Next Outer Sect Disciple, Su Ji

Before Su Ji could even tuck the book Flowing Fire Manual into his bosom,

the surroundings began to dissolve.

The stalls in Tiandao Market, along with the cobblestone path beneath their feet, instantly shattered into countless points of light and vanished.

A fleeting sense of weightlessness passed through him.

In the next moment, the cold wind from the cliffside swept into Su Ji’s robe.

The Tiandao Secret Realm had forcibly “invited” the two of them out just like that.

The afterglow of the setting sun stained the horizon a deep orange-red.

Unconsciously, half a day had slipped by.

The evening clouds stretched across the sky.

Su Ji still clutched the Flowing Fire Manual in his hand, feeling somewhat dazed.

Beside him, Su Jiu stood silently, shoulder to shoulder with him.

Her face bore an unmistakable look of satisfaction.

For her, this trip to the Tiandao Secret Realm had been immensely rewarding.

Even though she suspected that Su Ji, still only at the Qi Refining stage, had seemingly obtained a rare Colored Destiny, she harbored little jealousy.

The Destiny Breaking Stone sold for eight hundred Tiandao Treasure Coins.

Her own Nine Luminaries Nine Transformations Moon Swallowing Record was worth a full thousand Tiandao Treasure Coins.

The superiority between the two was clear at a glance.

After a brief surge of excitement, Su Jiu’s voice returned to its usual cool tone: “Senior Brother, if there’s nothing else, I’d like to go back and digest what we gained from this trip.”

“But rest assured, before the sect’s review, I will come to seek you out on my own.”

See!

When the favor points creep up little by little, there’s no immediate tangible benefit.

But over time, the difference becomes clear, doesn’t it?

In the past, she would have told him to get lost outright; now, at least she greets him when leaving.

“Go ahead, go ahead.”

Su Ji’s words had barely fallen when Su Jiu’s figure transformed into a white streak, vanishing in an instant beneath the dusk sky.

“Running off so fast. If only I had that skill, I wouldn’t have to fear offending anyone no matter what trouble I caused.”

Su Ji curled his lips in a smirk.

But it was for the best—Su Jiu should take the time to fully absorb her Nine Luminaries Nine Transformations Moon Swallowing Record.

The stronger she became, the more flawless the illusions she cast on him would be.

And that would make his spiritual roots that much safer.

You know, cultivators regard their spiritual roots as precious as their very lives.

After Su Jiu left,

Su Ji didn’t linger long by the cliff.

He turned, following the path etched in his memory back to his small wooden hut.

Inside, the furnishings remained as before—simple and humble.

Su Ji sat cross-legged on the hard wooden bed.

He opened the Flowing Fire Manual, the book he had shamelessly purchased for a mere ten treasure coins.

The pages fluttered gently, as if stirred by an unseen breeze.

One by one, the techniques for controlling flames unfolded before Su Ji’s eyes.

For anyone else—

even a so-called prodigious youth—

to comprehend such a complete manual would take at least ten days or half a month to get a foothold.

But for Su Ji, it was an entirely different matter.

[Guns are also a form of magic.]

Thanks to the Colored Destiny “Beauty Like Jade, Divine Spear Breaking the Dao,” Su Ji’s mastery of the Gun Dao had already reached an unfathomable height.

No, to be precise, what seemed unfathomable to others was merely something Su Ji did casually.

Along with this, Su Ji’s understanding of sorcery had also been elevated to a corresponding level.

This Flowing Fire Manual, which appeared abstruse and obscure to outsiders...

in Su Ji’s eyes, its spiritual energy flow and casting techniques were almost instantly clear.

It took barely five minutes.

Su Ji closed the Flowing Fire Manual.

Then he slowly extended his right hand, focusing his mind.

A faint spiritual energy welled up from his palm.

A small cluster of orange-red flames suddenly flickered into existence above his palm, quietly dancing.

Done.

Though faint, it meant that he was now officially a true mage.

A smile appeared on Su Ji’s face.

Don’t be fooled by the ordinary name of the “Flowing Fire Art” or its cheap, “click-and-get” price.

In reality, it was a fourth-grade spell technique on par with the core cultivation arts of the Love-Longing Sect!

If this treasure ever fell into the wrong hands, not to mention the scattered Foundation Establishment cultivators, even some second- or third-rate sects’ Golden Core elders would fight tooth and nail over it.

...

The next two days passed unusually quietly for Su Ji.

After confirming that he had fully mastered the Flowing Fire Art, he used the fire control technique he learned from it to burn the manual to ashes.

At least he made full use of it.

His strength was still weak, and in a place like the Love-Longing Sect, the most important thing was to keep a low profile.

The old saying about “possessing a treasure invites trouble” didn’t need to be repeated.

But inside the Love-Longing Sect, the atmosphere was anything but relaxed.

The “lecherous thief” incident was escalating, causing great unrest among the female disciples of the outer sect.

After all, no one would be calm if they were in such a situation.

On the third day at dawn.

