The Sect Master and Gui Delun retreated, leaving the others behind. Lan Taijian stepped forward and gestured, leading the guest cultivators toward Starbound Peak. Li Xiang followed at his side, acting as the deputy and mingling with the guest cultivators, a polite smile on her face.

Weiheng Wu glanced at Hui, then turned his sword and flew them back toward his mountain. Hui glanced over his shoulder at the retreating exchange cultivators, then looked at his Master. “We aren’t going to greet them?”

“No,” Weiheng Wu replied.

Hui let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. The less I have to do with all of that, the better!

Weiheng Wu turned his eyes toward the sky above his peak. “Come with me.”

“Yes, Master!” Hui replied. Where else am I going to go, Master? This poor disciple still can’t fly on a sword!

They hurtled toward Unrivaled Under Heaven Peak, Weiheng Wu’s personal peak. Hui glanced around at all the other mountains as they descended. Cauldron Peak, belching smoke and covered in the stalls of its pill cultivators; Jade Garden Peak, sprouting mysterious magical plants; Butterfly Pavilion Peak, with its innumerable pavilions, thick scent of incense, and those butterflies; Starbound Peak, bursting with the energy of training disciples… and then Master’s peak, untamed and wild! It stands out from the rest for being so plain, and yet, suits Master perfectly. No one trained Master, and no one can rein him in. If he wishes to claim the largest mountain, the largest mountain is his. He needs no mysterious techniques nor strange tools, but makes do with what nature offers. That’s what Master’s peak signifies to the sect!

Hui nodded to himself. Indeed, having such a large, unadorned peak amidst the clutter of the others soothes the eye. Master’s peak offers a pleasant counterpoint to the business of Starbound Peak, the ornamentation of Butterfly Pavilion Peak, the industriousness of Cauldron Peak, and the neatness of Jade Garden Peak. Although lesser cultivators might not notice the balance, after staying around Master with so long, I feel as if I can begin to understand his purpose. I would add nothing, nor remove nothing, from Master’s grand design!

As they neared the peak, Weiheng Wu waved his sleeve. A strange tree flew out and zoomed toward his peak.

Hui squinted. “Is that Mount Mu?”

Weiheng Wu inclined his head. As Mount Mu reached Unrivaled Under Heaven Peak, he waved his sleeve again. In an instant, the tree grew from the size of an ornamental pear tree to the size of a massive oak, and continued growing. A great wind swirled up and blasted past Weiheng Wu and Hui. Hui covered his face against the dust. When he looked back up, Mount Mu in all its enormous glory hovered above Unrivaled Under Heaven Peak. The very bottom strand of Mount Mu’s longest taproot brushed against the tip of the mountain below.

Hui stared. Apologies, Master! How dare this pitiful disciple guess at the grandness of your design? I… I suppose… the, the peak… needed a… tree on top of it?

Weiheng Wu tucked his hands in his sleeves and gave the arrangement a satisfied gaze, then turned to Hui. “Now we’ll have shade.”

“Ah… ah! Disciple understands,” Hui said, ducking into a short bow. I understand nothing! Did you steal this whole tree because you thought the peak was a bit too sunny? Master!

Weiheng Wu frowned at him. “It was a joke.”

“Haha! Master is the most comedic,” Hui quickly said, forcing himself to laugh.

Weiheng Wu’s frown deepened. He raised a hand to his chin and muttered to himself, “I need to keep a closer eye on this disciple of mine. It seems as though he’s come under some strange influences, to not understand humor properly…”

“Master, please forgive this small disciple. I merely was so overwhelmed by your talent for landscaping that I couldn’t think straight,” Hui said, bowing again.

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Staring at him one more moment, Weiheng Wu snorted and turned toward his peak.

Peaks, now, I suppose, Hui thought to himself.

Weiheng Wu raised his hand and pointed at Mount Mu. “That over-large tree is full of life qi. Your aura of death from the death qi you cultivate has grown too strong, especially with the All-Heavens Sect nosing around Starbound Sect. You would do well to strengthen your life qi by absorbing some of this tree’s life qi.”

“Many thanks, Master!” Hui said, clasping hands to his master with earnest gratitude.

