Chapter 672: Revealing All
Chapter 672: Revealing All
Hui blinked. He furrowed his brows, thinking desperately as Xi Sanjis sword fell. Reveal myself I know I rejected it earlier, but I was less sure of Xi Sanjis intentions then. Now that shes planning to kill me so that I dont reveal this space to Tseng Caihong, Im pretty sure shes actively planning a rebellion! Or at least, she is now that shes acquired this lost garden.
If I dont reveal myself, I can fake my death but does that mean Ill have to either change my face, or avoid Xi Sanji forever? Ah, not that I plan on returning to the pill tier, but its possible well run into one another around. Hmm, avoiding Xi Sanji doesnt actually sound that hard, now that Im thinking about it. As long as I stay shut-in on the assassins tier, will I ever encounter her?
But on the other hand, it would be nice to have a cooperator.
And on the other-other hand, if I reveal myself now and she decides to give me up for whatever reason, including saving her own ass if her half-baked rebellion gets found out, Ive just fucked myself royally, for no gain!
Yes, after all that I think, this time, as every time, the correct answer is to play dead!
The sword cleaved through the top of Huis head. He fell backward, going limp. Blood poured out of his brain, soaking into the lush soil.
Chen Wuya took off from his shoulder as Hui died, flapping off into the distance. Xi Sanji considered him for a moment, then dismissed him.
Eh? Elder Sister isnt going after Chen Wuya?
Elder Sister is indeed wise.
Xi Sanji looked down at him. She hesitated. Im sorry. Truthfully, I had no intention of killing you. Its just that I cant allow you to continue to live, knowing what you know.
Sigh. Typical cultivator. I find you a secret realm full of treasure, hell, I even give you the treasure, and you thank me by killing me! Thats after you saved my life, too. Haaa. Turning a complete one-eighty and deciding to kill me in thirty seconds this world is too dangerous, far too dangerous. Its a good thing Im so skilled at playing dead, or else Id be in a life-or-death battle right now, on the verge of revealing my secrets! Instead, Im wisely lying on the ground, at conflict with no one.
Lying flat what a great idea! Everyone should try it. You cant go wrong by giving up and not even trying! Its truly liberating. What job? What expectations? Im a dead body! I cant have those!
The reaper looked down at Hui. She shook her head. How pathetic.
Elder Sister Reaper, please forgive my bad habits.
What bad habits? You were just praising yourself moments ago.
Does Elder Sister also have the bad habit of reading my thoughts? Ah, Ill forgive Elder Sisters bad habits.
The reaper raised her foot.
Hui barely repressed the urge to tremble beneath his desire to play dead. Elder Sister, forgive me! Elder Sister doesnt have any bad habits! Elder Sister is a perfect being with no bad habits! Definitely not bad habits like stepping on people!
With visible effort, the reaper put her foot back down. She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowed. The next time you come to the Underworld, watch your back?
Is Elder Sister going to step on it? Hui thought involuntarily.
The reapers eye twitched.
No no no, it was an accident, I didnt think that intentionally! Elder Sister, forgive me! Elder Sister, apologies, many apologies!
While Hui sparred with the reaper, Xi Sanji turned away. She waved a hand, and a glowing door-shaped portal opened on the path. Xi Sanji stepped through and vanished, the portal lasting only a moment longer before it left, too.
Hui waited a few moments, just to be sure, then activated his life qi, healing his head. He climbed back to his feet and dusted off his hands, looking around.
Now that Im alone, shall I see if theres anything to loot?
Ahhh, that all gold palace, I failed to loot anything! Regret, a thousand times regret! Though I suppose spirit stones are currency in most sects, not gold, so it isnt worth as much as Id think.
Still regret! Ill have to see if I can wriggle my way back there somehow. But thats a task for another day.
Hui wandered among the spiritual plants, looking around as he went. Spiritual plants of all kinds stood in all directions. He nodded as he walked. That one can cure bad cough and push you to the next realm when combined with a White Blossom, that one is great at replenishing spiritual energy if its heated, that one tastes horrible unless you use some Nether Heart Sap yes, yes
He pursed his lips. I know everything except for the useful information! All this useless pill garbage, but not the most vital piece! Namely how much do these herbs cost?
I could loot everything indiscriminately, but a lot of these herbs have to be harvested at specific times or in specific ways, and I dont have the time or patience to bother. Plus, some go bad quickly all in all, Id rather let Xixing take over the garden as-is and allow her to harvest them.
Kneeling, he checked the cobblestones under his feet, only to click his tongue in disappointment. Ordinary mortal cobbles. Yawn.
Ugh. Am I doomed to come out of this empty-handed?
No, no. Not empty-handed. He looked over his shoulder at the buried lotus seed, and a smile touched his face for a moment.
Alright. Time to get out of here. Hui waved his sleeve, calling out to the world.
The realm ignored him. Nothing happened.
As expected, really. Hui sat down, folding his legs. Rather than call to the world, he cleared his mind, searching out the shape of the realm. Slowly, it appeared in his mind. Water and wood qi circulated around one another, swirling softly with a third energy Hui couldnt place, yet which felt familiar. His brows furrowed. Could that be time?
Hmm. Putting aside time for a moment, this realm is different than what Im used to. Unlike Fen Longs realm, the small realms used for securing people or items, or even the Underworld to some extent, its not meant to hold anything inside, so it doesnt have a rigid structure. Instead, if anything, its soft structure makes it harder to grasp even, perhaps, harder to see in the first place.
Hui put a hand on his chin. Though I have to say, unless the power of time is doing something I dont understand, I think this Senior misjudged how to counter Tseng Caihongs eyes. Tseng Caihong can see anything, but only if shes looking for it. Rather than hiding the realm layers deep, where Id assume Tseng Caihong could find it if she looked for it, it would be better to deflect Tseng Caihongs eyes with false reward realms and give her what she expected to see.
Perhaps thats what the golden palace at the bottom of the sea was meant to be, but er, Senior, what kind of person would expect a pill cultivators inheritance to be inscribed on gold panels? Everyone knows pill cultivators most treasured places are gardens!
In any case, perhaps hiding her inheritance in the pill library was enough to hide it. It certainly seems that Tseng Caihong hasnt looted this place yet, after all. Still Im starting to think my decision to play dead to Xi Sanji was truly the wisest move I could make. Both the ancient Senior and Xi Sanji fundamentally misunderstand how to hide from Tseng Caihong in my opinion, anyways. Instead, to give her an obvious thing to latch onto, with an obvious purpose and a hidden purpose, and allow her to assume the obvious purpose He looked over his shoulder at the lotus seed. Well, not to toot my own horn too much, but
Dismissing his thoughts, he focused on the realms shape once more. Tentatively, he applied a little death qi to the realms limits. A hole opened up, but the fluid form of the realm swallowed it in a moment, before he could escape.
Hui paused, then shrugged. If a small hole isnt enough, how about a large hole? He pushed off the ground and flew up, pressing up against the limits of the realm. Lifting his hand, he injected a great amount of death qi into the realms limits.
A hole opened in the realms wall. Instantly, it began to close again, but before it could, Hui hurtled through it, out into the void.
Darkness swallowed him. The sensation of falling gripped up, but in no direction. He fell eternally, unable to detect up from down, unable to catch or move himself. And somewhere, something watched him. A shiver ran up his spine involuntarily.
I really could have thought that part through a little better, Hui thought, full of regrets.