Zhou Kai’s gaze drifted toward the solitary pavilion standing amidst the silence.

“Such a massive commotion just now, yet not a single soul comes out to greet me?”

He arched a brow, his expression sharp.

He expanded his Divine Sense, sweeping the area like an invisible tide. The surroundings were dead silent. Aside from himself, there was no one in the immediate vicinity.

Fish Baibai was likely sequestered elsewhere, hammering away at his new flying sword. But what about Shen Hanyi?

He was in secluded cultivation, yet she hadn’t stood guard as his Dharma Protector?

There were no defensive arrays here. If his cultivation had gone awry…

I’ll have to educate that woman properly later.

As the thought crossed his mind, his Divine Sense snagged on something at the very edge of his range—a corner he could barely touch. A familiar silhouette came into focus.

It was a temporary two-story bamboo hut, elegant and distinct from the surrounding architecture.

By the second-floor window, a graceful figure in purple stood watching. Who else could it be but Li Youci, currently wearing the guise of the maid, Xia Min?

“Heh. So she dumped the Dharma Protector duty on the Young Miss.”

A knowing smirk curled Zhou Kai’s lips.

“She chose a spot that’s neither too close nor too far. She wants me to know she’s here, but doesn’t want me to detect her easily. Truly… what a cute little trick.”

She was clearly nearby, yet she had deliberately positioned herself at the absolute limit of his sensory range.

This Young Miss is a textbook tsundere. She responds to defiance, not compliance.

Zhou Kai’s mind raced. Fine. I’ll play along. But things shouldn’t happen more than three times. Today, let’s see who loses their composure first!

As he plotted, a faint mechanical grinding—creak, creak—echoed from the large three-story pavilion nearby. It sounded like heavy gears turning.

Moments later, the sliding doors on all three levels of the pavilion retracted simultaneously.

A procession of graceful figures emerged, their expressions a mix of confusion and apprehension. But the moment their eyes locked onto Zhou Kai hovering in mid-air, the anxiety vanished, replaced instantly by sheer delight.

“Husband!”

“Brother Zhou!”

“Zhou Lang!”

“Master!”

Delicate cries rose in a chorus, the voices weaving together like the song of orioles and swallows—a melody to any man’s ears.

The sisters, Chen Ziyi and Chen Ziqing, scanned their surroundings. The environment was familiar yet strange, but the distant silhouette of the Chen family’s main residence confirmed their suspicions.

“This place… is the Chen family estate?” Chen Ziyi asked softly, her tone laced with uncertainty.

Zhou Kai’s figure flickered, blurring out of existence before rematerializing directly in front of the women.

“Correct,” he said, his voice gentle. “For the next ten years, we will reside here, in the Chen family’s Spirit Beast Garden.”

His gaze swept over his collection of beauties: Chen Ziyi’s gentle grace, Chen Ziqing’s vibrant energy, Wang Qiaoqiao’s shrewd charm, and Lin Zhiwei’s delicate elegance. Behind them stood the two little maids, Chuntao and Xiahe, followed by fifteen women with resigned, hollow expressions—the Cultivation Vessels.

Wang Qiaoqiao’s eyes darted around. She stepped forward, naturally linking her arm through Zhou Kai’s, and pointed a slender finger at Chuntao and Xiahe.

“Zhou Lang,” she purred, her voice dripping with sugary sweetness, “these two younger sisters have been diligent and devoted all this time. It’s just… they haven’t had the chance to truly serve you yet.”

Zhou Kai glanced at Wang Qiaoqiao, amused.

He had expected her to ask about visiting the Wang family first. Instead, she was playing politics, solidifying her position by offering up others.

Chuntao and Xiahe were beauties in their own right, obedient and well-behaved. He naturally intended to claim them. He had simply been too focused on increasing his strength to spare the time.

He smiled warmly at the two maids.

Instantly, their cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and they buried their heads in their chests.

“There is no rush for that,” Zhou Kai said, waving his hand dismissively to put them at ease. He turned to the Chen sisters. “Ziyi, Ziqing. Go summon some people from the Chen family. Mark out a plot of land right here and build a large courtyard. Make sure it’s big enough to house all of us comfortably.”

“Yes, Husband,” the sisters chorused obediently, turning to leave.

Zhou Kai shifted his attention back to Wang Qiaoqiao. “Qiaoqiao, now that we are back at the Chen estate, your own home isn’t far. Do you wish to return for a visit?”

