Chapter 343: Journey to the West

Chapter 343: Journey to the West

Unable to focus enough to meditate or relax enough to sleep, Hui wandered around his house, pulling random things out of his node and stuffing them back. Spirit stones gold dried-up bits of herbs from back when he cooked Fatty a black dagger exuding death qi a random demonic hammer he didnt recognize Song Weilais hammer

Hui gripped a hammer in each hand and hefted them, somewhat confused. Is this a sign from the heavens to dual-wield hammers? Why am I holding on to this many hammers? Am I trying to build a house?

He stuffed the hammers back away. A half-dozen random pill bottles, some from Song Weilais cave and others from the demonic sect, came up. He shook his head at both. Why do I only have pills from the sketchiest of sources? In a pinch, I can take them, but butwell, Song Weilais pills are probably better used as weapons than medicine, based on what she did to me!

Hmm this one He held up a pill bottle with a single, baby-fist sized pill inside, and squinted at it. This one I feel like

Ah! Its for fifth-stage ascention! I

Er, whoops. Ill gift it to Ying Lin. Shell need it soon, at the rate she ascends.

Need it soon it feels like yesterday that she stepped into the world of cultivation! Is she Masters reincarnation, or something?

He glanced upward, thoughtful. The Heavens are in disarray. Usually that shows in the form of random attacks, but could it also be that Ying Lin is a symptom of the Heavens disorder?

Hmm. Food for thought.

At last, he came up with a pair of scrappy pieces of paper. Hui frowned. Why did I keep these things around? He flipped them over, looking closer.

After a moment, his eyes lit up with recognition. Bai Luorens talisman scraps, the ones he sent me that he found in some inheritance zone or secret realm or another! Theyre only meant to be second to fourth stage in power, but theyll be a good distraction. He settled down to study the talisman scraps.

As slippery as eels, the talisman scraps evaded comprehension. Hui drew them and re-drew them, finding new lines and fresh emphasis marks each time. None of it made sense. These two talismans or these two pieces of one talisman are they even a proper spell? I cant get any of the usual sense of qi flow from them. Its as if theyre operating on a totally different set of principles. Some other qi, maybe? But what?

The night passed on, and the talismans continued to evade him. As the sun rose, he threw his experimental versions across the room in frustration and leaned against the working table. Stupid talisman. Why arent you working? Come on! What am I missing?

Master! Come on, lets go! Ying Lin called from outside.

Hui stood. He looked down at his opulent robes, then shook his head. Ill get robbed if I go out into the wilds like this. Moving to his closet, he changed into a simpler set of blue robes, then reached out his arm. Zhubi!

Zhubi dawdled down the stairs, robes twisted from sleep. His long hair draped on the steps behind him. He yawned wide, showing off an impressive set of fangs, then leaped toward Hui. Midair, he transformed, wrapping around Huis neck in snake form once more.

Hui clicked his tongue. That wasnt so hard, was it? You silly snake.

Zhubi hissed back, flicking Huis neck with the tip of his tail.

Hui checked his appearance in the mirror one last time, then breathed out. Okay. Its fine. Its just meeting my sect sibling. Theres nothing weird about it. Yes. Perfectly normal.

Should I do my hair in a crown style instead? Isnt that trendy? Er or maybe

Master, the suns going to set again if we dont start moving, Ying Lin called from downstairs.

Coming, coming! Hui called. He left the bronze mirror behind and hurried to meet Ying Lin.

Outside, Ying Lin stood atop Gu Tian, her robes neat and orderly, her hair done up in looping braids and pinned in place with the matching lotus pin. She beamed at Hui, excited. Im going to meet my Martial Aunt.

EhI suppose she would be, Hui allowed. Its not as if Ying Lin was ever officially accepted into the sect, but on the other hand, I am the only inheriting disciple of Unrivaled blah blah Peak. I have the right to take disciples, and any of my disciples would naturally become part of the sect.

Ying Lin looked Hui over. What happened to those nice robes?

I dont want to get robbed, Hui confessed.

Taken aback, Ying Lin frowned. Then what about me? Should IFollow current novels at novelhall.com)

No, no, Elder Sister. Ill protect you if someone attacks, Hui said hurriedly. Me wearing slightly less fancy robes is fine, but I wont let Ying Lin wear those ragged old robes to meet Li Xiang for the first time. I dont want Li Xiang to think Im unable to provide for my disciple. Of all people, not Li Xiang!

Master, why do I not feel safe when you pledge to protect me? Ying Lin asked innocently.

Hui glared at her. Cheeky.

She grinned. Im only joking. Im sure Master can do it, if he tries.

Yes, Master, Ying Lin said. She mounted Gu Tians sword again and hurtled toward the horizon.

