Chapter 797: Helper

Chapter 797: A Helper

Listening to Sheng Benyou’s explanation about the Lion Dance Palace, Li Huowang’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the wall of faces before him, and the white tassels that separated each one.

Li Huowang had never imagined that the entire Lion Dance Palace was a single entity—a name not only for a sect but for its very essence!

“Wait, what did you just say? That the Lion Dance Palace cultivates the Way of Unification?” Li Huowang looked down at the densely packed bare feet beneath the face wall, beginning to understand what this Way of Unification might mean.

According to Sheng Benyou's description, it wasn’t merely physical fusion they practiced; their minds were also merged into one fluid consciousness—an amalgamation that was the Lion Dance Palace itself.

“Other sects may cultivate techniques or divine powers, with elements that complement or clash with one another. But the Lion Dance Palace does not. They can assist anything, without the slightest risk of losing themselves to madness.”

“As long as they wish, they can merge others into themselves, or merge themselves into others—regardless of sect or school. The righteous become more righteous, the wicked even more wicked.”

Hearing this, Li Huowang finally understood why there had been two lions dancing beside the ritual dancer during the previous ceremony.

Suddenly, a man’s face on the left—with features so flat they seemed almost sculpted from clay—fixed its red-and-white pupils, like lamp holes, upon Li Huowang.

Then, the great lantern that served as the lion’s eye slowly shifted upward, revealing a pitch-black circular aperture.

Seven or eight withered black hands, resembling those of monkeys, extended from within, pressing against the eye like eyelashes.

Soon after, dozens of eyes—large and small—crowded the massive eye socket, all staring intently at Li Huowang.

Li Huowang guessed that such a creature must be devoted to an even more sinister deity, one whose form could be nothing short of monstrous.

“I touched you,” came a chorus of voices once again.

Upon hearing this, Li Huowang recalled that night in Qingqiu when he had become neither man nor ghost.

“Yes, thank you for sparing me back then,” Li Huowang replied with a frown, offering a polite bow.

“I touched you. You were covered in karma that day, so I let you go. Now, looking back, it was all fate.”

As soon as the words left his lips, the wall of faces began to writhe. Soon, three lions and a dragon emerged from within.

As they crawled out, they dragged along some slimy, black, viscous things covered in tendrils.

These creatures scurried into the shadows the moment they appeared, but Li Huowang’s keen vision caught sight of them. They weren’t anything else but Heitai Sui.

Li Huowang now understood why Heitai Sui had appeared beneath Qingqiu—it was connected to the Lion Dance Palace.

“Master Li, now that we’re all assembled, shall we depart immediately?”

“All right—but no, I need to go back first. Before heading to the incineration grounds, I left my daughter in the city.” With that, Li Huowang hurried toward the city.

Meanwhile, Li Sui—whom Li Huowang referred to—was strolling happily through the streets, enjoying herself immensely. Though she loved helping her father, she preferred festivals and holidays when she could wander and see new things.

But as she walked, the sugar-coated haws she had held high gradually slipped from her grasp. There were too many tears here, and few smiles. Even those who didn’t cry wore gloomy expressions.

“Are they unhappy because so many people have died?” Li Sui’s mood sank along with theirs.

“I don’t like how they look. I want to do something.” She thought for a moment, then turned toward a blacksmith’s shop.

When she emerged again, she carried a bucket of twisted, molten iron.

“Tree Blossom Festival! Tree Blossom Festival! Come see the Tree Blossom Show!”

As everyone gathered around, Li Sui dipped a wooden ladle into the bucket and flung the molten iron onto the city walls.

A splash echoed through the air. Though it was daytime and lacked the dazzling beauty of the evening spectacle, the silver blossoms blooming in the sky still lit up many eyes.

Seeing this, Li Sui worked harder, despite the iron spattering onto her body due to her inexperience. She didn’t care.

Soon, the bucket was emptied. The expressions on people’s faces faded, and they slowly dispersed. The temporary relief from their troubles returned like a tide.

Watching them leave, Li Sui’s expression grew disheartened. “It really doesn’t work, does it?”

“Of course not. Making people happy isn’t something you can achieve with a Tree Blossom Festival alone.”

At the sound of the voice, Li Sui turned her head to find a handsome young man standing before her. The badge on his waist—she remembered—her father had one too.

“My father isn’t happy either. No one is,” Li Sui said, squatting beside the bucket.

The boy also knelt beside her, gently scraping off the cooled iron from her back. “I have a plan. One that could make your father happy and lift the spirits of others. It’ll take time, though.”

“What kind of plan? Who are you?”

Just as Li Sui turned to ask, the boy smiled faintly and gently touched her head. “Remember your choice now. You're simple, yet you have great potential. When you're able to act, don’t hesitate. I know you won’t.”

Li Sui wanted to brush his hand away, not wanting anyone other than her father to touch her head.

But when her hand met his, she paused. Her fingers passed straight through. This person had no body.

“Sui Sui!” A voice called from afar.

The boy before her suddenly burst apart like a bubble.

“Dad! Someone was just by me! A man!” Li Sui rushed over, explaining everything that had happened.

“You saw someone just now?” Li Huowang frowned, having seen no one.

“You didn’t... become a Heart Essence too, did you?” he asked hesitantly.

Li Sui had consumed much of her own flesh over the years and had gained some cultivation abilities, becoming more like her former self.

Yet, thinking further, that didn’t add up. These illusions were formed under strong emotional stimuli. She hadn’t experienced anything like that recently—where did these hallucinations come from?

She glanced toward Sheng Benyou’s sedan chair and grabbed Li Sui’s hand, pulling her toward it. “Forget about illusions for now. Once the calamity passes, I’ll help you get rid of them. For now, we’ve got bigger matters to deal with. Let’s go.”

“Dad, where are we going?”

“To the sea.”

(End of Chapter)