I Truly Am The Villian Chapter 2283 - 2282: Ninth Refinement True Monarch Dies, Rules Disappear

Witnessing the dire state of Ninth Refinement True Monarch, it was apparent he was prepared for a mutual demise.

However, Xu Zimei remained unfazed.

He simply posed the question, unperturbed, "What of becoming a god?"

"Even deities are naught but my thralls, their souls vanquished beneath my blade."

Furious at Xu Zimei's words, Ninth Refinement True Monarch let out a guttural roar.

He lunged directly at Xu Zimei.

Around him, nine distinct powers surged forth, resembling nine mighty rivers.

This sudden surge in power was undoubtedly Ninth Refinement True Monarch's ultimate trump card.

Yet, in Xu Zimei's eyes, he was still no more than an ant.

Perhaps a slightly more robust ant, at best.

But ants remain ants, regardless of their struggles or transformations; all efforts are ultimately in vain.

Xu Zimei uttered a soft command.

With a sweep of his hand, a colossal force materialized into a Sky-Covering Great Palm.

This immense palm descended with astonishing might, striking Ninth Refinement True Monarch amidst the swirling chaos.

"Boom!" a thunderous sound erupted.

In a single instant, all nine rivers were obliterated, and Ninth Refinement True Monarch's form was flung deep into the obscuring black mist.

Xu Zimei offered no respite to his adversary.

The Sky-Covering Great Palm once again constricted within the black mist, ensnaring Ninth Refinement True Monarch as if he were a mere ant held captive.

Ninth Refinement True Monarch thrashed with all his might.

But alas, his struggles proved utterly futile.

"Who is pulling the strings behind you?" Xu Zimei inquired.

Although he harbored doubts about receiving an answer, he posed the question nonetheless.

Ninth Refinement True Monarch erupted into a loud, mocking laugh, "Do not deceive yourself. I will divulge nothing. "

"It is merely regrettable that after such a long period of clandestine efforts, my objective remains unfulfilled."

"Even if you take my life, I implore you to reveal your name."

Xu Zimei responded to Ninth Refinement True Monarch's plea with a chilling sneer.

Even without this declaration, he could surmise the truth.

Who else but the Holy Court would dare to provoke the Netherworld Realm in such a manner?

He stated with measured calm, "I had assumed your Holy Court brethren would be acquainted with me. You are indeed an anomaly."

"Have you heard of the Demon Lord?"

Upon uttering these words, Ninth Refinement True Monarch was instantly drenched in a cold sweat, his struggles ceasing.

Naturally, the name 'Demon Lord' was well-known; who within the entirety of the Holy Court was ignorant of it?

He was the so-called 'great threat' that troubled the Holy Ancestor's mind.

It was highly probable that the Holy Ancestor harbored a fervent desire to eliminate the Demon Lord.

However, Ninth Refinement True Monarch was not privy to Xu Zimei's affairs, thus his knowledge was circumscribed.

Yet, contemplating that the individual confronting him was the very one who had once held dominion over the entire world, he felt a strange sense of justification for his impending demise.

"Demon Lord, you can only persist in hiding and evading. One day, your Holy Court will apprehend you," Ninth Refinement True Monarch declared with icy resolve.

"That day is not far off, but it will not be I who am captured by the Holy Court; rather, I shall go to the Holy Court of my own volition.

And then, I shall bring about its destruction."

Xu Zimei stated with measured composure.

"However, these are events you will not live to witness."

"You were simply unfortunate to encounter me here; had you not, you might have indeed uncovered the secrets hidden within this place."

"Precisely what secret lies here?" Ninth Refinement True Monarch still demanded defiantly.

"You may ponder this question in the depths of Hell," Xu Zimei replied serenely.

"Perhaps upon your return after death, you may find the answer."

His pronouncement concluded, Xu Zimei showed no flicker of mercy.

He directly annihilated Ninth Refinement True Monarch within the void.

His physical form and Divine Soul were utterly eradicated.

Leaving absolutely no possibility for any form of resurrection.

After all, the Holy Court and he were sworn adversaries, destined for an irreconcilable conflict.

To display leniency towards an enemy is to court one's own destruction.

