I Really Am A Villain

Because the formation was now spinning counterclockwise, the entire world would soon begin to reject everything within it, forcing all beings out.

But when Shangguan Wan’er saw the swirling vortex above, she laughed wildly. “Heaven itself aids me!”

Without waiting for the world to cast her out, she rushed straight toward the vortex of her own accord. She was no longer Xu Zimo’s match, and she knew it. Continuing the fight would only mean certain death.

As she fled skyward at full speed, Xu Zimo followed close behind. He turned back and called to Shangguan Xian and the others, “Come! Time to return!”

In the blink of an eye, all their figures were swallowed by the devouring force that had erupted from the formation. Moments later, the void of the Ancestral Lands completely collapsed, dissolving into the laws of the universe, never to exist again.

Meanwhile, in the mountain valley, the opening of the formation had triggered a full confrontation between the Radiant Court and the Hell Tiger Race.

The other factions, however, held back, waiting and watching from the sidelines.

“Warriors of the Hell Tiger Race,” said the Light Lord Sage Monarch coldly, “step into the formation and face judgment, or today, you’ll be buried here.”

As soon as his words fell, laughter echoed from beyond the formation.

A group of people appeared outside the formation, dressed in black-and-white robes, their faces hidden behind yin-yang masks.

The moment they appeared, everyone’s expressions changed, especially those from the Radiant Court.

“You… you’re from the Sun-Moon Temple?”

“Light Lord Sage Monarch,” Celestial Tiger Sovereign laughed from within the formation, “did you really think I came unprepared? I already joined forces with the Sun-Moon Temple. Today marks the day your Radiant Court is wiped from the Inferno Crucible Heaven!”

“Indeed,” said the black-and-white-robed leader, laughing. “The blood feud from hundreds of thousands of years ago will finally be avenged! The shame we suffered back then will now be returned tenfold, you will taste the same humiliation!”

“Who are you?” demanded the Light Lord Sage Monarch, his eyes locked on the masked leader, as if trying to pierce through the disguise and see the man’s true face.

But the man showed no fear. He raised a hand and removed his mask.

Beneath it was a horribly disfigured face, devoid of features, the skin twisted and shriveled like melted wax. It looked as though he had been burned alive, his flesh scorched and dead, leaving only the ravaged remains behind.

“You’re… Bright Sun Sovereign,” the Light Lord Sage Monarch said in shock.

“Surprised, are you?” the faceless man, Bright Sun Sovereign, laughed harshly. “I survived! Ever since I escaped the Heavenly Fire Pool by sheer luck, I’ve kept this face as a reminder. Every day I look at it and remember, between you and me lies a sea of blood and hatred. Between the Sun-Moon Temple and your Radiant Court, there can be no peace.”

“I didn’t expect you to live,” said the Sage Monarch coldly. “But if I could kill you once, I can kill you again.”

“You only killed me back then through trickery,” Bright Sun Sovereign roared. “If we had fought openly, who knows who would have won? You and your Radiant Court have ruled the Inferno Crucible Heaven for far too long, accomplishing nothing! It’s time for a new ruler. Only under our Sun-Moon Temple will the Fire God Race achieve true unity, sun and moon as one, life eternal!”

“Sun and moon as one, life eternal!”

“Sun and moon as one, life eternal!”

The cultists all chanted together, their voices thundering through the valley, echoing endlessly through the mountains.

“‘Sun and moon as one, life eternal’, pathetic words from insects trying to comfort themselves,” said the Light Lord Sage Monarch with cold disdain. “Hundreds of thousands of years ago, I swore an oath. Anyone who joins the Sun-Moon Temple… anyone from your sect still alive in this world, I will kill them all. Even if I must slaughter millions, I will not hesitate.”

As the two sides exchanged words, the sky suddenly shifted.

Ripples spread across the heavens, and a gate of void appeared, it was the passage from the collapsing Ancestral Lands.

Moments later, Shangguan Wan’er’s figure shot out of it, disheveled and frantic.

“It’s Wan’er!” someone from the Shangguan Heavenly Clan cried out. Seeing her alive, Shangguan Xiongba finally breathed a sigh of relief.

When she hadn’t appeared with the others, he’d feared the worst. Although Shangguan Wan’er’s power was among the strongest, Xiongba was confident few could kill her, accidents were always possible. Now, seeing his daughter safe, he shouted, “Wan’er! Come back quickly!”

But before she could respond, Xu Zimo appeared in pursuit.

His blade aura flashed like a streak of lightning, so fast that few could even see it.

A beam of killing light cut through the sky and struck Shangguan Wan’er squarely in the back.

She hadn’t even caught her breath after escaping when blood burst from her lips and her body fell to the ground.

As Xu Zimo landed, everyone finally saw his face clearly.

“It’s that man from the Chaos Fire God Realm!”

“No way, did even Shangguan Wan’er lose to him?”

“Wan’er!” Shangguan Xiongba roared in fury.

Shangguan Wan’er was not only his daughter, but also the pride of the Shangguan Heavenly Clan, raised as the future clan leader. Even the ancestral patriarch had once prophesied that she would surpass all previous generations of their bloodline. The family’s future glory rested on her shoulders.

Now, seeing her covered in blood and collapsing, Xiongba rushed forward and caught her in his arms.

“Father, I’m fine,” Shangguan Wan’er said weakly, wiping the blood from her lips and forcing herself to stand.

She looked at Xu Zimo and smiled faintly. “This is no longer the Ancestral Lands. It’s over. Will you still kill me here?”

“Why not?” Xu Zimo replied coldly.

“Are you challenging my Divine Crow God Realm?” Shangguan Xiongba’s voice thundered.

“What if I destroy your Divine Crow God Realm?” Xu Zimo said with the same unyielding arrogance. “Anger me further, and I’ll wipe out the entire Inferno Crucible Heaven.”

His words shocked everyone present. Murmurs spread through the crowd.

“He’s insane!”

“Who gave him such confidence? Arrogant youth, he dares to speak like that?”

“Fire Ancestor,” Shangguan Xiongba said sternly, fixing his gaze on the elder. “If I recall correctly, this man is from your Chaos Fire God Realm, isn’t he?”

“Indeed, Young Master Xu is of our domain,” the Fire Ancestor replied, shaking his head, “but his words do not represent us.”

By saying this, he had publicly severed all responsibility. And truthfully, it made sense.

The Chaos Fire God Realm’s relationship with Xu Zimo was purely transactional. Without benefit, no domain would risk an all-out war. The Fire Ancestor was not foolish enough to let pride drive him into destruction.