Dual Cultivation: Gathering SSS-Rank Wives in the Cultivation World Chapter 8 - Caught Red-Handed

The silence that followed Zhao Chen’s arrival was deafening. Even the wind seed to hold its breath as my grandson—the true hero of this twisted story—stood on that ridge like so kind of avenging angel.

His cultivation aura pressed down on everyone like a mountain, making even Feng Lianhua’s Nascent Soul power feel like a candle next to a bonfire.

Soul Formation. The bastard had reached Soul Formation at barely twenty-five years old. In the novel, this was supposed to happen way later in the story, but here he was, radiating power that made my teeth ache.

[System Alert: Protagonist Detected - Zhao Chen]

[Cultivation: Early Soul Formation]

[Relationship: Hostile/Confused]

[Warning: Original storyline heavily altered]

No shit, system. Kind of figured that out when I woke up in a dying body.

Zhao Chen’s eyes swept the scene—his uncle Wuji looking like a beaten dog, Feng Lianhua still flushed and disheveled from the pheromone attack, standing there like so perverted old goat who’d just molested a Sect Elder.

His gaze lingered on the longest, and I saw recognition flicker across his face. Not the warm, loving kind you’d expect from a grandson seeing his supposedly dead grandfather.

More like the "what the fuck is this zombie doing here" kind.

"Grandfather," he said, his voice carrying across the valley like thunder. Not a question. A statent loaded with suspicion and barely contained rage. "You’re supposed to be dead."

I straightened up, trying to look dignified despite having just been grinding against a woman who could probably level mountains. "Zhao Chen. You’ve grown."

Real fucking eloquent, . But what else do you say when you et the protagonist of the story you’re now living in?

’Hey kid, I’m actually so guy from another world who transmigrated into your grandpa’s corpse and now I’ve got a horny system that rewards for seducing won’? Yeah, that’d go over well.

He dropped from the ridge, landing in the arena with enough force to crack the stone beneath his feet.

Up close, he was everything the novel described—tall, broad-shouldered, with that perfectly sculpted face that made won swoon and n feel inadequate.

Golden hair that caught the light, eyes like molten bronze, and the kind of presence that scread ’main character.’

But there was sothing different about him too. Harder. Angrier. The cheerful, justice-seeking hero from the book had been replaced by sothing colder, more ruthless.

Three years of running, fighting, and watching his family get slaughtered would do that to a guy.

"You died," he said, stopping just outside arms reach. "I felt it. Your soul signature vanished completely. So what are you? So kind of puppet? A body-snatcher using my grandfather’s face?"

Wuji, never one to miss an opportunity to make things worse, piped up from the sidelines. "Brother! Perfect timing! This imposter has been causing nothing but trouble. Help kill him, and we can rule the empire together!"

The look Zhao Chen gave Wuji could have frozen hell over. "Brother? You an the piece of shit who poisoned our grandfather, murdered our family, and sold the empire to the Immortal Sect?" His voice was conversational, almost pleasant. Which sohow made it ten tis more terrifying. "That brother?"

Wuji’s face went pale. "Chen, I—"

"Shut. Up." The words carried enough qi to make Wuji’s spirit beast whimper and back away. "I’ll deal with you later. Right now, I want answers from the zombie wearing grandfather’s face."

The pheromone cloud had completely dissipated by now, leaving Feng Lianhua looking mortified and absolutely murderous.

She’d straightened her robes, fixed her hair, and was glaring at like she wanted to flay the skin from my bones.

Which, to be fair, she probably did.

"Young Master Chen," she said, her voice back to its icy perfection. "This... thing... used so kind of aphrodisiac technique. A vile, disgusting—"

"Elder Feng." Zhao Chen’s tone was respectful but firm. "With respect, I can handle my family business myself."

Translation: fuck off and let interrogate the old pervert in peace. Feng didn’t like it, but she stepped back. Smart woman. Even Sect Elders didn’t ss with Soul Formation cultivators lightly.

i Ling, still flushed and breathing hard from the pheromone effects, stepped forward. "Young Master, he’s telling the truth. This is your grandfather. He saved us, saved my brother. Whatever happened to him, he’s... different, but he’s real."

Zhao Chen’s gaze shifted to her, and I saw interest flicker in his eyes. In the novel, i Ling was supposed to be one of his harem mbers—a loyal servant who falls for the noble hero. The system helpfully provided an update:

[Potential Harem Conflict Detected]

[Target: i Ling - Currently bonded to Host]

[Protagonist showing romantic interest]

[Recomndation: Assert dominance]

Assert dominance? Against a Soul Formation cultivator? The system was getting delusions of grandeur.

