I Really Am A Villain

But now, being lifted humiliatingly into the air without the slightest power to resist, Lu Fengdong was not only shocked but deeply terrified.

“Boy, put me down right now!” he shouted furiously. “Otherwise, my Lu Imperial Clan will be your mortal enemy!”

Being treated like that in front of everyone left him red-faced with fury, his eyes blazing.

Xu Zimo’s voice was calm as he said, “Do you want me to visit the Lu Imperial Clan and wipe it out? You really think the tiny Lu Imperial Clan means anything to me? To be honest, even this whole Ocean Sage City isn’t much in my eyes.”

Hearing that, Lu Fengdong’s anger quickly turned to fear.

Wang Xiongying, standing beside him, forced a smile and hurriedly said, “My lord, there’s no need for this to turn violent. We can talk things out.”

“This Zhuo Ruyan is our friend too, we were only trying to help him.”

“If that’s how it is,” Xu Zimo replied, “then Shangguan Xian is my friend. By your logic, shouldn’t we fight too?”

Wang Xiongying immediately waved his hands. “No, no, my lord, we were just joking. We won’t interfere in this matter. Do as you please.”

“On behalf of the Wang Imperial Clan, I withdraw from this completely.”

“The Lu Imperial Clan also withdraws!” Lu Fengdong quickly shouted.

“Don’t think I won’t kill you,” Xu Zimo said coldly.

Then he tossed Lu Fengdong aside like a rag doll and, as if nothing had happened, sat back down in his chair.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Shangguan Xian and Zhuo Ruyan were still fighting fiercely.

Though their strength was roughly equal, their conditions were not.

Shangguan Xian grew more powerful the longer she fought, the immortal spirit flames around her were now completely suppressing her opponent.

Zhuo Ruyan, on the other hand, was flustered and hesitant, clearly trying to end the fight quickly.

But that only made him more nervous and prone to mistakes.

Finally, a single error sealed his fate.

Shangguan Xian’s flames struck his shoulder directly, sending him flying backward.

There was a thunderous crash as he slammed into a nearby stone pillar.

Zhuo Ruyan quickly stood up, frowning at his shoulder, where the immortal fire had burned a gaping hole into his flesh. The pain was searing.

Just as Shangguan Xian was about to continue, the City Lord finally intervened.

A little scuffle was tolerable, but if they kept going, the situation could easily spiral out of control.

“My friends,” the City Lord said with a light smile, “would you give me some face and let this matter end here?”

He turned to Zhuo Yuan, his expression darkening. “You, come here and apologize to our guests.”

Zhuo Yuan shrank his neck, walking over nervously. His previous arrogance had completely vanished.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, slapping himself across the face as he spoke. “It was my fault, all my fault.”

He was clearly terrified out of his wits.

“Get lost. And don’t ever let me see you again,” Shangguan Xian said with a look of disgust, waving him away.

Zhuo Yuan nodded frantically, then hurried off with Zhuo Ruyan.

The rest of the Zhuo Imperial Clan followed soon after, too ashamed to remain.

When the commotion finally ended, the City Lord turned to Xu Zimo with a smile and said, “May we have a word?”

Xu Zimo nodded slightly.

The two of them sat together at the center of the sixteenth floor, while everyone else took seats at the sides.

“How should I address you, my lord?” the City Lord asked.

Given his authority and prestige in Ocean Sage City, that form of address was a remarkable show of respect.

“Just call me Young Master Xu,” Xu Zimo said with a wave of his hand.

“Then, Young Master Xu,” the City Lord continued with a smile, “where do you come from, and where are you headed?”

“What’s this? Does the City Lord have something in mind?” Xu Zimo asked.

“What does Young Master Xu think of Ocean Sage City?” the City Lord asked in return.

“I’ve been to Chaos Fire City,” Xu Zimo said. “Compared to that place, yours isn’t all that different, just fewer powerful cultivators.”

“Don’t you think this is a good place to settle down?” the City Lord pressed.

“I’m still young,” Xu Zimo replied with a small laugh. “Not planning to retire just yet.”

“Then I’ll be frank,” the City Lord said. “I’d like you to stay in Ocean Sage City. Name your terms, anything you want.”

Xu Zimo chuckled. “City Lord, do you use that same line on every powerful person who comes through here? To be honest,” he continued, “even if I wanted to stay, I doubt you’d dare to keep me.”

“What do you mean by that, Young Master Xu?” the City Lord asked, shaking his head slightly.

“Simply put, I intend to travel to the Departure Fire God Realm,” Xu Zimo said plainly. “For that, I’ll need Ocean Sage City’s teleportation formation, and your intelligence reports.”

“So that’s your purpose,” the City Lord said thoughtfully after a moment of silence. “That matter is rather complicated. Once Lin’er’s marriage contest is over, we can discuss it in detail.”

“Seems the City Lord knows quite a bit,” Xu Zimo said with a faint nod.

“You’ve reached the Saint Sovereign realm, haven’t you?” the City Lord suddenly asked.

He couldn’t be sure, it was more of a guess. But seeing Xu Zimo defeat Lu Fengdong and Wang Xiongying with ease, he doubted any ordinary Saint Sovereign could do that.

Xu Zimo didn’t bother to hide it; he simply nodded calmly.

“In that case,” the City Lord said with a smile, “our Ocean Sage City happens to have a Saint Sovereign as well. You two might have plenty to talk about.”

“Violet Mist, of course,” Xu Zimo said with a nod. “I know of him. Where is he now?”

“The Saint Sovereign isn’t interested in these events,” the City Lord explained. “But since Lin’er is his disciple, he’ll probably make an appearance once the contest ends.”

“Why is Violet Mist staying in Ocean Sage City, anyway?” Xu Zimo asked curiously. “What benefits did you offer him?”

“You misunderstand, Young Master Xu,” the City Lord said, shaking his head. “ Violet Mist isn’t residing here permanently, merely staying for a time. He will leave eventually.”

There was a hint of regret in his tone.

He was a man of great intellect and ambition, but his cultivation talent was poor. His current realm was already his limit.

As for nurturing a true powerhouse among the younger generation, that was easier said than done, almost impossible.

Still, Ocean Sage City was growing stronger by the day, drawing people from nearby cities.

The City Lord’s eyes held a trace of determination. As the last bastion of the Departure Fire God Realm, their city would one day have to face the Water Beasts in battle.

He desperately hoped a Saint Sovereign would choose to remain.

“Violet Mist is simply waiting for someone,” the City Lord said at last.

Hearing that, Xu Zimo immediately understood.

The Saint Sovereign must be waiting for him.

But since the Inferno Crucible Heaven was so vast, finding him would be like searching for a needle in the sea. Staying put in Ocean Sage City was the only reasonable choice.

It was, after all, a fine place to wait.

Having figured that out, Xu Zimo didn’t ask further.

The City Lord turned his eyes to the dueling stage below and smiled.

“What does Young Master Xu think of those contestants down there?” he asked.