Fear should never be a part of him.
He never felt that anything could be taken away from him.
However, this idea does not apply to Xie Shuci.
Even if he was absolutely certain that he could protect Xie Shuci, he would still feel a sense of fear about the unknown dangers and would involuntarily imagine the worst possible outcome.
When he realized that the person who had died at his hands might be another "Xie Shuci", a feeling called "regret" permeated the depths of his heart.
But he couldn't regret it, he wouldn't allow himself to regret it...
"Little blind man?"
The person behind him remained silent for a long time, so Xie Shuci turned around in confusion.
Xie An's face was pale, his lips were ashen, and a few beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. His dark pupils seemed to be in a state of chaos, and he looked weak, as if he was suppressing something, his teeth clenched tightly.
Xie Shuci froze for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. "Are you alright? What happened to you? Don't scare me!"
Xie Shuci patted his face, her heart filled with anxiety, "He was fine just now, what happened?"
Xie An grabbed his hand, his palms sweating profusely, his lips trembling. He seemed to want to say something, but dared not speak. He gripped Xie Shuci's hand tightly and pressed it against his chest, trying to soothe the unbearable pain.
The pain was like being slashed open by a steel knife, leaving a bloody mess that almost made him faint.
But he couldn't do that; he had to endure it, even as spiritual energy surged and crashed within his body, trying to overcome his will and take over his consciousness. He had to remain conscious.
Otherwise, this damned law of heaven and earth would allow him to kill Xie Shuci with his own hands the moment he lost consciousness.
Before he can successfully separate good from evil, he must remain clear-headed at all times.
"I'm fine," Xie An said in a low, hoarse voice.
Seeing his pale appearance, Xie Shuci was so anxious that tears were about to fall. She cursed, "Are you sick? You call this nothing? I would have thought you were fucking dead!"
Xie An lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow on his cheeks, making his expression somewhat ambiguous.
"You fucking say something!" Xie Shuci tried to pull his hand out of Xie An's palm, but Xie An's fingers gripped his hand tightly and pressed it against his chest.
After a long pause, Xie An chuckled softly, "Xie Shuci, do you ever learn your lesson?"
"What the hell! What's wrong with you? Are you hiding something from me? Let me tell you, don't think I won't hit you just because I like you. If you dare to lie to me, I'll..."
Xie An's long eyelashes trembled slightly, his eyes filled with a smile, and he said in a slightly trembling voice, "Knowing that I like to lie, why don't you ever learn your lesson?"
The tremor in his voice was so subtle that Xie Shuci didn't notice it.
Upon hearing this, Xie Shuci was stunned. "What? You lied to me again?"
Xie An pursed his lips, "You care about me so much, aren't you afraid I'll take advantage of you?"
Xie Shuci looked at his slightly pale face with suspicion, "Are you really lying to me?"
Xie An raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying. "I'm not lying to you. If you feel sorry for me, why don't you..."
Xie An leaned close to his ear and whispered something. His warm breath brushed against Xie Shuci's ear, and Xie Shuci's cheeks flushed instantly. He looked at Xie An with a mixture of shock and anger, "Damn it! You little blind boy, don't you have any shame?!"
Xie An avoided answering, asking, "What do you think?"
"No, no way! I'll make you suffocate from lying to me all the time!"
After saying that, Xie Shuci covered her burning cheeks, scrambled off the bed, and shuffled out of the room, muttering indignantly, "You'll be all alone in your room!"
That blind bastard, how can he be so petty! He's not ashamed at all!
Xie Shuci found those words unbearable to hear; they were too embarrassing!
The little blind man usually seems so serious, how come he's so shameless in private!
Xie An leaned against the headboard, watching the direction Xie Shuci had left in. A faint smile appeared on his pale lips. Controlling Xie Shuci was really an extremely simple matter.
After two days on the water, Xie Shuci harbored a lot of resentment towards the blind boy. He squeezed together with Chu Wenfeng to rest at night, but having gotten used to sleeping with the blind boy, he tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep, which made Chu Wenfeng so angry that he almost threw him off the boat.
So he simply stopped sleeping altogether. Xie Shuci made two fishing rods and fished every day while lying on the gunwale of the boat.
Xie An, that blind man, stayed in his room for two days. He didn't come to apologize to Xie Shuci, and there wasn't even a trace of him.
If it weren't for the king running back and forth between them, Xie Shuci would have almost thought he was dead.
Finally, at dawn on the third day, the Shenzhou docked near a town. After traveling by water for so many days, Xie Shuci was practically bored. He suggested that they eat something and rest in the town for a day or two before heading to Jiyue City.
