“…and that’s after he humiliated Peak Lord Lan Taijian by… oh! Here we are,” Li Qian said, looking around.

Hui drew a deep breath and rubbed at his cheeks. This fake smile is starting to ache. I had no idea there could be so many stories about such an unremarkable disciple as me! All bad, too. What has this small cultivator done so wrong, that I’m so hated within my own sect?

“Who’s that?” a girl asked, stepping out of the forest. Her eyes glowed with a strange cold, blue light, and she stood unusually tall for a woman.

“Li Qian, we have an important duty. You can’t just invite anyone,” a boy said, nose wrinkled, hair tied in a bun.

“I’m doing him a favor. He’s been completely neglected,” Li Qian argued.

A slightly older boy frowned as he dropped down from the trees. “Is it just me, or does he look familiar?”

“Familiar?” Li Qian asked.

“Almost like… Weiheng Hui,” the young man said, squinting.

Hui coughed. “You must be mistaken, Elder Brother.”

“He looks nothing like Weiheng Hui. Weiheng Hui is incredibly handsome and wears blue robes and has a snake around his neck. He’s only kind of handsome,” Li Qian replied.

The other boy shot Hui a dirty look. He shook his head. “We haven’t agreed. Li Qian… come over here.”

The four young cultivators grouped up in a corner, quietly conferring amongst themselves.

Bored, Hui casually reached a hand up to scratch his arm and gently petted Zhubi. Zhubi stirred and nudged him with his nose. Good thing Zhubi’s been so quiet lately.

Actually, come to think of it, Zhubi’s slept since he ate the shadow snake in the snake ancestor’s trial realm. I wonder if he’s okay? Maybe I should take him to Xixing again.

Actually… I should probably check on Xixing, too. Make sure she got out of Black Asp Sect safely.

Everyone stared at him. Hui blinked. “Apologies?”

“What’s your name?” Li Qian asked.

“Xie Hao,” Hui said evenly.

Li Qian nodded sagely, putting a hand to his chin in a poor mockery of an expert stroking his beard. “Xie Hao, the four of us have decided that we cannot simply allow you into the Duck Protection Society. No… you must complete a task. A trial, if you will.”

Hui nodded. They’re only second realm. Even if they try to bully me, it shouldn’t be anything difficult for me.

“As a test to see if you deserve to be allowed to join the Duck Protection Society… get each of us a meal from the dining hall.”

“Eh?” Hui asked. That’s all?

Li Qian tutted. “Don’t look at me like that. The dining hall is difficult for us underlings to get into. Only higher-ranked cultivators and the Peak Lord’s favorites can get in. If you can accomplish this monumental task, we’ll consider you for membership in the Duck Protection Society.”

Hui quickly bowed. “Of course, Elder Brother. Only the best for the Duck Protection Society.”

Internally, he laughed. This takes me back. I remember when I was the gofer for the loan sharks, way back in the day. Except now, I have no reason to fear these kids!

He looked at them, then snorted. Ah, what’s the harm? Sis Mei will be happy to see me again, and it is kind of my fault that they’re stuck out here on duck protection duty. He shook his head and walked away, vanishing into the forest.

Distantly, the ducks roamed the forest. Hui reached out to them and flicked through the images one after another. Forest, forest, more forest… They haven’t found anything yet.

He burst out into the clearing near the dining hall. Quietly, he drew up to the back of the hall and knocked. “Sis Mei…”

The door popped open. “Seconds?”

Hui laughed and scratched the back of his head. “Er… actually, I… made some friends, who want food?”

Sis Mei crossed her arms and frowned at him. “You know I can’t just let anyone have food. Are they trying to take advantage of you?”

“I…” Hui hesitated. No, Sis Mei’s right. I should find some other way to appease them. It’s not right to take advantage of Sis Mei like this. He shook his head. “Sorry. I made a mistake.”

“No, no. Here.” She reached into the kitchen and handed out a half-dozen pork bao, wrapped in a carrying cloth. “That should be good enough, right? I won’t do it again, but I can’t leave you empty-handed.”

