Starting with a Super Five-Star Hotel

"Miss Sisi, run!"

At that moment, Min Chun showed his mettle, stepping forward to shield Ji Sisi with his body.

"Be careful, Brother Min! You have to get away safely!"

Ji Sisi knew that staying would only hold Min Chun back. She turned to flee decisively, but before she could take two steps, she shuddered in shock. It wasn't just three assailants; two others had cut off her retreat!

There were wolves in front and tigers behind.

Escape was hopeless.

"So, you'd rather do this the hard way?"

Their opponents didn't waste a single word. At a wave from their bearded leader, the others surged toward Ji Sisi and Min Chun.

BANG!

Min Chun managed to punch one of them but was immediately beaten to the ground by a flurry of blows.

Ji Sisi, however, never even had the chance to move before a longsword was pressed against her slender, pale neck.

GULP!

She swallowed hard as fear instantly consumed her.

"Boss, here's their stuff!"

One of the men gathered the treasures Ji Sisi and Min Chun had found and handed them to the bearded leader.

"Tch!" The man scoffed. "This pile of junk? It's not even worth the time we spent!"

His statement wasn't entirely an exaggeration. They had spotted Ji Sisi and her companion much earlier and had specifically set up this ambush, only to find the pair possessed nothing of real value.

"This little chick isn't half bad, though."

The bearded man's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixing on the lovely Ji Sisi. "I've been on edge lately," he said lewdly. "This little thing will be a perfect way to blow off some steam."

With that, he reached for Ji Sisi's delicate chin.

Though a sword was at her throat, Ji Sisi struggled bravely, twisting her body just enough to evade the man's hand. But large tears were already streaming from her eyes. She quietly positioned her tongue over her back molars. If this brute truly forces himself on me, I'll bite down and end my own life! If only biting one's tongue could actually kill you...

"Heh! A fiery one, are we!"

The bearded man's interest only grew. He then barked at his men, "What are you standing around for? Get to the side and keep watch! I'm about to have some fun out here!"

Just as the others were about to disperse, a bizarre scene unfolded.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

A group of people thundered past them like a herd of stampeding horses.

As they ran, they screamed in a panic.

"Run for your lives!"

"Gu Ba is coming!"

"Nothing is left in his wake! Not even a blade of grass!"

One or two of them stumbled and fell, but they immediately scrambled back to their feet and continued to flee for their lives.

The bearded man and his crew were completely dumbfounded.

What is happening? Who is Gu Ba? What does 'not a blade of grass grows' even mean?

They had no time to ponder it, for in the next instant, three figures charged into view.

"All of you, freeze!"

"Stop right there for this young master!" two of them shouted arrogantly.

The third was a gracefully poised young man. His face was so perfect it seemed he'd been born for the sole purpose of devastating the hearts of women. In his hand, he carried a longsword that emanated a terrifying flame.

"Eh?"

The young man holding the Fire Spirit Sword was, of course, Su Xuan. His brow furrowed the moment he saw Ji Sisi and the fallen Min Chun. His gaze then shifted to the bearded man and his companions, and he instantly understood the situation.

"Stop chasing them!" Su Xuan immediately ordered Zhu Hongyun and Wu Ebo. "Deal with these people first!"

"Yes, Boss!"

"Got it, Boss!"

Zhu Hongyun and Wu Ebo immediately complied. The two of them were more than enough to encircle the bearded man and his four or five lackeys.

Interestingly enough, Wu Ebo had also started calling Su Xuan "Boss."

He had been truly won over by Su Xuan on their journey and finally understood why Zhu Hongyun was so willing to follow him. The benefits were just too great! He now carried an extra pouch on his shoulder, one that grew heavier by the day. In the face of such immense gains, what was calling Su Xuan 'Boss'? Besides, his own master, Zhu Hongyun, was already doing it. To hell with his old pride!

"You three think you can take us?"

"Did you get your heads kicked by a donkey?"

The bearded man hadn't gauged the cultivation levels of Su Xuan's group; the only thing that made him wary was the Fire Spirit Sword in Su Xuan's hand.

Suddenly, cold sweat beaded on the bearded man's forehead. Su Xuan and Wu Ebo had simultaneously revealed their cultivation: Heaven Severing Late Stage Perfection.

Facing two such formidable experts, the bearded man, who was merely in the Late Stage of Heaven Severing, knew he didn't stand a chance of winning. None of his underlings had even reached the Late Stage of Heaven Severing.

He finally understood why the people before had been fleeing in such terror.

Damn it! No wonder those people were running! When you're being chased by guys this powerful, you run or you die!

"Sirs, please, let's talk this over," the bearded man immediately cowered. He pulled an item or two from his person and offered them up with a placating smile. "A small token of our respect. Please, sirs, accept it and let's be friends!"

"You're not worthy of being our friend."

"You actually dared to bully our boss's woman?"

"You're dead!"

Zhu Hongyun and Wu Ebo had both met Ji Sisi before. They immediately stripped the bearded man and his crew of all their belongings and presented the loot to Su Xuan, allowing him to take his pick first. They would only take what he left behind.

"Boss, should we kill these guys?" Zhu Hongyun asked.

"Sisi, what should be done with them?" Su Xuan asked softly as he walked to her side.

Ji Sisi's body was still tense with panic. Her lips moved stiffly. "Make them kneel. All of them. Make them slap their own faces one hundred times, then have them roll down the hillside!"

"Well, you heard my sister," Su Xuan said, pointing his Fire Spirit Sword at the bearded man and his thugs. "Or do I need to personally invite you to kneel?"

THUD!

THUD!

Faces etched with misery, the bearded man and his crew dropped to their knees. They began to slap themselves viciously, and after they had done so a hundred times, they started rolling down the hill.

After the bearded man and his group rolled down the jagged, rocky slope, some were knocked unconscious on the spot.

"Were you scared?" Su Xuan saw that Ji Sisi was still in a daze and gently tapped her forehead. "It's all right now."

WAAAH!

Ji Sisi suddenly threw her arms around Su Xuan's waist and began to wail.

Nearby, Min Chun sat propped up on his hands, shaking his head with a smile. To think that an unavoidable disaster was resolved so unexpectedly. He felt a wave of belated fear. If Su Xuan had arrived just a moment later, Ji Sisi would have become a beautiful flower, tragically wilted on this rocky slope. He could truly empathize with her terror. Frankly, he felt like throwing himself into Su Xuan's arms and crying too. And with this, getting the Blood Immortal Vine would be a sure thing...