If Zhang Yuan remembered correctly, the two fellow disciples Qi Hao and Lin Jingyu were not simple characters when they arrived at Dazhu Peak.
Lin Jingyu had bullied Zhang Xiaofan under the pretext of a sparring match.
Qi Hao had openly tried to woo Tian Ling'er.
It was only when Tian Buyi stepped in that the conflict was finally resolved. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these two brothers had wreaked havoc on Dazhu Peak.
Hmm? Now that I am here, Qi Hao can forget about wooing Tian Ling'er.
As for Zhang Xiaofan? If he gets bullied, so be it! It has nothing to do with me anyway.
There are only three people I care about now: the first is Master Shuiyue of Xiaozhu Peak, the second is Lu Xueqi, and the third is Tian Ling'er.
Perhaps Biyao will be added to that list in the future.
As long as no one bullies the members of my designated harem, I will remain the harmless blind man I am. But if you dare to bully anyone in my harem, this blind man will open his eyes; once he takes up his sword, he will be an peerless sword immortal.
I will beat you so hard you won't even recognize your own parents.
Zhang Yuan shouldered the Soul-Devouring Staff, took Lu Xueqi with him, and set out on his second long journey. This trip even came with an unexpected surprise.
Lu Xueqi took me along on her flying sword.
To keep me from falling off, she not only held my hand but also had me wrap my arms around her waist.
It was Zhang Yuan's first time enjoying such treatment.
Last time, Tian Ling'er had only held my hand.
"Milk-Qi" is much more proactive than Tian Ling'er.
As a blind man who can't see anything, what kind of bad intentions could I possibly have?
Zhang Yuan pressed his legs together, watching the scenery below recede rapidly. He was terrified, his hands tightly clutching Lu Xueqi’s slender waist. He rubbed it with force, and his palms began to sweat.
Hmm! Very soft.
Very comfortable.
It felt even better than it looked.
This damn stir of desire—why did it have to come at a time like this? Sure enough, a blind man shouldn't get too close to women, or else there will be big trouble.
In just a moment, Lu Xueqi and Zhang Yuan arrived at the Shouzheng Hall of Dazhu Peak.
Shouzheng Hall was the main hall of Dazhu Peak. Although the population was small, the interior was grand and magnificent; as the seat of a peak master, it was naturally no simple place.
"Disciples under Master Shuiyue of Xiaozhu Peak, Lu Xueqi and Zhang Yuan, pay our respects to Uncle-Master Tian and Aunt-Master Su."
In Shouzheng Hall, Tian Buyi and Su Ru sat in the center, while the other disciples stood in four neat rows. As they looked at the two newcomers, their eyes were filled with favoritism.
Tian Buyi had a soft spot for Xiaozhu Peak.
His wife, Su Ru, had been a talented woman from Xiaozhu Peak back in the day.
Both of them loved the house and its crow, and they naturally held good feelings toward people from Xiaozhu Peak.
"So it is you two children!"
"You've both grown up."
"You are the same age as our Zhang Xiaofan and Tian Ling'er. Seeing that you have both achieved success in your cultivation, as your Uncle-Master, I feel quite gratified."
"We are humbled by your kindness, Uncle-Master Tian." Lu Xueqi bowed respectfully, neither arrogant nor rash, carrying the graceful air of a true disciple of an immortal sect.
Standing next to Lu Xueqi, Zhang Yuan knew he had become her "accessory" once again. Lu Xueqi was a famous genius on Xiaozhu Peak; not just Xiaozhu Peak, but even within the entire Jade Essence Sect, she was highly ranked.
With a genius like Lu Xueqi present, no one would notice him. However, this perfectly fit Zhang Yuan's plan.
His persona was that of a blind man; he didn't like to be in the spotlight.
He just wanted to be quiet, woo Tian Ling'er, and, if possible, step on Zhang Xiaofan while he was at it.
While Lu Xueqi was talking to Tian Buyi, Zhang Yuan was pulled away by Zhang Xiaofan and Tian Ling'er. The three of them walked to the back of the rockery in the courtyard outside Shouzheng Hall.
Lin Jingyu and Qi Hao had not arrived yet, so naturally, they had much to discuss upon reuniting with old friends.
Tian Ling'er tilted her head and looked at Zhang Yuan, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Zhang Yuan, can you really not see at all?"
"I can't see! Why don't you try it out? Put your chest in front of my eyes, and I promise I won't even blink." Zhang Yuan smiled and teased.
"You... you hooligan." Tian Ling'er blushed at the words, but she wasn't truly angry. She was a carefree girl who dared to love and hate.
She had different standards for choosing a partner.
A wooden guy like Zhang Xiaofan simply couldn't catch her eye.
On the contrary... she preferred the personality of someone like Zhang Yuan, who was glib, unconstrained by worldly conventions, and spoke his mind.
Listening to Zhang Yuan and Tian Ling'er joking and bantering with such tacit understanding, Zhang Xiaofan felt a wave of gloom in his heart.
He knew that as long as Zhang Yuan was around, he would always be Tian Ling'er's backup choice. Even though Zhang Yuan was blind, his tongue was too slick; he simply couldn't compete with him.
His gaze drifted back.
He immediately saw the dark red Fire-Cooking Stick carried on Zhang Yuan's back. He still felt a strange sensation, but the feeling of a blood connection was gone.
Zhang Xiaofan was no longer the boy who only knew how to chop bamboo. According to the records in the Scripture Pavilion, if a cultivator felt a blood connection upon first seeing a weapon, that weapon was destined to be a perfect match—perhaps even a soul-bound weapon.
The fact that the connection had vanished meant the Soul-Devouring Staff had already been refined by Zhang Yuan.
After realizing this, Zhang Xiaofan was shocked. Wasn't Zhang Yuan a blind man? Had he actually stepped onto the path of cultivation in these past two years? No, that was impossible.
Zhang Yuan's talent was mediocre.
For him to cultivate was as hard as ascending to the heavens.
It was impossible for him to have started cultivating in just two years. Could it be that he had some lucky encounter? Or help from a special immortal artifact?
Zhang Xiaofan felt the latter was very likely.
The thought that Zhang Yuan might have obtained the Soul-Devouring Staff and used its help to start cultivating made him feel terrible.
It felt as if something of his had been snatched away.
Zhang Xiaofan began to find Zhang Yuan increasingly detestable.
He stole my woman.
He stole my weapon.
How the hell are you fit to be my older brother? Zhang Xiaofan was filled with fury, his inner state nearly collapsing, leaving him vulnerable to inner demons.
Fortunately, at that moment, Aunt-Master Su Ru walked over.
Su Ru wore a down-to-earth embroidered dress; though she was no longer young, her charm remained, and she possessed an even greater feminine allure.
A mature, married woman—the kind that often drives scoundrels to the brink of insanity.
"Tian Ling'er, Zhang Xiaofan, Zhang Yuan... come back to Shouzheng Hall quickly! Lin Jingyu and Qi Hao from Longshou Peak have arrived, and they say there are changes to the rules for the Seven Meridians Martial Gathering. You should come and listen. After all, this is the grand event that our Jade Essence Sect holds once every ten years." Su Ru smiled brightly, her voice full of warmth.