Hui stared after Bai Xue for a few moments, then shook his head and tore his eyes down. Bai Xingxue and Li Weiqi… I should make sure everything is going according to plan. Such as I have a plan!

Now that Li Weiqi considers Zhubi his rival, he should be motivated to learn how to become stronger, but that still leaves Bai Xingxue. I need to figure out how to motivate them before I can consider my plan a success!

A moment before he leaped away, someone coughed behind him. Startled, Hui jumped and nearly toppled out of the tree entirely. Spinning his arms, he barely caught ahold of the branch ahead of him before he slammed into it, then turned, frowning at the person behind him. “I almost died!”

Dressed in the Bai Clan’s robes, a female attendant regarded him with dead eyes. “You can fly.”

“Yes, but…” But I’m already dead… alright, I’ve lost this argument. Hui stood upright and adjusted his robes. “Can I help Elder Sister?”

The attendant bowed and held out a small jade, full of formality. “Please take this. It’s everything you need to know in case you intend to continue courting Bai Xue. For your awareness, there are ten maidens ahead of you in line to enter the harem.”

“Eh… eh?” Hui said, startled. On reflex, he took the jade. Bai Xue’s been busy!

Looking him up and down, the attendant raised a brow. “You must have truly caught Young Master’s eye. Bai Xue hasn’t courted any men in a long time.”

Not… since me? Wow. I didn’t think I had that big of an impression on Bai Xue, but—

“It’s been at least six months,” the female attendant said, nodding to herself.

Hui almost fell off the branch again. Elder Sister! How often does Bai Xue court people that six months is considered a long time?

With another bow, the female attendant flew off. Hui watched her go, slowly shaking his head. I don’t envy her. It must be difficult keeping up with Bai Xue and their licentiousness!

He leaped off the branch, bouncing from tree to tree. It’s time to be a ninja while I check in on my children! Ninja-hopping from branch to branch, the sneakiest method of travel!

Oak leaves slapped him in the face. Hui reeled back, waving his arms. Tiny feet crawled down his face as a big fat caterpillar wobbled along his nose, as confused as Hui was.

Peeling the caterpillar off his face, Hui gently set it on the trunk of the tree beside him. Alright, and I think I’ve just discovered why no one does that…

Zhubi wriggled up to his neck and peered at him, curious.

“You don’t want to eat that,” Hui whispered, patting Zhubi’s head. He leaped on, darting from branch to branch with more caution this time.

In a few moments, he came upon the two children, crouching in the woods. Bai Xingxue carefully unfolded a cloth, revealing a small pile of spirit stone fragments. The pile had grown slightly since the last time Hui had seen it.

“I went back and got them. I couldn’t leave spirit stones behind,” Bai Xingxue said, patting the fragments reverentially.

“I met that boy again,” Li Weiqi stated, staring into the middle distance.

“Did you get his spirit stones?” Bai Xingxue asked distractedly.

Li Weiqi shook his head. “The one that lives on Father’s peak. I fought him, but he was much more powerful than me. I need to get stronger…!”

Tilting her head, Bai Xingxue squinted at him. “Why? Does he have lots of spirit stones?”

“Why? I need Father’s inheritance. It’s our due!” Li Weiqi said.

Bai Xingxue frowned. “But Father’s inheritance won’t get us candied haws.”

Li Weiqi looked at her. “That’s true…” He turned back to the spirit stones.

“Ah! That boy in white?” Bai Xingxue said suddenly, slapping her fist into her palm.

“Yes, that one,” Li Weiqi agreed.

Bai Xingxue nodded. She gave him an encouraging thumbs-up. “He looks rich. Those robes, have you noticed how the silk shimmers? And the snakeskin pattern… it’s done by an exquisite hand, as if the scales are naturally part of the fabric. Keep fighting him! I bet he has a ton of spirit stones.”

Er, or he’s a snake spirit beast… Hui glanced at Zhubi.

A moment later, he smiled. And it seems I’ve discovered what motivates Bai Xingxue. Now… how do I dangle spirit stones in front of them to get them to focus on cultivation?

Li Weiqi offered his hand to Bai Xingxue. “Two hands are better than one.”

Up in the tree, Hui barely resisted the urge to applaud. Good job, my son! Motivate your sibling without my intervention!

If Zhubi really was their peer, it’d be unfair to gang up on him… but he’s far stronger than them, so it’s fine! Besides, they need to learn that there’s nothing that can make up a power gap like this but cultivation. The most important thing is that they start taking cultivation seriously… and learn when to run for their lives, rather than attempt a meaningless fight.

Hui looked at Zhubi. Quietly, he whispered, “I’m counting on you!”

Zhubi nodded, upturned snout bobbing in the sunlight.

Still, I shouldn’t count on Zhubi to teach them to run away. He’s too kind, and besides, if they start running from the snake I’ve set up as their rival, they might give up on cultivation. So instead… I’ll take on that job.

Hui ran a hand down his face, activating his demonic cultivator disguise. “Zhubi, could you fetch my ghoulskin? For the next time I come up here. It’ll be easier than disguising myself the same way every time.”

Zhubi hissed, nodding.

“Stay hidden in my sleeve,” he commanded, and jumped down.

Hissing one last time, Zhubi obediently hid himself away.

