Has Su Ji already advanced to the stage of going out to kill and plunder treasures in just half a month

Wang San forced a sincere smile onto his face: "Senior Brother, you exaggerate. Between brothers like us, there’s no need for formalities. But this matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration."

"To avoid arousing suspicion, let’s agree on a time to leave the sect separately."

"We’ll meet outside the sect and proceed together. What do you think?"

So the dagger is finally drawn from its sheath?

Su Ji saw right through it.

"Sure!" Su Ji agreed without hesitation. "Let’s meet in five days, at noon, in that grove outside the mountain gate. How’s that?"

Wang San hadn’t expected Su Ji to agree so readily, without even haggling.

Overjoyed, he nodded repeatedly. "Good! It’s settled then! Five days from now, at Blackwind Grove—no backing out!"

With that, Wang San, afraid Su Ji might change his mind, clasped his hands in farewell and hurried off, his retreating figure practically radiating eagerness.

Su Ji watched him leave, the greed and excitement on his face slowly fading, replaced by a mocking smirk.

"How utterly… predictable."

He turned and pushed open the door to his dilapidated wooden hut.

Within the sect, infighting among disciples was strictly forbidden.

This rule was both a shackle and a shield.

But once outside the sect, life and death were left to fate.

Su Ji still didn’t know what he’d done to provoke Wang San.

But Wang San was dead set on killing him.

And they were both at the fifth level of Qi Refinement.

In a battle between equals, how could Wang San be so confident of victory?

The answer had to be that thing called "Bluefrost Herb."

Su Ji sat cross-legged and began taking stock of his assets.

Cultivation: Fifth level of Qi Refinement.

Cultivation technique: [Fallen Dragon’s Desolation Art].

Spells: [Flickering Flame Art].

Fate Abilities: [Romance Options (Mythic)], [Heaven’s Glimpse (Dark)], [Jade Beauty, Divine Spear Shatters the Dao (Mythic)], [Spearmanship is Still a Skill (Rare)].

[Heaven’s Glimpse] was still on cooldown, but five days would be enough.

[Romance Options] required a female cultivator to trigger its sword-offering effect…

And finally, [Jade Beauty, Divine Spear Shatters the Dao], paired with the spear forged from "Instant Lightstone," remained his deadliest weapon for ambushes.

"Still not enough."

Su Ji muttered to himself.

Wang San wouldn’t set this trap without a trump card.

He needed to prepare more thoroughly.

After a moment’s thought, he pulled out his last twenty low-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch.

This was all he had left.

"Time for a trip to the market. Need to buy something useful."

……

Five days later, at noon.

The edge of Blackwind Grove was dimly lit by the forest’s shadows.

Wang San had arrived early, waiting at the agreed spot.

He wore a fitted outfit suited for movement, his outer disciple token hanging at his waist.

When Su Ji’s figure appeared in the distance, he immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"Senior Brother Su Ji, you’ve finally arrived. I was starting to think you wouldn’t come."

"Of course I’d come." Su Ji wore a face of naked greed. "A Nascent Soul mighty one’s hidden cave? A stroke of fortune like this—even if my legs were broken, I’d crawl here."

Wang San feigned casualness as he asked, "By the way, Senior Brother, I left the sect under the pretense of accepting a mission from the Contribution Hall—hunting down traces of a demonic cultivator. What about you?"

"This trip might take a while. Wouldn’t want the mission deadline to pass before we finish looting the cave, only to face punishment upon returning."

Of course, Wang San wasn’t being considerate.

He just wanted to know Su Ji’s excuse for leaving the sect.

That way, when Su Ji died out here, he could craft a plausible alibi to avoid suspicion.

Su Ji slapped his thigh, his face full of admiration. "Junior Brother, you’re so thorough!"

Then, scratching his head sheepishly, he added, "I’m not as clever as you. I just took the simplest herb-gathering mission."

Wang San inwardly sneered.

One hunting demonic cultivators, the other picking herbs.

The difference was obvious.

To him, Su Ji’s brain was only fit for menial labor.

"No matter, no matter. With my mission as cover, we can just say I found a lead and dragged you along to help investigate. That’ll explain the delay."

Wang San waved magnanimously. "Let’s hurry. No sense inviting trouble."

"That Nascent Soul cave is in a hidden valley, about three hundred miles from here."

"I only stumbled upon the clues by chance. The journey’s a bit dangerous, Senior Brother, so stay close."

As for how he knew?

Bluefrost Herb had told him.

……

The two moved single-file through the forest.

Wang San led the way, his steps light, his back practically radiating smugness.

