Chapter 667: Become Stronger

Chapter 667: Growing Stronger

“Could it be that by bidding farewell to the lotus, I can become stronger?” Li Sui, still somewhat bewildered, walked over and mimicked them.

Yet after some time, Li Sui felt no change in herself, and she grew disheartened.

Just then, a tiny centipede crawled past her, preparing to follow the white lotus believer’s pant leg into the darkness.

Li Sui's skirt rose rapidly, and a dog-headed creature with its skin stripped suddenly burst out. Its sharp fangs clashed together as it bit down on the centipede, violently shaking its head.

Watching the centipede crumble beneath its sharp teeth, Li Sui suddenly understood how to grow stronger. In the past, she had always followed her father’s footsteps, learning what he learned.

But now, she realized that she was not her father. What he could do, she couldn’t; but what she could do, he couldn’t.

“Am I Li Sui or a steamed bun?” she didn’t want to dwell on this question. Instead, she focused on her unique ability.

Her body had fused with the steamed bun, granting her its fangs and claws. Could she become even stronger if she fused with other things?

The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Her father had always said that the Black Tai Sui was born to possess others—it was an instinct.

With that in mind, Li Sui no longer bothered to kneel. She stood up and hurried into the forest to scout for a suitable host.

There weren’t many options in the woods, and even fewer that could enhance her strength through possession. Fortunately, she had recently encountered one.

As daylight broke, Bai Lingmiao waited for Li Huowang to return for breakfast when a bear-panda covered in tentacles lumbered forward with earth-shaking steps from the forest.

“Protect the Holy Maiden!”

Bai Lingmiao stepped out of the believers’ protective circle, gazing upward in astonishment at the towering mountain of flesh before her. “Sui Sui?”

The bear opened its mouth, revealing Li Sui’s cheerful face. “Mother! How did you know it was me? I thought you wouldn’t guess. Mother, look how much meat I have—I’m so powerful!”

Saying that, Li Sui controlled the body, walking over to a large tree and wrapping her thick claws around it, shaking it vigorously.

Dirt flew everywhere. When she felt the roots loosen, she gripped the trunk tightly and yanked hard, pulling the entire tree from the ground. “Mother! Look! My strength is real! Am I not powerful now?!”

Li Sui wasn’t just excited by her newfound strength—she had found a way to grow stronger.

Her ability to possess others was innate. If she possessed someone strong, she could borrow their power.

Not only could she possess bears, but in the future, if she possessed even stronger beings, she would be able to better protect her father.

“Alright, alright, I get it—you’re powerful. Now take off that bear hide quickly. You’ve dirtied your new clothes again by crawling inside its belly.”

“Mother, I’m not inside its belly—I *am* the bear!”

At that moment, both Bai Lingmiao and the white lotus cultists on guard sensed a strange tugging sensation deep within the forest.

It was as if the entire world had turned into a piece of cloth, and someone had suddenly pulled it sharply.

“Father?” Li Sui asked doubtfully in that direction.

After a while, Li Huowang, smiling, emerged from the forest. Around him, bushes and tree branches twisted and collapsed, clearing a path for him.

“I’ve reached the abdominal wheel! My cultivation has advanced further!” Li Huowang announced the good news to Bai Lingmiao.

“Brother Li, this time so fast?! We haven’t even reached Qingqiu yet!” Having spent so long with him, Bai Lingmiao naturally understood what this meant.

According to Brother Li, cultivation had seven stages, and each stage brought a greater enhancement in power.

“I don’t know why this time was so fast. Perhaps I just have a special talent,” Li Huowang mused. Since they were heading to Qingqiu to help fight the Dao Sect, his cultivation needed to be as strong as possible.

The stronger his cultivation, the faster and simpler his results, and the longer they would last.

While explaining more to Bai Lingmiao, he noticed Li Sui hiding inside the bear. “Sui Sui, what are you doing?”

“Father, you’ve gotten stronger! But look! I’ve become strong too—I can help you now!” Li Sui said excitedly, explaining to Li Huowang.

Taking the porridge Bai Lingmiao offered, Li Huowang sat down to drink while listening. But as soon as he took a bite of the rabbit meat porridge, his expression suddenly darkened.

Though the porridge was cooked perfectly and looked delicious, there was no taste at all.

To rule out it being just him, Li Huowang passed the bowl to Bai Lingmiao. “Try it.”

Bai Lingmiao licked her tongue lightly and frowned slightly. “Strange. I definitely added salt. Why does it taste nothing?”

“Not just salt—no meat flavor, no rice flavor either. This is a disaster!” Li Huowang looked up at the sky, his brow furrowed, wondering what was happening in Baiyujing.

A disaster was never good—it meant the heavens had changed, or perhaps the celestial steward had problems.

“Brother Li, it’s true! Not only can’t we taste anything, but our noses can’t smell a thing either!” Bai Lingmiao said in shock, revealing her major discovery.

Hearing this, Li Huowang began conducting tests. Whether this was good or bad, the disaster had only affected taste and smell.

Temporarily losing these two senses wasn’t terrifying—but what if this was just the beginning?

After all, Ji Zai was also a celestial steward. If someone seized Ji Zai’s heavenly mandate, the troubles that had vanished would return!

The fate of Doumu had already shown him—stewards could die too!

“Could this be related to Yu’er Shen’s expanding influence? Is he possessing the heavenly mandate of other stewards?” Li Huowang pondered silently.

He didn’t know which celestial mandate governed taste or smell, nor whether any people worshipped that steward.

“Let’s go—hurry! Reach Qingqiu as soon as possible!” Since the Heavenly Watchers existed to prevent disasters, they must know something.

Since Ji Zai was useless, he could only find answers from them.

Li Huowang didn’t know how much he could contribute in this catastrophe, but all he could do now was give everything he had.

“Yeeeh! Yeeeh!!” The carriage galloped away on horseback, leaving behind a trail of yellow smoke.

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Next chapter updates at 11:30 PM

(End of Chapter)