Chapter 441: Past

Even though it was only an illusion, he had no idea how long it would take to figure out how to transform it into a real person. But with this illusion, there was a glimmer of hope: Zhuge Yuan could live, he wouldn't have to die! He instinctively reached out, sweeping his hand through Zhuge Yuan's body, which, of course, he couldn't touch. Still, this inability to connect only fueled Li Huowang's excitement.

The emotional rollercoaster left Li Huowang profusely sweating, his face flushed red.

"Boss Hong Zhong, what are you doing? Are you coming or not? If you're not, I'm leaving," North Wind urged, his face showing a hint of eagerness as he gazed at the tumultuous battle unfolding in the distance.

Li Huowang collected himself, first glancing at North Wind who was speaking beside him, then looking at the two warring factions in the distance.

Although Dou Mu had departed, neither the Sit-Forgotten Dao nor the Supervisor Division showed any signs of ceasing their conflict; in fact, their struggle intensified. A pair of dragon horns protruded from behind the Emperor of Daliang's broad robes, while the four dice figures, with the assistance of other Sit-Forgotten Dao members, sat cross-legged on the ground, seemingly orchestrating some unknown scheme.

Li Huowang withdrew his gaze, quickly sank his body into the ground, turning invisible, and gradually exited the chaotic Daliang imperial palace.

"Daoist, why are you leaving? Didn't you say you were going to retrieve some cultivation techniques from North Wind?" Hearing this, Li Huowang sneered, "He has no cultivation techniques to speak of; it's a fake, specifically put out to lure Xin Su. I know where the real ones are."

After Dou Mu's earlier rampage, there were few undamaged places left in the entire capital city. Everywhere he looked was a mess, as if it had been struck by a major earthquake.

Li Huowang rode an ownerless swift horse, galloping towards his own courtyard.

When he arrived home, he saw Mantou, squatting on a crooked-necked tree by the entrance of his slanted house, tail tucked between his legs, trembling with fear.

Li Huowang first rushed into the courtyard, quickly grabbed the necessary luggage, then reached out to scoop up the dog, and headed straight for the East City Gate.

After leaving the city and running for about ten li, Li Huowang finally stopped before a waterfall surrounded by green mountains and clear waters.

Zhuge Yuan's expression was solemn at this moment, completely devoid of any interest in the scenery. "Alas," he sighed, "I wonder how the loyal officials of Great Qi are faring without me to clear the emperor's side."

"Alright, Brother Zhuge," Li Huowang interjected, "you're like a clay Buddha crossing a river, barely able to save yourself. You should prioritize your own well-being. I'm not sure if you heard my plan before you died, so let me tell you about it again."

Li Huowang then explained in detail to Zhuge Yuan how he intended to revive him.

Upon hearing these words, Zhuge Yuan began to ponder deeply, thinking very carefully and slowly.

After a long pause, he slightly shook his head, his brow furrowed. "Brother Li, I don't think this method will work."

"Hmm? Why not?"

"Yes, Xin Su can indeed move mountains and seas at will, but I am a living person, a real, breathing human being. And don't forget, I am no mere mortal; I am a Heart-Pan. Even if you achieve great mastery in cultivation, we all belong to the 'Heart' lineage. No matter how potent Xin Su's Innate Qi is, it cannot create a Heart-Pan."

"It can!" Li Huowang's resolute words made the five illusions all look at him in unison.

"Brother Zhuge, I think, therefore I am. You simply cannot imagine how powerful Xin Su is! What North Wind said before actually concealed part of the truth; Xin Su's Innate Qi indeed originates from the same source as Dou Mu's solar aspect."

"But what he deliberately concealed and didn't mention is that the Heavenly Principles on Dou Mu, who controls truth and falsehood, were not inherently hers either!"

As Li Huowang spoke, he looked down at his clenched fists and excitedly declared, "This is something even more powerful than a Si Ming! By then, it won't just be about giving you a physical body; what's wrong with following Pangu to create the world itself!"

Looking at Li Huowang, Zhuge Yuan's face showed a trace of concern. "Brother Li, where did you learn all this?" He was certain that Li Huowang didn't know these things when he came to Apricot Island to find him.

These words made Li Huowang pause. The excitement on his face gradually subsided. "I recalled some things, some things about the past, some... things about me being Hong Zhong of the Sit-Forgotten Dao."

"What?!" Zhuge Yuan appeared utterly astonished.

Li Huowang's face showed a wry smile. "I don't want to accept those realities either, but the facts are right before me: I, Li Huowang, am Hong Zhong."

"If North Wind cooperated with me, it would be understandable, but what about the memories in my mind? What about the divine abilities I suddenly gained?"

As he spoke, Li Huowang's face continuously changed its appearance, finally settling on the Hong Zhong pattern.

The moment these words left his mouth, Li Huowang's heart felt a piercing pain. Being Hong Zhong meant that there had never been a high school student, and there had never been any reality.

What the abbess of An Ci Temple told him during their first meeting was true: he was a native of this world, and all the jumbled memories in his mind had been nothing but Hong Zhong's disguised illusions all along.

The thought that Yang Na and his mother were both fabricated made Li Huowang's heart ache even more. However, at this moment, there was no trace of confusion in Li Huowang's eyes, only unwavering determination.

"But... why should I care about truth or falsehood? What does it matter whether it's real or fake? As long as I can completely control this power, even if it's fake, I will make them all real!"

He didn't care if these were self-deceiving illusions; he only cared if they truly existed.

"Hmm... wait, Brother Li, something's not right, something's definitely not right. Let me think." Zhuge Yuan, with his hands behind his back, began to pace back and forth.

After pacing back and forth for several steps, Zhuge Yuan looked back at Li Huowang. "Brother Li, don't jump to conclusions yet. You might not be Hong Zhong."

"If it were just a very clear segment of memory, that would be one thing. But how do you explain my Sit-Forgotten Dao divine abilities? And..."

At this point, Li Huowang quickly checked his bearings, swiftly mounted his horse, and galloped eastward for several miles, eventually stopping at a roadside noodle shop.

He quickly walked in. Before the stall owner could speak, Li Huowang revealed his Hong Zhong face.

Upon seeing his Hong Zhong face, the smiling stall owner's expression instantly changed. He immediately pulled out a Hong Zhong mahjong tile from behind him, holding it reverently with both hands towards Li Huowang.

Li Huowang swiped his hands, and the mahjong tile instantly split into two halves. He held up the front half, showing it to Zhuge Yuan. Inside were five tiny, fly-head sized characters: 'Hong Zhong Li Huowang'.

"See? This is the secret agent I set up six years ago. I know this is hard to accept, but these ironclad facts prove that I am Hong Zhong. I don't want to escape now, because escaping is useless."

"No, that's not right," Zhuge Yuan shook his head even more emphatically. "You are not Hong Zhong; you were merely swapped, much like Great Qi... and Great Liang. Originally, Great Qi's unification of the world was real, and Great Liang's divided state was false. But just like you, its history has been replaced."