Hui’s eyes widened. Is this the Eight Tiers Palace’s attack? Has Fei Guren come to kidnap my children? So early? He leaned toward the female cultivator. “Do we have any details?”

The female cultivator shook her head. “They found some evidence down by the training field for low-level disciples. Once those two disciples finish breaking through, come with me, and I’ll show you.”

Finish breaking through? Hui thought, startled. He turned and looked at his children, quickly scanning them with his qi.

His eyes widened. Huh. They are showing signs of breakthrough. How talented! Truly, they’re their mothers’ children.

In a few moments, Bai Xingxue stood, qi settling. He grinned at Hui and quickly ducked into a salute. “Many thanks for the advice!”

Moving more slowly, Li Weiqi stood. He nodded formally at Hui and saluted as well. “Thank you.”

Hui waved his hand and broke the barrier. “It’s nothing, nothing at all.”

“Shall we go?” the female cultivator said, gesturing Hui on.

“Of course, Elder Sister. Zhubi, watch the children,” Hui ordered.

Zhubi nodded to Hui. He hissed, calling the children over.

“I want to come!” Bai Xingxue declared.

“Me too,” Li Weiqi requested, somewhat more reserved.

Hui hesitated, then waved his hand. “Zhubi!”

Eagerly, Zhubi leaped into the air. He transformed into a snake midair and coiled around Hui’s neck.

Calling a slip of bamboo to hand with a quick gesture, Hui hovered it in the air beside him, a little over the children’s ankles. “You two, come along.”

“They’re coming?” the female cultivator asked, confused.

Of course! They’ll be safer with me than on their own. “They’re my responsibility. Especially given… the current circumstances, it would be remiss of me to leave them on their own.”

The female cultivator’s eyes widened. She quickly bobbed into a bow. “Of course! My eyes were open, but I could not see Mount Tai. To overlook the danger these children would face, alone in the woods… And the Bai Clan heir and Li Xiang’s child, too!”

Hui waved his hand. “These children are my responsibility. Naturally, you thought of your responsibilities, while I handled mine. I’ll take care of them, so please, Elder Sister, guide us.”

Cupping her hands again, the female cultivator turned and walked off at speed.

Hui blinked. She’s not going to—

Oh, right. Starbound Sect caps out at fifth realm, with the Sect Master alone surpassing fifth realm. Only the elites can fly. Someone running errands like this female cultivator isn’t going to be a fourth-realm or better cultivator.

Eh… I suppose I should walk as well. Which means… He turned to the bamboo.

“Hey, get off!”

“I ride in front!”

The two children fought back and forth on the narrow slip. With some effort, they both fit onto the bamboo. Two pairs of bright eyes turned toward Hui.

Hui’s heart trembled. I… I can’t disappoint those eyes! With a cold harrumph, Hui waved his hand and guided the slip along to float at his shoulder, just beside him.

As they walked, Bai Xingxue leaned toward. Glancing at Hui, he whispered, “Doesn’t he seem much kinder this time?”

“Shh! Not so loud. What if he hears us?” Li Weiqi hissed back.

Hui hooked a brow at the two of them. Honestly. The two of you need to be much more careful! Not all fifth-realm cultivators are as gentle as me.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Bai Xingxue covered his mouth with both hands and gasped. “I said nothing!”

“Speak a little more quietly, next time,” Hui advised him.

“We need to learn the sound transmission technique,” Li Weiqi muttered to himself.

Hui nodded. “A valuable technique indeed.”

Li Weiqi startled. “You could hear that?”

Tapping his ears, Hui grinned. “When you cultivate, your senses improve, too. Surely you know that?”

“Ah…” Li Weiqi put a hand on his chin thoughtfully.

Bai Xingxue leaned toward Hui. “Mother always pulls tricks like that with me! I thought it was something only they could do.”

Hui shook his head. “All higher-realm cultivators are that terrifying!”

“Terrifying?” Bai Xingxue asked.

Clearing his throat, Hui waved his hand. “No, no. I mean… impressive!”

“Terrifying… mmm. But how do we overcome that? Even getting stronger…” Li Weiqi muttered to himself, louder this time.

Ah, I see. Li Weiqi also has a cautious nature like myself, at times, but he’s letting that hold him back and excuse laziness, instead of letting it push him onward! Hui shook his head. “No, no. Getting stronger is the only way to overcome the terror of higher-realm cultivators! This world—that is, the cultivation world—only respects strength. If you want to protect yourself, you must grow stronger.”

“That’s what Mother says,” Bai Xingxue said, nudging Li Weiqi.

Mmm. She would, Hui thought, nodding.

“I know. It’s just… I don’t want to be a melee fighter. I don’t like getting close. I can put weapon qi into ranged weapons, so why can’t I?” Li Weiqi complained.

