Zhou Kai stood at the prow of the Spirit Boat, his mind churning with a thousand thoughts.

With the Five Emperors Prison Suppression Sutra and the Delusional Dao Cicada Scripture, he wouldn’t need to worry about cultivation techniques for a long time. Once his realm advanced, he could even attempt to create his own path.

What he lacked most now was simply time.

“Delusional Dao Cicada Scripture…” Zhou Kai murmured to the wind.

“Three people, three different interpretations. Li Qiwen thinks the arts are derivatives; the Patriarch thinks they are simplified downgrades; I think they are stepping stones. This scripture must hide profound mysteries.”

Zhou Kai’s eyes narrowed. “While the Li siblings haven’t assigned me any tasks yet, I must enter Secluded Cultivation immediately. I need to crack this code.”

Through a message talisman, he learned that Shen Hanyi had chosen a location for him: the low-level Spirit Beast Garden he had overseen back when he was a mere Guest Elder. It was spacious, rarely visited, and quiet—perfect for solitude.

Upon arrival, he found Shen Hanyi standing quietly under an ancient locust tree. Dressed in a plain white dress, her cool, aloof temperament blended perfectly with the silence of the garden.

“Husband.”

Seeing Zhou Kai land, a trace of warmth melted the ice in her clear eyes.

“Where are the others?” Zhou Kai asked.

“Baibai went to the Yu family’s compound tonight; she will return tomorrow. Youci went with Elder Yunmian to stay at the Chen family Elder’s cultivation site.”

It seems the Chen family surrendered all their best real estate to the Calamity Abyss Valley cultivators, Zhou Kai thought.

He nodded and handed the ore, shimmering with starlight, to Shen Hanyi.

“Hanyi, when Fish Baibai returns, give this to her. Ask her to forge a flying sword for me. I will be entering Secluded Cultivation for a while.”

Shen Hanyi took the Star Iron Essence. It felt heavy in her hand, the starlight dotting its surface mesmerizingly beautiful.

“I will,” she agreed. She paused, then added, “I have been in Secluded Cultivation on the battleship these past few days, but I have gained little.”

“How so?” Zhou Kai was surprised. Shen Hanyi was a natural-born Sword Embryo with terrifying comprehension. How could she hit a Bottleneck so soon?

Shen Hanyi tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. “The path I walk is one of deep accumulation leading to sudden enlightenment. However, all my previous accumulations were exhausted when I broke through to the fifth layer of Spirit Shaping.”

Zhou Kai blinked, confused. “Hmm?”

An extremely faint trace of demonic charm flashed through Shen Hanyi’s eyes. She suddenly took Zhou Kai’s hand and pulled him toward a clean room inside the garden caretaker’s lodge.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I want my husband to help me.”

Pulled along by her firm grip, Zhou Kai’s heart skipped a beat. “Hmm?”

Inside the room, Shen Hanyi closed the door with a backhanded motion. She turned around, looked directly into Zhou Kai’s eyes, and spoke with absolute seriousness.

“Husband. I want a Heaven-grade Metal Spirit Root.”

The air in the quiet room seemed to freeze.

Zhou Kai looked at her. Her gaze was clear, firm, and devoid of any coyness. She was stating a need, yet the underlying implication was incredibly intimate.

He smiled, reaching out to pull her into his embrace. “My Sword Immortal… for such a matter, why be so solemn?”

“Husband…” Her voice turned as faint as a mosquito’s hum, finally betraying a hint of shyness.

“Hanyi, you’re usually so aloof. Why do you still get shy every time we do this?”

An unknown amount of time passed.

Shen Hanyi slowly opened her eyes. Divine light shone brilliantly within her pupils, as if countless sword shadows were being born and extinguished in an endless cycle.

She took a casual breath. Whoosh! The surrounding Spirit Qi was frantically sucked into her body, the absorption speed incomparable to before.

Heaven-grade Metal Spirit Root!

Zhou Kai gently tapped her delicate nose, smiling. “How does it feel?”

“Unprecedentedly good.” Shen Hanyi hummed softly. Affection surged in her eyes, and she actively leaned up to offer her lips.

After a period of warmth and intimacy, Zhou Kai began his Secluded Cultivation to contemplate the Delusional Dao Cicada Scripture.

“Delusional Dao… Delusion…”

Zhou Kai chewed on these words repeatedly.

He first tried to circulate the three chapters of the True Scripture. The intent was vast and majestic, but it felt like a castle in the air—ungrounded. His Mana circulation met obstruction at every turn.

He then tried to execute the Cicada Raiment and Cicada Tribulation arts. Although he could use them, they felt superficial, lacking a core divine soul.

“Cicada Raiment Art: Concealment and transformation.”

“Cicada Tribulation Art: Inducing a false Heavenly Tribulation to purify the Dharma Body.”

“Although I don’t know the details of the Cicada Cry Art, the ‘Cicada Cry’ chapter of the scripture focuses on ‘Spirit Disturbance’—attacks related to the soul and sound waves.”

Flash!

A bolt of lightning struck Zhou Kai’s mind. He suddenly saw the light.

“Delusion means falsehood! It means unreality! This entire Delusional Dao Cicada Scripture, from the first word to the last, revolves around the character ‘False’!”

“The Raiment is a disguise. The Tribulation is a fake trial. The Cry is a confusion of the spirit.”