Chu Guiyi and the other person had no objection and tacitly agreed to his words.
Just before disembarking, Xie Shuci nudged Chu Wenfeng and said, "Go tell Xie An that we're getting off the ship."
Chu Wenfeng gave him a half-smile, half-smile, "Are you teaching me how to do things?"
"..."
Xie Shuci laughed in exasperation: "Why can't you learn from my fine virtues?"
"You? Fine character? Where?"
Xie Shuci gritted his teeth, too lazy to argue with him, and kicked the king at his feet, "Go, call Xie An out."
"Aww!" the king responded happily, then lay down, shook its head, and took two steps forward.
"Hmm?" Xie Shuci looked at it meaningfully.
The king was taken aback, turned around and stared blankly at him, "Huh?"
Father, what do you mean?
Seeing that the king remained stationary, Xie Shuci gave it a satisfied look, covered his mouth and coughed, deliberately raising his voice: "What's going on? Is it so hard for you to call him? Sigh, there's no other way, I'll have to go myself."
Chu Wenfeng looked at him as if he were mentally challenged, "You're crazy."
"Aww..." the king cried out timidly.
Xie Shuci gave a cryptic speech, then strode to the cabin door and knocked. "Xie An, come out, we're disembarking."
There was no movement in the cabin for a moment.
Did you hear me?
Seeing that no one responded for a long time, Xie Shuci's heart skipped a beat. Could something really have happened?
He pressed his ear to the door and listened carefully to the sounds inside, but heard nothing. Just as he was about to open his mind to find out what was going on, the wooden door in front of him was suddenly pulled open from the inside. Xie Shuci stumbled and almost fell into his arms.
Damn, how come this person walks so quietly!
Xie Shuci quickly steadied himself and saw the blind boy standing neatly dressed behind the door, his expression normal.
"Oh? You're out."
Having not seen him for two days, Xie Shuci couldn't help but glance at his face twice. Tsk, he's really handsome. He's been missing him quite a bit.
"Okay, let's go." Xie An nodded slightly and walked out of the cabin.
"Hmph, let's go."
The four disembarked from the divine vessel, and Xie Shuci shrunk the vessel and put it into his pouch.
On the way to town, Xie Shuci deliberately ignored Xie An and chatted with Chu Wenfeng about all sorts of things. As a result, they started arguing after only a few words.
Xie Shuci angrily walked around to the other side of Chu Guiyi, refusing to stand with Chu Wenfeng.
"Childish." Chu Wenfeng glanced at him.
"You're not childish, you're mature, okay?"
Xie Shuci said sullenly.
You blind bastard, you stinking blind man!
Even though she had argued with Chu Wenfeng, Xie Shuci cursed Xie An in her heart.
He's the one who lied to me and made me worry about him, yet he hasn't apologized to me for two days! Isn't that outrageous?
Anyway, this time it's Xie An's fault, and Xie Shuci will absolutely, positively not speak to him on her own initiative!
Even if the blind boy comes to talk to him, he will ignore him and make the blind boy suffer!
Xie Shuci imagined Xie An coming to talk to him, but he ignored him, and Xie An begged for forgiveness in a dejected state. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, not even noticing when Xie An had walked around to his side.
"What are you laughing at?"
A voice suddenly rang out from the right, startling Xie Shuci. He looked up and saw Xie An, and almost blurted out a curse.
However, Xie Shuci quickly realized that Xie An had specifically come from the other side to talk to him. He must have realized his mistake and wanted to reconcile... Pah! What reconciliation? They've always been fine!
However, Xie Shuci suppressed the urge to smile, inwardly cursing himself for his lack of willpower. He coughed lightly and said in a serious tone, "What's it to you?"
Xie An didn't react much after hearing this, and calmly said, "Just curious."
Xie Shuci: "..."
Listen to your own tone; does it sound even a little curious?
Xie Shuci curled his lip. "Can't I think about happy things?"
Xie An ignored his unfriendly tone and nodded, asking, "What's the good news?"
Xie Shuci: "..."
Why does this conversation feel so slightly familiar?
Xie Shuci tentatively asked, "My wife is giving birth?"
Upon hearing this, Xie An frowned, his tone immediately turning serious, "What did you say?"
Xie Shuci shrank back, deciding not to court disaster, and waved his hand, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
After finishing his sentence, Xie Shuci felt something was off. Damn it, wasn't this blind boy trying to make amends with him? Why is he backing down? He has no backbone!
"Don't talk nonsense," Xie An said.
Xie Shuci pouted, her anger, which had just subsided, resurfaced. "Big brother, I'm the one who's sulking! Can't you be a little nicer?"
