Chapter 529: Da Qi

The rift created by the Spine Sword wasn't static; it moved forward like a surge of sword energy. To enter, Li Huowang had to be faster than it, but he was just short of the necessary speed. "I can go faster! I can go faster!" he shouted. True to his word, his speed increased, and he plunged headfirst into the rapidly shrinking rift.

Upon arriving in Daqi, Li Huowang lunged to his left. The rift behind him quickly vanished, but not before tearing his cloak. Taking a deep breath, Li Huowang finally had a moment to take in his surroundings.

This location, once a prince's bedchamber in Daliang, appeared to be much the same in Daqi—a large, spacious room. Yet, broken roof tiles, overgrown weeds around the building, and dust-covered furniture suggested its grandeur was a thing of the past. "It looks like this place has been abandoned for a long time," Li Huowang remarked as his voice echoed through the room. He stood up. "Dad, where are we?" Li Sui's eyeball popped out from Li Huowang's navel, curiously surveying the decaying surroundings.

"Who cares where we are," Li Huowang said, gripping his sword. "We haven't finished what we started." He then dashed off in the direction King Ren had fled.

The interior was ruined, and the exterior was much the same; the entire architectural complex appeared utterly desolate. Li Huowang pursued King Ren throughout Daqi for what felt like two cups of tea, then pulled out the Spine Sword once more. He had to admit, when used effectively, this weapon forged from the Heart-Pan was incredibly practical. It proved useful for both offense and self-preservation, and Li Huowang was immensely glad he hadn't buried it in a pit earlier.

"We should be out of their encirclement now," Li Huowang said. "Let's go back and see." He then forcefully slashed open another rift, repeating his earlier maneuver. When he reappeared in Daqi, he found himself standing on a rooftop. In the distant courtyard, King Ren's elevated sedan chair was rapidly speeding eastward.

"I've caught up!" Li Huowang exclaimed. With a powerful leap from his talisman-enhanced legs, he soared through the air like a giant eagle, swooping down toward the sedan chair. Just as he was about to succeed, a woman with a black cloth covering her face mysteriously appeared on his back. She immediately raised an obsidian dagger, intending to stab Li Huowang in the neck, but Li Sui's tentacles swiftly intervened, stopping her.

When Li Huowang saw a large character for "Witch" (巫) written on the black cloth covering the person's face, his pupils instantly constricted, and he felt utterly shocked. "No! These are people from the Dharma Sect! King Ren actually has connections with the Dharma Sect!!"

This revelation was far more significant than a mere struggle for succession; it wasn't something a common evil cultivator could easily dismiss. The Dharma Sect was a cult that worshipped natural disasters and the Child God. Realizing this, Li Huowang, still airborne, immediately made a decision.

"Bang!" Li Huowang delivered a kick to the assailant. Instead of continuing his pursuit of King Ren, he used the force of the recoil to propel himself toward the rooftop on his left. "Dad, the sedan chair is getting away. Aren't we going to chase it?" Li Sui asked, watching the rapidly shrinking sedan chair in the distance.

"There's no need to chase them anymore," Li Huowang replied. "In this 'Gu raising' process, King Ren has crossed the line and committed a serious offense. We just need to report this to the Directorate of Celestial Observation." The idea that a contender for the throne in Daliang had allies from the Dharma Sect was unfathomable, and the potential consequences if such a person became emperor were dire. Even in a struggle for the throne, a naturally rebellious group like the Dharma Sect could absolutely not be involved. The Directorate of Celestial Observation might remain neutral on other matters, but they certainly wouldn't stand by concerning this.

Knowing that the Directorate of Celestial Observation would undoubtedly intervene, Li Huowang decided it wasn't worth the immense effort or risk to his life fighting King Ren, especially given how challenging the two previous Civil and Martial Gods of Wealth had been. When he heard the familiar sound of gongs ringing out again, Li Huowang immediately realized that King Ren's pursuers had caught up. Without a moment's hesitation, he slashed open another rift to Daqi and slipped through.

The dilapidated courtyard was covered in fallen leaves, and spiderwebs stretched between tree branches and rafters. It was so quiet that not even a breath of wind stirred. Li Huowang looked up at the half-moon shrouded by dark clouds. The abrupt transition from intense motion to absolute stillness left him feeling disoriented.

"Let's go," Li Huowang said. After a brief moment to orient himself, he set off in the direction of the Directorate of Celestial Observation. His plan was to reach the Directorate, then return to Daliang, report the incident, and consider his mission accomplished. While he was prepared to do anything for this task, Li Huowang wasn't so foolish as to neglect any available assistance. "Dad, you brought my sword over here too," Li Sui reminded him. "We need to go get it back."

"Oh, right, I almost forgot," Li Huowang said, turning to walk back towards the area where he had confronted the Civil God of Wealth. "Brother Zhuge," he asked Zhuge Yuan, who was floating in mid-air, "what kind of place is this in Daqi?"

"Hmm... it should be the Cold Palace," Zhuge Yuan replied, his brow furrowed and his expression somewhat solemn. "This 'Cold Palace' is quite desolate," Li Huowang mused. "Why isn't there a single soul around? Did something happen in Daqi?"

This time, in response to Li Huowang's question, Zhuge Yuan simply tightened his grip on his folding fan and pondered in silence.

With no one to impede him, Li Huowang quickly located the copper coin sword embedded in a broken water vat. He retrieved it, strapped it back to his back, and prepared to retrace his steps.

The next instant, Li Huowang's eyes snapped open, and the tip of his sword aimed directly at a dilapidated side room in the distance. "Who's there! Get out!"

"Ah... ah... ah..." In the dead of night, intermittent screams echoed through the empty, decaying palace—a truly chilling sound. Clearly, however, Li Huowang was not intimidated; he charged forward, sword in hand.

As Li Huowang sent large sections of the wall towards Daliang, he spotted the source of the screams. It was an old, bald eunuch, lying naked on a straw mat, clutching his distended abdomen and screaming loudly. His massive belly was covered in bulging veins, twitching intermittently, and its edges were cracked, slowly oozing blood and amniotic fluid from the wounds.

"Has he been possessed by some evil creature?" Li Huowang wondered. Then, realizing he was currently in Daqi, he immediately understood the eunuch's predicament. Not long ago, in Daqi, it was rumored that the Buddha of Zhengde Temple could enable eunuchs—men typically unable to bear children—to father sons. Given the current situation, it appeared this eunuch was in labor.

With a clearer understanding of the situation, a flicker of realization crossed Li Huowang's eyes, and he turned to leave. "Save me! Benefactor, save me! I'm... I'm having a difficult labor!" the screaming old eunuch cried out, having spotted Li Huowang.

"Nonsense! Do you have a hole down there? If you're not having a difficult labor, who is?!" But as Li Huowang quickened his pace, a monk with a pleading expression suddenly blocked his path. "Daoist, please help him. If not, it could mean two lives lost!" the monk urged. "Easy for you to say," Li Huowang retorted. "First, whether this guy is trying to trick us or not, consider what I actually know. Can any of it be used for childbirth? And when did I ever learn how to deliver a baby? Let alone for a man?"