Chapter 755: Statue

As they traveled, Li Huowang learned more about the individuals he was with. Although they spoke in glowing terms, he wasn't sure if there was any exaggeration involved. Nevertheless, the black-and-red zongzi was indeed effective. They had now penetrated deep into the heartland of Dali, and no one had stopped them – a stark contrast to his previous experiences.

"Don't worry," Xuanpin said as she stood with Li Huowang, both watching the scattered red dots on the scrying mirror. "The people I found for you are all skilled. As long as there are no unforeseen circumstances, they will surely foil the Law Sect's plans." "Let's hope so," Li Huowang replied. At this point, he felt further discussion was useless; what he needed to do now was finish this task before considering anything else.

"How are things on your end? When do we make our move?" Li Huowang asked. Although he was sitting at a tea stall, he was already very close to the Law Sect's sacrificial site; otherwise, if not for the black-and-red zongzi, they would have been discovered long ago. "Look here," Xuanpin said, pointing to a cluster of red dots on the scrying mirror not far from Li Huowang. "Soon, as soon as the battle begins on the front line and the combat pushes this way, you can follow suit and act."

Li Huowang's finger swept across the red dots, revealing rows of military strategists cleaning their weapons and armor. Their expressions were incredibly calm, like the stillness before a storm. "Do the military strategists have a Si Ming?" Li Huowang asked. He had wanted to ask this question for a long time but never found the right moment. "Of course, they do." "Who?" "The General, the Chancellor, the Leader." "So, within the White Jade Capital, he should be helping us, right?" Xuanpin shook her head. "You ask too many questions. Get ready. Listen, the war drums are already sounding. Give it your all. The fate of the world rests on you."

Faint drumbeats slowly drifted from afar. However, when Li Huowang looked up, he realized it was the sound of thunder coming from the leaden clouds above.

Tipping the remaining tea and leaves from his bowl into his mouth, Li Huowang stood up and walked through Xuanpin's ethereal form towards the path on the left.

It was a mountain path that grew increasingly secluded the further one went, yet many people were hidden in this remote area. As Li Huowang continued walking, the helpers Xuanpin had gathered began to appear and converge from the shadows of the trees. Any visible or hidden sentries along the way were quickly dealt with.

At this moment, everyone's expressions grew more solemn. The thunder above, like war drums, continuously pounded in their hearts.

As Li Huowang's finger swept over a banner on the scrying mirror, an overwhelming surge of malevolent energy assailed him, almost suffocating him. "Kill! Kill! Kill!!" On the left flank of the battlefield, a massive Eight Trigrams formation appeared. The military strategists within the formation were enveloped in towering malevolent energy, their eyes bloodshot, their expressions frenzied and wild. They seemed to have lost all reason, yet every glance and every step followed the changes of the formation; their actions formed the array, their stances became camps. It was as if, at this moment, hundreds of thousands of military strategists had fused into a single entity, a monstrous being with human bodies as its bones and malevolent energy as its blood.

Compared to them, the Law Sect followers were like a disorganized rabble; though seemingly endless, they appeared chaotic. Just then, a yellow triangular dragon general banner was heavily waved by You Zixiong. "Heaven and Earth charge forth! Transform into Tiger Wings! Crouching tigers will fight! Unleash their might! As Huaiyin used, its transformations are boundless! At Gaixia, its power is immeasurable!" "Hoo!!" With the combined roar of all the military strategists, the malevolent energy solidified and surged forward, forcefully dispersing Li Huowang's scrying mirror view.

Li Huowang, regaining his senses, saw the massive red dot on the scrying mirror and stopped watching the other side, as he had now reached his own destination.

Li Huowang looked up at the enormous wooden city wall before him. In the heart of the mountains, a solitary city had surprisingly risen. Although it was draped with red cloth, the green leaves on the wood indicated it had been freshly cut.

Another roll of thunder echoed, and torrential rain poured down from the sky. As he saw some people from the city rushing towards the battlefront, Li Huowang took a deep breath, and dozens of tentacles slowly emerged from his body. "Go!" With a powerful push off the ground using both his feet and tentacles, Li Huowang leaped directly over the massive wooden wall.

Immediately, the wooden wall seemed to turn into soft mud, allowing Li Huowang to easily pass through it.

As soon as Li Huowang emerged, the view before him opened up dramatically. A four-legged divine statue, massive as a mountain, stood amidst the pouring rain. The statue's form was hidden beneath a huge bamboo hat. From beneath this hat, dense red silk ribbons extended, draping the entire city like numerous bridges, crisscrossing everywhere.

Ignoring the furtive glances directed at him, Li Huowang grabbed the corner of one of the red bridges and slid down towards the altar in front of the statue below, which was enveloped in white incense smoke. Regardless of what the Law Sect intended to sacrifice, he was determined to completely destroy the ritual.

Various Law Sect witch-officials began to surround Li Huowang, attempting to block his approach. This is where his earlier helpers came into play; no matter how many Law Sect witch-officials there were, they were all held back.

When Li Huowang finally broke free from the encirclement and reached the platform in front of the statue, a very bizarre individual blocked his way. This person wore a large square hat, but its veil was a mass of bloodied flesh. Li Huowang initially thought the person's face was decaying, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was covered by a curtain of stitched-together internal organs. Like the statue, red fabric strips protruded from flesh-like drapes and sleeves all over the person's body. When Li Huowang saw their feet, his pupils constricted immediately: they were not human feet, but a pair of chicken feet!

Facing the glaring Li Huowang, this individual didn't spare him a second glance. With both hands, they respectfully held an incense burner on a sandalwood tray. As their limbs twisted in a dance-like manner, the white incense smoke rising from the burner also swayed. At the end of each dance segment, they would either lie down or kneel, raising the incense burner high towards the colossal statue before them. The white smoke from the incense burner slowly ascended, drifting into the statue's red-ribboned bamboo hat. In the pouring rain, this person's actions seemed utterly bizarre.

Watching the person meticulously purifying the incense, Li Huowang's teeth gradually clenched. This individual was not from the Law Sect, Li Huowang was absolutely certain! This person, the statue, and this bizarre ritual – no matter how he looked at it, none of it had anything to do with the Law Sect! But regardless of what this entity was, it was an enemy he had to face!

As Li Huowang abruptly looked up, accompanied by the neighing of a horse, Peng Longteng, wielding a massive halberd, rode her huge warhorse and charged, crashing down on the individual's head like a small mountain.