Chapter 110

Chapter 110: The Role of Closing Eyes

Regarding this question Lou Yun had posed, Zhuge Mou did not answer immediately. Instead, after pondering for a long while, he finally spoke: "Just now I mentioned that all these years, I’ve actually been watching you closely, though you were unaware. I discovered that among the seven of us, only your cultivation has progressed steadily and gradually over time, step by step, while the rest of us aren’t the same as you."

"To give an imperfect example, you’re like a diligent person who slowly builds wealth through hard work, gradually becoming affluent; whereas the rest of us resemble those who strike it rich suddenly. Although not achieving overnight wealth, we acquired vast fortunes in an extremely brief period. It was through this comparison that I felt you should be capable of controlling the powerful force inside you."

After finishing this statement, Zhuge Mou gazed at Lou Yun, clearly hoping Lou Yun would admit to this and reveal the secret or method for controlling that internal force.

However, Lou Yun truly didn’t know, because the force within him came from Chang Xiang, and his steady, progressive strength increase was also due to Chang Xiang’s guidance. He couldn’t possibly reveal Chang Xiang’s existence. Therefore, after discussing with Chang Xiang, Lou Yun could only shake his head with a bitter smile and say: "I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. I genuinely cannot control the force inside me. The reason my cultivation has risen progressively is that I encountered an excellent teacher who’s been guiding my training all along!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Mou smiled faintly, nodded, and did not press further: "So that’s how it is. It’s all right. I believe one day we can truly fully master the forces within us!"

From Zhuge Mou’s reaction and words, Lou Yun knew he didn’t believe what had been said. But he had no choice—there was a genuine hardship in being able to tell the truth.

Zhuge Mou then added: "By the way, you had another question: how could I pinpoint your location. Actually, I couldn’t determine your precise whereabouts. I only knew I was keeping an eye on you. I knew you were undertaking a certain mission, and you vanished for nearly half a year. Then you suddenly reappeared with a rapid advance in strength, heading towards Bei Xiong Nation. So, I estimated your approximate location and dispatched Tie Sha and Wen Hou to find you. Thankfully, they located you!"

This revelation shocked Lou Yun once again in his heart. The fact that the other party understood his movements so intimately meant he had been secretly tracking him all along. Yet, neither Lou Yun himself nor Chang Xiang had ever detected his presence. Could Zhuge Mou’s strength have reached such heights that even Chang Xiang couldn’t spot him?

Chang Xiang expressed disbelief. It had to be that Zhuge Mou possessed some special method for tracking people!

Regardless, Lou Yun’s life today was essentially saved by Zhuge Mou. Without him, Lou Yun would likely have fallen into the hands of Silver Thread Sect by now. So, Lou Yun decided not to dwell on the past issues any further. He smiled slightly and said: "I see now. Well, I’ve asked all my questions. What’s next?"

Zhuge Mou pulled out a black bracelet from his robe and handed it to Lou Yun: "Since you’ve agreed to join Tianjiao, this bracelet is for you. We other six members each have one exactly like it. It’s intended so we can recognize our friends in the future, no matter the occasion or location. Whenever you meet anyone wearing an identical bracelet to yours, you can trust them unconditionally."

Although Lou Yun had agreed with Wen Hou to join Tianjiao merely as a temporary expedient at the time, after learning all these things, he felt a genuine curiosity and interest in the organization. Therefore, without saying much, he took the bracelet and fastened it to his left wrist, silently accepting his membership in Tianjiao.

But he was somewhat skeptical about Zhuge Mou’s words regarding unconditional trust in other members.

Seeing Lou Yun put on the bracelet, Zhuge Mou looked very pleased and smiled: "All right, there’s nothing more for now. You can attend to your own affairs. If we require your help, we’ll seek you out!"

This made Lou Yun startle in surprise: "Are you saying I’m free to go?"

"Yes!" Zhuge Mou nodded: "The six of us usually pursue our individual daily pursuits. We only contact each other when a mission demands action, and then we select the most suitable person for the task. Currently, no particular mission requires your participation, so you can continue your own endeavors."

"What kind of missions do we normally undertake? And how can you locate me whenever needed?" Lou Yun asked puzzledly.

"We may be exceptional, but we too need to cultivate and require certain essentials. So, I liaised with suitable missions to earn resources and maintain Tianjiao’s existence and operations. Of course, whoever completes a mission claims the corresponding reward. Essentially, we’re comparable to mercenary groups—except we’re a bit stronger than most!"

Then, Zhuge Mou pointed to the bracelet on Lou Yun’s wrist: "As long as you wear it, I can find you at any time. Don’t be stunned—that’s a special ability of mine!"

