“Pause.”
A firm, clear voice rang over the tumult. Instantly, without a single command from their riders, all the beasts fell silent, and the cultivators on their backs bowed their heads.
Hui looked up.
A wild-haired female beast cultivator strode over atop a massive spirit tiger, the creature so large Hui had a hard time spotting her at first. He squinted for a moment, then stared wide-eyed. She’s the beast tier’s Tier Master! Uh oh. If she’s a powerhouse anywhere near Jizhi Zhimei’s level, I’m fucked. Even choosing death might not be possible anymore, especially with the mysterious Immortal Senior waiting for me in the void. Against ninth-ish-realm cultivators, my best chance is to escape to the Underworld and hence fake soul death, but I’m not sure I can escape to the Underworld right now—the mysterious Senior might catch me, or else… perhaps my connection to the Underworld will get cut off yet again, and I’ll simply die completely and utterly, with no hope of reincarnation! No good, that’s no good at all!
He put on his best smile and gave her a low bow. “Greetings, Tier Master. My apologies for inadvertently entering your realm. I know it’s ridiculous-sounding, but truly, I stumbled into this place in desperation. I had no intention to enter your realm whatsoever.”
The Tier Master gazed at him flatly without a word.
Hui licked his lips. Is that a good sign…? Bad…? You’re making me nervous, Senior! Talk to me! I can work with words, I can’t work with silence!
The Tier Master pointed at his neck. “Your spirit beast.”
Hui touched his neck, then bowed his head. “Ah… yes. Tseng Caihong stole him.”
Sadness passed over the Tier Master’s face, followed by a deep understanding. She waved her hand. “He is in the same position as us. Stand down.”
Regret written all over his face, the beast cultivator with the spear lowered his weapon.
Same position…? Ah! Don’t tell me! Hui cleared his throat. “Tier Master, if this small worm could speak… dare I guess… did Tseng Caihong steal a spirit beast from you, as well?”
The Tier Master inclined her head, just once.
Hui bit his lip, grimacing in empathy. Damn that Tseng Caihong. Why’s she stealing everyone’s spirit beasts? Is it her hobby? Why can’t anyone have a spirit beast, Tseng Caihong? Why do you have to steal our beloved pets… ahem, our dear best friends?
I wonder what kind of spirit beast she stole from the Tier Master? If her eyes can pierce all, then she likely saw through Zhubi’s form as a harmless white snake to see the young dragon within. Did the Tier Master have a quilin or a phoenix or something?
Ah, she couldn’t have a phoenix, since that one Senior ate them all. Then perhaps a vermillion bird or some other directional beast? Or a pixiu, or some other legendary beast? There’s plenty of legendary beasts that a certain light-fingered Palace Master might have decided to pilfer.
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He raised his brows. I wonder if that’s why she lets them run amok? If they really are the pill Senior’s visible sword to hide the poison dagger, then the conceit is that Tseng Caihong has found them, yet is letting them live. If she has a kidnapped spirit beast worth a great deal to the beast sect, then I understand why she hasn’t acted. She’s effectively neutered them.
Wait, hold on. Am I also being allowed to run amok, since she has Zhubi…? Hui took a deep breath, suddenly nervous. Ah… I hope she hasn’t done anything to him. I haven’t done anything terrible, have I? It’s not like I declared rebellion, or took Xi Sanji’s side, or anything, and in the body cultivation tier, all I did was earnestly train my body. It’s not my fault the room broke a little.
Mmm, though, if she’s being a creepy peeper like a certain other Senior… cough, I don’t suppose she might be assessing my strength? I haven’t always held back…
Hui froze, thinking deeply. Ah… yeah. I might be in trouble if that’s the case.
But then what? Not like I can do anything about that. If her eyes can see through anything, she’s already seen through my strength. Besides, with a whole unruly sect with multiple rebellious children—ahem, Tier Masters and cultivators, there’s no way she’s keeping her eyes trained on me at all times. And I released the resentment demons, so they’re probably rolling around and causing problems in that small realm, as well.
Yeah, yeah. She’s very busy. There’s no way she’d constantly watch a small bug like me. I can’t imagine the small bug channel is very entertaining!
But, uh, if it is… Tseng Caihong, I’m just saving my small bug life! I don’t actually believe in anything these cultivators say or do, okay? It’s just to save my own pitiful life!
Wait, hold on! She can only see things. She can’t hear them, let alone hear thoughts! Hui trembled. He gazed up at the sky and waved his hands desperately, not sure how to portray ‘I’m not betraying you’ with just his gestures.
The beast cultivator with the spear frowned at Hui. “What are you doing?”
Hui jolted. That’s right. The beast cultivators are also ready to kill me right now. I can’t just communicate with Tseng Caihong, who may not even be looking at me right now.
As casually as he could, Hui lowered his arms and coughed into his hand. “Nothing.”
The Tier Master patted the giant tiger’s back. It sauntered forward. All the other beasts moved aside as the tiger passed through. Drawing up alongside Hui, the tiger looked at him. Hui’s entire head reflected in one of its enormous eyes, surrounded easily by the tiger’s pupil.
Hui swallowed. That thing wouldn’t even taste me if it decided to eat me. I’m less than a fly to it!
Ever so gently, the giant tiger lowered its head. Delicately, it rubbed its head on Hui’s entire body, then turned the other way and rubbed the other side of its head on Hui’s opposite side.
Completely engulfed by soft, fluffy orange-and-white hair, Hui melted on the inside. Never mind. I take everything back. I’m on the beast sect’s side. How wonderful, to snuggle with enormous oversized fluffy beasts every day! Ahhh, now I understand why people cultivate beasts! Wonderful, how perfectly wonderful!
He startled back to life, still deep in the tiger’s fluff. No! Don’t lose your mind, Hui! It’s wonderful and soft, but I can’t give up on everything to defect to the beast cultivator side just because they have wonderful fluffy soft beasts. I have to stay strong!
But the fluff… the fluff!
“Lao Hu likes him. We can trust him,” the Tier Master declared.
Hui looked up. Eh? It’s that easy?
“Yes, Tier Master!” the beast cultivators called as one.
I guess… I guess it is! Maybe it’ll be easier than I expected to escape from this unharmed!
“As long as he remains within the secret realm, he can do us no harm. We’ll merely train this disciple with high potential into the greatest beast cultivator,” the Tier Master declared, turning away.
Hui sighed. And… there it is. Of course there’s a catch.
Oh well. In the worst case, I can probably break out of the realm… ah, but that terrifying Senior outside! Ugh. No, no. I’ll figure something out!