Chapter 40: Late Night

"Hmm? What's all this nonsense?" Li Huowang, his brow slightly furrowed, walked into the woods where the fool was staying.

As soon as he entered the woods, Li Huowang's pupils constricted. He saw the fool, accompanied by the old beggar from earlier, squatting in front of a small mound of earth, busily eating something.

On top of the small mound were several sheets of yellow paper, held down securely by a stone.

Suppressing his anger, Li Huowang rushed over and kicked the fool down. "Get up! How dare you eat offerings from a grave! Are you tired of living? Didn't I tell you not to talk to this beggar!"

The fool got up, looking wronged. "I... I... I didn't talk to him."

"Kneel down! Apologize immediately by kowtowing!" Li Huowang commanded sternly.

After seeing the fool heavily kowtow several times towards the grave mound, Li Huowang reached out and forcibly pulled him up.

This cursed place had everything imaginable; he dared not take chances. If not handled properly, trouble would immediately ensue.

With a 'clang,' Li Huowang drew the long sword from his back and pointed it directly at the old beggar's nose. He spoke coldly, "I don't care what your intentions are, stay away from my people! Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Without waiting for a reply, Li Huowang pulled the fool and turned to leave.

"I'm not a beggar, I'm a monk," the man mumbled softly, continuing to squat there and eat the offerings for the dead.

Back on the road, the group continued their journey. Li Huowang's expression was grim as he began to instruct the others. "Don't sleep too soundly these next few nights; something might happen."

Although the fool had kowtowed and admitted his mistake, heaven knew the temperament of whatever was in that tomb, and Li Huowang dared not gamble.

Hearing Li Huowang's words, the others immediately understood and nodded subtly.

As the sun set in the west and night fell, people on the road dispersed into the roadside woods to gather firewood and build fires.

Around the two donkey carts, Li Huowang built a large bonfire and also had others chop plenty of firewood from the woods.

There was no moon that night, and the surroundings were pitch black. Tree branches swayed in the breeze, as if countless things were hidden within, peering at the people around the bonfire.

As time passed, the surroundings gradually grew quiet, and everyone else fell asleep.

But Li Huowang did not sleep, remaining still as if waiting for something.

Besides the surrounding woods, most of his attention was also focused on the old beggar.

If that 'thing' came looking for trouble, it would certainly target him first.

It would be even better if it came; he could use this opportunity to figure out what was truly going on with that fellow.

After a long wait, the first half of the night passed, leading into the latter half, the time when people were most prone to drowsiness.

"Li... Brother Li, was there... a face there just now?" Dogwa, who was also on watch, asked with a tremor in his voice.

Li Huowang quickly looked, but saw nothing in the darkness.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a very low voice.

Dogwa swallowed hard. "Not sure, maybe... maybe I just imagined it."

"Don't speak, be quiet." Li Huowang pretended to stare at the bonfire in front of him, glancing sideways in that direction from the corner of his eye.

After waiting quietly for a moment, in the faint glow of the fire, he saw an ugly face slowly emerge from the darkness, a cruel smile on its face.

What made Li Huowang's scalp tingle was that behind this head, more heads slowly appeared. Streaks of white light flickered in and out of sight beneath the heads.

"Wait, white light?" Li Huowang abruptly stood up, grabbed a burning log from the bonfire, and threw it over. "Stop! Who are you?!"

Li Huowang's loud shout, like a clap of thunder in the quiet surroundings, woke everyone else from their sleep.

When the tumbling log landed beneath those heads, revealing that they all had feet and cast shadows, Li Huowang immediately realized these were living people.

Not only Li Huowang, but the others also saw them, along with the large machetes in their hands. "Bandits! Run!"

This terrified shout instantly caused chaos among the group. Everyone grabbed their valuables and scattered like birds and beasts.

"Damn it! We've been spotted! Bring the horses quickly!" Soon, hoofbeats sounded as the robbers, wielding their blades, pursued the travelers on the road.

"Quick, run into the woods! Their horses can't run well in the forest!"

Hearing the old beggar's shout, the others quickly moved away from the main road and rushed into the surrounding woods.

They managed to flee, but those with donkey carts like Li Huowang couldn't escape; donkeys could never outrun horses.

Hearing hoofbeats approaching from behind, Li Huowang quickly stopped, turned around, and saw a tall horse carrying a bearded bandit hacking down at an old woman.

"Can't dodge!" Li Huowang quickly pulled out a pill, popped it directly into his mouth, and a wave of heat instantly surged through his entire body.

Just as Li Huowang pushed off with his feet and charged towards the bandit, the old beggar suddenly rushed out from the side, pushing the falling old woman aside.

Gaode Qiu, on horseback, looked at the old beggar before him with a hint of disdain. Without even raising his blade, he pulled the reins, and his horse's hooves lifted high, heading straight to trample the man.

A cruel smile spread across his face, anticipating the bloody scene that would follow. As a bandit, besides carousing with women, this was his only other hobby.

However, the very next moment, he saw a figure charge out from the front and deliver a heavy punch to the horse's head.

"Thud!" Accompanied by the horse's neigh, the charging horse was abruptly forced to change direction, collapsing to its right.

As Gaode Qiu fell towards the ground, he could do nothing but watch the horse's caved-in head, its eyes widening.

The next moment, with a muffled thud, his head met the same fate as his horse.

Seeing their comrade under attack, the other bandits quickly put their fingers to their mouths, blew loud whistles, and came to assist.

However, Li Huowang, who had consumed a pill refined by Danyangzi, quickly made these bandits realize they had provoked someone they dared not mess with.

Muffled thuds continuously echoed on the dim dirt road. After losing several men, the bandits quickly fled in panic.

"Retreat quickly! This guy's tough! He might be from the Ministry of Heavenly Surveillance!"

Li Huowang stood there, his fists covered in blood, breathing heavily.

He turned around and looked at the old beggar behind him. After what had just transpired, he could conclude that this fellow wasn't a formidable opponent, but rather a simpleton.

Under Li Huowang's gaze, the old beggar stood up, walked to a person killed by the bandits, knelt, put his hands together, and softly chanted something.

As Li Huowang drew closer, he made out what the man was chanting.

"Amitābha, Amitābha, Amitābha..."

He kept repeating "Amitābha," his pronunciation far from standard.

After chanting it dozens of times, the old beggar walked into the nearby woods and began digging the ground with his hands.