After several rounds of probing, in Xi Ranchen’s eyes, Xu Lin had always been able to hold his own, receiving and responding well.
Now finally seeing a stunned expression on his face made Xi Ranchen find it genuinely amusing.
So there were things this young man hadn’t anticipated after all.
“Actually, from the very beginning, when I first saw you, I noticed your eyes were special.”
Xi Ranchen voiced her earlier thoughts.
“If it weren’t for your acupuncture skills, I probably would have gouged out your eyes back then and left your corpse to rot in the wilderness.”
Xu Lin remained on guard, an involuntary chill running down his spine. It wasn’t that he hadn’t entertained such suspicions before.
After all, before the Life and Death Realm, the Heavenly Firmament Realm truly didn’t amount to much.
Xi Ranchen paused, then said with amusement,
“Later, watching you treat Yao’er’s injuries, I became more and more curious about what was going on with your eyes, so I made a point to look into it. Unexpectedly, I actually found something.”
It seemed she only appeared when Xu Lin and Yang Yao were in contact, but she had always been paying close attention to what exactly was going on with this young man Xu Lin.
“Don’t worry. Since I said I intend to use you, I won’t kill you for the time being.”
Xi Ranchen’s gaze roamed over Xu Lin, finally settling on the ancient manual she had tossed to him.
“Regarding the Spirit Void True Eyes, the Sunset Sect’s records aren’t extensive either. That ancient manual contains some basic introductions and a shallow cultivation method.”
Xu Lin opened the ancient manual and glanced through it. Indeed, as Xi Ranchen had said, it was an account of the Spirit Void True Eyes.
“Then I suppose I really must thank Sect Master Xi.”
Xu Lin’s tone had long lost its earlier playfulness; it was now grave and serious.
He truly hadn’t expected Xi Ranchen to be this terrifying.
Xi Ranchen’s expression also turned solemn as she said,
“But I still must warn you of one thing. Throughout the world, those with extraordinary eyes and pupils each possess their own abilities, but because they see too many things ordinary people cannot—even taboo things—they rarely meet a good end. Whether this Spirit Void True Eye of yours is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen.”
Xu Lin actually knew about this point. Even Wang Lingcang, the Sect Master of the Vast Dao Sect, had warned him of the same.
That was why he had withdrawn from the world and stepped away from the storyline—it was also to escape the curse of the Spirit Void True Eyes.
Xu Lin nodded slightly and bowed in salute.
“Thank you for the warning, Sect Master Xi.”
Regardless, she was indeed giving him a warning, and she had genuinely found him a cultivation method for the Spirit Void True Eyes.
“You’re too courteous. You are my sect’s Saint, and I am the Sect Master. It is only proper for me to resolve the doubts of my juniors.”
“Even if, later on, you truly fulfill your role as a pawn to the fullest and Yao’er still wants to kill you, I will try to persuade her to show mercy.”
The latter half of her words were half true, half false. After all, no one could guess what would happen later.
Xi Ranchen continued to tease Xu Lin.
“Oh, by the way, I heard from Yao’er that you wanted to look for some cultivation techniques in the Scripture Pavilion. If you’re looking for a way to undo the Demon Curse Forbidden Pattern, it’s not there. You needn’t go through all that trouble.”
She seemed to think of something amusing and couldn’t help but smile.
“But if you truly want to learn the Sunset Sect’s cultivation techniques, you can come find me anytime. I can personally teach you one-on-one.”
Xu Lin leaned back, narrowed his eyes, utterly astonished.
Although Xi Ranchen appeared to be middle-aged, like Wang Lingcang, she was someone who had lived for several hundred years.
Speaking to a junior like him in such a manner carried a rather menacing air, like someone who would devour a person without spitting out the bones.
Xu Lin silently shook his head.
“I hope there won’t be an opportunity for that.”
“Up to you.”
Xi Ranchen waved her hand.
“You’ve been working hard these past few days. Go back and rest well. In a while, the sect disciple grand competition will be held. As the Saint, you should make a proper appearance then, standing by my side together with Yao’er.”
