Chapter 252: Clues

"To wield this precious sword, you must know the Immortal Capital Sealing Imprint of the Luo Sect!"

"Fellow Daoist, I know that! If you want to learn, I can teach you."

Li Huowang showed no surprise upon hearing this. Instead, he looked at the creature with a half-smile. "I'm guessing it would take quite some time for me to learn the Luo Sect's cultivation method, wouldn't it? And to learn it, I'd have to keep you alive. As long as you keep dragging your feet and not telling me, you can keep living, right?"

Seeing his little trick exposed, much of the fear on the deformed little head's face vanished. It parted its mouth, filled with rotten teeth, and offered Li Huowang a hint of flattery. "No one wants to die, do they? How about this? Han Fu is dead anyway. Why don't you pry me off and attach me to yourself? Being a Nascent Soul is being a Nascent Soul, no matter who it's for. I can be *your* Nascent Soul!"

"Master Li, you wouldn't know, but a Luo Sect Nascent Soul is a valuable asset. Having two Nascent Souls is like having two minds during cultivation. When you typically refine Qi into Spirit, I can help you..."

"Why would I negotiate with you?" Li Huowang's cold words cut the creature off. He picked up an iron spoon and aimed it at its single eye. "Now, tell me everything you know about this 'Immortal Capital Sealing Imprint' you speak of. If you want to play games, that's fine. I have plenty of time. I can play with you very well!"

It was already the next morning when Li Huowang, his clothes stained with some meat fragments and reeking of blood, slowly emerged from the tent. In his hand was a stack of written sheepskin parchments – all the so-called Immortal Capital Sealing Imprints.

Li Huowang had also questioned it about other cultivation techniques and talismans that Han Fu might have known. However, only after torturing it until it was utterly disfigured and repeatedly confirming its answers, did he reluctantly conclude that the Nascent Soul genuinely knew nothing else; all it knew was how to use the Seven Star Sword.

Li Huowang felt some regret about this. If he had Luo Sect talismans, he wouldn't have to resort to using the "Great Thousand Record" for every situation, as it was incredibly painful. However, this knowledge was, at best, a bonus. It was good to have, but not essential. What he focused on more was the information the Nascent Soul provided about the Bureau of Celestial Observation. After all, this was crucial to whether he could truly escape the bewilderment of a Heart-Elemental.

Mentally and physically exhausted, he entered the tent. He took the towel Bai Lingmiao handed him and casually wiped his face. Without even taking off his shoes, he lay directly onto the bed. Bai Lingmiao reached over with both hands, gently helped Li Huowang remove his shoes and socks, covered him with a blanket, and then quietly withdrew.

Li Huowang, tired from a night's ordeal, was clearly very sleepy, but he couldn't fall asleep even with his eyes closed. His mind was filled with the Nascent Soul's words. Finally, feeling increasingly agitated, he simply sat up and began to ponder carefully.

"'Beifeng is a Heart-Elemental who can escape bewilderment.' To determine the truth of this statement, without any other clues, I can only seek answers from the Bureau of Celestial Observation, the Zuo Wang Dao's sworn enemy. But here's the problem: how do I find information about Beifeng from the Bureau of Celestial Observation? After all, I am a Heart-Elemental myself..."

As such a vast and powerful government agency, Li Huowang naturally understood the consequences if they were to target him. Li Huowang remained on the bed for a long time, pondering, until Bai Lingmiao called him for dinner, still without any clear ideas.

Upon learning of Li Huowang's troubles, Bai Lingmiao, holding her bowl, said with some hesitation, "Senior Brother Li, since... the Bureau of Celestial Observation deals with the Zuo Wang Dao, and you also deal with the Zuo Wang Dao, aren't you on the same side? Can't you just ask them directly?"

"Imagine a complete stranger suddenly showing up at the Bureau of Celestial Observation's yamen and directly demanding information about the Zuo Wang Dao. What reaction do you think they'd have? Being beaten and thrown out would be getting off lightly." Li Huowang sighed, took Bai Lingmiao's bowl, and ate without tasting his food.

"But... aren't you on the same side? Couldn't you just explain it clearly?"

"Do you think making friends is like child's play? It's not that simple, Miaomiao. They can casually recruit Luo Sect disciples as pawns; it's clear the Bureau of Celestial Observation's methods aren't exactly righteous."

As Li Huowang spoke, he suddenly paused, his eyes immediately lighting up. "That's right! Our current identities are different, but identity can be completely changed! As long as I hide my Heart-Elemental identity, I can absolutely join the Bureau of Celestial Observation."

The more Li Huowang thought about it, the more excited he became. Finally, he even picked up Bai Lingmiao and spun her around. The more he considered it, the more he felt it was an excellent idea with multiple benefits.

"Even if Beifeng isn't a Heart-Elemental who has escaped bewilderment, I can still use the Bureau of Celestial Observation to find other ways to break free from this confusion! And as long as my Heart-Elemental identity is well-hidden, I'll effectively have a powerful backer! I can use the Bureau of Celestial Observation's identity to conceal my Heart-Elemental status! This way, just anyone won't be able to recklessly probe me! Furthermore, the Bureau of Celestial Observation's management is so lax – I don't even need to meet an intermediary. That makes it perfectly suited for my current troublesome Heart-Elemental identity!"

Seeing Li Huowang smile, Bai Lingmiao smiled too. As long as Senior Brother Li was happy, she was happy.

Li Huowang gazed at the exquisite face before him, his heart stirring. He leaned in and kissed her. Amidst their soft breathing, a black fingernail lightly brushed the oil lamp wick, plunging the leather tent into darkness.

A long time later, Bai Lingmiao lay on Li Huowang's chest, her slender body rising and falling with his breaths. "Senior Brother Li, please go to sleep. You haven't slept in two days," Bai Lingmiao said, stroking him tenderly.

Li Huowang put his arm around her waist but shook his head. "Everything is difficult at the beginning. At least I've found some leads, so I won't be running around aimlessly like a headless fly. And even if I'm lucky enough for a blind cat to stumble upon a dead mouse and encounter Beifeng, as one of the Four Joys of Zuo Wang Dao, his power must be extraordinary. I might just fall into his hands.

"First, I'll go to Liang Kingdom and try to establish contact with the Bureau of Celestial Observation. Besides learning the truth about Beifeng, I also need to figure out his strength from them. If his strength far surpasses mine, then to obtain a method to resolve my bewilderment from him, I'll have to improve my own strength as quickly as possible! But strengthening myself is easier said than done. As someone without a sect or master, intensive cultivation is practically impossible for me. Moreover, with all the chaotic sects and various sinister cultivation methods in this world, even if they were presented to me, I might not be able to endure them."

Seeing Li Huowang's recently relaxed brow furrow again, Bai Lingmiao, nestled against him, gently smoothed it with her soft fingers. "Senior Brother Li, sleep. There are always things to think about, just sleep..." Under her gentle touch, Li Huowang, who hadn't slept for two days and two nights, slowly closed his eyes and gradually lost consciousness.