Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life

Fan Xian swallowed his words halfway through his rant.

He tried his best to appear calm, but the slight twitching of the muscles on his face could not hide his true feelings.

After a long pause, Fan Xian twitched the corner of his mouth, exhaled, and forced out a mocking sneer:

"You have no regard for the dignity of a strong person at all. Not only did you come to our door to rob us, but you also resorted to such despicable means."

"You think you can trade the life of a mere maid for my 'Overlord True Qi'? Isn't that a bit too naive?"

Zhou Cheng spoke in a hoarse voice, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"The life and death of a maid is indeed of little value. In the hands of others, let alone one, even the lives of ten or a hundred maids wouldn't be enough to exchange for half a page of 'Overbearing True Qi.' But you are different, Fan Xian."

He paused, his tone revealing a hint of amusement and感慨:

"You're a good person!"

Once again labeled a "good person," Fan Xian finally couldn't hold back anymore.

He almost jumped up, pointing at Zhou Cheng and cursing angrily:

"A good person? Good people should be threatened? What kind of bullshit logic is that? If that's the case, I'd rather not be a good person! Uncle Wuzhu, capture him first, then go rescue the people!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhu didn't say a word, but took a step forward.

"etc!"

Zhou Cheng, however, remained calm and composed, raising his hand in a gesture of pressing down as he faced Fan Xian:

"Your uncle is indeed stronger than me. But taking me down won't be that easy."

His gaze swept over the bamboo forest, now reduced to ruins, and he said slowly:

"Guess how many people would die if I moved the battlefield to the Fan residence?"

Fan Xian felt as if he had been doused with ice water, and his anger instantly subsided by more than half.

He stared at the mess before him, unable to imagine what it must have looked like in the Fan family mansion.

Wu Zhu seemed to sense his wavering as well, and his movements stopped.

Fan Xian clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh.

He dared not gamble.

He wanted to ask Wu Zhu if he was confident of a quick victory, but he had witnessed the thrilling battle just now.

Wu Zhu could win, but not quickly.

"From the very beginning, you had no choice."

Zhou Cheng's voice came again.

Fan Xian admitted that what the other person said was right, but he was still unwilling to accept it. Just as he was struggling with this internal conflict, suddenly, his eyes lit up and he had an idea.

He sighed, his voice filled with helplessness:

"Okay, I really didn't have a choice. What can I do? I'm a good person!"

He emphasized the word "good person".

"I can recite the 'Overbearing True Qi' to you from memory, but you must release the person first and answer a few questions for me."

Zhou Cheng shook his head, his tone leaving no room for negotiation:

"You're not in a position to negotiate with me. Besides, I only want the original manual; you don't need to memorize it. I'll release the person once I get the manual. As for the rest... forget about it."

"Just the original version?"

Fan Xian was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but curse inwardly.

Damn! They're being so cautious!

You see, he had a sudden inspiration and wanted to take advantage of the dictation to tamper with a few key points and trick the other party, but he did not expect that the other party was so wary.

He wanted to say that the original manual had been destroyed long ago, but he was afraid that the other party would not believe him, which would cause unforeseen complications.

Ultimately, Fan Xian couldn't ignore the Fan family's plight, so he could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger.

"...Alright, I can give you the manual. But how can you guarantee you won't go back on your word after you get it?"

Zhou Cheng seemed to have heard something amusing, and his hoarse chuckle sounded like a nightingale's cry:

"In the entire Danzhou, only the 'Overlord True Qi' technique catches my eye. Besides that, what else do you think is worth my scheming?"

Fan Xian was speechless for a moment.

He thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile that, apart from this cultivation technique, he really didn't have anything that could attract the covetousness of such a person.

At that moment, he had a strange feeling that "a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."

After reaching a preliminary "consensus", the three returned to the Fan residence quietly.

With a long face, Fan Xian took out the "Overbearing True Qi" from a hidden compartment in the room, gently stroked it, and then painfully threw it at Zhou Cheng:

"Now, release them."

Zhou Cheng reached out and took the booklet, which was dark in color, slightly curled at the edges, and looked quite old.

The book had the four large characters 'Overbearing True Qi' on it, and he opened it and casually flipped through a few pages.

The pages bear the marks of years of handling, and the headers and footers are adorned with meticulous annotations, indicating that it is a genuine copy that has been frequently studied.

He closed the booklet and nodded:

"Your maid is in her own room, only bound, but unharmed."

After saying this, he adjusted his mask, left the room, leaped onto the roof, and disappeared into the night.

