Scars

Chapter 121: Scars

“Alright, Yingzi, one more question. Aside from the self-mutilation rituals of the Thousand Greats Record, does the Ao-Jing Sect have any other techniques or divine powers?”

Upon hearing Li Huowang’s question, a look of difficulty appeared on Yingzi’s face.

“They do. But for you to ask me to teach you right now… I really can’t. They’re just like the Thousand Greats Record—you have to have the book on hand to use them.”

“And Uncle Shou San definitely won’t give you his.”

‘All abilities require a book to be used? What kind of bizarre sect is this?’ Li Huowang thought to himself.

“Then let me ask you this—who wrote all these books?”

“I heard it was the Great Elders in the cave. They wrote all of them.”

Great Elders…?

Seeing the confusion on Li Huowang’s face, Yingzi added another sentence. “Everyone else needs the books, but I’ve heard the Great Elders don’t. They can use any divine power at will. But I’ve never seen it myself.”

“Oh… I see.” Li Huowang nodded.

From the looks of it, Shou San wasn’t the leader of the Ao-Jing Sect. Within this cult, he was at best a middle-ranking member.

“Do the Great Elders ever come out?”

“No. They usually don’t involve themselves in worldly affairs. In the four years I’ve been here, I’ve only seen them once.”

“Wait… If those Great Elders don’t need the Thousand Greats Record for their rituals, doesn’t that mean they can borrow Bashe’s power at any time?”

Just as this thought occurred to him, Li Huowang immediately shook his head. “No. Summoning Bashe requires a price. A very painful price. It’s only interested in extreme agony. It’s not that easy to borrow from.”

Yingzi looked uneasily at the brooding Li Huowang. “Benefactor, why are you asking all this?”

Li Huowang’s heart tightened. He quickly forced his tone to remain calm. “You know I’m making a deal with them. This is my first time dealing with the Ao-Jing Sect, so I want to understand them better. I don’t want to be cheated.”

Even though he had already made up his mind to use Yingzi to gather information on the Ao-Jing Sect, Li Huowang did not tell this girl, whom he had known for less than half a day, his true intentions.

This girl had been persecuted by the Ao-Jing Sect for over four years, and now she had been sent as cannon fodder to die.

By all logic, she shouldn’t be in league with the Ao-Jing Sect. It was unlikely she would betray him.

But on matters like this, Li Huowang didn’t want to gamble. Not even with the slightest possibility. Gambling wrong could be fatal.

If he told her directly that he planned to stir up trouble within the Ao-Jing Sect, the risk was too great. What if, to protect herself, she turned around and told Shou San his whole plan? Then he would be completely finished.

“Benefactor, are you really going to trade with them? They… are not good people.”

Li Huowang nodded. “Of course. I know they’re not good people, and I know they’re dangerous. But that doesn’t mean they’re useless. Their deal seems very fair. I have no reason to refuse.”

This, Li Huowang did not lie to her. He planned to work both angles—on one side, find a way to generate the ultimate inner pain. On the other, try to steal the Ao-Jing Sect’s method of healing himself.

Whether through cooperation or theft, as long as he could remove Danyangzi, who was slowly influencing him, any method would do.

That night, Li Huowang talked with Yingzi for a very long time, late into the night.

From her, he learned a great deal about the Ao-Jing Sect and gained a general understanding of this religion.

These people rarely interacted with the outside world. Their highest doctrine was to find any way possible to steal Bashe’s power, ultimately replacing their god, just as their god had done before.

Furthermore, according to her, although the Ao-Jing Sect was brutal and bloody, they were exceptionally strict about rules.

Even the instruments of self-torture, after being used, had to be washed clean and neatly put back in their proper place.

They believed that without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Violating the sect’s rules was a major taboo within the Ao-Jing Sect.

Li Huowang also learned that the Ao-Jing Sect was a large sect. Unlike Zhengde Temple or Anci Nunnery, this stronghold was just one of their locations.

There were five such locations in total, each in a different place.

Every year, on the thirteenth day of the sixth lunar month, they would all gather to share their findings.

Late at night, Li Huowang sat with his brows deeply furrowed in thought. Yingzi’s information had given him a more complete understanding of the entire Ao-Jing Sect, and it also made him realize just how difficult the challenge before him was.

“Either way… neither method is easy to pull off…” Li Huowang muttered to himself.

“Either what?” Yingzi asked, puzzled.

Compared to her earlier trembling and subsequent emotional collapse, she now seemed much more stable.

“Nothing. Let’s sleep.” Li Huowang stood up and walked toward the stone bed.

Yingzi said nothing and silently followed him.

In this dangerous place, Li Huowang didn’t have time to think about trivial matters.

Besides, letting her lie on the same bed as him was, in part, a form of testing.

Danyangzi, whom he hated and loathed, ironically served as a safety fuse at this moment.

That night, just as he was drifting off into a haze, the sharp barking of a dog jolted Li Huowang awake.

He quickly lit the oil lamp and saw Mantou standing beside the bed, barking furiously at it.

Seeing that Li Huowang was awake, Mantou immediately stopped and started wagging its tail at him. “Woof~”

Li Huowang glanced beside him. Yingzi, looking dazed with sleep, sat up. “Dad, what’s wrong? Why is our dog barking?”

After coming to her senses, she realized her slip of the tongue. A look of slight embarrassment appeared on her face. “I was just dreaming… dreaming I was home for New Year’s.”

Her expression was incredibly real. It truly seemed as if she had just woken up.

Li Huowang looked at her, then surveyed the cold, desolate cave. He reached out his right hand, pinched the loose skin on the back of Mantou’s neck with two bent fingers, and lifted the dog onto the bed.

“Sleep. It’s nothing.” Li Huowang pulled the dog into his arms and closed his eyes again.

“Mm…” Yingzi gave a soft acknowledgment and lay back down beside Li Huowang.

The room returned to darkness. Li Huowang listened to the steady breathing beside him.

“A girl like you, lying next to me… you’re really okay with this?”

No sooner had Li Huowang spoken than he heard the rustle of fabric being removed beside him.

“I’m not even a woman anymore. What does it matter if I lie next to you, Benefactor? If you don’t mind… do as you please.”

The light of the oil lamp illuminated everything in the room. Li Huowang stared in shock at Yingzi’s naked body.

The things a woman was supposed to have could no longer be seen on her. Only two bowl-sized, hideous scars remained.

And beyond that, her youthful body was covered in wounds of every kind. Some were even still oozing pus.