Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 68: Escort

“Uncle Liu, what did you mean when you said many people died in the western part of the city?”

“You don’t know?”

“I’ve been hiding with Junior Sister since we sensed that things outside were unstable. We’re completely unaware of the situation out there.” You Su’s tone was earnest.

“Hmm, do you know about the evil entities lurking in this mist?”

You Su nodded. Liu Nengwu continued, “At first, the mist was just strange, but later, more and more evil entities began appearing within it. The city lord sent cultivators to patrol and protect us, but even they couldn’t hold out for long. It’s said that many cultivators in the west fell to these evil entities. Even Sect Leader Qi and Wu Cheng might have perished. Patrols became scarce, and the streets were filled with the sounds of evil entities roaming. One of those entities broke into our house, killing the cultivator who came to save us. Out of fear, several families banded together and hid in a cellar.”

“Uncle Liu, how long ago did the incident in the west occur?”

Liu Nengwu shook his head. “Not within the past two days—we’ve been hiding for two days already.”

You Su was shocked. If the invading evil entities could threaten someone as powerful as Sect Leader Qi, what hope did they have?

“We fled in such a hurry that we didn’t have time to gather much. Our food ran out quickly, and now everyone is starving. They were counting on Old Huang and me to bring back food. But after encountering those evil entities, we ended up hiding here in this Safehaven Cave. Thankfully, we ran into you. Now everyone can be saved.” Liu Nengwu gazed at You Su with hopeful eyes.

“That’s right! You Su, you’re so strong—you’ll definitely be able to lead us back and save them! Don’t worry, our cellar is very safe!” Huang Shi’an chimed in.

You Su had taken first place in the Ascension Assembly. With him around, their chances of survival would undoubtedly improve.

“What exactly is the ‘Safehaven Cave’?” You Su suddenly asked.

“This place here. Long ago, it was used as a refuge, but it was abandoned by my grandfather’s generation. Later, the city lord dug a new one. The person who came to rescue us was supposed to take us there, but they were killed by an evil entity.” Liu Nengwu’s voice carried sorrow. “There’s no time to waste. Let’s go, You Su—many people are still waiting for us.”

You Su understood. No wonder his master had said the well connected to the outside—it was an old, abandoned refuge.

Initially, he had planned to find food with Junior Sister and hide somewhere safe. Now, a secure location was presented to him. However, considering Junior Sister’s aversion to strangers, he hesitated to accept the invitation from Huang and Liu.

Turning around to ask Ji Lingruo’s opinion, he found her already peeking out from behind him, asking first, “Will there be enough food?”

Liu Nengwu and Huang Shi’an exchanged glances. Huang replied, “Plenty. Absolutely plenty. Since You Su is protecting us, he gets priority.”

“Then let’s go,” Ji Lingruo said lightly, giving You Su’s back a small push.

Feeling warmth in his heart, You Su took Junior Sister’s hand and addressed the two elders, “Uncle Huang, Uncle Liu, lead the way. If anything happens, stay behind me.”

The two nodded and cautiously moved forward.

Along the way, they encountered some evil entities. Most appeared to be low-level, flesh-based creatures, visible even to Huang and Liu, and You Su easily dispatched them.

But this situation didn’t make sense. Based on their earlier account, the evil entities in the west had reached a level capable of threatening even Sect Leader Qi. Even if the city hadn’t yet seen such powerful entities, these ones shouldn’t have been so weak. Moreover, they claimed that rescuers had died at the hands of evil entities—how could these creatures possibly achieve that? Could it simply be their luck today?

You Su couldn’t figure it out and decided to proceed cautiously.

The dense fog severely limited visibility, terrifying the two guides. For You Su, however, it posed no threat. He was already intimately familiar with Chuyun City’s layout, and his ability to see through the mist made this environment ideal for someone like him—a blind swordsman—to fight.

After passing through several familiar streets, they entered a tightly shut residence—Huang Shi’an’s home.

At the entrance lay a skeleton, stark and eerie—the remains of the cultivator who had sacrificed himself to save them, leaving not even a name behind.

Huang Shi’an bowed respectfully before leading the group through several hidden doors. He then lifted a section of the floorboards and gestured for everyone to follow, descending first down the concealed ladder.

You Su was surprised. Uncle Huang had always seemed honest and unassuming—how had he managed to dig such a hidden cellar?

Ji Lingruo was the last to climb down, nearly slipping on the final few steps. You Su caught her securely in his arms, though it was unclear whether her stumble was intentional or not.

After walking about twenty meters further, they finally saw the full extent of the cavern.

The cave was dimly lit by a single candle, casting faint light over a cramped space where twelve people huddled together.

In the flickering candlelight, each face bore signs of exhaustion. Upon seeing the four arrivals, their eyes lit up with hope, as if salvation had arrived.

“Old Huang! Old Liu! You’re back!”

Everyone surged forward in excitement, surrounding them.

Among them was a gaunt but beautiful woman—the proprietress of Zhaiyun Clothing Shop. She immediately recognized You Su and rushed to grasp his hand.

“You Su! You’re alive!”

“Auntie, I’m glad you’re safe too.”

You Su smiled faintly, exchanging pleasantries. Seeing familiar faces in such dire circumstances brought a measure of comfort.

However, You Su suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Behind him stood only Ji Lingruo. He awkwardly extricated his hand from the proprietress’s grip, chuckling nervously.

The proprietress glanced at the cold-faced girl behind You Su, comprehension dawning on her face, and said nothing further.

“You Su? The top-ranked candidate from the Ascension Assembly?” someone unfamiliar with him asked.

“It really is him! We’re saved!” an elderly man exclaimed emotionally.

You Su felt slightly embarrassed, but fortunately, Liu Nengwu stepped in to calm the excited crowd.

As he distributed the hard-earned food, he recounted the dangers of their journey, downplaying his own struggles while emphasizing You Su’s strength, embedding it deeply in everyone’s minds.

Once the distribution was complete, Huang Shi’an stood up and placed a strip of dried meat in front of You Su.

“You Su, as a cultivator, your energy consumption must be greater. Uncle Huang shares this with you. Please protect everyone.”

The remaining thirteen people followed suit, each offering a portion of their food to You Su. You Su didn’t offer empty platitudes like “You don’t need to” or “Keep it.” In such dire conditions, mutual benefit required no pretense.

Everyone carefully savored their long-awaited meal in silence. Ji Lingruo, who had grown increasingly quiet since entering, stayed close to You Su. Anyone attempting to approach You Su was deterred by the aloof aura emanating from the young woman.

The night passed without incident. Just as You Su thought the next few days would pass similarly, several unexpected visitors arrived.