When Xi Yuan opened his eyes, his brain was filled with unfamiliar memories. They felt like his, yet not. As confusion clouded his thoughts, a chilling realization settled in—he had transmigrated into another body.
He was now in an urban fantasy world. A chaotic place where protagonists with cheat systems and villains with absurd ambitions roamed freely.
Xi Yuan slowly sat up on the luxurious bed, his brows furrowed.
[DING! Congratulations to the host for transmigrating into the world of Protagonists and Villains! A welcome gift has been added to your inventory. Do you wish to open it?]
"A system, huh? Does that make me one of those clichéd protagonists too? Or worse... a villain? Is someone pulling strings behind the scenes now?" he muttered, scanning the lavish room.
As someone who had read a thousand Chinese transmigration novels, he understood what this meant. A system might offer power, but it often came with shackles. It dictated fate, designed paths, and turned lives into scripts.
Xi Yuan hated being manipulated.
On Earth, he had been a corporate slave. No family, no passion, no freedom. He lived because he was born. Nothing more. But this life... this one, he wanted to live on his terms.
[NO, Host! THE SYSTEM exists only to support your personal desires! You are free to act as you wish! THE SYSTEM merely helps facilitate your ideal life.]
"We'll see about that," Xi Yuan scoffed. "Accept the welcome gift."
[Welcome Gift Obtained! Congratulations to the host for acquiring:]
Realm Upgrading Ticket ×2
Chaos Dao Physique (Divine)
Passive Skill: Villain's Aura
Ownership of Mid-grade Business Group: Xuahua Group
Martial Arts of the Celestial Emperor]
[Detecting innate martial foundation. Integrating Origin Evil Physique (Supreme) with Chaos Dao Physique (Divine)...]
[Integration Successful! Physique evolved to: Origin Dao Physique (Transcendent)]
Xi Yuan smirked in satisfaction. "Now this... this is a proper gift. Though, why bother giving me a third-rate company?" He was the heir to a business conglomerate of Xi family. Wich one if not THE most powerful family of all. He had no interest in worthless companies wich generated bread crumbs.
[Xuahua Group is a disposable puppet company. It allows the host to commit villainous acts without affecting the main family business.]
'So your saying I'm a villain without saying I'm a villain huh' Xi yuan sighed.
"Heh. Fair enough. Alright, time to inspect the real gains."
He walked toward a full-sized mirror. A tall, impossibly handsome man stared back. Long silver hair, violet sharp eys, sculpted frame, otherworldly charm.
"Damn, I'm a total hunk now. And silver hair? This world really doesn't play by Earth rules."
This world was ruthless. A place where private business empires rivaled governments. Where ancient martial arts determined status. Where the strong ruled, and the weak knelt.
But in this life, Xi Yuan wasn't weak.
He opened his status panel and examined his cultivation.
Cultivation Realm: Core Formation (Minor Realm 3)
Each major realm in this world had nine minor sub-realms. The major Realms were, Body Refinement → Qi Gathering → Foundation Establishment → Core Formation → Nascent Soul → Soul Transformation → Ascension → Saint → Immortal
"Core Formation already, huh? The original Xi Yuan really was a genius martial artist. Now with a Transcendent physique... my cultivation speed will be monstrous."
He glanced at the Realm Upgrading Tickets.
"Tempting to use them, but... nah. Better save them for the higher realms where things slow down."
**[DING! WARNING! System Alert: A Protagonist has entered the host's regional proximity!]
[Name: Ye Ming] [Class: C-Rank Protagonist] [Golden Finger: Divine Emperor Eyes (X-ray, Luck Sensing, Treasure Detection)]
[Plot Thread Activated: Ye Ming will soon clash with Gu Chenbo, the host's subordinate, over Mu Suyun—a girl from the prestigious Mu Family.]
[Synopsis: Ye Ming rises from obscurity using his divine cheat, impresses Mu Suyun, defeats arrogant young master Gu Chenbo, and begins his climb to power. Eventually, he catches the attention of national powers, defeats major family scions, and challenges the final boss villain: Xi Yuan.]**
Xi Yuan squinted.
"So I'm supposed to be the final stepping stone, huh? The classic end-boss villain? What kind of recycled garbage is this plot?"
He remembered the usual Xianxia garbage: protagonists born trash, miraculously acquiring cheats, collecting harems of ice-cold fairies and fiery tsunderes, and steamrolling through everyone with sheer plot armor.
"Let me guess," he scoffed, "Ye Ming will impress her by exposing some 'illness' with his divine eyes and magically cure it with a random herb he 'coincidentally' finds?"
He could already see it: Gu Chenbo, a loyal subordinate, challenging Ye Ming for Mu Suyun's affection... and getting publicly humiliated.
"And then the girl falls in love with the protagonist for being 'different'. And the Gu Family? Just collateral damage for his rise."
Xi Yuan sneered.
"These authors really write the same thing over and over again. Do they think villains are born to get slapped and die for drama points? Well, not this time."
Xi Yuan stepped toward the balcony of his luxurious estate.
"No more stepping stone. No more 'young master who exists to be humbled'."
He clenched his fist, feeling the raw power coursing through his veins.
"I'll be the last boss, alright—but I'm the boss of everything. I'm no cannon fodder. I am Xi Yuan, the all-powerful young master."
And this world?
It would learn that the villain... writes his own ending.