However, the figure that appeared at the entrance did not immediately rush down to turn the tide as Su Ji had hoped.
Su Jiu stood barefoot at the edge of the cliff, her waterfall-like white hair swaying without wind. Her clear fox-like eyes swept calmly across the scene.
Her gaze passed over the enraged fire python, over Su Ji who was darting about frantically.
Finally, it settled on Gu Ranran, whose tattered robes revealed glimpses of her delicate form.
Around them, demonic beasts roared, rocks shattered, and chaos reigned.
Yet Su Jiu seemed detached from it all. Her red lips parted, and though her voice was soft, it cut clearly through the clamor.
"Senior Brother, who is she?"
A few simple words, light as a feather, yet carrying an inexplicable chill.
Su Ji stumbled, nearly struck by the fire python's tailwind.
Oh no!
His heart sank, alarms blaring in his mind.
This familiar scene, this deadly question—wasn't this the classic setup for a bloodbath straight out of the old folktales?
Looking at Su Jiu's eerily calm face, Su Ji felt even more panicked than when facing the fire python.
He had no doubt that if he answered a beat too slow or misspoke even slightly, what awaited him wouldn’t be just a fire python, but a furious young fox.
He had to resolve this immediately!
Su Ji glanced at the lingering option hovering above Gu Ranran’s head.
Without hesitation, he willed the activation of the permanent option.
Yet…
One breath passed.
Two breaths passed.
Another fireball from the python whizzed over Su Ji’s head.
The sword that could rend the rules of the world did not appear.
Seriously?
Bro?
Where’s my sword?
You’re going on strike at a time like this?
Does this damn sword have a cleanliness obsession or something?
Does it find Gu Ranran too filthy to drink her blood?
The absurd thought flashed through his mind, but Su Ji had no time to dwell on it.
From the corner of his eye, he spotted the golden core cultivator’s sword still lodged in the fire python’s flesh, wobbling precariously.
Fine.
If one path was blocked, he’d take another!
Su Ji’s fingers twitched imperceptibly, sending a thread of spiritual energy across dozens of meters to coil around the sword.
For a Qi Condensation cultivator, manipulating objects from a distance was already difficult—let alone on the body of a golden core demonic beast.
The sword barely trembled before falling still again.
Fortunately, Su Ji’s mastery of spiritual techniques far surpassed the ordinary.
His eyes narrowed, and the liquefied spiritual energy in his dantian surged violently.
Sword!
Come!
Whoosh—!
A sharp whistling sound pierced the air, followed by the muffled tear of flesh.
The sword finally wrenched free from the fire python’s body, dragging a fountain of scorching blood behind it.
The demonic blood was thick, flecked with golden specks that radiated astonishing energy the moment they left the beast’s body.
The blood flowed along the blade but didn’t drip—instead, it seemed to be greedily absorbed by the sword.
The already gleaming blade took on an eerie crimson hue.
Crap, did I just dye that old swordsman’s ‘beloved’ red?
Wait.
Su Ji reconsidered.
Now, this sword had truly tasted the blood of a great demon.
"ROAR—!!!"
With its hindquarters wounded again, the fire python went berserk.
It threw its head back and unleashed an earth-shaking bellow, its savage aura exploding unchecked.
The entire underground cavern trembled violently. Stalactites rained down from the ceiling like hail.
The ground beneath their feet split open, revealing bottomless fissures. The once-rushing underground river boiled away in an instant, replaced by gushing magma from the depths.
In that moment, the cavern transformed into a living hell.
"Are you insane? Why provoke it?!"
Gu Ranran, startled by the sudden upheaval, paled in horror. She couldn’t fathom Su Ji’s actions.
Her answer came in the form of an icy glare from Su Ji.
He raised his hand, and the blood-drunk sword flew into his grip.
The blade hummed, a bloodthirsty killing intent flooding his limbs through the hilt.
"With your three feet of fleeting life…"
"Protect this dog Su Ji…"
"Offer tribute to my peerless sword path!"
Su Ji had only one target.
"You dare?!"
Gu Ranran was both shocked and furious. She never expected this Qi Condensation ant, under the crushing pressure of a golden core demonic beast, wouldn’t flee—but instead turn his blade on her.
Suppressing her injuries, she mustered the last of her spiritual energy. Her peach-blossom eyes glimmered with a final trace of allure.
"Fellow Daoist, why resort to violence? Let’s work together—"
Before she could finish, a sinister crimson sword light expanded rapidly in her pupils.
Too fast.
After absorbing the fire python’s essence, the sword seemed alive, its humming edge tearing through her hastily erected defenses with brutal efficiency.
Thud.
The sound of steel piercing flesh was nearly drowned out by the collapsing cavern.
Gu Ranran’s seductive expression froze. Disbelief filled her eyes as she looked down at the blade protruding from her chest.
Her reaction had been half a beat too slow.
Even in death, she couldn’t comprehend why this man would risk being crushed by the fire python just to kill her first.
Expressionless, Su Ji withdrew the sword, letting Gu Ranran’s lifeless body crumple to the ground.
He flicked the blood from the blade and turned—just in time to meet Su Jiu’s gaze from the cliff above.
Seeing the woman fall in a pool of blood, the fury in Su Jiu’s heart receded like the tide.
All the lines she’d prepared—"I’ve been working so hard outside, and here you are, Senior Brother…"
—vanished unspoken.
Just then, with one target gone, the fire python directed its full wrath at Su Ji.
"ROAR—!!!"
Its massive body crashed toward him like a collapsing mountain, its gaping maw spewing molten lava hot enough to melt metal.
Su Ji’s face whitened.
This time, he was truly outmatched.
Watching the figure below scrambling like a headless chicken, Su Jiu couldn’t decide whether to laugh or scold.
She hesitated no longer, descending gracefully.
"Freeze."
The rampaging fire python stiffened mid-charge, as if bound by invisible chains, its movements slowing for a split second.
Su Jiu yanked Su Ji’s arm, pulling him clear of the beast’s jaws just in time.
The binding lasted only a moment before the python’s raging demonic energy shattered it.
ROAR—!
Freed, the fire python grew even more frenzied. It slammed into the cavern wall, sending boulders crashing down like meteors.
The ground beneath them was now a sea of molten lava, forcing the two to leap between precarious rock outcroppings to evade the beast’s relentless assault.
Su Jiu’s expression grew graver.
A golden core demonic beast was no easy foe.
Her eyes flicked to the ominous red glow still clinging to Su Ji’s sword, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind.
For a spear cultivator, Su Ji’s swordsmanship was terrifyingly proficient.
But now was not the time to dwell on it.
"Senior Brother, I’ll freeze it again in a moment."
Despite the roars and the shattering of stone, Su Jiu’s voice reached Su Ji’s ears with perfect clarity.
"See that little bump on top of its head?"
"Strike it with your sword right there!"
Su Ji: "..."
When Su Ji didn’t respond, Su Jiu grew impatient: "Senior Brother, can you do it or not?"
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
