Mutated Tao

As Li Huowang was gazing at the road, a carriage emerged in the distance.

The sound of bells filled the air as the extravagant carriage moved towards him.

Eight well-groomed horses trod gracefully and slowly pulled the carriage along. It was clear that the owner of the carriage was not someone ordinary.

Li Huowang's face lit up with joy when he saw Xuan Pin open the carriage curtains. He put down his sword and leaped onto the carriage.

However, his face fell when he saw the people inside the carriage. Xuan Pin was not the only one there. There was also the current Emperor of the Liang Kingdom, Gao Zhijian.

“Sit.” Xuan Pin pulled Li Huowang down and let him sit.

Xuan Pin stared at the two before disappearing into the back of the carriage.

“Senior Li, Shangjing’s food prices have skyrocketed because of your purchases.”

“Really? Are you sure it's not because of the Emperor's hundred and eight dishes that day?”

It was only when they heard the sound of people talking outside that Gao Zhijian slightly opened the curtains. They were back in Shangjing.

“To destroy the Dharma Sect, many people in Shangjing had to relinquish much of their fortune. Also, since we’ve lost a couple of divisions in a day, our calendar is obsolete now. Food is hard to grow, and since you keep sending food to the Qi Kingdom, it would be useless for us to open our granaries.”

To the left was a grain shop. Several civilians exited the place as they sighed and cursed.

Li Huowang replied, “At least they are still alive and don’t have to eat human flesh. Compared to the Qi Kingdom, the Liang Kingdom could be considered Heaven.”

“That’s true, but Senior Li, don’t forget that people in the Liang Kingdom cannot die right now.” Gao Zhijian closed the curtains, and the carriage continued trudging into Shangjing.

Soon, the carriage stopped. Gao Zhijian opened the curtains to reveal an alleyway filled with beggars. All of them were extremely skinny from starvation. Their limbs were like chopsticks, and their abdomens were engorged. They looked exactly like the hungry ghosts depicted in operas.

They were all lying on the ground without moving. Some of them were even rotting.

An old man was pulling over a cart, picking out the beggars in a more advanced state of decay and transporting them elsewhere to be incinerated.

“Senior Li, as you know, no one is born a beggar. The Liang Kingdom didn’t have that many beggars before—they were all ordinary civilians. Food prices are the lifeline of the civilians. If they increase, everything else follows suit. The higher the prices are, the more beggars there will be.”

Li Huowang looked outside and snapped, “Fine, I understand. I will go find food somewhere else.”

“Senior Li, do you really think I’m talking about food to you? When it comes to the Qi Kingdom and the Liang Kingdom, which is more important to you?”

Gao Zhijian bent his body forward. His face was serious.

“Who cares which is more important? Why can’t we make them equal and reduce the amount of deaths on both sides?”

“We cannot! Senior LI, have you ever wondered why the Surveillance Bureau imposes severe punishments on individuals who print out calendars or alter history books? The punishments even extend to three generations of their families. And also, why do you think the Surveillance Bureau was so guarded against Zhuge Yuan, the storyteller?

“It’s because the Qi Kingdom and the Liang Kingdom are not mutually exclusive! A thousand years ago, the Qi Kingdom fell. Then, the Liang Kingdom was born. If the Qi Kingdom did not fall, the Liang Kingdom would not exist either! If the Qi Kingdom was real, then the Liang Kingdom was fake! This is the fate[1] of the world!”

The carriage fell back into silence, broken only by the soft breaths of Li Huowang and Gao Zhijian.

Gao Zhijian took a deep breath. “Senior Li, do not go help the Qi Kingdom again. Let everything flow naturally. Even the Storyteller is gone. Just think of it as if they never existed.”

“I need some time to think about it.” Li Huowang turned and left the carriage, his brain buzzing from the new information.

Gao Zhijian sat in the carriage for a moment before he opened his mouth again. “You were supposed to tell him these things. Why did you need me to tell him?”

Xuan Pin’s massive frame floated down from the top of the carriage. “You’re already playing the bad guy, so you might as well do it all the way. I don’t want my father to hate me.”

“Your father is a clumsy oaf!”

Gao Zhijian sighed after venting his frustration. “Do you think Senior Li will listen to us?”

“No, but it’s time that we tell him about it. He will decide what to do.”

“Sigh. Why can’t Senior Li think about it from my position? I really don’t want to become the bad guy.”

“Again, since you are now the Liang Kingdom’s Emperor, your path is destined to be different. You just need to play your part.”

“I’m already regretting my decision. I shouldn’t have become the Emperor.” Gao Zhijian took out a bag from under his robes. Inside the bag was the flesh of a Spiritual Sin. Gao Zhijian took a heavy whiff of it.

He felt less conflicted about his decision when he opened his eyes. He was now once again the regal and authoritative Liang Kingdom’s Emperor.

“Do you think we will successfully annex Si Qi and Nan Ping into the Liang Kingdom? They are separated by Qing Qiu and Hou Shu.”

“I am the Chief of the Surveillance Bureau. I cannot interfere in the matters of the palace.”

“Hm…” Gao Zhijian pondered before he waved his arms. “Return to the palace and call for the six ministers[2].”

Li Huowang walked on the road, feeling distraught as he recalled what Gao Zhijian had told him.

If the Qi Kingdom is real, then the Liang Kingdom is fake. If the Liang Kingdom is real, then the Qi Kingdom is fake. So which side is real?

The two sides aren’t parallel worlds—they’re part of a single timeline that existed a thousand years ago. It’s impossible to split them now.

But then, why is it impossible for the two of them to exist simultaneously? It’s contradictory.

“What’s going on with this world?” Li Huowang had a headache.

“That’s because it's crazy,” someone interrupted. Li Huowang looked down and saw Ji Zai in the reflection of a pool of water.

He stared at his future self and asked, “And then?”

“Nothing else. I can’t say anything else right now since I haven’t said it yet.”

“Do you think I don’t know this world is crazy? Do you think can’t see that? Go away.”

“You are indeed missing an eye.” Ji Zai disappeared, and Li Huowang saw that his reflection had returned.

He squatted down and splashed his face with the water to wake himself up.

As he shook his head to remove the excess water from his hair, he realized he had traveled back to Cowheart Village.

Even though he could cultivate the “Truth,” it still took him two days to reach Shangjing from Cowheart Village. However, he had somehow instantly traveled back to Cowheart Village.

Li Huowang entered the village and saw Puppy. “Senior Li, you’re back early this year!”

1. Previously translated 气运 as luck, but fate would be more appropriate. ☜

2. The six ministers representing Official Affairs, Revenue, Rites, Military, Justice, and Industry. ☜