“Xinyi, I can’t see anything.” Hu Shui complained. Her voice sounded far off, but she was right next to Xinyi’s figure.

“Stay close. I’ll protect you.”

Hu Shui laughed. “I have a weapon now! I don’t need you!”

Yin Hu could imagine Shui sticking her tongue out. But that was the problem in itself.

He still struggled to make her or Xinyi out in the dark fog that covered the entire forest like a blanket. There was no way he could see for even a few steps ahead. It had been like that for the past two days.

Whether it was pitch darkness, or during the peak of the sun. The fog made it impossible to navigate properly. The thought of having to move through so much of it–Xinyi said the border of Bleak Forest was a month out–had him thinking whether it was worth it to return or maybe hide out here until it passed.

But, that was only a fleeting thought. Why would he wait for the unknown to arrive, when he could use this perfect cover to escape.

Even then, they would need to figure out when they had made it into Bleak Forest. Were there signs? Maybe the terrain changed a bit? The trees are bigger? Smaller? What made Bleak Forest so dangerous?

Xinyi had told him the difference was obvious. The amount of Qi and its intense purity was a tell tale sign. It was like walking into a waterfall if you were looking for it. But, that was the problem in itself.

He had no clue how to feel for Qi. Or at least any since he had arrived. It was like it did not even exist. Or maybe it was so little, his senses struggled to make out the tiny particles barely floating. Yin Hu had no clue how to figure that out other than trial and error.

That would have to wait until he had proper privacy. He planned to create himself a real base of operations where he could experiment and eventually learn what he could and could not do.

“Mo Mo.” Hu Shui’s voice sounded further than before. “Why don’t you come out Mo Mo? All the spirits tell me....”

Yin Hu couldn’t help but smile. He had given Hu Shui the tiny hammer the day before. Hoping the spirit would be there to protect her in case he or Xinyi were caught in a situation they could not help.

She had jumped in joy at the beginning, but after some time, Hu Shui had been begging him to replace the hammer. But, he had nothing that he felt comfortable equipping her with. There was no way he would allow that on his conscience.

When asked, Hu Shui had called the spirit shy and unwilling to respond.

He guessed shy and introverted was better than outgoing and homicidal. As long as it did its job properly. Yin Hu couldn’t imagine a powerful spirit being cowardly.

Shit. I’m going off on a mental tangent. Focus.

Yin Hu had used Xinyi like a compass. She had a natural talent to always find her way towards her destination. It made it much easier to navigate towards the correct direction, issue was alway if they encountered anything on the–

Yin Hu stopped. He turned around and stared at the endless fog.

Fuck.

“Xinyi?” He was so fucked. “Xinyi?!”

“Shui!”

Fuck this! No way am I losing my investment so quickly!

He rushed towards where he supposed they should have been. But no matter how far he went or which direction he turned, it was simply too difficult to see or find anything. His calls never helped either.

What the hell is up with all my plans going to shit? Is someone scheming against me?

He couldn’t even begin a plan without a million twists and turns. Why couldn’t anything be simple and straightforward for once? Yin Hu didn’t ask for much. Just to get away from issues and problem characters–

Yin Hu stopped in his tracks. His body straightened and acted by itself. He leaned heavily onto his spear as he stared at the figure before him. The fog seemingly cleared into a narrow path between him and a man with salt and pepper hair.

His beard was the same.

Yin hu surveyed the man before him. Filthy rich looking clothes, as though they were lined with gold inscriptions instead of colored designs. A natural deposition of a distastefully thoughtful look that sent warning signals through his head.

This was what he imagined a real cultivator to look like. A powerful cultivator. Hidden master or elder of a might sect.

Yin Hu could feel depth to him. Unlike any person he had met so far. Not even Dong ZhenKang could match him with breadth. It was a grace and natural capability of great violence by simply standing there in the fog.

The man surveyed the fog around them with a sedated and leisurely pace. He extended his hand and grabbed the fog like it was cotton. He played with it between his fingers and stared at it with a contemplative look.

A professor studying a vial.

Yin hu gulped. Was he the reason for the fog? This could have been nothing more than a display of unadulterated power. How quickly had he separated Xinyi, Shui, and himself? And then he suddenly appeared?

Are they safe?

“This fog…” He began, voice pompous and arrogant. “It perplexes me. It must be a domain, and yet, it feels wholly unlike one.” The man let the fog go and it returned to its natural place.

Yin Hu couldn’t help but sigh internally. The fact that the guy before him did not control the fog gave him a boost in confidence. If this possibly ancient monster had no clue what the hell was going on with the fog, then they were on the same boat.

He fell back into his comfortable and practiced persona. He came to a final decision to bullshit his way through. If the other party thought he was weak, then he was dead anyways.

Yin Hu held his hands together behind his back and looked to his left with a raised chin. He looked into the distance and channeled aloofness–

“If you go for my son-in-law, I will die to rip those girls apart.” the man growled.

Yin Hu choked on his spit. Took a hidden breath and gulped trying to clear his throat. With a slow turn, he stared at the man. Then nodded. He knew if he moved any faster, his instincts would force him to run away as fast as he could.

The man bowed his head slightly. “Let the younger generations deal with their own issues, Senior.”

Xinyi had the ‘WorldBane - Thin Eviscerating Grass Blade’. That was a weapon with a mighty spirit if he was right. Younger generations should be weak, right? He could trust the spirit to keep them safe…

Or he hoped so.

Shui even had the toy hammer. Those two spirits should be more than strong enough with Shui around to communicate and call them out. As long as the battle was a fair one, which seemed to be the case with this old guy standing with him.

The man walked towards him. With a wave of his hand a table and two chairs appeared. They looked expensive enough to fit in his dream situation. Plum cushions and rose colored wood with perfectly carved designs and swirls.

But even that faded away in front of what appeared next.

With a clear snap of the fingers, the man pulled out heaven from what could only be a spacial pocket.

On the table rested many plates of sugary treats. Sweets galore. Powder covered delicacies, jam covered cookies, pies filled what could only be chocolate.

The man extended his hands out in invitation.

Yin Hu nearly ran towards the table. Completely forgetting the man existed. Only his continuous practice at all times with the Hu girls kept him from drooling over the sweets and cakes.

Another snap of the fingers and plates, cups, forks, and a teapot clinked onto the table. The tea to wash it all down was just the cherry onto a perfect situation.

Yin Hu’s estimation of the man sky rocketed to the heavens. He took a seat on the chair, sinking in with delighted comfort.

“Ah,” the man said, bringing Yin Hu back into reality. “A connoisseur of high class tea, I see. It warms my frozen heart to see a kindred soul.”

With a flourish he brewed a pot of tea. Leaves and everything.

Yin Hu wanted to curse him. The man was taking too long to brew some tea. That was the cherry, not the meal. Let him enjoy heaven before him! Why did he need to wait?

Hurry up! Sugary treats wait for me!

“Done.” the man sighed in contentment. Then poured them both a cup with measured and slow pace.

Yin hu wanted to jump and stuff his face already, but it was against his persona. He had to keep it at all times. Even when being seduced by what he could hardly ignore.

The man waved at him to begin the meal.

Yin Hu, trying to hide the ecstasy and uncontrollable emotions of finally having sugar, picked a fluffy powdered delight that looked like a donut. He could already imagine the chewy mouthful of jelly. Or would there be chocolate inside? When was the last time he…

“This one is, Cai Xuefang. Elder of the mighty Dark Gate Palace.”

Yin Hu froze and looked up to stare directly into the eyes of the old man.

He was so fucked.