Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – Mind if we run away?

Wuji’s grip on the boy’s neck was like a vice, the kid’s face turning purple as he dangled there kicking weakly.

Mei Ling’s brother—little Xiao, from her memories—looked half-starved, bruises covering his skinny arms and legs. The bastard had really worked him over.

“Put him down, you piece of shit,” I growled, my voice coming out stronger than it had in years. Vitality at 100 felt like rocket fuel in my veins. My old body might still look like a wrinkled sack, but inside, I was a goddamn volcano ready to erupt.

And yeah, that healthy cock throbbing in my pants was a nice bonus—reminding me I wasn’t done living yet.

Wuji laughed, that same cold bark from the cell. “Or what, old man? You’ll hobble over here and gum me to death? You’ve got some spark left, I’ll give you that. But look around—you’re surrounded by twenty of my best. Core Formation elites, every one. And your little whore maid? She’s nothing.”

Mei Ling tensed beside me, her qi flaring. “Let my brother go! He’s innocent!”

The guards closed in, a wall of steel and smirking faces. Torches flickered in the dungeon corridor, casting long shadows that made everything look like a nightmare. We were in the lower levels now, damp stone walls dripping with water, the air thick with the smell of blood and despair. No easy escape this time—no loose stones or hidden tunnels. Just a straight-up deathtrap.

But the system had my back.

[Battle Mode Activated: Overwhelming Odds]

[Mission: Rescue the Innocent and Defeat the Tyrant]

[Rewards: Vitality Overflow (Temporary Boost), Harem Points x50, New Skill Unlock]

[Bonus Objective: Protect Partner – Intimate Bond Reinforcement]

I cracked my knuckles. “Maybe not with fists, system. Time to play smart.”

First things first—Wuji still had Xiao dangling like a ragdoll. I needed to buy time, get him talking. “You always were a disappointment, son. Poisoning your own father? That’s low, even for you.”

He smirked, tightening his grip on the boy. Xiao whimpered. “Low? It was efficient. You were weak, Father. The empire needed strength. And now, I’ll end this properly.”

Mei Ling’s eyes were wide with fear, but I saw the fire in them. Our earlier “connections” had powered her up—she was ready. But raw strength wasn’t gonna cut it here. I was still an old geezer, vitality boost or not. One wrong move against these Core Formation goons, and I’d be paste. No, I had to use my head—and the system’s toys.

“Strength?” I scoffed. “Hiding behind guards and hurting kids? That’s not strength. That’s cowardice.”

That pissed him off. His face twisted, and he hurled Xiao at one of the guards. “Hold the brat. Kill the old fool first—make it slow.”

The guards charged. Time to improvise.

I mentally pulled up the system shop—harem points burning a hole in my pocket. There it was: [Illusion Mist Vial]—cost 40 points. Creates a disorienting fog that scrambles senses and qi perception for 5 minutes. Perfect for chaos.

I “bought” it quick, the vial materializing in my hand like magic. As the first guard lunged, I smashed it on the ground. Thick, swirling mist exploded outward, filling the corridor with a hazy purple fog. Shouts of confusion erupted—guards swinging blindly, crashing into each other.

“What sorcery is this?!” Wuji bellowed, his voice muffled in the chaos.

Mei Ling grabbed my arm, her touch sparking that dual cultivation energy. “Tianlong! I can barely see!”

“Trust me,” I whispered, feeling the bond kick in. [Dual Cultivation Sync: Enhanced Senses Activated] Our qi linked, cutting through the mist like a knife. I could sense everyone’s positions now—the guards fumbling, Wuji staggering back, and Xiao’s weak qi signature in the arms of that panicked elite.

We moved like ghosts. Mei Ling darted left, her boosted speed letting her slip past two guards who were hacking at shadows. I went right, dodging a wild sword swing and tripping another goon with my cane (yeah, I grabbed one from a dead body earlier—old habits).

The mist was doing its job—guards turning on each other, thinking allies were enemies. One elite blasted his buddy with a qi palm, splattering blood everywhere. Chaos reigned.

