Hui popped up in a pond in the black palace and heaved a deep breath. I don’t have to breathe, but it still sucks to have to hold my breath! Flying up, he landed on the floor in the center of the entrance hall.

Beside him, Zhubi shook his head. Water flew everywhere, and his long hair thrashed against Hui.

Hui took in the hallway. No grand waterfalls poured down, no fish swam idyllically. The water laid dead beside the pathway, dark and choked with black algae. Aside from the drip of Hui’s robes, not a single sound echoed through the palace.

“Zhubi, do you feel any more energy here? Something that could help you break through and enter your true form?” Hui asked.

Zhubi wiggled free of Hui’s grip and walked around, his long hair leaving a wet trail on the dusty floor. He lifted his nose and sniffed, then took off and ran into the palace. The shadows swallowed him up, his white form fading quickly into the dark.

Hui followed after him. He quickly drew a talisman on the air, and a gold barrier floated on the air between him and Zhubi, letting off a low golden glow. He nodded to himself and chased Zhubi deeper into the dungeon.

Dark hallways gaped to either side, chasms of pure darkness Hui’s eyes couldn’t pierce. Hui and Zhubi’s footsteps echoed in pure silence. The floating barrier only cast off enough light for Hui to see Zhubi in the darkness, the high contrast of white against black drawing his eye.

“Zhubi, hold up,” Hui called.

Zhubi ignored him, rushing on.

Does he sense something I don’t? Maybe his inheritance is calling to him. In which case, we were right. Or rather, Tian Chen was right. I shouldn’t take credit for someone else’s realization. Lighting his way with the floating barrier, Hui gave chase.

The palace stretched on and on, as grand as the dragons’, but completely empty. Aside from Hui and Zhubi, nothing stirred in the palace. Dust grew thicker the further they ran into the palace. Cobwebs draped the corners and choked the side halls. In the corner of Hui’s eye, something flickered, but when he turned, nothing but a ragged sheet swayed in the dead air.

He ran his hands over his arms. Spooky. This place has been abandoned for too long. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were ghosts.

Ghosts… Hui pressed his lips together thoughtfully and circulated a bit of his yin qi. No more than the usual amount of yin swirled into him.

He clicked his tongue. Unfortunate.

Ahead, Zhubi finally stopped. Hui caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder, wary of Zhubi running off again. “Done playing hide and seek?”

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Zhubi squinted at him, then turned and gazed ahead of him. A black throne loomed out of the darkness. Large and imposing, the throne’s seat stood ten meters above the ground, the back tall enough to vanish into the shadows. The heavy shell of a dragon-turtle formed the feet of the chair, the carvings’ long necks and tails climbing up the chair’s legs to support the seat. Hexagon-shaped, the seat of the throne sat clogged with dust, filthy from disuse.

Zhubi leaped into the air and flew up to the seat of the throne. He sat down in its center, a tiny white figure completely engulfed by the throne. Awkwardly, he looked around and kicked his feet, his hands flat on the seat beside him.

Hui instinctively went to follow Zhubi, then stood back. This is Zhubi’s moment. I can’t be a part of it. No matter how much I want to watch over and protect him, I have to believe and trust in Zhubi if he’s going to grow stronger. If he’s going to… face himself.

Breathing deeply, Zhubi nodded at Hui, then closed his eyes. His cultivation circulated. Qi swirled around him, slowly taking on a white shade. The white energy swirled around him. All alone in the chair, he glowed, the only point of light in the huge, dark room, except for the small halo of gold light over Hui’s head. As the energy chased around him, it darkened, turning from white to gray, from gray to black. At the same time, Zhubi’s robes and hair changed color, darkening steadily to pure black. His body surged up, growing larger and larger. From a young boy to a youth, from a youth to a teen, from a teen to an adult. As he changed and the light’s color changed, he faded from Hui’s eyes. The room grew darker, as if the energy around Zhubi sucked in light. Even the small barrier over Hui’s head did nothing but light him in the pitch black.

Hui licked his lips, then glanced up and waved his hand, cancelling the barrier. I’d rather not be the only light in the darkness. If someone can see me and nothing else, they’ll naturally attack me first! Better if they, and I, both see nothing. In the darkness, I’m safe. I’m hidden.

Without his vision, Hui could only sense Zhubi with his divine sense. A ball of ferocious energy swirled around Zhubi, preventing Hui from piercing through with his divine sense to see Zhubi inside. Hui tensed, nervous. Come on, Zhubi. You can do it!

I hate this, feeling so powerless. I want to make sure he succeeds. But if I do, I’ll interrupt his cultivation. I might even cut off his Dao! I need to have faith and wait.

Hui sat down, folding his legs. He monitored the swirling energy from the outside. Just in case. If things go wrong, I’ll intervene anyways. I won’t allow Zhubi to fail!

The energy spun and spun. Hui held his breath, waiting. The energy began to swirl faster and faster. He watched it closely, nervous. Too fast? Just fast enough?

No, no. Have faith.

Time passed. Hui couldn’t tell, but the sun rose and fell, the moon taking its place. The energy still swirled.

He bit his lip, nervous, and flew up to examine it more closely. It’s been a long time. Is this normal? I’ve never watched a dragon become a dragon-turtle before, so I don’t know what to expect. Maybe this is normal?

Carefully, wary not to disrupt the energy, Hui inspected it more closely. It turned at a steady pace, steadily growing faster. The central energy remained firm, solidly turning. At its edges, though, it trembled, like a top starting to lose its balance.

Not a great sign. Is it a bad sign? Or can he recover this?

I don’t know. Ugh. There’s only one way to find out!

“Zhubi? Can you hear me? Do you need help?” Hui asked quietly. I don’t want to disturb his focus at a critical moment, but if he needs help, I don’t want to stand here helplessly and fail to step in when he needs me!

A small cry sounded out, weak and pitiful.

Hui’s eyes widened. That’s not good. Okay. I can’t stand by and do nothing! “Zhubi, I’m here! I’m coming!”