Perhaps this is what love is all about; the slightest disturbance is magnified infinitely in Xie Shuci's mind.
The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. Couldn't this blind man say something nice to comfort him? Couldn't he learn from him? He should be more humble, you know?
Xie Shuci snorted coldly and tried to walk back to Chu Wenfeng's side, but before he could take a step, his hand was grabbed by the person next to him. The person pulled Xie Shuci back to his side with a somewhat forceful action.
"Let go!" Xie Shuci tried to pull his hand away, but the little blind man had a strong grip. Xie Shuci almost bit him, but he still couldn't budge him an inch.
"I was wrong, don't be angry."
The person next to him spoke calmly.
Xie Shuci paused, looking at him with a hint of disbelief. "What did you do wrong?"
"I……"
“Wait a minute,” Xie Shuci suddenly remembered a joke he had once read, “If you dare say you’re breathing, I’ll kill you.”
Xie An: "..."
Sometimes Xie Shuci's thinking is too unconventional, and he can't quite keep up.
Xie An said helplessly, "I shouldn't have lied to you, I shouldn't have failed to come looking for you."
Xie Shuci was very surprised, "You actually know where you went wrong? I thought you were the kind of straight man who was particularly straightforward."
Xie An: "..."
Do you want me to know or not?
Xie Shuci lowered his head sheepishly and muttered, "So you know that, why don't you come and apologize to me?"
Xie An said, "Didn't I come already?"
"Late-blown affection is worse than grass..."
"Are you late?"
Xie Shuci nodded seriously, "A little."
"What should we do then?"
Xie Shuci feigned seriousness, "Say a few nice things, and I'll consider forgiving you."
"I was wrong."
"?"
"It's not good enough."
"Forgive me."
"?"
"Are you some kind of boss? You think you can just forgive me like that?"
Xie An frowned. "Not enough?"
What do you think?
Xie An pursed his lips slightly. Just then, a carriage drove up in front of him. He put his two fingers together at his side, and with a wisp of spiritual power at his fingertips, he sent it flying toward the horse.
The horse was startled, raised its front hooves high, and pulled the carriage back towards Xie An.
"careful!"
With lightning speed, Xie Shuci pulled Xie An to his side. The out-of-control horse dragged the carriage past Xie An from behind, startling Xie Shuci into a cold sweat.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. This horse got frightened for some reason. Are you all alright?" The groom controlled the horse and looked at Xie Shuci and the others apologetically.
"You..." Xie Shuci was furious and wanted to step forward to argue, but Xie An pulled her back.
He shook his head with suppressed emotion and said, "I'm fine, don't make things difficult for him."
Xie Shuci looked at him with concern, "Are you really alright?"
Xie An shook his head, "It's nothing, I just wiped it."
Hearing this, Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief, but said irritably, "What terrible luck you have. On such a wide road, that horse just kept aiming to run you over."
Xie An was helpless. "I don't know."
Fortunately, Xie An was unharmed.
"Aren't you angry anymore?" Xie An asked.
"I'm not angry anymore, considering you almost got hurt." Xie Shuci patted his back a couple of times to make sure there was nothing wrong before she was completely relieved. "I wasn't really that angry to begin with."
Xie An raised his eyebrows, unconcerned.
After whispering a word to Xie An, Xie Shuci realized that Chu Guiyi and the other person beside him were looking at them with curiosity.
No, to be more precise, Chu Guiyi was looking at Xie An beside him, while Chu Wenfeng was looking at them.
Xie Shuci belatedly realized that there were two other people beside him, and immediately shook off Xie An's hand that was holding him.
Xie An pursed his lips.
He chuckled dryly and said in a forcedly relaxed tone, "Well, we had a little tiff between us, sorry you had to see that."
Chu Wenfeng gave a forced smile, "You are quite ridiculous."
Xie Shuci glared at him. Chu Guiyi withdrew his gaze from Xie An and said with a gentle smile, "It's only human nature."
"Yes, yes, yes, what you said about returning home is right, it's only human nature, only human nature."
Chu Wenfeng curled his lips and said, "Yes, brotherhood is a natural human feeling."
With Chu Guiyi standing by to support him, Xie Shuci was immediately stunned. "What are you being sarcastic about?"
"I don't have any brothers. I just envy the brotherhood between you guys."
"Hey, you can't say that." Xie Shuci walked around to Chu Wenfeng's side, hooked his arm around his neck, and Chu Wenfeng pulled him down.
Xie Shuci wouldn't let it go, insisting on grabbing the other person with his claws, like a leech. Chu Wenfeng looked disgusted but couldn't do anything about it. "Speak your mind, don't touch me."
