Healer strode along his peak, enjoying the quiet for a moment. A moment of peace before it all begins.

The lotus clones busied themselves, setting up the immortal palace behind him. Some distant cultivator had built it to their fancy, but they fancied a lot more brocade and silk than he did. I need to get all that opulence out of here. Easy to clean, easy to see injured cultivators into and out of. That’s what I need.

After all, why stop my business now? It’s been so profitable this far! Plus, we’re after the sect’s resources, right? I bet they give healers a good benefits package, and it’s got to be more if I do meritorious service for the sect like healing my fellow cultivators for a low price!

He drew out the small spirit beast pouch and opened it, giving it a shake. The woman he’d healed earlier fell out. Hui reached to catch her, but missed. She tumbled onto the ground.

Hurriedly, Hui put the bag away and offered her a hand up. “My apologies, Elder Sister. I didn’t mean to drop you. You’re safe now. Go wherever you please, but first, listen to me—”

The female cultivator darted up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She twisted hard. His spine broke, and he toppled to the floor, instantly playing dead.

Eh… huh? What just happened? Hui wondered, completely lost.

The female cultivator threw his head away. Disgusted, she looked down at him like he was an utter turd. “Test subject? I’d rather die.” With that, she took to the sky, leaving Hui dead on the ground.

Elder Sister, give me a chance to explain myself! That was a thoughtless explanation, the only thing I could think up on the spot! Apologies that my improv skills aren’t up to Elder Sister’s standards…!

Sighing, Hui climbed back to his feet. He walked over to his head and fixed it back on his head, adjusting it into place. Giving his head one last twist to make sure it was right, he straightened and looked after the woman as she flew off. I never even learned her name… Oh well. She’s my test subject, after all—well, officially, anyways, and I made no effort to help her escape. If anyone runs into her, they’ll bring her right back here. Hopefully next time I can get a few words in edgewise before she takes my head off.

Putting the matter into the back of his mind, Hui settled down to meditate. He pressed his senses out, searching for a trace of death qi. I’d like to start from that glowing senior’s peak, but… well, first off, I suspect he’s the one who did something to Jin Xian, and secondly, his peak is probably suffused with life qi. Life qi destroys death qi. Even assuming he didn’t cover his tracks, any of her qi traces would have been destroyed by the ambient life qi on his peak by now.

Really, my only hope is that he took her off the peak… though I suppose finding no trace of death qi is also a trace, since then she probably didn’t leave his peak. Ah… in that case, I’ll have to make up some excuse to make my way onto Senior’s peak. I can’t leave Jin Xian all alone, wherever she is. Hopefully she’s not dead.

Er… more dead than she already is.

Hui searched, pressing his senses outward. As he stretched his awareness, he sensed a line, arching into the sky. Furrowing his brows, he reached out to it.

The line responded. A faint sensation met Hui’s senses. Swaying. Metal. A low creak.

Is this… the chain? It… whatever it’s made of, it’s conducive to mental energy. Huh. That explains how they can have such a spread-out group of peak lords at relatively low realms, but keep them all communicating with one another. Send your mental energy along the chain, and everyone can talk!

Hmm, it’s something like a primitive, wired version of my clone network. Hui raised a hand to his chin. I’ll have to sabotage it somehow. But that’s a problem for later. For now, let’s use it to find Jin Xian.

He sent his consciousness along the chain, stretching it out from the chain. Life qi inundated him from every side, both life qi and ordinary qi. Hui furrowed his brows, searching outward. Death qi, death qi…

A blast of cold caught him from the side. Startled, Hui opened his eyes, breaking his connection with the chains. That’s not a little death qi. That’s enough death qi to fund an entire demonic sect’s ghoul forging foundry!

That isn’t the trace from Jin Xian, but—but hey, if you want to hide a needle, do it in a haystack! It’s a trace. Let’s go!

He rose to his feet and flew off, chasing after the blast of death qi. A few peaks streaked by on either side of him. Some bustled with disciples, while others hung dark and empty, or sat as perfectly manicured gardens, adorned by a single jewel of a palace at their tops.

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At last, Hui came to a halt. He hovered over a busy peak. Disciples bustled busily along the slope. Some practiced swordfighting in the square. Others nurtured spirit herbs in the gardens along the peak’s sides. A small group chased through the woods, plunging after a hart with a two-tone rack of antlers.

Hui frowned. He furrowed his brows. This… is this really the source of the death qi? He descended toward the peak, confused.

As he approached, a thick barrier materialized before him. He flinched back, startled. Blinking, Hui reached toward the black chains. Is this barrier made of death qi? Is that the source of the sensation?

But… why close in an ordinary peak with death qi? Isn’t that dangerous for the cultivators inside?

“Good afternoon,” a quiet voice said from beside him.

Hui turned and instantly flinched away, raising his hands to block out the brilliant light. How did I not notice that glowing guy sneaking up on me? He’s brighter than the sun! He must have some kind of stealth technique… a heavenly stealth technique that even his glow can’t overwhelm!

