In no time, they reached Heart Lotus City. Hui watched from where he hung under Xi Muchen’s arm. Immortals flew around in the sky, going about their business. No one paid too much attention to Hui, handcuffed and dragged into the city. For his part, Hui looked around calmly. Placidly, he surveyed the sky. It’s troublesome to always enter the loop at different times. It makes it hard to determine who’s stuck in the loop, and who’s aware.

Tian Lan scooted up his arm, nosing at Zhubi. “Hey! Wanna play?”

Zhubi looked at her, then huffed and turned away, resting his head on his own coils again.

“Tian Lan, do you want to fly away? We’re going to prison,” Hui informed her.

“Prison? I’ve never been to prison. Sounds fun,” Tian Lan said.

Ah… well, fair enough. She’s a dragon and the daughter of the Azure Dragon. I’m sure she can get out of prison easily, if she wants.

Cho Haoli perked up at that. “Tian Lan, why don’t you come with me? Then you won’t have to go to prison.”

Tian Lan shook herself vigorously. “No! I don’t like you. You’re mean!”

Cho Haoli pressed his lips together, raking his eyes over Hui. Why? What do you have, that I don’t?

Self-conscious under Cho Haoli’s gaze, Hui squirmed. “Elder Brother… why are you looking at me like that? Elder Brother Xi Muchen, Cho Haoli’s making me uncomfortable.”

Xi Muchen shook his head at Cho Haoli and tutted. “Stop making eyes at the prisoners.”

“Making eyes—” Cho Haoli shut his mouth, his nose wrinkled. “Who cares about him? I only want his dragon-taming prowess!”

Hui coughed. “Er, phrasing…”

Xi Muchen hooked a brow at Cho Haoli.

Spluttering, Cho Haoli backed away. “You know what I mean! Look at him! The man has two dragons!”

Xi Muchen shook his head slowly, disappointment written all over his face. “Oh dear. I’m afraid I didn’t pay any attention to how many dragons this man has. Cho Haoli, tsk tsk. I’ll have to take you off prison duty again. It’s fine to covet other men’s dragons, but it’s not fine to chase them and their dragons all the way to prison.”

Cho Haoli scowled. “Xi Muchen!”

Chuckling, Xi Muchen flew off, leaving Cho Haoli behind. Cho Haoli hovered in the air for a moment, then, clicking his tongue, flew after Xi Muchen.

Hui looked up at Xi Muchen with newfound respect. I thought he was just a stuffy civil servant type, but he’s got a sense of humor! Excellent, excellent! It doesn’t gain me anything, but at least I won’t be bored to death while I’m in prison.

They flew down toward the heart of Heart Lotus City. Hui searched the streets, seeking out Ying Lin’s frozen body. From above, with the entire city cloaked in gold, her gold-frozen form blended in, no more than another piece of the gilt.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I still need to figure out how to un-freeze her, though I have no idea how I’m going to do it without overpowering the Golden Immortal. For that matter, I barely have any idea what principles are being used to freeze her in place.

…I wonder. If Master is something like the Will of the World, then what’s Ying Lin? She cultivated even faster than Master. Is she also something like a law of the world, given shape? It would make sense, given her attitude and impossibly fast cultivation… but what would she be? The law of trashy romance novels?

Hui thought for a moment, a hand on his chin, then shrugged. Let’s focus on getting her unfrozen for now. I can worry about what her role is afterward.

They swooped down into the center of the city. A small black building appeared below them, and they flew directly toward it. Xi Muchen landed before it and walked quickly inside, with Hui under his arm and Cho Haoli following.

A heavy iron door creaked open as they approached, revealing a dark, deep staircase. Xi Muchen marched into the darkness. Down, down, down the stairs. White petalsoft walls wrapped around them, the solid black staircase a sharp juxtaposition to the white soft walls. Hui looked around. Does the prison use the petals as its walls…? It’s true that it’s an Immortal level lotus, but I’m an Immortal level person, and ordinary people can destroy ordinary lotuses.

Ah, no. Not that I’m underestimating the lotus. It’s probably even harder than the steel, and I simply don’t understand yet.

They came to the bottom of the stairs. Xi Muchen turned the corner and carried Hui into a black iron hallway, with black iron rooms standing to the left and right of the corridor.

Hui licked his lips. Or it’s simply that the prison is constructed from iron, and it’s only the staircase that’s encased by lotus. Yes, that’s actually… quite reasonable. I don’t know what I expected.

A few faces appeared in the barred doors as they walked past. Hui craned his neck to see, but between his angle and the poor lighting, he couldn’t make out much of their faces. Nothing stood out to him about what little he could see of the captured cultivators, nor did he see any familiar faces.

Oh well. New friends, and all. Plus, it means I don’t have to break anyone else out unless I want to!

Xi Muchen finally reached an empty cell and tossed Hui inside. Even as he flew toward the back of the cell, the door clanged shut, giving him no chance to escape. He caught himself in midair before he struck the wall and slammed his feet down, landing on his feet.

Xi Muchen squinted. “You… can use qi?”

Oh, shit! I forgot I’m not supposed to be able to use qi! Hui stumbled backward and fell on his butt, playing up the fall. “Ow! Ah, I almost caught myself with my acrobatic skill. It’s too bad I can’t use qi, or I would have nailed it!”

Shaking his head, Xi Muchen snorted and turned away. He nodded to Cho Haoli. “Let’s go.”

Hui squinted at Xi Muchen. I’m not sure if he believed me, or just thought it was funny.

I’ll take it, one way or another!

Cho Haoli paused at Hui’s door. He reached through the bars. “Give me the dragon. She doesn’t deserve to be locked up.”

Tian Lan reared up and hissed, striking at Cho Haoli’s hand. He retracted it a hair’s breadth before her needle-sharp teeth severed his fingertip.

Hui sighed. “I’m so sorry, Senior. I don’t think Tian Lan wants to go with you.”

Cho Haoli scowled. “You’re just a prisoner. Hand her over!”

Hui backed away, covering Tian Lan with a protective hand. “Senior, please don’t commit crimes against humanity, okay?”

“Cho Haoli. What did I say about other men’s dragons?” Xi Muchen called from the stairs.

“Will you stop saying that?” Cho Haoli protested. He glared at Hui one last time, then retreated, following Xi Muchen back up the stairs.

Hui watched them go. When he could no longer see or hear them, he waited for another half hour, then another hour, just to be sure. Only when he was sure he was alone with the prisoners did he jump up and go to the door, peering around.

Who else is here? Should I break out, or is it better to wait and see what the Inspectors offer me?