If Helian Zhu is a rising star among the younger generation with exceptional talent, then Xiao Xun is a prodigy among prodigies.

Legend has it that on the day he was born, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred: twelve startled birds, waving their fiery feathers, flew around the immortal mountain where the Xiao family was located twelve times.

The wings of the startled bird trailed fiery streaks of light, illuminating the vast night sky as if it were daytime. The moment Xiao Xun opened his eyes, the startled bird cried out, its cries like ancient, resonant bronze bells, a scene that lingered in the hearts of all who heard it.

Everyone thought that the cultivation world had welcomed a figure who could lead all sects. Unfortunately, this child was born with a wicked nature. At the age of nine, he comprehended the Dao of Slaughter and went astray, becoming a notorious killing god who was feared by everyone in the cultivation world!

As soon as the disciple finished speaking, every cultivator present turned ashen-faced.

"It was that bastard..."

"Didn't the Xiaoyao Sect claim a few days ago that Xiao Xun was dead and withdraw the kill order?"

"Xiao Xun is a cunning man; perhaps he used some means to deceive the Xiaoyao Sect."

Amidst the various opinions, the man in the wheelchair in front of Xie Shuci spoke up: "Previously, the Xiaoyao Sect deliberately concealed Xiao Xun's whereabouts, and there is no evidence to prove that Xiao Xun is dead. Words are not enough and cannot be fully trusted."

This statement caused an uproar:

"Is the Xiaoyao Sect lying?"

Why?

Despite his physical disability, the man possessed an extraordinary demeanor. With a calm and composed smile on his face, he said indifferently, "Perhaps he has something on Xiao Xun and doesn't want others to get there first, so he resorted to this tactic."

"That makes sense!"

"So... Xiao Xun himself is in Luofang City?"

Xie Shuci realized what was happening and shivered. He really couldn't escape the plot's arrangement. Was he destined to meet Xiao Xun no matter what?

Just then, Helian Zhu leaped down from the arena. He had completely changed from his previous arrogance, his expression now solemn. Holding his sword, he addressed the crowd: "Xiao Xun's appearance here is likely also for the secret realm. He has now killed twelve disciples of the Hehuan Sect, and it's hard to guarantee that he won't target disciples of other sects. I urge everyone to lend a hand to the Helian family and make sure to kill him in Luofang City!"

"Yes, yes, that's right!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Shuci immediately forgot his grievances and chimed in, "With so many skilled cultivators here, why would we be afraid of a mere Xiao Xun? If you all step in, you could take down even the Heavenly King himself!"

After Xie Shuci's praise, everyone felt their blood boil:

“What you say makes sense, young master.”

"We outnumber them and have the upper hand. Besides, the Helian family is right here in the city. Are we afraid of Xiao Xun?"

"Yes, but don't forget, we also have a fellow cultivator here. As long as he's here, Xiao Xun won't be able to touch a hair on our heads!"

Xie Shuci: "?"

I didn't do it, I didn't do it, don't talk nonsense.

Helian Zhu glanced at Xie Shuci, clearly not having forgotten the humiliation he suffered at Xie Shuci's hands, and snorted coldly before falling silent.

Helian Zhu and several cultivators with decent cultivation went to the body of the female disciple of the Hehuan Sect. The other junior cultivators were uneasy at the thought of a killing god coming to the city, so they went back to their residences together.

Xie Shuci put the bronze cauldron back into his pouch and planned to return to the inn first. He was really worried that, according to the plot, Xiao Xun would suddenly appear and chop him up at any moment.

Why don't we talk to the blind boy? Should we give up the stuff in this secret realm and leave?

Little blind man...

Thinking of the little blind boy, Xie Shuci suddenly felt that something was wrong. Before he could think about it further, two figures appeared in front of him.

"Senior Brother, is he really a pill cultivator? He seems a bit silly to me."

Xie Shuci looked up and saw that it was the man who had helped him out of the predicament. The man was sitting in a wheelchair, with a boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old beside him.

When Xie Shuci looked over, the boy was scrutinizing him from head to toe with a suspicious and unreadable gaze.

"None of your business." Xie Shuci immediately rolled her eyes.

