29. Secret Realm

They burst across the sky, a single bolt of light high above the mortals below. Hui clung to his master’s back, eyes squeezed shut. When the wind pressure let up, he hovered above a group of other cultivators. Dressed in green, their hair bound into buns, they stared up at Hui in his blue and Weiheng Wu in his white.

One of the cultivators hopped on her sword and flew into the sky toward them. “Welcome, Weiheng Wu. To what does the Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect owe the honor?”

Distracted, Weiheng Wu glanced at her. “This secret realm is about to open, no?”

An uncomfortable feeling welled up in Hui’s gut. He leaned in and whispered to Weiheng Wu, “Er, Master, is this… this is our sect’s secret realm, right?”

Weiheng Wu glanced back at him and said nothing.

Coldness welled up from within Hui. Oh, shit. Master…

The female cultivator frowned and crossed her arms. “This is Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect’s land. Leave, now, or else.”

He gave her a slow, appraising look, then nodded. “You couldn’t make me leave.”

Hui jolted. Master’s pulling aggro again. He leaned around Weiheng Wu and smiled, looking up at his master. “Master, isn’t it better if we leave? This secret realm doesn’t belong to us. We should go, quietly.”

“A secret realm is a natural resource. It cannot belong to any man, nor woman,” Weiheng Wu said, his eyes locked on a distant place, hands folded into his sleeves.

Hui facepalmed. Now is not the time to get philosophical, Master! Besides, what the hell is with that argument? Are you saying no one can own property? Water is a natural resource. Can no one can own a glass of water?

“Oh? Is that your disciple?” the woman asked. She narrowed her eyes at Hui, and a terrible pressure slammed into him, full of sharp anger. Hui felt a sword pierce him, the now-familiar sharp sensation pushing through his skin.

Oh no, not again.

Hui fell to his knees. Before he could fall off the sword, Weiheng Wu caught him by the back of the collar and hauled him upright, negating the woman’s pressure. The weight lifted off Hui’s shoulders, and at the same time, pain and the sharpness vanished.

Hui patted down his chest, searching for blood. Nothing?

“It’s only sword intent,” Weiheng Wu replied, eyes locked on the woman. He nodded at her politely. “You cannot harm my disciple with me here, either, nor will my protecting him impede me in any way. Please, enough.”

She scowled. “Please leave. This is the entrance to our sect’s secret realm.”

Weiheng Wu nodded. He turned to Hui. “See, everyone knows how to be polite. If they’re reluctant to use their skills, you must be firm.”

“Th-thank you, Master,” Hui said. Sweat broke out down his back. Despite Weiheng Wu protecting him from the woman’s pressure, he still felt her killing intent sizzle against his skin. Oh no, I knew it. Master’s pissed at me for causing trouble, seriously pissed. This is my punishment, isn’t it? I’m going to die. I’m going to die for real, this time.

Weiheng Wu waved his hand. “In any case. Hui, enter the secret realm. It should keep you out of trouble for at least a month. When you emerge, I’ll be there to pick you up. Don’t worry.”

Master, what about when I’m in the secret realm? I’m worried!

“You will not enter our secret realm. We won’t allow it,” the woman insisted. Behind her, another two cultivators rose into the sky, hovering on their weapons. One rode a staff, while another rode a saber, the blade broad and sharp.

Weiheng Wu leaned in. “You’re interested in death qi?”

Hui looked at him, startled. “How…?” Did he hear me discuss it with Xixing? How good are Master’s ears? Fifth stage cultivators are no joke!

Wait, then who else heard me? A chill ran down his spine. Hui rubbed his shoulders, suddenly uncomfortable.

“This is the best realm to learn about it.”

“Oh, really?” Hui asked. He peered down at the cultivators below, momentarily forgetting his fear. Death qi seems to be a bit of a taboo topic, from Xixing’s description. If I don’t enter here, how hard will it be for me to find death qi again? I can’t imagine that Starbound Sect has a source of it. Actually, I’m kind of afraid to admit I’m interested in it, especially after I forced a fellow disciple to have a qi deviation. To be fair, he deserved it, but still. If I’m not careful, I’ll end up labeled a demonic cultivator.

“Mhm.” Weiheng Wu hefted him by the back of his collar.

Hui snapped back to reality. He struggled, twisting against his master’s hold. “Master, wait, wait, hold up. This isn’t ours, we really shouldn’t—”

Ahead of them, between them and the cultivators on the ground, a black gash opened in the sky. The three green-robed cultivators formed up, standing between them and the gash.

Weiheng Wu threw Hui.

Earth and sky streaked back. Headfirst, Hui hurtled at the pitch-black gash, unable to see anything past it. The force of his passage blew the three cultivators’ formation apart, and the three of them scattered to the winds, one hurtling toward the ground, another toward the sky, another spinning off into the distance. The black gash loomed. He braced himself, ready to slam into the black, but instead, he flew into it.

“After him! Kill the trespasser!” the female cultivator on the sword shouted, still spinning gently.

Green-clad cultivators leapt up from the ground and rushed toward Hui and the black gash.

Master, why…? Hui despaired, as the world faded away behind him.

In the depths of the gash, reality shimmered. His body, his vision, everything shuddered. He gasped and bit back the urge to vomit as everything scrambled around him, his insides, his outsides, all of them twisting over one another.

He tried to draw breath, but there was no air. Tried to move, to find he had no body. Hui saw things he couldn’t comprehend, shapes beyond his universe.

He squeezed his eyes shut. Please, let it end!

Cold wind streaked past him. Gravity took hold, dragging him toward the earth. Hui opened his eyes seconds before he plopped to the ground. He scrambled and barely caught himself on his hands and knees, skidding over the pebbled ground. A gritty, dry earth in a dead gray slid out from under his palms. Icy wind blew, fluttering through his hair and robes. Dark, flat rocks about the size of a man jutted upright out of the slate gray earth.

Footsteps scraped over the dirt. Ragged robes brushed the ground.

Hui looked up, already smiling. “Haha, it’s all a misunderst… huh?”

Pale bodies. Eyes all white, hair dull, lips dry and cracked. Talismans hung over their faces. Arms stiff, mouths drooling, they shambled for him.

Hui’s eyes went wide. He jolted, then fell back, instinctively killing his qi. Undead? Master, are you trying to kill this poor disciple?