“Then, it’s decided,” Li Xiang said, standing.

What’s decided? When did we have a meeting? Wasn’t it just everyone somehow finding me intimidating for the first time in my life, and no one agreeing with anything?

Eh, wait. No, putting aside the intimidation thing… that’s pretty much how meetings go, isn’t it.

“Weiheng Hui and I set out tomorrow morning. Everyone else, prepare for battle. If you are not reassured to have a man even All-Heavens Sect fears on our side, or disagree with the plan, you are free to leave. In that case, I expect you to be gone by the time I return.” Li Xiang gestured pointedly toward the door, rather than the window everyone had leaped through to enter.

“Li Xiang… you aren’t concerned? What if he attacks you?” Lu Xubo asked earnestly.

Hui lifted his sleeve to hide a laugh. He cleared his throat. “Elder Brother, I’m not eager to die, you know?” Me versus Li Xiang, the sword cultivator who battles a realm above her level? I have flashy spells and the advantage at range, yes, but I wouldn’t rely on that. I might be able to maintain the advantage if I constantly fled, but the second she closed the distance and connected with her sword, I’d lose my head. I’m afraid to even lift my sword against her. With my pitiful level of sword skills, forget dreaming of landing a hit. I’d only shame myself!

Honestly, my only chance at victory would be to involve Jin Xian, Zhubi, and Bai Jingwen in the battle as well, but Bai Jingwen is still sleeping on Unrivaled Peak, and I wouldn’t dare risk Zhubi’s life so blatantly.

“Eager to die? You’re a stage higher than her. You’re clearly a threat,” Lu Xubo countered, moving between Li Xiang and Hui.

Hui shook his head. “No, no. I wouldn’t dare.”

Lu Xubo took a deep breath. He shook his head. “I can’t in good conscience send Li Xiang with an unknown quantity like this Weiheng Hui. I’ll go as well, as her bodyguard!”

Li Xiang sighed. She shook her head. “Do as you like.”

Ying Lin gasped. She leaned in to Hui. “Master, your rival has already worn Li Xiang down to the extent that she’ll allow him to break in on her plans without really fighting back! Are you not concerned?”

“Li Xiang is her own woman. If that’s what she wants…” Hui muttered. I don’t think she seriously likes Lu Xubo. Sees him as an annoyance, yes, but as a rival? Er—as a partner to Li Xiang? I don’t think he’s even reached the starting line.

Ying Lin tutted and shook her head. “You’re already starting from a disadvantageous position. Aren’t you concerned?”

“What disadvantageous position? Does it look like Li Xiang likes Lu Xubo to you?” Hui argued, shaking his head.

“That’s what you don’t understand! If an unmarried man and an unmarried woman spend long enough together, they’ll start to see one another as potential partners. How long have you spent with Li Xiang lately? And what about Lu Xubo? In comparison, he’s miles ahead of you!” Ying Lin said, nodding.

Hui sighed. Who ruined my disciple’s head? Why does all her romance advice sound like it’s coming from a pushy old granny? “That’s enough, Ying Lin. We have more important battles ahead of us.”

“There is no battlefield more important than the battlefield of love,” Ying Lin said firmly, pressing a passionate fist to her chest.

“What battlefield,” Hui said, rolling his eyes. Where’s this imaginary battlefield of hers? By her logic, I ought to be married to Bai Xue, to say nothing of Jin Xian or Bai Jingwen, who’ve fought alongside me for years, now. Putting aside that I’m technically betrothed to Bai Xue—everything about Bai Xue, really—it’s absolutely ridiculous to think that men and women must find each other attractive if they spend time near each other! I need to correct this disciple’s thinking before she leads herself astray.

The rest of the six-color squad put their heads together, murmuring. At last, Indigo Mountain turned and nodded. “We concede to this plan, as long as Lu Xubo goes along with Li Xiang. After all, there is no harm in scouting the enemy. However, we do not concede to your plan to dealing with Chen Xigui’s beloved afterward. We propose further meetings after we confirm the situation of Chen Xigui’s beloved.”

“I accept,” Li Xiang said.

Hui sighed. I don’t really have a reason to dislike Lu Xubo… but I do. He’s annoying. Besides! We’re a full squad at this point. How are we going to sneak into anywhere, let alone Chen Xigui’s beloved’s entourage? I can disguise myself, Li Xiang, and Ying Lin, but what about Lu Xubo? By now, I can probably make a fourth snakeskin, but so what? Even if I put a snakeskin on him, he materializes petals every time he waves his sleeve! It’s completely useless to change his face when his techniques broadcast themselves from kilometers away!

And with four people… well, how many people are in his beloved’s entourage? Four might be more people than we can possibly replace! No, no, I think it’s unreasonable to try to mix into the entourage by now… well, with Li Xiang’s inability to lie, it might have never been an option. Instead, we’ll have to come up with some other story. A story that has to survive Li Xiang’s inability to lie and Lu Xubo’s wildly recognizable techniques, at that!