He then gave the man in the wheelchair a somewhat awkward fist-and-palm salute: "Thank you for earlier, friend."

The man smiled gently, his light-colored eyes like glass, filled with a hint of amusement, making one feel comfortable being looked at by him.

"No need." After saying that, the man reminded him, "Young master, you should not easily promise others to refine pills in the future. When you are out, it is best to put away the bronze medicine cauldron. There is a lot of truth behind the mutual respect among alchemists."

The man spoke in a refined and scholarly manner, giving him a gentle and gentle air.

Xie Shuci used to dislike pedantic intellectuals, but when this "flaw" was found in a man, Xie Shuci not only didn't find it annoying, but actually found it quite charming.

Xie Shuci nodded hurriedly and said, "Thanks, friend."

The boy next to the man rolled his eyes: "Who would be friends with someone like you who has no background?"

"Wen Feng, shut up." The man frowned slightly and scolded softly, then said to Xie Shuci, "Please forgive me, young master, Wen Feng is still immature."

Xie Shuci was initially a little angry, but upon hearing the man's words, she immediately smiled and said, "It's alright, I understand. He's just a kid, and I never argue with little kids."

Wen Feng's eyes widened, "You..."

"Wen Feng!" the man emphasized, and Wen Feng immediately fell silent, secretly glaring at Xie Shuci when the man wasn't looking.

The man added, "Young master, I'm afraid things won't be peaceful in Luofang City in the next few days. You and your companions should be extra careful."

"..." Xie Shuci's face stiffened.

He knew something was wrong.

Seeing his blank expression, the man called out softly, "Young master?"

Xie Shuci opened his mouth, but remained silent.

"Young master? Have you encountered some trouble?"

Little blind man...

He's such a big blind man...

Xie Shuci smacked his head in frustration. Without time to explain to the two, he raised his chin and began searching through the crowd. "I'm leaving now!"

The crowd was bustling and crowded, but Xie An was nowhere to be seen.

"Thank you for your help!"

Xie Shuci frantically weaved through the crowd, but couldn't find Xie An anywhere. He cursed himself inwardly, realizing he'd lost Xie An just to watch the excitement!

Xie An is blind and mute, and has no money or valuables. What if he encounters some bad people? Moreover, Xiao Xun is in the city. What if he gets in a bad mood and kills Xie An?

"Xie An, where are you? Xie An!"

Xie Shuci, are you an idiot? How could you leave that blind boy all alone? What if something happened to him? What if he ran into an enemy?

His anxiety at not being able to find Xie An had completely overwhelmed his fear of Xiao Xun. He had seemingly forgotten that when it came to self-defense, the little blind man was far superior to him.

"Hello, have you seen a boy taller than me, dressed in white? He's handsome, but he's blind and can't speak..."

"Never seen it before."

"Have you ever seen...?"

"No."

Xie Shuci asked dozens of passersby, but none of them had seen Xie An. An immense sense of dread weighed on his heart. He looked blankly at the bustling market, his eyes gradually welling up with tears.

what to do?

He lost the little blind boy...

"Young master, has something happened?" Wen Feng pushed the man to Xie Shuci's side.

Xie Shuci lowered her head, her eyes red-rimmed, her voice hoarse: "My friend is missing. He's blind and has no money on him, I..."

The man looked up and glanced behind him, then asked softly, "Is that the person behind you?"

"Huh?" Xie Shuci looked up in surprise, and the man pointed behind him.

When Xie Shuci turned around, he saw Xie An standing not far away, leaning against a stone wall by the roadside with a gloomy expression.

Xie Shuci was overjoyed. Before she could even thank the man, she rushed over, calling out, "Thank you!"

Xie An must have heard the sound, because he looked in Xie Shuci's direction.

Overjoyed at finding her again, Xie Shuci rushed over to her, "Where did you go? Didn't I tell you to follow me? I turned around and you were gone! You scared me to death!"

Xie An was suddenly thrown into his arms, his back slamming against the stone wall.

His long, slender fingers gripped Xie Shuci's chin, lifting his face, which was streaked with tears. Perhaps understanding the significance of those tears, Xie An's gloomy expression softened.

