Moments ago

As his consciousness faded, Hui frowned. I feel like… I’m forgetting something…

Ah, that’s right. Give in. I should just… give in.

Force pulled at Hui. He resisted weakly, clinging to Gui Delun’s qi passages. A tearing sound echoed through his mind, and he was ripped in two. Part of him travelled outside, to Han Qin, while a part of him clung to Gui Delun.

Life qi burned through him. The last of Hui’s qi construct that remained inside Gui Delun burst into a thousand sparkles and faded away.

Give in.

But only for a moment!

Time passed. Han Qin slashed out. His sword cut through the barrier like paper. Sighing, he wiped his brow. “Finally.”

Outside of the barrier, Hui’s body slumped over. Zhubi coiled protectively around him, hissing at the seniors.

Gui Delun opened his eyes and rose from his meditation. “Did the bug cause you that much trouble?”

“His talismans should not be taken lightly. He could be considered a once-in-a-hundred-years genius when it comes to talismans,” Han Qin said warningly.

A figure in white bolted down from the heavens, dropping toward Gui Delun. Gui Delun gestured, calling a sword to block their attack. Li Xiang bared her teeth at him. “Today, you face judgement.”

“I don’t think so.” Gui Delun swiped his sword. Li Xiang went flying.

Zhang Minyan darted up and caught Li Xiang, stopping her before she tumbled into the trees. “Gui Delun, you should face me, not this child.”

“A choice between two children,” Gui Delun scoffed. He whirled his sword around, then threw it at Zhang Minyan.

Backflipping, Zhang Minyan kicked the sword and sent it flying past. Gui Delun scowled and gestured it back to him, but before it could return, Zhang Minyan darted in. The two exchanged a flurry of blows too fast for the eye to follow as Li Xiang danced in and out, harrying Gui Delun without parting a hair from Zhang Minyan’s head.

The head of a bat dropped down from the sky. Fen Long descended. He cast a dark look at Gui Delun, then turned to Han Qin. His eyes fell on the dimensional pouch dangling from Han Qin’s belt. “I believe you have something that belongs to my friend.”

“Ha! He’s the one who has something that belongs to me. His knowledge ought to be mine. I’m the one who granted him the opportunity for enlightenment. I laid the groundwork. He only took the final step,” Han Qin spat back.

“Be it as it may, you are on my territory. I will not suffer you to live,” Fen Long said, raising his sword.

“Your territory? Isn’t it Gui Delun’s?” Han Qin taunted.

Fen Long snorted, unbothered. “Sect politics come and go, as constant yet changeable as the tides. This, too, would pass in time. But since I’ve been awakened, I’ll step in. Now. Will you hand over Weiheng Hui, or will you die here?”

“What do I have to fear from a petty child who hasn’t attained Immortality yet?” Han Qin asked haughtily.

“Bold words, for a man who’s been defeated by a feckless coward like Weiheng Hui time and time again,” Fen Long said, the corner of his lips quirking into a smile.

Han Qin flew toward Fen Long, enraged. Fen Long darted forth to meet him. Fire raged around Han Qin’s blade and flew forth from his aura. Fen Long’s pale white aura clung close to his blade and body, understated but powerful. Neither possessed their full power, but both were experts with knowledge beyond their current realm. As the two battled, the world distorted around them under the force of the laws and techniques they unleashed.

“This is my final clone. I won’t give up so easily. Not when the knowledge I’ve been seeking is at hand!” Han Qin snarled.

Fen Long ignored him. He glanced up.

A crow circled overhead.

Narrowing his eyes, Han Qin closed his mouth and charged at Fen Long with renewed vigor. You have time to look away? I’ll show you. In the space of a breath, they traded a hundred blows. Han Qin darted back, and Fen Long backed away as well. The two of them regarded one another.

“The old Patriarch of All-Heavens, who continues to fail in his ascension,” Han Qin said, shaking his head.

“Your mockery only reveals your shallow comprehension,” Fen Long said, shaking his head in gentle disappointment.

Han Qin’s eyes flashed. “You dare underestimate me?”

The crow darted down. Fen Long flew at Han Qin. The second his sword clashed with Han Qin’s, the crow latched its claws around Han Qin’s dimensional pouch.

“No!” Han Qin shouted. He slammed his elbow down on the crow.

The crow’s beady eyes flashed with red light. It snapped at the descending elbow. Blood flew, and Han Qin flinched back.

The crow escaped. Han Qin raised his sword to attack it, but before he could send a beam of sword light, Fen Long stepped in front of him. “I’m your opponent.”

Han Qin scowled. He jabbed at Fen Long, frustrated. “Acting righteous while your friend sneak attacks me?”

Fen Long expertly blocked his blows, expression still cool. “What that demonic Chen Wuya does is not my fault.”

“Such a paper-thin excuse!” Han Qin shouted disbelievingly.

