With a thought, a pile of miscellaneous items clattered onto the cabin floor—the spoils of war from Fu Weilun.

Spirit Stones piled up into a small mountain. A rough count revealed a full sixty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones and one thousand Middle-grade ones. A considerable windfall by any metric.

Zhou Kai’s gaze swept past the currency and landed on a Dharma Treasure. It was a sickly green skull, faint emerald flames still flickering in its hollow eye sockets, emitting a nauseatingly cold, gloomy aura.

“Hideous.”

Zhou Kai didn’t bother concealing his disdain. Based purely on its aesthetic crimes, he sentenced this otherwise decent-power artifact to the ‘sell’ pile.

Next was a jade slip: the Quenching Soul Poison Scripture.

He probed it with his Divine Sense. Instantly, a tide of sinister cultivation methods and vicious curses flooded his mind. Extracting living souls, refining poison fiends—every technique reeked of wickedness.

Zhou Kai frowned, quickly skimming the content.

“Heretical trash. Not worth the eye strain.”

However, as he flipped to the end, his eyes lit up. The jade slip recorded a secret Soul Searching technique. Although the process was cruel, it was undeniably useful for intelligence gathering.

“I’ll learn this one. It might come in handy.”

He memorized the Soul Searching technique separately, then tossed the Quenching Soul Poison Scripture onto the reject pile.

Finally, his gaze fell upon an ancient, three-legged small cauldron.

The Soul Devouring Cauldron.

Fu Weilun’s life-bound Dharma Treasure.

As soon as it appeared, the cauldron emitted a defiant hum. The metal body trembled violently, releasing waves of chaotic spiritual energy as it tried to break free from Zhou Kai’s grasp.

Fu Weilun was dead, making it an ownerless object. Yet, the residual imprints and spirituality within still instinctively resisted a new master.

“You dare resist?”

Zhou Kai snorted coldly. A sharp light burst in his eyes as his Divine Sense—comparable to the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment—crashed down like a hammer!

HUM—!

The cauldron let out a sharp, mournful cry. The trembling stopped instantly. Its violent spirituality was pinned flat against the floor by Zhou Kai’s tyrannical mind, unable to twitch.

Zhou Kai didn’t show mercy. His Divine Sense poured into the vessel like liquid mercury, forcibly flooding every corner of the Soul Devouring Cauldron and violently scrubbing away Fu Weilun’s remaining marks.

Moments later, he withdrew his mind, a strange smile playing on his lips.

This cauldron was essentially a custom-made amplifier for the Quenching Soul Poison Scripture. To him, however, it was just a high-grade chamber pot.

He wasn’t a poison cultivator, nor did he have a source of Soul Poison. In his hands, the artifact’s power wouldn’t even reach ten percent of its potential.

“It’s a pity. But… this thing, paired with that skull and the poison scripture, would be a supreme treasure set for an Evil Cultivator. If I find a black market channel to offload them, I could swap them for a few top-tier defensive artifacts. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”

He stowed the cauldron away, his gaze shifting to the corner of Fu Weilun’s Storage Bag.

There lay a set of array flags and a disc—the Hidden Kill Heaven-Confusing Array.

Unfortunately, several flags were snapped in half, and the disc was spiderwebbed with cracks. Fu Weilun must have damaged them while desperately trying to force his way out of the formation.

“I seized the Fu family’s Fated Chance and killed their Young Master… This feud is now officially irreconcilable.”

Zhou Kai’s eyes grew profound. Previously, he had planned to deal with the Fu family quietly, waiting until he was strong enough to deliver a thunderous strike from the shadows. Now, the war was out in the open.

He swept the loot into his own storage. Finally, he solemnly took out the pill formula book given by Li Qiwen.

Spirit Feeding Precious Record.

Four ancient seal characters adorned the cover.

Inside were pill formulas targeting specific Spirit Insects, along with cultivation insights. It was practically an encyclopedia of insect rearing.

Zhou Kai’s breathing quickened as he focused on several specific entries.

Rift Rending Pill!

A visceral scene played out in his mind:

A Jade Arm Mantis lurking in the shadows, its form perfectly merged with the void. Its arms swung—no blade light, no sound, just an invisible rift slashing through the air. In the distance, an enemy’s head soared into the sky, their face still frozen in a bewildered expression.

Mountain Shaking Pill!

