The Unruly Immortals

Looking into Bai Lingmiao's pleading eyes, Li Huowang struggled, but in the end, his hands trembled as he let go.

Standing there, Li Huowang watched as Bai Lingmiao took hold of the Purple Tassel Sword once again, as the pain in her eyes was gradually replaced by indifference and relief.

Once again, the Bai Lingmiao of before returned.

At that moment, Li Huowang finally understood that being possessed by Evil Qi was never the real problem, it had never been; the true trouble was always the unchangeable reality, that he had killed Bai Lingmiao's entire family.

"Heh heh." Bai Lingmiao laughed again, this time her laughter filled with ease and comfort.

She bent over to dip the lead comb in the vinegar bowl and continued combing her hair in front of the Copper Mirror, looking in a good mood.

Looking at her back, Li Huowang finally stopped being persistent, his lips quivering slightly as he walked up behind Bai Lingmiao and gently embraced her.

"Don't worry, no matter what you turn into, you'll always be my Miaomiao."

No sooner had he spoken than Bai Lingmiao pushed off with her elbow and forcefully shoved Li Huowang away with a backhand, glaring at him furiously.

"You don't despise me? I despise you! Do you even remember what I told you before?! Do you actually like Bai Lingmiao the person! or do you like having a docile concubine at your beck and call?"

After speaking, Bai Lingmiao stood up, flung the lead comb forcefully to the ground, and stormed towards the door with a furious momentum.

"Where are you going."

"What's it to you where I'm going? I'm going to find another man to marry now! To be a good wife and loving mother! Or do you still want to keep entangling with this madman?"

Right after Bai Lingmiao left, a fragrant scent drifted in, followed by the lean body of the Second God leaning against Li Huowang's back.

"Don't worry, she won't..."

Li Huowang grabbed the hand behind him, gently kissed the sharp black claws, and with deep frustration said, "Let's go, it's better that you go. Wait for me in Ox Heart Village. Once I take care of my troubles, I'll come back to you."

After the Second God nuzzled Li Huowang's neck with its soft fur, it slowly retreated. When Li Huowang turned back, the room was left with no one but himself.

Li Huowang stood dazed for a while, then turned and rushed outside, calling to the tavern below, "Yo, bring a jug of strong liquor!!"

The liquor was quickly brought to the room, and without a word, Li Huowang picked it up and guzzled it down.

After several Cangqiong Ascensions, Li Huowang's perception had become extremely sensitive; he didn't know when he had succumbed to drunkenness.

The only thing he knew was that when he awoke again, he was greeted by the sound of a rooster's crow outside.

Holding his splitting headache, Li Huowang staggered to his feet, and as he made his way to the window,

He stumbled, almost falling to the ground.

Li Huowang braced himself and steadied his stance, and that's when he saw black tattoos appearing on the back of his hand.

Shaking his head vigorously, Li Huowang finally saw clearly that it wasn't tattoos but the squirming tentacles of Li Sui.

"I don't have much time left." If he couldn't find a way to dispel the Huan Jue from Bei Feng before Li Sui completely took over his body, he would once again fall into that state of extreme confusion.

Li Huowang would rather die than return to that state, caught between the seams of two worlds, as it was unbearably uncomfortable and stifling.

As the "squeak" of the window opening rang out, Li Huowang pushed the window open just as the first ray of sunlight hit his face.

Clenching his teeth, Li Huowang glared at the sun and clenched his fist fiercely.

"You just want to torture me, don't you? I'm determined to try and defy destiny! Come on!! Let's see who's the crazy one!"

Li Huowang flipped over and jumped out the window, heading directly towards the direction of the jail.

By the time the sky was bright, Li Huowang had already repaid the coffin and arrived at the entrance of the Astrological Bureau.

Looking at the six-fan door between the two stone lions and the stone plaza inside, a drunken Li Huowang showed his waist token to the guards and strode in.

The interior of the Astrological Bureau was spacious and scarcely populated; a stone Armillary Sphere, bigger than a house, stood in the center of the plaza.

After looking left and right, Li Huowang walked towards the low buildings to the south.

Just as Li Huowang entered the room filled with the scent of ink, a man holding several rolls of books hurried up to meet him.

"Hey, hey, hey, who are you? This place is for editing the Historical Records; outsiders are not allowed in."

When the man saw Li Huowang's waist token, he pointed towards the opposite side, "Another mistake, your Government Office is on the other side."

"Wrong?" Li Huowang quickly scanned inside the room, and a line of text hanging on the wall caught his eye.

"The Heavenly Observatory is authorized to print the calendars; private printing is forbidden, and violators will have their families exiled."

Li Huowang bowed to the man and then turned toward the deserted building opposite, his gaze suddenly fixed on a giant metal mask hanging on the wall.

It was as big as two human bodies and covered with green rust due to exposure to wind and sun.

It looked almost identical to the one the executed prisoner had worn, except that the eyes were replaced with protruding columns.

The two columns sticking out of the mask's eyes stared straight into the cloudless sky.

Li Huowang averted his gaze and entered through a door beside him; the interior wasn't large, appearing only about the size of a classroom.

Strangely, there was nothing inside; it was just a square, empty room.

While Li Huowang was pondering his confusion, he suddenly felt a multitude of gazes sweeping over him, but bizarrely, there was nothing where those gazes seemed to originate.

Seeing this, Li Huowang knew he had come to the right place and promptly showed his waist token.

Accompanied by a peculiar wooden clacking sound, a hidden door rose in the adjacent wall, and a gaunt middle-aged man stepped out, a blind black bird perched on his shoulder.

"Is this your first visit?" the black bird spoke.

Li Huowang nodded, "I've always been in Yinling City, today is my first time in the Capital City, honored to meet you, senior."

"Come on, I'll show you around," the man with the bird turned and re-entered the hidden door.

When Li Huowang followed through, he discovered that the hidden passage was not dark at all.

The oil lamps on the walls brightly illuminated the corridor which always echoed with a distinct tap-tap sound.

Li Huowang glanced at the man's back, feeling that it was better to take the initiative under these circumstances. "I'm Er Jiu, from the Ao Jing Sect, honored to meet you, senior."

"Sima Lan, Mo Family. Don't be too formal; once you've joined the Astrological Bureau, you're practically a brother," the black bird continued.

"The Mo Family?" Li Huowang's pupils suddenly contracted. It was the only term he recognized and he instinctively felt some kinship.

But Sima Lan seemed to have misunderstood Li Huowang's reaction. "Don't be afraid, I am Qi Mo, not that evil practitioner Liang Mo."