I Really Am A Villain

The Flame Demon was a Saint Sovereign.

The Three Heroes of Hollow Mountain, however, were only at the peak of the Grand Emperor realm.

By all logic, there should have been a vast gap between them.

Yet the Three Heroes of Hollow Mountain were so powerful that they had fought that Saint to a draw.

Their strength all came from the technique they cultivated, the World-Destroying Millstone.

This art required three people to cultivate it together.

Moreover, their hearts and minds had to be perfectly synchronized.

Even the slightest deviation would lead to instant death for all three.

It was precisely this harsh condition that made the technique nearly impossible to master.

For tens of thousands of years, almost no one had succeeded, which was why their fame had spread so widely.

At this moment, the Three Heroes of Hollow Mountain stepped forward.

They looked exactly alike, three identical faces.

Behind them, three massive gears like rotating millstones slowly turned in the air.

The three millstones were identical in shape, differing only in color.

The first was a golden Buddha Millstone.

It radiated Buddhist light, as if it embodied the compassion of a savior Buddha, merciful and benevolent, intent on delivering all beings.

The second was a black Demon Millstone.

This one was its polar opposite, the Millstone of Destruction.

Within it churned endless seas of suffering, resentful souls, starving ghosts, and the torments of hell.

It sought at every moment to drag everything into reincarnation and ruin.

The third, the God Millstone, glowed with a faint blue light.

It exuded divinity, proud, aloof, untouched by the mortal world, cold and pure in its sacred arrogance.

As the three millstones slowly rotated, the entire void trembled.

Their control over power had reached a microscopic, almost perfect level, mastery so refined it obeyed their every thought.

The three raised their palms.

One of them spoke: “Fellow Daoist, we have no more time to waste on you. Allow us to show you our World-Destroying Strike.”

They extended their six hands, joining them together in a circle.

Within that circle, the powers of God, Buddha, and Demon began to fuse.

The millstones behind them merged as well, their energies interlocking into one.

Under that overwhelming force, the figures of the three slowly vanished.

In their place appeared a single, colossal World-Destroying Millstone.

The heavens quaked beneath its weight.

Its sheer power made even the onlookers flinch and retreat instinctively, afraid they would be pulled in and crushed to dust.

The millstone began to spin, faster and faster, nearly reaching the speed of light.

Heaven and earth fell silent beneath its might.

Xu Zimo watched calmly. “I’ve heard,” he said lightly, “that there exists a millstone in this world, one that determines life and death for all beings. But that one is said to be in Heaven’s hands.”

He smiled faintly. “I wonder how much strength your imitation really has.”

His words seemed to provoke the millstone itself.

It roared forward, spinning furiously as it charged toward him.

Xu Zimo didn’t move. He didn’t even raise a hand.

“Is he frozen in fear?” someone muttered.

“I thought he was supposed to be powerful, looks like he’s not so great after all.”

“Hah, the Three Heroes of Hollow Mountain got lucky. If we’d gone first, this fame would be ours once we escape the Ancestral Lands!”

The crowd buzzed with excitement.

The World-Destroying Millstone spun closer, faster, and in the blink of an eye, it was right before Xu Zimo.

He felt the energy briefly, then shook his head.

“A pity,” he said. “If you were Saint Sovereigns, this might be interesting. But three Grand Emperors trying to wield the power of destruction… there’s an unbridgeable gulf between Grand Emperor and Saint Sovereign. Too weak.”

As his words fell, Xu Zimo drew the blade on his back, Shadow Tyrant.

The blade’s aura surged, filled with thunder laws, empowered by the twin souls of life and death within him.

He swung once.

Lightning split the void apart.

Thunder boomed and clouds swirled violently.

The crowd saw that one slash tear open the entire sky, dividing the heavens in two.

A deafening explosion followed.

The so-called World-Destroying Millstone was obliterated on impact, offering no resistance at all.

When the storm of blade energy finally faded, Xu Zimo glanced down.

The bodies of the Three Heroes of Hollow Mountain were gone, reduced to pulp, unrecognizable masses of flesh spread across the ground.

“You might as well all come at once,” Xu Zimo said with a grin. “Fighting like this is getting boring.”

“He’s insane, completely insane,” someone whispered, swallowing hard.

Under this kind of pressure, any ordinary person would have surrendered long ago.

But Xu Zimo only seemed more exhilarated.

“The world is collapsing,” Murong Qing said then, fanning the flames. “If the Ancestral Flames aren’t gathered soon, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Everyone, may I have a word?” Xu Zimo said suddenly, smiling.

All eyes turned toward him.

“You’ve all handed over your Ancestral Flames,” he said. “So shouldn’t the Radiant Court let you leave now?

“I haven’t handed mine over, the Radiant Court could just leave me here. Why keep everyone trapped? Looks to me like they never planned to let any of you leave alive.”

His words hit like thunder. True or not, everyone’s expressions changed at once.

Perhaps he was stirring trouble, but even the slightest chance of truth was terrifying.

Du Heng of the Vermilion Flame God Realm shouted, “That’s right! Murong Qing, our domain already gave up our Ancestral Flame. You should at least let us go!”

Others joined in.

“We’re just rogue cultivators! We never had an Ancestral Flame to begin with, this has nothing to do with us! The Radiant Court must have other motives. Do you plan to rule the entire Inferno Crucible Heaven?”

People’s hearts were fragile things.

And in that moment, they all instinctively chose to believe Xu Zimo.

They couldn’t afford to offend him, so they turned their anger toward the Radiant Court instead.

“If we’re going to die anyway,” someone shouted, “then unless the Radiant Court gives us an answer today, we’ll take you down with us!”

Several figures leapt into the air, surrounding Murong Qing and the other two disciples of the Radiant Court to prevent their escape.

Murong Qing gave Xu Zimo a cold smile. “Young Master Xu, such a fine trick you’ve played.”

“Nothing but the truth,” Xu Zimo said with a shrug.

Murong Qing replied, “Hand over the Ancestral Flame, and we can negotiate any terms you want.”

“You’re not qualified to negotiate with me,” Xu Zimo said flatly. “That’s not arrogance, it’s fact. What I want, you can’t give. And it’s not your decision to make.”

“I can bring the Temple Master to speak with you,” she offered.

“The Light Lord Sage Monarch?” Xu Zimo shook his head. “He’s not enough either. I want to see Primordial Flame. No,” he corrected himself after a pause. “He should come see me.”

Murong Qing sighed. “Young Master Xu, I told you, the Ancestor is in seclusion. No one can see him.

“It’s always the Ancestor who summons us. We have no way to summon him.”