I Really Am A Villain

Su Fangyun’s back looked as though it had caved in. His bones were out of place, and the force of that strike had far exceeded what his body could endure. Covered in blood, he collapsed to the ground.

He struggled to raise his right hand, reaching toward Qiang Hu and Mu Ze for help.

But the two of them were already terrified out of their wits.

Neither dared move to save him.

And truthfully, even if they wanted to, they couldn’t, trying would only get them killed too.

They might have shown respect to Su Fangyun in the past, but that was only because he was the Realm Lord’s son.

When it came down to life and death, no one cared who he was.

As the saying went, better the fellow die than the poor Daoist himself.

The two of them didn’t look back, they just fled into the distance.

But Xu Zimo had no intention of letting them escape.

In an instant, Shangguan Xian and Xiao Anshan rose into the air, cutting them off.

Qiang Hu glared fiercely, shouting, “Move aside! I won’t compete for the ancient site anymore. Otherwise, we’ll fight to the death!”

“You think you’re worthy to die with me?” Shangguan Xian said coldly.

The pressure of a Saint Sovereign rippled from her body, shaking the air. The Immortal Spirit Fire flared around her, and with a wave of her jade-like hand, a massive palm imprint crashed down from the heavens.

Qiang Hu’s face changed drastically.

Undying Flames burst from his body, burning so fiercely that even the void seemed to melt. A great Undying Bird formed from the flames, spreading its wings and roaring in defiance.

“The Undying Fire God Realm truly has nothing new to offer,” Shangguan Xian said icily.

Her palm struck. The sheer force of it tore through everything.

With a deafening boom, the shockwave echoed through the valley so powerfully that everyone’s ears rang.

The Undying Bird shattered into ashes, and Qiang Hu’s body was smashed into the ground, leaving behind a massive crater.

It wasn’t that Qiang Hu was weak, anyone who had made it to the Ancestral Lands was already monstrously talented. His Undying Flame was far from ordinary.

But Shangguan Xian had already ascended to the Saint Sovereign Realm, while he was still only at the peak of the Grand Emperor Realm.

That single step, that one boundary, was an uncrossable gulf.

Just that one step was enough to crush countless emperors beneath her feet.

So Shangguan Xian’s victory was effortless.

If she hadn’t broken through, the fight might have been far more uncertain.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xiao Anshan and Mu Ze were locked in a fierce battle.

Mu Ze’s strength was exceptional, after all, he had earned the right to represent the vast Undying Fire God Realm. He was no ordinary cultivator.

Even though Xiao Anshan was of equal rank, he couldn’t overpower him right away. In fact, a few times he found himself pushed dangerously close to defeat.

“Xiao Anshan, are you sure you can handle this?” Xu Zimo said with a teasing smile. “Want me to switch in?”

Xiao Anshan snorted coldly. Before Xu Zimo’s appearance, he had been the strongest of the Chaos Fire God Realm’s younger generation. Losing to Xu Zimo had already wounded his pride; being looked down on again was something he couldn’t stand.

“I don’t need your help,” he replied sharply. “I’ll end this in five moves.”

“Arrogant,” Mu Ze snapped, glaring at him. “We’ll see who’s left standing.”

“Then let’s see,” Xiao Anshan said, eyes burning.

Flames erupted from his body, the power of the Primordial-Flame God-King Physique.

The Primordial-Flame God-King Physique was derived from the legendary Primal-Chaos God-King Physique, one of the Ten God-King Physiques. In ancient times, the Chaos Fire Progenitor had modified it, transforming it into the Primordial-Flame God-King Physique.

Though altered, its might was not diminished, if anything, it was even more suited to those of the Fire God Race.

The moment his Primordial Fire ignited, waves of searing heat rolled across the gorge.

Even the fire cultivators nearby felt the unbearable temperature.

“Kill!” Xiao Anshan roared.

His flames surged a hundredfold, his entire figure becoming one with the blazing inferno.

When their palms collided in the air, the Chaos Fire devoured the Undying Flame, setting Mu Ze’s body ablaze.

Mu Ze screamed in agony, summoning more Undying Flames from within to try to resist the encroaching fire.

But it was useless, among all flames, the Primordial Fire ranked among the highest.

Even stronger than Shangguan Xian’s Immortal Spirit Fire.

In Xu Zimo’s experience, only his own Zhurong Flame surpassed it.

Under the onslaught of Primordial Fire, the battle was over in moments.

Mu Ze’s body charred black like burnt earth, barely clinging to life.

It was almost ironic, a member of the Fire God Race, dying by fire.

Xiao Anshan grabbed the half-dead Mu Ze and threw him at Xu Zimo’s feet.

Then, with a prideful snort, he crossed his arms.

“Well done,” Xu Zimo said with a small smile.

Before him lay three defeated enemies, all gravely wounded, clinging to their last breaths.

“When you reach the Mirage Tides Heaven after death,” Xu Zimo said softly, “remember my name.”

The three tried to beg for mercy, but it was already too late.

Xu Zimo swung Shadow Tyrant downward.

Three heads flew into the air. Their bodies, and their souls, were annihilated.

Not even a sliver of them remained.

After their deaths, Xu Zimo turned to look at the three rogue cultivators, Lun Wen, Lun Wu, and Fire Maiden.

Strictly speaking, they weren’t truly on his side either.

The three of them paled instantly.

Lun Wen spoke first. “We don’t want to fight for the ancient site. We just want to follow your lead, you take the main prize, we’ll just drink the soup.”

The death of the Undying Fire God Realm trio had terrified them beyond words.

They didn’t dare show the slightest hint of defiance; surrender was the only way to survive.

“Drinking the soup is fine,” Xu Zimo said with a grin. “But you’ll be going first when we enter.”

“W–what?” Lun Wen stammered, his face twisting.

No one knew what dangers lay inside that ancient site. If they went in first, they’d be the ones to die if there were traps or beasts waiting.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Zimo said, his tone turning cold. “You want to drink the soup without paying the price?”

His eyes narrowed, a dangerous gleam flashing within them.

“Don’t be angry,” Fire Maiden said quickly. “We’ll go first! We’ll go first!”

Agreeing was the only way to keep their heads. Refuse, and Xu Zimo would kill them where they stood.

“Then let’s go,” Xu Zimo said, waving his hand.

The group rose into the air once more, flying toward the entrance of the ancient land.

This time, they moved carefully, making sure not to disturb the Fire Venom Beasts above.

At last, they arrived at the entrance. Xu Zimo looked it over quietly.

The gateway was ancient, its surface wrapped in vines and roots. Time itself seemed to cling to it.