The scene shifted. Countless Split Back Katydids coiled the muscles in their legs, then shot out like black lightning bolts! They weren’t jumping; they were launching. Each impact was like a meteorite strike, shattering sturdy shields and defensive formations into dust!

Hundred Channels Pill!

In his Quenching Spirit Bee hive, golden Spirit Honey gushed like a spring, thick and fragrant. Every drop contained pure Spirit Qi, capable of enhancing an alchemist’s success rate and pill potency!

Finally, there was a universal feed called the Star Sand Pill. It could cleanse the bloodlines of Spirit Insects and solidify their foundations, paving a golden road for their future evolution into higher grades.

“Good stuff! It’s all top-tier stuff!”

Zhou Kai’s eyes shone. The value of this Spirit Feeding Precious Record far exceeded the sixty thousand Spirit Stones and the Dharma Treasures combined.

However, after the rush of joy, reality set in.

“The main ingredients for these pills are exotic beasts from the secret realm… but I don’t have a single auxiliary material on hand.”

He rubbed his chin. “I need to ask Gao Feiyang. That guy takes the concept of ‘letting a hundred flowers bloom’ to the extreme. He knows a little about everything and has his fingers in every pie. His connections are wild.”

While Zhou Kai plotted the rise of his invincible insect army, a different conversation was taking place on the deck.

Li Qiwen stood at the bow of the warship, facing the wind.

The gale whipped his robes, making them snap loudly. His face was calm, but his hand gripped a communication jade slip tightly.

He had made up his mind.

This time, he could no longer indulge his younger sister’s petty grudges.

Zhou Kai… Heaven-grade Wood Spirit Root, the one-in-ten-thousand Creation Spirit Yang Body, and comprehension that could only be described as monstrous. If such a talent was not secured for the Li family, it would be a colossal loss.

As the Young Master of the Li family, he had to prioritize the clan’s interests.

He conveyed every detail of Zhou Kai’s situation through the jade slip to his father—the Li Family Patriarch, Li Juefeng.

The slip flickered with uncertain light as information traversed the vast distance through the void.

After a long silence, the light stabilized, delivering a brief, absolute command.

“Bring Zhou Kai, along with the Delusional Dao Cicada Scripture, before me.”

Although the warship lacked the speed of a Golden Core cultivator’s flight, it offered stability and comfort.

Three days passed quietly. They were now four or five days away from Crouching Tiger Mountain.

Inside his cabin, spiritual light flowed between Zhou Kai’s brows as he imprinted the last wisp of Divine Sense onto a blank jade slip.

The transcription of the Delusional Dao Cicada Scripture was complete.

He walked out onto the deck and handed two jade slips to the Li siblings. “Mission accomplished.”

Li Qiwen gave the text a cursory scan. The solemn gravity on his face melted away, replaced by irrepressible ecstasy.

“Good! Excellent!” Li Qiwen clenched the jade slip until his knuckles turned white, veins bulging on the back of his hand. “The Great Dao is hopeful! Youci… your path is finally clear!”

With this scripture, his sister would no longer need to dabble in the sinister arts of the Yin Ruins Sect, nor would she have to take the path their father had suggested—completely abandoning her physical body to become a pure Ghost Cultivator.

Compared to her brother’s excitement, Li Youci’s reaction was far more reserved.

She merely extended her hand, and the second jade slip flew automatically into her palm.

She didn’t even glance at Zhou Kai. Her Divine Sense sank into the text, her peerlessly beautiful face showing not a single ripple of emotion.

However, Zhou Kai keenly noticed that the moment she turned to leave, the tightly pursed corner of her mouth couldn’t help but curve upward into a faint, fleeting arc.

Zhou Kai chuckled inwardly.

As soon as Li Youci disappeared, Li Qiwen reined in his joy. He turned to Zhou Kai, his expression turning grave. “Zhou Kai. My father wishes to see you.”

It’s finally here!

Zhou Kai’s heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive, showing only the appropriate amount of surprise and respect. “It is this subordinate’s honor to meet the Li Family Patriarch.”

Deep down, he was dancing a jig. Finally! A chance to hug the golden thigh properly!

“Father’s command is to bring you, along with the scripture, before him.”

Li Qiwen paused, looking toward the distant horizon where storm clouds gathered. “Before we meet him, there are things you should know about the current state of the Righteous-Demonic War.”

Zhou Kai straightened up. “I am listening.”

