Liu Zhuang Xian

Lu Xiaochan immediately got off the couch and rushed towards the door, but unexpectedly bumped into a table. Fortunately, Shu Wuxi raised his wrist and held onto the Immortal-Locking Ribbon.

Lu Xiaochan steadied himself and felt the table with his hand. “Huh? Why can’t I see this table?”

“Because tables, chairs, and tea sets are not living beings. I’ve opened your wisdom eyes, so you can see all living things. But you still can’t see things without life… In the future, we’ll find a way to…”

“No, no, no! Being able to see you is enough! Tables and chairs don’t matter!”

Lu Xiaochan ran out the door like a gust of wind. All his life, his only wish had been to be able to see.

The excitement in his voice was indescribable.

He had just seen Shu Wuxi, even if it was only an outline formed by spiritual energy. Lu Xiaochan felt that even if he died now, he would be content.

His joyful shouts echoed throughout the entire Tailing Pavilion.

“Old trickster! I can see! I can see!”

When the door of the quiet room closed, Shu Wuxi, sitting by the couch, clenched his fingers. The veins on his temples tightened, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He raised his hand, about to extinguish the incense burner on the table with spiritual energy, when the door of the quiet room opened. Another stream of spiritual energy rushed in, shielding the incense burner.

Kunwu walked in with a gloomy face, glancing at the scripture formed by the curling smoke above the incense burner. His gaze trembled slightly.

“Are you insane?” Kunwu’s voice squeezed through his clenched teeth.

“Why do you say I’m insane?” Shu Wuxi’s expression remained cold.

“You used a thousand years of cultivation to enter his soul, bursting out of your body in an instant, clearing the karmic fire in Xiaohan’s elixir core, rushing into his primordial spirit, and opening his wisdom eyes… If that’s not insane, what is? Now the spiritual energy surging back to your elixir sea is violent and overbearing! You’ve been injured by your own spiritual energy!”

Kunwu tilted his head back, using his primordial spirit to listen to the sky, feeling the thunder and lightning, and the tumultuous sword intent.

All immortal sects saw the Wuyi Sword Sea teetering. From the sect leaders to ordinary disciples, speculations ran wild, and they were filled with unease.

“What’s happening? Could it be that the one in the Wuyi realm has perished?”

“Has the Sword Master Yang Cang succumbed to a great calamity?”

“I haven’t heard that Yang Cang took on a disciple! If he perishes, the Wuyi Sword Sea will fall!”

For a moment, panic spread.

Even the disciples in the Tailing Pavilion looked up, as if waiting for doomsday to arrive.

Plants bent, pressed by an invisible force, about to break.

The strong wind persisted, stirring up enormous waves.

Above the Nanli Jingtian, the Sword Master Immortal Lord Miao Chen looked up. Her pure white robes fluttered in the wind like a silver wave.

Her disciple, Sword Master Ye Linshuang, spoke. “Master, the Wuyi Sword Sea is teetering. Could it be that Yang Cang has perished? Various sects are very worried and have sent messages to our Nanli Jingtian.”

Immortal Lord Miao Chen calmly said, “They’re making a fuss over nothing. If Yang Cang had perished, the Wuyi Sword Sea would have fallen straight to the blue clouds long ago.”

“Then Yang Cang must be injured, or his internal spiritual energy is in chaos.”

“I’ll lend him a hand, calming the Wuyi Sword Sea and helping his spiritual energy return to its origin quickly.”

With that, Immortal Lord Miao Chen drew her sword. A glow like rosy clouds surged into the Wuyi Sword Sea, gradually calming the myriad sword intents.

The dark, gloomy sky brightened once again.

“Fortunately, the Immortal Lord Miao Chen from the Nanli Jingtian intervened!” Kunwu said through gritted teeth. “You’re now injured by your own cultivation. If you couldn’t sustain the Wuyi Sword Sea, it would have been a disaster for all living beings!”

Shu Wuxi closed his eyes, his breathing gradually steadying. He replied calmly. “I’ve said before, if Xiaochan can’t see so-called ‘living beings’, what use are they?”

Kunwu pressed his head hard, increasingly feeling that sending his junior brother to the Wuyi Jingtian years ago was the biggest mistake he had ever made.

Shu Wuxi glanced at Kunwu and said, “You once said that if I could cure his eyes, you would let me take him away.”

Kunwu was speechless.

In fact, he had seen the method to open the wisdom eyes long ago. He knew that if Shu Wuxi saw it, he would undoubtedly do everything to open Lu Xiaochan’s wisdom eyes. So he had quietly destroyed that medical scripture.

As precious as Xiaochan’s eyes were, how could they compare to all living beings in the world?

