Chapter 99: Night Talk

Li Huowang snorted upon hearing Xiaoman's words. Having already understood the nature of Laba, he immediately deduced that these individuals, like himself before, had their identities stolen by Laba.

The entire village was an artificial construct, awkwardly pieced together by Laba. Unbeknownst to them, everyone in the village had been unwilling participants in its prolonged charade.

Given that Laba was constantly controlling so many people, it was clear that its motives were not trivial but rather self-serving. Perhaps this entity was a peculiar malevolent being that consumed others' names and identities as sustenance.

"There's no 'Wu Family Village' at all; it's merely a 'Homeless Village'!" Li Huowang scoffed.

However, the mention of Laba instantly tensed Li Huowang's muscles, and he looked at Xiaoman with a strained expression. "That's right! What about the eyes? Laba's eyes!"

He had exerted himself so much to come here specifically for that.

"We found it beside you. Is this what you're looking for?"

As if anticipating Li Huowang's question, Xiaoman turned and produced a palm-sized black lacquer box.

The box opened to reveal two red, billiard-ball-sized eyes staring intently at Li Huowang. These were Laba's eyes.

"I have them. Danyangzi can finally be dealt with." Li Huowang's heart swelled with excitement; he no longer had to live in fear of transforming into Danyangzi.

Once Danyangzi was taken care of, he could then calmly seek a solution for his hallucinations.

With a soft click, the lacquer box closed. Li Huowang tucked it behind his pillow.

"Are the others alright? Recount in detail everything that happened after I left."

Through Xiaoman's recounting, Li Huowang learned of the events that transpired after he fell into his hallucination.

Immediately after Laba believed it had eliminated him, it began to target the others.

However, just as it was on the verge of succeeding, a faceless man burst in, disrupting its plan.

The faceless man shouted that Li Huowang was an impostor, constantly gesturing for Bai Lingmiao and the others to attack him.

Li Huowang, of course, understood that it was himself—the self who had lost his name. However, from his own perspective, he recalled that moment as standing in the middle of a main road, shouting at a red car.

"After that, Senior Brother Li's body rapidly deteriorated, leaving only a skin on the ground. And that faceless man, as if he could see Laba, charged outside."

"We tried to follow, but the bamboo suddenly moved, blocking our path. That's how we lost track of the faceless man."

Once Xiaoman finished explaining everything, Bai Lingmiao entered, carrying a bowl of chicken soup. This time, the rich, oily soup contained more pieces of chicken.

Upon hearing that Li Huowang had woken up, the others also rushed over to visit. Their faces lit up with excitement at the sight of their senior brother awake, and they clustered around him, offering warm greetings and expressing their concern.

Seeing them all alive brought a measure of calm to Li Huowang's heart. The fact that no one had died was paramount.

After a brief chat, Li Huowang, still holding his bowl, declared, "Since I'm awake, there's no need to wait. We'll head back tomorrow."

However, this suggestion was immediately met with unanimous opposition.

"Oh, Senior Brother Li, your intestines are practically exposed. Why are you in such a rush? Just wait until your wounds heal before we go back."

"Exactly, exactly, haven't you found everything you were looking for?"

"Rest for a few more days, Senior Brother Li. We're not in a hurry, so why are you?"

Li Huowang gently pressed his wound and tried to sit up. "It's fine, I can manage on horseback."

A sharp pain in his abdomen cut him off, and a faint trickle of blood began to seep through the white gauze.

The pain was so intense it almost rivaled the agony of his own disembowelment.

Gouwa quickly moved closer, and together with Gao Zhijian, they firmly pressed Li Huowang back down, one on each side.

"My dear Senior Brother Li, please don't torment yourself anymore. Our carriage is very bumpy, and if your wound jostles, your intestines might just come out."

Given the situation, Li Huowang could only relent.

"Alright, you all go back to sleep. Everyone, take this time to get some good rest. You've been rushing ever since we left Qingfeng Hall; you must all be exhausted."

After another period of conversation, the others left in small groups, leaving only Bai Lingmiao standing there, visibly restless. She seemed torn between wanting to leave and wanting to stay.

When Li Huowang extended his right hand and took hers, her inner conflict dissolved. She pulled a stool closer and sat quietly by the bed.

Li Huowang, resting with his eyes closed, gently squeezed her hand. "Is this all Great-Grandma Bai's skill amounts to? Only healing people halfway?"

"This was the outcome of my discussion with her. I simply thought that anything that could heal naturally should, to avoid unnecessary waste of payment."

Bai Lingmiao looked at the large hand holding hers and continued, "Actually, she could have healed you completely. But if she had, not only would all the lifespan within the gourd be used as payment, she would also have taken something from your mind."

"From my mind? Not in exchange for my lifespan?" A surprised Li Huowang looked up at Bai Lingmiao.

After she shook her head, Li Huowang finally understood that he had misunderstood the longevity pills in the gourd. Unlike Master You, they were far more rapacious.

"Did she say what she would take?" Li Huowang couldn't fathom what in his mind could be of value to them.

"I asked, but she wouldn't say. Matters between the main family and the immortals are not for spirit mediums to interfere with. However, I reasoned that anything from your mind must be quite important, so I didn't allow it."

"Hmph, a bunch of contemptible things."

After encountering so many malevolent entities, Li Huowang had come to a realization: compared to the God of Joy or the "Great Buddha" of Zhengde Temple, the so-called "immortals" were of a much lower class, only able to employ unfortunate individuals and subsist on scraps left by others.

Li Huowang reopened his eyes and looked at Bai Lingmiao. "Did they threaten you in any way? For example, demanding you find a certain number of 'main families' each month?"

"No, not really. They just pester me occasionally, which is a bit annoying."

As this topic arose, Li Huowang's expression turned serious. "Remember this: if you encounter any difficulties negotiating with them, tell me immediately, and I will speak with them. Understand that you are, at most, their subordinate, not their slave."

Li Huowang was not necessarily afraid of them; if a confrontation arose, he, now possessing the Great Thousand Records, might not necessarily be defeated.

Since the situation had already occurred and couldn't be altered, Li Huowang absolutely would not allow Bai Lingmiao to suffer the same fate as Li Zhi. Bai Lingmiao was different from Li Zhi; she still had him.

Bai Lingmiao's heart instantly warmed at the concern in his words. "Okay."

"If you happen to encounter them on the road, you can perform their rituals for them. But ordinarily, there's no need for you to actively seek them out. We don't lack that fifty coins."

"Mm-hmm."

And so, one person continued to instruct while the other quietly listened. Imperceptibly, the wick of the oil lamp on the table began to flicker and dim.

"It's getting late. Go to sleep." Li Huowang pulled back the covers on the bed.

Bai Lingmiao obediently nodded, gently blew out the oil lamp, and carefully slipped into the warm covers, making sure not to jostle Li Huowang's wound.