Chapter 740: Zuowang Dao

Chapter 740: The Way of Forgetfulness

Upon hearing Liu Wan mention it, Li Huowang's attention was fully captured by the highest figure in the Way of Forgetfulness. "I pray you enlighten me—how did he become the Dice Master?"

"Because he completely swindled an entire small nation," Liu Wan replied, his hands behind his back, eyes gleaming with longing. "Look at that—it's as if the whole country was fooled by him. Truly, no wonder he's the leader of the Dice."

"If he could deceive Great Liang, wouldn't he be able to pull the Doumu Celestial Lord from his seat and take it for himself?"

In the midst of Liu Wan’s reverie, a solemn mansion materialized before them. "There it is."

"How do we go about deceiving them?" Li Huowang asked, his expression growing tense.

Liu Wan appraised his Daoist robe and chuckled. With a flick of his wrist, the disheveled beggar transformed into a dignified old Daoist, grinning as he strode forward. "Go by the situation."

Seeing the servants blocking their path, Liu Wan didn’t even glance at them, his face filled with concern and urgency. "Your lady master has been possessed today. If you want her to live, don’t stand in our way. Quickly bring us to see her!"

The servant hesitated slightly, unsure how this man knew so much.

"Move aside! We're from the Observing Heaven Bureau! What are you still doing here?!" Liu Wan pushed him hard, sending him flying off the ground and pinning him against the wall.

With that, Liu Wan led Li Huowang into the house.

Whether or not Liu Wan’s authority from the Observing Heaven Bureau worked, they made it smoothly to the inner courtyard.

As soon as they entered, they saw a door covered in talismans, surrounded by onlookers.

"Make way!" Liu Wan shoved through the crowd and stepped inside.

Li Huowang had barely entered when he saw a girl bound to a bed, trembling in terror.

Others in the room appeared to be her family, all hearts heavy with worry and pain.

"It's bad! The ghostly soul has entered her heart!" Liu Wan rushed to the bedside, pulling out a trident-shaped divine bell from his robes and shaking it vigorously around the girl.

"Everyone stay calm. We are from the Observing Heaven Bureau. Your daughter will be fine soon," Li Huowang added, following Liu Wan’s lead.

"Thank heavens! You’ve come, sages! Please save my daughter!"

Seeing the distressed family believe him, Li Huowang was about to add more when a towering man with a fierce glint in his eyes stepped forward. "From the Observing Heaven Bureau? Show me your badge."

Looking up at the man who towered over him by two heads, Li Huowang nodded calmly and reached into his robes.

Just as he touched something and began to pull it out, a voice came from the bed. "My disciple, come quickly! Aid your master!"

Hearing this, Li Huowang’s face darkened. He turned swiftly and ran behind Liu Wan, quickly forming hand seals and chanting. Then, he pressed his palms onto Liu Wan’s back.

At the touch, Liu Wan suddenly seemed reinvigorated, veins bulging on his forehead.

He pulled out a red cord wrapped in yellow talismans and flicked his finger. The cord flew through the air and attached itself between the girl’s hair strands.

"Divine Treasure Celestial Lord, comfort the soul of this disciple! Azure Dragon, White Tiger, attend the form! Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise guard the body!"

As he finished the incantation, the girl’s eyes rolled back, and her body trembled violently, as though something was trying to escape.

Suddenly, he pulled out a bronze coin tower and placed it between the red cords. A white light flowed along the cords into the tower, and the tiny bells at its edge began to ring fiercely.

"My disciple, catch the tower! Her soul is protected by this tower—do not move it!" Liu Wan tossed the red cord to Li Huowang.

Once Li Huowang held the tower, Liu Wan dragged the girl, now emitting black smoke, away.

As the red cord stretched longer, both figures disappeared, leaving only Li Huowang clutching the tower and the trembling red cord hanging in midair.

The others inside watched anxiously, eyes fixed on Li Huowang and the tower in his hands.

They had all heard—it protected their daughter’s soul. Under their gaze, Li Huowang couldn’t move a muscle, waiting silently for Liu Wan to return.

Time passed slowly. As the sound of the tower’s bells grew fainter, everyone grew anxious.

Seeing Li Huowang’s worried expression, none dared ask questions, fearing they might disrupt the young master’s concentration.

"Master!! Master, something terrible has happened!!" A panting servant burst into the room.

"Master, that old Daoist has run far away. When he exited the city gate, he yanked the red cord from the young miss and vanished into the woods! We couldn’t catch up even on horseback!"

"What?!" Just as the family was stunned, the girl’s family fainted dead away. Everyone then turned to Li Huowang, who still held the tower.

Looking into their gazes, Li Huowang released the tower and lifted it. Inside, there was nothing.

Li Huowang immediately understood the trick—the man had lied from the start. He never intended to cooperate.

He brought Li Huowang here to calm the people and keep him behind, using him merely as a tool.

Surrounded by people three layers deep, Li Huowang smiled slightly. "Don’t worry."

With that, he tore off his youthful face, revealing a girl’s face beneath.

When the girl fainted upon seeing the family, Liu Wan had already traveled fifty li away. Laughing wildly, he imagined the look on the boy’s face when he realized he’d been duped—and tears streamed down his cheeks.

"You little fool, remember this in your next life! We are the Way of Forgetfulness! There are no rules of seniors guiding juniors! The rule of the Way of Forgetfulness is one: getting tricked means you deserve it!! Hahaha!"

"Liu Wan senior, isn’t that girl just Yisintuo? Why are you so delighted?" Li Huowang’s voice came from within his robes. "What?"

Liu Wan, holding the girl, barely reacted when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He threw the girl aside and looked down to find a demon-subduing mace piercing through his torso.

Then, raising his head again, he was shocked to see the girl had peeled off her skin, revealing Li Huowang’s face underneath.