"Follow you?" Xie Shuci saw Xie An say three words, which were full of sarcasm.

Xie Shuci darted around like a swift bird; not only could a blind man not catch him, but even others might not be able to.

Xie Shuci's ability to turn the tables was just as good as his ability to boast. He nodded with teary eyes, "Yes! I only walked a little further and you disappeared! I was so worried. What if something happened?"

Perhaps it was Xie Shuci's words that pleased him. Xie An smiled, wiped away Xie Shuci's tears with his fingers, patted his back reassuringly, and said silently, "I'm fine."

Xie Shuci also came to his senses. He leaned on Xie An's shoulder and took a step back, trying to save face: "Oh dear, I was just caught in the wind because I was running too fast. Don't misunderstand, I haven't cried since I was seven years old."

Xie An: "..."

"Tsk tsk tsk."

Before Xie Shuci could wipe away her tears, she heard an annoying voice from the side.

"Can't you wipe your tears before you start bragging? Look at your pathetic self," Wen Feng sneered.

He had barely finished speaking when he received three glares... oh no, two, one of which was from a blind man who couldn't see him.

The man glared at him, then looked apologetically at Xie Shuci and said, "Please forgive me, children speak without thinking."

Xie Shuci: "..."

Wen Feng: "..."

"Senior brother!" Wen Feng said angrily.

Xie Shuci retorted, "He calls that childish talk? I think it's more like nonsense. I already said, he ran too fast and got hurt by the wind, you little deaf kid!"

Listening to the two bickering, the man shook his head helplessly. Just then, his gaze shifted to the boy by the wall.

The boy was exceptionally handsome and had an extraordinary bearing; even when he stood still, he resembled a vivid ink painting.

The man's admiration was undisguised, but having followed his teachings since childhood, he only glanced at the man briefly before looking away, never letting anyone feel that he was overstepping his bounds.

Suddenly, the man seemed to realize something, and his expression changed slightly. "Acacia Fragrance."

The two people arguing stopped talking when they heard his words.

Xie Shuci was simply sensitive to the word "Hehuan" (合欢), after all, he had just learned that the disciples of the Hehuan Sect had been killed by Xiao Xun.

Wen Feng sniffed and frowned after hearing this, saying, "Weren't all the disciples of the Hehuan Sect dead?"

Xie Shuci sniffed, like a little dog, and smelled the faint fragrance in the air. He followed the source of the fragrance and finally stopped in front of Xie An.

All three eyes turned to Xie An. Xie An leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, his expression indifferent.

The name "Hehuan Incense" immediately suggests its connection to the Hehuan Sect. Recalling the tragic deaths of all twelve female disciples of the Hehuan Sect at the hands of Xiao Xun, Xie Shuci's expression stiffened.

Wen Feng's expression turned serious. He assumed a fighting stance and stood in front of the man in the wheelchair, glaring menacingly at Xie An.

Upon seeing this, Xie Shuci immediately disregarded everything else, stood in front of Xie An, and glared back at Wen Feng.

"Stop!" the man shouted, shoving Wen Feng aside.

“But…” Wen Feng seemed to want to say something.

The man frowned and said in a low voice, "Don't be rude."

Wen Feng was almost completely obedient to the man. Although she was dissatisfied, she glared at Xie Shuci and then silently retreated behind the man.

"I'm sorry." The man nodded apologetically to Xie Shuci.

Xie Shuci waved generously, "We've only known each other for a short time, and you've already apologized to me three times. But I understand, after all, you're taking care of this child."

Enraged, Wen Feng exclaimed, "You..."

"We've heard the news!"

The man said helplessly, "Please forgive me, sir."

"It's alright. This young master is magnanimous and never argues with children."

"Aren't you afraid of stuffing yourself to death?" Wen Feng muttered under his breath, still annoyed.

The man smiled gently and said to Xie Shuci, "Your friend smells of acacia incense. Did he encounter any disciples of the Acacia Sect before coming here?"

Xie Shuci glanced at the little blind man, who showed no interest in their conversation, his gaze lingering on the ground, lost in thought.

