Sis Mei’s portions were usually large, but today’s was larger than usual. At last, Hui finished it and set the bowl on the back step. He stood and stretched, letting out a yawn.

It feels good to be back, wearing my own skin and no one else’s. Maybe I’ll go for a walk. As long as I stick to the wooded areas, I shouldn’t be attacked by any of Li Xiang’s worshippers.

With no real goal in mind, Hui set out, wandering through the woods. He laced his fingers behind his head and hummed to himself, watching the clouds drift by. Leaves swayed as the trees bent with a gentle breeze. A stand of bamboo clustered tightly to his right, sharp leaves shivering in the breeze. Underfoot, leaves crunched, and brambles broke away before his legs, no longer able to pierce his flesh.

I wonder where Li Xiang lives? He glanced upward, toward the peak. She’s a direct disciple of Lan Taijian, so she ought to live near him. Starbound Peak isn’t like Master’s mountain, which belongs only to Master. Sect Master Lan lives at the peak, but Lan Taijian, Peak Lord of Starbound Peak, shouldn’t live far beneath him.

Hmm… probably all the ordinary disciples know. It’s because I’m so disconnected from everyone, over on Master’s peak, that I don’t know. I could ask one of them… Hui pressed his lips together. No. They’d either outright refuse or directly attack me! I’m the one who dared impinge their idol, after all. And now I’m known as a slut, somehow… ah, probably to do with the qi transfer when I saved everyone from the Qi Seeds. Ah! So unfair. Why is sharing qi such an issue in this world? But… surely the medical experts must do it. Maybe I should—

A blast of sword qi cut through the air inches from his nose. Hui jumped back, startled. Half of him began to play dead on instinct, but the other half stopped him. It’s only a second-realm attack, at best! It couldn’t hurt even if it landed. I need to have some dignity, as Master’s inheriting disciple!

…Inheriting disciple. What is there to inherit? The… the Lightning Palm?

Master!

While he wailed internally, Hui glanced around, searching for the source of the sword qi. Suddenly, a fierce-looking youth, somewhere between twelve and fifteen years old, leaped out of the trees and slammed into his chest, kicking him backward. Distracted by his thoughts and search, Hui collapsed, instinctively playing dead.

Hey! Me! That didn’t even hurt! Why am I playing dead, huh?

He sighed and opened his eyes, only for the fierce youth to stomp him to the ground with a foot on his chest. Hui frowned up at the youth, more confused than anything. “Huh?”

“This is Master Wang’s territory. How dare you trespass!” the fierce youth declared.

“My apologies, Elder Brother. I was simply passing through,” Hui excused himself, still half-suppressing his cultivation.

The youth squinted at him, then laughed. “Ha! I can’t even sense your cultivation. As old as you are… have you even entered Qi Gathering yet? You’re practically a mortal. Ah! Let this Elder Brother Li Qian help you out. You can be my underling, and help me defend Master Wang’s territory. In return, I’ll give you cultivation tips!”

“Eh?” Hui asked, confused. This kid at the second stage… is he asking for trouble?

Li Qian nodded. “Lately, there’s been an influx of bandits, coming for Sect Master Lan’s beloved ducks. Master Wang is in charge of keeping the ducks safe, and ever since Sect Master Lan’s prized duck, Fatty, died on his watch, he’s been inconsolable! Of course, our grand and noble Sect Master didn’t hold it against him, but even so, Master Wang couldn’t bear for such a thing to happen again. That’s why he’s posted guards like me to keep wayward disciples away from the precious ducks!”

Ah… my apologies! I had no idea my action had such far-reaching effects. Master Wang… this small disciple offers his most sincere apologies. Hui bowed his head silently. Instead of continuing to release his cultivation base, he once again suppressed it to a near-mortal level. As apology, allow this small disciple to assist you in your noble goal of protecting the ducks! I’ll give it my all to keep the small creatures safe, at least for as long as I have nothing better to do.

…besides, it isn’t bad to practice suppressing my cultivation for long periods at a time. Who knows when I’ll need to hide or play dead for weeks or months at a time? Training is the key to success! Without training, I might not be able to suppress my cultivation for long enough when it counts!

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Li Qian stepped off his chest. Hui stood, brushing himself down.

“Lately, there’s been an influx of bandits… have other ducks gone missing?” Hui asked.

Li Qian nodded. “All the time! Master Wang says we have to catch the culprit, and we aren’t allowed to rest until we do! I’ve been in this forest for months…” He sighed, a sigh full of exhaustion.

“How difficult,” Hui sympathized. Hmm… more ducks are vanishing? It isn’t me, this time. I only took Fatty. Though… isn’t it possible that the ducks are migrating, or eaten by forest creatures, or leaving to mate with other flocks?

…no, no. I’m sure this Master Wang, who studies the ducks much more deeply than this small disciple, wouldn’t be mistaken!

Hui nodded to Li Qian. “What can this small disciple do to help you?”

