I Really Am A Villain

The massive airship transformed into a beam of light, speeding toward the blazing sun.

Many of the younger disciples were filled with curiosity. The Radiant Court was ranked first among the Seven Great God Realms, the true core of the Inferno Crucible Heaven. What kind of place could it possibly be?

Wang Wei and the other youths leaned over the edge of the airship, trying to catch a glimpse. But they could see nothing, only the blinding, all-encompassing radiance of the sun.

“Have you ever been to the Radiant Lands before?” the Realm Lord asked.

“If I had, why would you ask? Trying to fish for information?” Xu Zimo replied with a grin.

“You’re so cautious,” she said, shaking her head. “I was only asking casually.”

“The Radiant Lands isn’t like other places,” she continued. “Although it’s still ruled by the Fire God Race, it’s far more tolerant of other races.”

“You must have heard of the Radiant Court?”

“Of course,” Xu Zimo said. “The Lord of the Radiant Court, and their saintess, Murong Qing. I know them both.”

“More likely you know of them,” the Realm Lord said with a teasing smile.

In her eyes, Xu Zimo was perhaps the descendant of some great power, but the Radiant Court was on an entirely different level, so lofty that she never even dared to imagine being associated with it.

“You’re just like your disciples,” Xu Zimo said, shaking his head. “Always trapped by assumptions. Believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

Back when he destroyed the Fire God Race that guarded the Five-Elements God-Lotus, he had fought side by side with Murong Qing herself. She had even invited him to visit the Radiant Court, but he declined.

At the time, he was seeking the legacy of the Ancient Gods, and he didn’t wish to go there, or meet Primordial Flame, too soon.

But now, the time was almost right.

“Well, if you really know them, then don’t forget to introduce me,” the Realm Lord said, half-joking.

“Sure,” Xu Zimo replied calmly.

“Let’s talk business,” she said. “Which faction are you arranging for us to ally with?”

“What do you think of the Chaos Fire God Realm?” Xu Zimo asked.

“You’re joking!” she said, stunned. “You’d have us ally with one of the Seven Great God Realms themselves?!”

Although the Chaos Fire God Realm wasn’t as exalted as the Radiant Lands, it was still one of the Seven Great God Realms, why would such a power ever take notice of a fallen power like theirs?

“What is your position within the Chaos Fire God Realm?” she asked cautiously.

“This time, I’m representing the Chaos Fire God Realm in the Ancestral Lands,” Xu Zimo said casually. “So I have a bit of influence. Having the Chaos Fire God Realm look after your Ancient Eternal God Realm won’t be a problem.”

“You’re not lying to me, are you?” she asked, unable to believe it.

Representing one of the Seven Great God Realms in the Ancestral Lands? That was no small matter. Each of the Seven Great God Realms had countless young prodigies, yet only the top three earned the right to compete in the Ancestral Lands. Every one of those three was a true monster of talent, a peerless genius.

But looking at Xu Zimo now, she couldn’t see a trace of that overwhelming presence.

“Do you think I have a reason to lie to you?” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile, giving her a once-over. “Would it be for money, or beauty?”

“Fine,” she huffed. “We’ll know soon enough once we reach the Radiant Lands.”

The colossal airship was soon swallowed by the blazing sun.

Everyone’s vision exploded with golden light, blinding them completely. For a time, they could see nothing at all.

Only Xu Zimo stood steadily on the deck, staring intently into the radiance.

He could clearly see that within the sun was another world, though calling it a separate world wasn’t entirely accurate.

It was connected to the Inferno Crucible Heaven, merging seamlessly with it, yet it also existed independently. It was a special kind of realm, both part of and apart from the world outside.

When the airship finally emerged, it appeared over an immense plain.

The Radiant Lands had no houses, no cities, hardly any buildings at all.

Its inhabitants lived nomadic lives, dwelling in tents or simply sleeping under the open sky. Other than the Radiant Court itself, there were virtually no permanent structures anywhere in the domain.

When the Ancient Eternal God Realm’s ship descended onto the plain, they happened upon a nomadic tribe preparing to pack up their camp.

As the disciples of the Ancient Eternal God Realm disembarked, the Realm Lord waved her hand, and the enormous ship instantly shrank hundreds of times, down to the size of a fist, before she tucked it away.

It could expand and contract freely, a very convenient artifact indeed.

The tribe numbered only a few dozen people, all dressed in animal pelts stripped from spirit beasts, each hide of a different color and pattern.

The leader of the tribe was an old man. Seeing outsiders, he remained calm and came forward to greet them.

“Elder, could we ask for directions?” Lu Wuming said respectfully.

“You’re heading for the Ancestral Lands, aren’t you?” the old man chuckled. “Don’t be surprised, people have been coming from every corner of the Inferno Crucible Heaven lately, all because of the Ancestral Lands.”

“Then, could you tell us how to reach the Radiant Court?” Lu Wuming asked.

They had received invitations to gather there, but no one actually knew the location of the Radiant Court, it was a mystery even to those who lived in the God Realms.

“To tell the truth, we didn’t know where it was either,” the old man said with a laugh. “But since the matter of the Ancestral Lands arose, the Radiant Court no longer hides itself. Just follow the direction of the sun, you’ll reach it eventually.”

After parting ways with the tribe, the group continued in the direction the elder had pointed, following the eternal sunlight.

Sometimes they walked, sometimes they flew through the air.

At first, the land seemed utterly empty, vast and desolate. The entire Radiant Lands gave off a barren, lifeless feeling.

But as they traveled farther, they began to encounter others.

A group of cultivators flew overhead, riding on swords.

They all wore flowing white robes, intricately designed, elegant, and refined. Each had a long sword hanging at their waist, gleaming faintly in the light.

“They’re from Sword Domain,” the Realm Lord said instantly.

Sword Domain was located in the Vermillion Flame God Realm, another of the Seven Great God Realms.

Encounters between regions were rare; most people never even left their own territory. For many, Sword Domain was only a name they had heard in passing.

The Sword Domain group had barely passed overhead when a thunderous roar suddenly shook the heavens.

The sound was so deafening it made their eardrums ache and even shattered the surrounding air.

When they looked up, they saw an enormous beast emerging from the void, a colossal white tiger with slanted eyes, thousands of meters long. Its presence was awe-inspiring, its aura stretching for tens of thousands of miles.

Upon closer inspection, they saw people riding on its back, a tribe of humanoid beings with tiger heads and human bodies, dressed in long yellow robes.

“It’s the Hell Tiger Race,” Lu Wuming said gravely.

Among all the Fire God Races, the Hell Tiger Race ranked near the top, a power both fierce and formidable.