Chapter 495: Dice

"Oh, it's nothing big, just a small favor I need your help with," the portly stall owner said to Li Huowang. Li Huowang gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "You flatter me. If you can't handle it, what good am I?"

The corpulent man didn't immediately reply to Li Huowang. Instead, he busied himself attending to customers, somewhat flustered. Only after most of them had left did he duck under his stall, retrieve two small wooden stools, sit on one, and toss the other to Li Huowang.

"Here, sit down, don't stand," he urged. "This matter, truly, only you can handle it. I can't; the dragon's veins would detect me if I went."

Li Huowang looked at the man's chubby face and asked with a touch of sarcasm, "Last time, we thoroughly offended the Directorate of Celestial Investigations. Aren't you satisfied yet?" Though Li Huowang appeared nonchalant at that moment, he was already on high alert internally.

This was because the man was none other than Dice, the leader of the Zuowang Dao!

As a fellow member of the Zuowang Dao, Li Huowang couldn't forget how formidable Dice was.

Dice's favorite pastime was deceiving deceivers. In fact, it was quite possible that he had swindled more than half of the Zuowang Dao's members into joining.

"Oh, about what you said," Dice began, "even if we don't steal from the Directorate, does that mean we won't offend them?"

Dice reached out, grabbed two leftover fried dough sticks, and began chewing them.

"Red Dragon, last night, the Daliang Emperor was trying to win you over, wasn't he?" Dice asked. "Oh, why did you run from something so interesting? When you go back, accept the Emperor's offer, then find a way to ensure his successful ascension."

Dice finally revealed the favor he needed from Li Huowang.

Li Huowang wasn't surprised in the least that the Zuowang Dao wanted to meddle in the Daliang imperial family's struggle for the throne.

However, regardless of their motives, Li Huowang had no desire to be involved.

"Boss, I'm occupied right now. Please find someone else for this task."

Faced with Li Huowang's decisive refusal, Dice chuckled. "What's wrong? You're not a child anymore, don't be so temperamental. Don't worry, your part will be over as soon as the Emperor ascends the throne."

"Red Dragon, we don't have many people inside the palace to begin with, and a group was cleared out recently, so you're the most conveniently positioned. Besides, don't forget you owe me a favor."

With a greasy hand, Dice patted Li Huowang's shoulder. "See? Logically and reasonably, this job falls to you."

A favor? Li Huowang didn't recall owing him one, nor did the memory of Red Dragon, which he possessed, include any such debt.

"I'm not doing this job, Boss Dice. You should find someone else."

After Li Huowang's second refusal, he smoothly stood up, preparing to depart.

"After the last incident, there aren't many Zuowang Dao members left. I advise you to focus on cultivation and self-improvement for a while."

Faced with Dice, whose power far surpassed his own, Li Huowang could only gamble that, with the Directorate of Celestial Investigations actively pursuing them, Dice wouldn't risk internal conflict with a San Yuan at this critical time.

To avoid being deceived by the Zuowang Dao, one must never follow their lead from the outset.

Li Huowang had only taken a few steps when Dice's voice suddenly echoed from behind him again. "Kid, are you truly refusing? If you are, don't blame me for abandoning our brotherhood!" Li Huowang pivoted, looking back at Dice. His voice was calm as he spoke:

"Boss Dice, what's this? Are you thinking of using force against me?"

"Oh, the way you put that," Dice said, "we're not brutes from the military faction. Why would I use force against one of my own?"

Li Huowang scoffed internally at the man's seemingly benevolent tone.

"Let me remind you," Dice continued, "just a month ago, you owed me a favor. You entrusted us with something for safekeeping. If you refuse this assignment, that's fine, but don't blame me if I release what we've been holding for you."

"Hm?" Li Huowang frowned deeply. He was certain he hadn't had any contact with the Zuowang Dao a month ago. Could Dice already be trying to deceive him?

"Boss Dice, this game is getting tiresome," Li Huowang stated. "I'm exhausted from the last incident and need a proper rest. Find someone else."

With that, Li Huowang tossed the cold food from his hand onto the ground and walked towards his carriage.

Dice didn't pursue Li Huowang. Instead, he somewhat frantically began attending to newly arrived customers.

As Li Huowang drove his carriage towards Shangjing's west gate, the corpulent stall owner shouted across the distance: "Brat! Be careful! If you only cultivate the truth and ignore the false, you might suffer qi deviation!"

Although he had safely left Shangjing and Dice hadn't made any overt moves, Li Huowang was far from naive enough to believe the matter was resolved.

After departing Shangjing, Li Huowang, along with Li Sui and Bai Lingmiao, galloped without pause.

To avoid Dice's deceptions, he even avoided contact with any living person throughout their journey.

When hungry, he would hunt in the mountains or fish in the rivers, living like a wild man.

The fire crackled as flames licked the scaled fish skin, roasting the arm-sized river fish, skewered on bamboo sticks, to a golden brown.

After lightly sprinkling some fine salt, Bai Lingmiao presented it to Li Huowang.

Li Huowang, who was keeping watch over their surroundings, gently shook his head.

"You eat first. I'm not hungry."

Bai Lingmiao handed the roasted fish to Li Sui, then picked up another one to roast.

"Senior Brother Li, how much longer until we reach Ox-Heart Village?"

"We won't return for now. Let's not bring this trouble back to the village."

"Then how long will we have to stay out here? For years?" Bai Lingmiao asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Not that long. Since the Zuowang Dao wants to meddle in the Daliang succession, once a new emperor ascends, regardless of whether they succeed or not, they shouldn't bother me anymore."

Li Huowang's greater concern was what tricks Dice might pull in the shadows. As the leader of the Zuowang Dao, Dice's reputation was certainly not undeserved.

When he approaches someone, the trap is usually already laid, just waiting for the victim to step into it.

At this thought, Li Huowang's hands slowly clenched in frustration. His power was still insufficient.

If his cultivation had reached its peak, there would be no need to be so wary of Dice.

After quickly finishing the roasted fish, Li Huowang retired to the carriage to rest. However, he didn't fall into a deep sleep, remaining alert enough to wake at the slightest disturbance.

In the dead of night, Li Huowang and Bai Lingmiao, who was nestled in his arms, simultaneously opened their eyes.

"Senior Brother Li, there's movement in the woods to the east."

"Yes, I heard it too. The three of us should go together to see what's happening, lest we be lured away from our camp."

As the three of them cautiously approached, they heard the sounds of fighting, shouting, and the clang of weapons.

When Li Huowang glimpsed the distant battle through the gaps in the trees, he immediately understood what was happening.