Title

by WelpImFucked

Don’t read

1. Please ignore

If anyone sees this, you're not supposed to. I just want to spend a few hours with a fic from AO3 being read to me by a robot voice on this site bc all the voice generators I find online are bullshit and are either not free, can't play while you're on other apps/sites, or they don't work with this amount of text. It's been pretty frustrating trying to find a usable one but my first one which was working fine suddenly had an update and was unable to play large amounts of text without stopping in the middle of it. The second one works fine but only when I'm on the site and not doing other things

This story will be taken down within a few hours of publication.

read above

Shen Jiu didn't even pause as he pulled out his borrowed sword from one of the Qiu Young Masters from the branch families. One that had broken his arm and almost drowned him once. This one should be the last one he wanted personal revenge on. He couldn't waste his time, the women had already dragged outside, he should burn this whole cursed place down before it was too late.

In one universe, Shen Jiu managed to burn the whole mansion down, effectively killing all the men that had wronged him within this accursed household. In that universe, Shen Jiu left without looking back, leaving his broken pieces of heart, braved himself to bear the hatred and left without looking for her ever again.

However, in this universe, someone stopped Shen Jiu with harsh –but powerless- hit on his back. Shen Jiu turned around to be greeted with a slap, one fragile hand clawed on his tattered robe, Shen Jiu's own hand moved to grab the slender wrist of his attacker, his lips were pressed into a thin line.

"Shen Jiu! You evil beast!" Qiu Haitang.

She's awake.

"How could you do this!? What have we done to deserve this!? You ungrateful bastard, how dare you to kill my family?!! After all we had given to you?! After all what I sacrificed to be with you!?" Qiu Haitang screamed, her sorrow and fury reached the heaven. Tears streamed down her cheeks endlessly, her lithe body quivered in both despair and wrath.

Shen Jiu looked at her, expressionless. "I'm sorry," he said.

In another universe, Shen Jiu would never get the chance to say that to Qiu Haitang.

"But they deserve that," he said emotionlessly. He accepted a wobbly furious punch to the face courtesy of Qiu Haitang, he didn't move when Qiu Haitang kicked him, screaming at him, cursing him.

In the end, he was used to receiving hatred and violence.

Qiu Haitang's love and kindness in the past, he would always treasure it.

Shen Jiu seized Qiu Haitang's right hand, stopping her from hitting him any further, "I'm so sorry, but they deserve that."

"What!? Is it because my brother didn't let you cultivate!? You went berserk and kill him, killing my entire family, just because of that!? Shen Jiu... Truly, I was blinded! Blinded! How could I love such a heartless bastard like you?!" Qiu Haitang screamed.

Shen Jiu gazed helplessly at her unable to say anything in the face of his love's look of utter betrayal and fury.

"What are you waiting for? Tsk, this little bitch, just get rid of her quickly!" A new voice joined their conversation and Shen Jiu turned to see Wu Yanzi yanking Qiu Haitang backward by her collar.

"Ah!" Qiu Haitang exclaimed as Wu Yanzi heartlessly pushed her to the ground with no little strength.

"We have to go quick," Wu Yanzi turned to Shen Jiu but Shen Jiu ran past him.

"Haitang!" Shen Jiu exclaimed in worry as he kneeled down before Qiu Haitang, tenderly grasping her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Wu Yanzi rolled his eyes, "Brat, are you bailing out or not? The authority will come over soon!"

Qiu Haitang quivered weakly, from his touch, Shen Jiu could feel the tension within her. "Blinded... I was truly blinded with your look and cannot see the rotten thing you are..." She mumbled darkly.

"Haitang-" Shen Jiu started but Qiu Haitang suddenly lunged at him and threw a handful of dark powder to Shen Jiu's face. Shen Jiu let out a surprised gasp as sharp stinging pain attacked his eyes, he let go of Qiu Haitang's shoulders and scooted away.

Wu Yanzi exclaimed in surprise at the sudden turn of event and yanked Shen Jiu up to his feet. "What the fuck?!"

Qiu Haitang laughed, "I'll avenge my family... I'll avenge my family, Shen Jiu! You deserve a fate worse than death!" she staggered up.

Shen Jiu covered his eyes, biting back a scream at how painful his eyes felt. He rubbed his eyes unconsciously, wanting to open them and looked at Qiu Haitang but he couldn't. His eyes forced him to keep shutting his eyelids.

"Poison?" Wu Yanzi murmured and Shen Jiu's heart sank. Shen Jiu suddenly felt his face was drenched with water, presumably Wu Yanzi pouring out clean water on his face to wash away the poison powder. "Can you open your eyes?"

"It's useless! I hope you die! Even if you don't die, I'll come to you and avenge my family!" Qiu Haitang screamed.

"This little slut is so noisy!" Wu Yanzi gritted his teeth. He finally met a very talented individual that he could swindle to be his disciple and subordinate, how dare this little slut damage his good!?

"-gh, I'm okay," Shen Jiu said as he forced his eyes to open. The world was extremely blurry, he could only see blobs of colours. Shen Jiu shut his eyes again. No worries, no worries, it was dark and only the fire of the burning Qiu manor as the lighting source. Sun was the only trusted light source. He still could see. He still could.

"Tsk! Whatever, let's get out of here. Follow me and don't drag me behind!" Wu Yanzi ordered and pulled Shen Jiu away to run.

"Shen Jiu! I will never forgive you!!!" Qiu Haitang screamed after them.

The next day Shen Jiu reopened his eyes after a lot of washing on the river nearby. All he saw were still blobs of colours, blurry, some darkness danced on the edge of his vision, seemingly waiting to invade all the lights. Shen Jiu sat there expressionlessly before smiling ironically to himself and scooped up more water to splash his face with.

If the water rolling down his cheeks was not fully the water of the river, who cares?

His parents abandoned him since birth.

His childhood was robbed away from him.

The person he trusted and admired so much had stolen away his trust and ripped it down to pieces.

His innocence had been long destroyed.

His freedom was snatched away from him since he could remember.

Now, the girl he used to love robbed him of his sight and a little bit of small spark of light he ever had for her.

Shen Jiu was used of people robbing away what was his, leaving him, abandoning him. But why did his chest hurt so much?

In this life, people gave expecting something in return. Qiu Haitang had given him a lot of love and kindness, expecting him to marry her in return. But he couldn't. He couldn't marry Qiu Haitang after all what he had done to her family in return for what her family did to him.

In another universe, Qiu Haitang never woke up before Shen Jiu had ran far away. In another universe, Qiu Haitang never poisoned Shen Jiu nor taking about 90% of his sight away from him. In another universe, Qiu Haitang never got to take anything from him resulting in Shen Jiu keeping away the deepest feeling in his heart, feeling suffocated day by day with his pathetic feeling of never being able to do anything for her.

In this universe. Shen Jiu counted it as fair. He ruined her life by killing her family who had ruined his life... In return, she ruined his life even more.

In the end, Shen Jiu would always be the one who suffers.

Wu Yanzi had done a few things to make Shen Jiu retained his sight, but cheap medicines and half-hearted attempt of cure were not enough. Shen Jiu's sight worsened, for years to come, he learned to rely on his other senses in preparation of possibility where he woke up one day only seeing darkness.

The darkness on the edge of his vision kept expanding, the world was mostly dark to Shen Jiu.

Until he met that familiar face and voice from his past.

To be honest, if that bastard didn't speak, Shen Jiu wouldn't even recognize him.

It was so dark. Dark. Too dark. He couldn't see anything except for a few lines... Too dark. He couldn't see anything- darkdarkdarkdarkdark-

It was all downhill from there. One thing led to another.

When Shen Jiu's sword pierced through Wu Yanzi, the last light in his vision was swallowed by the darkness. His ears ringing at the feeling of disbelief having killed his own master, his tormentor, his evil master.

Shen Jiu didn't even notice that Yue Qi had closed off their distance. He flinched and reacted violently when Yue Qi grasped his hand.

Shen Jiu glared.

Yue Qi stared.

A sob.

A second later, it turned into a cry.

Yue Qi cried sadly atthat moment. His cries annoyed Shen Jiu's ears but Shen Jiu kept his adamant silence.

Yue Qi gazed at Shen Jiu's unfaltering glares... Unfocused unfaltering glares. "Xiao Jiu..." He called out. "Can you see me?" he asked.

Shen Jiu's lips were pressed into a thin line, he flushed and glared at the right way where Yue Qi stood, a little bit to his left. "It's none of your business," he snarled.

"What has he done to you?" Yue Qi asked.

Shen Jiu scoffed and then laughed mockingly. "He? What right do you have to ask what has he done to me? Why don't you ask yourself, Yue Qi? What have you done to me."

Shen Jiu was glad he was blind. He didn't want to see Yue Qi's face nor expression at all.

It'd repulse him.

Shen Jiu flinched again when he felt Yue Qi's hands grabbing his slender wrists, he growled, "Don't touch me, you fucking deserter!"

"Xiao Jiu-"

"Shut the fuck up! Don't call me that!"

"Your eyes-"

"SHUT UP!" Shen Jiu exploded, pushing Yue Qi away as strongly as he could. He turned away, intending to get the hell away from Yue Qi but Yue Qi managed to grab his hand again.

"Please."

"Yue Qi, don't force me. Just because I'm blind, do you think I can't kill you?" Shen Jiu said darkly.

"No..." The hand holding Shen Jiu's hand loosened and released its grip. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you," Shen Jiu growled as he continued walking but the damn deserter stopped him again.

"You can't, it's dangerous," Yue Qi said. Hilarious. This is coming from the man who left him alone in that hell and never return?

Fucking hypocrite.

Apparently, Shen Jiu's thought was written perfectly on his face as Yue Qi crumbled.

"I'm sorry. I'm so stupid, I... I failed my vow to you. But please, don't go," Yue Qi said. "It's dangerous out there, your... master was an outlaw, someone might recognize you. Why don't you come with me to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect?"

"Cang Qiong..." Shen Jiu murmured and smiled ironically. "Oh, so you have become a disciple of such a major sect. The greatest sect around. Of course... No wonder you wanted to throw away this little street rat, isn't it?"

"No!" Yue Qi exclaimed. "I never throw you away. I... I... I'm sorry..."

"Save that garbage apology, I don't need your fucking charity," Shen Jiu growled.

"It's not- why don't you try first?" Yue Qi stopped him again. "You can choose any peak you want and see if any Immortal master wanted you as their disciple. Xiao Jiu, please... It's dangerous outside."

Shen Jiu glanced coldly, as much as he hated Yue Qi, he got a point. Wu Yanzi offended a lot of people and Shen Jiu had helped to offend some of those people. What can a little blind man like him do in the face of such danger?

He was powerless.

Being in the Sect might be not safe one hundred percent, but at least it was safer than in the wild.

"Fine," Shen Jiu spat out. "But don't even think you're forgiven. Even if I die, I would never forgive you," he said darkly and Yue Qi's eyes dropped.

"Yes... I wouldn't dream of it," Yue Qi answered sadly.

Chapter 2: Like the wind and rain he came

Summary:

Cang Qiong Mountain Sect is here.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Their journey was uneventful and pleasantly quiet. Most likely because Shen Jiu made it a point to show a pinched look whenever Yue Qi, Yue Qingyuan, spoke.

Putting careful and extra attention to Shen Jiu's disability, Yue Qingyuan had made sure the journey was slow and not taxing at all, even stopping by once in a while every time he saw the chance. Yue Qingyuan had suggested for them to stop by a small town nearby to get Shen Jiu what he needed. The tone Yue Qingyuan used when he said that laced with strong guilt and conviction to do good.

Shen Jiu scorned when he imagined what kind of expression that bastard was wearing. He didn't want to imagine that face showing guilt when he had left him. He didn't care about his pity, guilt, or any crap that fool felt.

Shen Jiu didn't want to. He didn't want to imagine that young, stupid, naive face looking at him with such a pity. He didn't want to imagine any change on that naive face. How the years probably had sharpened him into a shape Shen Jiu no longer recognize.

Yue Qingyuan is just another faceless stranger to him.

The world is dark anyway. He couldn't see anything, what he didn't see might as well not be there, regardless of the voice, sounds, existence.

The world chose to curse his existence with his terrible fate. Why should he acknowledge it? He'll acknowledge what he wants. He'll ignore what he hates.

The point is, no matter how much Shen Jiu wanted to ignore Yue Qingyuan's existence and his significance, he couldn't. The fury of betrayal in his heart refused to be quelled.

He wanted to scream. Why? Why did he leave him? Why didn't he return?

Pathetic.

"Ow!"

Shen Jiu stepped back when he collided with someone whilst he was deep in his thought. He scowled.

"Watch it, would you!? Are you blind?!" The arrogant bratty voice demanded.

Duh. Shen Jiu sneered, "Right, back at you," bastard.

"What did you just say?!" Then, the owner of the voice paused when he took a closer look on Shen Jiu. Shen Jiu didn't maintain an eye contact at all, his gaze was unfocused, he sneered. "Ha! So, you are blind. A blind beggar like you dare to seek trouble with me? I'll crush you and your pathetic life!"

Shen Jiu heard it. A slight whisper in the wind telling him the brat had turned into his opponent, a shift of arm and a slight drag on the ground. The hair on the back of his neck stood up in alarm, Shen Jiu moved.

Whoosh!

"Wha-!?" The boy exclaimed in shock before gritting his teeth and attacked again.

Whatever luck that had graced Shen Qingqiu earlier left him with the increase of his opponent's concentration and seriousness. He could only bring up his arms to protect himself as the second attack collided, but before the energy of that attack can harm Shen Qingqiu, the arrogant brat's palm was deflected rather easily.

"Who are you?!" The brat was surprised that someone would step up and glared furiously.

Yue Qingyuan stood in front of Shen Jiu, completely covering him from the brat's sight, "It's not honorable of you to pick a fight with someone with a clear disadvantage," he said calmly.

"What?! That blind beggar started it first!"

"Then, I'll end it," Yue Qingyuan said calmly. "I can fight you in his place."

Whispers broke out and clearly, something about Yue Qingyuan's aura made others aware that he was not to be trifled with. With a haughty harrumph, the arrogant boy glared at Yue Qingyuan and stomped away.

Yue Qingyuan's calm immediately dissolved when he turned around to inspect Shen Jiu, "Xiao Jiu, are you alright?" he asked in concern. He was off to buy some things just now, in their journey back to Cang Qiong, it was clear that Shen Jiu was not completely disabled with his blindness and was clearly outraged that Yue Qingyuan treated him like a piece of porcelain so he meekly kept his distance. Had he known something like that would happen, he wouldn't leave Shen Jiu's side at all.

"Shut the fuck up," Shen Jiu hissed as he stepped back from Yue Qingyuan's touch before Yue Qingyuan could even draw closer.

Whispers broke out again from the busybody passersby, this time, it was directed to Shen Jiu.

"Oh my, so ungrateful."

"That gentleman had helped him just now."

"What's there to be proud of? He's blind anyway."

Shen Jiu's shoulders shook and Yue Qingyuan bit his lips.

Fuck it.

Fuck them all.

"If you all got nothing to do aside for speaking ill of a blind man who can hear you all loud and clear, then, I suggest you all could kill yourselves," Shen Jiu snapped at them all and they all shut their mouths in surprise.

Huh... They weren't aware they talked that loudly...

Yue Qingyuan looked at the people around them and nodded curtly to them all as a sign to 'please ignore us, thank you.' And turned back to Shen Jiu. "Xiao Jiu, let us go to a more remote place," Yue Qingyuan suggested gently as he carefully laid a hand on Shen Jiu's shoulder only to be shrugged off harshly.

"I can walk. Don't touch me and don't call me that," Shen Jiu snapped.

"Alright," Yue Qingyuan bit his lips to not add 'be careful' into his words lest Shen Jiu flipped again.

They both walked away, Yue Qingyuan brought them to a simple inn where he already ordered two separate rooms for them both. He took Shen Jiu to his room and put a set of clothes on the bed. "Xiao-"

Shen Jiu glared murderously.

"-Shen Jiu," Yue Qingyuan amended "I bought new clothes for you. You can wear them after you wash down. The inn's servants would bring the bath here..." He hesitated. "If you ask, they could-"

"Go away," Shen Jiu impatiently cut him off.

"Okay..." Yue Qingyuan nodded and left the room. Shen Jiu was silent as he listened to Yue Qingyuan's footsteps getting further and further away before entering the next-door room.

Shen Jiu stood in his room alone and slowly let down the tension on his shoulders. He shifted on his foot and walked to the place where he heard a soft rustle from Yue Qingyuan earlier. After carefully calculating his steps, his knee softly bumped on the edge of the bed. He slowly sat down on it and exhaled quietly.

It was harder to navigate himself when no sound exists. Perhaps, he needed a cane, after all...?

Shen Jiu shook his head at the stupid thought, letting himself to smile self-depreciatingly. He brought up his hand to brush against a fold of soft fabric and he knew it was the clothes Yue Qingyuan had prepared.

He hesitated before he brought it to his lap, inspecting the details with his touch. He couldn't even saw a sliver of color now, he could only imagine. If that bastard gave him any stupid coloured clothes, Shen Jiu would murder him.

Shen Jiu clutched the attire tightly as he scowled in frustration and threw it as far as possible, he didn't get the satisfaction he sought as the clothes softly bumped to the corner and almost as quietly fell to the floor.

What he was doing here? To be humiliated?

Shen Jiu recalled his less-than-pleasant experience earlier and gritted his teeth. That fool shouldn't be that strong, if only Shen Jiu still had the sliver of his sight left, Shen Jiu would have trounced that son of a bitch.

Ridiculous, Shen Jiu probably had killed more people than the people that brat had seen.

His glare used to be able to shut people up but now people could see his weakness when he did.

Shen Jiu stood up and walked to the corner of the room, he fetched the disorganized attire back smoothly when a knock sounded from his door. It was the servant girls bringing a bath for him.

Shen Jiu relaxed his tension, slightly, "Bring it in," he said quietly but he didn't look as they opened the door. There were four of them, two should be men.

"Esteemed guest, do you need help to clean yourself? Chu-er and her sister would be happy to help," One servant girl said pleasantly.

Shen Jiu walked over and aloofly extended his arms, the men immediately withdraw as the women helped Shen Jiu to undress. The room was filled with sounds, every shift, step, breathing, it sent new information Shen Jiu's way. He brought his hand down and touched the edge of the bath. He stepped in and let the servants helping him to clean up.

For now, he shouldn't think too much.

"I want a sword," Shen Jiu spat out, almost begrudgingly.

Yue Qingyuan stopped and looked at him, "A sword?" he carefully measured his voice so he wouldn't sound so probing and causing Shen Jiu to be uncomfortable again, "Is Shen Jiu versed in the way of the sword?"

"If what you mean by 'the way of the sword' is killing people off with it to continue living, yes, I am," Shen Jiu retorted, he almost could feel Yue Qingyuan flinching.

"Well..." Yue Qingyuan stuttered.

Pathetic.

"What? Your majestic, grand, powerful Sect wouldn't let its disciple having a sword?" Shen Jiu sneered since he knew Yue Qingyuan was bringing a sword around,

"No, of course, not. Cang Qiong Mountain Sect had Wan Jian peak, all disciples would be able to choose a sword from there once they were ready..." Yue Qingyuan answered. Shen Jiu could hear a faint click, almost sounded like Yue Qingyuan was tightly gripping his sword hilt. "But we also allowed disciples to have their own normal sword before they took up their spiritual sword companion."

"Then, I see no complain there," Shen Jiu said coldly.

"Of course, Qi-ge will get a sword for you," Yue Qingyuan said gently.

It didn't take long for them to purchase a sword. After probing around, Shen Jiu chose a pretty light sword to be his temporary sword and left the payment to Yue Qingyuan who didn't even try to bargain for the price.

Shen Jiu held the sword and concentrated on it. Although it wasn't a complete spiritual sword, it was able to receive spiritual qi from its owner, perfect for rogue cultivators who had no sect to supply a weapon for them. Shen Jiu didn't know how great the swords from Great Sects were, but this was already pretty good.

He could channel his qi better this way.

He could sense better this way in a fight.

Yue Qingyuan put back his money pouch into his sleeve and turn around to see Shen Jiu standing there, his back towards him, as he held the sword probingly. The way he held the sword struck Yue Qingyuan dumb.

Shen Jiu was holding the sword with two hands, the sheathed tip was touching the ground. It looked familiar and then it struck Yue Qingyuan that Shen Jiu was holding his new sword as any normal people would to a cane.

Yue Qingyuan looked down and clenched his fists.

His fault...

If only he wasn't so reckless. If only he was stronger. If only he wasn't so useless. That small boy who was truly too clever for his own good, that boy who always supported Yue Qi with his own way... Shen Jiu wouldn't have to lose so much...

Every time Yue Qingyuan looked at Shen Jiu's eyes, his heart always felt a sharp pang of crushing guilt and regret.

Shen Jiu was not aware of Yue Qingyuan's feeling and tapped the tip to the ground a few times and raised his head, he could hear smoothly with this too if there was no one or no sound present. At least now Shen Jiu didn't feel like trash.

"Xiao Jiu..." Yue Qingyuan called out and Shen Jiu looked at him. "I'm sorry..." again. He said it again and again. Both of them knew that Shen Jiu wouldn't accept that but Yue Qingyuan said it anyway.

Shen Jiu sneered, "I said it so many times already, don't call me that name."

Yue Qingyuan brought Shen Jiu right at the time of opening for new disciples to Cang Qiong Sect. The town that was the nearest to the mountain range was fully packed. Disgustingly so.

The people were loud. Granted, pre-teens and brats were abundant. The older applicants were no better, obnoxious, arrogant, and show-offs.

Occasional shows of talent and ability littered everywhere, the wind's tremble under their vulgarity were all transferred to Shen Jiu's poor ears that became sharper and sharper as he lost his sight and now he had lost his sight completely, his ears able to pick up any slight of movement that cut through the air.

Swords.

Qi.

Fists.

Voices.

All of them was transferred to Shen Jiu's ears like unending streams of sounds.

His skin prickled whenever someone showed off their massive qi, his nose was in agony with the perfumes those rich young mistresses used. The town was practically killing Shen Jiu's remaining senses.

Even inside an inn, it was still the same. Boisterous laughters, people kissing higher-up's asses... All the same, no difference like savages out there, only they were more subdued.

Perhaps, a large part of the reason was that Shen Jiu was blind. Hence, he couldn't judge it based on look.

"I got one room for you," Yue Qingyuan turned to Shen Jiu and said with a gentle smile. "It was the only one left, you can take it." And the innkeeper also went to a great length to have it too when Yue Qingyuan used his identity to get a room.

Shen Jiu did not say anything aside for crossing his arms.

Yue Qingyuan hesitated for a bit before continuing, "The opening is tomorrow, I'm taking a quick detour to Qiong Ding peak first to see. I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."

Shen Jiu sneered in disdain, "Between the two of us, we know your promise weight nothing," he ridiculed.

Yue Qingyuan lowered his head guiltily, "Xiao Jiu, from now on, I'll try my best."

Shen Jiu waved him off, not deigning to answer him.

Shen Jiu thought the town was bad, he would like to take it all back. The Sect was worse. The town Shen Jiu stayed for a bit in only housed a small part of the hopeful participants.

By the gate of Cang Qiong Sect, Shen Jiu was almost overwhelmed. He was never among so many cultivators in one place. Although Shen Jiu couldn't see, he was confident he retained a poker face at least. Hopefully...

Shen Jiu's gaze was directed straight to the front, not faltering at all. Even if a ruckus broke out, he didn't change his line of sight, looking aloof and above everything. However, his grip on his sword hilt was as secure as ever.

Shen Jiu stepped back as someone fell in front of him, there were flutters in the air like sheets of paper being thrown into the air, some made a large sound by scattering on the ground. The groan identified the person who fell as a male. Shen Jiu simply looked down, squinting his eyes at anyone who almost bringing him along to fraternizing with the ground.

"S-sorry! I was- I just- The form, I mean. Someone tripped me, oh God-"

Shen Jiu didn't know what to think, for once, the person sounded like he was a young man, probably around Shen Jiu's age, but with these cultivators, Shen Jiu couldn't be so sure. The scent of fresh hyacinth mixed with a strange scent of freshly cut mahogany wood, this wasn't a peasant's scent.