Fan Xian clenched his fists tightly for a long time before finally letting go, looking at Wu Zhu, and letting out a low sigh.

......

The following evening, just as Fan Xian returned to his room, there was a knock on the door.

Before he could answer, Zhou Cheng, wearing a ghost mask, pushed the door open and entered again.

"It's you again!"

Fan Xian spat out a few words through gritted teeth, his eyes practically spitting fire.

That bastard! How dare he go back on his word!

Wu Zhu appeared silently and shielded him behind him, his "gaze" from under the black cloth locking onto Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng didn't even glance at Fan Xian, but merely raised his chin towards Wu Zhu:

"This time I'm not looking for you, I'm looking for him."

"Looking for Uncle Wuzhu?" Fan Xian was taken aback.

"I need his help in my spiritual practice. In return, before I leave Danzhou, I can answer one question for you. In the meantime, you can slowly think about what you most want to know."

Fan Xian was taken aback for a moment, realizing that what the other party said was true, and he did not sense any malice.

His mind raced, trying to decide whether to agree.

He turned to look at Wu Zhu: "Uncle, what do you think?"

"My duty is to protect you." Wu Zhu's voice was calm and even. "If you agree, and he's willing to be beaten, I can beat him."

Fan Xian took a deep breath, feeling that his side wasn't at a disadvantage and still had a chance to find out more about the masked man, so he made a decision for Wu Zhu:

"...Okay, we agree."

From then on, Zhou Cheng stayed temporarily in Danzhou.

While he was practicing the "Overbearing True Qi", he would occasionally seek out Wu Zhu to fight in the suburbs.

With the experience of a grandmaster, he gained a commanding perspective and his progress in the new field was astonishingly fast.

At first, he was completely suppressed by Wu Zhu, but later he was able to fight back and forth.

Fan Xian did not miss any of the sparring matches. The amazing scenes aroused his desire for a higher level of martial arts. At the same time, the strong sense of urgency in his heart made him practice even harder.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

That day, Zhou Cheng decided to set off back to Dadongshan.

With only a month or so left before Emperor Qing's temple ceremony, Emperor Qing and his entourage should depart from the capital. He needs to return early to make arrangements.

On the eve of his departure, Fan Xian finally asked the question that Zhou Cheng had promised to ask:

"Since you know that the 'Overlord True Qi' is in my possession, you must know something about my mother, Ye Qingmei. I want to know, how exactly did she die?"

Zhou Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly.

He originally thought that Fan Xian's biggest concern at this moment would be who wanted to kill him in the capital, but he didn't expect that this was the question.

I couldn't help but glance at Wu Zhu.

The person who most wants to know the answer to this question is probably Wu Zhu, and Fan Xian is asking it more on behalf of Wu Zhu.

As for how Ye Qingmei actually died, there are actually two answers.

After organizing his thoughts, he said:

"Back then, Ye Qingmei was betrayed by her closest relatives and was ambushed and killed on the night she gave birth."

She left behind only one child, who is you, Fan Xian, who was later brought to Danzhou by Wu Zhu to be raised.

"The closest person?"

Fan Xian, who was still mentally preparing himself, was stunned: "...That's it? Who is this 'closest person'?"

Zhou Cheng glanced at him: "That's another issue."

Wu Zhu, who had been silent to the side, suddenly stepped forward, his voice unusually excited:

"No! You're wrong! I'm the person closest to my master! I would never betray my master."

Zhou Cheng glanced helplessly at Wu Zhu's "eyes" that were covered by a black cloth.

These days, even robots can lose their memories and still think they're human, it's really...

He didn't say much:

"I've given you the answer you wanted. Goodbye."

With a swift movement, he disappeared into the night.

Fan Xian reached out to stop him, but only grasped at empty air. Enraged, he slammed his hand on the table.

"Damn it! What I hate most in my life is riddle-makers who only say half of what they mean! If I weren't so bad at martial arts, I would definitely..."

After hurling his insults, he turned to Wu Zhu, forcing a smile.

"Uncle, do you think that guy is lying to us? When I was born, my mother's closest person should have been my father... How could my father possibly harm her?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Fan Xian's smile froze on his face.

He thought of Fan Jian, the "father" he had never met and who had abandoned him in Danzhou for more than ten years without ever inquiring about him.

If what the masked man said is true... if Fan Jian really betrayed Ye Qingmei and abandoned his own son...

Ugh? !

That seems plausible.

Fan Xian stood there, stunned, feeling utterly lost.

......

After leaving the Fan residence, Zhou Cheng bought a small boat that very night and began his return journey to Dadong Mountain.

