I Really Am A Villain

When the Light Lord Sage Monarch spoke, the entire valley erupted into chaos.

Yet no one was willing to step forward.

Everyone was guessing who the traitors might be.

“Members of the Hell Tiger Race, is there still any point in hiding?”

As soon as the Light Lord Sage Monarch’s words fell, the valley fell silent.

Then, everyone nearby quickly distanced themselves from the Hell Tiger Race’s people as if avoiding a plague, afraid of being tainted by association.

“Since you dared to do it, why hide now? What’s the matter, have you all turned into turtles?”

The Hell Tiger Race’s patriarch, Celestial Tiger Sovereign, stood calmly in place, unfazed by the shifting reactions around him.

He asked coldly, “Sage Monarch, do you have any proof of your accusation? Or are you simply jealous that our Hell Tiger Race has grown too fast and threatens the Radiant Court’s position, so you resort to intimidation?”

“Celestial Tiger Sovereign, if I dared to say it, I’m naturally not afraid of your questioning or denial,” the Light Lord Sage Monarch said with a faint smile.

He clapped his hands.

The heavens trembled.

Countless streams of spirit energy gathered together, and an image appeared in the sky.

“A Memory Stone recording.”

Seeing it, several people’s expressions changed slightly.

A “Memory Stone” was a special crystal capable of recording events from the past, preserving both image and sound.

The scene in the sky began to shift.

Two figures appeared on the cliff of a mountain peak.

The one standing in front wore celestial robes, radiating thick immortal energy, surrounded by countless blooming lotus flowers that emanated divine aura.

Behind him stood another figure, dressed in a tiger-patterned robe, exuding a fierce presence.

On his forehead, the word “King” was clearly visible.

It was none other than Celestial Tiger Sovereign.

Although the conversation between the two couldn’t be heard, some mysterious force shrouded them, preventing the Memory Stone from capturing their voices, the sight of the two standing together was already enough to tell a story.

“Celestial Tiger Sovereign, do you have anything to say?” the Light Lord Sage Monarch asked.

“If you still wish to argue, that’s fine. As long as your Hell Tiger Race refrains from competing for the Ancestral Flame, I’ll apologize to you personally.”

At that, Celestial Tiger Sovereign let out a heavy snort.

His voice echoed through the empty valley as he shouted coldly, “What I despise most about your Radiant Court is your arrogance! Why shouldn’t my Hell Tiger Race compete? Are the rest of us in the Five God Realms destined to be inferior to your Radiant Court?”

“There has never been superiority or inferiority,” the Light Lord Sage Monarch replied sharply. “Our Radiant Court has worked tirelessly for countless years to obtain the Ancestral Flame and repair our flaws. The reverence we command is the result of our efforts, it is rightfully earned. Tell me, what has your Hell Tiger Race accomplished over all these years?”

Celestial Tiger Sovereign did not continue the verbal sparring.

Instead, he turned, scanning the other gathered forces, and shouted, “Everyone, hear me! The era of the Radiant Court should come to an end!”

“Follow me! I have already spoken with the Heavenly Court. As long as we hand over the Ancestral Flame to them, the Heavenly Court will help us repair our flame’s defect!”

“The Heavenly Court? Why would they do that out of kindness?” someone questioned suspiciously.

“Of course, the Heavenly Court has conditions,” Celestial Tiger Sovereign said with a smirk.

“They wish to form an alliance with our Fire God Race. Together, we can face future wars, advance and retreat as one. I see no harm in this. It benefits both sides.”

At his words, the Light Lord Sage Monarch let out a cold snort.

“I’m curious, Celestial Tiger Sovereign, what benefit did the Heavenly Court offer you? As the one who gains the most, surely your reward must be the greatest.”

“Such petty thinking,” Celestial Tiger Sovereign replied calmly. “I’m doing this for the sake of the Fire God Race. I have already cast aside personal ambition and honor.”

“Is that so? Because I heard the Heavenly Court promised to make you the ruler of the Inferno Crucible Heaven,” the Light Lord Sage Monarch said with a faint smile.

“Utter nonsense!” Celestial Tiger Sovereign’s face darkened, and he snorted coldly.

The Light Lord Sage Monarch didn’t bother arguing further.

“Since that’s the case,” he said, “our paths diverge. We have nothing more to discuss. Let our strength decide the rest.

“This formation is the Yellow Springs Annihilation Wind Formation. With it active today, your Hell Tiger Race will be buried here.”

Leaving the chaos outside for the moment, within the Ancestral Lands, battles raged across fractured space.

Murong Qing’s power was overwhelming.

She had already entered the Saint Sovereign Realm and, wielding control over the formation, commanded the forces of thunder as though she ruled the storm itself.

She stood in an unshakable position.

Beside her, Shangguan Wan’er’s movements were calm and measured. Xu Zimo could see clearly that she was holding back her true strength.

Even though the formation left her with nowhere to retreat, she endured it with ease.

As for Tiger Overlord, he fared far worse.

Being a member of the Hell Tiger Race, he had been forced to reveal his true form, a massive tiger.

The tiger’s head and tail stretched a full kilometer long, its presence terrifying, a beast truly worthy of the name “Hell Tiger.”

In any other place, Murong Qing might not have been his match.

But here, countless bolts of lightning rained down like a torrential storm, surrounding the Hell Tiger completely.

Crackling sounds echoed endlessly, explosions lighting up the sky.

The Hell Tiger was pinned under the overwhelming might of the lightning, unable to lift its head despite its furious roars, more sound than substance.

“It’s almost over,” Shangguan Xian said calmly from the side.

“Far from it,” Xu Zimo replied with a smile. “These few aren’t the true protagonists of this battlefield.”

As he said, his words proved true.

When a surge of thunder fell like divine wrath, the Hell Tiger was finally hurled away, reverting to its human form, Tiger Overlord lay on the ground, gravely injured and barely breathing.

“Die!” Murong Qing shouted coldly.

She gathered another wave of devastating thunder, ready to strike the finishing blow.

Just as the lightning descended, a deafening boom shook the air.

A figure appeared in front of Tiger Overlord.

With a single punch, the incoming lightning shattered.

“Who are you?” Murong Qing demanded sharply.

“Little brat from the Radiant Court,” came a harsh, grating voice. “We’ve waited long enough. Hand over the Ancestral Flame.”

Following the voice, two figures stepped forward.

They were the same two who had entered the Ancestral Lands with Tiger Overlord, Tiger One and Tiger Two.

Until now, they had remained unnoticed.

But as they stepped out, Murong Qing’s brow furrowed.

“You’re not from the Hell Tiger Race,” she said coldly.

“Correct,” Tiger One and Tiger Two replied with sneers.

“We’re from the Sun-Moon Temple.”

They each reached up and tore away the masks on their faces, human-skin disguises.

When the masks came off, their true faces were revealed.