Quickly, Hui bowed. “Senior! Please excuse this small cultivator. I didn’t see you over there.”

Smiling, Liu Guang, the golden cultivator, waved his hand. “There’s no need to bow. We’re equals.”

Hui glanced at the peak, then at the glowing cultivator. Straightening, he licked his lips. I’m a righteous cultivator, righteous! It’s not strange for me to be surprised by this. Yes, yes, it would be odder if I didn’t ask! “Senior… I sensed a strong aura of death qi and came over to find a peak barrier built of death qi. Why are these cultivators trapped in by such a horrifying barrier?”

Liu Guang turned, taking in the barrier. “Oh, that? No, no. It’s an ordinary barrier. It has the traces of dark qi on it, but only because ghouls often attack the sect. Many barriers are stained with various types of dark qi.” He waved his hand.

Hui turned, following his gesture. All across the sect, the barriers glittered. Patches of darkness appeared in the barriers.

“Senior… all of these barriers? How often is the sect attacked?” Hui asked, shocked.

With a flick of his sleeve, Liu Guang sent the barriers quiet again. “We’re known for both exorcism and healing arts. It’s common for demonic sects to openly attack, and if they don’t openly attack, they’ll often use our sect healing righteous cultivators as an excuse to attack us. It’s hard to say there’s a single peak on this sect that hasn’t been attacked.”

Hui frowned, nodding seriously. He glanced at the peak below him. What a load of bullcrap. This sect is ice cold with death qi. The barrier is tainted? Nonsense. For it to be this cold, the entire barrier would have to be built of death qi… and even then! Even then… He narrowed his eyes at the cultivators below, then glanced at Liu Guang. Isn’t senior known for his illusory spaces? This one is a bit large, but if he had the time to set up a formation and had some powerful artifact as the core, it’s very possible.

Yeah… I’m not buying it. There’s more to this than demonic sect attacks. Although… He stepped forward, peering closer at the barrier. It seems Senior’s story is true. They do get attacked by demonic sects fairly often. If I could time my attack… or even lead a two-pronged attack…

No, no. I can’t. I’m on the side of righteousness. Although I’m happy to side with any sect All-Heavens one-sidedly labels as demonic, I won’t side with actual demonic sects. That’s a bridge too far… and besides, I’m not sure my revived sect would happily fight at my side, if I did recruit true-blooded demonic sects.

Besides, I’m not completely convinced Yunxu is dead, and he leads a demonic sect. If I reached out to other demonic sects, there’s a good chance Yunxu would hear about it, if he has any connections at all among the demonic sects. Everything else aside, I absolutely cannot allow for any chance of the Immortal finding out I’m still alive!

Hui drew back. He nodded slowly at himself, then looked at Liu Guang. “As Senior says, there do seem to be a great number of demonic traces on these barriers. This small Peak Lord is simply realizing my own weakness.”

Liu Guang smiled. He put a welcoming hand on Hui’s shoulder. “We all realize how small we are when we stand before Mount Tai. It’s an ordinary reaction to have. Please, feel free to come to me if you have any questions or bottlenecks. I like to help out the newcomer life qi cultivators.”

“Senior is very kind,” Hui said, bowing. Hmm… rather not. It sounds dangerous, and I don’t trust anyone who’s good at illusions. Plus, I haven’t forgotten those ‘demonic cultivators’ you’re keeping in agony in your illusory space. I’ll be your friend… but only so far as I can extract those poor cultivators from danger.

Though the one I extracted so far wasn’t particularly grateful… ah, no. I can’t blame Elder Sister. I did say I was going to treat her as a test subject. Even if she didn’t give me the chance to explain myself, I can understand having that reaction. I’d probably have a similar reaction, in her place.

Hui looked at the peak one last time, then nodded at Liu Guang. “My apologies for getting so worked up over a small amount of pollution. I hope Senior can forgive me.”

Liu Guang waved his hand. “Please, there’s no need to apologize. Any righteous cultivator would be concerned.”

Bowing one last time, Hui took off into the sky and flew back toward his sect. Dammit. I feel like Jin Xian is on that peak… and if not, there’s at least a hint to her location there! But Liu Guang protecting that peak… on one hand, it’s confirmation that there’s something there. On the other hand, I’ll have to sneak past him and that mysterious stealth technique of his.

Hmm… or maybe… Hui cast a look at Liu Guang from the corner of his eyes and smiled. “Senior Liu Guang, I feel that you and I have a lot in common. I’ve recently come across a fantastic liquor that simply must be tasted to be believed. Senior, I believe this liquor was fated for you. Ah, yes, Senior, your luminescence is the only match for such a sweet and flavorful brew. Would you like to come to my small peak and have a sip?”

Liu Guang considered, then nodded. “Of course.”

Hui smiled. “Wonderful. Please, follow me…” Senior has a clone technique, but if he’s a clone, the immortal qi liquor will dispel him! If he isn’t a clone, the liquor should knock him out directly. Once he’s out of the equation, this small cultivator can go examine the barrier. It’s a perfect idea, simply perfect! Nodding to himself, he led Liu Guang toward his peak.