"Interesting," Zhao Chen said, still looking at i Ling. "And you are?"

Before she could answer, I stepped between them. Call it possessiveness, call it stupidity, but the thought of him taking her made sothing primal rise in my chest. "Her na is i Ling. She’s under my protection."

The temperature dropped as grandfather and grandson faced off. His cultivation pressed against mine like a wall of pure force, but the system’s vitality overflow let stand my ground. Barely.

"Your protection?" He smiled, and it wasn’t a nice expression. "Grandfather or not, you’re still just an old man playing with powers you don’t understand. She’d be safer with ."

[Challenge Detected: Patriarch Authority Questioned]

[New Mission: Prove Dominance Over Protagonist]

[Rewards: Massive Harem Point Bonus, System Upgrade]

[Warning: Failure may result in total loss of current bonds]

The rebels around us were backing away, sensing the building storm. Even Captain Huo looked ready to run. Only Lin Yue stayed close, her bow half-drawn and eyes darting between us like she couldn’t decide who to shoot first.

"You want to test that theory?" I asked, my voice carrying more confidence than I felt. "You think being Soul Formation makes you untouchable?"

He laughed, and the sound echoed off the cliff walls. "Old man, I’ve killed Nascent Soul cultivators. I’ve burned Sect strongholds to the ground. What makes you think—"

I moved.

Not with cultivation—he’d crush in a qi contest. But with everything the system had taught about misdirection, about using an opponent’s expectations against them. I feinted left, then dove right, pulling i Ling with as a human shield. Not to hurt her, but to throw off his targeting.

In the split second of confusion, I activated the last trick up my sleeve: [Essence Theft Touch] - the skill I’d unlocked after crippling Wuji. 50 harem points, but worth it.

My hand slapped against his chest, and I felt it—raw power flowing from him to . Not enough to seriously hurt a Soul Formation cultivator, but enough to boost myself and show him I wasn’t completely helpless.

[Essence Theft: Vitality 30]

[Host Vitality: 150/100 (Massive Overflow)]

[Temporary cultivation boost: Peak Foundation Establishnt]

Zhao Chen staggered back, shock replacing arrogance. "What... how did you...?"

I straightened up, feeling power course through my old bones like liquid fire. "Like I said, boy. I’ve learned so new tricks."

The standoff stretched between us, neither willing to back down. Around us, everyone held their breath, waiting to see if this family reunion was going to end in bloodshed.

Then Xiao, sweet innocent Xiao, broke the tension in the most unexpected way possible.

"Uncle Chen!" the kid shouted, running past all of us to throw his arms around Zhao Chen’s legs. "You’re here! Sister said you were fighting the bad n!"

Zhao Chen looked down at the boy clinging to him, and for the first ti since arriving, his expression softened. "Hey there, little guy. You okay?"

"Uh-huh! Grandpa Tianlong saved and sister from the scary emperor! He’s really strong, even though he looks old and funny!"

Out of the mouths of babes. Zhao Chen looked back at , reassessing. "Grandpa Tianlong?"

I shrugged. "Kid needed a na for . I didn’t correct him."

For a long mont, we just stared at each other. Then, slowly, Zhao Chen straightened up and gave a formal bow. Not the deep, respectful bow of a grandson to his grandfather, but the careful, asured bow of one warrior acknowledging another.

"Whether you’re my grandfather’s ghost, his body snatcher, or sothing else entirely," he said, "you saved innocent people. That counts for sothing."

[Relationship Status: Hostile changed to Wary Respect]

Progress. Small steps.

But the mont was broken by a sound that made everyone freeze—the deep, resonant horn of an Immortal Sect war fleet approaching. In the distance, dark shapes blotted out the sky. Dozens of flying ships, each one bristling with weapons and carrying enough firepower to level a city.

Feng Lianhua smiled coldly. "Reinforcents. Now the real fun begins."

Wuji struggled to his feet, clutching his wounded side. "Chen! You can still join ! Together, we can—"

Zhao Chen’s sword was at his uncle’s throat before he could finish the sentence. "One more word, and I’ll show you what happened to the last family mber who betrayed ."

But as the war fleet grew closer, I realized we had bigger problems than family drama. The Immortal Sect wasn’t just here for Wuji anymore. They were here for all of us.

And judging by the flagship leading the formation—a massive dreadnought crackling with formation arrays—they’d brought their Sect Master.

Divine Transformation realm. The kind of power that could reshape continents.

"Well," I said, putting my arm around i Ling’s waist and earning a confused but not unwelco gasp from her.

"Before we all die..."

The system pinged cheerfully: [Major Boss Fight Incoming! Prepare for Epic Battle!]

Battle? More like one sided massacre.