Zhubi’s eyes snapped open. Black qi stopped pouring into him. He let out a little breath, exhausted.

“Are you done?” Hui asked, a little hopeful, a little relived. Phew. I only had to wait for a few minutes! That isn’t that long, surely?

Zhubi nodded. He tilted his head, giving Hui a confused look.

“Ah… no. Pay no mind to my tone. I’m a little strange right now, a little strange!”

“Isn’t that all the time?” Bai Xue asked.

Hui jolted. He turned. “Bai Xue?”

“I don’t think I can gather any more qi,” Bai Xue said, shaking her head. “Not right now, anyways. Maybe after I send some to you. Are you ready? I wasn’t going to load you up with qi before you gave the go-ahead.”

“Let’s wait for Li Xiang,” Hui said, nodding. Once I’m using the qi, it’s a different story, but Bai Xue is right. I can’t take any more qi right now.

“It’s a good thing I’m used to you. You always ask for more than you can handle, then suffer in silence if I don’t take the initiative to ask if you’re okay,” Bai Xue said, giving him a look.

“That—that only happened once,” Hui protested.

“It shouldn’t have happened once. You know, most people would tell me to stop.”

“Ah, well, you know,” Hui shrugged awkwardly.

Bai Xue sighed. “You know, I worry about you. Constantly. You’re my most troubling spouse. I can’t trust you not to do something stupid and try to save the world alone.”

Hui scratched the back of his head. “Elder Sister, when you put it like that, it almost makes me sound like some kind of hero.”

“You… are a hero,” Bai Xue said, a little confused.

“Me? No, no. I couldn’t be. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Hui said, waving his hands. Incredibly uncomfortable, he cleared his throat. “Li Xiang, are you ready?”

No reply. Hui fell back, waiting. I shouldn’t rush her. She’s focusing.

“What do you think you’re doing right now?” Bai Xue demanded.

“Right now? Well, I’m… just trying something. I don’t know if it will work or not. I can’t call that heroism,” Hui said firmly.

“Then what is it?” Bai Xue asked.

“Er, experimentation? Trial and error? But I create way too much error for things like world-saving. No, no. A hero should be someone who never fails. I’ve already failed several times today, alone.”

“Who does qualify to be a hero, then? In your eyes.”

Hui shrugged. “You or Li Xiang.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Bai Xue snorted. “I’m from a half-demonic clan, and you’re calling me a hero?”

“Why not? You’ve done so much for the good of the realms,” Hui pointed out.

“That’s not…” Bai Xue sighed. “Xiao Hui, you’re very frustrating, at times. No… all the time, actually.”

“Apologies, apologies. I try to rein back my heart-demon-creating habits around my friends, but sometimes it slips out despite my best efforts,” Hui responded earnestly.

Bai Xue rolled her eyes. “I think I want you to close your mouth right now. Could you do that? Please?”

“Er, of course.” Hui shut his mouth, not really sure what went wrong. How did I end up accidentally inflicting a heart demon upon Bai Xue? Bai Xue, of all people! I would never. And besides, if one of us is going to come away with a heart demon, it’s far more likely to be me, with all the teasing she does! She’s lucky I’m so mentally resilient.

Tian Lan looked at Bai Xue. “It’s that easy to shut people up?”

“Not all people. Just Xiao Hui.”

Tian Lan nodded. “I need to find a mate like Xiao Hui.”

Bai Xue laughed aloud. “Good taste!”

Hui pressed his lips together. I don’t know if I should be proud or insulted.

The sword burst with white light. The White Tiger behind it shone. The white light faded, and Li Xiang’s human form stood before Hui once more. Every hair glimmered with pale light, every fold of her robes alight, even her skin gleaming. She opened her eyes, and bright white light beamed out. Lowering her head just once, she looked directly at Hui, though Hui knew she couldn’t know he watched. “I’m ready.”

Hui settled himself, quietly circulating what little qi he could in his completely-full dantian. He reached out, taking ahold of the first loop he’d formed. “Everyone, send me your energy, and prepare to receive energy!”

“Quadruple cultivating? Xiao Hui, how bold!” Bai Xue grinned, waggling her eyebrows.

“Bai Xue! You know that’s not what’s happening,” Hui grumbled.

Bai Xue shrugged. “It can be what’s happening for me.”

Tian Lan squinted. “What’s a quadruple cultivating? I know dual cultivating is something you do with your mate, but quadruple? Is it a different technique?”

Hui froze. He licked his lips. “You know what? I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that. Bai Xue, keep that kind of thing to yourself. And Tian Lan, please forget that. It’s not important. Bai Xue is a ridiculous person who says many ludicrous things.”

“That’s not true. I’m a wise person who says many wise things.”

Tian Lan looked at Bai Xue, then nodded. “I think it’s Xiao Hui who’s foolish.”

Hui sighed. I’m sorry, Zhubi. Your pursuer is already becoming a domm… ahem. She’s already being corrupted by Bai Xue!

Putting the matter of Tian Lan aside for a moment, Hui turned to the full group of four. “Now. Send me your energy!”

Bai Xue closed her eyes. Li Xiang folded her legs, then vanished back into sword form. Zhubi coiled in the air, spinning around to send the hexagonal shell flashing. Three streams of energy flew forth, hurtling toward Hui.

Instantly, three of his mental clones sent three loops of Vermillion Bird, south-oriented energy toward Zhubi. Zhubi trembled, but held on. One of Hui’s clones collected Zhubi’s north-oriented Black Dragon-Turtle energy, while another one passed Bai Xue and Tian Lan’s east-oriented Azure Dragon energy to Li Xiang, and yet another redirected Li Xiang’s west-oriented White Tiger energy to Bai Xue.

Okay. Here we go. “Li Xiang, Bai Xue, Zhubi, send the power I’m sending you directly into the ground below you! Don’t stop. Just keep pouring it in. If it breaks, if it cracks, don’t stop! No, actually—that’s even better! Just pour all the energy you can into the source of the dragon vein!”

“Understood!” Li Xiang responded.

Bai Xue nodded.

Zhubi coiled around in the air, tipping his head up and down.

Hui pointed his free hand down, sending the north-directed energy into the source of the southern dragon vein. On the screens, the others sent their energy toward the source below them. Below them, the dragon veins bubbled and spat. Molten qi flew up. Hui himself dodged a blast of qi from the dragon vein under him. Well, as expected. The dragon veins aren’t going to give up without a fight.

The ground began to tremble and quake. It tore beneath Hui, coming apart bit by bit. Huge gashes bit through the earth, cutting deep rifts through the earth and the fabric of the very realm itself. Hui continued to route and pour energy, his eyes utterly focused. Go! Shatter, Immortal Realm!