Mutated Tao

“Sixteen divisions? So a day in this world originally had thirty-two hours?”

Li Huowang felt his mind spinning. What he assumed was basic common knowledge here turned out to be wrong.

“Yes, Dragon Veins vary in size. But, according to the records, there were indeed sixteen divisions in a day.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

“What? Haven’t you read the almanacs sold for a couple of silver coins on the street? Aren’t you a Daoist? Have you not even read the Four Books and Five Classics[1]?”

Li Huowang didn’t know how to respond. After thinking it over, it seemed pretty logical. If this entire world was mad, what did a few extra divisions in a day matter?

At this moment, an idea popped into Li Huowang’s mind.

If all the remaining Dragon Veins disappeared, what would happen? Would a world without divisions exist? What kind of world would that be?

Li Huowang vigorously shook his head and tried to shake off these thoughts. “Let’s forget about how many divisions there are in a day for now. Where are those three Dragon Veins? That’s the most critical thing now!”

Li Huowang quickly found a map of Hou Shu and examined it closely.

The terrain of Hou Shu was barren, but it wasn’t devoid of water. Cloud Swamp was a swamp filled with miasma, and various legends spoke of it.

Li Huowang looked at the map and gritted his teeth. “Things have come to this. There’s no time to waste. Let’s go and retrieve the Dragon Veins! Eleven divisions in a day is already too few.”

The situation was critical, so Li Huowang and his group set out.

They weren’t the only ones. All the military forces within Hou Shu and the reinforcements from Qing Qiu were also moving to counterattack the areas occupied by the Dharma Sect. No matter their motives, they were allies in dealing with the Dharma Sect.

The Dharma Sect wouldn’t sit idly by with such significant movements. In an instant, the entire Hou Shu was thrown into chaos.

Everyone rode horses across the barren desert, rushing towards Cloud Swamp. As they charged into a low-lying area, the ground suddenly cracked open and revealed a bottomless black chasm.

A strange scene unfolded before anything from below could react. The riders seemed to lose their footing and were suspended in mid-air.

A pale hand with a jade ring on its thumb pierced into Li Huowang’s head and slid out from the back of his skull as he moved. “Shen, this is the work of Xuan Pin. They aren’t here.”

Meanwhile, the real Li Huowang and his companions had already arrived on the outskirts of Cloud Swamp.

The Dharma Sect obviously wouldn’t let them approach easily. The area around Cloud Swamp had become a battlefield, with the Dharma Sect defending against the attacks from Hou Shu and Qing Qiu.

It was like a massive millstone that swallowed people whole and spat out death and dismembered limbs. Even the heavens seemed to weep at the sight as a fine drizzle began to fall.

As the rain intensified, the number of deaths also increased. The rain mingled with blood, shrouding the battlefield in a layer of red mist.

“DIE!” Li Huowang roared. Covered in tentacles, he charged through the crowd and left a trail of corpses in his wake.

No matter how many Dharma Sect followers Li Huowang killed, they kept on coming with no end in sight. They swarmed him like insects, ready to sacrifice their lives.

Li Huowang and his group persevered through and finally reached the edge of Cloud Swamp. He saw the other Chiefs enter Cloud Swamp and didn’t linger outside as he led his group into the swamp.

“This way! Follow me!” Xuan Pin’s Shangguan Yuting called out and guided Li Huowang through the muddy swamp.

When they moved away from the battlefield, the noise faded. It was replaced by an eerie silence, but this didn’t mean safety. In fact, the danger only increased.

Two hidden arrows shot out from a nearby pond and pierced Li Huowang’s back, emerging through his chest.

Li Huowang held his purple-tassel sword, turned around, and coldly glared at the pond. Peng Longteng’s large figure crashed into it and caused a large splash. The water soon turned blood-red.

A small bump rose on the back of Li Huowang’s head and split open. Li Sui’s eyes emerged to help him watch his blind spot and avoid further ambushes.

Li Huowang gripped the invisible arrows in his chest and yanked them out. He walked to the pond’s edge and looked at his reflection with a hesitant expression.

“Ji Zai, what are you doing? With three Dragon Veins gone, are you just going to watch? What happened to the preparations you mentioned you were making earlier?”

There was still no response from Ji Zai. Disappointment flickered across Li Huowang’s face. He really wanted to know what Ji Zai was up to. Could there be anything more important than dealing with the Dharma Sect right now?

Xuan Pin’s figure appeared beside Li Huowang and said, “Be careful, Zheng Boqiao’s group has encountered some tough opponents.”

Li Huowang looked around at the reactions of others, then understood that this was merely Xuan Pin’s illusion. His real self was somewhere else.

“Even if we tie up the Dharma Sect’s cannon fodder with soldiers, the Dharma Sect has many skilled fighters.”

“You’re saying this a bit too late. Gather everyone to avoid being picked off by the Dharma Sect one by one.”

“You underestimate the Chiefs. They’re fine. If they’re surrounded, I’ll send others to reinforce them. I’m telling you this to keep you alert. Here,” Xuan Pin said as he extended a hand, offering an old wooden box to Li Huowang.

“What’s this?” Li Huowang took the box. While Xuan Pin’s body was ethereal, the box was actually real.

“Some primordial breath found in Hou Shu. Use it when you see the Dragon Veins. There’s not much this time, as there’s very little Strayed Ones left. Many people have wasted it.”

Li Huowang looked at the red box with a complex expression. He took it and tucked it into his robe.

Suddenly, Li Huowang tilted his head and dodged a flying stone shot from behind. He turned around and saw a motionless stone statue nearby.

Li Huowang frowned and drew his bronze coin sword, then swung it forcefully and shattered the statue. Dark green worms flew out and scattered everywhere.

It looked like stone, but it was more like a human-shaped cocoon.

Bai Lingmiao suddenly said, “Senior Li, there are many more of those things ahead.”

Li Huowang turned to Xuan Pin and said, “Tell everyone to be careful. It seems the Dharma Sect has prepared a banquet for our arrival.”

1. Confucian classics. ☜