Hui scurried closer, tilting his head and making his eyes big. Senior Si Wang is about to spill the tea! Must hear, must hear! “Oh?”

Si Wang put a hand on his forehead and pushed him back. “Don’t do that. You look like a chipmunk.”

“Ah, my apologies, Senior.” Hui straightened, adjusting his hems and tucking his hands behind his back. Setting his shoulders and standing with a ramrod spine, he nodded just once at Si Wang, as upright and righteous as could be. “Please proceed.”

Blinking, Si Wang stared. What is wrong with this man?

Taking a deep breath, he continued. “The reaper… that is, Mamian, or, to use her original name—”

“Who are you? What are you doing on the border of Eight Tiers Palace? Identify yourself!” a man shouted. He exuded an oppressive aura, at least sixth stage, if not seventh. Two lower-level cultivators flanked him, each one fifth-realm.

Hui jumped. Eh? What did we do? Why are they—

He looked over at the resentment demons, happily tearing up the landscape all around them. Oh. Uh. Er, this small cultivator wasn’t as careful as I could have been, hmm. Standing over the demons as they tear up the wilderness… naturally, Eight Tiers Palace thinks I’m the one directing them!

I did create them, but… but they’ve been free range since then! I can’t control them, I can’t control them at all! You can’t blame me for this! They’re their own people!

Si Wang whirled, scowling. “Interrupting me? Who do you think you are?”

Taken aback, the man stopped and looked down on Si Wang. “I am Quan Yuanlong, Inner Palace cultivator of the Sixth Tier, the highest level Beast Master aside from our Tier Master. And you?”

Si Wang laughed, just once. He tossed his hair and flew up in the air so he could look down on Quan Yuanlong. Imperiously, he declared, “You can call me… Death.”

Oh dear. Oh no. The cringe… I’m dying, Hui thought, barely resisting the urge to curl up and hide his face.

Quan Yuanlong looked at Hui expectantly.

Hui coughed, breaking free of the cringe. He bowed to the other man respectfully. “Please excuse this small cultivator. Small cultivator is not worthy of giving Senior his name, but since Senior insists, please refer to small cultivator as Xie Hao.”

I can’t give my real name right now anyways, but it seems the restriction doesn’t apply to pseudonyms, Hui noted.

“What are these beasts?” Quan Yuanlong asked.

Si Wang scoffed. “Ha! If I told you, it would melt your mind. They’re horrific beings from beyond your compre—”

Hui stepped forward, interrupting Si Wang. “Senior, with all respect, we don’t know either. My colleague and I were investigating the beasts when Senior came by. As mere rogue cultivators, we do not possess the knowledge or prestige that Eight Tiers Palace Inner Palace cultivators must possess. Senior, please enlighten us. I know that Senior’s boundless knowledge must encompass these beasts, too!”

With that, he gave Quan Yuanlong his best shining puppy dog eyes, as if he truly, from the bottom of his heart, expected Quan Yuanlong to explain the resentment demons to him. Internally, though, he laughed. Good luck. If you can provide even a half-assed explanation for these creatures with the total void of knowledge you possess on them, I’ll call you Father! Ah, even this small cultivator who created them didn’t know they were the manifestation of the breakdown of the Heavenly Dao.

Hmm, though if they’re the manifestation of the Heavenly Dao breaking down, and they’re able to reproduce just by tearing apart a forest… doesn’t that bode extremely poorly for the Heavenly Dao? If the Heavenly Dao is broken down to the part that even a forest gathers resentment against it… Hui pressed his lips together. Hmm. I might be in trouble.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

A second later, he froze. Turning slowly, his gaze landed on Eight Tiers Palace. They’re the manifestation of the breakdown of the Heavenly Dao… so why are they attacking Eight Tiers Palace?

Does Eight Tiers Palace, perhaps—

Quan Yuanlong cleared his throat, breaking Hui’s thoughts. He stepped forward on the air, drawing closer to the resentment demons.

As he drew closer, the large one opened its mouth. A low hiss emerged, threatening and dangerous. Instinctively, Quan Yuanlong stopped in midair and threw his arm out, preventing his assistants from stepping closer. “This beast—this beast is a threat to everyone!”

“Eh, is it?” Hui asked. Eyes twinkling, he flew over and patted one of the resentment demon’s arm. “But Senior, it doesn’t seem to mind me?”

The two assistants suddenly drew away from Quan Yuanlong, looking at him with strange eyes.

“What? But—” Quan Yuanlong stepped closer again.

The resentment demon hissed again, louder this time. One arm snapped out and batted at Quan Yuanlong. He darted back, only just dodging it.

