Wang Xuhan's face turned a deep, mottled crimson, the color clashing horribly with his greying beard. He opened his mouth to protest, to defend his honor, but the words died in his throat. He looked at his son, standing tall and radiant like a celestial being, and then at his wife, writhing in pain on the couch.
"Absolutely not!" After a moment of peace, he huffed, his face reddened like a tomato at the mere thought of his own son touching his wife in such a manner. Why does this stupid woman have to say it aloud before everyone?! "Are you suggesting I allow you to defile my wife in the name of healing?!"
The mere idea of his own son laying his hands on his wife's body, much less "healing" her through such intimate means... it was enough to make his blood boil. If they had done it secretly he could have overlooked the matter. After all, if he were a woman, he would betray the husband for someone like Tianmo as well. Let's think from her shoe as well.
But to say let him defile her in front of everyone?! Just where is his dignity as patriarch?!
"I'll go to the alchemy shop myself and purchase the Yin-suppressing pill."
Wang Xuhan barked, his voice cracking with a mixture of rage and humiliation. He turned away sharply, his robes swirling around him with a dramatic flair. "Son, you have done enough. Let me handle this."
Madam Zhu's face contorted in a mixture of pain and frustration. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.
"Mmmnnn...♡" she whimpered, her hips rolling involuntarily, seeking friction to ease the void within. "Uuuu... Hnnghhh!♡"
Tianmo looked at her with cold eyes, his expression remaining impassive despite the fact that he had offered a most efficient solution. If his father chose to waste time and resources on an inferior method, that was his prerogative.
"As you wish," Tianmo said, his voice flat. He turned to leave, the matter already dismissed from his mind. His father's pride was a fragile thing, easily wounded. It was a weakness Tianmo had no interest in coddling.
"Father..." He waved his hand and a black-grade breathing technique appeared before his hand and a few more fruits.
"This is a Black-grade breathing technique, and spirit ascension fruit that can upgrade the quality of spirit root... I have three of them, anyone above the foundation stage may take them," Tianmo said, his voice calm, like water flowing over smooth stone.
The family was in chaos. The Elders and the children were in a state of confusion. What was the meaning of this?! The Wang family has gained the greatest fortune.
A fruit capable of upgrading the quality of spirit root?! What kind of concept is this?! Just the mere thought of upgrading a first-grade spirit root to an earth-grade spirit root was enough to make one's heart race. And a Black-grade breathing technique... wasn't that something only the direct disciples of the Sect had access to?
"Son... This is too much," Wang Xuhan said, his voice trembling with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief. "These treasures... they are worth more than our entire family's wealth. You... you can't just give them away."
Tianmo turned back, his gaze piercing. "Father, the days of the Wang Family struggling for scraps are over. We are now a family of cultivators. If we are to survive, we must be strong. Also with so many first-grade spirit roots, it's better to have better resources and breathing techniques... Father, I want to have a serious talk, let's go to the courtyard for a moment."
"Very well, son." Wang Xuhan nodded, his expression softening. He followed Tianmo to the courtyard, leaving the family in a state of awe and confusion.
**
In the courtyard, Tianmo and his father sat down on the stone stools. The silence between them was heavy, laden with unspoken words and hidden meanings.
"Father... Do you understand why I have brought you here?!" His voice was cold, devoid of respect and emotions.
Wang Xuhan sat straighter, his expression solemn. He had a pretty good idea of what Tianmo wanted to talk about.
"Yes, I understand," he said, his voice steady. "It is about my decision to obtain the Yin-suppressing pills. You think it's a waste of time and resources... Son, if you want her... Then... Then... You can do it secretly, something doesn't need to be told in front of everyone."
He couldn't even look at his son's face. It was hard to accept such a thing, but his son has done so much for their family. He could overlook this. It's only natural to reward him.
Tianmo's expression remained impassive, a mask of stone carved by the gods themselves. "Father, this is not the time for sentiment... First-grade spirit root would allow anyone to be accepted as an inner disciple, I fear, the wives of the Wang family and children may go astray..."
Wang Xuhan frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Go astray? What do you mean, son?!"
"Father... Even the Azure Cloud Sect will grant them the title of inner disciple for possessing the first-grade spirit root. You possess third-grade spirit root. Sooner or later, your wives will leave you. The world has always been like this, bullying the weak and bowing to the strong. Father you need to understand this... I say, women of the family must stay within the family. Only then can our family grow strong."
