The Southern Sect Conference arrived at the barrier closing in Eight Tiers Palace. Hui flew over, standing at the barrier’s edge from inside. He placed his hand on the inside surface of the barrier and sent a powerful pulse of death qi into the barrier.

It doesn’t matter if Tseng Caihong knows I’m breaking the barrier. Now is not the time to worry about subtlety.

A black wave rippled through the barrier, and the barrier fell to pieces.

On the inside of the barrier, the combatants froze mid-battle. The most powerful ones turned, looking at the shattered barrier, and the lone figure standing there, who’d broken it with no visible effort. Jizhi Zhimei stared, jaw beautifully dropped. The sword cultivator openly gaped. Wan Lu twisted his lip, nodding slowly to himself.

Shuhang Han, the body cultivator, sweated. I wasn’t too sure about fighting Tseng Caihong, but I think I’ll go all in on this team. Where could I hide from that man? How could I defend myself? If he can shatter the sect’s Grand Barrier that easily, is there any way my defenses could stand up to him?

Haha, and I put him in a death trap. Fuck. I hope he’s forgotten about that…

He beat it! It was just an ordinary trial. Right? Surely someone of his strength would have found it nothing but an ordinary trial realm.

…That’s the last time I underestimate a random hostage.

The Southern Sect Conference surged through the shattering barrier. Li Xiang stood at their head, appearing like an Immortal with her white robes and black hair. She looked down at Hui and gave him a single nod.

Hui nodded back. A smile touched his lips. It’s been too long.

In her gaze, he could see the same sentiment reflected back. She turned her head, and her gaze turned deadly.

A familiar arm wrapped around his neck. Bai Xue hugged Hui close, pulling him into her soft, warm bodice. “Hui! There you are. Same as ever, huh?”

“Ah—Elder Sister…” Hui struggled free, coming up for air. He took a step back.

Bai Xue looked at him, and he at her. She wore black and white in the style of the Bai Clan, her hair in a crown hairstyle, secured with an enameled crown as red as blood. Grinning, she ruffled his hair. “Already such a high stage? Xiao Hui, I can’t see through your cultivation anymore.”

“Ah, that’s… it’s somewhat temporary,” Hui said, scratching the back of his head.

“I’m sure you’ll secure it soon. You won’t be long for this realm, will you?” Bai Xue asked, looking him up and down.

Hui coughed. “Er… that’s, it’s…”

Her eyes softened. She ran her fingertips through the end of his ponytail. “I understand. I’ll be right behind you. Li Xiang’s already ahead of me. She’ll be chasing you up.”

Hui nodded. “I have a plan. Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” Bai Xue said.

“Then… no matter what, don’t come to my aid. What I’m going to do… I need to do it alone,” Hui said.

Her eyes dipped. She looked at his hands and frowned. Cupping them in hers, she lifted them. “So pale. Xiao Hui, are you injured?”

“Mmm. Well, that’s… you have to disregard that,” Hui said, nodding.

Bai Xue sighed. “I’ll trust you, but Xiao Hui, you’d better not die, alright?”

Hui laughed. “Elder Sister, even if I do, would you believe it?”

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She shook her head. “Ha! That’s a good point.”

Behind him, a sound like thunder split the sky. Tseng Caihong appeared, her palms bared, standing over the armies. Gel glistened from her hands.

“It’s time.” Hui stepped away from Bai Xue, careful to put some distance between them, then accelerated into the sky.

Gel rained down indiscriminately. Tseng Caihong gazed blankly down over the lot of them, her seven colored eyes dead as a fish’s. Lost, the cultivators stared up, blank expressions on their faces in return. The wariest ones sprinted off, while the army siding with Hui fled openly, rushing toward the Southern Sect Conference.

“Stand strong!” Hui thrust his hand up, sending a powerful pulse of qi into the sky. Go! Bigger than ever before!

Symbols spelled across the sky, then resolved into a talisman formula. The Hundred and Eight Layers covered his army and the enemy army alike. Gel poured down over it, falling to the side.

Hui reached into his robes and threw the seeds out. Lotus clones rushed forth, each one splitting into dozens of smaller lotus clones, all of them holding talisman papers. Sprinting across the battlefield, they pasted the talismans over every combatant in his army.

