Chapter 285: Hallucinations

Li Huowang bowed to Lu Zhuangyuan. "Master Lu, thank you for your trouble. Once we reach Niuxin Mountain, please settle everyone down safely. I will join you as soon as I finish my tasks."

Li Huowang felt confident letting him lead primarily because there were almost no bandits in Daliang; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared.

"Master! I have divine abilities now, please let me go!" Lu Xiucai naturally wanted to accompany Li Huowang, but neither Li Huowang nor his father agreed.

Then, he looked at Xiucai beside him. "Study your characters carefully. If you don't understand something, ask your father. Even though he can't read all the characters, he knows a few. Only when you've mastered all the characters can you truly learn divine abilities."

After speaking, he gave some instructions to Zhao Wu and Yang Xiaohai, who were on the carriage.

"Senior Brother Li, don't worry. Although I can't lift heavy things or carry burdens, as long as I, Zhao Wu, am here, neither the silver nor the carriages will be missing."

As Li Huowang was about to say something, his expression turned grim. He sharply turned his head and glared fiercely at the empty space to his left.

"Senior Brother Li, what's wrong?"

Li Huowang's face first darkened, but it quickly cleared. "It's nothing. We've said all there is to say. Any more would be pointless. Let's go."

With a wave, the two groups parted ways, gradually moving out of sight.

Lu Juren, awkwardly lowering his hand, hugged his son and said to Lu Zhuangyuan beside him, "Father, the young Daoist priest feels a bit..."

Glancing quickly at Zhao Wu, Lu Zhuangyuan hastily interrupted, "Oh, what the young Daoist priest is going to do is none of your business, is it? If you have any abilities, first manage your son properly."

"If you're capable enough to make your son a child scholar, then it would truly be a blessing for our old Lu family."

"Father, you shouldn't say that." Lu Juren, a hint of embarrassment on his face, hugged his son and fell silent.

Li Huowang and his companions pushed forward along an increasingly rugged path, accompanied by two carriages.

Since there were few people, everyone could ride in the carriages, saving them from having to walk and allowing them to conserve their energy for what lay ahead.

With a troubled expression, Li Huowang pondered the chaotic murmurs he had just heard. He had only eaten Black Taisui last night, yet the voices were still present today, proving that Black Taisui could not suppress them.

"What exactly is wrong? What's happening to me?" Li Huowang's calm state was disturbed once more, as various terrifying conjectures continuously surfaced in his mind.

Is Wang Wei giving me medicine? Or am I suffering from mental illness again? No, I'm not mentally ill! Perhaps this is another manifestation of Xin Su! But is this manifestation good or bad?

Just as Li Huowang's fists clenched tighter and tighter, a pair of soft hands covered the back of his own.

Bai Lingmiao said nothing, simply nestled against him, helping Li Huowang calm his growing agitation.

Li Huowang closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly before opening his eyes again, suppressing the irritation in his heart.

"Don't worry, it's just occasional auditory hallucinations. It's nothing serious. At least for now, it's just sporadic, with no real impact."

"What haven't I been through before? It's just ordinary auditory hallucinations; what's there to be afraid of?"

"Trouble will always arise. No matter what's causing this, I must solve each problem, just like that Xin Su."

"The immediate priority is to pass the Zuo Wang Dao's trial. The hallucinations and everything else can wait."

Having gathered his thoughts, Li Huowang looked up at the others.

"I haven't had time to mention it before, but now that we do, I'll explain. The enemy we're facing this time is the Zuo Wang Dao."

"In short, they are a group of fraudsters, charlatans with divine abilities."

"Also, remember that the Zuo Wang Dao can change their faces. Be wary of everyone who approaches you, or you might fall victim to their tricks if you're not careful."

Upon hearing Li Huowang's words, everyone immediately put aside what they were doing and listened intently.

In the past, they had always encountered enemies passively, but this time, they were actively seeking trouble. Everyone present felt a mix of tension and excitement.

Li Huowang told them everything he knew about the Zuo Wang Dao in as much detail as possible.

They were his helpers, and the more they knew now, the more useful they might be in the future.

As they listened attentively, a sudden sound of hooves echoed from ahead.

Soon, rows of sturdy warhorses separated Li Huowang and other travelers from the main road.

"Oh my, who's this important person?" Dogwa's eyes were wide with curiosity.

Through the gaps between the horses' legs, Li Huowang first saw a large "Make Way" tablet held high by the guards.

Behind the tablet were four gong-beaters, and behind them, a group of beardless men with effeminate temperaments.

Behind those more than a hundred beardless men, Li Huowang saw a luxurious carriage, resembling a small house.

A stout man, wearing a yellow robe and a jade thumb ring on his left hand, sat snoring on a jade mat inside. This must be the main personage.

As Li Huowang was examining the yellow four-clawed dragon banner, an old man nearby was telling his grandson, "The Prince is on inspection. Quickly, kneel down."

"Is that the Prince of Yinling City?"

Li Huowang carefully observed the snoring stout man and the women kneeling beside him, fanning him.

Judging by the indigo patterns resembling blue-and-white porcelain on their faces, it was clear they were from Linglong Pagoda.

When he came back to his senses, he realized that everyone around him had already knelt, including Bai Lingmiao and Dogwa. His sitting in the carriage looked incredibly out of place.

"How dare you! Who dares not to kneel?" Several cavalrymen with unfriendly eyes and swords at their waists quickly surrounded Li Huowang.

Before Li Huowang could speak, they had already drawn the swords from their waists.

Looking at them, Li Huowang thought for a moment, then reached out and took out his waist token.

Upon seeing the three characters "Jian Tian Si" (Observatory Department), the men's expressions immediately changed, and they quickly put away their weapons.

"Your Excellency, we apologize for our offense, please forgive us!" The cavalryman clasped his hands and bowed to Li Huowang, then turned and led the others away.

Watching them leave, Li Huowang felt a sudden surge of nausea as he realized, for some reason, that the Observatory Department existed to consolidate the rule of people like these.

"People everywhere else have changed. Why hasn't this mad world driven these people mad along with it?" Li Huowang thought to himself, looking at the stout man.

"Everyone, stand up. No kneeling."

After the Prince departed, the journey was uneventful for a while, with nothing happening until they reached the outskirts of what was known as Ganyuan Village.

At the foot of a large mountain, Ganyuan Village, with its continuous stretch of azure tiled roofs, appeared before Li Huowang for the first time.

In terms of scale, it was a normal-sized village, no different from any other they had encountered on their journey.