Chapter 377: Sima Lan

"Qi Mo? Liang Mo?" Li Huowang found these two terms completely unfamiliar. Did the Mo Family have different branches? And what exactly was "evil cultivator Liang Mo"?

Looking at the thin man beside him and the black bird on his shoulder, Li Huowang pondered for a moment before finally asking, "Brother Sima, what are Qi Mo and Liang Mo?"

Sima Lan was quite surprised that Li Huowang didn't even know this. Soon, the blind black bird on his shoulder spoke, "They were originally one group, but as one person has one thought, ten people have ten thoughts, and a thousand people have a thousand thoughts, each had their own ideas. After the Grandmaster died, the Mo Family naturally began to split."

"Although Liang Mo, like the other Mo Family branches, understands ghosts, Heaven's will, and non-determinism, they misinterpreted the intentions of the first Grandmaster. They ultimately strayed onto the wrong path, colluding with Dongzhen Hall, and eventually becoming neither human nor ghost, as they are now..."

Upon hearing his bird speak these words, Sima Lan's expression became much graver, as if recalling something unpleasant.

Li Huowang also realized that whether someone was an evil cultivator depended on whether they affected the stability of the Great Liang Kingdom. Conversely, even if their actions were disgusting, they could still be considered an orthodox sect.

Li Huowang wisely stopped asking questions. It was simply a matter of a sect splitting. Compared to other people's problems, he should worry more about himself.

Since he now knew that Beimeng was a heart essence capable of dispelling illusions, the next step was to figure out where Beimeng was and how he could obtain the method to get rid of illusions from him.

Cooperation? He immediately discarded this option. The Sit-Forget Dao was untrustworthy, and if they discovered his heart essence identity, he would never have a moment's peace.

The only thing he could do was find a way to locate Beimeng and forcibly extract the method from him. As for how to extract it, the Bureau of Celestial Observation was the most crucial leverage he could find right now. Otherwise, why would he go to such lengths to infiltrate it?

After walking for a while down the corridor, Li Huowang keenly heard some unusual sounds coming from inside the walls. There were sounds of wood colliding, bird wings flapping, and hurried footsteps.

Li Huowang paid no attention, continuing to walk forward with Sima Lan. Just then, a eunuch-like man walked by silently, humbly bowing his head close to the wall.

As he brushed past Li Huowang, the eunuch touched a corner of the wall, and it suddenly opened. In that instant, Li Huowang glimpsed the activity inside: various birds constantly flew up and landed by a wide window sill in the distance.

Nearby, a eunuch waited, unfastening papers from the birds' legs and placing them into small bamboo tubes. These then slid down thin cords, dropping into a peculiar structure made of connected bamboo pieces. At first glance, it looked like a spider bristling with bamboo pipes.

However, this bamboo "spider" was clearly moldy, with various sizes of mold spots covering it. Not only the exterior, but also the continuously rotating wooden gears inside were covered in mold.

With a creaking sound, these letters, detached from the birds' legs, were distributed through the "spider's" pipes to the eunuchs around it. These eunuchs, with practiced ease, sorted the slips of paper before them, turned, and placed them into small, cabinet-like square boxes behind them.

Eunuchs, messenger birds, bamboo "spiders"—everything moved quickly and methodically, each performing their assigned tasks.

Just as Li Huowang was pondering the information contained within this scene, Sima Lan suddenly turned left, heading downwards along a series of closed doors.

"Remember this mark. The Xiú Gate or the Shēng Gate will do. Don't go the wrong way." With a push from Sima Lan, a dim yet somewhat hazy hall appeared before Li Huowang.

Many screens were placed in the hall. Shadows, sitting or standing, were reflected on the screens, indicating that there were people behind each one. However, their voices were extremely indistinct; even Li Huowang couldn't hear what they were saying.

Walking through this "forest" of black figures and strange, muffled sounds, Li Huowang felt extremely bizarre. Was this really the Bureau of Celestial Observation, or some kind of ghost market?

Honestly, when he first entered, Li Huowang's heart pounded faster. He was afraid his identity would be recognized. But thankfully, he was out of danger; Zhuge Yuan's spindle had proven very useful.

Li Huowang carefully observed his surroundings. He noticed that this place, like before, had specks of mold on the screens and surrounding pillars, making what should have been an imposing hall appear somewhat dirty and old.

"Brother Sima, does this place often experience southern return winds? Why is everything moldy?" Li Huowang asked casually.

"Perhaps. It wasn't like this before, only started at the beginning of this year."

After saying this, Sima Lan pointed forward. "Since it's your first time, go to the Lingtailang first to register for a shift. Then I'll tell you more details."

Li Huowang followed the direction the bird flew and soon saw a man in the distance, standing with his left hand behind his back, his expression grave, meticulously calculating with his fingers.

The man wore a long robe and had an ordinary appearance. He stood behind a high counter, similar to one in a pawn shop. If not for the setting, Li Huowang might have even thought he was a storyteller in a teahouse.

"Nangong, a Geng Banner, register for a shift." Sima Lan's bird flew to the counter and pecked at the surface with its beak.

The calculating man didn't even glance at Li Huowang. With an air of composure, he extended the hand he had held behind his back. "The waist token."

The man named Nangong felt the patterns on the waist token, then simply tossed it back. "Hm... Er Jiu, is it? Er Niu told me before he left."

Li Huowang remembered that Ji Xiang's name seemed to be Er Niu.

Watching Sima Lan converse with Nangong, Li Huowang began to ponder his next move.

Just as Sima Lan finished chatting and was about to lead Li Huowang further, Li Huowang suddenly spoke.

"Brother Sima, I am new here. May I ask from whom one receives assignments?"

Sima Lan was a little surprised, but he didn't show it. "Since your waist token has reached the 'Banner' rank, you don't receive assignments from anyone; you choose your own assignments."

Sima Lan led Li Huowang back into the hall, pulled open a screen, and walked in.

Behind the screen, there was nothing but a table and a few stools. Sima Lan's bird again pecked at the tabletop with its beak.

Soon, a eunuch with fair skin walked in and bowed deeply to Li Huowang and Sima Lan. The shadows of all three were also reflected on the landscape screen nearby.

"Ask him what assignments you want. He knows everything that arrived this morning. You can also learn from him how many Bureau of Celestial Observation officials are below your rank in this area and choose someone to assist you."

Hearing Sima Lan's words, Li Huowang looked at the eunuch before him, thought for a moment, and asked him, "Is this how assignments are usually taken?"