The Unruly Immortals

The gentle breeze lifted Li Huowang's hair as he stood there, holding a bloody dice head in his right hand, while beside him lay the headless corpse of the Da Liang National Master.

In the past, he disguised himself very well, but since Li Huowang found out, and since Huangfu Tiangang was a needle stabbed in by the San Qing, he couldn't be left alive.

However, at this moment, his attention was entirely away from the dead dice body, as he stood on the Capital City wall, gazing intently at the chaos below.

Even standing this high, he could still feel the thick evil qi below; it was tainted, the entire Capital City was completely tainted.

The Capital City was in utter chaos, everyone could draw a sword over the slightest disagreement, the entire order seemed on the brink of collapse, with everyone's hearts filled with excessive hostility.

Li Huowang had good eyesight, able to see the various incidents happening below, conflicts incessantly erupting, and people constantly dying, the entire Capital City was almost becoming a battlefield.

The taint order was not just an empty phrase; for all the citizens, it weighed as heavy as Mount Tai.

But evidently, Gao Zhijian's taint was not merely about tainting the populace and then doing nothing. The sound of "clang, clang, clang" rang out, as a young general with two triangular banners on his back rode a fast horse, beating a gong as he galloped down the main road.

"Time to enlist!! Time to enlist!" the man shouted loudly as he beat the gong.

"Ages eight and above, under seventy, regardless of gender! Two strings of cash and three bushels of rice per month! Meat every meal!"

Two strings of cash and three bushels of rice a month, with meat every meal, was an extremely generous offer, a deadly temptation for most of the populace.

Becoming a soldier might be dangerous, but for the tainted, they didn't care at all.

Accompanied by the sound of the gong, the citizens of the Capital City moved en masse, forming streams of people heading towards the Ministry of War.

Evidently, this was not happening only within the Capital City, but incessantly occurring in the six paths of Da Liang, in Qingqiu, and in Huo Shu as well.

Gao Zhijian was right; the populace is the soldiers, and the soldiers are the populace; whether the people are civilians or soldiers depends entirely on his choice, and a new Military could quickly form, far surpassing the previous numbers.

"How many people are there in the world? How many times can generals and prime ministers be summoned?" Looking at everything below, Li Huowang murmured to himself.

Now it seems, it is hard to say if the prime minister is the Fate Commander, compared to other Fate Commanders, the prime minister seems more primitive, more like the Heavenly Dao itself.

As long as one can pay the price it demands, the power of the Heavenly Dao can be borrowed.

With this thought, Li Huowang slowly lifted his head, looking towards that transcendental sky, pondering those Fate Commanders he had never seen before.

It seemed the Fate Commanders also had different ways of existence, not only limited to the few types he understood.

Footsteps sounded, and Gao Zhijian, flanked by eunuchs, walked up the city wall. "Brother Li, it won't take long, the new Military will soon be ready."

"Good." A heavy-hearted Li Huowang lowered his head, no longer looking at the bustling life beneath the city wall.

"Let's take advantage of this break to talk about my side. In fact, I can communicate with other Fate Commanders outside the White Jade Capital, and lately, I've been collaborating with other Fate Commanders to oppose Fusheng Heaven."

"But..." Gao Zhijian hesitantly looked at Li Huowang, "But Brother Li, haven't you been here all along? Never went to that White Jade Capital."

"I didn't say it was me now, because that is another me, also me, what he does is what I do too!"

Gao Zhijian said nothing, a hint of confusion showing on his face, evidently not quite understanding.

"I know you don't understand, but that's the fact. Because I govern the Heavenly Dao of perplexity, I myself don't quite grasp what's going on."

Seeing Gao Zhijian silent, Li Huowang gave a self-mocking laugh, "You don't believe me, do you? Or think I'm acting out again? I can understand why you'd think that."

"No, Brother Li, I believe you, please go on."

"There's not much else to say. There might be a fierce battle ahead, this time mortals will join hands with the Fate Commanders of the White Jade Capital to fight against Fusheng Heaven."

"Because the Mortal World is supported by the Dragon Vein, other Fate Commanders can't reach down there, even if they transmit information through other methods, it would be distorted. Except for me, I can accurately know what's happening in the White Jade Capital."

