Xie Shuci finally agreed.
Xie An probably sensed his doubts and told Xie Shuci that he could go by himself.
Xie Shuci refused without saying a word. How could he let the little blind boy face those cultivators alone? Wouldn't that be like throwing a lamb to the slaughter?
The four of them stayed at Manjiangtang that night, and the next morning, Chu Guiyi and the other person appeared outside the door.
"Sorry to bother you." Chu Guiyi nodded to the two of them after entering the room.
Xie Shuci asked the waiter to bring some food, yawning as he stuffed buns into his mouth, while Xie An sat quietly at the table, occasionally taking a sip of water.
Chu Wenfeng sat down casually to the side, grabbed a steamed bun and started eating. Xie Shuci, for some reason, suddenly stuffed a fist-sized steamed bun into his mouth, swallowed it in two bites, and then waved his hands provocatively at Chu Wenfeng.
"Childish," Chu Wenfeng muttered, then quickly finished his steamed bun.
"You're not as fast as me... cough cough!"
Xie Shuci suddenly choked, covering his mouth and coughing until his face turned red, which made Chu Wenfeng burst into laughter.
Hearing the noise, Xie An paused for a moment, then pushed the half-full cup of tea in his hand toward Xie Shuci.
Xie Shuci took the drink and gulped it down. He slumped into the chair, relieved to have escaped death. Seeing Chu Wenfeng laughing so hard he could barely breathe, he had no energy to argue with him, so he silently gave Chu the middle finger.
Although he didn't know what the gesture meant, Chu Wenfeng had a feeling it wasn't a good sign. He imitated Xie Shuci's gesture and put his middle finger back.
"Xie An, I want more water." Xie Shuci didn't bother arguing with him, placed the teacup in front of Xie An, and started ordering him around.
"Don't you have hands or eyes? How can you order around a blind man?" Chu Wenfeng scoffed upon seeing this.
Xie Shuci said, "He has a name, so don't keep calling him blind."
Chu Wenfeng retorted, "Didn't you also call him 'Little Blind Man'?"
Xie An's expression was as calm as if he were not the "blind man" they were talking about. His hand, which was usually only used to kill with a sword, picked up the teapot and filled the teacup in Xie Shuci's hand.
"I'm being hypocritical. I can shout, but you can't," Xie Shuci said confidently. He shouted it simply because he thought it was convenient, but when other people said it, it inexplicably took on a slightly ambiguous meaning.
"Double standards? What are they? Why do you keep using words I've never heard before?" Chu Wenfeng asked, puzzled.
Chu Guiyi's gaze swept over the teacup, which was filled with tea but not a drop spilled, something a blind person shouldn't be able to do.
"Shuci, although we met by chance, I feel as if we've known each other for a long time. Since you gave me the elixir, I will consider you a friend. I cannot turn a blind eye to your troubles." Chu Guiyi looked at the two with a warm smile, not without a hint of probing. "Young Master Xie, what is your connection with the Xiaoyao Sect? Why don't you tell me? I will do my best to help you."
Chu Wenfeng had told him everything that had happened last night, and Chu Guiyi's doubts about Xie An's background grew deeper. He wasn't one to meddle in other people's business, but Shu Ci was innocent and carefree, and it wasn't easy for him to survive in the cultivation world. Now that he was dragging his crippled body around, he figured he might as well help her if he could.
Only Xie Shuci knew what Xie An said yesterday. The other two could only guess a little from Xie Shuci's reaction. In any case, it was related to Xiao Xun.
Xie Shuci hesitated. Anything related to Xiao Xun couldn't be good. Xie Shuci didn't want to involve others, so he said, "Brother Chu, this has nothing to do with you. Don't get involved in this mess."
Chu Wenfeng chimed in, "That's right, Senior Brother. We don't have the energy to meddle in other people's business. Since Xie Shuci has said so, let's just leave it at that."
Xie Shuci, unusually, did not refute his words. "I believe Xie An, and I only went to discuss with them how to find the real murderer. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, what could they possibly do to me and Xie An? They are, after all, a reputable sect. They wouldn't be so indiscriminate, would they?"