Su Ji followed, his face a perfect mask of greed and impatience, occasionally asking naive, almost idiotic questions.

"Junior Brother Wang San, do you think that Nascent Soul mighty one left piles of spirit stones in his cave?"

Wang San forced himself to humor him. "Absolutely! To a Nascent Soul cultivator, spirit stones are as worthless as pebbles on the road!"

"What about immortality pills? I’ve heard—"

"Senior Brother, that’s too far-fetched. Let’s focus on practical gains—Foundation Establishment pills and techniques first!"

Wang San answered patiently, but inside, he’d already cursed Su Ji thirty times over.

What a country bumpkin.

How could someone like this earn Su Jiu’s favor?

At that moment, Bluefrost Herb’s icy voice echoed in his mind.

"His fortune is mediocre, nothing to fear. But the Profound Yellow Mountain… a great opportunity is about to emerge. Together, we’ll seize it."

Wang San’s confidence grew.

Originally, he’d planned to kill Su Ji in some remote spot.

But he’d changed his mind.

Better to let Su Ji die inside the Nascent Soul cave.

That way, suspicion could fall on anyone—no one would pin it on Wang San.

This was how a true Child of Destiny operated—calculating every move, leaving no loose ends.

……

The closer they got to Profound Yellow Mountain, the more erratic the spiritual energy in the air became.

Streaks of light occasionally shot across the distant sky, all converging toward the mountain’s peak.

The auras radiating from those lights far surpassed anything a Qi Refinement cultivator could muster.

"Junior Brother, didn’t you say no one else knew about this place?" Su Ji’s greed faded slightly, replaced by wariness.

"Don’t panic, Senior Brother!" Wang San quickly reassured him. "Who could’ve guessed the cave’s emergence would cause such a stir and attract so many?"

Lowering his voice, he adopted a conspiratorial tone.

"But think about it—this is actually good for us!"

"More people means more chaos! As mere Qi Refinement cultivators, we can slip through unnoticed!"

"Besides, we’re still among the first to know. We’ve got the advantage!"

Su Ji nodded half-heartedly, but his grip on his spear tightened unconsciously.

Compared to the Foundation Establishment cultivators soaring on magical artifacts, the two of them looked rather pitiful.

It took them forever to climb to the peak of Profound Yellow Mountain.

When they finally arrived, the sight took Su Ji’s breath away.

At the summit, suspended in midair, was a massive gate.

Its surface shimmered with flowing light, exuding an aura of ancient, unfathomable power.

Outside the gate, a dense crowd of cultivators had already gathered. At a glance, there were at least a hundred of them.

They stood in small groups, clearly demarcated from one another, each radiating an aura more formidable than the last.

The vast majority were Foundation Establishment cultivators!

Su Ji even spotted a few among the crowd whose presence rivaled Elder Liu's. As for Golden Core old monsters? Perhaps they were still on their way due to the suddenness of the event.

......

Meanwhile.

Not far from the summit of Mysterious Yellow Mountain, atop an ancient towering tree.

Su Jiu swung her fair, slender legs idly and let out a bored yawn.

"Did I get the date wrong? Why hasn't it opened yet..."

She muttered under her breath, her stunningly beautiful face etched with disinterest.

The emergence of this Nascent Soul cave abode was an unexpected twist in her plans.

She didn't remember the details very clearly.

And so, quite unfortunately.

She had arrived early.

In fact, she'd already been waiting outside for a full two and a half days.

Just as Su Jiu was about to close her eyes to rest, her gaze inadvertently swept over the crowd below.

In the next instant, all traces of drowsiness and boredom vanished from her face, replaced by sheer astonishment.

Su Jiu blinked hard.

Who was that she saw?

That fellow wearing the outer disciple robes of the Love-Longing Sect, sporting a foolishly greedy grin while being led around by another disciple with an arm slung over his shoulders...

Wasn't that none other than Su Ji?

Could it be... that she'd been thinking too much about that absurd matter lately and developed lovesickness?

The moment this thought surfaced, she ruthlessly crushed it.

What nonsense!

She was a noble Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox!

How could she possibly harbor such trivial emotions for a mere human boy!

Su Jiu took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She focused her gaze once more.

Yes, it was definitely Su Ji.

What was he doing here?

Su Jiu's brows knitted tightly together.

From what she knew of Su Ji, though the boy usually acted carefree and unserious, he was sharper than anyone at his core.

He would never wear such an exaggerated expression.

Unless... he was doing it on purpose.

A thought flashed through Su Jiu's mind.

Had Su Ji, after just half a month apart, already progressed to the stage of venturing out to kill and plunder treasures?

......