[Combat Assist: Confusion Bonus]

[Vitality +10 from Indirect Kills]

[Host Vitality: 110/100 (Overflow)]

Hell yeah. I pushed forward, vitality making my old joints move smoother. Reached the guard holding Xiao—he was spinning in circles, yelling nonsense. I jabbed him in the knee with the cane, then followed up with a qi-infused punch to the gut—nothing fancy, just enough to make him drop the kid and double over puking.

Xiao hit the ground with a thud. “Sis!”

Mei Ling was there in a flash, scooping him up and shielding him with her body. A stray qi blast whizzed past, but our sync let her dodge it effortlessly.

Wuji’s aura flared through the mist, trying to dispel it. “Enough! Burn it away!”

But I was ready for that. Spent another 20 points on [Qi Disruption Grenade]—a small orb that exploded with anti-qi pulses, weakening everyone’s cultivation temporarily. I hurled it at his voice. Boom— the air rippled, and I heard him grunt as his Core Formation pressure fizzled like a wet firecracker.

“You old snake!” he roared, but his voice was weaker now. The grenade had knocked him down a peg, his qi scrambled for the next few minutes.

The mist started thinning, but half the guards were down—either from friendly fire or tripping into walls. The rest were dazed, easy pickings. Mei Ling palm-struck one in the back, sending him crumpling. I cracked another’s skull with the cane—vitality overflow turning my strikes deadly accurate, even if I wasn’t some muscle-bound hero.

[Sync Boost: Partner Assist]

[Vitality +5]

[Host Vitality: 115/100]

Wuji charged out of the fading fog, eyes blazing, but without his full aura, he was just a pissed-off man with fancy robes. I sidestepped his punch—old emperor memories kicking in with forgotten footwork—and tripped him with the cane. He face-planted, and Mei Ling followed up with a qi kick to his ribs. Crack—something broke.

He rolled away, clutching his side. “Impossible! You’re nothing without your throne!”

“Not anymore,” I grunted, standing over him. The remaining guards were routing, fleeing the corridor as alarms blared. Our combined qi—amped by the dual cultivation—created a barrier that pushed back any stragglers. Fuck, it felt good—warmth spreading from my core straight to my groin. My cock strained against my rags, hard as steel, like the system was rewarding me for the clever win.

Wuji’s eyes widened as our merged power pressed him down. “What devilry is this?”

Mei Ling snarled, holding Xiao tight. “The same ’devilry’ you used to poison an old man. Now suffer.”

But as I raised the cane to finish him, the system pinged.

[Mission Complete: Rescue Successful]

[Vitality Overflow Stabilized at 120/100]

[Harem Points +50]

[New Skill Unlocked: Essence Absorption – Drain cultivation from defeated foes]

Tempting. I could suck Wuji’s weakened Core Formation dry, boost myself to new heights. But killing my own son here?

Why not!?

I drove the cane down—not to kill, but to shatter his dantian. A pulse of qi through the wood, and his cultivation core cracked like glass. He screamed, blood spurting from his mouth as years of power leaked away. He’d live, but as a cripple. Worse than death for a cultivator.

“Aarghhh—!”

The dungeon was quiet now, just the drip of blood and distant alarms. Mei Ling held Xiao close, the boy clinging to her like a lifeline.

Xiao looked up at me with wide eyes. “Who… who are you, grandpa? You saved me.”

I ruffled his hair. “Call me Grandpa Tianlong. We’re family now.”

Mei Ling smiled, tears in her eyes. “Thank you. I don’t know how you did all this, but… thank you.”

We chained Wuji to the wall with his own guards’ shackles, leaving him to rot until his “allies” found him broken.

But as we slipped out a side tunnel, the ground shook— that Immortal Sect airship landing with a boom. Shouts echoed from above.

“They’re here,” Mei Ling whispered. “What now?”

I grinned, feeling the overflow buzz. “Now we run—and get stronger…”

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