Chapter 38: Hope of Morning

Chapter 38: Hope of Morning

The triplets charged at him from the left and the right. Hui glanced at them. Xue, defend me.

Xue jumped up and lunged at the nearer triplet. The second one danced back. The firsts sword met Xues claws. The second gestured, and a blast of fire burst through the air. Xue narrowly ducked it and diverted, charging toward the second triplet.

As I thought, theyre disregarding me. Whether theyve noticed me giving orders to Xue or not, theyve decided Im less of a threat than him. Good.

Hui pressed a hand to his chin, taking a few moments to think. I have limited authority over this realm. What kind of things can I do?

A triplet vaulted over the altar and crouched next to him. Hui startled and almost ran, but the triplet ignored him, slapping the altar instead. He turned his head and poked at it, then leaned down and pressed his ear against it, listening for something. His brows furrowed, and he stood again, giving the altar a kick.

His eyes turned to Hui, and he scowled.

Eh, stupid ghoul. Stop touching the treasure, the triplet muttered, waving him away.

Ah, its the third one. Im safe. Hui turned back to the altar. Altar, can you make it day?

Changing realms time to daylight hours, the female voice responded.

Huh? You can talk? the triplet asked, tilting his head. He reached out and turned Huis face toward him.

Hui yanked his chin out of the triplets hand. Xue! Break the ceiling!

In the middle of a swordfight, Xue stopped. The triplets sword cut through his side, but he didnt react. He knelt, then leapt with all his might. Trapped in his flesh, the triplets sword went with him. Up in the depths of the darkness, Xue bounded off the walls once, twice, then drew back a claw and punched.

The ceiling shattered. Shards of flint rained down on them, sharp as knives. From high above, the thin, pale light that passed as day streamed down on them.

Wait are you him? The other intruder? the third triplet guessed, frowning at Hui.

Hui continued to ignore him. He stared upward, watching Xue. It sets in at midnight. It must be dispelled by daylight, right?

Xue stared up, almost startled by the light. Dangling from the edge of the broken ceiling, he raised his free hand and stared at it. Black claws receded. Gray flesh turned rosy once more. He yanked the sword out of his gut, and it fell through the air, trailing ghoul-Xues thick, dark blood after it.

As he turned human, another transformation took place. His body grew slighter, smaller. His black robes turned to white. The blackened flesh along his side turned red and tender, an offset to his rapidly-softening skin. His long hair grew longer, and his skirts grew fuller.

Yin-form Xue smiled down at the triplets. She released the ledge and hurtled from the heavens, drawing her fans as she fell. Her pure-white hair and pure-white robes streamed behind her, trailing like a comets tail. Ancient Glacier Strike!

Three massive mounds of ice appeared around her. With a slash of her fans, she sent the glaciers hurtling at the triplets.

Staring up at the huge lump of ice, Hui swallowed. Elder sister dont forget about little me, okay?

He turned and bolted, leaving the third triplet behind. The third triplet ran in the opposite direction. Midair, the ice turned and gave chase, shooting after the triplet. He hit the wall, then turned and raised his sword.

The blocks of ice slammed into him and his brothers in one great thump!, pinning the three of them in place.

Chill Frost Formation. As she fell, Xue crossed her fans in front of her, then snapped them closed. The three blocks of ice grew stronger, larger. Their foundations froze into the floor below, and frost spread from their feet, freezing anything it touched. The frost spread rapidly over the floor, sealing off the entire area.

Hui ran back the other way, fleeing the frost. He reached the altar and leapt onto it, huddling on its narrow flint expanse. Frost encroached the base of the altar, slowly climbing up it. Freezing air crept ahead of it. Even through the ghouls skin, Hui felt the bite of the cold. He shivered, retracting into as small a ball as he could.

Venerable Bai Xue, please, this small cultivator requests your mercy!

Xue blinked. Her eyes grew wide, and she snapped her fans wide again. The frost stopped.

A second later, Xue extended her tiptoes and delicately landed on the floor. She tapped over to Hui, staccato steps surefooted despite the frost. Is this the artifact?

Mmm. Its broken.

Broken? Xue asked, frowning.

More accurately it never worked. Its the source of the undead in this realm, but it wont revive anyone. Its also the control node for this realm, though, so its not entirely useless, Hui explained.

Xue frowned. Thats no good.

Hui glanced at Xue. If you dont mind me asking why did you want it?

Xue twisted her lips. I wanted to dispel the curse on me. My clan has tried everything, poured so many resources into it nothing worked. I thought maybe, if this realms artifact truly works, maybe I could kill myself and revive myself to escape the curse.

Whoa, Hui muttered. Thats pretty extreme.

If the altar doesnt work, though, thats useless. I dont want to become an undead. Honestly, thats exactly what Im trying to avoid. She sighed and shook her head.

I guess it explains why no big-shot has ever tried to break in and get the artifact, Hui muttered, slapping the altar. Theres easier ways to make undead, Im sure.

Though on the other hand, if I can comprehend the secret and figure out how to fix the altar

What am I thinking? A genius from ancient times couldnt complete this altar. How could a small cultivator like me finish his work?

