Li Xiang rushed into a dark alley. Hui chased after her, whirling around the corner.

Two men cornered a female cultivator. One held her up against the wall, while the other held his sword at her throat. The woman screamed again, struggling weakly against her captor.

“You! Stop right there!” Li Xiang shouted, drawing her sword.

The man holding a sword turned, smirking. “Violence is banned within city lim—”

Li Xiang slashed at him. He barely drew his sword up in time to parry, falling back. Their swords clashed, sparks flying.

“I’m sure the law will be on my side,” Li Xiang replied. She darted in. Swords flashed faster than Hui’s eyes could follow. The man fell back, barely able to hold his own.

That’s a sword cultivator for you. He glanced at the other man, the one holding the woman.

“Are you going to break the law as well?” the second man asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“Me? No.” Hui lifted his hand, pointing his fingers at the man. “Zhubi, go!”

In a flash, Zhubi uncoiled from his neck and darted down his arm. The snake launched from his fingers and lunged at the man, fangs bared.

The man darted out of Zhubi’s path, dragging the woman after him. Zhubi bounced off the wall and coiled back upright, hissing ferociously at the man. He danced away, but Zhubi pressed on, ferociously biting at his ankles.

Only Hui noticed the small snake’s body shivering fiercely. You can do it, Zhubi! Be brave! Hui cheered silently.

Staggering back, the man separated from the woman. “You—”

“Ah, you aggravated my spirit beast. I can’t be held accountable for what happens afterward.”

“Such a cheap trick, do you think city council will—”

“Mmm, but you aren’t going to city council, are you? On many accounts, the city is not going to be friendly toward you,” Hui said, a narrow smile on his lips.

The man’s eyes widened. He flicked his eyes toward the woman.

As I thought.

The man leaped high over Zhubi and grabbed Hui’s robes. “You—what do you know?”

Hui smirked. He turned away, toward the battle at the end of the alley, and hollered, “Li Xiang! Help!”

The man grit his teeth at Hui. “If you—”

“Are you threatening me? My friend, do you feel confident against a fourth-stage sword cultivator?” Hui asked, smirking wider.

“You?” the man asked incredulously.

“Her.” Hui cocked his head toward Li Xiang, crossing his arms.

The man hesitated.

“Hui!” Li Xiang pushed away from the man she was fighting and darted toward the one holding Hui.

Frustrated, the man looked at Hui, then at Li Xiang. Clicking his tongue, he pushed Hui away, pivoted on his heel and ran.

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At the other end of the alley, the other man turned and ran.

Confused, Li Xiang looked down the alley to the left, down the alley to the right, then turned to Hui and tipped her head.

“Your justice scared them off,” Hui explained.

She narrowed her eyes. “That’s not true.”

“Mmm, no, it’s not,” Hui acknowledged. He bent and offered his arm to Zhubi, who slithered up and wound around his neck again. The snake’s body shuddered against his. He patted Zhubi a few times and fed him some qi as a reward, and the snake settled down.

Li Xiang tilted her head, waiting, but Hui said nothing.

“Ah! Thank you for saving me,” the female cultivator said, smiling at them. She tugged her robes back into place, but, distracted, left her hem hanging open a little too low. A thick, sweet scent clouded the air around her. Hui held his breath, resisting the urge to gag.

That… I wonder…

Around his neck, Zhubi suddenly bolted upright. He strained toward the lady, pupils big and dark. Hui petted him quietly. Mmm, as I thought.

“Of course,” Li Xiang said, but her brows furrowed deeper.

The woman glanced right and left. “Quick, before they summon city council! I know a place we can hide!”

“Summon city council? Even though we acted to save you?” Li Xiang asked.

“They’re very strict. The city is occupied by clans, and not all of them are… fully righteous, so to keep the peace, no violence is allowed in the city, no matter the reason. They’d be punished for cornering me, but… you’d also be punished for stopping them.” She ducked her head, then glanced up at them. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, we’ve only just arrived,” Li Xiang replied.

“All the more reason! Hurry, hurry,” she said, gesturing the two of them on.

Li Xiang glanced at Hui. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, passing her a silver pill at the same time. Taking her hand, he placed it on Zhubi, who rolled over.

Lifting her hand, Li Xiang looked at the pill, then at him, and nodded.

Hui drew the flint from his robes. He closed his eyes for a second and replaced it.

“What are you waiting for? City council’s enforcers will be here any second now!” the woman urged, gesturing them on.

“We’re right behind you,” Hui said earnestly. He ran after the woman, Li Xiang on his heels.

Winding through the streets, the woman led them on. They raced through narrow alley after narrow alley, dodging puddles and the occasional fellow cultivator, usually dressed in dark clothes and unwilling to make eye contact. At main roads, she turned away or darted quickly across them, waiting for them to follow. They descended into the slums. Shops and houses crowded in on each other. The level of the cultivators around them grew lower, until even Hui could see through the majority of the passerby’s cultivation. Hui flicked his eyes at an older man in the first stage, crouched against the wall in ragged robes, ragged hair hanging in his face, a hand wrapped around a gourd of wine.

Worth is decided by strength? How cultivation-like of them.

“Here, here!” the woman said, gesturing them on toward a dilapidated restaurant.

“Are we really being pursued?” Hui asked, glancing up.

The woman nodded. “You won’t see them until they’re already on top of you! Inside, quickly.”

“How frightening!” Hui said, eyes wide. He ducked into the shop.

Decaying walls. Stained tables and benches. A sickly-sweet scent hung in the air. Hui searched and found the source: a stick of incense, slowly burning at the back of the restaurant. Zhubi shifted. Hui pet the snake’s head, calming him.

“This way, into the back room,” the woman urged. She pushed back a panel of the wall that looked like any other, revealing a small room set with a table and benches.

“It’s so kind of you, going so far for the two of us,” Hui said, taken aback.

“No, no, not at all. You saved my life, after all. If you hadn’t showed up when you did…” The woman glanced aside. A tear welled up in her eye, and she sniffed.

He looked at her and smiled, just a little. “It’s okay now. You’re safe.”

“Right! Right. Oh, I know! I’ll get you something to eat. Sit, sit. How does some tea sound, while you wait?”

“There’s no need, no need, really,” Hui said, putting his hands up. Still, he didn’t resist as the woman ushered him to a seat.

Somewhat hesitant, Li Xiang took a seat beside him. She glanced at the woman, then at Hui, who gave her a tiny nod, almost imperceptible.

“Not at all! You saved my life. I owe you much more than this.” She scurried into the kitchen and came out with a pot of tea. Pouring tea into two chipped cups, she set them before them. “Please, drink.”

“Thank you. You’re too kind.” Hui smiled and lifted his cup.

The woman waited, smiling.

Hui sipped. Startled, he pulled the cup back and fanned his mouth. “Ah, hot! I burned my tongue.”

Beside him, Li Xiang dipped her head and sipped as well, face hidden behind a curtain of black hair.

The woman’s smile widened. She rose and bowed to them. “Then, let me fetch some food.”

Backing away, she slid the wall panel shut behind her.

Silence. Hui waited, tea in hand, smile frozen on his face. When a few seconds had passed, he turned and spat, wiping his tongue on his sleeve.

“Now?” Li Xiang asked Hui.

“Mmm,” Hui replied, giving a short nod.

She swallowed the pill.