Chapter 4 - "Mad Dog, Stand Aside!"

“Junior Sister, don’t come any closer.”

Hearing Fu Qu’s voice, Xiao Yu quickly interrupted her approach. Activating his thoughts, he discreetly stored the Seal of Mountains and Rivers back into the system inventory. Composing himself, he stepped out of the woods and approached her with a calm demeanor.

“Why didn’t you give me a heads-up before running over here? I was relieving myself just now—you almost caught me!” he teased with a grin.

“How was I supposed to know you were… you were…” Fu Qu’s cheeks flushed crimson, and she looked down, too embarrassed to meet Xiao Yu’s gaze.

“Ahem, let’s not dwell on that.” Xiao Yu coughed lightly, breaking the awkward silence. He then asked, “Have you fully recovered your spiritual energy? If so, let’s get going. Ahead lies Tianyao Gorge, where beasts frequently appear. You don’t want to end up as their snack and, uh, become poop, do you?”

[Tianyao Gorge (天妖峡, Tiānyāo Xiá): A treacherous area rumored to be infested with powerful beasts, often used in cultivation tales to emphasize danger and suspense.]

“Ugh, you’re so gross!” Fu Qu exclaimed, laughing despite herself. She raised her delicate fists and playfully pounded his chest.

Xiao Yu was fond of teasing her since they were children. Fu Qu, far from annoyed, cherished their lighthearted banter and carefree moments.

“Alright, enough playing around. Let’s get moving,” Xiao Yu said, summoning his Qinghong Flying Sword.

“I’ll let you off this time, Senior Brother,” Fu Qu joked with a mischievous smile as she performed a sword technique. Her own flying sword leapt from its sheath, glowing brilliantly as it expanded in size under her control.

The two ascended their swords and recited the Tianyong City incantation for sword flight. In an instant, the flying swords transformed into streaks of light, slicing through the sky at great speed.

↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣↣

An hour later, Xiao Yu called out, “Junior Sister, we’re nearing Tianyao Gorge. It’s said that powerful beasts—some as strong as Nascent Soul cultivators—often roam here. Whether the rumors are true or not, we should activate our protective shields and fly lower to avoid becoming easy targets.”

Hovering on his sword, Xiao Yu enveloped himself in a shimmering white shield. Adjusting his altitude, he dropped closer to the ground.

“I don’t see any danger ahead, but I trust you, Senior Brother,” Fu Qu replied. She smiled warmly as her own protective shield activated with a faint hum, and she too lowered her flight path.

Suddenly, streaks of white light shot up from the ground like deadly arrows, aiming directly at them.

“Watch out!” Xiao Yu yelled.

The white beams slammed into their shields, causing violent tremors. With a loud crack, the shields shattered under the barrage.

Xiao Yu reacted swiftly, conjuring a fiery shield in front of him. The incoming white beams dissipated harmlessly against its surface, leaving him unscathed.

“Don’t be afraid, Junior Sister! I’m here!”

Xiao Yu flew to Fu Qu’s side, using the fiery shield to protect her as they descended rapidly. Once they landed, the mysterious white lights ceased their attack.

“Senior Brother, good thing you warned me to activate my shield earlier! But who would ambush us like this? It’s outrageous!” Fu Qu said, her face flushed with both anger and exhilaration from the danger.

“I’m not sure,” Xiao Yu replied, his voice serious. “Those attacks carried strong traces of resentment and murderous intent. They must have come from demonic cultivators.”

He remained on high alert, the fiery shield hovering around them for protection.

“Despicable demonic cultivators! Too cowardly to face us openly, resorting to sneak attacks instead!” Fu Qu shouted furiously at the gorge.

Just then, a chilling laugh echoed from deep within the gorge.

“Such bold words for a little girl. You’ll soon learn your place.”

“Who’s there?!” Xiao Yu and Fu Qu turned toward the source of the voice, their gazes fixed on the shadowy depths of the gorge.

A man emerged, his appearance both comical and menacing. His disheveled hair hung loosely, and his tattered clothes revealed a body covered in coarse fur. His flat nose and slack tongue gave him the look of a hybrid between man and beast. In his hand, he carried a short bone staff.

“Were you the one who ambushed us?” Fu Qu demanded, pointing at him.

“That’s right,” the man replied with a smirk. “It was your grandpa Mad Dog. What now, scared?”

“Hah! Do you really think I’d fear a mere mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator? What a joke!” Fu Qu scoffed after scanning him with Tianyong City’s Spiritual Eye Technique.

“How dare you underestimate me, you little—”

“Mad Dog, stand aside,” a cold, commanding voice interrupted.

From the shadows stepped Wu Laoda, his single eye gleaming with malice.

“Yes, Senior Wu,” Mad Dog Daoist replied reluctantly. Though resentful of Fu Qu’s scorn, he obediently moved aside. His beady eyes, brimming with anger, never left her.

“Senior Brother, there’s something unusual about that man,” Fu Qu whispered, her eyes flashing as she tried to analyze Wu Laoda with the Spiritual Eye Technique. “I can’t discern his cultivation level at all. Can you?”

Xiao Yu shook his head grimly. “I can’t sense it either.”