Sumptuous furniture filled the room, all of it carved from wood. Hui nudged one of the chairs and took a seat, then stood, nodding vaguely. Its good furniture, I guess.
Gu Tian hesitated. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Hui, biting his lip. Er Xie Hao, theres only one bed.
You can have it. Ill take the floor, Hui declared distractedly.
Ooh. Ah, yes. Of course, Gu Tian said, embarrassed.
Hui frowned at him, then shook his head. Gu Tian actually, I need to talk to him about sothing. He reached to his hip and drew his sword.
Gu Tian jumped back. Xie Hao?
This sword. Do you recognize it? Hui asked.
Confused, Gu Tian stepped forward. This blackened sword? I
Hui turned the blade toward Gu Tian, showing him his own na etched in the base.
Gu Tians eyes widened. I that that must be a different
I found it in Mysterious Heavenly Forests Secret Realm, at the back of a cave, on the hip of a skeletal corpse. Hui pointed at Gu Tians neck. Its neck was snapped from behind. No not snapped. Soone completely shattered the bone.
Gu Tian stepped back. He put a hand over his mouth. His face paled. I
Gu Tian. Is that you? Hui asked. He paused, then shook his head. I should rephrase. Gu Tian, did you die in that cave? Is your soul now inhabiting this young disciple? Is that why you cant go back to Starbound Sect?
Gu Tian turned aside. He cast his eyes down. Silently, he nodded.
Hui put his hand on Gu Tians shoulder and looked into his eyes. Im not going to hurt you. I just want to know. What happened?
I trusted soone I shouldnt have, Gu Tian snarled, frustrated.
Who? Hui asked.
Gu Tian hesitated. After a second, he took a deep breath. Yunxu. Lan Yunxu.
Yunxu. Of course, obviously. The Sect Master The second thing Gu Tian said hit Huis ears, and his brain trembled as though it had been struck by lightning. L Lan Yunxu?
Gu Tian nodded.
Lan Yunxu. Hui took a breath. Lan Yunxu of Starbound Sect?
Gu Tian nodded. We were fellow disciples. Joined at the sa ti.
Disciple of Lan Taijian?
Lan Taijian, that young boy? No. Of Sect Master Lan.
Hui stepped back, the words almost a physical blow. Yunxu. His Eminence Yunxu, Sect Master of Black Asp Sect, is is the disciple of Sect Master Lan from Starbound Sect?
Was. Was the disciple of Sect Master Lan.
What happened? How did he beco the Sect Leader of Black Asp Sect?
Why did he kill you? And why revive you? Hui asked, glancing at Gu Tian.
Gu Tian shook his head. I dont know. I think he wanted to try out a new technique.
Thats all? Hui asked, furrowing his brows.
Gu Tian shrugged. He said it was of the utmost importance. That he had to, in order to complete his ultimate goal.
Ultimate goal Hui put a hand on his chin, brows furrowed.
Why do you have this sword, Xie Hao? Gu Tian asked.
Huh? Hui asked, distracted.
Gu Tian put his hand on the blackened blade. What were you, a death cultivator, doing in the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sects secret realm?
Hui caught his breath. He stared at the ground, eyes wide, casually shading his eyes with his knitted hands. Oh, fuck. What do I say? What was a death cultivator like myself doing in the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sects secret realm? I
No, wait! Thats it!
He looked up and smiled. The sa as you, Gu Tian. I went there before I died. A long ti ago, I, too, was a righteous cultivator from Starbound Sect.
From Starbound Sect? Do you rember your na in life? Maybe we knew each other. Ah, do you rember the way the mountains blood that year, when the ancient crane passed over the sect? Gu Tian said, his eyes going misty.
Hui cleared his throat. Danger, Hui, danger! I dont know anything about Starbound Sect from centuries ago! Er, no, I misspoke. Im actually from Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect.
Thats a great mistake to make, Gu Tian said. He frowned at Hui, suddenly suspicious.
Its not like a transferring a soul, waking up as a death cultivator, you know? My mories from life are scrambled, misty. Its hard for to rember things precisely. I rember being in both Starbound and Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sects at tis, but honestly, Gu Tian, I dont rember if I was a mber of both, one, or neither. When it cos to old mories, I He frowned, a tragic look on his face.
Ah, I understand, I understand. Ah, no, co to think of it you must have turned relatively recently. Lan Taijian only recently beca a fifth-stage cultivator, Gu Tian mused.
Right, I guessed Yunxu was Lan Taijians disciple! Hui nodded. Thats right. Ive only changed recently.
But it must have been very recently. Lan Taijian rose to the fifth stage less than two hundred years ago, and the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sects secret realm only opens every two hundred years. In fact, I think it only opened recently which Gu Tian frowned, confused.
Hui laughed and scratched the back of his head. Lets not worry too much about the details! Im muddle-headed about the past, Im sure Ive said sothing wrong. In any case, Gu Tian, I need to practice my swordflight so I dont embarrass myself again the next ti Erlan takes us sowhere!
Eh. Didnt you say theres no such thing as face, Gu Tian said flatly.
Its a very important skill for fourth tier cultivators. I really cant continue slacking off like this! Ah, you know, I need to make sure my skills are up to par. What if we end up fighting the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect, or sothing like that? In any case, if youll excuse , Hui said, backing out of the room. With a last laugh, he turned and fled, taking the sword with him.
Gu Tian frowned after him. After a few breaths, he shook his head and laughed. Xie Hao you really are an odd duck.
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