"Sorry, sorry, uh..." The young man wearing An Ding peak's uniform kept his head down as he gathered the forms he had to give to the committee responsible for these. Someone in the crowd just pushed him earlier and he tripped, effectively sending the beautiful papers into the air like he was trying to mimic the scene of spring with falling cherry blossom petals.

But what disturbed him the most is how the young master in front of him didn't seem to respond to him, only staring at him with blank eyes as he gathered the papers back in his hands, it almost looked like he was staring in interest at his misery. Not even an 'it's okay.' Nor did he leave also, it made the disciple unnerved.

"Hey."

An Ding peak's disciple looked up to find another young master, this one looked far younger than the one in front of him, his handsome (-almost pretty-) young face scrunched up as he looked at the creepily quiet young master and then back at him. Before he knew it, the boy had approached him and helped him to gather back the sheets of paper.

Shen Jiu didn't acknowledge them anymore as he turned around and left the place with light steps.

The boy handed the remaining form to the disciple, scowling as he gazed at Shen Jiu's leaving form, "Rude," he said.

"It's okay," The disciple of An Ding said assuringly, afraid that the boy thought it was that young master's fault he lost his footing. "He didn't-"

"Shang-shixiong! Where's the remaining form?!" A shrill of a female scream was heard from the distance and Shang Qinghua straightened up, scrambling to his feet.

"Here! Excuse me, I have to go," Shang Qinghua smiled at the boy and ran to the beautiful shijie who called for him.

"There you are. I've filed in your form," Yue Qingyuan said as he approached Shen Jiu, he smiled bitterly when Shen Jiu stepped back when he got too close. "In a bit, the test will begin."

"What kind of test is it?" Shen Jiu bitterly asked.

"You don't have to worry," Yue Qingyuan reassured as he drew closer ever so slightly. "It's only a test to test your basic skill by digging out soil with your bare hands," he whispered.

Shen Jiu's eyebrows twitched. What kind of test is that? Are they searching for potential disciples or labor workers?

Yue Qingyuan smiled, "The soil wouldn't be that easy to dig, the trick is to use your qi. It tests both your physical strength and spiritual power."

Shen Jiu nodded slightly, "So everyone would do it?"

"Yes."

As long as everyone would do their own dirty work...

Yue Qingyuan looked at Shen Jiu whose eyes were looking blankly the ground. His slight smile dropped into a sad expression. Those eyes were still dark and healthy in colour, it didn't look like a pair of blind eyes, but the light had been gone, they didn't have any of their past splendor. Yue Qingyuan couldn't even read any emotion anymore from those eyes. Just blank, dark, canvas.

Shen Jiu didn't want to talk to him about it. Yue Qingyuan didn't know what had made him gone blind, but he had a strong suspicion of poison.

"Right, after the examination. There would be-" Yue Qingyuan started when someone else yelled over him.

"The examination will begin! The participants and the future prospective disciples, come follow me!"

Shen Jiu turned his head towards the voice and then back to Yue Qingyuan with a clear impatience on his face.

Yue Qingyuan smiled, "Good luck, you can do it," he encouraged.

Shen Jiu scoffed, he was waiting for Yue Qingyuan to continue his words from before. But since he chose to let it unfinished, it shouldn't be that important. Shen Jiu proceeded to ignore Yue Qingyuan and walked towards the voice, following countless footsteps around him.

Yue Qingyuan stared at Shen Jiu's back and looked down once again in sadness. He wanted to speak with his Shifu about Shen Jiu but the Sect Leader was currently busy with the Sect's affair. Perhaps, after the test finished.

Yue Qingyuan sighed, he wondered if he shouldn't let Shen Jiu compete in the battle competition after being accepted. It was an important part of the ceremony and semi-mandatory.

'Let's just hope he wouldn't be randomly chosen.' Yue Qingyuan mused. If Shen Jiu did... Yue Qingyuan should stop it. This was the least he could do.

He had to protect Shen Jiu. He wouldn't fail now Shen Jiu is within his reach.

Unfortunately, Yue Qingyuan's worry became reality as Shen Jiu was chosen to fight in the ring with someone with a spectacular score in the earlier test.

"Xiao Jiu, come with me for a bit," Yue Qingyuan said, furrowing his brows as he looked at the draw stick in Shen Jiu's hand.

Shen Jiu was feeling up the stick to 'see' the number engraved on it and scowled when he heard Yue Qingyuan's voice. He looked uncommonly clean for someone who was digging up dirt in the first test. Because he couldn't see how other applicants fared, he made it an extra point to not look like an obvious street rat as he dug, resulting in fairly clean clothes.

Even then, he was still conscious enough to keep patting on his sleeves and the edge of his robe.

"What?" Shen Jiu snapped, however, he followed Yue Qingyuan's steps when he moved.

"We'll talk to the disciples in charge," Yue Qingyuan said gently.

"What for?" Shen Jiu questioned.

"You're already tired, right? I'll ask for a pass," Yue Qingyuan said as he tried to take the draw stick from Shen Jiu's hand, but Shen Jiu moved his hand away and glared at him. They both stopped and Yue Qingyuan looked at the disciple in charge of the arena. "Shang-shidi."

Shang Qinghua, who was struggling to arrange the papers on his desk, jolted a bit hearing his voice. "Yue-shixiong!" he exclaimed

Yue Qingyuan smiled at him, "Shang-shidi," he greeted courteously. "You're in charge of the arena, right? I want to say something."

"What is it?" Shang Qinghua asked nervously as his eyes altered between Yue Qingyuan and the person with him.

"It's for my friend," Yue Qingyuan said. "You see, he couldn't fight for the arena. Can you announce him not able to?"

Shen Jiu snapped out of his confusion to glare furiously, "You don't-!" he growled. "I don't need you to beg for me!" He hated begging the most! It brought back the worst memories.

Yue Qingyuan winced, "But, Xiao-" he paused when Shen Jiu glowered at him. "Shen Jiu, you're of a different case."

"What case?" The new voice caught the three people's attention and they all turned to see the newcomer, or two of them turned to see, Shen Jiu only simply tilting his head and let his eyes wander to the distance, not even bothering to look.

"Ah... Liu-shao," Shang Qinghua awkwardly clasped his hands as he hastily took several sheets of papers from the newcomer's hands. "Sorry, for bothering. You can proceed now," he gestured.

The boy simply stood there, hands on his hips, trying to look ironically older than he supposedly was. "What 'different case' is he?" he gestured mockingly to Shen Jiu as he asked Yue Qingyuan.

Shen Jiu scrunched up his nose in dislike after hearing that tone.

Yue Qingyuan hesitated, "Well..." He calmly motioned to the boy who nodded.

"Liu Yufeng," the boy, Liu Yufeng, answered. And came like the rain and wind* he was.

"Liu Yufeng," Yue Qingyuan nodded amiably. "Shen Jiu is... a bit special," he said as he glanced sideways to see Shen Jiu having the worst silent fit in a while.

"Special in what?" Liu Yufeng narrowed his eyes at Shen Jiu and noticed his draw stick. "He got the same number as I am..." He pointed out. Shen Jiu would be his opponent, now he was even more interested to know.

Shen Jiu glowered.

Yue Qingyuan frowned slightly, he gestured, however, he couldn't find his voice as Shen Jiu's expression got darker. "As you can see..." He winced at his choice of word, immediately feeling crushing guilt as he bit his lips.

Shen Jiu looked like he was about to spit something nasty like, 'Well, as you can see, I can't!'

However, Liu Yufeng responded first, "What?" he looked at Shen Jiu only to see a haughty man who refused to even look at him, wearing a barely dirtied robe, and looked like he detested to even talk to them. "I see nothing more than a useless rich second generation trying to use a backdoor connection to get his way," he snapped. This was him. The first young master of the Main Household of Liu, someone who was stingy with his words but direct and very blunt.

Shang Qinghua almost choked at the sheer bluntness and Yue Qingyuan was visibly stunned. Shen Jiu, on the other hand, was fuming.

Yue Qingyuan looked at the boy horrifiedly. How could he didn't notice? Shen Jiu was obviously blind, though, his pupils were still as dark as ever, his gaze was unfocused- wait, Yue Qingyuan looked at Shen Jiu and noticed how Shen Jiu avoided eye-contacts with Liu Yufeng. Has he ever been like this before? Yue Qingyuan wondered. That painful guilt came crashing again, so painful that it almost choked Yue Qingyuan. However, Yue Qingyuan forcefully pushed it down, this wasn't the time.

Without truly looking closely by direct eye contacts, it was hard to tell Shen Jiu was blind.

"No, Young master Liu-" Yue Qingyuan rushed to defend Shen Jiu but Shen Jiu pushed him aside rather harshly.

"What did you say!?" Shen Jiu snapped coldly, his eyes didn't falter from 'looking' at the ground beside Liu Yufeng.

Liu Yufeng sniffed haughtily, dissatisfied that the man still didn't want to look at his eyes. "You heard me," he said simply.

Shen Jiu sneered, he closed his eyes. Breathing in and out, it didn't fucking help. Screw this. "You're my opponent, aren't you? Well, forget about this, we'll fight in the arena."

"But, you're-"

"Yue Qingyuan!" Shen Jiu cut him off sharply. "Must you humiliate me further? Make no more mention of this or God helps me the first person that would ever at the tip of my sword is you!" Shen Jiu clenched his hands as he turned around and left.

"Xiao- Shen Jiu!" Yue Qingyuan called out desperately. He smiled at Shang Qinghua and nodded at Liu Yufeng, he chased after Shen Jiu through a throng of people.

Liu Yufeng sniffed, "Spoiled," he mumbled in disdain and turned away, intending to prepare himself as well.

Shang Qinghua who was left stood there looked at the two people going to a different way and smiled rather tightly, "Well, this is interesting..." he said.

The fight didn't need to be described. As expected, Shen Jiu spectacularly lost. He had put up a decent fight at the start, but as Liu Yufeng picked up the pace, he couldn't follow the fight at all.

At least, Shen Jiu could confirm his sword worked properly as his temporary eyes in the fight. He could feel and sense better, he could even sense Liu Yufeng's attacks. The problem was... Shen Jiu's own body couldn't follow the senses and he ended up lost rather terribly.

He even lost his sword towards the end.

The referee ended the fight after Liu Yufeng's sword tip was over Shen Jiu's neck for more than five seconds. A swish, and the tingling feeling on Shen Jiu's neck was gone with the sound of a sword sliding back into its sheath.

Shen Jiu finally moved, bowing his head as he took in a deep breath, closing his eyes.

After Shen Jiu found his sword, the two combatants walked down the ring. Liu Yufeng was greeted by people who began to praise and hail him much to his own annoyance, whereas Shen Jiu was greeted with a worried Yue Qingyuan.

"Shen Jiu... Are you okay?" Yue Qingyuan fussed.

It seemed to be the final straw for Shen Jiu as his face soured. His left hand clutched his chest as he coughed out a mouthful of blood because of the earlier fight. His face burned when he heard some exclamations following his disgraceful show of weakness.

"Shen Jiu!" Yue Qingyuan panicked slightly as he took out his handkerchief and wiped the blood off. Shen Jiu took the handkerchief and pushed Yue Qingyuan's hand away, coughing out some more into it.

Liu Yufeng looked at him and exhaled in part disappointment and another part of disdain, "Already stepped into adulthood, cultivation is still low." Liu Yufeng didn't acknowledge him anymore as he turned around. "Not worthy," he said.

Shen Jiu stiffened, his shoulders trembled in fury. If he wasn't so weakened right now, there was no doubt that he would unsheathe his sword to attack Liu Yufeng in that moment of overwhelming fury. How dare him. Even if they all are the truth. How dare him.

"That's not true, Shen Jiu is-" Yue Qingyuan tried to defend him.

However, in that moment Shen Jiu shoved his hand to Yue Qingyuan's chest, effectively stopping him. "Shut up," he hissed venomously. "Don't. Fucking. Say. Anything," he hissed the words only two of them can hear.

Shen Jiu could- would not stand it. Be it pity because of his blindness nor mockery because of his disability. He would not stand those. Pity and mockery are the simultaneously most annoying and most hateful things in this world.

Yue Qingyuan faltered and sighed, he instead grabbed Shen Jiu's arm and dragged him through the crowd.

Liu Yufeng stood there and huffed, unaware that he had been cheated and how much he would regret his action today in the future.

Those eyes that refused to look at him now, Liu Yufeng would gaze at it much more often in the future, wondering what he would actually feel if those eyes did stare at him instead of past him.

Notes:

The reason for Liu Qingge's name? Liu Mingyan. Liu Mingyan's name is beautiful, Ming for Drizzle and Yan for Mist. Sadly, I don't have a good naming sense for chinese name. So I simply bunched up the name, (pretty sure Yu and Feng are bunched a lot in some great poems too.) Yu for the rain and Feng for the Wind, in line with Liu Mingyan's Ming for Drizzle and Yan for Mist.

I think brother and sister should have connecting names.

Xian Zhen: By the way is my OP, Original Peak. It literally means Immortal Treasure, a peak where they handled and created spiritual treasure, like cauldrons, spiritual armors, some miscellaneous things. Their lesser creations were usually given to An Ding peak to manage and distribute.

Chapter 3: Qing Jing peak

Summary:

Shen Jiu made the peak lord of Qing Jing feel stupid... Somehow, the peak lord was amused by that.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"Oh, I remember you as well," The voice of Qing Jing peak's peak lord was serene but also hidden beneath the calmness, there was a certain tone of strict expectancy and stern standard. Anyone who didn't meet them wouldn't have a good time, Shen Jiu was sure of that.

Shen Jiu straightened after he offered the tea to his new master, he was one of three new disciples accepted this year. "This humble one is flattered," Shen Jiu answered humbly.

"You're quick to adapt," Jing Qingan said with a mild undertone of amusement, though, it was gone just as fast. "Your trick to solidify several fallen leaves to protect yourself and parried your opponent's attacks caught my attention. Even though your cultivation is low for someone your age, I'm sure you can fit in if you work hard," he said calmly as he sipped the tea from Shen Jiu.

"Thank you for peak lord's praises," Shen Jiu lowered his head.

"Qing Jing?!" Yue Qingyuan exclaimed in confusion. He didn't even know Shen Jiu applied and got accepted to Qing Jing! Inwardly, Yue Qingyuan wondered if the female scholars were the ones in-charge to recruit new disciples again this year. "Why...?" he asked.

"None of your business," Shen Jiu snapped. Because obviously Qing Jing was the peak with less intensity, Shen Jiu liked it from its name alone. Quite and Calm, something that Shen Jiu desperately needed after his stupid choice in following Yue Qingyuan here.

"But... You know Qing Jing is a peak of Scholar, right? You have to read, paint, and many others..." Yue Qingyuan trailed off.

"I'll figure it out," Shen Jiu impatiently waved him off. Although hard, Shen Jiu had trained himself to feel out the trace of ink on paper. He would need time, sure. And squinting his eyes wouldn't help him to get the gist faster now his eyes were totally blind with no light whatsoever. But practice makes perfect.

"Are you sure?" Yue Qingyuan asked.

"If getting into Qing Jing means getting rid of you off my track, then, I'm nothing but sure," Shen Jiu sneered. Besides, Qing Jing was one of a few peaks that didn't have a certain successor along with Bai Zhan, Zui Xian, and Xian Zhen* currently. Bai Zhan was full of brazen rivals, Zui Xian was a hard place to keep secrets and common sense in, and Shen Jiu wasn't about to handle a treasure and break it.

Yue Qingyuan was visibly hurt by Shen Jiu's statement, but Shen Jiu couldn't see it. Which was a blessing for both, truly.

"Then, I'll come to visit when I'm free... If you don't mind," Yue Qingyuan said. "You're free to visit me in Qiong Ding," he added.

Shen Qingqiu himself felt like he was actually kinda crazy for choosing Qing Jing. But all had been said and done, nothing could be changed. He had applied and the peak lord allowed and picked him to be one of a few accepted disciples.

Especially as he already kowtowed to accept Qing Jing's peak lord as his master...

"Call me Shizun from now on, just like your other martial sisters and brothers," Jing Qingan smiled towards Shen Qingqiu without the boy even aware of it, finding it pleasing and also amusing that the boy didn't dare to raise his eyes even once to peek at him unlike the other two new disciples who had snuck at least four peeks to look at his face.

Unknown to him, the boy just unable to physically look at him.

"From now on, the three of you are the disciples of Qing Jing. Bear it in mind, we're scholars of the highest degree. I accept nothing but the best result."

The three new disciples kowtowed, "Yes, Shizun!"

Shen Jiu was officially screwed as he 'looked' at the distributed book in his hand, no one told him high-quality paper could very well hide the traces of ink from touch. And squinting his eyes almost murderously wouldn't help at all unlike back when he still had a sliver of his sight.

Shen Jiu closed his eyes as he leaned back on his seat. Useless. It had been a week since he had been accepted and his progress was the worst amongst the disciples be it academically or fighting skill.

At this rate, Shen Jiu could cross his finger and wait until Qing Jing peak lord kicked him to An Ding peak.

"You truly can't?" The voice of Qing Jing peak lord said from beside him, tinted with impatience, disbelief, and mild curiousity.

"It's... difficult," Shen Jiu answered. Up till now, he still could avoid the scrutinizing attention by paying close attention to his fellow disciples who would sometime murmur things out loud when they were reading. But he wouldn't survive so far, it seemed.

"How could someone from a peak of Scholar can't read?" Jing Qingan shook his head disapprovingly and Shen Jiu could practically hear the other disciples sneering in mockery at him.

Shen Jiu lowered his head, "Apologies to Shizun."

"Luo Li," Jing Qingan called for his senior female disciple.

"Yes, Shizun," The girl stood up and bowed down ceremoniously.

"Teach your shidi how to read, make sure he learned and memorized a thousand words in one week," Jing Qingan set the target and deadline.

The girl nodded with a light smile, "Leave it to Li'er, Shizun."

Much to Jing Qingan's surprise, it didn't take one week for Luo Li to seek him out again.

"What's wrong?" Jing Qingan furrowed his brows to his female disciple.

"Shizun, I don't think Shen-shidi could be taught," Luo Li said bitterly. "He's hopeless."

Jing Qingan was surprised, what happened in the last five days? Luo Li was his most patient disciple, that was why he appointed her to be Shen Jiu's tutor, but if she even lost her patience in five days, how bad this disciple he accepted out of whim was? "What makes you think such?"

"Shizun, I've taught him as much as I could, his writing is good, he seemed to be able to keep up very nicely. However, when I showed him a word, he struggled to answer me. It had been five days, but he couldn't recognize a single word I taught him, even the most common word like 'big' or 'heaven.'"

"Are you teaching him properly?" Jing Qingan asked mildly, knowing the answer.

"Li'er dares to swear in the name of heaven," she answered. Now, it was obvious she was really having a fit and trouble with her shidi.

"Show me," Jing Qingan took his paper fan and followed his disciple to the Library where she usually spent time to teach Shen Jiu.

When they arrived at one long table, Shen Jiu's head tilted towards them. Before they could say anything, Shen Jiu had stood up and bowed down to them, "Apologies to Shizun and Shijie, this disciple is useless."

Jing Qingan furrowed his brows, "Was it true? You don't have any progress in your study?" he crossed his arms and sighed. "You know if you can't follow the curriculum, it's hopeless for you to be here. Moreover, what kind of a scholar who doesn't know his words?"

"Shizun," Shen Jiu bit his lips, growing desperate. However, he kept his head down, "I know my words," he said.

"Your Shijie said otherwise," Jing Qingan said coldly.

"Shizun, I truly know my word. I'll write it down for you if you don't believe me," Shen Jiu said, trying to sound sure even though he was inwardly shaking.

That took Jing Qingan's interest, "Do it, then," he allowed. Luo Li dragged a bamboo chair for him and he took a seat.

Shen Jiu straightened, "Many thanks, Shizun," he said, carefully directing his eyes to the ground beneath Jing Qingan. He fetched several sheets of paper, a brush, and a bottle of ink. He dipped the brush into the ink carefully and began to write.

The sheets of papers thus began to be filled with chinese words, the calligraphy was exquisite and carefully made, though it wasn't on par with Qing Jing peak's current higher-level disciples, it was still nice.

One sheet, two sheets... ten... one hundred. By the time the sky turned orange, Shen Jiu had written down one thousand words in one thousand sheets of paper and identified them all after writing it.

"Enough," Jing Qingan said. "The night will come, it wouldn't be good for your eyes any longer," after all, Shen Jiu was still a beginner cultivator.

Shen Jiu set the brush down and continued kneeling before the peak lord with his head down.

"So, would you tell this master why did you struggle to read when you already know basic knowledge of words," and should be even more. Jing Qingan had specifically asked for several difficult words earlier and Shen Jiu had written it down perfectly.

Shen Jiu bowed down, but before he could answer, Luo Li had interjected.

"Don't tell me it's just a prank?" The senior disciple looked royally pissed.

"I apologize to Shijie," Shen Jiu bowed down even lower. "Shijie has helped me a lot, I truly didn't mean to mock her."

Luo Li huffed, she turned to Jing Qingan and bowed down, cupping her fists, "Shizun, Li'er wants to retire first."

Jing Qingan nodded, "You're allowed to retire," he said mildly and the beautiful young lady was gone quickly enough, huffing and stomping her steps out. Jing Qingan soon stood up, "I have a meeting with my shidi this evening. Clean up after this," he said after he remembered he had a plan this evening.

"Yes, Shizun," Shen Jiu nodded obediently.

"There are some cases that made people have a difficulty to read without being an illiterate themselves," Bian Qingque, the peak lord of Qian Cao peak, said to his shixiong who just told him his mildly strange incident earlier that day.

"And what are them?" Jing Qingan questioned.

"Well, there's this sickness. It's where the patient is having a difficulty to read because when they looked at the letters, it was in shambles," Bian Qingque said. "One of my previous shidis had that, he could write letters just fine but had a difficulty to read it, so he needed his wife to be by his side to read it for him if the letters were too hard."

"Is that so?" Jing Qingan said. "Then, they couldn't read but could remember words?"

"Not necessarily couldn't. I said it's hard for them to. My shidi could read some simple words but when the word became too complex, it would be hard. He would get headache for day and night and would still be unable to figure out the rest of the sentence," The peak lord of Qian Cao peak said as he sipped his herbal tea. "They would need extra time and effort to read it."

"You said it's a sickness, can it be cured?" Jing Qingan asked lightly, he knew the answer would be no because the previous disciple of Qian Cao had it but wasn't cured, but he was curious.

"Ah, no. It's not truly a sickness, it's more like a condition. It couldn't be cured thoroughly but you get used to it. My shidi slowly know how to recognize several pretty difficult words by seeing it many times over."

"Ah, I see..." Jing Qingan nodded.

Jing Qingan's interest in Shen Jiu cooled off after that incident. It wasn't until a month later he remembered he had a disciple named Shen Jiu.

It was on the tri-monthly gathering of Qing Jing peak where he would inspect his disciples' capability instead of cultivation. The disciples ought to fight each other one on one without the help of spiritual qi. It tested their pure skill and their body's toughness.

If they had advantage with their fleshly body cultivation before Qing Jing, then, the opponent should try to win by their own skill and experience.

Shen Jiu knew this was his chance to impress and gained the attention of the stern Qing Jing peak lord, so he trained hard. Although he was behind in fighting class too, it was all because he could see what the instructor showed. He could only sense some movement, hear the wind scattered like a stream of water to a big rock in the middle of the river, the verbal instruction only helped just much.

And Shen Jiu wasn't about to ask for someone to guide his body to get to know the forms. First, he detested men. Second, the girls would think he was up to something and refused anyway. In the last month, Yue Qingyuan visited him six times, all those six times ended with Shen Jiu chasing him away.

"Are you practicing, Xiao Jiu?" He could hear Yue Qingyuan approaching, his steps were light but dignified, and the unique smell of his favored incense lightly tinted the air.

"The last time I check, it was me who is blind," Shen Jiu answered sharply. What would he do with his sword in the middle of an isolated part of Qing Jing's bamboo forest? Fishing?

Yue Qingyuan coughed, "My apologies if that sounds offensive..."

