Mutated Tao

In a dense forest, a tentacle with spikes and suction cups burst out of Li Huowang’s left arm and hooked around a tree. Moments later, another tentacle burst out of his right abdomen and hooked around another tree.

“Hold tight!” Li Huowang took out a short knife and placed it at the base of the tentacles. After a moment of silence, he slashed at the tentacles, withstanding the pain as blood spurted out haphazardly into the air.

He dared not get distracted as sweat ran down his face. He wanted to free himself from Li Sui.

The Natural Disaster at the time had made Li Sui assimilate Bun. Li Huowang knew that it could happen, but he was still caught off guard by the fact that it happened to him.

Li Sui was so smart and obedient that Li Huowang had completely forgotten that she was an evil entity capable of robbing someone else's body—a Black Taisui!

Li Huowang could not let her stay inside of him for too long, or she could instinctively devour him and take over his body.

“Urgh… “Li Huowang trembled. The pain was akin to being sliced by a thousand blades at once.

Li Sui had completely fused to him. Not only were there tentacles outside him, but there were tentacles around his organs as well.

To make matters worse, he'd have to shave his bones as well.

“No need!” Li Huowang shook his head and continued. Bai-Hui's blessing of increased regeneration rate was working against him. He had to gouge out his flesh in one go, or it would regenerate before he could remove it.

“Sorry, Father… It’s all my fault!” Li Sui exclaimed, blaming herself.

“No, this isn’t your fault! Don’t say something like that. Now wrap your tentacles tighter! This is just a small issue, and I'm not going to stumble over this. We can easily solve this!”

Unfortunately, Li Huowang was attempting something similar to separating a conjoined twin, which was an incredibly difficult feat.

“Amitabha. Benefactor, what are you doing?” the Abbot asked upon seeing the bizarre scene in the forest.

An unfriendly-looking Daoist was hanging between trees using his tentacles and was gouging out his own flesh using a knife. It was a bizarre sight indeed.

The blood flowing down Li Huowang dyed the ground red.

After learning about Li Huowang’s predicament, the Abbot placed his hands together and bowed slightly to him. “Amitabha. Benefactor Er, you should’ve told me earlier. I can help you with this.”

Li Huowang stopped cutting off his flesh and stared at the old monk. “You? Really? Do you even know what kind of trouble I'm having here?”

“Amitabha. Ratnasambhava from Śrimat of the Southern Pure Land enlightens the masses. The flesh on their body is limitless, signifying their unbounded kindness. Our body is just a vessel, and since our benefactor is a kind person, Ratnasambhava will bless and protect you.”

“Ratnasambhava?” Li Huowang frowned. He didn’t trust the Abbot completely, but he still said, “Are you thinking of making me give birth to Li Sui like the eunuchs?”

“Ah~ We won’t. Benefactor, please wear your clothes and follow me,” Chan Du said.

Li Huowang wore his clothes and allowed Chan Du to guide the way for him.

They met up with the two other monks, and Chan Du discussed the problem with them. Chan Du then asked Li Huowang to sit on the ground. Afterward, the three monks orbited Li Huowang while playing the wooden fish at a specific speed.

“Xi luo seng he mu ke ye du lu du lu fa she ye de… yi xi li…” As the three chanted a bizarre and complicated mantra, Li Huowang felt his scalp becoming itchy.

He scratched his head and was surprised to find that he had scratched off a chunk of his scalp! Moreover, he could feel himself sloughing away slowly.

He looked down at himself and finally understood how those girls in vases were made.

Li Huowang and Li Sui were separating slowly. At the sight, Chan Du took off the prayer beads around his neck and hurled them to the mass of flesh composed of both Li Huowang and Li Sui.

A reverse swastika made out of golden light appeared on Li Huowang.

Li Sui rapidly separated from Li Huowang until she was out!

The chanting slowed down, and Li Huowang soon found himself in his original body. However, Li Sui was no longer inside of him.

The blind Li Huowang looked around with his empty eye sockets. “Suisui, give me an eyeball!”

Li Sui obliged.

Li Huowang accepted the eyeball and shoved it into his eye socket. He could finally see again.

He looked down at himself once again and saw that he was unharmed.

It seems that the techniques of the Righteous Monastery can be incredibly useful, Li Huowang thought before saying, “Thank you. I owe you one.”

“Amitabha, no need to thank us. We are simply repaying your kindness in kindness. You gave us alms, so think of this as repaying what you gave us last time."

Li Huowang approached Li Sui and looked down at the skinless dog sporting some tentacles. “Are you okay? Do you feel anything missing from you?”

“Father, I’m fine!” Li Sui hugged Li Huowang and smiled happily.

“Benefactor Er, is this the evil entity that you're rearing? It’s a meritorious deed. Back in the Righteous Monastery, we have many evil entities following the Buddha's teachings.”

“They're following the Buddha's teachings?” Li Huowang asked, frowning. “Do they become like those pigs and cows that helped your monks cultivate?”

Chan Du wasn’t angry at Li Huowang's provocation. He merely smiled and rotated the prayer beads in his hands. “Your body is still unstable. Try not to move around too much these days.”

“I understand.” Li Huowang picked up his belongings and left the forest. Chan Du and the two monks followed suit. Since they were willing to help him, Li Huowang was now looking at them in a brand-new light. “Abbot, I apologize for my rudeness. There's another Righteous Monastery here in the Liang Kingdom, and I had a fight with them last time, so I don't really have a good impression of the Righteous Monastery.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“I had a Strayed One friend, but the monks wanted to stop my friend from leaving with his life. They were really despicable—much more despicable than you.”

Chan Du shook his head lightly and said, “Benefactor, you're wrong. I'd do the same if I were in their shoes.”

Li Huowang’s expression froze. “Why? Aren’t Strayed Ones human beings as well? Why kill them without any hesitation?”

“Amitabha. A Strayed One is a human being, but they have to be removed for the sake of the world, or they'd harm many people. Also, a Strayed One’s body is a natural treasure. We can refine them into artifacts or weapons that we can either use or exchange for other goods that will allow us to save even more people. Benefactor Er, what do you think? Isn't that a kind deed?”

Li Huowang wordlessly stared at Chan Du before looking away and walking away.

Chacha and Char's Thoughts

Can't forget his accomplice Taishan Shi. Credits to 格子的乱七八糟on douyin!

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