Turbid old eyes revealed horror

Su Qi carried the daily necessities he had just bought.

The wooden stairs creaked as usual under his steps.

Returning to his room, Su Qi set the items down and walked to the window, pushing it open.

The air carried a faint fragrance of bamboo leaves, along with a concentration of source energy nearly twice as dense as usual.

He could even sense the peculiar fluctuations from the card being crafted downstairs.

This Elder Feng was truly unfathomable.

To casually produce a card of that caliber was no ordinary feat.

Su Qi began tidying up the room, arranging the newly purchased items one by one.

Fresh bedsheets were laid out, toiletries neatly organized.

After the bustle, the once-simple room now carried a lived-in warmth.

Surveying the refreshed space, a sense of satisfaction welled up in Su Qi’s heart.

He moved to the desk, instinctively reaching for his computer—only to grasp at empty air.

After a brief pause, Su Qi left the courtyard.

Elder Feng and Lin Qianqian were no longer in the yard, their whereabouts unknown.

Su Qi strode straight out of the bamboo grove.

As an international metropolis, the city offered no shortage of electronics stores.

Without hesitation, Su Qi headed to the largest one and picked out the latest top-tier model—a cutting-edge 5090—swiftly sealing the deal.

Its performance was formidable, and so was its price.

When swiping his card, Su Qi didn’t even blink.

Don’t ask why he didn’t shop online—brick-and-mortar stores had hefty markups due to rent.

And don’t question why he paid so breezily.

If you really must know, well… some guys are just like that.

A ¥198 T-shirt? What kind of daylight robbery is this?

A ¥198 in-game skin? Damn, those effects look slick (and kinda hot). Scan the code!

Within an hour, the brand-new desktop and monitor were delivered to the bamboo courtyard.

The delivery truck parked outside, and Su Qi effortlessly hauled the three large boxes to his room.

After setup and configuration, it finally dawned on him that he’d forgotten something.

[Dumb Brother’s Little Iris: Bro, bro, did you find a place to stay?]

[Dumb Brother’s Little Iris: Hello? Dummy, you there? Cat confusion.jpg]

[Dumb Brother’s Little Iris: …Did some shady landlord scam you into selling a kidney?]

[Missed calls ×3]

[Dumb Brother’s Little Iris: Ignoring me? Fine, I’m mad now!!]

[Dumb Brother’s Little Iris: I won’t talk to you until you reply!]

Su Qi: "…"

Don’t laugh.

He refused to believe anyone hadn’t experienced the "gaming blackout"—only to check their phone later and find the world in flames.

So was forgetting to reply while buying a PC really that outrageous?

[Sleepyhead: Too busy, didn’t check my phone.]

[Sleepyhead: Found a place. Sending the address—come over when you’re free.]

After a moment, he added:

[Sleepyhead: Or I can pick you up now?]

Su Qi couldn’t recall when his silly little sister had changed her username.

See, Su Qi was different.

He’d used the same name for over a decade.

What did that prove?

It proved he was consistent.

A trait shared by all men.

At eighteen, they liked eighteen-year-olds.

At eighty-eight, they still liked eighteen-year-olds.

A lifelong devotion, unwavering till the end.

His sister replied instantly.

[Dumb Brother’s Little Iris: No need! Send the location—I’m coming now.]

Waiting for Su Qi would just waste time.

[Dumb Brother’s Little Iris: How’s the new place, bro?]

Su Qi leaned back in the chair (a freebie with the PC), gazing at the swaying bamboo shadows outside—a scene straight out of a painting.

[Sleepyhead: Pretty good.]

About fifteen minutes later, Su Qi waited at the alley’s entrance, timing it just right.

Admittedly, the spot wasn’t easy to find.

Soon, a petite figure came into view.

The girl’s large, bright eyes darted around with lively curiosity.

It was Liu Yuan, Su Qi’s sister.

"Bro!" Spotting Su Qi, her face lit up as she quickened her pace.

A faint smile tugged at Su Qi’s lips as he stepped forward.

"All settled in your dorm?"

"Yep! This place is gorgeous—the air smells amazing too." Liu Yuan took a deep breath, savoring it.

"Let’s head inside." Su Qi guided her down the alley.

