Chapter 356: Men

"Inside... it was truly horrific, just horrific," Hong Da continued with a sigh.

"Trapped by the karmic burden of the Heart-Filth, she couldn't die even if she wanted to, nor could she truly live. She couldn't starve or die of exhaustion, yet she was forced to endure the torment of hunger and weariness, constantly suffering, constantly enduring..."

"You know what? When he saw me enter, her father told me he didn't actually resent his daughter. He felt that enduring such torment inside at least proved his daughter was still alive."

After saying this, Hong Da sighed deeply with a sense of melancholy. It seemed that his experiences inside had profoundly affected him.

Li Huowang's heart remained unsettled long after hearing Hong Da's words.

He raised his arm, taking the Heart-Filth from his back and holding it in his arms, observing the person with a very complex expression.

"If her consciousness is still there, she probably wouldn't want to torment her family and friends like this, would she?" The most pitiable one was the Heart-Filth herself; her unconscious actions inadvertently tormented everyone nearby who could see her.

Compared to her, his own confusion as a Heart-Pure seemed much better.

"Daoist, she's too miserable. Let's release her," the monk said, walking over with a pained expression.

Li Huowang sighed softly but shook his head. "We can't release her. Setting aside whether her existence helps us get information about the Sit-Forget Dao, more importantly, releasing her would only cause more deaths. Do you really want to do that?"

Even without malicious intent, her mere gaze could harm others. If he wasn't mistaken, this village must have been fully populated before. Where the people were now was self-evident.

Hearing this, the monk's expression became conflicted. He only wanted to do good deeds, but when two good deeds clashed, he genuinely didn't know what to do.

Li Huowang used to wonder why the Bureau of Celestial Monitoring was so ruthless and extreme in dealing with Heart-Pures.

But after witnessing the Heart-Filth's behavior and abilities, Li Huowang finally understood why they acted that way.

Putting other matters aside, in this particular aspect, they truly protected the common people of the world.

Heart-Filths like her and Heart-Pures like himself were simply too dangerous; they could inadvertently cause immense disasters.

"Brother Er? Who are you talking to?" Tuoba Danqing stared at Li Huowang, quite surprised.

Li Huowang blinked and patted his abdomen. "I'm talking to my Nascent Soul."

For a while, no one spoke. Everyone put away their weapons, and their expressions relaxed.

Shen Tu Gang even yawned and stretched.

As Li Huowang walked further into the village, Tuoba Danqing, who was twirling two large walnuts in his hand, approached him. He deliberately pulled Li Huowang aside, lowering his voice with a somewhat nervous expression.

"Brother Er, let me be frank with you. If Ji Xiang returns to the capital this time and there's no news for ten days to half a month, let's go together and hide in Qingqiu for a while. It's all the same, no matter where we serve."

Li Huowang was startled. Was the other person suggesting he should run? "Brother Tuoba, do you know something?"

Hearing Li Huowang's question, Tuoba Danqing sighed lightly with a sense of helplessness, then said nothing, merely pointing forward with his hand before striding ahead.

"We've already captured the Heart-Filth, so Ji Xiang shouldn't run into any trouble, right? But if something really does happen, what about the information he promised me?"

Considering the Heart-Filth's abilities and Ji Xiang's frantic actions, Li Huowang had a persistent feeling that the Bureau of Celestial Monitoring was desperate for the Heart-Filth this time, seemingly intending to use her abilities for some enormous purpose.

However, as a newcomer to the Bureau of Celestial Monitoring, he had no inkling of what was happening at the higher levels.

But he didn't need to; this period didn't concern him for now.

Glancing at Hong Da beside him, who was looking restless, Li Huowang followed Tuoba Danqing's pace and walked towards the village.

The group walked quickly, and soon they reached the village entrance. The white mist outside the village was gradually dissipating, and Liu Zongyuan, wearing a mask, also approached.

"Lord Ji Xiang, how did it go? Was it successful?" Liu Zongyuan enthusiastically scrutinized his somewhat disheveled companion.

"Little Liu Zi, go call the carriage. This one wants to rest a bit," Ji Xiang said weakly, a hint of exhaustion on his pale, plump face.

"Since you're back, I won't be returning to Yinling with you. Er Niu, remember this: our favor is settled. From now on, even if you kneel and beg me, I won't bother to help you," Shen Tu Gang declared, then turned to leave.

Seeing this, Li Huowang quickly stepped forward and blocked Shen Tu Gang. "Brother Shen Tu, may I ask you something?"

Shen Tu Gang's thick eyebrows furrowed slightly. He surprisingly didn't spout obscenities as usual. "Hurry up, I have urgent business."

Li Huowang's gaze dropped to glance at the other person's waist. "I've heard that those who perform the 'Great God Dance' are always slaves to the immortal families, never finding liberation in their lives. Yet, it seems Brother Shen Tu is an exception. Could you tell me why?"

Li Huowang had noticed before that the 'Helping Soldiers Incantation' this man recited was distinctly different from Bai Lingmiao's. There was no respect for the immortal families in his verses; on the contrary, the incantation subtly contained threats.

"Are you asking for the big sister?" Shen Tu Gang, arms crossed, immediately saw through Li Huowang's thoughts.

Li Huowang didn't deny it, nodding lightly. If possible, he wanted to change Bai Lingmiao's current situation.

If not completely free from the immortal families' control, then at least like Shen Tu Gang, she could gain the upper hand in her dealings with them.

Shen Tu Gang nodded, leaned closer, and whispered something into Li Huowang's ear.

As he spoke, Li Huowang's eyes widened, as if he was exceptionally surprised by the words. "Is that truly so?"

"I'm off. If we ever meet again, I'll buy you a meal." Shen Tu Gang forcefully thumped Li Huowang on his chest wound, then turned and walked out of everyone's sight.

Just then, a carriage rapidly approached. Li Huowang quickly composed his shocked expression and, along with the others, swiftly boarded the vehicle.

As he was pondering the method the other person had told him, Hong Zhong's words beside him made him look up.

"Li Huowang, wake up, stop thinking! Why is there an extra person opposite you?"

Li Huowang looked up and saw a ragged, emaciated man. He was almost certain this person was not part of their group.

The moment he saw this man, Hong Da reacted most strongly, his eyes wide with utter horror.

"How did you get out!?"

The man first surveyed the others staring at him, then spoke very blankly, "I suddenly remembered, I think I'm a Heart-Filth too. I asked this woman to hide me because I wanted to go in and see if my family was inside, but she forgot, and then I forgot too."