Chapter 547: Si Tianjian

Surrounded, Li Huowang saw that his captors didn't believe him. He spoke plainly, "Let me speak with the Supervisor of Heaven. If he sees my reflection, he'll know whether I'm speaking nonsense."

Just as the man with the whip sternly pointed his index finger at Li Huowang, who was about to speak again, his expression suddenly changed. After a brief hesitation, he decisively took two steps to the left, opening a path in the encirclement. "It's working."

Li Huowang, invigorated, immediately realized that the Supervisor of Heaven had heard his words. He composed himself, clenched his fists, and walked down the path.

Passing through a small patch of woods, Li Huowang soon spotted a huge carriage parked by a stream. The noble horses pulling it were grazing and drinking.

"Greetings, Supervisor of Heaven!" Li Huowang bowed towards the sedan. The curtain was then pulled back, revealing the Supervisor of Heaven, whom Li Huowang had only seen from a distance before. Now, with such close proximity, Li Huowang finally got a clear look at the highest authority of the Bureau of Heavenly Supervision.

Li Huowang observed that the Supervisor of Heaven was noticeably taller and broader than an average person, almost like an enlarged version of a human. This towering physique was clad in a voluminous red Daoist robe that obscured his figure, making him appear very mysterious.

From a distance, Li Huowang had thought the red Daoist robe was a single color. But upon closer inspection, he now noticed faint, dark red characters subtly flowing within the crimson fabric.

Li Huowang's vision was excellent; he could clearly discern the strokes of the characters, but he couldn't understand what kind of script it was.

It was a script stranger than Nüshu, each stroke forming its own unique style, resembling drawings as much as words.

After a quick, cautious glance, Li Huowang dared not look any longer. It felt as if a few more glances would cause his soul to be sucked away by the characters. Steadying himself, Li Huowang looked at the dry grass on the ground and quickly began to address the main topic.

"Reporting to you, Supervisor of Heaven, I have a way to locate the hidden Dice! The Dice is cunning and beyond my abilities to contend with. For the sake of the common people, I hope you will eliminate this menace."

The Supervisor of Heaven's voice had an emphasis, and was very peculiar; it was impossible to discern gender or age. But at that moment, Li Huowang paid no mind to the voice's uniqueness, his mind solely focused on how to answer the question.

"No need for further words. I have already heard. I only wish to ask you, how did you come to know of Shangji Guankou, and how did you find it?" If he were to say that Zhuge Yuan's illusion told him, not only might the person not believe him, but his own heart-element illusion would likely be exposed. "I stumbled upon it by chance," Li Huowang explained.

"By chance, hmm. Do the youth of today not even know how to lie anymore?" As these words were uttered, Li Huowang immediately felt several gazes fall upon him, mostly concentrating on the Spinal Sword behind his back.

Hearing this, Li Huowang's heart raced. "Why must you press me on such minor details, Your Excellency? I truly have a way to find the Dice!" "You seem very eager. Why?"

"Supervisor of Heaven!" Li Huowang's voice suddenly rose, his emotions becoming agitated. "That day, those of the Dust-Forgetting Dao humiliated us so thoroughly, treating the Bureau of Heavenly Supervision as nothing! As a member of the Bureau, I simply cannot tolerate such indignation!"

"Furthermore, because of them, the common people throughout Shangjing suffered heavy casualties! Now that there's a chance to bring the Dice to justice, I am naturally extremely anxious!" "So, you wish to use me?"

The Supervisor of Heaven's words chilled Li Huowang's heart. The other party was too wary of him. Otherwise, he would have simply told the truth. "I wouldn't dare use you, Your Excellency. It's just that I believe, on such a critical matter as eliminating the Dice, you and I share the same objective." "You are somewhat honest. Very well, I indeed wish to eliminate the Dice."

Hearing this, Li Huowang's heart had just settled, but the "but" from the Supervisor of Heaven made it leap up again. "However, I have matters to attend to at present and cannot free up my hands just yet. It will require some time."

"More waiting?" Li Huowang unconsciously looked up again at the Supervisor of Heaven inside the sedan, staring at the darkness where his head should be within the Daoist robe. "Supervisor of Heaven! At a time like this, what could possibly be more important than killing the Dice?"

The Supervisor of Heaven's strange attire slightly trembled, as if he were shaking his head. "You don't understand. There are many things in this world more important than him."

"Never mind, you wouldn't understand even if I explained. During this time, you won't be idle. Use this period to 'stumble upon' Shangji Guankou for me once more, and obtain some of its secrets." Although Li Huowang wanted to refuse, given the current situation, if he agreed, the Supervisor of Heaven had at least consented to help him deal with the Dice. If it only meant waiting a bit longer, it wasn't so bad; at least the situation was far better than he had imagined.

Li Huowang didn't know what other intentions the Supervisor had; all he wanted now was the Dice's life.

"Rest assured, by the time you return with the secrets of Shangji Guankou, I should also be free to deal with the Dice." "Supervisor of Heaven, your subordinate can help you find Shangji Guankou, but a secret for a secret... do you have enough secrets to exchange with Shangji Guankou?" "Do not worry, I always know far more than you. You may withdraw; it is time for you to awaken." "Wait, Supervisor of Heaven, how will you convey those secrets? What do you mean, 'awaken'?"

Just as Li Huowang pondered the meaning of the Supervisor's last words, everything around him—the trees, the stream, and the enormous sedan—dissipated like smoke. The surroundings changed; not far to the left, there was a queue of people, and beyond them, the city gates of Shangjing.

Li Huowang stood rooted to the spot, unable to fully grasp what had just happened. Everything felt like a dream.

"Things that exhaust their numbers and change forms, appearing and disappearing as they shift, are called transformation, or illusion. Truly worthy of the Supervisor of Heaven of Daliang; what a formidable illusionary art!" Zhuge Yuan looked at the deep carriage tracks on the ground, a rare expression of admiration on his face.

"Illusionary art?" Li Huowang pondered the new term from Zhuge Yuan. So, everything he had experienced since leaving the city gate had been an illusion, all fake.

Realizing all this, a chill ran through Li Huowang. He had unknowingly fallen into the other's ploy. If the Supervisor had harbored ill intentions, he would have had no chance to resist.

Li Huowang had not been present at the previous major battle, but now he truly felt how terrifying the power of the highest authority in the Bureau of Heavenly Supervision was.

Hearing this, Li Huowang nodded, thinking to himself, "Indeed. If the Supervisor of Heaven is on my side, then the stronger he is, the better."

With this thought, Li Huowang drew his Spinal Sword and turned to a slender young woman beside him, who had a beauty mark near her mouth. "Let's not delay. We should go to Daqi and search for Shangji Guankou again." "Okay," the woman replied sweetly, a smile on her face.