I Really Am A Villain

“Don’t misunderstand,” Lun Wen explained quickly. “We weren’t the only ones who discovered this ancient land. The people from the Undying Fire God Realm are also there. More importantly, the entrance to that ancient site lies beneath the lair of a Fire Venom Beast. We haven’t figured out how to get in yet. If we disturb the beast, it could cost us dearly.”

“An ancient site, huh? Then let’s go take a look,” Xu Zimo said.

As for the Undying Fire God Realm, he remembered his previous conflict with them, when he nearly killed that fellow named Su Fangyun. The thought amused him. He was curious to see what expression Su Fangyun would wear this time.

“We can lead the way,” Lun Wen offered with a smile.

Xu Zimo nodded and didn’t refuse.

As they walked, Xiao Anshan glanced over at Shangguan Xian and grinned. “So, how does it feel to be a Saint Sovereign?”

“I’m still adapting to the power inside me,” Shangguan Xian replied. “The Primal Daos are truly profound and full of wonders, and the Life-Death Soul even more so. There’s so much to explore within the Saint Sovereign Realm.”

“Seems like this trip to the Ancestral Lands wasn’t wasted, then,” Xiao Anshan said.

“You’re not far behind yourself,” Shangguan Xian told him.

“I’m trying,” he said with a laugh. “Can’t let you surpass me.”

After all, during the Chaos Fire God Realm’s selection, he had placed second while Shangguan Xian had been third.

With Lun Wen and his companions leading the way, Xu Zimo’s group soon arrived at the ancient site.

It was located along a cliff overlooking a vast gorge.

The gorge was bottomless, the cliffs on both sides rising tens of thousands of feet high.

Within the gorge, thick greenery and drifting mists obscured everything. Their vision was filled with white haze.

Occasionally, they caught glimpses of flying beasts spreading their wings across the cliffs before their shadows disappeared into the fog.

They stopped at a protruding ledge.

Fire Maiden pointed toward the opposite cliff. “See that? The ancient site is over there.”

“I can’t see a thing,” Realm Lord Bai said after staring for a while. “The fog’s too thick. I can’t even spot the Fire Venom Beast’s lair, let alone an ancient site.”

“Of course you can’t,” Fire Maiden said with a smile. “We didn’t notice it at first either. It only caught our attention because of a strange phenomenon earlier.”

“Then let’s go take a closer look,” Xu Zimo suggested.

Everyone stepped into the air, walking on clouds of white mist as they headed toward the opposite cliff.

As they neared, Xu Zimo signaled for them to slow down, best not to alarm the Fire Venom Beasts.

He wasn’t afraid of them, but unnecessary trouble was always a waste of time.

“I see it,” Shangguan Xian said first.

Everyone looked up and saw, half-hidden by thick trees and vines, a red cave entrance embedded in the mountainside.

It pulsed like a living thing, swallowing and releasing air, as though feeding on the surrounding energy.

“That’s the entrance to the Fire Venom Beasts’ lair,” Xu Zimo said.

“Exactly. Look down there,” Fire Maiden said, pointing below.

At first glance, it looked like nothing unusual. But on closer inspection, they saw a massive mural carved into the rock beneath the lair.

Etched deeply into the stone were lifelike depictions of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, the Four God Beasts.

“It’s a Four Symbols mural,” Xiao Anshan said, studying it. “What kind of ancient site could this be?”

“No idea,” Fire Maiden replied, shaking her head. “We’ll only know once we get inside.”

As they examined the site, Xu Zimo suddenly said sharply, “Be careful!”

Three streaks of light shot toward them from afar, so fast that no one had time to react.

But the lights weren’t aimed at them, they struck directly at the Fire Venom Beast’s lair.

A deafening explosion erupted. The entire lair blew apart, sending rocks and shattered trees flying as the gorge trembled violently.

The massive detonation, of course, woke the Fire Venom Beasts. From the churning, swamp-like entrance, fiery-red arms began to stretch outward.

“Damn it, they’re using us as bait!” Lun Wu shouted in anger.

Xu Zimo turned his gaze toward the direction the light had come from.

On the far side of the gorge, three figures stood suspended in the air, watching them.

He immediately recognized the one in the center, an old acquaintance.

Su Fangyun of the Undying Fire God Realm.

The same man he had beaten nearly to death before. If not for the intervention of the Undying Fire Realm Lord, Su Fangyun would already be a corpse.

The other two figures beside him must have been fellow contestants from the Undying Fire God Realm, though Xu Zimo didn’t know them.

So, it was revenge. Xu Zimo understood instantly.

After provoking the Fire Venom Beasts, the trio turned and left without hesitation.

Meanwhile, more and more Fire Venom Beasts were crawling out of the lair, dozens, then hundreds.

Each one was powerful, and among them, two or three emitted an unmistakable Saint Sovereign aura.

Worse still, the beasts just kept coming.

“We can’t stay and fight,” Xu Zimo said decisively.

If it were only a few, killing them would’ve been no problem.

But this was an entire nest, millions of them. Even if they managed to kill them all, they’d be exhausted, easy prey for others waiting in the shadows.

“Retreat,” Xu Zimo ordered.

Just as he spoke, one of the Saint Sovereign Fire Venom Beasts lunged forward.

Its enormous body shot through the air like a cannonball, slamming into the ground with a thunderous explosion.

Its two massive claws came crashing down toward Xu Zimo’s head.

With a swift motion, Xu Zimo’s sword, Shadow Tyrant, leapt from its sheath and met the strike above his head.

Even so, the sheer force drove him downward, his knees bending under the pressure.

He let out a cold grunt, straightened his body, and yanked Shadow Tyrant free from between the beast’s claws.

Then he slashed.

A single stroke that split mountains.

The sword’s will tore through the sky with a roar, severing both of the beast’s claws in one strike.

The Fire Venom Beast howled in fury.

“You all go first. I’ll hold them off,” Shangguan Xian said suddenly.

“Can you handle it?” Xiao Anshan asked.

“I just advanced to Saint Sovereign,” she replied with a smile. “I’d like to test my strength. Don’t worry.”

Xu Zimo trusted her. Aside from matters involving her family, Shangguan Xian was calm and rational, never reckless without reason. Only when facing her clan did she seem to lose all reason, as if blinded by hatred.

Xu Zimo led the others across the gorge to the opposite cliff.

Behind them, Shangguan Xian unleashed her full power.

Her Immortal Spirit Fire blazed into a towering wall of flame, consuming everything in its path and engulfing the Fire Venom Beasts within.

“Down you go!” she shouted, stepping hard on the air and kicking one of the beasts back into the depths below.