Standing on his tiptoes, Hui peered toward the horizon. “Zhubi…?”
Cho Haoli scoffed. “Are you talking to the dragons?”
Hui startled. “Senior, I didn’t notice you there!”
“Of course you didn’t. Unless I intend to reveal my presence, how would someone as lowly as you notice me?” Cho Haoli asked haughtily.
“Indeed, indeed. Ah, Senior is truly enlightened,” Hui agreed. I need to pay attention. If Senior snuck up on me this easily, while wearing bright gold, think of how easily someone determined could catch me unawares! I need to remember that I ascended, but I only just ascended. I might be Immortal, but I’m the weakest Immortal. In essence, I’m a mortal.
Immortal, and yet closer to mortal than I’ve been in a long time. Truly, these are the contradictions of a world such as this! I’m too powerful to be allowed to exist in the mortal realm, and yet too weak to fight anyone within this realm.
In a way, I’m like a MMORPG player who just got access to the next part of the map. Sure, I have access to a whole new world of excitement now, but any other player can PK me right out the gate! I need to get stronger, fast. And that wasn’t happening in the village.
Although I could study the power of time in the village, that isn’t going to make me stronger any time soon. It is time, after all. I could sit there for years and fail to comprehend it.
No, what I need are new techniques, new barriers, new talismans! Hopefully those can all be found in Heart Lotus City.
That, and Zhubi. He gazed at the distant dragon again.
Cho Haoli snorted. “You fool. Desiring after the dragons… they will never so much as look your direction.”
“I kept one as a pet for many years,” Hui said simply, touching his neck.
“What? Don’t be delusional. A dragon wouldn’t allow itself to be kept as a pet.” Cho Haoli rolled his eyes.
Hui looked at him, then looked away, shrugging in his heart. It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. It doesn’t change the truth.
Zhubi… if that’s you… I’m here.
“Next you’ll be telling me you’ve kept an aviary of phoenixes,” Cho Haoli muttered.
“Actually, Senior…” Hui caught a look at Cho Haoli’s disgusted face, then waved his hand. “No, never mind.”
Cho Haoli squinted at him. Trying to make me curious by playing coy? I won’t fall for your blatant, childish tricks.
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In the distance, a blue dragon reared up. Chasing after the white, it latched its jaws onto the back of the white dragon. The white dragon roared in pain and whirled about, and the two began to battle. Lightning split the sky. Rain poured down. Their claws danced in the darkness, sharp as razors as they tore scales off one another.
Hui jolted. His hand gripped the railing. If that’s Zhubi, I can’t ignore him. He’s in danger! He’s just a weak, new Immortal, the same as myself.
“Oh, how lucky. We might be able to recover some dragon scales or dragon blood from their fight,” Cho Haoli commented.
Harvesting scales and blood? From my Zhubi? Never!
“If we’re particularly lucky, maybe one of them will kill the other. A dragon’s body is worth its weight in spirit stones,” Cho Haoli mused, a hand on his chin.
The blue dragon bit the white one again, and the white one screeched. Blood drenched its pale scales, running down bare bone in the depths of the wound.
Cho Haoli leaned forward. “Excellent. That white dragon doesn’t have long, at this rate. The blue one’s far more powerful. What great fortune.”
Kill? Zhubi? No! I won’t stand here while some beast tears my sweet snake apart! Hui hesitated half a beat more, then threw himself off the ship and flew toward the dragons at top speed.
If that white dragon isn’t Zhubi, I’ll just scurry off. After all, I’m not going to risk my poor little Immortal life for a fight that has nothing to do for me. For all I know, that white dragon deserves to get torn apart by the blue one!
Of course, if it’s Zhubi, then no matter what he did, he’s an innocent, sweet snake who could never do any wrong. Besides, Zhubi has never caused any trouble. Even if it’s totally his fault, I’ll stand up for him. He deserves to make one mistake, or cause one round of trouble, and still be forgiven, by now.
Ah, who am I kidding? I’d forgive him, no matter what.
Cho Haoli stared after Hui. “Are you mad? Interfering in a battle between dragons… are you asking to die?”
“Absolutely not, Senior!” Hui cried over his shoulder. I don’t want to die! It’s just, I can’t let Zhubi die, either!
Gritting his teeth, Cho Haoli stared after Hui, then looked at Xi Muchen and Zhang Ming practicing on the floor. He waved his sleeve, parking the boat where it stood. “I’ll watch from here. I won’t rescue you, but if you defeat one of the dragons, I’ll ensure a swift retreat, as long as you share a fair seventy percent of it with me!”
Defeat? Who said I’m going to defeat the dragons?
Well, I suppose if the white one is Zhubi, and the blue one is attacking him… then yes, I will defeat the dragon. If I can, of course!
Hui glanced back. “Fair? Seventy percent is fair? I’ll give you thirty percent!”
“Ha? I’m doing all the hard work here. Sixty percent, at least.”
“Senior, please forgive me, but am I not the one fighting the dragon?” Hui returned.
“And I’m the one escaping from the more powerful one you fail to defeat. Indeed, my role is the most crucial,” Cho Haoli declared, standing at his full height.
Hui shook his head. I’ll bargain with this madman later. He’s refusing to see reason right now! Let’s see if he changes his tune after I succeed. Again, of course, assuming this is Zhubi. If it isn’t, I’ll immediately accept his services, for a fair share of seventy percent of the zero dragons I kill!
As he spoke with Cho Haoli, he flew, and in no time, reached the edge of the storm the dragons’ fight generated. Dark purple clouds blocked out the sun. Rain pelted Hui, barely held off by his qi. Lightning flashed, strobing through the darkness. The thunder boomed a moment later, loud enough to rattle Hui’s bones. Forcing his way through the storm, he extended his divine sense through the rain. Zhubi?
The white dragon turned toward him. Its eyes widened. It flew toward him at top speed, opening its mouth.
Hui stiffened, then flopped over limp in the air. Oh shit. If it’s not Zhubi, I’m fucked!