Theres no use trying to trick us! Well know as soon as someone without a pass steps foot inside! Sending her away to call her back later is meaningless. Well be on any intruder in a heartbeat! the guard promised.

Shut up, Hui grumbled under his breath, frustrated. Trying to make things expensive for me damn you! Is the whole world out for my money?

Hui walked inside, paying no more attention to the guard or Ying Lin. His face twisted in displeasure, he stomped through the city, searching for a quiet alley. He slid into the first one he found and discovered a drink, lying on the ground and snoozing away. With a snort, Hui settled down and examined the pass with his qi.

Its a simple enough spell. In fact, Id call it simple, but elegant. The array traps a mote of qi. That qi is not any particular element, or rather, I should say, it belongs to a particular person. Likely the City Lord. Thus, the City Lord can instantaneously tell whether anyone has a pass or not, andand fine them spirit stones!

No! Ive just started to make progress on repaying my debt. I cant! But neither can I leave Ying Lin to the wolves. Therefore all I can do, is create my own pass!

The City Lords qi? Thats hard to get around, but I know just the thing. Hui drew out a strand of life qi. He hovered it over the pass, letting it synchronize with the qi in the pass. Its hard to turn life qi into qi, and vice versa, but what it can do, is feed life into things. Make things more. Larger.

He fed the life qi into the pass experimentally. As expected, the qi in the pass grew stronger. Summoning a leaf, he etched the spell array into the leaf, then extracted the extra qi from the original pass. The whole way, he fed the qi with life qi, keeping it alive outside of the array, then fed it back into the lotus leaf, in the heart of the fake passs array. That done, Hui waved his hand and sent the original pass into the node. Clutching only his fake pass, he walked out into the city.

No guards surrounded him. No one moved to intercept him.

Hui walked past a guard, his back straight. The guard yawned, not so much as giving him a second glance.

A smile spread over Huis face. That easy, huh?

Though if I think about it, the only people with lots of life qi are likely righteous cultivators or All Heavens cultivators. Either theyll have the morals not to misuse it, or theyre All Heavens, in which case, what City Lord dares to defy All Heavens? Hui grinned to himself. Walking through another deserted street, he cast the snakeskin technique, changing his face, then drew the original pass from the node. He pressed his fingers to his forehead and sent forth his mental energy. Zhubi, lead Ying Lin back.

Wait, what about Zhubi? Id better make a third pass. Repeating his earlier gestures, Hui made another leaf pass.

In a few moments, a hiss sounded at the edge of his mind. Hui darted to the deserted edge of the citys walls and met Ying Lin and Zhubi there. He glanced around, then lifted his hand and used death qi to open a hole in the barrier. He gestured Ying Lin through.

She glanced at him. Is this okay? Wont they find me immediately?

Grinning, he passed Ying Lin the original pass and held his hand out to Zhubi, keeping the third pass in the node until he could be sure if Zhubi needed it or not. Zhubi slithered over to him happily, wiggling into his usual place.

Master, dont you need the pass? Ying Lin asked.

Hui waved his hand. Master has his own methods. Its best if you dont know. I cant give away all my techniques so quickly, after all! And besides, that sounds way cooler than I mocked one up over there. Ah, its not my fault that this world doesnt have such a thing as spell security.

Or is it just that my comprehension is so great, that

Argh, thats the heart-demon speaking! Ignore it, Hui, ignore it!

Ah I understand, Ying Lin said, nodding.

Adjusting his new robes, Hui nodded. Lets go see what we can learn about this female warrior!

--

High up in the finest residence in the city, a man in long, graceful black robes, his hair tied in a half-crown, clasped his hands behind his back. My qi there is an extra pass, one I did not issue.

Crouched at his side, a figure in all black, even the face obscured, clasped his hands. Should I deal with the one who dares illegally copy City Lords pass?

Chen Xigui raised a hand, halting him. Find him. Bring him here. That female warrior has been a plague for far too long. With my beloved arriving soon, I cannot risk any unexpected discoveries.

The black-cloaked figure looked up. You suspect this false pass belongs to the warrior?

Chen Xigui shook his head. Unlikely. However, someone who can copy my array has no small skill, and the prescience to obscure their passage. They should be able to quietly and neatly handle our problem for us. After all, having provoked me in this way, how can they say no to a simple request of mine?

The black-cloaked figure clasped his hands again. This one hears and obeys. He leaped out the window and vanished into the city.

Chen Xigui approached the window and gazed down on his city, a smile spreading over his lips. Once shes taken care of, who will dare oppose me? At last, my control over this city shall be unquestioned and absolute.

And if they fail well, theres always young talents willing to rush to their deaths.