But he never imagined that Shu Wuxi would restore that medical classic and forcibly open Lu Xiaochan’s wisdom eyes.

A thousand years of cultivation, one moment of carelessness, became a sharp blade that wounded himself.

“Let me help you calm the spiritual energy rampaging within your body and return it to your elixir sea.”

Kunwu knew that even if this thousand-year spiritual energy could be calmed, it would be somewhat diminished. He hoped it could ensure Shu Wuxi’s inner elixir remained intact.

Lu Xiaochan left the quiet room and realized everything around him had changed.

Spiritual light overflowed everywhere, outlining various shapes.

Pale green spiritual light twisted and turned, climbing from the ground all the way to the sky. That was the spiritual vine “Thousand Miles of Beauty” guarding the medicine cabinets of Tailing Pavilion.

The medicine cultivators organizing the cabinets also had spiritual light around them, some brighter, some dimmer, forming moving human silhouettes.

There were also all kinds of immortal plants and strange herbs. Lu Xiaochan couldn’t help but stop. He could see delicate spiritual lines forming leaf veins and branches, and even see them growing slowly.

Everything was incredibly novel to Lu Xiaochan. The things he had imagined countless times before suddenly took shape.

He carefully touched the leaf tips of the spiritual herbs, smiling uncontrollably, momentarily forgetting to look for Kunwu.

He had touched almost all the immortal herbs he could see.

“You little rascal! Are you trying to pull out my immortal herbs again?”

Kunwu’s scolding voice rang out.

Lu Xiaochan turned around and saw Kunwu’s silhouette formed by spiritual light.

Clear brows and bright eyes, in Lu Xiaochan’s imagination, Kunwu should have been a middle-aged uncle in his forties or fifties. He didn’t expect him to be a handsome young man.

Tilting his head, Lu Xiaochan couldn’t help but exclaim. “Oh my! You’re quite good-looking too.”

“Nonsense! Don’t you know my level of cultivation?” Kunwu was about to rub Lu Xiaochan’s head, but remembering Shu Wuxi, he quickly stopped.

“No matter how high your cultivation is, you still couldn’t cure my eyes!”

Kunwu was stumped.

This was his junior brother. Because of his decision back then, he had suffered so much. How could he not be willing to exchange a thousand years of cultivation for his wisdom eyes?

It was just that to reshape Lu Xiaochan’s physical body back then, Kunwu had already spent five hundred years of spiritual energy. Even if he wanted to light Lu Xiaochan’s wisdom eyes, he couldn’t rush into Xiaochan’s elixir core to clear the karmic fire.

“Alright, alright! You can see now, you’re proud now! Come to my quiet room, let me check if you have any other problems.”

“Sure! Hurry up and check me.”

Lu Xiaochan followed behind Kunwu, passing countless medicine cabinets, but was attracted by a spiritual light.

At the root of the spiritual vine “Thousand Miles of Beauty”, something was wrapped up. Its spiritual light couldn’t be hidden even though it was layers deep in “Thousand Miles of Beauty”. It was like broken diamonds on the sea surface, swaying and undulating.

Lu Xiaochan grabbed Kunwu’s sleeve, unable to resist asking, “What’s… inside there?”

“That? In ancient times, there was a spirit beast named ‘Changyan’, always by the side of the first Sword Master of the Wuyi Jingtian. At the end of the primordial era, which was the first great war between immortals and demons, Changyan perished to protect the Sword Master. The Sword Master forged Changyan’s spine into a divine sword to guard the Wuyi Jingtian. Changyan’s rib closest to its heart was sent to the Tailing Pavilion, guarded by the spirit vine.”

“No wonder… its spiritual energy is so beautiful…” Lu Xiaochan sighed softly, unable to look away for a long time. “Why did the first Sword Master of the Wuyi Jingtian leave the rib closest to the heart to the Tailing Pavilion?”

“Because our Tailing Pavilion’s founding ancestor, Immortal Lord Lingyuan, was the Sword Master’s only concern in his heart. It was also because of this concern that the Sword Master never broke through the ‘great power’ in his lifetime. Back then, the evil spirit Chaos took advantage of the crucial moment when Ancestor Lingyuan was at the ninth level of the great situation, entered his body, and shattered his elixir core. After the Sword Master of the Wuyi Jingtian suppressed the evil spirit and sealed it in Dongxu, he destroyed his own elixir core and perished along with Ancestor Lingyuan.”

Lu Xiaochan’s heart trembled, and tears fell unconsciously.

