Can a Siming Really Help?

Chapter 646: Help

For some reason, whenever he talked to Ji Zai, Li Huowang always felt the fire in his heart burn hotter, impossible to extinguish.

"I don't care whether you know or not! I can't let Great Liang repeat the mistakes of Great Qi! I need your help! And don't forget, when you asked me for help, I didn't say a single useless word!"

"Then how should I help you?"

"Aren't you a Siming? Make me stronger. Use your power to keep me in the state of Bashe's Dung-Beetle Ascension at all times. This is all to deal with Yuer Shen!!" As Li Huowang said this, his fists clenched.

"I can't do that. After all, I govern Bewilderment. But I have helped you."

"Have you? Bullshit! Where? I don't see it!"

"Exactly."

"'Exactly' what?! I'm asking you where you helped!"

Listening to Ji Zai's nonsensical, irrelevant rambling, a surge of fire rose in Li Huowang's chest. "I should have chosen to be Bashe's Heart-Pan! It would be better than being yours!"

"Bashe? Not good. Being her Heart-Pan hurts a lot." Ji Zai's tone remained unhurried.

Hearing this, the enraged Li Huowang suddenly calmed down, looking at his own reflection in the water with unkind eyes.

"Ji Zai, you say you're me from the future. But your actions and your words make me doubt whether your goals are the same as mine."

Ji Zai let out a soft sigh. "If I said otherwise, would you believe me? Since Zhuge Yuan tricked you, have you trusted anyone?"

"Don't bring up Zhuge Yuan! Aren't you a Siming? If you have the power, resurrect Zhuge Yuan!"

"I can't do that. The dead cannot be brought back to life in the mortal world. That's why there is no such Heavenly Law in the White Jade Capital."

A long silence stretched between them.

After a long time, Li Huowang took a deep breath. "Can't do this, can't do that. Let me ask you this—are the others okay in the future? Everyone in Niuxin Village? What about Great Liang? Did the future me really protect them well?"

"The future depends on what you do now. You know this world is alive. It changes every moment."

Li Huowang locked eyes with Ji Zai, utterly serious. "Stop giving me vague nonsense. I have no other demands. I've sacrificed everything, including myself, just to protect the people I care about, to let them survive in this twisted world. Answer me this! Can you guarantee that?"

As if finally sensing the gravity in Li Huowang's words, Ji Zai nodded very firmly this time. "As long as you are my Heart-Pan, I can guarantee it."

Hearing this, Li Huowang finally allowed himself a slight breath of relief. If Ji Zai couldn't guarantee even that, he'd really have to start looking for a new option.

"Alright, enough talk. Let's focus on the problem in front of us. Yuer Shen's crisis is right on top of us. I need to increase my strength. I couldn't Cultivate the True before because Doumu controlled the True-and-False Heavenly Law. Now that the True-and-False Heavenly Law is yours, I can Cultivate the True again, right?"

"Some things you don't need to ask me. If you think it's fine, then it's fine."

As soon as he heard that, Li Huowang's heart tightened. He suddenly felt his thoughts falling into step with the other's rhythm.

Just as he hesitated, ready to ask again for confirmation, a hawk from above flew down and dropped a roll of paper in front of Li Huowang.

When he opened it, his pupils constricted. All across the Six Prefectures of Great Liang—whether in great cities or small villages—the Fa Sect had risen up in rebellion everywhere. This was a full-scale insurrection.

"Yuer Shen is using his power to stir up trouble everywhere! You're a Siming too! Stop standing there spouting nonsense and do something!"

"I have done something. I have influenced things."

"What did you do?!"

"I sent people to hunt the Fa Sect long ago. And I told my Heart-Pan that the Fa Sect's actions are a diversion. This time, they plan to capture the king first. Their target is the Shangjing Imperial Capital."

"What?! Their target is Gao Zhijian?!"

Li Huowang's pupils shrank to pinpricks. He abandoned Ji Zai without another thought and rushed toward his horse.

As he traveled, he quickly used Liu Zongyuan's contact method to have the news relayed to the Shangjing Imperial Capital.

Li Huowang left, but the swaying reflection in the water remained. Standing there, he watched Li Huowang ride further and further away.

Suddenly, a flicker of dazed recollection crossed his face.

Not long after Li Huowang passed the message through Liu Zongyuan, the Shangjing side contacted him.

"Lord Er, His Majesty is aware. He says not to worry; he will handle it." A one-legged black-feathered crow stood on Li Huowang's horse's head, speaking in a hoarse voice.

"Never mind His Majesty. Has the Sitian Jian received this news?" Li Huowang asked the crow.

He really wasn't reassured by Gao Zhijian saying he'd "handle it." After all, the man had been emperor for less than half a year. It was still uncertain how much real power he held in the court.

"They know. The National Preceptor and the Chief Astrologer know. They will definitely take precautions."

Hearing this, Li Huowang finally relaxed a little.

The enemy was trying to lure him away. The worst thing would be falling for their trick. Since he had fully disclosed their plan to his own people, half of the enemy's scheme was already ruined.

In all this time as Ji Zai's Heart-Pan, this was the first time the Siming had actually helped him.

"Tell them to be on high alert. To be safe, I'm heading there now!"

But the crow immediately replied, "No need, Lord Er. Please turn back. The Supervisory Heavenly Office will never let last time's situation recur."

"What the hell do you know? Get lost!" Li Huowang swatted it off the horse's head and urged his mount toward Shangjing.

Since he knew from Ji Zai what the Fa Sect's high command was after, he had to go and take charge to feel at ease.

At this moment, protecting Gao Zhijian was far more important than cleaning up scattered Fa Sect disciples in the surrounding areas.

Even if this trip might end up being a wasted effort, he had to go. Great Liang absolutely could not become like Great Qi.

The refugees from Great Qi, where fewer than one in ten survived, could come to Great Liang. If Great Liang fell, there would be nowhere left.

"Lord Er, truly, there is no need. Please turn back. Please turn back." The one-legged crow did not leave. Instead, it circled in the air, shouting at Li Huowang again and again.

"Annoying as hell! Get lost!" Li Huowang, lying on a hospital bed, roared at the voice outside the window. But the voice outside did not disappear.

"What is mental illness? Who defines it? Who gave them the right? I think this label is wrong. Mental illness doesn't exist; it's a false label defined by external political, economic, or cultural forces! It's just a means of maintaining the current social order!"