“The Five Major Righteous Sects and the Demonic Path are currently in a stalemate,” Li Qiwen explained slowly. “Not long ago, the Sect Leader set a trap, killing a large number of Golden Core cultivators from the Yin Ruins Sect. That was a small victory. But the Demonic Path’s counterattack has been ferocious. Both sides are locked in a tug-of-war across several battle lines. Rivers of blood are flowing daily.”

“Our destination, Crouching Tiger Mountain, is a critical stronghold behind the front lines. It is temporarily stable, but a storm is brewing.”

Li Qiwen turned, giving Zhou Kai a meaningful look. “Although Crouching Tiger Mountain is Heavenly Spring Sect territory, all five major sects have outposts there. Coincidentally, the Calamity Abyss Valley’s outpost is managed by your former employers—the Chen family.”

“The Chen family?” Zhou Kai raised an eyebrow.

“Correct.”

“Young Master misunderstands,” Zhou Kai said with a faint smile. “I wouldn’t call them my ’employers.’ The contract I signed was a Life Contract, not a Death Contract. I was merely an unpaid Guest Elder, not a slave.”

He paused, asking casually, “I wonder how the Chen and Wang families at Crouching Tiger Mountain are doing now?”

“The Chen and Wang families?” Li Qiwen thought for a moment. “I don’t pay much attention to the trivial matters of vassal clans. I only know that the current Chen family has become a vassal of the Wang family.”

Zhou Kai’s eyes narrowed slightly. He understood instantly.

With Chen Xingze and Chen Rulong dead, the Chen family had lost both its present strength and its future potential. They likely couldn’t protect the Foundation Establishment materials, forcing them to surrender everything to the Wang family to survive.

“For this deployment to Crouching Tiger Mountain… how long until the rotation?” Zhou Kai asked the question that mattered most.

Li Qiwen extended one finger. “Ten years.”

“Ten years?!”

Zhou Kai’s face twitched violently.

Ten years without returning to the Sect? Where would he get his points? How would he farm Vitality? Who would raise his insects? How would he upgrade his Spirit Root to Immortal-grade? Who would refine pills when his Spirit Platform Heart Fire was dormant? Who would maintain his formations?

No. Absolutely not.

“Young Master, this subordinate has a request.”

As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of a cool, aloof figure standing in the shadows.

Li Youci had returned. She stood quietly nearby, her clear eyes watching him intently.

Zhou Kai’s mind raced. Instantly, he adopted an expression of profound worry and righteous sincerity. He cupped his hands deeply toward Li Qiwen.

“Speak freely.” Li Qiwen was in an excellent mood and felt generous.

“It is like this,” Zhou Kai began, his voice trembling with emotion. “This subordinate shares a deep, spiritual affection with several Dao Companions. We usually cultivate together, sharpening each other’s resolve, which allows for rapid progress. If we are separated for ten long years… the day and night longing, the lovesickness turning into illness… I fear it might destabilize my Dao Heart and breed Heart Demons!”

He placed a hand over his heart, looking pained. “If my cultivation efficiency diminishes, I am afraid… I am afraid it would delay the important matter of serving the Li family!”

His words were spoken with such genuine emotion, such moving sincerity, that one would think he wasn’t asking for a harem, but pleading for the chance to sacrifice his life for the greater good.

Li Qiwen’s eye twitched.

Preposterous.

You possess the Creation Spirit Yang Body. Do you think I don’t know what that lotus platform in your Dantian is for?

If you want your women, just say it. Dao Heart instability? Serving the family? This is the first time I’ve heard someone describe lust so refreshingly, so… righteously!

Zhou Kai maintained his “I am doing this for you” expression. “Therefore… this subordinate humbly requests the Young Master to grant permission, allowing me to bring my red-robed beauties from home to Crouching Tiger Mountain!”

“…”

Li Qiwen stared at him deeply. His look clearly said: I believe you… my ass.

“Approved.”

“Thank you, Young Master!” Zhou Kai bowed hastily, hiding his grin.

Li Qiwen waved his hand dismissively, then turned to his sister, who had remained silent. Seeing the lack of joy on her face, he frowned with concern.

“Youci, what is wrong? Is there an issue with the Delusional Dao Cicada Scripture?”

Li Youci shook her head slowly. “Elder Brother, the technique itself is fine. It is just that I discovered something… To refine the soul into a cicada husk, a matching art is required.”

She looked up, her expression complicated. “We need the Cicada Cry Art.”