Fairy, Don't Be Afraid, I Am Blind

Chapter 305 - 180: The Secret of You Su’s Eyes

The autumn air was crisp and refreshing.

The road leading up and down Bihua Peak used to be bustling, but now it was eerily quiet, as if all the people who once traveled along it had vanished.

You Su stood dazed in the sunlight, while the old man stood in the shade holding a bizarre and ominous head.

"Do you... know him?"

The old man asked casually, as if it were a simple greeting from an elderly man at the village entrance, utterly devoid of any hint of danger.

You Su’s mind raced. The old man was clearly there to probe him, yet You Su couldn’t discern his intentions. Whether in cultivation or in depth of mind, the old man gave him the feeling of an endless ocean.

"I don’t know him." You Su shook his head.

The old man squinted his eyes and smiled faintly at these words:

"This is a Meat Rong Ghost. It’s not recorded in the commonly seen Evil Spirits Atlas, so it’s normal that you don’t recognize it. It is a low-level evil spirit of flesh and blood, very weak in power but quite rare, due to its peculiar ability to generate new flesh. When it encounters some nameless dry bones, planting the Meat Rong Ghost on them will make it take root and sprout on the bones, growing decayed flesh. It may not be identical to the original, but at least from the bone structure, one can recognize most of it."

"The fact that such an evil spirit has such a magical ability means that it could solve many cold cases." You Su marveled.

He appeared calm when speaking of evil spirits, aware that the other was probing him based on his life experiences. After witnessing the darkness in the depths of the Jade Ring Pool, showing too much fear towards a low-level evil spirit would seem exaggerated.

The old man’s smile didn’t fade as he weighed the head in his hand like he was holding a black fruit:

"But you know very well, I’m not asking if you recognize this evil spirit, but the owner of the skull it’s attached to."

"Respectful elder, I am but a blind man, how could I recognize it?" You Su bowed apologetically.

"Young man... the look in one’s eyes when they want to kill cannot be hidden, so there’s no need to lie to me."

The old man swung his hand suddenly, collecting the black Meat Rong Ghost:

"What you dropped was precisely this black fruit."

You Su’s sword-like eyebrows furrowed slightly.

He had the feeling that the other had already concluded his acquaintance with Mr. Ling, believing that his blind eyes could perceive evil spirits.

He sought him not to probe but to greet him, indicating that to keep something hidden from others, one must first not do it oneself.

"What does the elder mean?"

"Young man, don’t be nervous." The old man stroked his white beard, the wrinkles layered in kindness, "I am the First Elder of the Profound Sky Sect, you should have heard of me. I am also one of the three heads of the Central Continent Exorcism Bureau, and I am here to invite you to the Exorcism Bureau for a talk. The Thirteen Elders should have mentioned to you the Exorcism Bureau’s desire to invite you."

You Su instantly felt a chill; the First Elder was considered second only to the Sect Leader of the Profound Sky Sect. Even the Sect Leader would pay him great respect when meeting this living fossil of an elder, not to mention the mention of being the head of the Exorcism Bureau, such an awe-inspiring title.

However, his Master had not mentioned anything about the Exorcism Bureau wanting to recruit him.

"You Su greets the First Elder."

You Su bowed respectfully, acknowledging that he had no reason not to be deferential to one of the continent’s pinnacle figures.

"You may dispense with the formalities. I know you have many questions. Close your eyes and come with me."

You Su understood he had no right to refuse and had to obey by closing his eyes, even though he couldn’t see as a blind man.

"Please excuse the trouble, First Elder."

The First Elder gathered his long sleeves, saying: "Although the headquarters of the Exorcism Bureau is on the Divine Mountain, no one truly knows its exact location. This is simply a precaution, considering it concerns evil spirits."

Observing You Su’s furrowed brows, the elder, exuding an immortal aura, smiled again:

"Don’t worry, it won’t take long. We won’t let your Senior Sister wait too long."

You Su suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and nodded.

Almost the instant he nodded, the two of them transformed into a beam of white light and vanished from their original spot.

On the now-empty mountain path, disciples reappeared as if nothing peculiar had occurred there.

Only Third Elder, clad in a dark emerald cheongsam, looked up in the direction the two had gone, her gaze filled with concern.

...

"Open your eyes."

The First Elder still had his hands folded in his sleeves, wearing a gentle smile akin to a kind elderly man.

You Su slowly opened his eyes, unexpectedly finding that his vision was not blurry but could clearly see several things——

Handcuffs, a saw, a rake...

You Su was well aware that he had not opened his eyes at this moment. The only reason he could see these items was that they were steeped in extremely concentrated evil energy!

Based on the bloodstained torture tools and the stench in the air, he deduced his current location—a prison!

The First Elder, noticing You Su’s grave expression, reminded him:

"Don’t be afraid, this is the headquarters of the Exorcism Bureau, specifically for interrogating suspicious individuals. You are not such a person."

But You Su didn’t relax much at these words. Taking someone to a prison upon first meeting was indeed hard to interpret without suspicion.

What disturbed him even more was that the place seemed to have a Restriction Technique, making it difficult for his Divine Sense to expand. Hence, You Su knew nothing about his surroundings, able only to see these well-worn torture implements.

"Chengtao Venerable, please greet You Su."

The First Elder stepped aside, revealing behind him a cage made of dark iron. A naked man hung inside, his hair disheveled, with only the pupils under his hair glowing a ghostly blue.

His body bore no injuries, yet he appeared extremely weakened.