The old man's gaze swept between Xie Shuci and the several blue-robed cultivators, his eyes filled with interest.

"Do you know any of you?" the old man asked.

Xie Shuci was about to speak when several cultivators in blue robes immediately shook their heads, "We don't know them."

"Never seen it before."

"who is he."

Xie Shuci: "..."

Seeing the old man looking at him, Xie Shuci gave a dry laugh, "Yes, I don't know him."

The group of cultivators in blue robes breathed a sigh of relief and clasped their hands in greeting to the old man, saying, "Elder Meng, since we have guests, we won't keep you any longer."

Old Meng nodded. "You should go back and rest."

The blue-robed cultivator brushed past Xie Shuci and his group as they walked towards the long staircase. As they passed Xie Shuci, they deliberately looked away, and the cultivator at the back almost tripped on the stone steps.

This blatant attempt to cover up something is obviously suspicious; anyone with eyes to see it.

Xie Shuci couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He never expected that the distinguished guest whom the Meng family head personally greeted was actually his former fellow disciple. They were even so openly accompanying the Meng family head, not afraid of being targeted by others.

Xie Shuci assumed they were unaware of the wickedness of human nature. After all, they had been kind to him and had given him such a valuable gift. Even if they disliked him, Xie Shuci could not abandon them.

"I am Xie Shuci, and I pay my respects to the patriarch," Xie Shuci said, bowing to the old man before him.

Although Old Meng was advanced in years and had gray hair, his eyes were bright and piercing, as if he possessed the insight to see right through people. Even so, no one felt uncomfortable under such sharp eyes.

"So you are Xie Shuci. You are indeed a handsome man."

Xie Shuci lowered his head, "Patriarch, please stop teasing me."

"Not at all." Elder Meng narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Xie An and the other two. When his eyes passed over Xie An, they paused for a moment for some reason before turning to Chu Guiyi. "This must be Chu Guiyi, the eldest disciple of the Chu family of Yingzhou, right?"

Chu Guiyi bowed respectfully, "That is indeed me."

"My name is Chu Wenfeng, and I pay my respects to Elder Meng." Chu Wenfeng stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting.

Old Meng stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction. "Good."

Gradually, he shifted his gaze to Xie An.

Xie An stood beside Xie Shuci, completely calm and composed, showing no intention of bowing.

Xie Shuci hurriedly said, "Elder Meng, Elder Meng, you should know that my sworn brother is blind and just an ordinary person. Please forgive him."

Upon hearing this, Old Meng revealed a mischievous smile. "Just an ordinary person?"

If he is considered an ordinary person, then there is no one in this world who is not ordinary.

Xie An pursed his lips, bowed slightly, and said, "Xie An."

Old Meng narrowed his eyes meaningfully, then smiled after a moment and said, "I presume you have all received your tokens for the auction."

"Yes."

"In that case, please go to the inn I have prepared for you to rest."

Xie Shuci said, "I heard that you, Elder Meng, wished to see me, so I came here to meet you, and by the way..."

"What else?"

"I heard that some distinguished guests have come to the Meng family and that you personally received them. I thought about it and realized that I might know those guests, so I wanted to come and meet them."

"Oh?" Old Meng raised his eyebrows.

Xie Shuci lowered his body and asked, "Could those cultivators just now be distinguished guests of the Meng family?"

Old Meng had no intention of hiding anything, and nodded, saying, "That's right. Now that you've seen them, do you recognize them?"

We know each other very well.

However, they seemed reluctant to let others know their relationship with Xie Shuci, so Xie Shuci shook his head and said, "I don't know them. But I would like to ask Elder Meng to pass on a few words to them."

Old Meng was very patient. "What do you want to tell?"

Xie Shuci said, "Now many people in the city know about them. You should also know that not every outsider cultivator in the city has received a token. They are lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to act. The city is full of dangers now. Tell them to be careful. If there is nothing else, they should leave Jiyue City as soon as possible."

Old Meng chuckled, "Do you know who they are?"

"I don't know," Xie Shuci shook his head.

"I suppose you wouldn't know."

At this point, Old Man Meng paused suddenly, a strong interest flashing in his eyes. He then changed the subject: "Since you're so worried about them, why not go and tell them yourself? I'm so busy with affairs of state, I simply don't have the time..."

The two Meng family disciples standing guard at the bottom of the long ladder looked at each other, feeling puzzled. Now, there was no one in the Meng family who was more idle than the patriarch.

However, the patriarch had his reasons for saying that.