There he goes. Apologizing again. Shen Jiu was thoroughly done with Yue Qingyuan's bullshits. On one side, Shen Jiu felt like Yue Qingyuan damn need to apologize but on another side, he wanted to scream out at him to shut the hell up. It wasn't pleasant to always hear apologizes even for the most mundane things. "Your existence is offensive to me," Shen Jiu answered bitingly.

"Do you have any difficulty?" Yue Qingyuan asked instead. "I can help you."

"I don't need your help," Shen Jiu spat out and turned his back on him, his way to say 'fuck off I don't want to talk anymore.'

However, they continued to just stand there for the next three minutes, because, there was no way in the hell that Shen Jiu would actually try to practice and humiliate himself in front of Yue Qingyuan.

Yue Qingyuan hesitated, "I can show you the right move?" he offered.

Shen Jiu made an offended noise behind his throat.

Yue Qingyuan did not let that discourage him, "I've seen some of Qing Jing peak's basic movements and technique. I can even come and learned it together with you."

"Right. Like that would be a completely common behavior of a disciple from another peak," Shen Jiu sneered.

"I can come and watch? And then, I can tell you how it's done," Yue Qingyuan suggested again.

Shen Jiu looked positively ready to lash out now but he held it in, "Do your worst," he growled out, suppressing the urge to start screaming murder at Yue Qingyuan.

Yue Qingyuan beamed, he shifted to approach Shen Jiu and grabbed Shen Jiu's hand.

Shen Jiu almost stabbed the person who just grabbed his hand had he not instantly started, "Here, raise your arm like this, straight and no-no, not too tense, just relax. Imagine like raising your arm underwater. The essence of Qing Jing peak is the elegance and refinement of your movements. They are a group of graceful scholars who moved like the smooth flowing water."

Yue Qingyuan proceeded to direct Shen Jiu through several other movements patiently, explaining it to Shen Jiu with a flowery and poetic description of each movements whilst still making it simple and easy to understand.

Before Shen Jiu realized it, he already through with one technique and Yue Qingyuan began to guide him to another technique of Qing Jing that he was familiar with.

For the techniques Yue Qingyuan wasn't familiar with, he would come to visit once in a while to not make it obvious and watched as the disciples of Qing Jing trained. Aside for seeing the disciples training, Yue Qingyuan also couldn't resist glancing at Shen Jiu once in a while who was failing almost everything and struggled with mostly everything resulting him getting yelled at by the instructor or left alone by his peers.

Yue Qingyuan watched without approaching, knowing Shen Jiu wouldn't appreciate that at all and would only worsen his situation. However, Yue Qingyuan's guilt kept piling up and to make himself feel better, he earnestly guided Shen Jiu through several basic stances and techniques of Qing Jing peak.

"Xiao Jiu is a very fast learner," Yue Qingyuan once said in admiration after their weekly training session. "You only need one time to grip the root and master it yourself."

"This is only a basic," Shen Jiu said bitterly.

"Yes. But still, it's admirable," Yue Qingyuan assured.

Shen Jiu glared at him, "What? Next, you're going to say I would be doing better if I have my sight?"

Yue Qingyuan recoiled, caught off guard that Shen Jiu suddenly said that. But then his eyes showed sorrow, if Shen Jiu could suddenly bring that topic that meant it had plagued Shen Jiu's mind all this time. "Xiao Jiu... I..." Yue Qingyuan paused to think his next words carefully. "I believe you would do good regardless of your situation."

Shen Jiu gripped his sword tighter, "You know nothing..." He snapped. "You know nothing about my situations, Yue Qingyuan."

Yue Qingyuan looked at Shen Jiu and looked down, "I'm sorry..."

"Stop apologizing! Get out! Go away! No need to come over anymore! I've had enough of you!" Shen Jiu waved his sword, threatening Yue Qingyuan to go away.

Yue Qingyuan stepped back, "I understand... Good luck on Qing Jing peak's tri-monthly meeting..." he said and walked away with eyes to the ground, feeling guilty.

God forbade Shen Jiu to admit it, but if it wasn't for Yue Qingyuan, Shen Jiu's progress would be zero up till now. At least he was useful in helping Shen Jiu to know the right forms before Shen Jiu chased him off.

Shen Jiu secretly worked with the few techniques he learned, he didn't only focus there, his whole colourless time was spent on training and eavesdropping when other disciples happen to read a book out loud. Shen Jiu pushed his ability to memorize everything. When you lost one sense, other senses would sharpen, this was a true saying Shen Jiu could hold on.

So when Shen Jiu's sword knocked off his third opponent's and he quickly grazed the tip against the other's neck, followed with several disbelieving exclamations, Shen Jiu knew all of those bitter training he had done in the isolated part of the peak was all worth it.

"Shen Jiu wins..." Jing Qingan announced

When Jing Qingan announced the winner, Shen Jiu expressionlessly removed his sword from his opponent and stepped back.

"Im... Impossible!" The shixiong that had lost exclaimed. Shen Jiu restrained his expression to not show any sign of mocking disdain and only flicked a sideways glance at him, a great trick to make people think he was looking at them when he was actually not looking at all.

"Shizun! He's cheating!" The accusation was not unexpected for Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu smiled sardonically, "Shixiong is thinking too much. Shizun is watching us the whole time, how could this shidi cheated his great eyes?"

Jing Qingan furrowed his brows as his disciple lost his composure. And he called himself his senior disciple? The new kid could keep his composure way better. Embarrassing. "Du Fang," he said coldly. "Mind your manners. And do you doubt this master's eyes?"

Du Fang was startled before he bowed down, "This disciple is wrong, Shizun. I accept the result," he said.

"It's not the matter whether you accept it or not. The fact stands Shen Jiu won against you whether you like it or not," Jing Qingan stated coldly. "Train harder, maybe next time you would be the one teaching your shidi instead of the other way around," he dismissed him.

Du Fang knew better than to displease his Shizun further, he straightened up, fetching his sword and left the scene quickly.

Shen Jiu bowed down to Jing Qingan and turned away to go to his isolated space. He didn't know if that was enough to impress the rarely-perturbed Qing Jing peak lord, that was his last opponent so he hoped he left a mark at least.

Jing Qingan, however, covered a curious expression with his paper fan. Three opponents, three victories, one of which was even a disciple who had been here for five years. That boy's sword skill is certainly good. Although most of it was a bit coarse, unlike Qing Jing's elegant style. So far as long as he had this peak lord title, few of his disciple ever won a tri-monthly meeting in their first year, let alone someone who just entered a month ago...

Jing Qingan flicked another glance to Shen Jiu, noting how the boy was looking submissively to the ground, he smiled. Finally someone worth his special attention. But let's not be too hasty, Jing Qingan would need to observe him longer.

Shen Jiu was 'reading' the art of war under the shade of a single banyan tree in the garden, mildly listening in as a group of female disciples were reading the same book out loud and discussing it with fervor. Today, he was lucky, before the discussion, the girls would always point out the page of their discussion so the more junior disciples could search for it in their own copy.

Now, he already memorized the pages and the content. Though, not everything, it was still a good improvement. Although he could try and read some words by touch if he searched for a poorer and more recent copy, listening in to other disciples sharing and reading out loud were much faster.

Shen Jiu was too focused on listening to the sisters that he only realized some people were walking towards him when they were just a few steps away. Shen Jiu tilted his head up slightly but not letting his eyes stray from the book he was 'reading.'

"Shen-shidi, go and restock the woodshed," It was Du Fang, the senior disciple Shen Jiu defeated in the tri-monthly meeting to test out pure swordsmanship.

Shen Jiu closed his eyes as he put his palm on the page of his book, smoothening it back as the wind tried to flip it over, "I already did that three days ago. Today is Li-shixiong and Yu-shixiong's turn," he answered calmly.

"Are you arguing against your shixiong?" Du Fang demanded.

"Shixiong, I'm not arguing against you. I'm just abiding the schedule that eldest Shijie had made for us," Shen Jiu said, restraining himself to not sneer and immediately started a fight. With qi, Du Fang was far stronger than Shen Jiu. A single strike might severely injure Shen Jiu. They were the same age but Du Fang started cultivating first, it was frustrating...

It was obvious Du Fang was seeking to make trouble because he held grudge against Shen Jiu. Moreover, three days ago he did the restocking himself because his partner was nowhere to be seen. Not like Shen Jiu could see him anyway. He ended up restocking the somehow empty woodshed alone. Not to mention, yesterday, a shijie asked him to help her water the garden because her partner was sick, he ended up bringing loads of water around to help her.

"Li-shidi and Yu-shidi are not able to. You go and take their workload," Du Fang insisted.

"I'm afraid I can't," Shen Jiu said. Damn it, the girls had stopped discussing, now where would he find people talking about the art of war whilst mentioning the pages?

"You're really getting arrogant, just because you win against Du-shixiong, doesn't mean you could act as you please!" Another voice exclaimed. Shen Jiu didn't remember whose voice it was.

"Yes, Du-shixiong was caught off guard. If he was ready, you would be a cripple by now."

"A weakling barely cultivating like you would die if a senior disciple got serious!"

Shen Jiu finally sneered as he narrowed his eyes but still keeping it trained on tha pages of his book, "Preparation is a part of virtue and strength, if you did not prepare enough, you can't blame your enemy. Who is to be blamed if you die in a battle because you didn't prepare enough? You."

Several girls a few distances away giggled, from the sounds of it, they agreed with Shen Jiu's logic.

Du Fang glared at Shen Jiu, he cracked his hands, "It seems like my going easy on you had really got you in the head, huh?!"

The giggles stopped, replaced by gasps. Shen Jiu had reacted first and avoided a punch to his head, he fell on his side but quickly rolled aside and squatted up. Seeing that Du Fang had missed, his friends quickly went up and reached out to yank Shen Jiu back to restrain him.

Shen Jiu jumped back to avoid their hands, rolling up his annoyingly wide and long sleeves. The exchanges only took about three seconds. Shen Jiu then took his sheathed sword which faithfully always by his side and whacked anyone's hand that tried to grab him with the still sheathed sword.

"Useless vermin! Let me teach you a lesson! In Qing Jing, you obey your seniors!" Du Fang yelled.

Shen Jiu frowned and sweated a little, his sheathed sword moved upward as he ducked, redirecting Du Fang's fist upward but Du Fang's other fist shot out and struck Shen Jiu, he barely able to dodge but the attack hit him anyway with a flare of furious qi.

Shen Jiu was almost blown off his feet had another person wasn't there behind him, holding him steady with their gentle hands. A girl. This girl wasn't behind Shen Jiu a second ago.

"What are you doing?!" The girls finally had enough and cried out.

"Shen-shidi!"

"Du-shixiong! You're crossing the line!"

The group of girls Shen Jiu was eavesdropping from earlier had come over, their voices held anger and indignance. Shen Jiu blinked, surprised.

"Dishonorable! Is this how a scholar of Qing Jing should act?!" One of the senior female disciples said. "You ganged up on a shidi who only entered no more than two months ago, have you no shame!?"

"He started it first!" Du Fang defended himself furiously. "He disobeyed his shixiong's order."

"You're just bullying him because you lost in the gathering!" Came a very blunt answer from one of the girls.

"Moreover, there are no rules stating a junior should be beaten up just because he disobeyed his shixiong."

"We're from the peak of refined scholars, why are you acting like those barbarians from Bai Zhan?!" The girls kept furiously defending Shen Jiu.

In the end, Du Fang and his friends had no choice but to glare begrudgingly at Shen Jiu, "Fine! Be that way and protect that trash! Come on!" Du Fang motioned to the others and left with a flick of their sleeves.

"Trashh," One younger girl mocked Du Fang under her breath but an older one elbowed her disapprovingly.

"Are you okay, Shen-shidi?"

"I never liked that Du Fang."

"Do you need a trip to Qian Cao?" Suddenly, Shen Jiu was overwhelmed by the girls' concern. Shen Jiu kept his eyes to the ground, all the girls within the peak were currently his 'Shijie', it was only polite.

"Thank you for Shijie's helps," Shen Jiu murmured and bowed down.

"We're just doing our duty, a scholar should always be fair," the one behind Shen Jiu said.

"Except if it's war," the one on Shen Jiu's right side chimed in.

"Or love," From Shen Jiu's left side, another interjected.

The girls burst into a fit of amused giggles for a second before they turned serious again, "Those guys would not come to disturb you for a while. But you always need to be on look out."

"Thank you for your kind reminder, Shijie," Shen Jiu obediently nodded making the girls pleased.

"Oh, this is yours, right? It fell earlier," Another girl said she held out something before Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu calmly held out his hand without trying to actually reach for it, the book was handed to him by her without any suspicion. "Yes, thank you," he said.

"You're also reading art of war! Why don't you sit with us? We're also discussing about it!"

Shen Jiu hesitated, he knew they meant no harm but... he stepped back, "I'm sorry... I... I can't. I have to go," he said. He bowed down and turned on his tail, running away. Women are kind and very sympathetic, way more so than men, however, Shen Jiu didn't want to get attached.

The first time he was attached, it was to a man and he lost so much. The last time he was attached it was to a woman and he lost his sight.

"Ah!" The girls exclaimed and looked at each others in dismay.

"Is he being shy?" One girl asked.

"My, my, we probably scared him a little?"

"A man that age shy around women? How rare..."

Jing Qingan stumbled upon quite a rare and unexpected sight when he was taking a walk in his bamboo forest, there was a disciple stood alone in the clearing, practicing something that seemed to be a hellish version of one of Qing Jing's techniques.

Upon a closer look, Jing Qingan recognized the lone figure as the mildly interesting new disciple, Shen Jiu. He stood silent in thought as he observed Shen Jiu's attempt at the hellish version of the supposed elegant technique and he walked over in curiosity.

Up till now, whenever either Jing Qingan or his chosen instructor practiced a new technique as an example to the disciples, Shen Jiu was the least active one, always stared blankly at random space and always had the wrong form. He was so rigid that Jing Qingan wanted to leave him out in a big body of water to let him loosen up a bit.

The instructors had given up on him, Jing Qingan himself often lost his patience when he was the one who taught the technique. Some disciples said Shen Jiu was lazy but seeing it right now, Jing Qingan knew that wasn't the case.

"What's with that ugly form?" The peak lord of Qing Jing spoke up and Shen Jiu jumped, whirling around with an expression of horror on his face as he quickly bowed down.

"Shi-Shizun, this disciple greets you..." Shen Jiu stiffly greeted him, his face was red in embarrassment. How could Qing Jing peak's peak lord be here? He didn't feel his presence at all! Shen Jiu was even more ashamed at Jing Qingan's blunt comment, so ashamed that he just wanted to burst in flame and be forgotten forever. "My apologies to disturb Shizun's time..."

Jing Qingan opened his fan and fanned himself slowly, mildly interested. It was he who disturbed this disciple but he decided to not correct Shen Jiu, "Practicing?" He asked.

Shen Jiu nodded, "Yes, Shizun..." He was behind in everything and he had refused Yue Qingyuan from time to time again. Now, Yue Qingyuan even had to go on a retreat for a breakthrough so he didn't really have any willing partner to teach him the correct technique. "Pardon this disciple if he broke any rule..." Shen Jiu couldn't read the hundred rules written on the piece of parchment in front of the hall of punishment. Not at all.

Jing Qingan looked at Shen Jiu in wonder, "No, you didn't," he said lightly and unsheathed his Immortal Sword. Shen Jiu felt the dense power and paled in shock, the intensity was too much from this close distance. The blade slashed through the air, Jing Qingan dragged his left foot to the front and spun to kick upwards with his right leg, he swung his sword to the non-existent opponent doing several intricate maneuvers with his sword before he finished by sheathing his sword back. "There, do it."

Shen Jiu blinked blankly like he was just out of his daze and looked horrified as he gripped his sword desperately. He just heard woosh and slash, how was he supposed to do that? At least in class, he was supplied by half-hearted verbal instruction!

"It's the technique you did earlier, the correct form. Do it," Jing Qingan said.

Shen Jiu gulped, he gritted his teeth. To hell with it! He'd try even if it kills him!

Four attempts later and Jing Qingan was astonished at how unbridled and poorly thought Shen Jiu's movement was. It was almost like he didn't even see Jing Qingan showing it personally to him!

"Shizun-" Shen Jiu gasped for air as he wiped his sweat but he stopped when his wrist was seized and he was manipulated to move.

"Relax your arms," Jing Qingan said harshly and Shen Jiu obeyed. "Don't bow your head like that, you need to see where your enemy is," Shen Jiu sweated and tilted his head up a bit.

Jing Qingan began to show Shen Jiu how it was done by forcefully moving his disciple's body around like a puppet. After he was done, he pushed Shen Jiu away, "Do it."

Shen Jiu bit his lips and furrowed his brows with concentration. He tried it again.

It was perfect. Jing Qingan was almost surprised, after being astonished by Shen Jiu's hopelessness earlier, he was surprised by Shen Jiu's quickness to improve. Earlier he wasn't even at the start, but now, he actually did an almost perfect job. Other disciples only reached an acceptable level at most. Could it be...?

Jing Qingan grabbed Shen Jiu's wrist again, "This technique," he simply said and began to guide Shen Jiu like a puppet string again. Afterwards, he pushed him away and ordered him to do it again.

Shen Jiu did the second technique and Jing Qingan was pleasantly surprised to see it was also within a good level. So, this disciple's muscle memory was sharper than his normal memory?

Interesting...

"Again," Jing Qingan didn't grab Shen Jiu's wrist this time, opting to use his sheathed sword to poke at the horrible form. The clearing was pleasantly quiet except for two men practicing with little to no sounds.

In his many ideas of getting found out from the bad ones to the worst, Shen Jiu would never think it would happen so idiotically and pathetically.

It was a normal day in Qing Jing peak, after that day Jing Qingan found him in the clearing of bamboo forest, the lord of Qing Jing seemed to be putting more interest in Shen Jiu, testing out how far Shen Jiu's muscle memory could remember with quick guidance. Shen Jiu was unnerved at first, but slowly accepting it. If the lord of Qing Jing is interested, it would only bring a good fortune for Shen Jiu.

Moreover, didn't he want to attract his attention in the first place to get better treatment? If he could fill in the vacant successive disciple's place, that would be even better. However, Shen Jiu didn't really dare to let his mind linger there.

Jing Qingan had taken and ordered him to grind some ink for him in the garden as the peak lord was in the mood to write some poetry. It wasn't really special, Jing Qingan asked anyone at random to grind the ink, sometimes it's boys, sometimes girls.

However, Jing Qingan truly asked Shen Jiu more recently. Which... Probably a good omen. Hopefully.

Jing Qingan's hand holding the brush moved so effortlessly as he wrote down a piece of poetry that would make any mortal scholar shed their scholar robe in shame. It was seldom, but sometimes he would throw a question at Shen Jiu. Sometimes Shen Jiu could answer, other times, he couldn't.

"If everything is gone with the rain, at that time people can start again..." Jing Qingan recited as he closed his eyes. The autumn wind blew playfully, making the dry leaves danced around with it, "Only shadows keep me company, autumn leaves dancing for one only..." he opened his eyes and a figure in black appeared amongst the dancing autumn leaves, he was kneeling some distance away, closer to Shen Jiu.

"The same remains our loyal heart, the same remains where we start," Jing Qingan looked back down to the papers he wrote his poetry in.

The black figure took out a slim blue scroll and as per protocol, he presented it ceremonially to the 'assistant' beside Jing Qingan. Shen Jiu.

However, Shen Jiu didn't react at all, he only moved the ink to a container and kept grinding for more with a still and elegant posture.

The man in black raised his head, blinking in confusion as Shen Jiu didn't move from his place and ignored him thoroughly. He looked at Jing Qingan who also had focused back on writing his poetry and looked like at a loss. He shifted closer, thinking maybe he was too far (he was not) and presented the scroll back.

Jing Qingan sighed when he sensed that, he put down his brush and patted the non-existent dust on his sleeves, "Shen Jiu, initiative," he reminded to his disciple beside him who paused grinding the ink and tilted his head towards Jing Qingan, as always, not directly looking at Jing Qingan which the peak lord mistook as a courteousness that he didn't even dare to look at his eyes.

Shen Jiu's expression twitched, Jing Qingan noticed, he didn't seem to quite understand what his Shizun was saying. Jing Qingan sighed, he knew this disciple was aloof and indifferent but this was too much...

Shen Jiu blinked, shifted, and... still made no move to receive the scroll.

Jing Qingan began to feel impatience, "Shen Jiu, receive that scroll for me," he elaborated with a harsh tone, completely different than his usual serene and mildly cold tone.

Shen Jiu froze. 'What did I do...?' that thought flashed in Shen Jiu's mind and made him panicked inwardly, however, he carefully made his expression blank.

Finally, the man in black, a disciple of Yin Hui peak, the peak of espionage and obscurity, felt a bit miffed and raised the scroll higher for Shen Jiu to accept, "Shidi," he said and something astonishing happened after he said that.

Shen Jiu flinched violently. He dropped the inkstick in his hands and scrambled backward, his hand immediately went to his sword, his eyes were wide in shock.

The two other men in that place were stunned at Shen Jiu's strong reaction. And Shen Jiu made a slip, he specifically looked at the place where the man in black supposedly was.

The disciple of Yin Hui, Huang Qingxuan, was astonished when he got a good look at Shen Jiu's eyes. He looked at Shen Jiu's eyes but Shen Jiu was staring past him. He's blind? Then, it struck Huang Qingxuan that his near-impossible-to-detect presence might not be sensed in this shidi's hearing or sensing radar.

He thought Shen Jiu was ignoring him earlier, so he felt upset, but now... Huang Qingxuan bit his lips, feeling a bit guilty for assuming the worst in this person.

He drew closer, purposefully making a noise in his shuffle, he never had to do that before. He was born with a natural low presence, he also never made a sound when he moved. Unless he deliberately made a noise, he wouldn't be heard nor sensed even if he was walking normally. He usually didn't need to purposefully make a noise with his movement because when people see him, they would know it was him.

But if they couldn't see him, they wouldn't even know he was there.

"Shidi," Huang Qingxuan repeated. "Sorry for alarming you," he said sincerely as he placed the scroll before the still shocked Shen Jiu, he even put it down carelessly to make some noise, being unnecessarily loud for himself.

Shen Jiu almost shivered when he heard the voice again. He couldn't believe someone could escape from his sensing and hearing. He could forgive it if it was from behind but in front of him? So close? Ears were aligned to the front, people can hear voices and sounds much clearer if it was from the front instead of back. And this unknown person actually breached his strongest direction?!

Shen Jiu was pale as he straightened, "Yes... Thank you," he said as he reached to where the scroll was with a swiping motion that he always did to reach for items that wasn't in a person's hand.

Huang Qingxuan nodded, smiling slightly beneath his veil. He never met a totally blind cultivator before, he was somewhat impressed with how smooth Shen Jiu reached for the item himself. "Shibo, please excuse this shizi," he immediately bowed down to Jing Qingan and disappeared after a nod from the peak lord.

Jing Qingan was still in his own disbelief as he gazed at Shen Jiu who lowered his head like an inmate on death row as he presented the scroll to Jing Qingan with both hands.

Two months this boy had been here. Two months and a few days. The signs were obvious but it was covered so beautifully. Jing Qingan might be a busy peak lord who had duties everywhere and couldn't keep an eye out for a common disciple every day, he should have noticed something this huge if it was any other person.

But Shen Jiu hid it so well that Jing Qingan didn't notice up till now.

It actually made him feel stupid.

"Haha," Jing Qingan chuckled as he shook his head before he laughed at the sheer hilarity of the feeling being one-upped by a brat who barely cultivated.

Shen Jiu kept his eyes down and still held the scroll in the air, not really sure if it was a satire laugh or not.

"How long did you plan to hide it?" Jing Qingan chuckled as he finally took the scroll from Shen Jiu's hands.

"I didn't..." Shen Jiu's face soured. "If anyone asked, I would answer truthfully..."

Jing Qingan smirked, "If anyone noticed, you would admit," he corrected. "It took one of Yin Hui peak to get you out of that."

Shen Jiu lowered his head and nodded.

"No one noticed, huh?" Jing Qingan smiled. He mildly wondered if he brought Shen Jiu to Yin Hui before he wouldn't sense any disciples in there with their thin presences, the one just now happened to be the best out of all disciples in Yin Hui.

