"That's… that's my eye!"
With just a look, Long Jiu saw through the secret of crow's eye. He used to move unhindered thanks to that same eye and even earned the name Godeye Long Jiu.
But the godeye was now his enemy's weapon to be used against him.
"I-impossible!" Long Jiu shook his head in denial.
Jian Fan's laughter was unrestrained, "Long Jiu, did you ever think that your precious Purple Lightning Gold Eye will one day be put to use on my demonic creature? If you want to kill me, you'll have to first overcome this eye."
Then he began making hand signs.
The crow flew and purple light glinted in its golden eye, rumbling as it charged at Long Jiu.
"Watch out!"
The blond elder woke Long Jiu out of his stupor in time to defend with his Dragon Sword.
Boom!
Long Jiu was struck down by one purple lightning after another and was blown away coughing blood.
The two elders rushed to Jian Fan in panic. They knew that as long as Jian Fan stopped his hands, the crow would stop moving.
But how could Jian Fan not see such an obvious flaw?
Sneering, he gestured again and caused two explosions, the purple lightning struck the two elders. They bore the brunt as it sent them flying and blood leaked from their mouths.
Zhuo Fan was shocked by how vicious the Purple Lightning Gold Eye was. It was only in 3rd Heaven and it could already outclass a Profound Heaven expert.
As matters stood, Veiled Dragon Pavilion would lose, and the Luo clan would be next.
"No, I cannot let that happen."
Squinting, Zhuo Fan gnashed his teeth and pointed, sending a red light at Jian Fan.
He was taking a huge gamble. If Blood Infant was found out, it would die in a blink from the purple lighting, and him along with it.
But if he stood at the sidelines, the Luo clan would be sure to fall for good.
Zhuo Fan hardened his heart and sent the Blood Infant on the offensive.
Jian Fan was focused on Veiled Dragon Pavilion's three elders and was oblivious to the incoming danger.
"Ha-ha-ha, Purple Lightning Gold Eye is awesome. Not even together are you three fools its match." The crow flew back to Jian Fan's shoulder as he cackled.
The two men in black flew to either side of Jian Fan and grinned.
The three Veiled Dragon Pavilion elders' faces darkened. The enemy looked down on them despite acting together. This was the first time this ever happened.
If they lost here today, Veiled Dragon Pavilion's reputation would be thrown into the mud, all thanks to them.
"Don't think you can win with a damn demonic creature and a stolen eye, Condor." The blond elder's eyes flashed golden and exploded with killing intent.
"Old Jiu, old Wu, stay here. I will take their heads."
While shocked, the red-haired elder saw the determination in his eyes and nodded, as did Long Jiu.
As they were all elders of Veiled Dragon Pavilion, they knew the blond old man's true power.
Once the Devastating Gold Dragon was enraged, he would split the earth and shatter the heavens. During the time when Long Jiu had his eye, there were three people in Veiled Dragon Pavilion he couldn't beat.
1st and 2nd elder were the first two, while the last was the enraged 3rd elder.
Whoosh!
A dazzling golden light shined and started covering him with a thick film, like a golden armor. Each time his finger moved, it let out a metallic sound.
Jian Fan's face turned grave, picking up on the threat to his life the old man's change promised.
"Allow me to educate you that the name of Devastating Gold Dragon isn't an empty title."
The blond elder formed claws with his hands, all the while radiating in gold and staring at Jian Fan with a cold gaze. Then he rushed at Jian Fan. In his charge, the elder brought his hands together, just like scissors.
Roar!
A dragon roar echoed in the pitch-black night. Jian Fan saw the blond elder appeared surrounded by the image of a huge dragon.
It unclenched its jaws and followed the blond elder's claws to swallow the three enemies whole.
"High spirit ranked martial art, Devouring Dragon Claw!"
Startled, Jian Fan hastened his hand gestures to control the crow's Purple Lightning Gold Eye.
Boom! And a purple light flashed!
But this time, when the lightning fell on the dragon, it bounced off like a bullet, not even able to slow it down.
Jian Fan panicked, unable to believe that the blond elder would be so strong that he could deflect Purple Lightning Gold Eye's attack. But he did notice how the dragon's golden aura dimmed.
"Hell Chains!"
Jian Fan and his two men moved together. Tens of black chains flew from their arms and fell on the dragon like a dark cloud.