Wang Xuhan was stunned. He had not thought about it this way. The women of the family, especially his wives, were now cultivators with first-grade spirit roots. They were treasures in the eyes of any sect or clan.
The thought of losing them, of being abandoned by the women he had shared his life with, was like a knife to the heart. But the pain was not just emotional; it was also a cold, logical dread. If they left, the family's strength would be halved, and the balance of power would shift irrevocably.
"What... What do you suggest, son?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The world of cultivation was harsh, and loyalty was often a luxury few could afford.
Tianmo's gaze sharpened, the dark void of his eyes seeming to suck in the light around them. "Don't worry Father... As long as they realize the Wang family treats them better than sect disciples, they won't dare think of leaving the family."
Wang Xuhan nodded. Such a solution seemed logical, but something gnawed at him, an uneasy feeling that refused to be ignored.
"You speak sense, son... but there's still one concern I have."
"Speak it freely," Tianmo said. His voice was an icy command, brooking no argument.
Wang Xuhan took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "The women... They may still... yearn for something more."
Tianmo's cold gaze pierced him, like a dagger of ice. "You mean... they might want to have intimate relationships with other men?"
Wang Xuhan nodded, his voice a whisper. "Yes... The women of the family are young. They have their needs... I fear they might find other men behind my back. It's been a decade since I last touched them. They have all grown shapely, and with spirit root, their youth will return in a matter of days..."
"You are absolutely correct Father, however women are but pawns in the eyes of strong men, they have to be trained properly and shown their place lest they forget it. Have you ever heard of selective reward?!"
"Selective reward?!... I-I haven't..." Wang Xuhan stammered, his face flushing. The term was unfamiliar, but the implications were a little troubling.
Tianmo's expression did not change. He explained, "It is a method used to train animals. By giving rewards only for desired behavior, you reinforce that behavior. If you reward them regardless of their actions, they will grow spoiled and difficult to control. But if you only reward them when they obey, they will learn to please you... It's also a method to gain loyalty from the masses."
Wang Xuhan considered this, his eyes narrowing.
"Selective reward... a form of conditioning of sorts?"
Tianmo nodded sharply. "Precisely. In order to keep the women of our family loyal and obedient, we must reward them only when they behave properly, and correct them when they misbehave. They must learn that their rightful place is by our side, as loyal and obedient wives and concubines..."
"Then how do we reward them?!"
"Father, you are asking too many questions... Haven't you seen enough?! Haven't you rewarded them enough with those treasures?!" Tianmo's voice turned cold.
Wang Xuhan felt a surge of shame. He had indeed given his wives the best of everything, from the finest silks to the rarest jewels. But perhaps... perhaps it wasn't enough.
"I see," Wang Xuhan said, his voice soft. "Then... How do we correct them?"
Tianmo's expression remained cold, but there was a subtle shift in his eyes, a flicker of something darker.
"Father... The reward is my bed. The punishment is the lack of it. You know that those mortal women were with you because of your cultivation of the Golden Core realm. Now that they are cultivators with first-grade spirit roots, they are in a position to attract stronger cultivators than you... Thus, you need to prove to them that you are the best option for them to have a good future. They want to climb higher and we need to give them the illusion that they are climbing higher... After all, they know I am far between options than anyone else."
Wang Xuhan's eyes widened. The words cut deeper than any blade. But he knew, deep down, that his son was right. The world of cultivation was cruel, and in it, strength was the only currency that truly mattered.
"So... So what should I do?" he asked, his voice soft and nearly unhearable. The shame of needing to ask his own son for advice on matters of the bedchamber was a bitter pill to swallow, but the survival of the Wang family came first.
Tianmo's gaze softened slightly, the cold edge melting away. "Father, it is simple. You must be the best lover they have ever had, willing to share them with a fresh, powerful youthful son. Remember Father, we need them loyal to the Wang family not you."
Wang Xuhan's cheeks burned with shame. In his mind, he had been the model husband, treating his wives and concubines with nothing but kindness and indulgence after all, they had given him 18 children. But in this moment, he was forced to confront the pure, hard facts. He was no longer the young and virile man he once was, and the women of the Wang family were now walking towards a bright future.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he knew his son was right. He had to step up his game, make sure that his partners never looked elsewhere for satisfaction. Family matters must stay within FAMILY.
