Chapter 5 - "One Leaf Obscures the Eye! Eternal Darkness!"

Xiao Yu fixed his gaze on the one-eyed man before him, his expression heavy with caution.

The man stood tall and broad, clad in black, his hulking frame reminiscent of a bear’s. His empty eye socket was an abyss of darkness, and though he held no weapon, his very presence radiated menace. Xiao Yu had no doubt—this man’s cultivation was beyond ordinary.

“What? Even Senior Brother can’t sense his cultivation level?” Fu Qu gasped, visibly shaken.

As a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, Xiao Yu’s inability to discern their opponent’s strength could only mean one thing: the man was a Golden Core expert.

“So, you’re Fu Qu? Hansu’s daughter?” The man’s lone eye gleamed coldly. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Without warning, Wu Laoda flicked his fingers, sending a barrage of black streaks tearing through the air. Each streak emitted a sharp hiss as it shot straight toward Fu Qu, brimming with lethal energy.

“Watch out!” Xiao Yu shouted, swiftly pulling Fu Qu out of harm’s way as he soared on his sword, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Boom!

The black streaks slammed into the cliffside, corroding the rock as though drenched in acid, and leaving behind jagged craters.

Fu Qu stared at the destruction in wide-eyed horror. If not for Xiao Yu’s quick action, she would have suffered the same fate as the cliff.

“A dignified Golden Core cultivator lowering himself to bully juniors like us—don’t you think that’s beneath you? Aren’t you ashamed?” Xiao Yu demanded, his sharp eyes fixed on Wu Laoda.

Based on the man’s power, Xiao Yu was certain he was a Golden Core master. If he were any stronger, like a Nascent Soul cultivator, he wouldn’t have needed to lift a finger—merely a thought would have spelled Fu Qu’s end.

“So, he is a Golden Core cultivator!” Fu Qu’s earlier suspicions solidified, her shock evident.

She couldn’t fathom why such a powerful figure would stoop to attacking her. She had never even crossed paths with him before.

“Ah, the famed eldest disciple of Tianyong City—keen observation indeed.” Wu Laoda sneered. “Now that you know, I won’t bother hiding the truth. It’s only fair you die knowing why.”

“Years ago, I cultivated the Crimson Demon Eyes, earning some renown within the demonic path. But your master, that meddlesome Hansu, accused me of killing innocents. He blinded me in one eye and left me like this!”

His voice brimmed with resentment as he gestured toward his empty socket, his features twisting with fury.

“You demonic scoundrels commit countless atrocities for the sake of power. My master was too merciful in sparing your life!” Xiao Yu thought grimly.

“You ugly brute!” Fu Qu retorted, bristling with anger, “You should take your grudge up with my father, not us juniors! What kind of Golden Core ‘senior’ stoops to such cowardice? Let me guess—you’re afraid of him!”

Her voice brimmed with defiance and pride as she spoke of her father.

“You’re right,” Wu Laoda admitted with a cruel smile. “Hansu is formidable—I cannot defeat him. So, I’ll settle for his precious daughter instead. Reputation means nothing to us demonic cultivators. He blinded me in one eye, so I’ll pluck out both of yours!”

As he spoke, Wu Laoda surged forward, his body transforming into a streak of black light. In an instant, he was in front of Fu Qu, his hand reaching for her eyes.

“Fire Shield!”

Xiao Yu, prepared for such an attack, shouted his incantation. A shield of flames materialized before Fu Qu, blocking Wu Laoda’s advance.

Bang!

The fire shield shattered instantly under Wu Laoda’s grip, but it gave Fu Qu just enough time to leap onto her flying sword and retreat to the sky.

“Trying to flee? Do you think you can escape me?” Wu Laoda sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

Hovering in midair, Wu Laoda’s single eye began to change. It expanded rapidly, turning a sinister shade of crimson. Within moments, his eye had grown to the size of a bowl, glowing with an eerie, otherworldly light.

“Crimson Demon Eye…” Xiao Yu murmured, his heart sinking.

From below, Mad Dog Daoist cheered excitedly. “That’s Wu Senior’s signature move! Those righteous brats are doomed now!”

“What kind of sorcery is this?!” Fu Qu exclaimed in alarm as she and Xiao Yu watched the grotesque transformation of Wu Laoda’s eye.

Boom!

A beam of red light burst forth from Wu Laoda’s eye, hurtling toward Fu Qu at breakneck speed. It ignored spatial distance, closing in on her like a crimson bolt of lightning.

“One Leaf Obscures the Eye!”

In a moment of desperation, Fu Qu yanked the green leaf pendant from her neck and activated it. The leaf expanded rapidly, growing to the size of a mat. The crimson beam struck it, but the pendant absorbed the attack without sustaining so much as a scratch.

“As expected of a high-grade artifact,” Xiao Yu sighed in relief.

Wu Laoda, undeterred, fired several more beams from his Crimson Demon Eye, each one repelled by the green leaf. Fu Qu and Xiao Yu remained unscathed.

“Mad Dog, it’s your turn,” Wu Laoda commanded coldly.