Even if I did create a Lightning Palm talisman, what would I have then? A talisman of one of the lowest level techniques I have? Hui mocked himself. He closed his hand around the lightning, shaking his head.

But… it was Master’s ultimate move. Fair, he never learned any other spells, but… maybe there’s something more to the Lightning Palm that I fail to comprehend. In any case, it’s not as if I lose anything by adapting it to a talisman. If nothing else, I should try to extract the lightning part of the palm and make a talisman out of that. After all, lightning is one of the elements I still lack a talisman for.

The caravan slowed. Hui looked up to find the caravan’s driver hurrying back toward them.

With a nod, the man gestured Hui and the other three closer. They gathered around. Ding Qinwen put a hand on his sword warily, while Hui quickly scanned the surroundings. I don’t sense anyone around.

“We’re going to stop up ahead in a little bit. The bamboo falls back, and there’s an inn, if you have coin. If not, you can always sleep in the cart,” the driver offered, rubbing his stubble.

Ah. No threat, then. Hui nodded. “Thank you.”

The trio glanced amongst themselves. Lu Lintei cleared her throat. “How many rooms does the inn have?”

“Enough,” the driver assured them.

“What about baths?”

“Not much, but there’s something, I think,” he said.

She smiled, warm and slow, like the sun breaking through the clouds. “Wonderful.”

“Is it really that important?” Zhi Ahn asked, already tired.

“We’ve been banned from using…”

Zhi Ahn glared at her.

“…unusual methods. I haven’t felt clean in days,” Lu Lintei complained, shaking her hair out.

Eh? They’ve been banned from using qi? Why?

“If we use qi, we’d alert our prey. We don’t want her to run… or attack, before we find her,” Ding Qinwen replied darkly.

Hui licked his lips and glanced at Ying Lin, who continued to practice the Lightning Palm. I hope our using qi doesn’t alert their prey, whoever it is… or wait, no, this is All-Heavens Sect. I hope it does alert her, whoever she is! It might be petty revenge, but it’s still revenge.

“A monster like that… forget the caravan, even we would be in danger,” Zhi Ahn confirmed, tense.

Lu Lintei gave him a lazy smile and wrapped one arm around his shoulders. “Aww, is the precious fourth-stage worried about the danger?”

Zhi Ahn shoved her away. “It’s dangerous for you as well, Lu Lintei. She killed the last fifth stage cultivator the sect sent out here. We don’t know how strong she actually is. Remember, we’re just here to gauge her strength. We cannot fight her.”

Waving her hand, Lu Lintei gave him a haughty look. “Who do you think I am? Naturally, I'm not going to be so rash."

Hui’s eyes widened. He caught Ying Lin’s eyes and shook his head. Ying Lin tipped her head and showed him her palm, now completely full of lightning.

Hui closed his hand, miming extinguishing the lightning. Not now! I’m proud of you, but not now!

Ying Lin frowned, but closed her palm. The lightning winked out.

He nodded approvingly. Now is not the time to run into monsters that fifth-stage cultivators fear. Han Qin is bad enough. I can only hope the true-death sacrifice of Sixth puts him off the scent of the rest of us. There’s no one I trust more to play dead than myself, but even so, it’s hard not to worry that Han Qin might somehow figure it out and come after the rest of us.

Hui rubbed his head a little, slightly frustrated. I can remember everything up until Sixth leaves his body. After that, it blanks, but I feel like he met the reaper. What happened? What did she do? Why can’t I remember?

Hmm, I really need to find Senior Chen Wuya. Not only the soul array, but also this Han Qin figure. Compared to me, he has a much better chance of knowing some mysterious ancient being.

For now, he scooted up to the other three and gave them an ingratiating smile. “Seniors, I have a small question. What is this monster you’re referring to?”

“Official business,” Zhi Ahn said sternly.

“It’s no harm. We could use another blade,” Lu Lintei allowed.

“Indeed. Any help is appreciated,” Ding Qinwen said, smiling.

Lu Lintei nodded. “The more there are, the less work we each have to do.”

Zhi Ahn narrowed his eyes. “That’s your real motivation, isn’t it?”

“Seniors, please. I might not be as powerful as your esteemed personages, but I can hold my own in a fight, as long as I know what’s coming my way,” Hui said, glancing at Ding Qinwen and Zhi Ahn. Lu Lintei is already on my side, as someone who has already been enlightened in the ways of those who wish to survive and live a long life! It’s these two who I need to convince.

Ding Qinwen and Zhi Ahn exchanged glances. A flurry of expressions passed between the two of them, a conversation Hui couldn’t hear occurring in their mental space. If Lu Lintei listened in, she showed no sign of it, instead relaxing against the bamboo while the two spoke. Every so often, she walked forward a dozen paces and found a new piece of bamboo to rest against.

Hui licked his lips, watching their expressions closely. Come on. There’s no harm in telling little old me, is there?

At last, Ding Qinwen turned to Hui with a smile. “My friend, we’ve traveled a long way, but I’m afraid I haven’t yet learned your name.”