“Go!” Hui shouted. He jabbed his finger up at Tseng Caihong. Projecting his voice over the battlefield, he called, “Now is the time! Tseng Caihong wants to devour all of us. Her hunger is insatiable. Strike now, while you’re protected!”

Jizhi Zhimei immediately flew forth, bursting with her full ninth realm speed. The swordsman followed her up, but he moved slowly, uncertainty flickering on his face. He reached out and touched a droplet of the gel, and his expression darkened.

Seizing the moment, Hui called out, “You know what that does. She was trying to absorb you. Devour your potential, your future, your lifespan. You, you dogs of Tseng Caihong, I pity you! You’re no more than fodder for her cultivation!”

The swordsman turned. He narrowed his eyes at Hui.

A woman in bloodsplattered white robes scoffed loudly back at Hui, releasing her cultivation to suppress him. “Pathetic lies, easily seen through!”

“Ah? Are you the leader of the healers’ tier? Then you know that I speak the truth, yet lie to your disciples anyways.” He turned, looking at the other demonic healers. “You! Healers! Do you not recognize this gel? Do you not realize its properties? Will you fall for the lies of Tseng Caihong’s dogs, or think for yourselves?”

The healers looked around at one another. Some strode forward, determined, but quite a few backed away, uncertain.

“Even so, we must see this concert to the end,” a melodic voice cried out. Sitting on the air, delicately strumming a ghuzheng with claw-tipped fingers, a beautiful woman with long bangs, flowing long hair, and shut eyes played the notes to an elusive melody. With masterful skill, she wound the music into the sound of battle. All those who heard her song snapped upright. Their eyes went blank, and they attacked wildly, no more thoughts in their head.

Hui pursed his lips. Annoying. If she can mind-control them with music, there’s no way for me to break in and sow doubt. Ahh, it’s too bad. If only I could counter her music…

“Gui Hui! Lend me your strength!”

Hui turned. Behind him, Meimei lifted her hands over her own guzheng. “I know the counter-melody, but I don’t have the cultivation to power my music to fight hers. Lend me your strength!”

Grinning, Hui nodded. Exactly what I need! He swooped to Meimei’s side and put his hand on her guzheng. Power flowed through him into the instrument. Meimei took a deep breath, settling herself, then set her fingers to the instrument.

A melody flowed forth, empowered by Hui’s eighth stage cultivation. It smashed into the Tier Master’s melody, clumsy in comparison, and yet, just enough off-tune to corrupt the clear notes of the Tier Master’s song. Although her playing was clearly inferior, it was that exact inferiority that Meimei drew forth to counter the Tier Master’s skill. Her clashing, off-tune notes sounded at just the right time to make the Tier Master’s notes sound off.

She looked at Hui. “This technique makes me think of you, for some reason. Gui Hui, that is, in any case.”

“Ah… I wonder why,” Hui said, putting a hand on his chin. Indeed, using inferior skill to corrupt a higher-level cultivator… ah! I ought to praise Meimei. For learning so well, she deserves to be a true disciple!

Except for the killing-her-masters thing… yes, I think I’ll remain an informal teacher.

Across the battlefield, the enraptured cultivators’ eyes brightened. They looked around, frowning at their surroundings, then looked at the music tier’s Tier Master.

Her calm expression flickered. A vein throbbed in her forehead. “You dare?”

Meimei laughed. She looked at Hui. “I wasn’t suited to be a music cultivator. I’m simply not suited to rote learning and tradition.”

“Ah, yes,” Hui said, nodding. Nothing about your bloodlust or killing your master? No? Okay.

Opposite them, the Tier Master’s fingers blurred as she sped up the melody. Scowling, Meimei played faster to match. “I don’t need to play well. I just need to play loudly!”

It seems like Meimei has this handled. Ah… I guess she really was a genius when it came to music. Pity about her killing her former master. Hui pushed qi into the instrument, then stepped away. “That should last you for some time, Meimei. Call me if you need more.”

“Yes!” Playing furiously, sweat dripping down her brow, Meimei focused her all on the strings.

Hui turned away. As for me… my goal is loftier. His eyes locked onto Tseng Caihong.

Not yet. Not yet!