Shen Jiu bowed his head in response. "As long as I don't stare directly at them, no one would notice."

"And people mistook you for being arrogant and aloof to never look at them directly, right?" That. Or extremely respectful like Jing Qingan first thought, or 'shy' according to the female disciples. It made Jing Qingan wondered at first, how could people had different and varied views of Shen Jiu but now it was clear. In one day, he unraveled the problems with Shen Jiu with just one newly known fact.

"People have their opinions, Shizun..." Shen Jiu nodded.

Jing Qingan laughed. "You little devil, you actually fooled an entirety of a famous peak of scholars for two whole months. Their opinions don't matter at all!"

As always, at literature class, Shen Jiu struggled to study by himself even though he got the book. He kept furrowing his brows as he slowly traced the paper and strained his ears hoping someone would actually mumble the whole book rather than some broken pieces of it.

A loud knock pulled his attention away from uselessly giving a murderous glare to his book and towards the platform where the peak lord of Qing Jing was sitting. "Today, we change the way of learning. Luo Li, start reading the record out loud and everyone, pay close attention," Jing Qingan said. "It's to make sure everyone paid attention and actually read it and not skim over it. Pay attention, I might choose you to read next," Jing Qingan announced coldly and everyone began to flip the book to the starting page.

Luo Li started to read, "At year 16, a youth appeared from the north and began to gather up a force, later on, he would rope in several strong backgrounds and allied them together. At year 23, a dynasty-"

Everyone seriously listened in as their eyes followed the text in their own copy as well.

Shen Jiu was surprised at the way of teaching, when he directed his unfocused gaze to the platform, he heard a chuckle.

'As a teacher, my duty is to make everyone able to learn,' Jing Qingan's voice resounded beside Shen Jiu's ears, making him jump a little, but no one else reacted and the peak lord's presence was still on the platform.

Shen Jiu smiled, he looked down and clenched his fists. "Thank you," He whispered under his breath. Those words felt foreign, too foreign, it was so bitterly bland and dirty in Shen Jiu's mouth, it had been so long since he uttered those words. But at the same time, it was the only thing Shen Jiu could say to his Shizun right now.

Jing Qingan smiled thinly and closed his eyes, idly fanning himself as he listened to his female disciple's pleasant voice reading the record of the northern empire. He knew what to do now.

Notes:

Xian Zhen is my original peak to fill in the blanks. Meaning "Immortal Treasure" a peak that handles the creation of many treasures. Some of their lesser creations were handed to An Ding to be distributed too.

It's Dyslexia. Bian Qingque meant dyslexia, but it's an unnamed 'sickness' to them so just leave it like that.

Yin Hui peak is also the same. The rough translation would be "obscure" or "veiled" they're the peak of espionage. Their members' presences were thin and almost non-existent. Sometimes you didn't even see them unless they stepped in front of you.

Chapter 4: Bad Luck

Summary:

Shen Jiu found his fated sword and a mission outside with disciples from another peak.

Notes:

The conversation I have had with myself across the time. It's beautiful:

Shen Jiu had a mission outside with several of other disciples? Whatever. Give me your best shot, future me! You can do it! I'll be proud of you, myself!

SHUT UP PAST ME!!! I'm TRYING!!! -25/09/19 2:40a.m

FUCK YOU! I DID EVERYTHING IN THIS HOUSE!!! -27/09/19 11:32p.m

Shut it, you all procrastinators!!! -28/09/19 13:32p.m

I'm changing the floor where Xiu Ya is found, guys, sorry. -27/04/24 11:57a.m

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Shen Jiu improved by leaps and bound after Jing Qingan tweaked the teaching system a bit to accommodate with him. To express his gratitude, Shen Jiu became even more diligent in learning and obeying his Shizun's order.

Because Jing Qingan wasn't Shen Jiu's Shizun in name only, he had become Shen Jiu's lifetime Shizun after his kindness.

A blind teen coming to learn the art of scholar, a heavy baggage with low cultivation, yet, the peak lord of Qing Jing did not despise him and instead made some changes to accommodate him without being too biased or bothering.

On another note, Jing Qingan was also pretty fond of the hard-working blind teen that could fool him for two entire months. Shen Jiu's handwriting sucked though when he wrote notes, but that could be fixed with more practice. Shen Jiu came to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect way too late, he was around eighteen back then, way too old and past his prime age to start so Jing Qingan was understandably concerned.

"Here we are," Jing Qingan stopped as he looked at the gate of Wan Jian peak. "Behave yourself and don't embarrass this master," he said to the disciples he had brought here, amongst them, Shen Jiu was the one with the fewest time of study, only a little bit over two years. But he was already so old and Jing Qingan thought he was capable enough.

"Yes, Shizun," came murmurs from his five disciples that he had brought over.

Jing Qingan led them inside and to the hall of swords.

"Jing-shibo," The disciples in charge of guarding the hall bowed down deeply to Jing Qingan.

"I already made an appoint-"

"Jing-shixiong!"

Jing Qingan stepped aside to avoid an upcoming body who smoothly avoided kissing the ground by barrelling over and landed back on his two feet. Jing Qingan looked at him in disapproval, "Duan Qingjin, behave yourself," he said to his shidi. Unlike his courtesy name, his energy was not light at all. Maybe it was a failed wish of the former peak lord of Wan Jian.

"I was just excited, you rarely came over," Duan Qingjin grinned as he approached Jing Qingan again with a lighter step. "Come, come," he ushered as the disciples opened the doors into the hall.

The group made it inside and was awed. Despite being called a hall, the hall of swords was actually more like a tower, a very large tower that took quite a lot space in Wan Jian with a very intricate design and had it's own conscience. The space within the tower constantly changed as it pleased, it also prevented any thief that had no permission from the peak lord of Wan Jian or Qiong Ding to come and steal one of the precious swords inside.

Housing so many treasured high-tier Immortal Swords, it would be strange if this place was so easy to navigate in.

There were several floors beneath the ground, there were several levels too above the ground. The ground level was where the normal-tier Immortal Swords resided, that being said, of course they weren't weak, they had their own pride.

Though, floor levels didn't exactly decide the quality of the swords. There were several swords that detest everyone that came here and had been here for decades or even centuries like the head disciple of Qiong Ding's sword, Xuan Su. But usually, the place with the highest density of sword intent had the strongest swords.

"This is it," Duan Qingjin raised his arms as a grand gesture. "The Hall of Thousand Swords, or as it titled, the tower of Wan Jian. You all may go and pick up any sword you want, but remember," Duan Qingjin's smile vanished, "Just the one that you would be able to control. If it rejected you or too strong for you. Don't be foolish."

"Yes, shishu," All disciples bowed down.

Jing Qingan waved his hand, "You all may go. Remember, don't be a foolish hero. You're all at least fourteen-year-old. I trust your judgment to not do anything foolish or harmful," he said.

"Yes, Shizun."

The disciples began to disperse, letting their instinct decide where they would go. Shen Jiu held his sword's hilt and 'looked' around, trying to decide where he should go. The sword intent in this tower was like prickling needles to his sense, he didn't know if the others felt it to the same degree as him but it was almost overwhelming.

"Oh? This one is a swordsman?"

Shen Jiu heard someone spoke up and tilted his head slightly, it was Duan Qingjin.

"Shen Jiu," Jing Qingan spoke up, confirming that, yes, Duan Qingjin meant him.

Shen Jiu turned around and immediately bowed down, "To answer Shishu, this shizi only use this as a support, not fit to be called a swordsman."

"Support?" Duan Qingjin said.

Jing Qingan's lips curled up, "No matter. You'll get rid of that shabby sword once you attain your own sword from this place," he said and Shen Jiu blinked. Did... Did his Shizun just deflect Wan Jian peak lord's question?

"Yes, Shizun," Shen Jiu nodded deeply.

"You may go now, choose a sword that would accompany you for the rest of your life," Jing Qingan waved his fan in a shooing motion if the sound of the wind told Shen Jiu right. The place was prickly with all the sword intents.

Duan Qingjin smiled, "Yes, you better get rid of that trash once you attain a spirit sword, some swords of Wan Jian had a knack of jealousy," he laughed.

Shen Jiu smiled bitterly, even the most expensive and best sword that Yue Qingyuan had bought for him from outside was still called trash by the peak lord of Wan Jian. Shen Jiu bowed down again towards them before turning away and walked off to anywhere his feet decided to take him. He overheard his senior martial siblings wanted to test out if they could take the strongest and favourite sword this year. The one that several disciples had been paying attention to.

That sword would be in the third floor. Shen Jiu didn't know the correct system, but some shijie had explained to him that some strong swords would be displayed at a certain place by the tower. It changed every generation or less. Shen Jiu had no desire to join the commotion.

Instead, he walked further and further, there were many staircases in this place, along the staircases, there would be several swords waiting to be pulled out too. It was normal for a disciple to spend a day or two to choose and integrate with a sword, some even took three days.

Shen Jiu ascended the stairs to the second, the third floor, the fourth... The further Shen Jiu walked, the sharper sword intents were to the point where Shen Jiu had to stop and wipe his perspiration off. Goosebumps crawling almost painfully on Shen Jiu's skin but he kept walking, not really sure when to stop. The further in, he could hear faint, ghostly voices.

'Low...'

'Weak...'

'No...'

'Next...'

They were broken and undistinguished. Shen Jiu stopped, holding his head that began to throb. How many people were in this place? Why did Shen Jiu can't...

'Blind...???'

Shen Jiu snapped his head up, eyes wide in awe. Who was that...? Shen Jiu was sure he heard the word 'blind' just now? But the moment Shen Jiu 'looked' around, all voices ceased to exist like he was finally snapped out of his trance.

It was... a stupid imagination?

Great. He was both blind and possibly crazy too.

Shen Jiu sighed and rubbed his ears, he needed to choose a sword soon before his Shizun's patience ran out, better not be an inconvenience. Shen Jiu walked further and further, he became more and more uneasy as he walked, it felt like thousands of eyes were on him, he had gotten used to the sword intents but...

Shen Jiu shook his head, he needed to get out of here. He was already on the upper sixth floor, he just needed to grab something.

'Here...'

Shen Jiu turned his head towards a very faint voice.

Huh...?

Shen Jiu tilted his head, was there someone? He walked towards one hall of the sixth floor, upon stepping in, he immediately broke into a cold sweat. His breath was cut short, his knees were shaking, his head throbbed painfully.

Too strong.

This hall was too strong.

Shen Jiu knew his limit, he stepped back and intended to go down to the fourth floor- hell with this. He would try the underground or the lower floor for a more suitable immortal sword for him.

'No! Come...!'

'Weak...'

'Unworthy...'

'Ruined...'

'Dirty...'

Shen Jiu covered his ears. "SHUT THE HELL UP!" He screamed out angrily. His voice travelled through the hall and returned back to him as an echo. The moment he received back the echo of his loud voice, he was immediately filled with regret. What the hell was he doing? In such a sacred place...

"What's wrong?!"

Shen Jiu tensed and turned back, only then sensing the approaching footsteps.

"Shen Jiu!" Jing Qingan called out.

"Shi-" Before Shen Jiu could answer Jing Qingan's call, someone already yanked him by his collar so hard that he almost got whiplash and restrained him.

"Drop the sword!" The voice of Duan Qingjin said gravely.

"Ah...?" Shen Jiu blinked rapidly in bewildered astonishment.

Jing Qingan looked over his student, "He doesn't have any Wan Jian peak's sword on him," he noted.

"What?" Duan Qingjin looked over Shen Jiu and noticed the only sword he had was the one he brought, strangely in his hand rather than strapped on his belt. The Wan Jian peak's peak lord released him, "Oh, thank God."

Jing Qingan cleared his throat and unfolded his fan, "Boy, you surprised us. Your scream alarmed the entire tower, you're supposed to choose a sword, not to test out the capacity of your lungs."

Shen Jiu flushed and bowed down, "My apologies, Shizun..."

"Why did you yell so loudly?" Duan Qingjin questioned.

"This... This disciple..." Shen Jiu hesitated. Should he really say something about hearing voices? If his Shizun didn't kick him out because he was blind, would he kick Shen Jiu out for being crazy?

"Speak up," Jing Qingan said.

"This disciple heard voices so loud, I thought... I'm so sorry, maybe this disciple was not fully-"

"Oh? Voices? You mean, the voices of the sword spirits?" Duan Qingjin blinked.

"Sword spirits?"

Duan Qingjin grinned, "Your teacher did not tell you?" he looked at his shixiong.

Jing Qingan held his head, "Not everyone could hear them so early in their cultivation," he defended himself.

Duan Qingjin laughed, "Shizi, you're not crazy nor hearing things. What you heard was the voices from the spirits of the swords. There are many in this place, they're usually really noisy when a prospective owner came in, like now. They're judging." He shrugged, "It's usual to hear them if you have a very high aptitude in spiritual talent or having a very sharp sense. If not, well, you're saved from hearing their judgements whispered into your mind."

"How could I overlooked that," Jing Qingan sighed slightly. High aptitude in spiritual, very sharp senses, Jing Qingan overlooked them because of Shen Jiu's low cultivation. Moreover, without eyes, it was hard for Shen Jiu to differentiate which was real and which was spiritual in this place full of sharp sword intents.

"Though, it usually came as neglectable murmurs in the back of your mind usually. If you can hear them so clearly to the point it distracted you so, then perhaps, we need to take a break," Duan Qingjin offered. "Or you can choose from the lower floors, this place doesn't seem to be for you, it's already astonishing you made it this far with your cultivation."

Jing Qingan snorted, "What's important in choosing a sword is perception, age, and wisdom. Shen Jiu is already of age and I believe it's already the right time for him to choose a sword." He already worked so hard to attain his level now. Anyone wouldn't be able to do it as fast with his disadvantages.

"Right, right, I believe Shixiong knows the best," Duan Qingjin said. "But it wouldn't be too late to get a sword next year or later, you know what happened if you're too hasty, right?" he said meaningfully. "Moreover, sharper senses mean a more painful sensation of sword intents."

Jing Qingan closed his eyes, "Shen Jiu, search for the sword in the lower levels, if you can't find one that is in tune with your soul, you can always try next year."

"Yes, Shizun," Shen Jiu nodded obediently. The two peak lords turned around and walked away, Shen Jiu turned his head towards the noisy hall before shaking his head, being judged by swords, how strange was that? In his nineteen years of life, he would never think of being judged by weapons.

Shen Jiu turned around and walked off.

'No...!'

Shen Jiu stopped and turned to look at the hall again, feeling weirded out and recalling his Shizun's order, Shen Jiu didn't look at it again. His Shizun said he was not strong enough for this floor, he better search for one in the lower levels. He couldn't afford to wait another year.

'Come... back...!'

Shen Jiu was about to ignore it again when he heard a shaking sound, Jing Qingan noticed that Shen Jiu did not follow after him and frowned.

"Shen Jiu, what are you waiting for?" Jing Qingan asked. It was unusual for this one disciple to not obey his instruction right away.

"I heard something..." Shen Jiu said. "It's... calling for me?" he was unsure.

Jing Qingan paused and Duan Qingjin stopped, "Calling for you?" Duan Qingjin grinned. "Follow it!"

Jing Qingan elbowed his shidi in the side, "Are you sure?" he said to Shen Jiu. "From where?"

Shen Jiu pointed to the hall that they found him in.

Jing Qingan paused and frowned, he looked at Duan Qingjin before he sighed, "If it calls for you then... It's worth a try," he nodded. Usually, cultivators used their sight to choose their fated sword, if a sword was fated with you, you would know it within a first glance. Of course, most people sought more powerful swords despite not getting that feeling. But to some cultivators, their swords actively tried to reach for them.

The three people immediately walked through the wall, Shen Jiu turned his head left and right, trying to hear that voice again but it almost felt like it was gone with the wind. Shen Jiu was at his limit after he stood in the hall for a minute, blindly looking for the one that called him earlier.

Swords from lower levels suddenly sounded good at the moment.

"Look around, Shizi. You'll know which one if you look at it," Duan Qingjin suggested. Shen Jiu could practically hear the rhythm change of his Shizun's fanning speed, Shen Jiu's lips quirked up, sharing his Shizun's humor.

Shen Jiu was about to give up when suddenly a sword intent so painfully powerful exploded, sticking itself out like a sore thumb for Shen Jiu's sensitive senses after the constant abuse with the sword intents in this place.

There.

Shen Jiu didn't know how, he just knew that was the one he was searching for.

"Woah," Duan Qingjin blinked in surprise, he was even more awed when Shen Jiu walked towards the sword that suddenly burst out its intent like an emergency firework to declare its presence.

The two peak lords followed Shen Jiu. Jing Qingan put a hand on his disciple's shoulder. "Fated or not, it will be useless if you're too weak to tame it. Remember, if it's too strong, drop it. You can return again next year. Haste made waste," he said.

Shen Jiu nodded, "This disciple understood, Shizun." Shen Jiu stepped closer to the sword, it trembled as if reacting to Shen Jiu. He raised his hand and touched the hilt of the sword, determination bloomed in him as he gripped the handle and tightly and pulled it out.

The two peak lords raised their hand slightly in reflex to protect their eyes from the bright light that suddenly exploded from the bond between the spirit sword and its new owner.

Jing Qingan narrowed his eyes, even when the light was unbearable for bare eyes, he used qi to protect his eyes from excessive light, he wouldn't risk a disciple suddenly drop dead or went into a qi deviation. Duan Qingjin did the same thing to his eyes, watching Shen Jiu keenly.

The light subsided, after producing so much light the sword seemed to absorb it right back and what left was only a gleam of acceptance on the surface of the blade. Shen Jiu felt as if the capacity of his mindscape just widened like it had another access to a new environment, he brought his other hand to carefully touch the sword.

Shen Jiu dragged his fingers on the surface of the sword from the base point to the tip. It was a long and lean blade, much lighter than what Shen Jiu had currently.

"How quick," Duan Qingjin exclaimed. "Shixiong, you found yourself another talent," he nudged Jing Qingan and the scholar simply whacked him with his paper fan in response.

"You're now bonded with your sword. What will you name it?" Jing Qingan asked ceremoniously.

Shen Jiu 'looked' at the blade. He wondered how did it look if only he had eyes. But the sword in his hand felt beautiful with his touch alone, like a beckoning light. Shen Jiu mused for a long time before he decided, his goal, his dream, his wish to not disappoint his kind Shizun... "Xiu Ya...?"

Duan Qingjin turned to his Shixiong again, "Aiya, Shixiong is indeed cultivating elegance," He said, full of praises.

Jing Qingan sighed, "Duan-shidi, please be quiet," he said before turning to Shen Jiu. "Xiu Ya is its name? A fitting name for a scholar of Qing Jing peak," Jing Qingan said.

The spirit sword reacted to the name, Shen Jiu could feel something changed on the surface of the blade that he placed his fingers on. It carved itself, the name, Xiu Ya. Shen Jiu could feel it beneath his skin.

"That's one strong sword," Duan Qingjin finally said thoughtfully. "It made such a commotion to attract your attention and resided in the hall full of arrogant swords too."

Shen Jiu blinked in disbelief at the new information. According to Wan Jian peak's peak lord explanation, some high-tier swords rarely changed places, the tower itself seemed to categorize the difficult swords and kept them so they wouldn't be deceiving amongst other normal swords and could hurt someone in the process. The hall Shen Jiu had gotten Xiu Ya from was the second most difficult hall.

"The last one taking a sword from this hall was the head disciple of Xian Shu four years ago," Duan Qingjin said, looking meaningfully at Jing Qingan. Only the greatest of talents and perception could pull a sword from that hall. "I'm not saying other swords are weak, they're all strong in their own right and a sword's power also highly depended on their owner, if the owner is weak, then the sword is gonna be weak."

"Obviously," Jing Qingan said in agreement.

Duan Qingjin smiled, "The swords in this hall are just... Difficult. Too much pride in one place, I'd say," he gestured to the hall.

"If this hall is the second most difficult. Then, where's the most difficult one?" Shen Jiu politely asked.

"The lowest level beneath the ground," Jing Qingan answered easily. "There is a hall there, called the Hall of The Heads. The swords resided in there are all hostile and would not just lightly warn you if they didn't want you. The swords from there usually ended up becoming a sword for the Sect Heads or peak lords."

"Not everyone could stand that place," Duan Qingjin said as they descended the stairs. "There are several ancient swords there, unable to find a fated owner for centuries. But the current head disciple of Qiong Ding peak managed to pull a sword from there, hmm..."

Jing Qingan lightly glared at Duan Qingjin. They were forbidden to talk about how that boy got his sword. Shen Jiu subtly tilted his head down. As expected, Yue Qingyuan was just so high up... Like a dragon reigning the sky... Shen Jiu bit the inner of his cheek.

Duan Qingjin smiled, "I'll go and retrieve a spare scabbard for you, you two can wait at the front hall," he said and parted away from them.

Jing Qingan looked at Shen Jiu, "Let's wait for your seniors first." He noticed Shen Jiu was inspecting his new sword, "Any sword that chose a master would be free of the bond and connection with the hall, losing its ability to convey its spiritual whisper, you wouldn't be able to hear its voice anymore but you can feel it deep in your soul. Next week, this master will lecture you all about Immortal Swords."

"Yes, Shizun. Thank you," Shen Jiu nodded. He held Xiu Ya tighter in his hand and lightly swung it, it was very clear. Clearer than when Shen Jiu used his current sword, as if the qi around the place greeted Xiu Ya with more familiarity. It was as if he got a new pair of eyes.

Because Xiu Ya would be his eyes. The sword had chosen its master, the resounding of their souls cannot be lied to.

In another world, Shen Jiu managed to stumble upon the hall in the sixth floor, he saw Xiu Ya and fell in love at the first sight to the elegant sword, the same sword had already waited for so long till it finally found an owner he liked. In this world, however, Shen Jiu didn't see Xiu Ya. But the sword itself reached out to beckon him.

Because they were fated.

"I like it," Shen Jiu smiled as Duan Qingjin returned with a scabbard. The feeling was mutual.

"Xiao Jiu," Yue Qingyuan came into the clearing of the bamboo forest again for the second time that week.

"Don't call me that," Shen Jiu snapped.

"I'm sorry, Shen-shidi. Are you training?" Yue Qingyuan asked.

"Use your eyes, Yue Qi," Shen Jiu said spitefully as he went back to trying and failing to read the book he had borrowed from library. Since his cultivation increased, he could read the words on high-quality paper better. Today, he managed to 'read' twenty pages, he didn't know if some words were right, but he could just recite it to a martial sister and ask her to correct him if he 'remembered' wrong. Practice makes perfect, after all.

"What are you studying?" Yue Qingyuan walked closer and sat beside Shen Jiu.

Shen Jiu scooted away, glaring. "None of your business."

"I can read it for you...?" Yue Qingyuan offered. Anything to lighten up Shen Jiu's burden. He was very relieved when he knew that Qing Jing peak lord had found out about Shen Jiu's blindness and accommodated him instead of being offended.

Though, it was a very awkward and unnerving talk between the scholarly peak lord and Yue Qingyuan about Shen Jiu's blindness and why would Yue Qingyuan helped him to hide it. It was one thing for the outsider-turned-disciple to hide his disadvantage, but an inner disciple actually helped him was a bit problematic.

Technically, Jing Qingan could do nothing to the Sect Head's direct disciple as it wasn't his place to punish him, but he sure made his point clear by letting Yue Qingyuan fumbled over his words for an entire day before letting him off.

Shen Jiu growled wordlessly. He turned his body away from Yue Qingyuan to emphasize his point, spitefully lowering his head to 'read' the book he had. Ignoring him.

"Alright... I heard you have gotten your companion sword?" Yue Qingyuan asked instead. He was away on a mission when Shen Jiu went to Wan Jian peak to get his sword. He was both pleasantly surprised and proud when he heard another disciple managed to pull a sword from the 'Second' hall and that person was Shen Jiu.

"Oh, you want your sword back? No problem, I'll send it back to Yue-shixiong soon," Shen Jiu said blandly, talking about the sword Yue Qingyuan had given.

"No, of course, no. That sword is yours. Even if you already have a companion sword... You can keep it," Yue Qingyuan said. "If you don't want it anymore, you can decide what you want to do with it..."

