They arrived at the abandoned temple before dark, with Ying Lin quickly gaining comprehension in the movement technique as they continued onward. Even Hui began using the technique toward the end, figuring practice couldn’t hurt. Bao Huli clung to Ji Taiyu the whole time, barely leaving his side as she made ‘mistake’ after ‘mistake’ and required him to step in time and time again to correct her.

As they approached the top of the peak, Bao Huli stumbled yet again. She looked up at Ji Taiyu with tears sparkling in her eyes, her brows furrowed. “Master, can’t you show disciple the flow of your qi? Please. If you show me with your qi, I’m sure I can learn it.”

Ji Taiyu blushed faintly. He glanced at Hui and Ying Lin and pushed Bao Huli away. “First Disciple, you know I can’t. Unmarried cultivators shouldn’t mix their qi. Watch me again. This time, for sure—”

“Master, I just can’t! Please, just for a little? Bao Huli won’t mind,” she insisted, fluttering her lashes at him.

“Bao Huli, I know you’re capable. You’re my most promising disciple! Again, one more time. This time for sure!” Ji Taiyu insisted.

“Master, please…” Bao Huli tried, but Ji Taiyu turned away, refusing to look at her any longer. Behind his back, she clicked her tongue with a sour expression.

Hui licked his lips and averted his eyes, staring toward the setting sun instead. Is this how Bai Xue feels around me…? Ah, how awkward…

“Master, unmarried cultivators shouldn’t mix their qi?” Ying Lin asked.

Hui coughed. “Er, as Bai Xue said, people tend to fetishize it, but it’s really the same as any other technique.”

She frowned. “Didn’t you tell me to disregard everything Bai Xue said?”

“That, that is… yes, normally! But there’s certain cases… anyways,” he finished firmly, turning away, unwilling to broach the subject again. I really don’t get why this world is so weird about putting your qi inside other people. It’s practically required for any healing arts! Or do healers get a pass? I still haven’t really seen any healers or healing arts, but then again, most people use pills…

Hmm, could it be? Do most people use pills because the healing arts are… er, are kind of… seen the same way as a massage parlor offering happy endings?

Instantly, the miracle healer’s voice sounded in his head. Take that back! You’re incorrect, completely incorrect! My healing is pure and clean, and there’s nothing horny about it!

Hui smirked. Someone sounds defensive. Hey, Healer, do you want one of the Bai Xue-chat talismans? I’ve got extra, fifty percent discount. I’m sure he’ll listen to your worries.

Shut up! What worries? I’m secure in my healing, completely secure! the miracle healer insisted.

Healer, Healer… it’s fine to scam people, as long as you get into the All Heavens Sect… oh wait, you haven’t done that, have you? the rogue replied, laughing under his breath.

Hey! Why’re we beating up on me? It’s not like you’ve broken into the sect. You’re the sect’s dog, no better than an errand boy!

At least I’m not their whore.

Your mother is their whore!

Hui rubbed his forehead, extracting himself from the node. Flame wars are much more fun to start when they don’t exclusively involve me.

Ji Taiyu looked around the temple. It stood in ruins, the pillars and the roof still strong, but the walls broken and sagging, the door completely blown aside, as though a great storm had descended within the temple and broken out of it. He nodded at his disciples, then led the way inside.

Bao Huli followed closely on his heels. Hui licked his lips, then gestured for Ying Lin to stay close and followed the other two inside. I hope it isn’t actually haunted by monsters. It’ll be good if this is a baseless rumor again, like all the others.

Inside, the temple’s wooden floors creaked underfoot. In a few places, the wood gave way, rotted through. Hui followed Ji Taiyu and Bao Huli, stepping only where they stepped and keeping his feet light. Ying Lin copied him, sticking close after him.

In the temple’s center, a wooden carving stood atop a shrine, honoring the local god, a fierce warrior deity. About the height of a human, the exquisite details of the statue’s face nearly brought it to life, even the creases in the eyes and the folds of the palm replicated. Though age dulled the finest details, enough remained to clearly exhibit the skill of the carver.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“I don’t sense any demonic qi…” Ji Taiyu murmured, a hand on his chin. He leaned close to the statue, examining it.

Hui flicked his eyes at Bao Huli. You don’t?

Bao Huli narrowed her eyes at him. Hui quickly looked away. Don’t aggro the fox demon, don’t aggro the fox demon!

“It’s possible that it’s a ghost or a being that uses a different kind of qi than demonic qi,” Bao Huli offered.

“Mmm, that’s true. Shall we stay here tonight?” Ji Taiyu turned to the other two.

“Do we have to?” Hui asked.

“I promised Song Weilai I’d meet her here tomorrow morning, but if you’re too afraid of the monsters, we can move on,” Ji Taiyu offered.

“Song Weilai?” Hui asked.

“A wandering merchant. I need to resupply, but she’s an old friend, too,” Ji Taiyu said, his eyes crinkling at the edges as he smiled.

A wandering merchant? If anyone would have heard of Li Xiang, it’s someone like her, who wanders the world and talks to a great many people. We have to stay the night! What are a few monsters, after all? I’m a fifth stage cultivator! Hui shook his head. “Disciple understands. Master, I’ll prepare a hut!”

