Chapter 2: The Villain’s Gambit

The world Lan Wu Xi had transmigrated into was known as the Canglan Continent.

Here, everyone was born with a spiritual power, the strength of which determined their innate talent and, ultimately, their destiny.

The spiritual powers of the Canglan Continent were categorized into eight ascending ranks: Foundation Establishment, Mystic Wheel, Golden Core, Celestial Void, Primordial Spirit, Nirvana, Spirit Emperor, and Saint Emperor.

According to the system lurking in his mind—a self-proclaimed supervisor tasked with ensuring he became a qualified villain—he was destined to be but one of the many stepping stones on the protagonist’s path to becoming a Saint Emperor.

At the tender age of twenty, he would be crippled by the protagonist, his family destroyed, and he would be deserted by all, ultimately taking his own life with poison.

But the most crucial part of this tragic fate was that his childhood sweetheart, Lin Yufei, was destined to become a member of the protagonist’s harem.

Naturally, Lan Wu Xi refused to accept such a miserable end.

Over the past sixteen years, his feelings for Lin Yufei had blossomed into love.

How could he not adore such a sweet, sensible, beautiful, and kind girl?

He would never allow the goddess of his heart to be sullied by another man, especially not the protagonist.

According to the system’s records, this protagonist, despite his immense power, was a veritable stallion.

His harem numbered in the dozens, ranging from princesses and celestial prodigies to common street sweepers—he took them all without discrimination.

Furthermore, after becoming a Saint Emperor, the protagonist would establish his own faction and expand his harem even more wantonly.

How could Lan Wu Xi possibly believe such a man would ever cherish Lin Yufei?

To the protagonist, she would be nothing more than a fleeting dalliance, a passerby in his life.

Therefore, Lan Wu Xi was determined to prevent this from ever happening.

“Senior Lan Wu Xi~, we haven’t seen you in so long, not since you were promoted to a core disciple.”

“Teacher Bai Lio, in particular, has been talking about you every single day.”

The young woman linked her arm with his intimately, her ample bosom pressing against his bicep and creating a tantalizing friction.

It sent a strange, thrilling sensation through him.

Though Lan Wu Xi maintained the facade of a perfect gentleman, his expression serious as if unaffected by the pleasant feeling, his mind was already screaming in delight.

‘Ah, this is the life.’

‘I could never have dreamed of this kind of treatment before I transmigrated.’

‘Suddenly, being isekai’d doesn’t seem so bad after all.’

Coddled by the pretty girl, Lan Wu Xi was already feeling ecstatic, nearly forgetting the entire purpose of his visit.

Right, his current identity.

Lan Wu Xi was a core disciple of the Xuanfeng Mansion, his strength having reached the Mystic Wheel realm.

Even among core disciples, such a level placed him at the very top, making his eventual promotion to an inner disciple a foregone conclusion.

Of course, this was all arranged by the system.

According to the script, at the Core Disciple Assembly, Lan Wu Xi would encounter the protagonist—a rising star who started as trash—and be defeated in front of everyone.

Following this humiliation, Lan Wu Xi’s hatred for the protagonist would intensify, leading him to target the hero at every turn, even attempting assassination.

The outcome was predictable.

Shielded by his plot armor, the protagonist would overcome every danger, stumble upon one fortuitous encounter after another, and see his power skyrocket.

Then, on Lan Wu Xi’s twentieth birthday, during the Martial Arts Elite Tournament, the protagonist would defeat him on the spot and cripple his cultivation.

Lan Wu Xi’s final fate was just as foreseeable.

With their powerful son gone, his family would inevitably fall prey to the suppression of rival clans.

Even his childhood sweetheart, Lin Yufei, would distance herself from him, disgusted by his past villainous deeds, and ultimately fall into the protagonist’s harem.

Lan Wu Xi would be well and truly cuckolded.

Originally, Lan Wu Xi had tried to change his destiny by latching onto the protagonist.

His plan was to build a strong friendship before any enmity could form.

After all, the protagonist’s power only began to surge at age sixteen.

If he could offer help when the hero needed it most, a true friend in a time of need…perhaps he could have basked in the protagonist’s protection in the future, maybe even landing a cushy official post.

Not only would this alter his tragic fate, but he could have also become a proper ‘salted fish’—a slacker who just reaps the benefits from behind the protagonist while quietly cheering him on.

But Lan Wu Xi had forgotten the system’s purpose.

It was there to ensure he fulfilled his role as a qualified villain.

As a result, at every opportunity, the system would force him to harass the protagonist and provoke conflict.

Whether it was publicly insulting the hero or deliberately making things difficult for him, the system constantly pushed Lan Wu Xi to dance on the edge of self-destruction.

One might ask why Lan Wu Xi didn’t just resist the system.

After all, it was practically shoving him into a bonfire, determined to see him burned to ashes.

He had, of course, tried to resist.

But the result was a sensation like his heart was being crushed in a vice, as if he would drop dead the very next second if he didn’t comply.

Lan Wu Xi had no desire to experience that near-death feeling a second time.

So now, his relationship with the protagonist was about as hostile as it could get.

