Chapter 458: Sitting on a Lotus

Chapter 458: Seated Lotus

Seeing that the method from his red memory had worked, Li Huowang once again resorted to his old trick, hanging another face upon the two spirits’ features.

The two men who had just been laughing and devouring food were finally quieted down.

“What is going on! Just now everything was fine—why has it turned into this?”

“What is going on! Just now everything was fine—why has it turned into this?”

“What is going on! Just now everything was fine—why has it turned into this?”

Three faces, each bearing an expression of distress, muttered in unison.

Though temporarily suppressed by the ability of the Forgetful Dao, their trembling bodies proved they were still struggling fiercely. This couldn’t be sustained for long.

Most importantly, he needed to find the root cause and eliminate it.

At that moment, Zhuge Yuan voiced his theory. “Brother Li, although these celestial forms differ greatly, what they truly are are merely malevolent spirits.”

“Whatever can affect ordinary spirits can also influence them.”

“The sudden emergence of these spirits outside, combined with the transformation of the celestial beings, already proves that this heavenly calamity is deeply connected to the spirits. The calamity itself is the source of all.”

But this revelation offered no help to Li Huowang. To resolve the heavenly disaster was beyond his power—he didn’t even know where to begin.

He glanced once more at the pitch-black sky and gritted his teeth. “What exactly is the Heavenly Observing Bureau up to? Are they planning for total chaos across the land? If things continue like this, this place might vanish entirely!”

“Kid! Bring me a messenger pigeon!” Li Huowang stuck his head out, clutching the token given him by Liu Zongyuan, shouting toward Yang Xiaohai in the courtyard.

“A messenger pigeon? No such thing here. Can I use the sparrows I caught for roasting instead?”

“Fine!”

He wanted to reach out through Liu Zongyuan to understand what was happening at the Heavenly Observing Bureau and how long this heavenly calamity would last.

With Li Huowang’s letter tied to its leg and a full moon bamboo strip secured around its body, the sparrow vanished into the darkness of the night sky.

Before Li Huowang could catch his breath, shouts erupted from within the courtyard.

When he rushed inside, he saw something crawling along the rooftops, peering cautiously over the walls.

They barely resembled humans, covered head to toe in dirt and mud, their bodies folded and joined together like blocks of decaying flesh.

Yet one thing remained the same—they all wore grins, just as the previous spirits had.

“It’s over, it’s over! They’ve become ghosts come to claim Miss Bai’s life! I told you to bury them further away, but you wouldn’t listen—you insisted on burying them on the back mountain!”

“Shut up! These corpses are merely possessed by something! Nothing scary about it! There are no ghosts in this world!!”

White Lingmiao, wearing Li Huowang’s face, and the two spirits—one on each side—drew their purple-sheathed swords and copper coin swords, charging toward the walltop alongside Li Huowang.

At the three corners of the great courtyard, the trio cut through the chaotic mass like slicing melons and chopping vegetables.

These ordinary spirits were nothing before Li Huowang.

Just as the situation seemed to stabilize once more, Li Huowang suddenly heard a *snap*, and one of the threads in his mind severed.

Turning to look at the two spirits, he saw that the face previously affixed to her face had, for some reason, become only half.

“Hahahahaha~!” The wild laughter of the second spirit echoed throughout the Ox Heart Village. She moved on all fours like a beast, heading toward the Bai family ancestral hall. “Senior Brother Li! Come quickly!”

Li Huowang’s heart raced with panic. The attack by the spirits hadn’t ended yet, and now the second spirit had run off.

Just as he was caught between a rock and a hard place, the Bai family gate burst open with a mighty kick. Gao Zhijian, wielding a massive halberd, swept the remaining spirits aside with a single motion.

Then he shouted to Li Huowang atop the wall: “Let’s go!”

With no worries behind him, Li Huowang immediately took White Lingmiao and chased after the second spirit.

Li Huowang, whose knees were covered in talismans, moved swiftly. In just a few steps, he caught up with the second spirit sprinting between the tiles.

Just as he was about to grab her, she spun and leaped into the Bai family ancestral hall.

Following a hidden door on the wall, Li Huowang rushed into the main hall of the White Lotus Sect, chasing after her footsteps until he entered a concealed chamber.

The second spirit stopped abruptly among the scrolls, standing there laughing wildly.

When she noticed Li Huowang staring at her, tears began streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably.

With all her strength, she shouted at him: “Hahahaha!! Senior Brother Li!!! We may really be dying! Hahahaha! The celestial beings think the mortal world has become their domain! They want to use our bodies to descend to earth! Hahahaha!”

“We have nothing else to leave for you—these divine powers of the White Lotus Sect used to summon spirit mediums! Perhaps after we die, you’ll find them useful! Hahahaha!!”

Her beast-like face was twisted with joy and sorrow so intertwined that it was terrifying, yet to Li Huowang, it only showed her care for him.

“Don’t say that! The calamity will pass! You won’t die! Be good, and rest peacefully,” Li Huowang once again raised his face to cover hers.

“Brother Li, this won’t work. Quickly, place the Twelve-Treasure Merit Lotus on her head and have her sit cross-legged with hands forming the lotus seal!”

Following Zhuge Yuan’s gesture, Li Huowang saw the jade lotus glowing softly.

“Brother Li, hurry! If those spirits truly possess your beloved’s body, she’ll be useless!”

Upon hearing this, Li Huowang acted instantly. When he placed the jade lotus on the second spirit’s head, her laughter vanished, replaced by a sudden burst of sobs.

“Don’t cry yet! Make the lotus seal!”

As her sharp nails formed an exaggerated lotus shape, the white lotus began radiating light, gradually coalescing. Light poured down from the lotus base, penetrating into her body.

As the gentle glow washed over her form like clear water, the celestial elements clinging to her began shrinking and retreating.

Soon, she began resembling White Lingmiao more and more. Just as Li Huowang felt relief, her body started becoming translucent—she was fading away!

Startled, Li Huowang quickly pulled the jade lotus away. Only when she reappeared did he breathe easily.

This object appeared to be a powerful artifact, but if misused, it could be extremely dangerous.

Seeing that the second spirit had calmed, Li Huowang repeated his trick, placing the lotus base on White Lingmiao’s head.

As the soft light washed over her body, the first thing to leave was the human skin covering her face.

Next came the strange, entangled celestial elements, and finally, the aura of ill intent that had taken residence in her heart.

(End of Chapter)