Hui’s jaw dropped. He stared at Quan Yuanlong, shooting sideways glances at his assistant. “Senior, so strange. Why does the beast react so strongly to you? Could it be… does it recognize you, perhaps? Is it possible… that it came here to enact revenge on Senior?”

“What? No! I’ve never seen this beast before!” Quan Yuanlong spluttered.

His two assistants gave him long looks. One tucked her hands behind her and edged subtly away.

“Eh? Perhaps… perhaps, then, this beast is not the creature Senior insulted. Ah! I must have been wrong. Happenstance, it’s happenstance! Unless…” Hui put his hand on his chin.

“Happenstance, that’s it! It’s just happenstance. There’s no unless!” Quan Yuanlong insisted.

His assistants leaned in, giving Hui a curious look.

Hui hemmed for a few moments, enjoying the look on Quan Yuanlong’s face. Ha, thinking you’ll teach me about these beasts. I’ll teach you!

“There isn’t,” Quan Yuanlong insisted, crossing his arms. “I really haven’t seen this thing before.”

Hui’s eyes lit up, and he raised a finger as if he’d just thought of it. “Unless… it was so torn apart by its resentment that its original appearance mutated into this. But—ah! No, no. Senior would have had to do something truly, truly heinous, something that violates all morals and righteousness, for the beast to mutate to this extent. But ah, Senior must be upright and moral, right? So it can’t be that, can’t be!” Hui said, nodding to himself.

The assistants glanced at Quan Yuanlong and drew away, backing toward the sect.

“What—don’t listen to him. He’s an outsider spouting nonsense!” Quan Yuanlong shouted, jabbing his finger at Hui. “He’s the one accusing me—”

“Senior, when have I accused you? I’ve merely asked questions, asked questions! Ah, and to think, I even defended Senior,” Hui sighed, shaking his head.

One of the assistants mustered himself and flew up beside Quan Yuanlong. He whispered something in the man’s ear and gestured for them to return to the sect.

Face red, Quan Yuanlong huffed one last time, then turned to go.

Hui grinned to himself. I’ll leave it at that for now. Hmm, is it just me, or is it a little too fun to give people heart demons?

“Ha. Running away. A righteous man wouldn’t run from trouble,” Si Wang stated firmly, crossing his arms.

Hui glanced at him. Is Senior playing along, or did he somehow fall for it, even though he knows the truth…?

Quan Yuanlong flinched. He scowled at Si Wang over his shoulder, then huffed, straightened his collars, and flew off, flanked by his attendants.

Putting a hand on his chin, Hui hummed to himself thoughtfully. “I didn’t think it’d be that easy to get them to leave us alone. I thought we’d have to fight, for sure.”

Si Wang snorted. “That man has a guilty conscience, or else it wouldn’t work.”

Hui glanced at him. “Does Senior know that Quan Yuanlong?”

“Ha! He’s a high-ranking Beast Master of their Beast Tier. You know that the Eight Tiers Palace and the Northern Realm, run by demons… that is, animals with inborn cultivations, not these monstrosities—are at loggerheads, correct?” Si Wang asked, still staring after Quan Yuanlong.

“Ah, yes. That was my first assignment as a reaper,” Hui said, nodding.

Si Wang nodded back. “That man is much of the reason why. He might only be an Inner Palace member, but the things he has done…”

Hui glanced at Si Wang, expecting him to continue, but he said nothing. After a moment, he glanced at Hui. “Did you really accuse him of creating the demons without knowing that?”

“Huh? Er, well… small cultivator got lucky?” Hui said, scratching the back of his head. After a moment, he waved his hand. “No, no. Small cultivator merely assumed that all cultivators must have some skeletons in their closets! I got lucky in that I guessed right the first time, or at least got close enough to make him squirm! Please don’t worry, Senior. Had I guessed wrong, I would have kept trying angles until I found one that worked!”

Si Wang gave him a look. Is that supposed to reassure me? You dangerous child! Having you around is like having an inner demon as your travelling companion!

“Eh? Senior, don’t worry. I’m not trying to give you an inner demon,” Hui said, shaking his head.

“You couldn’t,” Si Wang said, laughing.

Hui cleared his throat, but said nothing. He raised his eyebrows.

“You couldn’t. I’m much higher realm than you,” Si Wang insisted.

Glancing aside at the floor, Hui cleared his throat again. “Ah, well, it’s neither here nor there—”

“You could not!” Si Wang shouted, furious, raising his hand.

Hui cowered, putting his hands up protectively. Ahhh, Senior! Could you please not aggravate your own inner demon while I’m desperately trying to avoid giving you a mental demon? Please! For your own good!