“I noticed you had taken a small part of it. You have good instincts, but you’re still young, and a bit too humble. When you find something useful to you, do not hold back, but seize the entire item. If it’s a house, take the entire house, from foundations to roof tiles. If it’s a person, take their entire clan. If it’s a tree, dig it up from the roots and take it with you!” Weiheng Wu’s voice rumbled over his peaks. Mount Mu trembled faintly, as if it couldn’t stand up before the majesty of his voice.

Hui’s eyes shone. He bowed low. Master is right! I’ve been too humble, too considerate. How many times have I held back? From now on, Master, I’ll do my best to take everything I need, from roots to leaves! “Disciple hears and obeys!”

Letting out a last snort, Weiheng Wu spiraled down toward his peak. As they reached the ground, Hui jumped off his sword and landed beside the small hut atop the mountain. He looked up at Weiheng Wu expectantly.

“Stay here and cultivate for now. I will likely be required to give a lecture at some point, which should be good fortune for everyone of your generation. Do not fear, I will collect you before that happens,” Weiheng Wu proclaimed.

“Will the other Peak Lords also give lectures?” Hui asked, curious.

Weiheng Wu frowned slightly. “You have no need to be lead astray by such paltry beings with such a pitiful comprehension of the Dao. Do not concern yourself with them.”

Hui bowed again. Master, only you can call them paltry and pitiful! They’re illustrious Peak Lords to the rest of us! I wonder if I should sneak off the mountain to see when the other lectures are happening? It won’t hurt, right?

I need to get Xixing to take a look at Zhubi, anyways. I’ll swing by Starbound Peak on my way back. Besides, I could always visit Li Xiang and Sis Mei… and there’s the matter of the rumors that I still need to resolve! Wang Zhong was behind some of them, but I don’t think he was the sole source of the rumors.

Weiheng Wu gave him a look.

Hui quickly marshalled his thoughts. But… that can all happen later! First, I need to absorb some life qi, and then I need to create a new set of talismans to ensure all my talismans are at the fourth level and in proper stock, and then I could practice a few of my techniques, or even sit quietly and cultivate for a while! After all, my life has been very exciting lately. I haven’t had much time to cultivate.

Once I make fourth-realm talismans… what should I do with my stock of lower-realm talismans? Sell them? Hui’s eyes glittered subtly, but he quickly clamped down on it. Don’t get too excited, Hui. The Sect Master will smell the spirit stones on you and rush over to gobble them all up! I’m still deep in debt! Even the few stones I have technically all belong to the Sect Master!

Weiheng Wu’s expression turned grave suddenly. He looked Hui in the eye. Startled, Hui bowed on reflex. “Weiheng Hui, listen closely. Although the arrival of All-Heavens Sect can be considered good fortune, it can also be considered deadly tribulation. Especially for you. Do not consider this a time to seek good fortune, but instead a tribulation which must be endured. Do you understand?”

Hui frowned, but then his eyes lit up. Right! Because I cultivate death qi and use a few piddling techniques that lesser cultivators might consider demonic, they’re naturally opposed to me. On top of that, I attracted their attention by cultivating life qi. Master’s warning is timely, indeed. He clasped his hands to Weiheng Wu. “This small disciple hears and obeys, Master.”

“If you quietly remain on the peak… no. Even here, there is no safety. Weiheng Hui, your master can only do so much. When it comes to the All-Heavens Sect, there are people even I must take seriously.”

Hui stared, startled. Even people… Master must take seriously? Impossible! How horrifyingly powerful must they be, that Master has to be wary?

“At least for now, anyways,” Weiheng Wu muttered under his breath, narrowing his eyes at the horizon.

Right, right, how could I forget Master’s eternal plan? If I can’t beat you now, I’ll cultivate and beat you in a year! Speaking of… Hui cleared his throat. “Master, if I’m not mistaken, I thought I sensed the auspicious aura of seventh-stage cultivation coming from you.”

Weiheng Wu harrumphed. “I underestimated the power of my own comprehension. In the end, the seventh stage was simply too trivial.”

Ah, it is Master, after all! Hui nodded.

“Do what you must, but try not to draw attention to yourself,” Weiheng Wu ordered. With that, he leaped into the air. His sword unsheathed itself and flew under his feet, lifting him into the air.

Hui saluted until Weiheng Wu disappeared from sight. I’ll do my best. After all, I’m naturally a very humble and quiet person who never draws attention to myself!