Chapter 526: Days and Days

Chapter 526: Days and Days

Elder Sister, Im going this way, Hui said, gesturing toward his quarters. Right now, I need to head back topside and check in on my children, encourage them to keep growing. Once they have a reasonable comprehension of the importance of running for help and working on growing their ability to run away, I can focus on some of my personal objectives.

The reaper sighed. She shook her head. You should spend some time here. Get to know the clerks and the Underworld.

Im spending all my time here, Elder Sister, its just that I have to recover. Im still getting over having died horribly, Hui said, looking shyly at the floor.

Your death wasnt that bad. It was splitting your soul into pieces ahead of time that caused so many problems, the reaper said.

Hui scratched the back of his head. Ah ha!

Dont you ah-ha me, the reaper grumbled. She shook her head and walked off. Dont cause any problems!

I never cause problems! Hui said, aghast at the suggestion.

Any more problems, the reaper clarified, waving her hand as she vanished around the corner.

Hui shook his head. I havent caused any problems for the reaper! That she knows about. Probably. I mean, I did make the resentment demons, but she doesnt know that. Again probably.

Oh well. For now, lets head back to the surface and check in on Bai Xingxue and Li Weiqi. If I can get them to start studying seriously, I can rest on that task for a while and focus on my many other tasks.

Itd be nice to have some clones to help me get the jobs done but this small cultivator has learned his lesson about clones! Until I have a better clone technique that doesnt shatter my soul, Ill be the only Hui around!

Stepping into his quarters, Hui glanced around the spartan space. White walls, stone floor, nothing remarkable at all. The reaper is right. I do need to spend more time down here. Get to know people. Figure out whats going on with the Underworld, and Si Wang, and Zhu Diyu.

But first, back to my children!

Now familiar with the process of returning to the mortal world his way, Hui quickly settled into a meditative pose and sent himself upwards.

Back to Starbound Sect! Back to

Er, whoops. Did I drop a seed in Starbound Sect?

Dammit. I should have

The seed hed left in All-Heavens Sect called out to him, drawing strongly at his soul, but in the distance, other seeds called out weakly. In the star-ridden darkness, they appeared barely a single shade above the black background.

Huh. Ill give it a shot. Hui sent himself toward the dark seeds.

Sunlight. Warmth. He waved gently on the breeze, soaking up the sun. Hui relaxed, enjoying the moment. This is nice. I could do this forever.

Wait, no. I have things to do! Hui shook himself, forcing himself to move. His limbs twitched, and then white hot pain slammed into him from all sides.

Hot! Hot! What is this? It hurts, it hurts! Hui tore himself out of the body hed spawned into. He hovered above it, looking down on it as a soul.

At the bottom of the mountain, Zhubi glanced left and right, then raised a hand and stepped through, lifting the barrier like a curtain. Hui stepped through behind him, and the two of them stepped out into the sect and onto the old path toward the training ground at the bottom of the mountains.

As they walked toward the training ground, a stone suddenly hurtled out of the woods toward Zhubi. Hui jumped, reaching for it, but Zhubi darted out his hand like a snake striking its prey and caught it first. The stone thumped into the palm of his hand. He looked at it, then held it up to Hui.

Hui took it. A Go stone. Polished and worn, still warm with a spark of qi.

He blinked, startled. But why? Why is Li Weiqi attacking Zhubi?

Zhubi shook his head and shrugged at Hui. He made a shooing gesture with both hands, indicating for Hui to stand back.

Hui obeyed, leaping silently into the upper branches of a nearby tree.

A second later, Li Weiqi burst out of the woods. He pointed a curled thumb at Zhubi, ready to flick another stone at him. Graverobber!

Zhubi hissed. He shook his head.

Im not even allowed on fathers peak. Why can you run freely all over it? What are you doing up there, anyways? Stealing fathers inheritance? Youre always up there. And no one tells me anything! Li Weiqi shouted.

Shaking his head, Zhubi put his hands up.

Hui put a hand on his chin. Er it seems like I might have given my child daddy issues, despiteor rather, because I wasnt there. My apologies, son! Ill have to make up for it, once Im truly alive again.

Stop! Dont take another step. Im not letting you back on fathers peak, never again. Duel me like a man! Were the same age, arent we? Li Weiqi snapped.

Zhubi backed away. He shook his head.

No, actually I know he looks childish, but Zhubi has a few hundred years on you Hui thought to himself.

A second later, his eyes widened. Wait! Hold on! Isnt this exactly what I wanted? Thisthis is the motivation my son needs to begin cultivating in earnest! From atop the tree, he peeled a bit of bark away and flung it at Zhubi, throwing it just hard enough to get the snakes attention.

The bark bounced off Zhubis white hair. Zhubi rubbed his head. He shot a reproachful look up at Hui, as if asking, why is everyone throwing things at me today?

Hui mimed punching, then gave a thumbs up and nodded.

Zhubi frowned, taken aback. He opened his mouth and pretended to swallow something.

Eyes wide, Hui shook his head hard. Plucking a leaf from the tree, he batted at it gently with his hand, then showed Zhubi the whole leaf. Gently. Gently teach him how powerful you are! Show him the heavens beyond heaven, but but not in an overly painful way!

Another Go stone bounced off Zhubi. He flinched and turned, annoyed.

Dont ignore me, Li Weiqi snapped. Fight me!

With one last glance at Hui to be sure, Zhubi shrugged. He shuffled forward, still unwilling to take big steps.