Eight Sufferings

Li Huowang kept his eyes shut. The moment he felt his attack land, he didn't hesitate—he drew the fire-strike across his own skin, and flames erupted, engulfing his entire body.

Whatever this thing was, it was massive. He had to go all out.

Eyes still closed, Li Huowang directed his two arms and the dozen or so tentacles to grip the edges of the wound. He let out a roar and pulled.

With a tearing sound, Li Huowang—fully ablaze—plunged straight into the wound.

Three hands held three swords. He brought his fiery body inside the creature and rampaged.

Every ounce of frustration he had swallowed moments ago, he was now paying back a thousandfold to this nameless thing.

Soon, he heard the sizzle of burning flesh, mixed with faint, pained dragon-like roars. The violent trembling nearly made Li Huowang open his eyes.

But the harder the thing struggled, the deeper Li Huowang drove himself. When he felt the pressure ahead suddenly lighten, he realized—whatever this thing was, he had torn straight through it.

The sizzling finally gave way to the roar of open flame. Li Huowang felt his body begin to fall.

The instant he hit the ground, he opened his eyes. He saw the sky: the cover of dark clouds had transformed into a blazing sea of fire, which was now dissipating at tremendous speed.

He had won.

“Water!” With a splash, Li Huowang landed in mud. A few breaths later, he spat out dirt and swam his way out.

When he stood up again, the rain had stopped. Thin morning sunlight reached him, falling across his charred face.

The air after the rain was fresh and clean. Whatever that thing was—dead or crippled—it seemed everything was finally over.

The three monkey-boys had never seen anything like it. They practically worshipped Li Huowang as a god now. With sheer awe in their eyes, they fell to their knees and kowtowed to him.

Li Huowang didn't care what anyone else thought. He was staring at the clearing sky, thinking about something else.

Whatever that thing was, it was clearly not an ordinary earthly evil. But calling it a Siming felt like a stretch too.

If he had to classify it, Li Huowang felt that thing was closer to a Xi Shen—or maybe something like the things outside the White Jade Capital.

This world wasn't just black and white. It wasn't just mortals and Siming. There was a lot of stuff in between.

"Even the Child-God is recruiting things like that now?" The thought soured Li Huowang's mood even further. The scope of his enemy's power had just grown in his mind.

If something like that could be found in a remote place like this, what would be guarding the Later Shu Dragon Vein?

Seeing everyone look to him, Li Huowang shook his head. "It's over. Take a break. We've been at it all night. Everyone's tired."

Hearing this, the group finally found their anchor. The tension in their chests released, and they began to move—tending wounds, preparing food.

When the steaming hot food reached their mouths, the fear and worry in everyone's hearts began to dissipate quickly.

Li Huowang used his hand to pull aside the wet gauze on Yang Xiaohai's wound. He checked it carefully, then covered it back up. "Tell your wife to change the bandage. Water got in. The wound is all white from soaking."

"Brother Li, this is just a scratch. But yours..." Yang Xiaohai trailed off, looking at Li Huowang's charred body.

"Worry about yourself. Mine's a scratch too." Li Huowang finished speaking and walked back to the campfire, picking up a bowl of noodles and eating it alongside a piece of grilled salted fish.

"Brother Li, don't move. I'll have the Bai clan help heal you." Bai Lingmiao picked up her drum and began to beat it.

"I don't have any Yang Life Pills left. Don't summon the spirits."

"Brother Li, they're being very reasonable now. They don't want Yang Life as payment. Boom-boom-boom!"

As Li Huowang ate bite by bite, he felt something approaching. Something was watching him.

His whole body tensed, but he pretended to be casual. He used his chopsticks to pick up the belly section of the braised fish, carefully picking out the long, thick bones, and placed it in Yang Na's bowl.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced out the window. Seeing that it was just Aunt Qi, he finally relaxed slightly. Not them this time.

Yang Na, now back to normal, saw everything Li Huowang did. She didn't say anything, just turned to Sun Xiaoqin and praised how much better her cooking was.

After everyone had eaten their fill, Li Huowang headed to his bedroom. He sat down on the stool, his expression gradually growing serious.

This couldn't go on. Just a little while ago, while Yang Na was taking her medicine, those gazes had appeared again. He'd even caught a brief glimpse of them. Unfortunately, he hadn't managed to snap a photo with his phone.

He didn't care about himself, but he was afraid of it affecting Yang Na and his mother.

Li Huowang unlocked his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, it's me. Any leads on those two severed fingers yet?"

"It's been this long and still nothing? Is your database even complete? Two missing fingers, and you can't find the person?"

"What do you mean, 'there are bigger things than two fingers'? Let me say it again: I am not crazy. Someone really is trying to kidnap me!"

Hearing the door open behind him, Li Huowang hung up. He turned around to see Yang Na carrying a fruit platter. His voice softened as he asked, "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

Yang Na shook her head gently. She walked over to him, set the fruit platter on the table, and took his hands. "Huowang, what's wrong? Is the medicine's side effect really bad?"

"Of course not. Hah. It's nothing. Just thinking about some things." Li Huowang hesitated for a moment, then spoke to Yang Na. "Nana, I need you to do me a favor. Is that okay?"

"Sure. Tell me." Yang Na nodded.

"I need to go back to Kangning Hospital. Visit an old friend. But I don't want my mom coming along. Can you come with me?"

They were always around him. No matter what, he had to see Qian Fu.

The man was crazy, sure. He talked nonsense. But what he said had come true. The surveillance footage had been tampered with. Someone was out to get him. All of it was real. Li Huowang couldn't afford to ignore it.

Yang Na didn't ask more questions. Seeing that Li Huowang needed her help, she simply gave him a gentle hug and nodded. "Okay."

Taking advantage of Sun Xiaoqin's absence, Li Huowang set out with Yang Na.

But before he could even leave the residential complex, Aunt Qi, hands on her hips and flanked by two other elderly neighbors, blocked him at the gate. "Xiao Li, where are you off to? And your family member?"

"Kangning Hospital," Li Huowang answered truthfully.

"What are you going to a mental hospital for? Got a good reason?" Aunt Qi's eyes were full of deep suspicion.

Seeing that look—the same look one gives a criminal—Li Huowang shot back: "You know I'm a mental patient. Where else would I be going to a mental hospital? A follow-up appointment. What, is that not allowed either?"