Hui hurried over to Si Wangs side. Elder Brother, how impressive! Handling that dangerous demon so easily
I rely used an artifact. Simply one of my many artifacts, Si Wang said haughtily, flicking his hair again. He glanced at Hui, watching his reaction.
Its obvious youre showing off, Elder Brother. Sighing internally, Hui put on an amazed face. Wow! Senior must have a great number of artifacts at hand!
Hmph! You havent even seen half of them! Si Wang said, smiling a little despite himself.
I havent even seen half of them? Elder Brother, thats suspicious emphasis for referring to a single one of your artifacts. Could it be that Elder Brother only has four or so artifacts? Perhaps even as few as three?
No, no. Surely not. Im sure Elder Brother just used awkward phrasing. After all, hes an old, old cultivator! He doubtless has hundreds of techniques and artifacts to hand. Unlike a poor cultivator like , who currently has no artifacts, but does have an inheritance maze full of artifacts I received in return for my healing prowess
Si Wang unslung the net and poked the now-tiny resentnt demon. It squird, its whole body uncomfortably mobile, as if it were made of a thousand worms. Little hands reached through the net and batted his finger back. Pushed by the force of its reach, the resentnt demon swung gently in the net. Hundreds of little arms grabbed at the air uselessly.
Its even more adorable! A little squicky, but still cute. Creepy-cute, Hui thought, smiling to himself.
Turning to Hui, Si Wang nodded. Ive captured it. Werent you going to speak to it?
Ah, thats right, thats right. Elder Sibling, could you please tell if theres anything we could do to help you? Hui asked, smiling at the demon.
Thats it? Thats your grand plan? Si Wang asked skeptically.
Its step one, Hui said, still smiling. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step! Theres no need to try the most difficult thing first if the easiest thing might work!
The resentnt demon looked at Hui. Its mouth opened, splitting the lon-sized ball in two. It let out a squeaky roar.
Oh dear. Its too cute, Hui murmured.
What was that? Si Wang asked.
Shit! Did I say that aloud? Hui coughed. That is, lets move on to the next attempt to communicate.
He held his hand out to the ball of resentnt and pressed his qi toward it. I know I drew death qi out of you. Can I communicate to you with death qi?
The resentnt demon perked up. All its hands reached out toward the death qi. It threw itself toward Hui, montarily swinging toward him only to reach the limits of the net and roll back. It flew back and forth helplessly, reaching for the death qi at the apex of each swing.
Oh? So it likes death qi? Interesting. Hui retracted his death qi. The resentnt demon drooped. He extended it, and it reached out again, eager, almost hungry.
If you talk to , Ill give you the death qi, Hui told it.
The resentnt demon retracted its arms. It wriggled in place, crossing and uncrossing its arms repeatedly. Various arms on its body gestured, so lifting into the air with open palms, others shrugging, a few waving their hands, while so closed the fist as if to make a head and shook themselves back and forth.
Hui raised his eyebrows. This little resentnt demon does it have multiple personalities?
Wait, no! That makes perfect sense. The resentnt demons are the combination of a great many peoples resentnt. Both tis I created er, that is, both tis a resentnt demon happened to condense, they ford in places where dozens, if not hundreds, of people suddenly died. Therefore, its unsurprising that resentnt demons would have scraps of all those peoples personalities, all conflicting inside of it.
In that case, the current barrier to communication isnt that they cant communicate, or that they dont want to its that theyre trying to reach consensus on whether to communicate with or not! With so many people balled up into one, it must take forever to decide anything!
Hui sat back, nodding. He put a hand on his chin.
Have you failed? Si Wang asked. He held out his hand, and a sword materialized in his palm.
All the hands reached out toward the sword, moving to block it.
No, no! Elder Brother, wait. Let them think it over! Hui said, putting a hand out to block Si Wangs strike.
Si Wang stepped back. Think it over?
Yes, yes. Give them a minute.
Si Wang frowned, but lowered his sword. The resentnt demon hesitated a mont, then lowered its hands. It began gesturing again, going back to its internal debate.
He nodded at Hui. You think this mindless demon has a mind?
Hui nodded.
Its a ball of pure resentnt. Theres nothing left of the original souls. When they transmute into resentnt
Hui shook his head. No, no. They leave behind death qi, too.
They lose their minds. They lose their rationality and devolve into less than evil spirits. Theres no way for them to think rationally. I rely allowed you to attempt to communicate so you could learn this truth, Si Wang said, frustrated.
But Elder Brother, isnt that what you learned when the Heavenly Dao was in full effect? Hui pointed out.
Si Wang frowned at him.
As Elder Brother said, karma is breaking down. The natural order of things is disintegrating. Even entire mortal villages are vanishing off the face of the earth. Just because resentnt would have destroyed their souls originally, doesnt an it does now, now that the Heavenly Dao is eroding, Hui said, nodding.
Taken aback, Si Wang blinked at him. You think these resentnt demons still hold all the original souls?
I dont see why not. Everything is possible when the Heavenly Dao erodes, and it has specifically eroded away from them. We wont know until we try to communicate, Hui said, shrugging.
Si Wang stared at the ball. If souls are trapped inside, they face a fate worse than death, trapped upon the mortal world, unable to move on or enter reincarnation
Indeed, a fate worse than death, forever trapped next to ones neighbors and unable to move away, Hui murmured. If I had to be physically strapped next to the noisy, nonstop-partying, ceiling- and wall-thumping neighbors I had back in my fathers apartnt in my first life for the rest of existence, Id be pretty pissed, too!
Si Wang regarded the ball for a mont, then raised his hand to his chin. It looks like a lon.
Huh? Hui asked.
Si Wang nodded. Have you ever carried a lon in a net? Or a gourd, perhaps?
Hui turned. He regarded the ball. Huh. It looks like a very maggot-infested or hairy lon, but I can see it. The motion on the surface is a bit I dont think Id eat that.
Si Wangs stomach grumbled.
Hui shot a look at the other man from the corner of his eye. Elder Brother
No, no. Im not going to eat it, Si Wang said, licking his lips.
Elder Brother could be a bit more convincing! Hui thought, pressing his lips together.
Two hands raised on the top of the ball, then three, then four, then five. An entire forest of hands lifted off the surface of the ball. The mouth opened, and the resentnt demon let out a quiet yip.
Youre ready to talk to us? Hui asked.
The hands atop the head all bobbed up, then down, then up again.
Ill take that as a yes. Hui smiled. So, Elder Sibling, can you tell ? What can we do, to help assuage your resentnt?
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