Chapter 565: Mental Disarray

Chapter 565: Mental Disarray

The second Hui emerged from the space where he spoke with Qian Liqiu, Huo Fenghuang leaped on him. Fire raged around him, burning bright. You! What are you trying to do? I should have burned you up the second you arrived.

Senior, what have I done? Im a small cultivator, a mere small cultivator! Hui cried out pitifully.

She narrowed her eyes at him. What were you talking about with her? Hmm? Are you going to force me? Hmm.?

Ah, but Senior, Ive also taken on your pain. Senior, am I not helping you? Everything Im doing is for your benefit. Even if I have to do it against your will, Hui said seriously, looking into her eyes as best he could from her dantian. The fact that she hasnt outright attacked or destroyed me yet indicates that I hold something against her. Im betting its the pain! After all, she wasnt able to be conscious for a long time due to the pain. If I let go, we both know shes going to go under again. She cant afford to push me too far.

How can it be for my benefit if its against my will? she growled.

Senior, have you never encountered a small child? Hui asked.

Comparing me to a small child? she asked, exasperated.

Hui waved his hand. My apologies, Senior. Ive seen Seniors fetal self several times now, so naturally, I began to think of Senior as a child, although Senior is of course many times my age.

Disrespectful, Huo Fenghuang grumbled. She raised her hand.

The phoenixes called out to Hui. Their qi emanations radiated through him, beating against the circulation of his own qi. He altered his own qi, circulating his death qi and what little life qi he had in time with the emanations. Slowly, they synced up. The two pulses grew closer and closer.

Come on come on!

Huo Fenghuangs hand dropped. Fire burned around her palm.

Huis qi matched the phoenixes. Their qi became his, and his became theirs. They swirled freely, perfectly in sync.

Phew. Good thing I have so much practice with dual cultivation. All the other cultivators in this world see it as something strange, but its really just cultivating in sync with someone else! Theres nothing lewd about it at all.

Well, it can be lewd, but thats a matter of setting, and but the point is, just because something can be lewd, doesnt mean it always has to be lewd!

The phoenixes screams changed in timber. Suddenly, there was a certain softness to them, a strange joy. Sweetness suffused their voices.

Hui swallowed. Uh Elder Sisters and Brothers, could you not?

No, no! It must simply be because theyre finally connected with someone that isnt Huo Fenghuang after all this time. Yes, yes, that must be it.

As he grew older, Hui fed his life qi and death qi both into flame qi. He circulated more and more flame qi, until his entire self became one with the flame qi, until his death-qi body instead burned. Little by little, his death qi transmuted to flame qi. Everyone twined together, dying as one.

No. Not as one.

Hui searched through the souls, picking through them one by one. At last, he found one with a different qi signature, a human signature. Huo Fenghuang. With the last remaining bit of death qi, he encircled her and carved her out, singling her away from the mass.

Huo Fenghuangs eyes widened. She closed her eyes and began to cultivate as well. While Hui matched the phoenixes signature, Huo Fenghuang instead forcibly pushed her qi emanations onto them. She broke through Huis encirclement and dragged at the phoenixes, calling them to her.

Hui gritted his teeth. Hair flecked with white, his face and hands wrinkled, he shook his head. Not now. I almostI nearly

His eyes widened. He lifted his hand and scribbled a talisman on the air. Pressing his palm out, he activated it.

A powerful attack burst out. Vibrations rang through the air, opening voids where they passed. Before the void talisman, both Hui and Huo Fenghuangs influence vanished. Only the void talismans vibrations remained.

Huo Fenghuang furrowed her brows. She changed the speed of her circulation, searching for the frequency to match the void talisman.

Hui instantly jumped to the right frequency, used to the void talisman. The phoenixes followed his lead, all of them syncing together. Only Hui and the phoenixes remained on the same vibration, while Huo Fenghuang struggled on her own.

Now! Hui shouted.

Qian Liqiu nodded. Now an ancient, wrinkled old lady with white hair and a body more wrinkles and bones than flesh, she closed her eyes and peacefully passed away.

Hui looked down at his aged, skeletal hands. The flame qi flickered, growing cold, then went dark. He, too, closed his eyes, falling into darkness.

His body fell to ash, falling to the bottom of the barrier with the phoenixes.

No! Huo Fenghuag howled. She chased the ash, reaching after it, her own body aged.

The ashes slipped through her fingers. She stared at them, hands shaking. No. No. No! It cant be! I wont allow it!

The ashes had nothing to say. Inert, they laid there, cold and dead.

Huo Fenghuang stepped back. She waited, watching. Nothing changed.

Abruptly, she threw her head back and laughed. Failed. He failed! Ha! No one but me can handle the phoenixes. No one but me can absorb the primordial flame!