Lu Jin’s moves became more aggressive, forcing Helian Jue to draw his sword in defense.

Perhaps out of urgency, he lost control. His sword swept through the air, releasing a sharp beam of light directly at the group of four, including Xie Shuci. 

The swift and decisive nature of the attack didn’t seem accidental.

“You…” Lu Jin cast a suspicious glance at him.

Helian Jue subtly shook his head, looking past Xie Shuci to where Xie An stood silently with a downcast gaze.

Following his gaze, Lu Jin’s brow furrowed. Xie Shuci never thought he’d become part of the spectacle.

As the powerful gust from the sword’s beam approached, Xie Shuci’s eyes widened, and his legs weakened. Just in the nick of time, a pair of long arms circled his waist. He was lifted off the ground and whisked away from the spot.

A loud “boom” echoed as the wooden table was split apart, its shards flying everywhere.

Xie Shuci turned his head to look at the spot where he had been standing, gripping Xie An’s sleeve in a flustered manner. He muttered under his breath, “I won’t watch, I won’t watch anymore, I won’t watch this kind of excitement again.”

“Oh dear— I’m truly sorry. I hope neither of you got hurt?” Helian Jue approached with a seemingly apologetic grin, but to Xie Shuci, he never looked more loathsome.

Xie An’s face was dark, his lips tightly pressed together. The hand gripping Xie Shuci’s waist tightened, making it impossible for him to move.

As Helian Jue approached, Xie An sidestepped and delivered a sweeping kick. Helian Jue hastily retreated a few steps, narrowly avoiding the kick.

Once he steadied himself, Helian Jue gave Xie An a meaningful look, “Young master has impressive skills.”

Chu Wenfeng, who was nearby, almost got caught in their skirmish. Being hot-headed and young, he raised his whip and swung it at Helian Jue, “Are you asking for death?”

“Wenfeng, don’t be impulsive,” Chu Guiyi said calmly, reaching out to grab Chu Wenfeng’s Avian nine-section whip.

Helian Jue shifted his gaze from Xie An to Chu Guiyi, his expression becoming more serious, “Brother Chu, it’s been years since we met. Why didn’t you notify me before coming?”

Chu Guiyi shook his head lightly, “This trip wasn’t commissioned by the head of my family, so it’s best to keep it low-profile.”

“You’re being too polite, Brother Chu.”

Chu Guiyi glanced in the direction of Xie Shuci and hinted, “If Brother Helian has any doubts, it’s better to voice them directly rather than involve the innocent.”

Helian Jue chuckled twice without replying.

Xie Shuci realized that Xie An was gripping him too tightly, almost embedding him into his own body. The fingers on his waist were constricting further. Xie Shuci craned his neck to see Xie An’s jawline tense and his expression grim as if he was trying hard to restrain something.

This worried Xie Shuci, so he gently patted Xie An’s arm, whispering, “Little blind? Are you alright?”

Xie An was taken aback for a moment, then loosened his grip, giving Xie Shuci a slight nod, indicating he was fine.

“Really?” Xie Shuci eyed him suspiciously.

Returning to his usual demeanor, Xie An soon asked Xie Shuci, “Is the visitor Helian Jue from the Helian clan?”

Xie Shuci nodded, “Yes, do you know him?”

Both Chu Guiyi and Helian Jue who were already suspicious of Xie An, shifted their attention to the duo upon hearing them converse.

A faint smile played on Xie An’s lips as he softly inquired, “Does he have a junior named Helian Zhu?”

“Yes, he’s an arrogant genius,” replied Xie Shuci.

The other four weren’t clear about what Xie An meant, merely piecing together bits from Xie Shuci’s words.

“Is that so?” Xie An’s face displayed surprise, “But I heard that until the age of seven, Helian Zhu never showed any talent.”

Xie Shuci was taken aback, “Oh? Really?”

Helian Jue became vigilant and asked, “What did he say?”

Xie Shuci first gave Xie An a puzzled look, with the latter maintaining a neutral expression.

“Oh… he said that it seems Helian Zhu didn’t show any talent before the age of seven,” Xie Shuci responded hesitantly.

