Mutated Tao

Chapter 1011: Death

“Senior Li, is it my turn?”

Li Huowang shuddered at the sound of that familiar voice.

He looked up and saw Bai Lingmiao standing before him.

Memories flooded his mind—from when she gave him a bun back in the Zephyr Temple to all the moments they’d shared together. His expression twisted in pain.

“Why... why?! Why is this happening?” Li Huowang exclaimed, tightly clutching his head.

Bai Lingmiao gently pried his hands away from his head. “Senior Li, is it my turn?”

“No! It’s not your turn yet! Not yet! We need to run and escape!”

Li Huowang didn’t know where they could go. He just wanted to flee.

He gripped her hand and channeled his cultivation, dragging her along. The world around them blurred as they sped through the Qi Kingdom, then the Tianchen Kingdom, and finally Hou Shu.

However, no matter how far he ran, what he sought to escape loomed ever closer.

Li Huowang ran past the places where he had once trodden upon, but the more he ran, the slower he became.

He had nowhere left to run when he arrived back at the destroyed Zephyr Temple.

Staring at the three charred statues on the altar, Li Huowang howled. He clutched his head and trembled, knowing there was no way to hide. He couldn’t alter the path ahead. If he didn’t send Bai Lingmiao up with the two Jiang Xiangshous, history itself would change.

And if it did, everything would be over.

On one side lay the lives of everyone in the world. On the other, Bai Lingmiao’s life. He had to choose.

The pain torturing his heart would’ve been more than enough for him to use the Cang-Qiang Ascension. He wanted to do something to remove his heartache.

He drove a sharp pike into his palm, ripping at his flesh. Pain seared through him, but it did nothing to ease the mental torment. Blood and tears fell to the ground.

Li Huowang reached for another torture tool, but Bai Lingmiao stopped him. “Senior Li, you can tell me what’s troubling you. You don’t have to bear this alone.”

“I... I can’t...” His voice faltered as he met her gaze.

While he longed to change everything, there was no way out. Everything up to this point was a consequence of his actions, and the only way forward was to follow the path he’d forged.

Gao Zhijian soon returned from the Baiyu Capital. The mission was so smooth that he doubted himself. Why does Senior Li require all five of us emperors just to send two Dragon Veins up there?

Just as he passed the Ox Tail Gate and returned to Shangjing, he couldn’t help but notice Li Huowang frowning and Bai Lingmiao smiling. They had been waiting for him at the altar.

“Gao Zhijian, something else needs to be sent to the Baiyu Capital.”

“Hm? What do you need to send up there?”

“Two Jiang Xiangshous.”

Li Huowang’s words were like a cold wind, chilling everyone to the bone. The meaning behind them was unmistakable.

Gao Zhijian froze for a moment, then quickly composed himself. After a brief exchange with the other Emperors, he let out a strained smile. “Understood. I’ll give the orders right away.”

Turning to Bai Lingmiao, he added, “Senior Bai, I need the White Lotus Sect’s help for this. Can you do it?”

Bai Lingmiao was no longer as calm as she had been. Two streams of tears stained her cheeks. Li Huowang reached out to wipe them away, but the tears didn’t stop.

The Second Deity answered in her stead. “Yes.”

The White Lotus Sect and the palace soon issued the command to assemble. Soon, both the soldiers and White Lotus devotees gathered in the open fields to the west of Shangjing. The murderous area influenced everyone present.

The purpose of their assembly became clear when the orders were relayed.

The millions of soldiers were anxious. Almost half of them were devotees of the White Lotus Sect, and they were pretty much the same as the soldiers after being influenced by the murderous aura.

The devotees of the White Lotus Sect surrounded Bai Lingmiao and kneeled sincerely. The sight was awe-inspiring, a testament to their devotion.

The White Donkeys at the front spoke on behalf of the other devotees. “Saintess, is this the will of the Heavenly Mater?”

Bai Lingmiao had almost cried herself dry. She used her remaining strength to utter a single word. “Yes.”

The devotees all stood up when they heard her.

“Heavenly Mater! The Void Home! Brothers and sisters! It’s time for us to finally return to the Void Home!”

The voices spread out like ripples in a lake.

Everyone from the White Lotus Sect cheered with a thunderous boom, their murderous aura adding to their excitement.