Chapter 966: Ji Zai

Chapter 966: Season of Disaster

"Father?" Li Sui, half-melted, looked up in shock at Li Huowai amidst the blood-soaked carnage.

Seeing the copper coin mask and the signature red Taoist robe, tears welled in her eyes, bringing an overwhelming sense of peace.

It was truly her father! Her father had really come to save her! The pain in her body proved this was no dream—it was real!

"Father! I have missed you so much!" Li Sui cried out, her voice breaking as she screamed toward the red-robed figure.

"It’s alright! Sui Sui! Everything is fine! I am here! As long as I am here, no one shall bully my daughter!" Li Huowai roared, slaughtering all around him while offering comfort.

Facing the terrifying might of Li Huowai, none could stand against him, and they were forced into a desperate retreat.

Just as Li Sui was about to break free, those in the Surveillance Bureau familiar with "Heart-Elements" sensed something amiss and devised a countermeasure.

"Halt! You monster! Look closely! That is not your father! This child is a fake! It is a manifestation of your own mind!"

"If he were truly your father, why did he not help these past years? Why appear only today?"

A Heart-Element is as strong as it is fragile, depending entirely on the depth of their belief in their own manifestations.

Hearing this, Li Sui’s expression stiffened, and she began to dwell on the thought.

When she noticed the figure of Li Huowai beginning to lose its coherence, the unease in her heart deepened.

The moment she doubted, it was over; the figure of Li Huowai began to turn translucent.

Seeing this, Li Sui panicked. "No! This is my father, he came to save me! My father is real, he is not a manifestation!"

Realizing what they were doing, Li Sui repeated the words in her heart, desperate to force Li Huowai back into existence.

Even if her father were a fabrication, he could still help her survive this ordeal.

Yet, some things can deceive others but never oneself; a lie remains a lie, and despite her frantic internal repetition, the figure of Li Huowai vanished into nothingness.

The battered members of the Surveillance Bureau, fueled by rage, closed in again; what was once a professional duty had now become a matter of personal vendetta.

The tide turned instantly, and Li Sui’s life hung by a thread.

A glob of phlegm hit her. "Damn it, I hate Heart-Elements the most! You like to imagine things, don't you? Can't you imagine your way out of this? Go on! Keep imagining!"

A cold flash cut through the air, severing several of Li Sui’s half-melted tentacles. "Can't call for help? Keep calling!"

As they vented their spite, her agony intensified, yet she did not shed a single tear.

In this moment of despair, Li Sui realized she had ignored her own nature—the nature of a Heart-Element.

Her father was a Heart-Element, and so was she; he had used this power to escape death time and again, and so could she! This was her only chance.

But she had to figure out how to harness it.

It was not easy; as a Heart-Element, knowing the truth rendered the power useless—she had to deceive herself.

As her wounds worsened and her mind drifted, a reflection in the water surfaced in her thoughts—a Si-Ming, the Season of Disaster, the deity her father had dismissed as worthless.

"If my father is the Season of Disaster, and a Si-Ming exists beyond time, then if I believe in the Season of Disaster, my father will surely come to help me! He must!"

It was both a lie and a truth; she could no longer distinguish between them.

But she forced herself to believe it, for it was the only way to survive.

She repeated the mantra, and as her consciousness faded, she refused to stop. Just as she neared death, the situation shifted.

Nothing had happened, yet everyone present wore a look of profound confusion, as if they had forgotten what they were meant to do.

"Season... Season of Disaster! The Season of Disaster truly exists! Even one hundred and eighty years ago!" Li Sui grew ecstatic; her life was spared! She would survive until her father appeared again!

Seeing them stunned, Li Sui did not hesitate; dragging her broken body, she fled the scene of the chaos.

Not knowing how long the impression of the Season of Disaster would last, she ran for half a month before stopping to confirm her safety.

Afraid to approach populated areas, she claimed a bear's cave as a temporary shelter.

The bear itself served as a much-needed meal.

After eating her fill and sleeping soundly, the exhaustion of her journey finally faded.

Once rested, Li Sui began to plot.

Recalling the events, she picked up a piece of wood from outside and began to carve with a small knife. Soon, a spirit tablet stood before her.

"Season of Disaster, Deity of Bewilderment."

She placed the tablet in the cave, lit three pine needles, and bowed solemnly before them.

After offering the incense, she performed the full kowtow ritual, chanting as she knelt.

"Since others gain power by worshipping the Si-Ming, I shall worship you from this day forth. I am your disciple, Season of Disaster."

"If I worship you, surely you will teach me some divine arts? Nothing too grand, just enough to save my life."

"It would be best if you could hide my identity as a Heart-Element!"

No sooner had she finished her prayer than the tablet flickered, and a cultivation technique appeared in her mind.

Upon inspection, she realized it was an art of illusion—perfect for concealing her nature as a Heart-Element.

A warmth flooded her heart; her father had not forgotten her. He was still helping her, even as a Si-Ming.

As long as her identity remained hidden, she would no longer be hunted.

And if she were not hunted, she would not be forced to possess others, ensuring that when she met her father again, she would still be herself.

Thinking of the future, Li Sui smiled happily. Everything was finally beginning to improve!