Chapter 373: Coffin

Chapter 373: Coffin

Li Huowang slowly walked back from the execution ground, his mind still replaying what had just unfolded before his eyes.

The distended belly, swollen by pills—how could one normal human stomach be stretched so grotesquely?

Recalling his previous identity, it was easy to guess why he had consumed so many elixirs. In Li Huowang's memory, numerous emperors had sought immortality through pills; perhaps in this world, things were no different.

"Even Dunyangzi, a man illiterate as he was, dreamed of becoming immortal. As the mightiest ruler of Great Liang, he would surely be even more formidable," Li Huowang mused silently.

"But people naturally fear death—it is only human. Only..."

He remembered how Xu Fu had taken five hundred boys and girls in pursuit of an elixir of life. In this utterly deranged world, it was hard to imagine just how far the Emperor of Great Liang would go.

Gradually, Li Huowang returned to the towering palace walls. He looked up toward the interior, trying to picture what kind of scene lay within those walls.

When he sensed the guards on the wall scanning their surroundings with alertness, Li Huowang shook his head and turned toward the prison.

Whatever horrific events were unfolding inside, they had nothing to do with him. Since his task was complete, he should let Captain Cao heal Bai Lingmiao.

Still the same stifling, oppressive underground dungeon, when Captain Cao saw Li Huowang return, his face lit up with joy. "Oh? Brother Ejiu has returned? Tell me all about what happened on the way."

There was nothing to hide in such matters. Li Huowang quickly recounted everything that had occurred. "Captain Cao, I'm done with my duties. Please assist me now."

"Mm, certainly, certainly." With a smile, Captain Cao reached into his sleeve and pushed a coffin, black lacquer, roughly the size of an arm, across the table toward Li Huowang.

Whether it was Li Huowang's heightened sensitivity or not, seeing the large red character for longevity on the coffin made him feel its oppressive aura. It seemed as if a corpse truly lay within.

Looking at the coffin, Li Huowang instantly recalled the countless dead sheep beneath Qingqiu, which had carried the same sense of dread.

"This thing definitely isn't from the military sects. It must belong to another sect entirely," Li Huowang concluded without hesitation. The difference between this and military sect items was too great—completely opposite in nature.

"Tock, tock," Captain Cao tapped his thick-fingered hand on the table. "Take this coffin, open it for three breaths and it will dispel the malevolent energy from that person. Remember, exactly three breaths—no more, no less."

"So simple?" Li Huowang took the black lacquered coffin, surprised by its unexpected lightness. It didn’t feel like wood at all—it felt more like paper.

"Heh, what harm can a little evil energy do? If I weren’t tied up, it’d be a mere gesture," Captain Cao said disdainfully, raising a cup of wine to his lips.

At that moment, the ground trembled slightly. An inexplicable aura surged from beneath, causing Li Huowang’s skin to prickle with goosebumps.

Clearly, this disturbance came from whatever was imprisoned below.

"Damn it! Damn bastard!" Frustrated, Captain Cao slammed his cup onto the table, grabbed a straight blade beside him, and strode toward the distant prison gate. "I have urgent business—I won’t keep you here. Just bring the coffin back after use. I don’t want to come fetch it myself."

When Li Huowang finally emerged from the prison, he felt oddly unreal. Holding the coffin in his hands, he thought to himself, "Is it really that simple? Can this really restore Bai Lingmiao?"

"Are they all deceiving me? Are they all in league? Have they already figured out Xin Su’s true identity?" This wild thought flashed through Li Huowang’s mind, chilling him to the bone.

His expression suddenly twisted into something monstrous, his pupils contracting sharply as he looked around. Everything—ceiling, stone lions, floor tiles—seemed filled with malice.

After a long pause, Li Huowang finally calmed down, standing motionless with the coffin held tightly in his arms, going over the entire sequence of events again and again in his mind.

After a long while, Li Huowang exhaled deeply. "No, no. They probably don’t know my identity yet. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have allowed such an unpredictable factor near the palace."

Li Huowang realized he had overthought things. If the martial sect could summon malevolent energy, then surely they could also release it. Perhaps this was simply a minor matter.

"I’ve got the item... Now… what next?" Li Huowang tucked the coffin under his arm and walked solemnly toward the inn.

When he opened his room door, Bai Lingmiao sat before a bronze mirror, combing her hair with an iron comb dipped in black ink.

"What are you doing?"

"Using a lead comb soaked in vinegar to make hair black. It’s better than the ugly white look."

Seeing Bai Lingmiao’s silhouette, Li Huowang took a deep breath and pulled out the small coffin.

He had already paid someone to test it—the coffin indeed had the power to remove malevolent energy from a person.

Bai Lingmiao, seeing it in the mirror, asked, "What is that? A coffin?"

With a sudden resolve, Li Huowang gripped the coffin lid with his fingernails and forcefully opened it.

A strange suction force erupted from within, swiftly drawing away his doubts, guilt, and worries.

Li Huowang felt as though even the method to escape illusions from Beifeng became trivial. The coffin was siphoning away the very foundation of his existence.

"One... two... three...!" Slamming the lid shut, Li Huowang quickly turned to face Bai Lingmiao.

The vinegar-soaked lead comb fell to the ground with a crisp clatter. Li Huowang watched as Bai Lingmiao slowly turned around, staring at him in shock, tears silently sliding down her cheeks.

Seeing the familiar Bai Lingmiao return, Li Huowang rushed forward and embraced her tightly, tears streaming down his face with emotion.

After a moment of intense emotion, he finally released her, studying her carefully. "How do you feel now? Do you feel unwell? Tell me immediately if anything is wrong!"

With tearful eyes, Bai Lingmiao said nothing, reaching out to touch the Purple Ear Sword on Li Huowang’s back.

When he quickly pressed her hand away, her gaze was filled with deep resentment and pain.

"Senior Brother Li, I beg you... Without this, I truly cannot live..."