In a short time, all the disciples finished eating and filed neatly out once more. Tian Mo gestured for Hui to follow, and obediently, Hui did.

Da Gongji sat at the edge of his chair, on the edge of the aisle. As Hui walked by, he stuck his foot out.

Hui looked at him with pity in his eyes. I’m so sorry. Every time I see you, I feel worse about bullying you. I’m a grown man, and you still think tripping a cultivator is a good idea. He stepped over Da Gongji’s foot and kept walking, shaking his head at the boy. He might still be protagonist material, but he certainly isn’t hidden-genius material, I’ll tell you what.

Da Gongji’s heart boiled. Pity? Is he pitying me? That tiny child? That newcomer? I’ll make him regret it! So he knows one spell, so what? So he knows one movement technique? I’ll destroy him in the duels today!

Tian Mo led Hui to yet another line of young disciples. Unlike the cafeteria’s line, this line led into a glowing portal. Hui caught a glimpse of a green field on the far side, blue skies dotted with idyllic clouds.

“Are we going outside?” Hui asked. It’s reasonable. After all, it’s not as if there’s an outdoors space in Eight Tiers Palace. Certainly, the palace is large enough to house several full-sized indoor training rooms, but it’s easier to practice outside.

Easier to practice outside… and easier for me to escape, too!

Tian Mo nodded, then shook his head.

Hui’s brows furrowed. “Which one?”

“It leads outside… er, to an outdoor secret realm. So outside, but not outside,” Tian Mo explained.

“Ah,” Hui said, nodding. He pressed his lips together. I suppose it was too much to hope for that it would be so easy.

Ah, well. A secret realm, huh? Hui rubbed his palms together, then forced himself to stop. No, no. I shouldn’t be so conspicuous. Besides, who knows? Perhaps the alarms are there, as well. I can’t be careless right now.

The line grew shorter and shorter. Tian Mo stepped into the portal, and Hui followed him. A tingle passed over his skin as he stepped through, and his foot landed on grass.

Sunlight beamed down. Hui blinked against the sun, raising a hand to shield his face. Ow, ow, so bright! Damn. Eight Tiers Palace is so big that I forget it’s inside, but once the sun comes on, it’s definitely inside!

A tall, slender-limbed woman stood at the end of the field. Hui squinted at her, peering into the sun to see her better. Is that… could it be?

Ahhh, it is! It’s Elder Sister Zhang Zhisho, the dangerous-looking Elder Sister who tried to grab me when Voice was guiding me around the palace! The one who used to be the Tier Master’s disciple, who certainly isn’t holding a grudge against this small cultivator, no, no!

Maybe she hasn’t noticed me yet. Maybe, if I can hide behind Tian Mo—

Even as he thought it, Zhang Zhisho’s eyes swept the field. They landed on Hui, and her eyes narrowed.

He took a deep breath. I’m going to die.

Zhang Zhisho clapped her hands. “Formation!”

All the children scurried into a square formation, seven lines, each seven deep. Tian Mo dragged Hui along to the spot behind him, leaving Hui alone on the end of the formation, on his own single line one long. Hui trembled, suddenly wishing for white robes like all the rest of the children. I’m standing out too much, far too much! It’s too easy for Elder Sister to pick on me. This is the end, this is the end for this small cultivator!

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“On my command! First stance!”

Hui’s trembling grew greater. As I feared! Physical education!

No, no, no! This small cultivator only wants to cheat! I’m a caster, a caster! I’ll body cultivate, but only to make it easier for me to skip out on working out! Have I ever swung a sword or took up stances all day? Not since I was a young disciple myself! I—

I’m a young disciple again.

Fuck! Never mind. I’m out of here. This is too much.

Grumbling nonstop in his mind, Hui mimicked all the other children’s stance. One after another, he mimicked their forms. The sun beamed down. The wind blew. On and on, they practiced, one boring form after another.

“Break!”

