Chapter 853: Li Sui

Chapter 853: Li Sui

"Dad, where are you?" Li Sui wandered the streets, her eyes darting about in confusion.

The place was bustling with activity—clearly a market day. Along the roadside were vendors selling all manner of wares, and even performers juggling, acrobats, and monkeys entertaining the crowd. It was lively indeed.

In the past, she would have been thrilled to dash off and join the spectacle, but now, she had no such thoughts.

She had fallen from the sky two days ago. Initially, Li Sui believed her father was still waiting above for the dragon's qi, but as she walked further, she began to sense something was wrong. This place didn’t feel like where she came from.

Everyone she met said this was the Great Qi. How could it be the Great Qi?

Her father had indeed used his spine sword to tear open a rift and transport her directly into the world, but how could there still be so many living people in the current Great Qi?

She remembered her father saying that the Great Qi had been destroyed by the Divine One Yu'er.

Where exactly was she? What had happened to her? Li Sui truly couldn’t make head or tail of it.

But no matter how confused she was, sitting around waiting wasn’t an option. She had to move. Her father was still up there waiting for her.

Looking at the faces of the common folk around her, Li Sui hesitantly approached an elderly woman who seemed friendly. "Grandmother, do you know where the emperor is staying?"

No matter where she was or what was happening, going to the emperor’s domain was the right thing to do.

Whether it was the Great Qi or the emperor’s territory within it, at least there were monks. She could start by finding them.

If there were no monks, she could at least find the Heavenly Observance Bureau. Surely she’d be able to find some clue about her father.

"Ah? The emperor? I don’t know! He definitely doesn’t live here!" The old woman seemed hard of hearing, speaking loudly.

"Girl, what do you want with the emperor? Are you his illegitimate daughter? Huh! You know what? Yesterday’s play was about just that!"

Seeing that this chatty old woman wouldn’t give her any useful information, Li Sui decided to ask someone else.

But not long after she started walking away, a hand wrapped in a dogskin plaster reached out from the crowd, grabbed her, and dragged her toward the edge of the market.

"Hey! Why are you still strolling around the market like nothing’s wrong? Your dad’s nearly gone mad with worry! Come on, follow me!"

"My dad?" Hearing that, Li Sui, who had been lost in confusion, suddenly perked up. She hurriedly followed him outside.

After leaving the noisy, bustling market behind and crossing nearly half the county town, Li Sui was finally brought to the gate of a high-walled compound.

"Lord You! Lord You! The young master has been found!!"

At the shout, a large group of people rushed out from inside the courtyard.

When she saw these people surrounding her with excitement, Li Sui looked down at her new body and immediately realized.

The “father” they were talking about wasn’t her real father—it was the father of the boy who had died beneath her when she fell from the sky.

Once she understood everything, looking at the excited faces of men, women, children, and elders around her, Li Sui felt a deep sense of shame. Now she knew what death truly meant.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I really didn't mean it! I didn't want this to happen!"

Li Sui’s pale apology did nothing to draw their attention. They surrounded her and led her into the courtyard.

"I really didn’t mean it! I really didn’t!" With shame, Li Sui pushed them away, trying to run.

But the guards weren’t about to let her escape so easily—they all rushed forward and pinned her down.

"I... I didn’t want to! I want to go find my dad!!" As she pushed with all her might, seven or eight tentacles shot out from different directions, striking the guards aside.

When everyone saw the black, writhing tentacles on her body, silence fell over the scene. After two breaths, a scream of terror erupted, and chaos broke out.

Everyone scrambled to get away from Li Sui, stepping on others if necessary.

And Li Sui took advantage of the pandemonium to flee.

Breathless and shaken, she returned to the market and finally exhaled in relief.

"I’m truly sorry. I didn’t mean it. Once I find my father, I’ll make it up to you."

Li Sui whispered softly to the crowd before turning and continuing forward.

"Do you know where the emperor is?"

"Do you know where the Yous are?"

"I need to find the emperor. Does anyone know where he lives?"

Li Sui kept asking this question throughout the bustling market.

It wasn’t until the market was almost empty that she finally got some useful information.

"Go east. Follow that eastern road to the end, and you'll see the emperor."

After thanking the old man selling baked pickled mustard greens, Li Sui left the town, found the road, and continued forward.

She didn’t rest much along the way. Her father’s fate was uncertain, and she dared not stop.

She walked for two days straight. When she grew hungry, she looked toward a group of ducks by the river and salivated.

But she didn’t chase them. There were too many ducks by the river—obviously owned by someone else.

Just then, splashing sounds filled the air. All the ducks dove into the water and swam toward the opposite shore. Sharp-eyed Li Sui noticed white spots on the riverbank—duck eggs.

She ran over and picked up three eggs, stuffing them one by one into her mouth.

Not satisfied, Li Sui suddenly spotted another egg cracked on a pebble.

She knelt down, legs together, scraped the egg yolk from the stone with her fingers, and sucked it in.

Just as she savored this unexpected feast, she heard footsteps beside her.

A tentacle rose from behind, wrapping around the eyeballs of those who had come toward her—a group of people, including an old and a young Taoist.

Most of the people in the group were from the You family—both the master and mistress. The two Taoists, however, were strangers to her.

They wore strange attire—robes without sleeves, wielding peach wood swords bare-chested.

"Vile beast! You dare steal a human body! Today, this Celestial Master shall act in the name of heaven!" The old Taoist pointed his peach wood sword at Li Sui, making her jump in fright.

She quickly stood up and tried to run, only to find that people from the You family’s guards and local officials had also surrounded her.

"Die, you cursed creature!" The peach wood sword, stained with blood, thrust straight at her.

Li Sui didn’t want to fight. She dodged repeatedly, but the next moment, darkness loomed overhead. A foul-smelling liquid poured over her entire body.

The liquid stuck to her eyes. Just as she wiped it away with her tentacles, she felt a sharp pain in her chest—the peach wood sword had pierced her.

Seeing Li Sui wounded, the crowd erupted in excitement, cheering joyfully.

"Excellent! The dog blood really works! It can ward off evil spirits!"

(End of Chapter)