The Unruly Immortals

Li Huowang's previous guess was not wrong, there was no ghost stealing people's lives at all; it was just that the beggar from the Astrological Bureau in front of him had used a completely different method than Li Huowang in the face of the rumors spread by the Oblivion Path.

"Is it necessary? Is it necessary to act so real?" Li Huowang asked, pointing at the bodies next to him that were killed by the man with the unibrow.

"This is a trap set by the Oblivion Path, how could we not act realistically? Do you think they would just listen if we talked to them casually? Moreover, I was watching when the killing happened. Those who died were all ordinary people."

His words made Li Huowang feel a chill in his heart. Why was he so nonchalant in saying this? Could it be that everyone in the Astrological Bureau was like this?

It's not that Li Huowang felt any outrage upon seeing these dead, but after seeing how the other party worked, his sense of vigilance greatly increased.

"I must be extra careful when dealing with this man in the future, lest I become one of the ordinary people who were used as props in today's act."

Seeing that Li Huowang was silent, the unibrowed beggar spoke first, "I am Hong Da, a 'Credit Swordsman'. Pleased to meet you."

'Credit Swordsman', this was the first time Li Huowang had heard this term. If taken literally, it meant someone who lent out swords to others.

But being an underling in the Astrological Bureau, these three characters couldn't possibly represent their literal meaning—there must be another implication.

"Credit Swordsman?"

"Indeed, I truly am an unaffiliated 'Credit Swordsman', haha, Real Person, would you like to borrow a sword?"

Hong Da opened his patch-laden coat, revealing a collection of various knife blades within.

The knives were old, many had rust hanging on them, and their blades were rolled up and bumpy. This was why Li Huowang couldn't harm him with his Purple Tassel Sword before.

However, this also indirectly proved that these knives weren't as shabby as they appeared; rusty and worn knives wouldn't be able to block the weapons of the Military.

"Haha, Real Person, would you like to borrow a sword?"

As Hong Da asked again, he moved a broken sword with the blade facing forward before Li Huowang, a look of anticipation on his face.

"If you lend this knife to me, when would I return it?"

"Since it's lent out, naturally, it will have to be returned when it's time to return it." Hong Da's words sounded as if he hadn't said anything at all.

Li Huowang thought for a moment and slowly stretched out his hand towards the rust-covered blade, his eyes fixed intently on the other person's expression.

Just as his hand was about to touch the red rust on the blade, he withdrew it. "No need, my own weapons are sufficient."

"Ah, let it be then, if you don't want to borrow, that's fine. Since the matters in Pi County have concluded, Real Person Er Jiu, let's expect to meet again in the future."

The regretful Hong Da put the knife back and, giving Li Huowang a salute with his hands, walked towards the outside of the morgue.

Just as his hand was about to grab the copper ring on the wooden door, a bloodied fingernail flew over and nailed itself into the door.

"Wait a moment. I've heard that the Astrological Bureau pays very well for its work. Since I've also been involved in the affairs of Pi County, I should have a share of this payment, right?"

Gazing at the slowly bleeding crescent gap in the wooden door, Hong Da asked with a hint of surprise in his voice, "Oh? And what if I don't give it to you?"

With those words, the atmosphere in the morgue instantly turned tense and perilous.

But with Li Huowang's next sentence, that oppressive atmosphere faded away in an instant, "It's fine if you don't give it, I can do this kind of deal too, take me to join the Astrological Bureau, and we'll call it even."

Hong Da turned around to look at the other party, seemingly surprised that he would say such a thing, "Really? Okay then, follow me to the Ministry of Rites to the Record of Appearance and just register."

"Do I need to go to the Ministry of Rites?" Li Huowang immediately rejected the idea upon hearing this, if he went to their headquarters, and if by any chance he was discovered, then he would be completely finished.

"That's too far, I have urgent matters, let's find another way, I've heard that the Astrological Bureau can be contacted separately, right?"

Hong Da pondered upon Li Huowang's words for a while and finally nodded, "Alright then, I'll talk to the higher-ups, don't go looking for him, if he agrees, he will come to find you."

"Don't worry, we've worked together before, I'll put in a good word for you."

Having said this, Hong Da pushed open the door and walked out directly. When he arrived on the bustling street, he picked up a large-sized ceramic big-headed doll from the ground next to him and placed it directly on his head.

Hong Da pulled out a fan that was so broken it was almost just a handle from his waist and constantly fanned his face, striding towards the outside of Pi County.

Once he had left the bustling Pi County, the surroundings finally quieted down, and the sounds of insects typical of a hot day resurfaced.

After walking for another hour, he threw the big-headed doll in his hand towards a nearby forest and said, "Er Jiu, you don't have to keep following me. If I really were from the Oblivion Path, today's matter wouldn't have ended so easily."

Li Huowang emerged from the nearby forest and cupped his hands in a salute towards him, then turned around and walked back towards Pi County.

Only when he saw Li Huowang's figure disappear again amidst the flickering lights, did Hong Da speak up, "What do you think?"

From the nearby forest came the sound of withered leaves being stepped on, and a man with a big belly, wearing a big green outfit with red cheeks on a big-headed doll mask, emerged, carrying on his shoulder a decorative ball wrapped with red strings over a stick—he had used it to lead the dragon dance earlier.

"It's not proper; this man acts furtively and his background is unclear. Just now, when you mentioned taking him to the Record of Appearance, he was afraid to follow. It might not be impossible that he is from the Oblivion Path."

The voice that came from beneath the ceramic big-headed doll was surprisingly young and gentle, completely mismatching with his corpulent body.

As Hong Da instinctively crouched down on the ground, the sound of metal clashing lightly emanated from him, "I think he might not be from the Oblivion Path. The schemes of the Oblivion Path aren't usually so clumsy."

The oversized big-headed doll slowly turned, its pitch-black eyes looking towards Hong Da, "What if the Oblivion Path predicted our thoughts and did it on purpose?"

"Besides, their leaders have died two in these past days; they probably wouldn't come poking around for more trouble."

Without moving his body, the big-headed doll repeated, "What if the Oblivion Path predicted our thoughts and did it on purpose?"

Hong Da shot him an impatient glance, "Enough, I don't have time to play dumb with you."

The big-headed doll turned its head back, once again looking towards the distant Pi County, "He carries the Copper Sword of the Luo Sect on his back, and another sword wrapped in cloth at the hilt emits the Evil Qi of the Military. Moreover, he used the secret technique of the Ao Jing Sect—strange, very strange."

Hong Da nodded in agreement with the other party's observation, "Although this kid is strange, his abilities must be extraordinary, even if there is a possibility he is from the Oblivion Path, he can still be used as a weapon."

"And then?"

Facing his companion's interrogation, Hong Da's eyes narrowed slightly, and he scraped his chin with the pad of his index finger repeatedly, "After that... we'll watch and use him accordingly."