Mutated Tao

Chapter 514: Own People

Chapter 514: Own People

In light of last night’s incident, there were some changes in the relationship between Li Huowang and the illusions.

In the past, nothing could threaten them except for Li Huowang’s suicide. However, things had changed drastically. Li Huowang could now give them fleshly bodies temporarily, and it was all thanks to his cultivation of the "Truth."

Li Huowang could beat them up and inflict excruciating pain on them. Li Huowang stared deeply at the illusion of a Sitting Oblivion Dao member before turning to Li Sui. He then reached out and tore a piece of dead skin from his scabbed wound and threw it out the window.

Li Sui barked and jumped out of the window to chase after the dead skin. When she returned to the house with the dead skin in her mouth, she found that Li Huowang was missing. She also found a note left on the table.

Protect our home. It’s dangerous outside, so don’t wander around. I’ll bring you something delicious upon my return.

Li Huowang had gone to a secluded place outside the city to cultivate "Truth." He had seen and experienced many things so far, so he knew just how powerful the cultivation method that only Strayed Ones could cultivate.

The ability to make use of the Heavenly Dao's strength was extraordinary and could be compared to the Siming’s existence itself.

Li Huowang had to master this ability as soon as possible so he could resurrect Zhuge Yuan and protect himself.

Li Huowang didn’t stay outside the city for long. He returned as soon as it got dark. He had an appointment today with a strategist named Dong Zhongshou from Zhong Heng Jia.

Li Huowang was sitting in a purple sedan chair in Shangjing. He had a frown as he looked outside through the ajar window.

The capital had a curfew, but there were still many other sedan chairs on the deserted streets.

The patrolling guards seemed oblivious as they marched neatly past the sedan chairs.

These sedan chairs seemed to be like wooden boats that drifted with the current in darkness. They appeared to have an unspoken agreement, as they kept a considerable distance from each other. From afar, only a white or red lantern bobbed in the darkness, which made the streets appear a bit eerie.

Dong Zhongshou had invited him, but who had invited these people?

At first, Li Huowang thought that he would soon arrive at Zhong Heng Jia’s mansion. When his sedan chair passed a tall stone arch bridge, he saw a sedan chair floating on the pitch-black river. Red threads were squirming from the sedan chair.

What does this mean? Did someone die? Who killed them?

The next moment, he found the answer to his question.

Swoosh!

Three straight scimitars pierced the flimsy sedan wall as well as Li Huowang.

Half an hour later, a damaged sedan chair slowly came to a halt at a certain mansion. There were stone lions on both sides of the mansion's gate. A servant holding a lantern bowed respectfully and said, “My lord, please alight.”

A foot emerged from the sedan chair and pressed down on the ground, leaving behind a crimson footprint. The other foot followed, and it carried with it a tremendous power that shattered the ground.

A cold light then flashed, and a stone lion next to the gate was split into two along with a huge chunk of the wall.

The wall collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Dong Zhongshou was enjoying the moon with his wife and concubines when he noticed the commotion and saw Er Jiu through the smoke.

“Commander Er, come here! We've been waiting for you.”

There were several other people seated before their own short table. It seemed that they were Dong Zhongshou's aforementioned people.

“What's the meaning of this?!” Li Huowang roared. He charged at Dong Zhongshou with a sword in hand, but a thin monk and a chubby monk stood in his way.

“Hehehe, Commander Er, calm down. You boasted about being in charge of the dirty work before His Majesty, so don't you think it's necessary for me to test your skills?”

“Besides, those people weren’t sent by us. They were dispatched by the other well-informed princes.”

Dong Zhongshou chuckled and pointed at the last remaining short table.

“Come, Commander Er, your seat is over there. Go to your seat, and I will introduce you to the other comrades.”

“He's the son of the current prime minister! Situ Bowen is the most favored son of the prime minister. He's already helping with official affairs. He has yet to enter the court as an official, but he already has many connections in the court.”

Situ Bowen was a short and chubby man; his chest was exposed, and a flower was tucked behind his ear. He didn’t even lift his head as he sipped on the wine from his leather cup.

“This is the calligraphy master, Gong Sunyan. He has a myriad of students throughout the world! His unique style is unparalleled, and everyone respects him.”

Gong Sunyan was an old man with a white beard. His wine cup was trembling as he took a sip of his wine before casting a look of dissatisfaction at Li Huowang.

“And this is my junior, who is also from Zong Heng. Not long ago, the two of us cooperated to foil the conspiracy of the third prince and the princess.”

The beardless middle-aged man immediately clasped his hands toward Dong Zhongshou, but he didn’t even glance at Li Huowang.

Li Huowang took a mental note of the people who were rude to him even as he listened to Dong Zhongshou’s introductions.

Once the introductions were over, Dong Zhongshou coughed lightly and spat to his left. A beautiful girl, who had been kneeling on the side for quite a while now, immediately opened her mouth to catch Dong Zhongshou's spit.

Li Huowang quietly went to his seat and didn't pay attention to whatever Dong Zhongshou was saying. He couldn’t figure out how Ji Lin had been able to stay in his position, even though he had a bunch of ragtags as supporters.

“You’re one of us from now on, so don't be angry, okay? Anyway, let me offer you a toast!”

Everyone present saw Li Huowang sitting like a statue with no intention of lifting his wine cup.

“I just want to ask: where are the workers and the killers?“ Li Huowang asked, and his remark elicited laughter among the crowd.

Dong Zhongshou smiled and asked, “Commander Er, the workers naturally have their own place to go. How can they stay with those whose jobs are to plan and strategize? Of course, I'm not saying that you're one of them. His majesty favors you deeply, and you have a limitless future ahead of you."

This is too bad. Looks like Ji Lin has yet to understand his current situation. He has devoured a spiritual sin, so how come he's still so dense? He's not going to become the King of Gus at this rate...

“Hmm? What's wrong, Commander Er? Are you still unhappy about what happened to you on your way here? Hehehe, you're being a bit petty as a man. Haven’t I already apologized?”

“All right! Since we’re all under His Majesty, I’ll apologize again to Commander Er today,” Dong Zhongshou said. He raised his glass and emptied it, and then he showed the empty bottom to Li Huowang, “How’s that?”

“I don’t think any of you have understood the current situation.” Li Huowang smiled like a lunatic and pinched his temples with his hand. Then, he tapped the table heavily with his other index finger.

Peng Longteng’s towering and armored figure suddenly appeared next to Dong Zhongshou. Her armored hands plunged into Dong Zhongshou's mouth before anyone could react. Then, Peng Longteng forced open Dong Zhongshou's jaw with her left and right hand before tearing him apart into two as if he were a thin piece of paper.