That Senior Brother Gao… no, he was Martial Nephew Gao now… was truly a man of instinct.

Zhou Kai shook his head with a wry smile, watching Gao Feiyang’s back disappear behind the stone door of his cave abode. He then turned and headed toward Fish Baibai’s dwelling.

Next up was his own business.

First, he needed to retrieve the warhammer Fish Baibai had forged for him.

Second, he intended to use this opportunity to push their relationship a step further.

This hammer-wielding loli possessed a Bone Forging Layer 3 cultivation and was a Second-Grade Artifact Refiner. She was of immense help to him. Moreover, her charming, petite appearance coupled with her quirky, explosive personality genuinely stirred his heart.

Arriving outside Fish Baibai’s cave, Zhou Kai familiarly triggered the Restriction and called out, “Senior Sister Baibai! Your Junior Brother is here to collect the warhammer!”

A moment later, the stone door creaked open.

A petite figure in light red robes bounced out. It was Fish Baibai.

She was clutching half a glistening, greasy roasted chicken leg in one hand. When she saw Zhou Kai, her eyes lit up.

She lifted her small chin triumphantly. “Let me tell you, I recently got my hands on some top-tier materials. I fused an entire Flood Dragon spine into your hammerhead! Its power has increased by at least thirty percent!”

As she spoke, she flipped her small hand.

Boom!

A pitch-black warhammer, grotesquely large and standing taller than Zhou Kai by half a body length, smashed into the ground, causing the earth to tremble.

The hammerhead was enormous, covered in mysterious runes with a faint, dark light swirling across its surface. A fierce, heavy aura washed over him. The weapon created a stark, high-impact contrast against Fish Baibai’s petite, cute image.

Notably, the hammerhead now bore a deep, dark golden hue—clearly the result of the Flood Dragon spine—adding an even more domineering presence to the weapon.

Zhou Kai’s eyes instantly shone.

This warhammer was even more brutal than he had anticipated!

“What a treasure!” He praised without hesitation, reaching out to grasp the handle.

It felt heavy in his hand, yet it faintly resonated with his own Vitality and Mana.

With a thought, he channeled a wisp of Mana. The massive warhammer instantly shrank, transforming into a stream of light that vanished into his Dantian.

The warhammer currently existed in a state between a Magic Tool and a Magic Treasure. Nurtured by the Vitality and Mana within his Dantian, it would naturally evolve into a true Life-Bound Magic Treasure in time.

Once it transformed, it would connect with its master’s will, moving as effortlessly as his own arm, possessing power far beyond that of an ordinary treasure.

As the warhammer entered his body, Zhou Kai felt a slight tremor in his Dantian. It stirred his Mana and Vitality, slowly merging with them. A profound sense of control and power spontaneously arose within him.

“My Baibai is truly clever and skilled! Gifted by nature and so considerate, thinking of everything for her husband!”

Zhou Kai, in high spirits, stretched out his long arms, scooped Fish Baibai up by the waist, and spun her around in a big circle.

Caught off guard, Fish Baibai let out a soft “Ah!” and nearly dropped her chicken leg.

“You… put me down! Who’s your husband?! Who’s your Baibai?! I haven’t agreed to anything yet!”

Although she protested, her body was honest. Her small, greasy hand instinctively grabbed Zhou Kai’s lapels to steady herself, and she didn’t struggle.

Sweet thoughts bubbled in her heart: Hmph, letting you take a little advantage is fine… after all… it’s bound to happen sooner or later anyway.

Zhou Kai had no intention of listening. Holding the petite girl in his arms, he flashed into Fish Baibai’s cave in an instant.

“Huh?”

His gaze swept over the center of the cave. A complex array was clearly inscribed on the floor, with Spirit Qi flowing through its lines—it was evidently ready.

“The Dual-Pole Essence Gathering Array is already set up?”

At the mention of the array, Fish Baibai found an excuse to escape. She wriggled lightly, jumped down from Zhou Kai’s embrace, and quickly took two steps back to straighten her slightly disheveled clothes and hair.

“Of course. I demanded it as soon as Martial Nephew Lin finished refining the components,” she said, patting her chest.

Then, she pursed her lips. “Speaking of which, Lin Zhiwei and Chen Ziyi are quite pleasant to deal with—beautiful and kind-hearted. But that Chen Ziqing… she really annoys me! Acting all delicate and frail all day long. What is she pretending for?!”

“And that Wang Qiaoqiao!” Fish Baibai’s small brows furrowed deeply. “Hmph! Even though she gave me some Spirit Stones, she actually… she actually hired two maidservants! How big is that shop that it needs two extra people?”

Zhou Kai chuckled, reaching out to pinch her puffed-up cheek.

“That’s just their personalities. Ziqing has always been like that; she doesn’t have bad intentions. As for Qiaoqiao, the shop’s business is booming. Isn’t it normal to hire help? How did that offend our Senior Sister Baibai?”

“Normal, my foot!” Fish Baibai irritably swatted Zhou Kai’s hand away, glaring at him. She got angrier as she spoke.

“Those two maidservants don’t even use their real names anymore! One is called Spring Peach, the other Summer Lotus! They look fresh and pretty, but their cultivation is pitifully low—one at Qi Condensation Layer 2, the other at Layer 1. They’ve been hanging around the Outer Sect for years and still can’t comprehend the No Word Scripture.”

