Chapter 681: Ten Emotions

Chapter 681: Ten Emotions

When Li Huowang, standing in the sea, became aware that his emotions were being manipulated by some unseen force, he shut his eyes tightly and began muttering in his mind, “No! I am not angry. I will not be angry!”

With each repetition, the raging fire of fury within him gradually calmed. But this reprieve did not last long. When he opened his eyes again, the raindrops once more fell upon them, and the surge of fury and agitation returned, refusing to dissipate.

He could think freely, yet his emotions were no longer under his control.

At this moment, the fishing people had vanished—dissolving back into the dark waters, where ghostly shadows danced beneath the surface.

Li Huowang, accompanied by Lü Xiucai, slaughtered them with wild ferocity. Yet with every life taken, the anger in his heart grew stronger, almost consuming what little rationality remained.

Li Huowang knew this was unsustainable. If he continued like this, he would soon become nothing more than a mindless, furious lunatic—completely lost.

Faced with the unknown origins of his enemy and their refusal to reveal themselves, he suppressed his rage. “This thing seems connected to water. A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. I must distance myself from it first!”

“Go! All of you, go!” Amidst the torrential rain, Li Huowang, soaked through, shouted at the group.

The fishing people attempted to block them, but clearly, their strength was insufficient to stop him.

Li Huowang’s party, horse and carriage included, fled swiftly from the shore. Gradually, their lower bodies were freed from the sea. They began heading inland toward the realm of Later Shu.

Yet even now, the wrath still clung to everyone's hearts, unrelenting.

That anger accumulated within them, constantly provoking suspicion and mistrust among companions, feeding on the worst possible assumptions.

Normally, dawn should have broken long ago, but the sky remained gray and overcast.

"Why is there still an effect? Is it still following us? Where is it?" Filled with fury, Li Huowang raised his head toward the sky, which continued to pour rain. He thrust a dagger into his thigh with all his might.

But under the influence of rage, the pain was dulled, barely felt at all.

Just then, the uncontrolled fury dissipated rapidly. Yet before Li Huowang could feel relief, a deep sorrow began to rise.

Unlike the swift flame of anger, this feeling was like black water seeping from a drain—small yet persistent.

They continued walking, new emotions gathering in their hearts, pulling forth hidden sorrows from the past.

This was something Li Huowang had never experienced before. His enemy was invisible, intangible, relying solely on those ten emotions and eight sufferings to torment them.

Memories of his own past tragedies flooded his mind, exhausting him both mentally and emotionally, leaving him unable to think clearly.

It was the same for others; even the horses pulling the cart stopped, silently weeping tears down their faces.

"Waaah… waaah… father… mother..."

Hearing the woman’s mournful cries, Li Huowang turned his head to see Yang Na curled up beside the washing machine, tears streaming endlessly.

“What’s wrong? You just spilled your water, didn’t you? Why are you so upset?” Concerned, Li Huowang knelt down carefully, watching her closely.

Yang Na shook her head gently, her tears falling as she moved it. “I… I don’t know… I just feel…”

Seeing her reaction, Li Huowang stood stunned for a second, as if understanding something.

"Nana! Is your depression coming back? What happened? Haven’t you been taking your medicine lately?"

"Ever since I’ve been with you, I’ve felt so happy. I thought..." Yang Na said, her voice breaking.

"How can you not take your medicine!" Li Huowang panicked. Mental illness without treatment was serious business. He stood up, grabbed her bag, and quickly searched through it.

After a short while, Li Huowang returned with a pill bottle, urging her anxiously, "Nana! Be good! Take your medicine! It’ll make you feel better."

"I… I don’t want to take it. Taking it makes me feel worse. I don’t want to take it… waaah!"

Overwhelmed by grief, Yang Na collapsed onto the ground, crying bitterly, helpless like a child, hardly capable of coherent thought anymore.

"Nana! Nana!" Li Huowang embraced her, holding her close. "Look at me! Don’t be afraid. I’ll take it with you!"

Saying that, he took a few pills from the bottle, chewed them, and swallowed them whole.

"This treats depression. What are you taking?" Yang Na cried louder.

Li Huowang took out more pills and placed them in his mouth without hesitation. Without a word, he leaned forward and kissed her, guiding the pills with his tongue.

When he slowly withdrew his tongue, he found Bai Lingmiao, who had been calm in his arms, now composed. Her sorrow had vanished, and her inner peace had returned.

“How are you feeling now?” Li Huowang asked softly.

Bai Lingmiao nodded slightly and suddenly looked upward. “Senior Brother Li, there’s something there!”

Li Huowang also looked up. At some point, the clouds above had grown unusually low, and thunder rumbled ominously from within.

But compared to before, he sensed a fleeting gaze—*they were here again*!

“Finally found you!” Li Huowang’s expression twisted into a snarl. A fire ignited in his chest—not controlled, but his own emotion.

Peng Longteng appeared beside him, grabbing him and hurling him toward the low clouds.

Bai Lingmiao flung her sleeves wide, wrapping two strips of white silk around Li Huowang’s feet and following him up.

In the darkness of the storm clouds, Li Huowang couldn’t see anything, but Bai Lingmiao’s spiritual sight proved invaluable. She acted as his eyes, leading him closer to the enemy.

As Peng Longteng tossed him higher and higher, Li Huowang passed through thick layers of rain. Suddenly, the world cleared before him—a translucent object made of white smoke and incense coils spiraled in midair.

It wasn’t a dragon—certainly not one like the dragons in Li Huowang’s memory.

With another powerful toss from Peng Longteng, Li Huowang was sent flying. The smoke creature didn’t dodge—it allowed him to pass right through its body.

“Again!” As Peng Longteng caught Li Huowang’s left foot and hurled him once more, Li Huowang tightly closed his eyes. “I can reach it. I can touch that beast!”

In the next instant, he felt a collision with something soft—like cotton. Without hesitation, he raised his sword and plunged it forward.

“Die!”

A splash. Viscous fluid, thick and strange, burst across his face, accompanied by long tendrils.

(End of Chapter)