I Really Am A Villain

The blue beings on the God World possessed true water attributes.

But those who invaded the Departure Fire God Realm merely carried flames disguised as flowing water.

That was why they feared water.

If they truly were born of the Myriad Waters, they should have reveled in it instead.

The two walked through Ancient Phoenix City, following the shaded, narrow paths and admiring the ancient architecture’s lingering aura.

After a while, the ground began to tremble. A deep boom, boom, boom echoed from beneath their feet, as though something below the earth was awakening.

Xu Zimo and the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign halted, turning toward the source of the sound.

“Any guesses?” Xu Zimo asked with a faint smile.

“I can feel a powerful plant aura,” the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign said.

“It’s an ancient tree, one born in a land of extreme yin,” Xu Zimo replied, smiling.

He recalled what that man from the plum forest had said, assuming, of course, the man hadn’t lied.

Following the sound, they quickened their pace.

After passing through a few dim alleys, they emerged near the front section of Ancient Phoenix City.

The city’s design mirrored the form of a phoenix, its massive head forming the front, wings outstretched to either side, and a long tail sweeping behind.

The two walked along the “body” of the phoenix, until they stood upon its “head,” gazing straight ahead.

There, a colossal tree rose into the heavens, so tall that its crown vanished into the clouds.

It had no trunk, only countless intertwining branches, coiling and weaving together like a vast, living lattice.

From those Solarled branches, the tree took form.

Both Xu Zimo and the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign lifted their gazes.

Several figures stood among the upper branches.

A group of more than ten, all cloaked in black robes.

Among them, four emanated the aura of Saint Sovereigns, while the rest were Grand Emperors.

Ordinarily, in front of Saint Sovereigns, Grand Emperors were as insignificant as ants.

But these Grand Emperors weren’t preparing to fight.

Each sat at one of the four corners, channeling their life force into a glowing square-shaped portal.

That portal absorbed their vitality, radiating a powerful sealing energy.

Xu Zimo and the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign could see it instantly, this was the source of the seal that suppressed the void and bound the entire city.

The portal’s strength was immense, but its cost was horrific. The very lives of several Grand Emperors.

The sight was chilling.

Yet even that wasn’t what drew the most attention. It was the four Saint Sovereigns at the front, their auras crushed everything beneath them.

One of the black-robed figures stepped forward, laughing softly. “Welcome to Ancient Phoenix City, this will be your grave.”

“The ancient tree was obtained, born in the land of extreme yin. So it was you who killed your own senior brother,” Xu Zimo said calmly. “No need to hide behind that robe. You look pathetic like that. There’s no one else here, since when has the Heavenly Court been this timid?”

“Senior brother?” the man smiled. “Since the day I joined the Heavenly Court, I have had no parents, no master, and no brothers. Sentiment is merely a thorn along the path to ascension. He refused my offer, dared to defy the Heavenly Court, so that was his fate. But you’re right. There’s no need to hide here.”

As he spoke, the black-robed man slowly removed his cloak.

His true form was revealed, an old man, shriveled like a dead tree.

His skin was dry and lifeless, veins clearly visible through the withered flesh.

Dark patches spotted his body, like the death marks of a corpse.

He was ghastly to look at, with only two yellowed teeth left in his mouth, his frame thin as bone.

Xu Zimo chuckled. “Your ugly face even older than your master’s.”

“Heh… What is a body worth? Just a bag of blood and bones” the old man said lightly. “My master, he told you everything then it seems.”

“Yeah. More or less,” Xu Zimo replied evenly.

“He doesn’t actually expect you to clean house, does he?” the old man sneered. “You can hardly protect yourself now.”

“It seems you have no idea know who I am,” Xu Zimo said.

His identity as the current Infernal Lord was no secret to the Heavenly Court.

They had always treated him with utmost caution, plotting constantly to eliminate him.

This old man, though, had simply run into him by accident, not as part of some grand scheme.

“You think yourself important? Or that your background makes you untouchable?” the old man laughed coldly.

“Enough,” Xu Zimo said. “Since you don’t know, there’s no need for you to learn it now.”

“True. I don’t need to know the name of a dead man,” the old man replied with a dismissive wave.

“So where are the Water Beasts?” Xu Zimo asked. “Where is the Myriad Streams? Why are there only members of your Heavenly Court here?”

“They’re not involved. We came specifically to deal with you two,” the old man said with a snort.

The four Saint Sovereigns moved, each taking a direction, sealing off the four corners of the space, to prevent any chance of escape.

“Do you still recognize this?” Xu Zimo asked, taking out the Bell of Absolute Sun.

At the sight of it, the old man’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“II see… he actually trusted you enough to give that to you,” he said. “He must think highly of you, hoping you’d use it to kill me.”

Xu Zimo said nothing. He simply raised the bell and shook it gently.

Ding… ding…

The sound rang out, but it was no ordinary chime.

The bell gathered the might of pure Extreme Yang Dao, and as its tone spread, it was as if a second sun rose into the sky.

If one looked closely, it wasn’t a sun at all, but the flames summoned by the bell itself.

Those flames didn’t harm ordinary people, but to the old man, they were pure nemesis.

The invisible fire began to sear his body, and even the towering ancient tree behind him ignited.

In an instant, the entire structure was engulfed in roaring flames.

“This thing works surprisingly well,” Xu Zimo said in mild astonishment.

Though his body was burning, the old man showed no fear. Instead, he laughed wildly.

“That senile fool, he’s long lost his senses! Does he still think such tricks can restrain me? Let me tell you the truth. I am no longer afraid of that thing.”

As he laughed, a thick layer of ice crystallized across his bark-like skin.

No matter how fierce the fire burned, it could not penetrate the frost.

“Ever since the Holy Progenitor granted my wish, I’ve possessed absolute power,” the old man said proudly. “I am immortal now, an undying body.”

“Immortal?” Xu Zimo chuckled. “Even the Holy Progenitor himself isn’t truly immortal. You think he could give you that gift?”