The boy sighed. Ive heard that line so many tis. Before you make your attempt to escape why?
That world you long for, is the world I long to escape. The shining steel and brilliant light you saw exists, but so does darkness to equal no. Darkness even deeper than this worlds filth. I have no desire to live in that world once more. Hui bowed respectfully. My world? No, no, no! Ah, its nice to have microwaves and webnovels and the internet, but in return, I have to deal with those terrifying loan sharks, not to ntion everything else thats fucked up about my world ha! Hes an idealist, an absolute idealist who doesnt know the first thing about the way humans can destroy a world, even without any magical power at their fingertips. In fact, they might be better at it without magic. After all, magic doesnt leave pollution or nuclear waste behind, and thats just so of the most obvious points.
Although cultivators can leave an area uninhabitable for mortals, it wont be totally uninhabitable for far longer than anyones lifespan, in fact, until the end of the world. That, and whatever magic creates, magic can overturn. Sufficient cultivation and comprehension can overco almost everything. The sa is not true for science. And even if they manage to figure out how to clean up so source of pollution, its almost never fast enough before a new source crops up.
Then, I suppose youll have to continue to cycle in this loop, until you co to realize the horror that is stagnation, and long for progress, as I do, the Golden Immortal returned.
Hui bowed silently. Although this run counts as a loss, its not a total loss. I recovered a lot of information. I know the Golden Immortals goal, and I know that he cant accomplish it without willingly helping him or sothing. Id expect him to be able to use to sohow open a portal even without my consent, but maybe hes willing to wait or maybe he just cant accomplish it without my help.
Either way, the result is the sa, and the most important thing is that its to my advantage. After all, between and a denizen of this world, I know who has better ntal fortitude. It might only be one strong point, but its my strong point!
He looked at the Golden Immortal, lounging on his throne. Hold on. I know my instincts say to run and fake death, but Im going to die, and this loop is going to end, no matter what. Why dont I give my new techniques a try before I go?
Hui circulated his qi, pushing it to the limits, then beyond. His Vermillion Bird body conducted qi far better than his ordinary body, and even then, he pushed further. His body burned from the inside out, barely holding together. He drew back his hand.
Its useless, the Golden Immortal comnted dryly.
Even if its useless, I wouldnt be a small bug if I didnt try! Hui returned. Im going to die. Thats not in question. But, before I go why dont I see how powerful this man is? And what better way to find out, than to punch him with my own fist?
Besides, hes kind of a smug asshole kid. And that face is so punchable. Yes I think Ill be able to rest easy if I can land one blow before I go!
Whatever youre attempting, I assure you, Ive seen it before. It didnt work then, and it wont work now, the Golden Immortal said, bored.
Mhm, I know, Hui agreed. His body on the verge of breaking down, he pushed all his qi into his fist. To the limits! All my power, in one blow! Valorous Blow, here I co!
The Golden Immortal sat back with a yawn. Hurry it up. I only have the rest of ti.
In the space between lifting his hand to cover his mouth and lowering it, Hui burst forward. He activated Phoenix Escape. Fire coated his body as he burst toward the Golden Immortal, reaching the boy in a flash.
The boy startled. He looked up.
Lifting his fist, Hui slamd Valorous Blow down into the boys face. Blood and bits of gore flew like confetti, splattering over the stone back of the throne. The boys headless body slumped.
Hui stepped back, wary. Flas flickered over his body, Phoenix Escape still active. No way that killed him. Even an ordinary Immortal wouldnt necessarily die from removing their head, and on top of that, I havent seen his soul erge, nor sensed him entering the Underworld.
The boys headless body lunged. It reached for Huis throat.
Hui jumped back. Fingernails scraped at his neck, but with the full power of Phoenix Escape behind him, he barely managed to dodge.
Closing his hand on nothing, the Golden Immortal turned toward Hui. He laughed. The sound issued from nowhere and everywhere, bizarre in the extre. Blood flowed, and his head reford, growing up from the stump fully ford, almost like an old digital model rezzing back in.
How troubleso. A fellow believer in death-faking! Ive never encountered so serious a threat before!
I am the Immortal Realm. The Immortal Realm is . You cannot defeat without also destroying the Immortal Realm, the Golden Immortal said, laughing.
Oh, really? Hui said, startled. Its that easy?
Huh? the Golden Immortal said.
Hui coughed. With despair, he cried, Oh, no, really? The whole Immortal Realm? However will I defeat that?
The Golden Immortal squinted at him. Why do you do that every ti I say that line?
Er, pay no mind, pay no mind, Hui said, waving his hand. He turned. If he isnt going to kill , then why dont I just leave? Theres still more I can learn from this loop. Like
Cold ached through his center. Hui looked down, then stared. A gaping wound cut through his core, hollowing out his entire chest.
Pain smashed into him in the next mont. Hui stumbled to the side, clutching his chest. Ow, ow, ow, shit! Fuck! Why?
You didnt think Id tell you all that and let you go, did you? Ive told you too much. These conversations of ours are amusing, but I cant let you continue with this knowledge.
The Golden Immortal twisted his hand. Reality swirled around him, distorting to his will. Dont worry. Youll be the sa as ever. You might even rember this loop. You just wont rember .
Ah, Senior! Theres no need for that! This buglike existence couldnt possibly hurt Hui cried.
You couldnt hurt , no, but I need that mind of yours untainted by the knowledge of my goal, if Im to make you truly suffer the pain of stagnation.
Oh. Well, I guess it makes sense. Its more hopeless to not know why were trapped in this loop than to know, and know that Im resisting him the whole ti. Hui nodded. He grasped his chest, then toppled onto his face, playing dead.
The instant the Golden Immortals attention left him, he reached out quickly. You hear all that?
Shut up, I did.
Good. He let go, bleeding out.
The world flowed around him. Reality beca fluid, and ti turned in reverse. As the light faded from his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a translucent figure hidden up in the rafters of the building. Pale white skin almost glowed in the darkness, big black eyes as dark as hell. It stared at the Golden Immortal, but feeling Huis eyes on it, it turned, watching him from afar.
The Elusive Ghost?
The ghost lifted a hand to its lips. They gaped open into an empty, black smile, as it slowly extended a single finger.
Shhh.
The last of Huis vision faded, and the world went dark.
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