Fairy, Don't Be Afraid, I Am Blind

Chapter 153 - 120: Sword Intent Duel

You Su originally intended to shield his gentle-tempered senior sister even more, but unexpectedly, she took a rare step forward, placing herself protectively in front of him.

?

You Su was puzzled, until he sensed the excited or admiring gazes from the surrounding female disciples. Only then did he vaguely guess the answer.

Fairy Wangshu, with her cold demeanor, swept her icy blue eyes over the excited female disciples, her delicate jade hand resting on the sword hilt, exhibiting a protective stance. Those fervent female disciples seemed intimidated by her, shrinking back sheepishly. Wherever Fairy Wangshu walked, the exclamations triggered by You Su would significantly reduce.

You Su noticed his senior sister’s actions, smiled helplessly, and felt a hint of delight at her childlike possessiveness over him, so he said nothing and contentedly enjoyed his sister’s "guardianship."

After passing through the crowd and traversing the pavilions, the full view of the Cloud Platform built on this cliff could be seen.

Below the vast platform, the sea of clouds surged, and the edges of the Cloud Platform were adorned with elegantly decorated carved towers, with thicker fog further above.

In the carved towers, many people were already seated, all dressed in elegant attire with extraordinary manners. Surprisingly, such a trivial reporting battle of a True Disciple attracted numerous elders, administrators, and True Disciples to watch.

You Su exhaled deeply, trying to ignore the scrutinizing gazes from all directions. Following the guidance of the Third Elder, he walked to the center of the platform.

At that place, Zhou Changwen, dressed in red and with a handsome face, had been waiting for some time. Behind him, Mr. Chihong, with his burly figure, hovered in the air with his sword, exuding an overwhelming presence without a hint of anger.

"Fifth Elder." Mr. Liu greeted Mr. Chihong courteously.

Junior Elders, when meeting Senior Elders, also needed to greet with the same courtesy.

In You Su’s Sea of Consciousness, the Chihong light mass represented by the Fifth Elder was like a red sun, radiating scorching light. You Su also greeted him, saying:

"You Su greets the Fifth Elder."

The Fifth Elder, still aloft with his sword, did not respond. His hawk-like eyes, seemingly glowing red, were fixed intently on You Su. Only then did he speak, almost indifferently:

"Are you blind?"

You Su paused for a moment, then replied, "I am."

As soon as the words fell, You Su clearly felt the pressure on him increase suddenly. This pressure did not come from the Fifth Elder, but from the Immortals sitting in the carved towers. Their disbelief-driven Divine Sense collectively exerted this mental pressure.

Within the carved towers, the Third Elder frowned deeply. She gently turned her wine gourd, her jade fingers tapping lightly, intending to relieve You Su of the pressure. However, she found that a Qi Wall had already formed around You Su, isolating all the probing Divine Sense.

She meticulously felt the composition of this Qi Wall and found it somewhat thin, yet it fed back a very strong sense of oppression. Only one person within the Profound Sky Sect could effortlessly wield this level of skill—

The First Elder of Xuanshao Peak!

The Third Elder adjusted her seating posture to be more dignified, surprised in her heart. Even this elder, revered as the stabilizing pillar of the Profound Sky Sect, had been attracted by the challenge between these two juniors...

The Fifth Elder was also aware, withdrew his sword-like gaze, and said:

"You and Changwen are of similar age, enough to meet the challenge criteria. However, your battle yesterday has already earned you Changwen’s recognition, so his challenge to you is not because he thinks you’re unworthy of being a disciple of Lotus Peak. It’s just a mutual appreciation between swordsmen, and he wishes to exchange a sword strike with you."

At first glance, these words carried no malice, but You Su felt increasingly uncomfortable. He was a disciple of the Lotus Sword Venerable, so why would he need recognition from a peer like the disciple of Mr. Chihong?

The term "exchange a sword strike" sounded not at all humble at this moment, but rather full of arrogance.

"If you don’t wish to accept the challenge, you can refuse. Any disagreement from you will be voided. If you wish to accept, I will personally seal Changwen’s cultivation to ensure you both duel in the same realm, fairly. Our Red Rainbow Peak also cherishes swords, and regardless of the outcome, you’ll remain at Lotus Peak."

The Fifth Elder only softly spoke to You Su, yet his words were audible to all present.

The Third Elder clenched her wine gourd, her chest heaving greatly, almost bursting the lavish blue gown under the weight of her emotions. She was naturally angered by the Fifth Elder’s arrogant words. Although the duel seemed fair, it felt like a fairness dictated by Red Rainbow Peak, making You Su’s acceptance or refusal equally awkward.

The platform fell into a brief silence, with everyone awaiting You Su’s response.

"Fortunate to have the chance to engage in a sword exchange with Senior Brother Zhou from Red Rainbow Peak, how could I, You Su, bear to refuse?"

You Su suddenly spoke. He raised his head, not to look at today’s opponent, but directly at the Fifth Elder hovering with his sword. Suddenly, You Su was rather grateful for being blind, as not seeing his opponent’s sharp gaze allowed him to face it even more boldly.

"Mr. Liu, at eighteen and nineteen years old, does this meet the age-similar challenge standards?" You Su asked.

Mr. Liu was momentarily stunned; he understood what You Su was thinking. He wanted to refute it but couldn’t conveniently do so in front of everyone. He could only reply hesitantly:

"It meets... it meets."

"Since it meets, let’s follow the rules. Fifth Elder, there’s no need to seal Senior Brother Zhou’s cultivation. In a sword exchange, we should unleash our full potential."

High as the peak, below the Cloud Platform, the vapor of the clouds surged as if one was falling into the clouds.

You Su’s lips curved upward, his hand resting on the sword hilt. His black robe fluttered gently, like a spirited human swordsman in Henggao City.

Mr. Liu was furious and wished he could regret it for him.

"Junior Brother truly knows how to wield such a sword, a person with real pride and integrity. Asking for you to exchange a sword strike was indeed the right choice."