Chapter 891: Tongue

Chapter 891: The Tongue

That there should be a divine idol hidden within the camel’s hump was something Li Huowang had never anticipated; yet, according to the Dice, the people of the Tianchen Kingdom possessed no faith at all—how, then, could such an idol exist?

Li Huowang sought to discern whom the idol represented, but its face was smeared thick with viscous, festering pus, rendering the deity’s identity entirely unrecognizable.

Just as Li Huowang followed the momentum of his strike, intending to cleave the one-eyed elder and the hump in two, the others arrived.

A rustling sound erupted, and a human scalp, peeled clean from the skull, appeared above his head, poised to descend and shroud him.

Li Huowang knew not the purpose of this blood-drip-like artifact, but he knew well that the facial features upon the skin were still twitching—it was surely no benevolent thing.

He ducked to avoid it, but a hand reached out from nowhere, lunging for his chest; clearly, they intended to repeat their trick and seize his Primordial Cauldron once more.

Yet this time, Li Sui was prepared; seven or eight tentacles lashed out, binding the intruder in a death grip.

To Li Huowang’s shock, another hand reached in, clawing at Li Sui’s tentacles, and from within them, it snatched away a multitude of things!

Li Huowang knew not what had been taken from Li Sui, but a surge of hot blood rushed straight to his crown.

"Damn you!" Li Huowang roared, tearing off his own facial skin and slamming it directly onto the intruder’s face.

At that moment, a tide of rotting black rice surged forth like a tsunami, engulfing Li Huowang and his assailant alike; yet, even submerged within it, Li Huowang tore the skin from the man’s face with savage force.

The battle remained deadlocked; they clearly knew what Li Huowang feared, striking at his weaknesses whenever a gap appeared, or attempting to wrench away his spinal sword.

Against them, Li Huowang lacked a decisive counter; whether it was the reality forged by his cultivation or the agony of the Ao-Jing Sect, they could easily strip away anything he inflicted upon them.

To deal with him, the Tianchen Kingdom had dispatched forces of terrifying strength, no less formidable than the army of the Unspeakable.

Li Huowang was deeply troubled—not merely for himself, but for the Great Liang. If he struggled so mightily against them, then should they find a way to cross over from the Great Qi, the Great Liang would surely fall.

The Dice had lied about other things, but on this point, he had been truthful: the Tianchen Kingdom was a treacherous thorn.

Li Huowang knew he could not delay; this stalemate was unsustainable.

This was their home turf, and if he did not leave now, once more of their kin arrived, he might never escape at all.

Just as he tightened his grip on the spinal sword to carve a rift, he saw the previously motionless Broken Ear stumble at his feet.

Li Huowang looked down to see a hand erupting from the soil, tugging at his leg with such force that his left limb instantly went numb.

Staggering, Li Huowang swung his sword to force back his assailants, only to feel a tickle on the left side of his neck.

He turned to see the broad face of Broken Ear grinning at him. "Master Li, it is not too late to surrender."

With that, Broken Ear raised Li Huowang’s own hand to wave at him; at this moment, his body had changed masters. Whenever he wished, he could extract the Primordial Cauldron from within Li Huowang.

"Surrender. It is no shame. To be honest, I do not merely occupy your body; everything within it is mine—the tricks of the Sit-and-Forget Dao and the cultivation of the Heart-Element alike."

Yet, as he laughed, Li Huowang laughed too. Li Huowang laughed because his purpose in coming to the Tianchen Kingdom had been fulfilled.

"Everything in my body is yours? Then what of the torture and agony I have endured all this time?"

Seeing that Li Huowang showed not a flicker of panic, Broken Ear sensed something amiss. Just as he moved to seize control, Li Sui snapped four of his ribs and drove them deep into Li Huowang’s chest.

The searing agony made Broken Ear shriek in unbearable torment. Had it been his own body, he might have endured it, but Li Huowang’s frame had been tempered by the Cangqiang Ascension—a pain he was now forced to share.

"Fire!" With Li Huowang’s roar, sky-piercing flames instantly engulfed his entire form.

The agony Li Huowang felt, Broken Ear now suffered in equal measure. Li Huowang was accustomed to it, but the other could not endure it.

Too panicked to even discard the Heavenly Dao and the Primordial Cauldron within, Broken Ear scrambled to flee.

He wished to leave, but he could no longer move. Black tentacles, like horsehair worms, erupted from his orifices, intertwining and knotting together, locking Broken Ear’s head fast within the hellish furnace of Li Huowang’s body.

This was different from before; previously, Broken Ear had leaped from the Great Qi back to the Tianchen Kingdom to escape, but here, he was already in the Tianchen Kingdom. There was nowhere left to run.

Having captured a tongue, Li Huowang’s goal was achieved. As if by telepathy, Li Sui immediately unleashed a technique of illusion, and the very sky seemed to collapse upon them.

Seizing the chance, Li Huowang swung his spinal sword with all his might, and as the rift tore open, he flashed through it.

When he stood steady once more, all was quiet; birds sang and flowers bloomed. He had returned to the Great Liang.

Gazing at the charred head still twitching and struggling amidst the flames on his neck, Li Huowang oriented himself and charged toward the capital.

Interrogations were best left to the professionals of the Fangxian Dao; this fellow knew much, and they would surely pry it all from his lips.

"I hope we find a way to counter them, or else, when the Tianchen Kingdom clashes with the Great Qi and the Great Liang, we are doomed!" Though the mission was a success, Li Huowang felt only deeper pessimism for the future.

"Father, do not lose heart. This is not merely a crisis; it is an opportunity."

"An opportunity? What opportunity? I see none."

"Since the Primordial Cauldron within you can be drawn out by them, it can naturally be stuffed back in."

"What use is that? Could you not do that before?"

"It is not just the Primordial Cauldron. I saw it just now—they can even manipulate the Divine Light that controls the Cauldron within you."

At these words, Li Huowang’s heart stirred. "You mean..."

"I mean that, just like adding items, we can add what you desire into your divine consciousness."

"The more Divine Light you possess, the stronger your control over the Primordial Cauldron. With enough Heart-Element cultivators, we can extract their Divine Light and their Primordial Cauldrons, and stuff them all into you."

"What they do to the Heart-Pans, we shall do to the Heart-Elements."

"If we can truly achieve this, your cultivation will reach the perfection of the Seven Wheels. By then, all that you think, desire, and dream will be reality."