Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 38: Questioning Master’s Wife Again

As the morning sun rose, the area in front of the City Lord’s residence was once again packed with people.

Thirty-three cultivators had signed up for the Ascension Assembly, and one of them had a bye in the first round. Coincidentally, it was Wu Cheng.

Today was the second round, and Wu Cheng’s match was scheduled for the first session. Everyone had arrived early, eager to witness the legendary skills of this renowned young man from the city.

Wu Cheng’s opponent was Liang Hong, the only son of another prominent family in the city, the Liang family. Naturally, he was also a famous genius in Chuyun City, though his reputation paled in comparison to Wu Cheng’s. Since he also harbored a strong dislike for You Su, he and Wu Cheng could be considered friends.

The two of them stood facing each other in the middle of the arena. Liang Hong showed no trace of fear, even though he knew that he might not be Wu Cheng’s match. However, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was his only chance in life.

As the bronze drum sounded, sunlight flooded the empty arena. Wu Cheng unsheathed his sword and ended the match in the blink of an eye.

The Guardian Firmament Sect was not a sword sect; sword techniques were merely a branch within the sect. Most of the disciples focused on cultivating spells, and Wu Cheng was no exception. Yet today, he didn’t even use any spells, insisting on winning with a single sword strike, as if he were competing with You Su, who had also ended his match swiftly the day before.

This match made it clear to everyone present that even among geniuses, there were levels of difference. It also made it evident that the final contenders for the Ascension Assembly stage would be none other than You Su and Wu Cheng.

Qi Daodong’s expression remained calm as he stroked his white beard, appearing as though he had expected this outcome. He paid no attention to the ashen face of the head of the Liang family. Even City Lord Liu and Gu couldn’t help but nod in approval.

While such a match was astonishing, it lacked much entertainment value. Ordinary spectators preferred to watch the more evenly matched battles that followed. At the same time, they began to look forward to what dazzling performance You Su would deliver in his final match.

In the afternoon, it was You Su’s turn to compete.

Before leaving, You Su told his Junior Sister that he would be fighting someone and that the stronger one would have a better chance of securing the learning opportunity. He specifically instructed Ji Lingruo to continue resting and not to sneak out to watch his match.

Ji Lingruo rolled her eyes prettily, saying that she hadn’t planned to go anyway. After all, You Su would effortlessly defeat his opponents as usual, so there was nothing worth watching.

The thought of her watching You Su show off and then making some exaggerated “Wow, Senior Brother is so amazing!” expression made her cringe. Not a chance.

Under the eager gaze of the audience, You Su walked to the center of the arena. His opponent today was named Gao Li, who was only one year older than him. He was the top disciple under thirty in the Wind and Thunder Fist Sect the junior brother Sheng Ziling had been desperately trying to surpass.

However, You Su didn’t actually know him, as there had been no conflicts or interactions between them. You Su could sense that this calm and steady opponent was a true cultivator, and he felt a sense of respect for him.

As it turned out, Gao Li was indeed no ordinary talent – he was far stronger than Sheng Ziling. You Su wasn’t the type to deliberately belittle his opponents, but Sheng Ziling had been so irritating the day before that he had no choice but to crush him instantly. Facing Gao Li, You Su deliberately held back his sword techniques, engaging in a back and forth exchange with Gao Li’s fierce fists. It seemed like a real sparring match, with neither side focusing solely on winning.

It wasn’t until Gao Li’s qi-infused punch was deflected by You Su that he clenched his fists decisively and conceded defeat, bringing the thrilling match to an end.

While the audience was thoroughly entertained, they couldn’t help but compare this match to Wu Cheng’s earlier one. Both opponents were formidable, but the ease of victory was vastly different. It was clear to everyone who would be the final contender for the opportunity.

However, You Su paid no attention to these thoughts. After inquiring about the time for his match the next day, he left the arena.

By the time he returned home, it wasn’t even dark yet and his Junior Sister was still resting.

You Su took advantage of the early hour to meditate for a while. As the sun set in the west, he walked to his Master’s Wife’s door.

Yesterday, he had asked his Junior Sister if she was willing to go to Divine Mountain. Today, he needed to ask his Master’s Wife.

Counting the days, it had been ten days since his Master’s Wife had last made a sound. In the past eight years, this duration wasn’t particularly long. The longest stretch that You Su had recorded was forty-four days.

You Su didn’t know how his Master’s Wife, who claimed to have no cultivation, could go without food for so many years. Perhaps she had consumed some rare spiritual treasures or miraculous pills.

But You Su always felt that his Master’s Wife, ethereal and otherworldly, wasn’t an immortal, but gave off a presence that surpassed one. That’s why You Su had always believed her words without question. Someone like her wouldn’t lie-she was like a pure white lotus, untainted by even a speck of dirt.

After hesitating for a moment, You Su finally knocked on the door.

“Master’s Wife?”

He waited for a while before his Master’s Wife’s cool voice drifted out, carrying an even more ethereal tone than before:

“What is it?”

You Su nervously smoothed out the folds of his clothes, unsure why he felt so tense:

“You Su has a question he’d like to ask the Master’s Wife.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, You Su regretted them. This opening line was exactly the same as the last time. Would the Master’s Wife think that he was being too nosy?

“Ask,” Master’s Wife replied straightforwardly.

“Master’s Wife… would you like to go to the Eternal Height Divine Mountain?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well… recently, a divine master from Divine Mountain came to Chuyun City. He’s an outer sect deacon from the Mystic Firmament Sect, and he has a learning opportunity at the Mystic Firmament Sect. I’d like to try for it.”

“Do you really want to join the Mystic Firmament Sect?” Master’s Wife’s voice carried a rare hint of fluctuation, obviously intrigued by the question.

“It’s not that I want to join the Mystic Firmament Sect. Attending their lectures wouldn’t change my sect affiliation. I’m still a disciple of the Mandarin Duck Sword Sect. I may be blind, but my heart is not. Without the Master, I wouldn’t be where I am today. How could I possibly join another sect and bow to another master while he’s away on his travels?” You Su quickly explained, worried that he hadn’t said enough, and added:

“You Su wants to attend the lectures to learn different knowledge, meet different people, and experience the grandeur of Divine Mountain-to see the pinnacle of this world. Master said that when he returns, he will surely shake the five continents. Naturally, You Su must strive to live up to the name “Master’s Disciple”.

Master’s Wife seemed to be digesting his words. After a brief silence, she gave her reply:

“I would like to.”

You Su’s face lit up with joy, and he gently clenched his fist.

His biggest worry had been that Master’s Wife wouldn’t want to leave the Mandarin Duck Sword Sect and would instead continue waiting indefinitely for Shifu’s return. Fortunately, everything was proceeding according to his plan, as if the day when his Junior Sister and Master’s Wife would be cured was just around the corner.

“Thank you, Master’s Wife.”

“No need to thank me. If you truly wish to attend the lectures, then strive for it.”

“You Su will certainly do his best.”

With that, You Su bowed and stepped back. He looked toward the west, his hazy vision coincidentally meeting the last fading rays of the setting sun. His heart swelled with hope.

[Author’s note:

Honestly, I feel like this tournament arc is a bit bland and not very interesting, but I can’t just skip to the finals, so I’ll have to keep it a bit mundane for now. After the tournament ends, these lighter moments will become fewer and the plot will take a more exciting turn.]