The Yu’er God

Chapter 471: The Yu’er God

“The Yu’er God? Which immortal is that supposed to be?”

Li Huowang tried to turn this bizarre name over in his mind several times, but even within Hong Zhong’s vast, well-traveled memories, there was not a single trace of the Yu’er God.

Just as he was thinking, the villagers in the distance began to shift again.

The people within the circle gradually fell silent. They extinguished every candle and oil lamp, and in the pitch black, they prostrated themselves, kowtowing toward the front in silent worship.

“What are they worshipping?” Li Huowang shifted his body color to match the soil, turning invisible as he slowly crept forward.

At first he guessed they were worshipping the enormous banyan tree, but he soon realized that wasn’t it. The direction their heads were facing was nothing but darkness—empty, void.

“Wait… darkness?!” His eyes snapped to the black cloth draped over each of their shoulders. That piece of fabric suddenly carried a new meaning.

“Oh, Yu’er God~” A unified cry rose from all the kneeling villagers. They threw their arms wide and fell onto their backs, staring up at the pitch-black sky above with feverish expressions.

“BOOM… BOOM… BOOM…” The ground began to tremble.

Growing tense, Li Huowang swallowed hard and reached out to press Li Sui’s head lower.

The trembling grew stronger. But when he saw panic suddenly appear on the faces of those distant people, he realized in an instant that this massive commotion was probably not caused by the Yu’er God they were calling upon.

“KILL!!!” A thunderous roar split the air. A flash of white light seared into Li Huowang’s eyes from the darkness on his left, feeling as if a knife had sliced across his pupils.

He staggered back half a step, rubbing his eyes. When he slowly opened them again, a line of black-armored cavalry atop steaming warhorses plowed straight through the crowd like a razor.

By the time the last horse’s tail swept past, there wasn’t even a complete piece of clothing left on the ground. Only a steaming spread of minced flesh and shattered bones remained.

Only then did Li Huowang understand that the ground tremors had been caused by these Military cavalry.

There were only a little over thirty riders, but when they charged, it felt like an army of thousands.

“SHWOO—” The cavalry turned as one in the distance, leveling their massive lance-like weapons directly at Li Huowang.

Li Huowang glanced at Li Sui beside him. His heart lurched. Shit. We’ve been spotted.

The ground trembled again, rumbling rapidly toward him. He was about to flee, but a sensation seized his chest—the feeling of being locked onto, as if nowhere he ran would make a difference.

Just as they were about to reach him, he thrust a hand into his robe and raised the Supervisory Heavenly Office token high.

“WHOOSH—!” Li Huowang’s hair and the hem of his robe were blasted backward by the wind. The cavalry split in two, roaring past him on both sides like twin rivers of iron.

When Li Huowang turned around, one rider had stopped directly in front of him.

The man was tall and broad, holding a massive glaive. He stood there like a small mountain, exuding an overwhelming pressure.

Even looking up from below, Li Huowang could not see his face—only the steaming breath rising from beneath his heavy helmet.

Just as Li Huowang was trying to figure out what to say, “SLAP—” the man laid his glaive across his saddle, pulled out a piece of yellow silk, stretched it taut, and began reading aloud in a booming voice.

“By the mandate of the Lofty Heaven, the sovereign receives the realm! Of late, within the borders of Great Liang, degenerate Dharma-sects have arisen. These demonic men delude the masses with heresy, incite Heavenly Calamities, and inflict man-made disasters! Such crimes warrant the extermination of their entire households! Let this be proclaimed to all under Heaven, that all may know!”

After loudly declaiming the imperial decree in his hand, the cavalryman did not wait for any reaction from Li Huowang. He simply turned his horse and rode away.

A quarter of an hour later, only Li Huowang and Li Sui were left standing alone on the spot.

Li Huowang slowly turned his head toward the distant mash of flesh. “Dharma-sects? Inciting Heavenly Calamities? So these people were worshipping the Heavenly Calamity? Which means the Yu’er God they spoke of is—”

He stopped himself mid-sentence. His face turned ashen. He felt as if his own voice was starting to turn into a crane’s cry again.

“Dad, are you okay?” Li Sui tugged worriedly at the hem of his red Daoist robe.

Li Huowang clutched his head and shook it forcefully. He was finally beginning to understand why Great Liang used the Military against such small fry. It wasn’t about the strength of the enemy—it was about who they worshipped.

“How… how can this be? The Heavenly Calamity only happened a short while ago. How are there already sects and teachings that worship it? That’s too fast.”

“And what do these Dharma-sect people actually want by worshipping that Yu’er God? No… wait. I need to think about this backwards. What does the so-called Yu’er God actually want?”

Turning this question over in his mind, Li Huowang slowly looked up at Zhuge Yuan. “Brother Zhuge, I have a bad feeling. Do you know anything?”

Zhuge Yuan’s brow was deeply furrowed. He gazed at the distant gore and gripped his folding fan tighter. “Brother Li, I do not know. I am but a mortal man after all. Let us hope this Heavenly Calamity is only the beginning, and nothing more.”

Saying nothing would have been better, but as soon as those words left his mouth, it felt like a stone had been pressed onto Li Huowang’s heart.

“Then, Brother Zhuge, about that Yu’er God—” The moment he spoke the name, a sharp stab of pain shot through the depths of his left ear. He winced instinctively, clutching his ear.

“Brother Li, do not ask. If you ask further, trouble will follow. Matters of Heavens Beyond Heaven—even if you knew, what could you change? Nothing.”

“Moreover, once you know, you become a part of their body. You inherit their karmic retribution.”

“Can’t say this, can’t say that. Is there anything that can be said?” A flicker of irritation rose in Li Huowang’s heart.

“There is. The Great Dao has fifty paths; the celestial mechanism unfolds forty-nine, and one escapes. The only thing I can tell you now is this: although a Siming has died, at least the Siming who govern the Heavenly Daos are safe for now.”

“If those Siming of the Heavenly Daos were truly in trouble—if any one of the Daos went missing—you would certainly know before I do.”

All kinds of chaotic scenes flooded Li Huowang’s mind, making his expression turn even uglier. “This maddened world… it’s really no place for a human to live!”

“Brother Li? What’s wrong?” Bai Lingmiao, wrapped in a robe, stumbled toward him.

Li Huowang shot a glance at the distant mincemeat, then quickly stepped forward to support her as he led her back.

“Nothing. Just came out to relieve myself.”

The feeling of a storm about to break pressed down on Li Huowang. It made him deeply uneasy. The Supervisory Heavenly Office existed… but he had no idea if they could hold the line.

There wasn’t much he could do right now. The only thing was to cultivate the Truth as fast as possible, to reach its pinnacle—so that when all kinds of crises and tribulations came, he could protect the people he meant to protect.

With this thought, he pulled Bai Lingmiao tighter against his chest.