"No... wait, what color clothes do the disciples of the Hehuan Sect wear?" Xie Shuci suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

The man said, "It is said that the former sect leader of the Hehuan Sect liked a kind of fabric from Hanzhou called 'Vermilion Brocade,' which is as red as fresh blood and as thin as gauze. All the disciples in the sect wear Vermilion Brocade."

Xie Shuci nodded belatedly, saying, "When we entered the city, we did encounter a group of women dressed in red. Xie An must have been exposed to it there. By the way, is there anything harmful about this acacia incense?"

The man said, "The acacia incense is a medium for refining furnaces, used to arouse passion. It must be that a female disciple of the Acacia Sect wants to... refine him into a furnace."

Xie Shuci looked at the little blind man blankly, recalling the man's words in his mind: "Want to refine Xie An into a furnace?"

furnace/cauldron...

A furnace/cauldron?!

Xie Shuci had seen these two characters in books before.

After realizing what he had just tasted, his face turned from white to red, and the color quickly spread to the tips of his ears, making his translucent skin look incredibly vibrant.

What a bunch of despicable bastards! The little blind boy is only sixteen! You can't just kidnap someone because he's good-looking and use him as a furnace!

"Let's go back to the inn!"

Xie Shuci's cheeks were burning hot, and his head was practically steaming. He grabbed Xie An's hand and headed towards the inn, thanking the two of them before leaving.

Unaware of the truth, Xie An was pulled back by him.

Halfway there, Xie An tugged at Xie Shuci's hand, causing Xie Shuci to pause and turn around, the heat still lingering in her ears.

"What is a furnace or cauldron?" Xie An asked, a look of confusion on his face.

"..."

You beast!

The blind man doesn't even know what a furnace is?

They actually wanted to refine a naive, blind boy into a furnace?

That's inhuman!

Xie Shuci was holding his breath, unsure how to explain it to him. He couldn't very well tell the blind boy directly that the furnace cauldron was meant to be used for this and that and then have its essence squeezed out...

Damn! I can't say it!

Seeing that Xie An was still waiting for his answer, Xie Shuci mumbled, "Well... alchemy..."

A strange smile appeared on Xie An's face, and after a moment he suddenly realized, "I see. This is a wonderful thing, why are you nervous?"

Xie Shuci was practically spitting blood. "It's bad for your health. I'll take you back and wash off the smell!"

Distracted by this incident, Xie Shuci briefly forgot that the murderous god surnamed Xiao was still hiding in Luofang City.

Back at the inn, Xie An took a bath on the other side of the screen.

The sound of dripping water filled the quiet room.

Xie Shuci lay on the couch pondering Xiao Xun's matter. Regardless of Xiao Xun's reason for being here, for his own safety, Xie Shuci felt that staying away from him was ultimately a good thing, and it would be better to leave Luofang City as soon as possible.

At some point, the sound of water behind the screen disappeared.

"Are you done washing? I need to talk to you about something..."

Xie Shuci leaped off the couch with a somersault, strode around to the back of the screen, and stopped abruptly when he saw the scene before him.

Xie An stood with his back to him behind the screen, his wet, dark hair cascading down his strong, fair back like a waterfall, the ends brushing below his waist. The water still clung to his skin, sliding down its jade-like texture. His arms were strong and powerful, his legs straight and long. Perhaps hearing the movement behind him, he suddenly turned around, his exquisite profile glistening with moisture, his eyes hazy, like a mountain after the rain, mysterious and captivating.

Xie Shuci even saw a crystal-clear drop of water slide down his thin chin, across his Adam's apple and collarbone—it was so damn tempting!

To refine such a perfect body into a furnace... Perhaps it was because there was too much fog in the room, Xie Shuci felt a surge of heat rush to his head. Damn it! Xie Xiaoci! Stop it!

"Xie Shuci?"

He saw Xie An's lips move slightly.

Xie Shuci immediately covered his mouth and nose, afraid that the little blind man would discover that he was spying. Logically speaking, since they were all men, it wouldn't matter if he saw it or not, but Xie Shuci felt guilty and didn't want him to find out.

Not hearing a response, Xie An assumed Xie Shuci was not there and turned his head back.

Xie Shuci carefully took a step back, but as soon as his right leg touched the ground, Xie An noticed him and immediately stopped moving, not daring to move again.

