Liang Wei stood in the inner courtyard as Mei Lian approached him with a jade vial in hand.
"I heard your cultivation hasn't progressed," she said softly. "This will help."
He already knew what it was.
Qi Nourishing Pill.
In his previous life, he swallowed three of these before the heir selection.
They slowed his meridian expansion.
Subtle sabotage.
He took the vial calmly and inspected the pill inside.
Second-grade.
Impure.
Laced with stabilizer powder that slightly suppressed aggressive Qi circulation.
His gaze lifted to her.
"You bought this from Zhao Rui's supplier."
Her fingers stiffened.
"You're being suspicious."
"I'm being observant."
She forced a smile. "I care about you."
Wei corked the vial and placed it back in her hand.
"Don't."
The word was quiet.
It carried weight.
Nearby disciples slowed their training. Servants pretended not to listen.
Mei Lian blinked. "Don't what?"
"Don't bring me pills. Don't arrange my schedule. Don't advise my cultivation."
Her expression changed.
"Did someone turn you against me?"
"No."
"Then why are you acting like this?"
Wei looked at her directly.
"I don't want you anymore."
No shouting.
No humiliation.
Just truth.
Her composure cracked.
"You're angry. This is pride talking."
"No," he replied. "This is clarity."
A light step sounded behind him.
Lan Xue.
Black uniform. Sword at her waist. Calm posture.
His personal guard.
In his previous life, she warned him about Mei Lian's connections to Zhao Rui.
He ignored her.
She died intercepting a trap meant for him.
He would not repeat that.
"Young Master," Lan Xue said evenly, "your cultivation chamber is ready."
Wei nodded.
"From today forward, no one enters my residence without your approval."
Mei Lian frowned. "You're letting a guard dictate who you see?"
Wei didn't look at her.
"I'm letting loyalty handle access."
That hit harder.
She lowered her voice. "You'll regret pushing me away. Zhao Rui—"
Wei's eyes sharpened.
"Be careful whose name you use to threaten me."
Silence.
She realized he wasn't trying to provoke her.
He was removing her.
"You're pretending," she said. "Trying to look decisive."
Wei stepped past her.
"If I were pretending, I would explain myself. I'm not."
And he left.
No chaos followed him.
Only whispers.
Inside his chamber, the door shut.
The moment it closed—
Ding.
A clear mechanical tone echoed in his mind.
Revenge System Activated
Host: Liang WeiMemory Integration: CompleteCurrent Realm: Novice Level 5Primary Directive: Ascend. Overcome. Dominate.
Detected Emotional Severance: Mei LianReward Issued: +8% Mental StabilityQi Circulation Efficiency Increased
Wei's lips curved into a faint, controlled smile. The system had confirmed his path. His rise, his revenge, his ultimate mastery—it was no longer just a dream. It was a plan, measured and unstoppable.
He settled into the chair by the window, watching the hall where Mei Lian still fumed in disbelief. The maid peeked in again, whispering nervously, "Master… are you truly… acting?"
Wei's gaze didn't waver. He was not acting. He was preparing. Every whisper, every laugh, every doubt in the household was fuel. Every blink of disbelief from Mei Lian was another spark for the fire he would use to rise.
Task 1: Get to a higher novice level than your brother
Rewards :New technique(unknown).
The system's words hummed inside him, familiar yet foreign, mechanical yet alive. This time, he would not fail. The past had been cruel, but the future… the future belonged entirely to Liang Wei.