Chapter 615: White Lotus

Chapter 615: White Lotus

Upon hearing Li Huohuang’s question, Bai Lingmiao’s face flickered with a slight hesitation. “Senior Brother Li, why would I lie to you? We’ve endured so much hardship together on this journey. How could I treat you in any way that would warrant suspicion?”

“I know, I certainly know. But even without ill intent, even if it stems from good intentions, sometimes people deceive those they are closest to. After being deceived once, one tends to overreact.”

Hearing these words, Bai Lingmiao let out a soft sigh. “Senior Brother Li, if there is anything you want to know, just ask—it will all be told to you. But can you please stop doubting me? It truly pains me.”

At this, Li Huohuang reached out gently and took her hand, drawing it closer toward him. “Are there any hidden dangers in being the Holy Maiden of the White Lotus?”

“No,” Bai Lingmiao replied softly.

“Is that so? Then why was it you who were chosen as the Holy Maiden? Did the so-called Mother of the Unborn use you as a vessel?”

At this, Bai Lingmiao looked puzzled. “Senior Brother Li, what is a vessel? The Mother of the Unborn surely doesn’t need such things, does she?”

“No! She does! As long as she holds the role of the Keeper of Fate, she definitely needs it!” Li Huohuang spoke with absolute certainty.

“Tell me everything—anything at all, no secrets! If there's a problem, we’ll face it together!”

Hearing this, Bai Lingmiao fell silent for a long while before finally speaking in a faint voice: “That day after I was taken away by Elder Lian, I met with the members of the White Lotus branch under her command.”

“They were all excited when they saw me. They said I carried the Pure Enlightenment of the Mother of the Unborn and bowed down to me in worship.”

“I initially thought they were just deceivers, but after they drew many symbols on my body, I actually felt the presence of the Mother of the Unborn.” At this point, Bai Lingmiao’s expression became devout.

“Senior Brother Li, do you know? My parents and I have always been mistaken. Believing in the Mother of the Unborn doesn’t require human sacrifice. The Mother of the Unborn is a kind deity.”

“Heh!”

Hearing this, Li Huohuang inwardly scoffed. The Mother of the Unborn probably didn’t need human sacrifices because someone else had already claimed that path, not because she was inherently good or evil.

As Li Huohuang pondered the motives behind the Mother of the Unborn, Bai Lingmiao continued: “She really is kind. She also told me that you were in trouble.”

“She also said she could teach me divine powers and even lend me the help of the White Lotus followers to save you.”

“Senior Brother Li, think about it. If the Mother of the Unborn hadn’t saved you earlier, you’d have been in deep trouble. We owe her a debt of gratitude.”

“But it was you who came to save me, not her. I owe you, not her.”

“But my power comes from the Mother of the Unborn. If she hadn’t helped me, I couldn’t have saved you either.”

Li Huohuang didn’t wish to dwell further on this matter and cut straight to the point: “Tell her that regardless of her intentions, we stand on the same side in front of the God of the Two Divinities.”

“In the face of a great enemy, we can temporarily cooperate to fight against the God of the Two Divinities. Whatever happens, we’ll sit down and talk it through after this crisis passes.”

Li Huohuang was no longer the reckless youth he once was. Even though Bai Lingmiao spoke eloquently, he knew exactly what kind of person the Keeper of Fate truly was. He simply couldn’t trust leaving Bai Lingmiao in the hands of the Mother of the Unborn.

Bai Lingmiao nodded lightly. “Fine then. But, Senior Brother Li, I feel things are going well now. I’m truly happy. My parents are living well in the Vacuum Homeland under the Mother of the Unborn.”

“When I die, I too shall return to the Vacuum Homeland and meet them again!”

Li Huohuang couldn’t hold back anymore. Just as he was about to object, Bai Lingmiao’s expression suddenly changed.

The familiar sensation made Li Huohuang pause slightly—he recognized it instantly. The Two Divinities weren’t dead!

Before Li Huohuang could speak, the Two Divinities glared at him and said sharply, “Can you please stop being so nosy? Do you enjoy seeing Miaomiao suffer in pain and despair?”

“But... but it was fake!”

“So what if it was fake? We wanted it! Besides, how do you even know it was fake? Can you really tell the difference between truth and falsehood so clearly?”

At these words, Li Huohuang stood frozen, his mind suddenly filled with countless thoughts.

After a while, seeing that Li Huohuang remained silent, Bai Lingmiao, now in her original form, said with a trace of guilt, “I... I was going to tell you that the Two Divinities are still alive—but they wouldn’t allow it.”

“To be honest, we’re not entirely different people. Though our upper halves were separated, our lower halves are connected—we’re, in a way, one person.”

“Wait, wait a minute—I suddenly have something I need to ask someone.”

Li Huohuang quickly stood up, pulled out his phone, and rushed outside.

Soon, he returned to the pond’s edge, staring at his reflection in the water with excitement. “Ji Zai! I need your help with something! Since this world is alive and reality changes constantly, is there any way you can bring back the family members of Bai Lingmiao who died?”

“I cannot.”

“Why?” Li Huohuang shouted angrily.

“First, I can’t change things directly—it would set off a chain reaction. Second, this is your karma. If I remove it, everything that follows will change, even possibly—”

“Even possibly what?”

“Very well, keep it that way.” With that, Ji Zai fell silent.

“Screw you!” Li Huohuang couldn’t help but curse again.

Truthfully, even though he knew Ji Zai was his future self, he hated him to the core, wanting nothing more than to beat him senseless.

“Senior Brother Li, what’s wrong?” Concerned, Bai Lingmiao followed him over and noticed Li Huohuang cursing at his reflection in the water. Her heart grew worried.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. My illness is truly gone,” Li Huohuang patted her shoulder.

“Really?”

“This situation is complicated. Let’s focus on the disaster refugees from Great Qi first. I sense something big is happening.”

Hearing this, Bai Lingmiao stopped questioning and nodded softly. “Alright.”

Although she feared the refugees might pose a threat to Niu Xin Village, these people were so emaciated from hunger that they lacked the strength to attack or pillage.

At least around Niu Xin Village, everything seemed peaceful.

With straw, rags, and wood brought by Niu Xin Village, the refugees built simple huts nearby.

Though crude and ugly, they at least offered shelter from the harsh winter winds.

Li Huohuang had assumed that since no one was left in Niu Xin Mountain in Great Qi, any trouble the refugees might cause would occur elsewhere.

But who could have imagined that, in the middle of the night, Li Huohuang suddenly opened his eyes.

He heard an odd sound—a very faint one, yet crystal clear. It was the sound of a wooden fish, something usually heard only in Buddhist temples.

———

Next chapter updates at 11:30 PM

(End of Chapter)