Waving goodbye to the Su siblings, Hui tucked his hands behind his back and humd to himself. Ah, Ive done a good deed today. Even if I had to help out a siscon to do it. See, this Hui is a righteous cultivator after all.
Actually how are those two siblings? If Su Yan is a wolf whos cultivated a human form no, he could be a human who cultivated a wolf form. But why? Usually cultivation doesnt go that way. Besides, is it even possible to cultivate the form of a spirit beast?
Hmm, if you can cultivate a spirit beast form for yourself, isnt that a great way to make money? Sell your own fur, or claw clippings
Ahem! Anyways! Ill have to ask later. Its always possible that Su Caiyi is a wolf spirit beast as well, I suppose, though she didnt give off the sa violent, wild aura as Su Yan.
Hui, is that you? What are you doing out of that cave? a familiar voice asked.
Hui turned. An unfamiliar girl frowned at him, her hair streaked with orange and turquoise, the skin of her hands and around her eyes stained purple. After a second, he saw past the strange colors and blinked. Xixing? Is that you?
Who else? Wait, did you get stronger? Congrats, Hui! She slapped him on the back.
Ive been busy lately outside the sect. Eh, wait. Elder sister, how are you here? Dont you need to be an inheriting disciple to cross the barriers? Dont tell
She rolled her eyes at him. I asked for an escort. Like us ordinary cultivators do.
Oh. Hui paused a mont, then rembered. Oh! I almost brought a unique pill back for elder sister, but unfortunately, this snake ate it, Hui replied, shaking his head in disappointnt.
Xixings eyes widened. She reached out for Zhubi, who imdiately rolled over and played dead.
Hui flinched back, protective of his friend. Elder sister, dont hurt him!
Ive never hurt him!
You milked him!
Xixing rolled her eyes. It didnt hurt. Did it, Zhubi?
Zhubi twitched slightly to more fully expose his belly, and stuck his tongue out, still dead.
She sighed and turned to Hui. Let examine him. I might be able to figure out the pills composition from what little remains.
Hui frowned. Elder sister, I dont want to Wait. She can examine the remnants of the pill isnt that the sa as knowing what it did to Zhubi? Senior Xixing, if you knew what kind of pill it was, could you figure out the effects?
Eh? Of course! What do you take for? She narrowed her eyes.
Then, if you tell what it did to Zhubi, Ill let you examine him to find out what kind of pill it was.
Zhubi stiffened around his neck, unwilling. Huis heart remained firm. Zhubi, its for your own good!
Xixing nodded, eyes flashing. Deal, deal!
Yet again, the feeling that hed struck the deal too quickly and ended up on the short end of the stick hit Hui. Even so, he uncoiled Zhubi from his neck and held the snake out to Xixing. Then, if elder sister would.
Xixing took Zhubi delicately in her hands. Where she stood, she closed her eyes and dropped into a lotus pose. Hui glanced around them, then stood behind Xixing, acting as her protector. Excuse , elder brother, watch your step ah! Senior, your leopard Elder sister, fairy maiden, please
Xixing opened her eyes and jumped back to a stand. Its a lotus-based pill.
Elder sister is exceedingly wise, Hui complinted her. He held his hands out for Zhubi.
You already knew that, didnt you, she replied, narrowing her eyes at him. She handed Zhubi back. In a flash, the snake slithered up Huis arm and settled back in his favorite spot around Huis neck.
Senior, are you doubting ? he asked, giving her his most innocent look.
She shook her head. Aside from that, the pill was full of qi. It almost felt more like a natural treasure than a pill, very pure and unprocessed. Is he comfortable?
Er, sotis he twists, like sothings bothering him, Hui admitted.
Hes probably struggling to process the wild qi in the pill. If you give him ti, hell absorb it, or if you dont want to wait, I have a pill right here that will speed the process. It costs fifty gold, though, Xixing said, holding up a vial of golden, oil-like liquid.
Deal, Hui said confidently. Gold? Who cares! Spirit stones are what I need.
She narrowed her eyes at him again, but handed it over anyways in exchange for the gold.
Hui took the vial and tilted it back and forth. What is this?
Soybean oil. Should lubricate the passages and help the lump pass through, Xixing replied smugly.
