Chapter 403: To Climb Stairs

Chapter 403: To Climb Stairs

Hui walked at an even pace, keeping a subtle eye on Zhubi. For his part, Zhubi walked quietly alongside Hui, his long hair draping on the stairs behind him. Big soft eyes took in everything around him. Zhubi hummed deep in his throat, happy.

Reaching out, Hui gathered up Zhubis hair. Zhubi looked up at him, and Hui nodded. Give me a moment. It cant feel good for it to drag after you like that, right?

Zhubi shook his head.

Hui drew a simple hairpin from his node, one of the pieces of treasure hed extortedahem, received as due paymentfrom the cultivators hed healed, and fixed it in Zhubis hair. With the pin, a big bundle of white hair hung at the back of his head. Zhubis excessively long hair still draped behind him, but now it didnt hit the floor.

Zhubi raised his hands up and patted the bun. He looked at Hui and tilted his head.

Better? Hui asked, slightly embarrassed. Im not a hair stylist. The best I can really manage is a ponytail. Calling it a messy bun is an insult to the nineties, but its better than letting his white hair get all dirty.

Zhubi tilted his head again and furrowed his brows, uncertain.

Oh, for goodness let me have that. A firm hand snatched the pin out of Zhubis hair. Squatting beside him, a beautiful woman quickly fixed his hair up, forming a gorgeous, looping bun hairstyle. She tilted his head left and right, then smiled up at Hui. His hair is nice and soft, but yours is still softer.

Hui scowled. He narrowed his eyes at the woman, then peered at the man staring at the ground to the left of her, refusing to make eye contact with him. Bai Xue and Peak Lord?

Bai Xue, dressed in a snakeskin disguise, beamed at Hui and ruffled his hair. Thats right, thats right! Thats my genius Hu friend right there.

Hui ducked away, covering his hair with his hands. Elder Sister! Were in the middle of a very serious trial right now.

Mmm. If we werent, Id engage you in some very serious business, Bai Xue replied, licking her lips.

Elder Sister! Hui and Peak Lord complained in sync.

Bai Xue winked. Good luck in the trials. Ill see you at the top.

Peak Lord nodded at Hui and turned away. He and Bai Xue continued up the stairs.

Hui watched them go, giving them a few moments to pull ahead before he started up with Zhubi again. Zhubi hummed, toddling along after Hui. A few times, he tripped on the stairs, but Hui helped him up every time.

Walkings still hard for you, huh? Hui asked.

Zhubi hissed at him.

Thats fair. I wouldnt know how to move as a snake, either, Hui allowed.

They continued up the stairs. Hui looked around and rolled out his shoulders, frowning slightly. I still dont feel any pressure. Is this not the usual stairs trial? Is something else going on? Or maybe well, there are fourth-realm cultivators in the trial. Maybe these are the stairs for fourth-realm cultivators.

He looked at Zhubi. Do you mind if I jump ahead a few floors?

Zhubi nodded, then held up his hands.

You want to come with? But what if you cant handle the pressure? Hui asked.

Zhubi tilted his head. He put his arms against his sides, squeezed his legs in tight, wiggled his body and hissed.

He looked down at Zhubi. Zhubi looked back up at him, clear eyes sparkling where they reflected the sun. When it comes to mental pressure, Zhubi falls into the same category as Li Xiang of being so pure as to be unbothered by it! Jin Xian well, at a guess, shed be the opposite of Zhubi, so tainted as to be equally unbothered, if she even qualifies as having a mind anymore. Bai Jingwen, too, as a lotus beast, falls in the pure beasts and monsters category.

Which leaves Ying Lin and Bai Xue. Ying Lin is incredibly quick to cultivate, and was recently training her mental energy. Here I was just trying to keep her out of the back garden, and accidentally trained her to stomp all over this trial! No wonder shes breezing through.

Bai Xue Well, Bai Xue has always been considered a genius and the heir of her clan. If she didnt have tricks and techniques, she wouldnt qualify as any of that. Besides, of all of my friends, Bai Xue might be the oldest. Shes several hundred years old, and has had that much more time to learn and cultivate.

Come to think of it, does that mean she qualifies as a cougar?

No, no, no, Hui! Those terms dont count for cultivators. No, no. Otherwise, elders, slow cultivators, and those who prefer to close up for decades or centuries for cultivation could never find love!

Yes, even I

am about thirty or so, a completely reasonable age to find love, even for mortals.

Hui twisted his lips and frowned. Huh. Am I too young to find love? Im not even a hundred. Im a baby in cultivator ages!

Zhubi looked up at him and tilted his head.

Oh, no, no, theres nothing wrong with being a baby, Hui assured him.

A second later, he jolted. Hold up! Even Zhubi Zhubi, when I met him, was a two-hundred-year-old spirit beast! Hes at least two hundred, if not nearly three hundred!

Im the baby here! Am I the youngest? The

No, no. Ying Lin is only fourteen? Thirteen?

And shes already fourth stage

Hui let out a deep sigh. Zhubi furrowed his brows, confused.

Its fine, Zhubi. Im fine, Hui said, shaking his head. I should be happy that my disciple is so powerful! Ah, no. I am. And yet

Ah, its good to have an example of a true genius! That way I understand my place in the world. Hui nodded to himself, satisfied.

Hui froze mid-step and closed his eyes, exerting a burst of mental energy. Ah! I forgot I was undergoing a trial and allowed the mental pressure to affect me! Careful, Hui, careful. Lets continue upward, and remain mindful of the dangers of this trial! Even if Im mentally strong, I still cant underestimate this trial!

Nodding to himself, he leaped up another set of stairs. Indeed. Lets not underestimate this trial!

One of the leading cultivators froze, startled by Huis sudden outburst. She stared. Where did he come from? What happened? I didnt sense him at all!

Hui leaped off again, and she stared after him, eyes still wide. Do I even stand a chance against him? A wave of frustration rolled through her, and the mental pressure slammed down on her. She fell to her knees, panting as she struggled back against the sudden surge of pressure.

Hui glanced back, startled by the thump of the female cultivator falling over. Huh, is there some wave of pressure chasing me? I need to stay ahead of that! Zhubi, hold on. Were going to speed up!

Zhubi nodded and grabbed onto Hui. Hui leaped ahead again. Phew! Good thing I noticed that girl getting affected by the pressure wave. Otherwise, I mightve been dragged down, too!

The female cultivator spat blood and sagged to the stairs. Dammit am I simply too weak?