I Truly Am The Villian Chapter 2290 - 2289: Corpse King, Rain of Severed Heads

Hearing the Black Soul Mage's pronouncements, Xu Zimei offered a slight smile.

"Since the knowledge is already yours, why insist on asking?"

"Such empty words are a waste of time."

Upon hearing Xu Zimei's dismissive retort, the Black Soul Mage, though his visage remained hidden, exhibited a violent churning of the surrounding black mist, betraying his palpable fury.

He seethed internally at the sheer audacity of a mere ant, destined for oblivion, daring to defy him at his moment of triumph.

Such impudence, a complete disregard for the sanctity of life and death!

"Moon-picking Fairy, desist from intervention. This individual is mine to eliminate."

The Black Soul Mage declared with unquestionable authority, his decree brooks no argument.

Despite their shared objective of ending Xu Zimei's life, the Black Soul Mage asserted his sole right to achieve this vengeance.

His domineering nature dictated that any target he claimed must fall solely by his hand, with no outside interference permitted.

A subtle frown creased the Moon-picking Fairy's brow.

Her initial assumption had been that the Black Soul Mage was present to safeguard Xu Zimei, a miscalculation that led to their prior confrontation.

To her surprise, he harbored the same lethal intent.

She recalled whispers of the Black Soul Mage's peculiar temperament and found his current fastidiousness indeed noteworthy.

With a casual air, she conceded, "If slaying him is your desire, proceed. It matters not to me."

"Ancestor," Liu Ruyan began, her voice laced with a plea for intervention.

However, the Moon-picking Fairy cut her off without hesitation, her command clear: "Accompany me to Blood River Valley."

"I would advise against accompanying her," Xu Zimei stated calmly.

"Whether you heed my counsel is, of course, your decision."

Liu Ruyan cast a peculiar glance toward Xu Zimei.

Here he was, facing imminent peril, yet he still found the capacity to offer her a warning?

Furthermore, what reason could there be for her not to depart with her Ancestor?

Though the exact cause remained elusive, Liu Ruyan felt an inexplicable urge to place her trust in Xu Zimei.

Conversely, her confidence in her own Moon-picking Ancestor seemed to waver.

She couldn't quite articulate the source of this feeling; it was a mere instinct, a subtle intuition.

......

As if Xu Zimei's words had disrupted her intricate plans, the Moon-picking Fairy's expression hardened.

She turned her gaze to the Black Soul Mage, her tone devoid of warmth: "If you intend to kill him, dispatch him swiftly."

"Otherwise, I may not be able to restrain myself from striking first."

Disregarding the Moon-picking Fairy entirely, the Black Soul Mage fixed his attention on Xu Zimei.

His voice, tinged with a slight rasp, uttered a single, chilling command: "Engage."

Instantly, the robed figures arrayed around them surged forward, launching a concerted assault on Xu Zimei.

The number of these cloaked assailants was not overwhelming.

Perhaps fifty to sixty individuals, yet each was enveloped in an aura of black mist.

Within the swirling haze, innumerable tendrils of dark energy coiled, creating a formidable and imposing spectacle.

"Prepare the blade!"

Xu Zimei slowly elevated his Tyrant Shadow, his gaze sweeping with unnerving calm across the approaching adversaries.

This particular strike did not carry the thunderous resonance of world-shattering power.

Yet, the moment Xu Zimei unleashed the blade, it felt as though the very firmament succumbed to darkness.

Within this newly darkened realm, there existed only this singular strike, a fleeting moment between illumination and shadow.

The onlookers could barely perceive the action.

The swiftness of the attack, occurring within the span of a single breath, rendered it almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

All that registered was the sudden, unnerving stillness of the black-robed figures as they froze mid-charge, their advance halted.

As stunned silence befell the onlookers, the distinct sound of severing flesh and bone, like the cracking of gourds, echoed.

Heads rained down, one after the other, with no pause in the grim cascade.

Dozens tumbled, followed by the spectacular spray of blood from as many headless corpses.

A profound quiet descended, the scene utterly still.

No one comprehended the mechanics of the blade's swing; they witnessed only the macabre shower of falling heads.

Initially, observers had surmised Xu Zimei possessed a degree of prowess, but this display unequivocally confirmed him as a figure of terrifying lethality!

