Yan Bingyan's cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she glared at Tang Chen. “Absolutely not! How could you even suggest such a thing?” she protested, her voice a mixture of indignation and embarrassment. “Han Xiao is just a promising disciple, nothing more. Don’t twist my words, Big Brother Tang!”

Tang Chen chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. “Oh, come on, Bingyan. You’re blushing so hard, I could almost believe you. But fine, I’ll let it go—for now.” His tone was teasing, but his eyes were kind.

Bingyan huffed and crossed her arms. “I came here to talk about Han Xiao because he’s exceptional, not because of some silly crush. You saw his potential too, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did,” Tang Chen replied, his expression turning serious. “He’s a rare talent, that’s for sure. But you need to be careful, Bingyan. Talents like his can attract a lot of unwanted attention—and danger.”

“I know,” she said, her tone softening. “That’s why I’m here. I need your help to ensure his safety and to guide him properly. He has so much potential, and I don’t want to see it wasted or destroyed.”

Tang Chen nodded thoughtfully. “Alright, I’ll keep an eye on him. But remember, his path is his own. We can guide him, but we can’t control him. He needs to make his own choices and face his own challenges.”

Bingyan sighed, her shoulders relaxing. “I understand. Thank you, Big Brother Tang.”

He smiled warmly. “Anytime, little sister. Now, let’s get back to the matter at hand. What exactly did you want to discuss about Han Xiao?”

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. “I want to know more about this bet you made with him. What are the stakes, and why did you do it?”

Tang Chen’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Ah, the bet. Well, let’s just say it’s a test of his resolve and determination. If he succeeds, he’ll prove himself worthy of greater things. If he fails, he’ll learn a valuable lesson. Either way, it’s a win-win situation for him.”

Bingyan frowned. “And what exactly is this test?”

Tang Chen leaned back, a sly smile on his face. “Patience, Bingyan. All in good time. For now, let’s just say it’s something that will push him to his limits and beyond. But don’t worry, I have faith in him. I think he’ll surprise us all.”

She looked at him skeptically. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Big Brother.”

“Trust me, Bingyan. I always do,” Tang Chen laughed. “Now, show me your visual power. Let's see how many limiters you have left to unseal in the first seal. I don't want you experiencing blindness if something goes wrong.”

“How much should I use?” she asked, a hint of anticipation in her voice.

“Use everything you’ve got on me. Don’t worry, you’re too weak to harm me.”

“Hmm, that sounds a bit arrogant. Fine, I’ll make you eat your words.” Bingyan chanted a spell and yelled, “Crimson Butterfly Gaze, activate! Caterpillar Rash, one hundred percent!” Her pupils transformed, each reflecting the image of a colorful butterfly.

As her gaze locked onto him, Tang Chen felt an intense itching sensation spread across his skin. He tried to maintain his composure, but beads of sweat formed on his forehead, betraying his act of confidence.

Grinning, Bingyan taunted, “I know the feeling. No need to act tough in front of family! How about just a scratch?”

The words "just a scratch" echoed in his ears. “Yeah, just a scratch would be nice… No, I don’t feel anything.”

Seeing his struggle, Bingyan burst into hearty laughter. Seizing the moment, Tang Chen reached out and scratched his back, moaning in relief. Bingyan laughed even louder, pointing at him mockingly.

After scratching several places, Tang Chen regained his composure and said, “Enough! I’ve already copied your technique. Now I’ll duplicate it on you with multiple folds of its original effect.” His cyan eyes reflected butterflies in his pupils as he yelled, “Crimson Butterfly Gaze, activate! Caterpillar Rash, ten percent!”

Instantly, his rash-covered skin returned to normal, the itching sensation dissipating. He had neutralized Bingyan's visual skill with just a fraction of its power.

Yan Bingyan frowned with disappointment. “Stop bullying me, Tang!” she said coolly. Unsheathing her purple butterfly sword, she began to dance through a series of movements known as ‘Blooming Lotus.’

Tang Chen dodged her effortlessly, as if he were taking a casual stroll. “Your visual skill is cute, but you’re underusing it. If I had those Butterfly Eyes, I’d have hundreds of styles at my disposal.”

After another set of dances, Bingyan gave up, realizing her agility couldn't match his casual steps. “You’re saying I don’t know how to use my visual skills properly? I’ve defeated a lot of stronger opponents with this rashness skill as my auxiliary.”

“Exactly. It might work on most people, but some cultivators could easily counter it. For instance, I have more than a thousand ways to neutralize it,” Tang Chen responded patiently. “Listen, I’m not here to provoke you. Let me help you. It’s going to be tough. Can you handle it?”

