Chapter 787: Believed

Chapter 787: Believed It

The surging river water poured down ceaselessly, sweeping across the battlefield. Whether it was warhorses or chariots, not to mention the formations of the soldiers, all were swept away by the floodwaters, their previous overwhelming aura of deadly energy quickly dispersed by the might of nature.

Yet among this chaos, one thing remained untouched—the towering figure of the abbot Chan Du, whose colossal double-faced Bodhisattva made of blood and flesh rose several zhang high from the river.

Standing in the water, only his upper body was visible. From beneath the surface, a massive hand of flesh and blood reached up and lifted Li Huowang into its grasp.

At that moment, Li Huowang paid no attention to what was happening around him. He was focused on the revolving mirror in his hands, trying to see what had transpired behind him.

Soon, he withdrew his hand from the mirror, his face darkening with rage. “These lunatics actually dug through the levee!”

With rivers already abundant in the area, the breach caused by the sect’s damming had flooded the entire battlefield, washing away the recent advantage held by the allied forces.

As for how many people would die downstream due to the uncontrollable rush of water, clearly, the sect did not consider such matters.

Just then, the great blood-flesh Guanyin staggered suddenly, as if about to fall. The faces of both abbots darkened at once. “Beware—there is an enemy attack in the water!”

Hearing this, Li Huowang, who stood upon the giant palm, hurriedly moved to the edge and peered into the water. But aside from the murky yellow stream, nothing else could be seen.

Rain continued to fall from the sky, striking Li Huowang's reflection again and again, shattering it into fragments.

A black rope suddenly emerged from the water, hooking around Li Huowang’s neck and pulling him down.

“What the hell is this!” Li Huowang grabbed hold of it with one hand, preventing its escape. Then, with a wide mouth open, dozens of tentacles from Li Sui shot into the water, chasing after the enemy.

When the tentacles dragged the creature back, Li Huowang saw a strange-looking being. It resembled a monkey, yet its eyes were white and round like fish eyes, and there seemed to be gills behind its ears.

“A water monkey?”

Li Huowang had encountered a water monkey before while aboard a ship, but this one was completely different. If anything distinguished them, it was that this one appeared more sinister and deranged.

Li Huowang had barely finished speaking when the giant Guanyin lost balance entirely, toppling headlong into the yellow water. “There are more than just these little demons in the water! Master Li, beware! The things down there are much larger!”

As soon as Chan Du spoke those words, a splash echoed as cold river water engulfed Li Huowang’s whole body.

Countless tentacles burst out from various parts of his body, flailing rapidly, restoring his ability to move underwater.

No matter what lay beneath the water, it was their domain. Li Huowang had no intention of staying here to fight them.

With a sudden motion, his tentacles whipped downward, propelling him toward the surface.

But just as his hands touched the water, attempting to rise, he found himself unable to escape—he felt trapped beneath the yellow water.

No matter how hard he pushed, even if he raised the surface high above him, he could not break free.

“This is just the surface—I can get out! I absolutely can get out!!” Li Huowang pressed his palms against the water, muttering incantations under his breath.

Just as his hands passed through the surface, joy surged within him—his cultivation was working!

Suddenly, countless eyes shot up from below.

Li Huowang lowered his head sharply and saw four figures standing in the muddy yellow river. Three of them he didn’t recognize, but Ruchou’s four umbrellas were unmistakable.

Clearly, these were here for him. Whoever won or lost, it mattered not—so long as he was captured, they had won.

Xuan Pin was dead. Now, it was his turn.

“I’ll get out! I can get out!” Li Huowang stretched his arms toward the surface.

But just as his forearm broke the surface, a flash of cold light struck. His arms were severed cleanly. His hands, still attached to his forearms, swayed in the murky water as blood flowed down.

On the left side of the four shadowy figures, a long, elongated black shape opened its mouth and swallowed both of Li Huowang’s arms.

With nowhere to retreat, Li Huowang looked at the water below, his two severed arms slowly lifting. Blood flowed from the wounds, diluting in the river.

Two black tentacles emerged from the gaps, and his expression twisted into one of fury. He lunged forward without hesitation. “Let me see what you’re made of!”

The four shadows in the water scattered instantly, rushing back toward him.

As they approached, dense bubbles covered his face, and a stone mask wrapped in aquatic plants crashed into his face.

As Li Huowang watched, the face beneath the mask gradually merged with the stone, turning into rock and sinking into the depths.

At that moment, his legs suddenly spread apart, as if pulled by something unseen, stretching longer and longer. A cracking sound rang out—his bones broke. If pulled further, he’d be torn apart!

Li Sui’s tentacles, holding the Purple Spike Sword, emerged from within Li Huowang’s body and slashed at his legs—but nothing touched him.

“It’s not a stealthy creature—it’s the water itself! This water is alive!”

In the next instant, a piercing scream of flesh tearing apart filled the air. Li Huowang’s legs were ripped off his body.

“Pfft!” A closed umbrella suddenly appeared from somewhere, plunging straight into his chest.

As the umbrella prepared to open and tear him apart, Li Huowang tightly wrapped his tentacles around the canopy, stopping it.

Yet this resistance seemed futile. More of the sect’s sorcerers surrounded him.

Looking into the cracked bone ash jar where the single eye glowed, Li Huowang suddenly laughed—a loud, hearty laugh.

“If you knew you were watching me to kill me, how could we not have been prepared? What? Did I fake it well enough? Hahahaha! You actually believed it!”

“You thought you were setting a trap for me? In fact, we were setting one for you! Didn’t you notice that Chan Du is gone? I was just bait—to lure you in!”

Upon hearing this, the sect’s sorcerers in the water grew tense, scanning the surroundings, wary of any hidden tricks.

Seeing their reactions, Li Huowang’s mouth widened further, and he laughed aloud in the water, tears streaming down his face.

“Hahahaha! I tricked you! You actually believed it again!!! Hahahaha!!!”

(End of Chapter)