Lou Yun was indeed somewhat dubious. He couldn’t comprehend how merely a bracelet allowed Zhuge Mou to track him down constantly. But on reflection, given that Zhuge Mou had shadowed him for years without discovery by Lou Yun or Chang Xiang, he must have possessed unique skills. So, Lou Yun nodded and said: "Okay, I’ll take my leave then. By the way, where are Tie Sha and Wen Hou? Can I bid them farewell? I owe them thanks for today."

"No need," said Zhuge Mou, "they’ve already departed."

"Departed?"

"Yes. They lead their own lives. To find you, I summoned them back earlier. Now that you’ve arrived, they’ve naturally left already."

"Oh. Did they carry out your assignment this time? Any reward?" Lou Yun asked jokingly, laughing as he spoke.

"Haha, when working for ourselves, there’s naturally no reward!"

Lou Yun nodded and stood up. After a moment of thought, he asked: "I have a small query, purely out of curiosity!"

"That’s fine. Go ahead."

"Is Tie Sha blind?"

"Haha!" Zhuge Mou chuckled and shook his head: "He is not blind!"

"But why is he always closing his eyes?"

"Because the powerful force within him is entirely concentrated in his eyes. Only by shutting them can he suppress that intense force. Simply put, his eyes serve as a seal. Should he open them, the consequences would be something no one wishes to witness."

"I recall Wen Hou telling me Tie Sha has opened his eyes only twice. Once was at age sixteen when his power suddenly awakened. Back then, Tie Sha—like you and I—kept his eyes open. Unaware of what to do, he couldn’t control that force on the day of its awakening. Out of necessity, he wiped out a small local sect, killing over a hundred people in total."

"Afterward, he understood his power and chose to close his eyes. The second time he opened them was at age twenty, driven by rage. The result then was the death of twelve human-level magical weapons masters."

Learning the reason Tie Sha never opened his eyes left Lou Yun stunned, mouth agape. He had never imagined that Tie Sha shut his eyes due to the overwhelming power, and the outcomes of his eye-openings were equally astonishing. Killing twelve human-level magical weapons masters at age twenty—what sort of notion was that?

Zhuge Mou smiled slightly: "To be truthful, Tie Sha possesses perhaps the strongest combat abilities among us six, yourself excluded. He’s also innately aloof and proud. Wen Hou is his sole friend. By the way, did you notice the bell tied to his braid? I doubt you can guess its purpose."

Lou Yun shook his head blankly. He’d assumed the bell was merely an ornament for Tie Sha; who knew there was a reason behind it?

"He attached it so enemies could pinpoint his location in battle through its sound."

Lou Yun paused, confused at first, but then he realized what it meant after a moment’s reflection. Yet, once he understood, his shock deepened!

In any fight, suppressing one’s noise and aura could offer an advantage for surprise attacks that catch foes off guard. But Tie Sha’s might was immense—or he overflowed with confidence—so he deliberately wore a bell to let others know his position and come at him. In short, Tie Sha sought enemies who could defeat him!

Had Lou Yun not personally witnessed Tie Sha’s lethal skills earlier, he would have disbelieved this explanation entirely.

Zhuge Mou continued: "Each of us six has developed specialized abilities. You’re new, so you’re naturally unaware. But don’t worry; there’s ample time for familiarity. As you interact more with them eventually, you’ll uncover their distinct strengths. I don’t mean to boast, but Tianjiao’s power is truly formidable—utterly formidable!"

Lou Yun nodded. He trusted Zhuge Mou’s words, so he brimmed with curiosity and anticipation toward the capabilities of Tianjiao’s five other members.

…

After saying goodbye to Zhuge Mou, Lou Yun grew unusually silent, which was rare. Because whether in confronting Wuchou or Silver Thread Sect, and after witnessing Tianjiao’s prowess, he keenly felt the gap in strength once more.

Facing Wuchou and Silver Thread Sect’s members had forced him to flee or rely on Xiao Huo and Chang Xiang. Had it been Tie Sha in his place, he alone could have slain all those adversaries.

That was the difference between strong and weak forces!

Chang Xiang naturally sensed Lou Yun’s thoughts now and couldn’t help but offer counsel: "Though there’s a gap between you and them, keep in mind: they achieved such might due to that strange force within them. Your progress to today’s level stems solely from your own tireless efforts. Plus, your current strength continues to grow steadily. Given time, you won’t lag behind!"

"Yes, you’re right. But from today onward, I must cultivate more diligently!"

To stop Lou Yun from dwelling further, Chang Xiang shifted topics: "Speaking of which, didn’t that Wuchou desperately pass something to you before dying? Hurry and pull it out—let’s see what it is!"

If not for Chang Xiang’s reminder, Lou Yun would have nearly forgotten. He nodded: "Yes. That item is called Thirteen Demon Banners."