His sparring with Wu Zhu over this period of time has greatly improved his control over true qi, and his boat speed is now far greater than before.

They traveled in silence until they returned to the temple. He immediately summoned the Chen brothers to inquire about their recent situation.

Having confirmed that everything was alright, he began to continue his seclusion while waiting for Emperor Qing and his entourage to arrive.

With the New Year celebrations over, Emperor Qing, under the protection of the newly appointed commander of the Imperial Guards, Yan Xiaoyi, and others, arrived at Mount Dadong to perform the rites of worship at the temple.

After the ceremony, Emperor Qing secretly summoned the Chen brothers at the imperial palace.

Although he had received a secret report beforehand, he still wanted to hear the two men recount Zhou Cheng's movements in person.

Upon learning that Zhou Cheng had indeed only focused on martial arts training and ignored external affairs for the past six months, Emperor Qing remained silent for a moment before finally uttering the words, "He's hopeless."

He then summoned Zhou Cheng for a private meeting.

At this moment, Zhou Cheng's control over his true energy had reached a very high level. He usually kept his aura at around the sixth rank, so that even Emperor Qing would have difficulty discerning his true strength unless he made a move.

Upon entering the hall, Emperor Qing patted him on the shoulder with a smile, appearing every inch the loving father:

"Chengcheng, you've handled this task well. Tell me, what reward do you want?"

Zhou Cheng pondered for a moment, then earnestly said:

"Your Majesty, I am obsessed with martial arts and deeply feel that Mount Da Dong is a treasure land for cultivation. My progress here has been quite smooth. I humbly request Your Majesty to allow me to continue cultivating here."

Emperor Qing's smile vanished. He pointed at Zhou Cheng, angrily saying, "You are so disappointing!"

"You are my son, Prince Cheng, not a mere martial artist. I have told you long ago that things in this world are not something you can do just because you want to, but rather something you must do according to what is right."

He turned around, looked out the window, sighed, and said in a slow, drawn-out voice:

"Over the years, I've given you so many opportunities, but you didn't cherish them and only wanted to be a warrior."

Since that's the case, I won't force you. I've decided to grant you an opportunity. After you return to the capital, I will bestow a marriage upon you, choosing a suitable match from the Ye family to be your Princess Consort.

The Ye family has Grandmaster Ye Liuyun in charge. Since you love martial arts, you should exchange martial arts knowledge with the Ye family and cultivate a good relationship.”

Ye family?

Upon hearing this, Zhou Cheng's heart stirred slightly.

In the original drama, Emperor Qing arranged for Ye Ling'er from the Ye family to marry the Second Prince.

The purposes of this were twofold: first, to win over the Ye family; and second, to support the power of the Second Prince and counterbalance the Eastern Palace.

Now that this arrangement has fallen on my shoulders, the intention should be roughly the same.

This is not only about binding the Ye family to his cause, but also about making the Crown Prince and the Second Prince wary, forcing him into the game and competing with others.

Zhou Cheng thought to himself that while he wouldn't dare say he had completely grasped Emperor Qing's thoughts, he should be able to guess them pretty accurately.

For him, this was not a bad thing.

He has broken through to the Grandmaster level and is no longer a pawn to be manipulated, but rather the one who secretly wields the pieces.

Since Emperor Qing is going to start the game, he might as well join in and play a part as well.

His face showed some struggle and reluctance, but in the end he bowed his head, accepted the order, and thanked the emperor.

"...Your subject obeys the decree."

After the temple ceremony, Zhou Cheng accompanied the emperor back to the capital.

For nearly a month, he had almost no opportunity to practice his skills.

Emperor Qing often summoned him to dine together, acting as if they were father and son, in front of countless eyes in the capital.

Carrier pigeons flew back and forth above the convoy, and Zhou Cheng would receive negative messages from the Crown Prince and the Second Prince every now and then.

On the night of their return to the capital, a grand banquet was held in the palace.

During the banquet, Emperor Qing specially summoned Fan Jian, the Earl of Sinan, to the imperial court, praising his achievements. He then mentioned his son Fan Xian, who was far away in Danzhou, and implied that he wanted to marry Lin Wan'er to him.

Upon hearing this, Princess Li Yunrui, who was sitting nearby, turned deathly pale.

She suddenly stood up, citing illness as the reason, and left her seat. The Crown Prince instinctively wanted to follow, but after glancing at Emperor Qing, he awkwardly sat back down at the banquet.

After the banquet, Zhou Cheng did not return to the Prince Cheng's residence, but went straight to Guangxin Palace.

