It's only human nature

The next second.

Su Jiu could sense Elder Liu's spiritual energy beginning to sweep over them.

There was no time left to continue cursing Su Ji in her mind.

If she hesitated any longer, the shady dealings between the two of them today would be completely exposed.

Not only would all her previous efforts be in vain, but it might even jeopardize the plan to seize the supreme treasure half a year later.

The consequences tied to this matter were far too great.

Su Jiu comforted herself inwardly.

No matter—it was all because of the blood oath.

Besides, she had no intention of seeking a Dao companion in this lifetime, so it wasn’t as if she owed anyone anything.

Those who achieve great things must not be bogged down by trivialities.

Su Jiu closed her eyes.

Fine.

Then.

Elder Liu’s spiritual energy poured out like quicksilver, instantly enveloping the entire bathtub.

The tub appeared perfectly normal—just medicinal herbs and water, steam rising gently.

And Su Ji’s body… showed no abnormalities either.

Elder Liu frowned slightly. Though she hadn’t found anything, something about the severed part of Su Ji’s spiritual root struck her as odd.

The edges of the wound were neat, but it didn’t look like it had been cut by a blade. Instead, it seemed more like something had bitten it clean off.

Just as Elder Liu was puzzling over this, a string of bubbles suddenly rose from the medicinal water in front of Su Ji.

She was about to speak.

But Su Ji beat her to it, his face twisting in exaggerated pain, his voice hoarse.

“Apologies, Elder Liu… I just… passed gas… hiss… haah… This medicinal bath is… really intense…”

Elder Liu, standing at the doorway, could indeed see the herbs floating on the surface of the bath.

They were all materials used for body tempering—extremely stimulating to the flesh.

Su Ji’s reaction, though exaggerated, wasn’t entirely unreasonable, considering he was still new to cultivation.

But once a seed of suspicion is planted, it’s hard to uproot completely.

Elder Liu’s gaze sharpened like a blade. “Then explain this—why aren’t you in your own quarters at this hour? Instead, you’re here in Su Jiu’s courtyard, soaking in her medicinal bath?”

Elder Liu had gone to Su Ji’s residence first, only to find it empty, which led her here.

Her slight delay had given Su Ji just enough time to react.

Su Ji wore an expression of reluctant hesitation.

Elder Liu pressed sharply, “Speak!”

Su Ji sighed as if cornered. “Ah… This is truly embarrassing to say out loud.”

Wang San sneered mockingly from the side. “Embarrassed? Or afraid?”

“Stalling for time? Let’s see what excuse you can come up with!”

Su Ji’s face immediately shifted to one of pure confusion as he turned to Elder Liu. “Elder Liu, while you’re interrogating me, what right does this thing have to butt in?”

Elder Liu hadn’t thought much of it before, but Su Ji’s words made her realize Wang San had indeed overstepped.

She shot Wang San a cold glare. “Wang San, shut your mouth. You have no place speaking here.”

Wang San stiffened, lowering his head to hide the venom in his eyes.

Elder Liu?

A worthless outer sect elder who’ll never reach the Golden Core Realm, daring to scold me?

You’ve signed your own—

“Holy shit!” Su Ji suddenly exclaimed. “Elder Liu, this disciple just glared at you with pure malice after being scolded! What audacity!”

Elder Liu’s eyes flashed like lightning as she turned.

Wang San, a mere Qi Refining cultivator, couldn’t possibly react faster than a Foundation Establishment expert at the peak of the realm.

Before he could fully mask his resentment, Elder Liu caught it red-handed.

“Oh? Thinking of revenge?” Elder Liu laughed coldly. Without even a gesture, she casually sent a palm strike through the air.

BAM!

Wang San’s chest caved as if struck by a warhammer, his body hurtling backward like a broken kite. He cleared the courtyard wall and crashed heavily outside, his fate unknown.

Disposing of Wang San had been as effortless as kicking a stray dog to death.