At this juncture, the black mist enveloping the Black Soul Mage intensified, swirling with greater ferocity.

He distinctly sensed a palpable threat emanating from Xu Zimei.

A cold snort escaped his lips.

"A modicum of skill, perhaps, but to believe such talent suffices for dominance within Demon City is, I fear, a grave miscalculation."

With these words, the Black Soul Mage brought his hands together in a clap.

The coalescing black mist instantly contorted, forming a fearsome Black Dragon that roared with savage intensity before lunging at Xu Zimei.

However, Xu Zimei offered no resistance, making no move to evade.

He allowed the Black Dragon to impact him directly.

Yet, not a single ripple disturbed his composure.

The Black Soul Mage's brow furrowed slightly; Xu Zimei's true capabilities remained an enigma.

He initiated another sequence, clapping his right hand once more.

The surrounding dark energy surged, intensifying in potency.

This was followed by a chorus of successive dragon roars.

At least several dozen Black Dragons materialized, writhing and seething with dark energy.

Still, Xu Zimei remained utterly unmoved.

The onslaught of Black Dragons struck him, yet failed to dislodge even a single thread of his garment.

A wave of astonishment washed over the onlookers once more.

At this critical moment, Xu Zimei drew his sword.

A sharp, resonant *clang* echoed as the blade sang through the air.

In the subsequent instant, a blinding flash of blade light streaked across their vision.

With a resounding *boom*, the Black Soul Mage was violently ejected from his sedan chair, sent hurtling backward.

The obscuring black air dissipated, finally revealing the true visage of the Black Soul Mage.

The Black Soul Mage managed to regain his footing.

Previously, no one had ever laid eyes upon the true form of the Black Soul Mage, and its revelation caused a stir of peculiar expressions amongst the onlookers.

The Black Soul Mage, it turned out, possessed no limbs.

It was encased within a colossal jar.

Only its head and neck protruded from the jar's opening, a truly bizarre sight.

Sinister patterns were etched into the jar's surface, and it was this very container that the Black Soul Mage utilized for movement.

Despite its lack of limbs, the jar was adorned with dozens of writhing tentacles, reminiscent of an octopus.

These tentacles constantly writhed, presenting a ghastly and unsettling spectacle.

"I never imagined the Black Soul Mage would appear in such a state?"

"So, it's some kind of deformed monstrosity."

"Everyone, be on your guard. Given the Black Soul Mage's vengeful disposition, if its true form is exposed, could it possibly annihilate us all?"

While some harbored concerns,

others turned their gaze towards Xu Zimei.

They remarked, "This friend possesses considerable abilities; whether the Black Soul Mage can overcome them remains uncertain."

"Let him first navigate this peril."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

It was evident that the sentiment had shifted.

Many were beginning to lend their support to Xu Zimei.

However, it became clear these were merely fair-weather allies.

......

"Whelp, you're as good as dead."

"You absolutely deserve to perish!"

The Black Soul Mage, confined within its jar, seethed with rage.

For years untold, no one had dared to heap such profound humiliation upon it.

It fixed Xu Zimei with a gaze of pure hatred,

burning with the desire to tear him asunder limb by limb.

"Insignificant ant, is your arrogance usually this pronounced, or can you simply not discern the gravity of your current predicament?"

Xu Zimei inquired with tranquil composure.

"You insects dare to address me in such a manner? It seems I cannot allow you to depart this world too easily."

The Black Soul Mage retaliated with fury, its roars echoing continuously.

From its vicinity, dark miasma surged outwards.

This ominous black air ascended towards the heavens.

Swiftly, the oppressive blackness enveloped all the previously beheaded, black-robed figures.

"It's the secret technique of the Corpse Burial Mound sect, 'Corpse King'."

Those with discerning knowledge immediately identified the harrowing method.

The name Corpse Burial Mound was already renowned.

This sect specialized in cultivating corpses, and the creation of a Corpse King was often the culmination of a lifetime's diligent effort.

Consequently, the Corpse Kings they nurtured were exceptionally formidable.

Naturally, not everyone could achieve the feat of creating a Corpse King; for instance, these black-robed figures were incapable of such a monumental task.

Only the Black Soul Mage possessed this extraordinary ability.