Chapter 33: Troubles Come in Threes

Chapter 33: Troubles Come in Threes

The spires passed slowly by. Occasionally, Hui found his feet drifting off the straight-line path theyd decided upon, but Xue always corrected him before he drifted too far. Likewise, whenever Xue started to wander, he drew her back.

The light began to fade. Darkness again fell over the sky, the fog swirling thicker. Shuffling sounds echoed from the fog. Huis ears prickled. He whirled to find nothing for the hundredth time. Frustrated, he rubbed the back of his neck and adjusted the undead skin around his chest. I wish I could properly refine it. Then I wouldnt have to be so worried all the time.

Ordinary undead arent so bad, but if I run into another undead cultivator

We made it! Xue declared, slapping her hand on a final spire.

Hui looked up. Ahead of them, the fog cleared. Spires of flint stood at even intervals, tilted toward them. Undead shambled, lurching around a giant flint castle.

The castle dominated the horizon. Black, crystalline walls soared to the sky. Three tiers stacked on top of one another, each one grander than the last. Wraiths perched on the edges of curved roofs, carved from stone. Hideous, they snarled at the realm's intruders, mouths open to reveal razor-sharp fangs. The outer wall sported double doors carved with a hideous ghost face, eyes wild and face twisted into a grimace.

"Is that the center of the realm?" Hui asked.

Xue shrugged.

Before she could answer, a talisman flashed under her foot. She stepped away, startled, but too late. A beam of green light blasted into the sky.

Uhoh, Hui thought, stepping back. He dropped into a defensive pose and reached for his sword. "We should escape"

Three flashes of green streaked toward them. Three cultivators rode identical disc-shaped shuttles, each one sporting the same face. Powered by a blue glow at their center, the magical vehicles propelled themselves and the cultivators under their own power, allowing cultivators under the fourth stage to fly.

Despite himself, Hui felt a tinge of jealousy. This world has shuttles? I want one!

In the space of a breath, the triplets reached them. They circled around Hui and Xue like vultures, staring down at them with greedy eyes.

Shes here.

Found her.New novel chapters are published on

Snow bunny!

The three of them plunged, raising their hands toward one another. Gold light shimmered between them.

Hui jumped back, drawing his sword. The gold light passed over him, and he landed outside it in a puff of gray grit. Almost more concerned, he patted himself down. It didn't... hurt me?

Xue leaped back as well. She struck the golden light, and it repelled her. Back arching, Xue bounced to the floor. Her bound ankles tangled, and she fell to her knees.

The three identical cultivators stood at the corners of a triangular array. Shimmering light walls materialized between the three of them, rising into the heavens.

Take that, bitch!

Trapped her.

Poor bunny.

As menacingly as he could manage, Hui pointed his sword at the triplets. Release her!

The triplets glanced at him.

The interloper?

Yawning, the third rolled out his shoulders. I wanna let the barrier go and attack the little cultivator boy.

The first two rounded on the third.

No! Wait.

Theyre almost here! We wont be able to catch her with the same trick twice!

I could flick him to death! Foundation Building? Ugh! I let him go last time, but I didnt expect him to be so annoying. Despite that, the third settled down, steadily maintaining his corner of the barrier.

Yin in, yang out. I have both energies in my body--everyone does, but I havent cultivated them. I have no idea how to single that energy out, or what it feels like. Hui frowned. He pushed harder at the barrier. It remained steady under his hands, unwavering.

From behind the corner of the castle, two more green-robed cultivators jumped out.

Hui, run! Its too late! Don't die a pointless death for a stranger's sake, Xue pleaded, a note of desperation in her voice. She shoved at the wall as though she could reach through and shove him away.

Yang out. But what if theres no yang? No qi at all? Hui clamped down on his dantian, cutting off his qi. His body went limp. He toppled forward, through the barrier.

W-what? the triplets shouted in sync.

Hui released his hold. Qi rushed through him. The barrier began to expel him, but before it could, Xue caught his hands.

Now! Push your qi into me! she shouted.

Hui complied. As qi blasted through his veins, filling in the void where hed killed it, he fed it into Xue. Reminds me of what I did to Chang Bolin, he thought, except this time his qi wasnt rioting.

He felt Xues qi in return. Icy cold yin, as far as he could reach. Then, deep inside her, rushing up to meet him, a blast of yang, hot as fire.

Something flickered in the yang. Black. A thread of smoke. Hui frowned, focusing on it. That could it be?

Xues grip tightened around his. Her hands grew larger, rougher. Muscle coiled up her delicate arms. Her white robes and long skirt turned black and simpler. White hair burned away to black. The same red eyes blazed at him; the same red accents lined her robes; the same red rope bound her ankles.

Hui blinked. Not her. His.

Xue smirked. As handsome as the female version had been beautiful, he tossed his hair and looked down on the cultivators around them.

Feels good to be out, he sighed.

He released Huis hands. Hui fell back, out of the barrier. He crumpled to the ground, drained. Ah! How much qi did he take?

Xue gave the barrier a casual, backhanded slap. The light shattered like glass. The triplets faltered and fell back as their technique, broken, backlashed. Gold light cut into them. The third screamed and clutched his head. He toppled to the floor, squirming.

Xue knelt and snatched Hui up, dangling him over his shoulder. He drew one of his fans and swept it at the onrushing cultivators.

A wave of fire burst out, rushing over the dusty earth. Undead in its path lit up like paper in a bonfire. The two cultivators fell back, darting out of the fires blast.

Shit! I thought he couldnt enter his yang form?

Who the hell said that? Gao Three, I hope youre ready for death!

Watching from high above, the female cultivator from before shook her head. Serves you right, gutter-minded trash.