I'm talking, don't interrupt." "Alright~

Su Jiu's body trembled violently, tensing up even more.

But when Su Ji, with an air of unyielding dominance, gently pried open her pearly teeth, that rigid frame instantly softened.

A buzzing filled Su Jiu's mind, leaving it utterly blank.

After what felt like an eternity, Su Ji slowly pulled back, gazing at her dazed, almost soul-deprived expression. An unprecedented sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

……

Su Jiu couldn’t understand why she had lost herself for a moment.

When she regained her senses, she was astonished to discover that the insidious, venomous miasma—clinging like maggots to bone—had been relentlessly pushed back by Su Ji’s overwhelming spiritual energy.

It melted away bit by bit, purified, until nothing remained.

Su Ji still crouched before her, his brows furrowed in concentration, his expression utterly focused.

He seemed completely absorbed in this delicate operation.

One hand gripped her ankle, while the other, seeking better leverage, unconsciously wandered, shifting positions—now the arch of her foot, now the top.

Su Jiu stiffened abruptly, just as she began to suspect Su Ji’s lecherous tendencies were acting up again…

Her eyes locked onto his face, so close she could almost count his lashes.

She studied the sharp contours of his profile, tense with focus, the faint shadows cast by his eyelashes under the moonlight.

"Done," he murmured, his voice unusually earnest. "It shouldn’t hurt anymore."

Suddenly, Su Jiu found herself thinking that getting injured might not be such a bad thing after all.

So this was what it felt like to be cared for—a warmth she hadn’t known before.

As she’d said earlier, injuries were commonplace in clashes between cultivators.

How could anyone emerge unscathed every time?

Yet usually, she tended to her wounds alone, resting in bed for days if it was serious. Never had she experienced anything like this.

Even the cold moonlight overhead seemed brighter now.

The process lasted roughly the time it took for an incense stick to burn.

When the last wisp of black miasma was finally purged by Su Ji’s spiritual energy, he withdrew his hands.

Su Jiu felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted.

She slumped against the cool stone behind her, gasping for breath.

The wound on her toe, once laced with venomous energy, had completely healed, leaving only the faintest pink mark.

Her spiritual energy now flowed unimpeded.

Her gaze at Su Ji was complicated.

Once again, this man had upended her expectations.

Su Ji, ever the one to settle scores on the spot, smirked. "What’re you staring at?"

He stood, dusting off his hands casually, slipping back into his usual roguish demeanor.

"Could it be you’re dazzled by my brilliance and might, hopelessly smitten?"

"……"

The flicker of gratitude and something else in Su Jiu’s heart vanished instantly.

She snorted coldly, refusing to dignify him with a response.

Su Ji chuckled. "Hey, how’re you planning to repay this favor?"

"How about pledging yourself to me?"

"If you’re shy, I’ll humble myself and marry into the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan."

"Scram!"

Su Jiu finally snapped, her cheeks tinged with a suspicious flush under the moonlight.

Su Ji scratched his nose awkwardly. "I’m serious, Junior Sister. That miasma was nasty. You sure you’ll recover in just a couple of days?"

Su Jiu’s expression turned pensive. "Yes. Because I have the Immaculate Body. Venomous miasma doesn’t affect me much."

She paused, then added, "Given time, I can refine it on my own."

Su Ji’s curiosity flared. "That powerful? What’s the deal with special physiques? Why doesn’t the Yearning Sect test for them? What about me? Do I have one?"

Perhaps feeling their bond had deepened, Su Jiu surprised herself by teasing him, her usually icy voice laced with faint amusement. "You do, Senior Brother."

She deadpanned, "You must have the Innate Shameless Constitution."

"I’ve never met anyone as utterly shameless as you."

"……"

Su Ji rubbed his nose again, feigning offense. "That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?"

Su Jiu scoffed. "Is it? Or have you forgotten the last time I asked you to fetch the Hundred-Tempered Heavenly Silk for me?"

At the mention, Su Ji perked up, abandoning his nose-rubbing. "Did it fit—uh, I mean, was it comfortable?"

Su Jiu stared at him blankly. "How did you even think to make socks out of it…?"

Su Ji replied as if it were the most natural thing, his tone dripping with faux concern. "Because there wasn’t enough to craft inner armor."

Su Jiu was speechless.

After composing herself, she asked, "Do you even know what I needed it for?"

Su Ji shook his head.

Of course.

The familiar pattern returned—clueless as ever.

Resigned, Su Jiu explained, "Remember when you asked why I never wear shoes?"

Su Ji nodded.

"It’s part of my training. The Immaculate Body filters impurities from spiritual energy, speeding up absorption. It also has a minor trait—repelling worldly filth, hence the name ‘Immaculate’ or ‘Spirit-Embracing’ Body."

She added, "Mine’s still undeveloped. A perfected Immaculate Body can repel all techniques."

Su Ji’s eyes gleamed with mischief. "How do we develop it? Need my help?"

Su Jiu rolled her eyes. "I’m getting there. Stop interrupting."

Su Ji drawled, "As you wish~"

Unaware of his double entendre, Su Jiu continued, "Physiques are honed through use. Neglect weakens them."

"At my current stage, walking barefoot keeps my body constantly active, expelling dirt—the simplest training method."

"But the balance is tricky. Too much filth becomes a burden, not a workout."

"The Heavenly Silk self-cleans. I planned to use it to manually adjust the training intensity."

She shot him a pointed look. "Then someone turned it into socks… Quite the opposite of helpful."

Su Ji finally grasped his blunder.

So his good intentions had backfired?

Unacceptable.

Not one to admit defeat, his mind raced—then lit up with a "brilliant" idea.

"What if we dirty your feet first, then you wear the socks?"

"Manual adjustment—foot edition."