Indeed, Xu Lin had been diligently doing his work these past few days; that was obvious for all to see.
But if he were really to continue staying here, Yang Yao would probably still be in that relentless, unyielding mood.
“Mm. I’ll be going then.”
Xu Lin once again confirmed that Xi Ranchen was intent on playing him to death.
Seeing that Xu Lin was about to leave, Xi Ranchen composed her expression and continued sipping her tea.
But just as he was halfway out, Xu Lin suddenly stopped in his tracks. A sense of unwillingness rose in his heart, and he abruptly turned around to face Xi Ranchen again.
“What I mean is, one day, not only will I break the restriction you’ve placed on me, but I’ll also flee the Sunset Sect right before your very eyes. You won’t be able to kill me—impossible!”
Upon hearing this, Xi Ranchen glanced at the earnest Xu Lin from the corner of her eye, then merely gave a contemptuous smile, as if she had just heard some amusing joke.
Xu Lin said no more. He turned and left. Against Xi Ranchen, he truly couldn’t gain the slightest advantage.
After Xu Lin left, Xi Ranchen finally shook her head.
“Juniors will always be juniors.”
What was that last remark supposed to mean? An act of throwing out harsh words?
Or was he deliberately saying it to provoke her now that he was certain she wouldn’t kill him for the time being?
Whether it was Yang Yao or Xu Lin, before an old hand like Xi Ranchen, who had weathered several hundred years of ups and downs, they were ultimately still too immature.
Leaving Xi Ranchen’s residence, even though he was still within the Sunset Sect, Xu Lin still felt as though a huge weight had been lifted—at least he no longer had to be so tense.
Returning to his own dwelling, Xu Lin felt an indescribable exhaustion.
He had expended his mental energy to remove Yang Yao’s poison, only to be chased all over the place, and then dragged off by Xi Ranchen for a talk that mixed both carrots and sticks.
This Sunset Sect was truly no place for a person to stay—at least, not for him.
But just as he landed in the courtyard, before Xu Lin could even voice his complaints, he saw a figure sitting on the stone steps by the door of his house. She had her arms wrapped around her legs, her head resting on her knees, looking like she was dozing off.
“Jiang Luo?”
From the attire and the silhouette, Xu Lin could roughly make out that it was Jiang Luo.
But why was she sitting here sleeping?
Xu Lin walked forward. Even when he reached the stone steps, Jiang Luo still showed no sign of getting up.
“What are you doing here?”
Xu Lin stepped forward and shook her by the shoulders.
Sensing the movement, Jiang Luo opened her weary eyes, raised a hand to rub them, and was completely groggy.
“Sleeping here—you really know how to pick a spot.”
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Jiang Luo’s hand, which was rubbing her eyes, froze for a moment. She suddenly looked up at Xu Lin.
Xu Lin was somewhat startled, not understanding her behavior.
This time, before he could ask, he saw that a faint mist of tears had welled up in Jiang Luo’s eyes, which had yet to fully shake off their drowsiness.
“Senior Brother, you’re finally back!”
With her small and delicate frame, Jiang Luo lunged forward like a little rabbit, throwing her arms around Xu Lin in a hug.
Her entire head was buried in Xu Lin’s chest.
Her tearful voice came through,
“Where exactly did you go? How come you’ve had no news at all these past few days, and you didn’t come back either?”
The sudden emotional outpouring left Xu Lin utterly bewildered.
“You haven’t dozed off into a daze, have you?”
Jiang Luo didn’t care about anything else. Clinging tightly to Xu Lin, she looked up at him with tearful eyes.
“I… I thought you thought I was stupid and were deliberately avoiding me.”
“Where is this coming from?”
Seeing Jiang Luo sobbing like this, Xu Lin couldn’t help but feel a little amused.
“Because… Senior Brother hasn’t come back for the past few days, so I subconsciously thought you also thought I was stupid and didn’t want to teach me anymore.”
It had originally been just a bit of random overthinking, but as the time Xu Lin didn’t return grew longer, Jiang Luo became convinced that was the case.