Mutated Tao

Li Sui bent her body forward and snuggled against Li Huowang. “It’s not like that. It’s just that Shai Zi is very smart. He knows that causing trouble now would benefit no one. Also, he knows that it would be detrimental to him if anything were to happen to Da Nuo.”

Li Huowang reflected on the name. “Da Nuo… is Da Nuo the name of this world?”

“Da Nuo is also our name. Everything in this world—the seas, the land, and every grain of sand, is part of Da Nuo.”

“What about the Simings? Are the Simings part of Da Nuo?”

“Da Nuo is the Greater Siming.”

“Greater Siming… A Greater Siming does not have the past and the future.” Li Huowang sighed. “If we are part of Da Nuo, then what about them? What about god Yu’er? What are they?”

Li Huowang tried to recall the beings outside of Baiyu Capital. They had tried to tear Baiyu Capital in half, but no matter how hard he tried to remember, he could not come up with anything.

Suddenly, the skies almost split apart! The small crack in the sky trembled as it threatened to open. It was alive.

“Don’t think about it! Just carry on!” A low shout snapped Li Huowang out of it. The voice sounded like him and Ji Zai at the same time.

Li Huowang smacked his head and looked around. Nothing had changed, as if it had been an illusion.

Li Sui explained, “I don’t know what it's called on the other side, but the Surveillance Bureau called it Fu Shengtian.”

“Why is it called Fu Shengtian? Is there any special reason?”[1]

“The name was passed down in the Surveillance Bureau. Those before me called it Fu Shengtian, so we continued to use that name.”

Li Huowang then looked at Li Sui. “Since you already knew all that, why didn’t you tell me? Why were you letting me guess what was happening?”

“Father, I didn’t dare to tell you. I feared that revealing what was happening might alter the course of the future. We would’ve been in trouble if Ji Zai had disappeared because of that.”

“Heh.” Li Huowang wanted to make a snarky remark, but he stopped himself. Ji Zai was his past self. He would become Ji Zai if he entered the Baiyu Capital.

“Also, why did you give yourself the name Xuan Pin? Xuan is one thing, but what does Pin mean?”

“Father, Xuan is the color black. As for Pin, it holds the meaning of a female beast. For example, ‘A Pin chicken doesn’t call the dawn’ means that a hen doesn't crow like a rooster does. There’s no other meaning.”

Li Huowang was embarrassed. He might’ve deduced Xuan Pin’s identity if he had known the meaning of Xuan Pin’s name.

Li Huowang sighed. “Sui Sui, you’ve grown a lot. You are now taller and wiser than me.”

His daughter was now a hundred and sixty years old. Even though Li Sui had constantly been changing, he felt that she was very different now.

Li Huowang also felt empty now that Li Sui was not constantly by his side.

“Father, no matter how much I changed, you’re still my father.” Li Sui said, pointing at a faraway alley. Inside the alley was none other than Lu Xiucai pulling along his crazed father towards their home.

“Look. Even if Lu Zhuangyuan can’t remember or recognize anyone, he will always be Lu Xiucai’s father.”

Li Huowang nodded and gently pulled on Li Sui’s tentacles. “You’ve worked hard for the past hundred years. You have done a lot to ensure the peace of the world today. If you hadn’t come in time, all of this might have ended differently.”

Although Li Sui never mentioned it, Li Huowang was aware that she had patiently waited for a hundred and sixty years just to send him the Dragon Qi. He was fully conscious of how long that was and the excruciating pain that accompanied such a lengthy wait.

"Father, when I was young, I believed you were everything, but every child must eventually leave their home. In the past, whenever I encountered problems, I hid inside of you. I was certain that you could handle anything.

“However, when I ventured out into the real world, I began to truly grow up. I didn't merely wait for a hundred and sixty years—it was also an important part of my life. I matured and became Xuan Pin, Chief of the Liang Kingdom’s Surveillance Bureau. As the Chief, it is my responsibility to protect Da Nuo."

When Li Huowang heard what Li Sui told him, he felt a complex feeling in his heart. His daughter had grown up, and he was also experiencing what it felt like to be a father, much like a father does when his daughter gets married.

Li Huowang glanced at the kitchen filled with smoke and turned to Li Sui, saying, "I know you're busy, but could you at least stay for lunch?"

“Alright, I will go and help my mother.” Li Sui phased downwards from the roof.

It was the second day of the new year, and the warm meal was quickly finished.

Li Huowang held onto a de-feathered live chicken and snapped its neck before tearing it in half to present it to Li Sui. “Eat this. I know you like eating raw food. Eat something nice before you go.”

Li Sui declined Li Huowang’s offer. “Father, I don’t need to eat that now. I can now easily control my nature as a Black Taisui.”

“Then…” Li Huowang looked at his arm.

“Father, here, eat this.” Li Sui stretched out two tentacles from her robe and grabbed some chopsticks. She then picked up the braised ribs and placed them in Li Huowang’s bowl.

Li Huowang only gave up on tearing off his limb to feed Li Sui when Bai Lingmiao kicked his legs gently under the table.

“Here, eat this instead.” Li Huowang picked up a large piece of duck meat and placed it in Li Sui’s bowl.

Xuan Pin’s large body slowly shrunk before the familiar little girl’s body walked out from the robes.

The three of them sat and ate their meal. It was a rare occasion where they felt like a family.

While the three of them were savoring their meals, the courtyard door suddenly swung open. Puppy, who was now in new clothes, entered with his wife and their daughter in tow. Laughter filled the air as they made their way inside.

“Senior Li! Happy New Year! I’m here to visit you! May you be prosperous and have good luck in your endeavors!”

Puppy greeted Li Huowang and then gently picked up his daughter, placing her near Li Huowang. "Nan Nan, say hello to your Uncle Li."

“Hello, Uncle,” she stammered, her voice fading into silence out of shyness. Puppy was also staring at Li Huowang without a word.

Bai Lingmiao took out some money wrapped in red cloth[2] out of her clothes and passed it to Nan Nan. “It's impressive how well your daughter can express herself at such a young age. She will grow into a fine young woman in the future.”

Seeing that his mission had been accomplished, Puppy smiled with joy. He took his daughter and readied himself to visit the others. “Senior Li, now that times are peaceful again, you should hurry up and have children. If you don't, you'll only be handing out money during the New Year.”

He turned to his daughter. “Nan Nan, let Daddy hold onto the red packet for you. I will return the money when you get married.”

Just then, Li Sui blocked Puppy’s path. “Uncle Puppy, I wish you a Happy New Year! I wish that your blessings will be as vast as the Eastern Seas and your lifespan as long as the Southern Mountains.”

“Uncle… Puppy?”

Puppy was shocked and caught in a daze as Li Sui extended her arms and took back the red packet.

1. Fu Shengtian can be literally translated as “Prosperity Births the Heavens” ☜

2. A red packet. It contains money in it. In folklore, red packet money is used to ward off evil beasts that devour children. Nowadays, it’s a way for elders to pass on blessings to children. ☜