Chapter 909: Zuoqiuyong

Chapter 909: Zuoqiu Yong

In a clearing deliberately carved out of a forest in the Kingdom of Tianchen, Li Huowang stared fixedly at the fox-faced man on stilts in the distance.

Though Tianchen was formidable, it was not without its weaknesses; he was not entirely without a chance. If he could eliminate this man, the link between Tianchen and the Great Qi would be severed, and this crisis could be averted.

"It's him!" Seeing the man's eyelids twitching rapidly as various portals flickered in and out of existence, Li Huowang flashed forward, charging toward him.

The moment Li Huowang moved, the entire formation reacted; whether it was the Faceless ones who had just returned or the guards surrounding the fox-faced man, they all threw themselves into his path.

The more nervous they became, the more Li Huowang realized how vital this Heart-Pawn was to them.

Li Huowang’s expression turned icy. Without hesitation, he sat cross-legged and began to chant loudly: "Where the golden light flashes, the sun and moon dim; when the precious pestle spins, ghosts and gods pale. Manifesting divine traces in the mortal world, guarding the Holy Carriage in the Infinite..."

They had fled to Tianchen to escape his "Heaven-Gazing Treasure" in the Great Qi; now, he would unleash it here in Tianchen and see how they planned to hide this time!

As a second Li Huowang rapidly formed from the spine behind him, the "Non-Gang" energy in his heart drained away at an alarming rate.

An anomaly appeared in the heavens. Li Huowang felt a gaze descending from the Heaven Beyond Heaven—the stare of Doumu. She was coming!

Yet, at this critical juncture, a needle trailing a thread flew with impossible speed, dancing before Li Huowang’s face. In the span of a single breath, it stitched his eyes, nose, and mouth shut.

This most ordinary of silver needles had effortlessly interrupted his ritual. The roiling clouds in the sky vanished as quickly as they had appeared.

Li Huowang trembled, his body surging with force until blood splattered everywhere, tearing his stitched mouth wide open. "Who is it!"

As he ripped the threads from his eyes, he finally saw the culprit.

The golden dragon he had once glimpsed through a haze was now being used like a beast of burden, pulling a carriage through the sky.

In this absurd world, this was the closest thing to an immortal Li Huowang had ever seen—true, literal cloud-riding.

Through the pink gossamer curtains drifting from the carriage window, Li Huowang’s sharp eyes finally caught sight of the being who possessed such a noble chariot.

It was a strange figure with a round face, rouged cheeks, and crimson lips, dressed in green silk. It was hard to tell if it was man or woman; the way they held a silver needle between pinched fingers was reminiscent of a palace eunuch.

Seeing the dragon pulling the carriage, the identity of the person was self-evident: this was Zuoqiu Yong, the honored guest of Tianchen!

The carriage circled in the air before descending slowly. A feminine, affected voice drifted out: "Oh my, seeing is truly better than hearing. So you are Li Huowang? You really are quite the handsome fellow."

Looking at the army of "Unspeakables" surrounding him, then at the fox-faced man on stilts who had ceased his movements, Li Huowang spoke through the pink veil: "You’ve heard of me before?"

"Mmm, yes, quite a bit! Though that was a very long time ago." The carriage door opened, and Zuoqiu Yong stepped out, lightly embracing a stunning woman.

Zuoqiu Yong smiled coyly at Li Huowang. "Li Huowang, I want to have a talk with you."

Li Huowang sneered, glancing at the enemies encircling him. "We’ve reached this point—is there really any need for talk?"

Though his face remained calm, Li Huowang could clearly feel the chasm between their powers.

His mind raced, calculating how to escape back to the Great Liang to borrow the dragon’s aura and ascend to the White Jade Capital once more.

In this situation, if he wanted to turn the tide, he would have to use the power of Ji Zai!

"Oh, don't be like that. We’re all civilized people; why fight when we can use our words?" Zuoqiu Yong pulled a pink handkerchief from his sleeve and dabbed at the non-existent sweat on his forehead.

"How about this? You call the White Lotus Saintess over, and we shall all sit down and have a proper chat."

Li Huowang nodded readily. "Fine. You wait here; I’ll go back and bring the White Lotus Saintess."

With that, he pulled out his spine-sword, slashed a rift into the air, and prepared to return to the Great Liang.

But as he stepped toward the rift, the fox-faced man’s left eyelid twitched, and a portal instantly replaced the rift leading to the Great Liang.

When Li Huowang emerged from that portal, he found himself standing inches away from Zuoqiu Yong.

"Naughty~ tell me, were you planning on leaving and never coming back?" Zuoqiu Yong raised his handkerchief and tapped Li Huowang lightly on the chest. "That won't do at all. If you leave, the Wusheng Mother might not show up."

This time, Li Huowang studied the hermaphrodite carefully. "Do you know who the White Lotus Saintess you’re trying to kill is to me?"

"I truly don't. What, are you two very close?"

"Yes, very close. She is my wife. So, to oppose her is to oppose me. There is no room for negotiation. And furthermore..."

Li Huowang paused, looking at Zuoqiu Yong. "I really want to see if you, the honored guest of Tianchen, are as formidable as the legends say!"

The moment the words left his lips, Li Huowang’s spine-sword plunged into the man’s chest.

Under Zuoqiu Yong’s gaze, Li Huowang kicked his waist and used the recoil to rip the blade free.

As Li Huowang retreated and steadied himself, he looked up, only to be stunned: there was no wound where he had struck, not even a tear in the man’s clothing.

"Hehe, this is truly interesting." Zuoqiu Yong brushed the dust off his clothes, the serene smile on his face slowly vanishing.

"Li Huowang, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Since you dared to come to Tianchen, you and your sword shall both stay here today."

Li Huowang scanned the surrounding enemies and gritted his teeth. "Come then! Let’s see you try!" He calculated desperately in his mind how to break the deadlock.

"Li Huowang, you have a big mouth. Do you know what Heavenly Dao was stolen from the Wusheng Mother back then?" Zuoqiu Yong gently extended a hand and pointed into the air toward Li Huowang’s head.

But halfway through the gesture, he tilted his head. In the air to his left, a distorted hole appeared, and a delicate young girl with a white lotus mark painted on her brow tumbled out. "Brother Li, we’ve come to save you!"

Li Huowang’s pupils contracted as he looked at the girl. "What on earth is that dice-roller trying to pull?"