In the world of cultivation, the aptitude of a cultivator is almost determined at birth, with only a few rare exceptions where one might alter their fate using a beast’s inner core or some other very rare treasures.

Xie Shuci didn’t think much about it. Perhaps he just utilized such an inner core or treasure to change his fate.

But upon hearing Xie Shuci’s words, Helian Jue’s body shuddered, and his face instantly lost its color.

Lu Jin was also taken aback, her face becoming grave as she asked, “Where did you hear such a preposterous claim?”

Xie Shuci was taken aback by their strong reactions and looked to Xie An at a loss.

Xie An responded calmly, a slight smile on his face, “I hail from the Xiaoyao Sect. Naturally, I heard it from there.”

Xie Shuci conveyed this to the others. After listening, Helian Jue stared deeply at Xie An for a long moment. Without uttering a word, he turned and left the room with Lu Jin.

Xie Shuci and Chu Wenfeng exchanged bewildered looks. 

“What was that about?”

“It seems he’s been heavily affected by Helian Zhu over the years.”

“Do you think what your younger brother said is true?”

Both of them turned their gazes back to Xie An.

Xie An, with his arms crossed and leaning against a screen, slightly lowered his head, his long lashes casting a shadow over his eyes, revealing nothing, and he also didn’t offer them any explanation.

Chu Guiyi pondered for a moment before saying, “If Young Master Xie An is correct, then there’s more to this story. I used to be acquainted with Helian Jue, and our relationship was… quite good.”

“Senior Brother, are you talking about the years you spent outside for training?” Chu Wenfeng asked.

“Yes. Helian Jue became the top disciple at just fourteen. In a major selection event for the Immortal Sects, wielding the Cloud Piercing Spear, he defeated all opponents. Even the top disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect fell to his prowess. Although he failed to advance due to the influence of great immortal sects and wasn’t able to make his family enter Floating Tower Realm, he certainly made a name for himself.”

Xie Shuci exclaimed in surprise, “He’s that powerful?”

Chu Guiyi nodded, “Before Helian Zhu appeared, Helian Jue was considered a once-in-a-generation talent for the Helian family.”

“How does he compare to Xiao Xun?” Xie Shuci suddenly asked.

Chu Wenfeng rolled his eyes, “Xiao Xun, Xiao Xun, Xiao Xun! Why do you always bring him up? Are you scared of him or do you like him?”

Upon hearing this, Xie An, who had been silent, lifted his head to glance in Xie Shuci’s direction.

Xie Shuci shrank his neck in fear, “Like him? Do I have a death wish?”

Xie An’s face darkened slightly and he turned away.

Chu Guiyi shook his head, “In today’s world, I doubt there’s a second person who can be compared to Xiao Xun.”

Xie Shuci thought to himself that of course there wasn’t; after all, Xiao Xun was the favored son of the author.

Chu Guiyi continued, “Not long after the sect’s selection event, Helian Zhu suddenly rose to fame. Not only was he incredibly talented, but his cultivation level also soared. Helian Jue, who never cared for fame, chose to seal away his Cloud Piercing Spear soon after. From that moment, he faded, overshadowed by Helian Zhu. People said he felt inferior to his junior, which led to his decline. But now it seems, the truth might not be as it appears.”

Xie Shuci frowned, trying hard to recall the plot of the original book. Unfortunately, he had skimmed through it back then, only distinctly remembering Xiao Xun’s ruthless actions.

Speaking up to this point, Chu Guiyi couldn’t help but let out a sigh. “It was this matter that caused a rift between him and me.”

Feeling like he was playing a decoding game, Xie Shuci was extremely curious about the truth behind the events and their causal relationships. He turned to Xie An and asked, “Xie An, have you heard anything else about this?”

Xie An shook his head lightly, indicating that he hadn’t.

“What does the Helian family’s affairs have to do with you?” Chu Wenfeng shrugged.

“You wouldn’t understand. Human curiosity can be traced back to ancient times,” retorted Xie Shuci.

Though Xie Shuci and Chu Guiyi were curious, they had no substantial evidence. Therefore, the matter was set aside for the time being.