Though the protagonist’s gaze always appeared placid, Lan Wu Xi could feel the profound loathing simmering beneath.

The more the hero tolerated his actions, the more restless Lan Wu Xi became.

At this rate, he feared he wouldn’t even make it to twenty; the protagonist’s power was growing so fast that he might just get cornered and killed in some back alley one day.

Thus, Lan Wu Xi’s current plan was an indirect approach to save himself.

Since the system absolutely refused to let him curry favor with the protagonist, he would find someone else who could help him: the woman recorded by the system as the main wife in the protagonist’s harem, Xiao Xue.

In the future, Xiao Xue would be the most powerful person besides the protagonist himself.

And though the protagonist was a notorious philanderer, no other woman ever managed to shake her position.

Even the protagonist cherished her above all others, a fact made clear when, after becoming a Saint Emperor, he would marry Xiao Xue and make her his Empress.

‘Right, I remember I came here for a reason… What was it again…’

Lan Wu Xi suddenly recalled that he was on a mission.

He couldn’t let this little perk derail his important plans.

“Um, junior sister…”

“Senior Lan Wu Xi, my name is Mina. You can just call me Nana~.”

“Ahem, well, Junior Sister Nana, do you happen to know a girl named Xiao Xue?”

“Xiao Xue?!”

As if she had heard something unbelievable, surprise and astonishment filled Mina’s beautiful eyes.

She stared at Lan Wu Xi, her face a picture of confusion.

“Yes! Do you know her, Junior Sister Nana?”

Seeing Mina’s reaction, Lan Wu Xi’s heart leaped. ‘There’s a chance!’

He had nearly turned the entire Xuanfeng Mansion upside down looking for Xiao Xue.

He had initially assumed that as the protagonist’s one and only designated main wife, her background must be extraordinary—at the very least, she should be the cherished daughter of some reclusive, powerful family.

If the system hadn’t repeatedly assured him that the heroine he sought was right here in the Xuanfeng Mansion, he might have given up and just waited for the protagonist to come and take his revenge.

“I know her, yes, but… Senior Lan Wu Xi, why are you looking for Xiao Xue? Do you two know each other?”

Mina’s tone was laced with uncertainty.

Of course, she knew who Xiao Xue was; after all, Xiao Xue was quite famous among them.

When Lan Wu Xi first asked, she had held onto a sliver of hope that she had simply misheard him.

“Well… I have some private business with her. If you know where she is, Junior Sister Nana, please tell me. It’s very important to me!”

Lan Wu Xi placed his hands on Mina’s shoulders, his expression solemn.

His azure eyes shone with an intense earnestness.

“Senior! You don’t have to be like that. Little Sister Xiao Xue is just in the training grounds. You can go right in.”

With that, Mina pointed to the martial arts hall in front of them.

She then bent slightly at the waist, looking up at Lan Wu Xi playfully.

“You should go on in, Senior. I have some things to attend to, so I’ll be leaving. Don’t forget me next time, okay~?”

“Of course, of course. How could I ever forget a girl as pretty as you, Junior Sister Nana?”

“Hee hee~ Then I’ll show you around again next time, Senior. Goodbye!”

Hearing Lan Wu Xi’s words, a shy blush appeared on Mina’s face as she giggled behind her hand.

“Well then, Junior Sister Nana, I’m heading in.”

“Senior Lan Wu Xi!”

“Hm?”

“You look really handsome today~. Hee hee, goodbye, Senior!”

Before Lan Wu Xi could even react, Mina spun around, covered her face, and skipped away.

Watching Mina’s retreating figure blur into the distance, Lan Wu Xi was still processing what had just happened.

‘Did I just get confessed to?’

‘I think so.’

‘Sigh… but it’s a shame.’

‘They only like me for my power.’

‘If I were just an ordinary person, would they have believed I wasn’t some kind of pervert today?’

Although he was currently powerful and reasonably handsome, these were all gifts from on high.

He might have reached the Mystic Wheel realm, but it was all secretly arranged by the system.

Outsiders assumed he must have trained relentlessly to achieve his current success, but in reality, he spent his days eating, drinking, and lazing about.

He had never once cultivated seriously.

His strength increased automatically over time according to a set schedule.

‘In a little while, my power should reach the peak of the Mystic Wheel realm.’

‘If I remember correctly, the first time the protagonist is supposed to defeat me is at the inner disciple selection tournament in two months.’

Since the protagonist could defeat him at the Mystic Wheel realm, his own strength must be at least at that level, perhaps even reaching the Golden Core realm.

Though losing the match wouldn’t prevent him from becoming an inner disciple, he honestly didn’t want to just sit around and wait for his doom.

That was another reason he had come looking for the heroine—he hoped to find a clue from her, something that could help him break free of his own limitations.

Only then would he have a fighting chance in his duel with the protagonist.

‘This is my first time in the women’s martial arts training grounds, isn’t it?’

The moment he stepped through the entrance, he was greeted by a wonderfully fragrant aroma.

The sweet, virginal scent felt like a slice of heaven.

Gazing at the young women practicing their martial techniques, he felt a bit overwhelmed.