“They are clearly not proper helpers! They are obviously Concubines prepared for a lecher like you!”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Kai inwardly gave Wang Qiaoqiao a massive thumbs-up. Qiaoqiao understands my heart! Well done!

Outwardly, however, he feigned innocence.

“Baibai, you wrong me. I had no knowledge of this matter. Besides, even if they were prepared for me… is Baibai jealous? Or is a Second-Grade Artifact Refiner—a future Grandmaster—afraid she can’t compete with two little Qi Condensation girls?”

“Pah! Who’s jealous?!” Fish Baibai’s face flushed slightly as she spat. “This young lady afraid? What a joke!”

“You scoundrel, you’re definitely going to form a Nascent Soul in the future, maybe even higher! By then, the Concubines and Cultivation Vessels by your side will all be heavenly beauties with the bearing of Golden Core True Persons! Those two little girls aren’t even fit to polish your shoes!”

Having said that, she abruptly changed the subject, a flash of combative frustration in her eyes. She grabbed Zhou Kai’s hand and pulled him toward the cave entrance.

“Come on! Move it! This young lady is in a bad mood today. You’re perfect for target practice!”

Without waiting for a response, she dragged Zhou Kai out of the cave.

With a wave of her jade-like hand, her life-bound warhammer appeared in her grasp. Pointing it at Zhou Kai, she declared with heroic spirit, “While I can still beat you, let this young lady thoroughly enjoy the pleasure of bullying a future Nascent Soul giant! I’ll teach you the price of being a philanderer!”

Zhou Kai looked at her “I’m very fierce, fear me” expression and found it utterly adorable. His heart itched.

He was happy to play along. He laughed, “Oh? Then I must experience Senior Sister’s formidable skills!”

A world-shaking battle—though mainly a one-sided beating by Fish Baibai—commenced.

With a fierce cry, Fish Baibai swung the giant hammer, which was taller than two people combined. She spun it with such force that it whistled through the air. The seemingly cumbersome weapon felt weightless in her hands as she “smashed” toward Zhou Kai again and again.

Zhou Kai naturally “proved no match.”

He deliberately left openings, sometimes “clumsily” dodging, sometimes letting the hammer’s wind graze his clothes while letting out a pained “Aiya!”

He fled around stone pillars in a panic, pleading loudly, “Senior Sister, spare me! Senior Sister is invincible and mighty!”

Fish Baibai grew more enthusiastic as she fought. The wind generated by the hammerhead made her clothes and hair flutter wildly. Her small face flushed red with excitement, and her clear, triumphant laughter echoed across the mountainside.

“Hmph! Now you know this young lady’s power! Take this! Eat another hammer!”

Naturally, each blow “coincidentally” landed right beside Zhou Kai or was “narrowly” avoided.

After the “fight” ended, Fish Baibai was drenched in fragrant sweat, her face flushed red—clearly, she had enjoyed herself.

She pulled a piece of fragrant roasted spirit beast meat from her storage bag. Ignoring Zhou Kai, she took big bites, grease smearing her mouth.

“Junior Brother Zhou, let me tell you something…” she mumbled, her mouth full. “Before… before going to the Rainbow Mist Spirit Spring, I… I…”

She stammered for a long time, unable to get the words out. Her cheeks grew redder, and her eyes darted away evasively.

Seeing her like this, Zhou Kai’s heart stirred.

Connecting her current behavior with her previous attitude, and considering her status as Li Youci’s personal maidservant, he guessed the truth.

He stepped forward and spoke softly. “Senior Sister, before, we were just colleagues. I could feel that. But after the Young Miss battled her True Ghost and Physical Body, you changed. She must have said something to you, right?”

He paused, his tone shifting to one of reassurance.

“Senior Sister, don’t worry. I will definitely ask the Young Miss for that Rainbow Mist Spirit Spring spot on your behalf. To me, you are absolutely not some dispensable Concubine or Cultivation Vessel.”

He looked her in the eye. “Junior Brother… truly likes you.”

Zhou Kai delivered the last sentence with absolute seriousness.

Hearing this, Fish Baibai froze completely. The spirit beast meat in her hand fell to the ground with a wet thud.

The next moment, her already flushed face “exploded” into a deep crimson. She turned as red as heated steel, her neck and ears glowing scarlet, looking as if they might drip blood.

“Who… who wants you to truly like me?!”

She abruptly slammed her warhammer into the ground!

BOOM!

A loud crash echoed as the hammer smashed a crater into the rock. A shockwave of air billowed out, making their robes flap wildly.

“I… I haven’t agreed to you yet!”

Throwing out this blustering remark to hide her panic, Fish Baibai turned and dashed back into her cave without looking back.

Bang!

The stone door slammed shut heavily.

Zhou Kai’s smile faded, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He returned to his own cave at the peak of Taiji Peak, sat cross-legged, and began to ponder.

Currently, he had achieved no merits. How could he have the face to ask Li Youci for a spot in the Spirit Spring?

The only things of value he could offer—aside from the still profoundly mysterious Cicada Raiment Art—seemed to be his new subordinate, Fang Lizhe.

That blockhead was young, yet he had managed to draw Qi into his body right there in the Mortal world. With just a touch of Zhou Kai’s Spirit Qi to guide him, he had instantly broken through to Qi Condensation Layer 1.

Such aptitude! Whether it was his Spirit Root, comprehension, or physique, at least one of them had to be extraordinary!