The path wound into the earth, spiraling slowly downward. The deeper they grew, the thicker the yin beca. Ice coated the floor, and formidable icicles descended from the caves roof. More than once, Hui had to put his arms out to the narrow walls of the passage to catch himself before he fell over.
Though actually, if I fell, it would be kind of fun, wouldnt it? Itd be a spiral slippy side! Like a water slide, but colder. If only I had so kind of sled to sit on, this would be fantastic.
At last, the floor leveled out and the walls receded. Breath clouding on the air, Hui stepped out into an ice cave. Icicles dripped slowly from the ceiling. Carved out sections of ice gave the walls a strange texture, while more snow-like segnts almost glowed in blue and white. The phoenix fire lit the thinner, transparent ice in brilliant reds, yellows, and blues, the ice reflecting its vibrant color.
Whoa, Tian Mo whispered.
Underfoot, an elegant courtyard greeted them, complete with sitting table, chairs, and a pond with colorful carp, but thick ice coated all of it. What had once been a formidable garden full of dicinal herbs stood, still upright and as brilliantly green as ever, under a chunk of ice a ter thick. The tops of the chairs barely poked over the surface, and the sa with the table, its teacups and teapot only covered in a delicate layer of ice, thin enough a single touch might lt it away.
Deeper within, carved into the stone beneath the ice, the entrance to a palatial immortal cave beckoned them. ii forged ahead, beelining for it.
ii, wait. Is this does this belong to soone? Hui asked. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck. He looked around, frowning. This doesnt feel right. Sothings wrong.
I dont know. Ive never gotten enough ti to get much deeper in, ii confessed. She paused, looking around her. But if it belongs to soone, why have they left it all covered in ice like this?
Hui paused. Shes right. Its likely an abandoned immortal cave, its true. Theyre common enough, and ii has enough protagonist energy to have found one on her own. Still, why am I so uncomfortable if thats all it is?
All this yin all this ice. Was soone assassinated in their own immortal cave? And if it is isnt it likely well find all kinds of leftover traps and weapons in here? I need to be on guard, if nothing else.
ii, co back. Lets all move together, Hui suggested, gesturing her over.
In the doorway, ii looked back. Im not coming back. You hurry on over!
Behind her, a dark, frostbitten hand appeared.
ii! Hui shouted. He raced to her side, grabbing for her.
ii jolted. She looked down, then ran for him, reaching out toward Hui.
The hand closed around iis waist, easily large enough to wrap around her body from shoulder to waist. It yanked her inside the cave and into the darkness, and both the hand and ii vanished.
Shit! Hui snapped. He reached the door a mont later. With a gesture, he split the phoenix fire into two, leaving one behind, while another flew deeper into the cave. Hui glanced over his shoulder. Stay near the flas. Ill be back!
With that, Hui vanished into the darkness, the ball of fla the only light around him.
Gui Hui! Tian Mo shouted. He ran to the door, but paused there, just out of reach of any frostbitten hands. Standing on his tiptoes, he leaned as far as he could, craning his head inside the cave.
What happened? one of the other disciples asked.
Tian Mo shrugged. He backed away from the door, brushing his hands off. Hes higher realm than all of us. If he cant handle it, none of us can.
The disciples all fell silent. They looked at each other, sharing a sobering look.
Tian Mo paused. He gave a nervous grin. Perhaps I should go check and make sure the doors shut, up at the entrance? Anyone else want to take a look?
One of the other disciples raised her hand. Is Zhang Zhisho alive?
Turning slowly, Tian Mo took in their instructor, lying silently on the floating board. He looked at the other disciples. Anyone have any, uh, dicinal pills?
--
Hui ran through the palace, the phoenix fire floating over his head as he ran. Frozen rooms stood all around him, their contents iced over and frozen in place. ii!
This way! ii shouted.
Hui sped up, speeding through the palace. Dark yin closed in behind him and clouded his vision ahead of him. ii shouted in pain, and he hurtled to the left, following her. Damn, this immortal cave is enormous! Even Jizhi Zhiis palace cant compare! Though I guess Jizhi Zhii has to work within the confines of the Eight Tiers Palace, so naturally, her palace would be a little smaller.
The sounds of ii faded. ii! he shouted again.
Over here! ii called.
Hui followed after her. Im coming!
Gui Hui, where do you think were going? ii asked.
I dont know. Youre the one getting kidnapped, Hui returned.
Ah, yeah. Well, I was scared at first, but now its kind of normal, ii said. The hand isnt hurting .
Oh. Thats good, Hui replied.
Do you think this counts as good fortune? ii wondered.
Hui shrugged at the darkness. I dont know.
Well, I guess were going to find out together, ii said. She paused. Im glad youre coming with . Id be scared if I was alone.
Oh. Thats good. Am I just chasing after soone elses good fortune? Was this ant to be a fortuitous encounter for ii, and I just tagged along aninglessly?
Hui considered, then shrugged and continued following her. Good fortune for one is good fortune for two! Im not Tian Mo! Im not going to give up just because the good fortune belongs to soone else. I understand Im not the protagonist, but Im willing to pick up the scraps! Scraps are wonderful! Scraps can propel you to a whole new realm! As long as youre there and have the will to pick things up from the ground, you can make a good al from scraps!
Gui Hui, are you still there?
Im here.
Mmm, thats good.
Yes, thats good.
Gui Hui, I wouldnt kill you.
Thats very good.
The others dont understand. It wasnt like I wanted to kill my Master.
Oh?
A pause. Well, I did. But I had to.
Is this it? Is she confessing her motivation? Excellent! I can use this to avoid her hatred when she becos a villainess later! Is that so?
She was jealous of my talent. She started teaching incorrectly. If I didnt kill her, I would have had a qi deviation.
Oh. You killed your Master for that?
Okay, no, thats fair. Qi deviations can kill. I should know. And even if they dont kill, incorrect cultivation can cut off your path to the next stage, let alone Immortality. For soone at iis stage, getting taught incorrectly is indeed a murderable offense, even if I dont agree with killing in general.
Huh. I wonder if I should have been more troubled by my Masters absence when it ca to teaching
So as long as you dont do that, I wont have a problem with you, ii concluded.
Oh, Hui replied, not sure how to feel.
Ah! Its stopping. Youll catch up in a mont! ii assured him.
Right behind you, Hui called out.
Light shone out ahead of him, light not emitted by the phoenix fla over his head. Hui waved his hand, dismissing it, and stepped inside.
He drew to a slow halt, eyes widening. No way
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