Hui stood before a grand pair of pillars holding up a gilded arch. A brilliant nameplate declared it the Black Dragon Gambling Hall in blazing gold letters. An enormous bowl of phoenix fire burned at the base of each pillar, lighting the entrance gate and sign in flickering red. Black doors reinforced with brass stretched tall overhead.

He nodded to himself. Yep. Definitely not an evil den of madness. Definitely not.

Alright, Hui. You can do this. Focus. Find the source of the fire. Find Han Qin’s… mysterious woman! The final of the Four Evils. The source of the fire I’ve been infected with. Whatever I learn from her, I need to focus on removing this fire in my gut. It followed me here, to the Underworld. It’ll follow me back to the mortal realm. And perhaps, even… to the Immortal realm?

Well, even if it does, there’s always Master. Something like that is probably trivial to remove for him.

But I can’t rely on that! I might not be able to break through into the Immortal realm with these flames. I can’t allow such a stumbling block to remain ingrained in my body!

Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his hems, pushed his hat back onto his shoulders, and pushed open the doors.

Shouted conversation. Laughter. Song and the sound of an instrument, almost overwhelmed by the noise of the crowd. Dice clattered, coins clanked, and cards flapped. Thick smoke darkened the air, mingling with the sweet scent of alcohol. From beautiful demons to rotting ghouls, the occupants drank, gathered around tables, and bet money.

Hui lifted his sleeve over his nose and mouth, huddling toward the edge of the room. This is not the place for an earnest righteous cultivator like myself. Not at all! The quicker I find this Little Flame, the quicker I can leave this place forever, and never look back!

“First time?”

Hui startled. Looking up, he found a figure in clothes blacker than night standing beside him, their face half-covered by a dark veil. Only their forehead and eyes were visible, and their eyes were shut. In sharp contrast to their black robes, their skin was pale as paper, utterly, deathly white. Long black lashes hung over soft cheeks, with a black flower mark in the center of their brows. A smudge of dark makeup touched the corner of their eyes, lending them a snake- or fox-like quality. Although Hui qualified as tall, the figure easily towered over him, slender like a pillar.

They blended into the shadows… I nearly bumped into them! And then, and then, they would have demanded damages, and… oh no, Hui! I’ve been careless! In the future, remain vigilant! Just because the air is hazy with smoke is no excuse to miss an imposing fellow like this.

Hui quickly bobbed into a bow. “Ah, excuse me. I didn’t mean to disturb Senior.”

The figure waved their hand, their eyes squinting a bit in a smile.

Come to think of it, is this a man or a woman? He quickly scanned their figure, but nothing stood out to him either way. Their voice was a kind of low alto… hmm. I can’t quite tell.

The figure looked at him expectantly.

“Oh! Er, yes. It is. My first time, that is,” Hui stuttered. He bowed again. “Many apologies for disturbing Senior. This small cultivator will be on his way.”

“No, no. You aren’t a disturbance at all. If it’s your first time, then allow me to show you the lay of the land,” the figure offered. They reached a delicate, pale hand from beneath their dark robes, offering it to him palm-up.

Hui hesitated. His eyes flickered to the figure’s closed eyes.

The figure frowned slightly, their nose wrinkling in displeasure. A faint pressure welled up around them.

Hui startled and quickly grabbed their hand. Ahhh, how troublesome. I’ve been caught by someone dangerous immediately! I can’t even politely refuse and walk away, because this isn’t the normal world, but a cultivation world, where politely refusing a powerful figure is more than enough reason to behead you! Look at Si Wang, for example, punching me for a mere slip of the tongue. For now, the only way to escape death is to play along and hope that’s enough to satisfy Senior!

“I’ll warn you that I lack spirit stones,” Hui said quietly. Take that! I’m poor! Be disgusted and push me away!

“That’s fine,” the figure said, smiling kindly.

“I—I also refuse to take on any sort of debt!” Hui followed up quickly, his voice raising a bit out of fear. Oh no! Even worse. They aren’t merely after my precious spirit stones, they’re also after my precious life!

“No, no. What kind of lady do you take me for? I’m merely offering to show you around. There’s no price attached, none at all,” the figure said, waving a hand in front of their face with a light laugh.

Ah! They’re a woman. Hui nodded. “In that case, I’ll be in your care.” And I’ll hold you to those words, dammit. You won’t get a single spirit stone or debtor’s note out of me!

Leading him on, the woman in black strode through the hall. She passed like a shadow. None of the gamblers or revelers so much as looked up as she led Hui by. She paused by a game of mahjong, watching the tiles clack and the players adjust their hands, then glanced at Hui. Although her eyes didn’t open, they moved beneath their lids. “I don’t suppose you’d humor me with a round?”

“No, no. Ah, as I said, small cult…small spirit has no spirit stones,” Hui said, laughing lightly.

“If I supplied the ante?” she offered gently.

Hui shook his head again. “As a rule, I avoid gambling.” I see your game! I grew up around people like you in my first life. Ah, the first round is free, and I bet I’ll even win, but the second round, and the third? Haha, in ten seconds, you’ll have me down to my under-robes and pledged to spend the rest of eternity washing dishes in the back hall! You won’t trick this small Hui!

She said nothing, but her eyes crinkled somewhat. Humming under her breath, she led him on.

Drifting on, she led him to the bar, where a lovely ghost with smeared makeup poured wine. “How about a drink?”

“No, no,” Hui said, waving his hand. “Too rich for this small spirit.” Trying to get me addicted to alcohol? I see your game! It’s one sip for free today, but the next hit costs money!

“Then perhaps a smoke?”

“Please, Senior. Small spirit only came here to look, only to watch!” Hui said.

“Only to watch? Hmm, is that really all?” She turned toward him. Those closed eyes somehow bored into his, her brow slightly scrunched in disapproval.

Hui squirmed. “I… I’m here to meet someone! Otherwise, someone as small and boring as me would never come to such a place!”

“You aren’t small or boring at all,” she said, lifting her free hand to hide a laugh.

Eh? Is she hitting on me? Ah, is Senior perhaps… a prostitute? I’m not so weak as to fall for such pitiful provocation. Bai Xue has teased me far worse than such little ‘compliments!’

Hui cleared his throat. On the other hand, she did offer to show me around, and after wandering the hall… it’s not as if any of these spirits are on fire. It isn’t obvious who Little Flame is, so… maybe Senior will help me? “Er, Senior, have you heard of someone called ‘Little Flame?’”

Instantly, her face wrinkled in disapproval. Hui stiffened, eyes flicking around to assess his escape routes. I’ve clearly said something I shouldn’t! It’s time to flee!

“Little Flame? I know of her. What do you want with her?” the woman in black asked.

Hui coughed. “I… I’m looking for phoenix fire, and I was told she has some. If—if that’s incorrect, then I apologize, but—”

The woman in black clenched his hand tight. “Enough. Come with me.”

A shiver crawled up Hui’s spine. Oh no. I don’t know what I’ve done, but I’ve done it now! Er, it’s a good thing this body is a mere clone, but I might need a new clone soon! Quietly, he rubbed his free hand together, condensing a second lotus seed core.