Elder sister, Hui complained, frowning at her. Surely it isnt worth fifty gold?
She rolled her eyes. Of course, of course, I forgot youre not a pill cultivator. Its spiritual cooking oil from a thousand-year soybean plant. It aids in digestion of qi as well as well, ordinary digestion.
Thank you, elder sister. Hui offered the vial to Zhubi. Zhubi lifted his head and sniffed, examining the liquid in the vial. At Huis encouragent, he tipped back his head and drank the oil.
Glad to help. If youre ever in need of pills, I could use more of that snakes venom. Its a powerful qi-inhibitor. Useful for all kinds of poisons and dicines, Xixing replied, tacking the last word on as an afterthought.
Ill keep it in mind, Hui promised. Elder sister Xixing, keep your evil intentions to yourself!
She nodded at his hand. Youre entering the tournant?
Hui nodded. Im hoping to Wait. I probably shouldnt openly admit that Master broke out of cultivation-jail and were trying to redeem my standing through my performance in the tournant. show my strength and rise to the top of the martial world! he ad-libbed.
Xixing frowned. She stepped close and grabbed his chin, then felt his forehead. He doesnt have a fever Is this a human-skin mask, then? Xixing rubbed at his chin, feeling for a seam.
Elder sister, elder sister, its , its , Hui insisted, pulling away. Thats what the heroes always say in my favorite novels back ho. Why isnt it believable for ? What, is there sothing wrong with Xiao Hui showing his strength?
Eh, even when I say it, it does sound a little off
Xixing shook her head at him and sighed. This elder sister will believe in you. Its better than knowing whatevers running through your head right now.
Mmm, probably true, Hui muttered.
Watch out! Li Xiang shouted from above them.
Hui grabbed Xixing and jumped to the side. Seconds later, Li Xiang plunged sword-first into the cobbles where theyd been standing seconds ago. She peered under her sword, then bead at them. Hui! I was looking for you!
A sword cultivator. Eschewing the true route of pill cultivation. Ugh, the only thing worse is a talisman-maker, because they almost cultivate pills, Xixing muttered under her breath.
Stabbed in the heart, Hui turned to Xixing, startled by the surprise attack. Elder sister, what grudge do you hold against ?
Hui, do you have a mont? Li Xiang asked, tipping her head cutely. The pink enal pin shone in her hair.
Of course, of course. Xixing, many thanks. He bowed to Xixing.
Xixing nodded back and bobbed off, vanishing into the crowd.
Hui turned to Li Xiang. Then, you
Co with . She grabbed him by the waist, and they rocketed into the sky atop her sword.
Its my first kidnapping, elder sister, please be gentle, Hui thought, then shook his head. No, no, this world isnt like that! She just wants to talk, just wants to talk.
A second later, terror struck. Wait, were leaving the plaza! Can master still suppress my aura?
No, hold on! I can do it myself, cant I? Hui circulated his death qi and suppressed his original system. The qi circulating naturally around him quieted, until it only circulated inside him.
Li Xiang glanced back at him, furrowing her brows.
Just practicing, elder sister, just practicing, Hui excused himself.
Thats not true.
Its probably best if you believe that, Hui replied evenly. Best if I dont involve Li Xiang in this ss. Besides, I dont want to explain the half-truth we told her earlier, when Master first broke out.
She paused, then nodded. Understood.
They hurtled down into the woods outside the plaza, down to a secluded clearing a distance behind the cafeteria. Hui glanced around, but they were alone. Ive never seen this clearing before. Well, I suppose a Starbound Peak disciple would know the peak better than little .
In the clearing, Li Xiang separated from Hui. She glanced at her feet, quiet. Hui waited patiently, eyes on the sky, too nervous to worry about Li Xiang. I dont see the Sect Master yet, or Lan Taijian. Seems like my ploy worked.
Hui Li Xiang started, then stopped again. She licked her lips, nervous.
Li Xiang is nervous? Wait, wait, is this the long-awaited confession scene? For the first ti in my lifecould I be so lucky?
Speaking of lucky, good thing I suppressed my qi. If Starbound Peak disciples sensed and Li Xiang alone in a secluded clearing hmm, even getting kidnapped by her is risky. Ill have to watch my back the next few days.
