Mutated Tao

Li Huowang was wrapped in a dense murderous aura as he slowly walked into Shangjing with his horse. His red robes were now even redder. No one dared to get close to him.

His appearance naturally attracted the informants inside the city but they were already used to it.

The informants knew that Li Huowang was close to the Emperor. There was no reason to dig into Li Huowang’s identity unless they wanted trouble.

Li Sui was currently wearing the skin of Princess Anping. She sat sideways on the horse as her head nodded in sync with the gait of the horse. She seemed tired.

Cowheart Village was quite far from Shangjing, but Li Huowang had gone back to clear out the bases of the Dharma Sect surrounding the village. Li Sui used this opportunity to take Princess Anping’s skin. She also let them know she and Li Huowang were safe, and told them about the Lu family’s tragedy.

Li Huowang went straight to the Surveillance Bureau, taking no detours.

“Where else are the Dharma Sect hiding? In which places are they instigating rebellions?” Li Huowang questioned the man behind the counter.

“Eeek… Dear Sir, please wait a moment.” Nangong Yun was sweating as he checked his record.

Nangong Yun was a careful person. He knew that Li Huowang was now related to the Emperor and had a different position now.

“Dear Sir, most of the larger bases have been cleared out, all thanks to you. Also, let me calculate your rewards for all the missions you’ve completed.”

Li Huowang waved his hand in dismissal. “No need.”

He didn’t accept the missions for the rewards—he did it because he really wanted to destroy the Dharma Sect. He needed to stop their expansion and prevent the Liang Kingdom from ending up like the Qi Kingdom.

Li Huowang exited the Surveillance Bureau and decided to go find Gao Zhijian. After working in the Surveillance Bureau for so long, he knew that the information disseminated by them was often incomplete.

Li Huowang would not rest until the Dharma Sect was completely eradicated.

He had just exited the Surveillance Bureau when he saw someone he didn’t expect. Lu Xiucai was standing in front of Li Huowang with a bronze coin sword behind his back. Lu Xiucai had stubble and his eyes were bloodshot as he held onto the reins of two horses. Both horses were foaming at their mouth and looked like they could collapse at any moment.

“Master, where is my father?” Lu Xiucai’s voice was hoarse, as if he already knew the answer.

Li Huowang said nothing and guided him to the small estate. Lu Xiucai hadn't even entered the estate when he heard a familiar singing voice. Lu Xiucai trembled as he entered. He finally saw the crazed Lu Zhuangyuan behind a room with iron bars.

Lu Zhuangyuan was singing grandly like a general on the stage.

“I miss my mother and wife~ For there’s no one I can rely on here~ I looked in the direction of my home and saw how far away it was~ I fear that the distance has delayed our reunion~”

Even though there weren’t any instruments, his years of experience in performing still stirred the emotions of his listeners.

“Father!” Lu Xiucai held onto the iron bars and shouted.

But Lu Zhuangyuan didn’t react as he continued to sing.

Just then, an old eunuch came down from the second floor with Xiu’er in his hands.

The eunuch kneeled to Li Huowang. “I greet you, dear Sir. When you were away, Sir Lu was living well. He could eat and sleep.”

Li Sui carried Xiu’er in her tentacles and played with her, but Xiu’er remained silent.

“Master, what about my brother? And my sister-in-law?” Lu Xiucai’s eyes were red when he asked.

Li Huowang looked at the corner of the room. Lu Xiucai followed his gaze and saw the two urns on the cabinet. The urns were white and had red paper stuck onto them.

Lu Xiucai walked over and held onto the two urns as he cried.

He had a family. He didn’t like his family because his father was stubborn, his brother was a wimp, and his sister-in-law was very calculative. But now he had lost all of them. He just didn’t like them—he never wished for his family members to be gone.

He cried for a long time before he asked Li Huowang, “Master, where is my nephew? Where is Lu Tongsheng?”

“I don’t know. He was supposed to be with your father. He was missing by the time your father became crazy. I tried divining but couldn’t find him. I fear that he’s dead in the war,” Li Huowang answered simply.

Lu Xiucai stood up suddenly and pointed at Li Huowang as he cried. “You! It’s all your fault! And also Gao Zhijian’s! Why did you bring them here?! Why did you give them a theater? WHY DID YOU LET THEM ENJOY THEIR RICHES? IF THEY WERE STILL AT THE VILLAGE THEY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!”

Li Huowansg stood still and didn’t react.

After he cursed Li Huowang and Gao Zhijian, Lu XIucai crumpled to the ground while he cried. He kept slapping his own mouth out of frustration. He slapped again and again until his hands were swollen. Blood dribbled from his mouth without any signs of stopping.

It wasn't until Lu Xiucai’s cheeks were swelling due to his own slaps that Xiu’er jumped down from Li Sui’s embrace and hugged him. Lu Xiucai stopped slapping himself and hugged his niece. Both of them cried together.

Li Huowang turned and made his way towards the palace when he saw them hugging. He wasn’t cold-blooded. It was just that he had seen the same scene too many times. If he didn’t deal with the Dharma Sect, these kinds of tragedies would happen again.

Li Huowang entered the palace without anyone stopping him, though he still felt a lot of people gazing at him from the dark.

However, Li Huowang was used to it.

Li Huowang entered the main palace and saw that Gao Zhijian was having his morning assembly. Li Huowang projected his body image into the ground and turned invisible as he waited for the morning assembly to be over.

“My Lord, Qing Shang is still having a drought without a single drop of water.”

“My Lord, He Dong’s granaries were burnt in a fire. The people don’t have anything to eat.”

Gao Zhijian was massaging his temple when he heard the reports. “These were already reported by someone else. Is there anything new?”

No sooner had he said that, a martial officer[1] looked at Li Huowang before he reported, “My Lord, Hou Shu’s envoy committed suicide yesterday by swallowing gold.[2] Before he died, he had written a letter with his own blood and tears. My Lord, please dispatch the troops to save Hou Shu.”

He had just said that when another martial officer stepped forward. “My Lord, the envoy from Qing Qiu brought the Khan’s personal enamel gold blade to request for an audience.”

Gao Zhijian sighed and waved his hands. “Dismissed.”

1. An official who’s in charge of the military ☜

2. The gold here refers to unrefined gold ore which may contain arsenic ☜