The Unruly Immortals

"Does this mean that Bei Feng is different from the ordinary Oblivion Path practitioners? Is my inability to control these hallucinations because I can't harness the Innate Qi? And does Bei Feng's immunity to hallucinations come from his complete mastery of the Innate Qi within him?"

Li Huowang analyzed everything that Sima Lan had said with great care.

However, as he contemplated, Li Huowang calmed down. Considering Sima Lan's words, all of this was relayed through a giant who had already died.

Could there be a possibility that the giant was mistaken? After everything he had been through on this journey, he felt that the credibility of people in this world was very low.

Li Huowang hesitated for a moment and did not voice his doubts. Directly challenging the authority of the highest in the Mo Family could provoke an immediate backlash.

"You want to deal with Bei Feng? What has he done to you?" Sima Lan seemed to have long sensed that Li Huowang had a story and asked directly.

Hearing these words, Li Huowang's face turned very ugly. His fists clenched swiftly as he spoke in a low voice, "It's not just Bei Feng that I want to deal with! I loathe the entire Oblivion Path to the core! Back then, the Oblivion Path disguised themselves as six Elders within the Ao Jing Sect..."

After listening to Li Huowang's story, Sima Lan nodded knowingly, not at all surprised, as if he had seen such things before.

"Do not obsess over revenge too much. Approaching those frauds with such obsession can easily lead to being used by them."

"Thank you for your advice, Brother Sima. I understand now," Li Huowang replied.

"Take your time looking. If there's anything you don't understand, go find Nangong from just now. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave," Sima Lan said as he stood up to leave.

"However, if you want to confront the Oblivion Path now, I'm afraid you won't find them. The storyteller has killed the one seeking fortune, and they are now at odds. They probably won't have the time to appear anywhere else."

The offhand comment from the other party suddenly made Li Huowang's heart tighten. The storyteller, Zhuge Yuan?

Li Huowang immediately rushed forward, stopping Sima Lan with an anxious expression, asking, "Brother Sima, is this really true?"

"Of course, the storyteller killed a Sanyuan, and the other Oblivion Path practitioners certainly won't stop until death. Just the day before yesterday, civilians saw the storyteller fighting with the Oblivion Path."

"You should just sit back and enjoy the show. Doesn't the fact that someone else is taking revenge for you make you happy and at ease?"

As soon as Sima Lan left past the screen, Li Huowang immediately turned his head toward the kneeling eunuch.

"Have them search the Four Libraries for me. I want all records on Zhuge Yuan and the storyteller. Go, quickly!!"

The eunuch returned quickly, but to Li Huowang's surprise, instead of the usual stack, there was only a thin volume this time.

"Is this the only record about Zhuge Yuan?" Li Huowang asked in amazement.

"To answer the lord, there are more in the Sixth Library, but at least a Bing-Jiang rank is required to view them, which you don't qualify for," the eunuch replied.

Hearing this, Li Huowang couldn't help but sneer internally: "I don't understand why the Astrological Bureau has to do this, keeping everything hidden. Could it be that the world would change if some facts were known by others?"

Li Huowang didn't bother to ponder this further and spiritedly began to read the book in his hands.

The contents weren't much different from what Li Huowang already knew, but there were a few detailed points.

According to the Astrological Bureau's records, there had always been storytellers, but they weren't all named Zhuge Yuan.

Every time they appeared, great changes would happen in the world, and the storytellers were elusive, their whereabouts unconfirmable by anyone.

In theory, given that the storytellers posed no threat to the stability of Da Liang Kingdom, the Astrological Bureau should have ignored them.

But that wasn't the case. "The storyteller Zhuge Yuan, with his bewitching words, exterminated three clans." These were the exact words of the Imperial Edict from the Emperor of Da Liang Kingdom.

If the Astrological Bureau's personnel did not encounter them, it was fine, but once they did, they were compelled to find a way to execute that person.

Li Huowang could be sure that the Astrological Bureau still had a lot of information about Zhuge Yuan that they hadn't told him.

For instance, his personality. Was he truly a kind and generous good man? What was the purpose of his wandering storytelling? And what was his purpose in previously seizing Heart Turbidity?

Li Huowang pondered these questions silently, meticulously considering each one.

After a long while, Li Huowang pressed his hand against his belly, feeling for the presence of the Spindle through his skin.

He had helped him, if it hadn't been for this thing, he might have fallen into great trouble before.

"And...."

"Until we meet again, Er Jiu, I, Zhuge Yuan, if you encounter troubles you cannot resolve, remember to come to me on Apricot Island in the West Sea. Although my abilities are limited, I will help as much as I can."

This was Zhuge Yuan's exact words. Li Huowang knew he couldn't fully trust others, but what if? What if Zhuge Yuan truly could be of help to him?

After pondering for a long time, Li Huowang shook his head and stood up, walking towards the screen's exterior.

In truth, whether to trust or not to trust, both choices did not differ much. Since the Oblivion Path was entangling him, wanting to ascertain Bei Feng's location, he would ultimately have to seek him out.

"If it's the lord's first visit, allow me to see you out."

"Do you have a map of Da Liang? I'll take one, the more detailed the better."

Under the eunuch's guidance, Li Huowang made his way outside the Astrological Bureau, staring at the immense Armillary Sphere in the distance as he slowly exhaled.

The map in his hands was already marked, the West Sea; that was the location Zhuge Yuan had told him about before.

To go there, he needed to cross half of Jiangnan Road.

Li Huowang originally planned to leave that day, but after hastily purchasing some dry food and necessary travel supplies, it was already dusk.

Sitting at a roadside stall, Li Huowang silently watched as the sun gradually set between the buildings of the Capital City.

"Rest well tonight, set off tomorrow, no matter what Zhuge Yuan's attitude towards him was, a fierce battle was awaiting him."

"Distinguished guest, here is your plain noodle soup, and your two pork buns. I've put your vinegar dish here."

Li Huowang pushed the vinegar dish a bit further away; having buns for dinner was enough, but even a vinegar dish was included—this world was indeed mad enough.

"Woof... woof…" Mantou, smelling the aroma of the buns, constantly nudged Li Huowang's trouser leg with its big black nose.

After scooping up a few strands of noodles and pieces of bun crust for Mantou, Li Huowang ignored it, deciding it was time to trim down its fat.

At that moment, the stall owner, wiping his hands on the apron tied around his body, said with a beaming smile, "Take your time eating, guests. Even though the sun has set, no hurry. Today is Little New Year, and the Capital City does not impose a curfew."

Li Huowang, who was slurping his noodles, paused for a moment with his chopsticks, then continued eating heartily. "Another year has passed without realizing it..."

That night, lying in bed, Li Huowang listened to the hustle and bustle outside, it seemed like there was some event happening in the Capital City for Little New Year's Eve.

But he had no interest in it, his mind full of thoughts about the potential dangers he might face, his mood becoming increasingly uneasy.

He knew that what lied ahead was perilous, yet enhancing his strength in the short term seemed unlikely.

He couldn't possibly use Xinsu to forge a Magic Artifact with exceptional abilities—was he supposed to refine himself?

"Hm?"