Chapter 738: Zuowang Dao

Chapter 738: The Path of Sitting and Forgetting

Li Huowang stared at Hong Zhong before him, pausing in place, lost in thought.

If he wanted to make the other party agree to his terms again, it wasn't particularly difficult; he only needed to go through the exact same process as before.

Yet, despite how smoothly Hong Zhong had spoken previously, Hong Zhong was still of the Path of Sitting and Forgetting, leaving a lingering thread of doubt in his mind.

Even with the prior version of Hong Zhong, he had always harbored reservations, never knowing what hidden designs the man might have against him.

Since this fellow had conveniently reset, why not seize the opportunity to test this version of the Sitting and Forgetting Li Huowang?

Even if the man saw through it, it wouldn't matter; an hour from now, he would remember absolutely nothing.

With that thought, Li Huowang fixed a flat gaze on Hong Zhong's fractured, crumbling face and asked, "Hong Zhong, can you answer me a question? Why did you run the moment you saw me just now? Is my image in your mind really that terrible?"

Hearing Li Huowang's inquiry, Hong Zhong offered a mocking smile. "Heh, what do you think? Did you honestly believe your image in others' minds was... good?"

"Stop deceiving yourself. If you had a choice, you wouldn't even want to be in the same room as Li Huowang."

At those words, Li Huowang's brow gradually knitted tight. "Don't forget, you are also Li Huowang."

"Hahaha, precisely. I am Li Huowang too, which is exactly why I loathe myself. When boredom strikes, I even lie to myself."

Those were hardly comforting words. Li Huowang paused a moment before pressing further, "Which is to say, even if I genuinely want to help you, you still won't trust me?"

Hong Zhong chuckled. "You speak of genuine intent, but do you dare trust it? If you don't trust me, why on earth should I trust you?"

At that point, he added another line, "Zhuge Yuan didn't believe it either."

Hearing this, Li Huowang's molars ground tightly together; he instantly understood the thoughts of the previous Hong Zhong.

Perhaps that version would indeed have carried out the task, but conversely, he undoubtedly harbored his own covert calculations.

After weighing the options for a brief moment, Li Huowang looked back at Hong Zhong. "Don't speak with such absolute certainty. The previous you was willing to cooperate with me."

"What did you say to the previous me? Say it out loud so I can hear it." Hong Zhong propped up his upper body.

"Fine, let's talk as we walk. I'll repeat everything that happened before, and you can judge for yourself whether I am deceiving you."

With that, Li Huowang began to explain rapidly. He dared not delay; once the hour elapsed, this fellow would likely remember nothing once more.

This time Hong Zhong did not flee; he walked beside Li Huowang, listening in silence.

Once he fully grasped the ins and outs of the situation, a look of sudden realization dawned on Hong Zhong's face, and he nodded. "Oh! So that's how it is. You should have said so earlier."

"Would saying it earlier have mattered? You fled instantly. How was I supposed to tell you?"

Just as Li Huowang spoke, the Intermediate Shade Temple appeared in the distance, hanging upside down from the ceiling.

"Well?" Li Huowang turned to Hong Zhong. "Since you understand Li Huowang, you should also understand that I am not lying to you right now."

"Though you already made a choice once, since you are a fresh version, I am letting you choose again. What I want to say is, cooperating with me is far better than waiting here like an idiot."

"Heh, that's not necessarily true. Who knows, maybe one day Doumu will rise again, and then I can return too."

"No need to repeat yourself. You said those exact words an hour ago. If you're still saying them now, then your inner thoughts are identical to the last Hong Zhong's."

"Is that so? Heh." Hong Zhong scratched his head. "Alright then, my choice is the same as last time."

"Then let's move quickly. The next hour is fast approaching, and I truly have no desire to repeat these cyclical words a third time."

As Li Huowang spoke, he led Hong Zhong toward the Intermediate Shade Temple, his mind already firmly made up.

Upon arriving beside the temple, Li Huowang finally heard that droning, buzzing sound of the prayer wheel once more.

Though Hong Zhong could not enter the Intermediate Shade Temple on his own, Li Huowang could drag him in by sheer force.

Their bodies began to stretch into long, distorted ribbons, ultimately vanishing into the prayer wheel held by the mummified lama amidst the buzzing noise.

When Li Huowang opened his eyes again, he could distinctly sense that the people surrounding him had collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Huowang reached out and gently patted the head of Li Sui, who had stepped up to him, as his mind raced to process his thoughts.

Very quickly, he felt an extra segment of memory flood his consciousness—a lifetime of memories stretching from childhood to becoming the Sitting and Forgetting card, Hong Zhong. This was the precise sequence of memories that Doumu had once forced into his brain.

With these intact, the cultivation methods for the false arts were naturally present as well.

Recalling this, Li Huowang breathed a sigh of relief; regardless of the twists and turns, the outcome was barely acceptable.

"Thank you for your assistance, Masters."

Li Huowang offered his gratitude to the mummified lamas, yet they returned no words, turning away with cold indifference.

Evidently, the minor tricks Li Huowang had employed earlier had been seen through by them; the proper hour had not actually vanished.

"Dad, are you alright? You really died just now, you scared me to death," Li Sui asked anxiously.

"I'm fine. It won't happen again." Li Huowang patted her head, turning to walk out of the Intermediate Shade Temple.

As he made his way out of the city, Li Huowang could not wait to begin leafing through the memories of the Path of Sitting and Forgetting, searching for the false cultivation methods.

"To sit is to move. To forget is to think. Without sitting, one ceases their labor; without forgetting, one rests their thoughts. When labor ceases, the spirit grows tranquil. When thoughts rest, the mind finds peace..."

As Hong Zhong, he now possessed the vast majority of the techniques the Path of Sitting and Forgetting cultivated from childhood, even including the Deceptive Heaven Inherent Mantra used to summon Doumu. Yet, possessing them did not mean they could be used.

Li Huowang wiped a hand across his face, attempting to alter his features, yet nothing changed upon his countenance.

He let out a soft sigh; originally, he had been able to use the divine abilities of Sitting and Forgetting because Doumu had directly infused them into him.

Now that Doumu had fallen, everything from before had been stripped away.

Even though he had found Hong Zhong's memories, all the divine abilities and techniques of the Path of Sitting and Forgetting would have to be cultivated from scratch.

However, Li Huowang did not care much about this; the direct combat capability of the Path of Sitting and Forgetting was inherently lacking anyway. He had never expected their techniques to assist him in confronting the Dharma Sect.

His Reality Cultivation abilities were already sufficient for that purpose.

His sole purpose in integrating this memory was merely to balance his Reality Cultivation; he truly did not wish to endure the exceptionally severe backlash of that power for a single moment longer.

"Let me see..." Leaving the Intermediate Shade Temple, Li Huowang casually seated himself at a nearby teahouse and began searching for the rudimentary techniques of Sitting and Forgetting.

Yet, as he gazed upon the "Scripture of Deception" within his mind, Li Huowang fell into a profound silence.

The initial stages of Sitting and Forgetting did not explain how to refine energy or circulate power; instead, they demanded that one first learn how to be a true liar.

(End of Chapter)