"Next, in dealing with Fusheng Heaven, and how to act, it will definitely be led by the Fate Commanders of the White Jade Capital, with the cooperation from below."

Mortals can't contact the Fate Commanders, even merely getting close might be affected by the Heavenly Dao.

"What I want to say is that, next, on how to help across the world, and when to summon generals and prime ministers, it's up to me. Do you understand?"

"I am not trying to meddle and seize your power, but the battle above changes rapidly; not everything can wait for your Emperor's slow deliberations."

Gao Zhijian shook his head, "No, with you at the forefront, the burden on my shoulders is much lighter."

"Brother Li, I'll discuss with them, and when the time comes, how to act will be up to you to decide."

"That's good."

With this assurance, the next time facing the opponent from Fusheng Heaven, Li Huowang could summon the help of the prime minister at any time, adding a significant force to his side.

This is also why the taint order, despite its cruelty, had to be implemented.

"Brother Li, do you know what Sister Bai's people are doing?"

Hearing Gao Zhijian's words, Li Huowang slowly nodded, "I know, she told me, and I gave her the Spinal Bone Sword."

"Oh, that's good." Gao Zhijian nodded and turned to leave the city wall, but just as he lifted his foot, Li Huowang's expression suddenly changed. "A catastrophe."

This time, the catastrophe came quietly, nothing happened, ordinary people couldn't detect it at all because this time growth had disappeared.

Li Huowang naturally knew what this catastrophe signified. It seemed Zuo Qiuyong from the White Jade Capital was completely gone, the San Qing ultimately snatched away his Heavenly Dao of growth.

This was not good news, as the San Qing grew stronger, no one knew what they intended to do next.

If the Heavenly Dao of lies from Doumu was counted, then the San Qing currently controlled at least three Heavenly Daos: secrets, lies, and growth.

The reason for saying "at least" is because, not to mention whether Qing Wanglai had any hidden Heavenly Daos, at least what he took from himself and what he surely took from the Five Wisdom Tathagatas.

At this thought, Li Huowang suddenly froze, suddenly coming to a realization. He immediately stamped his right foot, and the surroundings rapidly changed, from the city wall to within Zhengde Temple.

At this moment, Zhengde Temple was exceptionally deserted, very few visitors came, for when everyone was tainted and feared not even death, reverence was gone, and no one came to worship Buddha.

Ignoring the welcoming monk who joined his hands to greet him, Li Huowang swiftly traversed the various halls and finally entered a Buddha Hall.

He had been to this Buddha Hall once before, and today was the second time. The sculpture on that towering lotus pedestal was none other than Zhuge Yuan, with his body covered in yellow cloth and cinnabar dotted on his forehead.

It could be seen that the incense offerings here had been very good, with the incense burner filled with ash, and Zhuge Yuan even gilded with a golden body.

This was the first sculpture of Zhuge Yuan; in other temples, the Zhuge Yuan sculptures extended from here.

Qing Wanglai also took advantage of this, secretly doing something unknown to the Five Wisdom Tathagatas.

No matter what the San Qing intended to do, since both sides were currently enemies, whatever he sought to do, Li Huowang would try to prevent it.

With a single lift of his hand, the thick beam atop the Buddha Hall immediately snapped, and amidst the flying debris, Zhuge Yuan's sculpture directly crashed down.

Seeing the Zhuge Yuan in front of him about to be completely shattered under the heavy pressure of the beam, Li Huowang suddenly raised his right hand, causing the descending beam and rubble to hang suspended there, no longer falling.

Li Huowang trembled as he withdrew his hand, looking up at the stone statue of Zhuge Yuan before him. "Hehe... San Qing, did you foresee this too? Did you foresee this too?"

The San Qing's counterattacks were always so silent, yet every time they made him feel an indescribable discomfort in his heart.

Gritting his teeth, Li Huowang's breathing began to tremble; after hesitating for a few moments, he suddenly pulled down with his clenched fist.

The suspended beam crashed down heavily, and the stone statue of Zhuge Yuan in the image of Buddha Ratnasambhava was instantly smashed into pieces; Zhuge Yuan's shattered head wobbled amidst the swirling dust, rolling to Li Huowang's feet.