After Amelia left, Ethan took out a jade-green flute from his chest and gazed at it, recalling the woman he had killed—a beautiful woman who had offended Isabella. He was shocked by her final words:
"Everyone comes into this world not to kill or to save, but to live freely. Do you really want to be an assassin forever?"
Her tone was eerily similar to his mother's when she lay dying, back when he first ventured into the underworld. Deeply moved, he took her flute and sword. Indeed, he couldn't continue living like this.
Ethan raised the flute to his lips and began to play. Halfway down the path, Amelia stopped upon hearing the melody. She stood there, listening until the end, her eyes red as she glanced toward Ethan's room. So much weighed on his heart.
The next morning, Ethan rose early. Waiting for him was Noah's trusted subordinate, a man named Ethan who was skilled in swift swordsmanship.
Knowing their status within the Oliver family, Ethan hoped to get along well with this man. From what he had read, this person was decent, though a bit slow-witted.
A boat approached, with two men standing on board. One of them shouted, "Hey, Ethan the Blind, can you get on by yourself?"
Ethan smiled. "Of course," he said, leaping gracefully onto the boat.
Since mastering the fifth layer of the *Nine Yin Manual*, Ethan's hearing had sharpened. He could now gauge the distance between himself and Logan as he spoke.
Both Logan and Ethan exchanged looks of surprise. This blind man was indeed impressive.
It seemed there was no need to worry about this trip to Wuxi. Noah could focus on his own affairs without concern.
Meanwhile, in another part of Swallow's Abode, a lama held a young boy as their small boat sailed toward Mandala Villa.
As the boat drifted away, someone watched from the shadows...
"Amelia, I just saw a group leave. Who was it? Why did Ethan personally come to fetch him? Who could be that important?" Sophia asked Amelia. Henry and Grace also turned to Amelia, equally curious why Ethan would personally escort this man.
This group included Amelia and Henry. As the story goes, Henry was brought to the Central Plains by Kumarajiva, and after a series of events, he rescued Amelia and fled Mandala Villa.
Amelia smiled. "That's the man you've all wanted to meet—the one even lightning couldn't kill. Though he's been blind ever since."
"Really? Someone lightning couldn't kill?" Henry couldn't believe such a person existed. Grace and Sophia looked at Henry and said, "Henry, he might be more skilled than you. Though he's no match for our master, he could definitely defeat you."
Henry scratched his head and chuckled. Amelia found this young man quite honest and rather handsome. She couldn't help but wonder what Ethan looked like. How curious!
"Grace, why are there so many boats outside our house? Has that old monk not left yet?" Sophia asked. Grace looked toward their residence.
The small dock outside the Fragrant Water Pavilion was crowded with boats, all brightly lit. It seemed guests had arrived. Henry and Amelia also looked over in confusion.