The Unruly Immortals

"Brother Zhuge, Brother Zhuge," Li Huowang reached out to interrupt Zhuge Yuan's relentless monologue, "I already know what you want to do, no need to explain further."

Zhuge Yuan looked surprised, "Brother Li, do you truly understand? Ordinary people, upon hearing my words, would think that Da Qi doesn't exist and would insist on arguing with me."

"Since Brother Zhuge says Da Qi exists, then it must exist."

Perhaps past experiences had made Li Huowang exceptionally understanding of the other's feelings. Li Huowang's tone was very calm, sullenly accepting the other's words without the slightest intention to argue.

Misery loves company, why should one with the 'Heart' in their name trouble another of the same kind?

Feeling that Li Huowang might not truly believe his words, Zhuge Yuan's eyebrows lightly furrowed, and he said somewhat discontentedly, "Brother Li, our Heart Pan's situation is not the same as your Xinsu. Da Qi truly exists! It is Da Liang that is the fraud in their bait-and-switch game!"

"Yes, I understand. Da Liang is mistaken, Da Qi is the correct one." Li Huowang had thought it through, whether Zhuge Yuan would save the already crumbling Da Qi or not, he would follow by his side.

Zhuge Yuan was a decent person—if he could help, he naturally would. But the trouble with Heart Pan involved the Fate Commander in White Jade Capital, and no matter who governed that segment of the Heavenly Dao, his ability to help was likely limited.

His most important concern was to follow Zhuge Yuan, ambush Oblivion Path beside him, and search for the so-called Bei Feng.

"Hey, why do you still not believe? In the beginning, that miscellaneous book about Xinsu's ability to cultivate truth was something I saw in the Youdu Library of Great Da Qi. Come, let me tell you from the start, about the history between Da Qi and Da Liang."

Li Huowang hastily reached out to stop him, fearing this explanation would take three days and three nights to recount. "Brother Zhuge, there's really no need. Just tell me where we're going next, what needs to be done, and who to kill. I'll follow."

Seeing the other's resistance, Zhuge Yuan gave up and sadly said, "Brother Li, it's not good to be unenthusiastic about learning, the so-called sea of learning is boundless and to be navigated with hardship, and moreover, there's a saying: 'The ancients had no regrets in their pursuit of knowledge, younger...'"

Li Huowang was somewhat helpless. They say there's no such thing as a wrongly given name, only a wrongly called nickname, and Li Huowang finally understood why he was called the storyteller.

"Brother Zhuge, those eunuchs are still bringing chaos to the Da Qi court. Isn't it inappropriate for us to continue this leisurely discussion here?"

"All right, all right, there's plenty of time in the days to come. I'll properly enlighten you on the way," said Zhuge Yuan as he stood up from the cushion and went to remove the paintings and calligraphy from the wall. "First, follow me to Youdu to meet with the State Preceptor."

"Okay!" Li Huowang got up and started helping Zhuge Yuan with the paintings.

"Brother Zhuge, if my master Master Danyang could borrow my power with his obsession for becoming immortal, then couldn't I use this Innate Qi in me in the same way?" asked Li Huowang as he continued to help.

"Certainly, all Xinsu can use it. Why else would people deceive and kidnap Xinsu if not because they fear they might misuse it?"

"But if you use it without proper method, not to mention its effectiveness, you might end up harming yourself more than the enemy. Do you also want to become a Demi Immortal like your master?"

The image of Master Danyang with his three heads flashed through Li Huowang's mind, and he immediately stopped talking. No matter whether that image appeared on him, his loved ones, or his enemies, it wasn't a good outcome.

Before gaining a deeper understanding of Xinsu's abilities, it was better to use something else against enemies. At the very least, the Great Thousand Record was much more stable.

"Brother Li, you'd better find a proper Cultivation Technique first. Think about Heart Turbidity. We have options, but they don't. Misusing it without proper method, be careful not to become consumed by deviant forces like them."

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"Damn it! I'm done with this! I bet on one face up, one face down! I refuse to believe it will be wrong again!"

"I bet on two face up, ten copper coins!"

"I'm betting on two heads too!"

"Get the hell outta here, you goddamn thief! Go bet somewhere else, don't even think about stealing my luck."

In the gambling den filled with smoke and the stench of sweaty, stinky feet, a bunch of street thugs and ruffians were betting money.

Yinling City might look grand, but the grander the city, the filthier the hideouts. Even this shithole of a gambling den was considered relatively clean.

"Any more bets? Any more? Last chance before the deal!"

Scholar Lv, who hadn't been seen for quite some time, stood in the very center of the gambling circle like a general in battle, his youthful naïveté replaced with a maturity far beyond his years.

Seeing the stacks of copper coins and silver fragments on the table, Scholar Lv smirked coldly. His right hand, hidden within his long sleeve, formed a seal, followed by a firm stamp of his right foot that made the covered copper coin quiver.

When the cover was lifted from the copper coins, a chorus of groans filled the air as the two coins inside the bamboo cup showed the side that had the fewest bets—the tails.

Some reluctant gamblers picked up the coins to inspect them, but could find nothing amiss—it was just two old, rusty copper coins.

"Damn it, I refuse to believe my luck's this shitty all night! Let's go borrow some money from the boss!"

As the shouting continued, time ticked away. When crowing roosters could be heard from outside, the soulless gamblers finally staggered out, yawning profusely.

Scholar Lv was in the midst of splitting the spoils with a fat man covered in tattoos, and although it was only forty percent, it was still enough to make his eyes sparkle.

"Lv lad, this is your cut."

"Thanks a lot, Boss!" Scholar Lv said with a chuckle, spreading his arms to scoop all the money off the table, a glint of greed in his eyes.

"I'd love for that old geezer to see this—he could play his damn opera for days and not make this much! Living like a dog at his age, and yet he says I'm the one without prospects!"

Just as Scholar Lv was stuffing the money into two cloth bags, he heard the gambling den owner say, "Lv lad, next time you gotta give those pigs a little taste of victory, let 'em lose three rounds and win one. That way they'll come back for more."

"Got it! I'll keep that in mind!"

As soon as he stepped out of the gambling den with his money, a bunch of raggedy thugs crowded around him with smiles plastered over their faces, offering their congratulations.

Scholar Lv seemed particularly familiar with them, and with a grand wave of his hand, he announced, "Come on, brothers! Today's treat is on me! Let's go have breakfast at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant!" Scholar Lv's invitation was met with a burst of cheers.

"Lv Ye is generous! So grand!"

"Lv Ye is magnificent! When it comes to real men, it's got to be our Lv Ye!!"

"Exactly, who in Yinling City would dare disrespect Lv Ye!"

Amidst the praising shouts of "Lv Ye," Scholar Lv felt as if he was floating; he couldn't stop his grin from spreading.

This, dammit, is how life should be lived, not that bullshit back in the opera troupe!