"Very well, Auntie. I shall take my leave as you wish."
Upon hearing Wu Xiuhua's words, Chu Yi nodded calmly and turned to depart.
Remaining here any longer would be nothing but a self-inflicted humiliation.
He was no match for Ye Fan in a fight.
And now, even staying under the same roof was met with disdain from Wu Xiuhua.
At that moment, the flickering ember of villainy that had been smoldering within Chu Yi since his arrival in this world was finally kindled into flame.
Why hesitate? Why grovel and delay? A decisive strike would suffice.
With a chill in his gaze, he turned resolutely toward the door.
"Xiao Yi, why don't you stay for dinner? Why rush off so suddenly?"
From the kitchen, Liu Ruoxin sensed something was amiss. She quickly emerged, her nose smudged adorably with a trace of soot.
"Cousin," Chu Yi smiled faintly, gently brushing away the soot from her nose. "I'll pass on dinner. I had other matters to attend to—just happened to be nearby and thought I'd check if you were here. Now that I know, I must be going."
As she stood there, flustered and caught off guard, Chu Yi turned and left without hesitation.
There was no point in sharing these thoughts with Liu Ruoxin.
Perhaps, if she knew, she would side with Ye Fan and only cause further pain.
Chu Yi had never placed his hopes upon others.
And yet, as Ye Fan watched Chu Yi's departing figure, an unfamiliar sense of threat stirred within him.
For the first time since mastering the martial arts passed down by his old teacher, he felt a true sense of danger.
The streets bustled with neon lights and ceaseless traffic.
This was the heart of the Second Ring of the Magic City—a commercial district where every inch of land was as precious as gold.
A sleek black-and-white BMW glided steadily through the flow of cars.
Within sat Chu Yi, composed and silent, seemingly unaffected by the humiliation he had just suffered.
Whether it had truly left no mark—only he would know.
"System," he called calmly, "explain to me—what happened just now?"
Ding!
"Host, the events were clearly the result of Ye Fan's Fortune Halo."
"Moreover, as Wu Xiuhua is his mother, her bias is inevitable. You cannot hope to sway her."
The system's voice was patient, as if indulging a child's misunderstanding.
"I see... So that's how it is," Chu Yi murmured. "Now it makes sense."
Understanding the truth, he no longer felt conflicted.
There was no use trying to win over someone with blood ties to the protagonist.
A villain must never dream of reconciliation with the hero.
Having cleared his thoughts, Chu Yi found his mindset subtly shifting.
Now, he turned his attention to the system.
"Since Ye Fan is so powerful, there's no way I can defeat him alone."
"Tell me, what exactly can you offer?"
He cast a sharp gaze at the virtual interface.
He had to know what resources the system could provide.
Ding!
"This system contains a comprehensive shop and a Grand Lottery Wheel.
Its contents range across all worlds and realms, limited only by the Host's accumulated Villain Points.
As a welcome gift, you have been granted a five-spin draw.
Would you like to begin?"
"Yes."
Without hesitation, Chu Yi confirmed.
A free draw—how could he pass that up?
After all, wasn't his earlier embarrassment proof enough that he desperately needed an upgrade?
Suddenly, the air before him shimmered.
A kaleidoscopic wheel of fortune materialized, spinning wildly.
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. You have drawn a Tier 1 item from The Deer and the Cauldron—Corpse-Dissolving Powder."
Corpse-Dissolving Powder?
The powder that reduces corpses to water in seconds?
Chu Yi, having seen the film adaptation, knew full well how lethal this item was.
Wei Xiaobao had used it to eliminate many enemies, leaving no trace behind.
He had once watched, wide-eyed, wishing for this very tool.
And now, it was his.
Excellent. Truly excellent.
Clearly, this system wasn't produced by Ma Yun's factory.
He was filled with anticipation for the next four draws.
But alas, reality crushed his hopes.
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. You have drawn a crate of infant formula from the local supermarket."
Ding!
"You have drawn a crate of baby bottles from the local supermarket."
Ding!
"You have drawn a crate of diapers from the local supermarket."
Three draws. Three pieces of trash.
A complete Baby Survival Kit.
Chu Yi was fuming.
As expected, nothing good comes free.
His faith in the system began to waver.
"Hmph, the last one's probably garbage too."
He watched the final spin with narrowed eyes.
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host. You have drawn a Tier 1 Advanced Item from the Republic Era—Master-Level Bajiquan."
The voice echoed in his ears like thunder.
Bajiquan.
This martial art was legendary during the Republic of China era.
As the saying went: 'With Taiji we calm the world, with Baji we shake the heavens.'
Chu Yi had heard that phrase countless times.
Bajiquan was known for its explosive power—lethal in a single strike, even after just one year of training.
And now, he had obtained a master-level version of it.
Without hesitation, he tapped "Confirm" in the system backpack, integrating the technique into his being.
In mere moments, countless moves and forms of Bajiquan surged through his mind as though he had trained for decades.
His entire aura transformed.
Gone was the warm and gentle youth.
In his place stood a poised and formidable martial artist—unmoved by chaos, rising with the wind.
Chu Yi had become a true grandmaster.
"System, open my status panel."
He wanted to see the change for himself.
Ding!
Status Panel Loaded
Host: Chu Yi
Fortune: 25 (Level 4 Villain)
Identity: Eldest Son of the Chu Group
Villain Points: 1200
Combat Power: 51 (Average human: 10)
Intelligence: 21
Charm: 15
Physique: 27
Inventory: Baby Survival Kit, Corpse-Dissolving Powder
System Shop: Unlocked