Elder Liu turned her attention back to Su Ji. “Now. Will you speak?”

Su Ji sighed again, his expression a mix of nostalgia and bashfulness.

“Elder Liu, you see… Su Jiu and I hit it off from the moment we met.”

“Especially on the day my spiritual root was severed. If not for her repeated guidance, I might’ve strayed down a dark path. She helped me understand the greater principles at play.”

“In my gratitude… I developed… certain feelings for her.”

Hiss—

Su Ji tried to continue, but suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, his face contorting in pain.

He thought he was sharp-tongued, but Su Jiu underwater was even fiercer.

Damn, that hurts…

Subtly, he pressed a hand atop Su Jiu’s head.

Easy…

Easy!

Elder Liu’s expression darkened. “Feelings?”

“Not the romantic kind!” Su Ji hastily clarified. “More like… bosom friends! Yes, besties! That kind of feeling!”

Hearing such novel terms and gossip, even Elder Liu’s stern face showed interest. “Oh? Do elaborate.”

This put Su Ji in a tough spot—one hand busy keeping Su Jiu’s restless head down, the other scrambling to spin a tale for Elder Liu.

“Well, my old shack in the outer sect’s servant quarters somehow became the entrance to a Heavenly Dao secret realm. Su Jiu happened to be passing by…”

Hiss…

“Neither of us knew better, so we stumbled in. The realm was just a low-tier one, with mediocre rewards, but the dangers were far beyond our level…”

“We relied on each other inside, surviving life-and-death trials together…”

“At the critical moment, I was gravely injured, on the verge of death. I lay in her arms, and she… she was so gentle, holding me, telling me not to sleep, promising to get me out.”

“In the end, I clung to life. We swore a blood oath—not born on the same day, but willing to die on the same day.”

Hiss…

“Elder Liu, give me a second… I need a breather…”

One hand gripping the edge of the tub, the other still pressing Su Jiu’s head underwater, Su Ji took a few seconds before exhaling deeply.

“This medicinal bath… really packs a punch…”

“Because of this, Su Jiu worried I was too weak to protect myself. So she prepared this bath specially to help me improve.”

Mixing truth with fiction, Su Ji embellished their secret realm experience with dramatic flair.

To his surprise, Elder Liu listened with relish, even forgetting her original purpose.

Nearly half an hour later.

A glow from the communication jade token at Elder Liu’s waist interrupted her enjoyment.

She sighed wistfully. “Ah, it reminds me of my youth… Being young really is wonderful.”

“Very well. This old woman was misled by slander today. Next time, come to my courtyard for tea. You can finish the story, and I might even give you some cultivation pointers.”

Su Ji beamed. “I’ll definitely visit soon, Elder!”

“Apologies for not seeing you out—still in the bath.”

“No matter.”

Elder Liu waved his hand and turned to leave.

Once the oppressive aura of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator had completely faded, Su Jiu prepared to rise from the water.

But a large hand pressed her back down.

"Don't speak, keep going..." Su Ji whispered, then quickly corrected himself, "I mean, what if Elder Liu doubles back? Better safe than sorry. You’ll have to endure a little longer, Junior Sister—warfare knows no rules of decency."

Su Jiu considered this and found it reasonable.

Well, since things had already come to this… a few more moments wouldn’t hurt.

Several minutes passed.

The outside remained silent—Elder Liu clearly had no intention of returning.

Su Jiu tried to rise again.

Yet once more, Su Ji mercilessly pushed her back down with one hand.

Just as she was about to demand an explanation, a sudden rush of warm medicinal bathwater surged into her mouth.

As the liquid slid down her throat, she sensed something… off about it.

Then—

A realization struck her, chilling her blood and freezing her thoughts.

This time, she truly wanted to kill someone.

Su Ji, meanwhile, was equally desperate.

He couldn’t help it!

It was only human nature.

Only human nature!