Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 50: Collapse in an Instant

“Hey, You Su, where are you off to?” a stubbly man holding a jug of wine asked.

“I’m heading to the city lord’s mansion for a meal. Uncle Liu, don’t drink too much.”

“Not bad, not bad. You’ve really made something of yourself now. In the future, come buy fried dough sticks from me, and I won’t charge you anything!” Uncle Liu laughed heartily before walking away.

As You Su walked down the street, almost everyone greeted him and exchanged a few words with him.

He felt a warmth in his heart. Although he was a cultivator, his blindness, orphan status, and the fact that he was single-handedly supporting his sect had naturally made him a figure of sympathy among ordinary people. Now that they were witnessing his underdog triumph, You Su could sense their genuine happiness for him.

In truth, You Su was also very happy. The journey to Divine Mountain was finally taking shape, and he had genuinely grown stronger. He had taken a significant step forward on the path to saving Junior Sister and Master’s wife.

Taking a deep breath, he continued on his way. Suddenly, he noticed something flash before his eyes. He tried to catch the fleeting shadow with his vision, but failed. Releasing his spiritual sense, he realized that it was a lantern swaying in the wind, its candlelight flickering before finally extinguishing.

You Su didn’t pay much mind to it. He had become much more sensitive to sudden changes in light and darkness. With the help of that piece of rotten flesh, he believed he would one day regain his sight, which only added to his joy.

In an unnoticed corner, a pitch-black, bat-like creature crouched in the shadows of a rooftop. It stared intently at You Su’s retreating figure, its buck teeth bared in a sinister grin.

…

The front of the city lord’s mansion was bustling with activity, brightly lit.

The guests invited by Gu arrived one by one, chatting amicably with each other. When they saw You Su mingling in the crowd, no one approached him for a conversation.

Upon entering the main hall, a servant led You Su to his designated seat. The banquet was sizable, with a total of forty-one attendees, including the sect leaders. Instead of one large table, the spacious hall was arranged with forty-one small tables, each positioned according to the guest’s status.

You Su sensed that his seat was surprisingly high, just below Gu, City Lord Liu, and the six sect leaders. Across from him was Wu Cheng.

Before long, Gu and City Lord Liu made their entrance. Everyone rose to greet them, and only after City Lord Liu gave the signal did they take their seats. Fine wine and delicacies were served in abundance.

You Su wasn’t accustomed to such occasions, nor did he understand why these cultivators were so enthusiastic about toasting and drinking. For those at the Spirit Platform Realm, even the finest mortal wines could hardly intoxicate them, let alone the higher-ranking individuals who were at the Water Condensation Realm-or Gu who was at the Feather Transformation Realm.

If no one could get drunk, what was the point of all these relentless toasts to Gu?

Still, You Su wasn’t so aloof as to ignore the etiquette. He quietly raised his cup and toasted each of the higher ranking guests in turn.

You Su had no prior interaction with the six sect leaders, though he was familiar with some of their disciples. Among the leaders, some remained silent, downing their drinks in one gulp to acknowledge You Su’s gesture, while others praised him with kindly expressions as they drank.

During the banquet, two unfamiliar young cultivators toasted You Su and exchanged a few words with him. You Su could tell that they genuinely wanted to befriend him. As for Wu Cheng’s toast, You Su hesitated for a moment before taking a small sip.

As the banquet continued, the conversation naturally shifted to the enigmatic Blind Champion. However, sensing You Su’s discomfort, Gu quickly steered the discussion away and announced the selection of the affiliated sect.

When Gu declared that the Guardian Firmament Sect would become an affiliated sect of the Mystic Firmament Sect, no one was surprised. Only the other five sect leaders showed a flicker of disappointment in their eyes. Everyone raised their cups to congratulate Sect Leader Qi, who responded with a beaming smile.

Next came the evening’s biggest suspense – the announcement of who would receive the opportunity to study at the Mystic Firmament Sect.

Only a few who already knew the outcome remained calm, while the rest put on a performance worthy of a silent play, their expressions changing dramatically with each revelation:

When You Su was announced as the recipient of the study opportunity, the crowd’s reactions varied – some were indignant, others resigned, and only a handful showed approval.

Then, when Gu announced that Wu Cheng had been exceptionally promoted to an official disciple, everyone was filled with envy and shock, as if someone from their village had been admitted to a prestigious university. Their glances toward You Su carried a hint of schadenfreude.

When Gu finally explained that You Su had voluntarily declined the official disciple position, the crowd was filled with regret and confusion, unable to believe it. They scorned You Su, thinking that his blindness had truly limited his vision.

Unperturbed by the outside world, You Su focused inward, ignoring the shifting gazes. Instead, he pondered which dishes from his table he would take back for Junior Sister to try. While the food wasn’t exceptional, it was made from rare and exotic ingredients.

As the banquet drew to a close, everyone agreed to see Gu off the next morning.

Gu smiled and agreed. If not for the Lotus Sword Venerable’s order, he would indeed have returned to the sect. Now, he couldn’t go back on his word and stay in Chuyun City, so he decided to create the illusion of departure to secretly protect You Su.

Before parting, Gu called You Su aside to inform him about the reporting schedule.

Official disciples had a fixed reporting time, which was at the beginning of every spring. Study disciples, on the other hand, had no such restrictions and could report at any time, although they could only study for one year from the date of reporting. You Su was pleased with this arrangement, wishing that he could leave the very next day.

You Su, however, had to consider his family. He needed to find a way to travel without exposing Junior Sister and Master’s wife’s cursed condition. Issues such as transportation and routes also had to be resolved. This trip to Divine Mountain wasn’t a simple trip that could be taken on a whim.

But compared to gaining a foothold on Divine Mountain, these difficulties were insignificant. Divine Mountain was the peak of the continent. As long as they arrived safely, he was certain to find a way to save Junior Sister and Master’s wife. You Su knew that he couldn’t afford to be careless; revealing their cursed state too early would be disastrous.

Returning to the sect, Ji Lingruo seemed dissatisfied that You Su had already comprehended sword intent while she was still struggling to control her spiritual energy. She sought him out for training early on. Under You Su’s insistence, she changed into more modest clothing before the lesson began.

After the lesson, the first autumn rain came without warning. It poured down as if the Milky Way had overflowed and washed the world anew.

Lulled by the sound of the heavy rain, You Su fell asleep, filled with hope.

The next morning, the rain stopped.

When Ji Lingruo called You Su to wake up, she mentioned how thick the fog was that day. You Su didn’t pay much mind to it and hurried out to see Gu off. On West Willow Road, however, he was stopped by Wu Cheng.

Wu Cheng meant no harm. He brought two pieces of news with him that shattered You Su:

First: A strange fog had descended, and Chuyun City was under lockdown. Everyone should stay indoors and not move around.

Second, Gu was dead.