The Killer, Su Ji

The suddenness of this turn of events was staggering.

Between life and death, Fat Senior Brother unleashed potential far beyond his usual limits.

There was no time to think—no time to react!

With a swiftness that defied his bulky frame, he threw himself backward in a desperate dodge, his rotund body rolling clumsily across the ground.

Sssshhk!

Despite his quick reflexes, the gleaming white spear tip still grazed his neck, drawing a line of crimson and leaving behind a searing wound.

The warmth of his own blood snapped him to full awareness.

Fat Steward scrambled to his feet, fingers brushing his neck and coming away stained red.

Rage and lingering terror twisted his expression.

That move had been downright treacherous!

He had nearly been bested by a mere outer sect disciple!

"You're dead!"

His spiritual power erupted without restraint—no longer at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, but the sixth!

The intelligence was wrong!

Dense spiritual light encased his fists, no longer flickering weakly but solidifying like a pair of heavy gauntlets.

He no longer dared to underestimate his opponent.

With a single step, the ground trembled faintly beneath Fat Steward’s weight as he charged forward like an enraged bull, barreling straight toward Su Ji.

No fancy techniques—just raw, unbridled force!

Faced with this overwhelming pressure, Su Ji’s expression finally shifted.

The gap of two minor realms bore down on him like a crushing weight.

Su Ji knew better than to meet the attack head-on. His footwork shifted, his body sliding sideways like a specter as his spear flicked out, its tip tracing a vicious arc.

He aimed to strike where his opponent had no choice but to defend.

Yet Fat Steward didn’t even flinch. With a savage grin, he met the spear tip with his spirit-encased fist!

"Clang!"

Another deafening impact rang out.

Su Ji felt an irresistible force surge through the spear shaft. His palms burned with pain, nearly losing his grip as he was flung three steps back.

Meanwhile, the glow around Fat Steward’s fist dimmed only momentarily before flaring back to life, completely unharmed.

Emboldened by his success, Fat Steward pressed his advantage, raining down punches like a storm, each strike carrying a gust of brutal wind.

"You think you can bridge the gap between realms?!"

In an instant, Su Ji was completely overwhelmed.

Like a lone boat battered by a tempest, he struggled to endure the relentless assault, each block sending numbing shocks through his arms.

The sheer density of sixth-level Qi Refinement spiritual power seeped through the spear, churning his blood and qi with every clash.

The longer the fight dragged on, the heavier Su Ji’s heart grew.

He had thought his fortuitous encounter and advanced cultivation techniques would make defeating a stronger opponent effortless.

But reality had delivered a harsh slap to his face.

"Die, you little bastard!"

Spotting an opening, Fat Steward’s face twisted into a cruel smile as his massive body leapt high.

A single punch, condensed with his full power, descended like a hammer toward Su Ji’s skull!

This strike would decide everything.

A sense of mortal peril unlike anything before engulfed Su Ji.

He looked up.

Without hesitation, in the split second before Fat Steward’s fist landed, Su Ji poured every last drop of his peak fourth-level Qi Refinement spiritual power into his spear!

Huummm—!

The moment the energy surged into the weapon, an indescribable, blinding white light erupted from the spear tip in a violent explosion!

The radiance was so fiercely domineering, like a miniature sun exploding out of thin air!

"Fuck your mother!"

The Fat Steward, caught in the forefront, saw nothing but a blinding white expanse as an unbearable, stabbing pain shot through his eyes.

At the Qi Refining stage, a cultivator's spiritual sense was still too weak to perceive the world beyond their body—their eyes were their most vital organ for sensing the outside.

Losing their vision was like a tiger having its fangs pulled!

The Fat Steward desperately tried to open his eyes, but all he could see was a hazy white glow, making it impossible to catch sight of Su Ji's figure.

Now was the moment!

Su Ji's killing intent surged violently as he gritted his teeth against the draining weakness of his depleted spiritual energy.

Seizing the instant when his opponent was blinded and disoriented—

The short spear in his hand did not hesitate for even a fraction of a second, transforming into a deadly streak of white light.

Thud!

A muffled sound of sharp metal piercing flesh.

The Fat Steward's agonized scream was abruptly cut short.

Stiffly, he lowered his head, his tear-streaked eyes finally clearing enough to see.

He stared fixedly at his own chest.

There, a gleaming white spear tip had pierced straight through his heart, warm blood seeping from the exit wound on his back.

He couldn't comprehend it—how could a Qi Refining sixth-layer cultivator like him die at the hands of a mere outer disciple at the fourth layer?

His lips parted, as if to speak, but all that spilled out was a froth of blood.

His vitality fled with the gushing blood, rapidly slipping away.

At the same time, an ethereal voice echoed over the Love-Longing Sect's domain.

[Heavenly Dao senses it—within the Love-Longing Sect's thousand-mile territory, a cultivator has taken their first step on the 'Path of the Prodigy.' As a reward, the chosen one shall receive a single Heavenly Mandate blessing, and for the next month, spiritual energy concentration within this region shall increase by 10%.]

Simultaneously, Su Ji's ears caught the same distant voice.

[First Battle, Decisive Victory!]

[Slaying a Higher-Realm Foe!]

[Unscathed!]

[Special conditions fulfilled.]

[The 'Path of the Prodigy' has been unlocked.]

[Gained one opportunity for Heavenly Mandate selection.]

Su Ji: ???

For real?

Killing the Fat Steward was just to vent his fury—yet he got an unexpected reward?

[Obtained one Heavenly Mandate blessing…]

[Please select one from the following options.]

……

[Heavenly Mandate ①: A Gentleman Sheathes His Weapon]

[Rank: White]

[Effect: You may retract your 'great weapon' into your body, rendering it immune to all external harm until death.]

……

[Heavenly Mandate ②: Three Years, Endure!]

[Rank: Green]

[Effect: Each time you are slapped, the attacker is marked once. After three years, all marks are tallied, dealing additional damage equal to (number of marks × 10%) to any marked target.]

……

[Heavenly Mandate ③: Defy to Ascend (Green)]

[Rank: Green]

[Effect: Randomly obtain a blue-rank Heavenly Mandate.]

……

[Please choose swiftly, or forfeit the opportunity.]

Was there even a choice?

"A Gentleman Sheathes His Weapon"—was this some kind of sick joke?

He had no use for that now!

As for the second one, it was equally unthinkable.

If he couldn't even tolerate the Fat Steward's extortion, how could he endure being slapped and wait three years for revenge?

No gambler loses every day!

[Defy to Ascend (Green)] has been triggered, randomly granting [Spear Arts Are Arts Too (Blue)].

[Heavenly Mandate: Spear Arts Are Arts Too]

[Rank: Blue]

[Effect: Your mastery in spear techniques will always match your mastery in spell techniques (the higher value applies).]

Tch.

What a shame.

Luck hadn't favored him twice in a row.

But it wasn’t too bad.

Finding a way to bind the red destiny—"Beauty like jade, spear like a roaming dragon"—to Su Jiu would mean bestowing a red-type destiny upon her.

As for the so-called "Path of the Heavenly Pride," there were no further hints.

Su Ji had no mind to dwell on that for now.

He pulled the spear tip free.

Gripping the bloodied weapon, he carved words directly into the Fat Steward’s body.

"Killer: Su Ji."