Xi Sanji stoked the flas beneath the furnace. Watching it intently, she waited, red-blue leaf held tightly in her hand. She held her breath, her eyes narrowing at the pill furnace.
Hui squinted at her. Theres nothing in there. Youre just preheating an oven. What are you being so intense for? Elder Sister, its good to put on a show, but Im the only one watching. Im grossly unworthy of this kind of performance!
Though is anyone worthy of a one-on-one performance of this caliber? I think were all unworthy. Xi Sanji, theres no need. Youre too powerful a perforr for this world, so its better for all of us if you simply give it up.
She waited, holding her breath. Abruptly, she thrust the leaf forward. Now!
Hui jolted, startled out of his mocking thoughts. He jumped forward, reaching for the pill furnace with the beans.
Not you! Xi Sanji shouted, startled. She shoved him back.
A bean squeezed out of Huis hand and dropped toward the pill furnace.
Xi Sanji squealed. She lunged for the bean, throwing herself full out, hurtling down toward the furnace.
Elder Sister, allow . He waved his hand, calling it back to his palm. On second thought, he waved his hand again and caught Xi Sanji as well. I shouldnt allow her to crash into the furnace. If nothing else, itll hurt! And its not as if I dislike her.
Hanging in midair, Xi Sanji crossed her arms. She put her feet down and stood upright, standing out of Huis hold. I could do that myself.
I dont doubt that, Elder Sister, but were you going to? You were about to smash into that furnace, and I didnt see any sign of you protecting yourself! Hui stood back, putting his hands up. Is Elder Sister clumsy, or is there a hole in your head? Both?
Hmph. Xi Sanji brushed down her robes, then startled. Ah! The furnace! She rushed over to it, hunching over to squint intently at it again.
Bright flas licked the bottom of the furnace. Within it, the leaf spun alone, hovering in the center of the furnace. One second, its blue side pointed down, and the flas flickered, then it flipped over to face red-side-down, and the flas leaped. It spun faster and faster, the flas flickering faster and faster. Xi Sanji nodded along with the beat of the surging and dying flas, biting her lip. Her hands curled. Her eyes narrowed.
Hui watched her from a pace or two behind her, ready to jump in if she pitched over again. Elder Sister, take care. I cant protect you from yourself all the ti.
Go, now! With the flas, enter the beans as they flicker! She gestured Hui forward.
Hui obliged. As shed ordered, he fed the beans in one at a ti, in sync with the flickering of the flas. How many?
Keep going until I say so! she snapped, staring intently into the furnace. The flickering leaf shone in her eyes.
I guess were really playing this by ear, then. Hui shrugged to himself and kept going, while the beans in his hand diminished steadily.
Xi Sanji nodded along. Yes, yes, more, morestop! Stop!
Hui clenched the beans in his hand tight, yanking it away from the furnace.
Inside the furnace, the red-blue leaf and the beans lted together, swirling into a three-colored liquid. As Hui watched, the three colors spun faster and faster around one another, until they rged into a warm green liquid.
Im not sure thats right, but it at least looks better than the black liquid she made the first ti. Hui pressed his lips together, then nodded. Ah, well, worst case, the Tier Master cos back and fixes it. And its not like she killed the female cultivator earlier. Shes bad, but not that bad probably.
Xi Sanji leaned in, holding her breath. Almost almost. Thats nearly hot-cold equilibrium. Now we need to add a bit of Three Color Sage, and it should be complete. She turned back to her dicine cabinet and ruffled through it, searching for the herb she needed.
Hui sat back. Three herbs? Its a simple recipe, then. Surely Xi Sanjis improvisation cant ruin it. At the end of the day, if youre boiling water for pasta, theres only so much you can get wrong. He nodded, reassured.
Hmm no Three Color Sage? Ah hmm. Maybe if I use so Two-Color Sage but for the third color Blue-Light Blossom? Close enough, surely. So decided, Xi Sanji turned, two different herbs held in her hands.
Huis eyes widened. But you can still put the dry noodles in a half-pot of cold, un-boiled water, rest the dry noodles up against the tal pot, turn on the burner and walk into the next room! Even pasta can burn under the right conditions! I shouldnt underestimate Elder Sisters skills, I shouldnt at all!
He coughed. Elder Sister, perhaps you should ask your fellow disciples for so Three-Color Sage? It sounds like a common enough herb, Im sure theyd lend you so if you asked nicely and explained the situation.
No. I need to do this myself! Xi Sanji declared.
And Im telling you, you dont have to! Now isnt the ti to be a stubborn lone wolf, Elder Sister! Just ask for help, dammit! Hui laughed. No, no, Elder Sister. Let ask. You wait, and Ill be right back
Xi Sanji tossed the Two-Color Sage and Blue-Light Blossom at the furnace. They hurtled toward the heat, turning into brightly colored light beams.
Huis eyes widened. He leaped, reaching for the light beams. Elder Sister!
I can do this! All on my own. I dont need anyones help! Xi Sanji cried.
Why not? Hui asked. He closed his hand. His qi curled around the light beams and dragged them to a halt. The Two-Color Sage and the Blue-Light Blossom froze in midair, propelled by Xi Sanjis qi, held back by Huis. Hui bit his lip. Should I exert my seventh-stage cultivation and drag them back? But this is such a stupid way to reveal myself! I should just let her fail.
Aha! Xi Sanji tossed another set of leaves at the furnace, arcing them over Huis shoulder. In the blink of an eye, they reached him.
Hui looked at the beams, then sighed. If Elder Sister is that determined to sabotage herself, then who am I to get in her way? He let the two herbs pass him by. They flew into the pill furnace and instantly lted into the warm green liquid. The liquid pulsed, then shone with brilliant green light, so bright it exploded from the depths of the pill furnace. Beams of light shot through the gaps in the furnace, illuminating the room like a laser light show. At the sa ti, the furnace beat with loud, rhythmic pulses, as the liquid let off fierce waves of pressure.
Badabadabam, ba badabadabamwait, hold on. Now isnt the ti to hum techno music. That furnace is about to explode! Without hesitating, Hui latched onto the furnace with his qi. He spun around and threw it into the sky. It hurtled off, flying high into the tiers ceiling, and exploded, splattering green liquid over the ceiling.
The green liquid hissed as it ate into the ceiling. More of it rained back down. Eyes wide, Hui quickly drew a dozen barrier talismans and threw them out over himself and the downed cultivators. The rain hissed as it splattered over his barriers. As he watched, one of his barriers corroded through.
Startled, Hui threw out another talisman, this ti angling it so the green liquid rolled off. I take it back! Everything I said about Elder Sister not being that bad, I take it back! Elder Sister could have killed all of us! Imagine if shed had soone drink that theyd directly beco a skeleton, with no in between steps!
Hey! What did you do that for? Xi Sanji asked, scowling.
Hui stared at her. This sect is even more bloodthirsty than I imagined! Did did you want to do nothing as the liquid rained down
I an throwing the pill furnace away in the first place! I could have recovered it, Xi Sanji insisted, huffing aloud.
Forgive for doubting you, Elder Sister, but I dont think you could have, Hui replied silently. Aloud, he cleared his throat. Elder Sister, shall we try again? This ti, following the recipe.
Eh? I dont need it, she said flippantly.
Ah, thats, thats right, but small cultivator is only a beginner in the way of pill cultivation, and I want to follow the rules as simply as possible, Hui said, nodding vigorously. Definitely not because you need it. Definitely not!
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