The sound of hurried footsteps outside the door stumbled and scrambled away, fading down the staircase.
Inside the room, silence fell, broken only by the faint crackling of the candle flame.
Su Ji acted as if nothing had happened, picking up his chopsticks to take a bite of food, savoring it slowly.
"Hmm, not bad for a small inn. The chef’s skills are decent."
"The owner seems honest too, just a bit timid."
Su Jiu ignored him.
She extended a slender finger and flicked it lightly.
With a sharp rip, wood splinters scattered through the air.
The hilt of her sword returned to her grasp.
Su Ji hastily stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth, speaking through a full mouth, "Junior Sister, don’t look at me like that—it’s scary."
"See, after scaring the owner like that, he’ll definitely think we’re not to be trifled with. If the Blood Fiend Sect comes sniffing around later, he won’t dare say a word."
Su Jiu finally spoke, her voice cool and detached. "Senior Brother’s tongue is sharper than this blade."
Her eyes remained icy, but the fire in them had dimmed somewhat.
"What the owner says is his own business—I can’t control that."
"But there are some things you’d do well to keep to yourself."
"What things?" Su Ji feigned ignorance.
"Which part of what I said was wrong?" He put on an innocent expression. "I said I like playing with foxes. Is that a problem?"
"You are a fox, Junior Sister."
"And I like you. Is that a problem?"
Su Jiu’s mind went blank with a buzzing sound.
Her cheeks flushed crimson in an instant. She bit her lower lip and glared at him fiercely.
This bastard… How could he say something like that so shamelessly?!
Watching Su Jiu’s stunned, adorable expression, Su Ji’s grin widened.
He took a step forward, reaching out to pinch her cheek lightly—soft and smooth to the touch.
Just as Su Jiu was about to snap out of it, Su Ji quickly withdrew his hand, his expression turning serious again.
Time to change the subject.
"Tonight’s mission is dangerous."
"If they’re bold enough to set a trap to kill and steal treasures, they must be well-prepared. The leader is at least mid-stage Golden Core."
"Possibly even late-stage."
Su Jiu’s focus returned at his words. She nodded, her expression grave.
"I know. As long as it’s not Golden Core Perfection, it’s manageable."
"The gap between late-stage and Perfection is vast."
"Then tonight, we’ll rely on you, Junior Sister."
"You take the lead in battle, and I’ll play my part. We’ll keep them guessing, probe their strength first."
Su Jiu fell silent for a moment before nodding.
She walked to the bed and sat cross-legged, closing her eyes to meditate, preparing for the bloodshed at the third watch.
Seeing that she was ignoring him again, Su Ji sighed and went back to devouring the dishes on the table.
---
Downstairs in the inn, the owner had returned behind the counter, his earlier look of terror long gone.
A waiter emerged from the kitchen with an empty tray, eyeing him curiously before sidling over.
"Boss, why’d you personally deliver the food today?"
The owner didn’t even glance up, fingers flicking across the abacus as he scolded sternly, "Because you’re too slow. No sense of urgency."
"Guests in the Heaven-tier room can’t be kept waiting."
The waiter shrank back, not daring to say another word.
The owner ignored him, flipping through the ledger and continuing his calculations.
Wang’an City… it seemed even this place was about to face upheaval.
He just hoped these two groups wouldn’t drag his little inn into their mess.
In the face of cultivators who soared through the skies…
The lives of mortals were fragile.
Too fragile to withstand even the slightest ripple.
Difficult times indeed.
---
Night deepened.
The clamor outside the window gradually quieted, leaving only the night watchman’s wooden clapper echoing through the silent streets.
"Dry weather, beware of fires—"
The third watch had arrived.
Su Jiu opened her eyes, rising from her meditative stance.
"Time to go."
Without another word, the two figures blurred, slipping soundlessly out the window like shadows melting into the night.
---
Three li outside the city—the mass graves.
The place reeked of yin energy. The night wind howled, lifting tattered spirit money into the air with a rustling sound, eerie in the stillness.
A dilapidated temple stood alone beside the graves, its entrance long gone, leaving only a gaping black maw like a beast ready to devour.
Inside, a few flickering torches cast wavering light.
Wang Hu and his men sat around a bonfire, polishing their weapons and magical tools, their faces twisted with bloodlust.
"Big Brother, do you really think that kid will show?" one disciple asked.
"He’ll come." Wang Hu smirked, greed flashing in his eyes. "Fools blinded by lust are the easiest to trick. Once he’s here, we’ll kill him first, then deal with that Golden Core guardian of his."
"Then I’ll take my turn ‘guarding’ her too."
"Hah! Big Brother is brilliant!"
Just then, slow, deliberate footsteps sounded outside the temple.
Wang Hu and his men immediately fell silent, stowing their weapons.
Under the moonlight, a figure appeared at the ruined entrance.
Su Ji.
He still wore that carefree, roguish expression, hands clasped behind his back as if out for a leisurely stroll.
"Gentlemen, sorry to keep you waiting," he greeted cheerfully, scanning the temple interior.
Wang Hu’s spiritual sense swept the surroundings.
No sign of Su Jiu.
"Brother, where’s your guardian?"
Su Ji’s expression darkened instantly.
"That bodyguard of mine threw a tantrum, wouldn’t let me come. Took me two hours of fighting and a hefty dose of spirit elixir to finally knock her out. Had to sneak away."
Wang Hu and his men exchanged glances, barely containing their glee.
Heaven itself was on their side!
That troublesome Golden Core woman hadn’t come!
"Brother, you’re truly a man of passion!" Wang Hu laughed heartily, standing to welcome him. "Come, sit!"
Su Ji didn’t stand on ceremony, swaggering over to plop down by the fire.
"So, where’s my ‘merchandise’?" he asked curiously.
"I don’t see any women here. Were you lying to me?"
"Let me tell you—people say I’m dumb, but I’m actually sharp as a tack."
"My maid warned me you might be luring me out here to kill me and steal my treasures."
"So guess what? I didn’t bring a single valuable thing with me."
"No treasures to steal—how can you kill me for them?"
Wang Hu: ???
He scrutinized Su Ji.
Sure enough.
That top-grade Golden Core artifact was missing.
Brother…
What kind of brain…
Do you even have?
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