Pushing open the slightly ajar wooden gate, the courtyard’s scenery unfolded before Liu Yuan.

Just then, Elder Feng emerged from the main house, holding a delicate jade teapot—freshly brewed bamboo-leaf tea in hand.

Noticing the girl beside Su Qi, he paused.

Su Qi introduced them. "Elder Feng, this is my sister, Liu Yuan. She might drop by occasionally."

"Ah, Little Su’s sister! Welcome." Elder Feng smiled warmly, his eyes settling on Liu Yuan.

Yet the moment their gazes met, his expression froze.

An indescribable chill—as if dredged from the abyss—seized his heart without warning.

It wasn’t energy fluctuations, nor killing intent, but something far more primal. A terror that stirred the soul itself.

In his near-century of life, Elder Feng had encountered countless powerhouses, even weathered the oppressive aura of a god’s projection.

But nothing compared to this sudden, formless, all-encompassing dread.

His heart nearly stalled.

Breathing turned labored. For the first time, his aged eyes flickered with raw alarm—and fear.

Yet the sensation vanished as abruptly as it came, fleeting like a hallucination.

So fast that Elder Feng doubted its reality…

Liu Yuan chirped, "Hello, Grandpa Feng!" Her voice was clear and sweet.

Elder Feng’s throat felt parched. Forcing composure, he nodded. "H-Hello…"

A bead of cold sweat trickled down his temple.

"A-Yuan, this is Elder Feng, the owner. He’s been kind to me." Su Qi gave a brief introduction.

"Elder Feng, we’ll head in now."

With that, Su Qi led Liu Yuan toward his cottage.

Elder Feng stood rigid, watching the siblings disappear behind the door.

Only when it clicked shut did he exhale sharply, realizing his back was drenched in sweat.

Though the suffocating horror had lasted mere seconds, its aftershocks clung like a stubborn shadow.

Frowning deeply, Elder Feng’s murky eyes swirled with confusion.

An illusion?

No. For anyone else, such a brief encounter might be dismissed as one.

But he trusted his decades-honed soul perception without question.

So… what was that?

Elder Feng scrutinized the residual traces in the air.

Source energy flowed smoothly, undisturbed.

Su Qi’s seventh-tier aura remained steady, restrained as ever.

As for the girl…

Elder Feng carefully sensed her aura, only to find that she exuded nothing more than the ordinary energy of a fifth-tier practitioner—far less refined than even Su Qi’s presence.

One could say she was the type of mediocrity who’d easily be defeated by someone of a lower tier.

But still…

A fifth-tier admitted to the Arcane Card Academy?

Who approved this?

He’d have to look into it, ask around.

Elder Feng’s brows furrowed deeply.

Returning to his small cottage, he didn’t immediately reach for his beloved jade tea set. Instead, he settled at a slightly worn desk.

The surface was bare, but with a light tap of his finger, a pale blue holographic screen unfolded before him.

The virtual interface flickered to life, brimming with futuristic sleekness—a stark contrast to the rustic charm of his courtyard.

His fingers danced across the screen, pulling up a search system.

First, he entered the name: "Liu Yuan."

Results appeared instantly.

Too many matches.

But after adding the filter "new student at Arcane Card Academy," only one remained.

[Liu Yuan, female, eighteen years old, fifth-tier, native of Jiangxia City…]

So she really was just fifth-tier?

Exactly as he’d sensed.

Whose connections were this strong?

But that wasn’t the main issue.

The real question was—how could an ordinary fifth-tier girl radiate such a terrifying pressure that even he, a seasoned expert, felt his heart shudder?

Could she be wearing some kind of divine artifact or forbidden object?

Elder Feng shook his head. Unlikely.

He’d observed her closely earlier. No unusual accessories.

Besides, that kind of oppressive aura wasn’t something an external object could easily replicate.

It felt more like… something dormant had been faintly stirred by his probing.

Or perhaps, in response to his scrutiny, it had casually glanced back.

Elder Feng dismissed the absurd thought with a shake of his head.

Next, he searched for Su Qi’s records.

[Su Qi, male, twenty-four years old, hometown: Jiangxia City…]

Here, Elder Feng paused.