Seeing Xie Shuci's hesitant expression, Elder Meng continued, "It just so happens that I also wanted to talk to you about what happened in the Dragon Fang Secret Realm. I always feel that the stories written by Du Pingsheng are a bit too bizarre."

"But……"

"Moreover, your visit to my Meng family today has probably already been noticed by some people with ulterior motives. If you return to the city, you may encounter some danger. If you stay in the Meng family, even if they had a hundred times the courage, they wouldn't dare to lay a hand on you."

Xie Shuci was somewhat persuaded. Staying with the Meng family was certainly the best option for them. However, as the saying goes, those who offer unsolicited kindness are either up to no good or have ulterior motives. One moment they were telling them to leave, and the next they were asking them to stay. No wonder Xie Shuci was suspicious.

He was somewhat undecided, so he looked at Chu Guiyi and said, "Guiyi, what do you think?"

Chu Guiyi said gently, "Since Elder Meng is willing to keep us here, we naturally cannot refuse."

"Then please—" Old Meng waved his sleeves and led the way toward the long ladder on the immortal mountain.

However, in the next instant, Xie An, who was walking at the back, suddenly turned around, his sharp eyes fixed precisely on the stone tablet standing by the roadside.

Suddenly, a man dressed in black was sitting on the stone tablet, which had been empty just a moment before.

The man stood with one foot on the stone tablet and the other dangling in mid-air, watching the backs of the group with interest. A meaningful smile played on his light brown eyes. When his gaze met Xie An's, it was as if sparks flew in mid-air, neither giving way to the other.

"Old Meng, since we're already here, please take me inside with you."

A lazy, teasing voice rang out from behind, and everyone was startled, turning around abruptly.

"It's you again, you brute..."

"Meng Ting".

The Meng family disciple pointed at the man on the stone tablet and started cursing, but Old Master Meng interrupted him.

Xie Shuci turned around in confusion, his gaze falling on the man on the stone tablet, and he was immediately stunned.

The man was about twenty years old, with a frivolous demeanor. He leaned lazily against the stone tablet, his eyebrows arched to his temples, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, his sharply defined chin raised, a slight smile playing on his lips, revealing a sharp canine tooth. His light brown eyes shimmered like amber in the sunlight, carrying a hint of exoticism.

A gust of wind, seemingly from nowhere, tousled the dark hair at his temples, which fluttered wildly across his face, giving him an air of freedom, elegance, and unbridled spirit.

Xie Shuci stared wide-eyed in surprise, for no other reason than that the man's face seemed strangely familiar.

It wasn't just vaguely familiar; it was a face I had absolutely, positively seen before.

"Sikong Xin?!" Xie Shuci exclaimed in disbelief.

The man on the stone tablet looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. "That's right, it's me."

“No…” Xie Shuci shook his head again, “You are not Sikong Xin.”

Although the face was exactly the same as Sikong Xin's, with no difference whatsoever, Xie Shuci could tell that this person was definitely not Sikong Xin.

Sikong Xin may appear frivolous, but he is actually very particular about etiquette and is a very disciplined person.

The man before them, whose appearance was exactly like Sikong Xin's, seemed to exude a carefree and unrestrained aura from the very core of his being. It was precisely because of this that he was able to fully express his not-so-strong exoticism.

This person is definitely not Sikong Xin!

However, besides Sikong Xin, the only person who looks so much like him is...

Xie Shuci shuddered, "Hello, hello, hello..."

Xie Shuci stretched out a hand and walked toward the man, but Xie An suddenly grabbed his wrist tightly. His fingers were very strong, gripping Xie Shuci's skin with a force that almost crushed his bones.

Xie Shuci paused, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

The little blind man had a very gloomy expression and exuded an aura that was not to be trifled with. Xie Shuci looked at him with suspicion, but did not continue forward. He only glanced excitedly at the man on the stone tablet before retreating back to Xie An's side.

The man on the stone tablet was none other than Sikong Xin's elder brother, the one who loved to be a troublemaker in every situation, and the silly protagonist in this book who had a love-hate relationship with the main character!

As long as we build a good relationship with him, what's there to be afraid of Xiao Xun for? A man's brother can't be killed so easily!

"Thank you for your letter."

Just as Xie Shuci was filled with excitement, a cold voice suddenly came from beside him.

The voice was so sinister that Xie Shuci couldn't help but shiver. He slowly looked at Xie An beside him and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you?"

Xie An's face remained extremely grim. "If you look at him again, I'll..."

