Chapter 234: I

Chapter 234: I

Light spiraled around him. Something wrenched at Huis body, pulling it apart. He screamed, soundlessly. The rift devoured all sound. Hui hung between the worlds, neither in the realm nor the world hed come from. For a moment, he caught a glimpse of darkness, biting through the brilliant light. Then the world shook, and Hui fell into the True Self Realm.

For a moment, he caught a glimpse of pure blue skies and a sea of red poppies. Then a horrible weight crashed onto his shoulders. Instinctively, Hui played dead.

The second he did, his soul fell out of his body. Hui came back to life and reached for his body, but found nothing below him. He blinked, confused, looking around him.

Gray skies stretched overhead. Low clouds blanketed the skies, dull and dead. Underfoot, dead poppies stood stiffly in rows, heads bowed, gray and dusty. Gray dust laid thick on the ground and the poppies, not a single footstep in sight. No sign of his body, nor of the entrance to the realm, nor of any exit.

Hui rubbed his eyes, but no color returned. I should be able to see in color as a soul, now. Theres just no color in this realm.

In this version of this realm. What happened? Why am I here? Where did my body go?

Hui startled, then glanced around. Elder Sister Reaper?Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

No cold snort rang out. Hui frowned. Eh? I guess she cant get in here?

He closed one eye, reaching out to Fang Hua, but received no response. His call fell into a dark void, far from anything he could reach. Looks like our connection has been severed.

With nothing else to do, Hui wandered into the realm. Dust swirled around his feet and hung in the air behind him, as if even the air refused to move. Dry poppies rustled past, loud as shuffling paper and stiff as hay. On and on, passing silently through the field.

He lost track of time. The sun never appeared, nor the moon. The sky remained the same dreary, boring gray, never changing. The poppies continued, endless and dead. Gray dust whispered past.

As he walked, his body began to fade. Feet first, then hands, paling and turning more translucent, until he glided over the ground instead of walking, until his hands were bare outlines. His gaze fixed on the horizon. No thoughts passed through his head, only walking, onward, eternally.

He lifted his hands and clenched them, then rubbed them together. So cold. Im freezing.

Worst case, Ill just play dead.

He lifted his hand to stroke Zhubi again and awkwardly touched his neck instead. With one last nervous glance behind him, he stepped into the shadow.

His foot landed on soft loam, and he suddenly stood in a garden. Tall plants stretched to the heavens all around him. Bright sun beat down. Color returned to the world, the earth rich brown, the plants vibrant green. He blinked, confused. I escaped?

A cold wind tickled down his spine. He hugged himself tighter, rubbing his arms. No. Im still in the realm. This is only an illusion.

Careful! The sprouts! a man called. Calloused hands grabbed Hui and pulled him to the side.

Hui glanced down. Tiny sprouts pushed through the earth below, barely peeking through the loam. He shuffled aside apologetically. Im sorry, Elder Brother. I didnt see them.

A man with a vaguely familiar face smiled at Hui. Its fine. You didnt crush any of the sprouts.

Clearing his throat, Hui glanced around. Half to himself, he muttered, Where are we?

Eh? Starbound Sect. This is Jade Garden Peak. Come on, Junior Brother. Ill show you the basics of plant cultivation. The man smiled at him and gestured him on.

Hui looked up at the man. Who is he? I feel like Ive seen his face once before. But where? When? Pausing, he considered, then asked, Elder Brother, how long have you been here?

For as long as I can remember. Since I was a child, the man said, sighing in contentment. He walked off, through the garden.

Hui jogged to keep up. He shivered again as a cold wind blew. The man didnt notice, striding along the same as ever. Elder Brother, whats your name?

Gu Tian. But you know that, Xie Hao, he replied, smiling.