I Really Am A Villain

“Thank you,” Realm Lord Bai said, still trembling with fear.

“Stay focused,” Xu Zimo replied with a frown. “Escaping isn’t the hard part.”

The four of them continued soaring through the sky. At times they tore through the void, at times they crossed a thousand miles in a single step.

By dusk, they finally left the collapsing world behind.

They arrived at the domain of the Thunder Ancestral Flame.

From the edge of this region, they could already see the place they had escaped from, a world that had completely vanished.

Between the two realms lay countless bottomless chasms. Anything that fell in made no sound and never returned.

Those abysses led straight to the base of the universe, the eternal end of all worlds.

Realm Lord Bai, completely exhausted, sat on the ground, gasping for breath.

“We’re safe now,” she said.

“May I take a look at that flame?” Xiao Anshan asked, turning to Xu Zimo.

“You two plan to cultivate with it,” Xu Zimo said, glancing at Xiao Anshan and Shangguan Xian.

Both nodded silently.

This might be their only chance in life to touch an Ancestral Flame.

“Alright,” Xu Zimo said. “I’m not after all six Ancestral Flames anyway. One is enough.”

He handed them the transparent orb.

The two of them sat cross-legged, already immersed in comprehending and cultivating with the fire’s energy.

Xu Zimo sat down beside Realm Lord Bai.

“So far, we haven’t come across your fated opportunity,” he said. “If I find it later, it’ll be yours.”

“It’s alright,” Realm Lord Bai replied quickly, smiling. “This is the Fire God Race’s Ancestral Lands. I’m not expecting much from fate. Being able to come here with you and witness this place is already enough. Greed only leads to ruin.”

Xu Zimo smiled faintly.

Contentment was rare, and wisdom even rarer. Too many in this world were devoured by desire, and most of them met miserable ends because of it.

“Are we going to look for another Ancestral Flame next?” she asked curiously.

“No need,” Xu Zimo said, shaking his head. “One is plenty. Next, we’ll search for some ancient grounds, and watch a good show.”

“Watch a show?” Realm Lord Bai looked puzzled.

“You just follow along,” Xu Zimo said. “Watch more, listen more, ask less. Understand?”

She nodded immediately.

They rested there for the night.

By morning, Xiao Anshan and Shangguan Xian had finished their cultivation.

“How did it go?” Xu Zimo asked.

Xiao Anshan nodded. “Not far from becoming a Saint Sovereign,” he said simply.

As for Shangguan Xian, she seemed to be in deep meditation.

Her aura had not been strong at first, but throughout the night, something had been brewing within her.

Now, it suddenly erupted.

A powerful energy surged into the sky, and the immortal flame surrounding her grew brighter and more violent.

“She’s… about to become a Saint Sovereign?” Xiao Anshan said in disbelief.

He had thought his own progress was impressive, reaching the threshold of sainthood in such a short time, but Shangguan Xian seemed about to break through entirely.

Fiery light swirled around her as immortal flame transformed into a sea of fire.

The essence of her inner laws was evolving, from profound meaning into pure law.

It was the ultimate metamorphosis of flame, fierce and absolute. Especially her Immortal Spirit Fire, among all flames, it was one of the strongest.

Inside Shangguan Xian’s body, her tenth meridian gate was being struck repeatedly.

Blood trickled from the corner of her lips as her organs cracked and shattered, yet the overwhelming power continued hammering the barrier.

This was her perfect moment to step into the Saint Sovereign Realm.

As the fire roared, Realm Lord Bai couldn’t help but feel envy.

If her own sect, the Ancient Eternal God Realm, had a Saint Sovereign like this, they would never again fear other powers.

She wondered if she herself would ever have such a chance.

But Xu Zimo’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Someone’s coming,” he said, looking into the distance.

It was no surprise. Shangguan Xian’s breakthrough had created such a commotion that it was bound to attract attention. Xu Zimo had expected this, he just didn’t know whether those who came would merely watch or try to interfere.

He raised his eyes.

Three figures were approaching, none from the Six Great God Realms, likely independent cultivators.

Two of them were twins, identical in face and stature, distinguishable only by their clothing.

The third was a woman, wearing short azure shorts that revealed her long, slender, pale legs, and a crimson silk robe wrapped around her upper body.

In her hand spun a golden scythe, twirling swiftly around her wrist like a blade of light.

“Who goes there?” Xiao Anshan stepped forward and demanded.

“So it’s the group from the Chaos Fire God Realm,” said the twin on the left, a young man in white. He smiled politely.

“We are Lun Wen and Lun Wu, twin brothers of the Golden Wing Sect. And this young lady is Fire Maiden from the Colorless Sect.”

“The Colorless Sect?” Xiao Anshan frowned, glancing at the woman with the scythe.

That sect wasn’t one of the Six Great God Realms, but its reputation was wide-spread.

It was said that the Colorless Sect accepted only women, all of them stunningly beautiful. Some Saint Sovereigns had even lost their composure because of them.

As for the Golden Wing Sect, Xiao Anshan had never heard of it, probably a third-rate sect at best.

“Someone is breaking through up ahead,” he said firmly. “Whatever business you have, stay back.”

“Of course,” Fire Maiden replied with a faint smile. “We’re just here to watch and learn, we won’t interfere.”

As they spoke, Shangguan Xian’s breakthrough reached its climax.

A thunderous boom erupted from within her.

A phoenix of immortal flame burst out from her body, brilliant and sacred, before dissipating into the air.

A wave of holy might swept across the heavens, engulfing everything.

Shangguan Xian exhaled deeply, then slowly opened her eyes.

“You’ve broken through,” Xu Zimo said.

“I was lucky,” she replied with a bright smile. “While comprehending the Ancestral Flame, the final shackle within me broke.”

Just entering the Ancestral Lands had allowed her to step into the Saint Sovereign Realm, that alone made the entire journey worthwhile.

“Thank you all for guarding me,” she bowed gratefully.

Her breakthrough had come unexpectedly; without their protection, she might not have succeeded.

“Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on attaining sainthood,” Lun Wen said with a smile.

They had made no move during her breakthrough, and now that she was a Saint Sovereign, they certainly wouldn’t dare to.

“What business brings you here?” Xu Zimo asked.

“We found an ancient site up ahead,” Lun Wen replied with a grin. “Would you be interested in taking a look?”

“You discovered an ancient site,” Xu Zimo said with a soft chuckle, “yet instead of exploring it yourselves, you came to tell us? That doesn’t sound quite right, does it?”