Shen Jiu sniffed haughtily, feeling jittery. Even after two years, he still didn't like to be in the same place alone with Yue Qingyuan. He always had this urge to either scream in frustration or stayed silent for oblivion. None of it was a good urge.

Moreover, with the older guy treating Shen Jiu like a fragile porcelain doll in need of care and extra attention only made him feel more overbearing and annoying.

It made it worse when his Shizun once pointed out whenever Shen Jiu was with Yue Qingyuan, he had this pinched look on his face. Shen Jiu couldn't see nor practiced his expression on the mirror, how could he knew he had a pinched look on his face, making him seem inelegant?

Shen Jiu picked up his folding fan that he had put beside him and snapped it open, hiding his expression beneath it. "What do you want? You know disciples from other peaks are not free to roam Qing Jing peak's bamboo forest, right?"

"I'm just here to check on Shen-shidi."

"Quit it. I'm not your disabled son, Yue Qingyuan. Why don't you just focus on defending your title as the future peak lord, heard it was a tough race," Shen Jiu said sharply. "No need to use up your energy to something you've had abandoned a long time ago, no one important is judging you," he mocked.

"That's not true," Yue Qingyuan interjected, hurt. "You're very important," he said.

Shen Jiu snapped his head back to glare at Yue Qingyuan, hoping all of his anger could be shown through his useless eyes, "Important?" he hissed, venom dripping from his tone. "Not so much as you left me in that hell."

Yue Qingyuan looked at Shen Jiu and turned his eyes away, even without Shen Jiu truly able to see, Yue Qingyuan still felt shame burning in himself whenever he had Shen Jiu's unseeing eyes directed at him. "I'm... I'm really sorry," He winced when Shen Jiu glared even harder. "I... I just want to tell you, I'm always free if you need a sparring partner."

"My shijie of Qing Jing peak are already enough," Shen Jiu dismissed.

"I see..." Yue Qingyuan glanced at Shen Jiu again. "Also, in my last mission, I found this," he took out a jade bracelet from his sleeve. "It's a jade bracelet, it has a calming attribute. It's for you," he said.

Shen Jiu snapped his book shut, closing his eyes and furrowed his brows in impatience. He bit his lips in an attempt to not start screaming profanities towards the Sect Head's direct disciple.

Yue Qingyuan knew he somehow made Shen Jiu annoyed again, "It's just a gift I found... You're twenty now, I think it needs to be celebrated even for a bit..." he said meekly as he put the jade bracelet on the grassy ground in between them.

Shen Jiu sneered, "I don't have birthdays," he emphasized. He was but an orphan, a slave. How could he had the luxury of having birthdays. "The day you invented doesn't matter."

Shen Jiu had two 'birthdays' before, the first one was the day Yue Qi decided was Shen Jiu's birthday, the second one was the day Qiu Haitang decided to be his birthday when he had a trouble to explain about his origin to her (She stopped listening when he said, "I don't have birthday but-")

Those days were painfully enjoyable and cherished for him in the past. But looking at it now, it was all only painful.

Yue Qingyuan smiled bitterly, "At the very least, I want to celebrate it..." he paused. "To celebrate you being alive and here with me," he stopped when Shen Jiu stood up abruptly.

"There's nothing to celebrate in my whole life for me. Everything sucks. But who am I to stop Yue-shixiong for celebrating this shidi's pitiful life," Shen Jiu sneered. "Tell Yue-shixiong what, you'll have more fun celebrating it while stepping on my ashes, maybe in the future."

"Xiao- Shen-shidi!" Yue Qingyuan scrambled up after him. "Wait," he grabbed Shen Jiu's wrist to hold him back. "I'm so sorry if I reminded you of something distasteful, please... Enjoy your time here, if you would. I... would leave instead," he said gently as he slowly let go of Shen Jiu's hand.

Yue Qingyuan picked up the bracelet on the ground and turned to leave. Shen Jiu stood in silence as Yue Qingyuan's footsteps faded from his hearing range.

The scholar sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. How upsetting...

Shen Jiu played his qin after he heard his Shizun performed himself, there were several mistakes in there but he was learning. Mistakes only slowly decreased as he continued to train, he already knew which string and how it should be played by only hearing the sound, he already memorized the instrument, however, his fingers still had a hard time to really land on the right note after fast-paced strings of melodies.

When one last note fell, Shen Jiu put his palms across his qin and bowed his head slightly.

Jing Qingan smiled thinly, "Not bad, you're improving. I only hear one missed note and two wrong notes," he praised.

"Thank you, Shizun. It's all because of Shizun's patience," Shen Jiu bowed down his head politely.

"You're slowly becoming the easiest one to teach in this field, how could I lose my patience?" Jing Qingan denied. "Could you perform this piece for your martial brothers and sisters later?" It was another of the peak lord's whim. He 'randomly' chose some disciples to read their materials during class, it was fine at first, but a few disciples began to notice that Shen Jiu was never called to read in the first year.

So, Jing Qingan made a new approach by teaching one disciple a piece in the music class and let them practice it in front of the others. Of course, he 'randomly' chose in this one too. Shen Jiu just happened to be the 'unfortunate' one to always got chosen.

Shen Jiu didn't know why Jing Qingan helped him to hide his blindness to such degree but it made him feel secure that he did. It was nice knowing someone, who was originally a stranger and had no business to care, watched his back like that.

His Shizun's support bloomed hope in Shen Jiu. A sliver of hope that extinguished when the woman he loved threw that poison powder to his eyes.

(Shen Jiu sometimes argued with himself that getting attached to someone who pitied him and treated him better was pathetic, but when you were blind, there was little you can hold on to and he was desperate. His Shizun had no business to care about him, for as long as his Shizun treated him good, Shen Jiu would return it even better.)

"Oh, and, I heard yesterday was your birthday?" Jing Qingan snapped shut his folding fan, asking curiously.

"What?" Shen Jiu blinked. "Shizun, where did-" Shen Jiu caught something hurled his way, weighing it in his hand, it was a jade bracelet.

"I didn't, but your reaction confirms it," Jing Qingan said smugly. "The boy from Qiong Ding peak requested me to give you that, after he delivered the message from my Zhangmen-shixiong. He wouldn't be so audacious if it's not so important."

Shen Jiu kneeled down, "Apologies to Shizun for having to be disgraced."

"Silly, child. That's not your fault, I've already had my fun with the boy from Qiong Ding peak," The peak lord of Qing Jing was not cheap after all, he hoped that boy knew the correct way to harvest a winter spirit herb. "You're twenty now, hm?"

Shen Jiu looked down, "I should be..."

"Why do you sound unsure?"

"... To answer Shizun, my real birthdate is unknown."

"Ah..."

They fell into silence, Shen Jiu could hear his Shizun picking up the tea kettle and poured himself more tea, the faint chamomile tea fragrance mixed pleasantly with his Shizun's favourite jasmine incense fragrance. He waited.

"I see... Then, I shall give you something too."

Shen Jiu looked up, astonished, "Pardon?"

"What do you want? Rare treasures or practical things?"

"Shizun?"

"Hm? Have you decided?"

"I..." Shen Jiu grew flustered before forcing himself to calm down, he was a scholar of Qing Jing, he should never lose composure even in front of his own Shizun. "I dare not to ask from Shizun. Shizun already bestowed so much to this disciple," he said humbly.

Jing Qingan looked at his disciple and hummed, "Let's drop it, then. I have something more important to talk to you about."

Shen Jiu turned serious, "Please, Shizun," he nodded.

"My Zhangmen-shixiong gave a mission detail to me," the peak lord made a grabbing motion and a scroll appeared in his hand. "It's for disciples of my choosing. After reading it, I believe, you're the most suited to go."

Shen Jiu looked up, astonished. What? Him? But... He just started studying here two years ago, normally, disciples wouldn't be going on missions outside unless they were with their master or they had surpassed a three-year study.

"You already have your sword, your performance in the training mission last month was perfect. This master thinks you're ready for a mission without this master's supervision," Jing Qingan slowly fanned himself.

Various emotion ran through Shen Jiu's mind but on the outside, he nodded faithfully, "This disciple will try his best to not disappoint."

Jing Qingan smiled, this was why he liked Shen Jiu. The boy was blind, indeed, he had every right to question everything but he chose to always obey. He wasn't blindly faithful, there was always a sliver of doubt and hesitation on his face which was great. It wouldn't be good if he trusted everyone and anyone just because he couldn't see what other people see.

"You don't have to worry, you would not be alone for this mission. You'll be going with Tang Jun and Ye Chenyuan, also, Qian Cao peak's disciples will be going too," Jing Qingan said. Tang Jun and Ye Chenyuan were both senior disciples and were used to take on missions.

Shen Jiu relaxed slightly, if there were two seniors, he could relax his guard a little.

"Qian Cao peak...?" Shen Jiu softly asked.

"It's a foraging mission to the west, it was rumoured there were some rare herbs growing there," Jing Qingan paused to sip on his tea. "Call up your senior brothers, I'll brief all three of you in a minute."

Shen Jiu stood up and bowed down.

All three male disciples of Qing Jing peak waited by the rainbow bridge to meet with Qian Cao peak's disciples, Shen Jiu kept his cool by slowly fanning himself with his folding fan. Tang Jun and Ye Chenyuan were about Shen Jiu's age, but they all had got into the Sect way earlier than him and already had years of experience compared to his measly two years study. Tang Jun was even younger than Shen Jiu by two years...

It made Shen Jiu feel bitter sometimes. Only sometimes...

He opted to fidget with the annoying jade bracelet around his wrist, he had wanted to get rid of it. Too prideful to keep or use it, but one of his shijie noticed it and made him wear it, praising how elegant and delicate it made him look.

Recalling his shijie's girly gushings, Shen Jiu suddenly had an urge to take the jade off and hurled it off of the Rainbow Bridge...

Shen Jiu straightened up when three wood-oriented qi signatures approached them with gentle steps, light fragrance of medicinal herbs spread in the breeze. Qian Cao peak's disciples had always been easy to distinguish for Shen Jiu, they stayed in a place full of spiritual herbs, the fragrance rubbed off on them and they smelled really pleasant and calming.

"Brothers," The one at the front, it seemed, greeted them. "Pleased to work with you..."

"Ah, it's actually, Mu-shixiong," Tang Jun greeted pleasantly with a bow. Shen Jiu snapped shut his fan as he also bowed down to the direction of Qian Cao peak's disciples.

Qing Jing peak was the second of seniority, normal disciples from other peaks usually called them by 'shixiong' or 'shijie' unless... Unless they were a direct disciple of a peak lord or the succeeding disciple of a peak lord. There was only one person with surname Mu in the Sect that would be called 'Shixiong' by Qing Jing peak's senior disciples.

The succeeding disciple, the head disciple of Qian Cao peak, Mu Qingfang.

Mu Qingfang smiled and nodded curtly at them, his eyes scanned over the three disciples of Qing Jing peak, curious. But when he saw all three of them bowed politely to him, he relaxed his stance slightly and couldn't help but ponder a bit.

No succeeding disciple in their group...?

Mu Qingfang was aware of the mission. It was given by the Sect Head himself and his Shifu had sent him instead of anyone else. It was a mission to give direct disciples or succeeding disciples a chance to bond for the greater future of the sect. To prove themselves and their worth.

Mu Qingfang squinted his eyes with a gentle smile on his face, "Please, we're all brothers here. Let's work together." Qing Jing peak did never have any succeeding disciple, they had several head disciples but the people in that position were constantly changing, making it hard to guess just where the peak lord was placing his hope.

Last Mu Qingfang heard Jing-shibo had removed another head disciple because of a stupid mistake. Mu Qingfang's own Shifu had shaken his head in complaint about his senior brother's lack of patience for imperfection.

Then... maybe... Mu Qingfang looked over the three scholars again, judging.

Maybe, Jing-shibo was deciding who would be the succeeding disciple with this mission? Any one of the three here would be the future Qing Jing peak lord and Mu Qingfang's second senior brother.

Mu Qingfang smiled, "Let's do our best, shidi," he nodded.

"Yes, of course," Ye Chenyuan nodded, smiling gently.

Shen Jiu straightened, his eyes were carefully on the ground. His hand itched to unfold his fan and used it to cover up his expression as he felt that cursory glance over him again. Did Mu Qingfang notice...? No way, it wasn't even a minute yet! Shen Jiu could even fool his own Shizun for two entire months, how could a disciple from another peak notice in just a minute?

Shen Jiu subtly inhaled and exhaled. He could only hope the medical prodigy didn't notice as they began to walk and started their joint mission.

Fuck. They unsheathed their swords. They would fly?

Fuck.

"Pardon me, senior brothers. But are we flying our swords there?" Shen Jiu asked in his utmost calm tone with a measured tint of worry.

Mu Qingfang blinked as the quietest one finally talked. "Yes, is there a problem, shidi?"

"I only got my sword two months ago, Mu-shixiong. My control is not yet good," his control sucks. It was one of a few things that Shen Jiu couldn't even grasp even after more than a month of attempts. Something about his feet leaving the ground for an extended amount of time made him feel vulnerable and anxious. Jing Qingan assured him that more practices would make it perfect and that two months was a short amount of time.

"Oh, that's true. You just got your sword recently," Tang Jun looked at Shen Jiu and once again, Shen Jiu could feel that confused and judging gaze on him.

Yeah, Shen Jiu knew what he was thinking. What the hell is he doing here, then? On a mission with another peak's succeeding disciple too... But with his Shizun giving out the order, he couldn't exactly refuse.

"You just attained your sword?" Mu Qingfang blinked and frowned. That would be a problem. Shen Jiu's age was not young, his cultivation was way lower than the other two, that was why Mu Qingfang kept glancing over at him. Now... he actually only got his sword recently...? Why did the peak lord of Qing Jing sent him? He could be injured in the mission.

But Mu Qingfang was not in the place of questioning a decision from Cang Qiong Mountain Sect's main tactician and brightest scholar. Instead, he glanced at the other four disciples and smiled, "How about, we let you ride with one of us instead? It's fine, right?"

That wasn't fine at all, Shen Jiu lamented inwardly.

"Has Shen Jiu able to mount his sword yet?" Jing Qingan's brush paused after he wrote the word 'Sword' on his calligraphy paper. He furrowed his brows when he recalled Shen Jiu's failures in flying his sword a few weeks ago. "Well... Shen Jiu is best at learning while being cornered," He murmured hesitantly before he resumed his calligraphy session.

Shen Jiu was regretting his decision of being in this place, or just generally everything that led him to this godforsaken mission.

First, he had to fly on his shixiong's sword to get to the place. It was humiliating.

Second, somehow they had some error with the information of the mission and had to retreat and re-observed the bigger picture.

There were three rare herbs that they were tasked to find and bring back. The first one grew on a mountain area, usually a space between two mountains. In other words? Ravine. The second one grew on a desert's oasis, extremely fragile, the oasis was surrounded by several sand storms a week. The third one was supposedly the first one they retrieved, grew in the water of the purest spring with high spiritual qi density.

However, the third one had been taken away by another powerhouse. The mortal's western kingdom.

"This complicates things..." Mu Qingfang spoke up in concern.

Of course, it did. They couldn't harvest it now it wasn't there anymore, and which fucker wanted to give up a rare spiritual herb just like that? Moreover, they were royalties, their pride was even bigger than a normal person.

"Do we need all three of it?" Tang Jun asked seriously.

Mu Qingfang nodded sullenly, "It is said we have to return with all three of them no matter what happens," he thought it would be a normal mission and he didn't need to worry about that special requirement. Unexpectedly, now it landed them in a dilemma.

"Is it possible to convince them to give up the herb?" Shen Jiu asked and they all looked at each other.

"It is. Let's do a diplomatic approach," Ye Chenyuan said and the disciples of Qian Cao looked at him curiously. "Let's say, we'll make a deal with them. We'll ask them what do they want from us."

"That's risky... What if they want something we couldn't give?" The only female disciple, Xiao Xiao, in the group asked timidly.

"Then, we'll just have to bargain for it. If it failed, we can only retreat and decide the next course of action," Ye Chenyuan replied.

"Mu-shixiong, should we do the diplomatic approach first?" the other disciple of Qian Cao said nervously.

Mu Qingfang frowned thoughtfully, "How long would that take?" it wouldn't be short.

"We'll have to go there, it'd take two days. Also, we have to go through the protocols and procedures before we could truly discuss it, it would take at least two weeks before we reached an agreement," Shen Jiu replied concisely, the other two nodded to confirm it.

"We don't have that much time," Mu Qingfang shook his head, "The Misty Heaven Cloud Mushroom is going to wilt down and die in a week if we don't harvest it soon."

"Then, we'll go for the Misty Heaven Cloud Mushroom first?" Tang Jun asked.

Xiao Xiao shook her head, "The Four Springs Pearl Flower that the western royal family took had the mildest resistance and effect, it was easy to be produced as pills to maintain youth. There are many consorts in the royal family, if we go to the mountains to harvest the mushroom, they would already do something to the flower."

The six disciples stood in silence and dilemma, they looked at each other and nodded, there can only be one way out.

"We split off," Mu Qingfang nodded. "Two of us had to go to the kingdom's palace and asked them for the flower."

Ye Chenyuan raised his hand, "I'll go. I'm good at diplomatic," since he was a prime minister's son, Qing Jing peak was always full of noble children. "I'll need one of Qian Cao peak's disciples to come with me...?"

Xiao Xiao stepped up, "I'll go."

Mu Qingfang sighed in relief. It was lucky that they were paired off with Qing Jing peak's disciples, if it were from any other peak, Mu Qingfang would be a whole lot more worried.

"Then, the rest of us would go and harvest the other two herbs," Mu Qingfang looked at the other three. "You two can take your time, once we're done, we will come for you."

Ye Chenyuan and Xiao Xiao nodded, "Then, excuse us!"

With that the pair went off with their flying swords, the rest then followed Mu Qingfang as they went to the direction of the mountains.

Shen Jiu wondered how Ye Chenyuan and Xiao Xiao were faring, did they reach the palace already? Talked with the minister? Prince? King?

Why was Shen Jiu asking? Because their side was doing really bad. So he wondered if the other two were miserable too.

Shen Jiu fiddled with his fingers solemnly, spacing out with a serious look on his face. He snapped out of his trance when the door beside him opened. He quickly stood up, "How is he?" he asked, exposing an appropriate amount of concern. Beside him, Tang Jun opened his eyes from his meditation and also stood up.

Mu Qingfang tucked a stray strand of his hair behind his ear, sighing, "He's fine. Yao-shidi's injuries are bad but I believe he would be fine once we return and get him to Qian Cao peak."

It was fortunate that Shen Jiu, who was the only one waiting from above, could throw the Xian Shu Celestial Ribbon that he had gotten a mere week ago. Or else, Mu Qingfang's shidi would have fallen from the cliff as they tried to climb back up after getting the mushroom.

It was almost a disaster...

"I see... So he can't continue on?" Tang Jun asked.

"I don't advise him to do anything strenuous for the next several days..." Mu Qingfang said. He smiled helplessly, "It's just going to be the three of us to collect the second herb by the desert."

Shen Jiu and Tang Jun nodded, cupping their fist, "We'll do our best to assist Mu-shixiong."

Mu Qingfang smiled, "Yes, let's do our best."

Just one rare herb and they already down one person, Mu Qingfang could only hope the second one was going to be much easier.

It had been their third day in the desert and they still couldn't locate the second herb. The Flower of Thousand Years-Old Golden Thorn Cactus, it was rumored to grow in the driest sand dune, hidden and almost secluded.

It looked just exactly like a normal cactus, only, the thorns were gold-colored. Without a disciple of Qian Cao peak, they wouldn't be able to locate it...

Not like Shen Jiu could locate it either way. He couldn't differentiate between black and gold color.

They kept flying all over the place to check every possible spot the goddamned cactus could grow in, but the result was still non-existent. Of course, Shen Jiu had to mount his shixiong's flying sword because he couldn't fly his own sword...

They did find some miscellaneous uncommon herbs that were divided evenly for two peaks, though, so it wasn't an entirely useless endeavor.

Srakk-

Shen Jiu almost cursed out, "It's okay, shixiong," he hastily said before any of them could ask why did Shen Jiu run into a cactus. He plucked out a few thorns that stuck on him with as much dignity he managed.

Mu Qingfang turned to face him, concerned, "Shen-shidi, if you're tired, please don't hesitate to speak up."

Shen Jiu bowed down, looking like a perfect obedient little brother as he cupped his fist, "This shidi is will keep shixiong's concern in mind."

"Maybe you should have stayed behind to watch over Yao-shidi," Tang Jun pointed out bluntly.

Shen Jiu smiled non-committal whereas Mu Qingfang shook his head, "Enough, we need more hands anyway, Yao-shidi could watch over himself," he broke his leg, not his mind, besides, Mu Qingfang already asked for a local physician to watch over his shidi.

Tang Jun simply nodded, not vocally replying to Mu Qingfang's words, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. As much as he hated to admit, they would have been in a more dangerous situation had Shen Jiu didn't throw his ribbon for them to grab on. Though, he still felt a bit resentful, why didn't Shen Jiu throw that faster?

"Seems like we should try another location," Mu Qingfang said thoughtfully after they walked some more and still found nothing.

Shen Jiu let out a sigh, wiping the sweat dripping from his temples at a rapid pace. He cursed his luck for not bringing more water with him, "We'll fly out again?" he asked hoarsely. He already liked this route, it was shaded just right, and although it was still dizzyingly hot, at least it wasn't as hot when they were flying.

The air within the desert was as dry as it could be, only hot wind hit your face when you fly, there was nothing pleasing about it at all.

"Yes," Mu Qingfang's tone sounded apologetic to the one with the lowest cultivation in the group.

Tang Jun shook his head disapprovingly, "It's fine, shidi. It's not like you're the one flying the sword, you can just rest easy."

Shen Jiu paused midway wiping his sweats with his already wet handkerchief, he simply nodded, "I have to trouble shixiong, then," he murmured, sneering behind handkerchief. He knew why Tang Jun was more hostile to him than earlier, he failed to do anything in the earlier accident and it was Shen Jiu that instead became their savior. It was troublesome. But Tang Jun was technically his shixiong and he had to appear polite at least.

At least, in front of other peak's succeeding disciple. If this brat brought his disgraceful conduct to Qing Jing and used it against Shen Jiu, Shen Jiu wouldn't hesitate to fight him, words to words, fists to fists. As his Shizun always said, one peak's problem stayed in that peak.

Mu Qingfang saw the apparent discord between them and frowned, but he had no way to insert himself to another peak's disciples rivalry. "Enough, since we're all tired, how about we'll just walk along the shade for a bit before taking off?" Mu Qingfang tried to accommodate with the two of them. Since Shen Jiu was obviously tired and Tang Jun subtly complained about having to let Shen Jiu rode with him, why didn't they just fly later?

The two courteously agreed and continued to walk along the shade, finally, Shen Jiu couldn't handle it anymore.

"Shixiong, does any of you have water?" Shen Jiu had no idea what held him this long. If he still had his vision, most likely it would look like it was being swarmed by fireflies right now. The hot desert kept forcing him to exert more sweat and he was on the edge of fainting. He wouldn't have walked into a goddamn cactus if it wasn't because he was so dizzy.

Mu Qingfang paused and Tang Jun frowned in annoyance.

"You ran out of water?" Mu Qingfang asked.

Shen Jiu lowered his head, ashamed of his own negligence. He knew there would be a trip to the desert yet he didn't bring more water? Shameful.

Mu Qingfang took out a container and handed it to Shen Jiu, "Here, you can have mine," he said. Shen Jiu perked up and (shyly?) held out his two hands to receive it, Mu Qingfang put it to the awaiting hands without being fussy and turned away as Shen Jiu uncapped the lid and drank the water inside.

As they walked further, Shen Jiu slowly lagged behind, but not too far. He knew how far he could keep the distance without being a drag-on. Shen Jiu hated that his folding fan did not produce enough breeze to keep him slightly cool, he should have asked his many shijie to borrow one of their circular fans. He heard it had been engraved with seals that created a gust cool wind every time they flapped it.

Though, it would surely make him look feminine and be mocked for it...

Whoosh...