Across the way, Chen Wuya’s crow form settled on Hui’s chest and began to tug open the pouch with his beak and claws. At Fen Long’s comment, he paused to narrow his eyes over his shoulder. “Ah, blaming me again, Fen Long? Am I your scapegoat for life?”

A faint blush spread over Fen Long’s cheeks. Even so, he remained straight-faced. Softly, so only Han Qin could hear, he murmured, “I wouldn’t mind that.”

Han Qin grew even more furious. “Allowing him to distract you in the middle of battle?”

“Haven’t you been the one chatting this whole time?” Fen Long replied, his usual demeanor returning.

Growling, Han Qin lunged toward the bird. Fen Long smoothly blocked his way. He quirked an eyebrow. “Frustration will only lead to mistakes.”

Han Qin flicked his sword. Flames raged off it and formed a circle around them. Another flick, and the flames flew outward.

“Good luck saving that bird of yours,” he said coldly, looking Fen Long in the eye.

Fen Long continued to watch Han Qin rather than chase the flames and show an opening. He paced silently on the air, slowly drawing closer.

“Letting him die?” Han Qin asked.

Silver light flashed as Fen Long fired a bolt of sword light at Han Qin. He chased the light down, hiding in its brilliance. Han Qin deflected the sword light only for Fen Long to barrel into him. The two went tumbling, exchanging barefisted blows and short jabs with the butt of their swords as they fell.

With some effort, Chen Wuya yanked the pouch open. A delicate, pale light drifted out. Chen Wuya sighed. “Alright, kid. You can stop playing dead now.”

The light shivered. It congealed together, then took form. Hui sat up, blinking around. “Eh, Senior? Where’d you come from?”

“I came from saving your ass. Now—” Chen Wuya whipped around.

Fire flew toward them. Hui went pale. He fell backward, instantly turning into pale light. At the same time, he coincidentally fell toward the dimensional pouch and away from the immediate danger of the fire.

Zhubi trembled and went limp, spinning himself in place so his coils turned belly-up.

“This little fire? Don’t be such a coward,” Chen Wuya scoffed, stepping forward.

“Senior, that’s phoenix fire!” Hui’s dead pile of qi warned him.

“Hmph.” Chen Wuya waved his wing. A sword strike emanated from his feathers and smashed the ring of fire upward, deflecting it over Zhubi’s body and away behind him.

Hui re-formed. “Uh. Thank you, Senior!”

Chen Wuya shuffled his feathers. “It was nothing.”

“Senior! The phoenix fire—” Hui pointed at Chen Wuya’s wing.

Lifting his wing, Chen Wuya inspected the flame flickering at the end of one of his feathers. He turned his head and quickly yanked the feather out of his body, tossing it to the side. “There. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Eh. It’s that easy?” Hui asked, touching his stomach. He touched nothing. His qi hands passed through his body. He glanced down, then shook his head. “Right. Senior, where’s my body?”

“It’s not as easy as it looks. It’s only because I unfortunately have an excellent comprehension of the cycle of reincarnation that it appears simple.” He gestured with his wing. “Your body’s over there. But the better question is, where’s the other half of you?”

Hui lifted his transparent hands. He turned them over, inspecting them front and back, then clenched them. A devious smile spread over his face. “I think you should ask Senior Gui Delun that.”

Chen Wuya turned. Dark eyes observed Gui Delun. After a moment, he threw back his head and cawed, just once. “You might be a complete waste of talent, but even I have to admit, I didn’t foresee that.”

“Senior is too kind to this small cultivator,” Hui said, bowing shortly. He turned and flew quickly to his limp body. The light vanished into Hui’s chest, and a moment later, he gasped a breath and sat up, rubbing his chest. “Ow, ow…”

“Is this really half of your energy?” Chen Wuya asked, cocking a brow. “It seems…”

“Ah, Senior, no need to say more. Small cultivator is already aware,” Hui said.

Chen Wuya snorted. “As long as you’re aware, it must be fine, hmm? Unusually confident of you.”

“No, it’s… I’ve made my peace,” Hui said, nodding quietly.

“I thought you wanted immortality more than anything?” Chen Wuya asked.

Hui lowered his head. “Sometimes, dreams don’t come true.”

“Giving up, then,” Chen Wuya said dryly.

“Mmm. Not quite. I’ve had a feeling for a while now that this isn’t the end of my path, but merely… a momentary roadblock,” Hui said, nodding. He bit his lip. “Ah, but I can’t be sure. It might simply be the end.”

Chen Wuya shuffled his wings. He glanced up, black eyes reflecting the sky. Distantly, Fen Long and Han Qin battled. “Take care. The underworld is no simple realm.”

“I understand,” Hui said, nodding. One way or another… I think I’m ending up there.

“I should know. I ruled one, once.”

“Eh?”

Without another word, Chen Wuya took to the air once more. Ragged black wings cut through the sky. Another crow joined the countless birds circling high overhead.

Hui frowned. What was that all about?

Oh well. I think it’s time. Time for me… to counterattack!