Chapter 264: Enthusiastic Hospitality Edition of Nu Nu

Scorched walls, ruined land, wounds gradually revealed.

Last night mountains and rivers all fell; several forces united to besiege the city, arrow rain and firelight continued all night without stopping.

The clamor of weapons, wails, and cries intertwined; half the city was swallowed by fire, and when dawn came, only scorched traces and wandering souls remained——

The city lay deathly silent; fire and water lay soundless in the lowlands.

Cracks crisscrossed the stone pavement of the long street, where bodies in official robes, plain clothes, and soldiers lay piled layer upon layer, bloodstains seeping into the brick seams.

The surviving commoners huddled in twos and threes under street-corner eaves, each face deathly pale.

Some stared with empty eyes, some shed silent tears, some......

Still others placed their hope in talk of gods and spirits, incessantly kowtowing before the incense altar.

Amid the chaotic, grief-stricken crowd, a figure stood out conspicuously yet deliberately concealed their form, daring not to draw attention.

He was a middle-aged man, clad in coarse, tattered robes smeared with mud, hair disheveled and knotted, a tuft of dry goat beard hanging from his chin, his face gaunt and ashen—none other than the former Prefect of Cloud Zhoufu, Li Yun.

He carefully lifted his foot, heavily stepping through the murky puddle beside the road, sending up tiny splashes, his frame hunched, expression panicked, using the crowd of commoners as cover, he inched bit by bit toward the city gate.

He dared not raise his head to look, dared not meet anyone's gaze, his hands clenched tight at his cuffs, knuckles whitening, his whole body tense with tension, betraying an unrestrainable panic, he only muttered over and over——

"I can live, I will surely live, I have changed my fate……"

"The Celestial Master's prophecy has long been broken; I can survive……"

His fragmented muttering was indistinct, filled with extreme obsession and wishful thinking.

Several months earlier, the Celestial Master had especially divined a hexagram for him, plainly stating that this year his destiny held a deadly calamity he must die in.

The Celestial Master said, his fate was sealed; this Zhoufu would surely be taken, and he would ultimately die at the hands of a person surnamed Liu.

At that time he had already trusted the Celestial Master's once-infallible divination, enjoying peace and power; hearing this, he naturally was unwilling to accept it.

He turned his house inside out, finally finding a person surnamed Liu to beat to death; yet before he could ask the Celestial Master whether he had already changed his fate, the Celestial Master walked away......

Left!

The Celestial Master left!

He had killed that Liu-surnamed person nearby; he ought to have been at ease!

But why did the Celestial Master leave again?

But why, despite last night's sky‑filled battlefire and citywide chaos, was the city still lost?

I don't understand, I don't understand.

But he still managed to find for himself the current best 【Life-Exchange Method】.

When the city was engulfed in flames reaching the heavens and troops fought without cease, while everyone was mired in the panic of war, he ordered men to act amid the chaos, silently dragging a corpse resembling him into his bedroom, dressing it in his usual robes, laying it on the bed, and fabricating the illusion that he had perished in the blaze, slain by riotous soldiers.

Then he shed his official robes, donned plain old clothes, and, taking advantage of the night's turmoil and lack of attention, silently slipped out of the prefect's residence, blending among the townsfolk, concealing his form to preserve his life.

All the way hiding and evading, he endured until dawn broke, the battle ended; seeing corpses strewn everywhere, the city desolate, and the city gate within reach, Li Yun's heart surged with extreme joy and triumph——

He did it!

That Daoist's pronouncement of his deadly calamity was ultimately dodged by him with sheer force!!!

Now this gate of life lies before him; henceforth, the so‑called heavenly decrees and prophecies are mere empty words, ultimately unable to withstand his scheming and calculations!!!

As long as he smoothly walks out the city gate, thoroughly leaves this place of right and wrong, thereafter hiding his name, he can completely escape his fate and live in peace!!!

"What Celestial Master, what heavenly mandate......"

"But in the end he still lost him a move!"

Li Yun lifted his eyes and gazed far toward the city gate; in the morning light, the gate's outline was clearly visible, though soldiers stood guard and interrogated, there was no tight blockade, still a gap for escape.

Seeing the gate of survival near at hand, Li Yun's joy could no longer be restrained, his steps lightened, he felt the road ahead bright, all misfortune dissipated.

But just as he was elated, lowering his head to compose himself, preparing to slip into the crowd toward the city gate, a glint from the corner of his eye suddenly caught something unusual nearby.

On the vacant lot beside the street stood an extraordinarily strange man.

His whole body was soaked in dark red blood, his clothes torn to shreds, blood and grime smeared across his face, making his original features unrecognizable; a heavy stench of blood emanated from him, blending with the surrounding deathly silence and grief, yet he stood apart.

Though his body reeked of blood‑killing aura, as if he had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and sea of blood like an Asura, his expression was abnormally frenzied and fervent.

He ignored the grief‑stricken, exhausted commoners around him, not even bothering to wipe the blood from his face, approaching anyone he met half a step, grabbing their shoulder, his tone mad yet tender, repeating the same few lines over and over:

"How do you know I'm going to be a dad?"

"How do you know my Wife Master is going to bear me a child?"

"Yes! I'm about to become a father! I finally will gain honor through my son—hahahaha——!!!"

"Remember to come for the baby's full‑month celebration! Yes yes yes! There will be good wine, good dishes! I'll cook myself! I invite——! I invite——!!!"

The surrounding commoners were all frightened by him, scattering away, each face showing terror, unable to avoid him.

Having endured a night of bloodshed, the commoners were exhausted in body and mind, full of sorrow; none wished to deal with such a madman, merely thinking he had lost his wits in the war's chaos.

Li Yun watched this scene from afar, a sudden impatience and contempt rose in his heart; he silently snorted, thinking, 'What a lunatic.'

Fate undecided, the city filled with dead and wounded, lamentations everywhere, and even he still bore so many wounds......

In such dire straits, this person actually clung to private affection for children and offspring!

Truly absurd and laughable!

His mind was now filled only with escaping the city and completely changing his fate; he wished to have nothing to do with anyone or anything, fearing any side‑branch would ruin his grand plan.

He immediately withdrew his gaze, lowered his posture, held his breath, lightened his steps, hoping to slip past the madman's side silently and quickly draw near the city gate.

But fate opposed his wishes; just as he turned sideways to brush past, a large hand stained with fresh blood shot out, firmly and powerfully gripping his arm.

That force was immense, locking tight into flesh and bone; instantly Li Yun felt pain knit his brows, his whole body stiffened, unable to move.

The blood‑soaked man slowly turned his head, his scarlet eyes locking onto him, his face bearing an almost eerie smile, he asked again earnestly, his tone persistent yet gentle, as if standing on clouds:

"Have you heard? I'm going to be a father!"

Li Yun's arm ached from the grip, his mind boiled with irritation, and from being suddenly halted he grew panicked, lest he attract the attention of the garrison soldiers and ruin his escape plan.

Amid the intertwining pain and agitation, he had lost his composure, too lazy to feign politeness, and blurted out instinctively, his tone tinged with mockery and impatience:

Your wife hasn't even had a child yet—what are you so happy about?

Hehe, childbirth is basically a nine-deaths-one-life affair for a woman; who knows, she could die in a difficult labor, resulting in two deaths for one life, and you'll be happily excited for nothing—what's there to be proud of?

Chinu (wishing to personally cook version): Hehehe, come on, come on, plenty of good food and wine...