Chapter 9: Sign-in for the Eternal Life Method! Chen Pingping’s Grief and Fury! Li Yunrui’s mad laughter gradually subsided as she played with the infant in her arms. The smile remained on her face, but deep in her eyes, something seemed to shatter—only to be quickly buried beneath renewed madness. She extended a cold finger, gently tracing Li Changsheng’s cheek with an almost pitying tenderness. “Li Changsheng… ‘Longevity Born from My Grace’…” She murmured the name softly, as if savoring each syllable. Her voice carried a trace of self-mockery, so faint it was nearly imperceptible. “They all say I’m the unwanted woman of the inner palace.” “Despised by the Emperor, disliked by the Empress Dowager, feared by the court officials.” Her gaze grew distant, as if she were seeing something beyond Li Changsheng. Her fingertip paused between his brows, pressing down slightly. “You’re the child the Emperor couldn’t even bear to look at—the one he was so eager to discard.” Li Changsheng could feel the chill of her touch, and beneath it, the faintest undercurrent of venom. Li Yunrui’s lips curled into another eerie smile. “An abandoned child.” She leaned in, her breathtakingly beautiful face drawing so close that Li Changsheng could see his own tiny reflection in her pupils. The cold fragrance of her robes seeped into his senses. “Don’t you think… we’re a match made in heaven?” Her breath, cool and faint, brushed against his skin. This woman is utterly deranged. Li Changsheng still couldn’t react, his infant face expressionless as he stared back at her with clear, unblinking eyes. He saw her jade-like skin glowing softly under the palace lanterns. The slightly parted collar of her black robe revealed a delicate collarbone and the faintest hint of curves beneath. Even in this simple crouch, her posture exuded a devastating allure— Beautiful, yet laced with poison. “From now on, you belong to me.” Li Yunrui’s voice regained its earlier softness, laced with a hypnotic persuasion. She rose to her full height, looking down at him with an inscrutable expression. Li Changsheng lay on the soft brocade cushion, feeling its plush texture beneath him. He knew—from this moment on, he was bound to this madwoman. Fate would decide the rest. A series of system notifications chimed in Li Changsheng’s mind. His thoughts raced as he immediately began assessing his gains. Peerless Comprehension—an absolute must for cultivation. And the Eternal Life Method… Anticipation surged within him. A cultivation system from the Eternal Life World sounded incomparably powerful. Three major realms—Physical, Divine Ability, and Longevity—each with nine layers. If he mastered this, even a Land Immortal wouldn’t be his match. Then there was the Life Devouring Flame—a unique fire with abilities like growth acceleration, vitality restoration, and healing. A truly versatile tool. This was the foundation of his future strength. Two figures received news from Taiping Villa almost simultaneously. Chen Pingping sat in his wheelchair, his face dark with fury. An assassination attempt at Taiping Villa? His grip on the armrests tightened until his knuckles turned white. A torrent of hatred surged within him. “Prepare the horses!” His voice was hoarse with barely restrained rage. “I’m going to Taiping Villa myself!” He would make those who dared harm Miss Ye pay in blood. Fan Jian, too, was consumed by wrath. The news of Ye Qingmei’s assassination struck him like a thunderbolt. He couldn’t believe it—the woman who had left an indelible mark on his life was gone, just like that. “Prepare the horses!” His voice trembled slightly. “I’m going to Taiping Villa!” “I will find out who dared lay a hand on her!” Under the cover of night, two elite cavalry units thundered toward the same destination like black lightning. Chen Pingping arrived first. Pushed in his wheelchair, he entered the villa that had once been filled with laughter—now reduced to ruins, the air thick with the stench of blood. Lying peacefully in a pool of crimson. Her face still held a faint smile, as if she were merely asleep. Chen Pingping’s entire body shook violently. A skeletal hand reached out, trembling, as if to caress her cheek— He feared tainting her. All he could do was stare—at her lifeless beauty, at the light that had vanished from her eyes. He would have his vengeance. His teeth ground together audibly. His gaze turned to ice—cold, merciless. He swore—he would find the killers. And tear them limb from limb.