Xie An listened silently to the conversation between the three. When he heard Xie Shuci's words, his eyelashes trembled slightly, his long eyelashes covering his eyelids, and a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.
A prestigious sect? Who truly deserves to be called a prestigious sect? Chu Guiyi shook his head and said, "Shuci, you're thinking too simply. Regardless of the truth, there are only two of you, with no powerful sect or clan to rely on. The power of speech is entirely in the hands of others. If the Xiaoyao Sect or the Helian family has any conspiracy, taking your lives would be easy. You would die without any evidence, and the truth would become their one-sided story."
Xie Shuci was not one to be easily intimidated. After thinking about Chu Guiyi's words, he realized they made some sense. If the little blind boy went alone, it would be like lambs to the slaughter. Wouldn't it be the same if the two of them went? If something went wrong, or if it turned out to be a trap, they might not even know how they died. Moreover, Xie Shuci was carrying a whole bunch of precious pills. Wasn't this just handing over their lives? He immediately regretted agreeing to Helian Zhu's request.
Seeing that his expression softened, Chu Gui continued, "Although the Chu family's reputation is not as good as before, it still has a place among the hundred sects. Why don't Wen Feng and I accompany you two? If something unexpected happens along the way, you won't be left alone and helpless."
Xie Shuci frowned in concern. "Won't this put you in danger?"
Chu Wenfeng interjected, "Didn't Helian Zhu say that he was just catching the murderer with the Hehuan Sect? What could possibly happen? Although I don't want to get involved in your affairs, I simply can't stand Helian Zhu's attitude. He thinks he's superior just because he has some talent. If it weren't for my senior brother..."
At this point, Chu Guiyi frowned and glanced at him. Chu Wenfeng's voice immediately softened, and he lowered his head dejectedly, muttering, "...He has no right to be so smug."
"Don't worry, even if the Chu family declines, they won't offend us easily. If something happens to the two of us in Luofang City, the Helian clan will have a hard time explaining themselves," Chu Guiyi said.
Upon hearing this, Xie Shuci did not insist any further. He thanked the two men and then told them about Xie An's situation.
After hearing this, Chu Guiyi lowered her eyes and pondered for a long time. If the facts were as Shu Ci said, then Xie Xiao Gongzi's occasional abnormalities seemed to make sense.
Chu Guiyi looked up at the young man beside Xie Shuci, unable to understand where the strange feeling in her heart came from.
The boy seemed to sense his probing gaze and raised his head sharply. His empty eyes almost met Chu Guiyi's for a moment, but before he could think it over, the boy's gaze slid away from him.
"There's someone outside." Xie An grasped Xie Shuci's wrist with one hand and parted his lips slightly.
Xie An had always had a keen sense of hearing, and Xie Shuci gestured for the other two to be quiet without hesitation.
The room was quiet for a moment, then there was a sudden knock on the door.
Having experienced the previous fight, the four were extremely cautious.
Chu Wenfeng drew his nine-section whip from his waist and asked in a deep voice, "Who?"
"I am the proprietress of Manjiangtang." A strong female voice came from outside.
Xie Shuci and Chu Wenfeng exchanged a glance, both recognizing the person as Miss Lu, who had fought fiercely with Helian Jue in Nongyu Hall.
Xie Shuci slowly opened the door and saw a woman in blue holding a tray standing outside.
The woman has a gentle and graceful appearance, but her eyes and brows reveal a heroic spirit, giving people a feeling of being dashing and heroic.
Her gaze swept over the four people in the room, finally settling on Xie Shuci. "So you're the mysterious alchemist? It's a pleasure to meet you."
Xie Shuci felt a certain fondness for this woman and immediately clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Heroine, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Xie Shuci."
“Lu Jin”.
She then looked at Chu Wenfeng and said with a smile, "This must be a disciple of the Chu family of Yingzhou? Did you not tell your elders before you came? I heard from Helian Jue that the patriarch recently received a letter from the Chu family inquiring about your whereabouts."
Chu Wenfeng's face stiffened. "They've come looking for us?"
