Chapter 507: A Great Step for Reaperkind
Hui followed the reaper at a short distance, keeping an eye on her boots just in case. I wont be stepped on again. I wont allow it!
The reaper glanced back. What are you standing back there for?
Ah? Dont worry about it, dont worry about it, Elder Sister! Hui said, waving his hand with a smile. He watched her feet nervously.
The reaper sighed. It was a momentary slip. Theres no need to be so worried.
No, no, no. Ill follow you. Youre my senior, no? I should stand behind you. Its only proper, Hui said, nodding. And Im out of the range of those sinister feet! You cant stand on me when Im behind you!
Another sigh. She shook her head and walked on, footsteps tapping across the bare stone wasteland.
You know, the void space in Fen Longs realm looked a lot like this, Hui commented, looking around. Stone and wind and nothing. No Fei Hu, though ah, its too bad. I miss that strange tiger creature.
Fen Long shouldnt exist, the reaper said sharply.
Eh? Hui asked. Does the reaper hate Fen Long? But why? Aside from his habit of sealing people, I dont think hes ever mentioned the reaper nor does he play dead, or anything like that!
The Heavens are in disorder. Sometimes things slip through, she muttered.
Hui tilted his head. Is he like me, then? The reaper knows about me, right? Well how could the Underworld not?
She waved her hand. Less troublesome than you. In a word, hes an Immortal from another realm that slipped into this one. Him and that Chen Wuya both. Originally, the Heavens should have expelled themwould have, if they were functioning. But instead they slipped through.
Do they have their memories, then? From when they were Immortals, Hui asked.
Do they have their memories, the reaper scoffed. What dont they remember?
What does that mean? Hui said, frowning.
Its not worth concerning yourself with. When it comes to those two, theres nothing we can do. Not with the way the world is, not now, the reaper said, waving her hand.
Hui opened his mouth.
The reaper shot him a look, her eyes narrowing.
Ah! Id better not say anything. I feel like the reaper will step on me again if I dare continue! Hui thought, shutting his mouth.
They came up on the court. Zhu Diyu rested his head on one hand, bored, his eyes half closed. The Yellow Springs welled up at his feet, forming a huge, deep pool off to the side of the court. Skeletal koi swam peacefully, occasionally mouthing at the air with their bony mouths. The water poured down and wound through the stone floor, eventually feeding the Sanzu River. As the two approached, he looked up, then gestured them over, dismissing court with the wave of his hand.
Hui followed the reaper up to stand before him, gazing up at Zhu Diyu. She cupped her fists and saluted, and he quickly followed suit.
He nodded slightly to himself. She deserves a reward after all her hard work. I can overlook this relationship, just this once. Zhu Diyu smiled. Good, good.
Hui licked his lips. Why do I somehow feel like that meant a lot more to Zhu Diyu than it did to me?
Zhu Diyu stood. That is all.
Hui, the reaper, and everyone else bowed as Zhu Diyu strode off. One of the clerks jumped up and chased after him with a stack of documents, unwilling to let him escape so easily.
Hui patted the manual thoughtfully, watching from the corner of his eye as Zhu Diyu strode off. Zhu Diyu gives me a manual, the reaper keeps interrupting my practice its almost as if they strongly dislike my Dao. If I didnt know better, Id almost think they were trying to suppress this small, harmless cultivators Dao!
But theres no need to do that. No need, no need at all! Im just a small cultivator. No one special. My Dao, too, must also be a small, un-special Dao. Suppressing it is going much too far for one as lowly as me, let alone suppression from ones such as the Lord of the Underworld and the singular reaper!
I wonder it might be easier to condense my Dao when I sneak out to the mortal realm. Then, even if Elder Sister tries to distract me, I at least have the buffer of a whole realm between me and her.
The reaper glanced at Hui. You arent thinking something useless, are you?
Hui bowed. Small cultivator would never do something so wasteful.
Cocking a brow, the reaper looked him over. Never? All you do is think about useless things!
Hui sneezed. He glanced around and wiped his nose. Weird. I shouldnt be sneezing at this realm! And especially not with this body.
The reaper cleared her throat. You are free to go now. Ill fetch you when we are once again needed for reaping.
Yes, Hui said, bowing. Good. I need to continue with my seed-dropping. The Eastern region is huge! If I want to visit the Southern Sect Conference, Ill need anchor seeds much closer than my initial starting point, if I dont want to fly for a few days to get there every time I want to visit! And I dont know how large the Eastern Region is. I could have ages yet to go! Months!
She gave him a look. I wouldnt go too far, if I were you.
Go far? What do you mean? Im earnestly meditating in my quarters, Hui said, putting on a puzzled expression.
Mmm the reaper said, narrowing her eyes. My foot feels a bit itchy.
Elder Sister should get that looked at. Itchy feet can be a symptom of foot fungus. Its quite a serious condition, Hui said, bowing.
The reaper drew her sword.
Hui toppled over backward, instantly dead.
She scowled, sheathing her sword once more. Its so unsatisfying.
Eh? Im so sorry I failed to satisfy Elder Sister Huis eyes widened. He coughed a few times, trying to override his own words. Fuck! What did I just say? Thank goodness Bai Xue is still alive. Id never live that down.
Hmph, the reaper grumbled. She turned on her heel and marched off.