The illusion played on. Days passed, but more quickly than actual days. Blocks of hours vanished at a time, and nights passed in seconds. Only the worst moments played out in real-time. Hui ignored the boy’s life and focused on the flow of qi around him, zeroing in on the outward flow. Sending out a probe, he followed the flow back. As he traced along it, the link connecting the probe to him thinned and thinned, until finally it broke. The qi vanished, his probe gone.
Frustrated, Hui ...
2022-01-22 19:27:32 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hui circulated his qi deliberately, killing it to the level of someone who’d just stepped onto the first stage of Qi Gathering. With this, the illusory array should take me more lightly, if there’s something intelligent controlling it. I have no evidence one way or another, but it’s good to take precautions.
“Well? What are you waiting for? Go on, boy!”
Bowing, Hui went. As he walked, servants glared at him, muttering under their breath. In the periphery of his ...
2022-01-22 18:34:26 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hawkers’ cries rang out, offering snacks, ornaments, parasol repair, and everything in between. Children surged down the street, laughing amongst themselves. A cart rattled through, drawn by a lazy donkey.
In the middle of the street, Han Yichen paused. A young man of twenty or so years, clad in simple but fine robes, he bore a scholarly air. The summer sun blazed away overhead, beating down on his head. Lifting a hand against the sun, he squinted, searching the heavens.
A nudge...
2022-01-22 18:33:07 +0000 UTC
View Post
Sun spilled over the top of the mountain. Hui broke his meditation and stood, stretching in the first rays of dawn.
Six months had passed. The other cultivators returned home long ago, and so too had Hui restocked his talismans. Over the six months, his dantian had become firmer, the inside hollower, taking the steps toward the next stage: Void Core.
He drew out the manual and observed the next page again. Yet again, the chickenscratch writing transformed before his eyes, shaping ...
2022-01-22 18:32:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
The three remaining sect representatives stood in the sky, watching Sect Master Mu leave with his disciples. Sect Master Lan’s eyes flashed, and the other two turned toward him. Occasionally, one would nod or frown, clearly locked in silent communications.
Weiheng Wu descended to Hui’s side. He nodded at Hui. “You did well.”
“Thank you, Master,” Hui said, bowing.
Li Xiang bowed respectfully to Weiheng Wu. He ignored her.
“The time has come. When we return...
2022-01-21 01:06:41 +0000 UTC
View Post
Words flashed through his mind. Xixing’s voice, echoing over time and space to sound in his ears once more.
Undead cultivators… I wouldn’t fight one unless I had an entire realm on them. They negate our magic and techniques—our qi splashes off them like water, it can’t even damage them.
Hui’s eyes lit up. He threw all his death qi out in front of him. A wave of black ducks rushed at the wind blade, wings snapping at the air, letting out a quack to shake the he...
2022-01-21 01:03:19 +0000 UTC
View Post
The life and death qi poured into Hui. Ding Bo jumped back, wary. The life qi closed his wound, from the depths outward. Before it closed the surface wound, Hui clamped down on it, circulating it in his dantian instead. He drew out his death qi, emanating a powerful aura of death, and laid absolutely still.
“Hui!” Li Xiang howled, eyes wide. A second later, her vengeful gaze softened. Still, she hurtled at Ding Bo, sword flying.
Ding Bo whirled at the last second. The two batt...
2022-01-15 23:55:49 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Enma, King of Hell, Lord of the Underworld, Demonic Emperor… what was that one I heard recently? Grandmaster of…” He glanced at the reaper.
“That one doesn’t bear repeating,” she said shortly.
“You’ve caught my interest, though. Mmm, I give you permission to address me as Zhu Diyu. Ah, you’re right. I really want to take you back to the underworld and cut you open.” The man sighed wistfully, shaking his head.
Hui kowtowed in midair, prostrating himself...
2022-01-15 23:54:32 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ding Bo lifted his sword, his hands trembling. “This—”
Hui grabbed the Jade Garden disciple by the arm. A sudden thought leaped to the top of his mind, irrepressible. In this situation, what would Bai Xue say? His brows furrowed slightly. A serious expression on his face, he looked the disciple in the eye. “Cooperate with me and let me in, okay?”
“E-eh?” the Jade Garden disciple squeaked.
Closing his eyes, Hui sent his qi inside the disciple. At first,...
2022-01-15 23:53:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hui skipped down the peak, in a good mood. I haven’t made my talismans yet, but I’ve made progress on comprehending life qi, and that counts for something.
Back up Starbound Peak. He ignored the bustling cultivators and the stalls set up in the main square of Starbound Peak, instead making a beeline for the dining hall. At this hour, the hall bustled, the cultivators lucky enough to score a seat inside chatting and making merry. Hui glanced at the front door, then ducked ar...
