High above the world, the Spirit Boat cut through a churning sea of clouds.

For the past three days, Zhou Kai had been inseparable from Wang Qiaoqiao. He knew this girl well—she was sharp-witted and fiercely pragmatic. Without a steady stream of sweetness and tangible profit, her loyalty would remain as shallow as a puddle.

Right now, Wang Qiaoqiao was nestled deep in his arms, nuzzling against his chest like a contented kitten. “Zhou Lang, you’re so good to me.”

Zhou Kai stroked her silky hair, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. To make a girl like Qiaoqiao willing to die for you, poetry wasn’t enough. You had to show her the money—and the path to absolute power.

“Qiaoqiao, you possess a Mid-grade Spirit Root. While decent, if you wish to go further on the path of immortality, you need more.” Zhou Kai’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “I promise you, within a year, I will find a way to mutate your Spirit Root into the legendary Thunder Spirit Root. How does that sound?”

“Thunder Spirit Root?!”

Wang Qiaoqiao’s head snapped up. Her beautiful eyes widened, exploding with disbelief and delight.

A Thunder Spirit Root! The apex of offensive power. With that, her future wouldn’t just be bright; it would be blinding.

Zhou Kai smiled and produced another Storage Bag.

“Inside are one thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones, earnings from Red Cliff Town. Once we reach Calamity Abyss Valley, we’ll need to grease some palms. In the future, this family’s finances will depend entirely on you, my dear manager.”

Wang Qiaoqiao took the bag. Her Divine Sense swept inside, and the sheer quantity of wealth made her knees weak. Her delicate body trembled.

She threw herself back into his arms, raining kisses on his face. “Zhou Lang! I’ll follow you for life! I’ll be your ox, your horse—whatever you need!”

[Ding! Wang Qiaoqiao Affection +30] [Target Wang Qiaoqiao Affection has reached Maximum (Unwavering). Reward: 100 Omni-Interaction Points.]

Zhou Kai’s smirk deepened.

Affection usually fluctuated like the stock market. But once it hit “Unwavering,” the System locked it in. It would never drop again.

Good job, System Daddy. Very considerate.

He gave the System a mental thumbs-up and enjoyed Qiaoqiao’s fiery enthusiasm for a few more moments before turning his gaze to the horizon.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

In the distance, a luxurious, pitch-black palanquin tore through the sky. It exuded a cold, imperious aura, surrounded by swirling, dark talismans.

“It’s her!” Zhou Kai recognized it instantly. That was Li Youci’s Lifebound Treasure.

He immediately turned to his harem. “Everyone, look sharp. The person coming has noble status. Do not be rude.”

He stepped to the bow of the Spirit Boat, straightening his robes. As the black palanquin drew near, he projected his voice clearly:

“Junior Brother Zhou Kai, along with his family, pays his respects to Senior Sister Li!”

Behind him, the women curtsied in unison. “We greet Senior Sister Li.”

Inside the palanquin, Li Youci sat with her brows furrowed, radiating murderous intent.

She had sensed her stolen Mysterious Nether Sub-Mirror on this very boat. She had planned to smash the thief first and ask questions later—maybe slap them into the dirt for good measure.

But the thief was… polite? “Junior Brother”? “Senior Sister”?

“Hmm?” Li Youci’s killing intent wavered. “So it’s some blind fellow disciple who picked up this Young Lady’s mirror? At least he knows his place.”

Her anger cooled by a fraction.

The curtain lifted silently. A tall, graceful figure stepped out into the open air.

Today, Li Youci wore no veil. Her face was exposed to the world—a stunning visage capable of toppling kingdoms.

Her skin was white as snow, her brows like distant mountains. Her phoenix eyes were long and narrow, carrying a natural, crushing authority. Her nose was high, her lips red as fire, and her chin was tilted up in innate, unshakeable arrogance.

Zhou Kai’s heart skipped a beat.

What a stunner.

She rivaled Shen Hanyi in looks but was her polar opposite in vibe. Shen Hanyi was an ice goddess, untouchable and pure. Li Youci was a black rose—thorny, dark, and dangerous.

“Who are you people?” Li Youci’s gaze swept over the group, her voice cool.

Zhou Kai stepped forward, neither humble nor arrogant. “Reporting to Senior Sister Li. I am Zhou Kai. My Dao Companion, Chen Ziyi, and I obtained entry tokens from Senior Brother Gao Feiyang at Broken Wood Bay. We have come to seek entry into Calamity Abyss Valley.”