Ah. I see. Now I understand. My advice… it’s not that Li Weiqi has never heard it before. It’s that he’s heard it too much. Hui nodded. “Why can’t you?”

“Eh? But you just said—”

Hui waved his hand. “Never mind. I didn’t understand the whole situation. Li Weiqi, if your heart is set on ranged weapons, then seek after ranged weapons! You are the only one who can choose your Dao. Only you can decide your destiny.”

Li Weiqi frowned. “But even mother said that you can never do that. That I’m throwing away my weapon qi.”

“Li Xiang is… a very straightforward and honest person, but the downside is that she isn’t very creative. To her, the world is black and white. However, you and I know that the world is shades of gray, right?” Hui said.

“Mmm,” Li Weiqi said, nodding.

“Does it feel like you’re wasting weapon qi? Can you come up with a way to recover weapon qi… or for now, at least recover your thrown weapons?” Hui reached into his robes.

Sensing his intentions, Zhubi coughed. A yin-yang charm and a Go stone fell into Hui’s hand.

Fastening the yin-yang charm to his belt, Hui held out the Go stone. “Li Weiqi, as long as you can find a workaround, you can forge your Dao. I’ve always believed in that, and Li Xiang has always believed in me. Her path might be the straightforward black-and-white Dao of the sword cultivator, but that doesn’t mean it must be your Dao as well.”

Li Weiqi took the stone. He rubbed it between his fingers thoughtfully, then looked up at Hui. He opened his mouth, then nodded and closed it.

“What about me?” Bai Xingxue asked, beaming.

Hui laughed. “It’s the same for everyone, of course! Though, Bai Xingxue, listen closely to your mother. They have lots of experience navigating life with your unique constitution. It’s not that you are limited in your future paths… No, no. Cultivators would die to be born with the advantages you have! It’s simply that you must proceed with caution at times.”

Bai Xingxue nodded happily, satisfied. “That’s right! Mother’s always busy, though. With the harem.”

“Er, right. Well, that’s, you know,” Hui said, waving his hand. You don’t need to copy Bai Xue’s habits in that regard!

“How do you know both our mothers? You’re just a low-realm instructor in Starbound Sect!” Li Weiqi asked suspiciously.

Hui licked his lips. “Ah, yes. Well. One can’t help but learn a few things about our idol and the Young Master, no?”

“Idol…?” Li Weiqi asked.

Is that no longer Li Xiang’s title? No… she’s very well respected now, right? But how much so? “In any case, both your mothers are well-known,” Hui said, nodding.

“That’s true. What are you being suspicious for, anyways, Li Weiqi?” Bai Xingxue said.

“Well, the sect has an infiltrator,” Li Weiqi pointed out.

Bai Xingxue scoffed. “And you think he’s suspicious… because he knows too much about our mothers? Too much about the sect?”

Li Weiqi scowled. “I don’t know!”

Ahead of them, the female cultivator drew to a halt. Li Weiqi and Bai Xingxue stood on their tiptoes, but Hui waved his hand, sending the bamboo hovering backward. He stepped ahead.

“There,” the female cultivator said. “Evidence of a truly insidious attack by a demonic cultivator with great skill in disguise!”

A loose, flat shape, vaguely human-colored and about as wide as a parchment, laid on the ground. Hui knelt. A human-skin mask? This is indeed concerning.

Picking up a nearby stick, he flipped the flat object. A face appeared.

Hui stiffened. He licked his lips. Carefully, he leaned closer. A faint snakescale pattern appeared on the surface of the skin.

Ah… haha… an infiltrator indeed! A dangerous demonic—He coughed, stepping back. Nervously, he ran his hand over his face. A sheen of snake scales appeared for a brief moment.

“So? What do you think?” the female cultivator asked, leaning in.

It’s me! I’m the one! I’m the infiltrator! Hui tucked his hands behind him. “Ah, yes. We, ah, we should definitely… look into it. I think I’ll take this on personally!”

“You?” the female cultivator asked, surprised.

Hui quietly exerted a bit of his cultivation.

The female cultivator’s eyes widened, and she bowed. “Understood. I’ll inform the others.”

The others? Hui stiffened. There’s other people working this already? Ah, well. I can only control the damage I can see! Waving his hand, he called the skin into his sleeve and hid it away.

Behind him, Bai Xingxue gasped. He leaned in to Li Weiqi. So quiet even Hui struggled to hear it, he whispered, “Isn’t that the one—the one you—”

“Hush!” Li Weiqi snapped, the color draining from his face.

Hui licked his lips and forced a grin. Whoops. I’ve caused trouble for everyone, haven’t I?