Master, This Poor Disciple Died Again Today

Chapter 763: Return

In a blast of bright sword light, Li Xiang flew through the window. Hui caught himself seconds before he fell backward. Good, good. I dont need to play dead.

Around his neck, Zhubi rolled belly-up. Tian Lan peeked up, nosing at his body, then flopped over herself. She snuck a look at Zhubi again, adjusting her claws and jaw, and flopped a little more convincingly.

Hui patted Zhubi. Its okay. Were fine.

Tian Lan reared up. I knew we were fine!

Zhubi gave Hui a long-suffering look.

You two are like an old couple already, Hui commented.

Zhubis look turned to shocked admonishment, completely taken aback.

Hui stroked his head with the back of his fingers. Its a good thing, a good thing.

Li Xiang walked up to Hui. Silently, she nodded at him.

Hui nodded back, a little nervous. Er, can I help you?

She held out her hand. A strange ghost gave me this.

A small square of jade fell into Huis hand. He turned it over. Carved lines, edged in flecks of gold, stood out against the pale stone.

Startled, Hui patted himself down. He checked his robes, hist storage ring, his sleeves, only to come up empty. I didnt even know Id lost it! Masters jade How how did you find this?

A strange ghost, Li Xiang repeated.

The Elusive Ghost? Hui asked.

She frowned at him.

Hui quickly gestured at his face. All white, with big black pits for eyes and a big black wedge of a mouth?

Li Xiang nodded.

Then it is the Elusive Ghost. This is the second time hes appeared around Masters jade. Is he an avatar of Master? If nothing else, hes definitely related to me or Master somehow. Maybe hes a manifestation of Masters jade!

No, this isnt that kind of world. I dont think jades are going to become people.

Plus, he didnt follow me to the garbage realm. He chased the jade, but he wasnt tied to it. No, its something else.

He frowned at the floor and shook his head. Im missing something. Ill just have to roll with it, and hope it isnt that important. Like Ive thought before, the Elusive Ghost either has his own game, or hes me, in which case, he has his own game and he knows what hes doing. At this point, lets trust him to do his own thing, and move on. He tucked the bit of jade into his robes.

Lifting his head, he looked the gathered cultivators in the eye. Li Xiang, Bai Xue, Song Wei, and the two dragons coiled around him. Here we are. At what I hope is the end of the line. He nodded at everyone. I think its time for us to face the Golden Immortal.

Do you have a plan? Bai Xue asked, crossing her arms.

Hui nodded. The power weve been searching for plays a key part.

It has before, and its failed before, she said.

But this time, I have assistance from outside the loop, Hui added.

Bai Xue nodded. Thats new. How?

Eh? It is?

Well, if I get detected by the Golden Immortal, its game over, so

Fair enough.

Hui cleared his throat. As for how, lets just say it has to stay a secret. But for the plan He gestured the others in closer. Zhubi and Tian Lan reared up around his shoulder and neck to lean closer.

Song Wei stepped away first. Then, Ill go ahead.

Please do, Hui said.

Bai Xue took Tian Lan from Huis arm and set her around her own bicep. Its you and me. Are you ready?

Tian Lan nodded excitedly.

Li Xiang walked over to Huis side. She looked him in the eye. To the furthest points of the world.

To the furthest points of the Immortal Realm, Hui confirmed.

Bai Xue gave him a look. If the Golden Immortal comes after us individually

Hui shook his head. It doesnt matter. Well keep going anyways.

Ying Lin cleared her throat. Ill make sure he doesnt. I can still put up that much interference.

Ying Lin, Ive been meaning to ask. What are you? Hui asked.

Eh? Your cute disciple, what else? Ying Lin asked, giving him a cute head tilt.

Hui narrowed his eyes. Thats not what I mean.

You havent figured it out? Ying Lin asked.

He took her in for a moment, looking her up and down. If Master is something like the Worlds Will, then are you an arbiter, of sorts? An intermediary?

Maybe, Ying Lin said.

