Chapter 683: Ten Emotions

Standing in the seawater, Li Huowang realized his emotions were being manipulated. He decisively closed his eyes and repeatedly chanted to himself, "No! I'm not angry, I'm not upset!"

As he chanted, the overwhelming rage in his heart gradually stabilized. However, this feeling didn't last long. The moment he opened his eyes again and rain dripped into them, explosive fury and agitation surged back, refusing to dissipate.

He could think freely, but his emotions were beyond his control.

By now, the Tanka people had vanished, submerging back into the dark, ghost-ridden water. Li Huowang, accompanied by Scholar Lu, frantically slaughtered them, but with each kill, the anger in his heart intensified, nearly consuming his remaining sanity.

Li Huowang knew this wouldn't do; if he continued, he would completely lose his mind and become an irrational, raging lunatic, and then it would all be over.

Facing an unknown adversary that refused to show itself, Li Huowang suppressed his inner rage. "This thing seems connected to water," he thought. "A gentleman does not stand under a tottering wall. I must get away from the water first!"

"Go! Everyone, go!" Li Huowang, drenched in the pouring rain, shouted loudly at his companions. The Tanka people attempted to block them, but their strength was clearly insufficient to stop Li Huowang.

Li Huowang and his group, along with their carriage, swiftly moved away from the coast. Their lower bodies gradually emerged from the seawater as they began to approach the inland areas of Hou Shu.

Yet, the furious state of mind still enveloped everyone, showing no signs of diminishing.

This anger continuously accumulated in their hearts, provoking them to suspect their companions with the worst possible thoughts.

By rights, it should have been daylight by now, but the entire sky remained a dull gray.

"Why is it still affecting us? Is that thing still following us? Where is it!?" Li Huowang, filled with suppressed rage, looked up at the constantly raining sky. He raised his dagger and plunged it forcefully into his thigh. However, under the intense fury, the sensation of pain was significantly dulled, almost imperceptible.

Just then, the inexplicable rage quickly dissipated. But before Li Huowang could feel any relief, a wave of profound sorrow began to emerge.

This feeling wasn't swift and fiery like the rage; instead, it was like dark water in a gutter—subtle but persistent. As they continued walking, new emotions gathered in their hearts, dredging up hidden painful memories from their past.

Li Huowang had never experienced anything like this before. The enemy was invisible and intangible, tormenting them solely by exploiting the "ten emotions and eight sufferings."

His own sorrowful past continuously surfaced in Li Huowang's mind, leaving him mentally exhausted and unable to think clearly.

He was not alone; others were affected similarly. Even the horses pulling the carriage stopped, silently shedding tears.

"Wuwuwu...wuwu...Daddy...Mommy..."

Hearing the woman's mournful sobs, Li Huowang turned to see Yang Na curled up in a ball, squatting beside the washing machine, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.

"What's wrong? I only spilled your water, why are you so upset?" A concerned Li Huowang quickly knelt down, carefully looking at Yang Na as he asked.

Yang Na, her eyes red from crying, gently shook her head, tears scattering as she did so. "I...I don't know...I just feel..."

Seeing her reaction, Li Huowang paused for a second with a bewildered expression, seemingly having found the reason. "Nana! Has your depression relapsed? What's going on? Haven't you been taking your medicine lately?"

"Ever since I've been with you, I've felt so happy, I thought..." Yang Na said, heartbroken.

"How could you not take your medicine!" Li Huowang immediately grew anxious; it was serious for anyone with a mental illness to stop their medication. He stood up and quickly rummaged through Yang Na's bag.

A moment later, Li Huowang approached Yang Na with the medicine bottle, urgently pleading, "Nana! Please! Take your medicine! You'll feel better if you do."

"I...I don't want to take medicine. It makes me feel bad. I don't want to take medicine...wuwuwuwu."

Suppressed by intense sorrow, Yang Na lay on the ground, crying desperately, as helpless as a child, almost incapable of rational thought.

"Nana! Nana!" Li Huowang embraced her, pulling her into his arms. "Look at me! Don't be afraid, I'll take it with you!"

With that, Li Huowang picked out a few pills from the bottle, chewed them, and swallowed them directly. "Those are for depression, why are *you* taking them!" Yang Na's cries intensified.

Li Huowang took out a few more pills and put them in his mouth. Without a word, he leaned in and kissed her, gently passing the pills with his tongue.

When Li Huowang slowly drew his tongue back, he found that Bai Lingmiao, whom he was holding, had calmed down. Her sorrow had vanished, and his own mind had returned to normal.

"How are you? Feeling better?" Li Huowang asked softly.

Bai Lingmiao gently nodded. Then, she suddenly turned her head to look at the sky. "Senior Brother Li, there's something there!"

Li Huowang also looked up at the sky. He hadn't noticed when, but the clouds overhead had pressed down extremely low, and muffled thunder rumbled within them.

But compared to before, he felt a fleeting gaze! They were back!

"I've finally found you!" Li Huowang's expression gradually became grim. A surge of fire ignited in his heart instantly; this time, it wasn't controlled, but his own emotion.

Peng Longteng's figure appeared beside him, grabbing him and throwing him directly towards the extremely low clouds. Bai Lingmiao flicked her sleeves, and two lengths of white silk wrapped around Li Huowang's feet, following him up.

Inside the dark clouds, Li Huowang couldn't see, but Bai Lingmiao's "Mind's Eye" ability proved immensely useful. She acted as Li Huowang's eyes, guiding him closer to their opponent.

As Peng Longteng repeatedly threw him higher, Li Huowang passed through the thick layer of rain. Suddenly, his view cleared, revealing a transparent entity, its edges formed by white incense smoke, circling in the air.

It wasn't a dragon; at least, not one Li Huowang had ever seen.

With another powerful throw from Peng Longteng, Li Huowang was flung forward. The incense entity neither dodged nor evaded, allowing Li Huowang to pass right through it.

"Again!" As Peng Longteng, mid-air, grabbed Li Huowang's left foot and forcefully threw him towards the entity, Li Huowang squeezed his eyes shut. "I can touch it, I can touch that beast!"

The next moment, Li Huowang felt himself collide with something like a ball of cotton. Without hesitation, he raised his longsword and forcefully plunged it into it.

"Die!!"

With a squelching sound, an inexplicably viscous liquid, laced with long tendrils, sprayed onto Li Huowang's face.