After guiding Chen Ziyi through the basics of body cultivation, Zhou Kai watched her sit cross-legged on the meditation cushion, faint red streams of energy swirling around her. Sensing the gradually increasing vitality within her body, he nodded in satisfaction.

Leaving the Chen family, moving into a new home, obtaining the Spirit Breaker arrow, and gaining another beauty—these events of the past few days called for a proper celebration!

In high spirits, Zhou Kai decided to cook a meal himself to reward both himself and the two ladies.

He retrieved the Flame Heart Gourd and suspended it above the stove. The flames licked the bottom of the pot; fire fueled by spiritual power was far superior to ordinary fire. The demon beast meat in the pot soon began to emit a rich, domineering aroma.

Chen Ziyi was immersed in the wondrous sensation of her first cultivation session, oblivious to the outside world.

Chen Ziqing leaned against the kitchen doorway, counting the Spirit Stones she had just received.

By noon, three dishes and a soup were finally laid out on the stone table in the courtyard.

The braised demon beast meat was glossy and dark red, melting in the mouth; the stir-fried spirit vegetables were vibrant green, crisp, and delicious; the Cloud-Stepping Antelope soup was milky white and rich, incredibly savory; and there was also a large pot of crystal-clear, fragrant spirit grain rice.

“Let’s eat!” Zhou Kai called out, serving rice for both sisters.

The atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Zhou Kai thoroughly enjoyed this feeling.

Before, he had been alone. As a Bandit Cultivator, he endured harsh conditions and lived by the blade. After his Dantian was damaged and he entered the Chen family, he felt even more like an unwelcome guest, disheartened and despondent.

Now, with a promising path ahead of him, beautiful companions by his side, and delicious food before him—what more could he ask for?

However, this cozy scene did not last long.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A rude knocking sounded at the door. Zhou Kai frowned slightly. Who would come at this time?

Chen Ziyi and Chen Ziqing also put down their chopsticks.

“I’ll go see.” Zhou Kai stood up to open the door.

Five or six people stood outside. The one at the front was none other than Chen Xingze.

Behind him followed several Chen family disciples, each radiating a strong aura—clearly skilled members of the family.

“Zhou Kai.” Chen Xingze’s gaze swept over Zhou Kai, locking directly onto Chen Ziqing beside the stone table.

“Elder Chen Xingze, what brings you here in all your grandeur?” Zhou Kai’s tone was flat as he blocked the doorway without any intention of stepping aside.

Chen Xingze completely ignored Zhou Kai’s question. He sternly rebuked, “Chen Ziqing! You are a member of my Chen family! How can you be so shameless as to run off and consort with an outsider? What kind of behavior is this? You’re simply tarnishing the reputation of the Chen family!”

Chen Ziqing instinctively shrank back, hiding behind her sister.

Chen Ziyi was also nervous. She stepped forward, shielding her sister behind her, and mustered her courage to say, “Sixth Elder, we…”

“Silence!” Chen Xingze snapped coldly. “This is no place for Mortals to speak!”

He took a step forward, his imposing aura pressing down on the three people in the courtyard as he released the pressure of the ninth layer of Qi Condensation.

“Zhou Kai, I won’t waste words with you either.” Chen Xingze turned to Zhou Kai. “Chen Ziqing must come back with me!”

At that moment, he seemed to sense something. His expression changed drastically as he stared fixedly at Chen Ziqing. His eyes showed disbelief before transforming into towering rage!

“Your Primordial Yin?” He pointed at Chen Ziqing, trembling with anger. “You’ve already lost your virginity?”

“Zhou Kai! Was it you?!”

Chen Ziqing felt chills under his gaze; her face paled further as she tightly gripped her sister’s sleeve, her body trembling slightly.

“Good! Very good!” Chen Xingze laughed in extreme fury. “Zhou Kai! You have some nerve! How dare you lay hands on a female cultivator of my Chen family!”

He abruptly turned to Zhou Kai with a fierce glare. “Our female cultivators are arranged by the family—either for marriage alliances to exchange resources or kept within the clan to serve its interests! How could someone like you defile them?”

“A cripple with a damaged Dantian and sword Qi lingering in his body—you think you’re worthy of touching a cultivator of my Chen family?” The disdain and contempt in Chen Xingze’s tone were undisguised. “You think just because you bought your freedom you’re not trash anymore? Ridiculous!”

Zhou Kai’s eyes instantly turned cold.

But his expression remained unchanged on the surface. “Elder Chen, that is incorrect.”

He stepped forward, shielding both Chen Ziyi and Chen Ziqing behind him. Meeting Chen Xingze’s gaze squarely, he said word by word:

“Ziyi and Ziqing are now both my Dao Companions. You come here aggressively and berate my women right in front of me—are you trying to use your cultivation level to forcibly seize another’s Dao Companion?”

