I Really Am A Villain

When Dark Monarch heard Demon Minister Wei speak, terror seized him, he didn’t even dare to reply.

He had never expected that the Dragon God Imperium had prepared a hidden trump card, let alone that they had sent him.

No one even remembered Demon Minister Wei’s full name anymore.

It wasn’t out of disrespect, it was simply because his demonic, wicked way of doing things was so infamous that everyone had long since accepted that title as his name.

Although he served as the Grand Chancellor of the Dragon God Imperium, he didn’t follow anyone’s orders. In truth, he was a member of the Ancient Demon Race who merely carried the title of an imperial official.

“L-Lord Wei, I didn’t know you’d be here,” Dark Monarch stammered, trying to explain himself.

At this point, all he could do was stall for time and hope that reinforcements from the Vast Heaven Imperium would arrive soon.

“The fuck? Senior? You look older than me,” Wei said with a cold grin.

“Yes! Yes! The wise are always first, seniority by virtue,” Dark Monarch said quickly, not daring to act proud.

“Virtue my ass,” Wei sneered. “Stop waiting for the Vast Heaven Imperium’s people, they won’t be coming. I just happened to run into them on my way here.”

As he spoke, he casually pulled several severed heads from somewhere and tossed them toward Dark Monarch.

Dark Monarch recoiled, too afraid to touch them, but even a glance told him enough, among them were the heads of General Soaring Cloud of the Vast Heaven Imperium and his deputy.

“You… you killed them all?!” Dark Monarch stuttered.

“I came all this way, thought I’d bring you a gift,” Wei said with a crooked smile. “Do you like it?”

“Senior, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have gotten involved!” Dark Monarch dropped to his knees, begging for mercy.

Now that the Vast Heaven Imperium’s reinforcements were all dead, he had no fight left in him. Survival was all that mattered.

“There’s no need to beg,” Wei said calmly. “Because I’m not going to let you live.”

“Please, give me one more chance! I’ll serve you loyally, do whatever you command!” Dark Monarch pleaded.

“You’re not qualified,” Wei said, shaking his head.

Desperation flared in Dark Monarch’s eyes. He suddenly turned, moving with explosive speed toward Xu Zimo and Wu Zhaodi, who were still bound to the horses.

He was so fast that Vast Cloud and the others barely had time to react.

A sword of ice formed in Dark Monarch’s hand, and in an instant, it was pressed against Xu Zimo’s throat.

Wei didn’t move. He simply watched, unconcerned, as though curious how this would play out.

“Let me go,” Dark Monarch shouted, “or I’ll kill him! Without him, you’ll never get the inheritance!”

“You want to kill him? Then do it,” Wei said with mockery. “Why waste breath?”

“Do you really want mutual destruction?” Dark Monarch asked hesitantly.

“Go ahead,” Wei said with a grin. “Kill him. I’d like to see you try.”

“You think I won’t?” Dark Monarch roared, stabbing the icy blade toward Xu Zimo’s throat.

But in that very instant, his entire body froze in place.

Dark demonic energy erupted from the ground, countless tendrils of black mist that coiled around Dark Monarch’s arms, legs, neck, and waist like living ropes, binding him tight.

The other ends of those tendrils sank deep into the earth.

Dark Monarch couldn’t move, he could only struggle helplessly.

Demon Minister Wei descended slowly from the air, taking unhurried steps toward him.

“Release me!” Dark Monarch screamed.

Wei extended his right hand and clenched his fist. The demonic energy responded instantly, tightening its grip.

Dark Monarch’s screams echoed through the air as the tendrils pulled harder and harder, until his body was torn apart limb by limb.

“Greetings, Grand Chancellor,” Vast Cloud and the others stepped forward to bow respectfully.

Strictly speaking, as Grand Tutor, Vast Cloud’s position was not beneath Wei’s.

But he knew better than to measure this man by rank. Besides, Wei had saved them, courtesy was the least he could offer.

Wei waved dismissively, then turned to inspect Xu Zimo and Wu Zhaodi closely. “These two are the ones who took the inheritance?”

“The tomb vanished, and they were the only ones who came out alive,” Vast Cloud replied. “It must be them.”

“Where’s the inheritance?” Wei asked, eyes narrowing at Xu Zimo.

“To which Infernal Archon do you report?” Xu Zimo asked in return. “To Celestial Devourer, or to Hellfire Asura?”

“Oh?” Wei raised an eyebrow. “So you know something of our Ancient Demon Race?”

“Not much,” Xu Zimo said quietly. “It’s just… been a long time since I’ve been home.”

Wei frowned slightly. There was something odd in that remark, something he couldn’t quite place.

“Enough of your nonsense, boy. You’re a prisoner now, nothing more,” Wei said, flicking his hand.

“Watch them both carefully,” he ordered his men. “Escort them to the capital.”

“If you get the chance,” Xu Zimo said evenly, “send word to your two Infernal Archons. Tell them I’ve returned. Let them come and see me.”

“Watch your tone!” Wei snapped. “If the inheritance weren’t valuable, I’d have torn you to shreds already for talking like that.”

“Don’t be rash, Chancellor,” Vast Cloud interjected quickly. “The Dragon God Saint Sovereign himself is very interested in this inheritance.”

Wei gave a cold laugh. “I’ll leave it to you, then. Bring them to the capital safely. There won’t be any more danger on the way.”

With that, demonic energy began swirling around him. His form blurred, and then vanished completely into the void.

“He certainly has that demonic arrogance about him,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.

“You’re bold to talk like that,” Vast Cloud said sharply. “If you offend him, boy, you won’t have enough lives to die with. Just hand over the inheritance, and I’ll let you both go. You can still flee and live.”

“I don’t have any inheritance,” Xu Zimo said helplessly again.

“Do you know why I’m really taking you to the Dragon God City?” Vast Cloud said.

“Enlighten me,” Xu Zimo replied.

“Beneath the Dragon God Saint Sovereign, there are many extraordinary people,” Vast Cloud explained. “In the capital lives a diviner, the Sovereign’s own teacher. Everyone calls him the Imperial Sage. He can extract memories straight from your mind. Even if you don’t talk, he’ll find out everything. We’re still some distance from the capital. Before we arrive, you still have a choice to make. Think carefully.”

With that, Vast Cloud turned and walked away.

In truth, his motives weren’t pure.

If he could get the inheritance for himself, the glory would be his alone. But if they reached the capital empty-handed, he might instead be blamed for failure.

“Did you actually get the inheritance?” Wu Zhaodi asked once Vast Cloud was gone.

After all, she’d left early, Xu Zimo was the one who went after the Dragon Monarch.

“You still don’t see?” Xu Zimo said. “The ‘inheritance’ was just a ruse. The Dragon Monarch wanted someone to escort it back to the Azure Mystic Heaven.”

“Then why is the Dragon God Imperium so desperate to find it?” Wu Zhaodi mused.

“Who knows,” Xu Zimo said with a grin. “You can ask the Dragon God Saint Sovereign yourself when you meet him.”

“You have a grudge against the Dragon God Imperium?” she asked.

Xu Zimo shook his head.

“Then it must be the Ancient Demon Race you hate,” Wu Zhaodi said firmly.