Chapter Fifty-one: Fury

Chen Jiu’s heart clenched as he saw Li Fenglai, his master, entering—his robes soaked in blood, his face etched with grief.

“Master!” Chen Jiu hurriedly bowed low, a gesture of deep-seated reverence.

It was respect carved into his bones. Had Li Fenglai not taken him in at the temple, Chen Jiu would have long ago become a meal for the wild wolves of the mountains.

Li Fenglai was his master, but also his father.

So when he saw the man who seemed to have aged decades in a single moment, Chen Jiu felt a sharp stab of pain in his chest.

The temple was Li Fenglai’s entire world. Every flower and blade of grass, every room and hall, every fellow disciple within its walls—these were what he cherished most.

But now, because of Chen Jiu’s “Heaven’s Eye,” the temple had been brought to the brink of destruction…

“Why didn’t you tell me you possessed the Heaven’s Eye? When did you acquire it?” Li Fenglai strode to him, his voice cold and merciless, fingers gripping his sword hilt so tightly their knuckles blanched.

Yet at that moment, Chen Jiu’s heart stirred, and a faint crack appeared between his brows…

Seeing Chen Jiu’s silence, a flash of icy light gleamed in Li Fenglai’s eyes. He raised his sword high, poised to strike down Chen Jiu with a single blow.

But just then, Chen Jiu abruptly lifted his head.

There, on his forehead, the Heaven’s Eye appeared in full, golden light swirling brilliantly within.

At this, Li Fenglai’s eyes widened with a strange, horrified astonishment.

A cold gleam shot from Chen Jiu’s own eyes. “Do you have a death wish? How dare you impersonate my master?”

With a single thought, the Heaven’s Eye blazed, unleashing a beam of golden light that pierced through Li Fenglai before he could react!

As the robed man’s face twisted in terror, his body dissolved into smoke under the golden light, vanishing without a trace. Chen Jiu’s expression remained icy and severe.

He had known all along—this was not the real Li Fenglai.

For even if the temple were destroyed because of his Heaven’s Eye, his master would never hesitate to stand by his side…

This was all a dream.

And not just any dream—it was the deepest, most painful nightmare Chen Jiu kept buried in his heart, one he never wished to relive.

He was afraid—afraid that one day, by exposing the Heaven’s Eye, he would bring ruin to Mystical Temple.

That temple was Li Fenglai’s everything. Li Fenglai could lose anything, except the temple.

Those were words Chen Jiu had heard from his own lips as a child…

With Li Fenglai’s disappearance, the world around him began to blur.

The proud man in jade robes in the sky, the black clouds swirling with golden dragons, the charred corpses strewn along the stone path—all of it faded and melted away…

Blinking awake, Chen Jiu found himself staring at the ceiling of an inn. Thick beams crisscrossed overhead, and a dim oil lamp flickered in the distance.

A low growl sounded. The Tiger Fiend, seeing Chen Jiu slowly regain consciousness, let out a tense warning.

Chen Jiu sat up, guessing he must have collapsed after falling into the dream.

He wiped away the lingering tears at the corners of his eyes, his mind in turmoil.

In that moment, anger and a hint of fear warred within him.

He was furious that someone had tried to manipulate him, tampering with his dreams.

Yet what truly unsettled him was the possibility that, if one day that nightmare became reality, how could he ever face Li Fenglai…

“I have to uncover the connection between the Pacification Bureau and the Heaven’s Eye,” he resolved, his gaze steeling.

If he could get to the bottom of the relationship between the Bureau and his Heaven’s Eye, perhaps he could finally solve the riddle.

Just as Chen Jiu reached this decision, a pinprick of light suddenly darted from his neck and shot toward the window like a bolt of lightning!

His face changed instantly. With a cold snort, he flicked his fingers.

A streak of blue light flew out, instantly trapping the speck within. With a clench of his hand, he drew it back.

The Tiger Fiend growled again, clearly trying to communicate something.

Chen Jiu focused his mind, quickly understanding what the beast meant.

It seemed this thing had manifested the moment he entered into cultivation.