He forgot that the little blind boy had exceptionally good hearing.

So, under duress, Xie Shuci held his breath and stood there watching Xie An slowly and carefully put on his clothes, his gaze shifting between himself and Xie An, but always returning to Xie An in the end.

Every inch of his body was beautiful; every gesture he made was like a painting. Xie Shuci's heart pounded like a drum, and he was so nervous that his scalp felt like it was going to explode.

Xie Shuci was so confused that he didn't notice the sly smile that appeared on Xie An's lips as he lowered his head.

In the evening, the two went to the inn's lobby for dinner.

Xie Shuci, unlike his usual talkative self, stopped causing any childish antics and became unusually quiet.

Xie An remained silent beside him.

At the dinner table, Xie Shuci shoveled rice into his mouth in a sullen mood. He felt that he was being influenced by the original owner's memories. The moment he saw the little blind boy's bare back, many unpleasant images flashed through his mind...

Of course, it's also possible that he reads too many BL novels.

He felt a little uncomfortable facing Xie An now.

He put down his chopsticks after only a few bites. At the same time, Xie An grabbed his hand. He instinctively tried to pull away, but Xie An didn't let go. Instead, he held on even tighter, making him feel a little pain.

Xie An wrote in his palm with his cold fingertips: "Why don't you speak?"

Xie Shuci said, "I've decided to be a man of few words. Don't you know that great heroes like to act mysterious?"

Xie An's expression darkened slightly. "You still want to be a chivalrous hero?"

Seeing his face darken instantly, Xie Shuci recalled the time he sent him away. He guessed that the little blind man thought that he had to abandon him now that he had become a great hero.

Forget it, Xie Xiaoci, stop overthinking. The little blind boy doesn't know anything; he's completely innocent.

Xie Shuci is an emotional person whose emotions come and go quickly. He said with a smile, "I don't want to be a chivalrous hero, nor am I stingy with words. That's not for me. I think I'm just fine as a hoodlum who brags."

Xie An lowered his eyes and smiled, "Your idea is good."

Xie Shuci didn't sense the teasing at all, thinking that someone was praising him, and said in a particularly arrogant tone, "Of course. By the way, I wanted to tell you something."

Xie An looked up. "What?"

"We're not going to the secret realm..."

Before Xie Shuci could finish speaking, a voice suddenly rang out in the lobby: "Is it you? Senior Brother, let's go to another inn."

Xie Shuci turned around and saw that the people who came were Wen Feng and the other two he had met not long ago.

Xie Shuci was displeased upon hearing this, "Change it! Change it right now! Whoever doesn't change it is a coward."

"Senior Brother, let's go!" Wen Feng rolled his eyes at Xie Shuci.

The man in the wheelchair slowly shook his head, supported himself with his arms on the armrests, and stood up from the chair. Wen Feng immediately wanted to go forward to help him, but the man politely declined.

"It's fate that we meet. I see that you and this young master share the same ideals, and perhaps you can become friends." The man straightened up, leaning against the door frame, his eyes warm and his smile gentle.

Xie Shuci and Wen Feng said almost in unison, "Him? Who shares his views?"

The man smiled and shook his head, then struggled to step over the threshold while holding onto the door frame. Wen Feng wanted to lend a hand, but ultimately gritted his teeth and remained motionless until the man's legs were safely on the ground. Only then did he let out a silent sigh of relief and carry the wooden wheelchair inside.

The man sat back in his wheelchair, then smiled apologetically and said, "Please excuse my poor appearance."

Xie Shuci shook his head. "No."

He had a good impression of the man who had helped him out of a predicament, a man with a gentle yet resilient personality. Seeing that there were no empty seats in the lobby, he simply squeezed next to Xie An and invited them to sit together.

Xie An remained unchanged, showing no interest in his surroundings.

"My name is Chu Guiyi, and this is my junior brother, Chu Wenfeng."

"Oh, my name is Xie Shuci, and this is my... younger brother, Xie An."

Xie An lowered his long eyelashes slightly, and Xie Shuci reached out from under the table and patted the back of his hand to comfort him.

Xie An smiled slightly.

