Huis mind surged into the tree. Golden light swirled around him. For a mont, the impression of leaves and trees flew past, and then he hung above, high in the sky. He saw himself sitting under the tree, the other disciples arrayed around him, all struggling to gain enlightennt of his technique. Hui paused for a mont. Maybe I should have let Ying Lin stay here. Gain enlightennt of this inheritance.
No, no. Its an enlightennt that attempts to turn people into trees er, attempts to turn plant people into trees. I have no idea if humans can obtain enlightennt from it, and even if they can what if it turns them into trees?
Eh, co to think of it why dont I let a few of the Fu Clan mbers in, let them find out?
From his vantage point on high, Hui surveyed the gathered crowd. Ah none of the conspirators are here. Based on Fu Suyins reaction to Mo Gonglu, I dont think the whole Fu Clan is in on the conspiracy. Rather than punishing evil, Id just be tricking so ordinary cultivators into potentially killing themselves. Im not demonic, after all.
Gold light surrounded Hui and drew him away. The scene below faded to nothing, blocked out by the brilliant light. He ascended into a gold world, surrounded by golden light and nothing.
Hmm, okay. Well maybe theres no other connections yet? Like if I put up a router without an internet to connect to
Clone six!
Clone six, yay!
What, theres a sixth one now?
Six clones awake!
Six out of twenty aint bad.
Hui paused, then cleared his throat. Er, should it be seven? First clone is with .
Five other Huis appeared around him, although none looked exactly the sa. In fact, except for the ntal familiarity he felt to them, he could have mistaken them for strangers. All of them wore different faces and robes, not a two alike.
I told you we forgot about first clone.
He didnt connect to the net-tree, he doesnt count.
Treework.
Intertree!
The recently dubbed sixth clone cleared his throat again. Theyre all terrible, we know that.
Silence. The clones nodded. Well, thats true.
Sixth clone looked around. Update . Whats everyone doing?
One clone raised his hand. Im spreading rumors of a miracle doctor. Hoping All-Heavens Sect will pick up on it and try to recruit as a life qi specialist.
Sixth clone nodded. Makes sense. Anything to find out more about All-Heavens Sect. Ultimately, I need to destroy them in order to reinstate Starbound Sect, since I doubt theyll allow Starbound Sect to peacefully return.
All-Heavens Sect is recruiting rogue cultivators. Im going to join and figure out why. They might be trying to find Starbound Sects stragglers or just clean up the strays, another clone volunteered. My objective is to join up with the stragglers, or at least find out why they need rogue cultivators.
Be careful. Even if were clones, we should still cling to life. If we beco complacent and give up on faking death
The clone waved his hand. Of course, of course. Weve all said the sa. Dont worry, my desire to remain alive is as strong as any of us!
Im finding Li Xiang! and him, the next clone said, pointing at the clone beside him.
Lan Taijian sent her sowhere he considered safe. Im wandering the sects to find her, and hes searching the wilds, the other clone added.
The final clone yawned. I blended in as a mortal. Right now, Im on a journey back to our birthplace. We made a promise to pay that woman back, and right now, its a knot in our karma that we need to unwind.
Its low priority, but we do need to do it, sixth clone agreed. I didnt realize how long Id put it off for. Its only been a decade or so, but much longer, and she might die. If she didnt leave any other descendants, Id be unable to unravel that knot forever.
And besides, its the right thing to do. That lady put us on the path of cultivation. We owe her our thanks. And a debt!
Oh, wait, can I pay off a debt? I can finally pay off a debt! For the first ti ever, completely pay it off! Huis eyes glittered.
Ah, you figured it out, the last clone said with a smile. He clapped Hui on the shoulder. Were one person, in the end.
And you? The other clones looked to the newcor.
Ive found a soul-based array stuck to another cultivator that has hints of Chen Wuyas workings in it. Even if Im mistaken about that, its still another soul array. It should provide hints about how to reverse the array that binds our sect.
As for first clone, hes studying the array itself. We found an unused immortals cave, and hes sequestered himself inside while I wander out to study the array, he explained.
The others nodded. Good. We need to figure out that array. To tell the truth, we all looked for any sort of soul array, and we still are looking, but none of us had found much of a lead yet.
I am wandering the mortal world, after all, one of the clones replied.
And Im out in the wilds.
Its not like righteous sects do a lot of soul-working, and Im not about to deliver myself directly into the maw of Black Asp Sect. Besides, Lan Taijian wouldnt have delivered Li Xiang to a demonic sect, especially not one led by an outcast from Starbound Sect that bears a grudge.
Unlike yourself, Ive made a na for myself as a curer of physical ailnts, not soul-based issues.
All-Heavens Sect probably has so secret soul arrays sowhere, but they arent going to show them to a bunch of rogue cultivator recruits.
So how does all this work, anyways? Hui asked, gesturing around himself. Sixth clone, Hui eh, whatever. Ill call myself Hui for now. Its all the sa.
One of the clones stepped forward. He wore green-and-gold robes and a gold crown. Hui flicked his eyes over him, matching him to his task. Hes the one spreading rumors of a miracle healer. He does look the part, much moreso than the humble doctor I am.
