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Chapter 468: Disciples and Duties
Three months passed in relative peace. Hui worked hard in the forge, making one prototype after another. Slowly, they took shape, looking less like metal rods and more like swords.
Still, this isnt exactly regulation grade. The mixing of the ore Hui lifted the sword-shaped object and slapped it on the floor. The metal shattered.
Right. Im still figuring it out. Practice makes perfect, though! Tossing aside his latest failure, Hui wandered into the supply room.
The entire room shone. From edge to edge, even the smallest scrap of ore had been snatched up, the entire place wiped out so thoroughly that it glistened. Hui stared. Have we been robbed?
Familiar footsteps sounded behind him. Hong Lu walked up beside Hui and shook his head. Damn. I was hoping I could find some dust, at least, but it looks like weve used up even that.
Eh? Hui asked.
Hong Lu looked down on Hui, cocking an eyebrow. A small part of Hui scowled, irked to be looked down on by a taller disciple. Master wont guide us, and were all novices. We fail often, and the failures cant be reused. Although we can sell some of our products to the lowest-realm cultivators, its
He sighed, gazing at the empty room. We cant make enough spirit stones to keep buying materials. If only Master would teach us
Damn you, Hong Lu. I understand, but did you have to say it in such an obnoxious way? This Young Master cannon fodder, are you dying for a face slapping? Hui sighed as well, shaking his head at himself. No, no. Down, heart-demon. Down. Its only natural. A peak full of novices with no serious guidance it isnt surprising that were eating through ores. The only surprising thing is that the single dump of supplies lasted this long.
Hui looked at the room again, then thumped Hong Lu on the back. Dont worry. Master will
Youll finally teach us? Hong Lu asked skeptically.
Hui thumped him again, harder. will find more supplies!
Hong Lu sighed. When are you going to teach us, Master? You know some of the disciples are starting to wonder if youre a Master at all.
Hui narrowed his eyes at Hong Lu. So?
Huh? Hong Lu asked.
So what? Youre my disciples because my friend Xie Hao healed you and transferred that debt to me. What do I care if you dont feel like youre my disciples? Hui returned, crossing his arms. Ha! It feels so good to be on the other side of this equation. Finally, Im the one holding the debts!
Taken aback, Hong Lu frowned. But Master, you
Im in the middle of breaking through a bottleneck in my forging cultivation, dont you know? Wheres your respect for your seniors, huh? At such a delicate time, you shouldnt bother me! Would you bother another Peak Lord, or is it just because you dont respect me? Hui asked.
I of course I re respect Hong Lu coughed, barely able to spit out the words.
Hui waved his hand. Ah, its fine if you dont respect me. Youre still obligated to be my disciple! He patted Hong Lu on the back again. You know, its fine to be domineering, but theres a limit to it. Master might seem like the type thats easy to bully, and its true, I am, but that doesnt mean Ill let pesky disciples like you get away with it.
Pesky disciples! Ill have you know that Im the Young Master of the
Hui let him rant, watching him with dead eyes. You know, its really quite tiresome to listen to this in real life. Ah that face is looking more slappable by the minute.
Ha, Sectgoer, that heart demon is really active today, huh? Healer asked, laughing.
Shut it. You dont even know my troubles. You have cute, obedient little female disciples and your brainless lotus clones, and I have a peak full of unruly children who dont respect me. Its totally different, Sectgoer grumbled.
I thought you wanted disciples? Peak Lord asked innocently.
I want the upsides of disciples, but that doesnt mean I want to deal with their bullshit! Sectgoer raged, frustrated.
Ah, too bad Rogue isnt here. I feel like hed really enjoy teasing you right now, Peak Lord said.
Healer rolled his eyes. You mean, good thing he isnt. Its been so peaceful since he left.
Hong Lu stopped abruptly. Are you even listening?
Eh? Of course not, Hui said with a straight face.
You Hong Lu raised his hand.
Hui raised his eyebrows. This unruly child, do you want to test me?
My cultivation has settled now that my leg isnt injured. Were both fifth stage. You dont scare me, Hong Lu said, laughing. Still, he didnt drop his hand.
Ah, ah. How ungrateful. This Hong Lu, forgetting his debts and daring to attack his Master, what a troublesome child, Hui mocked, rolling his eyes.
Call me a child one more time, Hong Lu said, glaring at Hui.
Hong Lu Do you know what one of my skills is? Hui asked, tilting his head. He poked Hong Lu in the chest. Im very, very good at picking people apart with my words. Ive incited heart demons in at least two well, certainly more cultivators than that. Hong Lu, if you really want, I can incite your heart demon, too.
