He Suji was determined to find out which bastard was trying to push his brother into a corner.

It was Su Ji's turn.

He mimicked the nervous expressions of those before him, putting on a show of tension as he slowly stepped forward.

On the high platform, Elder Liu's oppressive aura swept over him like a tangible force.

Su Ji felt an icy probing energy ruthlessly coursing through his body.

The power lingered briefly in his dantian before plunging downward, heading straight for that critical area.

Outwardly, Su Ji trembled slightly, but inwardly, he remained utterly calm.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the crowd, Su Jiu subtly formed a hand seal within her sleeve.

A far more refined surge of spiritual energy silently intercepted Elder Liu's divine sense, wrapping Su Ji's vulnerable spot in flawless camouflage before the elder's probing could reach it.

A moment later, Elder Liu withdrew her divine sense.

With a bored wave of her hand, she dismissed him.

"Next."

It worked!

Su Ji's heart steadied, though he maintained the act of relief, hastily bowing before turning to leave.

In the crowd, Wang San glared at Su Ji's retreating figure, his face twisted with resentment.

How?

How could he pass unscathed too?

There's no way he also has [The Gentleman Sheathes His Sword]!

"Lady Bluefrost Grass!" Wang San roared inwardly. "That bastard is suspicious! Why did he slip through?"

"Even your presence was almost detected by that old hag!"

A cold voice echoed in his mind: "It's possible, but—"

Wang San's thoughts darkened. "No 'buts'! I'll double the plant essence I gather for you later!"

Wang San believed himself the chosen one of this world.

After dying in his previous life—caught sneaking photos of female classmates and subsequently flattened by a truck—he had reincarnated here, blessed by the heavens.

He awakened his golden finger, Destiny's Favor, and used his divine skill, [The Gentleman Sheathes His Sword], to escape the fate of having his spiritual roots severed.

Later, while tending the herb garden, he even gained the recognition of the ancient Bluefrost Grass, forming an equal contract.

Life had been smooth sailing.

Yet this Su Ji—how dare he live so comfortably?

And why was he so close to the ethereal Su Jiu?

Meanwhile, the female disciples barely spared Wang San a glance.

Just because Su Ji was better-looking?

Unacceptable.

"I want him dead!"

As Wang San's malice surged, the Bluefrost Grass released an imperceptible mental ripple, weaving toward Elder Liu on the platform.

Elder Liu, about to inspect the last disciple, suddenly frowned.

She sensed no external interference, yet an inexplicable intuition whispered that something was off about Su Ji.

"Wait. Something's wrong."

Her voice, though quiet, silenced the entire hall.

Su Ji halted mid-step, turning back with practiced confusion and unease.

All eyes locked onto him again.

Leaning in her chair, Elder Liu tapped the armrest lazily.

"I recall hearing something about you."

"Back when you learned your spiritual roots would be severed, you caused quite a scene in the Contribution Hall—wailing like a man condemned."

"So why did you accept it so calmly afterward?"

Su Jiu's heart plummeted.

Disaster.

This question had never crossed her contingency plans.

Her illusions could deceive Elder Liu's divine sense, but she couldn’t answer for Su Ji.

A single slip in his response would unravel everything.

Even her best illusions would fail if suspicion took root.

The Love-Longing Sect had experts who could see through her craft.

She simply hadn’t had enough time to grow stronger.

The air thickened.

Even the already-inspected disciples refocused on Su Ji.

The Contribution Hall incident had been infamous—a lowly servant disciple weeping over his spiritual roots.

Now, Elder Liu's question laid bare the glaring inconsistency.

Su Jiu's fingers trembled in her sleeves, her forehead damp with cold sweat.

This was beyond her control.

Su Ji was on his own.

Wang San smirked, relishing the impending downfall.

Yes. Corner him.

Make him choke on his lies!

Yet Su Ji didn’t panic.

Instead, his feigned nervousness melted into something resembling bashful enlightenment.

He bowed deeply.

"Elder, this disciple... was indeed misguided at first."

His voice carried clearly.

"Coming from the mortal world, my perspective was narrow. I believed the body was a parent’s gift, not to be harmed—hence my shameful outburst."

His gaze flickered toward Su Jiu.

"But then, thanks to Junior Sister Su Jiu’s guidance, I realized the... benefits of severing spiritual roots."

A ripple of murmurs spread.

Su Jiu stiffened.

Su Ji continued, undeterred.

"She taught me that we cultivators seek the Dao of immortality, not mortal desires."

"Severing roots seems a loss, but it’s truly a gain."

"Consider this: freed from base urges, we conserve energy, avoid depleting our kidneys, and achieve spiritual fulfillment."

"That alone extends lifespan by twenty percent!"

"Even a fool like me understands what an extra twenty percent means when striving for the Golden Core realm."

"Petty desires? They’re laughable compared to the Great Dao!"

His speech was impassioned, his expression flawlessly earnest.

The hall fell dead silent.

Even Elder Liu looked intrigued.

In her centuries of life, she’d never heard castration framed so poetically—and even tied to Golden Core ascension.

The logic was absurd... yet weirdly compelling.

It might even help legitimize the sect’s root-severing doctrine.

Her aura softened slightly.

Her intuition still nagged, but Su Ji’s argument was airtight.

Pressing further would seem like bullying.

"Enough."

Elder Liu finally waved his hand impatiently.

"Since you've come to your senses, you may leave."

Wang San's face instantly turned ashen.

This actually worked?

Su Ji bowed once more, then turned and retreated into the crowd, his composure unshaken throughout the entire process.

He exchanged a subtle glance with Su Jiu before following the flow of people out of the Personnel Hall.

The two walked one after the other in silence, heading straight for Su Jiu's elegant private courtyard.

Only after casting a soundproofing array did Su Jiu finally turn around.

She looked at Su Ji, her expression complicated.

"Thank you for your assistance, Junior Sister," Su Ji spoke first.

"No need for thanks. This was what I promised you, and in truth, I didn’t help much this time."

Su Jiu's voice remained cool and detached.

After a brief silence, she continued.

"Su Ji… you are well-suited for cultivation."

"But I don’t wish to see you stray too far from the path."

"I don’t want to face you as an enemy one day."

Su Ji smiled but didn’t respond to her words.

Seeing his indifferent expression, Su Jiu felt an inexplicable sense of helplessness rise within her.

She sighed softly.

"After today, there should be no further need for our paths to cross."

"The favor I owe you—you may come to collect it anytime."

As she spoke, she felt an emptiness in her heart, a reluctant ache, yet she forced out the final words.

"The path of immortality is long, Senior Brother. Farewell, and may we never meet again."

"I intend to bathe now. You should leave."

The eight words—"The path of immortality is long, farewell, and may we never meet again"—exploded in Su Ji’s mind like thunder.

Damn it!

Not this again!

This is the third time now!

My dear junior sister…

Haven’t you realized yet how cursed this line of yours is?

Was his tribulation with his spiritual root destined to be this tumultuous?

And it still wasn’t over?

The smile vanished from Su Ji’s face, replaced by icy detachment.

The cooldown for [Fate’s Gaze] had just ended.

Su Ji was determined to find out exactly who the bastard was, hell-bent on driving his sworn brother to ruin.

This grudge… would not go unsettled.