Su Jiu: I'm Going to Get the Knife

When Su Ji stepped into the Contribution Hall,

the atmosphere was noticeably livelier than in the Personnel Hall.

Disciples bustled about—some hurriedly on their way, others gathered in small groups whispering softly.

Su Ji’s gaze swept across the hall and quickly locked onto his target.

In the corner, Su Jiu’s red robes stood out starkly among the sea of gray and blue Daoist garments.

She seemed a bit impatient, absentmindedly twisting a strand of hair around her finger.

Her pure, youthful face bore an unmistakable message: “Strangers keep away.”

Su Ji only glanced at her briefly before casually shifting his eyes away.

Feigning nonchalance, he walked over to the massive jade disc mounted on the wall and extended his faint divine sense into it.

The jade disc shimmered with flowing light, countless task notifications cascading like a waterfall.

After some effort, he found his own entry near the bottom of the task list.

[Task: Remove useless spiritual roots from the newly admitted outer disciple Su Ji.]

[Executor: Su Jiu.]

Good.

The plan was still on track.

Su Ji withdrew his divine sense and turned toward the steward disciple seated behind a long table not far away.

It was the same chubby senior brother from before, who was now lazily picking his ear with his pinky finger.

“Senior Brother, sorry to bother you.”

Su Ji put on a humble and respectful demeanor.

The chubby steward raised his eyelids, recognized Su Ji, and replied in a tone neither warm nor cold, “Oh, it’s you. What’s up?”

“I just saw on the jade disc that someone has already taken my task.”

Su Ji deliberately showed a hint of anxiety, lowering his voice slightly.

“The executor is… Su Jiu. How can I get in touch with Senior Sister Su Jiu?”

He purposely used the term “Senior Sister.”

Anyone capable of independently handling such a task must be at least Foundation Establishment stage; calling her “Senior Sister” was both appropriate and showed his discernment.

The chubby steward looked at Su Ji as if he were an idiot.

Without even turning his neck, he just nodded toward Su Jiu’s direction.

“Su Jiu? She’s right over there.”

“The one in red robes. Go talk to her yourself.”

A look of sudden realization appeared on Su Ji’s face.

He hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed toward the steward, “Thanks for the guidance, Senior Brother! Thank you!”

Having finished his little performance, he turned and walked toward Su Jiu.

As he approached, Su Ji suddenly exclaimed, “Ah, Junior Sister, you’re Su Jiu?”

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft—just enough for the nearby disciples to hear.

“What a coincidence. I think you were the one who helped me break through to the Qi Refining stage, right? I was in such a rush back then that I forgot to ask your name.”

A warm smile spread across his face. If anyone overheard, they’d think he’d just met an old friend after a long time apart.

Su Jiu slowly lifted her head, looking at Su Ji’s face full of “sincerity,” her smile forced and hollow.

The tear mole beneath her eye added a chill to her expression.

“Not a coincidence,” she said softly, but her words were like ice.

“As for that breakthrough task—you gave me a bad review.”

She paused for a moment, her beautiful eyes scanning Su Ji up and down before finally settling on his lower half, adding a pointed remark with a knowing look.

"I'm watching over you."

"Is that just a coincidence?"

These few simple lines of dialogue.

Several nearby disciples, who had been idly passing the time and now turned their attention this way, all wore strange, knowing smiles on their faces.

Oh.

So that's what’s going on!

They were still curious—Su Jiu usually looked down on these “root-stripping” tasks, even showing some disdain.

Why on earth did she suddenly take this one today?

Turns out this kid was clueless, getting a bargain but still acting smug, giving someone a bad review and offending them.

Now, there’s going to be a show.

One disciple lowered his voice, winking at his companion: “This guy’s finished. Falling into Su Jiu’s hands? He’s probably going to be toyed with in every possible way.”

Another disciple nodded in agreement with a face full of schadenfreude: “Not just toyed with, I bet Senior Sister Su Jiu will carve him up like a masterpiece on his spiritual root.”

“Tsk tsk, what a tragedy.”

“What tragedy? He brought this on himself by giving a bad review. His contribution points for completing the task will be docked—he deserves it!”

Amid the whispers, the few eyes cast toward Su Ji were filled with pity.

Of course, more than anything, they were just here for the spectacle.

