Mutated Tao

“Is anyone there?” Li Huowang shouted into the empty space, his voice echoing.

For a moment, he felt confused as he looked left and right; he was standing on a wooden bridge. Besides the bridge, the only thing around him was darkness.

Li Huowang took a deep breath as he walked forward, the wooden bridge creaking with his every step.

Li Huowang didn’t know how long he had been walking, when he sensed movement in front of him, causing him to straighten up and quickly approach it. However, when he closed in and saw what it was, he stopped dead in his tracks.

It was the Household Immortal that Li Zhi had brought out earlier.

However, the originally palm-sized clay sculpture was now three times the size of Li Huowang’s body. With the sound of grinding stone, the sculpture slowly turned its head, staring at Li Huowang with its completely white eyes.

“This is not some wooden bridge! I’m standing on the steps of the stairs to that possessed victim’s house!” Li Huowang immediately realized.

At that moment, a creaking sound echoed loudly as the red thread on the Household Immortal burst open. Countless clay hands emerged from the sculpture’s body, reaching out toward Li Huowang.

Just as Li Huowang was about to run away, a giant red veil covered him.

“Hoo!” Li Huowang woke up and looked around, sweating all over. Upon seeing neither the red veil nor the Household Immortal around him, he realized that it had all just been a dream.

He glanced down and saw the sleeping Bai Lingmiao before pulling up the sheets to cover her shoulders. Then, he rolled out of the bed and stared out the window.

The moon was still high in the sky. It seemed that he hadn’t slept for long.

Staring at the black roof tiles, he recalled what had happened yesterday.

The red-veiled Second Deity was just about to tell him something but was cut off by Li Zhi.

What was she trying to say? Why didn’t she want me to stare at the Household Immortal?

Li Huowang seriously considered the question.

The Second Deity didn’t talk, didn’t eat, nor did she drink. Compared to the eccentric Li Zhi, she was much more mysterious. For someone like her to speak to him directly, there must be a special meaning.

What was she trying to tell me in secret, and why didn’t she let Li Zhi know? Is Li Zhi trying to harm me?

He actually wanted to ask Li Zhi to try and perform the ritual on him, but now that something like this had happened, Li Huowang felt hesitant. To begin with, they were not really close.

At the same time, he could technically find other Shamans and ask for their help, but they might not be trustworthy either. He would rather seek help from someone he knew.

I should try and get a chance to ask the Second Deity what she wanted to say in secret.

Li Huowang decided.

Staring at the night sky, Li Huowang put on his bloodied Taoist robe and walked out. The rooms offered to them by Li Zhi’s friend were located quite close to each other, so Li Zhi’s room was nearby.

Within the dark house, Li Huowang silently approached Li Zhi’s room.

Creak~

The door slowly opened, and a small glowing stone was thrown into the room. The door of the room had an upside-down character of the word ‘prosperity’ hanging on it.

The faint glow illuminated the room as Li Huowang saw Li Zhi snoring soundly on the bed with his limbs splayed open, looking like a starfish. Meanwhile, the red-veiled Second Deity was standing still beside the bed, almost as if she was just a piece of clothing.

Hearing the soft sound of the door, the Second Deity silently turned her head toward Li Huowang; it was as if she was waiting for something.

This scene was downright frightening to witness in the middle of the night.

Do I really want to talk to this thing in the middle of the night, all by myself?

Li Huowang hesitated.

But thinking back to yesterday, Li Huowang steeled his heart and silently gestured for her to come out.

Meanwhile, the Second Deity actually responded and slowly floated toward the door.

Both she and Li Huowang slowly walked out before finally arriving in the courtyard.

The moon in the night sky cast a soft glow on their surroundings, soothing Li Huowang’s tense and racing heart.

At that moment, the red-veiled Second Deity slowly approached him, stopping just inches from him; they were so close that Li Huowang’s voice even caused the Second Deity’s red veil to sway gently.

“What were you trying to say yesterday?” asked Li Huowang.

In response, the Second Deity used her long and black fingernails to pierce one of her fingers, much to Li Huowang’s surprise.

Then, using her own blood, she gently wrote something on her red veil.

Careful. You. Are. The. Strayed. Immortal.

“What are you guys doing?!”

At that moment, someone shouted, causing the Second Deity to instantly absorb the black blood on the red veil.

Just as Li Huowang had taken two steps back, Li Zhi ran up to them with a murderous look on his face before hugging the Second Deity’s waist. “What are you trying to do? This is my wife!”

Li Huowang could also hear some commotion from the other rooms of the house and quickly explained himself, “Nothing! I was just curious about her face.”

However, Li Zhi did not let his guard down, staring Li Huowang up and down. Then, as if to demonstrate his dominance, Li Zhi lifted a part of the Second Deity’s red veil and kissed her intensely.

The red veil fluttered in the night wind, and the weak moonlight allowed Li Huowang to catch a glimpse of something.

Those are… scales?

Li Zhi stopped as quickly as he started, licking the yellowish-green liquid around his mouth.

“Remember this! She is my wife! You damned bachelor, just look at yourself! You are a Taoist; that’s why you are single! Go find your own girl!” shouted Li Zhi.

Then, without waiting for Li Huowang’s explanation, Li Zhi held the Second Deity’s pale hands and walked back into the house.

Scales. Yellowish-green goo. Those two scenes flashed through Li Huowang’s restless mind.

What the fuck is the Second Deity?

When Li Huowang returned to his room, still feeling confused, he saw that Bai Lingmiao had woken up from the commotion and was sitting on the bed while rubbing her eyes.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” asked Bai Lingmiao.

Li Huowang blew out the fire from the oil lamp and said, “Nothing; go back to bed.”

I should be careful? I’m the Strayed Immortal?

Back on the bed, Li Huowang silently pondered what the Second Deity had been trying to convey.

What is a Strayed Immortal? Why did she ask me to be careful?

When Li Huowang woke up the next day, he entered the hall and saw Li Zhi eating congee. At the same time, his right hand held onto the Second Deity tightly as he spoke to his friend.

“Old friend, thank you for your care. Why not invite a Household Immortal? I will even make it cheaper for you. How does 30 coins sound?” suggested Li Zhi.

However, as soon as Li Zhi saw Li Huowang, he stopped talking, and his face no longer looked as friendly as before.

Chacha and Char's Thoughts

YELLOWISH-GREEN LIQUID AND SCALES? WTF?