Chapter 324: Good News

Chapter 324: Good Fortune

Li Huowang stared at the seventy-nine lifespan pills floating in the pool of blood, unable to calm his heart. “What does it mean for him to give me these Yangshou Pills?”

Perhaps he wanted Li Huowang to consume them, or perhaps he was trying to explain how he had come to be like this.

This question would never have an answer, because the human demon had already died—and died beyond all possibility of revival.

With his long sword pointed at the corpse before him, Li Huowang paused for a moment, then raised his blade and severed the body into eight pieces, ensuring it would not move again.

Then he bent down, placing the seventy-nine Yangshou Pills into his gourd. Turning his head toward the stunned elders, he said, “Don’t stop! Keep moving!”

The old men looked exhausted, but their previous repulsive actions had left no room in Li Huowang’s heart for respect or compassion.

If not for the fact that he couldn’t carry so many children alone, he would’ve stabbed each one with a single strike.

Under their slow progress, Li Huowang and the others gradually emerged from the cave.

But just as they stepped out, Li Huowang began searching the dimly lit cavern, determined to eliminate any future threat.

Since the enemy had previously intended to use infants for pill-making, there must be some alchemical formula or technique involved.

Without destroying whatever it was, Li Huowang could not rest easy, fearing that another human demon might repeat the same act after he left.

As he searched, Li Huowang unexpectedly made a new discovery—a large cauldron the size of a watermelon, placed beside an even larger one.

Nearby lay numerous infant corpses, clearly indicating that the human demon had used this large furnace to refine pills.

Unlike Dan Yangzi, however, this demon first stripped the bones from the children before refining.

Looking at the small alchemy stove, Li Huowang suddenly recalled a skill he had learned from Dan Yangzi—how to make pills.

With these materials, he could replenish the medicines he had already used.

Next, he found several books inscribed with strange characters within the cave.

Perhaps these were the human demon's own script. Li Huowang didn’t know if they contained formulas for using children in pill-making, but he burned them all without exception.

After extensive searching, when a gray-white stone slab appeared before him, a peculiar expression crossed Li Huowang’s face.

“Divine Scripture? Another Divine Scripture?”

“Where did these things come from? Why are they everywhere?” Holding the heavy book tightly, Li Huowang pondered the mystery.

“Could it be that the formula for using infants in pill-making came from here?”

He examined it closely and realized that this scripture was identical to the one Dan Yangzi had obtained—no word different. It was still a Buddhist sutra urging people to do good.

“Do you know what this is?” Li Huowang asked the red-faced figure who had been glancing at him.

The man smiled mysteriously, shaking his head lightly. “Heh, don’t know, heh, don’t know.”

Li Huowang tossed the scripture into the cold underground river.

Seeing this, Hongzhong became alarmed.

“Hey! What kind of person are you?! This might be a precious treasure! Hurry up and pick it up!”

“If it’s such a treasure, go fetch it yourself,” Li Huowang replied.

Having said that, he picked up a crying baby from the ground and climbed onto the small boat they had entered through earlier.

The boat was tiny, and they had to paddle upstream, making several trips to transport everyone ashore.

When Li Huowang returned with the group of elderly and children to Cangshui County, the entire town erupted in shock.

Li Huowang’s appearance was terrifying, yet everyone’s attention focused on the crying children.

Families who had lost their children rushed to the front.

Those who found their children knelt before Li Huowang in gratitude, while those who hadn’t were left weeping on the ground.

County Magistrate Lou approached with his entourage to offer him a great bow. “Thank you, sir! You are the savior of Cangshui County!”

“Don’t rush with your bows yet. The matter isn’t finished,” Li Huowang said, recounting the elders’ story to Lou.

“What? So those elders were accomplices of the evil spirits?”

Lou’s eyes widened in shock. He had thought they were saved by the adults.

“If according to the Great Li Law, what punishment should they receive for their crimes?” Li Huowang asked the trembling elders.

“They deserve to be torn apart by five horses!” Lou’s eyes turned icy.

“So they get dismembered? That seems rather trivial. Besides, they’re all old—why not just chop off their heads instead?”

Lou, rarely speaking out of turn, replied, “What nonsense is this, sir? Age has nothing to do with crime. If we spare them because of their age, what about the infants who died in vain beneath the earth?”

Li Huowang pondered for a moment, then bowed slightly to Lou. “You’re right, Lou. I’ll leave you to it. I’m going now.”

Lou quickly grabbed his arm. “Why so hasty, sir? Please allow me the honor of hosting you for a feast.”

Li Huowang glanced at his tattered clothes and bloodstains, nodding. “Fine. I haven’t slept in two days. I’ll rest a bit. And please, have some clothes made for me.”

Back at the inn, Li Huowang collapsed into bed, the pain throughout his body barely able to match the overwhelming fatigue.

After some unknown time, “Gurgle, gurgle…” he woke up from hunger.

Rubbing his eyes, he looked outside. It was still daytime, though he couldn’t tell which day.

“Monk, you’ve slept for a whole day and night. The official came to see you, but saw you sleeping and left.”

Li Huowang glanced at the cheerful monk. “You seem quite happy.”

“Of course I am! We did something good! A big good thing! Shouldn’t we be happy doing good deeds?”

“Yes, yes,” Li Huowang answered half-heartedly, enduring the pain as he sat up, stripping off his stinking clothes and putting on the fresh ones on the nearby stool.

Lou had clearly put effort into it—the new clothes matched his worn outfit exactly, dark red and Daoist robes.

And not just one, but five identical sets made by the tailor.

“Heh, Lou has a kind heart,” Li Huowang said while dressing.

After getting dressed, Li Huowang headed to the back courtyard to prepare to leave in his carriage.

“Monk, the official wants to invite you to dinner. Won’t you go?”

“No, waste of time. Since the matter is settled, let’s head back to Yinling quickly. The journey ahead won’t be short.” For Li Huowang now, everything else was meaningless.

Just as he reached the stable in the back courtyard, he froze.

His carriage was spotless, the wheels free of mud. The horses were neatly groomed, their fur smooth and shiny—clearly tended to by someone specially.

The carriage was surrounded by various mountain delicacies and dried meats, while Mengtou, the dog, was gnawing on a bone among them.

“Woof woof!” Seeing his master return, Mengtou ran over excitedly, wagging his tail frantically. Several days had passed, and he looked plumper than ever.

The monk laughed again and said to Li Huowang, “See? I told you, good deeds bring good rewards.”

———Author’s Note————

Sorry, only one chapter today. I’ll make it up later—I’m just a bit busy.