Chapter 6
At 6 am sharp, Wen Linyu opened his eyes, staring at the dark ceiling, momentarily disoriented.
He was back, truly back.
The suppressed regret and sadness surged forth.
He wouldn’t see him again, would he?
But, it was enough to have met him.
He shouldn’t be greedy. At least, at the very end, his teacher’s plea for him to stay showed a hint of reluctance. That alone should satisfy him.
Before this, no one had ever been reluctant for him to leave.
Wen Linyu stared at the ceiling, his eyes dry. He lay motionless, replaying every memory of his teacher from the past ten years. He wouldn’t allow himself to forget a single detail. They were his treasures, his alone to cherish.
After a long while, Wen Linyu finally composed himself, getting out of the rock-hard bed.
He didn’t turn on the light, yet his vision was clear. He paused—his own body was severely nearsighted, requiring thick glasses.
How…?
He looked down at his hands, focusing his mind. A pitch-black sword materialized in his grasp. It was his life-bound sword, found at his teacher’s instruction. He remembered his teacher saying that the Demon Sword belonged to Gu Chi, not to him, and he couldn’t wield it. He needed to find his own sword, one that resonated with his soul, so he would never be without a weapon.
“Is this Little Tong’s reward?” Wen Linyu stroked the blade before dismissing it. He had been so engrossed in his studies these past ten years that he almost forgot the system’s promise of a reward upon his return.
He had forgotten to claim it. Had Little Tong chosen his cultivation level for him?
It seemed he owed Little Tong a thank you as well.
Wen Linyu clenched his fist, sensing his surroundings. There was no spiritual energy here, only a heavy concentration of Yin energy. He looked around the dark room and smiled.
His current “home” was a massive villa, spanning over four thousand square meters, with six floors—four above ground, two below. Wen Linyu resided in the second basement level, a single, windowless room in the center, rectangular in shape, with four thick pillars at the corners.
Dark, suffocating, like a sealed coffin.
After washing up, Wen Linyu slowly ascended the stairs to the first basement level.
This floor was vastly different from his own. Although both were underground, the contrast was stark.
The spacious, brightly lit central hall boasted comfortable sofas and display cases filled with the owner’s collection of treasures. A grand, V-shaped double staircase faced the hall, with a stage in the center. Lush bamboo plants added a touch of elegance to the opulent space.
This floor was fit for a private museum.
The housekeepers also lived on this floor, their quarters near the garage—a well-lit, 120-square-meter, three-bedroom apartment, a far cry from the dark and oppressive atmosphere below.
He took the elevator further up. As the doors opened, his view widened, revealing a palatial hall. From the elevator, he could see the expansive front yard.
The front yard featured fountains and sculptures, a meticulously manicured lawn, and even a helipad. Behind the villa was another yard, beyond which lay a vast maple forest. The back yard was a garden with a flowing stream, vibrant flowers in full bloom, and fish swimming freely.
The back yard bore many traces of the family’s life: a princess’s flower-adorned swing set, a prince’s wooden cabin in the woods, the mistress’s sunlit greenhouse, and the master’s sun loungers.
Only Wen Linyu’s presence was absent.
In the past, this sight would have filled Wen Linyu with immense sadness. But now, he simply smiled, amused that he hadn’t noticed the beauty of his own home before.
Yes, his home. Why not?
As for those unpleasant people, he could just get rid of them, couldn’t he?
The thought brought a genuine smile to his face, a smile filled with anticipation, imagining his teacher’s praise.
He regretted not having Little Tong record his teacher’s voice. It would have been wonderful to hear it every day.
Lost in thought, Wen Linyu walked straight to the dining room and sat at the head of the table.
Hearing the sound, one of the kitchen staff emerged with a plate, a smile on her face that instantly vanished upon seeing Wen Linyu. Her eyes widened as she noticed where he was sitting.
The others in the kitchen, seeing her frozen in place, called out: “What’s wrong?”
Instead of serving the food, she retreated, whispering to the others: “It’s so strange today. He’s here so early, and he actually dared to sit in Mr. Wen’s seat!”
“What? Really?”
“No way? When did he get so bold?”
A buzz of excited chatter filled the kitchen. Several peeked out, their faces registering shock at seeing Wen Linyu sitting there.
No one brought him breakfast. Wen Linyu patiently waited, his gaze sweeping across the dining room.
After a while, someone entered.
Wen Cheng, yawning, shuffled into the dining room in his slippers. He sat in his usual spot, yawned again, then noticed something amiss.
His drowsiness vanished, replaced by astonishment: “Why are you sitting there?!”
Wen Linyu twirled a twig he had taken from a vase, glancing at Wen Cheng: “Why can’t I sit here?”
“You…” Wen Cheng instinctively looked around, then lowered his voice, “You should get up. If Dad sees you, he’ll be furious.”
Wen Linyu: “His anger is his problem, not mine.”
“How can you…” Wen Cheng anxiously tried to persuade him, but then he noticed something different about Wen Linyu today.
He wasn’t hunched over, he wasn’t wearing those ridiculous glasses, and his long hair was tied back, revealing his forehead and eyes. Wen Cheng had never realized Wen Linyu looked like this.