Putting a hand on his chin, Hui nodded to himself. I’ve really got my work cut out for me this time.

“Good luck,” Green Flute wished them quietly, his eyes slitting in a dangerous smile.

Li Xiang nodded. She walked outside and mounted her sword, and the other three followed suit. Flying together, they rose up into the sky and flew toward the empty land.

Hui cleared his throat, immediately concerned. “Er, Elder Sister, is the plains safe to enter from this side?”

“No,” Li Xiang replied.

Hui swallowed. “Then… why are we flying into it?”

A void opened up in the sky barely a second after she spoke. Li Xiang flew inside, and Hui breathed a sigh of relief. Phew. There’s an exit here. Now I understand.

Lu Xubo blew past Hui, rushing toward the gash in the sky. Hui frowned, only to stare in shock a second later as the hole began to close. “Ying Lin!”

“Here!” Ying Lin shouted. She leaped onto Hui’s sword, sheathing Gu Tian as she went. Hui pushed his sword to full speed. His ponytail streamed out behind him. Ying Lin crouched down to provide as little resistance as possible, and they zipped into the void seconds before it shut.

They came out into the scrubland outside, not far from where Hui and Li Xiang had entered. Hui stared at Lu Xubo. “Does it always try to close after Li Xiang goes outside?”

Lu Xubo shrugged. “The senior who lives in that space favors Li Xiang. I don’t understand it, but she always tries to cut the rest of us off from Li Xiang like that.”

“The battlefield of love,” Ying Lin whispered.

Hui frowned at her. And I’m asking, what battlefield? In your eyes, is everyone around Li Xiang going for her hand, now, even mysterious, sequestered seniors centuries older than her? Ying Lin, don’t be unreasonable!

I really need to straighten out this disciple’s morals…

Li Xiang glanced back, then took off toward the horizon. Hui followed, turning his head toward where they’d left Wang Xiu tied up. I’m not sure leaving her alive was the right idea. Most people would have killed her… but that’s still a step too far for me. Maybe I’ll regret it, but…

“Watch out!” Ying Lin shouted.

Hui looked up as a tree rushed at him. He backpedaled, and the sword’s tip pointed up. He soared over the tree, barely dodging its topmost branches. Ying Lin hopped a little to dodge the very tip of the tree.

Hui clicked his tongue. Maybe I should transfer Gu Tian to Moonlight Cutter. It’s annoying to have to fly on my own power. Besides, he’d get a powered-up body for free. He’d like that, right?

Gu Tian shivered. Why did I suddenly get an ominous feeling…?

Peak Lord’s excited voice echoed in Hui’s mind. Bai Jingwen just woke up!

Eh? Is she… did she properly comprehend the inheritance? Hui asked.

I don’t know, but she feels stronger, Peak Lord replied. She looked at me and left, not long ago.

Where did she go? Healer asked.

I don’t know, Peak Lord repeated.

I don’t know, I don’t know. What do you know? Rogue replied mockingly.

Peak Lord frowned. Why does everyone always make fun of me?

In any case, it’s good news that she broke through the inheritance. It’s possible that the inheritance woke her psyche up further. If that’s the case, she may be headed back to the Bai Clan on her own power. We should allow her to choose her own fate, Hui opined.

What Sectgoer says is reasonable. If anyone sees her, though, let us know, Healer said conclusively.

“Master!” Ying Lin shouted.

Hui glanced around, then quickly adjusted his swordflight, speeding up to catch up with the others. Gu Tian… argh, if I didn’t need him to keep teaching Ying Lin how to read, I’d put him in this new sword!

The three swords sped over the scrubland. Li Xiang led the way, with Lu Xubo and Hui following behind her, Lu Xubo slightly ahead of Hui. They flew through the night, until, as dawn broke the next morning, Li Xiang raised her hand and pointed ahead.

“There,” she said.

A treasured ship flew through the sky. Large enough to hold an entire sect, it appeared nearly empty from where Hui stood. He licked his lips, completely unsure how to gauge this. In my novels back home, transportation vehicles are unnecessarily large… larger than small countries, in some cases. Is this a gaudily large vehicle, or have I finally encountered the rumored ‘cultivation numbers?’

He peered at Li Xiang and Lu Xubo to gauge their reactions, but both remained poker-faced. Ying Lin, in contrast, stared slack-jawed, completely overawed by the enormous ship.

Hui sighed. Li Xiang always has a poker face, Lu Xubo seems like he has a silkpants background, and Ying Lin is a country bumpkin! They’d react like this no matter how nice the ship was! Useless, completely useless!

“Let’s go,” Lu Xubo declared, summoning his sword to his hand.

Hui jumped out in front of the group and threw his hands out. “Wait, wait, Elder Brother. Let’s not charge straight in.”

“What do you propose, then?” Lu Xubo asked. He crossed his arms and looked down his nose at Hui.

Hui took a deep breath. He cupped his hands respectfully. “If Elder Brother is willing, then…”