“Sure, if it will improve my visual skill, then bring it on,” she shouted.

“Look at my left eye.”

Bingyan looked into his left eye and saw a beautiful butterfly reflected in the pupil. ‘So that’s the technique you copied from me. How are you going to evolve my bloodline skill?’

“Bing Er, when I was young, I didn’t understand much. But after years of recollection and nightmares, I’ve copied a portion of the Crown Prince’s creation skill. It’s imperfect, and I can only activate it for three minutes per day. I suggest you learn from this as I did from him.” Then he yelled, “Creation Realm, activate!”

Yan Bingyan felt as if she were being sucked into another dimension, but the next instant, she was still standing in the same place. “Hmpf! This is the Creation Realm technique you’re boasting about?” she sneered.

“Actually, I wanted to spare you unnecessary trouble, but since you insist, let’s have a roller-coaster ride. How about a change of scenery?” Tang Chen clapped once, and the scenery changed to pitch darkness. Bingyan screamed as she felt herself falling. “Good! I endured this test for a hundred years. For you, since I adore you, let’s cut it to fifty years and return the feeling of rashness with interest.”

As Tang Chen's voice resonated in the darkness, multiple pairs of glowing eyes filled the realm around her as she continued to fall. “What? Please, don’t!”

“Too late! It’s part of your training. You’ve already agreed. Stay true to your words.”

Curses, screams, giggles, and cries echoed through the darkness, most of them directed at him.

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After a year, she stopped struggling and tried to counter the visual technique with her own. After ten years, she finally broke through the first limiter, her visual prowess improving to an incredible level.

“Congratulations! Now, try my fifty percent!”

The situation reset, but this time she didn't complain, focusing on countering this new, more powerful attack from thousands of eyes.

Twenty years passed, and she had another breakthrough.

“Good! You’re even better than me. Now you have the last limiter to unseal and achieve blindness. Try my hundred percent!”

“Wait! If I go blind, who will plant the two seals for me? We’re far from home.”

“Don’t worry, little girl. I’ve got other plans for you.”

“Hah! I don’t believe you. Without the seals, I’ll be blind, and if... and if...”

“If what? Oh, let me guess, if Han Xiao sees you when you’re blind, you’ll feel humiliated, right?”

“Shut up!”

“Don’t worry. Your big brother Tang hasn’t been idly reading those books that people judge. In fact, I’ve been studying the five seals in my eyes. I’ve had some success and breakthroughs. Call me overly narcissistic, but I’ve already mastered and improved the first three seals. I’m still working on the fourth one, and it will take some time. As for Han Xiao, your blindness is the best way to test if his affection is real or just one-sided.”

After explaining patiently, he asked, “Alright, are you ready to go blind?”

She snorted as she continued to plummet into the abyss of nothingness.

“Good! Caterpillar Rash, one hundred percent!”

As his voice echoed, the surroundings thundered, and the countless eyes exploded, materializing into a single cyan eye that fell alongside her. The eye felt like a world, or more likely a sun. The next moment, she experienced the horror of her skin burning up, visible leprosy-like rashes appearing all over her body like a malignant cancer.

Biting her tongue and steeling her mental fortitude against the torture, she activated her visual skill and glared at the massive cyan eye without blinking. This continued for the remaining years, and soon, fifty years had passed.

The scenery shifted abruptly from pitch-black darkness to a plain covered in patches of colorful flowers.

Instead of enjoying the view, Bingyan sighed. “I failed to break through the last limiter.”

“No, you didn’t fail! You’re almost there. And now, I’ll help you break the last limiter. But first, I’ll teach you multiple ways to use your Butterfly Visual technique. Are you ready?”

“Yes, I am!”

“Well, let me tell you something about your visual technique first. The Butterfly Visual Skill is not just some support role or a trivial skill. It belongs to the Formless class, which is on the same level as my Copy skill and the Crown Prince’s Creation Ocular Skill. You’ve just never had proper guidance until now.”

“Formless Visual Skill is on the same level as Copy skill and Creation skill...” she whispered, repeating his words, trying to convince herself.

“Bing Er, I have an eidetic memory, and when it comes to knowledge about cultivation, skills, and martial arts, I can proudly say no one in the Zhongguo Region can surpass me while I’m still breathing. Thanks to my Copying skills! Now, let me show you thousands of attacking skills to demonstrate the potential of your visual skills. Adjust your breathing and try to stay alive. You will respawn, but the feeling of dying is incredibly painful both physically and psychologically. So, best of luck. Watch carefully; I won’t repeat this technique.”