The chains tightened and the dragon body was rendered motionless under their vise, yet the dragon still lingered, wanting to press on the attack.
"You're not Veiled Dragon Pavilion's 3rd elder for nothing, needing all three of us to hold you back."
Jian Fan gave his all in grasping the black chains along with his men. They even began to sweat.
The 3rd elder gnashed his teeth, his lips curling in disdain, "You think the three of you could've held me if not for the Purple Lightning Gold Eye?"
"He-he-he, you're right. We still have the Purple Lightning Gold Eye."
Jian Fan snickered, now that 3rd elder reminded him, he used the hand that held the black chains to make hand signs. With a cawing sound, purple lightning flashed.
The 3rd elder's scalp went numb.
Both sides were in a deadlock. If the purple lighting hit, it would spell heavy wounds, if not death.
"Third brother!"
Long Jiu and the red-haired elder were nervous, rushing to help despite not making it in time.
Seeing 3rd elder's fate sealed under the purple lightning, Jian Fan grinned.
It was at this moment when Zhuo Fan, who was just a hundred feet away, showed a mystifying smile.
"Using this chaos, I'll take your life. I can't have the Veiled Dragon Pavilion lose such an important battle!"
Zhuo Fan's killing intent spiked as his hand moved. The Blood Infant lying in wait just around the corner sprung up from its hiding place, aiming for Jian Fan. With Jian Fan and his two men focused on 3rd elder, they were oblivious to the impending danger.
"He-he-he, die, 3rd elder!"
Jian Fan cackled as the crow's eye spilled purple lightning. But then a sudden flash of red entered his body and felt his breath hampered, dispelling the black chains from his hand.
"Elder Jian, what are you doing?" His two men jumped in fright.
Jian Fan found something burrowing in his body and wanted to expel it but it was too late…
3rd elder pressed his advantage and exploded with power.
Roar!
The dragon burst out of the chains and bit down.
The two men's eyes squinted as they fled. But the pitiful Elder Jian was rooted in place thanks to Blood Infant's control. The next instant, an arm flew way up high.
3rd elder grabbed it and stood with pride as he laughed at the one-armed Jian Fan and his men.
"Curse you. Veiled Dragon Pavilion went as far as refining demonic creatures to make a sneak attack…"
Jian Fan clenched his teeth as his heart bled with grief. Thinking how a veteran demonic cultivator as himself was hampered by a demonic creature left a bad taste in his mouth. Would he get any respect from others now? What was even worse was that this was done by righteous cultivators.
"Let's go!"
Jian Fan knew he lost the advantage and there was nothing to gain from fighting a losing battle.
Yet Long Jiu wasn't one to let them go.
"After them!"
3rd elder's feelings were mutual and shouted while pursuing them.
The Blood Infant returned inside Zhuo Fan without anyone's knowledge. He smiled. [It's best for Hell Valley to put this blame on Veiled Dragon Pavilion. Their hatred isn't light anyway and a bit more won't affect them.]
Zhuo Fan justified his actions.
Just that he couldn't help the Purple Lightning Gold Eye to catch his attention.
"One way or another, I'll have to get it." Zhuo Fan rubbed his chin as his eyes roamed around. Few things caught the Demonic Emperor's eye, and the Celestial Emperor's Purple Lightning Gold Eye happened to be one of them.
"Kill!"
But then, a group of men in black charged into Veiled Dragon Pavilion. They were all Bone Tempering experts.
However, Veiled Dragon Pavilion had a contingency in place and Long Jie led his own team to repel the enemies. Mere moments after the two sides clashed, Long Kui came out to meet them with her own team from the small courtyard.
During the Profound Heaven experts' battle, they remained hidden, waiting for the right moment to strike. They waited for all of Hell Valley's men to charge in so they could kill them all in one go.
Hell Valley acted as if they didn't expect an ambush and retreated with Long Jie and Long Kui hot on their tails.
No sooner did they retreat after the initial 'attack', leaving the Luo clan and the ones in the small courtyard.
"Aren't they baiting?"
Zhuo Fan was calm, having known Hell Valley's plan. He was waiting for the true mastermind to come out.
Soon after, Yang Ming appeared leading Blackwind Mountain bandits.
Zhuo Fan smirked, "Hell Valley had paid a heavy price to have the Lei clan wipe out the Luo clan. I wonder how far are they willing to go?"