Chapter 457: Playing the Pig

Chapter 457: Playing the Pig

Gray stones below, a low, flat gray cloud above. Hui flew on. On and on. Hours passed, and still he flew. He glanced back. Am I really moving? It feels like Im on a treadmill, going nowhere.

He closed his eyes, sensing with his mental energy again. No the qi is getting thicker. Its subtle, but Im moving in the right direction. Chen Wuya hasnt come back, either, so I can only assume that theres something up ahead.

The runt snoozed in his arms, sleeping away. After an hour or so, it had grown tired of flying and passed out. He pet it a few times, feeling its warmth as its belly quietly rose and fell. I miss Zhubi so much. Ill have to steal him back from Ying Lin when I get out of here. Its an injustice that shes the only one who gets to hold him. Not even any of us clones get Zhubi, so why does she get exclusive rights to him?

A black bird suddenly swooped down on him. Hui looked up, expecting Chen Wuya, but instead, a three-eyed bird with a wingspan wider than Hui was tall bared its talons at him. Startled, Hui slapped it back, too surprised to even play dead. The birds bones snapped, and it tumbled from the sky with a pained cry.

Eh my apologies, Elder Sibling Bird. I just instinctively slap down bugs and and large birds, I guess!

It wasnt very strong, though. The beasts were strong, but the bird the bird was nothing. Id expect more powerful beasts closer to the source of the qi, not weaker ones. Huis brows furrowed. He looked at his hand and clenched his fist. Weird. I guess thats just the way things are.

A dozen black birds descended from the sky. Three eyes wide, they dropped down on Hui, crying out and baring their claws. Hui drew one of his new talismans on the air. A huge glowing dragon formed around him and rushed at the birds. The second the glow touched the birds, they disintegrated. A shower of burning black feathers fell onto the stones below.

Hui licked his lips. I kind of feel like the level fifty character in the level ten zone. Im way too strong for this area! I dont even feel triumphant, I just feel sorry for them.

Black birds descended from the sky in a massive swarm, charging toward Hui. Hui sighed deeply, starting to draw the talisman again. Nothing I can do. Sorry, birds, but I guess its time to

The beast in his arms squirmed. It blinked hungrily at the birds, salivating.

Oh, youre hungry? Hui adjusted his aim on the talisman. It blasted off, annihilating ninety percent of the birds in one blast. The rest scattered to the winds, crying out in fear.

Hui darted in. He snatched a bird out of the sky and held it out to the beast. The beast wiggled happily and crawled up in Huis arms to chomp down on the bird. In a few gulps, the bird vanished.

Wagging its tail, the beast looked up at Hui and licked its lips.

Ill grab a few more, Hui promised. He chased after the birds and snatched another few out of the sky. Each one he caught, he handed to the beast, and it gobbled them down one after another.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

At last, the beast rested its head on Huis arms again and fell asleep. Hui smiled down at it and gave it a little pet, then continued flying on. If I cant have Zhubi, then I can at least take care of this little runt. It might just be a construct in this secret realm, but I dont want to watch it suffer.

I almost somehow sympathize with this runt a little. No one loved it. It never knew anything but fear. Like in my first life. But now now Ill take care of it. He sighed and petted the beasts head again. The beast twitched, clawing the air in its sleep. Hui smiled. So cute.

The sky grew light again. Hui flew on and on. Days passed, each one just like the last. Hui scooped up birds for the beast, and they flew on together. Occasionally, he paused to let the beast run around and stretch its legs. It frolicked over the stone, but never got too far from Hui.

At last, Hui came upon another set of mountains. Carrying the beast, he swooped down into tall amber grain. Boars startled off as he landed, vanishing in all directions. The beast wriggled out of Huis arms and chased after one of them. After a few moments, it loped back to Hui, head bowed in disappointment.

Missed, did you? Hui asked it. He reached out and ruffled its head. The beast looked up at him and licked his hand. Hui paused, looking the beast over. Has it gotten bigger? I remember it being shorter than waist-height, but now its head reaches my belly button.

He walked through the grain, the beast at his side. Boars roamed openly, only running when Hui and the beast drew near. Or rather, Hui thought, as he watched the beast chase some boars, when the beast gets close. They dont really seem to care about me.

Well, it is a growing beast, after all. Hui patted Fei Hus leg, signaling for it to hop down. Ill corner them, and you kill them, okay?

Fei Hu tilted its head.

Oh, well. Its not like all beasts can understand human speech. Hui took off at a run, searching for the telltale shifting grass trail of a boar. Spotting one in the distance, he flicked his wrist. A black duck flew from his hand and surged through the hair, looping around in front of the boar. He twisted his fingers down, and the bird dropped, charging through the grain at the boar. The boar startled and turned about, rushing at Hui instead of away.

Fei Hu! Hui called.

The beast jumped up. It ran at the boar, charging it with jaws bared. At the last second, the boar saw it coming and lowered its head, countering Fei Hus charge with a charge. Fei Hus head darted out. It caught a glancing blow against the boar, and then the boar slammed into Fei Hu. Crying pitifully, Fei Hu went flying.

I guess I dont know what I expected. Oh well, its still young. There will be future hunts. Hui nodded to himself, drawing himself into a scholarly pose.

The boar snorted and turned on a dime, charging toward Hui now that Fei Hu had been taken care of.

Huis eyes widened. He instinctively played dead, falling backward. The boar didnt hesitate, but directly trampled over him.

Hui jabbed his hand upward as the boar passed over him, injecting death qi directly into the boars throat. It shuddered, then died, slamming down on Hui then rolling away under the force of its own momentum.

Wiping off the hoof marks, Hui sat up. He pointed his palm at the beast, calling the death qi back to him. An infinitesimally larger portion of death qi returned to him than had left. He closed his hand, then opened it again. A tiny ball of black qi swirled over his palm, wispy and indistinct. This is how youre supposed to gather death qi? Killing? But its so horribly inefficient! No wonder demonic cultivators struggle to gather death qi. They should do it like me, instead. Peaceful and efficient!

Wasting no time, Fei Hu bounded past Hui to gobble up the boar, happily burying its snout in the boars belly.

Is this what they call playing the tiger to kill the pig? a familiar voice asked.

Senior, its playing the pig to kill the tiger, Hui returned, turning. Chen Wuya floated overhead, lazily circling over Hui.

Hmm. Thats not what you did, though, Chen Wuya said. He cawed, almost a cough. This time, anyways. Though I suppose, properly speaking, you played the pig to kill the pig.

Senior, I have no idea what you mean. I only have earnest, righteous fights and forward, upright duels, Hui returned straight-faced.

Wheres that truth-teller of yours? Chen Wuya muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.

Waving his hand, Hui climbed to his feet. Where has Senior been?

Everywhere and nowhere, Chen Wuya grumbled. He dove into Huis robes and vanished.

What does that mean? Hui asked.

Chen Wuya laughed, voice echoing from all around. Youll know when you get there.