2022-01-15 23:52:10 +0000 UTC
View Post
Back atop his Master’s peak, Hui paced around, thinking. I originally found death qi in Bai Xue. From there, I had the fortune to encounter and absorb death qi a few times, especially with the lotus. When it comes to life qi, I’ve encountered it thanks to Master. Hypothetically, everything should have life qi, but I’ve never sensed it.
He twisted his lip. Is life qi this world’s equivalent of innate true qi? If it’s in everything, if it’s connected to life itsel...
2022-01-15 23:51:06 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hui popped a pill as he stepped off the arena square. A group of panicked-looking Mysterious Heavenly Forest cultivators darted to the ice block that contained Ding Bo, hurriedly chipping at the ice. “Inheriting disciple!”
Hui’s ears perked up. He whipped around. Is this how they treat an inheriting disciple in Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect? How unfair!
The ice shivered, then shattered. Ding Bo jumped up, shaking ice out of his hair and robes. He turned to Hui and...
2022-01-12 23:13:33 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ding Bo formally bowed. The second he did, Hui pointed a wind talisman at him. “Activate!”
A wave of wind rushed at Ding Bo.
From his bow position, Ding Bo sliced upward, splitting the wind. He stood, frowning at Hui.
“Ah, you activated my trap card. Next, I’ll place two cards in the facedown condition and end my turn!” Hui said, throwing two talismans onto the field.
Ding Bo sliced at the talismans as they fell. His wooden sword cut through the paper, as sha...
2022-01-12 23:10:58 +0000 UTC
View Post
Edit: numbering should be fixed now!
It's been brought to my attention that the current numbering system is confusing new Patrons. As is, I use the original chapter numbers as I broke up the chapters--aka the chapter numbers my manuscript has. On RR, the numbering is five chapters behind as I had to compress my release schedule for the writathon to meet the goal within the given chapters.
This happened due to happenstance; I had the chapters already uploaded here when I had to com...
2022-01-08 03:59:27 +0000 UTC
View Post
Li Xiang stretched and walked off her square. As most of the other duels drew to an end, Hui hopped down. It’ll be my turn next.
He landed beside Li Xiang as she stepped off and nodded at her. She smiled back. “Good luck, Hui!”
“Thank you, elder sister. Congratulations on your victory!”
Her brows furrowed faintly. “Do you think I was too hard on him? I didn’t mean to bruise him so badly.”
Li Xiang, please don’t say that around Su Yan. I t...
2022-01-08 03:36:54 +0000 UTC
View Post
Su Yan sniffed and wrinkled his nose. “Stinks.”
“Brother!” Su Caiyi protested, punching him lightly.
Su Yan refused to flinch this time, glaring Hui down instead. He raised his fist.
Hui threw his hands up to block.
“You didn’t get kicked out?” Su Yan asked, tapping the back of his hand. Li Xiang was written in silver on the back of his.
“Ah… my condolences to elder brother,” Hui said gravely. He raised his hand to show Ding Bo.
2022-01-08 03:35:34 +0000 UTC
View Post
Days passed. The paper slowly filled, until at last Hui had a batch of every type of talisman. Every so often, he paused to check the back of his hand, but the mark remained a blur of silver, unchanged.
It seems there’s lots of matchups going on out there. Either that, or they’re giving competitors a chance to heal and recover after the first match. I’m benefiting from it, so I can’t complain. Hui stretched, yawning, then climbed out of his sit. He stored the talismans ...
2022-01-08 03:34:43 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hui tossed the branch not far from the hut. The wolf gave him a disappointed look.
“We can’t throw it long, senior. I’m sorry,” Hui said, bowing to the wolf.
It grumbled and wandered over to the branch, plopping down to gnaw on it. It gave off an irritated air and rolled over. Lying on its back, it lazily pawed at the branch in its mouth.
Hui tipped his head and looked at the branch more closely. Is it really a spiritual treasure? It looks like a branch to me. Mm...
2022-01-08 03:33:46 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hui dove for his body, but halfway there, stopped. He turned, brows furrowed.
The cultivator’s hand still clung to the sword, but now he could see through it. The qi faded steadily, darkening to death qi, but a vestige of qi remained. From the cut end of the hand, fine threads squirmed in the air.
Hui drifted closer, curious.
Thin threads of qi bled from the cut end of the cultivator’s hand, drifting like anemone strands under the ocean with pulses and tides Hui couldn...
2022-01-08 03:33:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
The green-robed cultivator stopped mid-strike. He narrowed his eyes at Hui, then threw back his head and harrumphed, looking down his nose. “The pathetic cultivator who had to cheat to win? What, are you going to stop me?”
“I didn’t cheat. There’s nothing in the rules against mid-battle extortion,” Hui replied, crossing his arms.
“A coward who uses poison and pathetic, weak tactics, who can’t stand up in a fight, is here to defend this beast? Oh, I’m quaking in m...