Xie Shuci was startled. Suddenly, he felt a cold aura pressed against his back, which made him subconsciously sense danger. His body wanted to react by running away, but Xie Shuci forcibly restrained himself.

What are you thinking? The little blind man won't hurt you.

Xie Shuci silently recited in his heart.

Despite these thoughts, the fear he felt towards Xie An did not subside. He took a deep breath and joked, "It's got that feel, it's got that feel of forceful plunder."

The man leaped down from the stone tablet, his body soaring through the air like an eagle, landing cleanly and swiftly in front of the group.

"You're right, I'm not Sikong Xin."

As they got closer, they could see the man's exotic eyes more clearly. Bathed in sunlight, they had a faint golden hue. His eyes were clearly no different from Sikong Xin's, but just one look was enough to distinguish him from Sikong Xin.

Sikong Xin may seem frivolous, but he is actually quite steady; while the person before him may seem unrestrained, but he is still unrestrained.

"My name is Sikong Ye. I have met Elder Meng." The man clasped his hands and bowed to Elder Meng. It was a respectful gesture done in one smooth motion, but there was no trace of respect in him.

Old Master Meng felt a toothache. Sikong Ye, that brat, had caused him no end of trouble these past two days. First, he caused a huge scene at his Meng family's residence, and then he insisted on having a token for the auction. When Old Master Meng refused, Sikong Ye blocked the entrance to the immortal mountain, acting arrogantly and presumptuously, entering his Meng family's immortal gate as if it were his own backyard.

Old Meng had long disliked this brat, but he happened to be very familiar with the Grand Elder of the Sikong clan within the Floating Pagoda territory. The Grand Elder's most valued and beloved disciple was none other than Sikong Ye, so he simply couldn't do anything about him. Even if he wanted to punish him, he couldn't catch him at all.

"What are you planning to do now?" Old Meng asked, his face contorted with worry.

Sikong Ye crossed his arms and strode over to Elder Meng, casually putting his arm around his shoulder. "Elder Meng..."

"Get out of the way! You have no manners!" Old Meng was so angry that he slapped the man's hand down.

"Well, I thought we'd become friends, even though we're from different generations," Sikong Ye said with a sneer.

Old Meng gritted his teeth, thinking to himself, "You've repeatedly trespassed on my door, and you still expect me to be your friend? Bah!"

"Just say what's on your mind," Old Meng said impatiently.

Sikong Ye sighed deeply, pacing back and forth in front of the group. He walked past Xie Shuci, his gaze sweeping across Xie Shuci's face before turning to Xie An beside him, and let out an exaggerated "sigh."

"To be honest, I came down to this region because I heard something interesting. I originally planned to visit an old friend... oh no, he probably doesn't think so. Anyway, I finally caught up with him to Qizhou, and after only two days in Jiyue City, my favorite golden carriage was chopped down with a single blow. Tell me, how could I not feel resentful?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Meng glanced at Xie An without leaving a trace.

"Was that you the person I saw on the street this morning?" Xie Shuci asked in surprise.

Sikong Ye strolled back to him, raising his hand to hook Xie Shuci's shoulder. Xie An, perhaps having heard the sound, grabbed Xie Shuci's wrist, pulled him into his arms, and glared at Sikong Ye with an unfriendly expression.

Sikong Ye paused for a moment with his hand outstretched in mid-air, glanced at Xie An with an ambiguous expression, and his smile deepened. "Yes, it's me."

Xie Shuci pursed his lips and glanced at Xie An. Ever since Sikong Ye appeared, the little blind man had become a bit strange. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but the little blind man seemed to be full of hostility and vigilance towards Sikong Ye.

However, Xie Shuci did not want to easily doubt Xie An. He told himself that although the little blind man could not see, his other senses were much more sensitive than normal people. Perhaps he sensed an aura of dislike from Sikong Ye.

Sikong Ye sighed, “Since you have seen me, you must have seen my expensively crafted golden carriage. In that short moment, it was smashed to pieces by the villains. Tell me, how can I swallow this insult?”

Old Master Meng witnessed the entire process and naturally knew who had cleaved his carriage in two with a sword. However, seeing that the other party had no intention of exposing him, Old Master Meng also did not want to expose him, lest he be targeted by some dangerous person.

Xie Shuci asked, puzzled, "Then why don't you go find that person to take revenge? What are you doing here?"

Sikong Ye's light-colored eyes lingered on Xie An for a moment, then said, "You're right, I should go and take revenge on him."

Xie Shuci felt a little confused. If you want to take revenge, then go ahead. No one is stopping you. Why are you always staring at the little blind man?