Ying Lin, Hui sighed.

She shrugged. I dont know. I dont know, actually. Ive never fulfilled my role properly, and it was poorly defined when I was made. I could be an intermediary, but Im not sure. When the world made me it had so little focus and energy left, that I I cant be sure of my own purpose.

When did you figure it out? That you were a function of the world, instead of an ordinary cultivator, Hui asked.

Ying Lin put her hands up. Not until I entered the Immortal realm. I was born a mortal, and I ascended an ordinary cultivator. I suppose I should have known that the world itself was helping me to ascend so quickly, but

Hui nodded. Its very irregular. Something that would never happen, if not for the extreme disorder of the Heavens. Naturally, its not the first thing you think of, when you face a genius cultivator. Thats right. The first thing you think of, is that theyre a protagonist, and ought to be clutched to or avoided, but nothing else!

And even she doesnt know what she is. Unfortunate, truly unfortunate, for a function of the world to be so corrupted by the disorder of the Heavens that by the time she realizes herself, she can no longer recognize her own function.

He shook his head. Once we restore the Heavens, everything should fall into place. All I need to do, is finish the job.

But you can hold off the Golden Immortal? Hui asked.

Ying Lin gave him a thumbs-up. Yep! You can trust me!

Suddenly, I trust her way less Hui shook his head and patted her on the back. If we win this, Ill find you some more romantic literature.

Ah, thats not possible. I read all of it that exists in the Immortal Realm, Ying Lin said.

Hui stared at her. How? You spent most of your time locked in the gold statue! How did you find time to read that much romantic literature?

Ying Lin grinned. She rocked in place, her hands behind her back, and bent forward a little, mischievous. Did you think I was totally unable to break out of that statue? I could still send forth my mind! As long as the book entered Heart Lotus City, I could read it!

Of all the things to accomplish! Breaking out of that barrier, even with just your mind, wouldnt be trivial. The amount of effort she put into it she might as well have broken the barrier entirely and escaped! Instead, only using it to read romantic literature and romantic literature, at that! Ying Lin, Ying Lin

Ying Lin caught his look and shook her finger. What would I do if I escaped, huh?

At that, Hui paused. He gave her a look. That is a point. Even if she escaped, its like Master. If the Golden Immortal could reach her, he would immediately chase her down and lock her up again. Unlike Master, whos the realized Worlds Will, shes simply a function of the world, but without a proper role or place or rather, without the awareness of her role or place. Lacking that, she likewise lacks the authority that should come along with being a function of the world, and therefore, unlike Master, she cant simply escape the Golden Immortal or hide from his gaze.

That being said, shes still Ying Lin, my genius disciple. Naturally, something like the golden statue barrier, she figured it out a long time ago! She probably could have broken out from long ago, if she put her mind to figuring it out. But knowing it was a lost game, she instead made the choice to remain. Better to simply enjoy her life and read books. I understand, now!

But even so, what a monstrous ability, to read any book that so much as enters the city

Its not that monstrous, Ying Lin protested.

It isnt? Hui asked.

She shook her head. I even met a fellow reader, you know? Ah, he had a strange name, Oxian, but he had read every single book in a library larger than Heart Lotus City. Just because you cant read like that, doesnt mean no one can!

Hui nodded. Yes, yes. Of course.

Then, shall we go? Ying Lin asked, drawing out a book from her storage ring and glancing around for a good place to sit and read.

Hui gave her a look. Are you sure theres someone else out there who can read like you? Im not sure of it, Elder Sister! To even read under life-and-death circumstances is there such a person?

Bai Xue clasped her hands to Hui. Well see each other soon.

Li Xiang nodded silently.

Hui lifted Zhubi off his neck, and the small dragon flew reluctantly on his own, giving Hui the biggest puppy eyes.

Standing on his own, Hui forced himself to look away from Zhubi. Hes fine. Hell be fine. Everyone here can handle themselves, even if Zhubi doesnt want to! Lets go. To the four corners of the world!