I Really Am A Villain

That aura of someone newly entering the Grand Emperor realm was indeed rather weak. By age alone, Du Bujie reaching such a realm could have been considered the mark of a prodigy, but here, that didn’t mean much. In this gathering, every young person present was a prodigy. What truly mattered now was not simply being gifted, but being the best among geniuses.

So the moment Du Bujie’s cultivation was revealed, many around began to doubt him.

“Has the Vermillion Flame God Realm run out of people? To send this sort of trash to compete?” a young man from the Hell Fire God Realm sneered. A large “王” (king) character was engraved on his forehead, a symbol of his clan’s arrogance.

The Hell Fire and Vermilion Flame Regions bordered one another, their rivalry long-standing. Every chance to mock the other was taken eagerly.

The Vermilion Flame Palace Lord’s face turned iron blue, yet he couldn’t say a word. His gaze locked on the ancient battlefield.

Li Guan was completely overwhelming Du Bujie. He could have ended the fight at any time, but chose not to, toying with him instead. For Du Bujie, this battle was pure torment.

“You’re insane!” Du Bujie roared. “If you want to win, then win! Why humiliate me like this? Has my Vermilion Palace wronged your Solar Imperium?”

“The Vermillion Flame God Realm bears no grudge against Solar,” Li Guan replied coldly, “but you and I do.”

“You’re crazy. I don’t even know you,” Du Bujie snapped.

“Do you still remember last spring,” Li Guan said, his tone darkening, “when you went hunting in the Boundless Forest and killed a few people?”

Du Bujie froze. He had killed too many to remember them all.

“You don’t recall? You robbed them of their prey, then slaughtered them,” Li Guan said. “They were my brothers, members of my personal army.”

The Solar Imperium was unusual in many ways. In most empires, a reigning monarch would never allow a prince to command troops or build his own power. But Solar was the opposite, it encouraged it. Princes could form and train their own armies long before inheriting the throne, even private ones.

As one of the Solar princes, Li Guan had his own army. Those men Du Bujie had murdered were not just his soldiers; they were his closest comrades. Once Li Guan ascended the throne, those brothers would have been rewarded as nobles.

Perhaps Du Bujie had long forgotten, but Li Guan had never let it go. Killing him outright would have risked war between Solar Imperium and the Vermillion Flame God Realm, for Du Bujie was the Realm Lord’s son. So Li Guan had endured, until today.

“Those lives you didn’t care about,” Li Guan said coldly, “are the seeds of your death today.”

He drew his sword with a resonant clang. A violent storm burst forth from the blade, engulfing Du Bujie entirely. Wind howled like knives, slicing open thousands of bloody gashes across Du Bujie’s body in an instant.

“I admit-” Du Bujie barely got half the word out before the sword pierced through his throat, silencing him forever.

“Outrageous!” the Vermilion Flame Realm Lord stood, his voice thunderous. “He already admitted defeat, why kill him?” His overwhelming aura surged, shaking the space.

“Admitted defeat? I didn’t hear it,” Li Guan replied coldly. “Did any of you?”

Even under the crushing weight of the palace lord’s fury, Li Guan remained calm and unmoved.

“Lord Du,” said the Light Lord Sage Monarch from above, his voice steady, “no outsiders may interfere in the duel. Your son indeed did not say the words ‘I yield.’”

With the Radiant Court’s arbiter speaking, the Vermillion Flame Realm Lord had no room to argue. Losing a spot was one thing, but losing his son was agony. There was no pain deeper than a parent burying their child.

“He killed Jie’er deliberately! He entered that duel intending to murder him!” the Realm Lord shouted bitterly.

“Enough,” the Sage Monarch cut him off. “We do not act on guesses, only on facts. Li Guan wins this round. He will receive Du Bujie’s place.”

Seeing the first challenger triumph, others grew eager to try.

The second to step up was the Young Overlord, Wang Chong.

The name “Young Overlord” was no exaggeration. His father was the true Overlord, a man known for his power and dominance. Wang Chong had inherited both his father’s might and will, ruthless in battle and gifted beyond measure. Though his father’s fame was greater, Wang Chong had forged his own path, earning his title through strength.

He leapt onto the stage with a grin. “Let’s see… who should I challenge?”

His gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on the Shangguan Heavenly Clan.

“I’ll challenge Shangguan Wan’er,” he declared. “Which one of you is she?”

The crowd fell silent in shock. Most challengers picked weaker opponents, easy targets to secure a win. But Shangguan Wan’er was no ordinary opponent. Among the young elites, she stood near the top, a true monster of talent. Her reputation far outshone Wang Chong’s.

“What’s wrong? None of you answering?” Wang Chong taunted.

The Shangguan Heavenly Clan remained silent until someone finally said, with a calm voice, “Wan’er hasn’t arrived yet.”

“What do you mean? Everyone’s gathered here today. How could your representative not show up?”

Wang Chong looked toward the Light Lord Sage Monarch and the Radiant Court elders. “If she isn’t here, does that count as forfeiting? That means I win, doesn’t it?”

Even the Sage Monarch frowned. He hadn’t expected such a situation.

“Who said I would forfeit?” a sharp, cold voice cut through the air. “Defeating you will take no more than the flick of a finger.”

At that moment, a blazing phoenix streaked across the sky. It was dazzling, its entire body crimson red, like a sea of blood spilling over the heavens, blotting out the sun.

The phoenix’s cry was piercing, shaking the air. All eyes turned upward.

Those with sharp vision soon noticed that on the phoenix’s back stood a woman in flowing robes. She looked like an immortal descending to the mortal world, graceful, calm, untouched by the chaos around her. A faint aura of celestial energy surrounded her, giving her an unshakable serenity, as if even the collapse of mountains could not disturb her still heart.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, her skin pale as snow, her eyes clear as water, gaze calm yet cutting.