Hui nodded thankfully. “I’m sorry, Sis Mei. Thank you!”

“I’m glad you’re making friends. I worry about you sometimes, you know?” Sis Mei said, smiling. She leaned against the doorframe, looking down at him with gentle eyes.

“I’m doing fine, Sis Mei. I have a good Master, and—and plenty of friends!” Hui said. Li Xiang, Bai Xue, even Gu Tian, Fa Chuyou, and Zhubi… many, many more friends than I had in my first life. It’s more than I ever wished for.

She shook her head and waved him away. “Alright. Back at it. I’ve got work to do!”

Hui nodded. He bowed and hurried away, hustling back into the woods. Sis Mei stood there against the doorframe until he faded out of sight, then shook her head and turned back into the kitchen.

Back in the depths of the forest, Hui slowed himself to a speed a Qi Gathering cultivator could manage and smiled, pushing out of the forest into the Duck Protection Society’s gathering space. “Elder Brothers, Elder Sister! I’ve come with the food.”

“Eh? That fast?” one of the boys asked, startled.

“How’d he get into the dining room?” the girl hissed to the older boy, who shrugged back.

Li Qian beamed and took the cloth wrap from Hui. “Good job! I knew I could count on you.”

The other three held back as Li Qian unwrapped the cloth, wary of its contents. Once the steaming hot, fresh bao appeared, though, they all leaned in. One of the boys took a deep breath, and another rubbed his stomach.

“I haven’t eaten in months…”

“I know we don’t have to eat, but… but that smells so good!”

The girl stared silently, an aloof expression on her face, but her eyes glowed brighter blue, and drool dripped down from the corner of her mouth. One of the boys took a bun, and the other three instantly descended on the cloth.

Hui stepped back and folded his arms behind him, a satisfied smile on his face. This… isn’t so bad. I wonder if this would have been my life, if I hadn’t been picked up by Master? I wouldn’t be as strong, but then, I wouldn’t have to leave the sect, either…

Warm steam tickled his nose. Hui glanced around, then looked down. Li Qian offered him one of the buns. “There’s enough for everyone.”

“Ah, thank you, Elder Brother, but I’ve already eaten,” Hui said.

The other four stared at him, betrayed expressions on their faces.

“He ate at the dining room?”

“Eh? How?”

“What’s his trick?”

Hui cleared his throat. “I, er, I already took one of the buns on the way down from the dining hall.”

The four kids nodded amongst themselves and turned back to their food. Li Qian looked at the bun in his hand, shrugged, then offered half of it to the girl. She glanced at him, then snatched it away and turned her back to him, almost like a feral beast. Li Qian smiled at her back, eyes indulgent.

The girl finished her bun, then turned to Hui. Her eyes glowed. “You’ve done well, but you haven’t done enough. If you really want to prove yourself to the society, you should fetch us some spiritual water to drink!”

“Qing Peifei, don’t you think that’s too much to ask?” Li Qian asked, startled.

One of the other boys shot her a look. “Spiritual water only exists in wells at the top of each peak. He’d have to climb to the top of Starbound Peak, into the restricted area only high-level disciples can enter, to fetch some!”

Qing Peifei waved her hand. “He got us this food. He’s obviously capable. Why not give him a real challenge? What’s the worst thing that happens? If he fails, it’s on his head, not ours.”

The boys hesitated, but then turned to Hui expectantly.

Hui blinked. Eh, wait. That well I used to drink from when I was a boy… that was spiritual water? I didn’t notice anything… but then, I didn’t drink it after I achieved cultivation, either!

“Xie Hao, you can back out if you don’t think you can get it. We can recruit someone else,” Li Qian offered.

Hui shook his head. “Don’t worry, Elder Brother. I can get you spiritual water.” If anything, it’s easier than the dining hall food! I don’t even have to brave the Starbound Peak disciples to get it, I can collect it directly from Master’s well!

Li Qian hesitated. “If you’re sure…”

Hui bowed and backed away. “Wait right here. I’ll be back before you know it.”