Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
Li Guanqi was somewhat baffled, unsure of whose child this could be.
"However… this little girl has a strong vitality; she must be only five or six years old."
Without overthinking it, Li Guanqi pushed open the courtyard gate and walked in.
The young man who just entered stood frozen in place, for the courtyard was exquisitely refined.
Compared to the house he had lived in back in Fulong Village, his former home was practically a pigsty…
The front yard featured a stream drawn from Heavenly Thunder Peak, complete with a small bridge, flowing water, and oddly-shaped rocks amidst pine trees.
Beyond that was a stone table, and entering the courtyard led to a vast main hall, stretching over 20 metres in length.
All the furniture in the room was made of brand-new mahogany, and beyond the main hall were the bedrooms.
There were three in total, one main and two secondary.
Such an environment was simply too wonderful; there was even a plot of land in the backyard, a small spiritual garden.
The soil was dark, sprinkled with some green powder, likely fertilizer to maintain the garden's fertility.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of a gentle knock came, and Li Guanqi hurried to answer the door, only to hear a tender voice outside.
"Junior brother, take your time~ no rush to open the door."
Li Guanqi was slightly startled, thinking to himself…
"Could it be a disciple from Heavenly Thunder Peak?"
"Isn't the initiation ceremony supposed to be tomorrow?"
Creak~
When Li Guanqi opened the gate, he found seven or eight people standing outside, all older than him.
Each person wore a smile, some holding cotton padding, others carrying wooden basins and such items.
When they saw the cloth covering the boy's eyes, a hint of pity flashed in their eyes.
All were dressed in the white robes of the Sect, with two purple thunderbolt embroideries extending down from the shoulders.
The Sect emblem on their chests featured a purple thunder character.
Leading them was a dark-skinned young woman.
She was about eighteen or nineteen, with a high ponytail and an oval face.
Her features were delicate despite her dark complexion, and her large eyes shone brightly.
The woman cast a commanding glance at the people beside her, then pointed at the boy's eyes, signaling everyone to keep quiet.
Then, in a gentle voice, she said, "Hello, junior brother, I am Gu Ran, a disciple under the Second Elder of Heavenly Thunder Peak."
"Just call me senior sister, haha, and these are your senior brothers from Heavenly Thunder Peak."
"We came today because we were worried you might not have bedding."
Li Guanqi quickly stepped aside, greeting them with a smile and a fist salute, "Junior brother Li Guanqi, at your service. Please, don't stand at the door; come in and have a seat."
Gu Ran led the others into the courtyard, and a few tall senior brothers headed straight for the main bedroom to lay out the bedding they had brought.
Watching the bustling crowd, the softest part of the young man's heart was unexpectedly touched.
His past experiences were the deepest secrets he kept to himself.
His current personality had changed bit by bit during the eight years he spent with Su Xuan, perhaps intentionally imitating his grandfather's carefree nature.
At this moment, Gu Ran came to the young man's side, holding his arm and walking very slowly.
"Walk slowly, get familiar with the surroundings; there's a step here, then it's ten steps to the stone bridge."
"To your right is the stone table, and to your left is the pond, so be careful."
"I've already collected your Sect uniform from the internal affairs; try it on later to see if it fits. If not, I'll have them exchange it."
"From now on, consider Heavenly Thunder Peak your home, and us your family."
"If you ever need anything, just call out at Heavenly Thunder Peak, your senior brothers and sisters will definitely support you!"
"If anyone dares to bully you, tell me, and your senior sister Gu will stand up for you."
After such a long talk, the two hadn't even walked off the bridge yet, showing just how slowly they were moving.
And so, the young man was led by Gu Ran, slowly moving forward.
"Big Head! Go help Bamboo Pole cushion the furniture corners; don't just stand there."
The tallest youth quickly responded with a smile, "Right away, senior sister."
"Little junior brother, if Elder Xu only brought you back this time, then you're definitely the youngest junior brother in Heavenly Thunder Peak, haha."
"If you need anything, just go to senior sister Gu, it's sure to work! When I first arrived, I felt she cared for me even more than my own mother."
"Big Head, are you asking for extra training~? Huh?"
"Hahaha! You're just asking to be scolded."
"Three years! Finally, I have a little junior brother."
Listening to the casual chatter around him, the young man felt as if he was in another world.
Their words were like the warm sun of spring, the stream in the mountains.
Turning into warm currents flowing through his heart.
Suddenly.
Tears streamed down from beneath the black cloth covering his eyes.
He could endure Zhao Yuanlin humiliating him in front of everyone, trading his sister's life for money.
He could admit in front of everyone that he was blind, a lowly beggar.
He could watch a thousand people mock them as ignorant stray dogs barking at the village entrance.
Yet he couldn't bear the slightest concern from these strangers he had never met before.
"So it turns out, not all of this world is filled with suffering…"
Plop!
Gu Ran stiffened slightly, then used her hand to wipe the young man's face, clearing away his tears, and grumbled, "What are you looking at? There's nothing wrong, is there?"
"Hurry up, we only have the time it takes an incense stick to burn before we start cultivating!"
Then Gu Ran handed a brand-new white robe to Li Guanqi, whispering, "Hurry and try this on, let's see if it fits."
Li Guanqi smiled faintly, holding the robe and softly said, "Thank you, senior brothers and sisters. Guanqi is honored to be your junior brother."
He bowed deeply, and although he saw everyone dodge, he still bowed respectfully.
After standing up, Li Guanqi's mouth curled into a playful smile, "Senior sister, if you keep pulling on senior brother's hair, you might just pull it all out…"
As he spoke, the young man turned as if looking straight at the woman.
Gu Ran was taken aback, then waved her hand in front of his eyes, cautiously asking, "Aren't you blind?"
Li Guanqi slowly untied the cloth band, revealing his startlingly pure white eyes.
"I am truly blind, but… I have opened my Insight."
"What? This kid's been playing us!"
"That's right! I thought he really couldn't see; I've already cushioned all the table corners!"
"Brothers! Let's get him!!"
The crowd surged forward, playfully roughhousing with Li Guanqi, and then a few senior brothers said.
"We're off, see you at the training ground, I'm challenging senior sister today!"
"Pfft~ you? Today, I'll be the one to spar with you."
"By the way, should we take on some missions tomorrow? I'm really broke lately…"
After everyone left, Gu Ran, looking at the young man in the white robe, couldn't help but nod, "Not bad! Handsome as you are, you suit white even better!"
"That sword box of yours is pretty big, a gift from an elder? Is there a sword inside?"
Li Guanqi scratched his head, clueless about what was inside.
Gu Ran laughed breezily, turned around, and said, "Junior brother, rest well today. The initiation ceremony is at dawn tomorrow, don't be late."
Once everyone had gone, Li Guanqi looked at the house, which had changed dramatically from before, his lips curling into a tender smile.
That night, he slept exceptionally peacefully.