......

Meanwhile, within the confines of the scroll depicting the laws of heaven and earth.

The scholarly man, clad in white, seemed to perceive a subtle shift.

His countenance transformed drastically in an instant.

"What troubles you?" the Lord of the Dead Spirits inquired calmly from his side.

"You have miscalculated!"

"What lies hidden in the abyss of that black mist?" the scholarly man in white demanded, his gaze fixed intently upon the Lord of the Dead Spirits.

Moments before, the life essence of Ninth Refinement True Monarch had abruptly vanished.

It was common knowledge that formidable individuals from the Holy Court invariably left a faint imprint of their soul upon a Life Lamp.

Upon their demise, the corresponding Life Lamp would instantly extinguish.

A person dies, the lamp goes out; such is the immutable order.

Just now, the scholarly man in white had observed the extinguishing of the Life Lamp.

This was information transmitted directly from his own physical vessel, and it could not possibly be erroneous.

Yet, considering Ninth Refinement True Monarch's considerable power, few beings existed who could overpower him.

Even if he were to fall into an unfavorable engagement, escape was almost certainly an option.

But Ninth Refinement True Monarch had perished so decisively, without even the slightest opportunity to flee.

It appears that the Ninth Refinement True Monarch encountered something utterly terrifying, something that rendered escape utterly impossible.

Or perhaps, the Ninth Refinement True Monarch was simply annihilated.

He desired to flee, but found himself incapable.

Gazing at the Lord of the Dead Spirits, he felt the sting of a miscalculation.

Especially since the Holy Court had once again lost a prominent leader.

The intricate plans for the Netherworld Realm had been in motion for a considerable duration.

In response to the scholarly man’s evident anger, the Lord of the Dead Spirits erupted in laughter.

He possessed unwavering faith in Xu Zimei.

He understood Xu Zimei’s formidable strength with a clarity unmatched by any other.

Unless the Holy Ancestor himself were to descend, all others were as insignificant as mere ants.

However, within the Nine Domains, a pact of alliance bound each Domain Master.

Should the Holy Ancestor dare to personally intervene, all the other domains would undoubtedly mobilize as well.

This was a mutual defense agreement forged by several domains for their collective survival.

After all, the principle of 'close lips, cold teeth' was deeply ingrained; the Holy Court's overwhelming power necessitated unity with other domains to even stand a chance of resistance.

Otherwise, facing defeat one by one would ultimately serve no one's interests.

Consequently, despite their suspicions, the Holy Court dared not act rashly without concrete proof.

It was through these indirect methods that they sought to probe the Netherworld Realm.

To the pronouncements made by the scholarly man clad in white, the Lord of the Dead Spirits certainly would not divulge any secrets concerning Xu Zimei.

He simply stated, "You presume to dictate all, yet the world remains replete with unforeseen turns."

"Can you truly distinguish between the pawn and the player?"

He then raised his gaze towards the overarching rules above.

Time was rapidly dwindling, and the established rules were on the verge of collapse.

Ultimately, those lured here under false pretenses had, with their very lives, cemented these rules.

But life is transient, and rules inevitably dissipate.

One could only lament the pitiable fate of these individuals.

For the sake of their loved ones, their actions were not inherently wrong.

However, their approach was far too naive.

How could the deceased possibly be brought back to life?

If such a feat were readily achievable, would the world not descend into utter chaos?

Countless cultivators have pursued immortality, and through their endeavors, an innumerable number have failed, none achieving success.

How incredibly foolish, their obsessions burning far too intensely.

At this precise moment, as the fabric of the rules began to fracture, the spectral form of the scholarly man in white also started to fade.

He himself was not a corporeal entity.

Merely an illusory manifestation.

Now that his allotted time had expired, even if the Lord of the Dead Spirits had chosen to do nothing, he could no longer persist.

"We shall cross paths again; by that time, all will be reduced to ruin."

The scholarly man in white issued a final threat.

"You err; you are not omnipotent. There exists within this world that which you cannot obliterate."

The Lord of the Dead Spirits dismissed him with utter disdain.

"Such pronouncements are the sole province of the Heavenly Dao. You puppets are entirely unqualified to utter them."