Wang Qiaoqiao flashed a radiant smile, her eyes shimmering with devotion.

“Qiaoqiao belongs to Zhou Lang now. In life, I am a member of the Zhou family; in death, my soul belongs to the Zhou family. If Zhou Lang is willing to take me, I will go. If not, I stay.”

Zhou Kai nodded, satisfied.

He then turned to Lin Zhiwei, his expression turning solemn. “Zhiwei. Fu Weilun is dead. The Fu family will soon follow.”

Lin Zhiwei’s eyes reddened. Her delicate body trembled, and she sank into a deep bow.

“The Fu family… this humble woman will follow Master’s arrangements entirely.”

Finally, Zhou Kai’s gaze settled on the fifteen Cultivation Vessels, led by a woman named Suyi.

These fifteen were all at the Qi Condensation Grand Perfection stage. Their looks were superior, their temperaments varied, but they shared a single, tragic trait—an indelible seductiveness etched into their very brows.

They knew their fate. As Cultivation Vessels, they were merely jumping from one fire pit to another. The best they could hope for was to cling to a miserable existence.

Zhou Kai had already checked; the System provided no prompts for Dual Cultivation with them.

This meant the System did not recognize them as “Fated Companions.” They would generate no points. They were tools for Plucking and Replenishing, nothing more.

Tasteless to eat, yet a pity to throw away… Zhou Kai sighed inwardly.

However, he couldn’t just release them.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Kai’s voice dropped an octave, resonating with authority.

“You fifteen. Although you were forged as Cultivation Vessels, from today onward, you are my women. Your status will be equal to Chuntao and Xiahe—personal attendants by my side.”

The women froze. Confusion and complex emotions flickered in their deadened eyes.

Zhou Kai continued, his voice steady and compelling.

“You are all stuck at Qi Condensation Grand Perfection, limited by your ruined constitutions, unable to advance. I know you are unwilling. I know you see only despair on the road ahead. But today, I offer you an opportunity.”

He paused, letting the silence hang heavy, ensuring every word landed with the weight of a decree.

“If you serve me sincerely, remain obedient, learn the Cultivation Arts, and prove your loyalty… I, Zhou Kai, make this promise: It is not impossible for me to reverse your constitutions, strip away your status as Vessels, and allow you to re-enter the path of Cultivation to seek longevity once more!”

“Suyi, you shall be their example. Do not disappoint me.”

Re-enter the path of Cultivation!

To these women, those four words were like celestial music descending from the Nine Heavens.

Their hearts had long since turned to ash. They believed their path to the Great Dao was severed forever, that they were destined to be used as batteries until they were squeezed dry and discarded. They were already his property; why would he bother with such a lie?

Suyi’s body shook violently. She knew better than anyone how impossible it was to reverse the Cultivation Vessel process. It would require heaven-defying means.

Could this new Master truly possess such power?

Thud!

Suyi hit the ground first, her knees slamming into the dirt.

“This servant, Suyi, kowtows to Master for the grace of rebirth!” she choked out, tears streaming down her face. “In this life, I am willing to be Master’s beast of burden! Even if it means ten thousand deaths, I will not refuse!”

The remaining fourteen women collapsed to their knees in unison.

“We servants thank Master for his great grace!”

Zhou Kai nodded. This was exactly the reaction he wanted. Hope was a powerful leash.

Once the women regained their composure, Zhou Kai instructed the Chen sisters to settle them into the pavilion.

Then, his figure blurred.

He transformed into a stream of light, shooting directly toward the elegant two-story bamboo hut where Li Youci waited.

Within seconds, Zhou Kai landed on the sill of the second-floor window. With a gentle push, the latch clicked, and the window swung open.

Inside, “Xia Min,” dressed in her purple maid attire, stood with her back to him.

“Thank you, Junior Sister Xia Min, for acting as my Dharma Protector,” Zhou Kai said, stepping into the room.

“Xia Min’s” shoulders stiffened. She turned slowly.

“I wouldn’t call it Dharma Protection,” she said coolly. “Senior Sister Shen simply pleaded with the Young Lady, so I came to take a look. You had no one guarding you. If you died, it would reflect poorly on the Young Lady’s face.”

Duplicitous little thing.

Zhou Kai’s smile widened. “Oh? Just a casual look? Yet Junior Sister went through the trouble of building such an elegant viewing deck? You’ve really worked hard.”

He advanced slowly, his gaze burning as it locked onto her face.