Shen Jiu's head snapped up abruptly, his wide eyes blinked. He tucked a stray strand of his hair behind his ears and listened. No way, there were only three of them in this place, surely that couldn't be a person... Perhaps some dried rock fell down? Cactuses grazing against the rock cliff they were walking nicely in?

Although the wind was not as fierce as the open desert, this place was still airy, shaded, a very nice place to settle down in this god-forsaken desert...

Hold on, what?

Shen Jiu tensed. He wiped his sweats off and shook his head to clear his mind, straining his ears as he continued to walk, dragging his feet through the sand, the base of Xiu Ya already peeked out from its sheath.

Shen Jiu raised his head, staring straight to the sky, "It looks like it would be storming soon," he said out loud.

'Look up. Make a sudden movement.'

Clink.

Shen Jiu was not disappointed. The sounds... almost in a snap. He could hear them very clearly.

Mu Qingfang and Tang Jun overheard Shen Jiu's random statement and looked up themselves, squinting. There wasn't a single cloud up there, the two furrowed their brows. Had Shen Jiu finally snapped?

Mu Qingfang tilted his head back down, "Shidi, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

Shen Jiu blinked, shaking his head demurely, "I'm okay, Mu-shixiong," he said.

How many was it?

Would they attack or let them pass?

Were the three of them enough to fight them, or at least, fought and fled without sustaining too many injuries?

What the fuck, why didn't Shen Jiu notice this strange terrain earlier?! His heat stroke was so severe he couldn't even sense anything amiss? Useless! Useless! Absolutely useless!

The three of them were cultivators indeed, but they looked simply like three young men. Rich young men. The odd was still a mystery, if they attacked, they were either really stupid or really confident with their number.

'Calm down...' Shen Jiu inhaled deeply. There was still a possibility the bandits weren't cultivators if they were lucky, lasting in this heat-induced pan they called desert only simply relying on pure luck and experience.

Anyway, he needed to inform the other two first before thinking of the way out of this trap terrain-

Xiu-

"Duck!" Shen Jiu shouted out. And if Cang Qiong Mountain Sect's many peaks' teachings agreed on something, it was to always immediately respond to your brother or sister when they screamed at you to do something out of nowhere.

Mu Qingfang and Tang Jun quickly ducked out in a heartbeat and narrowly missed a steel arrow over their head. They swiftly drew out their swords and knocked away several other arrows that followed.

Shen Jiu swung Xiu Ya to knock away a wooden spear thrown his way as he quickly picked up his pace to reunite with his fellow disciples.

Their attackers revealed themselves, there were at least a few dozens or so, Shen Jiu wondered how he didn't notice them. This mission kept blinding him in more than one way, first the noisy cliff, second the desert that made him suffer heatstroke and messed with his sense. This can't happen again, he needed to sharpen his senses even more.

"Damn it, I told we should have targeted the little bitch at the back first!" One bandit complained.

"Shut it!"

Mu Qingfang tilted his chin up, looking coldly to the bandits, "What do you want?" He said coldly.

"Hehe, you should be aware," Spoke a heavy voice from one ape-like man that swung his giant ax threateningly. "Leave all your possession behind."

"Or what?" Tang Jun smirked.

"Or die here," another bandit growled.

Unexpectedly, Mu Qingfang was the first one to raise his sword and swung towards their enemies. Lime green sword-light swept over the band of bandits, catching them off guard. The two scholars followed his lead in a heartbeat, Tang Jun swung towards the bandits on his side as Shen Jiu hurled several talismans that exploded upon contact with the bandits.

Mu Qingfang mounted his sword and pulled Shen Jiu with him as the three quickly made a high-tail from there. No matter what, they couldn't risk fighting a band of bandits in their own home.

Mu Qingfang bit his lips, "Tang-shidi! We'll split off, you go to the western kingdom as soon as possible!"

Tang Jun nodded, "Alright!"

"Be careful!" Mu Qingfang reminded one last time before they split away, Tang Jun was the fastest, he should be able to go quickly.

"Mu-shixiong...?" Shen Jiu asked.

"Sorry, Shen-shidi. You have to come with me, Tang-shidi can't be slowed down," Mu Qingfang said.

"But, why are we splitting off?" Shen Jiu questioned.

"You didn't see?"

Shen Jiu winced subtly.

"The mark of burning lotus on their arm? They're not bandits, they're a part of a hostile rebel group," Mu Qingfang couldn't believe they actually resided there. "There were several rogue cultivators there too."

Shen Jiu blinked, unaware and surprised. "Rebel group? From western kingdom?"

"Yes," Mu Qingfang nodded. "For now, we should lay low for a bit... and be a bait to make sure Tang-shidi could fly to the western kingdom without much obstacles." He was careless, truly careless. Also unlucky. How could they even stumble upon a rebel group?

A cultivation sect shouldn't meddle with the mortal's kingdoms' affairs. The princes or noble kids from those kingdoms may come to study under a sect, but strictly, they can't ask a Sect as an entity to help their kingdoms or family. Furthermore, even if a prince or noble children became a direct disciple and later on a peak lord they had to swear an oath of not going to bring their Sect to their family or kingdom's problem.

Even to suppress a rebel group. Unless the offense had been too great for the cultivation sect to ignore and tipped the balance too much, then, cultivation sects were free to do anything. Many sects didn't abide to this unspoken rule, choosing to throw their weights around for favor, but Cang Qiong Mountain Sect was a giant amongst giants, if they moved, they might cause a large ripple. They never once meddled into a kingdom's affair, only maintaining a good relationship of mutual respect.

Cang Qiong Mountain Sect absolutely wouldn't move... Unless, if a disciple that had absolutely no connection to this affair got dragged into it and was hurt. Mu Qingfang was a succeeding disciple, his position within the sect was very important, it had been years since he had been appointed as a succeeding disciple, his Shifu had allocated many resources for him. If anything were to happen to him, his Shifu would raise hell.

Unlike Mu Qingfang, Qian Cao peak's current peak lord was extremely selfish despite his soft demeanor. He didn't care about anyone outside the people in his circle, in his sect. He wouldn't feel any remorse even if a whole village died out of a plague because he didn't send them medicines. Petulant and stubborn, how many times the current Sect Head came to scold him?

If Mu Qingfang was hurt, not only his Shifu would raise hell to both the villains and innocent people, Cang Qiong Mountain Sect would also be forced to have a stern stand on this dynasty's politics, and it could lead to several more problems.

The greatest way out was for them to inform the king and left it to be sorted by the people involved.

Mu Qingfang grabbed Shen Jiu by his torso and jumped off from his flying sword before a wave of murderous qi hit them both. His sword spun because of the assault but quickly recovered and lurched back to catch its master before they hit the ground.

Mu Qingfang clicked his tongue as he dropped Shen Jiu and removed the needle stuck on his arm, he hurled it back and stabbed someone square through his throat. Mu Qingfang pointed his sword at them all.

Rogue cultivators. As expected.

"Do you know who we are?" Mu Qingfang said sternly, Shen Jiu almost didn't recognize the voice, it sounded way too stern and arrogant for Mu Qingfang.

An exotic woman walked forwards, smiling surreptitiously, "This gentleman should have been someone from an esteemed sect. Our apologies for the... ah, rough greeting."

"It's way too long for a greeting," Shen Jiu said calmly, hiding his expression behind the fan.

The woman giggled, "The more important you are, the longer the greeting."

"What's your goal following us?" Mu Qingfang said coldly. "We will not take anyone lightly for trying to hurt us."

"We didn't know you're cultivators," with a high-level for someone that age, at that. The woman's eyes lingered on Mu Qingfang. "It's a bit regretful that we didn't greet you properly."

"Cut the case," Shen Jiu snapped.

"We need something from you two..." The woman licked her lips.

"Your silence," a man in violet robe growled and attacked. Mu Qingfang parried his attack and Shen Jiu kicked him in the ribs. The bandits swarmed over them and the two disciples worked together to fend them off, slowly getting pushed back themselves, overwhelmed with the amount.

Shen Jiu took out another set of talisman, feeling worried, he didn't have many talismans left. He used the talismans to make up his flaws. If it continued like this, they would be overwhelmed for sure.

"Wait!" Mu Qingfang yelled out suddenly. "We're disciples of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect!" He did something he absolutely disliked, bringing up his Sect's name for his safety. But he had to.

The rebels clearly caught off guard when they heard of the Sect's name, looking at each other incredulously before a gleam of determination flashed between them. Mu Qingfang's expression darkened, he tossed a handful of smoke bombs towards them and grabbed Shen Jiu again to mount his sword and fled.

"Wait!"

"Don't let them off!"

"Kill them! We'll die if Cang Qiong Mountain Sect knows we messed with their disciples!"

Whoooooosh!!!

Mu Qingfang increased his speed, suddenly, there was a high density of wind and the surrounding sand immediately raised. A sand storm!?

Shen Jiu was confused with the sudden large amount of sand particle in the air, and they were endless! "A sandstorm?!" he exclaimed in disbelief. That was why those people were so worried when he mentioned a storm, so worried that they immediately launched themselves to attack. They knew the sand storm was coming but didn't know when!

"Shit!" Shen Jiu could hear their exclamations.

Whooosh!

They weren't giving up to kill them!

Mu Qingfang controlled his sword to avoid the sword light. The woman from earlier unstrapped her whip and snapped it towards them, Mu Qingfang used his wrist to protect them both and tugged the whip harshly, disarming the woman.

Mu Qingfang let out a gasp after he disarmed the woman, the group of rebels saw that and quickly fled the scene before the sand storm worsened. The two disciples lowered to the ground and Mu Qingfang stumbled off.

Shen Jiu was confused, "Mu-shixiong, what's wrong?" The sand storm would worsen, why were they stopping?!

"Poison..." Mu Qingfang hissed as he reached for his medicine pouch. A fast-acting paralyzing poison. He pulled out a jade bottle from his pouch, uncapped the lid and quickly put the pill into his mouth. "Let's go," Mu Qingfang straightened, wobbling.

Shen Jiu caught him, "Mu-shixiong?" He furrowed his brows.

"Never mind. Quick," Mu Qingfang summoned his sword and it hovered faithfully before him. He jumped onto it and Shen Jiu also carefully got on.

They only got so far because Mu Qingfang's sight was already covered with sand. There was only sand everywhere, the fast-acting paralyzing poison made him feel faint at the same time, his antidote needed time before it could eradicate every poison in his system.

He lowered his sword to the ground and stumbled off again, this time, Shen Jiu caught him.

"Sorry, shidi..." Mu Qingfang said, coughing out.

The air had gotten dustier, it was bad for eyesight and breathing. If this continued, it would be bad for both of them. Mu Qingfang might be able to survive, but Shen Jiu...

Shen Jiu gritted his teeth, if this continued, they might die in this storm! They had to get out of here!

He had to do something. Mu Qingfang was out of question, waiting for Mu Qingfang was the same as waiting to be buried alive. Shen Jiu unsheathed Xiu Ya, Shen Jiu could feel something pulsed in their connection.

Shen Jiu squeezed his eyes shut. He needed to fly.

He had to.

For someone who had a near-perfect spiritual manifestation skill, for someone who could see with the wind, for someone who could will razor-sharp and steel-hard enchanted leaves fluttering and twirling in the wind. It should be easy for him to fly.

Shen Jiu clenched his hands, digging his nails into his skin hard enough to break it. For someone whom the wind constantly whispered to, he should be able to...

He let go of Xiu Ya, the blade hovered encouragingly. Shen Jiu stepped onto it, he wobbled. He also had to bring Mu Qingfang along.

But, why did the idea of flying scared him so?

He couldn't see anything. He sensed few things in the air...

Because only the ground would catch him if he fell.

The wind could only reach and whisper to him, but they would never be able to catch him. It was all void to him. only endless darkness, The ground was the only thing that made him feel grounded, he couldn't grab the wind, the wind was free unlike him.

He didn't feel safe...

"To hell with it," Shen Jiu murmured. When did he ever feel safe? Never. Close to never. There were three people that he felt safe with, now, only one, his Shizun. Everything felt unsafe for him. What was the difference now?

He could do it. He had to.

"Shidi...?" Mu Qingfang mumbled groggily as he felt Shen Jiu dragged him up onto his sword. It was all up to Shen Jiu now, the weakest, to get the most important character out of this mess.

"I'll try to get us out of here, Mu-shixiong," Shen Jiu said.

Xiu Ya faltered- no, no. Xiu Ya never faltered. It was Shen Jiu's legs that wobbled. It was all on him. He had to fix this himself. Shen Jiu would never forgive himself if he tried to blame Xiu Ya again.

The ground would catch him if he fell but the wind would always embrace him.

Mu Qingfang felt surprise dawned in him as they slowly raised from the ground, the wind got even fiercer but Shen Jiu's resolve was firm. They braved through the wind, Mu Qingfang couldn't even open his eyes because of the dust, he wondered how Shen Jiu could even control his sword in this kind of weather.

Shen Jiu didn't need his eyes to navigate through the dusty storm, his eyes had long been closed, his sense spread out, he knew where to go. His robe billowed in the wind, dirty and torn on some parts. Sand stuck on his sweaty exposed skin.

Xiu Ya let out a whistle of qi as it sped up, cutting through the sand storm.

Mu Qingfang opened his eyes to a very quiet cave, he could feel the poison in his body had long been neutralized by his antidote and sat up to check his surrounding. He noticed Shen Jiu not far away from him, unconscious.

Mu Qingfang slowly approached the scholar, he gently placed his hand on Shen Jiu's shoulder and flipped him over to face him. He brought his hand to check on his pulse and breathing, sighing in relief when he found nothing wrong. He only had minor injuries on his body, but he passed out not because of that.

Qi exhaustion. He would be fine but it was still dangerous, if he was forced to push himself further, his life would be in danger.

Mu Qingfang retrieved a blue pill from his space pouch and put it into Shen Jiu's mouth. He also took out a jade bottle and poured out the liquid into his hand, he rubbed them on Shen Jiu's closed eyes to get rid of any sand in it before putting it on himself.

After he rubbed his eyes clean, he saw Shen Jiu's blade which was laying abandoned beside the scholar. He picked up the sword, which pulsed weakly in protest, and resheathed it back, putting it against the cave's wall so Shen Jiu wouldn't accidentally hurt himself when he moved or wake up.

Mu Qingfang scanned the cave for any hidden anomaly that would endanger them both and found nothing. He slowly got up and slowly stalked outside to see the situation outside.

The sand storm had yet to cease, but it was already way weaker than the last time Mu Qingfang saw it before he lost consciousness. He shook his head. Their luck was so bad in this mission, he hoped Tang Jun could escape the storm.

It only took about a quarter-sichen before Mu Qingfang returned. Mu Qingfang returned to a frantic sight of Shen Jiu, looking like he was just half-awake. When registering Mu Qingfang's presence, unexpectedly, the man grabbed a sizable rock and hurled it to Mu Qingfang, surprising the succeeding disciple.

Mu Qingfang ducked out of the way, crying out, "Shen-shidi! It is me!"

Shen Jiu paused, grimacing, "Mu-shixiong...? Oh, I thought you were..." He trailed off lamely.

Mu Qingfang smiled helplessly, showing him that he truly didn't mind, "It's okay, you're still groggy after just waking up. I don't blame you."

Shen Jiu lowered his head sheepishly, "This shidi apologizes. Mu-shixiong, if you don't mind me asking, where's my sword?" He asked seriously, his tone tinged with exhaustion.

Mu Qingfang blinked, his eyes flickered to the sheathed sword leaning on the wall just three steps away from Shen Jiu. His smile fell from his face, "It's right beside you, Shen-shidi. I was afraid you would accidentally hurt yourself so I moved it a little farther from you..." He said softly.

Shen Jiu froze before covering it up a relieved smile, "I see, thank you..." Which side...? Shen Jiu only nodded, hoping Mu Qingfang would not notice his strange action.

Too late. Mu Qingfang had noticed it. A normal instinct of nature from human, when someone pointed out to something they were searching, they would immediately look at the thing, it was a reflex, something that your brain just programmed you to do. But Shen Jiu... He didn't react even a bit when Mu Qingfang pointed out where his sword was.

The healer furrowed his brows, he moved to approach Shen Jiu, but the scholar held his head in his hand. "I think, I'll need more rest," Shen Jiu said and Mu Qingfang paused.

"Yes, you will need to meditate to recover," Mu Qingfang said, Shen Jiu's subtle dismissal failed to deter him from approaching as he stepped closer. He stopped a few steps away from Shen Jiu and picked up Xiu Ya. Stepping in front of Shen Jiu he offered the sword, "Here, your sword," he said.

Shen Jiu perked up, the lighting within the cave was so bad, Mu Qingfang couldn't see where Shen Jiu's eyes were looking. The scholar held out his hand, as if waiting for Mu Qingfang to put the sword into his hand, on instinct, Mu Qingfang almost handed it over but he held himself back in the last second.

No one moved, either to hand over the sword or to take it.

The silence within the cave was almost deafening.

Shen Jiu's pale face became even paler, went unnoticed because of the dark cave. He knew he was trapped by the physician.

"Here is your sword, Shidi," came Mu Qingfang's soothing voice.

Shen Jiu bit his tongue and decided to take his chances, he reached out.

He missed.

Shen Jiu could hear the rustles of Mu Qingfang's robe as he kneeled down on the ground, he could hear the rattle of the sheathed Xiu Ya as it was placed in between them both.

A pair of cold hands held Shen Jiu's face and guided him to raise his head straight. Mu Qingfang's eyes traced Shen Jiu's eyes in the dark, disbelieving. He unsheathed his own sword, injecting some qi into it to produce light and held the shining blade over Shen Jiu's eyes. Shen Jiu did not react.

Those dark eyes reflected nothing back... Blank. Mu Qingfang wondered how he never noticed.

"You're blind...?" Mu Qingfang realized. Suddenly everything made sense and didn't make sense at the same time.

Shen Jiu closed his eyes, "Yes," as per his 'promise', he would admit to anyone who noticed it. Since Mu Qingfang noticed, then, he was obligated to admit. He was wrong and reckless when he asked for Xiu Ya in his panic, it was his first time ever passing out because of qi exhaustion, when he woke up he couldn't sense anything aside for sounds, not even Xiu Ya which was usually one of the brightest and most welcoming presence in his radar.

Even Mu Qingfang's usual bright calming wood-elemental qi failed to be sensed by him.

"Since when?" Mu Qingfang breathed out, astonished.

Shen Jiu brought up his hands to gently peel off Mu Qingfang's hold on his face, "Give or take, five years," He answered bitterly. Shen Jiu had a vague sense of time before Qing Jing, but since Yue Qingyuan said he just turned twenty, then, it really should have been five years since...

"Does everyone know?" Was he the only one who didn't notice and simply treated Shen Jiu normally without any consideration?

Shen Jiu tilted his head, "My Shizun knows. And... I guess, two head disciples from other peaks," Shen Jiu said as he thought of Yue Qingyuan and that disciple of Yin Hui whom he only met once till now.

Mu Qingfang gasped in astonishment, "No one else? So..." he gestured in disbelief. "Everyone didn't know you're blind?"

Shen Jiu shook his head, "You're the first one to know after two years."

"That's... How? How could you... I didn't notice at all, you didn't look nor act like you're blind. You look perfectly normal, how is that possible? Are you specifically trained? But, five years? No one noticed except for Qing Jing's peak lord and two others? How did you see?" Mu Qingfang lost his composure, as a succeeding disciple, he had seen many things. But in his short life, only now he encountered something like this. And Shen Jiu was so young too, his cultivation was very low- how?

Shen Jiu laughed softly with underlining feeling of self-depreciation, "I didn't see, Mu-shixiong. I feel. Sense." He exhaled, "When you're desperate and cornered, you could learn a year of knowledge in just a few days... You have to."

Mu Qingfang stared at the man in front of him, his blank eyes looked especially painful to look at. He looked at him in a mix of pity and amazement. He recalled this man's determination when he unsheathed his sword to fly when he couldn't fly it at all before.

Built in desperation, huh? "I see..." Mu Qingfang smiled, "You're amazing, Shen-shidi." Mu Qingfang had a feeling he wouldn't be calling this man 'shidi' anymore in the future.

Notes:

Note: Jin in Duan Qingjin's name means "Energy." Also, the "Qing" in the previous peak lords' names were not the same "Qing" as their successors. Whilst Yue Qingyuan's generation's "Qing" means "Clear". Theirs means "Light" not the light as in opposite of darkness, but light as in "feather light" could also mean "soft" or "gentle."

Duan Qingjin's name means 'Light Energy' or 'Soft Energy' which was ironic with his excitement and exploding energy.

This chapter is hard. I kept getting distracted. Zoning out when I'm writing. Deciding the terrain. Deleting the scenes I thought as useless. Still ended with 12k... I'm so sorry... Next one would be shorter.

Chapter 5: No regret, are you sure?

Summary:

Shen Jiu became Shen Qingqiu. Immortal Alliance Conference, start.

Notes:

Listen, I'd like to think my grammar was not that bad but sometimes my hands type faster than my brain doing the thinking. My standard pace of typing when I don't have to stop and think up the story was 250apm.

Sometimes grammar mistakes just escaped my notice and my brain when your hands were typing so quickly and your brain went, "Hm, that sounds quite alright," without trying to help. Bear with me, I've tried my best.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, Wang Qingzhao, flicked a glance to the carefully and meticulously stored three herbs before him and looked back to the group of six that had returned looking worse for wear.

His two shidi sitting beside him also arched their brows.

"What happened?" Jing Qingan raised his brows, it was only a foraging mission, was it not? They might encounter some beasts in search of this, maybe some minor demons, but not enough to make them like this.

"One of you returned with a broken leg too," The current peak lord of Qian Cao peak, Bian Qingque, furrowed his brows. "Qingfang, what happened?" he asked his head disciple. This child never looked this quite worse for wear, the worst he ever returned with was an exhausted appearance but still impeccable.

"It's just a series of complicated accidents, Shifu," Mu Qingfang hurriedly said before anyone could say anything.

"We had Bai Zhan peak and Xian Shu peak's disciples working together on demon extermination near the border," Wang Qingzhao said. "They didn't look as bad as you despite you're only going for foraging mission."

"We had to split off because of certain circumstances regarding the herbs," Mu Qingfang reported. "Two of us went to the royal family on the western kingdom who had one herb. The rest continued to search for the other herbs, Yao-shidi slipped down when we tried to harvest the mushroom. When we were searching for the last herb, we encountered bandit group..."

"Anything you want to say?" Jing Qingan looked at his disciples. Of them, Shen Jiu looked worst for wear, but his cultivation was the lowest so that was normal. "Could it be none of my disciple able to assist their brothers of Qian Cao peak against mere bandits?" he added coldly.

The three scholars winced.

"Respect to Shizun, there were quite a few rogue cultivators within the bandit group," Tang Jun reported and Mu Qingfang lowered his head, pursing his lips in exasperation.

"And you're unable to defend against them?" Jing Qingan was still not pleased.

"They're from Burning Lotus group, Shizun," Tang Jun said and Mu Qingfang sighed, unable to stop his shidi from saying it.

"The rebel group?" Jing Qingan arched his brows.

"Atrocious!" Bian Qingque narrowed his eyes.

Wang Qingzhao held up his hand to calm his shidi down, "Do they know you're from Cang Qiong Mountain Sect?"

"They did," Tang Jun nodded.

"They did and still attacked? Truly bunch of ants thinking they're something," Bian Qingque smiled coldly.

"Calm down, Bian-shidi," Jing Qingan said. "Everything had passed, they returned safely."

Mu Qingfang sighed in relief before he took out a scroll, "Zhangmen-shibo, Jing-shibo, Shifu, this is the report of the mission."

Ye Chenyuan also took out a scroll, "This is the report from our part in the kingdom."

The peak lords nodded as they put the scrolls down. "You all may go and retire for the day," the Sect Leader stated and the six disciples bowed down deeply before standing up and retreated out.

"I think they did fine, no hidden resentment to each other," Jing Qingan pointed out.

Wang Qingzhao nodded in agreement. The joint mission with Zui Xian peak disciples and Ku Xing peak disciples went with both sides secretly glaring at each other whilst reporting back. The only one who didn't seem to be bothered was Zui Xian peak's succeeding disciple who seemed to be too deep in his hangover to care.

"They might be better at hiding it," Bian Qingque said.

