Su Jiu Who Would Not Yield an Inch

Su Jiu froze.

All the prepared responses she had lined up for various answers were now stuck in her throat, unable to escape as even a single word.

The flicker of anticipation she had just felt was doused from head to toe, extinguished in an instant like a bucket of cold water.

She stared straight at Su Ji, her lips slightly pouted, silent.

Su Ji, seeing Su Jiu like this, was also momentarily baffled.

Had he said something wrong?

In the world of cultivation, strength was life—it was everything.

Without power, all talk was empty.

But observing Su Jiu’s expression—one that screamed, "If you don’t give me a reasonable explanation today, you’re dead"—he seemed to grasp something.

Ah, the classic battle between emotion and logic in women?

Interesting.

He cleared his throat and decided to explain.

"What I mean is, the question itself is flawed."

"Without cultivation, what else is there to discuss?"

Su Ji—Master of Logic—began his performance.

"Think about it, Junior Sister. If I said the most important thing was a Dao companion—"

"But if I were a powerless weakling, who’d want to be my Dao companion? Even if someone did, how could I protect her? Would I just watch as she’s bullied or taken away?"

"Or if I said the most important thing was loyalty—"

"If I’m too weak to even protect myself, how could I repay others’ kindness? If someone helps me once, I’d owe them my life. That’s not loyalty—it’s a burden."

Su Ji spread his hands, his expression utterly matter-of-fact.

"So, cultivation is the foundation."

"Only when you’re strong enough do you have the right to talk about those abstract things—the ability to protect what matters to you."

"Hell, if I’m powerful enough, I could even force you to be my Dao companion, and you wouldn’t be able to resist."

Su Jiu was left utterly speechless.

She couldn’t find a single word to refute him.

He was right…

Wasn’t everything that happened at Mystic Yellow Mountain proof enough?

In front of a Nascent Soul expert, Foundation Establishment cultivators were less than ants. Their dignity, treasures, even their lives—gone in the snap of a finger.

If not for Su Ji, she’d already be an empty husk, her soul devoured.

She’d expected Su Ji to sweet-talk her with pretty words.

Instead, he’d given her an answer that was brutally realistic—and undeniably correct.

This guy…

Fine.

At least he wouldn’t deceive her with hollow promises.

Su Jiu sighed inwardly, her youthful flutter of emotions…

"Who wants to be your Dao companion?!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

Before Su Ji could react, an irresistible yet gentle force lifted him straight off the bed.

He didn’t even have time to yelp before his body traced a perfect arc through the air—splash!—landing squarely in the bathtub in the corner of the room.

Cold water surged past his neck, sending droplets flying.

Su Ji was stunned.

He’d expected retaliation…

But without even a hand raised?!

He surfaced, wiping water from his face, only to find Su Jiu standing on the edge of the tub.

Her smile was dangerously sweet as she looked down at him.

"Talking such rubbish, Senior Brother—have you gone Qi-deviant? Cool off properly first."

As Su Ji tried to push himself up, Su Jiu’s foot pressed lightly on his shoulder.

The pressure wasn’t heavy, but it carried an unyielding finesse, forcing him back under.

Afraid he might get angry, she added softly,

"Besides, we’ve been traveling covered in dust. A bath is overdue…"

"And this medicinal soak is good for you."

She muttered the last part, as if convincing herself.

"Even though I just bathed… I have the Immaculate Body. Mundane filth doesn’t cling to me."

She thought Su Ji would settle down once he heard "beneficial."

Instead, he started thrashing, splashing water onto her skirt.

"Junior Sister, you can’t just dunk me because I held your head underwater last time! That’s holding a grudge!"

Mentioning that incident wiped all traces of amusement from Su Jiu’s face.

The humiliating memory of being forced to gulp bitter medicine flooded back.

Her foot pressed down harder.

She shifted her stance—and stomped directly on his face, shoving him underwater.

"How dare you bring that up?! No more talking!"

Blub blub blub…

A stream of bubbles rose.

Karma’s a wheel, they say.

And Su Ji’s "blessing"—no, retribution—had arrived.

"Mm—mph!"

Su Ji flailed underwater, his hand locking onto Su Jiu’s ankle.

"Glug glug—Let go!"

"No."

She enunciated each word.

Today, she’d make sure he remembered: never force her head down again.

It wasn’t like she’d…

Ugh.

She wasn’t some oath-breaking fox. Did he have to be so rough? It was awful.

Just as she thought Su Ji was about to suffocate—

A bizarre sensation shot through her skull.

He was… licking her sole underwater?!

As the saying goes:

Barefoot fears no shoe-wearer.

So what’s there to fear?

Su Jiu shuddered, nearly toppling off the tub’s edge.

Instinct screamed at her to pull back—but wouldn’t that let him win?

She refused to yield!

……

In the end, Su Jiu’s stubborn standoff ended in Su Ji’s defeat.

At least, that’s how she saw it.

He’d tried every trick—yet failed to make her relent.

Trapped underwater, he absorbed the medicinal brew until Su Jiu deemed it enough.

The cost?

…Best not dwell on that.

She’d won.

Soon, Su Ji grasped her "kind intentions":

"Junior Sister, what’s in this bath?"

"Feels amazing."

"I’m making some when we get back."

Su Jiu pondered, then answered earnestly:

"Three qian of cordyceps, seven petals of Chonglou flower…"

"It’s an old body-refining recipe. Though body cultivators are nearly extinct now, soaking still helps."

Su Ji nodded eagerly.

"Seriously, it’s so relaxing—and smells great too…"

Su Jiu didn’t want to address that.

But if he brewed a scentless batch later, he might tweak the recipe recklessly and poison himself.

Medicines were three parts toxin—many ratios were carved in blood.

"It’s my… Anyway, the bath itself is odorless."

As Su Ji’s gaze slid downward from her face—

Su Jiu burned crimson: "Get out! Out of my room now!"