Cutting the Thread

The shore of Reed Island. Li Huowang stood there, holding the blood-soaked bamboo slip in his hand.

Not far away, the others stood with grim faces, huddled together, watching him.

They had not yet recovered from the aftershocks of what had just happened.

Li Huowang’s expression was hesitant. Right now, with a single hard toss, this roll of bamboo—so evil that just looking at it made one want to vomit—would sink into the lake mud and never see the light of day again.

It seemed like a very good choice. No matter who had written this bamboo slip, the power of Bashe was not something to be borrowed lightly. Leaving it in the world would only bring endless suffering to others.

Li Huowang stood there, thinking for a long time. But in the end, he still tucked the blood-stained bamboo slip back into his chest.

The methods recorded in here are bloody as hell, but they’re damn useful, too.

A common river bandit like Yuan Er had been able to use them. So there was no reason he couldn’t.

Better to have it and not need it. Maybe someday, in some extreme situation, he really would end up using it.

If I don’t want to become Danyangzi completely, then when danger comes, I have to find a substitute. Even if that substitute comes at a very high cost.

Li Huowang turned his head again, looking at the others behind him. “Push the boat over. Get the dead and the gold ready. We’re leaving this shithole.”

The trouble had been resolved in an unexpected way. There was no reason to stay in this place full of corpses any longer.

The small skiff the bandits had used for robbery was pushed to the shore by Sun Baolu, who was good with water. The others boarded, carrying the bodies of their fallen companions and the gold ornaments.

“Get on the boat. Grab an oar. Take us to the other side of this big lake.” Li Huowang stared at the young man before him, his gaze predatory and threatening.

“If... If I take you out of here, will you let me live?” the fearful youth asked, shrinking back.

When he saw Li Huowang’s hand reach for the sword hilt at his back, the young man scrambled onto the boat in a panic, almost soiling himself.

As the youth worked the oar, the small skiff began to turn, heading into the depths of the reeds. The others stumbled and followed, rowing along with him.

The entire dense reed marsh was very quiet. Apart from the sound of oars cutting through the water, no one made a sound.

Everything that had happened on the island had left everyone shaken and pale-faced.

“G-Great Master. My name is Yuan Fu,” the rowing youth suddenly spoke up.

Li Huowang’s brows were tightly furrowed. He did not reply. His eyes, sharp as an eagle’s, swept across the pitch-black surroundings.

“Great Master, um, I know that killing people and stealing on the water is wrong. When my dad was laying the ambushes, I never went along.” The nervous youth tried to explain himself.

“I actually wanted to take the imperial exams. Go to the capital and be a big official. I’ve been sick of this place for a long time. I know the area well. Great Master, where are you headed? I can guide you.”

This last sentence finally caught Li Huowang’s attention. He looked down at the rowing boy. “What do you know about the nunnery on Mount Heng Hua?”

That was the next destination. Maybe he could learn something from this person. Mount Heng Hua shouldn’t be too far from this lake.

“Nuns? I know about that. I ran into them once when I was working with Second Brother. We’d already scoped out the mark on the boat, but at the last second, Second Brother said we were calling it off.”

“He told me it was Great-Grandfather’s order. Black-clothed nuns, bald ones who keep birds, big drum spirit-dancers. Those are the three we don’t rob.”

“What do the nuns look like? Anything special?”

“They’re fat. Really fat. One of them could bulge three times as big as me. And they’re lazy. If they can sit, they won’t stand. If they can lie down, they won’t sit.”

“And they stink. They’re filthy. One time a nun took off her shoe, and I could smell it even from the other boat.”

“Great Master, are you going to find those nuns? I can lead the way.”

Fat. Lazy. Dirty. Those words were hard to connect with the Buddhist term “nun.”

Li Zhi said they were ‘barely decent people.’ But... are there really such things as decent people in this world?

After everything he had been through, Li Huowang had serious doubts.

After the small boat wound its way through the reeds for a long time, the vast surface of the lake appeared before them again.

By the time the small boat docked again, the sky was beginning to lighten. From sunset to sunrise—they had spent the entire night on that island.

When the sunlight fell on everyone’s faces, the heavy weight in their hearts finally lifted. Exhausted from rowing all night, they collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

Li Huowang spoke to the others. “Don’t rest yet. Go into the woods and find firewood. We need to burn these three dead men, or they’ll start to stink soon.”

Seeing the three drowned companions on the boat, the others struggled to their feet and trudged toward the nearby woods, steeling themselves.

Li Huowang stopped Xiaoman, who was holding her arm. A large patch of skin on her right arm had been torn off, and the bloody red muscle was exposed to the air.

“Are you alright?” Li Huowang pulled an alchemical pill from his waist and handed it to her.

Xiaoman did not take the pill. “It’s fine. I’m lucky to have made it out alive. This little scratch—I’ll just cover it with some plant ash later.”

Having spent these days together, Li Huowang already knew she was a very stubborn person, so he said nothing more.

Soon, three large bonfires were set up on the shore. Li Huowang picked up the three corpses and threw each of them into the flames.

Everyone watched as their companions, who had been alive and kicking just yesterday, were gradually consumed by the fire.

When the sun hung high in the sky, the flames finally died out.

Li Huowang used his longsword to poke around in the ashes, breaking up the larger bones into smaller pieces and packing them into ceramic jars along with the ashes.

Looking at the jars of bone ash before him, Li Huowang’s mood was heavy. The events of last night had left his mind in a mess.

At that moment, Bai Lingmiao, whose eyes were now blindfolded, reached out her hands and gently tugged at the hem of his clothes.

Sensing that his emotions were off, she leaned close and pressed herself against his back.

“I’m fine. You don’t need to comfort me.” Li Huowang bent down, picked up the three jars, and placed them into the Fool’s arms.

Yuan Fu, acting like a lackey, stood beside Li Huowang and said, “Great Master, want to take a rest? If not, I can take you to find the nuns. I know the way.”

Calmly, Li Huowang flicked the ash off his sword. Then, he suddenly swung it toward the direction of the voice before sheathing it in a reverse grip.

“Bring the bone ash. Let’s go.”

Yuan Fu’s eyes went wide. With disbelief, he raised his hand to cover his bleeding neck.

He opened his mouth, as if trying to say something to Li Huowang’s back, but all that came out was a choking cough, cough.

Finally, he staggered a few steps, his body went limp, and he fell to the ground. The light in his eyes gradually faded.