The next day, Xie Shuci and the others got up early. Before they could even have breakfast, they were taken to the Helian residence by Helian Jue.

Several elders from the Hehuan Sect had arrived at Luofang City in the middle of the night, eagerly seeking justice for the death of their disciples.

The Helian family differed from typical immortal sects. 

They didn’t possess their own immortal mountain but were located in the very center of Luofang City, resembling the source of a spring.

In front of the entrance stood two large gold-plated pillars, and behind them were several dazzlingly opulent halls, almost screaming luxury.

“Vulgar,” Chu Wen remarked slowly, trailing at the back. Hands clasped behind his head, he looked disdainfully at the lavish display of the Helian family.

“If one could pry off a brick of gold from this, I wonder how much silver it could fetch,” Xie Shuci said, eyes filled with envy as he gazed at the two large gold pillars.

“Xie Shuci, you’re so cheap.”

“Is being cheap illegal?”

Helian Jue bypassed two smaller halls, leading the four to a grand hall.

He knocked on the door, pausing briefly, “Patriarch, the guests have arrived.”

“Come in.”

As the door opened, the scene within the hall met their eyes.

Judging by their attires, there were representatives from at least five different immortal sects. They all had stern expressions, their attention immediately converging on the four newcomers.

Each cultivator in the room held significant status in the cultivation world. Their surging spiritual energies seemed to press down on Xie Shuci and his group in an instant.

“Shuci, use your spiritual energy to shield both you and Young Master Xie An,” Chu Guiyi reminded in a low voice from behind.

Xie Shuci, feeling the weight pressing down on him, quickly channeled his internal spiritual energy to envelope both himself and Xie An. Sure enough, the physical pressure alleviated considerably. 

However, he couldn’t avoid the mental oppression. 

The senior cultivators, with piercing eyes, scrutinized them, making Xie Shuci feel as if he was stripped naked and thrown into the midst of a crowd; being exposed and vulnerable. He subconsciously inched closer to Xie An.

The other three were inexplicably calm. Under Helian Jue’s guidance, they entered the hall confidently.

Deng Fengming sat to the right. Upon seeing Xie An, he tensed up. Thinking of the upcoming events, he felt anxious. If successful, all would be well. But if he failed…. he was afraid things might become uncontrollable.

“Patriarch,” Helian Jue greeted, bowing to the man seated at the central position.

Beside the man, a disciple was standing, it was Helian Zhu. Having him at his side at this time indicated the patriarch’s reliance on him.

Helian Zhu seemed accustomed to this. He even took the initiative, “Senior brother, you should step down for now.”

Facing Helian Zhu’s dismissive attitude, Helian Jue remained expressionless. He lowered his head, murmuring ‘yes’, and silently exited the grand hall.

“What a wimp,” Chu Wenfeng sneered.

The head of the Helian family glanced at Helian Zhu but didn’t criticize him, silently acknowledging Helian Zhu’s exercise of his authority. He then turned to several women in red robes on his left, “They are here. Do any of you have questions for them?”

Xie Shuci’s curiosity led him to steal a glance in that direction. Perhaps due to their cultivation methods, these women looked nothing like the elders he imagined. They all appeared to be young women of great beauty with radiant skin, posture graceful like willows, each leaning languidly on the armrest of their chairs.

One of the women idly toyed with her silky black hair, casting a casual glance over at the group. Her eyes were sultry, the kind that seemed sticky and entrancing.

In all his years, Xie Shuci had watched countless anime and had seen numerous two-dimensional beauties. However, he had never seen such a three-dimensional beauty in person. With sparkling eyes and a dazzling smile, her skin was like slippery white porcelain. She looked as if she had stepped straight out of a painting.

Noticing Xie Shuci staring at her, the woman generously graced him with a radiant smile, “Little Daoist, do you find me pretty?”

With clear eyes, Xie Shuci honestly nodded, “Yes, you are beautiful.”

More than just beautiful, even her voice sounded irresistibly sweet.

“Then between me and the young master beside you,” she raised a slender hand pointing to Xie An, “who do you think is more beautiful?”

Without hesitation, Xie Shuci replied, “He is.”

The woman, “…”