Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman - Chapter 3 8 Years Later, Fulong Village

Atop a picturesque mountain lies a little-known village named Fulong.

In this village lived nearly 300 households.

As the night descended, smoke rose from the chimneys of every home.

Floral-robed women swung open their courtyard gates and called out the names of the children in each household.

“Little Iron!”

“Little Dog!! Dinner’s ready!”

“Cuihua, you’ve returned.”

“Chenchen, that mischievous one hasn’t come home yet!”

Nearby, a tall boy forcefully released his grip on a younger boy.

“You blind fool, if I catch you again next time, I’ll give you an even harder beating!” He said angrily.

The young boy lying on the ground smiled mysteriously, whispering in a soft voice, “Zhao Beichen, just you wait.”

The boy, now about thirteen or fourteen years old, possessed sharp features, a high and straight nose, and thin lips.

He donned a gray linen robe, with a white silk ribbon covering his eyes.

As soon as the words were spoken!

Zhao Beichen’s eyes grew fierce, and he raised his hand to strike the boy.

However, a child beside him intervened and, with a pained expression, said, “Beichen, hurry back. My mom is calling me for dinner.”

After a few other children departed, the boy on the ground sprang to his feet with a sudden burst of energy.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and strolled back home with his hands behind his back.

As he walked, the boy wrinkled his nose, as though he hadn’t just been beaten.

Following a tantalizing scent, he leaned against a family’s fence and called out, “Auntie Li~ What special day is it today? Are you stewing a young chicken?”

Creak~

A slightly plump middle-aged woman pushed the door open, greeted the boy with a smile, and said, “It’s Guanqi, have you eaten? Auntie will get you some.”

Li Guanqi feigned touching his stomach and replied, “I haven’t eaten yet.”

“Well, you certainly have a keen sense of smell, don’t you? You didn’t want to eat my grandpa’s pickled vegetables, but you’ve come as soon as you smelled something good.”

Auntie Li waved her hand at Li Guanqi, “Little rascal, you came just in time. Auntie still has half a pot left!”

“I’ll fetch some more rice for you, and you can take it back to eat with your grandpa,” she said promptly.

Upon hearing these words, the young boy’s smile broadened, and he sweetly responded, “Thank you, Auntie Li.”

“Ah… it’s such a waste that Auntie Li doesn’t open a restaurant down the mountain with her cooking skills,” he remarked, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“You naughty boy, your sweet talk gets you everything,” she teased.

In no time, a delicate little girl resembling a porcelain doll appeared, carrying a steaming pot of stewed chicken.

The girl carefully held the brimming pot of stewed chicken, her eyes fixed on it to prevent any spills, making them as round as saucers.

As she walked, the little girl grumbled, “Li Guanqi, do you have a nose like a dog? Every time my family cooks something delicious, you show up right on time.”

Li Guanqi, leaning against the fence, couldn’t resist responding, “Meng Wanshu, who do you think will marry you as a virtuous wife and mother in the future?”

Meng Wanshu blushed and struggled to balance the pot on the fence.

She pouted, looked up at Li Guanqi, and scolded, “You rascal!”

Li Guanqi chuckled and, as he turned to leave, stood in place and gave a slight nod.

With some awkwardness, he said, “Um… Welcome back Uncle Meng?”

The man in front of Li Guanqi remained silent but kicked him in the rear as he passed.

With a laugh, he chided, “Stop teasing Wanshu. She’s almost of marrying age, and you’re still fooling around. You scoundrel!”

Li Guanqi chuckled and quickly nodded, saying, “Alright~ I’ll bring some wine for Uncle Meng tomorrow.”

After navigating through various twists and turns, they finally reached a courtyard a bit farther away.

After pushing open the door, the young boy softly called out, “Grandpa, I’m back.”

At the door, an old man puffing on a dry pipe suddenly brightened up.

He quickly approached Li Guanqi, grabbed a piece of chicken, and stuffed it into his mouth, squinting his eyes with delight.

Chewing away, the old man commented, “Indeed, Old Meng’s daughter-in-law’s cooking is the best.”

Li Guanqi put down the pot and swayed slightly.

Su Xuan pursed his lips and scolded in an irritated tone, “You’ve only been happy for a short while, and you’re already like this? Boy, today you’ll have to hit the punching bag a hundred times!”

The young boy’s face immediately turned bitter, and he mumbled softly, “Grandpa, really…?”

