Chapter 318: Tribulations of Youth
Ying Lin hovered at Huis side, scanning him anxiously. You arent hurt?
No, no. Elder Sister, please. This small mortal will be fine, Hui insisted. He circulated his breath and settled his qi, slowly pushing the pain down. Once his qi no longer rioted inside him, only the lingering feeling of irreversible loss remained. He rubbed his chest, feeling somehow less. His hand turned to a fist, rubbing harder. Did I lose a piece of my soul? My soul doesnt feel incomplete no, I think I would notice if I lost a whole remnant soul. But I think my soul reduced. Perhaps it was fractured? Whatever was inside Sixth is gone now.
Was he destroyed in body and soul? Damn. I guess that isnt just a fancy phrase from those novels I read back in the day. Destroyed in body and soul I need a way to fake my souls death!
But how?
Then where are we? And when did you change your face and clothes again? We traveled as if by magic, she said slowly, turning to take in their surroundings.
They walked down a quiet, wooded road along the side of a mountain ridge. Sparse trees populated the rocky, hard earth to either side of an overgrown road. Ahead, a thicket of bamboo replaced the trees. The road wound into the thicket, the bamboo shafts blocking out the sun, the sky, the path ahead. High above, lofty tips swayed with the wind, while they walked into the still depths of an ocean of green.
Hui took a deep breath. Glancing back to ensure the All-Heavens trio werent paying attention, he quickly grew a leaf and drew the exclusion barrier Sixth had learned from Fu Liyu on it. An invisible dome that suppressed all sound bubbled around him and Ying Lin, centered around the talisman, which slowly smoldered.
Turning to Ying Lin, he bowed apologetically. Elder Sister, Im a clone.
Eh? Oh, Ying Lin said. A clone of Master?
Your master was also a clone. We are all clones of Xiao Hui, the last no. One of the last survivors of Starbound Sect, a sect declared demonic and destroyed a year ago. He hesitated to accept you as a disciple because of this.
Ying Lin, you have a rare talent. At least once-in-a-century, if not better. Your opportunities are limitless. If you like, I can send you to another clone, who can introduce you to a powerful sect. With the right support, even ascending isnt out of your
Ying Lin shook her head. Master is Master. Ive accepted you. Will you deny me?
II wouldnt dare, but
Then thats that. Disciple greets Master, Ying Lin said. She dropped to the ground and kowtowed thrice, quickly, before Hui could yank her up.
Youyou dont understand what youve done, Hui snapped, frustrated. This is for your own good! I told you not to, butVisit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience
Ying Lin looked at him. Master, stop rejecting yourself.
I huh?
You, too, are talented, are you not? Stop belittling yourself. Youll embarrass your disciple, she insisted.
Hui ducked his head, rubbing his forehead. Im not trying to, I just, I recognize my place in this world. Im at the bottom. Ive always been, and I always will be. Theres no point in fighting it anymore. Its better if I accept it and move on.
Hui held his hand out, palm up. Elder Sister, please hover your hand over mine. Im going to teach you a secret technique.
Oh? Ying Lin put her hand over his without hesitating.
Its my Masters ultimate technique. The final technique he taught me.
Wow! Youre already trusting me with such a technique? Ying Lin said, eyes sparkling. I should have lectured you earlier!
Elder Sister, dont learn that from this situation, Hui said sternly.
Then, what should I learn? she asked, looking up at him.
He circulated his qi to the surface of his palm and copied the pattern of his masters qi, back when Weiheng Wu had taught him the technique. Like this. Its called the Lightning Palm!
Lightning flickered in his palm, on the verge of releasing. Hui held it back, afraid of hitting Ying Lin with even a second-stage attack at his fifth-stage cultivation level.
Lightning Palm? Isnt that a pitiful, low-level attack? Fu Liyu refused to learn it, Ying Lin asked skeptically.
Hui shook his head. Who do you believe, Fu Liyu or your master?
Master, of course! Ying Lin said. She copied the motions of Huis qi. In a few moments, a tiny lightning bolt the thickness of a hair zapped from her palm into Huis.
Hui closed his hand, cancelling his version of the technique. Good! Now practice that as we walk. You should be able to create a palmful of those bolts by the time we arrive at camp tonight.
Tonight? Ying Lin gasped, startled.
You cant? Hui asked.
Ying Lin shook her head. Disciple will do it! She ran ahead and focused on her palm, running through the motions of the Lightning Palm over and over again. A single lightning bolt turned into two, then three.
I was just trying to act domineering, like Master, but at that rate, she might actually succeed! Hui raised his eyebrows, then shook his head. I cant underestimate Ying Lins talent. Shes truly an incredible disciple with a limitless future!
He glanced over his shoulder at Lu Lintei and Dong Qinwen, but Lu Lintei had engaged Ding Qinwen in an animated and important discussion, one he couldnt possibly look away from. Zhi Ahn remained at the front of the caravan, arms still crossed.
Excellent interference, Lu Lintei! He shot her a thumbs-up, and she coincidentally nodded at the same time.
He turned and looked at his own hand, activating the palm technique again. Lightning Palm come to think of it, I never turned it into a talisman. I wonder if I could combine it with the new talisman I got from Bai Xue and create a Lightning Palm talisman?