Back in Bai clan. When you told Bai Xue you were saving yourself, rather than accept her offer. I knew you were lying, but I still it still made happy. I dont understand. Why would that be? She turned delicate eyes to him, long lashes fluttering.
Huis heart thudded in his chest. For a mont, he almost forgot to mask his qi. Eh! No way, could it be? Li Xiang, that is it because I turned down Bai Xue? Did that make you happy?
She nodded, her brows furrowing. I dont understand. I like you, and I like Bai Xue. I should be happy for two of my friends to be happy together, but instead, I felt this tight sensation in my chest
Is it jealousy? Hui asked, his heart soaring. Li Xiang felt jealous over ? Ah, does it an, could it be?
Jealousy? Li Xiang drew back sharply, as if hed slapped her.
Whats wrong? Hui asked, moving closer. He reached out to her, confused.
She flinched away. No, no, no! I cant!
Whwhat? Hui asked.
Jealousy leads people astray. Its the first step to the wrong path, thats what Master said. To think, without realizing it, I began to harbor the seeds of demonic cultivation in my heart!
Hui nodded slowly, his face blank. Er, elder sister, you do realize that this small cultivator has done much more than harbor the seeds of demonic cultivation
No, no! I havent! Im an upright, righteous cultivator! It just happens that I have a small talent for death qibut that doesnt make a demonic cultivator! This small cultivator has to mind himself. If I start thinking like that, Ill stray from the righteous path in no ti!
Li Xiang stepped close and clasped Huis hands in hers. Thank you for illuminating , Hui! Ill ditate on my failings until I remove jealousy from my heart. One must have a pure heart to cultivate the One with the Sword art, after all!
Not at all, not at all, Hui said bitterly. Li Xiang, I dont mind if youre a little jealous over
Wait. But if she removes the jealousy from her heart, and the only thing that kept her from being okay with and Bai Xue hooking up was jealousy
Hui slapped himself in the face.
Eh! Hui, what is it? Li Xiang asked, concerned.
A small inner heart demon, Li Xiang. Please dont worry over this small cultivator. Ill conquer this inner demon in no ti, Hui said, smiling gently at her.
We all face our own demons. If theres anything I can do to help you with yours Li Xiang offered.
Focus on your own inner tribulation, Li Xiang. Once you overco that, my perfect haremy inner demon will dissipate as well.
Really? How mysterious, Li Xiang pondered. She nodded once. Then, Ill see you in the tournant!
Elder sister has also entered? Ill cheer for you! Hui said.
If we face each other, Ill honor you by fighting with all my strength! Li Xiang promised, heartfelt.
Hui froze. Fface each other?
Li Xiang nodded. Were both third stage cultivators, yes?
Hui felt a gulf open up before his toes. He stared across a bottomless void at Li Xiang, his stomach falling out of his body. Weakly, he protested, Er but youre late stage
As long as were within the sa stage, theres a chance of facing each other, she replied happily.
But elder sister, youre a sword cultivator and Im I can barely stand up to normal combat, let alone a sword cultivator! My sword skills are only on par with the outer sect, and I bet you could take on a dozen outer sect disciples at once, even if you were stripped of all your cultivation!
Hui felt his life flash before his eyes, the inevitability of his defeat laid bare before him. Ive only just hit third stage, how am I supposed to fight late-third-stage cultivators? So much for my plan to rend hearts ah, my glorious future of parading about like Master, with all the cultivators afraid to fight
No! Hui, dont give up yet! You can do this! Even if theyre stronger than you, rend their hearts! Even if they could beat you with their pinky finger, wear down their ntal state until they beg for defeat! Think! Hui, youve survived until now. It might be hard, but you can survive into the future as well!
Ah, but for the first few fights, its unlikely. Theyll match us with opponents near our cultivation level until it gets down to the last few fights, Li Xiang said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
Oh? Hui revived from the depths of despair. Ah, okay, okay. So as long as I rend hearts early, I can bow out before I have to fight soone too high above my cultivation level. Dont lose heart, Hui!
Li Xiang cupped her hands at him. Then, until the tournant!
He cupped his hands back. Until the tournant.
Stepping atop her sword, Li Xiang blasted into the sky.
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