Chapter 500: Dreaming

Chapter 500: Dream

"Oh? Is that so? That’s wonderful!"

Hearing Li Huowang speak thus, Bai Lingmiao carefully received the item with both hands, her curiosity piqued as she traced the ink impressions with the tips of her fingers.

Just as Li Huowang was about to assist her in understanding some of the more difficult parts, he saw Bai Lingmiao's eyes suddenly widen in shock. "Senior Brother Li, there are voices from the east—it seems like something is approaching."

Li Huowang glanced at her and pulled back the curtain, stepping out.

Once he passed through a grove of trees, he quickly identified the source of the noise: two horse-drawn carriages fleeing in panic.

They seemed intent on driving their carriages into the forest, trying to escape something.

But clearly, they had overestimated their chances. After only a few steps, the carriages became entangled in vines and branches.

Soon after, pursuers arrived—a group of emaciated men in tattered clothes.

If one called them bandits, Li Huowang felt it wasn’t quite right; they looked more like refugees. “Wait... could these people all be from the Forgetful Dao, putting on some kind of performance for me?”

Li Huowang, invisible, stood silently pondering this question. Even if they weren’t from the Forgetful Dao, anyone could be a pawn eaten by the dice—better safe than sorry.

When he saw those ragged ruffians dragging sobbing women out of the carriages and groping them, even little girls among them, he finally decided to act.

However, to avoid falling into a trap set by the dice, Li Huowang didn’t intend to go himself. “Li Sui!”

From beside him, Li Sui removed his straw hat, revealing a dog-like face stripped of skin.

With a copper coin sword in hand, he swiftly tore open one of his tentacles, using the black viscous fluid that oozed out to draw wild calligraphy on yellow paper.

"Penetrating clarity, five energies rising, golden light swift, protect the altar, haste as commanded!"

Li Sui raised the copper coin sword through the talisman he had drawn. From beneath his large cloak emerged a body covered in tendrils, resembling a spider with countless legs, lunging toward the men.

Seeing Li Sui’s appearance now, both victims and attackers screamed in terror, scattering in all directions.

This was Li Sui’s first time acting, and clearly, he was thrilled. He chased after them eagerly while Li Huowang silently watched from behind.

He observed every detail—the subtle changes in their frightened expressions. “They’re definitely not from the Forgetful Dao. If they were just ordinary bandits or commoners, I should’ve sensed something amiss.”

Half an hour later, Li Sui returned, satisfied. “Father, they say they’re not bad people. They told me not to kill them.”

“And they also said they were forced by some sect. The sect took everything from them, leaving them homeless. So they don’t believe in the God of Yu’er anymore, which is why they resorted to stealing money to buy grain.”

Li Huowang handed him the cloak and hat. “Forced by a sect? Has the sect become this powerful that even refugees are involved?”

Looking at his son, Li Huowang said with a hint of instruction, “You can’t believe everything they say. Perhaps they really were driven into wandering by the sect, but look at how they acted just now—they weren’t merely after money.”

Taking advantage of the moment, Li Huowang thoroughly explained to Li Sui what it meant to be deceitful, so he wouldn’t be fooled again.

When they returned to the carriage, they found Bai Lingmiao sitting quietly, reading a book.

“You didn’t ask what happened over there?” Li Huowang sat beside her.

“No need. I heard everything from here,” Bai Lingmiao said. Li Huowang nodded in understanding. It was no surprise that her perception surpassed his own now.

“Let’s continue. It’s nothing serious. If they were from the Forgetful Dao, the dice wouldn’t use such a small move.”

The carriage slowly moved forward along the road, and the sky gradually darkened.

A fire was lit, and they ate some soft dry rations. Taking this rare break, Li Huowang began cultivating his cultivation techniques.

By the time he finished, dawn was near.

Li Huowang leaned against Bai Lingmiao’s lap and closed his eyes. Only in quiet nights could he truly cultivate; during the day, he usually rested in the carriage.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t cultivate on the carriage—it was just that if he did, who knew what chaotic force the innate Qi would twist the carriage and Li Sui and Miaomiao into?

As the carriage jostled gently, Li Huowang drifted off into sleep.

In a daze, he seemed to return to elementary school. He was taking a test, yet his mind was blank, unable to recall anything.

“Huowang… Huowang!”

He saw Yang Na winking at him, nudging her completed test paper toward him.

Li Huowang clasped his hands together, silently thanking her, then picked up the pen to copy.

As the tip touched the blank page, ripples spread across the paper. Within the ripples appeared his own reflection—first blurred black and white, then gradually becoming clear and colorful.

Rain poured down heavily, striking the reflection into fragments. Wet to the bone, Li Huowang quickly crouched to the ground, shielding the puddle containing his reflection.

As the ripples faded, Li Huowang smiled contentedly at his reflection.

“Li Huowang.” Hearing his own voice calling him, Li Huowang nodded and responded, “Yes, I’m here.”

“Li Huowang.” “Yes, I’m here.”

“Li Huowang.” “I’m here.”

“Li Huowang.” “I’m here!”

As Li Huowang grew more agitated, the world around him turned frantic. A flurry of shadowy figures rushed toward him, yet never reached him. He felt as though he’d forever remain trapped in the emotion of fear and urgency.

“Stop talking! I’m here!” Li Huowang, now frenzied, slammed his fists onto the reflection.

With a sound like glass shattering, the reflection cracked completely, splitting into pieces. Li Huowang fell with them.

The intense sensation of falling made him instinctively curl up like a baby, waiting for impact.

Suddenly, a large hand reached down and grabbed him.

Opening his eyes, Li Huowang found himself upside-down, clinging to someone’s hand—Zhuge Yuan’s—on the edge of a cliff.

“Brother Li! Help me!” Zhuge Yuan cried out in agony.

“Don’t let go! Don’t let go! I’ll pull you up!”

Li Huowang held on with all his strength, but despair gripped him as Zhuge Yuan’s body grew heavier.

Finally, under immense force, Zhuge Yuan plummeted into the endless abyss. “Brother Li! Help me! I’m suffering!”

“Hah!” Li Huowang sat up abruptly, gasping for breath, heart pounding.

After a while, he heard rain pattering outside the carriage window. It had started raining.

(End of Chapter)