The green-robed cultivator stopped mid-strike. He narrowed his eyes at Hui, then threw back his head and harrumphed, looking down his nose. “The pathetic cultivator who had to cheat to win? What, are you going to stop me?”

“I didn’t cheat. There’s nothing in the rules against mid-battle extortion,” Hui replied, crossing his arms.

“A coward who uses poison and pathetic, weak tactics, who can’t stand up in a fight, is here to defend this beast? Oh, I’m quaking in my boots,” another taunted.

“Just hand over the branch, and this will all be forgotten. Don’t waste it on an animal like that thing,” the third added.

The fourth snorted and pushed up his glasses.

The wolf growled at them. The four Mysterious Heavenly Forest cultivators ignored it.

Hui bowed respectfully. “Seniors, this is Starbound Sect’s land, Starbound Sect’s spirit beast, and Starbound Sect’s branch. It is Starbound Sect’s right to use them as they see fit. Even if that branch is a heavenly treasure, it’s our right to use it to play fetch with our seniors if we so desire.”

“Starbound Sect, Starbound Sect, ptui! This tiny sect thinks they can stand up to our Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect? Starbound Sect has five sixth stage cultivators, and only two cultivators above that. Two! Only one member of your sect has ascended, ever, in your entire sect’s history. Do you know how many members of the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect have ascended to the Immortal realm? A hint: it’s more than one,” one of the cultivators mocked.

Eh, actually, no, because this small disciple never attended history lessons. They sounded a lot like the rules. Hmm, so Starbound Sect… with one ascension and only a few higher-realm cultivators, it seems like we’re a middling-low level sect. Above small clans like Bai Clan, for sure, but doubtless tiny compared to other sects.

Mmm, it makes sense. If we were a large clan with sixth-stage and higher cultivators lying around like leaves in autumn, Master wouldn’t be able to get away with half of what he does.

Long live small sects!

Hui bowed again. “This still does not give the right for seniors to attack our sect’s spirit beasts or demand our resources.”

“Ha! And I thought Starbound Sect had some intelligence. Don’t you know? You should kiss the boots of sects greater than yours, not demand we listen to your rules,” the Mysterious Heavenly Forest disciple declared, kicking the wolf again.

Hui jumped between the disciples and the wolf, his arms out. “And yet, your sect still bows down to Weiheng Wu. I wonder which sect truly is greater. Even if, in the past, Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect had cultivators ascending like the stars in the sky, it means nothing for the sect today.”

The leader of the four cultivators ground his teeth. A vein throbbed in his forehead. “You have no idea what you’re speaking of! Apologize this instant for insulting Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect!”

Hui raised his eyebrows. Oh? I seem to have hit a nerve.

“Weiheng Wu doesn’t count. A once-in-a-thousand-year talent might appear, but it means nothing for the quality of the sect. He had to go somewhere, and it’s his misfortune to end up at a second-rate sect like yours,” another chimed in, wrinkling his nose.

“Are you jealous of Starbound Sect?” Hui asked innocently, tipping his head.

“As if! And I’m not afraid of a coward, either. Your master might be great, but that means nothing for the disciple!” one of the cultivators declared.

“There’s no point trading words with a cowardly snake like this one. Let’s get rid of the trash and be on our way. Starbound Sect might thank us for the service,” another said. He drew his sword and darted at Hui.

Hui managed to draw his sword before the cultivator reached him, but little else. The sword darted across his body. He threw himself back in the same instant, falling with the blow. Blood spurted down his chest, a deep gash cut in his ribcage.

If I didn’t jump back—he would have seriously injured me! I must have really struck a nerve…

Hui killed his qi, flopping dead to the ground. The world began to darken around him in a familiar way as he circulated death qi, hiding the remaining signature. From drooping eyes, he watched the trio. We’re here for a friendly tournament. Don’t tell me you’re fine with killing a fellow disciple from an allied sect?

The three disciples fell into uncomfortable silence. One poked Hui’s body with his sword. Busy playing dead, Hui let himself shift.

“Er… did you kill him?”

“That shouldn’t have. It wasn’t a killing blow,” the other replied.

“But he’s a weakling who cheated to win,” the third pointed out.

“How are you going to explain that to the elders?”

A pause. The cultivators stared at Hui.

“What’s there to explain?” the fourth said suddenly. “We kill the wolf too, take the branch, and use the wolf’s body to bite him a few times. Make it look like a dispute between brethren. The Starbound Sect is lowly enough to mob-attack their own disciples. Something like an internal dispute leading to death shouldn’t be unheard of.”

Er, I’d protest, but somehow, senior’s words sound reasonable? Hui thought.