Lu Jin shook her head, "Daoist Master, you can rest assured. Even if they catch up with us, they won't be able to enter Luofang City for the time being, so it won't delay what you want to do."
Then, her gaze lingered on Chu Guiyi without fail. "Guiyi, you really did come."
Xie Shuci led Lu Jin into the room and sat back down next to Xie An, his curious gaze shifting between Lu Jin and Chu Guiyi.
Chu Wenfeng asked in confusion, "Senior brother, do you know each other?"
Chu Guiyi pursed her lips, and after a long while, she sighed and nodded, "Miss Lu, it's been a long time."
“Your leg…” Lu Jin asked hesitantly.
"It's alright." Chu Guiyi turned her head slightly away, seemingly unwilling to continue the conversation.
Lu Jin didn't say anything more, and her gaze gradually shifted to Xie An.
Her eyes suddenly lit up. "What a handsome young master! How old are you? Are you married? Oh dear, if I had met you a few years ago, how could I have ever fallen for that scoundrel Helian Jue? But it's not too late now, young master. My sister's name is Lu Jin. We own more than ten acres of land and have no children..."
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Seeing that she was determined to get closer to Xie An, Xie Shuci instinctively stepped between the two of them, "Heroine, heroine, he's still young..."
"It's okay, I can wait for you."
Xie Shuci, like a protective mother hen, stood firmly in front of Xie An and hurriedly said, "Don't wait, don't wait, please don't wait! He... he has no such intention. Besides, don't you have a Daoist partner? In short, he's still young, you're not allowed to lead him astray!"
Xie An, however, remained calm and composed. He took Xie Shuci's half-empty teacup, poured half a cup back, moistened his lips with the liquid, and a faint smile spread across his face.
"A Daoist partner? Helian Jue? I'll dump him sooner or later." After saying that, she teased, "If the young master is willing, I can dump him right now."
"He doesn't want to!" Xie Shuci's ears turned red with anxiety.
"How do you know he's unwilling?" Lu Jin raised an eyebrow and looked behind him.
Xie Shuci also turned his head to look back. Xie An took a sip of tea, and the world seemed peaceful and serene.
“I said he doesn’t want to, so he doesn’t want to,” Xie Shuci scoffed.
Lu Jin chuckled and said, "Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. If Helian Jue dies one day, I'll definitely run off with someone else."
Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief without making it obvious, but his body remained tense as he deliberately stood in front of Xie An, preventing them from having any chance to make contact.
He asked curiously, "He's already cheated on you, why are you still with him?"
Chu Wenfeng scoffed, "You can use 'adultery' like that?"
Xie Shuci glared at him, too lazy to argue with him.
Lu Jin shrugged and said half-jokingly, "I'm just taking pity on him. What woman would want him besides me?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a clear cough sounded from outside the door, followed by a deliberately raised voice: "Yesterday, Miss Wan'er from Nongyu Hall praised me highly."
Upon hearing the voice, Lu Jin's face immediately darkened.
"The sect leader's new female disciple is quite good too, younger and prettier than you..."
"Helian Jue, you're asking for death!" Lu Jin said through gritted teeth, then picked up the tray and threw it out the door.
The door was cut in half by the tray. The man behind the door dodged it and pointed at Lu Jin, cursing, "You shrew, I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
"Come on, who's afraid of who?!"
They started fighting without warning, and the fight quickly escalated into a full-blown brawl. Several waiters rushed over, all looking helpless, as if they were used to it.
"pretty!"
"Heroine, beat him up!"
Xie Shuci and Chu Wenfeng were just like onlookers who loved watching a good show. After taking Xie An and Chu Guiyi away from the battlefield, they sat on the sidelines and watched with great interest.
"Crazy woman! Do you really want to tear the shop down?" Helian Jue was being beaten back step by step, and seeing that nothing around him was intact, he felt so distressed that his teeth ached.
Lu Jin sneered, "My family owns over ten acres of land, do we need your mere Manjiangtang? Take this—"
Lu Jin's moves became increasingly fierce, and Helian Jue had no choice but to draw his sword to defend himself.