The old man declared, “Hit it a hundred more times, make it three hundred times, and I won’t be done until late into the night.”

The young boy wisely closed his mouth as the old man reached behind him and pulled out a jet-black scabbard.

Together, the old and the young sat on the doorstep, enjoying their meal.

While eating, the young boy questioned, “Grandpa, why do you always tell me not to fight back?”

The old man spat out a bone and swatted the boy’s head with his palm, causing him to stagger.

“Why practice fighting against the weak?” he retorted. “Isn’t that what I’ve taught you? If you fight back, I’ll have to attend Old Zhao’s feast tomorrow.”

The young boy rubbed his head and fell silent for a moment.

Pretending not to care, the old man remarked, “You look like you’re holding in a fart. That’s no way to live, boy. I can’t be bothered with you.”

“Did you run into Uncle Meng on your way back?” he inquired.

Li Guanqi grinned, “Wanshu, that little girl, becomes more beautiful every day.”

Smack!

“Who asked you about his daughter?”

“Oh, oh, oh, you want to talk about my father-in-law?”

Smack!

“After dinner, soak in the medicinal bath and punch the bag four hundred times!”

“Oh, Grandpa, my dear Grandpa!”

To his surprise, the old man suddenly stood up, leaving the young boy hanging.

“Burp~”

“I’m done eating.”

Li Guanqi realized things weren’t looking good. He clinked his chopsticks in the bowl a few times, creating the only sound of bowl and chopsticks clashing.

“Are you going to play chess with Old Man Lu again?”

“Hurry up and practice your punches!”

The young boy’s face turned bitter as he devoured his meal, leaving not a single grain of rice.

After the meal, he went to the backyard, undressed completely, and immersed himself in a bathtub.

In a matter of seconds, the young boy’s skin flushed deep red, and small beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

His body quivered slightly, and he gritted his teeth as though enduring an intense pain.

Through the dark green medicinal liquid, faint patterns became visible across the young boy’s body.

Li Guanqi had acquired the ability to see with his “eyes” just this year. Although his vision was limited to black and white, it brought him immense joy.

So, every day, he dedicated his energy to activate his newfound sight.

Li Guanqi sat cross-legged in the bathtub, enduring the discomfort caused by the medicinal bath while contemplating what would follow once he finished his punching bag practice.

—-

In the eastern part of Fulong Village, a centuries-old oak tree stood tall.

Su Xuan, clad in a gray robe and carrying a horsewhip, strolled leisurely towards the tree.

Under the tree sat a kindly-looking old man engrossed in a game of chess.

Spotting Su Xuan’s arrival, he warmly greeted him.

“Tsk tsk, just finished eating, huh?”

Su Xuan plucked a piece of meat from his mouth, flicked it away with his fingers, and replied, “Old Lu, today, I’ll indulge you with one more game before I depart.”

The elderly man, with a mane of white hair, raised his head slowly and whispered, “Leaving?”

Su Xuan placed the horsewhip on the ground and continued, “Yes, I’m heading out.”

He casually picked up a white chess piece and set it on the board. Gazing at the old man, he spoke in a hushed tone, “I know who Old Meng is, and I’m familiar with Zhang Laohan from the west of the village.”

“But it’s you, Old Lu, that has puzzled me for eight years, and I still can’t fathom.”

“You… what’s your name?”

The old man smiled faintly, took a black chess piece, and set it beside the white ones.

“Me? I’m just a lonely old man. As for my name… it’s Lu Tiancheng.”

Su Xuan furrowed his brow and murmured softly, “Lu Tiancheng… I haven’t heard that name before.”

“Then they probably aren’t anyone important.”

“But…”

Bang!

A sheathed knife casually smashed a black chess piece.

Su Xuan fixed a sharp gaze on the old man and whispered, “I don’t care who you are, and I don’t care about your name. I don’t care if you can defy the Heavenly Dao. As long as I’m here, you won’t touch one hair on my grandson! I won’t allow you to make a move!”

Hum!

In the next moment, the shattered black chess piece inexplicably reassembled, returning to its original state.

The old man appeared unruffled by Su Xuan’s threat and softly remarked, “Whether I can move or not, we won’t know until we try, will we?”

Su Xuan smiled faintly, scratched his head with the sheathed knife, and rose to his feet, saying, “Then let’s try it now. I’m afraid I’ll be too busy tomorrow, and I won’t have time.”