The attendants immediately surrounded Chu Yi, landing several heavy punches to his abdomen. A sharp pain coursed through him, and his body staggered backward before collapsing to the ground. His spiritual power was too weak to resist; all he could do was grit his teeth and endure the beating.
"Stop!" Finally, Qing Wan couldn't help but speak, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes.
But Xing Dian sneered as he watched the scene, clearly not intending to spare Chu Yi. The attendants continued to kick and punch him, and Chu Yi's body gradually grew limp. Yet, he still did not beg for mercy.
After a while, Xing Dian looked down at Chu Yi lying on the ground, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "Remember this," he said, his voice deep and cold, carrying a threat that brooked no denial. "In this city, anyone who offends me, Xing Dian, will meet a bad end." Though Chu Yi had used some of the techniques he'd learned from his previous world to dodge the deadly blows, the differences in spiritual power in this world still left him severely wounded. His mind was growing fuzzy, but Xing Dian's voice seemed to carve itself into his brain. Chu Yi wanted to retort, but found he lacked the strength even to speak. Xing Dian turned and left, the attendants following suit, each sneering as they kicked Chu Yi a few more times on their way out.
Once they were gone, only Chu Yi, lying in the street, and Qing Wan, standing a distance away, remained. Qing Wan frowned slightly and walked up to him, crouching down to look at Chu Yi. Even with her usual cold mask, it was difficult for her to hide her conflicted expression. She seemed like she wanted to say something but ultimately said nothing. Instead, she took out a vial of medicine and gently placed it beside Chu Yi.
"Take care of it yourself. Don't interfere with my business from now on," Qing Wan said coldly before turning and walking away. Her back remained straight and full of confidence, but in that moment, Chu Yi sensed a strange feeling of loneliness emanating from her.
The pain dulled Chu Yi's mind, and he had no strength to think about much. He mechanically reached for the vial she had left and slowly applied the medicine to his wounds. The cool liquid seeped into his skin, slightly alleviating the pain, but a surge of anger and helplessness rose within him.
Xing Dian's arrogance and the nobility's disdain made him realize just how weak he still was in this world. He couldn't even defend himself. The beating had shattered not only his body but also his self-esteem and confidence. Chu Yi lay alone in the middle of the street, ignored by all. Forgotten memories began to resurface.
He thought of his former world, a life that was ordinary yet filled with helplessness. He had just graduated from college at 25 and started working at a programming company. Life seemed stable, not wealthy but enough to cover basic expenses. Just when he thought life would gradually improve, an unexpected blow changed his fate forever. That year, his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The cold words from the doctor felt like an invisible knife, cutting off all hope in his heart. The enormous medical bills weighed heavily on him and his mother, pressing down with a force that made it hard to breathe.
"Your father's condition... he needs surgery as soon as possible, or..." The doctor's expressionless tone was like a sentence, pronouncing an unspoken disaster.
Chu Yi knew that he had to take responsibility. He worked day and night, taking on every project he could, just to earn more money to extend his father's life. He endured the grueling 996 work schedule, staring at the cold computer screen, each keystroke hammering at his soul. Exhausted and under immense pressure, he dared not relax for even a moment. The medical bills at home piled up day by day, while his savings rapidly dwindled.
"Dad will get better, I will find a way to raise enough money," he told himself countless times, a flicker of hope in his heart. Yet reality repeatedly crushed his faith. Every time he returned to the hospital, seeing his father's increasingly gaunt face and his mother's exhausted and helpless expression, Chu Yi felt that all his efforts were in vain, trapped in a quagmire.
"What should we do?" his mother once asked, crying silently, her tears sliding down her cheeks.
"I'll think of something..." Chu Yi gritted his teeth and replied, but deep down, he knew that the options available to him were few. In the end, despite all his efforts, his father couldn't hold on. That was the most hopeless moment of his life, a mix of grief over losing a loved one and the helplessness of not being able to change anything, suffocating him. To cover the astronomical medical costs, he sank deeply into debt, overwhelmed by despair and self-blame.
"If only I were stronger, if only I had more money..." Chu Yi thought countless times, resenting himself and the cruelty of the world. His dreams were haunted by his father's pale face before his passing, and his mother's helpless sighs. Yet, in this unfamiliar world, Chu Yi realized that the same feeling of helplessness had returned. Xing Dian and his attendants' fists not only struck his body but shattered what little self-respect he had left. The noble class, high above him, seemed to mirror the fate he had suffered before, once again driving him into a corner.
He endured the pain in his body, trying to struggle to his feet, but his limbs felt as heavy as lead. For a moment, it seemed like he was back in that hospital, the smell of disinfectant in the air, surrounded by coldness and helplessness once again. "I... can't keep going like this..." he muttered to himself, his hands clenching into fists, his nails digging into his palms. Chu Yi knew this beating was a warning—no matter the world, the weak could never control their fate.
"I must grow stronger, even if it means death. I will never again passively accept the whims of fate," a firm resolve surged within him, the pain sharpening his focus. A fierce determination flashed in his eyes, an emotion he had never felt before. Though he was still weak, he knew he would no longer let this feeling of helplessness control him. He would break free from these chains, whether in this world or his old one. Fate would never crush him again.
Finally, Chu Yi gritted his teeth, leaned against the wall, and shakily rose to his feet. His body still ached, but the burning determination in his eyes had grown stronger.
This time, he would no longer be the weak one, the one who was bullied. He had decided to become stronger, to make those who had hurt him feel what it was like to be oppressed. With this thought in mind, he struggled to lift his battered body and, with great effort, began to drag himself away from the street.