Perhaps in his haste he lost control of his strength, his longsword swept through the air, a white sword beam slashing towards Xie Shuci and the other three.
However, the sword light was extremely fast and had a clear purpose, so it did not seem to be unintentional.
“You…” Lu Jin looked at him suspiciously.
Helian Jue shook his head slightly at her, his gaze passing over Xie Shuci and looking at Xie An, who stood quietly behind him with his eyes lowered.
Lu Jin followed his gaze, her brows furrowing involuntarily. Xie Shuci never expected that he would be caught up in the gossip.
Faced with the powerful wind stirred up by the sword's edge, Xie Shuci's eyes glazed over and his legs went weak. At the critical moment, a pair of long arms encircled his waist, and then his body felt light and his legs were suspended in the air as he was taken away from his original spot.
With a loud "boom," the wooden table was shattered into pieces, and wood chips flew through the air.
Xie Shuci turned back to where he had been standing, still shaken, and clutched Xie An's sleeve, muttering to himself, "I'm not watching anymore, I'm never watching this anymore."
"Oh dear—I'm so sorry, I hope you two weren't hurt?" Helian Jue ran over with a smile on his face, but Xie Shuci couldn't help but find him hateful.
Xie An's face was very gloomy, his lips were tightly pursed, and his large hand on Xie Shuci's waist was quite strong, making him unable to move.
As Helian Jue approached, Xie An sidestepped and swept his long leg out. Helian Jue quickly retreated a few steps to dodge Xie An's flying kick.
After regaining his footing, Helian Jue gave Xie An a meaningful look, "Young master, you have impressive skills."
Chu Wenfeng and his companion were also nearly caught in the crossfire. Young and hot-blooded, he raised his whip and lashed out at Helian Jue, shouting, "Are you looking for death?"
"Wenfeng, don't act rashly." Chu Guiyi said calmly, reaching out to grab Chu Wenfeng's Flying Bird Nine-Section Whip.
Helian Jue withdrew his gaze from Xie An and turned to Chu Guiyi, his expression becoming much more serious. "Brother Chu, we haven't seen each other for many years. Why didn't you inform me before you came?"
Chu Guiyi shook his head slightly: "My trip was not authorized by the patriarch, so it is inconvenient to publicize it."
"Brother Chu, you're too kind."
Chu Guiyi glanced at Xie Shuci and the other person, and said meaningfully, "Brother Helian, if you have any doubts, you might as well speak them directly, so as not to hurt the innocent."
Helian Jue chuckled twice but didn't say anything.
Xie Shuci noticed that Xie An's arm was very strong, almost embedding him into his body, and the five fingers clasped at his waist were constantly tightening. He looked up in confusion and saw that Xie An's jawline was very tight and his face was dark, as if he was trying to restrain something.
His appearance frightened Xie Shuci, so she gently patted Xie An's arm and whispered, "Little blind man? Are you alright?"
Xie An paused for a moment, then released his hand and shook his head slightly at Xie Shuci to indicate that he was alright.
"Really?" Xie Shuci looked at him suspiciously.
Xie An regained his composure and, after a moment, asked Xie Shuci, "Is the person who came Helian Jue of the Helian clan?"
Xie Shuci nodded and said, "Yes, do you know him?"
Chu Guiyi and Helian Jue already had some suspicions about Xie An, and when they heard Xie Shuci speaking, they turned their attention to the two of them.
Xie An smiled and parted his lips slightly, "He has a junior brother named Helian Zhu."
“Yes, he’s a genius who’s incredibly arrogant,” Xie Shuci said.
The other four did not know what Xie An had said, but they guessed a little from Xie Shuci's words and phrases.
"Really?" Xie An looked surprised. "But I heard that Helian Zhu never showed any talent before the age of seven."
Xie Shuci was taken aback. "Huh? Really?"
Helian Jue's expression turned wary, and he asked, "What did he say?"
Xie Shuci first glanced at Xie An with a bewildered expression, while the latter remained indifferent.
“Oh… he said that Helian Zhu didn’t seem to have any talent before he was seven years old,” Xie Shuci said hesitantly.
