The War Drums

When Li Huowang heard Bai Lingmiao say something like that, he was momentarily stunned.

Wusheng Laomu had pity on the common people? Was this really something the White Lotus Society—the ones who buried people alive in the earth—would do?

As for what exactly had happened to Wusheng Laomu, Li Huowang, a mere mortal, could not know. He could only judge based on the information he had: Wusheng Laomu had probably once been this very Way of compassion.

“Alright. When the time comes, do what you can, but remember to get clear immediately if something goes wrong. Don’t come near me—I’m dangerous to be around.”

“Don’t worry. We will naturally protect the Saintess. You needn’t trouble yourself.” Lian Zhibei’s voice carried a hint of displeasure as she approached.

Li Huowang ignored her completely. “As long as you’re safe, that’s what matters. Once we get through this crisis, we can take everything else slowly.” As he spoke, he opened his arms and gently pulled Bai Lingmiao into an embrace.

Just as Li Huowang closed his eyes, savoring this long-missed warmth, Bai Lingmiao’s face, resting against his shoulder, suddenly twisted into a different visage.

A ferocious grin spread across her face like a wild animal’s. Her mouth stretched wider and wider, and a scarlet tongue extended, writhing nimbly in the air, as if in the next moment it would burrow straight into Li Huowang’s ear canal.

“Second Mother?”

“What?” Li Huowang released Bai Lingmiao and spun around, only to see Li Sui standing there, her gaze fixed on them.

“Not Second Mother. Eldest Mother. Second Mother is gone.”

Bai Lingmiao kissed Li Huowang on the cheek, then walked over to Li Sui and gently pulled her into an embrace. “Suisui, have you been good for your father lately?”

Li Sui proudly removed her head and offered it up with a tentacle. “Mother, look at my new head! Isn’t it pretty? I really like it. I like being human, but Father won’t let me keep wearing it.”

“Don’t listen to your father about this. What does he know? Wear it from now on. It looks much better than before.”

“That’s what I was thinking, too. If I look like this, people won’t be afraid of me anymore, and I can talk to them.”

Seeing the tenderness and concern on Bai Lingmiao’s face, Li Huowang breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least when she was with him, she acted like a normal person.

Bai Lingmiao’s earlier display had truly frightened him. Perhaps he could find a way to let Li Sui spend more time with Miaomiao in the future.

“Follow me. The east wall meeting point.” The Supervisor of the Heavenly Office’s voice suddenly rang in Li Huowang’s ear, making his entire body jolt.

But when he looked around for the source of the voice, he found he wasn’t the only one doing so—the White Lotus believers and Bai Lingmiao were all doing the same. Clearly, the Supervisor’s words were not meant for him alone.

“Li Sui, let’s go.” As Li Huowang opened his mouth, Li Sui’s dense network of tentacles emerged from the Princess Anping’s body, burrowing back into his own.

“Supervisor, didn’t you say you needed an hour to get something? It hasn’t been that long,” Li Huowang asked.

“There’s no time. The Dice has made a new move. He’s not planning to hide—he intends to finish us all off at once.” The Supervisor’s voice sounded again in Li Huowang’s mind.

“Where is the Dice now?”

“The military camp.”

“What?!” The word sent a chill through Li Huowang’s entire body. The next moment, Peng Longteng suddenly appeared beside him, grabbed him, and hurled him violently into the air.

Li Huowang flew high into the sky, and the entire sprawling city of Shangjing was laid out beneath him in an instant.

Not just Shangjing! His exceptional vision caught sight of dense, ant-like figures outside the eastern city wall, as well as a centipede coiled among them.

Li Huowang understood—those were not ants! They were the military forces stationed all around Shangjing! And that was not a centipede—that was the Dice of the Dragon Vein!

He should have realized it sooner. The Dice was never one for direct confrontation! This bastard was using his identity as emperor to incite the military to deal with them!

Just as Li Huowang landed steadily, the Supervisor’s figure appeared beside him without warning.

“No time to waste. We’ll talk as we move. The Dice is trying to convince all of Great Liang that he is its new emperor. If everyone in the entire kingdom believes his lies, we will have to fight the whole of Great Liang.”

The Dice wasn’t just stealing the Dragon Vein—he wanted to seize the entire kingdom for himself.

If the Dice were merely a liar, it wouldn’t be so terrifying. But the problem was that, no matter how you looked at it, he was currently, in fact, the Emperor of Great Liang!

Li Huowang gritted his teeth and sprinted across the rooftops toward the city gate. “Is that plan of yours even viable? If it fails, everything is over!”

“I have my own calculations. If you still want to save all of Great Liang, then listen to me!” The Supervisor floated beside Li Huowang like a ghost.

“Fine! Then let’s figure out exactly how to proceed right now, so we don’t lose our heads when the time comes.”

The emperor was outside the city, leading a contingent of Imperial Guards in what looked like an uprising. The sounds of chaos gradually spread from beyond the walls into the city itself. In an instant, the entire Shangjing was filled with panic and swirling rumors.

Tentacles extended from within Li Huowang’s body, whipping rapidly through the air as they gripped the blue bricks of the city wall, carrying him swiftly to the top.

When Li Huowang reached the wall, the White Lotus Sect and the Ao-Jing Sect had already arrived. They weren’t the only ones—all the members of the Supervisory Heavenly Office were steadily converging on this location.

The number of people on this side seemed large, and there was no shortage of powerful experts among them. Yet, compared to the densely packed military forces below, shrouded in killing intent, everyone’s hearts were pounding with unease.

Great Liang had become the largest nation in this land not through empty words.

Staring at the golden dragon banner standing tall amidst the ranks below, each person’s thoughts were a tangled mess.

“If it really comes to a fight, a lot of people will die on both sides. The Dice isn’t counting on winning—he just wants to exhaust our numbers. Stopping this war will be up to you.”

Li Huowang glanced sideways at him. “There are plenty of Heart-Elements out there, but you had to pick me. I’m guessing you’re planning to use something else from me besides my ability.”

Although the Supervisor’s plan sounded simple enough, Li Huowang could only half-believe what the man said. He had been deceived too many times.

“No matter what I use, the Dice has to be dealt with, doesn’t he? Don’t forget, you’re involved in this too.”

Li Huowang withdrew his gaze and fixed it once more on the Dice seated on the dragon throne. His eyes turned cold. It was him! If not for him, Zhuge Yuan would never have died! And this world would never have fallen into such chaos!

“You can use me. But I have only one condition: the Dice must die!”

“Boom… boom… boom…” The低沉 war drums began to beat. Each strike of the drumsticks felt like a hammer blow to everyone’s heart.

“The Supervisory Heavenly Office has committed high treason! They have colluded with the White Lotus Society and dared to plot against His Majesty the Emperor! Kill!!”

As the evenly arrayed soldiers below simultaneously tightened their grips on their weapons and slammed them against the ground, a tide of killing intent surged over Li Huowang and the others like a mountain.

“KILL! KILL! KILL!!”

In the next instant, catapults swung high, launching three-meter-tall, heavily armored black iron cataphracts into the air. They fell toward the city wall like black boulders.