I Really Am A Villain Chapter 1 - Rebirth

A peerless protagonist stands as my fated adversary. One day, he will arrive clad in golden armor, mounted on a seven-colored cloud, and right before everyone's eyes... come to slay me!

…

The world of Primordial Heartlands thrives under the dominion of martial cultivation. Legends tell of an enigmatic power that, in ancient eras, divided this vast realm into five mighty continents.

The ancient powerhouse called True Martial Sacred Ground commands thousands of miles across the Western Region of the Eastern Continent.

Inside True Martial Sacred Ground, white cranes call out together, lucky clouds float down, and spirit springs gush upward like endless seas.

Sword-riding cultivators vanish in a flash, covering ten thousand miles instantly.

Powerful fighters unleash punches that smash Black-Iron Martial Stone to pieces in a single strike.

…

At the core of True Martial Sacred Ground lies South Goose Peak, a mountain rising thousands of meters high like a massive pillar, stabbing through the clouds.

Upon its peak, white clouds wander lazily, while mist swirls and twists around.

Xu Zimo positioned himself at the cliffside, clad in snow-white robes purer than frost. His unbound hair danced with the breeze, and his profound gaze appeared endlessly deep.

Solitary on the edge, his slender form remained still as gusts whipped his robes into sharp, flapping sounds.

So... does this qualify as rebirth? Xu Zimo whispered in astonishment. He fell quiet for three minutes, then another three.

Rebirth is meant for protagonists, right? Yet here I am, the villain of this tale!

Xu Zimo examined his own body. This wasn't complete reincarnation; rather, it was soul transmigration.

His current form felt pathetically frail. He knew he'd reverted to his fifteen-year-old self, just prior to beginning cultivation.

Yet this return brought more than mere recollections.

Within his belly, a primal orb crafted from cosmic laws hovered silently. It emitted no glow, appearing utterly ordinary and nondescript at first glance.

A closer inspection revealed a whole world inside: brilliant radiance, fresh grass dotted with dew, and a sun climbing into view.

This orb pulsed with constant change. Even a sliver of its might seemed capable of flattening the peak under his feet.

Familiarity stirred in Xu Zimo from the orb. Abruptly, his eyes flew open in sudden understanding.

He had stumbled upon this orb by chance in his previous existence. Its complete secrets eluded him, but he knew one unique power: the ability to rip apart space itself.

The memory of his defeat day surged back. Desperately, he had channeled every bit of his God Meridian Realm strength into the orb to flee. Instead, it hurled him back to this exact instant.

That explained the sense of recognition. The power stored inside was none other than his cultivation base from the life before.

Excitement made him quiver. In a single year, he could draw in that power and reclaim his God Meridian Realm prowess.

The path of martial arts proves arduous.

More grueling than ascending to the heavens.

Each stride lifts one toward the firmament.

Mortals begin in the Mortal Realm, forging muscles and flesh, bones and skin.

Internal organs and outer frame are refined in unison.

With the physique fully honed, meridian gates unlock, linking to spiritual energy, granting entry to the Spirit Meridian Realm.

The complete lineup of nine cultivation stages consists of:

Mortal Realm,

Spirit Meridian Realm,

Meridian Forging Realm,

True Meridian Realm,

Desolate Meridian Realm,

Paragon Meridian Realm,

Imperial Meridian Realm,

Empyrean Meridian Realm,

and God Meridian Realm.

Collectively termed the ‘Nine Meridians of Immortal Ascension’.

Gazing toward the horizon, Xu Zimo realized the orb's energy could swiftly finish his Mortal Realm tempering, propelling him straight into Spirit Meridian Realm.

Fully integrating it within one year to regain God Meridian Realm strength lay entirely within possibility.

Still, he held back from haste. For one, the True Martial Sacred Ground remained his home, where his father watched his advancement keenly; he aimed to avoid any doubts.

Moreover, Xu Zimo yearned to relish this instant.

All that mattered endured. Salvation for everything lay possible.

His father. Ru Hu. Xiao Dingtian. That girl beside Willow Riverbank, weeping against the gale, wishing only for a simple life alongside him.

Ultimately, he let them all down. Through endless brushes with death, he fell to protagonist Chu Yang's blade.

…

Xu Zimo turned his gaze afar, white robes merging with the fog. Winds roared fiercer, twisting his grin into something savage.

Chu Yang… In my last life, I served merely as a larger obstacle on your road to greatness. Aided by Old Man Samsara, your golden-finger master, I was little more than a mere game piece under your control. But now, in this reborn existence, I step from the game entirely. I shall command the pieces myself. The world becomes my game board. Every living thing, my pawns. Against destiny itself, I will march.

…

Halfway up South Goose Mountain stood Xu Zimo’s courtyard. Spirit herbs flourished along the trail. Arcs of blue and violet rainbows spanned the sky. In the distance, Sacred Beasts dashed, bathed in divine radiance.

Spirit trees hung heavy with vivid fruits—prized treasures that would spark bloodshed beyond these walls. Yet here, they served simply as ornaments.

By the time Xu Zimo arrived at the gate, his guard Zhang Zhongtian was standing there, waiting with deep respect.

“Young Master,” Zhang reported, “the Sacred Vice-Lord has sent a message. If you have time, kindly visit him; he wishes to discuss something important.”

“Understood,” Xu Zimo replied with a nod, striding alongside Zhang towards Green Mountain.

…

Three years back, the True Martial Sacred Ground's current Sacred Lord had climbed to the pinnacle of the Empyrean Meridian Realm. In his quest for that ultimate breakthrough into the God Meridian Realm, he relinquished his command over the sect.

He transferred authority to his second-in-command, Xu Qingshan, before venturing into the mundane world to pursue enlightenment through a humble existence.

Ever since, Xu Qingshan had risen as the sect's foremost authority.

And Xu Zimo stood as his sole son.

Dubbing him the Crown Prince of the whole sect was no mere hyperbole.

…

Xu Zimo suspected his father sought to converse about cultivation matters.

Now fifteen, he had just hit the entry threshold.

Prior to fifteen, a cultivator's meridians and organs stayed immature, far too fragile for true training.

Across the Primordial Heartlands, virtually everyone launched their cultivation path at age fifteen.

…

Upon reaching Green Mountain, Xu Zimo beheld no majestic halls or lavish pavilions.

Just a humble wooden cabin, a crystal-clear river flowing lazily, and a middle-aged man in blue robes seated serenely by the water's side.

…

Xu Zimo lingered silently at the riverbank, gazing upon his father.

Not a word escaped him. Xu Qingshan uttered none either.

Father and son communed in utter silence, their bond flawless.

Moments later, a gentle gust swept by. Xu Qingshan raised his eyes unhurriedly.

He appeared as an everyday middle-aged man. His robe was plain and unadorned. His aura radiated tranquility. No fearsome pressure emanated from him.