The years progressed. Time flowed by. Hui monitored the Underworld, while his clone quietly raised Yao Gong, deliberately slowing his cultivation speed. Yao Gong grew into a fine young man, laughing and playing happily with his fellow disciples, then leaving to enter a higher-realm area. Hui quietly faked his own death and retired to the Underworld, watching Yao Gong from below. Not once did the boy mention strange dreams.

Maybe that didn’t happen, this time. Maybe he never had those dreams, and he has no need to become an Immortal to tie my old world to this one. And yet, Hui kept watching.

As Yao Gong approached Immortality, he turned his gaze to the Immortal Realm. Let’s make sure there’s no temptation awaiting him there. I don’t want to allow him to think such terrible thoughts as binding our realms together.

A realm full of debauchery and corruption met his eyes. Filth as far as he could see. Cultivators stealing from one another, losing themselves in pleasure, all of them ignoring the mortal realm and neglecting their duties toward the Immortal Realm. Not a single cultivator focused on progressing. Instead, they all allowed themselves to stagnate and simply did what pleased themselves. Infighting ran rampant. Political assassinations occurred constantly, with no Heavenly Emperor lasting more than a few years. In nonstop strife, the cultivators struggled to possess tiny scraps of the Immortal Realm, totally disregarding any chance of uniting the realm.

Hui scowled. No wonder Yao Gong destroyed and recreated the Immortal Realm under such strict circumstances. I would want to, too! With these useless cultivators…

We need a better Heavenly Emperor. Somone who can fix this. Someone who understands what the world itself wants.

Someone… like Master!

He put his hand on his chin. But… Master isn’t going to appear, is he? If the Heavens aren’t in disarray… well, the amount of disarray that Yao Gong created, that threatened the whole world—then Master won’t appear.

I wonder…

In the Underworld, Hui raised his hand. The fabric of the world resonated with him. Master’s qi signature… if I form it, then…

The qi in his hand shook, then began to resonate. A strand of lightning-colored qi appeared in his palm. He reached out to the primordial energy in the void and drew it to the lightning-colored qi, mixing the two with life qi. Slowly, he condensed the form of his Master.

Hui set Weiheng Wu down beside him. He stepped back, waiting.

Slowly, powerful energy condensed in Weiheng Wu’s body. His eyes opened.

“Master!” Hui greeted him.

Across the Underworld, the man with red hair froze. Master? There’s something even more powerful than that man?

Weiheng Wu frowned at him. “Why have you created me?”

“Ah, well, the Immortal Realm is…”

“Within acceptable parameters,” Weiheng Wu said.

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“Well, for you, perhaps, but… not for me,” Hui said. He bowed to his Master. “Just this one time, will you listen to this lowly disciple’s request? Master, could you replace the Heavenly Emperor? I think this whole realm would be more stable with you as the Heavenly Emperor.”

Weiheng Wu frowned at him. “I am the Will of the World. I am—”

“—the ideal vessel to take the Heavenly Emperor’s seat!” Hui said, nodding quickly. “Master, think about it. Right now, you’re counting on humans to follow your will. Why not simply take the seat yourself?”

Weiheng Wu shook his head. “What, then, is the purpose of cultivation, if humans cannot ascend to the Heavenly Emperor’s seat?”

“Ah, well, if someone whom both Master and I find acceptable appears, you can cede the seat to them. But Master, surely this isn’t acceptable to you? This stagnation? This world can be more, can’t it?”

His Master snorted. “You sound like the Golden Immortal.”

“Except that I’m not trying to break the realm in order to surpass the stagnation. Besides, I’m quite fine with an orderly, ordinary Immortal Realm. It’s simply too savage right now, far too savage!”

Weiheng Wu sighed. He shook his head, then vanished. In Hui’s vision, he reappeared in the Immortal Realm. Few Immortals paid him any attention, most of them focused on their own goals.

His voice crackled across the Heavens. “The only one worthy of taking the Heavenly Emperor’s seat has demanded I take it instead. Who dares to oppose?”

The current Heavenly Emperor flew forth from his palace. Without hesitation, Weiheng Wu raised his hand. A Lightning Palm resonating with the laws of the world shot down and vaporized the man on the spot.

At that, all the other Immortals who’d been about to attack paused. They stared at Weiheng Wu instead, at this man who had so easily crushed the man who had seemed the strongest.

Weiheng Wu harrumphed. He settled into the Heavenly Emperor’s seat. “Let’s begin. We have many reforms to enact!”

From the Underworld, Hui tilted his head. I wonder who he was talking about, who is worthy to take the seat? In any case, Master seems to have the Heavens handled, so let’s focus on the one realm I can’t do much about—the mortal realm!

I’m too powerful to interact with it anymore. It’s difficult even with my clones. Watching is easy, but interacting costs me precious time. And keeping the mortal realm reasonable is the first step in keeping the Immortal Realm reasonable.

And for that, I need…

Hui held out his hand. He resonated with the world once more, this time focusing on Ying Lin’s aura. This time, a romance novel appeared in his palm.

Hui stared at it. Even summoning her aura creates romance novels from thin air? Impressive, truly impressive!

Ying Lin began to take form, and Hui set her down, letting her grow on her own. A few days passed, and Ying Lin opened her eyes.

“Ah! I remember, now.” She turned to Hui, her eyes shining. Casually, she tucked the romance novel into her belt. “I remember what I was!”

“Oh?” Hui asked, tilting his head.

“A mediator. I’m a mediator!” she said, beaming. “An intermediary between the realms. I’m the force that regulates the flow of qi, power, people, and knowledge between realms.”

Hui grinned. “Then you’re going to love the job I have in mind for you.”

“Oh?”

He spread his hands. “The mortal realm needs an overseer. Someone who can monitor it, and make sure nothing untoward happens. Things like Immortals from other realms, for example—”

“Like Chen Wuya and Fen Long?”

“Ah, those two are probably fine… but anyone else. And ensure that those suitably demonic end up in the Underworld, and those who should ascend end up in the Immortal Realm,” Hui said, ticking off on his fingers.

“So… be a mediator?” Ying Lin asked, tilting her head.

Hui laughed. “Yes. But more directly.”

“Mhm! You know, giving form to the forces that control this world, it’s a very Master-like answer,” Ying Lin said, beaming.

“What should I do, then?” Hui asked.

Ying Lin shook her head. “Master should do what he wants! I’m only a mindless force.”

“Ying Lin…”

She grinned. “I understand. Of course, I’ll go forth and do as Master desires.”

Hui nodded. “Good.”

Ying Lin turned to go, then paused. She turned back. “Master…”

“Yes?”

“You know, I really treasured our time together. As mere humans,” Ying Lin said, nodding.

“Me as well. For all of us,” Hui said, nodding.

Beaming one last time, Ying Lin vanished.

Hui breathed out. With that, I think I’ve secured the realms. Now… all I can do is wait.