Chapter 9: Astonishing the Entire Assembly

For seventeen years, throughout Yan City, who didn’t know that Gu Qianxi, the cherished daughter of the Gu family, was a pitiable blind girl? Although her appearance was indistinguishable from anyone else’s, with eyes clear and shimmering, a strange illness in her childhood had robbed her of sight—an affliction even the most skilled healers could not cure.

But now, I proclaim to the world that her eyes have been healed.

A national medical mystery, an incurable blindness, has been restored to sight by my hands. Gu Qianxi is no longer blind.

Who would believe such a thing?

Everyone looked at me and Gu Qianxi with skeptical eyes.

I had anticipated their reaction and, unhurried and composed, beckoned to my wife with a smile.

“Qianxi, come greet everyone.”

She nodded gently, lifting the hem of her elegant long gown, and stepped down the narrow, crowded stairs with the poised grace of a lotus flower.

These steps were narrow and tightly packed; a misstep was easy and a blind person would require another’s steadying hand to descend safely.

Yet now, Gu Qianxi moved down effortlessly, clearly her eyesight restored.

More than that, once she reached the floor, her lively eyes scanned the room, exchanging greetings with family and guests one by one.

“Mother, after seventeen years apart, I never expected you to look so youthful, just as I remember—unchanged by time...”

“This gentle and refined gentleman must be Ma Zi’s father, the head of the Lin family. I had heard of you but never seen you until today, now that my sight has returned.”

“This lady must be Ma Zi’s mother. I heard your voice when I offered tea yesterday, but now I see you with my own eyes.”

“As for this young man, he must be Ma Zi’s brother, Lin Yulang. Hmm, quite an intriguing appearance…”

“...”

Witnessing Gu Qianxi identify each guest one by one, everyone was dumbfounded.

“Has she really regained her eyesight?”

“Could her eyes have truly been healed?”

“How is this possible?”

Ye Qiang, my mother-in-law, was trembling as she grasped Gu Qianxi’s hands, disbelief etched on her face.

“Qianxi, can you really see? What happened? Did Lin Ma Zi really cure you?”

Gu Qianxi smiled and confessed, “It’s true, Mother. Ma Zi truly healed my eyes.”

Ye Qiang still doubted. “But your blindness baffled the nation’s top doctors, no one could help. Ma Zi is just a boy, knows nothing of medicine. How could he have done this? How did he heal you?”

Gu Qianxi replied, “It wasn’t caused by illness but by a secret technique that sealed my vision. Ma Zi is skilled in yin and yang, the five elements, and esoteric arts. He saw through the trick at once and applied the right remedy, restoring my sight.”

Ye Qiang nodded thoughtfully.

Lin Yutang scowled and scoffed, “Impossible! Lin Ma Zi was kidnapped at six and wandered with an old beggar for twenty years. How could he possibly understand yin and yang or mystical arts? The only thing he’s good at is begging.”

Lin Yulang joined in, “Exactly. The real heir of the Lin family is me. I am the one who truly masters yin and yang, the five elements, and the arcane arts. Ma Zi knows nothing but nonsense!”

But facts speak louder than words—I healed my wife’s eyes, and that was the undeniable truth.

I smiled calmly and said, “In these twenty years wandering the martial world, I’ve encountered many extraordinary people and learned many secret arts. As the saying goes, reading ten thousand books is not as useful as traveling ten thousand miles. My experiences have enriched me greatly.”

This silenced father and son, and the guests all nodded in understanding, finding my words reasonable.

Meanwhile, I quietly observed the crowd, searching for the most nervous and fearful expressions, hoping to unmask the culprit who had harmed Gu Qianxi all those years ago.

Unexpectedly, this stirring of the hornet’s nest did not draw out the mastermind but instead brought forth a kindly old gentleman.

From among the guests, a benevolent-faced elder approached me with a smile.

“Well done. Heroes emerge in youth. I didn’t expect you, Ma Zi, to be so capable at such a young age. Truly admirable!”

I recognized him as Feng Guodong, director of Yan City’s largest hospital, and a renowned ophthalmology expert.

When Gu Qianxi lost her sight, the Gu family had first sought his help.

He shook my hand warmly and laughed self-deprecatingly, “I called myself an eye specialist but studied Qianxi’s condition for over ten years without success. Yet you, Ma Zi, cured her eyes in just one night.”

I smiled in reply, “Director Feng, you can’t be blamed. Qianxi’s blindness wasn’t medical but caused by a spell. Your expertise is in medicine, not in these obscure, forbidden arts, which explains your helplessness.”

Feng director appreciated this and laughed heartily, then asked, “By the way, Ma Zi, you are so learned and talented—do you know anything about feng shui?”

Mentioning feng shui struck a chord with me.

I confidently said, “I was born into a family of feng shui masters with a rich heritage. Naturally, I know a thing or two. Having wandered far and met many unusual people, I consider myself quite skilled in feng shui.”

Feng director was delighted and immediately said, “Excellent! My home has recently suffered feng shui problems causing unrest and discord in the family and setbacks in business. Since you know feng shui, Ma Zi, could you spare some time to take a look?”

Just as I was about to agree, Lin Yulang stepped forward indignantly.

“Director Feng, you’re a client of our Cui Lin Pavilion. I’ve already promised to solve your feng shui issues. This is my business! How can you go to someone else? Especially to that useless Ma Zi brother of mine!”