Hui frowned to himself, thinking as he followed the reaper back. Protecting the Heavenly Dao… I don’t really want to do that. That isn’t my Dao. I respect that the reaper and Zhu Diyu want to protect it, but I have a different Dao. My Dao… my Dao is…

The reaper thumped his shoulder. “What did I tell you? Don’t try to have an enlightenment while you’re in this state. Focus on recovering.”

“Ah… Elder Sister is right,” Hui said.

As they walked, the color leaked from the world. They touched down on the ground. The reaper stepped forward, and a dark hole opened in the ground before her. Hui followed her down. The two of them came out into the cave of the Underworld once more.

A wave of exhaustion struck Hui. He stumbled and pressed a hand to his forehead. Why… Why am I so…

“See? You haven’t recovered yet. Go back to your quarters and rest,” the reaper told him.

Hui nodded numbly. Rest, yeah. I can rest. Meditate and… sneak out to the mortal realm to meet my children!

But first… rest. I need to be in tiptop shape if I’m going to fool the reaper and Zhu Diyu. For now, that means recovery.

He staggered off toward the house the reaper had pointed out earlier. A prim and clean room awaited him, decorated in white. Too exhausted to explore the room, he sat down on a white mat against the wall and assumed a lotus pose. Drawing a breath, he circulated his qi slowly and evenly, massaging out the parts in his cultivation that clicked and didn’t quite match up.

Come on. I need to fix everything so I can escape!

The reaper strode off with purpose. She glanced over her shoulder, then marched on. In no time, she reached Zhu Diyu’s court. Without a word, she bowed and saluted.

Zhu Diyu heaved himself up, straightening on his throne. He waved his hand. “Dismissed.”

A clerk ran forward and saluted as well. “My lord, we’re already behind. Any more delay and—”

“What did I say? Dismissed. We’ll resume tomorrow,” Zhu Diyu grumbled. He hopped off his throne, gesturing for the reaper to follow him.

The clerk bowed deeper, not daring to protest.

Zhu Diyu sighed. “So boring.”

The reaper said nothing, walking silently at his side.

“So? How does it go?” Zhu Diyu asked, when they had walked some distance from the court.

The reaper saluted again. “He isn’t pleased with any of it.”

Zhu Diyu snorted. “No, he wouldn’t be.”

“I think he’ll come to accept it in time,” the reaper said.

“Whether he does or doesn’t, that hardly matters to me,” Zhu Diyu said.

The reaper saluted.

“Enough with that. About that Dao of his, has he recalled it?”

The reaper shook her head. “He’s attempted it, but his cultivation is still too fractured for him to have an epiphany. If he heals, it’s a different matter, but for now, there’s no chance of it.”

“Good,” Zhu Diyu murmured. His brows furrowed faintly. “Though… I’ve begun to wonder.”

“My lord?” the reaper asked.

“Is there a point to all this? The Heavenly Emperor can’t be bothered. So why am I still…”

The reaper blinked at him.

Zhu Diyu waved his hand. “Go on.”

“That’s all. Ah, he dropped…” the reaper said. She fell silent.

“Yes?” Zhu Diyu asked.

She shook her head. “No, that’s all. He dislikes following the Heavenly Dao, but that will pass in time.”

“Even if he doesn’t, it doesn’t matter,” Zhu Diyu said.

“Also, he’s completely ruining the dignity of the reaper,” the reaper complained.

Zhu Diyu raised his hand. “I don’t need to hear about your workplace problems. Keep your conflict between yourselves. I’m sure you’re competent enough to handle it on your own.”

The reaper pressed her lips together. She nodded shortly.

“That’s all.” Zhu Diyu walked away. The reaper saluted to his back, waiting until he passed around the corner to stand upright.

She sighed. Is this okay? At this rate, the Underworld, too, will abandon the Heavenly Dao. After that… what’s left? Will anyone follow the Heavenly Dao? If there’s no one left to follow the Heavenly Dao, won’t the entire three realms fall into chaos? The mortal realm, the Underworld, and Heaven… all in chaos.

The reaper rubbed the back of her head, then sighed. She turned, looking toward the house where she’d left Hui. I know Zhu Diyu is interested in him, but I’m not sure why. It doesn’t matter, ultimately, but… I’m curious.

--

Hui opened his eyes. He spat out a mouthful of bad blood and straightened his posture. At the same time, he internally adjusted his cultivation. An audible click emanated from his body, and as if he’d just popped a bone back into joint, his entire cultivation let out a relaxed feeling. Hui stretched. Feels good.

My cultivation is mostly adjusted now. It’s not perfect, but it’s much better than it was. Then… shall I begin cultivating to grow stronger, now?

Hui killed his qi, then let it burst back. Death qi flowed into him. He circulated it, drawing it into his dantian. Faster and faster. The golden orb that had formed at fifth stage showed signs of melting as it grew more and more dense, transforming from an orb into a sea of golden energy. Black swirls floated on the golden energy, exuding the aura of death.

Well, I’m dead, so… makes sense.

Hui circulated his qi faster and faster. To step into the sixth realm, I need to understand my Dao. My Dao… of death-faking?

No, that’s not right. There was more to it than that. Something beyond death-faking. Death… death…

The door slammed open. The reaper stepped inside. “Ready?”

“Ah!” Hui shouted, sitting bolt upright. His cultivation jumped, too. From a sea, it relaxed back into a ball. “Elder Sister! I was right in the middle of—”

The reaper frowned. “Were you cultivating? I’m sorry. You should have put a marker on the door.”

“A marker on the door? What, put a sock on the door handle if I’m cultivating in here?” Hui rebuked her.

“I don’t mean to interrupt you. I can leave, if you’d like to finish?” she said.

Hui looked at her. She looked at him.

Hui licked his lips. Right, I’m just… not going to point that out. Brushing off his robes, he stood. “So… where are we going, Elder Sister?”

“The Eastern Alliance,” the reaper said.

Oh. That’s the demonic one, right? The one that focuses on hidden weapons and poison. Not to be confused with the demons’ lands, the Northern Lands, which are occupied by high-realm beast cultivators.

…Not confusing at all.

“Elder Sister, I’ve been wondering. What’s the Western Country like?” Hui asked. I started in the Southern Sect Conference, and I’ve glimpsed the Eastern and Northern regions. I haven’t seen anything about the West yet.

She glanced over her shoulder. “It’s a desert wasteland. There are a few immortal paradise-like regions scattered around the vast lands which can support cultivators, but they’re few and far between. The cultivators there constantly battle over the few regions that can support cultivators. As a result, all the sects that occupy the Western Country are martial sects composed of powerful warriors.”

Ah… that’s concerning.

Well, then again, I knew the Southern Sect Conference was the weakest of the four regions. I haven’t seen the cardinal sects yet… though I might have, without knowing it. If the Eastern and Northern regions are at war, then probably the two women I saw battling are members of the cardinal sects… that is, the most powerful sects in each region, if something as simple as Ai Lingling arriving to battle could change the course of the war.

I’ll have to pay attention. I can treat my stint as a reaper as a preview to help prepare myself for conflict with the other regions! Hui nodded to himself.

Plus, the Eastern Alliance… that’s got to be closer to the Southern realm than the border of the Northern and Eastern realms! I’ll drop another seed, and maybe I’ll try to sneak out later tonight when we get back!

Hui clenched his fist. I’m coming back. No one can stop me!