Hui dropped toward the Starbound Sect cultivators. The white-robed cultivators stared at him, confused more than anything. One or two blinked in recognition, but no one stepped forward.

Hey! Aren’t we fellow disciples? What happened to trust amongst brothers, huh? Are you just going to let me die?

Eh… come to think of it, I did sully their idol in their eyes, and I was never particularly popular in the sect, especially after Chang Bolin… and then that time I stole all the plants from Jade Garden Peak, even though it was a big misunderstanding… and that bit in the tournament where I tricked a man into thinking his spirit beast was in danger, which was an elegant but misunderstood solution… oh no. Brothers! Please! Avenge me, even if you hate me. For the sect, at least? Maybe?

The cultivators watched him fall silently. No one stepped up to catch him. One even smiled quietly, an evil glint in his eye.

Dammit! I didn’t do anything to you! I’ve never seen any of you before! Why do you hold a grudge against me, brothers? Help! Stop listening to rumors and have faith in your fellow cultivator!

A flash of motion. Soft arms wrapped around him. Hui nestled into a warm embrace. Black hair draped his face, and a pink enamel pin glinted in the sunlight.

Li Xiang smiled down at him. “Xiao Hui, what are you doing here?”

Hui gasped, abruptly returning to life. He stared up at Li Xiang. “You…”

“I hit fourth realm!” she said, nodding. She glanced up, then reached out. Hui’s black sword slotted into her palm. She handed the sword to Hui. “A cultivator’s sword is his life. Never let yours go.”

“This small cultivator listens and obeys, Elder Sister!” Hui replied, cupping his hands to her.

She laughed. “You don’t have to be so formal with me.”

“Li Xiang,” Hui said quietly, gazing up at her. It’s been so long. It feels like years.

Killing intent prickled against his skin. Hui sat bolt upright, expecting to see the swordsmen attacking, but instead, his fellow Starbound Sect cultivators glared at him with death in their eyes. Hui swallowed. That’s right. She’s the sect idol!

Slightly awkward, he extricated himself from her grasp. “Er, Li Xiang, I uh, I’m also fourth realm.”

“Mm. Can you fly?” she asked, tilting her head.

Hui swallowed. He glanced at his feet. “I, uh, this small cultivator only recently broke through, I’m still… practicing?”

“Then share with me,” Li Xiang said.

Again, killing intent surged, this time rife with jealousy. Hui could almost hear the other disciples’ thoughts: Li Xiang, I can’t fly either! Let me share!

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He grinned. Elder Brothers, I’m sorry, but you’re already flying! There’s nothing you can do!

“Thank you, Li Xiang,” Hui said. He slowly extended his legs and stood on her sword.

The two sword cultivators arrived. They glared at the Starbound Sect contingent. The first held his bell aloft and glared down at the contingent. “That man is on the run. He’s committed crimes against Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect. Hand him over.”

Lan Taijian glanced at them, then looked at Hui. He tucked his hands behind his back, indicating he wouldn’t interfere.

The two swordsmen turned their glares on Li Xiang. “Hand him over. Now!”

Li Xiang bit her lip. She glanced at the sword under her feet, then at Hui. “If I fight them, Xiao Hui…”

“Take my sword,” Hui offered, holding it out to her.

She blinked. “A sword is a cultivator’s—”

“I give my life to you,” he said, looking her in the eyes. If a sword is a life, then take mine and protect it, please! This small cultivator wants to keep living, by any means necessary!

“You… truly mean that,” Li Xiang said. She blinked at him, taken aback. A small blush spread over her cheeks, and she covered her mouth with a hand.

“I…” Hui blinked. Wait. Er, this small cultivator just realized there could be a second meaning to my words! Li Xiang, you don’t have to take it as a confession!

But, but, if you do, I… I don’t mind?

Decisively, Li Xiang took his sword. “I understand. I’ll treasure it.”

Hui blinked. In that moment, he didn’t even feel the killing intent his fellow disciples leveled in his direction. Li Xiang, does that mean… you…

She threw his sword under their feet and summoned hers back to her hand.

Elder Sister! Don’t immediately step on me! I don’t know how to feel about that! Hui cried internally, completely lost.

“You dare interfere in our sect’s business?” the first swordsman demanded. He pointed at Hui. “This cultivator has destroyed our sect’s property and attacked us! This is a matter for Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect to resolve. Hand him over to us!”

Li Xiang glared at them. “Xiao Hui, have you done wrong?”

“I… me? This small cultivator… never! I was only acting in the sect’s best interests,” Hui said honestly. Starbound Sect’s best interests, that is!

Li Xiang nodded. “Then, I dare interfere.”

The swordsman gnashed his teeth. He pointed at the rest of the Starbound Sect retinue. “And you?”

The cultivators stood there, looking at one another. A few muttered amongst themselves.

“Li Xiang…”

“Yeah, but that scum…”

“I don’t want the swordsmen to touch Li Xiang, but if they fight and that blight dies, I wouldn’t mind?”

“Ugh, those qi birds of his… It’d be better to let that slut who’ll dual-cultivate with anyone die, before he truly sullies our Li Xiang!”

Hui blinked. Eh? Slut? He looked around. Bai Xue isn’t here, though?

One or two of the cultivators hesitated, clearly about to step forward. Before they could, Li Xiang threw her hand out. “This is my justice. I’ll defend Xiao Hui, because I believe in him. If you don’t believe in him, stand down. I have no need for impure hearts at my side.”

“Impure hearts?”

“Us? And not him?”

Hui frowned slightly. Is my heart pure? Pure cowardi—ahem, pure will to live on and become immortal, maybe! Does that count? I guess it does, to Li Xiang!

He looked at her, and a kind of devotion he’d never experienced before bloomed inside him. Warmth welled up in his heart. Out of everyone present from the sect, only Li Xiang thought he was worth protecting; out of everyone he knew, only Li Xiang would tell him his heart was pure. Until I die, I will protect the Li Xiang I see before me today. No matter what it takes.

She looked back at him and nodded, slightly, then leaped off his sword to battle the two oncoming swordsmen. In that instant, a tearing sound rattled through Hui’s mind as his third eye opened. Although it had always been open ever since he’d entered fourth realm, in this instant, it went from a passive state to an active one, and directly took over his vision. A drop of blood ran down his forehead, and black blood coursed down his soul. In his eyes, another image overlapped with Li Xiang’s. Not that of another cultivator, but that… of a sword!