Hui’s face fell, but only for an instant. He pasted a smile on and beamed at Ding Lao. “Brother! How fortuitous. I was just on my way there.”

Ding Lao smiled back at him. “I always like to see such enthusiasm so early in the morning. Shall we take a little jog together? I was about to begin my morning’s thousand laps around Mount Mu. You’re more than welcome to join!”

“Ah, Elder Brother, er, I was just heading over, but there’s, er, a quick errand I need to run on my way!” Hui excused himself. He started to run off, circulating his cultivation base as fast as he could.

Ding Lao matched his pace without emanating a scrap of qi. “A mere thousand laps, Brother Hao. Surely you can put those in on the way to your errand?”

“It’s… it’s extremely time-sensitive! I don’t have a moment to lose!” Hui backed away, retracing his steps. Subtly, he lead Ding Lao away from Mount Mu.

“Then why were you chattering with the Gao Trio? Don’t be shy, Brother Hao! You’re always welcome to join me, any time of day.”

“Of course, of course. I… er, watch out! Tree!”

Hui kicked Ding Lao away from him and hurtled toward the center of the tree with the hole in the middle, the same one the triplets had followed him through moments ago.

Ding Lao landed deftly on a branch and bounded toward the other side of the tree. “Brother Hao!”

Hui emerged from the other side with a smile on his face. “I’m here, Elder Brother. Forgive me, I didn’t see that hole in time. I’m not familiar with your sect, after all, being from a different sect.”

“All the more reason why there’s no time to lose when it comes to cultivating your body! Come, come! Let’s race around Mount Mu!”

“Elder Brother, though I couldn’t possibly stand up to your impressive body… you’re on!” Still smiling that same smile, Hui hurtled off after Ding Lao.

Behind the racing-off Hui, huddled up inside the tree’s hole, Hui peeked out. He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead, then bowed. “Many apologies, Elder Sister Jin Xian, but please take this small cultivator’s place!”

Luckily, Ding Lao isn’t very good at magical techniques. He shouldn’t be able to sense the difference between my and Jin Xian’s auras, and with the snake skin technique disguising her, even a cultivator infinitely more familiar with my face than Ding Lao would have a hard time distinguishing her from the real me!

“She can’t talk without me hiding nearby to throw my voice…” Hui put a hand to his chin, then shrugged. I have faith in you, Jin Xian! You’ll manage! And if you don’t, I really only need a few minutes of distraction to get to the garden patch and back!

He darted out from the tree, passing his hand over his face as he ran. As his hand passed, he activated the snake skin technique. His face changed, from Xie Hao’s face to a generically handsome face, the kind of cultivator who wouldn’t stand out in a crowd. Flowing green robes appeared over Xie Hao’s black ones, and long hair sprouted from Xie Hao’s short, ragged hair. Hui glanced around him one last time, then sped up. Now, no one should stop me. No one knows this face, so there’s no reason to stop me!

Darting from tree to tree, he raced toward the garden patch. His sword sat forgotten at his hip. At this moment, Hui had forgotten entirely about flying on his sword. The Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect’s forest provided convenient branches for jumping around on, making it simply not necessary to learn to fly on a sword. In truth, many members of the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect likewise put off learning to fly on a sword upon reaching fourth realm for this very same reason.

Of course, most cultivators naturally understood how to fly on a sword upon reaching fourth realm. Only those cultivators whose comprehension strayed too far from the dao of the sword faced such difficulties in flying.

As for Xiao Hui… though he hardly fancied himself a swordfighter, he hadn’t yet noticed that his sword had become little more than a decoration at his hip.

Black, lush dirt appeared in the distance. Hui darted toward it. In a few moments, fresh green sprouts appeared amongst the tilled earth. The garden patch! I’m almost there!

“Halt!”

A sword slammed into the branch in front of Hui. He jumped back on instinct, startled.

What are they stopping me for? No one should recognize this small cultivator! There’s no need to stop someone you don’t know to bother them!

A pair of green-robed cultivators glared at him. One gestured, willing his sword back to himself. It wiggled out of the branch and flew to his hand. “You. I don’t recognize your face.”

Hui blinked. A second later, he tipped his head back and closed his eyes. Dammit. I forgot a critical point! If no one knows who I am… that’s also a problem! I counted on the anonymity of a large sect, but if someone decides to stop me…

I became complacent because no one stopped me from running around as a guest of the sect, but obviously a faceless stranger is worthy of stopping! Ah, this time I’ve really done it.

Hui laughed and bowed. “Elder Brothers, I apologize. I was merely testing my disguise technique. I’m a guest from Black Asp Sect.”

He subtly released death qi as he spoke, giving off an obvious aura of death.

The two cultivators exchanged a glance. One stepped forward. “There’s no need for you to come this way. Return to your palace.”

Hui hesitated, glancing at the two guards. The sects are on their way, and the garden patch is right there. I can’t give up. He bowed. “Er, Elder Brothers, I dropped something over there. Would you mind letting me by?”

“Dropped an item? I haven’t seen anything around here. Please turn back, honored guest. This is a restricted part of our sect.”

I got in so easily last time! …by playing dead. A startled expression crossed Hui’s face. Wait. Did I… make a critical mistake? To think, this small cultivator… failed to play dead! Ah, truly, I must ensure I never make another mistake like this again. Failing to play dead at a critical moment! To think, my comprehension of the dao was this weak!

He staggered backward. Thunder rolled out in his brain, as if lightning struck inside his head. I… never again! Master will be truly disappointed in me, if I fail this significantly in my comprehension!

One of the cultivators furrowed his brows and stepped forward. “Are… you hurt?”

Hui shook his head, a hand raised to his forehead. Forcibly, he tossed his hair back and put a heroic expression on his face, but still, it appeared somewhat strained. “This small cultivator is fine. Please don’t concern yourself, Elder Brother.”

Play dead… it’s too late to play dead! And even if I do, there’s no guarantee they’ll take me to the garden patch. I’m willing to roll the dice until they do, but that’s a lot of time! Erlan’s taking the Black Asp Sect cultivators to see the lotus in… half an hour, now! How long after that do the sects show up for the Southern Sect Conference? Another hour? It can’t be long!

Hui bit his lip. He strode back and forth on the branch, caught in the throes of a decision.

I could back off and find another way in… that’s probably best. Shed this skin, use another… ugh, but I only have one more skin for the day! Fight my way? …No! What kind of bloodthirsty maniac am I? No, no, absolutely not. Fool them? How? I know nothing about them. Play dead, right here, and try my luck on the first roll of the dice? What, drop dead of a heart attack? They won’t throw me in the garden patch even if I did, they’ll return me to Black Asp Sect. It’ll be way too suspicious, too!

He gnashed his teeth, frustrated.

“If you won’t leave, I’ll remove you forcibly!” the cultivator with the drawn sword announced. He flourished his sword, eyes flashing at Hui.

“Wait, wait! I’m going!” Hui said, waving his hands. He backed off and ran into the woods.

The two cultivators watched him go. The one with his sword out snorted and sheathed his sword, somewhat reluctantly.

Hui fled at top speed, bouncing from branch to branch. It’s a waste, but it’s better than fighting. I’ll disguise myself again and go back in!

But… disguise myself as whom?