The other cultivators glanced around them nervously, then drew their weapons. “Let’s make it quick.”

The wolf growled. Crouched low over the branch, it raised its hackles and bared its teeth.

I can’t allow that! Hui quietly stopped circulating his death qi.

The lead cultivator charged at the wolf, sword drawn. The wolf snarled and lunged at him.

Before he could strike, a slash of white descended from the heavens. The green-robed cultivator continued slashing, but his sword didn’t reach the wolf. It spun through the air and landed with a flash, his hand still holding tight to the sword but no longer connected to his body.

The green-robed cultivator screamed and grabbed his arm. Beside him, the other cultivators stared and drew back, looking around.

Weiheng Wu stood before the wolf, his sword drawn. He slashed at the ground, and the green-robed cultivator’s blood splashed into the dirt. “Who else has laid a hand on my pet?”

The other sect masters and peak lords landed around him, startled.

“This—this is not ordinary behavior from the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect, I hope?” the silver-haired one gasped.

“Sect Master Mu?” the Sect Master asked, looking at his green-robed companion.

Hui released his qi and started to sit up. “Mast—

At the same time, Sect Master Mu adjusted his glasses up his nose. “A sword cultivator’s life is his sword arm. Let this be a life for a li—”

Sect Master Mu and Hui stared at each other. After a second, Hui collapsed backward, playing dead again.

“Weiheng Hui…” Sect Master Lan sighed, putting his face in his hand.

Hui gave in and sat up. Pain bit into his chest as his qi circulated through his body again. Grimacing, he called up the pills Su Caiyi had given him and swallowed one. His wounds began to close.

The other three cultivators stared at him. After a second, one’s surprise turned to anger, and his face reddened. “You—you coward! Faker!”

The lead cultivator staggered over the Sect Master Mu, his bleeding forearm held out before him. “S—sect Master, my… my hand!”

“What happened here?” Sect Master Lan demanded, crossing his arms. He turned to Hui.

“Sect Master! Small cultivator was playing fet—er, me and senior here were practicing a, er, collaborative search and retrieval technique when senior alerted me to danger. I came down here to see what was happening and found these villains attacking senior over our treasured branch, there. In the midst of reasoning with these villains, their leader cut me down, and to save my small life, I had no option but to tragically fake my own death! Unfortunately, their villany knows no bounds, and after cutting me down, they decided to attack senior as well. That was when the virtuous you arrived and saw through their villainy to protect the both of us,” Hui explained, bowing repeatedly to the Sect Master.

One of the green-robed cultivators scowled. “He ran over and mocked Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect with no provocation! Were we supposed to let him besmirch our sect and do nothing?”

“Only because you were trying to steal this small cultivator’s treasured branch!” Hui argued.

“What treasure? You were playing fetch with it!” another cultivator argued.

Sect Master Mu raised his hand. Immediately, the green-robed cultivators fell silent. “This small dispute… we should never have been involved. However, your Peak Lord has cut the hand of one of my cultivators. I must demand recompense.”

“Nonsense! They started it!” Hui snapped.

Sect Master Mu cut his eyes at Hui.

Hui jumped. Ah! This small cultivator has been drawing aggro since the fight earlier! It’s a bad habit to be in, a terrible habit! I must change my ways before I truly start seeking death! He bowed repeatedly, dipping low. “Apologies, apologies, this small cultivator spoke out of turn, please ignore me.”

Sect Master Lan sighed. “Then, how can our sect recompensate you?”

“We should not. They injured my wolf. My actions were equivalent,” Weiheng Wu stated.

Sect Master Mu glared. “You mean to suggest…”

“Please, there is no need for argument,” Sect Master Lan insisted.

Eyes narrowed, Sect Master Mu glared at Weiheng Wu. “I think a certain Peak Lord has been unrestrained for too long. I request the hand of Weiheng Wu in return for the hand of the disciple.”

“That’s ridiculous! He was a mere third stage disciple. The two are not equivalent,” Sect Master Lan protested.

Weiheng Wu crossed his arms, unimpressed, expression daring the other Sect Master to try.

Sect Master Mu frowned. “You’ve taken the potential away from my young cultivator. Perhaps with time he could have cultivated to sixth stage, or even further. The two are equivalent.”

Hui backed away, getting out of the crossfire of higher-level cultivators. The green-robed cultivator’s hand caught his eye, and he made a face. He deserved it, attacking Master’s wolf for no reason like that!

Eh, wait. I feel as if I, maybe, have… done something… similar?

No, no. I must be imagining it.

The world faded. Cold gripped Hui again. He watched his body slump uncontrollably and scowled. Again? This is getting out of hand.