...It's actually quite good-looking.

(This chapter has been edited and contains no inappropriate implications.)

The curve perfectly pressed against Su Ji's nose bridge.

It revealed a healthy shade of pink.

It even lightly tapped against Su Ji's face, checking to see if he was really playing dead.

Humiliation.

Su Ji snapped his eyes open.

What met his gaze was Su Jiu's beautiful face looking down at him from above, her cold elegance mixed with a hint of smugness and provocation.

"Senior Brother."

Su Jiu's voice drifted down from above, carrying a lazy, teasing tone.

"This is the consequence of slacking off."

Su Ji didn't say a word.

He merely raised his hand.

Then, with the speed of lightning, he grabbed her ankle with absolute precision.

The smugness on Su Jiu's face froze instantly.

She only felt an overwhelmingly overbearing force transmit from her ankle, giving her absolutely no chance to react.

Su Jiu let out a short gasp as she completely lost her center of gravity. She was forcefully yanked down from mid-air by Su Ji, crashing solidly onto his body.

With a single roll, Su Ji completely reversed the situation.

Su Jiu was startled by his sudden outburst. Her clear, fox-like eyes blinked subconsciously, looking somewhat innocent.

"The warm-up is over."

Looking at her expression, the irritation in Su Ji's heart inexplicably surged by another half.

He leaned down, bringing his face close to Su Jiu's ear, and spoke in a voice that was almost a whisper, pausing after every word.

"Next, is the real clash."

...

The seventh round of their spar was a pure, head-on collision, devoid of any spells or techniques.

Su Ji completely abandoned all flashy moves, pushing the power of his Heavenly Palace Golden Core to its absolute limit.

Not to be outdone, Su Jiu unleashed the full bloodline power of the Nine-Tailed Sky Fox, meeting him head-on.

Within the small courtyard, it was as if a storm of spiritual energy had been stirred up.

Every clash between the two was like the collision of two meteorites, erupting with deafening roars. The surging shockwaves cracked the courtyard walls.

...

The eighth round unfolded on the dust-filled ground.

Both were at the end of their ropes, their spiritual energy nearly depleted, yet neither was willing to give up.

Like two primal beasts, they rolled on the ground, biting and attacking each other in the most instinctive ways.

Gone was the brilliance of magical spells.

All that remained was the stubborn refusal to admit defeat, seeping from their very bones.

...

In the ninth round, Su Ji finally seized an opportunity, striking Su Jiu down from the air onto the stone table.

The consecutive defeats and the humiliation of having his face stepped on moments ago were returned in full.

"Do you still dare to humiliate me?!"

He asked fiercely.

However, Su Jiu gave him the most direct answer through her actions.

Her two long, straight legs.

Instantly launched an attack at Su Ji.

...

The tenth round.

Su Ji once again chose to lie flat.

He was truly exhausted.

Mentally exhausted.

He lay sprawled on the ground, staring at the gloomy gray sky above, sporting a completely defeated posture that said, whatever happens, happens, I quit.

However, Su Jiu clearly had no intention of letting him off.

She looked at Su Ji, who was acting like a rogue on the ground, and a dangerous glint flashed through her fox-like eyes.

She walked over to Su Ji step by step, her slender figure casting an oppressive shadow on the ground.

Then, under Su Ji's suddenly widened, terrified gaze.

She looked down at him from above, her cold, breathtakingly beautiful face bearing the smile of a victor.

"Senior Brother."

"If you aren't going to attack me, then I'm going to attack you."

...

An unknown amount of time passed.

Su Ji felt like a fish tossed onto the shore; aside from the strength to gasp heavily for air, he didn't want to move a single finger.

Su Jiu wasn't faring much better.

Neither of them spoke.

After a long time.

Su Jiu finally seemed to catch her breath.

She slightly raised her head.

Suddenly, as if she had discovered a novel toy, her previously unfocused eyes abruptly lit up.

Su Ji felt a chill in his heart from her stare.

"What are you looking at?" His voice was somewhat hoarse from exhaustion.

Su Jiu did not answer.

"Senior Brother..."

Su Jiu's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, carrying a dreamlike murmur.

"You seem... to be glowing..."

Su Ji froze, subconsciously following Su Jiu's gaze.

Without him realizing when it started, a faint, lustrous white halo had indeed begun to radiate from him.

The halo was very weak, yet it carried an aura untainted by the mortal dust.

This... is this the sign of the Immaculate Body?

Su Ji's heart skipped a beat.

However, before he could recover from this shock.

Su Jiu's slightly lazy murmur rang by his ear once again.

"...It actually looks quite nice."