Wen Linyu’s face wasn’t filled with misery. He had inherited all the best features of his parents, possessing a gender-neutral beauty, especially his clear, doe-like eyes, slightly downturned, giving him the appearance of a harmless animal.
Usually, those eyes lacked any sparkle, hidden behind glasses and his fringe. He hadn’t noticed before.
Looking at this face, Wen Cheng felt even more pity: “You should really get up. You’ll be the one suffering in the end.”
Wen Cheng had complicated feelings towards Wen Linyu. He was the adopted son, raised in luxury since childhood. He had anticipated an awkward relationship with Wen Linyu when the biological son returned. He had been prepared to either extend an olive branch or compete for favor, but reality was completely different.
The Wen family showed no regard for their biological son. His parents treated him like air. Three years after his return, they hadn’t even spoken a word to him directly or looked him in the eye.
This silent treatment was suffocating. Wen Cheng shuddered at the thought, unable to bring himself to dislike Wen Linyu, feeling only sympathy. And confusion. He couldn’t understand why his parents treated their own son this way. What grudge could they possibly hold? Back then, Wen Linyu was just a child!
Yes, this wasn’t a swapped-at-birth scenario. He had been abandoned as a child, neglected for over a decade. His parents didn’t care about his suffering with his foster family. His return, instead of being a homecoming, was a descent into another hell.
Ever since he could remember, Wen Linyu had constantly questioned what he had done wrong, how he could have been better to earn his parents’ love. Why were they treating him this way? Wasn’t he their child?
But during his ten years as a villain, he learned a valuable lesson. There was no point in agonizing over those who didn’t deserve it. Instead of asking “why,” ask “why should I?”
So, when his parents came downstairs and frowned at him, Wen Linyu didn’t move.
Their silent disapproval usually worked wonders on him. The slightest frown would send him shrinking back, apologizing profusely before they even uttered a word.
But today, Wen Linyu didn’t even blink.
They hadn’t looked him in the eye, and he didn’t intend to either. They didn’t deserve it.
After a long, one-sided standoff, his parents, still frowning, finally sat at different seats.
The kitchen staff, relieved, began serving breakfast.
Their breakfast was individually portioned, catering to each person’s preferences. Wen Linyu looked down at his own meager, unappetizing portion, then at everyone else’s, examining each plate before speaking: “Wait.”
The three of them looked at him.
He finally stood up. His father’s expression softened slightly, only for a second, before Wen Linyu walked over and unceremoniously took his plate, replacing it with his own bowl of thin porridge.
He tossed it, splashing the porridge over his father’s sleeve and splattering a few drops on his face.
Wen Cheng’s jaw dropped, while the kitchen staff instinctively gulped. They had deliberately prepared that paltry portion for Wen Linyu, as they had for the past three years.
His father abruptly stood up, his face dark: “Apologize!”
His mother’s already stern expression tightened, her eyes filled with disappointment.
Wen Linyu, seemingly oblivious, calmly ate the breakfast he had taken, ignoring them completely. Finished, he casually picked up the vase from the table.
Everyone tensed, watching him.
Was this the calm before the storm? Was he going to smash the vase over his father’s head?
His father trembled with rage.
Wen Linyu had no such intention. Not out of fear, but because it was too much trouble with so many witnesses. He emptied the vase, wrapped it and the flowers in a plastic bag, right in front of everyone.
He had no money. He intended to sell the vase and flowers. His intentions were clear, without any attempt at concealment.
“Put that down! Are you short of money or something?” His father was livid. This freeloader was going too far!
Wen Linyu finally looked at him, asking, “Did you lose your memory? When have you ever given me money?”
His words silenced his father. The gossiping kitchen staff fell silent, surprised that Mr. Wen hadn’t given Wen Linyu a single cent.
They watched as Wen Linyu calmly walked away with the bag.
As his mother muttered “He’s gone mad,” Wen Linyu returned, grabbing handfuls of hair from both his parents’ heads, and snatching a ring and a necklace.
His movements were slow, almost elegant, yet swift. He took the items and left.
Everyone was dumbfounded. The security guards, alerted by the screams, rushed in, only to be met with a bizarre scene. What was this? A robbery by their own son?
“Ahhh! What are you all good for?! Why didn’t you stop him?!”
“Useless, all of you are useless!”
The curses faded as Wen Linyu walked away. Outside the villa, he looked at the ring and necklace in the bag, feeling a twinge of regret. He had gotten used to robbing Lu Feng, but he hadn’t intended to take these.
Oh well, since he had taken them, he might as well sell them.
It was Sunday, no classes. Wen Linyu sold the vase, ring, and necklace at a low price, receiving only around 500,000 for items worth millions. A loss? It didn’t matter. There were plenty more where they came from.
With the money, he bought clothes, a phone, got a haircut, and took a taxi to a desolate graveyard.
Even in broad daylight, the place exuded a chilling aura. The taxi driver, after receiving his fare, sped away.
Wen Linyu entered the graveyard, following the strongest concentration of Yin energy. Reaching his destination, he addressed the empty space: “I have a job. I want to exchange these two people’s lifespans for money. Anyone taking the offer?”
His teacher had said, kindness didn’t need to be repaid, but revenge should never be delayed. For every injury inflicted, a hundredfold return was due.
This was standard villain procedure.
