The Unruly Immortals

"Now you know why we eunuchs get so close to the great compassionate Buddha Master of Zhengde Temple, huh? That's why you started by looking for the wrong people—no chance, unless you can give us sons too."

After saying this, the fat eunuch turned to climb back into his sedan chair. Just as he was about to bend over, he seemed to think of something and raised his head to look at the people in front of him.

"Right, my godfather also said that when you make your move, his men will absolutely not interfere. However, if you really have the ability to bring the Empress Dowager back to the harem, then godfather will definitely join you all the way."

The eunuch left, leaving the others with their gloomy expressions.

Li Huowang originally didn't want to bother with the affairs of Da Qi, but after some thought, he couldn't help himself and came to Zhuge Yuan's side, asking in a low voice, "The disparity in strength between us and them is too great. It feels like there aren't many in Youdu on your side, it's completely like trying to stop a chariot with a mantis's arm."

"Don't panic. In this Imperial Court, don't be too rigid about stances, who is allies and townsmen with whom, and who are the students of whom—these relationships are tangled."

Zhuge Yuan raised the folding fan in his hand. "Besides, there's the integrity of scholars to consider. Don't look at our side as weaker, but we have righteousness on our side."

"The Empress Dowager holding power is something that heaven itself cannot tolerate. Everyone in the Imperial Court knows that, and they are in the wrong to hassle us."

Li Huowang listened, nodding thoughtfully as if pondering something.

Zhuge Yuan looked at Li Huowang with a hint of curiosity and asked, "Brother Li, are you all right? You've seemed rather distracted these days."

"I'm fine, feeling quite good," Li Huowang replied quickly.

"If there's anything I can help with, please don't hesitate. There are still small matters I can take care of."

Li Huowang shook his head as he looked towards the red paper cuttings on a distant window, "No need. There's nothing. Let's first sort out the matters of Da Qi for you, that's more urgent."

"Clip-clop, clip-clop~" The sound of horse hooves was incessant, as if thousands of troops were charging towards the Liang residence, the oppressive drum of war growing ever louder.

"Why is the Suicide Squad in Youdu! Weren't those killers sent to guard the Border Pass!" The panicked voice from outside spread tension in the Liang residence.

"Don't panic." Zhuge Yuan's light voice quieted everyone down as he picked up several scrolls and paintings and strode towards the door.

Seeing a window lattice far away suddenly split into four pieces, the fleeting glimpse of an Astrological Bureau official's face caused Li Huowang's brow to furrow slightly, and he immediately followed.

When Li Huowang got to the street, he saw rows of soldiers standing immovable as mountains.

The evil Qi on their bodies almost solidified into substance, surrounding them were the common people who hadn't managed to hide in time, scared to death.

"Heh." Zhuge Yuan casually sat down, unrolling a scroll in his hand, and placed an ancient ink zither in front of him.

"Ding~" The zither string was lightly plucked by Zhuge Yuan, and the searing sounds of war drums were dissolved by the notes of the zither.

"Roar!" With a low growl, the Suicide Squad began to step forward, their pace quickening with each step.

Just as their murderous aura reached its peak, a rancid smell of blood seeped out from the ground, quickly corroding Zhuge Yuan's zither to nothing.

At this moment, from the four directions of east, south, west, and north, the buildings began to lose their wooden tiles and rubble, revealing four Talismanic Altars plastered with talismans.

A few Taoists in purple robes uniformly raised their swords and began to perform a ritual.

At the same time, a deep chanting sound came from nowhere, enveloping and simultaneously covering everything nearby.

"Brother Li, don't you find this very interesting?" Zhuge Yuan flipped his hand over, and an ancient almanac appeared in his palm.

He took out his brush, and with its point, he tapped a few times on the four Talismanic Altars, causing those Taoists to disappear instantly, while the brush in Zhuge Yuan's hand was now stained, ready for writing.

Just as Zhuge Yuan was about to start writing, Li Huowang's body shifted rapidly, his invisible right hand snatching the old almanac from him.

The moment he got it, Li Huowang used all his strength to flip and maneuver in mid-air, heading towards the near lattice window.

"Li Huowang!!" Zhuge Yuan's voice was filled with boundless anger, causing even the tiles around them to tremble.

"Don't just stand there! Quick, block him for me!!" Li Huowang shouted loudly.

Astromancers of all kinds emerged from various places, encircling Zhuge Yuan.

However, they were obviously no match for Zhuge Yuan, while from the ranks of the trapped camp emerged faces like those of mahjong tiles, rushing towards Zhuge Yuan with a fury of evil Qi.

In his mad dash to escape, Li Huowang could not see what was happening behind him at all, the only thing he could hear was the relentless screams.

As those sounds grew closer, Li Huowang ran even more desperately.

By the time he arrived under the latticed windows of the house, the deputy commander had already been waiting on a tall horse.

At this moment, there weren't many people left by his side; they had all gone out to block Zhuge Yuan.

"Hurry up and give me the Six Luminaries Almanac!" the deputy commander reached out towards Li Huowang.

"Alright!" Li Huowang immediately handed over the ancient almanac he held.

As a skinless hand met with an old hand, a cold light pierced out from the almanac, stabbing towards the neck of the deputy commander.

Before the deputy commander could react, the Jade Pendant at his waist flashed once and shattered into bits, with a white smoke emerging from within the jade and quickly wrapping around Li Huowang's arm that held the dagger.

In just the span of two breaths, the hand holding the sword of Li Huowang corroded to nothing more than a half-stump of bone.

But that was not all; Li Huowang opened his mouth and several molars tumbled out, striking his chest, only to surprisingly not penetrate. The official robe of the deputy commander looked ordinary, but its defense was astonishingly strong.

"How dare you!!" the deputy commander glared furiously.

Li Huowang stomped his foot on the ground and leaped onto the deputy commander, driving the jagged bone into his neck.

This time it went through, and the deputy commander's blood gushed from his mouth and neck, staining his goatee red.

Li Huowang leaned forward onto him completely, brought his mouth close to his ear, and said, "How dare I? I'm fucking Hong Zhong from the Oblivion Path; do you think I should love and cherish you Astromancers?"

With another fierce stab, the deputy commander's head slumped to the side, dead beyond doubt.

"Hehehe... Hahaha!!! Thrilling!!" Li Huowang, holding his severed arm, turned around, looking at the Astromancers near Zhuge Yuan.

"Hahaha!! You've all been played by me! Bet you didn't expect me to be from the Oblivion Path, huh?"

Li Huowang violently tore open the scars on his recently healed face, revealing his bloodied, mangled visage to everyone present.

But it wasn't over yet; tentacles, black and writhing, began to burrow under the flesh of Li Huowang's head.

All sorts of big and small tentacles kept protruding and pressing, forcibly reshaping his head into a cube.

Followed by the sound of breaking bones, Li Huowang's facial features also started to deform.

"Dad...."

"Do as I taught you a few nights ago! Quick!!"

Li Sui did as he was told, and Li Huowang's facial features began to twist and stretch.

As his eyeballs were forcibly popped out, Li Huowang's features finally assembled into a large 'Zhong' character on his cubic face.

Seeing this, the disguised members of the Oblivion Path in the camp whistled and cheered.

"Hahaha! Boss Hong Zhong is freaking awesome; I really didn't guess you could disguise yourself as this kid!!"

"Boss Hong Zhong, you played that brilliantly!"

"Boss Hong Zhong! Invincible under heaven!!"

Li Huowang listened to these voices and laughed maniacally, swinging the corpse of the deputy commander back and forth towards them.