The Unruly Immortals

Li Huowang's commotion instantly startled Chu Xianguni back to a clear state of mind.

"Oh my, what's happened? Weren't you just asking about rice? Why have you gotten so fired up?" Her voice trembled with panic, as if she truly had no idea what was going on.

Li Huowang, who was prepared to strike, paused and looked at the puzzled Chu Mi Po in front of him with an indecisive expression.

He wasn't sure if she was pretending or genuinely clueless. Logically speaking, if they were truly interested in his "Xinsu," they shouldn't be acting like this.

"Are you going to ask or not? If not, I'm leaving," said Chu Mi Po, as she attempted to pick up her basket to leave.

Seeing this, Li Huowang actually didn't want her to go. He dragged a wooden stool over, sat down with his sword out like a grand warrior, and said, "I want to continue asking, so call that 'Heavenly Venerable' over."

Chu Mi Po hesitated for a few moments but eventually set the basket back down and lit the incense again.

The same ritual as before began to unfold, and that man's voice appeared once more.

Upon learning about Li Huowang's deficiency in the Five Elements, he suggested a very strange method, "Change of name ~! Lack of Five Elements ~ replenish the Five Elements!!"

After saying this, he casually grabbed a handful of rice from the basket and scattered it onto the ground before Li Huowang.

Jin Zaomu. These three characters appeared before him.

Change the name? Li Huowang looked at his new name on the ground, truly baffled. Could one really replenish the Five Elements by having them in one's name? Could this person be deceiving me?

After pondering for a while, Li Huowang decided to test the abilities of this entity further.

Li Huowang addressed Chu Mi Po, who was drinking and sipping tea in front of him, once again, "Thank you for the clarification. I still harbor doubts in my heart, may I pose another question?"

"Ask~!"

"Why have worldly things ceased to decay recently?" If this unknown entity could really provide an answer, then Li Huowang would change his name right there and then.

The cessation of decay must be related to Death of the Sister. Li Huowang was deeply troubled by the Sister's death, wanting to know what truly happened.

"Bodhisattva's compassion ~ pities all beings suffering from decay."

"You fraud! You've blown your cover! There's no Bodhisattva, no Buddha at all!! Above the sky, there are only those... those...."

Fear gradually filled Li Huowang's eyes, but he couldn't continue speaking. He didn't know how to describe those entities.

Those very things he had been deliberately avoiding thinking about since he awoke.

He thought that by not thinking about them, he could pretend they didn't exist, those entities far greater and far stronger than common folk, those that could easily kill all people if they wished!

As the thoughts of them resurfaced, Li Huowang could no longer ignore them. His expression grew pained, his breathing more and more hurried, and incomprehensible whispering voices began to emerge around his ears.

"Brother! Stop thinking about it! Don't think any more!!" Bai Lingmiao's anxious voice pulled Li Huowang back to reality.

Looking at the worried, delicate face, Li Huowang took a deep breath and nodded, "Right, I won't think about it, I won't think..."

"Exactly, no matter what that thing is, no matter if what she said was true or false, in the end, this world has gone mad. There's nothing I can do; all I need to do is live my days in peace," he told himself.

After the constant self-reassurance and Bai Lingmiao's comforting, Li Huowang gradually calmed down and pushed those unthinkable thoughts to the back of his mind.

Having calmed down once more, Li Huowang focused his gaze onto the old crone Cui Mi in front of him, and the level of trust he had for her in his heart had already dropped.

"I'll ask you one more question, what exactly is 'Xinsu'?"

The question made the other party stop in their tracks, staring at him with those bleak, white eyes; Li Huowang felt as if eight pairs of eyes were scrutinizing him from behind those blind eyes.

"I, of course, am aware of it, but should I inform you, you would certainly drop dead on the spot." Bai Lingmiao, frightened by these words, kept tugging on Li Huowang's sleeve.

"Hmph!" Li Huowang scoffed, the look in his eyes now devoid of any trust as he gazed at Cui Mi.

"Playing mysterious with me, huh? The Oblivion Path of Taoism taught me one thing, that is not to blindly follow in others' footsteps."

The sharp Longsword, brimming with killing intent, was lifted aloft, its tip pointing straight at Cui Mi's head. "Scram! Whatever you are, whatever your purpose is, just scram, do you hear me?"

"Little Xinsu—how laughable—how laughable—if that's the case, then I, this venerable one, will inform—you—what Xinsu is—*burp*."

However, before he could continue, there was a "crack" sound. The black cauldron, the basket used for carrying rice, and the Copper Mirror were all split in half; the edge of the sword now rested on Cui Mi's neck.

"Aiyah—what's this for!" Cui Mi's voice returned to normal.

"Back to normal now? You put on quite the show. I'll say it again—scram!!"

Cui Mi, clearly terrified by Li Huowang's aura of death, fled in a panic with the items that had fallen to the ground, staggering as she ran outside.

"Clang!" The blade returned to its sheath, and calm gradually returned to the room.

"Let's go, time for sleep. Let's make the most of a bed for a good rest." With crisp determination, Li Huowang walked into the inner room and placed the Copper Coin mask upon his face.

Feeling its heavy texture, Li Huowang breathed a sigh of relief, "From now on, it's best to wear this thing. My identity related to 'Xinsu' really is too tempting for others."

"Husband—what if... what she said was true?"

"It's precisely because of that 'what if' that I did not let my sword strike her. Otherwise, I would have never let her leave this door. Also, stop calling me 'husband'!"

That night, Li Huowang barely slept, fearing that she might launch a night attack on him.

Although nothing happened throughout the night, Li Huowang still hurried everyone to pack up and leave this troublesome place as quickly as possible.

It wasn't until they reached the small border town of Siqi and were amidst its bustling streets that Li Huowang finally breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that nothing had occurred.

Compared to before, it seemed much more relaxed here. It looked as if the war had indeed come to an end,

After resting in the town, Li Huowang and his company prepared to enter Huo Shu again. However, there was something they needed to take care of before that.

At the Tiger Head Escort Agency, a burly Chief Escort eyed the recommendation letter in his hand, then scrutinized the strange Taoist before him dressed in red, wearing a Copper Coin mask and carrying Twin Swords on his back.

After pondering for a long while, he put the safe-conduct back, "Well then, since Zhao, the Escort Leader, is vouching for you, I'll trust you! But let me make it clear beforehand, if you're going to escort, we'll take a twenty percent cut from each job. After all, it's our agency signing the escort orders. Tell me if that's acceptable."

"That's acceptable." Of course, it was acceptable to Li Huowang; he was merely escorting the cargo along the way. It was practically found money.

"If the cargo is lost, I won't trouble you; the guarantor will compensate for it. Since you just mentioned Zhao, the Escort Leader is your friend, I hope you won't let him down."