Beneath Su Qi’s basic information, a glaring red label read: "CLASSIFIED"—with a surprisingly high clearance level.

With his authority, he could force his way in to see more.

But… was it necessary?

Using his privileges to pry into a young man’s secrets over a vague hunch seemed excessive.

Besides, Su Qi had always struck him as steady, reserved. Though only seventh-tier, his foundation was solid, his potential promising.

Elder Feng’s finger hovered over the "View" option for a long moment before finally withdrawing.

He closed the system, and the screen dissolved into nothingness.

Jiangxia City…

A flicker of thought passed through Elder Feng’s eyes.

He did have an old acquaintance there—one of the last students he’d mentored years ago.

They hadn’t spoken in ages. This was as good a reason as any to reconnect… and fish for information.

With that, Elder Feng pulled an antiquated communicator from his drawer.

This wasn’t some mass-market device but a high-security, internal-issue model.

He dialed a familiar number with practiced ease.

After a few beeps, the call connected.

A robust voice answered, tinged with disbelief: "This number… Old—Teacher?!"

"Mm. It’s me."

A beat of silence, then an explosion of joy: "Holy shit! Old Feng?! You’re still alive?!"

Elder Feng chuckled dryly. "Waiting for you to kick the bucket first, so I can mourn you properly."

The man on the other end—Jiangxia—laughed heartily. "What’s got you calling after all this time?"

"Catching up," Elder Feng said flatly.

"Bullshit."

Jiangxia wasn’t buying it.

Elder Feng cut to the chase. "Fine. Two kids from your city showed up here recently—a brother and sister. Su Qi and Liu Yuan. Ring any bells?"

A pause.

The line went quiet save for faint static.

Elder Feng waited patiently. He had a feeling Su Qi’s story might be… unusual.

Nearly half a minute later, Jiangxia spoke again, his tone noticeably heavier.

"Teacher… why are you asking about Su Qi?"

"Did he cause trouble there?"

Elder Feng caught the shift immediately. "Nothing serious. He’s staying at my place now. Decent kid. Just curious."

"He’s staying with you?!" Jiangxia’s voice jumped an octave.

"Yeah."

Another silence, longer this time.

"Old Feng…" Jiangxia finally said, voice laced with something complicated. "This isn’t easy to explain."

Elder Feng’s interest sharpened. "Oh?"

Jiangxia lowered his voice. "I can’t go into details—too many eyes. But I’ll tell you this: that kid… once cussed out a Divine Projection to its face. And somehow… scared it off."

"If you want more, dig it up yourself. Frankly, if your clearance wasn’t what it is, I wouldn’t even be allowed to say this much."

"What?!"

A century of cultivated composure shattered in an instant.

Elder Feng’s grip on the communicator turned white-knuckled.

A Divine Projection—he knew exactly what that meant.

He’d felt that overwhelming presence himself before: the crushing weight of a god’s fleeting gaze, enough to make even the mightiest prostrate in terror.

And Su Qi had berated one?

And driven it away?!

What kind of joke was this?!

Was the world about to see a fourth transcendent profession emerge after the existing three?

The Roastmaster?

Reducing divine envoys to ashes with sheer audacity?

This went beyond "genius" into realms Elder Feng couldn’t fathom.

"You’re certain?" His voice came out hoarse.

"You think I’d joke about this?" Jiangxia’s certainty was absolute. "It made waves. The higher-ups buried it fast, though."

Elder Feng fell silent.

Now Liu Yuan’s inexplicable aura made sense. That pressure hadn’t been hers at all—but something borrowed from her connection to Su Qi.

Or perhaps…

He didn’t dare follow that thought further.

"Old Feng? You still there?" Jiangxia’s voice snapped him back.

"I’m here," Elder Feng managed.

Jiangxia chuckled. "Well, since Su Qi’s under your roof now, do keep an eye on him. I owe him more than a few favors."

"But don’t overestimate him either."

"I did some digging afterward."

"He showed me the expended consumable card he’d used—one that could mimic the aura of a certain… higher existence."

"Basically, he bluffed his way through by pretending to be a more powerful deity. Pure guts, no actual power."

"Still, the balls on that kid… puts my younger self to shame."