Another Slap

A crisp slap echoed, sounding exceptionally abrupt in the dead silence of the underground lava cave.

The Second Elder's captivating face was knocked aside by a tremendous force. On her fair cheek, five distinct finger marks surfaced at a visible rate.

She was completely stupefied.

It didn't actually hurt that much.

For the physical body of a Golden Core cultivator, this level of force couldn't even be considered a superficial wound.

Yet, that burning sensation left her mind entirely blank.

Ever since she first glimpsed the path of immortality, back when she was just a lowly Qi Condensation cultivator at the mercy of others, she had relied on this skin, this figure, and her exquisite ability to read men's minds to climb step by step to where she was today.

She had seen far too many men.

There were hypocritical pillars of the righteous path, murderous giants of the demonic path, exceptionally gifted sect geniuses, and dying, elderly mighty figures.

Without exception, under her tender offensives and charm arts, they all became subjects beneath her skirt, stepping stones for her upward climb.

She relished the thrill of playing mighty experts in the palm of her hand, enjoying the sight of them entirely infatuated and throwing away fortunes just for her.

Even after reaching a high position, she never abandoned this "hobby."

But she never imagined that one day, someone would respond to her "advances" in such a primal, brutal, and completely unreasonable manner.

This slap shattered her calculations and shattered her pride.

It even shattered her inherent understanding of the world.

After a brief moment of blankness, anger and humiliation surged into her heart.

Kill him!

This thought screamed frantically in her mind.

But when she met Su Ji's eyes, that fury was instantly extinguished, as if a basin of ice water had been poured over her head.

She suddenly remembered that the youth before her was an existence who could force back the First Elder with a single move, and who was even treated with special regard by that terrifying true dragon.

In front of him, she had absolutely no right to act arrogant.

She couldn't afford to be angry.

She couldn't resist.

Her only choice was... obedience.

Forcefully suppressing the humiliation in her heart, she began to search for a reasonable explanation for his unimaginable behavior.

Could it be...

He has some special fetish?

Once this thought emerged, it grew wildly like weeds, completely unstoppable.

Right!

That must be it!

Experts always have some unknown quirks.

It wasn't as if she hadn't encountered this before; some seemingly respectable guys played wilder than anyone else in private.

Having figured this out, the Second Elder felt her thoughts clear, and the humiliation in her heart surprisingly dissipated quite a bit.

She slowly turned her head. The cheek bearing the handprint didn't make her look pathetic; instead, it added a touch of fragile, poignant beauty.

She stuck out the tip of her tongue and gently licked her dry red lips. Her eyes, which had just regained their clarity, once again became rippling with water and overflowing with charm.

Instead of retreating, she stepped closer, her voice growing even softer and more alluring, carrying a hint of cautious probing and... just the right amount of pleasant surprise.

"So..."

"Young Master likes this kind of tune~"

Su Ji looked at her appearance, at the self-righteous "understanding" in her eyes.

He looked at the forced, pandering smile on her face.

He remained expressionless.

Then, he raised his other hand.

Smack!

Another crisp, loud sound.

Heavier and louder than the previous one.

The Second Elder's other cheek also rapidly turned red at a visible rate.

Perfectly symmetrical, without the slightest deviation.

This time, the smile on the Second Elder's face completely froze.

In her eyes, that self-righteous "understanding" vanished without a trace, replaced by pure bewilderment.

Wait, what?

Again?

Could it be... she had misunderstood?

Su Ji slowly retracted his hand and shook his slightly numb palm.

Got to say, her skin was quite thick.

"Figure out your proper place."

His voice wasn't loud, just flat and indifferent.

Place?

A running dog?

The Second Elder's delicate body trembled; she finally understood.

The other party didn't have any special fetish at all.

He was simply humiliating her, telling her that in his eyes, she wasn't even considered a plaything.

She was just... a dog.

The youth before her was simply not an existence she could fathom using any of her past experiences.

"I... I understand..."

The Second Elder's voice carried an uncontrollable tremble. She didn't even dare to look into Su Ji's eyes anymore and awkwardly lowered her head. In that state, she no longer had a shred of her previous enchanting charm; all that remained was pure submissiveness.

"Good that you understand."

Su Ji couldn't be bothered to waste any more breath on her.

He turned around and walked toward the exit of the lava cave.

"Follow me."

Two cold words floated back from ahead.

The Second Elder felt as if she had been granted a grand pardon. Without thinking, she immediately trotted after him, her posture as humble as a true servant.

She dared not have the slightest complaint, not even daring to think about why she had fallen into such a state.

Right now, she only had one thought in her mind.

Survive.

No matter what method she had to use, or what price she had to pay, she had to survive.

As long as she was alive, there was still hope for a comeback.

...

When Su Ji brought a "maid" with a face swollen like a pig's head back to the Lovesick Sect.

There was only one month left until the six-month deadline he had originally set.

The entire Lovesick Sect was shrouded in an oppressive atmosphere, like the calm before a gathering storm.

Su Ji's return did not cause any ripples.

Because no one even knew he had returned.

Perhaps he was just used to sneaking around.

Su Ji skillfully infiltrated the back mountain, heading straight for the peak that belonged to the Sect Master.

However, when he pushed open the doors of the hall.

What he saw was not the resentful, pretty face of Su Jiu that he had imagined.

Instead, it was someone... he entirely did not expect.

Li Fan.

That Golden Core sword cultivator he had completely bamboozled was currently sitting cross-legged in the center of the main hall, his eyes closed in meditation.

Floating in front of him were hundreds of talismans flashing with spiritual light of various colors, forming a complex and profound array that enveloped the entire hall.

Beside him, his soul cultivator Dao companion was holding a talisman pen, meticulously sketching new runes in the void.

The two worked in perfect tacit understanding, their expressions so focused that they didn't even notice Su Ji pushing the door open and entering.

Su Ji raised an eyebrow.

He didn't make a sound, simply crossing his arms and observing them with keen interest.

It wasn't until the soul cultivator woman finished drawing the final stroke, put away her talisman pen, let out a long breath, and turned her head that she saw Su Ji standing at the door.

"Ah!"

The woman let out a short cry of alarm, her soul body even becoming slightly illusory.

Startled, Li Fan abruptly opened his eyes. When he saw Su Ji, he was momentarily stunned before wild joy surfaced on his face.

Without a second thought, he stood up and prepared to kneel in worship.

"Sen..."

"Alright, alright."

Su Ji waved his hand impatiently, interrupting him.

"During these past few months of my absence, did anything happen in the sect?"