The Unruly Immortals

Within the cave, the battle situation changed rapidly.

At this moment, most of the supernatural beings had been fooled by a phantom, providing Li Huowang with a golden opportunity he certainly wouldn't miss.

He had also realized that though the Taoist supernatural being was indeed powerful, it had a precondition similar to that of ordinary Taoists: it had to perform a ritual before taking action.

As long as he forced this creature into close combat, it wouldn't have the chance to perform its rituals.

"Jump!" Seven or eight black tentacles bent sharply and bounced off the ground, propelling Li Huowang toward the Taoist supernatural being entangled in flesh.

With a crisp "clang," the opponent's Peach Wood Sword cracked. The weapon given by the abbess had been exceptionally sharp, and the supernatural being's weapon was no match for the military-grade weapon in Li Huowang's hand.

Seeing that it was outmatched, the supernatural being immediately retreated, leveraging the powerful momentum of Li Huowang's attacks.

How could Li Huowang let it get away? As his enemy retreated, he pressed forward, relentlessly pursuing, never giving it a moment to perform its rituals.

Seeing their master at a disadvantage, a horsetail whisk with a black talisman the size of a fingernail was thrown over.

The supernatural being hooked its slender nails onto the horsetail whisk and rolled it up. The strands of white silk entangled Li Huowang's weapon.

Using softness to overcome strength, the silk on the whisk kept getting cut, but for a moment, it truly managed to entangle his weapon.

Both sides were at a standoff again. Now, it was a race to see whether Li Huowang could cut off the opponent's horsetail whisk first, or whether the other supernatural beings behind him would arrive sooner.

However, looking at the fearsome creature before him, Li Huowang's face revealed a trace of cruel smile.

"Since before you had your disciples surround and attack me, then don't blame me for not playing fair. Make your move!"

As soon as his words fell, the numerous tentacles beneath Li Huowang swiftly pulled various torture tools from the bag around his lower hem and plunged them directly into the belly of the opposing supernatural being. Soon, the creature's wounded abdomen was a mangled mess.

When the Taoist supernatural being clasped its stomach and fell to the ground, Li Huowang pulled out the Purple Tassel Sword from the scattered horsetail whisk with one hand, swung it up high in fury, and decapitated the Taoist supernatural being in an instant.

When the blood-soaked Li Huowang turned around to face the remaining supernatural beings behind him, those that had the numerical advantage hesitated, paralyzed with fear.

"Forward!" Li Huowang, filled with murderous intent, roared as he held the Purple Tassel Sword aloft, charging into the supernatural beings outnumbering him by a hundredfold.

Without their leader, the rest of the supernatural beings scattered. Once they turned their backs to Li Huowang, what followed was a massacre—the only difference lay in how many would be slaughtered.

Two hours passed, and the whole cavern was almost emptied out. A few had managed to run away, but those that remained were no longer a threat.

The wriggling tentacles moved like spiders, dragging Li Huowang towards his lower half that remained where it was.

Li Huowang was already very tired, but he still forced himself to keep his spirits up, grabbing his waist and pulling up his lower half as if putting on pants.

The black tentacles squirmed as they burrowed into the flesh, reconnecting the severed bridges of his body.

At first, Li Huowang felt no sensation from his lower half.

But gradually, he could move his toes, and even felt pain on the sole of his foot pierced by the black triangular banner.

The circular talisman on the ground had long since scattered, and Li Huowang bent down to pull the black banner out.

Standing up again, Li Huowang surveyed the chaotic scene around him. The place had turned into a muddy blood pool, with hardly a spot of clean ground to be found.

Seeing that his enemies had been eliminated, Li Huowang laughed happily. He realized he laughed more now than in the past; his former self had not laughed in a long time.

Li Huowang smiled for a while before stopping, and he lowered his head to touch his abdomen.

"Thank you, it seems I've underestimated you, you're much more useful than I expected," he said.

After that, Li Huowang heard those intermittent voices next to his ear. Compared to before, after such a long period of his guidance, although the other's words were still broken, they at least could convey some simple meanings now.

Li Huowang felt that he could devote more effort to Black Taisui in the future for some reason. The Black Taisui he had consumed seemed to be much smarter than the one outside.

This change, he didn't know if it was because it had absorbed something from his body.

"Could it be that Xinsu's flesh and blood also have the effect of awakening Black Taisui's intellect?"

Battered and bruised, Li Huowang pondered wildly, his body still in pain, but seemingly, he had become somewhat accustomed to it without realizing it.

"Be careful, Black Taisui won't be so kind. It entered your stomach to ultimately seize your body," warned Hong Zhong, and Li Huowang's smile instantly faded, "I'm happy to! Why the nonsense from you?"

"These people can't tell good words from bad," muttered an irritated Hong Zhong as his body flickered slightly before he hid underground again.

With a cold snort, Li Huowang began to take out the Fire Coat True Scripture to heal his injuries.

Like learning to walk for the first time, Li Huowang staggered in the dark toward the cave where there had been a baby before.

The old people were still there, after all, in such an environment, they could not run far.

"Pick up the children, we're leaving this place," commanded Li Huowang in a cold voice.

The remaining elderly all complied, no one daring to utter a word of protest, especially since Li Huowang's Taoist robe was still dripping with blood.

They had sought a water son previously, even if they were deceived, their fundamental need was not wanting to die.

Li Huowang nodded, there were still thirty-one living infants left. Originally, there had been more, but several cradles had been caught in the earlier melee.

Staggering, Li Huowang, with one arm, held a child, leading a group of trembling old people towards the cave entrance.

Just as they were about to exit, the body of that headless Taoist suddenly moved.

Li Huowang instantly tossed the child in his arms, "clang" he drew his Copper Coin Sword, pointing it at the headless corpse.

Seeing the other reaching as if to take something out of its embrace, Li Huowang waved his hand, instantly severing its arm.

The arm fell from midair, and the bag in its hand scattered out as well.

Yangshou Pills, wrapped in black talisman, spilled onto the semi-coagulated blood on the ground.

"Yangshou Pills?" said Li Huowang, somewhat surprised as he poked the pills with the tip of his sword.

"What does this mean? Was it preparing to use these Yangshou Pills to buy its life?"

Just then, the Taoist entity moved again. He lifted up his other hand to gather the blood-stained Yangshou Pills and pushed them towards Li Huowang.

After doing all this, the body of the Taoist was completely soft and no longer moved.

Li Huowang counted carefully—there were a total of seventy-nine lives here. If he consumed these, it would probably be enough to sustain him until he became a Taoist entity.