Chu Guiyi nodded. "You two have come for the secret realm?"

"That's right, otherwise why would we come all this way here?"

As soon as Xie Shuci finished speaking, Chu Wenfeng mocked, "You, a pill cultivator, bring a blind man to compete with the disciples of the major immortal sects for treasures?"

"No way? Who said that? We can come whenever we want. Your senior brother even brought a little kid to snatch the treasure." Xie Shuci retorted defiantly.

"Can you compare to my senior brother? My senior brother is the number one in Yingzhou..."

"We've heard the news!"

Before Chu Wenfeng could finish speaking, Chu Guiyi interrupted him loudly, his usually amiable expression showing a hint of anger.

Chu Wenfeng seemed to remember something, his face turned pale, his eyes filled with undisguised sadness, and he lowered his head.

Chu Guiyi regained her composure. "I'm sorry you had to see this. Wen Feng and I came here just to try our luck."

Xie Shuci sensed that both of them had become a little strange after Chu Wenfeng's words.

Although Xie Shuci was very curious, he didn't want to pry into other people's private affairs, so he pretended not to hear anything and reminded the two of them, "Young Master Chu, I advise you to go back. Xiao Xun is in Luofang City. He is an absolute psychopath who will not show mercy to anyone. He is definitely here to steal the treasures in the secret realm. You can't beat him."

Moreover, Xiao Xun has the protagonist's halo protecting him; even the idiot protagonist can't take away what he wants.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie An, who had been sitting silently, slowly raised his head. His empty eyes looked at Xie Shuci.

Xie Shuci was completely unaware of this and continued to say to the two of them, "In the face of life, treasures are nothing but fleeting clouds. Young Master Chu, I don't think you're the kind of person who covets treasures. Take your brat and go back quickly."

Chu Wenfeng glared at him, but did not refute Xie Shuci's words. He simply said with a heavy expression, "No. No matter what, I must enter the secret realm."

Upon hearing this, Chu Guiyi lowered her head, her smile turning bitter. "I'm not after the treasure, it's just..."

"You all heard it too. Xiao Xun is in Luofang City and even killed a female disciple of the Hehuan Sect. This scumbag has never had any bottom line or principles. You will all be dead!" Xie Shuci advised, completely unaware that Xie An's face beside him had become so dark it could drip ink.

Chu Guiyi smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, young master, but Wen Feng and I have reasons to go in. As you said, Xiao Xun is a treacherous and ruthless killer. You and Young Master Xie should leave as soon as possible."

"Sigh, are you guys really courting death? Xiao Xun is..." Xie Shuci said helplessly.

When Xie Shuci mentioned Xiao Xun, his eyes and expression revealed an undisguised fear.

Seeing his cowardly appearance, Chu Wenfeng mocked, "Are you alchemists really this timid and afraid of trouble?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Xie Shuci slammed his hand on the table and cursed instinctively, "You weren't even born when I was taking on nine opponents in the Rift!"

Xie Shuci was right; he wasn't even born yet, and the author hadn't written the book by then.

Chu Wenfeng glanced at him from head to toe, and finally let out a disdainful snort, "One against nine? Is it like stepping on nine ants with one foot?"

Xie Shuci was furious. He had fair skin, and his face turned red easily when he got anxious. His eyes were moist and bright. "You're talking nonsense! A brat like you, I could easily beat you even with Yao Mei!"

Chu Wenfeng didn't understand what he meant by "Yao Mei" and just mocked, "Do you believe that a brat like me could kill ten people with one punch?"

“I could eat ten of you in one bite!” Xie Shuci retorted, not to be outdone.

Xie Shuci draped his arm over Xie An's shoulder and said arrogantly, "If you provoke me again, I'll have Xie An teach you a lesson."

Xie An did not respond, his expression was cold, and he grabbed Xie An's wrist with his large hand, moving his arm off his shoulder.

Chu Guiyi glanced at Chu Wenfeng, signaling him to restrain himself. The latter glared at Xie Shuci resentfully, then angrily slurped down a mouthful of tea.

Chu Guiyi promptly changed the subject: "Young Master Xie is not actually a pill cultivator."

"Huh?" Xie Shuci looked at him in surprise. "How did you know?"

