The Unruly Immortals

"If you want to wield this treasure sword, you must know the Luo Sect's Celestial Array Zigzag Seal! Fellow Daoist, I know it, and if you wish to learn, I can teach you."

Li Huowang, upon hearing these words, showed no surprise; instead, he looked at him with a half-smiling, half-mocking expression. "I guess, to learn the cultivation technique of the Luo Sect, it would take quite some time, right?"

"Then, in order to learn this technique, I would have to keep you alive, and as long as you keep dragging it out without telling me, you could stay alive indefinitely, correct?"

Seeing his small trick exposed, the fear on that deformed little head's face faded significantly. He split his mouth full of rotten teeth and put on a smear of flattery towards Li Huowang.

"Nobody wants to die, right? How about this, since Han Fu is already dead, why don't you detach me and attach me to yourself? After all, it's all about being a Nascent Soul, it doesn't matter who I serve, I can be your Nascent Soul!"

"Taoist Master Li, you don't know, but the Nascent Soul of the Luo Sect is a great thing. Having two Nascent Souls is like having two minds during cultivation. When you're refining Qi and transforming spirit on a daily basis, I can help you---"

"But why should I negotiate terms with you?"

Li Huowang interrupted him as he picked up an iron spoon and aimed it at its only eye.

"Now, why don't you tell me how this so-called Celestial Array Zigzag Seal works?"

"If you want to play with me, that's fine, I have plenty of time and can play with you properly."

When Li Huowang, with the hem of his clothes sticking with bits of flesh and smelling of blood, slowly walked out of the tent the next morning, he held in his hands a stack of sheepskin filled with writing that detailed the so-called Celestial Array Zigzag Seal.

Li Huowang had also asked about the other cultivation techniques and talismans that Han Fu knew, but after triple-checking and torturing him until he was beyond recognition, he reluctantly concluded that the Nascent Soul truly did not know; what it did know was how to use the Seven-Star Sword.

To this, Li Huowang felt some regret; if he had the talismans of the Luo Sect, he wouldn't have had to resort to using the Great Thousand Record for every issue, as that was simply too painful.

However, this thing was at most an unexpected gain. Having it was good, but it was also fine without it. What he was more concerned with was what the Nascent Soul had mentioned about the Astrological Bureau.

After all, this concerned whether he could completely free himself from Xinsu's confusion.

Exhausted in body and mind, he walked into the tent and took the towel Bai Lingmiao handed him, wiping carelessly over his face.

Without even taking off his shoes, he went straight to bed.

Bai Lingmiao extended her hands and gently helped Li Huowang take off his shoes and socks. She covered him with the blanket and then exited the tent.

Though extremely tired, Li Huowang, closing his eyes, simply could not fall asleep. His mind was full of the Nascent Soul's words.

Eventually, feeling increasingly irritated, he sat up in bed and began to ponder carefully.

"Bei Feng is someone who can free himself from confusion. To gauge the truth of this statement, without any other clues, I can only seek out a way dealing with the Astrological Bureau, the archenemy of the Oblivion Path."

"But the problem is, how do I find information about Bei Feng from the Astrological Bureau? After all, I am Xinsu..."

As someone who understood just how immense the Government Office was, Li Huowang, of course, knew the consequences of being targeted by them.

Li Huowang remained in bed for a long time, all the way until Bai Lingmiao called him for dinner, and he still had no thoughts to work with.

Upon learning of Li Huowang's troubles, Bai Lingmiao, holding a bowl, hesitantly said, "Senior Brother Li, since... the Astrological Bureau is opposed to the Oblivion Path, and you also oppose the Oblivion Path, aren't you on the same side? Why don't you just ask them directly?"

"A complete stranger turns up out of the blue at the doorstep of the Astrological Bureau's Government Office and asks them directly for something from the Oblivion Path. What do you think their reaction would be? Getting beaten up and thrown out would be the least of it."

Li Huowang sighed, took Bai Lingmiao's bowl, and began to eat without tasting a thing.

"But…aren't you guys on the same side? Just explain it to them, and it'll be all right."

"Do you really think this is like kids making friends? It's not that simple, Miaomiao. If they can readily coerce Luo Sect disciples into becoming chess pieces, you can imagine how unscrupulous the Astrological Bureau really is."

As Li Huowang spoke, he suddenly paused and his eyes immediately lit up.

"Right, our identities are different now, but identities can be completely changed!"

"As long as I hide my Xinsu identity well, I can totally join the Astrological Bureau."

The more Li Huowang thought about it, the more excited he became, and in the end, he even picked up Bai Lingmiao and twirled her around. The more he thought about it, the more he felt this was a multifaceted and brilliant idea.

"Even if Bei Feng isn't the Xinsu who has gotten rid of confusion, I could still use the Astrological Bureau to find other ways to rid myself of bewilderment!"

"And as long as my Xinsu identity is well concealed, that'll be like having a mighty backing! Using the Astrological Bureau's identity to cover for my Xinsu one! That way, not just anyone could probe at me at will."

"Moreover, the Astrological Bureau's lax management, not even needing to meet the contact person, is perfect for the current troublesome layer of my Xinsu identity!"

Seeing Li Huowang smile, Bai Lingmiao smiled too. As long as Brother Li was happy, she was happy,

Li Huowang, looking at the delicate face before him, felt a stir in his heart and kissed her there and then.

In the midst of their breathing, a black nail lightly scratched the oil lamp wick, plunging the cowhide tent into darkness.

After a long while, Bai Lingmiao lay on Li Huowang's chest, her slender body rising and falling with his breathing.

"Brother Li, you should sleep now, you haven't slept for two days," Bai Lingmiao said tenderly, stroking him.

Li Huowang, with his arms around her waist, shook his head.

The hardest part is always the beginning. At least he had some clues now, no longer aimlessly bumping around like a headless fly.

Moreover, even if by some stroke of luck he stumbled upon Bei Feng, as one of the four felicities of the Oblivion Path, his strength was sure to be exceptional, and Li might end up getting defeated by him.

He would head to Liang State first, figuring out a way to make contact with the Astrological Bureau. Besides discovering the truth about Bei Feng, he also needed to find out Bei Feng's true strength.

If his strength was far superior to his own, then to obtain the method to overcome confusion from him, he would need to enhance his power quickly!

But increasing power is easier said than done, especially for Li Huowang who didn't belong to any sect, making even dedicated cultivation difficult to begin.

Beyond that, even if the world's chaotic sects offered their various deviant cultivation methods, he might not necessarily withstand them.

Seeing Li Huowang's recently relaxed eyebrows furrow again, Bai Lingmiao, snuggled up against him, gently smoothed them with her soft fingers. "Brother Li, sleep now. There are endless things to think over, just sleep...."

Under her gentle caresses, Li Huowang, who hadn't slept for two days and nights, slowly closed his eyes and gradually lost consciousness.