WangXian Forever 6

Chapter 49 Power

Hui Gai: Balken

Hui Gai opened his eyes and looked all around him. The moment he landed in this place, he felt a surge in his powers. His blood thrummed in his veins and he had a sudden urge to roar...but he wasn't stupid enough to do that.

Even if Yao Wang knew someone had entered his domain, the chances were, he wouldn't be able to detect six infiltrators, and since their locations were so random and hopefully spread out, he might have a hard time discovering them. In that, Hui Gai had to admire his friend. Wei Ying had come up with a brilliant plan, and there was a slim chance that they could all come out of this alive.

He was in the middle of what looked like the forests of Gusu, only more savage. None of the plants or trees looked familiar, in fact, judging from their spikes and thorns, perhaps the fauna was just as hostile. But as he reached out to touch a leaf of the nearest plant, he instinctively knew what it was called in another language. When he whispered the name, the plant seemed to bow to him. And just as surprising was the fact that he was sure about the contents of its nutrients, and that it was beneficial to those suffering from cuts.

Experimenting now, he touched the trunk of the tree closest to him. He knew it was perhaps a thousand demon years old, it's fruits were the hard nut type variety, and if he were to grate them, the powder would put a person to sleep, depending on how much he used. And before he could move away, all the branches came forward together, like the clasping of hands in prayer. And then it seemed to bend...not very well, but it was trying. And Hui Gai was filled with compassion for this living being that was trying its hardest to bow...to him.

It was trying to bow.

Hui Gai bowed back, out of habit and the tree went back to normal...and just for a second, he thought he had imagined it.

He moved onto the next bush which was filled with tiny pink buds of flowers, and as he caressed one of the soft outer petals, he understood that this plant was highly toxic...and that even if others were affected by it, it could do him no harm. Even as he watched, the flowers opened, all of them at once as if the plant was trying to give him a gift. The sweetest scent was emitted by the flowers and he knew that the scent alone could knock out an elephant, and yet it had absolutely no effect on him. Every single part of the plant was poisonous, from the pretty flowers to the leaves shining in a non threatening vivid green, to the stalks themselves.

Unrecognisable sounds of birds and animals filled his ears, and as he concentrated on each of his senses, it felt as if he was boosting each one. Compared to this, living on earth was pale in comparison to whatever he felt surging through his whole body now.

It was a total connection, to this place and everything around him. The land, the air, the greenery, it felt as if it was a part of his very soul, and now that he was here, it was welcoming him with open arms. The air itself was trying to fortify his body with even more power, and with each breath, he could feel himself growing. His limbs felt stretched, as if an invisible force was making him taller, stronger, better.

He closed his eyes and poured all his concentration into his hearing. When he filtered out the various bird calls, he could hear the pitter patter of small animals as they made their way across the forest floor. He followed the sound and  opened his eyes, pinpointing the singular sound he was listening to, and his vision centred on what looked like a red butterfly...and the sound that he had been trying so hard to identify...was the flutter of its wings, something he would have ignored elsewhere.

But another sound, one more alarming crept into his consciousness, and this one, he definitely knew what it was.

The sound of running feet, as each sole hit the ground, Hui Gai realised that whoever it was, was extremely fast, and would reach him within seconds.

There was no place to hide except above, so he jumped up into the tree, and made himself extremely small. Sitting on the tree branch, he picked off a leaf and wrapped it around himself as camouflage and waited.

The trees parted and Hui Gai saw a reptilian man, kind of naked, run into the clearing he had just vacated. His scales were of a deep green, and his tale swished menacingly behind him. He could easily have blended in with the greenery of the forest, but even while Hui Gai watched, he transformed into a beautiful maiden, complete with flowing robes, the fairest skin. Her oval face resembled the finest porcelain, blue eyes shining with distress as "she" pretended to cry, whimpering like a damsel in distress.

Hui Gai was mystified at the change, but he decided to wait some more before giving himself away.

Nothing beat the element of surprise, in his book.

And then, while he watched, right in front of his eyes, the woman changed into a little boy, his big frightened eyes looking all around him.

"Mama!? Where are you?" He called out, in the smallest voice, looking all cute and cuddly.

If Hui Gai hadn't been a witness to all the changes of this shape shifter, he would certainly have been helpless to this child who was on the verge of crying.

Was he such a pushover? He wondered. His friend would tell him no, that it was right to be kind, to look after those who were in trouble...but this...Hui Gai did not know what to make of this being.

"Oh, come on!" The child suddenly threw his hands up in the air, and spoke in his real voice. "I thought that this," he waved a hand gesturing to his own body, "would definitely bring you out. But your heart seems to be made out of granite, my friend."

Hui Gai jumped out of the tree then, resuming his normal size on the way.

"Quartz." He replied, as the boy transformed back into the reptile man.

"Then let's see how hard you really are!" A spear materialised in his palms and he attacked immediately.

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A/N

Just to make things easier, (for me too!) I'm going to write in bold at the top of the page, who's chapter it is.

I hope wherever you are, you can be happy today. It really is a choice, and it's in your hands alone.

Have a great day, everyone. I hope the Universe showers you with chocolate 🍫😋