Mutated Tao

Li Huowang stood in the seawater as he realized his emotions were being manipulated. He closed his eyes firmly and mentally repeated to himself. No! I am not angry. I am not mad!

As he continued chanting, the overwhelming rage in his heart gradually stabilized. However, this feeling did not last long. When he reopened his eyes and the rainwater hit them again, the intense anger surged back uncontrollably.

He could think clearly, but his emotions were beyond his control.

By this time, the boat people had disappeared again by submerging themselves in the dark and ghostly water.

Li Huowang and Lu Xiucai slaughtered them frantically, but with each person Li Huowang killed, the rage in his heart intensified and nearly consumed his remaining sanity.

Li Huowang knew this couldn’t continue. If he became a mindless, raging lunatic, it would be over.

He suppressed his anger against this unknown enemy and their elusive presence. This seems related to the water. A wise man should avoid danger. I must get away from the water!

“Go! Everyone, go!” Li Huowang shouted to his companions, who were all soaking wet in the torrential rain.

The boat people tried to block their way, but their strength was no match for Li Huowang.

Li Huowang and his group quickly fled the shore with their carriage. Finally, they got their lower bodies out of the seawater and headed inland towards Hou Shu.

However, their anger did not diminish. Their rage accumulated, making them suspect each other of having the worst intentions.

It should have been dawn by now, but the sky remained gray and gloomy.

Why is the effect still there? Is that thing following us? Where is it? Enraged, Li Huowang looked up at the raining sky and then angrily stabbed a dagger into his thigh.

His fury dulled the pain so much that he almost didn't feel it.

Yet suddenly, the rage vanished. Before he could feel happy about it, the anger was replaced by a profound sadness. Unlike the blazing anger, this sorrow was like the black water in a gutter, subtle but long-lasting.

As they continued to walk, this new emotion drew out their past sorrows. This was unlike anything Li Huowang had experienced before. The enemy was unseen and intangible, tormenting them with the ten emotions and eight sufferings.

Past sorrows filled Li Huowang’s mind, which left him mentally exhausted and unable to think clearly.

It was the same for the others. Even the horses that pulled the carriage stopped to shed silent tears.

“Waah… Dad... Mom...”

Li Huowang heard a woman’s sorrowful cries and turned to see Yang Na curled up by the washing machine, tears streaming down her face.

“What’s wrong? We just emptied the bucket of water. Why are you so sad?” Li Huowang crouched beside her with concern and asked gently.

Yang Na’s eyes were red from crying. She shook her head slightly as tears dripped off her face. “I... I don’t know... I just feel so...”

Li Huowang paused in confusion, then seemed to realize something.

“Nana! Is your depression acting up? Have you been taking your meds recently?”

“Since being with you, I’ve been so happy, I thought...” Yang Na sobbed.

“You can’t skip your meds!” Li Huowang panicked. It was a serious matter if one did not take their medication for mental illnesses. He stood up, grabbed Yang Na’s bag, and quickly rummaged through it.

After a moment, he found the bottle of pills. He rushed back to her and urgently persuaded, “Nana! Be good, take your meds! You’ll feel better.”

“I don’t want to take them. They make me feel worse... I don’t want to...” Yang Na lay on the ground with overwhelming sadness. She cried helplessly like a child who was incapable of rational thought.

“Nana! Nana!” Li Huowang hugged her close. “Look at me! Don’t be scared. I’ll take them with you!”

With that, he took a few pills from the bottle, then chewed and swallowed them.

“These are for depression. Why are you taking them?” Yang Na’s crying intensified.

Li Huowang took a few more pills, put them in his mouth, then kissed her and gently transferred the pills with his tongue.

When he finally withdrew his tongue, he saw that Bai Lingmiao in his arms had calmed down. Her sorrow had dissipated, and he also felt normal again.

“How do you feel? Are you better?” Li Huowang asked softly.

Bai Lingmiao nodded, then suddenly looked at the sky. “Senior Li, there’s something up there!”

Li Huowang also looked up. The clouds were extremely low, and faint thunder rumbled within them.

But unlike earlier, there was now a fleeting sense of being watched. They had come again!

“Finally found you!” Li Huowang’s expression turned ferocious as a fire ignited within him. This time, it was from his own emotions, not manipulated.

Peng Longteng appeared beside him, grabbed him, and hurled him towards the low-hanging clouds.

Bai Lingmiao flicked her sleeves and wrapped two white ribbons around Li Huowang’s legs and followed him up.

Li Huowang couldn’t see within the dark clouds, but Bai Lingmiao’s mind’s eye was very helpful as she guided him toward the target.

Peng Longteng repeatedly threw him high up, and Li Huowang finally pierced through the thick rain layers. He spotted a transparent, smoke-formed entity swirling in the air.

It wasn’t a dragon, or at least not like any dragon he had seen.

With another powerful throw from Peng Longteng, Li Huowang was hurled towards the entity. The incense figure didn’t dodge and allowed Li Huowang to phase through it.

“Again!” Peng Longteng grabbed Li Huowang’s left foot in mid-air and threw him again. Li Huowang closed his eyes tightly. I can touch it, I can reach that creature!

The next moment, he felt himself crash into something soft like cotton. Without hesitation, he raised his sword and stabbed forcefully.

“Die!”

With a squelch, long tendrils with sticky liquid stuck on them sprayed over Li Huowang’s face.