Chapter 456: Sudden Mutation

"It's just blindness, nothing more. I'll always find a way to replace these eyes. If it truly comes down to it and I can't, then I'll trouble Li Huowang." Bai Lingmiao continued speaking to Ershen.

"But what if I truly die one day? Remember to keep an eye on him for me. Don't let him get all dramatic and suicidal."

"No, I can't die yet. I need to have his children first. How many do you think would be best?"

As she spoke, a commotion erupted in the village. Bai Lingmiao frowned slightly and promptly returned with Ershen.

Soon, they learned from the villagers gathered in a circle that Gouwa's child had been born.

This was meant to be a joyous occasion, but when the child was brought out from the bedroom, everyone who had been about to offer congratulations fell silent the moment they saw the baby's appearance. Gouwa, in particular, stood rooted to the spot.

The infant's body was covered in white patches, scattered here and there, identical to those on Gouwa's face—congenital vitiligo.

Luo Juanhua, who had acted as the midwife, surveyed the scene before approaching Gouwa. She carefully placed the baby in his arms. "It's a girl," she announced.

Gouwa's face instantly turned ashen, and he swayed, barely able to stand. "Why is it a girl...? Why specifically a girl? How will she ever get married?"

Chun Xiaoman, her expression visibly pained, gently put her arm around Bai Lingmiao. Her voice trembled as she said, "People like us are inherently flawed. Not only are we unsightly, but we also bring misfortune to our descendants. Forcing ourselves to have children only brings harm to everyone involved."

"I told Gouwa this before, but he always believed he was different. Oh, well..."

Bai Lingmiao's already fair complexion turned a deathly gray upon hearing this.

---

Li Huowang ascended the mountain along the even path. When he arrived at the deep cave again, the previously smooth grotto had transformed into a grotesque and fantastical landscape.

Some parts were twisted, others bizarre, and in certain areas, various sculptures had appeared—figures of Yang Na, Sun Xiaoqin, and Li Jiancheng. These were all unintended masterpieces created during Li Huowang's cultivation.

These were all created unconsciously; even if he tried to replicate them now, he likely wouldn't be able to.

Finding a relatively flat spot within the cavern, Li Huowang sat cross-legged and resumed his cultivation.

He held his breath and focused, beginning to channel the "Primordial One," enveloped in divine light within his body, towards his root chakra among the seven energy centers.

After a prolonged effort, the "Primordial One" had finally begun to shift. He aimed to seize this opportunity to complete the process in a single attempt.

Li Huowang entered a state of complete absorption. At this moment, his mind held no extraneous thoughts beyond shifting the "Primordial One" to the root chakra.

The process was slow, but the "Primordial One" was indeed moving.

It was a precarious process. The divine light from his eyes both enveloped and shifted the energy. Several times, Li Huowang nearly lost control, allowing a wisp of the "Primordial One" to escape, which forced him back to his hospital bed in the real world.

Perseverance paid off. With Li Huowang's unwavering concentration, he felt the "Primordial One" within his body gradually align with his root chakra.

In a flash, Li Huowang felt the divine light enveloping the "Primordial One" suddenly surge and expand, rapidly pouring out from within him and radiating outwards.

Everything the luminous aura touched, he instantly comprehended, inside and out.

He understood everything with crystal clarity, even earthworms in the soil and the even tinier insects upon them.

This sensation was extraordinary. In that instant, Li Huowang felt as though he no longer possessed merely two eyes, but countless pairs. These eyes, blurring the lines between inner and outer, nested within each other to form a complete circle.

He could perceive anything in his surroundings with perfect clarity, simply by willing it.

However, this sensation was as fleeting as it was sudden. When Li Huowang opened his eyes again, his body plunged directly to the ground from its suspended state.

After shifting his position and landing steadily, Li Huowang surveyed his surroundings. For some inexplicable reason, everything he saw, while outwardly identical to before, felt subtly altered in its details.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. Li Huowang picked up a stone from the ground, slowly closed his eyes, and declared, "This is an apple."

This was more than mere words; Li Huowang wholeheartedly willed the stone in his hand to become an apple.

Veins bulged on his forehead, and Li Huowang's expression began to contort in a grimace. The hand gripping the stone trembled violently.

A few moments later, when Li Huowang abruptly opened his eyes, he saw that the apple was still in his hand!

Excited, Li Huowang brought the apple to his mouth and took a large bite, feeling the sweet and sour juice fill his mouth.

As he continued chewing, the apple juice seemed to proliferate. Yet, gradually, the taste began to change; the sweetness and tartness quickly faded, giving way to a pungent, metallic, rusty flavor.

Li Huowang opened his mouth wide and spat out the fragments of stone that had cut his mouth, along with blood.

He glanced at the stone-apple in his hand, now with a missing bite, then looked up at Zhuge Yuan and said, "Brother Zhuge, look! I've only been practicing for a few days and I've already achieved this effect. Just wait a little longer; I'll definitely be able to revive you."

"Brother Li, there's no rush. Take your time. You should return and rest immediately. You've been in seclusion for four days and four nights this time; your body must be exhausted."

"What, that long?" Li Huowang suddenly stood up, immediately feeling a wave of dizziness. Fortunately, Li Sui, who had been waiting nearby, promptly rushed over and steadied him with her tentacles.

"Take me home. I need to rest," Li Huowang mumbled before instantly passing out.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in bed. He had been choked awake by Bai Lingmiao, who was giving him water mouth-to-mouth.

"You're awake? Are you hungry? Your food has been brought," Bai Lingmiao said. For some reason, she looked very pale.

Li Huowang, however, had no time to ponder this. His mind was solely on food; he felt he could devour an entire ox at that moment.

Li Huowang sat up, picked up the bowl of white rice, and began to eat ravenously. To him, the plain rice tasted as delicious as the finest delicacies.

The heaping bowl of rice was quickly devoured, and Li Huowang moved on to the remaining two dishes and soup.

Mid-meal, Li Huowang noticed a pair of blood-red embroidered shoes halt in front of him.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?" Li Huowang looked up in surprise at Ershen standing before him.

"Senior Brother Li, can you help us?"

Li Huowang chewed and swallowed the water spinach leaf in his cheek. "Tell me, what's wrong? There's no need for formalities between us."

Ershen stood there, her long, dark fingers intertwined, conveying a mix of resolve and profound internal conflict.

Observing her demeanor, Li Huowang quickly gleaned a great deal of useful information.

"What? Is this something you wish to discuss alone? Did Miaomiao not object?"

"I know you are two entities sharing one body, but you are also free to have your own intentions. Tell me, what is the matter? I will certainly help if I can."

Just as Ershen remained deeply conflicted, the brightly lit room suddenly plunged into deep shadow.

"Hmm?" Li Huowang stood up, walked to the window, and peered outside at the incredibly dark sky.

"It's dark," he mused aloud.

"No," Zhuge Yuan said, his expression uncharacteristically grave. "Brother Li, it's not simply dark. It's currently midday. This is one of the celestial calamities: the Celestial Dog devouring the sun."