Chapter 480: Arise, My Armies!
Hui threw himself into the spell. He connected to the network of the spell formation, spreading his consciousness into the net. No longer did he stand atop Unrivaled Peak. Instead, he floated far above it, suspended in the filaments of the spell formation. Travelling along them, he reached down to the bottom, where rot qi suffused every single body lying on the ground. The souls hung in the balance, hovering slightly above their bodies, still unable to reconnect.
Now!
Life qi poured through the strands, soaring toward the bodies below. Huis own stores of life qi, plus Mount Mus, both rained down on the fallen sect. The rot qi resisted, seeking to corrupt the life qi, but Hui refused to let it. Wielding his death qi, he cut back the rot qi whenever it threatened to overwhelm the life qi, fighting to keep the balance tipped in the favor of the life qi.
Come on. Come on! It can work. It has to work! Hui grit his teeth and threw his all into it, forgetting everything but the battle before him, life and death qi versus rot qi.
The souls and bodies quavered, on the verge of combining. They slid back and forth, sometimes on the edge of overcoming the rot qi, sometimes entirely forced back by it.
Abruptly, rot qi gave out on one of the bodies. Life qi poured into it. The entire body filled with life qi, every soul reforming, every muscle and bone piecing back together, all the rot and putrefaction reversing. Hui pushed, forcing the soul down into the body. The soul fought with him, a nameless, shapeless force blocking their way.
Another barrier? Hui wrinkled his nose. He reached out, probing it. The aura of the Heavens hung thick around it, the barrier itself a fine-laced net that surrounded the cultivators bodies. Nothing could pass, except for life qi, but the souls wouldnt move, not even a partial soul. Hui laughed to himself. Ah, I see. Is this, perhaps, the Heavenly Dao? Preventing the soul from reconnecting to its body. Well this small Hui has an idea!
Hui reached out and grabbed the soul. Pushing his qi into it, he forcibly stilled the soul, shutting down all its processes, then wreathed it in an aura of death qi. Gently, he sent the soul toward the barrier.
The barrier stopped Hui from crossing, but the dead soul slipped through, gently landing in its own body.
Grinning, Hui snapped his fingers. The soul woke up, and with a gasp, the cultivator sat up and looked around.
Ha! Playing dead is always the answer. Push through? Shatter the barriers? Not this Hui. Not when its so easy to get by them by pretending to conform to their requirements! Playing dead is the ultimate technique to unlocking death reversal!
Heavens, if you dont mind, this small cultivator is going to defy you!
One after another, life qi overwhelmed rot qi. Each time, Hui darted to that cultivator and gently guided their soul through the barrier, settling it into their body. One after another, the cultivators of Starbound Sect woke up. Life qi poured from Mount Mu, so much that Huis passages and body began to burn from processing it. Heat built up inside him, too much to bear, then burst out all at once. Flames danced over his withering lotus body, but he paid it no mind, putting his all into completing the revival. This isnt just about the sect. This is about my dao, my path, my method to defy this world. If I falter here, I falter in my dao. If I give up here, I cut off my own dao. Even if I die, I must complete this!
Mount Mu sent forth another pulse of life qi. Huis mind trembled under the force of it. He gave in, moving with the flow of the spell. His whole self became the spell, and the spell became him.
Hey, Healer, and the rest of you take care of Bai Xue and our kid for me, okay?
Peak Lords body burned away. His consciousness flew into the spell.
There was a pause. Healer licked his lips. Uh, so whos going to be our anchor to send Fen Long over to Starbound Sect so he can unlock Chen Wuyas true form?
You? Rogue asked.
Healer shook his head. No, Itheres something I must do. It cant wait. Sectgoer! Send Ying Lin and Tang Fei to me, and hustle on over to Chen Wuya!
Eh? What about our weapons and my small army of disciples? Sectgoer asked.
The weapons are in our storage realm, and the disciples are just as indebted to me as to you. Go! Healer urged him.
Sectgoer sighed. Alright, alright. Ill see you all in a bit!
Completely surrounding Starbound Sect, the sect burned gold, full of Huis will and consciousness. Mount Mu glowed, slowly diminishing in size as it poured out its life qi. Hui guided it down, and one by one, the Starbound Sect disciples stood up.
Xixing sat upright, rubbing her head. What happened?
Eh, did that friend of ours tell us to slack off? I can slack off, Lu Lintei said.
Whats that? Ding Qinwen asked.
Nothing, nothing. Er, we should fly more slowly. I think its a bit dangerous ahead, Zhi Ahn said.
Ding Qinwen nodded. Better safe than sorry!
Reaching the sect, Sectgoer flew over to the opening to the sects hidden realm. Rogue, whenever youre ready. At the same time, he reached into his storage space and threw out weapons and armor that his peak had forged. Everyone, take this! Youre going to need it!
The members of the sect darted up, catching weapons and armor out of the sky and equipping themselves. Hui grinned. This time, at least, we'll be overgeared. It wont be the same as the first time!
Who are you? Sectmaster Lan asked.
Hui tore at the snakeskin on his face, revealing himself. Weiheng Hui. Were going to destroy All-Heavens Sect! Me, and all of you, and everyone else!
Here he comes. Get ready!
Sectgoers energy suddenly drained away. He sagged in the sky. With some effort, he exerted enough qi to keep himself in the air. Damn, sending people through the network is no joke.
Its probably because Im a relatively high realm, Fen Long said. He looked around, then took a deep breath. I forgot how beautiful this world could be.
The crow on his shoulder pecked his ear. Whatre you doing, standing around for? Release me!
Yes, yes, Fen Long said. He looked at Chen Wuya. Are you sure you wont
Never. Let me out already, Chen Wuya said, annoyed.
Sectmaster Lan looked at Hui. This man could he be?
Hui nodded. This is Fen Long, Patriarch of All-Heavens Sect. Ah hes on our side.
But how? Sectmaster Lan asked, confused.
Much that I attempted, I failed at. It seems All-Heavens Sect can be considered amongst my failures. Now that Im awake once more, its time for me to reassert myself over my sect, Fen Long declared. He raised his hand and gripped the air. The world rippled.
On his shoulder, Chen Wuya stood on his tiptoes. Yes. Come to me! My true form!
A red-robed figure with ragged black hair fell out of the ripple in the sky. Chen Wuya leaped up, and from across the world, a thousand crows hurtled toward the body. One after another, they impacted into the figures chest. Black feathers flew.
Welcome back, Fen Long said fondly.
Chen Wuya straightened. Red light burned in the depths of his eyes. His hair fluttered like a thousand crows wings, the sharpness of his smile as brutal as the crows beaks.
Im back, he said slowly, savoring the words.
Hui swallowed. Er, why do I feel like Ive unsealed the Final Boss? Uh
Oh well! Its necessary. A necessary evil! Once we defeat Gui Delun, then we can talk about what were going to do with Chen Wuya.