With that, he made a series of hand seals and muttered, “Formless Art: Butterflies!”

A thick amount of qi surged visibly through the veins around his eyes, pouring into his cyan irises. The next moment, countless butterflies of different colors spawned, covering the sky.

“Bing Er, can you perform this technique?”

“Hmph! Who are you kidding? It’s just some lame technique.” Snorting, Bingyan made a series of hand seals exactly as Tang Chen had, ending with a shout. “Formless Art: Butterflies!” She concentrated a large amount of qi around the blood vessels in her eyes and infused it without holding back. Her eyes dazzled, and butterflies began to emerge. However, since she was only at the Ninth Layer of the Pulse Condensation realm, she couldn’t match the volume Tang Chen produced. Only fifteen purple butterflies materialized.

Frowning, she gestured dismissively. “This skill is really disappointing. I need my qi to fuel it, which means I have to rely on my cultivation base. So, unlike you and my Crown Brother, who can battle opponents many realms stronger with just your visual skill. Look, I can only produce fifteen butterflies, while you can make hundreds. Just admit it—my visual skill is trash!”

“Eh! Stop making those lame comments,” Tang Chen replied. “I’ll teach you a legendary technique I created specifically for those who use Formless techniques. But there’s a certain drawback to it.”

“Oh really? And what’s the drawback?” she asked, skeptical.

“You’ll get so overpowered that your opponents won’t even know how they lost their lives,” he joked with a grin.

“Hmph!” she snorted, rolling her eyes but clearly intrigued.

“Alright, look carefully. I won’t repeat this technique.” With that warning, he made three quick hand seals and shouted, “Release!” The hundreds of butterflies he had summoned earlier vanished, dissolving the previous technique. “Bing Er, this technique doesn’t require qi to fuel it, but it does require igniting the curse in our blood. I won’t lie—don’t use it for more than three hours a day, or you’ll get muscle spasms, headaches, and diarrhea. Burning our curse uses our bodies as the cauldron.”

He stepped forward, raised one leg, and began dancing maniacally, seemingly without rhythm. Yet, the single leg thumping on the ground evoked a frequency that disturbed the natural qi of the surroundings. He ended the dance with his raised leg touching the other. “Forbidden Formless God’s Dance, activate!”

A strong suction force emanated from the foot touching the ground, drawing in a massive amount of natural earth qi. He yelled, “Ten years ago, my Tang clan excavated a place believed to be where gods and immortals once fought at the edge of the western sea. They found a large black boulder with unknown symbols and cryptography foreign to our civilization here in the Zhongguo Region. I’ve studied it and discovered this forbidden technique in one of the cryptographies. With this, as long as your foot touches the ground, you can draw an unlimited amount of qi from the earth’s core. Imagine using this technique with your butterfly visual skill.”

Without further ado, he made another series of hand seals and shouted, “Creation Skill: Summoning Butterflies!” The large amount of pure qi drawn from the earth poured into his cyan eyes. Countless butterflies of different colors flew out, spawning and covering the sky. This time, the numbers weren’t limited to hundreds but thousands.

‘Wow! I always thought Brother Tang was unreliable and lazy. But he’s like a walking library of skills and techniques. I should make him my martial master and learn all those powerful skills,’ she thought.

Tang Chen's playful narcissism shone through as he lamented, "Do you see how charming I am? Sometimes I ponder why I was gifted with such striking looks. It's a tough life!" He sighed theatrically, shielding his face with a hand.

Yan Bingyan couldn't help but respond with a mock gag. "Spare me the dramatics."

Without missing a beat, Tang Chen refocused their attention. "Let's not dawdle. We've got just eighteen months left to polish our skills here."

Bingyan replicated Tang Chen's movements with astonishing accuracy, almost as if she possessed the same copying visual skill as him. However, Tang Chen knew better; her talent for swiftly mastering techniques was simply exceptional. "She's already mastered it after just one observation. Her martial prowess is truly remarkable!" he marveled. "Why do I feel like I should take her under my wing as my disciple?"

Her execution of the dance was flawless, addressing the shortcomings Tang Chen had encountered. With confidence, she shouted, “Forbidden Formless God’s Dance, activate!”

Tang Chen analyzed her performance, noting the subtle differences in her technique. “Ah, she's grounding herself with her left foot instead of the right like I did. That seems to resonate better with the earth's core. Excellent! I'll remember to try it with my left leg next time,” he concluded silently.