“Broken Wood Bay?” Li Youci’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh, I remember now. It’s you.”

Seeing the recognition, Zhou Kai pulled Chen Ziyi forward. “This is my Dao Companion, Chen Ziyi.” He then produced a Jade Slip with both hands. “This is the communication Jade Slip Senior Brother Gao entrusted to me. Please have a look, Senior Sister.”

Li Youci took the slip and injected her Mana.

Immediately, Gao Feiyang’s sycophantic voice oozed out, loud enough for Zhou Kai to hear:

“…The Young Miss guides the stars; prodigies fall at her feet…” “…Her virtue shines like the sun, her beauty startles the swans…” “…Young Miss is favored by the Golden Dragon of Fate, ruling the Eight Wastelands, awe-inspiring across the cosmos…”

Li Youci’s exquisitely beautiful face twitched. The corner of her mouth spasmed.

She hated this kind of empty, flowery boot-licking. It felt like someone was pouring sludge into her ears.

Crack!

She crushed the Jade Slip into dust.

“Hmph. Trash.”

She turned her cold gaze back to Zhou Kai, then scanned the women behind him.

“I remember you only took two tokens. Among these women, who else wants to join Calamity Abyss Valley?”

Her jade-like finger pointed first at Lin Zhiwei—the Foundation Establishment cultivator—and then at Chen Ziyi.

“Her? Or her?”

In Li Youci’s mind, the spots obviously went to the one she’d met before and the one with the highest cultivation.

The atmosphere on the Spirit Boat froze.

Wang Qiaoqiao’s face turned paper-white. She grabbed Zhou Kai’s sleeve, trembling. She had bet her life on him. If she couldn’t enter the sect, her “Thunder Spirit Root” dreams were dead. She had clung to a golden thigh only to be kicked off?

Lin Zhiwei bit her lip, eyes reddening. She had just found a savior. Was she about to be abandoned for a token? The fear of being discarded tightened her chest.

Chen Ziyi remained calm, simply squeezing Zhou Kai’s hand.

Chen Ziqing, however, went into full performance mode. She blinked her large, watery eyes, looked at the scary Senior Sister, then at Zhou Kai. Her lip wobbled.

She tugged Zhou Kai’s other sleeve, her voice trembling with brave, heartbreaking obedience.

“Big Brother Zhou… I know my cultivation is low. I can’t help much. If… if there aren’t enough spots, don’t be troubled… Ziqing is… Ziqing is fine…”

A single, perfect tear rolled down her cheek.

Zhou Kai sighed internally. Oscar-worthy.

Outwardly, he remained calm. He flipped his hand, revealing four tokens.

“Reporting to Senior Sister,” he said with a smile. “I was fortunate enough to obtain four tokens in total.”

Li Youci’s eyebrows lifted in genuine surprise. She gave him a deep look, then reconsidered the four women.

With the Li Clan’s influence, stuffing a few extras into the Outer Sect was trivial. But she had a better idea.

“These four women,” Li Youci announced, her red lips parting. “They will enter Calamity Abyss Valley under my Li Clan’s recommendation. However, once inside, they cultivate on their own. They have no further connection to the Li Clan and are not to use my name. Understood?”

The women were stunned. Enter the sect but cut ties with the Li Clan?

“That is only natural,” Zhou Kai replied smoothly. “Thank you, Senior Sister, for your generosity. And what about me?”

“As for you, Zhou Kai…”

Li Youci’s gaze locked onto him. A meaningful, dangerous smile curled her lips.

“From now on, you belong to the Li Clan. You will follow by my side and obey my commands. There is no need for you to formally join the sect.”

Zhou Kai opened his mouth to negotiate, but one look at those imperious phoenix eyes told him the door was closed. The Young Miss had spoken.

“I am entirely at the Young Miss’s disposal,” Zhou Kai bowed.

“Very good.” Li Youci nodded, a breathtaking smile flashing across her face like a blooming flower.

“Do you know why I’m not letting you join the sect?”

Before Zhou Kai could answer, she moved.

Thwack!

Her palm slammed into his chest.

It wasn’t a lethal strike, but the force was heavy. Zhou Kai was blasted off the bow of the Spirit Boat, tumbling through the clouds and crashing into the forest below.

He landed in the dirt, chest burning, stars spinning in his vision. He was completely dazed.

From high above, Li Youci’s voice drifted down, laced with mockery and a hint of vindictive pleasure.

“Because if you joined the sect, how would this Young Lady be allowed to beat you?”

“You have some nerve, stealing my Mysterious Nether Sub-Mirror.”