Chapter 263 - Changes

Lu Zhuangyuan was enraged to hear his son say such defiant remarks even after he had been punished for so long.

“You, this——!” Lu Zhuangyuan was about to raise the rattan stick to once again swing across Lu Xiucai’s face when Li Huowang, who happened to be passing by, grabbed onto it.

Having known Lu Xiucai for a while now, Li Huowang had gotten to understand him to some extent. To the best of his knowledge, this young man had always been rather timid and he would never utter such words. There had to be something wrong here.

Li Huowang approached to study Lu Xiucai’s upturned figure in front of him. His round, blazing eyes were full of hatred and malicious intent, like a wounded wild beast.

After having gone through so much, Li Huowang had seen it all. He could tell that the fierce stare in front of him was not something an average young guy could just make up.

For some reason, Li Huowang felt an odd feeling of familiarity when he looked into those eyes.

Upon closer inspection, Li Huowang suddenly turned his head and gazed at the tall, headless female corpse behind him.

At that moment, it suddenly struck him. The current Lu Xiucai resembled Peng Longteng quite a bit.

Surprised, Li Huowang re-evaluated the black-tassel sword in front of him.

It was after Lu Xiucai had played with the sword that he reached his current state. Although this was a good sword, Li Huowang underestimated its side effects. Him being a Strayed One was the reason why he hadn’t felt anything.

Abbess once mentioned that military objects often carried a malevolent aura, but this aura couldn’t dispel the bewilderment and sense of doubt of a Strayed One. However, she never told me the consequences an ordinary person would face upon coming into contact with this weapon.

Now, Lu Xiucai had cleared up the doubts that had been bothering Li Huowang—namely, what would happen when an ordinary person came into contact with this weapon, and what type of consequences would they face?

Li Huowang shifted his gaze back to Lu Xiucai, re-evaluating those resentful eyes.

Could it be that Peng Longteng wasn’t always like that? That she was similar to Lu Xiucai, and that she too was affected by something that brought about this change?

Li Huowang strained his mind, trying to recall Peng Longteng's physical features from before. If he removed the flamboyant green tattoo on her face, she would appear to be nothing more than a demure maiden ready for marriage.

But it was also this very woman who had slaughtered thousands of people without batting an eye.

Li Huowang gained a better grasp of military families thanks to Lu Xiucai's change.

Individuals like Peng Longteng were just ordinary people in the past. To gain greater power, whether through cultivation or other means, their bodies were pushed to acquire certain things. It was these things that produced such severe alterations in their dispositions.

Li Huowang recalled the deeds of the monks back at the Righteous Monastery and their Bodhisattva, as well as the foul-smelling establishment of the Benevolent Nunnery.

It seems that no matter how they cultivate, they will eventually absorb something, and it will affect their character and behavior.

The Abbess and nuns’ decay, the monks' lust, so what about the military? Ruthlessness? Bloodlust? Or slaughter?

Seeing Li Huowang standing there with a furrowed brow pondering the issue, Troupe Leader Lu sensed that something was amiss. He set aside his anger as a trace of concern appeared on his weathered face. It seemed that his son was not just being rebellious. The trouble appeared to be something a lot more significant.

Regardless of how Lu Xiucai hit or scolded him, he was still his son.

“Daoist, what happened to my son? Is he possessed? Can you think of a way to cure him?” asked Lu Zhuangyuan.

Pulled back to reality by the questions, Li Huowang reassessed Lu Xiucai before turning back to Lu Zhuangyuan to let him know the truth.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

“I don't know much about Lu Xiucai’s current state. But based on the overall situation, if his temperament gradually becomes milder, then there should still be hope for recovery. If not, Troupe Leader Lu, I advise you to be prepared,” said Li Huowang.

The meaning behind Li Huowang’s words was unspoken yet clear.

Upon hearing this news that was like a bolt out of the blue, Troupe Leader Lu’s body staggered, almost causing him to lose his balance.

Before anyone could react, Lu Zhuangyuan knelt before Li Huowang.

Li Huowang quickly turned around to avoid the bow from Lu Zhuangyuan, as he frowned. “Troupe Leader Lu, are you trying to shorten my life?”

“No, no, no!” Lu Zhuangyuan quickly got up, repeatedly waving his hands. He said nervously, “Daoist, it was my fault. If I hadn’t started it, he wouldn’t have been led astray, and tried to steal your sword!”

The atmosphere became heavy as the onlookers approached silently, listening to what Lu Zhuangyuan was saying.

Casting another glance at the inverted Lu Xiucai, Li Huowang sighed and turned toward Bai Lingmiao. “Why don’t you give it a try?”

Boom, boom, boom~

The rhythmic drumbeat rang out, followed by a chant.

“The sun set on the Western mountain, and the skies went dark~ Every house closed its doors while the magpies and crows flew back to their trees~ The sparrows flew to the rafters, and the entrances to the houses were closed~ Ten houses with nine locked~ Only one remains unlocked...”

The chanting to invite the Bei Family began. The fragrant incense with dark red embers wafted gently into Lu Xiucai’s throat, yet there was no response.

“Senior Li, the Immortal families said that Lu Xiucai is fine,” relayed Bai Lingmiao.

Li Huowang sneered. These Immortal families were just like that, full of tricks when it came to their people. But when faced with real challenges, they were nothing more than a facade.

On the other hand, the aggrieved Lu Zhuangyuan turned around and gave Lu Xiucai a slap across his face. “He deserves it! This has nothing to do with you. It’s his fault! He is already at this age, and still engaging in such improper behavior! This is just his karma!”

In response, ??Lu Xiucai's scolding became even louder.

Despite the small incident in the evening, they still had to continue with their journey. During the day, Lu Xiucai was still tied up. However, instead of hanging him from a tree, he was now tied to the ox-cart.

A shadow of gloom covered the faces of everyone in the Lu Family Troupe. But to Li Huowang who had experienced numerous battles, it was not all that significant whether Lu Xiucai lived or died.

Li Huowang himself had enough troubles, and he didn’t have the leisure to worry about others.

The journey continued, and people gradually adapted to Lu Xiucai’s new changes.

Eventually, Lu Xiucai was released; after all, he was not Li Huowang. If a person was not strong enough, then his hatred would simply seem laughable. The change in temperament hadn’t really increased his strength. Ultimately, he was still a frail young man. Under Lu Zhuangyuan's tobacco pipe and his elder brother's fists, he obediently followed as they continued their journey.

At the same time, Troupe Leader Lu noticed that although his younger son had become more irritable, there wasn’t much change in other aspects of his behavior.

For example, he still exchanged vulgar jokes with Puppy and occasionally teased his niece, Cui’er. It was just his voice that had become much louder.

Even so, the boy still harbored deep resentment toward his father for hanging him up and beating him. He continued to glare at his father’s back with a cold expression.

Yet, he dared not look at Li Huowang, who had also beaten him up.