Chapter 749: Scheme

Chapter 749: Calculations

The four figures holding umbrellas stood so close together that if the one in front did not step forward, the one behind would immediately stumble.

Their strange behavior, coupled with their four tattered black umbrellas, made them seem like a single entity—a bizarre mushroom whose base was fused but whose cap had split open.

Li Huowang had never seen such attire among the followers of the Daoist sect before. A growing sense of unease filled his heart, for he could feel no gaze directed toward him from these four men.

Just as Li Huowang thought they might say something to him, the shadows of all the faithful suddenly converged upon him, forming a massive, black-smoking edict on the ground larger than a house, centered around him.

As soon as the edict appeared, dark clouds rolled across the sky. The daylight quickly faded, turning nearly night-like.

Feeling the atmosphere so thick it seemed to solidify the air, Li Huowang knew this would be a hard battle. The sect must have long been prepared for his arrival, having set up an ambush.

From the moment he took away the Stone of Mount Tai, the sect had already marked him as a thorn in their side.

With resolute eyes, Li Huowang slowly drew a deep breath. Peng Longteng, wielding a giant halberd, gradually emerged behind him.

Just when the tension reached its peak and Li Huowang was ready to fight to the death, Xuan Pin’s figure, draped in red robes, rose from the earth.

"Stay still. I'll take you out of here."

Xuan Pin whispered to Li Huowang. Six shriveled hands with long fingernails extended from beneath the red robe. They began performing hand seals and chanting spells.

The six hands worked in perfect coordination, forming seals that Li Huowang couldn’t understand, and the incantations Xuan Pin spoke were equally incomprehensible.

“ꃚꃶꄖꄲꅍꇐꇴꈐꈬꅤꆓꆭꉂꋆꋣꋿꌠꊤꌾꍗꎊ....”

What Li Huowang could see, however, was a grove of emerald bamboo trees spinning rapidly at the edge of his vision like a painting, enveloping the entire Daoist sect surrounding him.

When they arrived within the green forest, the outside world brightened again. The tension vanished instantly. What had just been a life-threatening situation now felt like a distant memory.

Li Huowang glanced at Xuan Pin in surprise. He had to admit, this guy was surprisingly reliable—finally feeling like he had an ally.

"What kind of divine power is that? It's too convenient! Just think about escaping and you can run anytime. But why didn't you need to chant last time, yet now you do?"

Xuan Pin turned around, looking at Li Huowang with complexity. "No comment. Since you say I love keeping secrets, do you really think I’d teach you?"

Hearing this, Li Huowang’s high opinion of him dropped significantly. To speak so openly without even trying to hide it...

But remembering how he had saved him just now, Li Huowang refrained from voicing his dissatisfaction. “Who were those guys with the umbrellas? They looked pretty tough.”

Xuan Pin raised three fingers on his left hand and calculated quickly. “Don’t know. At least I can’t tell.”

“You don’t know?” Li Huowang frowned deeply. This man was clearly very difficult to deal with—and more troubling still, he was now under surveillance.

He could be ambushed by the sect at any moment. From now on, he'd have to act even more secretly.

But this wasn’t a permanent solution. There was no such thing as always being the thief or always being the guard.

"You don’t need to worry about the sect’s ambushes. I have something for you to do. Once completed, the sect’s foundation in Siqi will be completely destroyed."

Upon hearing this, Li Huowang slowly turned his head toward Xuan Pin, waiting for him to continue.

"All the scouts we sent have died. However, the lama from Zhongyin Temple recalled his soul. The information in the Stone of Mount Tai was correct—the sect is planning something big."

"They want to gather us all together, then sacrifice us to heaven and gods in one fell swoop."

"Hmph!" Li Huowang snorted coldly. "How lovely of them!"

"No matter what they’re thinking, since we know now, we must find a way to ruin their plans. My idea is to turn their own trick against them."

"Oh? Go ahead."

"I won’t tell anyone below. We’ll proceed according to the sect’s plan. I’ll make sure there’s a big commotion."

"When the sect’s attention is fully drawn, you’ll strike where they least expect it, leading your people to destroy their scheme."

"Me? You came all this way just to save me so I could do this?" Li Huowang pointed at his chest with his finger.

"What? Don’t want to go? Didn’t you once dream of saving the people from disaster?"

"I definitely do. But I always feel like you're using me as a pawn again."

Li Huowang frowned slightly. He sensed some concealment in Xuan Pin’s words, and this wasn’t the first time the man had done this.

Xuan Pin retracted his six hands. "A pawn? We both want to defeat the sect."

"Really? Then tell me, what are *you* doing to defeat the sect? Why force me to do it instead of going yourself?"

"Sigh. I’m no longer as powerful as you. After living so long, I still can’t match the young. Truly humbling."

"Don’t give me that nonsense. You’re hiding something, aren’t you? Fine, then I won’t do it. Go find someone else to do it!"

Li Huowang turned to leave the bamboo grove.

Just as he was about to exit, Xuan Pin’s voice rang out from behind. "Wait."

His tone grew stern.

Li Huowang stopped walking.

"Do you really think I haven’t told you because I should? Do you think I should have told you?"

Li Huowang turned back to face Xuan Pin. "Why not?"

"Others who know are only aware. But knowing you means you may influence things in unpredictable ways."

"Is it because I’m the heart of Ji Zai? Or because of my cultivation abilities?" Facing Li Huowang’s question, Xuan Pin said nothing.

"Tell me what you can tell me. Give me a general idea! Otherwise, I’ll suspect that while I’m risking my life fighting outside, you lot are scheming behind my back!"

Xuan Pin hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. "We’re helping."

"Helping whom?"

"The ones below are fighting, and naturally, the ones above are too. Do you remember what I once said to you? Why not solve problems at their source?"

Li Huowang’s pupils contracted sharply. "You can get involved in Baiyu Jing? You can contact those Commanders of Fate? You can help them?"

(End of Chapter)