Chapter 358: Finished

Chapter 358: Finished

By the flickering campfire, Li Huowang listened to Bai Lingmiao continuing her words from within his arms.

"To judge others by oneself—well, I am no different. The Bai Lingmiao of the past was Bai Lingmiao, and the Bai Lingmiao now is still Bai Lingmiao, only better!"

As she spoke, her eyes seemed to glow with inner light.

"And besides, don’t forget—you killed my entire family." Those words sent a shiver through Li Huowang’s body.

"In the past, I always struggled and hesitated, unable to let go of either side. I couldn't forgive you, nor could I let go of those who had died."

"But now, things are different. I now know they were members of the White Lotus Sect, and I understand what they intended to do to you. So I can only say that you did not kill wrongly. In that situation, if you hadn’t killed them, it would have been you who died."

"Look at how clearly I think now—no hesitation, no pain at all!"

Hearing this, Li Huowang suddenly felt that the Bai Lingmiao before him was utterly unfamiliar, as though she had become someone else entirely.

If he had to compare her to anyone, it would be Peng Longteng.

At this moment, both her tone and mannerisms were drawing closer to Peng Longteng's style. He didn’t want that.

Just then, another soft body pressed against his back from behind, wrapping its arms around his chest. A forked, slender tongue slid across his ear.

When he sensed the second spirit, Li Huowang trembled and immediately stepped out of the embrace, staring in terror at the two figures on the ground.

His sudden movement naturally drew attention from the others. A forced smile appeared on his face. "I’ll go get some water."

Seeing that Ji Xiang was looking toward him, Li Huowang glanced briefly at the dark shadows nearby, then walked inside first.

Not long after, Ji Xiang, as expected, entered the woods, smiling warmly at Li Huowang.

"Eryou, anything wrong? If there’s anything, tell us—we’ll help if we can."

Li Huowang’s reaction earlier was unmistakable. If he didn’t notice, he’d be blind.

Recalling Bai Lingmiao’s words earlier, he carefully considered and asked, “Lord Ji Xiang, regarding the martial sect’s aura entering the body, is there a way to dispel it?”

The Bai Lingmiao now was not the Bai Lingmiao of the past. Even if she never forgave him, he must save her.

"Aura entering the body? You should ask a martial expert about that. We’re not very familiar with such matters."

Li Huowang’s pupils contracted slightly, and he asked again, “Lord Ji Xiang, do you have any acquaintances among the military sects in Daliang? If possible, might you introduce me to them?”

Ji Xiang glanced toward the fire’s location. “Sure, that’s nothing major.”

If not for Li Huowang, this group might have met their end today. A small favor like this was no trouble at all.

Of course, he only said he’d introduce him. As for what he planned to do with the martial experts, that wasn’t his concern.

After speaking, Ji Xiang recalled the events earlier with a sense of lingering fear.

"Fortunately, this matter has finally been resolved. Now I just need to see if I can give my adoptive father a gift to move to another office. This Bureau of Heavenly Surveillance truly isn’t fit for human work."

"Thank you, Lord Ji Xiang," Li Huowang said gratefully.

Regardless of whether it helped or not, he had to try. He had to bring Bai Lingmiao back to normal.

"Alright, anything else? If not, let’s head out. We still have a long journey tomorrow."

As Ji Xiang turned to leave, both he and Li Huowang simultaneously turned toward the woods beside them. “Someone!”

In the wilderness at night, a sudden gaze was clearly suspicious.

Li Huowang quickly pulled out two yellow papers and drew talismans with his own blood, pasting them on his knees. Then, with residual images trailing behind him, he rushed toward the direction.

Left behind, Ji Xiang’s expression changed rapidly before he hurried back to the campfire, keeping a firm eye on the corpse of Xin Zhuo, wary of any feints.

Li Huowang darted swiftly through the forest, closing in on the figure.

Seeing that the man didn’t stop, Li Huowang raised his blade and severed one of his own fingers.

The finger, now speckled with bone spines, flew through the air toward the distant figure.

It struck true. When Li Huowang reached him, he finally saw the man’s face.

At first glance, Li Huowang’s pupils contracted. The creature looked human, yet its body was unnaturally thin. Its skin, barely clinging to its bones, was nothing more than a shell held together by skeleton alone.

Its massive whale-like eyes bulged outward, as if about to fall out.

Its mouth was sunken, with almost no teeth remaining, the few left growing crookedly.

For a moment, Li Huowang couldn’t tell whether this thing was human or some kind of supernatural horror.

Despite the weapon in Li Huowang’s hand, the creature showed no fear—it simply grinned foolishly.

“Could it be a diversion?” With caution, Li Huowang ruthlessly broke its limbs and carried it toward the fire.

When he returned to the fire’s edge, seeing everyone present and the corpse of Xin Zhuo still there, he finally exhaled in relief.

"Lord Ji Xiang, do you know this thing? It was watching us in the woods," Li Huowang dragged the creature forward.

"Oh?" As Ji Xiang approached with confusion, a voice of extreme terror suddenly came from behind.

Li Huowang turned to see it was Hong Da.

Hong Da stared at the creature with deep fear. “This... this is someone hidden by Xin Zhuo! If it weren’t for Xin Zhuo releasing them, then…”

In the next moment, he seemed possessed, crawling on the ground and gnawing at the mud, his fear even deeper in his eyes.

"No scent, nothing at all! I can’t swallow it! We’ve been here all along! But when did we get trapped by this Xin Zhuo?”

The words chilled everyone’s hearts. They looked around at the pitch-black forest.

Ji Xiang rushed over and shouted, “Don’t talk nonsense! The Xin Zhuo we’re hunting is already dead! A dead Xin Zhuo cannot trap us all! Could there be another one?”

Hearing this, Li Huowang’s heart trembled. “Lord Ji Xiang, there is indeed another Xin Zhuo alive—the female one from the beginning.”

“What? What female Xin Zhuo? Wasn’t there only one Xin Zhuo?”

Everyone turned to look at Li Huowang, making him doubt himself.

But after glancing at the scar on his arm, he shook his head firmly. His memory was clear. Their memories of this part had been hidden.

“No! We came here to catch the female Xin Zhuo—not this male one.”

“Then where is the female Xin Zhuo?” Ji Xiang’s voice became sharp and cold, sweat slowly sliding down his cheeks.

Li Huowang pointed at the corpse of the male Xin Zhuo on the ground. “She’s hidden inside his karma.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiang’s face went pale, and his legs gave out, collapsing to the ground.

"One alive, one dead Xin Zhuo meeting—dead one hiding inside the living, living one hiding inside the dead. We’re finished. We’re all finished!”

(End of Chapter)