2022-01-08 03:32:33 +0000 UTC
View Post
Fire burned under the cauldron. Hui crouched over it, manipulating the ink inside with his qi. He spun it evenly, syncing his qi to the qi in the berries. The berries’ qi kept slipping out of his control. He furrowed his brows and reached out, trying to snare the qi. Like a slippery eel, the berries dodged his efforts yet again and continued to swirl merrily at their own pace.
Argh! Just sit still!
The wolf returned, branch in mouth. Hui stood, temporarily leaving the i...
2022-01-08 03:31:56 +0000 UTC
View Post
Rather than let the precious berry mush hit the ground, the wolf leaped forward and ate it out of Hui’s hands as he slumped over the bucket. From above, Hui looked down at himself and frowned. What is happening? Why do I keep falling out of myself?
He lifted his hands and turned them over. Through the translucent digits, he could see the forest around them, the wolf, even Zhubi, snoozing in the sun, unaware of Hui’s predicament. Hui touched his own hand and felt resistance....
2022-01-08 03:31:23 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hui collapsed beside the familiar hut on his Master’s peak, exhausted. He sighed and patted the hut’s walls. I’ve never been so happy to see this tiny place. Another day, another mob escaped!
I’ve got to do something about the whole mob issue. Right now, I can’t be seen in the sect with Li Xiang without getting attacked!
What can I do about it, though? Improve my reputation in the sect?
How am I supposed to do that? My reputation is i...
2022-01-08 03:29:43 +0000 UTC
View Post
Luc yawned. “Any more of that tea?”
Yvon held up the teapot. A single sludgy drop dangled at the spout’s lip. “None. Ugh, I can’t believe we finished a whole pot of Madeline’s tea.”
“What about… what about those fiddly sandwiches, with the cucumber?”
“Gone. Why’d the Duke put a full tea service in his armored carriage, in the first place? And under the seat, at that?” Yvon questioned.
“’Cause he’s… the Mad Duke? It’s too late for… ...
2022-01-01 19:11:57 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Which way do we go?” Yvon asked, leaning against the window.
Forest flashed by outside the carriage’s narrow windows. Thick and gnarled unlike the well-kept forest inside the walls, it had seen little human intervention in the centuries it stood. Brambles snarled below, tangling around young trees and lush undergrowth. Heavy, hairy vines crawled up older trees. Broken branches and half-fallen trees leaned against live ones, held up by their living compatriots. Here and there, rot...
2022-01-01 19:11:14 +0000 UTC
View Post
Yvon crouched low in a bush. Small leaves brushed against his face. Sharp-tipped internal branches poked at him from all angles. Birds sang, and the sunlight filtered through the thick canopy low overhead.
His legs shook from holding still for so long. His hand, pressed against the ground, stiffened, growing cold. Slow breaths shuddered in and out of his chest.
“Are you sure you haven’t seen him?”
Yvon held his breath. Sweat broke out down his back. Black droplets tric...
2022-01-01 19:10:28 +0000 UTC
View Post
Thunk.
A bolt sunk into the side of a tree. Yvon frowned, displeased.
“What’s the sour look for? You hit it!” Luc said, moving through the few swordplay forms he knew. His new white sword flashed in the sun, an ivory sheen playing over its surface. He stood off to the side of the firing range, in a wide-open, sunny field. Underfoot, low grass wore to hardpacked earth in spots. Other guards practiced around them, all idly training on a lazy summer afternoon.
2022-01-01 19:09:30 +0000 UTC
View Post
Luc struggled. Sweat dripped down his face, falling into the dirt below. His core burned, and his arms trembled, muscles quaking against his will. His body ached, begging him to give up, to give in.
Veins stood out on his face as it burned red from sheer effort. Tendons stood rigid on his neck. No! I refuse. Not here! Not when I’m so close!
He grit his teeth and pushed. “Four… hundred… ninety-eight!”
For a few seconds, Luc let himself rest, holding the pus...
2022-01-01 19:08:44 +0000 UTC
View Post
Basking in the glow of victory, Hui skipped over to the edge of the arena. He hopped onto the low outer wall of the arena and perched there to watch the other battles.
A body impacted the wall just below his legs. Hui yanked his legs up and looked around, frightened. Who’s attacking this small cultivator with other cultivators?
Li Xiang stood triumphant in her arena, sword held high. The crowd went wild, cheering madly. Hui glanced down again and nodded. Ah, so that...
2022-01-01 18:45:39 +0000 UTC
View Post
The instant Hui stepped into the ring, Zhenmao and Shen Xe ran at him. Zhenmao rushed from the left, while Shen Xe charged from the right.
“Take this! Panther’s Claw!”
Hui froze, startled. Shen Xe grinned. He clawed through the hapless cultivator while Zhenmao tore him apart with her teeth.
Shreds of skin flew on the breeze. A black robe floated to the ground. Zhenmao shook her head and spat out the scraps of skin.
Shen Xe stared. He glanced left and right. “Wh...
2022-01-01 18:44:36 +0000 UTC
View Post
