Chapter 459: Heaven Beyond Heaven

Chapter 459: Heaven Beyond Heaven

At the moment he saw Bai Lingmiao return to normal, Li Huowang immediately moved the jade lotus aside and supported her, shaking her gently.

"Miaomiao! Miaomiao!" Li Huowang, utterly anxious, let out a breath of relief when Bai Lingmiao's eyes slowly opened.

"Senior Brother Li," Bai Lingmiao's pink gaze was filled with grievance and sorrow.

"It’s alright now, it’s alright now." Li Huowang, deeply relieved, held her close and patted her back softly.

His gaze slowly rose to the sky where Zhuge Yuan stood, silently offering his thanks.

If not for his vast experience, he would have never recognized the use of that jade lotus—Bai Lingmiao might have truly met danger.

"Brother Li, you're too kind. It was but a small favor. I never imagined the Twelve-Piece Merit Jade Lotus would be in your possession. Back then, I searched far and wide."

Li Huowang took a deep breath. With his left hand sliding under Bai Lingmiao's knees and his right arm around her waist, he lifted her up by the waist and walked toward the exit of the dark chamber. The two deities, their red veils once again covering their faces, followed silently behind.

He leaned down and kissed the fragrant strands of her white hair. Softly, he said, "I know you’re heartbroken, but things must happen in order. Once we get through this deadly heavenly calamity, we can talk properly, okay?"

Listening to the beating of his own heart, Bai Lingmiao nodded slightly as she buried her face in his chest. Compared to before, Bai Lingmiao had become unusually quiet.

The tunnel dug underground by the White Lotus Sect wasn’t long. Soon, Li Huowang passed through the great hall and climbed the stairs out of the Bai family ancestral hall.

The sounds of fighting from the Bai family courtyard made Li Huowang’s heart sink slightly. Things there weren’t over yet. He quickened his pace to offer assistance.

But just a few steps in, Li Huowang’s expression stiffened. His body froze in place. His heightened senses detected something watching him.

Gradually, his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably. He didn’t know why he shivered, but his limbs seemed to move on their own, the trembling growing stronger.

"That is..." Li Huowang’s trembling head slowly raised to look at the pitch-black sky above.

That darkness peeled back like curtains, revealing beneath it the swirling Miro Vajra Qi, the celestial laws twisting in perfect harmony, the Yellow and Purple paths illuminating the Crimson Palace.

A cold drop of sweat slid down Li Huowang’s cheek, falling onto Bai Lingmiao’s hand.

She lifted her head from his embrace, looking at the now-stiff Li Huowang, following his gaze upward—but saw nothing.

"Senior Brother Li, what’s wrong?" Bai Lingmiao’s voice carried a hint of unease.

Just as she lightly tugged at his red Daoist robe, Li Huowang’s mouth began to open wider and wider.

*Crack!* As his jaw fully dislocated, a sharp, shrieking crane cry emerged from his throat.

That sound spread like an infection, transforming all surrounding noise into the same eerie call.

Under the influence of that strange crane cry, roots began to extend from Li Huowang’s shadow.

When Bai Lingmiao felt something pulling at her shoes in the darkness, tears welled in her eyes. “Senior Brother Li!”

The rapid, overlapping crane cries continued, but Li Huowang heard her plea. He tried desperately to close his eyes, to block the influence of whatever was above, but his eyes no longer obeyed him.

Suddenly, his arms holding Bai Lingmiao shot upward. He thrust his index and middle fingers into his own eyes, pressing hard. His eyeballs were torn out with brutal force.

Yet it did not help—the bloodshot eyes still stared fixedly at the thing in the black sky!

After tightly squeezing both eyes until they burst, only then did a scream replace the haunting crane cry. Everything gradually returned to normal.

Li Huowang collapsed, his strength drained. He fell to the ground along with Bai Lingmiao.

The two deities each took one side of him and quickly helped him up.

Now, Li Huowang’s jaw was completely dislocated, his mouth wide open, gasping heavily, saliva mixed with blood and sweat pouring down.

He looked utterly frail, as if his soul had been stripped away.

Seeing Bai Lingmiao about to strike the drum, Li Huowang grabbed her hand holding the drumstick. He pressed both hands against his jaw and forcibly pushed it back into place.

"Don’t summon spirits. This kind of situation—evil spirits are going mad! Those immortals may not listen to you. They might not even leave!"

Bai Lingmiao gently touched the two bloody holes in his face, tears in her eyes, asking, "Senior Brother Li, what happened to you? Why did you gouge out your own eyes?"

This question caused Li Huowang to tremble violently. His mouth opened again involuntarily.

He raised his shaking hands to cover the bloody holes in his face, muttering repeatedly, "I don’t want... I don’t want all beings to suffer. Suffering is pain. Pain is impermanent, pure, unchanging..."

What he had just seen flickered in his mind, sometimes clear, sometimes blurred.

After reciting the calming mantra hundreds of times, when he finally tried to lower his hands, he found his palms stuck fast to his face by dried blood.

With a sudden resolve, Li Huowang tore them off, and fresh blood and tears poured from his eye sockets once more.

Li Huowang listened intently, enduring the pain, asking, "Where am I?"

"Master, you’re in the Bai family courtyard. Hold on tight. I’ll sprinkle some golden medicine in your eyes."

Hearing Lü Xiucai speak, Li Huowang struggled to stand, sword in hand, preparing to leave.

"Master, master, you’re injured so badly—you don’t need to go. Your wife, the fool, and Xiaoman have nearly wiped out those ghosts. Besides, if they can't handle it, I can!"

Before Lü Xiucai finished speaking, others rushed forward to persuade him. Seeing no real danger, Li Huowang sat back down and took out the *Fire Robe Scripture* to tend to his wounds.

As flames scorched his flesh with a crackling sound, a layer of charred blood crust sealed the bleeding.

Once Lü ZHUANGYUAN wrapped Li Huowang’s eyes with bandages, he sat quietly, ears twitching, listening for any movement outside, contemplating possible future dangers.

Then, suddenly, warmth spread across his arm and cheek. He heard wild cheers all around.

"What now?!" Li Huowang gripped his sword hilt and stood abruptly.

"You little lord! The sun has returned! Hahaha! Looks like someone else rang the bells, scaring away that sky dog that eats the sun!!"

(End of Chapter)