Hui glanced back as he flew off, somewhat surprised to find no one following him. I guess… that Zhi Ahn guy really did cover for me. Huh. I didn’t expect it.

I guess even amongst All Heavens Sect, there’s still those who I can trust in. Or… at least rely on not to make stupid decisions.

He put a hand to his chin. So much to do. I need to finish my death-faking talisman, research one-way barriers… ah! And all my attacks are too weak now, except for the void talisman. I need more talisman formulae… or to come up with ways to improve the ones I have! Restock, I need to restock too, I’m almost all out of everything. The lotus clones need time to mature, and my real body needs time to heal back up…

Hui looked up suddenly, and slapped his fist on his palm. “Ah! I need to go into seclusion!”

Not for too long. I can’t sit and quietly cultivate for hundreds of years with a ten-year time limit. He drew out the ghost flag and looked at it softly. Even after transforming the spell array into a ghost flag and taking it with me, I couldn’t prolong the time limit. I could try to figure out a way to lengthen it, but… well, I’ll look around, but I won’t count on comprehending something a Chen Wuya-like existence couldn’t.

Hui cast his mental energy around him. It surged out in all directions, easier to manipulate and stronger than before. At last, he locked onto one of the lotus clones, already settled quietly in a distant pond. An abundance of qi filled the air, not enough to attract a sect, but enough to be useful. Hui flew toward it, already searching around for other cultivators. From this far, he detected none.

At last, he arrived. He hovered in the air, casually lowering his presence as much as he could. A mortal village stood not far from the pond, but far enough away that few mortals travelled up to the pond. Near the lotus clone, he sensed an empty immortal’s cave, an opening some ancient cultivator had casually carved out ages ago.

He dropped down to the entrance to the space. The cave burrowed into the earth, protected by old spells on the verge of running out of energy. A heavy blanket of vines hid a barrier, but the old barrier shattered as soon as he exerted the least pressure on it. Putting a hand on the roof, he knelt and peered inside.

Rough-hewn walls, cleaved from the earth with a sword. A shallow puddle sunk in the rear of the cave, and the entire space oozed humidity. Most of the floor appeared eternally damp. Layer upon layer of old, dusty spells strained to keep out the water, but with age and wear, they barely held back the nearby pond.

Hui pressed his lips together. Whoever created this didn’t understand water tables, did they?

He knelt and touched the floor, coming away with a layer of dust and dirt. In any case, it looks as though no one’s stayed here in a long time. Even if someone did… the ease with which I shattered the barrier at the door suggests they weren’t very strong. It’s a bit presumptuous of me, but… unknown senior, please lend me your cave! I won’t take it for very long.

Mind made up, he drew out a few pieces of talisman paper and drew barrier talismans, then tossed them around the inside of the cave. Wherever they landed, the old spells broke, replaced by Hui’s barriers. The barriers knit together, neatly blocking out the immortal’s cave. His barriers forced the water out. In the rear, the shallow puddle dried up, and the thick humidity lessened, weakening to something bearable.

Looking around the space, Hui nodded to himself. It’s nothing fancy, but after all those years in Master’s hut, it’s something I can tolerate.

Come to think of it, my best accommodations this whole time… were in Black Asp Sect, weren’t they? If I had a use for blood qi, that would have been a very nice home. As it is, it’s simply… the best place I’ve stayed so far.

Hui sighed. Do all cultivators live like this? Is it simply that the standard of living in such a primitive world is too low? Ah… after all this time, I still miss modern mattresses and all the convenience that comes with the internet and international shipping… How long has it been since I tasted chocolate?

A shocking thought ran through his head. No… don’t tell me. Is there no chocolate in this world? A deep sense of loss struck Hui, and he sighed deeply.

Oh well. There isn’t magic in my world, either. When you gain something, you also lose something.

He turned, looking at the pond outside. I wonder how long it’ll take the lotus clone to bloom, away from Mount Mu? It got a good head start, but… well, ultimately, they’d be pretty useless stuck on Unrivaled Peak. He started to walk out, and bounced off the barriers. Hui stumbled back and laughed at himself. Well… yeah. They’re barriers, after all.

Hui frowned, then drew another talisman, like the barrier talismans, but inverted. Just like with Chen Wuya’s formation, let my own aura in, but no one else’s. He reached up and placed it on the roof of the cave, just inside the door.

A second later, he froze. Wait, isn’t that… isn’t that the key to the permeable barrier I’ve been trying to create for a while? All along, it was that simple?

…Well, that’s one less thing to contemplate, I guess.

He took a deep breath, looking around him. Lotus body outside so I can escape in a pinch. Talisman paper and ink… enough for another batch, and I can always make or buy paper, with a mortal village nearby. There should be merchants selling paper… probably?

Come to think of it, I don’t know much about the mortal world. Hui turned his head and looked out of the cave.

No, no. Now’s not the time. First, replace my talismans. Then, contemplate! Contemplate the death faking talisman. Contemplate how to save Xixing and Sis Mei and the rest of the sect!

He took a deep breath and drew out his paper, beginning with the talismans. First, I need to arm myself, in case someone stumbles upon this place. Once I have a decent stock of the void talismans and barrier talismans… and a few elemental spells for variety’s sake, I’ll settle in for some serious contemplation!

Brush hovering over the paper, Hui looked out the entrance of the cave, staring into the distance, far beyond what his eyes could see. Starbound Sect… wait for me. Xixing... wait for me!

Sis Mei, and Sis Mei's delicious cooking... wait for me!