"As someone who's been through this, your dear Xie Xiaoci—" Xie Shuci said earnestly.
"Get lost." Chu Wenfeng nudged him with his elbow.
Xie Shuci said, "Although you can't feel the brotherly affection, the bond between us, father and son, is still very strong..."
"Xie Shuci! You're asking for it!" Chu Wenfeng roared in fury and kicked Xie Shuci in the butt.
"Ouch! Be gentle!"
"I've shown you mercy by not killing you!"
The group entered the city amidst much noise. Xie Shuci had been cooped up for a while and hadn't eaten much. Although he was now a cultivator who could survive for ten or fifteen days without food, he had been eating for nineteen years and was already used to it. He was now extremely hungry and his mouth was watering when he passed by a steamed bun shop and smelled the delicious aroma.
"Steamed buns, freshly baked meat buns!"
"Uncle, give me two baskets of meat buns!"
"Alright, sir!"
Chu Wenfeng frowned and said, "You bought so much, can you finish it all?"
Xie Shuci said, "And there are yours too."
"I don't want it, and neither does my senior brother."
Xie Shuci pouted, "Then Xie An and I will eat."
He didn't bring the king with him today; he left the little brat on the Shenzhou to keep the cranes company.
"Here you are, sir, your steamed bun."
"Thank you."
Xie Shuci took the bun wrapped in oil paper, ate it in two bites, then turned his head and saw a wonton shop next door. His eyes lit up and he handed the bun to Xie An, saying, "You've suffered these past few days, eat more."
Xie An: "..."
Xie An reluctantly accepted the steamed buns. Xie Shuci immediately ran to the wonton stall and asked the owner to cook him two ounces of wontons. The four of them sat down and ate a few bites, but Xie Shuci lost interest. He pushed the bowl in front of Xie An and took the steamed buns with him. "Xie An, come on, have some wontons."
Before she could finish speaking, Xie Shuci spotted a stall selling cloud cakes in front of her and her eyes lit up immediately. "You eat first, I'll go buy some."
After half an incense stick's time, Xie An had already filled his arms with quite a few snacks that he hadn't eaten much of. Xie Shuci ate only to try new things, and would throw everything to Xie An after taking a bite or two.
Xie An followed behind him with a cold face, carrying various items of different sizes.
"Xie Shuci, if you're not going to eat it, just throw it away," Xie An said, frowning.
Xie Shuci said without turning his head, "Who said I don't want to eat? I still want to eat. You save some for me first. Besides, it would be such a waste to throw it away. Take it back to the King."
Chu Wenfeng was similar to Xie Shuci. While Xie Shuci was buying snacks, Chu Wenfeng was looking at trinkets. Chu Guiyi watched the two of them with a smile in her eyes, and seeing Xie An's arms full of things, she smiled and said, "Shall I help you carry some?" Xie An lowered his eyes and said, "No need."
Chu Guiyi's smile deepened.
He seemed to bring it up intentionally, asking, "What are your thoughts on what Senior Banxia said?"
Xie An's expression was indifferent. "What is it?"
"The matter of writing a letter to bid farewell to one's fate."
Chu Guiyi's question was not without a hint of testing.
Xie An's hidden identity from Xie Shuci seems to be shrouded in mystery. Although it is known that he has no ill intentions towards Xie Shuci, having such a person of unknown origin and purpose by one's side is still a potential threat.
Whether Xie An noticed his probing or not, his expression remained unchanged, neither warm nor cold. "I will not let him participate in the Immortal Sect Selection."
"In that case, I, Chu, will trust you for the time being."
Xie An's brows furrowed slightly. "I don't need you to believe me."
Seemingly unwilling to continue the conversation with Chu Guiyi, Xie An quickened his pace, wanting to catch up with Xie Shuci ahead.
"You are Xiao Xun."
Suddenly, Chu Guiyi stared at him and said something decisively.
He watched Xie An's retreating figure with a deep and solemn gaze.
Xie An paused slightly and turned his head briefly. "Not now."
After saying this, Xie An did not linger and walked over to Xie Shuci.
Chu Guiyi lowered his eyes and smiled, feeling relieved. Although he didn't know the man's purpose, judging from the outcome, he certainly wouldn't do anything to harm Shuci.
Rather, when Chu Guiyi guessed his identity and recalled what had happened in the past, she was quite certain of it.
Xie Shuci held a small sugar figurine in one hand and a candied hawthorn in the other, with a candied hawthorn skewer in his mouth. His cheeks were bulging as he lay on Chu Wenfeng's back, watching a group of people watch cricket fighting.