Xia Min shifted uncomfortably under his stare. She took a step back, only for her shoulders to hit the wall.

Trapped.

She tilted her chin up, meeting his eyes with feigned defiance. “Senior Brother’s cultivation has advanced. Congratulations. If there is nothing else, I must return to report to the Young Lady.”

Zhou Kai didn’t answer.

He flashed forward, closing the distance in a heartbeat.

The scent of her body fragrance flooded his senses.

Before she could react, Zhou Kai’s long arm snaked out, hooking around her slender, yielding waist and pulling her flush against him.

“Mmph!”

Li Youci let out a muffled gasp, her body going rigid. Her Divine Sense flared, threatening to burst out in a defensive reflex, but the moment she saw Zhou Kai’s face, her resistance melted.

She could feel his warm breath ghosting over her ear and neck, sending a shiver of numbness down her spine.

“Junior Sister, stop pretending,” Zhou Kai whispered into her ear, his voice low and husky. “Whether it’s the Young Lady or the Young Master, they’ve both said it: You, Xia Min, are my person.”

The body in his arms stiffened violently.

Li Youci’s face burned crimson, a volatile cocktail of shame and anger.

“Let go of me!” she hissed through grit teeth.

She had originally entertained thoughts of Dual Cultivation with him. Now, he had hugged her and was practically fondling her. If she were truly just “Xia Min,” she might have put up a token struggle before half-heartedly submitting.

But she was Li Youci. Her true identity could not be exposed. Was she really going to enact a scene of a wicked servant riding her master?

“I want a Fire Spirit Root!” Li Youci blurted out, biting her lip.

Although changing her Spirit Root wasn’t strictly necessary anymore, having a Fire Spirit Root would double the efficiency of her Soul and Nether Flame cultivation.

“Oh?” Zhou Kai understood instantly.

Dealing with this type of woman—outwardly arrogant but inwardly yearning to be conquered—required a heavy hand. You had to do the exact opposite of what she expected.

Zhou Kai’s lips curled into a devilish grin. He adopted a frivolous, arrogant tone.

“A mere concubine dares to make demands of this Young Master? You want a Fire Spirit Root? It’s not impossible. But first… serve this Young Master until he’s comfortable. Then we’ll talk!”

“You… shameless!”

Li Youci’s eyes widened. When had she ever suffered such humiliation?

She was the esteemed Young Lady of the Li family! A Heaven’s Favorite of Calamity Abyss Valley! When had anyone dared call her a “concubine”? Or told her to serve them?

An uncontrollable fury—mixed with inexplicable shame, indignation, and a trace of panic she refused to acknowledge—surged from her heart to her head.

Bang!

In her flustered rage, Li Youci instinctively lashed out, trying to shove Zhou Kai away.

She hadn’t forgotten her disguise, so she only used the physical strength of a Foundation Establishment first-layer cultivator.

But Zhou Kai was a Foundation Establishment third-layer cultivator and a Bone Forging third-layer body cultivator.

Her shove was nothing more than a lover’s playful tap to him. It didn’t even tickle.

However, in her emotional state, she forgot one crucial detail: the floor beneath them was a hastily constructed bamboo prop.

CRACK!

The bamboo floorboards groaned in protest and snapped!

“Ah!” Li Youci let out a sharp cry.

Neither of them used Mana to stabilize themselves—a tacit, unspoken agreement.

Amidst a cacophony of splintering wood, the entire second floor gave way.

Dust and wood chips filled the air as the world spun. Locked in Zhou Kai’s embrace, the two of them tumbled down to the first floor in a tangled mess of limbs.

She felt the hardness of Zhou Kai’s chest, the scorching heat of his body radiating through his clothes. His masculine aura enveloped her completely, making her head swim with panic.

Thud!

They hit the ground with a dull heavy sound.

Li Youci lay sprawled on her back amidst a ruin of broken bamboo and overturned furniture. Her hair bun had unraveled, her dark tresses splaying out like a fan. Her purple maid attire was disheveled from the fall, the collar pulled askew to reveal a patch of snow-white skin and an exquisite collarbone.

She looked utterly ravishing in her disarray.

And Zhou Kai, steady as a mountain, lay directly on top of her.

His nose was buried in the faint fragrance rising from her skin; his body pressed against her soft curves.

Zhou Kai looked down at Li Youci, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

“It seems Junior Sister prefers being on the bottom, hmm?”