Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 36: The First Battle

A sleepless night left You Su’s eyes bloodshot, veins like red worms crawling across his eyelids.

As the rooster’s crow heralded the dawn, Ji Lingruo’s weak voice called out, “You Su, I’m hungry,” finally rousing You Su from his night-long vigil.

Like a stone monkey awakened by the Buddha, You Su instantly regained his energy. He quickly stood up, only to realize that his body was stiff and sore, especially his hands, which had been clenched into fists all night, leaving dried blood in his palms.

He jogged to his junior sister’s door, trying not to reveal the depth of his concern, and asked, “Junior Sister, are you feeling better? What would you like for breakfast?”

“Just make me a bowl of noodles with two fried eggs! No vegetables!”

Her stubbornness made You Su’s heart ache. He replied gently, “It’s not good to eat too many eggs when you don’t feel well. They’re hard to digest. How about one fried egg and more vegetables?”

“I want two! Can I at least have less vegetables?”

“Got it.” You Su smiled and turned around to head to the kitchen.

The girl lying in bed was as delicate as a willow in the wind, her sickly pallor only enhancing her beauty. Hearing You Su’s playful response, she couldn’t help but smile, filling the room with warmth. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she hesitated and called out to him:

“You Su…”

“What is it?” You Su turned back.

“I didn’t mean to skip the chestnut chicken yesterday… I really couldn’t eat it… Can you save it for me to have tonight?”

It felt as if someone had tightly gripped the softest part of his heart. You Su’s breath hitched for a moment, the piercing pain almost tearing through his chest.

This usually feisty girl had just fought for her life against a demon, yet she still found the energy to worry about neglecting her senior brother’s small gesture of kindness.

“You wish! That ship has sailed. I already used it to make noodles this morning. Tonight you’ll have to make do with simple congee.” You Su forced himself to sound cheerful, masking the pain in his heart before heading to the kitchen.

“Hmph!” The pitiful girl pouted, pulling the blanket over her smiling face.

The golden sun hung high in the sky.

You Su didn’t tell Ji Lingruo about his match today. After making sure that she was asleep, he hurried to the city lord’s mansion.

Along the way, he saw people rushing about, dragging their friends and family along while shouting, “Hurry to the city lord’s mansion to watch the fights!”

For these ordinary people, watching cultivators fight was a rare and exciting spectacle.

The area in front of the city lord’s mansion was packed. The outer ring was a solid wall of ordinary people, while the inner area was filled with cultivators of all kinds.

Being blind was a big disadvantage in such a situation. Even with his cultivation, You Su’s current level of perception wasn’t enough to navigate such a complex environment.

In truth, it would still be difficult even if he weren’t blind. In such a crowded scene, it would take years of experience to squeeze through. You Su could only wriggle forward like a worm in the sea of people.

He wondered when he would ever experience the kind of dramatic entrance where the protagonist descends from the sky at the last moment to join the competition.

Stumbling and squeezing through the crowd might look awkward, but it didn’t dampen You Su’s determination to win.

Trying to reach the Divine Mountain with two demon-infested companions would be an arduous journey. Even if they made it, there was no guarantee that they’d be allowed entry. Thus, becoming a disciple of the Mystic Firmament Sect was a crucial stepping stone for You Su.

As he pushed through, You Su noticed that the people around him were stepping aside, creating a path. At the end of the path, someone was walking towards him. The chaotic mix of auras made it hard to identify the person at first.

“Hurry. Your opponent is waiting.” It was Wu Cheng.

You Su didn’t respond, following Wu Cheng silently. Some of the ordinary people who knew You Su cheered loudly for him, and You Su smiled and acknowledged them.

The city lord’s mansion had been transformed into a circular arena. Two seats were placed at the center for City Lord Liu and Deacon Gu, with the sect leaders of the Guardian Firmament Sect and other sects seated on either side.

In the center of the arena, a tall, muscular man in his mid-twenties stood, wearing tight-fitting clothes that showed off his physique. He looked at You Su, who was taking his time, and flexed his arms, his eyes already eager for battle.

His name was Sheng Ziling, the second-ranked disciple of the Wind and Thunder Fist Sect, the second largest sect in Chuyun City. Ever since learning that his opponent in the first round was You Su, his master had placed high hopes on him.

This gave Sheng Ziling the illusion that defeating You Su would make him the top disciple of the Wind and Thunder Fist Sect, relegating his always superior junior brother to a subordinate role. It no longer mattered whether he became a disciple of the Mystic Firmament Sect.

As for You Su’s strength, Sheng Ziling wasn’t worried about it. He had once challenged You Su to a duel, but after being refused, he dismissed it as cowardice. While You Su’s achievement of building his Spirit Platform at the age of eighteen was impressive, Sheng Ziling had been solidly in the Spirit Platform Realm for five years since he was nineteen. This was not a gap that could be bridged easily.

Seeing You Su step onto the stage, Sheng Ziling stretched lazily, his expression almost bored.

“Blind You, what took you so long? I thought you wouldn’t come. Weren’t you so impressive yesterday?” Sheng Ziling’s lips curled into an exaggerated smile.

At this moment, You Su wished that he were not only blind but also deaf. Thinking that You Su was also mute, Sheng Ziling was about to continue when City Lord Liu’s voice rang out:

“Both participants are present. Bow to each other as a sign of respect! When the drum sounds, the match will begin!”

You Su calmly bent down at the waist and clasped his fists. However, Sheng Ziling was reluctant.

Gu sat upright, hiding his keen interest well. He wanted to see if this blind youth’s strength matched his sharp mind.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The copper drum was struck and the match began.

You Su felt as if there were needles pricking his back. Having grown up accustomed to blending into the crowd, he wasn’t used to being the center of attention. For a blind person who craved security, it was like dancing naked in the middle of a crowd.

He had been forced to “dance” once yesterday, and now he had to do it again, with no end in sight until he claimed victory.

The thought filled him with despair. He just wanted to end this fight quickly, but the muscular man in front of him seemed intent on dragging it out, taunting him with increasingly angry words when You Su ignored him.

You Su sighed inwardly, worried that the man might pass out from anger before the fight even started. Deciding not to wait any longer, he moved.

Clad in white, he flashed like an arc of light. In the next moment, the sheath of his Black Pine Sword was pressed against Sheng Ziling’s thick neck, pressing down on his pulsing artery.

The noisy arena fell silent. Many young cultivators stood frozen, while the ordinary people who had squeezed into the inner circle gaped in shock. Only those with higher levels of cultivation showed different expressions in their eyes.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The copper drum sounded again, and City Lord Liu announced in a drawn out voice:

“You Su of the Mandarin Duck Sword Sect wins!”