Hui stood, shaking out his arms and legs. That wasn’t so bad. I was expecting it to be intense, but—

All around him, disciples flopped to the ground. Sweat poured off their bodies, and their chests heaved, panting for breath. A few fanned themselves in exhaustion, while others simply laid flat on the ground, all but giving up on life.

A beat too late, Hui dropped to his butt as well. Ahem! I mean, I’m tired, I’m super tired!

I’m suppressing my cultivation. I’ve reverted my body, not that I ever intentionally body cultivated for strength, except maybe that one time in the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect. I should be an ordinary second stage disciple. So why…

Why…

Hui put a hand on his forehead, rolling his eyes at himself. I dragged this body out of hell and forged it anew in phoenix fire. What part of it is ordinary, huh? Point at the part that’s normal! Even if I do nothing intentionally, well, it’s like boiling fourth tier spirit rice in ordinary water. It’s still fourth tier spirit rice!

“Gui Hui, are you okay?” Tian Mo asked, looking over his shoulder. He panted, barely able to swallow his spit, and wiped his face. “I hate these days. They’re the worst.”

“I’m… surviving, somehow,” Hui muttered, embarrassed all over again. Here I was, trying to lower myself to an ordinary disciple’s level, and I still failed. Hui, Hui, have you forgotten your roots? Maybe I should have grown a tiny lotus clone and used its body instead. But no, lotus clones are still fourth tier or so at the weakest… Ugh.

How on earth am I struggling to be weak? I’m weak, undoubtedly so, so why is it so hard?

Hmm. I suppose the barriers between cultivation realms are simply too fierce. If I fought someone at my own realm, my weakness would surely shine through, but to fight someone so much lower… well, no matter how hard I handicap myself, I still fail to lose.

“It’s not always like this. We learn interesting techniques, too,” Tian Mo assured Hui.

“Oh yeah?” Hui asked. It would be wonderful to know the assassin clan’s techniques! That way, I could guard against them before they attack.

Tian Mo nodded. “Right now, we’re learning a basic movement technique!”

“Oh wow!” Hui said, trying not to let his disappointment slip through. A basic movement technique? How’s that supposed to teach me anything, huh? That’s useless to me!

Picking up on his disappointment, Tian Mo patted Hui on the shoulder. “It’s okay. I know you already have a movement technique. But don’t be disappointed! Eight Tiers Palace’s Fourth Tier has one of the most vaunted movement techniques in the Eastern Alliance. It’s surely better than your old movement technique!”

“Ahhh,” Hui said flatly. You mean the movement technique I developed according to my own techniques and tastes, that I can vary by using different types of qi for the swap step? Unlikely.

Come to think of it, that technique originally came from the Bai Clan. Huh, unexpected. Wouldn’t think they would have a top-tier movement technique—

Bai Xue flashed through his head, locked in their female form. Their protectiveness toward their siblings. Their mother, locking herself away even at sixth realm because of the danger her momentary weakness posed.

Hui drew a slow breath, gritting his teeth. Right, they’re furnaces. I forget because Bai Xue’s so extroverted, but… their yin form is a perfect furnace. In that form, they’re greatly desired by dark and evil cultivators, who would… well. Let’s just say that running away is obviously greatly preferable. It’s no wonder their clan has such a powerful movement technique!

A shiver ran down his spine. He rubbed the back of his neck. I’m glad I took Bai Xingxue’s place, if nothing else. I don’t even what to think about what Eight Tiers Palace might do to a kid with their female form’s qualities.

Of course, I don’t want Eight Tiers Palace to touch Li Weiqi either, don’t get me wrong. But… ugh. That would truly be a nightmare.

Zhang Zhisho clapped her hands. “Break’s over. Back on your feet!”

Hui jumped up, startled, only to find himself the only disciple standing, as the rest all groaned on the floor. He wobbled in place and toppled back over, sitting like the rest of them. Haha, no one noticed that, right?

Zhang Zhisho squinted at him.

Hui held his breath. You saw nothing, you saw nothing…!