“The Sword Master’s ten thousand years of cultivation turned into the Wuyi Sword Sea, hovering above the Wuyi Jingtian. Since then, every Sword Master of the Wuyi Jingtian must support the Wuyi Sword Sea, or else the sword sea would fall, and all living beings would perish.”

Kunwu let out a long sigh.

Lu Xiaochan gazed at Changyan’s rib, unable to turn away for a long time.

Kunwu lowered his head, looking at Lu Xiaochan’s focused expression, and said, “Xiaochan, do you really want to go with Shu Wuxi?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Lu Xiaochan tilted his head.

“He’s an uninteresting person who’s not good with words. You might stay by his side out of gratitude, but as time goes on, you’ll find it boring, dull, and try every means to leave.”

Lu Xiaochan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

“But if I’m not by his side, everything my eyes see will lose its meaning.”

Kunwu lowered his head and let out a long sigh.

“Perhaps this is for the best. His heart’s desire is fulfilled. With you by his side, although his obsession won’t disappear, it won’t grow either.”

Kunwu examined Lu Xiaochan’s eyes and reminded him that he must not stop his daily practice of resonating with all things.

After Kunwu sent Lu Xiaochan back to Shu Wuxi’s quiet room, he let out a breath.

As soon as the door opened, Lu Xiaochan saw Shu Wuxi sitting upright at the table, eyes closed in meditation.

Although Lu Xiaochan had many things he wanted to say, his joy not diminishing but increasing, he didn’t want to disturb Shu Wuxi. So he rested his chin on his hands, sat across from him, and watched him with open eyes.

Shu Wuxi meditated for three days and three nights.

Lu Xiaochan just sat there, not eating or drinking, not feeling hungry, just watching him continuously.

In the past, Lu Xiaochan was restless. Except when sleeping or sunbathing, he couldn’t sit still at other times, as if he had an itch.

But now, Lu Xiaochan didn’t want to move at all. Every moment of looking at Shu Wuxi made him feel full inside, as if each moment’s Shu Wuxi was more beautiful than the last.

He looked at his eyes outlined by spiritual energy, looked at his nose, looked at every inch of his hair tips, looked at the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. Lu Xiaochan found himself becoming more and more greedy.

Even Shu Wuxi’s hands resting on his knees as he sat cross-legged, Lu Xiaochan’s gaze traced the shape of his fingers again and again.

He knew that the reason he couldn’t see before was to see the real Shu Wuxi.

After an unknown amount of time, Shu Wuxi finally spoke. “How long have you been looking at me like this?”

Lu Xiaochan finally came to his senses, pinched his ear, and answered. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t you get tired of staring at me like this?”

Shu Wuxi raised his hand, poured a cup of tea for Lu Xiaochan, gently pushed it in front of him, and tapped his fingers on the table to indicate the position of the cup.

“Not tired, because you’re good-looking.”

“You’ve been blind since childhood. Beauty and ugliness in the world have no meaning to you. Yet you say I’m good-looking?”

“I know! However I look at you, my heart is joyful. Aren’t you just extremely good-looking?”

Lu Xiaochan smiled with narrowed eyes.

At that moment, Shu Wuxi’s lips slowly curved up. Even though the curve was imperceptible to others, it captivated Lu Xiaochan’s heart, pulling it tighter and tighter.

Lu Xiaochan clumsily grabbed the tea from the table and gulped it down.

“You haven’t slept for days. Go rest well on the couch.”

“I don’t want to. What if I wake up and can’t see anymore?”

Lu Xiaochan became anxious. Sleep? The most beautiful person in the world was right in front of him, of course he wanted to look as much as possible!

“You won’t lose your sight. Trust me.” Shu Wuxi’s voice was as usual, but carried a hint of soft coaxing.

“Then… aren’t you going to sleep? I’ve never seen you sleep.”

“I need to cultivate. You sleep first.”

Hearing Shu Wuxi’s gentle voice, Lu Xiaochan felt a bit sleepy. He trusted Shu Wuxi. If Shu Wuxi said he wouldn’t lose his sight, then he definitely wouldn’t.

Lu Xiaochan climbed onto the couch. Shu Wuxi pulled up the blanket, covered him, and gently patted his belly.

“From tomorrow on, you need to cultivate diligently too.”

“Alright…”

“Stars, sun and moon, gentle breeze and flowing water, grass, trees, mountains and rivers can all be borrowed for power. You need to experience them well and find what suits you best to borrow power from.”

“Every day I only want to experience you… why don’t you lend me your power…”

Lu Xiaochan slowly closed his eyes, his breathing gradually lengthened. Everywhere was filled with Shu Wuxi’s faint scent. Lu Xiaochan felt extremely at ease and fell asleep.