Dao Companion?!

Both Chen Ziyi and Chen Ziqing were stunned simultaneously. They looked sharply up at Zhou Kai’s back.

This was the first time they had heard Zhou Kai so clearly and definitively declare their status!

An indescribable surge of emotion instantly welled up in their hearts.

A shimmer passed through Chen Ziyi’s eyes; warmth and a sense of security filled her heart. Behind this man, it seemed no storm could reach them.

Chen Ziqing’s heart skipped a beat; a complex mix of feelings spread within her.

Gratitude, surprise… and even a hint of secret delight she herself hadn’t noticed before. She looked at Zhou Kai’s back with flickering eyes; her grip on her sister’s sleeve loosened slightly.

[Ding! Chen Ziqing Affection +10]

[Chen Ziqing] [Affection: 60 (Fondness)]

The system prompt sounded in Zhou Kai’s mind. He felt a slight stir inside and glanced back at Chen Ziqing, a faint smile touching his lips.

“Dao Companion?!” Chen Xingze acted as if he had heard an enormous joke, his expression darkening further. “Zhou Kai! Stop spouting nonsense here! When did Chen Ziqing become your Dao Companion? Did my Chen family ever agree? Were her parents ever consulted?”

“Their parents are both deceased. We are mutually willing—why would we need the approval of outsiders?” Zhou Kai retorted.

“How dare you!” Enraged beyond measure, spiritual power surged within Chen Xingze as if he were about to strike immediately. “You’re looking for death!”

“Elder Chen!” Zhou Kai infused his voice with spiritual power so it carried far into the distance. “This is the Crouching Tiger Mountain Market! Under Heavenly Spring Sect jurisdiction! Does Elder Chen intend to openly take action here, right under the noses of the Foundation Establishment law enforcement seniors? Do you intend to break the rules?”

Mentioning the Heavenly Spring Sect and Foundation Establishment law enforcement disciples indeed made Chen Xingze pause.

The rules at the Crouching Tiger Mountain Market were extremely strict—private combat was forbidden, especially in residential areas.

If discovered by law enforcement disciples, light punishment meant heavy fines; severe punishment meant immediate expulsion or even execution on sight!

Chen Xingze’s expression shifted uncertainly between dark and stormy as he forcibly suppressed his impulse to act. He snorted coldly. “Fine! Very well! Zhou Kai! You use the rules against me? Then I’ll talk rules with you too!”

His gaze swept over Chen Ziqing as if appraising goods. “Chen Ziqing has cultivated within my Chen family since she first drew in Qi—three years now! The resources our family invested in her—pills, Spirit Stones, techniques—converted into Spirit Stones amount to at least two hundred pieces!”

“According to clan rules: female cultivators of her looks and cultivation level, if sent out for marriage alliances with other powers, could bring our clan benefits worth at least three hundred Spirit Stones!”

“Now: you, Zhou Kai, without permission from my clan, privately abducted our female cultivator, ruined her purity, and cut off one avenue for our clan to obtain resources! How should we settle this account?”

“You broke the rules first—even if we take this before the Heavenly Spring Sect law enforcement seniors, it would be your fault! Tell me: what should be done?!”

“The two hundred Spirit Stones cultivation cost plus three hundred Spirit Stones loss compensation totals five hundred pieces altogether! If you can’t produce these Spirit Stones, don’t think this will end peacefully!”

Chen Xingze’s words poured like icy water over the faint warmth just rising within Chen Ziqing’s heart.

Two hundred Spirit Stones cultivation cost? Three hundred Spirit Stones benefit?

So… in her clan’s eyes… her entire life… was only worth five hundred Spirit Stones?

She unconsciously clenched her fists tight—not from fear, but from the deep sorrow welling up within.

Chen Ziyi showed little expression; having no Spirit Root, she had long accepted her fate, knowing she wasn’t worth even one Spirit Stone herself…

Seeing how affected she was stirred some killing intent within Zhou Kai.

However… this speech actually gave him an out.

He pretended thoughtful silence briefly, then sighed, showing a helpless expression. “What the Elder says does hold some reason… After all, she cultivated for many years under your care…”

“Since you are willing to talk rules, then I am willing to follow them too… I will compensate accordingly…”

Hearing this, a flash of triumph appeared in Chen Xingze’s eyes. He thought Zhou Kai had backed down, scared. After all, how could a mere Qi Condensation fourth-layer cripple dare oppose the clan?

“Compensate? How much can you compensate?” He sneered contemptuously, looking down upon him. “You still have any money left?”