No Disciples Accepted

Su Ji leaned back leisurely in his chair, adjusting into a more comfortable position.

He waited for the dancing girl to continue speaking.

However, after a long wait...

Nothing followed.

The dancing girl’s slender hands continued kneading his shoulders with the same gentle pressure, as if her earlier words had been nothing more than casual remarks.

From start to finish, she kept her eyes lowered, never glancing at the spirit stone on the table that emitted an alluring glow.

“That’s it?”

Su Ji opened his eyes and turned his head slightly, looking at her with surprise.

The dancing girl’s lashes cast faint shadows under the candlelight as she kept her gaze down.

“That’s all. This humble girl knows no more.”

Su Ji chuckled softly, though it was unclear whether he believed her or not.

He reached into his robe with two fingers, pulled out another low-grade spirit stone, and tossed it onto the table. It clinked against the first one with a crisp sound.

“Think harder.”

This time, however, his usual foolproof method of jogging memories seemed to fail.

The dancing girl merely shook her head lightly, her hands never pausing in their motions.

“Young master, this humble girl was sold here by her family.”

Her voice was soft, carrying a tone of resigned acceptance.

“Even if you were to redeem me, I am young and possess no useful skills. In this city of Anyang, I would have nowhere to go. If I returned home, my parents would only sell me again.”

“There’s no need for you to waste your money.”

She paused, her fingers pressing slightly harder, as if to emphasize her point.

“I told you these things only because you are a good person.”

“I don’t wish to see you meet a sudden, inexplicable death on the streets for unknowingly crossing the city’s taboos.”

The words pleased Su Ji.

After all, he really was a good person.

Yet his expression remained unchanged.

Seeing his silence, the dancing girl continued in an even lower voice.

“Tonight, let this humble girl attend to you as you rest.”

She finally lifted her gaze, her eyes—bright and shimmering like rippling water—landing for the first time on the stunning woman by the window, whose aura screamed for others to keep their distance.

“If this elder sister doesn’t mind, she may join us as well.”

The moment these words left her lips, the air in the room seemed to freeze.

Su Jiu whirled around.

What kind of person was this?!

And… and she wanted them to join her?!

Su Jiu’s fingers clenched tightly around the crimson spiritual sword at her side, her knuckles turning white from the force.

If not for her sealed cultivation, she would have already cleaved the girl in half with a single strike!

Even Su Ji’s face betrayed a rare flicker of astonishment.

He had only wanted to extract some information—how had things escalated to this point?

Was this dancing girl’s thought process a little… unusual?

Seeing Su Jiu on the verge of erupting, Su Ji quickly cleared his throat, attempting to diffuse the awkward tension.

He waved a hand, signaling the dancing girl to stop.

“Enough. I appreciate the sentiment.”

“But I prefer to sleep alone.”

He pointed at the two spirit stones on the table.

“Consider this your reward. Take it and go.”

The dancing girl’s face showed a flicker of surprise, but she made no move to pick up the stones.

Instead, she bowed gracefully, pressing her hands together in front of her.

“This humble girl thanks you once more, but each person has their own fate.”

Her voice carried a lifeless resignation as she bowed again.

“Young master, stay here for the night and leave Anyang at dawn. This place is no good.”

Truthfully, Su Ji did want to leave.

The problem was, he was trapped in this damned place with no way out.

His eyes lingered on the girl before him—her submissive posture, her acceptance of a tragic fate—before he suddenly spoke.

“Come here.”

The dancing girl stiffened slightly, confusion flashing in her eyes.

“Stand in front of me.” Su Ji’s tone was flat, revealing nothing.

After a brief hesitation, she obeyed, rising gracefully with the faint chime of her ankle bracelets as she stepped before him.

The delicate fragrance clinging to her drifted into Su Ji’s senses once more.

Only now did Su Ji truly study her.

She was young—perhaps even younger than Su Jiu by a few years.

Yet those eyes, which should have been clear and bright, were clouded with the numb weariness of a life steeped in hardship.

“Kneel.”

Su Ji spoke again.

Without question or hesitation, the dancing girl sank to her knees before him, her head bowing deeply.

Not once did she ask why.

To her, every demand from a patron was to be obeyed without question.

Su Ji reached out and gently rested his hand atop her head.

The gesture held no ulterior motive, no hidden desire.

He simply found her… pitiable.

At an age meant for innocence, she had been forced into this wretched fate—sold by her family like mere goods, her youth and spirit slowly eroded in this den of fleeting pleasures.

A soft, almost imperceptible whimper escaped the girl’s lips.

“Ah—”

A warm current seemed to flow from his touch, sending an odd shiver through her body.

Then, from Su Ji’s palm, a wisp of purplish-black flame flickered into existence.

It held no heat.

The flame drifted downward, circling once between her brows before vanishing soundlessly into her forehead.

Boom!

The dancing girl’s mind exploded with thunderous clarity!

W-what was this?!

She could actually see inside her own head!

Her entire body locked in place, frozen in shock.

Before she could recover, an overwhelming torrent of knowledge—vast and profound—flooded into her consciousness like a bursting dam.

Countless mystical characters, each brimming with the truths of heaven and earth, imprinted themselves upon her mind.

“This is…”

Her head snapped up, and for the first time, those lifeless eyes blazed with incredulous brilliance.

A single phrase surfaced unbidden in her thoughts:

The Immortal touches my crown, bestowing the gift of eternal life!

Su Ji withdrew his hand, reclining lazily once more as he let out a derisive snort.

“Since you recognized spirit stones, you must have guessed what I am.”

“This is the Burning Scripture.”

“If you still can’t climb out of this mire, that’s on you.”

(It was actually the Flowing Fire Scripture.

Su Ji just felt like messing with her.)

The Flowing Fire Scripture was a cultivation technique, but it also contained a foundational method for refining fire-attribute spiritual energy to fuel its power.

However, compared to the technique itself—ranked as a fourth-tier treasure—the foundational portion paled in comparison.

At that moment, the kneeling girl suddenly kowtowed deeply, her forehead striking the cold floor with a heavy thud.

“This grace of rebirth… this unworthy one—no, this disciple will never forget it for as long as I live!”

Her voice trembled with emotion, thick with tears, yet brimming with a newfound hope.

Su Ji waved a hand impatiently.

“Enough with the formalities.”

“I’m not taking disciples.”

“Now, will you talk?”

The girl kowtowed three more times before finally rising to her feet.