Xie Shuci didn't think too much about it, assuming that Sikong Ye had just glanced at the little blind boy because he was good-looking. So he mentally despised him a little, after all, this guy was a couple with Xiao Xun, and he didn't expect him to be so shallow.

"Then go ahead." Xie Shuci subtly took a step forward, using half of his body to shield Xie An behind him.

Sikong Ye blinked innocently and said, "But I don't know who did it."

Xie Shuci: "..."

Then what are you talking about?

He really is a fool; he and Xiao Xun are a match made in heaven.

Chu Guiyi stood to the side, her gaze probing as she looked at Sikong Ye.

Unlike Xie Shuci, he had already guessed Xie An's true identity. Now, seeing Sikong Ye's attitude towards him, Chu Guiyi understood that Sikong Ye's purpose in coming down to the border was probably for Xie An, and the person who chopped up his carriage was probably Xie An as well.

This had nothing to do with him or the Chu family, but seeing Xie Shuci standing between the two of them, completely unaware of what was happening, he couldn't help but frown.

He didn't want Shuci to get involved in the entanglement between Sikong Ye and Xiao Xun. No matter what they wanted to do, in the end, only Shuci would get hurt.

However, Shuci's current excessive trust and fondness for Xie An might make revealing Xie An's identity to him rashly a bad thing for them.

Sikong Ye looked at the young man being protected behind Xie Shuci, raised an eyebrow, his eyes darting around, and continued, "Although I have no evidence, I can guess who did it."

Xie An's expression was tense. Due to the intense emotional fluctuations, a surge of spiritual energy rushed through his body, as if trying to break through the last shred of reason in his mind and kill Sikong Ye on the spot before he could speak.

But... not yet, he can't do that. Right now he can still suppress the surging spiritual power within him, but if his hands are stained with someone else's blood, he probably won't be able to control himself.

He has not yet completely separated good from evil, and he must not go astray at this time!

Xie Shuci wasn't particularly interested in knowing who had slashed his carriage, but Sikong Ye, that fool, was staring at him intently, as if he wouldn't give up until Xie Shuci asked.

Xie Shuci could only helplessly ask, "Who is it?"

Sikong Ye nodded in satisfaction and said, "The golden carriage on the cloud-top is no ordinary object. I can only think of one person who could shatter it in the blink of an eye without leaving a trace."

Sikong Ye smiled amiably, but Xie Shuci felt a chill run down his spine.

He vaguely guessed what Sikong Ye wanted to say.

"...Who?" Xie Shuci asked, straightening his expression.

Sikong Ye had been waiting for Xie Shuci to ask this question. He stood in front of Xie Shuci, but his gaze seemed to pass through Xie Shuci and look at Xie An behind him.

"The Holy Son of Heaven, Xiao Xun."

He deliberately slowed his tone, observing Xie Shuci's expression after hearing this.

Xie Shuci froze upon hearing this, a chill seeping into his bones through his skin.

At this moment, Xie Shuci was absolutely certain that he had been tricked.

Or rather, he is trapped in a predetermined pattern of fate.

Since leaving the Little Immortal Sect, the people and events he has encountered seem to have been preordained. Bixie, Sikong Xin, Sikong Ye... no matter what he does, he will eventually meet Xiao Xun again.

He should have guessed it long ago; it was all a scheme, all fucking a scheme.

However, if all the people and things he encounters are connected by some kind of cause and effect, gradually pushing him back to his original trajectory, then what does the appearance of the little blind man mean?

What does he represent?

Even though the two are so close now, Xie Shuci still keeps his promise from that day and has never asked about Xie An's past.

Will he...?

No, it won't!

The moment the thought popped into Xie Shuci's head, he vehemently denied it and forcibly put the matter behind him.

What will happen if he encounters Xiao Xun?

Senior Xia already predicted it for him. He has a life-threatening tribulation and will die in the Immortal Sect Selection. Before that, what difference does it make if he meets Xiao Xun?

In a brief moment, Xie Shuci regained his composure.

Sikong Ye, however, had already discerned something from Xie An's instantaneous reaction. He looked at Xie An with a half-smile, finding it increasingly amusing.

He had already guessed that Xie An in the storybook was actually Xiao Xun.

At first, I was puzzled as to how the Holy Son of Heaven could be associated with a pill cultivator. I had never believed the stories described in the novels, but now that I have seen it, I believe it to some extent.

