Chapter 20: The Frail Mask: Zhang Wei's Deceptive Path

After another seven long days, a timid knock on the door broke Zhang Wei's silence. Weakly, he approached the entrance and caught a glimpse of a young maid standing on the other side. He quickly surmised that it must be Madam Chi's new maid, replacing the old one in his absence.

The maid noticed his weak condition and knew that Zhang Wei had not fully recovered. The young woman had heard of Zhang Wei as Madam Chi's confidant, but also learned that he had offended her and been severely punished by her guards.

Interrupting the maid's thoughts, Zhang Wei asked with a faintly inquiring tone, 'Who is seeking me?'

The maid remembered that Zhang Wei was blind and unable to see her, so she said, "I am Madam Chi's new personal maid. She asked me to inform you that she requires your presence this evening, no matter what. She has some important order for you."

"Okay, tell Madam that I will be there on time," Zhang Wei replied calmly.

The maid nodded in agreement and left, returning to inform Madam Chi that Zhang Wei would attend as instructed.

As Zhang Wei closed the door behind him, he couldn't help but feel relieved that his charade was finally over. He had been pretending to be weak and helpless ever since he heard the knocking, so that no one would suspect anything out of the ordinary. In reality, he was almost fully healed by the fifth day. The maid had come to call him on Madam Chi's behalf today because, for an ordinary man, the injuries he had sustained would have taken at least ten days to barely heal. But Zhang Wei's body was not like that of an ordinary man.

Although he had only cultivated the incomplete version of the Nameless Dual Cultivation Technique, it had still done wonders for his physique. The most important aspect of the technique was missing, but Zhang Wei's cultivation had not been a complete waste. By operating the technique, he was able to absorb a small amount of qi from heaven and earth. Although he couldn't use it to its full potential due to the technique's incompleteness, the qi still remained in his body for a short time. During that time, his body cells would automatically absorb some of the qi, making him stronger and taller over time.

Not only did the qi help his cells grow stronger, but it also purified them, removing any impurities or dirt. This was the main reason why his skin was brighter than before he started cultivating the technique. Even his features had become more refined and handsome as a result of his cultivation.

Zhang Wei had spent the past ten days planning his next move. He had come to the realization that what he lacked most was an opportunity and a suitable target. After much consideration, he had initially selected four targets - Madam Chi and her three beautiful daughters.

While he could have chosen others as his targets, he knew that it was highly unlikely for him to come into contact with them and gain a chance to try out his evil plans. And even if he somehow did manage to come into contact with them, it would take a long time to gain their trust. However, Madam Chi already trusted him, making her an easy target. Moreover, being Madam Chi's confidant, he could easily come into contact with her daughters.

But the main reason why he had chosen these four Chi family women was that they were close to the central power of the Chi family. He knew that to gain the Chi family's resources by using a woman, the woman must have a high status in the family. And what better identity could a woman have than the wife or daughter of the Chi family patriarch?

His plan was not just to have the women of the Chi family; he wanted to fully devour the Chi family and control it. He had a deep-seated desire to perform a show for the whole Chi family male, where the main character would be him, and opposite him would be the Chi family women spreading their legs waiting for him to enter their holes while every male of the Chi family watched his performance, lowering their heads in submission.

He wanted to exert his total domination over them, both physically and mentally, and use the Chi family as his stepping stone to reach out his hands to the immortal world Chi family and, finally, the entire immortal world. He wanted to build a force for himself that would only obey his every word. Since he had come to this world accidentally, he would make sure to dominate this world accidentally, be it mortal or immortal.

As the evening drew near, Zhang Wei prepared himself to visit Madam Chi. He knew that he needed the perfect opportunity to execute his plan, and until then, he would bide his time and endure everything, even if it meant becoming a helpless dog again.

Before meeting with Madam Chi, he knew he must present himself as still weak from the beatings inflicted upon him by the guards. And what better way for a blind person to portray weakness than to use a cane?

Zhang Wei had not used a cane for a very long time, for he had become proficient in doing things like a sighted person without the need for such an aid. However, he opened the only box in his room, which he had brought with him when he first joined the Chi family as a servant. Inside the box lay a plain, unremarkable cane. To anyone who looked at it, it would appear more like a stick that had been cut from a tree than a cane. Yet, it held a special place in Zhang Wei's heart.

As he picked up the cane, he felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. He remembered the first night he had spent in this strange world, helpless and sleeping on the streets, harassed by wild dogs. He had used a branch from an old tree to protect himself, and over time, it had become his constant companion. When he had lost his sight, he began to use the branch as a cane, and even though he had learned how to navigate without it, he never discarded it. Instead, he kept it as a symbol of his new life, of the hardships he had overcome and the strength he had gained.

He closed his eyes and caressed the rough edges of the cane, lost in thought. The memories that it held were like precious gems, each one a reminder of his journey so far.

With the cane in hand, Zhang Wei walked out of his small room, acting weak and frail, signifying his new path that was full of deceit and trickery.

Update: As promised, I have added a new chapter. I apologize for any inconvenience caused and would greatly appreciate your support by voting and providing your valuable feedback