Chapter 642: Deep Yin

Chapter 642: Deep Yin

The path wound into the earth, spiraling slowly downward. The deeper they grew, the thicker the yin became. Ice coated the floor, and formidable icicles descended from the caves roof. More than once, Hui had to put his arms out to the narrow walls of the passage to catch himself before he fell over.

Though actually, if I fell, it would be kind of fun, wouldnt it? Itd be a spiral slippy side! Like a water slide, but colder. If only I had some kind of sled to sit on, this would be fantastic.

At last, the floor leveled out and the walls receded. Breath clouding on the air, Hui stepped out into an ice cave. Icicles dripped slowly from the ceiling. Carved out sections of ice gave the walls a strange texture, while more snow-like segments almost glowed in blue and white. The phoenix fire lit the thinner, transparent ice in brilliant reds, yellows, and blues, the ice reflecting its vibrant color.

Whoa, Tian Mo whispered.

Underfoot, an elegant courtyard greeted them, complete with sitting table, chairs, and a pond with colorful carp, but thick ice coated all of it. What had once been a formidable garden full of medicinal herbs stood, still upright and as brilliantly green as ever, under a chunk of ice a meter thick. The tops of the chairs barely poked over the surface, and the same with the table, its teacups and teapot only covered in a delicate layer of ice, thin enough a single touch might melt it away.

Deeper within, carved into the stone beneath the ice, the entrance to a palatial immortal cave beckoned them. Meimei forged ahead, beelining for it.

Meimei, wait. Is this does this belong to someone? Hui asked. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck. He looked around, frowning. This doesnt feel right. Somethings wrong.

I dont know. Ive never gotten enough time to get much deeper in, Meimei confessed. She paused, looking around her. But if it belongs to someone, why have they left it all covered in ice like this?

Hui paused. Shes right. Its likely an abandoned immortal cave, its true. Theyre common enough, and Meimei has enough protagonist energy to have found one on her own. Still, why am I so uncomfortable if thats all it is?

All this yin all this ice. Was someone assassinated in their own immortal cave? And if it is isnt it likely well find all kinds of leftover traps and weapons in here? I need to be on guard, if nothing else.

Meimei, come back. Lets all move together, Hui suggested, gesturing her over.

In the doorway, Meimei looked back. Im not coming back. You hurry on over!

Behind her, a dark, frostbitten hand appeared.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Meimei! Hui shouted. He raced to her side, grabbing for her.

Meimei jolted. She looked down, then ran for him, reaching out toward Hui.

The hand closed around Meimeis waist, easily large enough to wrap around her body from shoulder to waist. It yanked her inside the cave and into the darkness, and both the hand and Meimei vanished.

Shit! Hui snapped. He reached the door a moment later. With a gesture, he split the phoenix fire into two, leaving one behind, while another flew deeper into the cave. Hui glanced over his shoulder. Stay near the flames. Ill be back!

With that, Hui vanished into the darkness, the ball of flame the only light around him.

Gui Hui! Tian Mo shouted. He ran to the door, but paused there, just out of reach of any frostbitten hands. Standing on his tiptoes, he leaned as far as he could, craning his head inside the cave.

What happened? one of the other disciples asked.

Gui Hui, are you still there?

Im here.

Mmm, thats good.

Yes, thats good.

Gui Hui, I wouldnt kill you.

Thats very good.

The others dont understand. It wasnt like I wanted to kill my Master.

Oh?

A pause. Well, I did. But I had to.

Is this it? Is she confessing her motivation? Excellent! I can use this to avoid her hatred when she becomes a villainess later! Is that so?

She was jealous of my talent. She started teaching me incorrectly. If I didnt kill her, I would have had a qi deviation.

Oh. You killed your Master for that?

Okay, no, thats fair. Qi deviations can kill. I should know. And even if they dont kill, incorrect cultivation can cut off your path to the next stage, let alone Immortality. For someone at Meimeis stage, getting taught incorrectly is indeed a murderable offense, even if I dont agree with killing in general.

Huh. I wonder if I should have been more troubled by my Masters absence when it came to teaching

So as long as you dont do that, I wont have a problem with you, Meimei concluded.

Oh, Hui replied, not sure how to feel.

Ah! Its stopping. Youll catch up in a moment! Meimei assured him.

Right behind you, Hui called out.

Light shone out ahead of him, light not emitted by the phoenix flame over his head. Hui waved his hand, dismissing it, and stepped inside.

He drew to a slow halt, eyes widening. No way