Chapter 733: Real

Faced with his current predicament, Li Huowang naturally wanted to resolve it. Fortunately, although the trouble seemed very tricky, there was a way to deal with it.

The Dice once said that cultivating the 'real' without cultivating the 'fake' would lead to qi deviation. This seemed logical and reasonable: if he cultivated both the 'real' and the 'fake', he could achieve balance and prevent such an outcome.

However, there was a problem with this method. Could he trust the words of the Dice, a member of the Sitting-Forget Path? The Dice had once claimed to only deceive people with truths, yet also said, "Would you believe anything from the Sitting-Forget Path?" He had spoken both sides.

After a long period of serious deliberation, Li Huowang ultimately decided to try it. Compared to the benefits of the 'real', the drawbacks of the 'fake' were not so difficult to accept. After all, this time he wouldn't be tricked by the Sitting-Forget Path; instead, he would become one of them and trick others.

Furthermore, the fake Heavenly Dao was now in Ji Zai's hands, which was infinitely safer than being with Doumu. Logically, since Ji Zai controlled both the real and fake Heavenly Daos, it made sense that Li Huowang, as his Xinpan, should also be able to use these two abilities.

"The front lines are stable for now; I need to leave for a while," Li Huowang muttered to himself.

As Li Huowang spoke, Xuannv's figure floated out from a nearby wooden fish drum. "This is a critical moment. People are dying on the front lines constantly. Without your powerful assistance, the soldiers there might have to sacrifice their lives when they encounter major trouble."

"Don't try to pressure me with such words. If you truly believe their lives matter, then reveal fewer of your secrets; that would be more helpful than anything else."

Although his goal was to confront the Dharma Cult and save this chaotic world, he knew that sharpening the axe didn't delay chopping wood. If he didn't resolve this issue first, he wouldn't be able to accomplish anything effectively.

With that thought, Li Huowang didn't want to delay. He patted Li Sui's head, stood up, and walked out of the hall.

"It's so tricky, what will you do?" Xuannv seemed to already be aware of Li Huowang's current trouble.

"Do you have a solution?"

"I might have a solution for others, but you are a Xinsu and a Xinpan; I have no way."

"I knew you wouldn't have a way. If you did, and you waited until now to tell me, then you wouldn't be my ally."

Li Huowang quickly descended the blood-stained steps to the foot of the mountain. He glanced at the two fine horses in the stable, crushed by a giant Buddha head, then untied one, and mounted it.

"Senior Brother Li!" Hearing this, Li Huowang didn't even turn his head, quickly saying, "No, don't come near me! Wait until I've resolved this trouble!" At that moment, he couldn't distinguish whether this Bai Lingmiao was real or just someone he *thought* was real, so he decided not to bother differentiating for now.

Hearing the footsteps stop, Li Huowang breathed a sigh of relief. "What about Mount Tai Stone? Is he still refusing to speak?"

Earlier, Bai Lingmiao had brought Mount Tai Stone back, and Li Huowang had hoped to extract some clues from him. However, despite trying every method, he couldn't get the man to speak. The man's body was as hard as stone, and his mouth was even harder. So, Li Huowang had sent him to the military camp to see if the Directorate of Celestial Observation had any other methods.

"No. We've tried every method, and he still hasn't said anything. Could it be that he simply doesn't know?"

"Impossible. He must know something. By the way, have those few from the Directorate of Celestial Observation come to see him?"

"No, our people informed them, but they said the Directorate officials are currently engaged in battle with the Dharma Cult and can't spare any hands."

"Nonsense! Their shadows aren't even visible in the Xuan Guang Mirror. Xuannv, what tricks are you secretly playing now? Can't you even spare the time to interrogate one person?"

"I've already sent people back, but they can't fly, so it'll take some time on the road."

"Hurry it up. Since this man is a high-ranking member of the Dharma Cult and came from Great Qi, he must know some crucial information."

After speaking, Li Huowang immediately swung onto his horse, ready to leave.

"Senior Brother Li, I won't follow you, but at least tell me where you're going."

Hearing Bai Lingmiao's voice behind him, Li Huowang thought for a moment and said, "To Qingqiu."

"Qingqiu? Why?"

"I know how to cultivate the 'real'. If I want to cultivate the 'fake', I'd have to find the Sitting-Forget Path, but all Sitting-Forget Path members worldwide were killed by the Dice. Now, if I need to find them, I can only go to Fengdu, beneath Qingqiu."

Before Bai Lingmiao could reply, Xuannv spoke, his voice unusually laced with admiration. "Brilliant, cultivating both the 'real' and the 'fake'—that's a brilliant method."

"Hmm?" Li Huowang looked at the illusion before him.

"The Dice certainly didn't lie to you about this method; it will definitely work," Xuannv stated emphatically to Li Huowang.

"Really? How are you so sure?" Li Huowang, still doubtful of Xuannv's resolute tone, wondered inwardly, "Could this guy have some ulterior motive for saying this?"

"Rest assured, there's no other possibility. Just as yin and yang counteract and generate each other, so it is with truth and falsehood. As long as you cultivate the 'fake', you will certainly quell your qi deviation."

Seeing that Xuannv had spoken so definitively, Li Huowang stopped asking questions. After scrutinizing Xuannv for a moment, he urged his horse forward with his heels, galloping towards Qingqiu.

Meanwhile, Li Sui, sitting behind Li Huowang, quickly drew two talismans and affixed them to the horse's back.

Standing still, Bai Lingmiao pondered the recent conversation, then asked with a mix of surprise and curiosity, "Master Xuannv, is it truly as you say?"

Xuannv's voice emanated from the black void of his red Daoist robe. "Whether I'm earnest or not doesn't matter; what matters is that *he* is earnest."

Hearing this, Bai Lingmiao immediately showed a flicker of understanding; she instantly grasped Xuannv's intention. Indeed, it was true. Even if the method was a deception by the Dice, it didn't matter. As long as Senior Brother Li believed it was effective, it would be.

Realizing that Xuannv was genuinely helping Senior Brother Li, Bai Lingmiao bowed to him. "Thank you, Master Xuannv. Although Senior Brother Li has a fiery temper, his heart is good, and he will appreciate your kindness."

"I don't need his kindness; I merely wish to avoid death," Xuannv replied. At this point, Xuannv looked at Bai Lingmiao, carefully observing her red veil. "This demonic body must be difficult to use, I imagine? I know the abbot of Zhengde Temple. If you wish, he can help you recast your physical body."

"Is that truly possible?" Bai Lingmiao couldn't help but become excited. Although she wasn't particularly concerned about her appearance, and Senior Brother Li didn't mind it, it would naturally be better if she could restore her original form.

"Of course. Since we are now bound by life and death, I must certainly offer this small assistance. It's nothing, really. We should naturally help each other."