“If you want to use me as your power…why not.”

Shu Wuxi looked at him, clenched his fingers tightly, and couldn’t help but lower his head.

Lu Xiaochan’s left hand was outside, lightly grasping the edge of the blanket. The sound of his deep sleep leaked out as his lips parted and closed, his small tongue vaguely visible.

“Every day I only want to experience you”, a joke-like phrase, was deliberately kept, echoing over and over in the quiet room.

Shu Wuxi’s lips got closer and closer to him. He turned his face away, resisting, but then saw Lu Xiaochan’s fingers grasping the blanket. Shu Wuxi’s nails dug into his palm, drawing blood, veins bulging, even his forehead reddened.

He gritted his teeth, suppressing even his heartbeat and breathing, yet still couldn’t restrain the madness deep in his heart.

He wanted to release so badly, even just a tiny bit would do.

His lips touched Lu Xiaochan’s fingernail. Xiaochan’s warmth made him like parched land, making him even more thirsty.

Just as he could bear it no longer and was about to lift the blanket, Lu Xiaochan suddenly cried out.

“Ah—”

A certain heat transmitted from his fingertips, suddenly igniting in Lu Xiaochan’s heart chamber, burning from his blood into his marrow, pain so intense his body felt as if it had instantly turned to ash!

Shu Wuxi’s eyes widened, and in an instant, the blanket covering Lu Xiaochan vanished.

Lu Xiaochan’s skin turned red. He curled up, feeling as if his bones were about to split open, his blood about to leave his body!

Lu Xiaochan had never experienced such pain before. Feeling as if he had been pulverized, he only wished to die immediately to escape this sea of suffering.

His hand reached towards Shu Wuxi, but he couldn’t utter a word. His throat was burning too, the pain heartbreaking.

Brother Wuxi… save me…

Tears fell from Shu Wuxi’s eyes, fear overwhelming in their depths. He wanted to grab him, hold him tight, but that would only cause more pain.

“Xiaochan…Xiaochan…” He reached out but couldn’t touch him again.

Lu Xiaochan’s body was burning, while Shu Wuxi’s eyes and heart were being dismembered.

“Shu Wuxi, what have you done!”

Kunwu rushed in. He grabbed the small bottle on the table, poured out all the pills inside, pried open Lu Xiaochan’s lips, took the “Tailing Zhenyuan” he had placed by the pillow and poured it directly down Lu Xiaochan’s throat.

The feeling of bones about to ignite finally eased.

Lu Xiaochan breathed heavily, exhausted, and fell into a deep sleep.

Kunwu took off his outer robe and covered Lu Xiaochan, whose clothes had been burned away. Even in deep sleep, he was still shivering.

“Shu Wuxi!”

Kunwu turned around, grabbed Shu Wuxi’s collar, but found indescribable despair in his eyes.

It was an abyss, without cold water, without howling wind, empty of everything, and thus utterly desperate.

“I just… touched his finger…”

Kunwu shoved him away. “His finger? The ten fingers are connected to the heart! The karmic fire of chaos in his body stems from your desire. You touch him once, and it’s like setting him on fire! Unless one day you no longer have any desire for him in your heart, the karmic fire will be hard to extinguish.”

“He is mine… He is mine… Why can’t I touch him? By what right can’t I touch him?”

Shu Wuxi raised his eyes, staring intently at Kunwu. Those eyes went from calm to insane in just a thought.

Kunwu had always thought that knowing Shu Wuxi for nearly two thousand years, he should be the person who understood him best in this world.

But when Shu Wuxi turned his face to look at him, squeezing out these words through clenched teeth, Kunwu realized he didn’t understand him at all.

The empty Shu Wuxi was just a perfect model molded by successive Sword Masters according to their ideas and thoughts, like kneading clay.

But the Shu Wuxi who held Lu Xiaochan in his heart was the real Shu Wuxi… His inner self was extreme, it’s just that before, he hadn’t put his thousand years of cultivation, hadn’t put all living beings in his heart, so everyone thought he was without desire.

All of Shu Wuxi’s “why” and “by what right” were questions to all living beings under heaven, and also to himself.

“Shu Wuxi… This is why I didn’t tell you where he was back then. Because you can’t bear to just look at him from afar, you can’t bear that he exists in this world but you can’t touch him, and even more so… you can’t bear that he was never yours! He belongs to himself, whether it was Liche before, or Lu Xiaochan now!”

Shu Wuxi turned his face. The madness in his eyes made Kunwu shudder.

“If you had been drifting in the vast sea for a thousand years… and finally caught sight of land, could you resist coming ashore?” Shu Wuxi asked Kunwu.