Razor sharp steel fans appeared at his neck. Hui swallowed and put his hands up slowly.

"If you're lying..." Xue warned.

"We've already agreed, elder sister, the artifact goes to you, this little cultivator wants to live a long, peaceful life, okay? I don't want the artifact, I'm more than happy to give it to elder sister, please don't blame me because it doesn't work!" Hui babbled, eyes on the blade's edge.

"Mmm, understood," Xue allowed. She lowered her fans.

The next opening is scheduled for twenty-seven days and five hours from now.

But can you open the realm early?

There was a pause. Deep in the castle, stone ground on stone, a low rumbling reminiscent of a computers fans rushing to life.

Accelerating timeline. Opening the realm. Please proceed to exit point.

It opened! We can get out! Hui replied, excited.

He turned toward Xue and found her perching over him, a broad smile on her face. She reached out and caught him into a hug by his shoulders, locking her legs around the left side of his waist.

Unwilling, Hui struggled. Her arms felt like steel, unrelenting.

Good job, good job, Xue praised him. She petted his hair happily, leaning her cheek against the top of his head. So soft

Xue, let me go! Hui complained, fighting. Stop petting my hair!

Mmm, you don't want a beautiful woman to pet your hair? she asked, shaking her head at him.

Bai Xue Hui whined, turning a pitiful expression at her.

To conserve energy between openings, realm will collapse in one minute.

Wait, what? Hui asked, so startled he forgot to fight Xue.

Huh? Xue replied, grip loosening.

The realms going to collapse! Weve got to get out of here! Hui said.

Shit! Xue let go of Hui and jumped up. She glanced left and right, then looked up at the gray sky, so far above. Take my hand!

Hui grabbed ahold of Xue. She clasped his hand back and drew him to her chest, holding him in a very heroic pose. Hui grabbed onto her waist, feeling faintly that something was wrong. Hold up, arent I supposed to strike the magnificent pose while the ladies clasp onto my waist?

Xue knelt, then leaped. She soared through the air and struck the wall, jumped again, whipped around and jumped off another wall, and bounded up to the hole shed knocked in the ceiling as a ghoul. Sharp edges rushed at Hui. He closed his eyes and clenched tighter to Xue. The flint scraped by, a hair's breadth from his flesh, and then they were free, soaring through the empty sky.

Wheres the exit? Xue asked, scanning the horizon. They arced back down and landed on the castle roof. Xue caught both their weight on her tiptoes, elegantly dancing along the edge of the roof in her odd, shuffling way.

Hui squinted out from beside her, peering around the skies. A tremor in the clouds above them caught his eye. He pointed. There!

Xue swept her fan. A spiraling slope of ice materialized before them. She climbed up it, carrying Hui under an arm.

Let me down, I can walk, Hui insisted, struggling.

No, you cant. Its slick ice, Xue replied. She scruffed his head with her free hand. Stay quiet, or Ill pet your head again.

At that, Hui lapsed into reluctant silence. Dammit, its bad enough riding on Masters sword, but now I get carried by Xue, too? I cant wait until I advance realms and I can walk around myself like a real cultivator.

Behind them, something shattered. Xue and Hui both glanced back.

Ah, they broke the ice, Xue commented.

Hurry! We cant waste time fighting them now! Hui replied.

Other cultivators appeared around them, ascending to the wavering crack in the sky through their own methods. Some flew on shuttles or other magical vehicles, a few operated magical techniques to walk on air or fly, others summoned spirit beasts to carry them, and one sprouted her own wings and flew to the shimmering gap. The gap grew wider, becoming a black maw into the void, the same as it had been when Hui had entered.

Get back here!

Youre our furnace!

Snow bunny! the final triplet shouted, delighted.

The first one reached the ice slide and ran up it. He managed to get ten feet up the ice before he slid back down, his boots sliding comically over the ice as he ran in place.

Hmph. As if that ruffian could climb my ice pillar, Xue said, looking down on him. She snapped her fingers.

Ice climbed up the triplets ankles to his knees, binding him to the slide. Frozen abruptly in place, he swayed forward, backward, then lost his balance and toppled onto his back.

The third triplet pointed and laughed. The second rushed to the firsts assistance, only to begin sliding over the ice the same as the first.

I wonder if they had the same intention as me, Xue murmured, looking down at the trio.

How do you mean? Hui asked, looking up at her.

I dont know if its a curse or a qi deviation, but they used to be one. You can see it in their qieveryone has a unique qi flow, even twins and triplets, but these threetheir qi flow is identical. I wonder if they, too, despaired of ever finding a solution, she replied.

Huh, Hui said. So its not a cultivation technique for triplets. Well, that would be pretty odd, wouldnt it?

They reached the gap. A few of the green-robed cultivators turned to them, but Xue ignored them and dashed for the void. She tightened her grip on Hui. Hold on.

Ugh, this wasnt pleasant the first time Hui tensed, grabbing Xues robes in return.

The black void loomed. It filled his vision. The void chewed at the sky around it, wearing the world thin at its edges.

Yin-Prison!