Hui landed with a smash, sending the spirit stones and young cultivators into the air. The two of them shrieked. Bai Xingxue leaped, catching a spirit stone fragment out of the air, while Li Weiqi instantly called a Go stone to his hand.

“It’s you!” Li Weiqi shouted. He fired off a Go stone. “Die, weakling!”

“Weakling?” Hui chuckled darkly, calling to mind all the times he’d faced off against villains in the past. “You are sorely mistaken. Small children like you are powerless against me!”

Go stones flicked off his chest. Hui exerted a little qi and created a bubble around himself, not allowing the Go stones to get close.

Li Weiqi backed away. “Why aren’t you dying?”

“Ha! That was merely a scouting clone. You have no chance against a much more powerful… clone such as myself!” Hui declared. I can’t be sure Elder Sister won’t call me back. I don’t want them to think I actually died so easily if I have to abandon this body!

Bai Xingxue waved her hand. An icicle materialized with a hiss. “I’ll call Mother!”

“By the time you call your mother, it will be far too late! Fighting can’t save you! Even running is useless!” Hui declared. “If you both run in the exact same direction, I’ll be able to catch you with ease!”

Well, even if they run in opposite directions, it won’t make much difference. But that’s exactly why they need to practice their running-away skills! If I can’t inspire them to at least out-run a higher-level cultivator… or if not out-run, at least put up enough of a fuss and flee for long enough to attract attention, then I’m not a coward!

Bai Xingxue backed away warily. Li Weiqi glanced behind him, then slowly backed away as well.

Good, good. Hui raised his hand, calling death qi out. It swirled around his hand, dark and smoky, full of the icy aura of death. “Once I infect you with my vicious death qi, there’s nothing you’ll be able to do! As long as you don’t run away, your death is sure!”

Bai Xingxue glanced at Li Weiqi. “Li Weiqi!”

“I know, I know!” he said, backing away as well.

From out of the swirling darkness, a familiar plump, feathered form appeared. Raising its head, the duck let out a magnificent “Quack!”

The children stopped. Both of them stared at the duck, brows furrowed in confusion.

Hui coughed. Come on, Hui, bullshit, bullshit! “Haha, the manifestation of the death ducks shows how magnificent my death qi is! Only high-realm demonic cultivators like me can manifest death ducks. Once our death qi cultivation hits a high enough level, we can call forth the terrifying death ducks. The strongest demonic cultivators can call forth many death ducks!”

A few more ducks emerged from the roiling black qi. One flapped up to the top of the spinning qi and landed on it. It settled its wings, giving its tail a satisfied shake as it began to swim atop the qi.

“Yes, only the strongest can allow their death ducks to swim,” Hui said, sweating a little. Elder Sibling Ducks, could you please cooperate a little? Why is everyone coming out to play now?

Bai Xingxue and Li Weiqi exchanged a glance, though Hui sensed less terror and more confusion in the look than he would have liked. Abruptly, the two turned on their heels and ran.

Throwing back his head, Hui laughed. “That’s right! Run! There’s no saving you any other way!”

The air shook. Thunder burst through the land. The trees swayed with the force of the wind, and a dark-cloaked figure slammed down behind Hui. A hand wrapped around his neck, dangerously tight. A familiar voice growled, “Who dares threaten my child?”

Hui coughed. “E…Elder Brother…”

Bai Xue pulled Hui slightly away from himself and regarded him with confusion. “What are you doing?”

“Posing as a threat! We just… talked about… this…” Hui grabbed weakly at his neck. Elder Brother, I don’t need to breathe, but it hurts, okay?

“Ah, I understand now. Xiao Hui, we need to coordinate so I don’t accidentally come running every time you pose as a villain, or else the children will never learn their lesson,” Bai Xue mused, finally loosening his grip on Hui’s neck and lowering him back to the ground.

“Yes…” Hui agreed weakly. He staggered, finding his feet again.

Bai Xue caught him, swapping to their female form as they held him close. “But I wouldn’t mind meeting you a little more often…”

Something soft pressed against Hui’s upper back. He hesitated, all thoughts of struggle leaving his mind. “Er… Elder Sister… I…”

Bai Xue chuckled. She pushed away and reached into her robes, pulling out a small belt charm in the shape of a yin-yang. “Here. It’s the same charm I gave Bai Xingxue. If it’s near Bai Xingxue’s charm, it’ll resonate with their charm. I’ll know you’re the reason they’ve used the charm, and I won’t come running.”

Hui nodded. “Thank you, Elder Sister.”

“Of course, if you need help, activate the charm. I’ll come in an instant,” Bai Xue promised.

Nodding again, Hui took the charm and tied it to his belt. I’m not sure if I can take this to the Underworld or not, but if nothing else, I can let Zhubi hold onto it until I return to the surface.

Casually reaching out, Bai Xue adjusted a lock of his hair behind his ear. Her expression turned pained, and she sighed. “I see.”

“Eh?”

“You’re using clones again, aren’t you?” Bai Xue guessed.

Hui scratched the back of his head. “I am dead, Elder Sister.”

“You aren’t splitting your soul?” she asked warily, looking him up and down.

Hui shook his head vigorously. “No, no. Small cultivator learned his lesson! One clone at a time, one clone at a time.”

Bai Xue nodded. “Good.”