Mutated Tao

“Father, a little more to the left? Is it straight now?” Li Sui asked, extending a tentacle. She tilted her head and followed the instructions from behind while pasting the spring couplets on the wall.

The aroma of meat in the air and the distant crackling of firecrackers brought a joyful smile to Li Sui’s face. She loved the lively atmosphere, and the New Year was the most exciting time of the year for her. Celebrating it brought her immense joy.

“Suisui, can you recognize all the characters in the couplet?”

She felt her mother gently stroke her head and nodded proudly. “Yes! I recognize all of them!”

“Really? That’s impressive. Then tell me, what do the characters in the couplet say?”

“The upper line says: ‘Wealth flourishes in a prosperous place.’

“The lower line says: ‘Blessings shine upon the home, to bring fortune and glory!’”

“Very good. And what about the horizontal inscription?”

“The horizontal inscription says, ‘May all wishes come true!’”

“But Suisui, isn’t the horizontal inscription a little crooked?”

“Is it crooked?” Li Sui took a few steps back and carefully examined the horizontal plaque beneath the inscription.

After observing it thoughtfully for a while, she still couldn’t find any signs of the red inscription being crooked. “Mother, it’s not crooked. Father, do you think it’s crooked?”

However, there was no response.

“Father? Mother?” Li Sui called out in confusion, turning around to find no one behind her. Nobody was there, and at some point, the smell of meat and the sound of firecrackers had completely vanished.

She saw two figures, one dressed in white and the other in red, gradually walking away in the distance. Li Sui panicked and struggled to run toward them. “Father! Mother! Where are you going?”

However, no matter how fast Li Sui ran, the figures only seemed to get further away.

As Li Sui’s desperation grew, her human form began to crumble. More than ten tentacles emerged as she transformed and rapidly moved towards them.

“Father! Mother! Please don’t leave me! I promise I’ll be good! I won’t make you angry anymore!”

No matter how fast she ran, the figures in the distance stayed just out of reach, eventually disappearing at the far end of the road.

Li Sui finally collapsed. She stumbled to the ground, where she sat and sobbed uncontrollably.

As she cried, she slowly woke up and glanced tearfully around the cave. She realized it had all been a dream.

Several days had passed since she had fallen from the sky, and she still hadn’t found the You Capital.

Li Sui couldn’t hold back her sorrow and cried loudly once more.

However, crying wouldn’t change anything, and she needed to complete her journey. Half an hour later, Li Sui emerged from the stone cave and continued along the path toward You Capital.

She wasn’t sure if she was going the right way, as the road seemed to split off in many directions.

More importantly, a lot of time had passed. She wondered how her father was doing. Li Sui didn’t know if he still needed Dragon Qi or if she would make it in time.

After several hours of walking, the small path gradually expanded into a wider road, and Li Sui continued on.

She caught wild animals in the forest to satisfy her hunger and quench her thirst. Two days later, she finally arrived in a town.

Li Sui looked around curiously at the bustling town. In the past, she would have run around excitedly and joined in the fun, but now her mind was occupied with other thoughts.

“I wonder how much farther I have to go. I need a map.

“Should I buy a cart like Father did? Walking is so tiring, but I don’t have any money.

“Good thing I didn’t throw away those animal pelts. I should be able to trade them for some money.” Li Sui reached inside her skirt, where she had secured some animal pelts with several tentacles.

She wore the skin of a woman, allowing her to wear a skirt and carry more things.

Li Huowang had always been the one making decisions for her in the past, but it was time for Li Sui to take charge and make her own choices. She decided to follow his example.

As she walked, she noticed a crowd gathering ahead. She tiptoed to peek at the scene and saw a few shirtless men performing with spears and staffs.

A gong echoed as a boy around eleven circled the crowd. He banged the gong, flipping around and shouting.

“A little gong spins round and round! Friends from all around! From the south to the north, from the east to the west, we’ve wandered everywhere, and now we’ve come to Luoshan! Dear audience, it is said that mere talk is cheap, so today, we’ll show you our true skills! Witness the feat of breaking a stone upon flesh!”

Soon, a long bench was placed in the center of the performance area. A strong man lay down on it while two others placed a large stone on his stomach. An old man raised a hammer and approached him eagerly.

“Hey-yah!” The hammer began crashing down onto the stone.

The shocking scene caused some young women in the crowd to close their eyes in fear.

The stone shattered with a crack, but the man underneath was unharmed. The crowd erupted in cheers.

Feeding off the crowd’s excitement, the performers launched into their acts—breathing fire, swallowing swords, and walking on tightropes. Each feat drew a round of applause.

Li Sui had initially planned to leave, but she was still a child at heart. She became engrossed in the performances and forgot about everything else.

The performers worked tirelessly, putting on a performance that captivated the crowd. The bearded old man sensed the atmosphere was right and signaled to the young boy.

The boy lay down reluctantly on the ground and turned his palm upward.

The old man stepped on his hand while the boy straightened his legs. He screamed as his hand was twisted and dislocated.

The boy ignored the pain, grabbing a bowl and begging for tips from the crowd while dragging his dislocated hand along.

Once the collection started, the crowd began to disperse quickly. Only a few compassionate souls remained and tossed a few coins into the bowl.

When the bowl reached Li Sui, she thought momentarily and placed a rabbit skin into it.

She lingered, hoping to ask the performers for directions. Their show had stirred memories of the Lu Family Troupe, making her feel oddly at home.

She remembered her father had once asked the Lu Family Troupe for directions. They were well-traveled and knowledgeable.

However, unlike the Lu Family Troupe, this group of performers did not include any women.

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