“No, no, we should move on! Bao Huli is scared, Master. What if we see monsters?” Bao Huli said, shivering in place. She grabbed onto Ji Taiyu’s arm and gave him her most pitiful look. “Master…”

“What do you think, Third Disciple?” Ji Taiyu asked, ignoring the pathetic Bao Huli as he turned to Ying Lin.

Ying Lin glanced at Hui. Hui nodded.

“I… that is, Third Disciple wants to stay the night,” Ying Lin replied dutifully.

Hui beamed. What a good disciple! Why did I ever resist taking Ying Lin as a disciple? She’s such a great disciple, so earnest and obedient. To think, Sixth even tried to pawn her off on Bai Xue!

“Then it’s decided,” Ji Taiyu announced, nodding.

“Master…” Bao Huli whined. She bowed her head, and Hui imagined fox ears drooping atop her head. A second later, she looked up. Although her expression remained pitiful, a hopeful and conniving light gleamed in her eyes. “Master, Bao Huli is afraid to sleep alone. Could I share the hut with you?”

“Eh? If you wish. Second Disciple, build two beds.”

Hui saluted, ignoring Bao Huli’s death glare. I’m not doing all the work, you demon fox! You can climb into his bed on your own, okay?

Separately from Ji Taiyu, Hui swept the temple with his mental energy, searching for death qi. Nothing lit up in his vision. The temple remained completely dark. Not even a remnant scrap of qi remained in the temple, apart from theirs. Hui stared at the statue distrustfully, but it possessed no qi, inert in his vision.

Hmm. I guess it’s just a well-carved statue.

There could easily be demonic beasts or undead in the area. After all, it’s not as if qi lingers for a long time, unless a huge attack went off, or something strange lingers, like the demonic cultivator’s corpse with the rot qi. The chances of them being dangerous to me are low, but I’ll stick close to Ying Lin tonight to make sure nothing attacks her.

“Second Disciple?” Ji Taiyu prompted.

Hui bowed quickly. Bao Huli shot him a glare, so he cleared his throat and continued, “Third Disciple, will you come and help?”

“Understood, Master!” Ying Lin jogged to his side. The two exited the temple’s rear exit together.

“I’m your Master!” Ji Taiyu shouted after her.

Outside, Hui drew an earth talisman. He went to activate it, but paused. Growing a leaf, he drew an ordinary earth talisman, not a modified fifth-stage one. “Ying Lin, here. Try copying this formula, then use it to shape the earth and create a small moat around the hut I build.”

It’s fine if she doesn’t succeed, but it’ll be a nice rain barrier if she does.

Ying Lin nodded. “Talismans? Are you a talisman-maker, Master?”

“They’re my favorite form of spell. After all, you can use them with very little qi, even if you’re exhausted or playing dead! As long as you pre-draw talismans, you can use them at any moment. They’re very convenient.”

“Can I draw a few to keep for myself?” Ying Lin asked.

Hui laughed. He patted her head, amused. My disciple thinks ahead. I like that! “Succeed at copying mine, first.”

Ying Lin nodded. “Understood!”

Leaving Ying Lin to her studies, Hui activated his earth talisman and shaped a hut out of the earth. He stepped inside, then drew a wood talisman on the floor in two separate places, creating a pair of wooden beds. For the roof, he drew a wood talisman on a leaf and tossed it upward. A wooden cone materialized in the air and thumped down onto the earthen walls. The wood shaped itself to grip the walls as it landed. Hui looked around and wiped his brows, pleased at a job well done.

I wonder how Ying Lin’s doing. He stepped outside quietly and hovered over her shoulder, watching her draw the talisman. Her brows furrowed, and she paused, her brush hovering over a stroke.

Ah… this is where I give her pointers, Hui realized. “Put more weight on the upstroke. You can’t fill in the curve of the stroke afterward.”

“Ah! Master,” Ying Lin said, startled. She nodded and threw away the leaf to draw a new one. This time, she pressed the brush down firmly and drew a thick upstroke.

“Like that,” Hui said approvingly.

Ying Lin finished the talisman, then looked at him. “Master… where are we sleeping tonight?”

“Eh? Ah… I usually sleep in the forest,” Hui said. Now that I’m a cultivator, the heat and cold doesn’t bother me, and even the hardness of the ground isn’t an issue. If I can’t sleep, I can always cultivate instead. Compared to my first life, and the days when I had to sleep on cardboard in alleys after my father got too drunk for me to dare going home, it’s nothing.

Ying Lin frowned. She shook her head. “I’ll make us a hut!”

“I can…” Hui stopped himself. He smiled instead. “Make us a hut, Ying Lin!”

My little disciple is so ambitious! Is this what pride feels like? She’s such a good disciple, I can’t help but be pleased with her. Still smiling, he petted Zhubi and stepped aside, letting Ying Lin continue her work.

He peered over his shoulder at the temple. They’re still in there… should I…

Ah, no, no. I can’t interrupt the happy couple.