In the cultivation world, a cultivator's aptitude is almost determined at birth, unless they later obtain the inner core of a demon or some extremely rare treasures to change it.
Xie Shuci didn't think too much about it; perhaps the other person had used an inner core or some kind of secret treasure.
Upon hearing Xie Shuci's words, Helian Jue's body trembled, and his face instantly drained of color.
Lu Jin was also shocked, her expression turning serious as she asked in a deep voice, "Where did you hear this from? It's utterly absurd!"
Xie Shuci was surprised by their strong reaction and looked at Xie An in bewilderment.
Xie An smiled calmly and said, "I come from the Xiaoyao Sect, so naturally I heard about it from there."
Xie Shuci relayed the information to the others truthfully. After hearing Xie Shuci's words, Helian Jue remained silent for a long time, gave Xie An a deep look, said nothing, and then turned and left the room with Lu Jin.
Xie Shuci and Chu Wenfeng looked at each other, both completely bewildered.
"What's wrong with him?"
"It seems that they have suffered quite a bit from Helian Zhu over the years."
"Could it be that what your brother said is true?"
The two then turned their attention to Xie An.
Xie An stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the screen, his head slightly lowered, his long eyelashes drooping, making it impossible to see his expression. He also showed no intention of answering their questions.
After pondering for a moment, Chu Guiyi said, "If what Young Master Xie said is correct, then there is another hidden story. Helian Jue and I were old acquaintances, and our friendship was... quite good."
"Senior Brother, was it during those years when you were training outside?" Chu Wenfeng asked.
"That's right. Helian Jue became the chief disciple at the age of fourteen. In a grand selection of immortal sects, he wielded the Cloud-Piercing Spear and was unmatched in his ability. Even the chief disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect at the time was defeated by him. Although his family's power was ultimately no match for the major immortal sects in other states and he failed to enter the Floating Pagoda Realm, he still made quite a splash."
Xie Shuci exclaimed in surprise, "He's that amazing?"
Chu Guiyi nodded and said, "Before Helian Zhu appeared, he was also a rare talent in the Helian clan."
"How does it compare to Xiao Xun?" Xie Shuci suddenly asked.
Chu Wenfeng rolled his eyes. "Xiao Xun, Xiao Xun, Xiao Xun, why do you keep bringing him up? Are you afraid of him or do you like him?"
Upon hearing this, Xie An, who had been silent all along, raised his head and glanced at Xie Shuci, seemingly unintentionally.
Xie Shuci shrank back. "I like him? I don't want to live anymore?"
Xie An's expression darkened slightly, and he turned his head away.
Chu Guiyi shook his head and said, "I'm afraid there's no one else in the world who can be compared to Xiao Xun."
Xie Shuci thought to himself, "No way, he's the author's own son."
Chu Guiyi continued, "Shortly after the Immortal Sect Selection, Helian Zhu suddenly rose to fame. Not only was his talent exceptional, but his cultivation also advanced by leaps and bounds. Helian Jue was not someone who cared about reputation, but soon after, he chose to seal the Cloud-Piercing Spear and never recovered, willingly letting himself be overshadowed by Helian Zhu's brilliance. Everyone said that he was less talented than his junior brother and suffered a setback, which led him to give up. Now it seems that the truth is probably not so."
Xie Shuci frowned, trying hard to recall the plot of the original book. Unfortunately, he hadn't read it carefully at the time, skimming through it. The only thing that left a deep impression on him was Xiao Xun's cruelty.
At this point, Chu Guiyi couldn't help but sigh, "This is why he and I became estranged."
Xie Shuci felt like he was playing a puzzle game, extremely curious about the truth and cause-and-effect relationships behind the events. He looked at Xie An and asked, "Xie An, have you heard anything else?"
Xie An shook his head slightly, indicating no.
"What does the Helian family's business have to do with you?" Chu Wenfeng shrugged.
"You don't understand, human curiosity can be traced back to ancient times."
Although Xie Shuci and Chu Guiyi had doubts, they had no substantial evidence, so the matter was temporarily put aside.