Having tapped into the core of the earth's natural qi, Yan Bingyan felt a rush of power coursing through her, almost as if she had command over the very essence of the earth itself. Yet, she was acutely aware of the danger; even the slightest misstep with this immense energy could prove fatal. 'This skill suits me perfectly. With this, even Tang Chen won't stand a chance,' she mused, entertaining a fleeting thought of surpassing her mentor. However, she quickly dismissed the idea, realizing that Tang Chen's arsenal of skills far surpassed her own, despite his eccentricities and strange affections for his sister.

Channeling a vast amount of this pure qi into her eyes, she sensed her vision expanding beyond ordinary realms, nearing the threshold of breaking through the final limiter. “Creation skill, Summoning Butterflies!” she commanded. Her eyes emanated a dazzling purple light as countless butterflies emerged, their numbers exceeding even Tang Chen's summons by tens of thousands.

She ceased the summoning when the butterflies numbered over fifty thousand, then turned to Tang Chen with a triumphant grin. “Elder Brother Tang Chen, thank you for teaching me such an invaluable technique. I never expected this lazy facade to harbor such knowledge. Perhaps you should consider taking me as your disciple?”

“Disciple? Not a chance. What kind of disciple twists their master’s ears? Only you,” Tang Chen retorted playfully, denying her request.

“Come on, I promise I won't do it again. And besides, if you refuse, I might have to complain to my Crown Brother,” she teased, knowing the mention of that name would pique Tang Chen's interest.

Slightly intrigued and amused by her persistence, Tang Chen relented. “Fine! But remember to show more respect to your elders.”

“Of course,” she agreed.

“Enough talk. As your mentor, the first lesson I'll impart is the art of enduring multiple deaths. Brace yourself!” With a swift gesture, one of his butterflies flashed past her, and in an instant, her head detached from her body, only to be restored moments later as the cycle of simulated death and rebirth continued.

For the next two months, Yan Bingyan endured an unrelenting cycle of death and rebirth. To her, the butterflies surrounding her, whether summoned by herself or Tang Chen, resembled death gods poised to seize her soul. With each passing demise, the pain grew more intense, seeping into her soul and body alike. Her senses sharpened to an incredible degree; even the slightest flutter of butterfly wings became a torment during her repeated deaths. But through this relentless training, she honed her instincts to a razor's edge, instinctively dodging lethal strikes and countering attacks with increasing finesse.

Months of relentless practice paid off as Yan Bingyan finally reached the last limiter, breaking it amidst a flurry of butterflies. Though blinded by the ordeal, she adapted swiftly, relying on her heightened senses to perceive and counter incoming attacks. Surprisingly, she found solace in her newfound blindness, perceiving the world in a different, more vivid light even in darkness.

As the illusionary time passed swiftly, returning her to reality after mere minutes, Tang Chen congratulated her on breaking the Human Tier Limiter. “How do you feel now?” he inquired.

Instead of words, Yan Bingyan knelt before him, paying her respects to her martial master. A rare smile graced Tang Chen's lips as he proceeded to explain the process of sealing her blindness. “I'll start with the Human Tier Limit Seal, followed by the Earth Tier Limiter seal with twelve limiters, and then the Sky Tier Limiter seal with sixty-eight limiters. As for the fourth and fifth seals, their details remain a mystery. Shall we begin?”

Yan Bingyan nodded obediently as Tang Chen performed several hand seals, causing intricate diagrams and sigils to rush out and enter her eyes. The transformation was immediate—her completely white eyes regained their natural color, but in an exaggerated azure blue hue, indicating her breakthrough in bloodline power. As she felt a new skill hidden within her eyes, she couldn't help but murmur, “Hmm, Tang Chen is really peculiar!”

“With your eyes changing color, you must have gained another skill. Study the three seals along with your visual skills, and you'll progress far,” Tang Chen advised before disappearing like a phantom, leaving Bingyan alone in the cabin.

She bowed solemnly in his direction and then hurried out to meet her bodyguard ladies. Putting on the sunglasses, she noticed the curious look in her eyes, which made her flustered. In her haste, she accidentally dropped the sunglasses, causing a brief moment of panic.

“What happened, Your Highness?” one of the bodyguards inquired, moving to retrieve the sunglasses.

“No, those are mine!” Bingyan interjected hastily, snatching them back and replacing them on her face with a blush. She inwardly cursed her new master for not explaining the sunglasses' true nature, as she unexpectedly caught a glimpse through them of Han Xiao crafting a knife shirtless, his muscles defined and glistening with sweat.