"That's why you two will ask them personally about it in your own peak," Wang Qingzhao said. "That's right, amongst those three. Who is your succeeding disciple, Jing-shidi?"

"I haven't decided it yet," Jing Qingan replied honestly.

"I see," Wang Qingzhao nodded. "Bian-shidi, can you promise me one thing?"

"I can't," Bian Qingque said simply. Out of all people in this world, who would reject the Sect Leader of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect in a heartbeat? The only one who was daring enough to do this was only this one stubborn shidi.

"You can't do anything to meddle with the western kingdom's political affair," the Sect Leader ordered anyway.

"Oh, I won't meddle," Bian Qingque said mildly with a nod. That nod was something that promised something else. He probably wouldn't meddle but who said he couldn't take petty revenge by blacklisting them? He was petty like that and every peak lord knew about it.

Jing Qingan tilted his head, sensing another scolding session coming. "Zhangmen-shixiong, Bian-shidi. I will return to my peak first," he said and quickly left the place.

Jing Qingan had called each of his three disciples that he had sent to the mission. He didn't call all three of them since he knew they might have something to hide then.

The last he called in was Shen Jiu on the guise of serving him tea whilst he was working.

"Tell me in detail about your side of the mission," Jing Qingan ordered after picking up a cup of steaming hot tea and delicately sniffing its fragrance.

Shen Jiu tilted his head up slightly, cradling the tray he used to serve tea close to his chest. "Mu-shixiong found out about my disability," he started and that successfully made Jing Qingan pause.

Jing Qingan hummed, "As expected of Bian-shidi's succeeding disciple," he nodded. "How did he find out?"

"To answer Shizun, when this disciple went with Mu-shixiong and parted with Tang-shixiong. We were chased by the bandits and a sandstorm hit," Shen Jiu said.

Jing Qingan nodded, the sandstorm was mentioned in the report written by Mu Qingfang but he skimmed over it to make it short and concise.

"Mu-shixiong was poisoned and cannot fly his sword in the sandstorm," Shen Jiu continued.

Jing Qingan paused slightly. That wasn't mentioned, but it might be because the peak lord of Qian Cao peak would be furious. That child knew his Shifu well. Clever. He blinked, "Then, what happened? You can't fly a sword yet, can you?" he recalled.

Shen Jiu exasperatedly smiled in his mind, so you still remembered this little fact and you sent me anyway? "I managed to push myself to save our little lives."

Jing Qingan smiled, pleased. "You always learned better under the pressure."

The pressure was too heavy, though. He almost died. "This disciple exhausted his qi but managed to find a cave to be a shelter through the sandstorm. I woke up disoriented and cannot sense anything at all. Mu-shixiong noticed my strange state and suspected something."

Jing Qingan showed a bit of concern on his face as he looked at Shen Jiu. However, he soon wiped off the expression and sipped his tea calmly.

"Mu-shixiong confirmed his suspicion by insisting this disciple to reach for his sword. I failed his test," Shen Jiu showed an embarrassed expression at this.

Jing Qingan nodded faintly, lost in his own thought. "What an adventure..." he said mildly. "Your performance exceeds my expectation yet again," he smiled. At first, it was only a moment of whim to take in Shen Jiu, despite losing interest in him for a while Shen Jiu managed to surprise him again and again.

This time was, yet again, another pleasant surprise.

Shen Jiu bowed down, "Thank you, Shizun," he said.

Jing Qingan smiled genuinely before he frowned as he recalled something, "You still have to work hard on your cultivation, though. It's good you figure out how to fly a sword, but you wouldn't exhaust your qi and be vulnerable if your cultivation is higher."

Shen Jiu nodded, "This disciple will work hard."

"And you said you lost your sense because of the qi exhaustion?" Jing Qingan asked.

"To answer Shizun, I just can't sense qi and my other senses were a bit frazzled. But I was able to detect a person or movement," Shen Jiu said. "Because of this too I accidentally attacked Mu-shixiong," he admitted.

Jing Qingan wasn't surprised, "I see, so you're not completely vulnerable at least," he nodded. He tapped the table's surface with his lean finger thoughtfully, "I think that's all, I'll guide your cultivation properly later." Shen Jiu had always been a hard-working child to make up losses, so he didn't have to worry about it.

"Yes, thank you, Shizun," Shen Jiu bowed down.

"Oh, and one more thing," Jing Qingan recalled something and a few moments later, Shen Jiu could hear a sound of chiming bells. "Here," Jing Qingan said and Shen Jiu instinctively opened his hand. Something was placed in his hand.

Shen Jiu blinked down at the thing in his hand, the texture was like a rope knotted intricately and it seemed like there was a pair of bells attached to it, giving out faint sounds every time it clashed against each other.

"It's a sword tassel," Jing Qingan stated to clear off Shen Jiu's confusion about the thing in his hand. "Your birthday gift."

Shen Jiu's head snapped up so fast it might be cracked, "S-Shizun... You don't have to..." He grew flustered. He was just an orphan and his 'birthday' might not be his birthday too, he didn't deserve any gift from his Shizun-

"This master wanted to," Jing Qingan said.

"But..." Shen Jiu opened his mouth and only that one syllable came out. He couldn't argue with that answer. His Shizun wanted to, then who was he, as a disciple, to refuse? Ugh- 'This is all because of Yue Qingyuan,' If that fool didn't run around and said that nonsense to his Shizun...

Jing Qingan waved him off, "Enough, you're dismissed now. Or do you have anything more to say?" he raised his brows.

"No..." Shen Jiu bowed down. He clenched the sword tassel with his two hands and was about to retreat when he paused and recalled something that was almost forgotten because of his fluster. "Um..." he hesitantly turned his head back.

Jing Qingan raised his brows, "You have something to say?"

"Yes, I... Shizun, in the mission, I encountered many different types of monsters and minor demons and couldn't identify them at all," he admitted.

The two of his senior brothers could identify them in a heartbeat whereas he stood there with blank eyes as he tried to categorize the name and the beast's sound plus stench with the memorized data in his mind.

"I wonder if," he could join his martial sisters outside when they had any mission that involved minor demons or monsters so he could categorize them in his mind to make up his inability to see their form.

"I'll take you out to teach you then," Jing Qingan said in heartbeat and Shen Jiu almost gawked there.

"Shizun...?" Shen Jiu murmured in shock.

Jing Qingan nodded. That's right, what was the point of being a scholar of Qing Jing peak if they couldn't identify demons and monsters alike? Shen Jiu was severely disadvantaged without being able to see them despite already memorizing half of the demon and monster encyclopedia in the last few years. He had to accommodate him too. No, in fact, "Let's take classes outside with other senior disciples."

"With other seniors?" Shen Jiu parroted.

"Yes, I can't show bias," Jing Qingan said calmly. "Let's give it a try. The first five times is mandatory, after that, it could be voluntary," it'd be a hassle to always bring others along, moreso if they didn't want to be there.

"Shizun...?" Shen Jiu still couldn't believe what he heard.

"This master will announce it tomorrow. We'll have the first out-peak class the day after tomorrow and for the rest of the week, you may retire early now," Jing Qingan said.

And so, the start of outdoor class and series of disasters also misery for Qing Jing peak's studious scholars.

Time flowed like a river, unstoppable and hard to keep track on. A year passed just like that.

By the sixth month of the infamous outdoor class, practically none of the sheltered scholar in Qing Jing peak wanted to follow their Shizun's whim and quirk as long as they weren't required to. Furthermore, they always returned with a lot of wounds, feeling sore all over, and required at least a visit to Qian Cao peak.

They didn't know what made their Shizun suddenly think it was a good idea. It was easy at first, the first few times, he just took them to nearby forests or haunted shrines to introduce some minor monsters, demons, and even spirit beasts that they happen to encounter. The class was easy enough and they didn't want to appear lazy in their Shizun's eyes.

The spot of succeeding disciple was still open after all.

But as it went on and on, Jing Qingan took them to some more difficult places with a lot of demons, at first, it was at a basic intermediate level, and then it sky-rocketed to high-level demons that Jing Qingan encouraged them to get close to. To familiarize themselves, he said.

They were familiar enough with those creepy demons from afar, they didn't need nor want to familiarize themselves further.

They learned a lot but suffered a lot too.

The only one who was foolish enough to keep getting close to those creatures which forced others to follow his example was Shen Jiu. It made Shen Jiu even more resented amongst the male disciples.

"Show off." And certainly more insulting remarks had been said about Shen Jiu's all-too-obedient actions. Shen Jiu didn't really care, on some occasions, he even fired back his own insulting remarks.

"Bunch of sheltered, oversized, toddlers." Shen Jiu rolled his eyes.

In the end, many senior disciples found excuses of their own to not follow the outdoor class that kept getting ridiculously more dangerous. Jing Qingan let them be, in fact, whenever he wanted to go out for his class, he didn't inform them anymore and simply took Shen Jiu and left.

He didn't have time being concerned about those who didn't have the drive to study. Since he had given them the same chance as he gave Shen Jiu and refused, he didn't need to beg them to take it.

Of course he didn't always have this special class, he had a peak to manage and his own cultivation to take care of. But whenever he could, he would take Shen Jiu out to some dangerous places and then bait out any demon that they hadn't encounter yet. Or fighting the kinds of demon they had encountered before just to make sure Shen Jiu didn't forget.

His disciple didn't disappoint him, he could always recognize the creature from the way it growled, moved, and even began picking up to distinguish the faint difference of those mindless creatures by their demonic qi. If he had his sight, he'd certainly know all of them by heart by now just only with books, like the others had.

Jing Qingan's little expeditions didn't always go unnoticed, though. Other peak lords questioned it, they gained literal answer of studying monsters and demons in the wild. They still had no idea why, though.

The lord of Qing Jing peak stood by the koi pond as he played a sorrowful piece with his dizi, creating a melancholic atmosphere within the quiet Qing Jing peak.

Shen Jiu was beside him, accompanying his Shizun's bamboo flute with his own low and melancholic melodies of guqin. They harmonized so astonishingly well as always. In the past year, although he was the only one that his Shizun took for 'the class' outside, he still didn't abandon his study and practice.

Shen Jiu's guqin skill was already very refined and flawless that Jing Qingan had no more complaint aside for little suggestions for improvement once in a while which Shen Jiu took in like a sponge to water.

Out of the four arts, Shen Jiu was the most skilled in guqin. When it came to calligraphy, he had to measure the paper first with his hand before checking the brush to manage it, his calligraphy already improved by leap and bound, still, it could be much better. As for painting, he had an even more difficult time here, but he impressed his Shizun again by always practicing until he could paint decent landscape paintings.

The hardest one was Go, though, he had difficulty to keep track of which pieces he had left and which pieces were his opponent's. Especially when his Shizun took out a harder version of the game.

The piece came to an end as his Shizun dragged out a last long sorrowful note and Shen Jiu also delicately ended his part. He smiled slightly, every time he played a music, it was always so clear for him. Whether it was his mind or his sense, everything always seemed to be cleared. It was a good distraction from reality for a blind person like him.

"Silently, I climb up the West Tower alone,

The crescent moon is curved like a hook.

The lonely Paulownia tree deep in the garden,

Is locked in the colours of clear autumn." The lord of Qing Jing peak recited, his calm voice could be heard clearly within the quiet peak. "Qingqiu. From henceforth, your name is Shen Qingqiu," he looked at Shen Qingqiu and stated.

Shen Jiu looked up, his unseeing eyes were wide in shock. Everyone within the vicinity also stared in disbelief.

They weren't stupid. They knew what their Shizun meant even though he didn't say it outright.

A courtesy name with the character of 'Qing' directly from a peak lord. They knew what it meant all too well. This generation's future peak lords were named with the character of 'Qing.'

The peak lord of Qing Jing just appointed Shen Jiu as his succeeding disciple. They blankly stared, unable to believe the shocking statement that came after such a calming music.

"Shizun...?"

"S-Shen Jiu?"

"Why...?" Some murmurs appeared, doubtful and disbelieving.

Even Shen Jiu couldn't believe what his Shizun just said.

Jing Qingan crossed his arms loosely, tapping the bamboo flute in his hand lightly as he spoke up, "Shen Qingqiu has a nice rhyme to it. Don't you agree, Qingqiu?" Jing Qingan tilted his head slightly.

Shen Jiu snapped out of his stupor and quickly kneeled, "This disciple is forever grateful for Shizun's favor," he said. The name qiu left a bad taste in his mouth, even towards the Shizun he admired, he still couldn't help but to resent it a bit. But when he recalled everything his Shizun had did for him alone, he swallowed his dissatisfaction and bowed his head down to say thank you.

It was just a name.

Moreover, it was the name that his Shizun had given to him.

"Sh-Shizun, do you... do you really mean it?" A senior disciple questioned the question everyone wanted to ask. Well, Shen Jiu couldn't be said a new disciple anymore, in fact, he already wormed his way to be a senior disciple with his skills but his cultivation was still not impressive enough to be a succeeding disciple. "Shen-shidi's cultivation is still..." There were still many people who exceeded him in terms of cultivation!

"You're questioning this master?" Jing Qingan raised his brows and snorted coldly. "This master decides what he decides. No question asked. From now on, Shen Qingqiu is your shixiong now and you all have to give him the respect he deserves," he ordered.

A moment of speechless silence fell before a senior female disciple cupped her fist and bowed down to Shen Jiu, "Shen-shixiong," she said firmly. Shen Jiu knew that voice, she was one of the girls who always pulled him to study together, always adoringly called him 'Shen-shidi, Shen-shidi,' with cheer in her voice. The politeness in her voice caught him off guard.

The other female disciples followed her lead, "Shen-shixiong," they said demurely with a light smile on their pretty faces.

A moment later, the male disciples finally throw away their pride and prejudice, "Shen-shixiong," they all bowed down.

Shen Jiu kept his face neutral for the whole thing.

It was really too bad that he was blind and couldn't see those male disciples' faces.

The news of Qing Jing peak finally appointing a succeeding disciple spread like a ripple, the other peak lords knew about the news at the next day and were curious on which one that their picky martial brother had picked. When they saw the glimpse of the most-gossiped succeeding disciple, they raised their brows and let out a knowing 'ah...'

"It's the one that Jing-shixiong always abused, right?" Zui Xian peak's peak lord said bluntly when he saw the young man. Everyone recalled it was the same young man who was always beside Jing Qingan when he was on an expedition outside to fight high-level demons. Sometimes he returned with serious injuries that had to be treated in Qian Cao peak.

"Abuse is such a crass word. I'd say, he's the one that had suffered the most," Ku Xing peak's peak lord added in. "But it came to fruition at last."

"Whatever it is, since it's Jing-shixiong's choice, we don't have to worry."

Different from the peak lords who trusted their martial brother's choice of succeeding disciple, the disciples were not so trusting. It all started from the jealousy in Qing Jing peak and rumors spread about Shen Qingqiu's incapability.

Low cultivation.

Someone with an unclear background.

A hypocrite who shamelessly kissing up to the peak lord of Qing Jing and seducing the female disciples whilst treating his martial brothers badly without respect when he was still a mere junior disciple.

The rumors only grew especially with Shen Qingqiu being so arrogant and would not see eyes to anyone.

Even if Shen Qingqiu could see eyes with them, he would still call them fucking pathetic morons who can only bitch and really should focus on their own pathetic lives and how to fix their stupidity.

The problem wasn't about Shen Qingqiu not seeing them in the eyes or not. The problem was how they can stop spreading rumors just because he didn't see them in the fucking eyes and ignored stupidity that fell off their mouths.

Shen Qingqiu was reminded daily just why he hated socializing with anyone. At least his martial sisters stayed the same if not a bit more spoiled for his attention, which, sadly, also the reason why the male disciples hated him more and more.

"Qingqiu-shidi."

There was also another variable that he kept getting bad press.

"Did you get into another fight?" Yue Qingyuan's voice sounded so concerned from Shen Qingqiu's side and, as always, had the gut to hold Shen Qingqiu's arm.

Shen Qingqiu shrugged his hand with practiced ease, "What do you need?" he said, too tired to sarcastically be polite to the future Sect Leader.

"Your cheek is bruised," Yue Qingyuan stressed.

"Really, I can't see that," Shen Qingqiu said sarcastically.

"Who?" Yue Qingyuan narrowed his eyes in frustration.

"You talked like I could actually see their faces and identify them," Shen Qingqiu's lips twisted.

"Xiao Jiu..." Yue Qingyuan furrowed his brows.

"Yue-shixiong, please refer me properly by my courtesy name. My Shizun gave that name to me and I'd like to be referred as such, especially by strangers," Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes.

"Qingqiu-shidi," Yue Qingyuan started again. "Who did this?"

"Yue-shixiong, this isn't your problem."

"At least let me take a look at it."

"What, because I can't look at it myself?"

"Qingqiu-shidi, please. I want to help," Yue Qingyuan said.

Shen Qingqiu glared at the space he was sure Yue Qingyuan was in with a nasty expression that practically said. 'Are we fucking seriously talking about this again?'

Yue Qingyuan bit his lips, "I know you could never forgive me, but please give me a chance to protect you. Your condition... it was all my fault."

"I don't need your protection."

"Qingqiu-shidi, I know you're strong," amazing, even. "But there were times when someone needs assistance, it's not a sign of weakness."

"Like those times I spent in that place, you mean?" Shen Qingqiu sneered coldly. "No one assisted me, I survived."

Yue Qingyuan flinched, somehow, every time Yue Qingyuan said something to Shen Qingqiu, Shen Qingqiu always find a way to twist it back and pierce where it hurt the most for both of them. "I brought you to this place. I'm responsible for your safety here."

"It's all about responsibility again," Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes. "If you don't mind, Yue-shixiong. This shidi has his own responsibility to fulfill."

"It's not about responsibility, I want to protect you," Yue Qingyuan grabbed his forearm to prevent him from leaving.

"And you don't give a thought of what I want?" Shen Qingqiu hissed. "Classic of you, Yue Qingyuan. And don't worry about these bruises, I experienced worse before. I won't drop dead just because of a few sheltered bastards think they could outsmart me."

Shen Qingqiu left, ever oblivious to Yue Qingyuan's expression as he stared at Shen Qingqiu's leaving form. He had a more important thing to care about.

His first Immortal Alliance Conference. His first as a succeeding disciple or as a disciple in that matter. He needed to give a good performance and not humiliate his Shizun.

"Shimei, where are we going?" Shen Qingqiu asked again in exasperation for the third time ever since a group of junior sisters decided they were done seeing Shen Qingqiu practicing alone and dragged him out of the peak.

"Just keep walking, you will like it, Shen-shixiong," One older female disciple giggled demurely. Whilst they were shocked to find Shen Qingqiu suddenly got appointed to be a succeeding disciple, some girls were even jealous, they had no problem with Shen Qingqiu.

Mainly because Shen Qingqiu stayed the same in his treatment towards them, by being kind and courteous whilst also keeping his gentleman distance. Many male disciples complained Shen Qingqiu was a hypocrite but there was nothing hypocrite in his treatment at all. Shen Qingqiu was transparent about his hostility to the boys in exchange of the boys' bullying, there was nothing hypocrite about that for all their concern.

"I have to practice," Shen Qingqiu said gently but kept following them as they were all walking surrounding him, there was no way out.

"We know, Shen-shixiong. You said something about wanting to fight an opponent with a different style of fighting, right?" Another girl said understandingly.

"Yes?" Shen Qingqiu nodded.

"Well, we know just who would fit into that profile!" the girl on his left claimed with glee. "She was on the roll too."

"Who-"

"Here we are!" the girl at the front declared and Shen Qingqiu stopped, raising his head. He knew he was brought outside the peak and over the windy rainbow bridges. But he didn't know where they were going until now.

The delicate fragrance of blooming plum blossoms from the all-year blooming plum groove and yin aura that was plenty higher than any other peak. Shen Qingqiu knew which peak it was. The exclusive girls-only peak, the peak of fairies, Xian Shu peak.

"Surprised?" The girl in front of him said smugly.

"Men are not allowed in," Shen Qingqiu said blankly.

"Of course, they're allowed! You just have to bypass a few strict procedures to do so."

"No worries, Shen-shixiong. We can put in good words for you, we have a good relationship with girls of Xian Shu peak," another said reassuringly.

Shen Qingqiu sighed, "What are the procedures?"

"Oh, it's nothing too hard. If it's Shen-shixiong, we believe you can pass it. Now, hurry, hurry, it's not every day you can go to the peak of fairies!"

"They usually serve delicious plum tea at this hour."

Shen Qingqiu hesitantly climbed the stairs to Xian Shu's peak entrance as his martial sisters made an exciting conversation around him whilst also nudging him to keep walking. For some reason, Shen Qingqiu felt like a prisoner getting captured by their trap.

Shen Qingqiu could feel two qi signatures at the top of the stairs just in front of the gate, the group soon stopped before them.

"Sister Qing, Sister Yu, good afternoon," The female scholars of Qing Jing demurely greeted.

"Good afternoon," was the synchronized answer from two women guarding the gate. "Welcome to Xian Shu peak, do you have any business here?" one of the two said with a voice as soft as the finest silk slithering smoothly across a moon-kissed skin. As a blind person, Shen Qingqiu could appreciate her voice, he had no idea how beautiful her visage would be, but he guessed she should be plenty beautiful to be a part of Xian Shu peak.

It was clear that the question was directed to him as the only male in this packed group of girls. But his martial sister answered for him anyway, "This is our Shen-shixiong," she first introduced.

The two girls guarding the guard blinked before they bowed down politely, "Shen-shixiong," they greeted. Knowing a young man surnamed Shen was pointed to be the succeeding disciple of Qing Jing peak, they had never seen the man before because of Shen Qingqiu's busy schedule of studying and practicing to catch up with the rest of the disciples.

Shen Jiu's martial sister continued, "Our shixiong had practiced a lot lately and we thought he could use a new partner to spar. Is it okay...?"

The two girls blinked and looked at each other before they looked back to Shen Qingqiu, judging. "Hm, since it's for sparring, we can't refuse," they smiled. "Our shijie accepts every man's challenge. She would be delighted to know Shen-shixiong comes to visit."

Wait, he didn't get any say in this?

"Thank you, sisters!"

The gateguards stepped aside and Shen Qingqiu was dragged inside by his martial sisters. The smell of pleasant natural floral fragrances hit Shen Qingqiu's sense of smell once he stepped inside, there were so many floral fragrances and they all mixed as one, somehow harmonizing with each other. It was really pleasant and not at all overbearing.

Somehow Shen Qingqiu had a bad feeling about this.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Whoosh-

Clang!

Snap-

Shen Qingqiu gritted his teeth as he twisted his body and dug his heels into the ground to prevent himself of getting pulled off by the tight ribbon wrapped around his forearm. He tipped his body slightly backward, barely dodging the sword coming from his side, he used the ribbon wrapped around his arm as support to leap back from another sweep that came after that.

The plum blossoms dancing around them moved in frantically, circling around the two fighting figures that seemed to be dancing. Several plum blossoms turned solid steel and spiraled down to the lavender-coloured ribbon and cut through it, freeing Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu leaped away before another set of ribbon wrapped around him again and swung his sword to parry a sword wave sent his way. He waved his free hand and wind took the falling plum blossoms to another dance to prevent the ribbons from distracting him again.

Clang!!!

Two swords clashed again, the two people took a step back in silent understanding and set up a better stance before attacking each other again.

The activity of Xian Shu peak practically stopped all in favor of watching the two people fighting almost toe-to-toe with all they got. Moreover, the visual was indeed too mesmerizing.

Clang!

Shen Qingqiu managed to redirect Qi Qingqi's sword sideways before it could point to his neck. Qi Qingqi pulled her sword back but Shen Qingqiu swung his sword weakly to his side, a silent sign of surrender.

Qi Qingqi paused and stared as Shen Qingqiu's stance faltered.

"Qi-shimei, you're really a fervent force to reckon," Shen Qingqiu smiled bitterly. "This shixiong admits defeat," he said with a curt nod. He had wasted a few minutes thinking about how to end the unwanted spar with the head disciple of Xian Shu peak, precisely two minutes after the fight started. He couldn't find a way to win and her cultivation was higher than his too, it only made it more difficult for him.

Rather than ending it with his inevitable loss, he'd rather admit defeat. This girl was not someone to underestimate.

