Chapter 8: Chapter 8 – Caught Red-Handed

The silence that followed Zhao Chen’s arrival was deafening. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath as my grandson—the true hero of this twisted story—stood on that ridge like some 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, me standing there like some perverted old goat who’d just molested a Sect Elder.

His gaze lingered on me 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 statement 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, me. But what else do you say when you meet the protagonist of the story you’re now living in?

’Hey kid, I’m actually some guy from another world who transmigrated into your grandpa’s corpse and now I’ve got a horny system that rewards me for seducing women’? 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 women swoon and men feel inadequate.

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

But there was something different about him too. Harder. Angrier. The cheerful, justice-seeking hero from the book had been replaced by something colder, more ruthless.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? Some 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 me kill him, and we can rule the empire together!”

The look Zhao Chen gave Wuji could have frozen hell over. “Brother? You mean 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 somehow made it ten times 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 me 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 some 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 me interrogate the old pervert in peace. Feng didn’t like it, but she stepped back. Smart woman. Even Sect Elders didn’t mess with Soul Formation cultivators lightly.

Mei 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, Mei Ling was supposed to be one of his harem members—a loyal servant who falls for the noble hero. The system helpfully provided an update:

[Potential Harem Conflict Detected]

[Target: Mei Ling – Currently bonded to Host]

[Protagonist showing romantic interest]

[Recommendation: Assert dominance]

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

“Interesting,” Zhao Chen said, still looking at Mei 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 something primal rise in my chest. “Her name is Mei 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 me 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 me.”

[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 me in a qi contest. But with everything the system had taught me about misdirection, about using an opponent’s expectations against them. I feinted left, then dove right, pulling Mei Ling with me 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 me. 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 Establishment]

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 some 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 men!”

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

“Uh-huh! Grandpa Tianlong saved me 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 me, reassessing. “Grandpa Tianlong?”

I shrugged. “Kid needed a name for me. I didn’t correct him.”

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

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

[Relationship Status: Hostile changed to Wary Respect]

Progress. Small steps.

But the moment 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. “Reinforcements. Now the real fun begins.”

Wuji struggled to his feet, clutching his wounded side. “Chen! You can still join me! 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 member who betrayed me.”

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 Mei Ling’s waist and earning a confused but not unwelcome 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.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep