Hui put a hand on his chin. Hmm… but if he isn’t really twelve and that dark hallway isn’t his porn stash, then…

Well, it’s probably the prison, isn’t it? Or the torture chamber, or whatever. It could be treasure storage, or a million other things… in any case, there’s a billion reasons for a cultivator to hide a room inside their residence. I’ll keep an eye open… but if nothing else, I’ll make sure I peek inside when—I mean, if—I end up looting his house.

He doesn’t seem that bad so far, but All Heavens is investigating him for embezzling, and he’s got someone looking out for him from on high. I bet he’s—

Eh, wait. Should I become his friend instead? If he suggests me to All Heavens Sect, could I get in before Healer or Rogue? Wouldn’t that be a laugh!

“It might take a while to find her. It isn’t as if she has a firm address,” Wang Xiu cautioned them.

“That’s fine. Elder Sister, Junior Brother City Lord said you had a clone technique. I, too, possess a clone technique. Perhaps we could trade pointers?” Hui suggested.

“Eh? I always like exchanging pointers. Is your clone technique a combat technique too, then?” Wang Xiu asked.

“I… no,” Hui admitted.

“Then how are we going to exchange pointers?” Wang Xiu asked, lost.

Eh? …Eh! I meant exchange pointers in the general sense, but she thought I meant it in the way one asks for a friendly duel! Ah! Xiao Hui, what an oversight! Hui berated himself. “Er, I was hoping Elder Sister and I could have a talk, but—”

“Talk? Bleh,” Wang Xiu replied.

Hui took a deep breath and steeled himself. I hate fighting, but if Wang Xiu truly has a combat clone art, even watching her utilization of it could prove incredibly powerful for me when I take on All Heavens Sect. I can’t create clones mid-battle, and I don’t think the lotus clone technique will ever allow me to do so, but at the same time, it’s not as if I’m familiar with fighting from multiple angles at the same time. Any skills she has will prove invaluable for me!

He bowed. “Elder Sister, will you exchange pointers with me?”

“Now you’re speaking my language.” Wang Xiu nodded. “This evening? I’d hate to exhaust ourselves beforehand, if we do meet that warrior woman today. I want to face her at my strongest. By all accounts, she’s a worthy opponent!”

“Elder Sister is so wise, to consider even the time of our confrontation,” Hui replied. His breathing grew slightly shaky, and his resolve wavered. Shit. Now I have to think about it all day. Dammit. I’m going to be so nervous when we do fight.

Ying Lin glanced back. Gently, she touched his arm. “Master?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Hui said quickly.

She smiled. “You’ll do fine.”

“What kind of fighter needs to be pepped up by his disciple?” Wang Xiu scoffed.

Fierce, Ying Lin stepped forward and threw her hands out. “That’s not right! He’s—”

Hui smiled warmly. That’s right, Ying Lin, tell her! What a good disciple.

“—not a fighter! Master’s a coward and hates fighting. That’s why I have to get strong! To protect him," Ying Lin said, nodding proudly.

Hui choked and coughed, turning away. It’s all true, but Ying Lin, do you have to be so merciless? Stabbing my heart out of nowhere, and in public!

“A coward? And yet, you faced down our fierce City Lord?” Wang Xiu asked.

“Elder Sister, Junior Brother Peak Lord is a brat,” Hui explained.

Wang Xiu nodded. “Mmm, that’s true. Anyone would want to slap that face. Although now that I look closer, your face, too, looks quite slappable…”

Hui cowered. “Elder Sister, be merciful. This small cultivator only has a few assets, and my face is one of them!”

“Eh, is it? It’s not my taste,” Wang Xiu commented, bored.

Not… to her taste? I’m wearing a slightly ordinary face today, not quite as handsome as the original, but still somewhat attractive. If that isn’t to her taste, it begs the question, what is? Are her standards so high that this face isn’t good enough… or maybe she prefers older men, or uglies?

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

Ah, oh well. I’m not here to seduce Wang Xiu. Her tastes don’t matter, at the end of the day.

They flew on. After a time, Ying Lin began to practice spells again. Wang Xiu glanced back, but ultimately didn’t stop her. Since Wang Xiu didn’t, neither did Hui, figuring the guide knew more about what Li Xiang would notice or not. Thus, as they flew, bolts of lightning flashed down and grounded themselves on random trees all around, as Ying Lin practiced the Lightning Palm.

“Those strikes are quite strong, for a low-level technique,” Wang Xiu commented.

Ying Lin nodded. “I don’t quite understand it, but I feel like this art has unlimited potential. I haven’t figured out how to unlock it yet, but I will!”

“Even if it has unlimited potential, it’s such a low-level technique that practicing it even to perfection would be meaningless. Even a third-stage lightning art could out-power it,” Wang Xiu replied, waving her hand.

Ying Lin opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Hui stepped forward. “Are you insulting my Master’s ultimate technique?”

It’s true that I’ve insulted it in the past, but—but this is someone else! And she’s looking down on my disciple, besides. I can’t let that happen. After all, it’s true that it was Master’s ultimate technique! There’s no need to put Ying Lin off the path of comprehending the Lightning Palm, if she can succeed!

