Chapter 720: Taishan Stone

Veins burst open on Li Huowang’s scorched forehead, and hot, steaming blood, mixed with rain, poured down.

“Come on! Didn’t you manage to cultivate such a vast area before? Li Huowang, show me the power of your cultivation! Break open!”

As Li Huowang exerted strength with both hands, he forcibly ripped the ground formation, along with the ground itself, into two halves.

Li Huowang, his veins having burst across his entire body, fell weakly from the air. Watching some forms within the dark clouds gradually recede, he grinned and laughed aloud.

“Hahaha! This thing is truly effective! Bahui! Did you see that? Look at what others provided! Now look at yours! Isn’t it disgraceful?”

Just as he was about to hit the ground, Li Huowang swiftly flipped over, landing steadily on the soft, cotton-like earth.

Everyone around stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the man before them in utter shock.

What did they witness? They saw this man forcibly tear apart the entire formation!

Regardless of how devout their faith in the Child God had been, their hearts now wavered. Could they truly contend with such a person?

Even Taishan Stone’s expression soured. He hadn't anticipated this situation. He knew this person was Ji Zai’s Heart Pestilence, but he was clearly not this strong before.

In such a short span, this person had become so much stronger. Taishan Stone realized that to truly kill him, the Imperial Advisor would likely have to intervene personally.

Moreover, they had to act quickly. If he were allowed to continue developing, he would surely destabilize their foundations and disrupt their plans.

Although that last tear had greatly exhausted Li Huowang, leaving his head buzzing, he showed no fear when facing the Dharma sect followers who surrounded him.

Spotting a distant Dharma sect shaman, Li Huowang raised his burning right hand, made a pinching gesture along their outline, and squeezed.

With a sharp “snap,” the shaman was instantly crushed.

“I didn’t understand any of the nonsense you were spouting earlier, but now I’m starting to think there’s some truth to it. A person’s body really can be like foam sometimes, especially when it’s in my hands.”

As he spoke, Li Huowang reached out and squeezed again, crushing another distant Dharma sect follower. Next, he extended his hand towards Taishan Stone.

Taishan Stone glanced at Li Huowang, then at the military strategists who had breached the city and were now charging towards them. Immediately, he formed a hand seal with one hand, stomped his right foot, and without hesitation, burrowed directly into the earth.

He understood that this plan had failed and that he had been too rash. Fortunately, no spies from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had been exposed, so the losses were not too severe.

“Attack! Kill him! He’s just putting on a show! He’s at the end of his tether!”

Taishan Stone’s voice suddenly rang out. The remaining followers instantly turned, and with eyes filled with madness, they charged at Li Huowang through the washing rain.

They couldn't contend with Li Huowang moments ago, and certainly not now. But when Li Huowang saw Taishan Stone and several others vanish, he immediately realized they were escaping!

“Don’t let him get away! This person is at least a high-ranking official within the Dharma sect!”

However, wanting to find him was one thing; actually locating him was another. The opponent had escaped by burrowing underground, and now there was no telling where they had gone. Li Huowang had not yet learned any divine escape techniques for tracking people.

As for his minor fortune-telling ability, Li Huowang still felt it was unnecessary to bring it out and make a fool of himself; such a petty trick would be useless against Taishan Stone.

The remaining Dharma sect followers, for some unknown reason, seemed to have suddenly lost their minds. They charged at him, clearly sacrificing their lives to cover Taishan Stone’s retreat.

There were many Dharma sect followers; even if they stood still, it would take Li Huowang a considerable time to eliminate them all. Fortunately, the soldiers from outside the city began to encircle them.

Li Huowang ignored the military commander’s inquiries and began to search the ground for traces of Taishan Stone’s burrowing.

Whether the opponent had ambushed him due to a personal vendetta or as part of a public conflict against the Dharma sect, Li Huowang was unwilling to let him escape so easily.

Li Huowang refused to give up until all possibility of tracking him was completely lost.

“There are still traces, Li Sui, let’s go!” Li Huowang swung onto Peng Longteng’s large horse. With a tug of the reins, he galloped towards the East Gate. Horses always run faster than people; perhaps he could catch up!

Outside the city, time slowly passed. As the traces on the ground gradually faded, Li Huowang’s heart sank.

Finally, before a stretch of mudflats, Li Huowang stopped, gazing at the mangrove forest across the river. With the water’s flow, the last remaining traces of burrowing completely vanished.

“Ah,” Li Huowang sighed. He walked into the river, cupped water with his hands, and poured it over himself to extinguish the flames.

As continuous sizzling sounds filled the air, Li Huowang’s scorched body was revealed beneath the red flames.

Unlike before, where the charring was merely a surface layer of skin, now it manifested as cracked, fleshy scales.

However, the ascent didn’t bring only side effects. The separated fleshy scales, accompanied by crisp crackling sounds, began to slowly close.

The intense pain across Li Huowang’s body gradually gave way to an itch as his flesh slowly healed.

This sensation was incredibly uncomfortable. Li Huowang gritted his teeth and endured it, finding that he preferred the pain to an itch he couldn’t scratch.

Li Huowang stood in the water, enduring the pervasive itch while reflecting on the entire situation.

It was clear that the other party had begun monitoring him. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been waiting there when he spontaneously decided to help the military attack the city and seize the stronghold. Adding this incident to the list, he would likely need to be doubly vigilant in the future, lest the opponent ambush him again.

He had already displayed his strongest capabilities to them. If they truly ambushed him again, it certainly wouldn’t be as simple as it was today.

If only he had managed to capture Taishan Stone, he could have extracted more information from him.

As Li Huowang pondered these thoughts, he suddenly looked up at the mangrove forest across the river. Without hesitation, he immediately drew the Purple Tassel Sword from behind him. “Who’s there?! Come out!”

Soon, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the mangrove forest.

When Li Huowang clearly saw the figure’s appearance, he was utterly shocked to realize it was Taishan Stone, the very person he had tried to pursue.

Taishan Stone now appeared incredibly miserable; both his hands were broken, his right leg was limping, and his scalp was gone, with blood still flowing from his body.

Just then, someone behind pushed Taishan Stone forward. He stumbled through the river, making his way towards Li Huowang.

Soon, Li Huowang saw the person behind Taishan Stone: it was Bai Lingmiao, Bai Lingmiao with two upper bodies, both covered by red veils. “Senior Brother Li, see? I’m still useful. Can you not abandon me next time?”

Emotion welled up in Li Huowang’s eyes. Ignoring Taishan Stone, he walked towards Bai Lingmiao.

However, when he was still three zhang away from Bai Lingmiao, he suddenly remembered something, and his expression turned very grim. “Wait! Don’t move!”

“Senior Brother Li?” Bai Lingmiao asked, confused.

“I need to confirm something first: Are you the real Bai Lingmiao, or… or are you someone I manifested?”