharma Sect. Did they really wipe out all of the Great Qi?”

During their brief interaction, the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau recognized Li Sui’s naïve nature. He took advantage of this and tried to gather as much information as possible.

“But my father...”

“Your father’s in the heavens. What’s there to worry about? As the saying goes, one day in heaven is ten years on earth. Relax, I guarantee your father’s fine.”

Li Sui felt a little more at ease and began to share everything she knew about the Great Qi, the Great Liang, and the Dharma Sect.

The Chief of the Surveillance Bureau couldn’t remain calm. If this was all true, it was too bizarre. Yet, the more he asked, the more credible her answers seemed.

Suddenly, he raised his hands and interlaced his fingers. Two white threads appeared between them. He smiled and said, “Li Sui, your face is quite dirty. Let me fix it for you.”

The two crisscrossed threads slid swiftly across Li Sui’s bloodied dog-like face, slicing off tiny bits of flesh and scabs with precision. The blood-soaked threads were stained red when they were retracted.

The Chief of the Surveillance Bureau collected the threads and thought to himself. Not bad, at least she’s not from the Sitting Oblivion Dao. His suspicion eased a little.

“Li Sui, tell me, when the Dharma Sect was causing trouble in Great Qi, what era was it?”

“Era? I don’t know. My father never taught me that.”

“Hmm... then surely you know the name of the Emperor at the time?”

“Yes, I know that. His name is Gao Zhijian.”

“Gao Zhijian? Good name.”

The Chief of the Surveillance Bureau began to calculate. After a while, he stopped and furrowed his brow. “Strange. Why can’t I calculate anything? Could it be that the name wasn’t based on the Eight Characters and Five Elements?”

Li Sui looked around at the serene environment, hesitating briefly. “Sir... may I ask something? The Great Qi was supposedly occupied by god Yu’er. Why is everything back to normal now?”

She had been wondering about this ever since she fell from the sky, but there hadn’t anyone to ask until now.

Now that the Great Qi’s Chief was before her, she had to ask.

“As for that...” The Chief of the Surveillance Bureau was also a bit puzzled. How could the Great Qi have been destroyed? What kind of Natural Disaster could have caused that?

He continued, “Don’t worry. I’ll fetch the Imperial Preceptor of Great Qi to help save your father.”

Li Sui didn’t have to wait long before an elderly man, donning a Nuo Opera mask, was brought into the courtyard on a wicker chair. The man’s hands were so frail that they resembled bones covered in skin, and his veins were nearly transparent.

Before Li Sui could react, the Imperial Preceptor of Great Qi grabbed her hand, and the Nuo Opera mask was placed over her dog-like face.

Li Sui struggled frantically. After some pulling at the mask, she finally managed to tear it off.

Once she pulled it off, she heard the Imperial Preceptor’s voice. “She’s telling the truth, but it’s not now. It’s three sexagenary cycles from now.”

Li Sui shuddered upon hearing this. She understood what a sexagenary cycle was, having heard Lu Zhuangyuan explain it before. Three cycles equaled 180 years! She was now 180 years in the past…

She didn’t know why or how this had happened. All she knew was that she might never see her father again.

Li Sui was dazed for a long time before slowly gathering herself. She trembled and tried to comfort herself. “It’s fine... as long as my father is okay. I have time. I just need to wait 180 years to see him again.”

As she spoke, tears kept flowing down her face, despite her constant efforts to wipe them off.

Li Sui stared blankly at Li Huowang. He was anxiously shouting at her as she recalled the memories she had nearly forgotten.

“Li Sui! Li Sui! I’m talking to you! Are you even listening?”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean ‘huh’? The sky is practically falling, and you’re spacing out!”