Li Qian put a hand to his chin. “Hmm… well, it’s almost time for the daily meeting. Let’s rendezvous with the others first, and then we can figure out what your job is. I’ll go slow, so you can keep up.”

Hui bowed. “Many thanks!”

Li Qian bounded off, leading the way through the trees. Despite what he’d said, he ran ahead a hundred meters at a time, then stopped and waited impatiently for Hui to catch up. For his part, Hui walked at the speed his physical body allowed. Although far slower than his cultivation base would allow, his speed was still significantly faster than a mortal’s.

Is this the effect of my dual body cultivation techniques? A residual effect that occurs even when the forms aren’t active? How wonderful! Hui thought, beaming to himself.

“What are you smiling for? Come on! Hurry up!” Li Qian demanded.

“Apologies, Elder Brother!” Hui said, jogging to catch up.

Li Qian harrumphed and turned to run off again. As he turned, Hui quietly sent out his ducks to search the forest. They flapped into the distance, moving silently on death qi wings.

“If the ducks are in danger, why didn’t Sect Master Lan lock down the area, and only allow ducks in?” Hui asked, curious.

“He did! No cultivators can get near the lake. But mortals can. And mortal animals. And… he loves his ducks too much to restrict their movement, so once they leave the lake, anything could happen to them. After all, part of the Great Dao of animals is that they live in harmony with the rest of nature. Or something? I don’t really understand Master Wang’s sermons yet,” Li Qian said, scratching his head.

They walked on in silence again. After a moment, Hui cleared his throat. “Elder Brother, I happen to know a Li Xiang. Do you, perhaps—”

“You know Li Xiang?” Li Qian asked, whirling.

“Know… of. Know of!” Hui edited himself. Ah! I don’t need this kid to see me as a threat to his idol, too!

“Oh. Everyone knows of Li Xiang.” Li Qian sighed deeply, this time a sigh full of desire. “You were going to ask if we were related? No. It’s a common surname. We both come from unrelated mortal households.”

“I understand,” Hui said, nodding. Mmm… too bad. It would be nice to have an independent confirmation on Li Xiang’s age. After all, if I’m right about this, it’s possible… that my fellow disciples are wrong!

“But… if she were… Ah, but then I couldn’t marry her,” Li Qian said, shaking his head.

“M—marry?” Hui stuttered.

Li Qian nodded. “It’s everyone’s dream, isn’t it? Even you, I bet.”

“I…” Hui licked his lips nervously. His heart started to race, and he glanced at his feet. Li Xiang… I… about her, I—

“See? It’s nothing to get excited about. It’s impossible for us, anyways. The only ones who have a chance are other inheriting disciples, or people at that status. Princes from outside clans. Something like that.”

Hui licked his lips again. He glanced at Li Qian. “Inheriting disciples, like, maybe, Weiheng Wu’s inheriting—”

Li Qian scowled. “Don’t say his name! That awful villain. How dare he touch our Li Xiang’s robes! How dare he flirt with her! He’s unworthy of her, unworthy from top to bottom. The things I’ve heard about him…”

“The things you’ve heard?” Hui prompted, morbidly curious.

Li Qian ticked them off on his fingers. “He’ll dual-cultivate with anyone, even by force! He’s best friends with a well-known rogue and casanova, that Bai Xue, from the Bai clan. I’ve heard he even villainously attempted to dual-cultivate with Bai Xue and Li Xiang at the same time! Thank goodness our goddess fought him off. He’s a coward who can only win by trickery, and hides on his Master’s peak all day so no one can duel him for his spot as inheriting disciple. He spends half his time fainting and is so weak he can’t take a blow from someone an entire tier below him without passing out. And worst of all… he’s the one who ate Fatty! Ate him!”

“Er… he sounds like quite the villain,” Hui muttered under his breath. Dammit! Is my reputation really that bad? It’s all lies! Falsehoods! It’s—okay, well, I guess some of them are true. I did eat Fatty, and I am friends with Bai Xue. And technically I did ‘dual-cultivate’ with everyone, but it was just treatment for the Qi Seeds. And there’s nothing wrong with winning by trickery or not wanting to duel every idiot who comes along, okay? Not everyone likes constant battle!

Besides, the one who tried to dual-cultivate with two people at the same time was Bai Xue, not me! And come on, Li Xiang had to ‘fight me off,’ but I’m also so weak I can’t take a blow from someone a tier below me? Be consistent, you gossips!

Argh! Where did that rumor come from, even? They must have heard Li Xiang talking about her time in Bai Clan and twisted her words! The rumor-spreaders are the true villains!

“You must have recently achieved Qi Gathering to not have heard about him. He’s the biggest villain in the sect. But don’t worry, your Elder Brother will get you caught up!” Li Qian thumped his chest reassuringly.

“This small disciple appreciates it!” Hui said, bobbing into a bow. Get me caught up? Don’t tell me, there’s more bad rumors about me? How deep does this go?