Time ticked by. In the blink of an eye, twenty days passed.

In the secret chamber, Zhou Kai suddenly slapped his thigh. “So that’s it! That’s it!”

A look of wild joy contorted his face.

“The three arts are essentially textual parasites attached to the three chapters! They are traps designed to lead people astray, focusing on form while forgetting meaning. But… they are also the keys to comprehending the True Meaning!”

“Without the ‘Delusion’ of the three arts as a guide, one cannot see through the ‘Truth’ of the three chapters! Conversely, without the ‘Truth’ of the three chapters as a foundation, the ‘Delusion’ of the three arts is merely a hollow facade, easily shattered!”

“Truth and falsehood, reality and illusion—this is the essence! One must cultivate the True Scripture and the Arts simultaneously, using one to verify the other. Only then can the Great Dao be attained!”

“Deceive the eyes of others. Deceive the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. And most importantly… deceive yourself!”

Zhou Kai felt a wave of comfort wash over him. His thoughts were clear and unobstructed. The puzzle that had plagued him was finally solved.

“In that case, I must obtain the Cicada Cry Art as soon as possible!”

The complete scripture was crucial not just for him, but for Li Youci as well.

Just as he was finalizing his plans, a clamor erupted from the sky above.

It wasn’t the sound of battle, but the faint, rhythmic melody of silk strings, bamboo flutes, and pipes. The decadent music penetrated the Restriction, disturbing his meditation.

Zhou Kai frowned. His figure flashed, leaving the secret chamber and appearing above the Spirit Beast Garden.

He looked up and stared.

A massive treasure ship was slowly cruising over the Chen family’s airspace.

The ship had a peculiar design. It looked like a painted pleasure boat, yet massive as a fortress. It was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, glittering with pearls and jewels. Colorful lanterns and silks draped from every railing. The sound of women singing and laughing—the “orioles and swallows”—was incessant, and the air itself was thick with the scent of expensive cosmetics.

At the bow, a young man leaned against the railing.

He wore a bright red brocade robe with arrow sleeves, a jade belt, and a purple-gold crown. One arm was wrapped around a seductively dressed female cultivator, while the other held a wine cup. He looked down at the world with a face full of spring breeze.

Zhou Kai stared, dumbfounded. Did someone open a brothel in the sky?

The young man seemed to sense Zhou Kai’s gaze. He looked down and shouted, “Is that Junior Brother Zhou Kai below?”

Although Zhou Kai didn’t recognize him, one glance was enough to confirm his identity. This peacock was definitely Gao Feiyang’s biological brother—Gao Feihuang!

It wasn’t just the identical peach blossom eyes; it was the outrageously flamboyant style that ran in the family blood.

On both sides of the treasure ship, two enormous red banners trailed in the wind, displaying two lines of large, calligraphic text:

Upper Couplet: Twelve Hours of Debauchery Daily! Lower Couplet: Three Thousand Beauties on Rotation!

Zhou Kai almost coughed up blood. “Those banners… they really have no shame left!”

Seeing Zhou Kai’s stunned silence, Gao Feihuang laughed heartily. “Junior Brother Zhou! What, are you shocked by my Spring Exploration Pleasure Boat?”

Zhou Kai composed himself. First, flattery. “This ship is truly… shocking and unconventional. A unique style.” Then, the question. “Are you Senior Brother Gao Feihuang? May I ask what business brings you here?”

“Oh? So you know of me.” Gao Feihuang narrowed his flirtatious eyes and grinned.

“By the Young Master’s order, I’ve come to deliver people to you. Your four Dao Companions, two maidservants, and… fifteen Cultivation Vessels. They are all on board.”

Zhou Kai’s pupils contracted sharply. A surge of rage shot to the top of his skull, though he instantly suppressed it.

His Dao Companions! Delivered in this ostentatious flying brothel, paraded through the sky?

This wasn’t an escort mission. This was a humiliation!

Gao Feihuang acted as if he didn’t see the coldness in Zhou Kai’s eyes. Instead, he put on a magnanimous “I’m looking out for you” expression, waving his hand dismissively.

“Aiyaya, Brother Zhou, don’t get angry! Don’t get angry! I went to great pains for this!”

“Our Gao family’s transport ships are all busy moving Supplies. This was the only hull available. When I received the Young Master’s order, my Spring Exploration Pleasure Boat had just finished renovations. I really had no choice.”

He leaned over the rail confidentially. “Look, my ship’s isolation formation is top-notch! Ordinary riffraff can’t even see inside, let alone touch!”

“Don’t worry. No one knows your people are on board, and they don’t know it’s a flower boat either. Besides… my business hasn’t officially opened yet!”

With that, he snapped his fingers.

Click.

The small, elegant pavilion on the top deck of the treasure ship detached from the hull, floating down to land steadily in Zhou Kai’s garden.

“Alright, delivery complete.” Gao Feihuang clapped his hands.

“I’ll go report back to the Young Master now. Tomorrow at noon, I’ll come to retrieve the pavilion.”

“And tomorrow evening… my Spring Exploration Pleasure Boat officially opens for business! Junior Brother Zhou, you must honor me with your presence. Come have a cup of spring wine!”

With that, Gao Feihuang winked at Zhou Kai—clearly proud of his “hard work”—turned the massive ship around, and sailed off into the distance, leaving a trail of perfume and lute music in his wake.