The Heavenly Saint Son who cultivated the Path of Slaughter, defied the Heavenly Dao by taking an unorthodox path, killing gods and Buddhas alike. He became a renowned killing god in the Floating Pagoda Realm. However, after arriving in the cultivation world, he actually went into hiding and stayed by the side of a pill cultivator, and it seemed that he had a deep friendship with him.

That's really... hilarious.

"Then go find him and take revenge," Xie Shuci said.

Sikong Ye withdrew his gaze, chuckled, and said, "I have met Xiao Xun a few times, and we can be considered kindred spirits. Perhaps my golden carriage with cloud-top decorations is an eyesore to him, so let him chop it down if he wants."

Xie Shuci looked at him in surprise, thinking, "Isn't your script supposed to be about love and hate? Why does it sound like you're spoiling him quite a bit?"

Xie Shuci couldn't help but feel a little suspicious. He hadn't read the original book carefully enough and hadn't paid much attention to the details, so he didn't know how the story ended. Could it be that he had misunderstood the protagonist? Was he actually not going against Xiao Xun everywhere? Or was he just the kind of arrogant person who "bullies you if he likes you"?

Thinking about it this way, Xie Shuci felt that it made sense. Otherwise, he really couldn't imagine whether a pervert and a fool could really have a happy ending.

Thinking of this, Xie Shuci said with great emotion, "Young Master Sikong, you are truly a good man. In the future, when you meet someone you like, remember to be gentle, don't do anything foolish, and don't be too arrogant. Be humble when you should, otherwise I'm worried that he will kill you sooner or later."

"?" Sikong Ye was surprised by how quickly he changed the subject.

Xie Shuci looked at him with relief, "I misunderstood you before. Use your love to influence him. You can do it."

Sikong Ye: "..."

Everyone: "..."

Xie An seemed unwilling for him to say any more to Sikong Ye, so he pulled him back two steps, creating distance between them.

Sikong Ye didn't understand what he was trying to say at all, but nodded in agreement and said, "You're right. I should be gentler and try to influence him with love."

Although Sikong Ye didn't know who this "he" was, he was too lazy to find out.

Xie Shuci: "..."

Xie Shuci knew, of course, that he didn't know who "he" was, but seeing his convinced expression, he muttered under his breath, "You're quite good at talking nonsense."

In the end, Sikong Yefei said that he had lost his beloved car, was penniless, and didn't like staying at the inn provided by the Meng family, so he insisted on going to the Meng family with them.

Old Meng was so angry he wanted to grind his teeth. If he had the ability, he really wanted to give this guy a good beating, but unfortunately he didn't have that ability and there was no other way. So he had no choice but to take him and Xie Shuci's group up the immortal mountain.

Throughout the journey, Xie An never let go of Xie Shuci. Whenever Sikong Ye moved even a little closer to him, Xie An would increase the pressure, signaling to Xie Shuci not to speak to him.

Xie Shuci felt helpless. He didn't know what it was about Sikong Ye that made the little blind man so disgusted with him. After thinking it over, Xie Shuci could only come up with one reason: Sikong Ye was a chatterbox.

He was unusually talkative, even more so than Xie Shuci, and chattered incessantly the whole way.

Xie Shuci thought that a quiet person like the little blind man must really hate a chatterbox like Sikong Ye.

Old Meng ignored him. Xie Shuci wanted to chat with him for a while but was afraid the little blind man would be unhappy. Chu Wenfeng was more straightforward. He walked in front alone, a blade of grass in his mouth, with an expression that said "keep away."

However, this was tough on Chu Guiyi. He was always polite and would never ignore others. When Sikong Ye saw that only Chu Guiyi was paying attention to him, he started joking around with him.

Xie Shuci listened from the side and roughly understood why Sikong Xin knew so much about what happened to Sikong Ye in the secret realm. It was because this guy couldn't keep his mouth shut; he chatted with Chu Guiyi the whole way, practically revealing his birth date and what color underpants he was wearing that day.

Chu Guiyi accepted his words with a smile, but then changed the subject and asked, "Young Master Sikong said he came down to the border to find an old friend. Even if he finds him, what then?"

Chu Guiyi's words were not without a hint of testing.

Since he came for Xie An, we should naturally be clear about his purpose and whether it will implicate Xie Shuci.

Sikong Ye's mouth was like a big sieve. Chu Guiyi's original intention was to take advantage of his high spirits to ask him questions, catch him off guard, and perhaps get the information out of him.

Sikong Ye reacted quickly, instantly realizing that Chu Guiyi was testing him. He chuckled and said, "I don't care, I'm just curious about his recent experiences. What happened to make him change so much?"

Xie An paused slightly, his brows furrowed.