Wang Xiu’s face contorted, and she barely stifled a laugh. “Ultimate—what, did your Master never break through to third stage?”

“My Master ascended, in fact,” Hui replied.

Stunned, Wang Xiu fell silent. After a moment, she stuttered, “B…but that’s… the Lightning Palm…”

Hui turned to Ying Lin. “Although I myself failed to understand the principles behind it, the Lightning Palm does indeed have unlimited potential. Don’t listen to others around you, but set your eyes ahead and find your own path. If that is following my Master’s footsteps in gaining full comprehension of the Lightning Palm, then I will support you. If it is not… I will support you, no matter what!”

Ying Lin nodded. “Yes, Master!”

“What if she steps off the righteous path?” Wang Xiu asked, her eyes glinting dangerously.

Hui narrowed his eyes. He hesitated, but when he glanced at Ying Lin and realized she was listening, couldn’t back down. “Righteous and demonic are labels people put on actions after the fact. If a righteous cultivator uses righteous arts to massacre hundreds of innocents, is that still righteous? If a demonic cultivator uses demonic arts to save those same innocents, is that still demonic?”

“Yes,” Wang Xiu replied firmly.

“Elder Sister, respectfully, this small cultivator is a rogue cultivator. I’ve been separated from any sect for a time, and I’ve seen both righteous cultivators act demonic, and demonic cultivators act righteous. Forgive me for not having the same rigid mindset as a member of an orthodox sect,” Hui replied, bowing.

“Eh? Who said I was a member of an orthodox sect?” Wang Xiu asked.

Hui rolled his eyes. What do you mean? It’s too obvious, Elder Sister. “You work for City Lord Chen Xigui. Even if you are not a member of All Heavens Sect yourself, you at least are righteous enough to align yourself with them.”

Righteous enough… ha! As if All Heavens Sect is the be-all end-all of righteousness, a paragon of righteous cultivation! Internally, Hui mocked himself, but externally, he stared silently at Wang Xiu, waiting for her reply.

“Hmph. Well, you’re correct there,” Wang Xiu said. “We’ll agree to disagree.”

Hui bowed. She is probing me… well, as expected. I am a mysterious rogue cultivator who agreed to kill some woman for Chen Xigui, no questions asked. Likely Wang Xiu is as much a guide as a babysitter, ready to kill me if I display too much demonic power, or prove to be a threat to the city.

However, she isn’t fully wary, which means they don’t know who I am. They only suspect me as much as they’d suspect any rogue cultivator. Hmm, I should probe to see how deeply connected she is with All Heavens Sect. If she’s an isolated case like Chen Xigui, then I should be able to fight normally. If she’s more deeply connected, I’ll have to alter my combat style to not stick out in her mind.

They flew on for a bit. At last, Wang Xiu spoke up. “I was once a bandit child, back when I was mortal. Even a tiny bit of evil can worm its way into your heart and grow and grow, until what was simple robbery to stay alive becomes killing innocents for fun. I watched it happen to the troupe I was in, as we grew bigger and stronger. Naturally, I have a somewhat firm stance on righteousness.”

Hui paused. He considered whether to speak or not, but finally opened his mouth. “Then, this vigilante…?”

Wang Xiu sighed. “She’s doing the right thing for now. But for how long? Even if she never steps off the path of righteousness, how long until someone she’s gathered beneath her acts out and commits evil? One evil act can quickly multiply, and before we know it, we could have a new demonic sect on our hands.”

One evil act can quickly multiply? Why don’t you look at your own sect before you say those words? Hui mocked. He shook his head. “What if they never commit evil, and become a righteous sect?"

“Ultimately… that’s possible, but…” Wang Xiu shook her head. “Our City Lord would never allow it, because it would threaten his own power. There would be a war, and in the end, more meaningless death. Better to snip it in the bud.”

“Isn’t that hypocritical?” Hui asked. Ha, so they’re determined to stamp her out either way. Of course, of course. I never expected All Heavens Sect to be truly righteous, but they truly live up to their reputation of underhanded dealings.

Wang Xiu shrugged. “It’s the way of the world. The strong crush the weak. Isn’t this the ultimate rule of Jianghu? If she’s strong enough to crush Chen Xigui, she would. Thus, while Chen Xigui is stronger, he’ll crush her.”

Hui snorted, but said nothing. He turned away, his long hair flowing on the wind.

Ying Lin glanced from Wang Xiu to Hui, feeling caught in the middle. At last, she scrunched down lower and continued to focus on firing off spells. Awkward…

“Anyways, what do you care? Aren’t you here to kill her?” Wang Xiu asked.

“I don’t like hypocrites, is all,” Hui replied shortly.

“Aren’t you the biggest one of all?” Wang Xiu replied, scoffing.

Hui bowed to Wang Xiu. “Naturally, as a hypocrite, I can make an exception for myself.” It’s better to set myself up as an eccentric than try to fight for my own righteousness. Besides, it’s not like I’ve never made mistakes or had to go back on my words. I’m no Li Xiang.

Wang Xiu shook her head. “I think I’m starting to understand why you don’t belong to a sect. You’re quite the frustrating one, aren’t you?”