The girl led him into the village. All around him, villagers wandered around, living out ordinary, almost mortal lives. Some carried baskets full of food, while others carried babies on their hips. Dogs ran around, chasing small children. In the distance, a pair of chickens leaped, kicking at one another, then ran off in opposite directions. Primitive homes with thatched rooves and simple, wooden walls wandered along roads that weaved randomly through yards.

A small child ran up to him and tugged his robes, beaming a gap-toothed grin at Hui. Carefully freeing his robes, Hui smiled back. As he walked on, his expression morphed into a frown. Is this really the Immortal Realm? Everyone here is so incredibly… mortal. Moreso than any sect I encountered in the mortal realm, they’re living ordinary lives, as if they were nothing but mortals. And yet, their cultivation is…

Hui gently extended his divine sense. Everyone around him, babies included, exuded at least an Immortal-level cultivation.

But if that’s the case, why are they living like mortals? Are they all doing cooperative role-play of living amidst the mortal world? I mean… Immortals need hobbies too, right? As long as their lives are, surely they get bored flying around on swords, eating the finest food, and living their best lives. Maybe they occasionally want to live as mortals for a while, but since they’re Immortals, they can’t casually slip into the moral realm and play along for a while. So if they want to do it, they have to roleplay mortals! Naturally, they’d have mortal-LARPing villages, so that Immortals can have a taste of the mortal realm without actually descending!

…No, that’s ridiculous. Even I think that’s ridiculous, and that’s saying something.

Something else is going on here.

In the center of the village, a grand residence awaited them. Of all the houses, only this one sported a tiled roof and a staircase up to its grand entrance. Two bold red pillars stood to either side of the carved wooden doors.

The girl ran ahead of Hui, gently knocking on the door. “Excuse me, chief! A new villager has arrived!”

“Ah, no. I’m just passing by, just passing by. Only a traveler,” Hui said, waving a hand.

Silence.

Hui turned, slowly. Everyone in the village stared at him. Adults, children, animals, all of them stared silently at Hui, their eyes boring into his soul.

Awkwardly, Hui coughed. “That is… a traveler looking to settle down! Yes, yes. A traveler weary of traveling, looking for a quiet place to rest.”

The village burst back into life. Children squealed. Animals ran. The villagers went back to their lives, no longer paying any attention to Hui.

Hui smiled nervously, backing away. I don’t like this. I don’t like this place at all. Where’s Master? Where’s Ying Lin? Why did I land in this strange dystopia instead of somewhere Immortal-like and beautiful, full of fairies and gorgeous immortal phenomena? I don’t wanna be here, I want to go out and enjoy my Immortal life! Elder Sister, please! Please let me go!

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The door cracked open, allowing a thin slit of light into the pitch-black room. The light illuminated a single eye, glistening under the sun. A single finger appeared, gesturing Hui forward.

Hui backed away. “Elder Sister, on second thought, I really am already fully adapted to this village. Someone as pitiful and small-bug-like as myself isn’t worthy of an audience with the chief, and given how well-adapted I am, there’s no need to—”

The girl grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the door. “No need to be shy. I’m sure the chief will like you. Come on, come on!”

Elder Sisterrrr! Hui limply resisted her, allowing her to drag him up the stairs. Even with that, her hand gripped his wrist so tightly he feared his hand would come off. As mortal as they look, they’re bona-fide Immortals. I still can’t get over that. Why are they willingly living like this?

The door creaked open. They walked into a wooden hall, lit only by the slits where sunlight peered through the gaps in the tiles. There, it filtered down in thick golden shafts, dust dancing in and out of the light. The thin light spread through the room, barely illuminating an empty space, save a single pale old man crouching atop a cushion at the far end of the hall. White hair fell long down his back, and an impressive white beard drifted over his clothes.

Wood boards creaked underfoot as the girl dragged Hui onward. Hui scanned the room as they went. If I have to play dead, I should fall right there, over that crack. That way, I can drop a lotus seed through the boards and regrow a body later if I need to totally abandon this one.

The old man peered up at Hui. The second his eyes landed on Hui, crushing pressure bore down on him. Hui dropped to his knees instantly, then plopped to his face, playing dead. Shit! He’s going to kill me!

The pressure lessened. Confused, the old man sat forward on his cushion. “Did he die?”

The girl frowned. She nudged Hui with her shoe. “Did you kill him?”

“No…?”

Hui coughed. He quickly dusted himself off and rose up to a kowtow. “Apologies, Senior. I merely fell over myself in my rush to show proper respect to Senior’s might.”

The old man sat back, nodding to himself. He stroked his long, white beard. “Understandable.”

Is it? Hui mocked the man silently, but simply remained bowing.

“As you can see, we are a mere ordinary village. Although we are small, we desire to become a boisterous city one day. Thus, we are grateful that you decided to stay here.”

‘Decided’ is a strong word for what happened, Hui thought to himself.

Hui cleared his throat. “Er, Senior, please forgive me for being so bold…”

The old man gestured for Hui to continue.

“But, er, may I ask why Senior is attempting to grow this village into a city?”

“I know I have bold aspirations, but I’m sure one day this village will prosper,” the old man said, nodding.

“No, no. I mean… why are you playacting as mortals?” Hui queried carefully.

The girl froze. The old man’s eyes narrowed. The pressure bore down on Hui again.

“Ah! Ah. Not playacting. I meant, er, roleplaying—” No, wait. That’s not better. “That, that is, I meant—experiencing the mortal world! Why are you experiencing the mortal world? All of you?”

The old man’s pressure grew heavier than before. Hui trembled, pressed flat into the floorboards. I wonder if I can slip a lotus seed through the planks here…? Ah, I shouldn’t have said anything. My big mouth! But what was I supposed to do? Play along without understanding?

Abruptly, the old man retracted his pressure. He sighed. “Return to the village. You’ll understand before long.”

Oh. So I am supposed to play along without understanding. Well… okay. I don’t know what I expected, honestly, and yet, I’m still disappointed. Hui bowed a little deeper before standing. “I understand, Senior.” I don’t at all, but… “I’ll return to the village.”

The senior nodded. “As you please.”

I don’t please, but you aren’t giving me a choice, are you?

Oh well. If they won’t let me out, I’ll just have to break out! I’ve broken through a great many secret realms. I’m sure I’ll find a way through this one.

I can’t abandon Zhubi again. Not after what happened last time. I can’t waste too much time here!

I suppose it’s time for some bold aspirations of my own. That is—breaking out of this secret realm!