The next day, Xie Shuci and the others got up very early, but before they could even have breakfast, they were taken back to the Helian family by Helian Jue.
It is said that several elders of the Hehuan Sect arrived in Luofang City in the middle of the night, eager to seek justice for their disciple's death.
The Helian clan is different from ordinary immortal sects.
They did not have their own sacred mountain, but rather were situated in the very center of Luofang City, in the location of a spring.
There are two gilded pillars in front of the gate, and inside are several magnificent halls, clearly the style of the wealthy.
"Vulgar." Chu Wen followed slowly at the back, his hands behind his head, his eyes showing disdain, clearly looking down on the Helian family's extravagant spending.
"If you could take a gold brick from these, you could sell it for so much silver!" Xie Shuci looked at the two large gold pillars with envy.
"Xie Shuci, you're just a vulgar person."
"Is it illegal?"
Helian Jue bypassed two small halls and led the four people to a large hall.
He knocked on the door and stopped. "Master, the person has arrived."
"Come in."
Helian Jue pushed open the palace door, and the scene inside came into view for the four of them.
Judging from their attire, there were at least five immortal sects in the hall. They all had serious expressions and were focusing their attention on the four people.
Every cultivator present held a certain status in the cultivation world, and their abundant spiritual power pressed down on Xie Shuci and the others almost instantly.
"Shuci, use your spiritual power to protect you and Young Master Xie," Chu Guiyi whispered from behind.
Xie Shuci originally felt a heavy weight on his body, but upon hearing Chu Guiyi's words, he immediately circulated his spiritual power to envelop himself and Xie An. Sure enough, the pressure he felt on his body immediately decreased significantly.
However, faced with mental pressure, the letter of gratitude could not be avoided.
These superiors, each with piercing eyes, constantly probed and scrutinized the four of them. Xie Shuci felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown into a crowd, and unconsciously shrank back a couple of feet behind Xie An.
Looking at the other three, they were all calm and composed, and under Helian Jue's leadership, they walked into the hall with neither arrogance nor servility.
Deng Fengming, sitting on the right, tensed up the moment he saw Xie An. Thinking about what he was about to do, his palms sweated profusely. If he succeeded, all would be well; but if he failed… the consequences would be dire.
"Master of the family." Helian Jue bowed to the man in the main seat.
Standing beside the man was a disciple, none other than Helian Zhu himself. The fact that the Helian family head brought Helian Zhu along at this time demonstrates the high regard he holds for him.
Helian Zhu seemed to have long been used to this, and even overstepped his bounds, saying, "Senior brother, you can go down now."
Faced with Helian's dismissive attitude, Helian remained unfazed, bowed his head and replied "Yes," then silently withdrew from the hall.
"What a coward," Chu Wenfeng scoffed.
The head of the Helian family glanced at Helian Zhu but did not criticize him, tacitly allowing Helian Zhu to exercise his authority. He then said to the red-clad women on his left, "The person has been brought. Do you have any questions?"
Xie Shuci glanced over there curiously. Perhaps due to their cultivation methods, they were completely different from the elders Xie Shuci had imagined. They all looked like beautiful young women with stunning looks, rosy skin, and willow-like figures, leaning casually against the armrests of their chairs.
A woman casually glanced at the four men, her delicate hands playing with her black hair. Her eyes were alluring, and her beautiful pupils seemed to be sticky and greasy, as if they could be drawn with silk.
Xie Shuci had lived for so many years, watched countless anime, and seen countless beautiful anime girls, but he had never seen such a three-dimensional beauty in person. With bright eyes, white teeth, and skin as smooth as jade, she looked like she had stepped out of a painting.
Seeing Xie Shuci staring blankly at her, the woman generously revealed a stunning smile, "Little Taoist priest, am I pretty?"
Xie Shuci's eyes were clear, and she obediently nodded, "It looks good."
She's not just good-looking, her voice is incredibly sweet too.
"Then, between me and the young master beside you, who is more handsome?" The woman raised her slender hand and pointed at Xie An.
Without hesitation, Xie Shuci replied, "He's handsome."
woman:"……"
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