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Chapter 377: Spatial Twists
Hui waved his hand. Putting aside the seniors I know
Putting them aside, Han Qin muttered under his breath.
This space is relatively small, its just twisted. We can easily reach the ends of this current subrealm, but at that point, the space starts to loop in on itself and repeat itself. In which case, if we wander around circularly at the looping point of this spacethat is, the point at which we stop getting further from the starting point, we can map its borders, Hui pointed out.
And then? Han Qin asked.
And then, once we know where the borders are, we can start probing them for weaknesses, Hui replied excitedly.
Thats it? Thats your plan? Han Qin asked.
Hui shrugged. If we fail, we can fall back to meditating on spatial techniques until we comprehend this world sufficiently to tear it apart. I simply think its worth our while to attempt to break out first.
Its a very simple plan, Han Qin argued.
Putting his hands up, Hui looked at Han Qin. Its worth an attempt. If you wish to sit still and not help, I wont protest. This small cultivator has broken out of many small realms on my own.
And you did these kinds of menial, meaningless tasks first? Han Qin asked, crossing his arms.
Hui nodded.
Han Qin furrowed his brows. He harrumphed, then walked away. His back turned, he replied, Fine. Ill give it a try.
Appreciate it, Elder Brother! Lets rotate to the left. Probe the space as far as you can, and watch for any irregularities! Hui said, beaming as he gave a quick bow to Han Qins retreating back. He walked the opposite way, bobbing along. I dont have much hope for Han Qin, given how stuck up he is about actually doing work. But on the off-chance he finds something, itll help me break out! If he doesnt, then no loss. Ill scan the entire area anyways, one way or the other. Honestly, I mostly recruited him so hed stop trying to kill me. Now that weve accomplished that well, I hate to say it, but I dont really have any hopes for him. Ah, not that I lay the blame on him. Im simply not the kind of person whos good at inspiring followers. Im a coward, pure and simple, not a bold and brave leader. As such, theres no point in having hope that an enemy might actually be inspired to join my side. Ive already accomplished more than I could have hoped for by gaining his neutrality!
Hui reached the edge of the space and stopped. There was no discernable difference between this point in the grassland and any other point, but from his experimenting, this was the point at which he could no longer get further from the starting point. He circled to the left, as hed said, rotating around that point.
What Im really searching for is a difference. A slight change in this monotonous world. Rather than actually breaking out of this space, Id rather find Fen Longs exit and use that to escape alone. It might piss off the mysterious senior, but so far, she hasnt seriously tried to kill me probably. Id rather die by her hand than Han Qins, anyways, if I have to die.
After all, Im a mere fifth-stage cultivator. I cant hope to comprehend the spatial concepts that lock us in here, especially not if Han Qin is equally at a loss. The small insights I gained are so small as to be useless. Unless the mysterious senior really is trying to break out as Chen Wuya was and has laid some kind of groundwork for me to make use of, our attempt to break out is basically doomed. Thus Fen Long, dont fail me now! Please, have left some kind of exit for the mysterious senior that this small cultivator can make use of!
Hui frowned. Though if Fen Long keeps leaving exits for the people he locks away what kind of jailer is he? If anything, he kind of seems like a good guy. After all, Chen Wuya was largely considered a demonic cultivator, and this mysterious senior here has a hobby of striking innocent cultivators with lightning and kicking them into spatial traps.
He looked over his shoulder at Han Qin, who stared into the distance with his hands on his hips and his brows fiercely furrowed. Maybe I should have mentioned him to Han Qin. Han Qin knew about Chen Wuya and Zhu Diyu, after all. If he knew about Fen Long as well, I couldve at least verified if the general impression of Fen Long was negative or positive. Argh! And if what Chen Xigui said as he died indicated what I thought it did If Fen Long is the patriarch of All-Heavens Sect, Han Qin almost certainly would have known that! I should have asked, I should have asked.
It's too awkward now. Oh well. Ill see if I can bring it up later.
Hui walked along, hands tucked behind his back, scanning the area around him with his mental energy. The sun rose again while he walked, the circle large enough that scanning it took more than a single nights time. On and on he walked, continuously and slowly circling the center point.
I must have circled the entire space by now. Maybe even twice. So why dont I feel like Ive made a full circuit? Is there another spatial technique at play here, that makes the space larger when you begin to search it? Huis eyes lit up. Does that mean Im on the right track, then? Because why bother to make it bigger when someone examines it if it isnt a potential escape route?
Ah, it could be that Fen Long is a particularly meticulous creator of spatial prisons, and he simply added it as part of his hobby of locking up mysterious seniors. But somehow well, Fen Long always gave hints as to where the exit is. If thats the case, then I have a good feeling about continuing to search this way!
Abruptly, Zhubi lifted up off his neck, hovering his upper body in the air and searching around. Hui looked at him. Do you sense something, Zhubi?
Zhubi tilted his head, then bobbed it up and down. He leaned out, flickering his tongue and flaring his nasal passages.
He smells something? Hui closed his eyes and sniffed as well. A faint, sweet scent met his nose, tinged with an alcoholic spice.
He opened his eyes. The grasslands spread before him, smelling of nothing but grass and sun and the hardpacked earth. Hui closed his eyes again, and again smelled sweet alcohol.
Zhubi looked at him, and Hui met the snakes dark eyes. Both of them closed their eyes and stepped outward, following the scent of alcohol.
Han Qin circled the space, kicking up dirt with every step. He scowled, displeased. This nonsense really works? Huh?
No reply came. He frowned and looked over his shoulder.
He stood alone in the grasslands, as if alone was all hed ever been. The grasses swayed in the wind, rustling in the bright sunlight. Even the spots hed burned the previous day were regrown, as lush and green as though nothing at all had happened to them.
Han Qins face turned red. Fire burst from the corners of his mouth and his eyes. This is what I get for turning my back for even a moment! For daring to trust that slippery cockroachs words! Weiheng Hui! Im going to murder you!
Hui scratched his ear. Did you hear something, Zhubi?
Zhubi shook his head, bumping his snout against Huis neck so Hui could know what he did without opening his eyes.
Huh. Guess it was just me. Hui walked on.
The scent of sweet alcohol grew thicker and thicker. Eventually, it grew so thick that Hui began to choke on it, and he had to lift his sleeve over his mouth to breathe. Zhubi ducked into Huis robes, seeking shelter from the scent the same way. Whats happening? Are we walking into a distillery?
The same cute voice the senior had used before chuckled, but this time, there was a deep reverb to it that rattled through Huis very bones. Oh? How kind. I was just thinking that I should try some snake wine.
Cold hands ripped open Huis robes. Zhubi let out an alarmed hiss as his body whiplashed away from Hui, dragged off him by an unseen force.
Zhubi! Hui shouted. He tried to open his eyelids, but they were sealed shut. Gritting his teeth, he reached after the hands, but they vanished the second they left his body, taking Zhubi with them.
Letting out pitiful mewling hisses, Zhubis voice retreated into the distance. Hui grit his teeth and chased after the snake, sprinting deeper into the alcohols scent. Zhubi, Im coming! Hold on!