“Your bronze medicine cauldron shows no signs of use. Furthermore, although your body appears to be full of spiritual energy, you are completely unaware of how it is being used. Young Master Xie should rarely use spiritual energy.”

Xie Shuci said, "Guiyi, you are so clever! I am indeed not a pill cultivator, and I don't know how to circulate spiritual energy."

Chu Wenfeng sneered, "So you're not even a pill cultivator, just a piece of trash. A cultivator's responsibility is to all living beings. You have the talent, it's a complete waste."

Xie Shuci retorted, "Are you jealous?"

"I'm jealous of you? You think too highly of yourself. Someone like you probably doesn't even know what he wants to do."

"You're talking nonsense!" Xie Shuci cursed, then straightened his expression and said, "I've actually had a dream since I was a child: I want to be the Pirate King."

Upon hearing this, a look of confusion appeared on the faces of all three.

"King of Thieves?"

What place is Shanghai?

Xie An glanced at him sideways, looking puzzled, his lips slightly parted, "Not a great hero, but a king of thieves?"

Xie Shuci: "..."

Damn! He has a generation gap with these three ancient people!

"Do you guys even know how to punctuate? It's 'become the Pirate King,' cough cough..." Xie Shuci stood up, mimicking Fei's signature move, "My goal is to become the Pirate King!"

The three of them: "..."

Chu Wenfeng was shocked. "So you like men!"

Xie Shuci: "???"

Chu Guiyi smiled faintly and said, "Young Master Xie is not afraid of worldly opinions. I admire him."

"..."

The little blind man didn't seem surprised; a half-smile played on his lips.

For some reason, Xie Shuci suddenly had a picture of a blind boy's naked back flash through his mind, and his cheeks burned. He abruptly lowered his head, sat back down, and angrily said, "You're the one who likes men! What am I talking to you about, you bunch of ignorant fools."

"Let's go back to the room." Xie Shuci pulled Xie An and stormed back to the room.

There was only one bed in the room, and Xie Shuci kicked off his shoes and lay down in frustration.

Xie An walked to the edge of the couch, looked down at it for a long time, and then sat down.

He took Xie Shuci's hand, which was hanging by his side, and wrote in his palm: "You hate Xiao Xun?"

Xie Shuci turned to look at him. "Yes."

Xie An's eyes darkened. "Why?"

Xie Shuci's anger subsided considerably. He put his hands behind his head and said without hesitation, "He cultivates the path of killing, his hands are stained with blood, he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals, he is capricious and unpredictable, and his mind is extremely dark and twisted."

Xie An listened quietly, his face expressionless.

From Xie Shuci's perspective, the curve of his jawline is very obvious, his thin lips are slightly pursed, and his long eyelashes cover his dark eyes.

"Are you afraid of him?" Xie An asked again.

Xie Shuci hesitated for a moment. He felt that he was afraid of losing face, but it wasn't like he hadn't lost face in front of Xie An before. He simply nodded and said, "I'm afraid. Who isn't afraid of him? When I came down from the mountain, I was thinking of staying far away from him. Who knew he would appear here? Let me tell you, you should stay away from him in the future. If you see him, run away. Don't hesitate."

Xie An leaned against the headboard, remaining silent for a long time before a cryptic smile appeared on his lips. "If you see him, will you cry?"

Xie Shuci: "..."

He shook his head firmly, "No! Even if I cried, he would have been blown away by the wind."

Xie An smiled but did not respond further.

That night, Xie Shuci went to bed early.

The next day, after waking up, he took Xie An to the main hall for breakfast, and also wanted to inquire about Xiao Xun.

When the two arrived at the main hall, they saw Chu Guiyi and his junior brother.

"Thank you, young master." Chu Guiyi nodded to the two of them.

Chu Wenfeng yawned, seemingly still half asleep.

"Don't call me that, it's weird. Just call me Shuci." Xie Shuci led Xie An to sit at their table.

Chu Guiyi nodded with a smile, "Okay."

Xie Shuci called over the waiter and asked him to bring a basket of steamed buns and a few side dishes.

During the meal, Xie Shuci asked, "Have you heard any news about Xiao Xun?"