Just as the sky began to lighten, a heavy bell tolled throughout the entire outer sect.

“The sect’s treasured artifact has been stolen! All evidence points to the newly admitted outer sect male disciples!”

“All male disciples who joined the outer sect within the past year, assemble at the Personnel Hall within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, or be treated as spies from other sects! Death penalty without mercy!”

A voice filled with spiritual energy echoed coldly through every corner.

Su Ji pushed open the wooden door and saw a slender figure already standing outside.

Su Jiu was dressed in a simple white skirt today, standing prettily in the morning light with a blank expression on her face.

“I don’t know why, but this time the sect suddenly changed tactics, which doesn’t quite match the information I gathered,” she said.

“Maybe they want to catch the ‘lecherous thief’ off guard by switching strategies at the last moment.”

“Deliberately spreading the rumor of a stolen treasure to lure people out first, so when the ‘lecherous thief’ realizes something’s wrong and tries to cover up, it’ll be too late.”

She spoke succinctly, “But it’s no big deal. I’ll be secretly following you.”

Su Ji nodded.

A thought flashed through his mind: Don’t underestimate my intelligence network, you bastard!

“No problem. I trust my junior sister’s protective skills.”

The last time he went to the Personnel Hall was to register his “cut spiritual root.”

This time, it was to check whether the “cut” was really done.

Personnel Hall—couldn’t they handle some personnel affairs properly?

Despite his grumbling, Su Ji still headed toward the Personnel Hall.

Su Jiu quietly followed behind him, the two walking one after the other.

By the time Su Ji arrived,

the Personnel Hall was already packed with people.

Over a hundred male disciples who joined the outer sect within the past year stood densely packed together.

At the very front of the venue, a raised platform had been set up.

A woman dressed in purple elder robes, with delicate features, sat upright on the grandmaster’s chair, eyes closed as if resting.

She was the outer sect elder in charge of this reexamination, Liu Tingchan.

It was said that Elder Liu was temperamental and ruthless, with a particular hatred for those who harbored filth and corruption.

That she was personally overseeing the inspection showed that the Love-Longing Sect was taking this matter seriously.

Su Jiu found an inconspicuous corner to stand in.

She didn’t dare to speak with Su Ji.

Blending into the crowd, posing as an ordinary disciple watching the commotion.

The re-examination began swiftly.

A steward disciple beside Elder Liu held a roster and started calling out names one by one.

When a disciple’s name was called, they would nervously step forward and stand in the empty space in front of the high platform.

Elder Liu slowly opened his eyes, his sharp, lightning-like divine perception sweeping over them.

The disciple trembled all over, his face instantly turning pale as death.

After a moment, Elder Liu waved his hand expressionlessly.

“It’s not him. Next.”

The entire process was so fast it was almost terrifying.

Many disciples watched in a daze.

What kind of technique was this?

Just one glance from his divine perception, and he could immediately tell if someone was the thief who stole the sect’s treasured artifact?

Though puzzled, no one dared to voice any objections.

The line moved forward little by little.

Su Ji watched as each disciple was examined and then seemingly granted a great pardon one after another.

Finally.

Only the last three remained.

“Outer disciple, Wang San.”

That name felt somewhat familiar to Su Ji.

Had they crossed paths once before in the Contribution Hall?

The disciple called Wang San took a deep breath and stepped forward.

At the very moment he moved, an extremely subtle spiritual energy ripple silently enveloped his entire body.

Wang San imitated the others, slightly lowering his head and forcing his expression to look very tense.

Elder Liu’s gaze landed on him.

A majestic, mountain-like divine perception descended instantly.

Wang San felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown into an icy wasteland, examined inside and out without a single thing hidden.

That divine perception circled around his dantian and qi sea, seemingly uninterested in a Qi Refining disciple, then directly probed downward to a crucial point.

Wang San’s heart jumped into his throat.

He didn’t even know his actions would cause such a huge stir.

He wondered if the saying “A gentleman conceals his tools within” could help him evade the scrutiny of such a Foundation Establishment Grand Perfection elder!

However, that divine perception did not linger for long.

It soon withdrew.

“Hmm?”

Elder Liu on the high platform let out a soft nasal sound.

Wang San’s heart sank sharply.

Had he been discovered?

His body trembled uncontrollably, which ironically perfectly portrayed the genuine reaction of a weak disciple.

“There’s... a trace of an aura on you that I can’t see through.”

Elder Liu’s voice was void of any emotion.

Wang San’s mind raced.

He hurriedly kowtowed, “Disciple is innocent! I truly did not steal any sect treasure! Elder, please investigate clearly!”

Elder Liu was silent for a moment.

Of course, she knew no one had stolen the sect’s treasure.

This was merely a pretext to conduct a formal inspection.

Finally, she waved her hand impatiently.

“Alright, you may step down.”

Wang San felt as if he had been pardoned, hurriedly bowing and quickly retreating back into the crowd.

“Next! Outer disciple, Su Ji!”