Chapter 33: Begging Is Useless

“Brother Jiutian, I offended you just now.
On account of our kinship with Miss Su, please… give us a chance to explain.”

Su Zimo slowly stepped forward, face filled with sincerity, his tone earnest.

“Yes, Jiutian… brother.”
Su Xinyuan followed closely behind, her voice soft.
“You know, I stood on your side from the very beginning.
I never truly struck at you with all my strength…”

Luo Jiutian lowered his head, glanced at the bloodied sword in his hand, then lifted his eyes to look at them.
He said nothing.

Seeing that he had not outright refused, Su Zimo quietly let out a breath.
“In truth, all of this was orchestrated by Luo Chen.
If we disobeyed, only disaster would await us.
Brother Jiutian, you’re so intelligent—you must understand our difficulties.”

“I understand.”
Luo Jiutian nodded as he spoke, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smile.

Su Zimo’s eyes flickered.
He had just opened his mouth to continue when Luo Jiutian chuckled again.
“But the speed at which you two change faces… that truly surprises me.”

Su Zimo froze for a beat, then forced a smile.
“Those who know people are wise, and those who go with the flow are clear-eyed.
There is no great enmity between us.
Why not—”

Before he could finish, Luo Jiutian suddenly strode forward.
At that moment, less than thirty feet separated them.

Murderous intent flashed in Su Zimo’s eyes.
His sleeve snapped, and several small concealed weapons whistled through the air, aimed straight at Luo Jiutian’s throat.
Almost simultaneously, Su Xinyuan drew her sword.
Her blade, swift as lightning, thrust toward his chest.

The two moved in perfect coordination, attacking in flawless unison.
In truth, while Luo Chen was being beaten, Su Zimo and Su Xinyuan had already taken the chance to restore most of their spiritual power.
Their earlier bowing of heads had been nothing more than an act, a ploy to lower Luo Jiutian’s guard and seize the chance to strike.

But how could Luo Jiutian, who had long since been on guard, fall for such petty tricks?
He shifted his body slightly, evading their ambush, and with a backhand slash—

A streak of blood light cut through the air.
Su Zimo’s right arm was severed at once, blood spraying across the ground.

“Ah—!”

Su Zimo screamed in agony, staggering as he collapsed to the floor.
Su Xinyuan was so frightened she fell to her knees on the spot, her sword slipping from her hand.

One exchange.
That was all it took for Su Zimo to lose an arm.
She hadn’t even managed to see how he had moved.

They were all in the Foundation Establishment stage.
How could there be such an overwhelming difference?

Her face turned pale, her lips trembling.
“N–No… Brother Jiutian, I didn’t mean to kill you… It was his idea… I… I was forced!”

Luo Jiutian ignored her, his gaze fixed on Su Zimo.

At this moment, Su Zimo clutched his severed arm, enduring the pain with gritted teeth, the muscles of his face twitching uncontrollably.
Even so, he forced himself to speak.
“Luo Jiutian… You dare kill me?
Do you really dare?
I am of the Su family…”

Before he could finish, Luo Jiutian let out a light laugh.
“Brother Su, are you threatening me?”

“If I die by your hand… the Su clan will never let this rest.
Do you think you can escape?
Do you think the Luo family can protect you?”

As he spoke, Su Zimo desperately crawled backward, trying to put distance between them.

Luo Jiutian’s smile only grew brighter, his blood sword Crying Dust lifting slowly.
“In that case, I can’t possibly let you walk out of here alive.”

He said no more.
The sword fell.

Su Zimo’s eyes widened, but before he could utter another word, sword-qi tore him apart.
He died on the spot.

Seeing Su Zimo’s miserable end, Su Xinyuan collapsed entirely, no strength left even to kneel.
Now, regret overwhelmed her.
Had she known things would turn out this way, she would never have clung to Luo Chen’s leg—the leg of a man destined for ruin.

What talent?
What status?
Before true strength, they were nothing but dust.

She finally understood why Su Wan’er had always remained so devoted to Luo Jiutian.
It wasn’t blindness.
It was clarity.

“Brother Jiutian…”
Her voice trembled, tears brimming in her eyes.
“I was wrong… I truly was wrong… If you’re willing to spare me, I’ll do anything.
I can serve as your s*ave, your maid.
I’ll be more obedient, more considerate than Su Wan’er… I’ll serve you better than she ever could…”

At her words, Luo Jiutian paused, an unreadable smile tugging at his lips.
Noticing his hesitation, hope flared in Su Xinyuan’s chest.
She crawled forward several steps.
“Whatever kind of woman you like, I can become.
Whatever she can do, I can do too.
Even better…”

Luo Jiutian bent slightly, lowering his head to gaze at her.
His eyes softened.
“Is that so?”

Seeing this, Su Xinyuan nodded rapidly, tears streaming down her cheeks, pitiful and delicate.
“Brother Jiutian… does this mean… you’ll accept me?”
Her voice trembled, a glimmer of expectation shining within her eyes.

Luo Jiutian looked at her, lips curved in a smile, but he said nothing.
The next instant, the scarlet longsword descended from above, piercing straight through her body.

“No.”
His voice was calm, almost gentle.

Su Xinyuan’s pupils shrank.
Her lips parted, but not a single word emerged.
Luo Jiutian pulled out his sword, flicked the blood away, and casually wiped his hand.
Then he added offhandedly,
“And another thing—when you imitate others calling me Brother, it’s disgusting.”

Su Xinyuan’s body stiffened.
She toppled lifelessly to the floor, her eyes wide with disbelief.
It wasn’t until the very moment of her death that she realized—
she had never once been taken seriously.

At Luo Jiutian’s side, the White Tiger Lord had witnessed it all.
This brat… he had once again surpassed her expectations.

She could sense that Su Zimo and Su Xinyuan were not without talent.
Given ten or twenty years, they would surely have amounted to something.
But before Luo Jiutian, they hadn’t even managed a proper resistance.

One moment they schemed to ambush him.
The next, they groveled for mercy.
And in the end, they lacked even the courage to fight back.

The White Tiger Lord felt a pang of emotion.
Though she had long known of this young man’s ruthlessness, today’s scene still startled her.
Decisive in killing.
Heart calm as still water.

If only I had been like him back then…
Would I have avoided ending up a mere remnant soul?

Luo Jiutian, of course, had no idea of her wandering thoughts.
He turned and walked toward the other side of the stone chamber.

Not far away, Luo Yuanshan and Luo Yan stood in the corner, watching his approach with complicated expressions.
Neither spoke.
The air was thick, heavy with silence.

“Why don’t you run?”
Luo Jiutian halted, his tone even.

Meeting his gaze, Luo Yan let out a bitter smile.
“Could we escape?”

Luo Yuanshan bowed his head.
Suddenly, he dropped to his knees and knocked his head heavily against the ground.
“Luo Jiutian, this matter… I was the one who started it.
Kill me if you must—it’s yours to decide.
I only beg you to spare Thin Ghost. He…”

“Luo Yuanshan!”
Luo Yan cut him off sharply, face dark.
“There’s no need for you to beg on my behalf.
I made the mistake.
I’ll bear the consequence!”

He took a deep breath, then likewise dropped to his knees.
“Luo Jiutian, if you want to kill me, do it.
Just… spare my bloodline.”

The two closed their eyes together, ready for death—
and this time, it didn’t look like an act.

But the death they imagined never came.
Doubt gnawed at Luo Yuanshan.
He cautiously opened his eyes.

There stood Luo Jiutian, stowing away the crimson sword.
A grin tugged at his lips.

“Hehe… We’re all of the Luo family.
How could I bear to kill you?”