After all, it wouldn't be her who would roam the cultivation world under that name in the future.

At the foot of the Mystic Yellow Mountain, the wind rustled through the treetops.

Su Jiu steadied herself, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the storage ring on her ring finger.

Then she looked up at Su Ji beside her, who was unharmed.

"Senior Brother, do you still plan to return to the Love-Longing Sect?"

Su Ji raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "Why do you ask?"

Su Jiu's tone was calm. "There's something of utmost importance to my clan hidden within the Love-Longing Sect. My strength isn't enough yet, so I can only bide my time."

She paused here, as if carefully choosing her words. "So... I’ll probably have to stay in the Love-Longing Sect for a while longer."

"But Senior Brother, with your abilities and methods... there’s really no need for you to stay in the Love-Longing Sect anymore."

Su Ji understood.

A mischievous urge bubbled up inside him, and he decided to tease Su Jiu a little. "Hmm, you’re right. There’s really no reason for me to stay in the Love-Longing Sect."

"It doesn’t offer much in terms of cultivation resources, and I’m always worried about being caught and... well, you know."

"How about this? The path of immortality is long and winding—why don’t we part ways here, never to meet again?"

Su Jiu blurted out without thinking, "No!"

Su Ji feigned confusion perfectly. "Why not?"

"Didn’t you just say it yourself? If fate wills it, we’ll meet again."

"‘No place under heaven is too far for a destined reunion,’ right?"

Su Jiu’s lips moved, but she stammered for a long time, unable to come up with a decent excuse.

Seeing Su Ji pretend to turn and leave, her heart raced in panic.

As the saying goes, necessity sharpens the wits.

"If Senior Brother wants to leave, of course I won’t stop you."

First, she put on a reasonable and understanding expression.

But her next words came out hurriedly, as if afraid Su Ji would vanish before she finished speaking: "The path of immortality is long—no one should linger for another’s sake."

"But then again..."

"Senior Brother, you traveled three hundred miles to save me. This kindness... Su Jiu can’t repay it so quickly."

"Even if we’re never to meet again, at least let me repay my debt first."

"Besides, the items in this storage ring are also your spoils of war. If I break the seal but can’t find you..."

"Wouldn’t that make Su Jiu look like an ungrateful, resource-hoarding villain?"

"So, if Senior Brother truly wishes to wander the world, at least leave me a way to find you. That way, I can repay my debt properly."

"Otherwise, wouldn’t I be branded as disloyal and dishonorable...?"

By the end, even she felt like she was grasping at straws, her voice trailing off into silence.

All she wanted was for Su Ji to leave some way to contact him.

Really. Just to repay the favor.

The ‘Great Xia Imperial Clan’ had records praising the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan’s unwavering sense of gratitude.

Su Ji listened, nodding repeatedly. "That does make sense."

Su Jiu let out a quiet sigh of relief.

But then Su Ji put on a troubled expression. "But I’m only at the Qi Refining stage—what kind of contact method or marker could I possibly leave?"

"......"

Su Jiu was at a complete loss for words.

Her mind felt like it had ground to a halt, every possible path blocked by Su Ji’s words.

She stared straight at him, lips slightly parted but unable to utter a single word, her eyes even reddening slightly. "I..."

Seeing Su Jiu’s pitiful, on-the-verge-of-tears expression, Su Ji finally couldn’t hold back any longer.

Barely suppressing his laughter, he said, "Alright, how about this?"

Su Jiu perked up at those words, her ears practically twitching.

How about what?

"I haven’t actually decided where to go yet."

"Staying in the Love-Longing Sect isn’t out of the question."

"It’s just... I’m still a little worried about being caught and, well, you know."

Su Jiu quickly reassured him, "Senior Brother, don’t worry! I have illusion techniques!"

"No one will find out!"

Su Ji pretended to hesitate. "But what if the Love-Longing Sect is dead set on catching that ‘lecherous scoundrel,’ even to the point of involving the sect leader?"

"Junior Sister, can your illusions fool the sect leader?"

"I’ll just... um, well, if it really comes to that, I’ll think of something."

This was, after all, something she’d sworn a blood oath over.

"If that’s all Senior Brother is worried about, there’s no need for concern."

Seeing Su Jiu speak so firmly,

What else could Su Ji say?

Though,

When Su Jiu said "I’ll think of something," did she really mean it?

Probably not.

But Su Ji had nowhere else to go anyway.

The Love-Longing Sect’s market was still quite appealing.

He could always find good stuff there.

"Fine. Since Junior Sister has spoken so earnestly, I’ll listen to you."

......

And so, the two wasted no more time.

Su Jiu identified their direction and headed toward the nearest cultivator city.

Three hundred miles wasn’t too far, but traveling on foot still took some effort.

Along the way, the atmosphere was... odd.

Su Jiu opened her mouth several times, only to close it again, her expression flickering between strange and conflicted.

Finally, after entering the city, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

"Senior Brother... why did you think of using that... name to announce yourself to the world?"

Su Ji tilted his head, puzzled. "What’s wrong with it?"

Then it dawned on him.

Ah, right. It was the name of her ancestor—using it might have offended her.

"Did it feel disrespectful?"

That question was like lighting a fuse.

Su Jiu instantly bristled, her voice rising an octave.

"Who’s offended?! It’s just... a little..."

Her outburst immediately drew the attention of nearby passing cultivators.

Several pairs of eyes turned toward them, full of curiosity.

After all, this wasn’t the Love-Longing Sect.

There was no ‘devotion to the Dao above all else’ tradition here.

Some rogue cultivators rarely saw a petite and adorable female cultivator like Su Jiu.

Her cheeks flushed bright red, and she quickly lowered her voice, hissing through clenched teeth.

"...But I suppose it fits Senior Brother’s style."

Su Ji heard that last part.

He simply smiled. "I think the name works great."

"At least no one would suspect it’s me."

Su Jiu nodded subconsciously.

Well... that was true.

In the eyes of everyone in the Love-Longing Sect, Su Ji was a disciple who’d had his "spiritual roots stripped away."

There wasn’t the slightest connection between him and the infamous title ‘Su Big Dick.’

When she stayed silent, Su Ji continued.

"See, if I use ‘Su Daji,’ people will just assume it’s some reclusive female powerhouse. Who’d suspect a mere Qi Refining cultivator like me?"

"Flawless. No holes in this plan."

Su Jiu: "......"

She opened her mouth, wanting to tell Su Ji that the name the Heavenly Dao had announced to the world wasn’t "Su Daji."

But the words died in her throat.

It was too embarrassing.

She couldn’t say it.

Looking at Su Ji’s smug "I’m so clever" expression, she suddenly felt exhausted.

Whatever.

If he was happy, so be it.

It wasn’t like she’d be the one walking the cultivation world with that name.

And given Su Ji’s thick skin, he probably wouldn’t care anyway.

She could already picture the future scenes...

[‘Big Dick’ is here! Run for your lives, brothers!]

[You dare say that? Aren’t you afraid ‘Big Dick’ will skewer you with one thrust?!]

......