Hong Lu stepped back. How
Hui grinned. Haha, jackpot! In any case, its not surprising. A Young Master like this, who lost his standing and power due to an injury beyond his control and then fell from grace, dragging his whole sect down with him how could you not have a heart demon, in this world where peoples minds are so fragile? How did I know? Ha! A wounded leg doesnt make your cultivation sway like that. Third to fifth realm no, its almost as if theres someone else inside you. A heart demon that can steal your strength and cultivation how powerful it must be. Hong Lu, its fine to not respect your Master. But do you also not respect your heart demon?
Hong Lu backed away. He lowered his hand. Teeth gritted, he spat, You havent won. I still dont respect you.
Yes, yes. Go back and be a good forge monkey. Work hard and make Master lots of spirit stones, Hui said, waving his hand dismissively.
Hong Lu grimaced. You! So this is all a trick!
Hui looked up at Hong Lu with innocent eyes. A trick? Hong Lu but I didnt charge you anything to heal you, did Idid my friend, Xie Hao? In this world, is it considered a trick to use labor to recoup losses?
Hong Lu opened his mouth, then closed it. His face burned, and a vein throbbed in his forehead.
Look at you, look at you! That heart demon of yours is going to grow stronger, isnt it? Go on, get back to work. Better to work hard than to worry about troublesome things like this, Hui said, nodding. He pushed Hong Lu out the door of his forge, then slammed it behind him. Phew. Young Masters and black lotuses, I really won the lottery, didnt I?
No, wait. Think about it, Hui. Those disciples their wounds werent absolutely incurable. Wellsome of them were, without death qi manipulation but many of them would simply be costly for a life qi cultivator to cure. The disciples who landed on Clouded Pavilion they wouldnt be the cream of the crop! Theyd be the troublesome ones, the ones whose masters didnt consider it worth their while to spend that much to heal.
Sure, most of them are perfectly fine people. In fact, theyre probably simply ordinary cultivators who didnt have outstanding talentpeople who arent Ying Lin, to summarize it. They didnt have problematic personalities, but lacking an outstanding talent their master simply didnt consider it worthwhile to cure them.
Its sad, but backing and luck can both be considered as part of ones karma!
On the other hand, those who do have outstanding talent those like Hong Lu and Song Wei well, their master decided to abandon them anyways, and not pay the hefty price to heal them. In those cases isnt it quite likely that they were abandoned because of their shitty personalities?
Ah, well, at the end of the day, I cant be sure. After all, in the moment, I thought Hong Lu would have been incurable without death qi manipulation. It isnt sure that his master abandoned him, and in his case, his clan certainly didnt. Though they could have been a poor clan and therefore unable to pay the price perhaps his injury truly was incurable, barring the use of death qi manipulation. Maybe its simply that I took in a great many disciples without personally vetting them, so naturally, theres some bad apples in the bunch.
One way or another Master is tired! Ugh. Should I go read some manuals again?
No, no. I know whatll fix it. Hui straightened up and walked out of his forge. He glanced left and right to ensure Hong Lu had cleared out, then raised his hands to his mouth. Tang Fei!
Master called? Tang Fei asked. Although there was still a coldness in her eyes, the kind of coldness that could never leave them entirely, her voice had a slight playful lilt to it, and her cheeks were rosy. Similarly, she wore cute robes in a bright pink.
Shes coming back the adorable Tang Fei I first met. Hui nodded at her. Tang Fei, were out of materials. Could I trouble you to find us more?
Tang Feis expression instantly went blank. She saluted Hui. Of course, Master.
Hui blinked. Ah no. Ill find another way. If it troubles her that much
No. I want to do this. Allow me my petty revenge, Tang Fei said. The coldness in her eyes turned her voice icy, her entire body now rigid and coiled tight. A faint thread of killing intent burned in her gaze, not directed at Hui, but at someone far beyond him.
I see. Then Er, Elder Sister, if it wouldnt be too troublesome, could I
No.
I didnt even ask yet! Elder Sister
Tang Fei shook her head. I pretend as if Im not awake when I visit that mans peak. If I were to bring anyone with me
Ah. I see. Hui nodded, then reached into his pocket. Still, its quite dangerous for you to go alone. I dont want you to get trapped again. He handed her a small jade tablet, carved into a lotus. 𝖓𝔬𝖛𝔭𝔲𝖇.𝔠𝔬𝖒
Master? Tang Fei asked, blinking.
He held up another one identical to the one she held. Ive had our jade-carver work on creating these. Put your qi into both, and they should synchronize. If youre in danger, the jades will dim, and if the spell we created works properly, I should be able to use this jade to follow your qi signature back to you.
Tang Fei nodded. Thank you, Master. She took the other tablet as well and poured a little of her qi into both, then handed one back to Hui.
Hui accepted it with a smile. Go. And be careful.
Of course, Tang Fei said, nodding.
And
She turned back, cocking a brow.
Hui swallowed. No. I have to say it. And dont be reckless. Soon it may be more than petty revenge
Tang Fei flashed him a vicious smile. Yes. Im waiting.