‘I was peeking just a moment ago, but walking in so openly now… even I’m starting to blush.’

Despite his self-proclaimed status as a love guru, he had never actually been in a relationship.

Before transmigrating, he was a total otaku who spent his days at home playing games and watching anime, never setting foot outside.

His limbs had nearly atrophied, and all the fat he’d accumulated had predictably settled on his belly, creating the perfect image of a hopeless shut-in.

‘To be able to admire these young ladies’ spirited forms up close… this trip was worth it.’

“Ahem, you know, you can be useful sometimes, System.”

“[Beep! How could a system as universally loved, as beautiful and wise as myself, ever let you down, Host?]”

‘So, where is this Xiao Xue?’

‘I’ve looked all around this place and haven’t seen any girl with extraordinary beauty.’

‘Was that Nana girl lying to me? No, that can’t be right.’

‘Could Xiao Xue really be here among them?’

Lan Wu Xi scanned his surroundings but saw no one who seemed like she could be Xiao Xue.

While most of the girls here were pretty, none possessed that transcendent beauty and air he expected.

At best, they were just ordinary pretty girls.

For Xiao Xue to have captured the protagonist’s heart so completely, she must have a quality the others lacked.

In Lan Wu Xi’s mind, she had to be a peerless beauty.

Yet, after searching for so long, he hadn’t found anyone who matched the image of the heroine he’d built up in his head.

‘Was my assumption wrong? Is she really one of them?’

Just as Lan Wu Xi was lost in thought, an arm shot out from nowhere and wrapped around his neck in a headlock, followed by a very familiar voice.

“Haha, so it really is you, kid!”

“I didn’t believe it at first.”

“What are you doing standing here in a daze?”

“Are the girls here so pretty you can’t look away?”

“Cough, cough! Mercy, Teacher Bai Lio! Let go, let go!”

“I can’t breathe!”

From the hearty voice alone, Lan Wu Xi knew exactly who it was.

She was his instructor, after all.

Although his rapid progress had nothing to do with her, she had still taught him, and he had to show respect rather than pull rank as a core disciple.

Once a disciple reached the core level, their status actually surpassed that of many instructors like Bai Lio, who only guided ordinary disciples.

With her long, elegant black hair, stunning features, and scorching hot body, his teacher was arguably the most famous instructor around.

Today, in particular, Teacher Bai Lio was wearing a form-fitting uniform, complete with square-framed glasses and tight black stockings that accentuated the seductive curve of her slender waist.

The sight was nothing short of breathtaking for Lan Wu Xi.

“Hmph~ You haven’t come to see me once since you became a core disciple.”

“I was starting to think you’d forgotten all about me, you brat.”

Releasing Lan Wu Xi, Bai Lio huffed and turned her head away.

“I’ve just been busy, that’s all. See? Didn’t I come especially to see you today, Teacher Bai Lio?”

Lan Wu Xi said shamelessly, afraid of angering this teacher who, despite her mature appearance, harbored the heart of a young girl.

If she got upset, he had no idea how long it would take to placate her.

“By the way, Teacher, you’re dressed so beautifully today. Could it be you have a date?”

A flicker of joy passed through Lan Wu Xi’s mind at the thought.

‘Looks like someone’s finally going to take her off the market.’

Though she had many suitors, she was, in fact, still a virgin.

Her personal life was a complete mess, and he often had to go to her place to help clean up.

If the other students and teachers ever found out that the stern and serious Teacher Bai Lio was a complete ditz when it comes to daily life, their jaws would drop.

‘The thought alone is pretty thrilling.’

“Hmph, I don’t believe a word of your nonsense. You definitely didn’t come here today just to see me, did you?”

‘Even though she knew this little rascal well enough to know he wasn’t here for her, his words were still as sweet as honey to her heart.’

‘She didn’t know what was wrong with her, but whenever it came to him, she paid special attention.’

‘She had even changed into this outfit specifically after hearing he was coming.’

‘Could it be that I wanted to look pretty for him?’

‘No, no, no! We’re teacher and student! Absolutely not!’

“I guess I really can’t fool you, Teacher.”

Lan Wu Xi scratched his head in embarrassment.

Remembering his important task, he quickly asked.

“Teacher, do you know a junior sister named Xiao Xue?”

“Xiao Xue?”

“Yes, Junior Sister Xiao Xue. Do you know where she is, Teacher? I need to see her about something.”

Seeing Lan Wu Xi’s intense reaction, Bai Lio paused for a moment before her expression grew grave.

“What do you want with her? Did she offend you somehow? If she did, for my sake, please let it go just this once. She’s been through enough as it is.”

‘What are you talking about? What do you mean, did she offend me?’

‘I’d be burning incense and celebrating if I don’t manage to offend *her*.’

‘And what’s this about her having been through enough?’

‘Why do I have such a bad feeling about this…’

“What are you saying, Teacher? I have other business with her, I promise I’m not here to cause trouble. My dear teacher, please, just tell me where she is.”

“There. She’s right over there!”

Following Teacher Bai Lio’s pointed finger, the confused look on Lan Wu Xi’s face instantly twisted into something strange.