Mutated Tao

Li Huowang calmed down a little after hearing what Chan Du had told him.

Li Huowang would not touch them as long as they didn’t interfere with him, no matter how evil they were.

“Good. What about the issue with the food? We should be much better off now with the mushrooms and goat milk, right?”

Li Huowang felt disappointed when Chan Du shook his head. “Benefactor Li, don’t forget that every surviving human in the Qi Kingdom is rushing here thanks to the food. We still don’t have enough food to feed everyone. More importantly, fewer people are dying. It’s difficult for the pigs to grow on just feces.”

Li Huowang nodded. “We have no choice but to endure. Didn’t you say the black soil could grow crops three times a year? As long as we endure until the first harvest, we should be able to tide over the biggest issue of the Qi Kingdom. I will continue sending food periodically until the Qi Kingdom can stand on its own. Also, I’ve had time to think about what to do with the Dragon Vein of the Qi Kingdom.”

Chan Du perked up his ears when he heard what Li Huowang was talking about. “Benefactor Li, do you have a way?”

“I don’t, and I will never do. I will deal with the famine, but I won’t deal with the Dragon Vein.”

Chan Du’s eyes went wide with shock. He thought he had misheard.

Li Huowang ignored him and continued, “I am from the Liang Kingdom. I have to think about my people first. The Qi Kingdom must be rescued by someone from the Qi Kingdom. If you all want to survive, you need to unite and work out a solution instead of forcing the responsibility on an outsider like me. Besides, your predicament has nothing to do with me. I’m helping you because I can’t bear to see everyone die. That’s all.”

Chan Du looked at Li Huowang with shock, as if he were a stranger. “You… Benefactor Li, do you wish to see everyone die?”

“Don’t threaten me with those words. This has nothing to do with me. Why am I the one who has to manage the Qi Kingdom? I don’t owe you anything.”

He continued, “We have to look at this realistically. I want to help you and save their lives, but there are things more important than you. If you don’t want to accept this, find a way to deal with it yourself. Don’t place all of your hopes on someone else.”

“Benefactor Li, think about it! If you save the Qi Kingdom, the entire place will be yours! You could have the entire Qi Kingdom for yourself!”

“Let me repeat myself. I’m just a Daoist. Go try to tempt others with those words.”

Chan Du stood motionless, stunned by what he had just heard. Still, he had no choice but to eventually accept it. He bowed and left in a hurry, as if he were going to discuss the situation with someone else.

Li Huowang looked at Chan Du disappearing in the distance and said nothing.

He wanted to help, and saving others was naturally good, but he didn’t want to be the one leading them. He had to push them a little to maximize their chances of success. Li Huowang could save his own time and effort if they did come up with a method.

He stomped the ground hard and left the Righteous Monastery. He followed the broken road to walk out of the city, wanting to see how the crops were doing.

He saw several new houses had been constructed on both sides of the road in the You Capital.

Black lines on the ground had been drawn using a carpenter’s ink marker. The black lines sectioned up the entire You Capital.

The laborers hired by the palace were busy clearing up the rubble within those lines. They threw out everything except for the gold, silver, and bronze. There was a small stall nearby where officials accepted those precious metals. A catty of gold earned the laborers a catty of rice, and ten catty of silver earned them a catty of millet.

Li Huowang noticed that the Qi Kingdom’s palace was attempting to revive the monetary system.

Li Huowang looked at several other laborers fixing the potholes on the road.

Everything was being done systematically. He had to admit that leaving it to the professionals was a good idea.

The people were still thin, but they weren’t in despair anymore. Li Huowang realized that his efforts were paying off.

He followed the road and walked out of the city. He saw the black soil was being covered by lush greenery.

Rows of green crops were being grown on the fertile black soil. The farmers painstakingly watered and provided nutrients for the plants, caring for the crops like their children.

The fields were large and there wasn’t an end to them. Li Huowang was sure there would be a magnificent sight when the crops were ready to be harvested.

He saw an old farmer kowtowing to him. He pulled the farmer up and asked, “Is the soil alright?”

“Bodhisattva! Please relax. We would not dare to delay planting the seeds you gave us! Those seeds will provide the food that will save us!”

Right after, the farmer expressed his frustration. “Still, we have no idea who the incorrigible thief is who has been eating the leaves of our sweet potatoes! They pluck some every time we don’t watch over them. We’ve sent men to find them but have yet to do so!”

Li Huowang thought that was normal. This was a large piece of agricultural land and there was a famine. It was inevitable that someone would try to steal some food for themselves. He didn’t mind as long as they didn’t destroy the fields.

The old farmer suddenly shouted, “Everyone! Come here! The merciful Bodhisattva is here to look at us mud legs!”

Upon hearing him, the farmers put down the work in their hands and surrounded Li Huowang excitedly. Li Huowang was getting annoyed by them.

As he was getting ready to walk away, an old man blocked him. The old man seemingly had no control over his body, standing in place without knowing what he wanted to say.

Li Huowang was still focused on the old man when several hands covered in calluses reached behind Li Huowang’s back and stole his two spine swords, bronze coin sword, and purple-tassel sword. They took them all.

“Stab him!”

The farmers surrounding Li Huowang suddenly pulled out sharp objects from within their clothes and stabbed Li Huowang.

However, Li Huowang had projected his image and dodged it. His real body was three meters away.

The next instant, a hidden dagger stabbed deep into Li Huowang’s body and tore his organs up from inside.

Li Huowang grabbed the dagger forcefully as killing intent burst forth from him. He opened his mouth and bit into the invisible figure that was stabbing him.

“Who dares to try and kill me?!”

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