“You can call me… Li Huang,” Hui said, quickly ad-libbing with a name from Sixth’s memories. That’ll make it easier for Ying Lin to remember my name, as well.

“Greetings, Li Huang. This one is Ding Qinwen, and you can call these friends of mine Lu Lintei and Zhi Ahn. We came here to hunt a great beast, a man-eating monster with consciousness. It is a terrible, dangerous being whose form we cannot be sure of. Although I cannot be sure that you would be able to assist us, you are welcome in our battle,” Ding Qinwen said politely.

Hui bowed, cupping his fists to Ding Qinwen. “Thank you for the opportunity. This small one will do his best to live up to exalted one’s expectations!”

A dangerous being? A man-eating monster? I should make sure to support the squad in killing it, as a way of ensuring the future safety of my benefactor. I’ve been wandering the lands because I cannot be sure of her location, or else I’d run to her side and ensure her safety at this very moment. As it is, I simply have to confront this beast and run it off or otherwise destroy it, to protect benefactor. Whether she’s my mother or not, she put me on the path of cultivation. I owe her a great debt, one that I intend to repay.

Hui nodded to himself. And if it’s too dangerous to fight… I’ll wait until the trio heads back to All-Heavens, then sprint off to find my benefactor and take her somewhere safe! This small cultivator has no fear of running from a fight!

“Master, you’re thinking something weird again, aren’t you,” Ying Lin said, coming up beside him.

“There’s nothing strange about thinking about one’s survival,” Hui replied, crossing his arms. “Remember this, Ying Lin. We seek immortality, not a swift death. Always consider your survival! Escape routes are a necessity. Backups and hidden abilities are the basics! Never play your hand openly, but retain a card in reserve. To master all this, one must constantly plan and think ahead. Do you understand?”

She tilted her head. “I guess?”

Hui nodded. “Meditate on it some tonight until you reach a full comprehension. You have great promise. With proper effort, you can become someone much more powerful than myself.”

“Anyways, Master, why did you tell me to stop practicing the Lightning Palm?” Ying Lin asked.

“Right. Ying Lin, our three compatriots are fighting a vicious monster of some description. Apparently, qi alerts it. In fact… now is a good time to pass my greatest technique.”

“First your Master’s ultimate technique, and now yours?” Ying Lin asked, her eyes sparkling.

Serious, Hui looked her in the eye. “Ying Lin, you must take this seriously. This technique is incredibly dangerous. Used properly, it can allow you to escape the deadliest of situations. Used improperly, your life is forfeit. Do you understand?”

Ying Lin cupped her hands and bowed. “Disciple understands.”

Hui put her hand on his chest. “Circulate your qi inside me. Watch what I do.”

Ying Lin nodded and closed her eyes, equally serious. She matched pace to him, walking backward as he walked forward.

Hui allowed his qi to well up, then suppressed it. Her qi chased his toward his dantian, where his qi continued to compress, growing smaller and smaller. He drew his death qi back, unwilling to let it touch Ying Lin’s qi. She isn’t ready for that yet.

His body weakened as his qi retreated. At the final moment, his body faltered, and he nearly fell to the ground.

Ying Lin’s eyes widened. “Master!”

Releasing his qi, Hui circulated it back at a low level, about equivalent to a first-realm cultivator. “Do you understand?”

Ying Lin hesitated. She nodded, but slowly. “But… why?”

“To play dead! It is the greatest escape and disguise technique I have. In the moments playing dead may gain you, you can turn the flow of a battle, or escape entirely. Once you fully grasp the skill of playing dead, your survivability ranks up. It’s almost as good as gaining a cultivation level,” Hui advertised firmly, hands tucked behind him in a scholarly gesture.

“Wow. It’s that powerful?” Ying Lin whispered, her eyes as big as dinner plates. Then her awestruck expression crumpled. “But I haven’t fully comprehended it.”

Hui reached to his neck and lifted Zhubi, handing him over to Ying Lin. She took him with a befuddled expression. Zhubi, likewise, tilted his head at Hui in confusion.

“To tell the truth, Ying Lin, this is a technique I adapted from Zhubi. He is the true master of playing dead. Study his techniques for a time. If you require pointers, come to me, but between the two examples, I believe you will prove able to master my most powerful technique.”

Zhubi hissed, understanding, and waved his tail in happiness. He crawled up Ying Lin’s arm and settled into place around her neck.

Ying Lin nodded studiously. She delicately petted the snake, peering down at Zhubi with new understanding. “Disciple hears and obeys, Master!”

“For now, it’s sufficient if you simply figure out how to suppress your qi. If the monster is attracted to qi, it’s better to appear as a mortal so it doesn’t target you. Focus on suppression, not fully playing dead,” Hui said. I don’t want Ying Lin to die. If she doesn’t know how to suppress her qi, in the worst case, I might be forced to attract the monster with my own qi and risk my own little life. This way, we can both suppress our qi and escape safely!

Ying Lin cupped her hands and hurried off, already murmuring to Zhubi.

Hui smiled after her, pleased. What a good disciple. Despite myself, I’m glad I picked her up. Letting her talent rot in the mortal world would have been a true waste.