"Thank you, son. I've been enlightened, your advice is invaluable," Wang Xuhan said, bowing his head in gratitude. "I will not disappoint you. I will make sure the women of the Wang family are satisfied and loyal."
Wang Xuhan straightened his back, the shame in his eyes slowly replaced by a cold, calculating resolve. The logic was brutal, undeniable. In the cultivation world, affection was a luxury, but survival was a necessity. If the Wang Family were to rise, it could not be shackled by mortal morality.
"Then it is settled," Wang Xuhan said, his voice regaining its patriarchal authority. "I will handle the women. They will understand that their future is tied to the Wang name, and to the Wang name alone."
Tianmo nodded, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. "Good. Now, we must prepare for the storm. The Earth Vein is a beacon, and the moths are already gathering."
As if on cue, the sky above the Valley of Morning Dew, previously a serene canvas of azure, suddenly darkened. It was not the gradual dimming of sunset, but an abrupt, unnatural twilight. A massive shadow swept over the valley, blotting out the sun.
A pressure, distinct from Li Tianshu's oppressive weight, descended upon the Wang Family estate. This pressure was sharper, colder, and laced with a corrosive, bloody energy that made the spiritual Qi in the air tremble.
Wang Xuhan's head snapped up, his Golden Core aura flaring instinctively. "What is this?!"
"The Bloodmist sect is here, everyone gather here and offer a maiden to my enjoyment, or else, your Wang family will be wiped out," spoke a voice that dripped with malice and lust, echoing from the sky above the valley.
It was a voice that carried the unique resonance of a Soul formation cultivator. The sound alone caused the defensive formations of the Wang estate to flicker and groan, the jade barriers vibrating like plucked strings.
Wang Xuhan's face turned ashen, the blood draining from it so completely that he looked like a corpse. His knees buckled, and he slumped against the stone table, his hand trembling as he gripped the edge for support.
"The Bloodmist Sect..." he whispered, the name tasting of copper and fear. "They are a demonic sect."
Tianmo's gaze followed his father's, his expression still and calm.
"Bloodmist sect?" his voice was soft, but his tone was sharp.
The Bloodmist sect was known far and wide for its brutal reputation. Their cultivation path relied on consuming the blood of humans, particularly women, to strengthen their cultivation. They did not recognize laws or morals. Their only goal was domination and survival, and they would not be satisfied until all opposition was crushed. The mere mention of their name made the blood of most cultivators run cold.
Their sect is hidden in the dark, blood-filled mountains. Even the Azure Cloud Sect doesn't dare to touch them because of the support from the dark demonic sect. It seems this demonic sect is also aiming for the earth vein.
"A demonic sect," Wang Xuhan said, his voice trembling with a mixture of rage and fear. "They are known for their barbarity. They will stop at nothing to claim what they desire. The Earth Vein... they must have sensed its presence."
"Then it seems the Earth Vein has attracted more vultures," Tianmo said, his voice flat, devoid of the panic that gripped his father. However, he now understood how the Wang family met their demise in the original plot. The Demonic sect behind the Blood Mist sect is more powerful than the Azure Cloud Sect. Even his identity as a direct disciple of the Great Elder won't get him any footing.
Wang Xuhan clenched his fists, a deep scowl on his face. Heaven is so, cruel. His family was on the verge of rising but before the chicken could even become Phoenix, the Eagles had started hunting.
"Those barbaric dogs! They dare make such a humiliating and outrageous demand?!" His eyes burned with anger, but also with a deep sense of helplessness. He was a man of immense power, but against a demonic sect... the chances of protecting the family were slim to none.
Tianmo's gaze swept past the barrier, noticing two figures.
A middle-aged man clad in red robes and a young man clad in a blue Daoist robe. The middle-aged man was at an early stage of the soul formation realm and the young man was a golden core cultivator. The young man had long white hair and a handsome face.
Both emitted a strong smell of blood and death.
Seeing the old man, a smirk formed on Tianmo's lips.
"Tianmo... What do we do?" Wang Xuhan asked, his voice laced with worry and a hint of desperation. The pressure from the demonic cultivators was suffocating, making it hard to think straight.
Tianmo's gaze sharpened, the darkness in his eyes deepening. "Father, we can only fight they are here to wipe us out..."
There is no way a demonic sect will spare anyone.
"Father... You handle the golden core cultivator. I will fight the soul formation expert."