Upon entering the hall, one is greeted by a scene of utter chaos—overturned tables and chairs, and shards of porcelain scattered everywhere.

Li Yunrui stood in the hall, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with resentment and venom.

Zhou Cheng came in.

"Chengcheng, you're right..." Her voice trembled, a mixture of crying and laughing, "Your Majesty really intends to marry Wan'er to that bastard child born of that lowly woman!"

Zhou Cheng stepped forward and asked knowingly, "It's been a year, Aunt, and you still haven't dealt with the person?"

"All the people I sent were useless! They couldn't even handle a little bastard!" Li Yunrui swept the half-overturned vase to the ground with a jarring sound as it shattered.

Zhou Cheng stopped two steps away from her, watching her go on another tantrum.

Li Yunrui closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, the madness in her eyes had subsided slightly. She glanced at Zhou Cheng and chuckled.

"Cheng'er just returned to the capital, and instead of going back to your Prince Cheng's residence, he came to his aunt's place first. I'm afraid he didn't come here intentionally to see his aunt's embarrassing situation, did he?"

Zhou Cheng smiled and said, "Even when Aunt is angry, she has a unique charm. How can you say she's being unsightly?"

Li Yunrui glanced at him and said, "You're so sweet-talking."

She summoned a maid to clean up the mess, and then led Zhou Cheng to the inner palace.

After dismissing everyone around him, Li Yunrui poured himself a cup of tea, took a small sip, and then said:

"Speak, what is it that you're in such a hurry to find me? I hope it's good news."

Zhou Cheng did not answer, but simply took the teacup she had used and drank the rest of the tea in one gulp.

"Aunt, are you aware that I was ambushed when I left the capital before the New Year?"

Li Yunrui's hand holding the cup paused almost imperceptibly, but his expression remained calm:

"I've heard a little about it. Fortunately, Cheng'er is a lucky person."

Zhou Cheng looked up and stared straight at her until he heard a negative notification sound in his ear, then he slowly spoke:

"The assassin claimed to be a retainer of my second brother. But I know he's the Crown Prince's man."

Li Yunrui's smile froze slightly, but his voice remained steady: "Cheng'er, you've probably misunderstood something. Whether it's the Second Prince or the Crown Prince, they are both your blood brothers. How could they possibly harm you? There must be some villain trying to deceive you and sow discord between you brothers."

Zhou Cheng nodded: "Aunt is right, there was indeed someone stirring things up. Although the assassin came from the Eastern Palace, the one who set up the trap was someone else."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice:

"Auntie, why don't you guess who that person is?"

Li Yunrui turned his head to look to the side.

"My aunt has lived in the deep palace for so long, how could she possibly guess these things?"

Zhou Cheng suddenly reached out and grasped her tightly clenched hand under her sleeve.

He gently brushed her fingers away:

"It's not that Aunt can't guess, it's that she doesn't need to guess. The mastermind behind that assassination was none other than you, Aunt."

Li Yunrui was stunned.

A smile crept across her face; she wanted to say the joke wasn't funny at all, but then she saw those eyes—a gaze that was firm and unwavering.

The smile faded from her face, and the two stared at each other expressionlessly.

A moment later, she withdrew her hand.

"Alright...alright, Cheng'er, your aunt underestimated you."

She shook her head, laughed, and slowly, her laughter became unrestrained.

"Yes, I instigated this. But so what? Do you have any evidence? Do you have any witnesses? I only said a few words to the Crown Prince, what can you do to me? I am your aunt, this is the capital, what can you do to me?"

Zhou Cheng watched her mad and domineering behavior, which made him want to slap her, and suddenly he laughed.

"There's always a price to pay for wrongdoing." He stood up, his shadow looming over her. "Even if you're a princess, you're no exception."

Li Yunrui scoffed: "Price? What price? You want to complain to His Majesty?"

She laughed so hard she seemed to have heard something extremely funny.

Zhou Cheng shook his head:

"Complaining is child's play. I am the aggrieved party, and I have my own ways of collecting my debts."

"You?" Li Yunrui raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of disdain.

Zhou Cheng said nothing more, only smiled.

The next second, he appeared behind Li Yunrui like a ghost and grabbed her by the neck.

Li Yunrui's face flushed red from suffocation, but she showed no fear whatsoever, and still spoke with a mocking tone:

"I still don't believe you dare to kill me."

Zhou Cheng loosened his grip slightly, using his other hand to control her slender waist, and leaned close to her ear:

"How could I bear to kill you? Aunt, do you remember... what I said here a year ago?"