Qi Qingqi dropped her stance and cupped her fist, "Shen-shixiong flatters this shimei," she said politely. Something told Shen Qingqiu that she wasn't used to talking like that.

Shen Qingqiu smiled, "Thank you for accepting this shixiong's request for a spar, shimei. I have a lot that I have yet to learn."

"We both learned something today, Shen-shixiong," Qi Qingqi said.

Between the two of them, Shen Qingqiu's breath was fast and uneven, beads of sweat rolled down his temples and it was clear he was nearing his limit. Whereas Qi Qingqi's condition was pretty mild compared to him, although her breath was a bit ragged, she hardly broke a sweat.

"It's done?" One disciple from Xian Shu blinked as if she just woke up from her stupor.

Another one sighed dreamily, "It was beautiful, but all good things cannot last."

"Shen-shixiong, that was amazing!" A female disciple of Qing Jing peak cheered, forgetting her place for a moment there.

Some of them blushed, "So elegant and graceful."

Shen Qingqiu smiled, "Thank you. I lost though," he said.

"You won my heart," one girl blurted out and several other girls unconsciously nodded in agreement.

Shen Qingqiu blinked and shook his head in exasperation, "Stop joking around."

"Hehe, alright, alright," the girl said, unrepentant.

Qi Qingqi laughed, "Seems like I won the battle but lost the war," she joked.

"You're not losing in handsomeness, Qi-shijie," A Xian Shu girl said.

"Hmph, you have the gall to flatter me now?" Qi Qingqi teased. "After obviously stolen by Shen-shixiong's performance?" Ah, so that was how she usually talked...

"You can steal me back then!"

"Have some shame," Qi Qingqi snorted elegantly.

"Hmph! Well, I'm sure Shen-shixiong will treat me better then!"

Shen Qingqiu's eyes twitched but he held himself straight, minding his place, "Ladies shouldn't say something like that," he reminded sternly. "You don't want to say that to a wrong man."

The girls gasped and gushed to themselves, they talked almost at the same time with hushed voices that even Shen Qingqiu couldn't pick up on what they said.

A series of giggles broke the gushing before the girls straightened and bowed down, "Shen-shixiong is right. Our apologies," they said almost at the same time.

After that playful banter, the girls began to get serious, "But I'm really surprised, every of Qi-shijie's attempt of distraction was useless against Shen-shixiong. Say, Qi-shijie, perhaps you have lost some of your beauty in the past few days?"

"Yuwei, you really want the laundry task, aren't you?" Qi Qingqi raised her brows.

"Shijie, please don't," The girl named Yuwei covered her mouth and pleaded.

Qi Qingqi shook her head, "Don't mind them. But I have to say, Shen-shixiong was the first to bypass my distraction defense with so much ease."

"I still fell for it several times," Shen Qingqiu smiled bitterly.

"No, no, that's not a distraction at all. That was my attempt to catch you, not to distract you," Qi Qingqi sighed. "You always seemed to know which way to attack and from where I'd come. My confidence in my skill dropped a bit, to be honest," she coughed.

"Every time Qi-shijie fought against people from outside, they kept getting distracted with her skill in manipulating the celestial ribbons. Especially if they were males, then, they would also be distracted by her beauty~" A Xian Shu girl explained. "Some men were not moved, though. They were as rare as a phoenix feather, Shen-shixiong is one of them."

Qi Qingqi sighed, seeing the look of confusion on Shen Qingqiu's face. "It's our Xian Shu peak's specialty. Support and distraction. We learned how to fight, but aside for that, we also learned skills of supports and distraction."

"Support and distraction?"

"That's right. When we fought alongside allies, we'll be side attackers and supports. When we fought alone, we have skills for distraction with our celestial ribbons," Qi Qingqi explained.

"People from outside the sect called it the Fairy's seduction," someone added in.

"How vulgar," Shen Qingqiu blurted out.

"Agree," All Xian Shu girls nodded fervently.

"Generally we played around with our ribbons whilst fighting, we didn't inject too much qi like we had to when we wanted to attack, but it was still very distracting and brought a sense of paranoia to our opponent."

Shen Qingqiu then learned how the fairies of Xian Shu worked through manipulating their opponent's caution and paranoia. Generally, when the opponent's attention broke to several points, the 'fairy' would usually disappear in the cover of their ribbon and did a surprise attack against their opponent.

They didn't actually use all of their ribbons to attack as that would be taxing to their qi and would only weaken them faster in a battle. But to manipulate their ribbons to just flutter here and there was not a problem, they often used that technique when they wanted an easy win or the opponent was slightly stronger than them.

When you were strong enough, however, like the peak lady of Xian Shu, you used the ribbons to truly strike and hold down your opponent.

Shen Qingqiu listened to their explanation seriously, nodding in acknowledgment once in a while. "I see, that's very clever," that's very vicious.

Manipulating their opponent's concern about the ribbons... Shen Qingqiu wondered how distracting the ribbons were if he could see. He knew any other person would fall for this, even him if he wasn't very keen and confident in his direction.

The wisp of qi fluttering through the ribbons had been nothing but an inconvenience his sense could ignore. He knew when the ribbon would lunge to attack and hold him down whenever there was a sudden spike of qi running within the piece of clothes. And with his sharp sense, Qi Qingqi would never be able to quietly disappear and struck him when he least expected it.

However, if he didn't have his keen senses and could be distracted by those colourful ribbons fluttering and dancing in front of his eyes, he would lose even more easily.

"Anyone who could see will absolutely be distracted, even the handsome succeeding disciple of Bai Zhan, Liu Qingge, was distracted by it," The girl named Yuwei, Shen Qingqiu recognized from her voice, said. "Shen-shixiong's degree of focus and awareness is really high to be able to not be distracted."

Shen Qingqiu directed his eyes away from them, 'If only you knew...' "Yes, it's probably that."

"Instead of getting you distracted, I was the one getting distracted by the blossoms," Qi Qingqi said. "Even disciples from Xian Shu peak had a difficulty to focus, because in the end, they wouldn't know when the other side decided to really strike with the ribbon. Your ability to split your focus is already at a master level."

Shen Qingqiu lowered his gaze, "I think it just simply didn't work fully on me."

"I believe so," Qi Qingqi nodded. "You know, you're not actually as bad as the rumors said."

Shen Qingqiu raised his brows, "Well, it's really up to people's perspective."

Qi Qingqi chuckled, "Yes, people said you're so arrogant that you won't even look at people in the eyes. But I appreciate that you don't stare."

Shen Qingqiu blinked, before he snorted, "Perhaps, it's just because you're not my type."

Qi Qingqi blinked in surprise as the girls gasped in the background.

"Hahaha!" Qi Qingqi broke into a genuine and open laughter. "You're an audacious one! I think I know why a lot of people resent you," she wiped her imaginary tears. "You'll sound more convincing if you're currently not sweating profusely and just admitted defeat to a girl."

Shen Qingqiu frowned at how Qi Qingqi phrased it and she raised her hand.

"I'm not insulting you, I appreciate the condescending honesty," Qi Qingqi smiled, a playful glint in her eyes.

Shen Qingqiu sighed as he took out his handkerchief and wiped his perspiration, feeling a bit conscious after Qi Qingqi mentioned it. "I'll return first, Qi-shimei. It's a pleasure to have met you."

"Hey, are you upset?" Qi Qingqi called out. "Men shouldn't get upset because of teasing, that's a girl's job, you know?"

"I don't see you doing your job as a girl, then," Shen Qingqiu said.

"Haha! Good luck on Immortal Alliance Conference!" Qi Qingqi waved even when Shen Qingqiu didn't acknowledge her.

"I thought you'd flip on him, Qi-shijie," One of the girls in the background sighed.

"That's right, you never take things like that in stride," another added. "You'll fire back for sure."

Qi Qingqi smirked, "I should be. But thinking that he just admitted defeat and then tell me that I'm not his type, it's just too funny if not cute."

Another month passed and the Immortal Alliance Conference commenced, six peak lords were stationed within the sect to guard it whereas the other half took all disciples to the assigned place.

Huan Hua Palace had offered to be the host for this year's Immortal Alliance Conference.

The moment Jing Qingan dismissed the disciples entrusted to him, Shen Qingqiu was left alone and hoped to stay that way until one of his greatest displeasures in life approached.

Shen Qingqiu didn't know how Yue Qingyuan able to rope him by his side, it could be attributed to him not wanting to move and Yue Qingyuan not wanting to leave his side.

He turned to his Shizun, wanting to know his opinion but it seemed like his Shizun was locked in a hushed argument with his own martial brothers about who had to sit beside the Old Palace Master of Huan Hua Palace.

Yue Qingyuan turned to Shen Qingqiu, "When in there, be careful. There are a few minor demons caught to be our enemies."

"I'm not stupid," Shen Qingqiu replied.

"I know," Yue Qingyuan said. "Still, be careful. If something happens... Just light up the emergency firework, this competition means nothing in comparison to your life," said the one who dominated the last several Immortal Alliance Conferences without trying too hard.

Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes, "There would only be minor demons and monsters in there, as you said. None of those would kill me as long as I have half-a-brain."

"Accidents happen every year," Yue Qingyuan warned. "It's better if you find an ally there, I'll try to find you if I could."

Shen Qingqiu scowled but said nothing, knowing how dangerous it could be for someone like him.

Yue Qingyuan stuffed something into his hand, "This is a protective talisman, if you're in danger, tear it up. It could sustain a high-level danger for a while."

"You really don't know what's the meaning of overkill, don't you?" Shen Qingqiu stared blankly. There were only minor demons in there but he gave him something that could protect him from potential high-level danger, it would be like killing a fly with Xiu Ya, a waste of time and resources.

"I just want you to be safe," Yue Qingyuan said.

Shen Qingqiu waved him off, "You should just focus on your own self."

Shen Qingqiu hoped to avoid Yue Qingyuan and that was his goal for the rest of the week this crap going, but fate said fuck you and the moment he stepped into the portal the first thing he saw was Yue Qingyuan's face a few steps away, not literally, of course, since he lacked the functioning organ to see Yue Qingyuan's repulsive face.

Random his ass, he didn't know what he did to offend the portal but Shen Qingqiu had decided the thing was a little shit.

"Qingqiu-shidi, where do you want to go?" Yue Qingyuan asked from Shen Qingqiu's side and he rolled his eyes.

And now Shen Qingqiu couldn't shake off this idiot from his tail at all. Not when there were only the two of them in this fucking place. Shen Qingqiu inhaled and then exhaled, he lost his passion to reply or to do anything, to be honest. So he did what anyone with lost hope did at that moment.

Bump!

Shen Qingqiu bumped his head on the nearest tree, groaning and lamenting his shitty luck.

"Qingqiu-shidi, watch where you're going," the fool, Yue Qingyuan, thought Shen Qingqiu blindly walked into a tree and quickly fussed. He held Shen Qingqiu's shoulders and pulled him away from the offending tree that dared to stand in Shen Qingqiu's way. "Are you okay?" he stressed as he touched Shen Qingqiu's red forehead.

Pulled away from his brief acquaintance with the tree, Shen Qingqiu scowled further. "I'm not in the mood for this Yue Qingyuan," he slapped Yue Qingyuan's hands away and continued walking to wherever his feet wanted.

And of course, Yue Qingyuan was not far behind him.

After only a few dozens of steps, Shen Qingqiu was ready to explode again, "Don't you have something else to do?!" Shen Qingqiu shot at Yue Qingyuan.

"No," Yue Qingyuan sounded confused at Shen Qingqiu's question.

Shen Qingqiu gestured firmly, "Trying to win this damn competition! Like you always did ever since you started joining this?!" he hissed.

"Winning this competition is not truly important," Yue Qingyuan said.

"If you don't win this, other sects' first disciple would, you fool," Shen Qingqiu hissed. "How would our Sect kept its face in front of them all?"

"Qingqiu-shidi, you're overthinking it. Besides, other peaks' succeeding disciples were also very strong and talented in their own right. I believe, it's not just me who is qualified to win from Cang Qiong Mountain Sect," Yue Qingyuan assured.

"Whatever," Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes. "Unlike you, I have ambition. Don't get in my way or my hand might slip," he threatened.

"I will not," Yue Qingyuan said.

And then they started walking again. The entire time, Yue Qingyuan's eyes never left Shen Qingqiu. He looked at Shen Qingqiu's unseeing eyes, deceptively expressive with Shen Qingqiu openly glaring forward like he was ready to murder anything that jumped in his way. He then looked at Shen Qingqiu's feet, walking briskly and smoothly, always managed to avoid anything that might trip him.

Even without his sight, Shen Qingqiu was still so amazing.

Yue Qingyuan watched as Shen Qingqiu unsheathed his sword, Xiu Ya, and stabbed a tree beside him. A haunting face surfaced from the place he stabbed in, silently screeching before it dissipated into a cloud of black smoke, leaving a small dark crystal tumbling down but Shen Qingqiu caught it before it fell. He pulled out his sword and sent it flying to another tree as he took out a talisman and threw it to another tree. Two screeches resounded and ended the same way as the first one.

Even till now, Yue Qingyuan didn't know just how much Shen Qingqiu could sense as a replacement of his lost sight. He had always been impressed at how Shen Qingqiu elegantly held himself, even if they interacted with him every day, people still couldn't see that the dignified head disciple of Qing Jing was blind.

The scene he just saw was another proof just how keen Shen Qingqiu's sense was.

"Damn it, walking this far and only this stupid tree faces appeared," Shen Qingqiu mumbled under his breath as he stuffed his loot into a pouch.

"The competition is for a week, you don't have to be in a hurry," Yue Qingyuan inserted.

"I don't want to be told that by someone who is planning to throw the game off since the beginning," Shen Qingqiu snapped and Yue Qingyuan went silent.

After they travelled quite a distance away, Yue Qingyuan looked around, "Qingqiu-shidi, where are we going?"

"Shut up."

"We're going to the river area."

"I can hear that, Yue Qingyuan," Shen Qingqiu answered. "You think I'm deaf? I could hear the river from miles away! I am going to the direction of the river."

Amazing. Yue Qingyuan kept following Shen Qingqiu. "That's fine if we're going to the river. We have two people, we can watch each other's back in case of ambush."

"No. I watch my own back," Shen Qingqiu stopped and pointed at Yue Qingyuan. "You're only an insistent pest that kept shadowing me. We're not partners." Having said that, he turned on his heel and continued his way.

"Qingqiu-shidi, it's not safe to venture the river area with only yourself," Yue Qingyuan patiently explained, quickening his pace ever so slightly to easily keep up with Shen Qingqiu. "No one would go alone to the river or swamp area in their first Immortal Alliance Conference."

Whilst they were talking, they already arrived by the river. Shen Qingqiu impatiently unsheathed Xiu Ya, turning to sharply glare at Yue Qingyuan, he said, "Don't get in my way." This stupid conference was his chance to prove himself and not embarrass his Shizun.

"I will not get in your way," Yue Qingyuan said calmly with his hands folded behind him. But he would act if Shen Qingqiu was in anything he perceived as danger.

The sun already set and the light had subsided a lot in the gorge, Shen Qingqiu was already blind to begin with, he didn't need the sunlight to help him. 'I'll prove it to him,' Shen Qingqiu gripped his sword hilt tighter. He would prove it to Yue Qingyuan that he was capable and in no need of his pity and protection.

If he could survive the Qiu's, a trash master, and lived years with dwindling eyesight, he could also survive the rest of his life without Yue Qingyuan fretting unnecessarily.

Shen Qingqiu stepped into the water, one step, two steps, three steps, He could feel tension building up in Yue Qingyuan as he kept going further till the water barely reached over his knees. He stopped, knowing if he went any further in Yue Qingyuan might step forward to follow him.

Clink.

The bells tied to his sword tassel chimed when Shen Qingqiu released them from his hold, he glared defiantly at nothing.

Clink.

"Qingqiu-shidi...?" Yue Qingyuan asked after a minute.

Shen Qingqiu let the tip of Xiu Ya touched the water, he furrowed his brows. He tilted his head back to face Yue Qingyuan blankly, "Watch," he said.

Almost at the same time Shen Qingqiu said that, precisely after Shen Qingqiu turned his head, a creature with hollow big eyes and wide jaw suddenly jumped out of the water. However before Yue Qingyuan could react, the creature was already incapacitated by a swift blue sword-light.

Shen Qingqiu didn't stop there, the first lesser demon appearance prompted a few that dwelled within the river to move closer and jumped at Shen Qingqiu.

Yue Qingyuan watched, wide-eyed and astonished. Despite them all being lesser water demon, it was still a hassle to take care of them especially when they hid under the water and suddenly jumped to ambush.

One.

Two.

Three...

Xiu Ya kept flashing and slashing through the group of deformed fish demons with ease, Shen Qingqiu didn't panic even when they kept trying to ambush him. With him, there was no blind spot to take advantage of. The water demons' ambush specialty had nothing on him.

Shen Qingqiu's stance suddenly faltered and he stumbled deeper into the water, Yue Qingyuan noticed his strange action and immediately reacted, "Qingqiu-shidi!"

Shen Qingqiu gritted his teeth, he gathered all his power and kicked the foot that was grabbed underwater. The water on the surface splashed violently, a shriek resounded as a human-like creature surfaced and Shen Qingqiu wasted no time to behead it. Yue Qingyuan paused, his slightly panicked heartbeat began to settle down again when he saw Shen Qingqiu was not in any immediate danger.

Xiu Ya delivered another point crystal to Shen Qingqiu's free hand. The scholar withdrew back to the dry land, a wave of his hand and his wet robe quickly dried up like he never was in the water.

It was still hard to sense a sudden grab under the water like that, he could handle himself even if he got dragged into the water, but he knew Yue Qingyuan would freak out. He intended to show Yue Qingyuan that he could do fine without endangering himself, if Yue Qingyuan saw him getting dragged into the water, that would be useless.

"I can do fine by my own," Shen Qingqiu retorted as he flicked off the excess of weight, that was probably blood, off of Xiu Ya before sheathing it back. "See?" he gestured sarcastically.

Yue Qingyuan smiled softly, "Yes, you handled it really well." He turned concerned, "But you were almost getting dragged there, are you okay?" he said.

"Do I look injured or traumatized?" Shen Qingqiu hissed.

"No, you did good, Qingqiu-shidi," Yue Qingyuan shook his head, secretly giving Shen Qingqiu a once-over. "You've really grown stronger in the last few years."

"I'm not just sitting around doing nothing in Qing Jing," Shen Qingqiu responded.

"Right, you worked really hard," Yue Qingyuan smiled wanly. Way harder than normal people, way harder than anyone could ever imagine, and for the first two months, he even worked hard there without anyone else helping him.

Yue Qingyuan... Yue Qingyuan couldn't do much for him, frequently failing Shen Qingqiu again and again as he was often busy with his duty as the future Sect Leader. Too much guilt-ridden to communicate properly. His presence only hurt Shen Qingqiu mostly.

But Yue Qingyuan couldn't leave him alone. Not again.

Now, seeing Shen Qingqiu already grew this powerful in a few years. Yue Qingyuan felt both happy and proud at the same time.

If only he had his sight, if only Yue Qingyuan was not as much of a failure and could rescue him faster...

Yue Qingyuan shook his head. Now was not the time to mop around and feeling guilty about his failures. "Speaking of getting dragged into the water, Ye Qingjiu fell into the river in his first Immortal Alliance Conference and ended up falling behind in rank. But he managed to get himself up and slew an intermediate-level Butterfly-winged snake demon that reigned the west area of the river," he said to lighten up the mood and pulled his thought away from depression.

"Ye Qingjiu...? Oh, you mean Zui Xian peak's succeeding disciple," Shen Qingqiu seemed to recall the name and nodded.

But Shen Qingqiu's simple answer made Yue Qingyuan pause again. That's right, because of how busy Shen Qingqiu was in trying to catch up with his peers, he didn't really have any social life outside Qing Jing peak. Even then, most male disciples within Qing Jing peak hated Shen Qingqiu...

Too many sacrifices had to be made by Shen Qingqiu to reach his position right now. It made Yue Qingyuan think was it really a good choice to bring Shen Qingqiu into the sect and get him involved within the Sect's politic?

Not for the first time, Yue Qingyuan was doubting himself when it came to Shen Qingqiu.

"We'll go over the river and see if I can find more preys across," Shen Qingqiu said. "Your only job is to not bother me with my hunt," if Yue Qingyuan had to follow him like an oversized puppy this whole week, he might as well stop stressing about his unwanted presence and set up some ground rule.

"Xiao Jiu," Yue Qingyuan called out.

"For how many fucking times should I tell you to not call me by that name?!" Shen Qingqiu snapped angrily.

"Have you ever regret it, that I brought you to Cang Qiong Mountain Sect?" Yue Qingyuan asked instead. Shen Qingqiu paused.

"What? You're regretting it?" Shen Qingqiu's lips twisted.

"No. I'm asking you. Do you regret it? Do you regret following me into the Sect?" Yue Qingyuan asked.

Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes. Deep breath. Deep breath. Yue Qingyuan is the Sect Head's favourite, if Shen Qingqiu attacked him, he might be charged with mutiny, those old farts outside were probably watching...

"Never mind," Yue Qingyuan shook his head, as if that could stop Shen Qingqiu's rising blood pressure.

Shen Qingqiu wanted to snap. To yell at Yue Qingyuan with all his anger like he always did. He really wanted to. "No," Shen Qingqiu sighed.

Yue Qingyuan's eyes widened.

Shen Qingqiu turned around, "If I didn't follow you, I wouldn't get into Qing Jing peak, and I wouldn't meet my Shizun." He continued, "No one out there would take in a pathetic blind boy and did everything he could to accommodate him."

Yue Qingyuan stared, speechless.

"I'm someone who live in the present, Yue Qingyuan. I had a lot of hatred, anger, and grudge already, regret was not something I could fit in into my messed up life," Shen Qingqiu smirked in self-mockery. "Even to you..." he murmured, barely a whisper.

No matter how much Shen Qingqiu resent and pent up a lot of anger for one Yue Qingyuan right now, deep down, he couldn't find it within himself that he ever regret meeting Yue Qi. He never regret waiting vainly all those years for Yue Qi.

Yue Qingyuan lowered his head, fresh tears rolled down his cheeks as a result of his failure to control his emotion. "I'm so sorry..." he sobbed. "For all those years, I'm so sorry..."

"Enough," Shen Qingqiu exhaled harshly. "You've said that a thousand times before. Stop your gross sobbing, those old people outside would be interrogating me if they saw their vaunted future Sect Leader grossly sobbing in the wild."

Yue Qingyuan grabbed Shen Qingqiu's wrist before the younger man could leave, "I failed. I failed to save you, Xiao Jiu. All because of my own impatience and recklessness." Yue Qingyuan took a deep shaky breath, "Even though you reminded me the last time that I have to keep my emotion in check, I didn't. Two times I failed to keep my emotion in check, two times I failed you and subjected you into a terrible life."

Shen Qingqiu's face twisted, his fists balled up inside his fists.

"I can never say my excuse to never come because that's not fair to you. It's not your fault that I'm stupid, but it's all my fault that you suffer," Yue Qingyuan closed his eyes and his other hand found itself gripping Xuan Su's hilt. "I was immature, even Xuan Su knew I was way too immature."

Shen Qingqiu snapped his head back at that, his unseeing eyes were wide in disbelief as he took in what Yue Qingyuan had just said. The subtle implication. Shen Qingqiu learned a lot about spirit swords before he went to Wan Jian peak with his Shizun, his Shizun also repeatedly reminded him and the rest of disciples about making a bond to a spirit sword and what to expect.

Just because you were strong, don't try to force an immortal sword to bond with you.

No matter how strong you were, bonding needed time. Do not force it. Do not be swept by emotion. Stay calm. Just because you could, doesn't mean you should. Respect the swords.

His bond with Xiu Ya was a special one, because the sword itself was the one that reached out to the user. Shen Qingqiu knew most people had difficulty to bond with their sword although they were strong and talented enough to take it.

"You're not that much of a fool, aren't you?" Shen Qingqiu asked with an eerie calm.

Yue Qingyuan lowered his head.

Because if Shen Qingqiu didn't have enough place for regret in his life. Yue Qingyuan's life ever since leaving Shen Qingqiu had been filled with nothing but regret.