I Really Am A Villain

The blazing sun devoured the void, while the blade’s radiance devoured the sun.

The searing light melted everything as it cascaded from the heavens above.

Hong Yu grinned and murmured to himself, “Now this is interesting.”

Xu Zimo stood in midair on one foot, the other stepping firmly on the body of the child that the masked man had turned into, like a falling meteor crashing from the sky.

“It’s Xuan Quan!” someone from the Ghost God Collegium shouted in sudden recognition.

“What happened to him? Why does he look like that?”

“You don’t know? He’s from the lineage of Ghost God Zenith-Yang. Once a month, their extreme yang energy reverses into yin, turning them into this smaller form. It has its advantages and disadvantages.”

“And that guy standing above him, who is he?”

While a few people whispered among themselves, a resounding explosion shook the field.

The child’s body crashed into the earth, and Xu Zimo stood upon his corpse.

“Who are you, to dare commit murder within our Ghost God Collegium!” roared Wu Daozi, rising to his feet.

Beside him, Nocturne whispered something softly. Wu Daozi frowned slightly, seemingly weighing his options.

Xu Zimo scanned his surroundings, surprised himself that during his battle, he and his foe had accidentally torn through the spatial barrier of this pocket realm.

“Care for a fight?” came a voice from nearby.

Xu Zimo turned to see Hong Yu smiling faintly at him.

“I, representing the Seven Gods Collegium, challenge the Ghost God Collegium,” Hong Yu declared.

“You’re mistaken,” Xu Zimo replied. “I’m not from the Ghost God Collegium.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Hong Yu said with a grin. “I just want an opponent of my level. So, what do you say? Shall we fight?”

“Hong Yu,” scolded Feng Buxiu from above, his brow furrowing. “Do not be reckless.”

“Chancellor, you can’t control my affairs,” Hong Yu said flatly, turning his head. “As long as I handle the Ghost God Collegium, you needn’t worry.”

“You…” Feng Buxiu’s face turned dark. He pointed at Hong Yu but couldn’t find the words to continue.

A white-robed elder beside him tried to soothe him. “Chancellor, don’t be angry. Hong Yu has always had this temperament.”

Wu Daozi, clearly enjoying the scene, chuckled. “The Seven Gods Collegium certainly teaches its students well.”

“That’s none of your concern, Chancellor Wu,” Feng Buxiu replied coolly. “At least our students aren’t useless, one student alone is worth a thousand of yours.”

Wu Daozi’s eyes narrowed. He knew that was a deliberate jab, his Nine Ghost Princes couldn’t even handle one opponent.

On the battle platform, Hong Yu looked at Xu Zimo and smiled. “What’s wrong? Afraid?”

Xu Zimo was silent for a moment, then walked forward with a calm smile. I don’t do sparring,” he said. “Only life and death. Do you still wish to fight?”

“Perfect. I like your style,” Hong Yu replied with a low chuckle. He licked his lips, eyes gleaming as if gazing upon a delicious prey. “There’s something about you, something intoxicating. That aura of darkness… am I right?”

Xu Zimo slowly raised his hand. Wisps of demonic energy gathered and swirled in his palm.

“You mean this?”

“Demonic energy, dark attribute indeed. I like it,” Hong Yu said with satisfaction, licking his lips again.

“I just hope your appetite isn’t bigger than your stomach,” Xu Zimo replied.

Hong Yu sneered, and a bestial roar erupted from his mouth. Energy surged around his feet as he suddenly dashed forward with extreme speed. The platform of the Heavenly Willow creaked and crackled under the force of his steps.

He threw a punch that split the air, its force like a storm crashing toward Xu Zimo’s face.

Xu Zimo also raised his fist. Their punches collided, and the resulting shockwave exploded outward from them, flattening everything in its path. The nearby willow trees shattered and splintered under the pressure.

The two continued exchanging bare-handed blows, no weapons, only fists and raw power.

“Hundred-Fold Buddha Kick! Divine Dream Claw!”

Hong Yu’s hands became like vulture talons, sharp and ruthless. His legs blazed like holy fire, faint Buddha light flickering around them. Every claw strike left deep five-fingered gouges in the willow platform beneath him. Every stomp made the ground tremble.

On the high platform, Wu Daozi frowned. “When did the Seven Gods Collegium have such a person? How have I never heard of him?”

Hong Yu’s movements were extraordinary, his strength unmistakable.

The Ghost God Collegium was far more than a simple school. They gathered intelligence on every notable power in the Ghost God Heaven, yet this Hong Yu had never stood out before, always keeping a low profile.

“This is our intelligence oversight,” Nocturne admitted frankly.

“And the other one?” Wu Daozi asked. “The one you said came with the Celestial Sage Academy?”

“Yes,” Nocturne nodded. “When the Evil Spirit Ghost God appeared before, he helped suppress it. That’s why he was invited to the Ghost God Heaven.”

“If he wins this fight,” Wu Daozi said with narrowed eyes, “find a way to make him stay in the academy.”

Nocturne was silent for a while, then nodded in agreement.

“Radiant Sage Seal!” Hong Yu shouted.

A massive glowing sigil formed before him, radiating holy light powerful enough to purify everything. It pulsed through the void, surging toward Xu Zimo.

Xu Zimo also formed hand seals. The Aryan-Swastika God-Seal condensed before him, heavy with the aura of the Blood Sea.

When the two seals collided, the divine power clashed violently, but as one of the Ten Primordial God-Scriptures, the Aryan-Swastika God-Seal naturally overwhelmed the opponent’s attack, shattering it and continuing forward toward Hong Yu.

“Interesting,” Hong Yu muttered, gathering his power again. “Burning Demon Finger!”

Black spirit energy spiraled around his right index finger like a devouring vortex as he thrust it forward to meet Xu Zimo’s seal.

A deafening explosion followed. The two figures shot apart at incredible speed. Hong Yu’s right hand clawed into the ground, leaving a long fissure. He raised his head, eyes solemn.

“The Ten Primordial God-Scriptures?”

“Oh? You recognize it?” Xu Zimo asked with a smile.

“What’s your connection to the Ouyang God-Clan?” Hong Yu demanded.

“None,” Xu Zimo replied flatly.

“No matter,” Hong Yu said with a cruel grin. “The Ten God-Bloodlines have no reach here in the Ghost God Heaven.”

Then, shockingly, his neck began to twist, rotating a full 316 degrees, his body contorting like a machine in motion. His face twisted, and most of his head was overtaken by an enormous mouth. That gaping maw seemed to devour everything, dark and endless, with no teeth, like a black hole.

The rest of his body morphed grotesquely, his skin turning deep brown, muscles knotting together tightly, patches of coarse hair sprouting across his limbs.

He roared at Xu Zimo, the sound sharp and ear-splitting.

“That’s the World-Devouring Ghost God!” exclaimed Wu Daozi in astonishment.