Xie An walked behind him and lifted him off Chu Wenfeng's back. "Xie Shuci, let's go."
"Wait a minute...we'll win soon..." Xie Shuci mumbled, his mouth full of something.
"Win? What nonsense are you talking about? It's obvious I bet on them to win," Chu Wenfeng scoffed.
"You're talking nonsense. I bet on someone who's tall and strong, so it's obvious I'll win."
"Xie Shuci, can you stop being so hypocritical? Don't you know you can't judge a book by its cover? Although I'm not as big as you, I'm very agile..."
"Damn it, you can't judge a book by its cover! It's a cricket!"
"Hit him! Hit him!" Xie Shuci was engrossed in watching, and feeling that the snacks in his hands were a bit of a hindrance, he turned around and stuffed them all to Xie An, "Hold these for me."
Xie An stood behind with a dark face. Perhaps one of the crickets had won the fight, because the crowd was in an uproar. Xie An took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to drag Xie Shuci out. Just as he was about to leave the crowd, several people came up behind him and pushed him in. Xie An frowned, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.
"I won!" Xie Shuci, supporting himself on Chu Wenfeng's shoulder, bounced twice on the spot. "A bet is a bet, here's the money."
Chu Wenfeng, looking unconvinced, pulled out a few taels of silver from his pocket and tossed them to Xie Shuci, saying dejectedly, "This shouldn't be happening, my Mingming is so smart..."
"You don't understand, do you? Being big has its advantages, kid."
Xie Shuci smugly put the silver back into his pocket and turned to ask Xie An for candied hawthorns and sugar figurines. He glanced at the crowd and saw Xie An standing by the roadside with the items in his arms, his face gloomy, waiting for him.
Xie Shuci hurriedly pushed through the crowd and went over, "Xie An, I won the cricket fight!"
Xie An had little patience and, after being fussed over like this, his face darkened. "Find a place to stay."
"Oh..." Xie Shuci noticed that he was in a bad mood, and then realized that the little blind man had been like a servant all the way, carrying his things for him and following him around without complaint. If it were Xie Shuci, he would have quit long ago.
"Then I'll finish the sugar figurine..."
Xie Shuci slowly shifted his gaze to the bare wooden stick that Xie An was holding in his right hand.
"Where's my sugar figurine? I only took one bite!"
Xie An was taken aback. He rubbed the wooden stick between his fingers. Sure enough, it was light and had little weight. It must have gotten on someone during the shoving. He didn't care much about such a small thing, so he didn't notice or avoid it in time.
Xie Shuci wanted to buy more, but was afraid he would get impatient, so she took the things from his arms and muttered sullenly, "I haven't had enough yet."
Xie An pursed his lips, then suddenly held out his palm to him, "Silver."
"What?" Xie Shuci asked suspiciously.
"I'll buy you a sugar figurine." He paused, then added, "I'll compensate you."
"Compensate me?" Xie Shuci looked at him in surprise.
Xie An, with an air of "stop talking nonsense," took a few copper coins directly from his pouch, and then, fearing it wouldn't be enough, prepared to get some loose silver.
Seeing this, Xie Shuci quickly said, "That's enough, that's enough."
"Um."
After speaking, Xie An walked to the sugar figurine stall, surrounded by young children. Xie An stood out from the crowd, exchanged a few words with the owner, and then pointed to the opposite side of Xie Shuci.
Xie Shuci saw his lip movements clearly and asked the boss to make one exactly the same as the one he had made before.
The little blind man was surrounded by children. The children usually don't know how to distinguish things, but they thought the older brother next to him was very handsome, so they quietly tugged at his sleeve. Xie An probably didn't like it, so he raised his arm and pulled the sleeve away from the child's hand.
Where is Xie An?
"Buy me a little sugar figurine."
A child, curious about the peach branch on Xie An's waist, tried to reach out and touch it. Xie An immediately stepped back, frowning and looking repulsed, yet helpless.
Xie Shuci couldn't help but laugh.
Just then, two strangely dressed men passed by. One of them turned around and glanced at Xie Shuci, his eyes immediately turning sharp.
The man immediately unfolded the portrait in his sleeve and said in a deep voice, "Found him, he is Xie Shuci."
Xie Shuci suddenly felt two gazes fall on him. He looked in the direction of the gazes with suspicion and saw two masked men standing not far away, holding portraits in their hands and staring at Xie Shuci without moving.
After meeting Xie Shuci's gaze, he actually put away the portrait and walked straight towards him.
Xie Shuci was startled:
"Oh no, I'm being watched!"
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