The Unruly Immortals

"You can leave now, let him enter alone," an aged voice, full of authority, echoed from within the room.

"Yes," Nan Gong gave Li Huowang a cautious glance, then turned and left.

Gazing at the partly closed wooden door in front of him, Li Huowang took a deep breath and pushed the door open to enter.

The inside was not large, looking just like an ordinary bookroom with various paper books and picture albums placed on the bookshelf to the left, and the walls adorned, just like Zhuge Yuan's bamboo building initially was, with either calligraphy or paintings.

If this place weren't hidden in the deepest recesses of the Astrological Bureau, Li Huowang might have thought it was just some scholar's study.

"Er Jiu pays respects to the Deputy Director!" Li Huowang, his head bowed, said as he performed a ceremonial salute.

"You are Er Jiu? Lift up your head."

As the other party saw the face devoid of flesh, Li Huowang also got a clear view of the Deputy Director's appearance.

A middle-aged to elderly man with a goat beard and a gaunt appearance gave Li Huowang his first impression of the Deputy Director, along with the deep wrinkles on his face that nearly divided it into thirds.

In comparison to his appearance, there was nothing remarkable about the Deputy Director's attire, just an ordinary purple robe with a Jade Pendant hanging at the waist.

He was standing behind the desk at the moment, reviewing something with a Cinnabar Brush in hand, and beside him a small furnace softly boiled water for tea, making the room much warmer than outside.

Thinking of what Nan Gong had said earlier, Li Huowang's thoughts tensed, and he turned to drop his head again, "Reporting to the Deputy Director, all members of the Oblivion Path are currently—"

"Earlier today, you and the storyteller entered the city together, didn't you?" The Deputy Director's casual remark instantly interrupted Li Huowang's words and train of thought.

The Deputy Director methodically placed the Cinnabar Brush onto the brush rest, then picked up an Official Seal the size of a fist and gently stamped the corner of the paper in front of him.

Li Huowang's heart trembled, but his mouth did not stop, and he immediately recounted the conflict between Oblivion Path and Zhuge Yuan, as well as how he learned from their mouths that all of Oblivion Path had come to the Capital City, leaving out only the details the Astrological Bureau didn't need to know.

Everything Li Huowang said was true, not a single falsehood, but he concealed some details that the Astrological Bureau didn't need to know.

"Oh, I see," replied the Deputy Director calmly, much to Li Huowang's surprise regarding the news that all members of the Oblivion Path had arrived in the Capital City.

"Sir! But that's the Oblivion Path! They—"

"Should I be taught how to act by you? What's the rush? Could it be you wish to use the power of the Astrological Bureau for a personal vendetta?" The look in the Deputy Director's eyes quickly turned cold, and the pressure of a long-time authority bore down on Li Huowang.

"Er Jiu would not dare," Li Huowang bit down on his cheek, retreating half a step.

"Hmph, no manners," the Deputy Director left Li Huowang there, tending to his own affairs without paying him further attention.

After being left to stew for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the Deputy Director poured himself a cup of Da Hong Pao from the teapot on the furnace, and after taking a light sip, he finally turned his attention back to Li Huowang.

"Forget about the Oblivion Path for now; others will handle that. There is another task within the Bureau for you to attend to—one more important than the Oblivion Path. You'd better take it seriously," he said.

Even though the conversation didn't go as Li Huowang expected, he knew he couldn't panic now and allow the other party to see any flaws. "Yes, sir. Your instructions, please."

"I don't care how you came to know Zhuge Yuan, you will return to his side in the same manner you left. When the time is ripe, I will send people to coordinate with you from inside and out to snatch the 'Six Harmonies Almanac' from his hands."

"The 'Six Harmonies Almanac'? What is that? Wait! A book?" In an instant, the only thing that could be considered a book among Zhuge Yuan's possessions flashed through Li Huowang's mind, "This Astrological Bureau official wants to steal Zhuge Yuan's old Almanac!"

While Li Huowang was inwardly shocked, the Astrological Bureau official continued, "This matter is of great importance, and I will be personally overseeing it. You must do well, of course. If you can kill Zhuge Yuan, it would be killing two birds with one stone, which would be even better, though it's not a requirement."

Seeing Li Huowang standing motionless on the spot, a trace of displeasure showed on the Astrological Bureau official's face, "What is it, did you not hear what I said?"

Li Huowang's hands were trembling as he grasped them tightly, "Yes, your subordinate obeys!"

In speaking thus, the Astrological Bureau official didn't forget to dangle a large carrot in front of Li Huowang, "If you do well, the bureau will turn a blind eye to some past matters. On top of this, you will not only be promoted and bring glory to your ancestors, but you will also be allowed to choose three items from the various Magic Artifacts and heavenly treasures in the Inner Treasury."

"I am also aware of your circumstances. Oblivion Path annihilated your entire family, and it is both reasonable and natural for you to hate Oblivion Path. So, if you do a splendid job, not only will you take part in the encirclement and suppression of Oblivion Path, but you may also deal with the captured members of Oblivion Path as you wish."

Seeing that Li Huowang nodded his head in agreement once again, the Astrological Bureau official finally satisfied, picked up a stack of papers with his hand, which was missing a finger, and placed them in front of Li Huowang.

"Alright, take these to the third door on the left for storage. After you're done, you can leave."

Li Huowang stepped forward, took the papers filled with writing with steady hands, and left the workplace of the Astrological Bureau official.

After leaving the building, Li Huowang's complexion turned extremely pale in an instant, "What should I do?" These three words continuously wandered through his mind.

His plan to watch the tiger fight the wolf and profit as the fisherman had failed, and he never anticipated that the Astrological Bureau would react like this after hearing that the entire Oblivion Path had arrived in the Capital City.

Without the assistance of the Astrological Bureau, relying solely on himself, he was not at all a match for Oblivion Path; he had to think of another way.

"Am I really going to help the Astrological Bureau go after Zhuge Yuan? What a joke!"

Though Zhuge Yuan was often crazy and talkative, he had already earned a place as a friend in Li Huowang's heart.

As Li Huowang was entangled in his thoughts, the third door on the left appeared before him. He glanced down at the papers in his arms, preparing to deliver them.

But just as he was about to step forward with his right foot, a line on the papers suddenly caught Li Huowang's attention.

"Feng Erniu?" Li Huowang remembered the name—that eunuch Record of Appearance was supposedly called Feng Erniu.

Immediately, Li Huowang followed the content on the paper, reading vertically down, "Former Record of Appearance Feng Erniu, and his wife have been gone for ..... Their heads returned by the Coroner Huang Ming to be properly identified..."

The Record of Appearance is dead? This guy worked for the Astrological Bureau for so long, and yet, he died so insignificantly?

Li Huowang remembered the plump old eunuch and felt a chill in his heart. The large red circles drawn on the paper with Cinnabar were so glaring to him.

Li Huowang looked towards the office of the Astrological Bureau official from a distance and understood—the other party couldn't possibly have been this careless. He definitely knew that Li Huowang was acquainted with the Record of Appearance, and those papers were not laid there at random; this was his way of warning Li Huowang.

After taking a deep breath, Li Huowang's previously wavering gaze became resolute, and he stepped towards the door in front of him.