The last of the mist faded away. Hui found himself in the branch family’s complex again. He looked around, searching. Narrow streets wound through small houses, themselves well-kept, though a bit worn and tired, as if no one had lived in them for a time.

This isn’t the center square. Where am I? Where are the others?

With no answers, Hui took off running.

Around his neck, Zhubi sat up. Turning his upturned nose to the wind, he sniffed left, right, then leaned to the left.

“Over there? Thanks, Zhubi!” Hui leaped, grabbed the roof of a house, and hauled himself on top of it. From there, he peered in the direction Zhubi indicated. Through the houses, around a stand of bamboo and past a tall pavilion, he caught sight of the center square. Traces of mist lingered in the air, but otherwise, the center square appeared unharmed.

Eh? Don’t tell me, an illusion? How long has Bai Fenfeng been planning this?

Hui leaped from roof to roof. He stepped onto the buildings circling the center square, and the illusion faded. The ruined square appeared once more, along with two misty boxes. One, a deep red, shuddered slightly. The other, a paler mid-pink, laid quiet. Hui glanced between the two, then ran for the paler one. This one isn’t as far along! Whether it’s Li Xiang or Bai Xue, whoever’s in this one needs more help!

“I’m coming!” Hui shouted.

“Oh? You broke free,” Erlan commented.

Startled, Hui froze, mid-leaping off a roof. He lost his balance, pinwheeled his arms, and crashed to the ground.

“I have to say, of the three of you, I expected you to fail the trial,” Erlan said, tipping his head. He giggled and put a hand over his mouth. “Oh dear! I suppose His Eminence did take an interest in you, after all! I’d have had to ask for forgiveness if you died… mmm, though he might be happy with your corpse as well.”

Hui pushed up from the ground. “You—”

He made eye contact with Gu Tian, still dangling from Erlan’s hand. Gu Tian stared back, dead inside.

Ah, someone else that knows the pain of getting dragged places by their Master…’s friend. Hui smiled.

Gu Tian scowled at him.

“Mmm, well, as promised, I’ll retreat. Though I suppose I should warn you: we demonic cultivators were never much for teamwork and coordination, yes?”

“Huh?” Hui asked, tipping his head.

Erlan smiled. He tossed Gu Tian up and slung him over his shoulder, then flew away, the head of the brush streaming away under his foot.

Climbing to his feet, Hui brushed himself off and shook his head at Erlan’s back. That one’s an odd duck… and I know enough about ducks to say that.

He turned to the two misty cages once more. The dark one trembled harder, walls darkening. The pale one darkened as well, but remained much paler than the dark one. He hesitated one second more, then ran for the pale one.

He slammed into the mist and bounced off. Hui staggered backward and only just kept his footing. Annoyed, he rubbed his nose. I guess it is a trial realm. It wouldn’t make much sense if I could barge in.

Mmm, I guess there’s no use! I’ll just have to sit outside and rest!

Hui shook his head and clapped his cheeks. Around his neck, Zhubi startled and sat up with a hiss. …Not! I can’t leave my friends to face the trial realm alone. I have to figure out a way to help! Besides, there’s no way I can beat Bai Fenfeng and destroy that lotus without help!

He cast a glance at the hole in the ground. On second thought, no one’s come out yet. Well, to be fair, I did just see Bai Fenfeng in the main family’s complex. It’s not as though she’s sitting down there all day, puppy-guarding it.

So then… can this small cultivator, perhaps, destroy it all on his own?

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Wait just a moment, elder sisters! I’ll be right back!

Hui jogged over to the edge of the hole. He drew his sword and slashed at the tip of the bud.

The sword deflected off a barrier just under the hole in the ground. Hui stumbled back.

Ah. As I thought. Then, step one is getting the girls who can cut through this free. He turned back around and faced the trial realms.

The darker trial realm burned black, then burst. Bai Xue stomped out. He pushed his black hair back from his face and scowled, shaking a bit of gunk off his hand. “Disgusting. Where’s that Erlan freak? This grandmaster is going to shove his fist so far up your chrysanthemum—”

“He left,” Hui interrupted him.

Bai Xue glanced around, then harrumphed. “Where’s the girl?”

Hui gestured at the other trial realm. It darkened a shade, still pale.

“She’s going to be in there until midnight at this rate,” Bai Xue muttered.

“I have an idea to break her out. Will you watch my back?” Hui asked.

“Hmm? Sure,” Bai Xue agreed. He drew a fan and lazed against one of the pillars, slowly fanning himself as he watched Hui.

Yang-form Bai Xue takes a bit of adjusting to, Hui noted. He shook his head. But on the other hand, he’s a bona-fide fourth-stage cultivator. I shouldn’t complain.

