Chapter 970: Funeral

Although it felt strange to consider her father a god, Li Sui didn't mind. Instead, she thought it was even better, as it meant her father was always watching over her.

“Father!! Wait for me, I’ll come back. I’ll see you again as Li Sui! I swear!!!”

Once Li Sui joyfully finished speaking, the rational thoughts that had taken hold of her mind began to assert themselves. One cannot only consider the good aspects of a situation without also considering the potential downsides. Even if it seemed impossible, a backup plan for potential failure needed to be in place. However, Li Sui clearly resisted such rational considerations. She preferred to remain as she was before, simply focusing on the positive aspects of everything.

After much contemplation, Li Sui lowered her head, gazing at the small clay figurine in her hand. With a hint of grievance in her voice, she said, “What if... what if by then, I’m not myself anymore? Then I’ll hide away secretly and won’t tell you. At least that way, Father, you won’t have to worry about me, and your heart won’t ache so much.”

“Li Sui! Return, spirit!” With a ‘whoosh,’ white circular paper money was tossed high by Li Huowang, who was dressed in mourning clothes. It landed on the soul banner behind him and on the large, black-lacquered coffin.

Beside him, Bai Lingmiao, her eyes red from crying, silently followed behind, holding a red string. The other end of the string was tied to a piece of meat – Li Huowang’s flesh, which Li Sui had loved to eat.

This was a custom in Daliang: after a person’s death, their favorite or most cherished item would be tied with a red string. A close relative would then hold the string, guiding the deceased’s soul to rest peacefully with the coffin as it was buried. The piercing sounds of suonas and gongs behind him did not alter Li Huowang’s expression in the slightest.

His expression was wooden; he showed no trace of sadness. He simply continued scattering paper money as he walked towards Niuxin Mountain. The deep pit for the coffin had already been dug, and the best geomancy master in Daliang had selected an excellent burial site.

After everyone in Niuxin Village solemnly bowed to the coffin, it was gradually lowered into the deep pit according to the ritual. After deciding not to have her own children, Bai Lingmiao had always considered Sui Sui her own. Having finally grown very close, she found it impossible to accept her child’s death.

“Sui Sui!” Bai Lingmiao, who was lunging towards the coffin, had her wrist seized by Li Huowang, stopping her irrational act. Just then, Er Shen emerged from behind Bai Lingmiao, its long, sharp form repeatedly slashing through Li Huowang’s flesh with hatred, leaving deep bloody gashes.

Before long, Li Huowang’s body was a bloody mess from the slashes, yet he remained silent. He watched wordlessly as the coffin descended into the deep pit. “Are you mute? Say something!” Er Shen’s actions were finally halted by Bai Lingmiao. She curled into a ball, hugging her knees, and silently sobbed beside Li Sui’s tombstone.

In addition to Bai Lingmiao’s cries, Qiu Chibao also wept. Clutching her decaying child, she desperately clung to the coffin, repeatedly trying to pull Li Sui out, but each attempt was in vain. With the coffin lowered, earth sealed, and tombstone erected, and the full ceremony completed, Li Sui was finally laid to rest.

The mourners, dressed in white, returned along the mountain path to Niuxin Village. With Li Sui laid to rest and the rituals completed, the atmosphere had slightly eased. Yang Xiaohai, with a dozen kitchen helpers, busily prepared a grand feast of eight hot dishes and eight grain dishes, which was then served.

Li Huowang didn’t eat; he sat alone at the main table, silently pouring glass after glass of wine into his mouth. He, who was usually a lightweight drinker, found himself unable to get drunk this time. No matter how much he poured, he felt nothing. No matter how long he drank, the wine in the flask never seemed to diminish. As Li Huowang drank, the hallucination of Qiu Chibao beside him shed an equal amount of tears. He drank from dusk until late into the night; the outdoor banquet had long disbanded, but Li Huowang continued to drink.

Finally, as Li Huowang took another sip, Bai Lingmiao reached out, snatched the wine cup from his hand, and forcefully smashed it to the ground. “Stop drinking!”

Li Huowang nodded and said, “Indeed, I shouldn’t drink anymore. It’s time to get to business.” With that, Li Huowang stood up, and with a single step of his right foot, he directly entered Shangjing City.

He arrived at the Celestial Master’s Mansion and found Huangfu Tiangang, the Grand Master of Daliang. The blind old man was playing chess with Gao Zhijian. Li Huowang walked between them and sat down. “Xuanpin is dead.”

Huangfu Tiangang nodded, picking up a black piece with two fingernails and placing it on the board. “Yes, I’m aware. The disturbance was quite significant.”

“She said before she died that you know some things, and told me to ask you.”

Gao Zhijian, noticing Li Huowang’s unusual state, put down the white piece in his hand. “Senior Brother Li, are you alright?” Li Huowang didn’t look at him, keeping his gaze fixed on the blind Huangfu Tiangang.

After a moment of contemplation, Huangfu Tiangang said, “It’s nothing major. Xuanpin’s message was simply to tell you that as long as the Supervisory Bureau of Heaven leads us, we are not as weak as we might think.”

“As long as the Destinies of the Blessed Heaven dare to come, we will fight them back, just as we did the day before yesterday.”

“The military strategists are almost all dead,” Li Huowang stated this cruel fact indifferently.

“No,” Huangfu Tiangang gently shook his head. “Boy, what do you think a military strategist is?” At this, Huangfu Tiangang stroked the long beard on his chin. “In this situation, with the Destinies entering the world and throwing it into chaos, if we want to survive, we must burn our bridges.”

“No matter how powerful military strategists are, they are still human. Anyone can become a military strategist. As long as all the people in the world are imbued with malevolent energy, then the entire world will be our military strategists.”

Li Huowang’s breathing became uneven. He truly hadn’t expected them to dare to do such a thing. “Then they will probably all perish.”

“Indeed,” Gao Zhijian nodded, placing his white piece on the board. “Senior Brother Li, I know you have a kind heart, but people always die, even in the imperial family.”

Just then, a sturdy young boy ran over, laughing, but Gao Zhijian immediately grabbed him. “Look, this is my son. I chose him. I have so many sons, but only one of them will survive in the end; all the others will die.” Gao Zhijian spoke with an indifference that was utterly unlike someone talking about their own children.

“We cannot fully trust the Destinies of the Blessed Heaven or the Destinies of the White Jade Capital. To protect ourselves, we can only trust ourselves. That’s how the world is now: human lives are worthless. Anyone can die, and people can be reborn after death, as long as the species isn’t wiped out.”

“Human lives... worthless... but do you know what this means for those they care about?”

Images of Master Jingxin, the Lu Family Troupe, Zhuge Yuan, and Sui Sui flashed through Li Huowang’s mind. His expression gradually contorted, and his teeth ground audibly.

“I’ve had enough! I’ve truly had enough!! Why!! Why is this happening!!!” With a furious slam of his right fist, veins bulging on his hand, onto the chessboard, the entire board instantly shattered into pieces.