Chapter 217: Exchange Students

Chapter 217: Exchange Students

Now that he was on the peak, under Mount Mu, Hui couldnt help but look up. Mount Mus impressive understructure spread out above him, the roots twisting through the air in a mirror image of the branches above. The very tip of the taproot dangled slightly to the side of the old hut, barely any larger or wider than the slender roots of a dandelion by the time he could reach it. He lifted his hand and placed it on the taproot. Life qi pulsed under his palm, powerful even in this distant reach of the tree.

It kind of feels like Im looking up someones skirt, Hui thought to himself. A second later, he slapped his own face. Bai Xue, how dare you taint my thoughts! If it wasnt for Bai Xue, Id be a good and pure disciple, without any strange and lascivious thoughts!

Mmm, well I did come over from a different world, after all, with different moral standards. I probably still wouldnt be a good and pure disciple from this worlds standpoint, no matter what I did.

Settling into a lotus pose, Hui began to circulate his qi, slowly absorbing the qi and life qi around him. As he cultivated, he let his mind run.

I still have to restock my talismans. Oh, and that barrier technique, a one-way passthrough barrier One that lets everything in but nothing out, or nothing in and everything out. Theres situations where both could be useful, so Ill make both! For example, if I need to put a barrier over my poor dead body, but still fire off attacks, the second will be better for that, or if I need to trap dangerous disciples or hmm, the first could even be used as a kind of net to absorb all kinds of attacks and hold them outside of their owners reach! Imagine if someone threw a sword at me, and I trapped their sword in a barrier where it could enter, but not exit. Id have disarmed them in a moment! Excellent, excellent. Barrier techniques are the best!

Of course, I also need a stronger barrier formula. Mine is already fading, and Im only at the fourth tier. When I face the fifth tiers Heavenly Tribulation, I need a barrier thats strong enough to hold it back!

Actually Xixing gave me those pills, which I cultivated to figure out my body cultivation technique, but Bai Xue also promised me new talisman formulae. I wonder if this small disciple could be so bold as to make a request?

But how do I contact Bai Xue?

Hui put a hand on his chin, momentarily pausing his cultivation. After a second, he waved his hand. After Im done catching up on everything, Ill stop by Starbound Peak. Theyre sure to know, if anyone does.

Mmm should I use my snakeskin and go in disguise? After all, I dont want the All-Heavens Sect cultivators or the Starbound Peak cultivators to recognize me. What are the downsides? Its technically a technique from a demonic sect, but its an ancient technique directly from the snake ancestor, and doesnt use any nefarious energy to run. As far as any of the cultivators around me will know, I simply look however I decide to look with the snakeskin! The chances anyone recognizes the technique, or recognizes it as a demonic technique, are miniscule.

Ah, its decided. Ill go in disguise!

Hui started to hop to his feet, but then settled again. First, cultivation and restocking my talismans. After all, I want to be in top shape if I end up facing one of those All-Heavens disciples!

Days passed. One songbird after another appeared in Huis dantian at an even pace. Even directly siphoning Mount Mus life qi as he was, Mount Mu itself stood strong, careless of his actions. From time to time, Hui gazed up at it with awe and gratitude in his eyes. Im merely a worm, gnawing its roots. Mount Mu is so full of qi and power that it hasnt even registered my existence, even now!

Though, if I cut a bit of its bark Ah, theres no need, no need. Ill let it sleep and quietly express my gratitude by draining its life qi.

At last, his dantian filled. He could sense a barrier in front of him, a blockade that he had to burst through to go higher. Rather than fight against it, Hui simply repressed his qi, condensing his stocks to much lower than that level. I dont need to tease Senior Heavenly Tribulation. Ill meekly hide in the realms of a fourth-tier cultivator until Im ready to comprehend my own Dao, and more importantly, ready to face that terrifying, deadly tribulation!

Hui opened his eyes and stretched, yawning. He rifled through his storage ring, coming up with the fine talisman paper and ink Bai Xues father had gifted him. I might as well use this now. I can always make more paper later.

So decided, he spread out the paper before him and began to copy talismans.

Time flew by. His brush sped over the paper. Whenever he ran out of qi, he cultivated quietly under the root of Mount Mu until he recovered, then started again. A month passed, then two. At last, he flicked his sleeve, gathering up his talismans.

Ive heard you cultivated to fourth realm in less than twenty years. Is that true?

Hui hesitated again. He bit his lip, then slowly nodded. Ah, butbut it was mostly coincidence and good fortune. I dont think theres any need to consider this small cultivator someone noteworthy.

Even if its coincidence and good fortune, it still makes you a genius in your own right! she declared.

I wouldnt go that far, Hui said, shaking his head adamantly.

Weiheng Hui, as the most powerful cultivator of your generation at Starbound Sect, I, Tang Feier, the most powerful, most cutest cultivator of my generation, challenge you to a fight! she said, slapping her chest.

Er Elder Sister, you must have made a mistake. The strongest cultivator of my generation is Li Xiang, no? Hui said, backing away and shaking his head.

Tang Feier frowned. Shes a genius sword cultivator, thats true, but it took her almost a hundred years to reach fourth realm. Even a blind man could see the true genius here.

No, no. Shes much stronger than myself. If you want a fight, fight her! Hui insisted.

Ill fight her, but I want to start with number one! Weiheng Hui! Tang Feier declared, jabbing his chest with her forefinger.

Thats what Im saying, Elder Sister. Im hardly number one. I dont rank amongst the most powerful disciples of Starbound Sect, even in my generation, Hui said, putting his hands up.

I dont believe that! Tang Feier leaped at him, throwing a punch at his head.

Hui leaped back. A barrier talisman flickered into his hand, and he threw it out before him. Tang Feiers fist slammed into the barrier and shattered it. In that moment, Hui threw himself a hundred feet backward, coughed up two mouthfuls of blood, and slammed into a tree. He tipped his head back and killed his qi.

There! See? Im not powerful at all. You cant say Im the number one!

Tang Feiers eyes flashed. She leaped toward his prone form, raising her fist again.

Qi flashed through his body as Hui activated his crystallization technique and snakeskin technique in the same moment, disguising the crystalized forms flat planes and sharp edges with the snakeskin. His crystalized form had advanced in the last battle, no longer as jarringly square and sharp-edged, but it still lacked the softness of the human form. The snakeskin filled in the gaps and made up for it.

Tang Feier hammered his crystal body with blow after blow. Cracks formed in the crystal, but Hui felt little pain thanks to the crystal technique. He quieted his qi and laid there limply, refusing to fight back or show the slightest sign of life.

At last, Tang Feier stepped back. She looked at her fist, then at Hui, then frowned. Surely thats not all there is to Starbound Sects number one in his generation?

Elder Sister, I keep telling you, youve got it all wrong! Im not anyones number one in any generation, okay? Im just a small cultivator who wants to live in peace.