Chapter 110: She Was Not to Blame

"Zhi'er,"

After an unknown amount of time, the State Preceptor called Li Zhi over and handed him an ancient bronze object from his robes.

The object was only the size of a palm, carved with dense runes. Upon closer inspection, each rune was a tiny character written in an ancient script.

It looked like a small bronze clapper-bell.

"Father, what is this?" Li Zhi took the object, utterly perplexed.

He was in a much better state than the State Preceptor, though he still looked somewhat listless, with dark circles under his eyes.

The State Preceptor said softly, "This is a little trinket I obtained from an ancient secret realm. With it, whether you are casting spells or comprehending Heaven's Will, you will do so much faster."

"What is written on it?" Li Zhi asked curiously, turning the bell over in his hands.

"I do not know either; it should be some kind of ancient script. Examine it often; it should be of help to you."

The State Preceptor coughed, his eyes lowering slightly as he murmured, "Your aptitude can only be considered decent. You are no genius when it comes to practicing the mystic arts, and I can see that your heart is not in it either."

"Father..." Li Zhi hesitated, stopping himself from speaking.

"Keep this trinket for now. If anyone recognizes the script on it in the future, they are likely its true master."

A bitter smile touched the State Preceptor's eyes. "In truth, I have been somewhat selfish. This thing should have been given to the Ji boy."

"But just now, I suddenly felt that if you were the one to hand it to him, he would look after you a bit more."

Li Zhi instantly sensed that something was wrong. His expression changed, and he asked, "Father, what on earth has happened? Or did you divine something?"

The State Preceptor shook his head. A look of bewilderment washed over his face, making him look like a piece of decaying, withered wood. Looking up at the sky, he muttered:

"I cannot see clearly, I really cannot see clearly at all... Something must have happened, but I cannot see it!"

Tears welled up in Li Zhi's eyes, but before they could fall, the State Preceptor cut him off. "Why are you crying? A man does not shed tears easily!"

"Yes... thank you for your guidance, Father." Li Zhi quickly held back his tears, gripping the bell tightly.

"If anything happens in the future, follow the Ji boy," the State Preceptor sighed. "No matter what happens, you cannot go wrong by staying by his side."

"What is so special about that Ji Huo?" Li Zhi could not help but ask.

The State Preceptor smiled, a hint of mystery in his eyes as he lowered his voice:

"Previously, I only thought the boy was somewhat unusual. It was only when I heard him say that the old codger of a Sword Saint had given him a jade pendant for no reason that I suddenly realized."

"That stingy, empty-handed angler of a Sword Saint is terrified of death. He only ever follows the Way of Heaven. In a way, I am not even as shrewd as he is."

"So, I suspect that Ji Huo..."

Vaguely, lightning seemed to flicker in the sky above the capital, accompanied by a low, continuous rumble.

The State Preceptor looked up at the sky. In his eyes, the sky was brilliantly lit, and auspicious clouds enveloped the capital, presenting the grand spectacle of a rising empire.

Yet, he sensed a trace of danger.

"Heh..."

It wasn't as if he hadn't been struck by lightning before. If a mystic hadn't been struck by lightning, they would be embarrassed to call themselves one.

And for some reason, though this sort of divine retribution for revealing secrets should theoretically lay him out for half a year with a single strike...

...in his perception, the intensity of this lightning was not great. It seemed to be merely a warning.

The State Preceptor smiled contemptuously, withdrew his gaze, and continued in a low voice:

"He bears the Mandate of Heaven!"

*Boom!*

A bolt of lightning suddenly struck down! As it fell toward the capital, a purple barrier abruptly manifested, blocking the lightning and causing ripples to cascade across its surface.

"Ah!" A shrill, agonizing scream echoed from the depths of the imperial palace.

The State Preceptor looked up at the sky. Hah, not even a single bolt hit him! How boring!

And so, he spoke again:

"From the moment of his birth, Ji Huo came with a mission! Bearing the Mandate, conforming to Heaven's path! Everything he does is to fulfill his mission! In a sense, he is the mortal proxy of Heaven's Will."

*Boom!* Another bolt of lightning struck down, thicker than the last, causing the barrier to tremble violently.

Within the palace, the screams continued unabated. A faint golden light flashed, carrying a fierce and ferocious aura, as if its fur had been rubbed the wrong way. With this stance, if another bolt of lightning struck, it looked ready to charge into the heavens to fight to the death.

*You have gone too far.*

When these words suddenly echoed in his heart, the State Preceptor merely curled his lip.

A tempest raged in Li Zhi's heart. He naturally understood the weight of these words, and he knew even better what his father would face for uttering them.

"Father, please don't say any..."

Before he could finish, the State Preceptor raised a hand to stop him, murmuring,

"It is enough that you know this. You must never speak of it to anyone else."

"Yes!" Li Zhi nodded solemnly.

"Alright, you may go." The State Preceptor waved his hand wearily.

Hearing this, Li Zhi turned to leave.

"Zhi'er..." the State Preceptor called out again.

Li Zhi turned back to look at his father. "Do you have any other instructions, Father?"

The State Preceptor's eyes were somewhat vacant, his thoughts no longer entirely clear. After a moment, he spoke, "Though I know not why, you must remember."

"Remember what?" Li Zhi asked.

The State Preceptor looked at Li Zhi, his eyes filled with tenderness and reluctance. His voice was hoarse, gently comforting him as if coaxing a child:

"Do not blame her, do not blame her..."

Li Zhi caught his breath slightly. Suddenly, he bowed deeply, suppressing a sob as he whispered, "Yes, Father. I will remember."

Once Li Zhi had left, the State Preceptor looked up at the sky again, muttering to himself in bewilderment:

"How strange. I originally thought I would take a few lightning strikes in my final days just for the thrill of it, but not a single one came down on me. In fact, it even feels somewhat refreshing."

***

"That State Preceptor, he..." Xia Ningchang hesitated.

Holding the package of tea leaves, Ji Huo lowered his eyes slightly and said softly, "He has probably guessed something."

"We cannot wake him," Xia Ningchang said.

"We cannot. He is already dead. If we wake him, he will likely truly die." Ji Huo's eyes were calm as he watched the living dead passing to and fro, speaking in a soft voice.

Xia Ningchang fell silent. Her gaze also fell upon the common people of the capital, and she suddenly asked, "How many people are in the capital?"

"About six hundred thousand," Ji Huo said.

"If," Xia Ningchang said, "if we lay siege to the city, do you think these six hundred thousand people will..."

"Yes," Ji Huo's eyes held no emotion, as still and lifeless as stagnant water. "Once the Great Demon senses it, the Flying Bear Army will not just face the thirty thousand garrison troops, but also these six hundred thousand demonized citizens. Even if we eventually kill the Great Demon, these six hundred thousand people will not survive, because they are already dead."

Xia Ningchang clenched her small hands slightly and whispered, "It is rather cruel."

As the two of them walked down the street, Ji Huo's gaze suddenly landed on a vendor selling snacks. He remembered this man; he had bought food from him before.

Ji Huo walked over, bought two skewers of candied haws, and a bag of snacks. The vendor, too, was long dead, yet the snacks he made looked remarkably fresh and delicate, prepared with genuine care.

"Here." Ji Huo handed over a skewer of candied haws.

Xia Ningchang was taken aback. She took it in surprise and asked, "What is this for?"

"If you feel a bitter taste in your mouth, eating something sweet helps." Ji Huo bit off a candied haw, speaking indistinctly.

Xia Ningchang's eyes fell on the bright red, sugar-glazed candied haws. She lifted her veil and took a gentle bite.

"How does it taste?"

"Quite sweet."