Hui flew off. The world whipped by, wind snarling around him, his qi buffering it from his face. Bai Xue followed him at a half-step’s distance, clearly wishing to fly out ahead, yet without the direction Hui had.

All-Heavens Sect fell behind them, and the border mountains loomed.

Bai Xue flew up beside him. “Have they been taken outside of the Southern Sect Conference?”

“I don’t think so. Not yet,” Hui said. It’s more that I hope they haven’t… but on the other hand, even if people have forgotten Li Xiang, she had attained high rank with All-Heavens Sect. Thus, she still has the keys to most of All-Heavens’ facilities. If the children had been taken out of the domain entirely, with her personality, she would have directly teleported out of the border mountains. The fact that she’s still inside means she believes the children are still inside. It’s possible to trick Li Xiang with half-truths, but I doubt the assassins who came to kidnap our children bothered to try and face her directly!

Ha, if they did, would they still be alive? Fei Guren was fifth stage, the last time I saw her. She could be part of a squad of higher-level cultivators, but even so, we can’t forget that Li Xiang is a sword cultivator! Fighting above her realm comes with the label!

Although… that does raise a question. They wanted to hold our children hostage for political reasons. If everyone has forgotten our children, doesn’t that defeat the purpose? Besides, if they have a technique that can erase people from everyone’s memory, there’s no real purpose to kidnapping our children. True, it means no one will come after the children, but on the other hand, why not just directly erase us? We’re powerful cultivators in our own right, but a single sixth or seventh stage cultivator doesn’t pose much of a threat to a monolith like the Eight Tiers Palace without an army of some sort to back them up.

Hmm. There’s something I’m missing here. Maybe this memory technique is merely temporary, and can’t be maintained forever. It would be an excellent technique to use for kidnappings and the like, in that case! Make everyone forget while you’re kidnapping, turn it off, and suddenly, the Prince is missing! …Or, in this case, the Young Master’s child and the Idol… no. Li Xiang is more important than that, isn’t she? The way people treated her… hmm.

Or maybe… there’s yet a third party involved. Someone else interfering… or someone else in Eight Tiers Palace who simply wants Bai Xue and Li Xiang gone, rather than held hostage by our children!

Hui pressed his lips together, then shook his head. Let’s not focus on far-out possibilities. If such a thing is the case, in the end, it’s something I can handle after I have my children back. Whatever scheming or nonsense is going on in the background, is meaningless to wonder about when I’m so far away from knowing anything about what’s going on. Once I have my children back and Li Xiang is at my side, we can worry about such things.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Though… if there is a schemer, why did they target Li Xiang in particular?

Hui put a hand on his chin, then shook his head. I’m thinking way ahead of myself. I need to focus on the present.

Ahead, a blur flew through the sky. Hui sped up, chasing after it. Bai Xue suddenly fell behind, unable to keep up with seventh-stage speed.

“Li Xiang!” Hui shouted.

The blur vanished. Li Xiang stood in front of him, flying atop her sword. She turned over her shoulder, then stared. “Weiheng Hui?”

“Li Xiang! It’s me!” Hui called.

She waved her hand, calling her sword to her grip. “Another fake?”

Eh? She should be able to tell that I spoke the truth. “Li Xiang, is something wrong with your truth-sense?” Hui asked, quickly backing toward Bai Xue.

“You should know. You’re the one who attacked me!” Li Xiang snarled. She shot toward him in a beam of sword light, quickly closing the gap.

Hui reached for a sword, only for his hand to come empty. Shit! That’s right. I have almost nothing, since I returned from the Underworld emptyhanded. Er… here! He scribbled a barrier talisman on the air. It burst to life just as Li Xiang reached him.

She slashed out. The barrier busted open in a splash of gold light.

Instantly, Hui drew a second barrier. “Li Xiang, please!”

Eyes narrowed, Li Xiang sliced again.

Gritting his teeth, Hui darted back. How can I make her believe it’s me…? Oh! I know!

The second her sword struck his barrier, Hui threw himself back in the air and went limp. He plummeted backward, falling from the sky like a puppet with its strings cut. Killing his qi, he emanated a powerful aura of death.

Li Xiang’s eyes widened. She sheathed her sword and flew after Hui, catching him in midair.

Uncertain, Hui remained limp. Elder Sister isn’t going to persist in killing me, right? She knows, right? She believes me now? Please, Elder Sister…!

A gentle hand stroked his hair back. Li Xiang smiled, just a little. Her voice soft, she said, “It’s you.”

Hui came back to life. He smiled at her. “It’s me, Li Xiang.”

Her eyes glimmered. Tears appeared in the very corners of her eyes. “You were dead. Truly dead.”

Ah. That’s… that’s right. Where Bai Xue could know that I would come back, or if nothing else, convince herself that I was playing dead… Li Xiang would be able to tell, absolutely, that I was dead. Her truthsense would indicate the truth, and after all… I was dead. Her truthsense wouldn’t be able to tell that I was coming back, only that I was dead.

He sat up, putting a hand on her cheek. “I’m sorry, Li Xiang. I didn’t think about what I was doing. I didn’t think about… about you.”

She nodded without saying a word, swallowing back her tears.

Bai Xue coughed. “Not to interrupt such a beautiful scene, and far be it from me to deny you the steamy reunion you two doubtlessly want to get down to, but the threesome’s going to have to wait until I have my child back.”

Hui pulled away, suddenly embarrassed. “I wasn’t—”

“I was,” Li Xiang said bluntly.

Coughing, Hui waved his hand. “Well, I—naturally, that—Elder Sister, I—”

Bai Xue tilted her head, putting on an innocent face to hide her smirk. “Huh? Did you or didn’t you?”

Li Xiang looked at Hui as well, expression serious. “My truthsense isn’t working right now. Which is it?”

Hui blushed furiously. “Elder Sisters!” Are you really going to make me come out and say it?