He walked over to the remaining trial realm and placed his palms against it. Closing his eyes, he reached into the trial realm with his qi.

The trial realm resisted, fighting him. Hui frowned, pushing harder. A familiar sensation met his qi, and he grinned. The pseudo-ghost material! This must be the source.

He reached into his dantian and slowly drew out a strand of death qi. He only half-inserted it into the ghost material before the ghost material lunged at it, greedily devouring the qi.

Hui drew the strand back. Stained with his death qi, the pseudo-ghost material came with it. He circulated the black pseudo-ghost material around his dantian. As with the ducks, the death qi devoured the material and converted it into death qi.

Between the ducks and Li Xiang’s trial array, an equal amount of death qi circulated his dantian as qi existed inside it. The death qi circulated faster, rushing through his body. Hui took a deep breath and regulated his qi, trying to slow it, but it sped faster and faster, raging out of control. This feels like—when I need to break through a meridian!

There’s one left, but… is it safe to break it with death qi?

The death qi inside him trembled, on the verge of rioting. His dantian shook, breaking down from the outside.

Hui gritted his teeth. I don’t have another choice!

He dropped to a lotus pose and focused inward. Carefully, he guided the death qi through his body. Icy cold chased after it. From the inside out, his body chilled. Hui shivered uncontrollably. Death qi poured through him, unstoppable. When it met his final meridian, the meridian melted away instead of bursting.

The death qi calmed. He circulated it through, then wound it back around his dantian.

Warmth beat against his skin. Hui opened his eyes.

Bai Xue held a handful of fire out toward him. Seeing Hui wake up, he closed his hand and extinguished the fire. “Did you do it?”

Hui nodded. He stood and brushed off his robes. “I’ve done what I can. It’s up to Li Xiang now.”

“You almost sounded like an expert, there,” Bai Xue commented, the same mischievous glint in his eye as in his yin form.

“This small disciple thanks elder for the high praise,” Hui said, bowing stiffly.

Bai Xue laughed and reached for his hair. Out of the corner of his eye, Hui saw the grab coming and danced out of reach.

Before Bai Xue could go in for a second grab, the trial array burst open behind them. Li Xiang cried out, startled, falling from above. Hui turned in time to barely catch her. Her weight slammed into him, and he toppled over backward. Two round and soft somethings pressed against his face. Hui struggled blindly. Can’t—breathe!

He broke free and gasped. Li Xiang stared down at him, her cheeks red. Bai Xue stood over them, an appreciative smile on his face. He shot Hui a thumbs up.

Li Xiang jumped off him and clutched her robes shut. She gave Hui a dirty look, whole face bright red.

Betrayed, Hui gave her a hurt look back. Elder sister, don’t look at me like that! I didn’t do anything! You jumped on me, okay?

“That realm was nonsense,” Li Xiang announced angrily.

“You couldn’t beat the trial? You don’t seem the type to fight underhandedly,” Bai Xue said, cutting his eyes at Hui.

Hui gave him an aggrieved look back. Why do my elders think so poorly of me?

Li Xiang brushed down her robes and straightened her hems, then shook her head at them. “That trial realm was broken! It said I’d face enemies I had struck down, but it threw experts I’d never seen before at me! Experts high above my realm, too!”

“Huh? It worked for me,” Bai Xue said.

Hui shrugged. “Me as well.”

“Eh? Xiao Hui, you faced your past enemies and lived?” Bai Xue asked.

“Of course. I’m a righteous and forthright cultivator. Why would I have trouble facing those I’ve defeated by pure and honest means?” Hui replied. He crossed his arms and shook his head at Bai Xue, giving her a disappointed look.

“You didn’t… break out of the array by manipulating the spells like you did with Li Xiang’s trial?” Bai Xue prodded.

“No,” Hui said honestly. I didn’t manipulate the array itself, anyways.

“He’s telling the truth?” Li Xiang said, startled.

Bai Xue frowned at Hui. “Are you really Weiheng Hui?”

“Is it really that surprising?” Hui asked indignantly.

Li Xiang jumped up. “The bud!”

“There’s a barrier,” Hui warned her, even as Li Xiang bolted for it. She sliced at the hole in the ground, but just like Hui, her sword bounced off harmlessly.

Bai Xue glanced around him. “Where’s Jingwen?”

Hui and Li Xiang looked around as well. The square stood empty aside from them.

“I ended up a long way from the square. Maybe the trial realm threw her away, as well?” Hui suggested.

Bai Xue shook his head. “I don’t sense her. She isn’t nearby. Or…” he glanced down. “She’s behind a barrier.”