Chapter 495: Manifestation

Chapter 495: Manifestation

With the sharp blade slicing through the air, a sudden whistling filled the sky above Li Huowang’s head.

Seeing the tattered robe adorned with blades descend like a blooddrop device toward him, Li Huowang immediately severed two fingers and flung them out.

Taking advantage of the moment when the severed fingers sent the robe flying, Li Huowang was about to close in on the woman with purple lips, but Hongda's familiar face suddenly blocked his path. The torn robe landed steadily upon his body.

Though he couldn't see Li Huowang's figure, it seemed he had some method to sense someone nearby. “Who’s there! Come out!”

Faced with Hongda, Li Huowang didn’t wish to waste time with him. He simply removed his own face and hurled it at Hongda’s.

But unexpectedly, the Taoist from afar drew his official brush and lightly traced a line. The face instantly split in half. Then, with a single gesture, the hidden Li Huowang materialized. “I’ve seen this trick before! Beware! This man is from the Seatless Dao!”

When he saw the woman slice the shadowy figure into four pieces and now had her hands free to raise the bone marrow sword toward him, Li Huowang quickly pulled out a dagger and slashed open his chest. With both hands, he grabbed the lowest two ribs and snapped them off, then thrust them forcefully into his own chest.

Centered around Li Huowang, everyone else bent over in pain, groaning loudly. His attack was thus interrupted.

The same agony affected Li Huowang more swiftly than others, who were still clutching their chests. He pushed past Hongda who obstructed him and stood before the woman with purple lips.

As a celestial inspector tasked with preventing natural disasters, Li Huowang did not intend to take her life; he only wanted back the corpse of Zhuge Yuan she held. Gripping his dagger tightly, he slashed at her slender fingers holding the sword.

A clang rang out as the dagger broke cleanly in two.

Then, a golden Buddha, no larger than a finger, identical in appearance to the woman, emerged from her sleeve and wept bitterly at Li Huowang.

It was he who had used his gleaming golden head to shatter Li Huowang’s weapon.

“Are you kidding me? This woman is a Buddhist disciple!” Li Huowang cursed inwardly, yet reached for the purple sword hilt to pull it free.

But just as a rust-stained long blade appeared beside him, Li Huowang stopped. Quickly, he wiped his sword’s tassel—changing the purple to black—and several mahjong tiles clung to it.

“No way, Hongda has seen my sword. If I draw it now, he’ll surely recognize me!”

Quickly shifting position to dodge Hongda’s attack, Li Huowang prepared to end things quickly. But then he noticed that the woman was now entirely covered by tiny golden Buddhas.

These Buddhas either wept or laughed, writhing across her face like golden maggots, eventually forming the features of a man.

Looking at Li Huowang, the thumb-sized Buddhas spoke in unison: “Namo Amitabha Buddha, drop your blade and become enlightened instantly~!”

Hearing these words, a sudden impulse arose within Li Huowang—a desire to discard all his weapons.

Just as he was about to remove the two long swords from his back, his hands twisted, and he yanked out the rib from his chest, then reinserted it forcefully.

The extreme pain cleared his mind and reversed the situation instantly.

“Aaaah!!” Li Huowang yanked out the rib again and drove it back into his chest, enduring the pain as he charged toward the crouching woman before him.

During this, he pulled out and inserted the rib three times total. Centered around him, only he could move while others collapsed in agony, clutching their chests.

In the midst of excruciating pain, Li Huowang became unusually violent. He raised his right foot and stomped hard on the woman’s wrist holding the sword.

The golden Buddhas atop her wrist tried to lift up in defense, but with Li Huowang twisting the rib, they scrambled chaotically.

Then, with tremendous force from his foot pressing down on them, the Buddhas were crushed into flesh and blood.

With such a wound, the woman could no longer hold the bone marrow sword. Her five fingers loosened weakly.

Li Huowang hooked his foot and lifted the hilt, which still carried warmth. Relief flooded him—he had retrieved Zhuge Yuan’s remains.

With the object secured, Li Huowang hesitated no longer and turned to retreat.

But at that moment, four palm-sized triangular yellow banners flew from the woods, piercing the ground shadows at each corner.

Instantly, Li Huowang’s feet stuck fast to the earth, unable to budge.

Only when he turned his head did he realize—those pursuing the sect had returned.

And those cultists had long since fled during his surprise attack.

“What now?” Li Huowang frowned, staring at their faces. “Do we really have to go all-in?”

If he fought to the death, Hongda would definitely recognize him. To protect his identity, he must kill them all.

Truthfully, Li Huowang didn’t want to do this. These inspectors hadn’t done anything wrong—they were merely doing their duty in hunting the evil sect.

Not yet at a point of life-or-death, he decided to try other methods first.

From his belly, rhythmic expansion and contraction began, followed by an oddly hoarse voice emerging from within. “Before I lose my temper, retreat quickly. That was merely a minor test for you to play with.”

Yet Li Huowang’s bluff failed to intimidate the five inspectors. Two of them, dressed as ascetics, circled above him, casting a net soaked in filth and blood over his head to prevent escape.

Then, the Taoist raised his official brush, gritting his teeth as he prepared to strike. His temples visibly turned white.

Just as the color from his brush touched Li Huowang’s skin, Li Huowang clenched his jaw, closed his eyes tightly, and a towering headless figure suddenly stepped in front of him—the bandit general Peng Longteng of the Four Qi!

“Watch out!! This man indeed has reinforcements!”

The unexpected appearance of the headless female general made the inspectors’ expressions turn grave, gripping their weapons as if facing an enemy.

But none reacted more drastically than the Taoist wielding the brush.

His mouth hung wide, stunned as he stared at Peng Longteng far away.

“How is this possible?! This is Zhuge Yuan’s Star Pen! How can someone still stand upright?!”