Brother, Are You Capable

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?"