We appear to all have our own consciousnesses. However, I can sense you, and you can sense , right? Our ntal energy, our qi all identical. Its our hypothesis that we will recombine into one upon death. At will, we can rge minds its useful when theres a lot to share with one another.
What about limited resources? Death qi, life qi?
We each have a limited allotnt of the total. We can grow it independently of one another, but if we rge, the distribution becos even again. Found that out the hard way and lost a lot of my hard-earned life qi, the miracle-worker grumbled.
I appreciated the boost. My poor little clone life was almost ended by a tiger, you know? The damn thing shredded for the fun of it, even after I played dead! Too many mortals around to fight back and then they ca back and buried . I had to play completely dead for a week! Anyways, I needed that life qi, the mortal Hui responded.
Whenever soone wakes up, we lose a small portion of our total resources evenly. Not enough to fully resource the new clones, even all put together, so theres more coming from sowhere, though we arent sure where. Still, its a way to tell if soone else has woken up. Weve been waiting for you for a while, one of the clones dressed as a righteous cultivator in pale blue and green added, stroking the long beard his current face sported.
The one whos been wandering the sects, right? Hui rembered.
Once youre connected to the tree network, we can update one another and vaguely sense one anothers status. Share items, even. Hey, make sure you get first clone connected to the network, okay? It sucks, pretending to be mortal without so magical items to make life easier, the clone dressed in rough mortal clothes offered.
Youd be less convincing as a mortal if you had magical items. Anyways, I need Gu Tians sword the most, the clone in wild black-red-and-fur robes argued. Im out here wandering the wilds on my own qi. Theres a lot of space out here! It gets tiring. I could use the self-driving ahem, sword spirit the most.
The miracle healer stepped forward again, giving Hui a subservient smile. In any case, we dont usually step into the golden projection very often. Once you return, youll be able to sense all of us and communicate, but its more subtle than this. A node in the back of your mind. Er, its probably most like a hands-free phone experience, but we were never rich enough to try that in our first life, so
Cant say for sure, Hui finished, nodding.
Anyways, most of the ti, were silent. Its not a constant groupchat in your head. Only sotis, the miracle healer said.
Press x to doubt, Hui thought to himself. I know how ntally chatty I am.
A thought ca to Hui, and he looked around the group. I might be eting with Bai Xue soon. Does anyone need anything from Twin Elental City?
Talisman formulas!
Paper and ink!
Hui bowed. Elder brothers, naturally.
Theres no need to be polite with us. Were all us, after all, miracle healer Hui replied.
The wild Hui put a hand on his chin. If we sleep with Bai Xue as a clone, and make children, does that
The other clones all glared at the one in wild clothes.
What? Were all thinking it, he replied.
We dont need to say it aloud, the one wandering the sects sighed, still stroking his long beard. Hui looked at it enviously, and with glittering eyes, he continued to stroke it.
Im so bored. And lonely, the wild one mumbled back.
Can we even make children? Were plants, the rogue cultivator pointed out. Fitting to his role, he wore a bold and wild face with strong brows, a long, ragged ponytail, and worn red and yellow robes.
Can we not talk about this? Please? the miracle healer begged.
Youre thinking about it, too, the rogue cultivator pointed out with a smirk.
The miracle healer scowled. I dont want to be.
Hui put his hands up. Elder brothers, please. Ill return to my role, and get the first clone to join the network. For now, were all doing important work. Keep updated, but aside from that, continue your efforts. In this way, we can turn ten years into sixtyno, seventy, counting first clone.
If the other lazy bones would wake up and join the network, we could turn seventy into a hundred and thirty, the wild one grumbled. More, if the ones on Unrivaled Peak begin to wake up.
In ti, all in good ti, the miracle healer replied.
Hui bowed one last ti and retreated from the projection. One after another, the other Huis vanished as well. As the last left, the gold light faded from the sky. Hui opened his eyes to catch the last glimring embers of gold drift down from an otherwise mortal-looking tree that stood where hed severed his arm. Though he could no longer sense Mount Mus inheritance in the tree, a pulse of wood and life qi beat inside it, steady and strong. Given long enough, it had the potential to grow into a second Mount Mu.
So the network is only available to join when the tree first activates ahem, grows. After that, it turns into a young spirit tree. Hui nodded to himself.
Its good to know so of my fellow clones are awake. I had intended to eventually find Li Xiang, investigate All-Heavens Sect, return ho but now I know were already doing all that. Like this, we might actually accomplish all our tasks in ten years.
With renewed hope, Hui stood and stretched. He looked around at the other cultivators, still seeking enlightennt, not yet aware that the chance had faded. Before they awoke, he sprinted off into the forest, careful to match his speed to what Li Huang was capable of. For now, Id better go check on Ying Lin. Three days to form a foundation is no an feat. I believe shes capable of it, but she likely needs guidance. Er, not that I know how to form a foundation when I basically slept through it, but I probably could help?
Anyways, its worth checking in on her!
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