Tens of thousands of mortals and cultivators in Anyang City perished without a single survivor. Go and investigate.

Su Jiu was momentarily stunned by these words.

Meanwhile, Su Ji leaned lazily against Su Jiu, idly adjusting his profound spiritual roots.

You know how it is.

He had just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

It was only natural to be obsessed with it.

However, the words of the Love-Longing Sect's sect master still caught Su Ji's attention.

After all, he wasn’t the type to ignore the outside world and focus solely on his own cultivation.

A fabricated illusion of the Grand Elder’s passing?

A spy from another sect?

The implications of these words were enormous.

He glanced at Su Jiu.

Su Ji put on an exaggerated expression of shock, but the meaning in his eyes was unmistakable:

"Can you pull that off?"

Su Jiu caught his signal and glared back fiercely.

Hiss—

Su Ji barely suppressed the urge to suck in a cold breath.

Her temper had flared up so suddenly.

Had she been drinking magma in some underground lava cave?

Still, he understood her silent retort: "No, I can’t. We have serious matters at hand—can you be serious for once?"

This answer confirmed Su Ji’s suspicions.

It made no sense.

To create an illusion so convincing that even the entire sect believed a Golden Core powerhouse had passed away—what kind of heaven-defying ability would that require?

Su Jiu was already at the Golden Core stage, and even she couldn’t do it.

What level of cultivation would such a spy need?

If a powerhouse of that caliber had infiltrated, would they even need to resort to petty tricks like illusions?

At the very least, it would have to be someone at the level of a core elder—maybe even the vice sect master.

There were countless ways to dismantle the Love-Longing Sect.

For example, if Su Ji were made vice sect master, he’d immediately start embezzling resources and "cultivating" female disciples with his own brand of immortal rules.

He’d see if any female disciples were eager for promotions, then prop up a bunch of parasites in power.

And if anyone dared complain or spread dissent, he’d personally crush them.

Soon enough, the Love-Longing Sect would be universally despised.

This lie wasn’t even convincing enough for a dog.

Su Ji’s mind raced, countless thoughts flashing through it.

So why would she say this?

Meanwhile, Su Jiu had steadied herself and faced the sect master’s scrutiny. "Sect Master, this disciple recently ventured to the Profound Yellow Mountain for training," she began, reciting the story she and Su Ji had prepared.

"At the mountain, I stumbled upon the ruins of an ancient cultivator’s cave. Though I failed to secure the inheritance and nearly lost my life, I was fortunate enough to obtain a vial of spiritual liquid."

"In desperation, I consumed the unknown elixir as a last resort."

"To my surprise, its potency was overwhelming, propelling my cultivation straight to the Golden Core stage."

"As for its grade… this disciple is of mediocre talent and underestimated the elixir’s power."

"I lacked proper preparation and barely managed to condense a fifth-grade Golden Core. Forgive my inadequacy, Sect Master."

Her words were flawless—explaining her rapid advancement while downplaying her achievement to avoid drawing undue envy.

Su Ji nodded approvingly.

Truly his beloved junior sister. Even her lies were polished.

She was starting to take after him.

The Love-Longing Sect master listened, her murky eyes betraying no emotion.

She studied Su Jiu silently, as if trying to see through her.

After a long pause, she finally spoke.

"A fifth-grade Golden Core… an eighteen-year-old fifth-grade Golden Core. What a pity."

"You could have gone further… but even so, you’re undeniably a prodigy."

Her tone was neither praising nor disparaging.

Then she shifted topics.

"Very well. I have an urgent matter at hand."

"Due to yesterday’s spy incident, I’m unable to personally select suitable candidates."

"Will you take on this task in my stead?"

"Consider it a test of your abilities."

"If handled well, your status as an inner disciple may be elevated."

Su Ji sneered inwardly.

Here it comes.

He knew this routine all too well.

First, the carrot—then the stick—then another carrot to make you grateful and eager to risk your life.

No wonder she was the sect master.

Her manipulation was masterful.

As for "elevating" her inner disciple status—what a joke.

Remember that Foundation Establishment perfection elder who got demoted to outer sect?

Su Jiu was already at the Golden Core stage. Even with limited seniority, becoming an outer sect elder should be effortless.

Yet in the sect master’s mouth, it was framed as a "reward."

Sure enough, Su Jiu’s delicate face lit up with flattered delight.

As the saying goes, one takes on the color of their company.

After spending so much time with Su Ji, she’d learned a thing or two about acting.

"Disciple Su Jiu swears to serve the Love-Longing Sect with her life!" she declared, her voice bright and fervent.

"But may I ask… what is this urgent matter that requires the Sect Master’s personal attention?"

The sect master seemed pleased with her reaction, a faint warmth finally appearing in her aged eyes.

"Six hundred li from the Love-Longing Sect lies a city called ‘Anyang.’"

"It sits at the intersection of three sects, a den of chaos—yet it has provided us with many resilient servant disciples over the years."

Su Jiu wasn’t ignorant of cultivation politics.

She knew exactly which three sects the master meant:

The Joyful Union Sect, the Blood Fiend Sect, and the Love-Longing Sect.

"But recently, our informants in the city fell silent…"

"I dispatched disciples to investigate."

"Yet they, too, vanished without a trace."

"It wasn’t until three days ago that the Joyful Union Sect sent word."

"The entire city was wiped out overnight."

"Tens of thousands of mortals and cultivators—not a single survivor."

Su Jiu’s heart chilled.

A city massacre?

This was no small matter.

Yet the sect master’s expression remained indifferent.

She couldn’t care less about how these mortals died.

What concerned her was the Love-Longing Sect’s reputation—and whether this unknown threat might spread, disrupting next year’s recruitment of servant disciples.

Losing fresh blood or tarnishing their name would shake any sect’s foundations.

"After discussions with the other two sects, we’ve agreed to each send a team of newly advanced disciples to investigate Anyang and uncover the truth."

"You’ve reached the Golden Core stage, your strength is sufficient, and you’re a fresh face—making you the ideal candidate."

The sect master’s voice was calm.

"Succeed, and I’ll personally promote you to outer sect elder, reward you with a sixth-grade cultivation manual, and grant a thousand mid-grade spirit stones."

Her phrasing was deliberate.

Golden Core cultivators typically dealt in high-grade spirit stones.

But in her eyes, Su Jiu’s breakthrough was a fluke—she wouldn’t yet know her own worth.

A hundred high-grade stones might sound stingy.

Yet no Foundation Establishment disciple could hear "a thousand mid-grade stones" without feeling—

The next moment, Su Ji cursed inwardly:

"That old hag. How miserly."