Chapter 518: Ao Jing

Chapter 518: The Aojing

"Golden Lung!"

With a grotesque expression, Li Huowang seized his own lungs and tore them out with brutal force, hurling them toward the *Great Thousand Records* lying on the ground.

With a roar from Li Huowang, the waning crescent moon in the sky was swiftly shrouded by dark clouds, making the colossal Buddha statue built upon the mountain appear as though it had closed its eyes.

"Wooden Liver!"

The guards who rushed to Li Huowang's side suddenly collapsed, their bodies writhing in agonizing screams.

Zu Yi, who had just arrived beside Li Huowang, was filled with shock. "It’s... it’s the Five Elements of Leap Year!"

The artifact forged from the entire hide of Xin Su could not only save lives—it could also unleash powerful sacrificial arts that were meant to be used but once.

The blood-red bamboo slips transformed into writhing, flesh-colored worms, burrowing through Li Huowang’s scars and entering his body, some even climbing onto Li Sui’s tentacles.

Once all the emptiness within him was filled, Li Huowang, exhausted both mentally and physically, finally let out a long breath. The pain in his body vanished.

He slowly raised himself up, gazing calmly at the Aojing cultists standing amidst the roaring flames. “Come at me.”

Now the situation had completely reversed. As Li Huowang walked toward Zu Yi, the burning Zu Yi began retreating slowly.

Gradually, their movements grew faster—the chase began, with Li Huowang pursuing and Zu Yi fleeing.

When he saw the princess standing still, Zu Yi quickly shouted a warning.

"Princess, beware! This man has unleashed Aojing sect secrets! He is invincible for a short time! And do not engage him in close combat! Watch out for the worms on his body!"

"Hmph!" The princess frowned, her face cold. She tilted her chin slightly, and several black shadows whistled past her, flying toward Li Huowang at lightning speed.

Li Huowang didn’t even try to dodge. One of the shadows pierced straight through him, leaving a large hole—only to be instantly filled by the flesh-colored worms.

"Li Sui! Come here!!"

As Li Huowang gritted his teeth and charged toward the princess, Li Sui quickly pulled out yellow paper and wrote two talismans, pressing them onto his two thickest tentacles.

Those tentacles instantly swelled, then snapped forward with tremendous force, launching Li Huowang like an arrow toward the princess atop the roof.

The princess waved her sleeves frantically, her silk ribbons dancing around her, forming a constantly shifting three-dimensional magical formation.

But Li Huowang paid no attention. With one hand gripping the spine sword, he slashed fiercely. Then, Li Sui’s tentacles whipped violently, sending the worms flying toward the princess.

When she saw the rift easily sever her ribbons and felt the worms crawling through, the princess’s expression turned grave. The opponent’s strength had risen drastically in an instant.

She quickly wrapped a ribbon around the tall seven-tiered bronze cauldron behind her and, pulling hard, floated backward gracefully.

Just as the worms were about to follow, they were blocked by a wall of burning golden fluid.

"Princess! We must use delay tactics! If we can hold out until the Five Elements of Leap Year ends, this man will die for sure!" Zu Yi, a member of the Aojing sect, explained to the princess.

"Such a nuisance. Since so, you stay behind and block him while I return to the palace."

The princess had barely lifted her foot when Li Huowang stood before her. “Want to run? After all the cost I’ve paid, you still want to escape?”

With his teeth cracked, Li Huowang thrust his chest forward, tearing open his ribs like blooming petals. The writhing worms burst forth like scattered flowers, covering the princess.

Feeling imminent danger, the princess’s gold-threaded sachet opened on its own, releasing clouds of mist to block the worms.

The royal guards from the Empress Dowager also arrived, joining Zu Yi in attacking Li Huowang.

But facing Li Huowang in his Five Elements transformation, they were no match. One by one, they fell. Gradually, Li Huowang gained the upper hand, and the princess began to bleed.

Soon, the moment of death loomed. Everyone fought desperately for survival.

"Grand Master!!" A shout brought everyone to a halt, all turning to look.

An old man rode a blue ox, dressed simply with a bamboo hat and holding a fishing rod, walking slowly to the center of the battlefield.

Li Huowang stared intently at the man’s face—he had seen him before. This was truly the Grand Master of the Great Liang state from the imperial temple. His mind raced with thoughts.

"Grand Master! Save me!!" Tears fell from the princess’s eyes, her disheveled appearance making her look pitiful in the firelight.

Huangfu Tiangang entered the battle with a blank expression. He glanced at the now unrecognizable Li Huowang and then at the pitiful princess, suddenly understanding what had happened.

With a light pat on the ox’s back, the beast quickened its pace, gradually withdrawing from the battlefield.

"Grand Master! It’s me! You used to carry me!"

As Li Huowang watched his back, he heard a weary, aged voice.

"Sigh... time changes everything. Better sooner than later. Better sooner than later."

At the moment the ox disappeared into the night, Li Huowang was about to act when a stream of burning golden fluid splashed directly onto the unsuspecting princess’s face. "Aaaahhh!!"

Li Huowang looked at the unexpected traitor among the Aojing cultists, said nothing, and rushed toward the screaming princess.

Zu Yi’s betrayal was the final straw. Under the combined assault, the wounded princess soon fell.

In her clear, translucent pupils, Li Huowang’s terrifying figure was reflected. He drew closer and closer, until he reached out with his right hand and picked up the headless corpse lying on the ground.

After the worms had bored holes throughout the skull, confirming death, Li Huowang tossed the skull aside and looked toward the extinguished Aojing cultists nearby.

"Zu Yi greets the Elder Ancestor," Zu Yi respectfully bowed to Li Huowang.

"You call him Elder Ancestor now? Didn’t you call him that just moments ago?" Li Huowang sneered, eyeing the malformed, charred remains before him.

Zu Yi said nothing, merely retreating quickly.

Li Huowang did not pursue. The pain inside his body was growing stronger—the time for the Five Elements of Leap Year had passed.

"Li Sui, let’s go," Li Huowang walked in the opposite direction.

An incense stick later, only a hollow shell remained of Li Huowang, leaning against a tree with no life left.

From his belly emerged a palm-sized piece of human skin, rapidly swelling under Li Sui’s gaze.

(End of Chapter)