Only Wang San bit down hard on his back molars as he watched the scene unfold...

Those two were putting on quite the act—if he didn’t know the truth, he might have been fooled too.

Just wait and see!

...

Su Ji didn’t know that Su Jiu had already cursed him silently in her heart.

Why did he have to add extra drama at the last minute?

This wasn’t what they agreed on yesterday.

Thankfully, she was quick enough to keep a straight face and not let it slip.

Su Jiu lifted her eyes, those clear orbs quietly fixed on Su Ji.

“Come with me.”

With those three words, Su Jiu turned and strode out of the Contribution Hall, the red hem of her skirt tracing a sharp arc behind her.

The surrounding disciples quickly parted to make way.

Yet, no one expected this.

Su Ji didn’t follow.

Instead, he suddenly spun around and dashed back to the chubby steward, his face visibly panicked.

“Brother! Brother, save me!”

His voice cracked with desperation as he gripped the edge of the long table with both hands.

“Brother, can I get someone else? Please, can I get someone else?”

“Last time I asked if giving a bad review would cause trouble, you said she couldn’t do anything to me in the sect!”

The chubby steward, who had been leisurely picking his teeth, nearly jabbed the toothpick into his own gums in shock.

He frowned with disgust and said, “What the hell are you freaking out about?”

“Do you think sect rules are something you can just change at will? You think the Contribution Hall is your family’s market where you can pick and choose?”

“It’s not like she can really do anything to you. They’re just trimming a little root, not cutting off your life.”

“Switching people won’t change the fact that they’ll still cut you.”

“It’s just a matter of a couple ounces of flesh—what’s the big deal?”

“Crying and whining like that, what kind of image is that?”

“In the Love-Longing Sect, which male disciple hasn’t been through this? The sooner you get it done, the sooner you’re free. Better than getting tangled up in those childish lovesick feelings and losing the path to the Dao!”

Though the steward’s voice wasn’t loud, it clearly echoed through half the Contribution Hall.

Su Ji looked as if his bones had been drained from his body, collapsing in a limp heap, his face etched with utter despair.

Su Jiu, who had already reached the door, paused mid-step.

She glanced back at Su Ji’s “the sky is falling” expression, and the corner of her eye twitched involuntarily.

This guy…

Was his acting a little too good?

Or did he really care that much about that trivial thing of his?

For some reason, the shame and anger Su Ji had shown yesterday when he was half-forced to have his “spiritual root” inspected had quietly faded a little now.

In its place was a complicated sense of speechlessness.

Her voice turned colder as she urged, “Are you going or not?”

Hearing the summons, Su Ji reluctantly shuffled forward in small, hesitant steps.

…

The two walked one after the other along the mountain path of the Love-Longing Sect.

Neither spoke a word.

Su Jiu led the way, her steps light and graceful.

Su Ji followed behind, his head hung low, defeated.

At last, Su Jiu stopped in front of an elegant, detached courtyard.

Inside the yard grew a few unknown flowers and plants, filling the air with a faint, delicate fragrance — a stark contrast to Su Ji’s shabby servant’s wooden hut.

“We’re here.”

Su Jiu pushed open the gate and stepped aside to let Su Ji enter.

Su Ji still looked dazed as he walked inside.

The room’s furnishings were surprisingly simple.

A wooden bed, a dressing table, and a desk — all spotlessly clean.

“This is it.”

Su Jiu pointed at the wooden bed draped with pale blue sheets.

“Senior Brother, take off your Dao robe and lie down.”

Her tone was calm, betraying no emotion.

Following her instructions, Su Ji slowly loosened his servant’s Dao robe, revealing the thin inner garment beneath, then stiffly lay down.

The bed was soft and carried a faint, almost imperceptible scent of a young woman.

Clearly, this was nothing like the future he had foreseen.

In that so-called “predestined fate” he had glimpsed, he was supposed to be pressed down by a gray-robed woman with no expression, enduring this and that…

Not lying here now, on the bed of a beautiful junior sister.

A faint smile curled at the corner of Su Ji’s mouth.

That so-called “predestined fate”…

Was nothing to be afraid of!

Su Jiu watched him settle down, nodded, and turned toward the cabinet in the corner.

“I’m going to get the knife.”