Five familiar mountains rose up before Hui. Towering to the heavens, they stood in a loose circle, Jade Garden Peak and Butterfly Pavilion Peak, Starbound Peak, Cauldron Peak, and his Masters peak, Unrivaled Under Heavens Peak. A familiar aura exuded from the mountains, warm and familiar. Hui drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, circulating the qi through his passages. It feels good to be ho!
Ahead of him and Weiheng Wu, the other disciples descended toward the peaks in streaks of light. Lan Taijian split off from the others and hurtled toward Sect Master Lans residence at the top of Starbound Peak, while the others settled around Starbound Peak.
Weiheng Wu headed toward his peak, but halfway there, he stopped abruptly and turned toward Starbound Peak. Expressionlessly, he circled toward the ground.
Master? Hui asked, cocking his head.
Ive been summoned by the Sect Master. Do as you wish.
Hui hesitated. Should I co along?
No, Weiheng Wu said unhesitatingly.
Master is wise! After all, hes probably been called to explain what happened at the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect. Id only muddy the waters if I went along! Best to leave the complicated stuff to Master. Hui hopped off the sword and gave Weiheng Wu a quick salute. Weiheng Wu flew into the clouds, robes fluttering.
Rising from his salute, Hui looked around him. Subconsciously, he started to circulate his snakeskin technique. Starbound Peak I wonder if I should change my appearance? They arent particularly fond of here.
Ah! But before that!
Humming a little tune to himself, Hui paused, swapping out of his blue robes into his generic white Starbound Sect robes. This way, no one should recognize at a glance. He leaped into the forest and ran down a familiar wooded path. He only used his bodily strength to do so, restraining himself to the point that his feet still landed here and there among the gnarled roots twisting over the path, as they always had since he was young. At last, the back of a wooden building appeared. Hui scurried up the short flight of stairs to the back door and knocked quietly.
Almost as soon as his knuckles made contact with the door, it slamd open. Sis i appeared in the gap, backlit by the cooking fires, her eyes wide. Xiao Hui, is that you?
Sis i! Its , Hui replied, smiling at her.
She gathered him up in a bear hug and held on tight. I missed you! Where on earth did you go? People were starting to say youd died do you know how worried your sis was?
Im sorry, Hui said, hugging her back.
For a few seconds, they stood there, but then Sis i took a deep breath and shoved Hui away from her. She looked him up and down disapprovingly, then pinched his cheeks. You!
Sissis i! Hui protested.
She pointed at his stomach, then grabbed his hand and pulled up the sleeve to reveal his forearm, tutting disapprovingly the whole ti. Look at how skinny you are! Barely any at on your bones. Youll never make any progress in your cultivation like this. Let your Sis i feed you sothing good.
Ah, I recently broke through into the fourth realm, Hui said sheepishly.
Fourth realm! Its a wonder you survived the breakthrough, as malnourished as you are. Hold on. Ill get the good ingredients this ti, whip up sothing to nourish that feeble figure of yours, Sis i promised, bustling into the kitchen.
Hui laughed. The warmth from the kitchen fire beat against his face, pouring through the open door, but moreso, the warmth of Sis i ward him from the inside out. He sat down on the back step to wait while she cooked, dozing off slightly. Although cultivators didnt need sleep or food, there was sothing about Sis i that always made him feel mortal again, in a good way. Rather than cultivate or practice or contemplate any great concept of the universe, he sat quietly on the back step and toyed with a piece of grass.
In that mont, everything else faded away. He rolled the piece of grass over in his hand, unfurled it, plucked at the cut end, and twisted it up, hands moving on their own. If I stood up now and walked out into the forest I wonder, would I find a sect, or would I find a simple village, and all this a dream?
Foods up! Sis i called cheerily.
Hui stood. The mont passed, and the illusion faded away. He smiled and accepted the platter Sis i offered him. Many thanks, Sis i.
No need, no need. The only thanks I need is an empty plate! Sis i harrumphed, plucking at his cheeks again. An empty plate, and healthy, fat cheeks!
Laughing, Hui nodded. Ill do my best!
If youre still hungry, Ill get you seconds. Goodness, how long has it been since you stopped by? I was starting to wonder if you forgot about , Sis i said, shaking her head.
Sis i! Id never forget you, Hui said. He sat back down on the back step, putting the bowl in his lap.
Ah? Then stop by! Is it that hard to co to the dining room? I rember when you were little, and you wouldnt miss a single day She sighed in reminiscence.
I dont need to eat anymore, Hui explained, shaking his head.
Dont need to eat? Does that an you cant eat? Sis i asked, putting her hands on her hips.
No, of course not!
Was soone stopping you from coming? she asked indignantly.
Hui hesitated. Er kind of? Not keeping from Sis i in particular, but
Vengeance flashed in Sis is eyes at his hesitation. Who? Say the na, and they wont dare to step foot in the dining hall ever again.
Hui shook his head. I dont need to get Sis i involved in that ss. No man, and no mountain, could keep from coming to eat your food!
Sis i nodded. Then stop by!
Hui smiled and nodded. Of course, of course!
He took a bite of the food, and warmth flooded his body alongside a surge of qi and spiritual energy, as if hed swallowed a dicinal pill instead of food. A few hidden injuries he hadnt noticed deep inside himself began to heal, and his sowhat low qi stores began to restore themselves. Huis eyes widened. He took another bite, and the feeling only grew stronger. He looked up at Sis i, startled. I rember her food having qi in it, but not this much!
She nodded down at him, smiling. Youre fourth stage now, right? A growing boy needs good food.
Thank you, Sis i, Hui said earnestly, from the bottom of his heart.
Finish off that plate! Sis i replied with a grin. From inside the kitchen, soone called her, and she turned and sighed, then nodded back at him. Eat it all up now, understand? If you need anything else, knock on the back door, and Ill be out in a mont.
Hui nodded obediently. Sitting on the back step, he ate slowly, savoring the flavor. Although he didnt have many chances to eat anymore, and little reason to, there was nothing keeping him from enjoying the food. He swallowed, closing his eyes in bliss. Ive really missed Sis is cooking. No matter how many barriers stand between and Sis is cooking, Ill break them down, without fail!
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