Chu Guiyi said, "I heard that the eldest disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect has arrived in Luofang City. Perhaps we will hear news soon."

Xie Shuci nodded. Seeing that Xie An hadn't touched his food much, she put a meat bun in his bowl and said, "You're growing, eat more."

Xie An nodded.

Chu Guiyi suddenly asked, "Shuci, you are not a pill cultivator, so why do you carry a bronze medicine cauldron with you?"

"My senior brother gave it to me before I left, I don't know what it's for," Xie Shuci said.

"Your senior brother is a pill cultivator?"

"I don't know. Alchemy practitioners are so precious. My family is just a small immortal sect. We probably don't have any alchemy practitioners. Maybe he thought this cauldron was a good thing and gave it to me."

Chu Guiyi frowned and said, "The bronze medicine cauldron is the most precious of all medicine cauldrons. In the cultivation world, any alchemist who can produce a bronze medicine cauldron must come from a distinguished family with profound resources."

"You want to say that my family's lousy immortal sect has a deep foundation? Don't talk nonsense. We don't even have a disciple who sweeps the floor. From the senior brother to the junior disciple who has just entered the sect, everyone sweeps for a day. The patriarch is also particularly stingy. He repairs a pair of shoes for seven or eight years and is reluctant to replace them. If my family has a deep foundation, there will be no poor people in this world."

Chu Wenfeng joked, "Perhaps some ignorant disciple found the bronze medicine cauldron and just gave it to you on a whim."

Xie Shuci nodded and said, "That's quite possible."

"What a waste of resources."

Xie Shuci rolled her eyes at him, put one foot on the stool, leaned half her body on Xie An's shoulder, and said boldly, "I have made up my mind. From now on, I will become a pill cultivator."

Without the need for fighting and killing, and with an exceptionally high status, Xie Shuci felt that this was practically tailor-made for him.

Chu Guiyi said, "Shuci has a good temperament and is indeed suitable for alchemy cultivation."

Xie Shuci raised his head and said with a smile, "Of course. I've already thought it through. I'm going to concoct a pill that can cure Xie An's eyes, and it would be best if it could also cure your legs. As for Chu Wenfeng, I'll concoct a 'Leg-Stretching and Eye-Staring Pill' for him."

This name doesn't sound good at all.

Chu Wenfeng looked disgusted: "Poison? The kind that kills you instantly?"

"They don't know what's good for them."

Chu Guiyi smiled and said, "Shuci, I appreciate your kindness. It's just a pity that neither I nor Young Master Xie can recover our health no matter what medicine we take."

Xie An's eyes darkened, and he looked up at Chu Guiyi, a cold glint flashing between his brows.

"Why?" Xie Shuci asked, puzzled.

Just as Chu Guiyi was about to speak, Xie An suddenly slammed his teacup down.

Chu Guiyi glanced at him but didn't pay much attention. After all, going into qi deviation wasn't exactly honorable, and Young Master Xie probably didn't want to mention it in front of others.

Chu Guiyi did not continue speaking, but instead said, "Shuci, there are many people with ulterior motives among alchemists. Do not use the bronze medicine cauldron lightly in front of outsiders."

Chu Wenfeng chuckled, "He took it out in front of everyone at Manjiang Hall, so it's probably already spread throughout Luofang City. Judging from his clothes, he's just a first-level rogue cultivator with no powerful sect behind him. I bet someone has already been eyeing his bronze medicine cauldron."

"Holy crap? Didn't I hear that alchemists have a very high status? How come someone dares to steal my things?" Xie Shuci exclaimed in shock.

Chu Guiyi said, "It's true that alchemists have a high status, but human nature is greedy and people's hearts are not what they used to be. Shuci, there are probably many cultivators in Luofang City who are eyeing you covetously. A bronze medicine cauldron is enough to move the hearts of all alchemists. As long as you use it as an exchange, no matter what kind of pill you refine, the alchemists will agree."

"That scary? I don't want it anymore. I don't want this thing anymore, whoever wants it can have it!" Xie Shuci shook his head with a pale face. Xie An reached out and gently patted his back, indicating that he should not be afraid.

You'd better not leave.