Chapter 779: Epilogue
The sun poured down. Hui lifted a hand to shade his eyes, gazing out into the daylight. A meadow full of flowers spread before him, gently sloping to the left and the right. Overhead, massive mountains stood.
To the left, proud buildings in austere white capped the peaks. Simple, but solid, they stared off into the distance, prepared to last ten thousand years. Disciples in simple robes flitted around, guiding small groups of yet younger disciples. Natural trees provided a clean fragrance that wafted on the breeze.
To the right, ornate palaces in glimmering black and white, touched with gold decor and red details, filled the peaks. Disciples floated around, giggling and flirting. Their robes made a rainbow of fine silk, and gold and silver touched their necks and wrists. Fine perfume floated down from the peaks, flamboyantly floral.
"Weiheng Hui."
He turned.
Li Xiang approached him, her hands behind her back. She nodded quietly at him, a sword hanging proudly at her waist. "Admiring your sects?"
"My sects? Elder Sister, don't be ridiculous. These are your sects, your sects. I'm merely a wandering cultivator," Hui said, waving his hands.
She snorted once under her breath. Drawing up beside him, she gazed up at the clean and austere sect, a tinge of pride in her gaze. "I never thought we could come so far."
"No..." Hui murmured distractedly. His eyes grew misty, and he fell silent, a strange, contemplative gaze on his face.
"Since the sect crumbled, and... everything that transpired, I..." She looked at the sword on her hip.
"Are you used to it yet?" Hui asked gently.
She snorted. After a moment, she shook her head. "I don't know that I ever will be. But...with every day, I find myself more willing to accept it. If only she were still around, then maybe I could..."
"No, no, Elder Sister. This is...it's better that she entered the cycle of reincarnation. I'm sure she's watching over you somewhere," Hui assured her.
Li Xiang gave him a look. "Sometimes, you know too much about these things."
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"Ah? I--I don't know what you're talking about," Hui said quickly, waving his hands.
She shook her head at him. Her eyes turned away.
An arm wrapped around his shoulders. Soft hair brushed against his cheek. Hui turned, already knowing what he'd see.
"Flirting? Without me?" Bai Xue asked. He grinned at Hui, waggling his brows.
"Good morning, Elder Brother," Hui greeted him serenely.
Bai Xue pursed his lips. Pushing away, he swapped to his female form. "Booooring. I miss when you'd blush."
Hui bowed apologetically to his back. "Ah, well, it's been a thousand years, Elder Brother."
"Yeah, yeah. Still boring." Bai Xue strode through the flowers. Her pale hair fluttered on the breeze. Pausing, she looked up at the flamboyant sect. "Thank you."
"Eh? What for?" Hui asked, startled.
"For everything. For saving my sect. For bringing us here. For helping me establish a new stronghold. Everything."
"Ah, well..." Embarrassed, he ducked his head. "I did nothing, Elder Sister. It was all you and Li Xiang."
Bai Xue snorted. She and Li Xiang exchanged a look.
"How are the children?" Hui asked suddenly.
"Doing well. Growing strong. At this rate, I think Bai Xingxue is going to found their own sect before I finish establishing mine," Bai Xue joked, chuckling.
"Li Weiqi should finish conquering the Lower Plains soon. I hope he grows out of this phase of his. It's not our place to go judging others," Li Xiang opined.
At that, Hui glanced at Bai Xue, who grinned back at him.
Clearing his throat, Hui stepped forward. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me, Elder Sisters. I...had something I wanted to tell you."
"Go ahead," Li Xiang said.
Bai Xue squatted on the ground and put her head in her hands, gazing up at him with big eyes.
Hui took a deep breath. "I--"
Lightning cracked the sky. Blackness appeared behind it. Hui turned, startled. What's going on?
I don't know. I'm looking into it. Get everyone as far away from it as you can.
He turned to Li Xiang and Bai Xue with a smile. "Elder Sisters, I'm afraid I'll have to postpone that discussion. If you don't mind, do you think you could evacuate the sects? There's something I need to take care of first."
"Of course. I'll evacuate the disciples and be back in a moment." Li Xiang mounted her sword and flew off, vanishing before Hui could speak.
"Elder Sister... I..." Hui lowered his hand. He sighed.
Bai Xue stood. She patted him on the shoulder. "You didn't really think you could get rid of us so easily, hmm? Our little Xiao Hui isn't going to take care of this all on his own." She hopped into the air, her sword swooping under her as she dropped, and flew off toward her peaks.
Hui sighed. I guess I should have known better. He gazed up at the void, holding his breath. But this... First, we have to deal with this.
It seems to be from some...deeper place. Somewhere even beyond my reach.
Hui nodded. I'll hold things down here. You go ahead.
In the void, for just a moment, a different version of Hui appeared, dressed in white, a black dragon-turtle dangling from his neck. He nodded at the Hui on the earth, and the Hui below nodded back. Without another word, the white-dressed Hui flew off, vanishing into the void.
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