“So, you’re the one behind this trickery,” Chen Jiu intoned darkly, drawing the imprisoned light closer.

It was a tiny, pitch-black insect, no bigger than a grain of rice.

The image of the Bug Master flashed through Chen Jiu’s mind…

Now, at last, he knew who was responsible.

Clearly, in the restaurant earlier today, the Bug Master had quietly targeted him.

Chen Jiu’s expression chilled, a murderous intent rising within.

If this man had sent a monstrous insect into his dreams, there was a chance he now knew about the Heaven’s Eye as well…

That would be the worst possible outcome.

A cold, shadowy look settled on Chen Jiu’s face.

“He must die,” Chen Jiu decided in an instant.

Whether or not the man knew his secret, he had to die!

Even if the Bug Master was a cultivator from the First Tower of Immortals—

Chen Jiu was not afraid.

With the sword pouch in hand, killing a First Tower cultivator was no harder than slaughtering a chicken or a dog.

Resolute, he recalled the Tiger Fiend and concealed the vertical eye. Then, he slipped out the window.

Clang! Clang!

Outside, the night watchman’s gong echoed through the streets.

“Second watch, hour of the pig! Close your doors and windows, guard against fire and thieves!”

A shadow flashed past above the startled watchman’s head, making him jump out of his skin…

…

After a few swift leaps, Chen Jiu arrived in front of “Rejuvenation House,” a location he had already scoped out.

Earlier that day, the Bug Master had told him to come to Rejuvenation House that night, promising to teach him how to break through his bottleneck.

But it had all been a setup.

If not for the fact that the Bug Master didn’t know the depth of Chen Jiu’s bond with Li Fenglai, he likely would never have dared to manipulate his dreams so boldly.

Now, Chen Jiu’s killing intent for the Bug Master burned white-hot.

With a cold flash in his eyes, he strode into the building.

But as soon as he entered, he saw the handsome young man sitting alone at a round table, sipping tea.

“Well, well! You actually managed to break the old man’s secret art? Impressive,” the young man said, his eyes wide with genuine surprise at Chen Jiu’s furious demeanor.

Chen Jiu replied icily, “And what do you mean by that?”

“Don’t tell me—you too fell for that old man’s trick?”

Su Jiu drained his fragrant tea, savoring the taste.

He smacked his lips with satisfaction. “Excellent tea!”

Only then did he glance leisurely at Chen Jiu. “It’s true, I did fall for that old thing’s trick. But, well, it couldn’t really harm me.”

Yet beneath those words, Chen Jiu detected a thread of murderous intent.

No doubt, this man too had endured a nightmare he’d never wished to see…

Chen Jiu had no time for this eccentric’s chatter. With a sweep of his gaze confirming the empty hall, he made for the stairs.

But Su Jiu called after him, “Don’t bother—he isn’t here.”

Chen Jiu halted. “You’re here for revenge as well?”

But as he thought about it, something seemed off.

The old man had been right in front of Su Jiu earlier that day, yet he’d made no move…

Su Jiu caught his look and said, “There were too many eyes around during the day, and it wasn’t convenient to act. Besides, I didn’t have conclusive evidence of the old man’s murders. But seeing you fall victim too, now I have all the proof I need.”

Chen Jiu’s heart gave a small jolt. “So, you deliberately dragged me into this?”

Could it be that, in order to gather evidence, Su Jiu had purposefully allowed the Bug Master to target him…

That would explain what happened earlier.

During the day, Su Jiu had called the Bug Master “hypocritical” and asked for Chen Jiu’s opinion—all to draw him in as a witness…

Chen Jiu’s face darkened, his gaze turning sharp as a blade.

“Well played, sir.”

His voice now radiated lethal intent.

Su Jiu felt a chill down his spine. With a raised eyebrow and a wry twist of his lips, he replied, “What’s your hurry? If you couldn’t withstand it, I’d have stepped in to save you. But you woke up so quickly, you didn’t even need my help.”

Chen Jiu retorted, “So I should thank you, is that it?”

Su Jiu just laughed, breezily waving his hand. “No need for thanks. Just help me find the Bug Master, and your debt is paid…”