I Truly Am The Villian Chapter 2295 - 2294: The Bliss Sect's Past and Soul

While an ordinary person would be met with silence, the Doomsday Temple's doors swung open for this unusual visitor.

The aged monk who answered the door cast a glance at the strange figure, then at Xu Zimei and his companions.

He inquired, "What brings you esteemed guests to our humble abode?"

"How can one exist without a soul? We are here to retrieve his," Xu Zimei stated coolly, gesturing towards the peculiar individual.

"There is no soul to be found here, only a small temple," the elderly monk responded, shaking his head.

Xu Zimei offered no argument to the monk.

Instead, he mused aloud, "I've heard that among the three great powers of Demon City, only the Doomsday Temple truly distinguishes itself."

"They neither reveal themselves to the world nor vie for territory, seeming to have withdrawn from the public eye."

"If not for this temple situated in the heart of Demon City, many might have forgotten your existence."

"Why do you choose to remain secluded, withholding your presence?"

"All worldly matters are merely illusions," the elderly monk intoned, performing a Buddhist gesture.

He added, "This old monk no longer places value on such things."

"What true meaning do power, territory, and the attention of countless people possess?"

"Has the Abbot genuinely seen through worldly illusions?" Xu Zimei inquired with a smile.

"If you have truly transcended them, why then do you deny the existence of the soul?"

"I believe you understand this better than anyone, Abbot. You have not relinquished worldly attachments; you remain bound to them."

"You have merely grasped the fundamental nature of Demon City."

"I do not comprehend the benefactor's meaning," the elderly monk replied, his head gently shaking.

"If comprehension eludes you, allow me to put it plainly," Xu Zimei chuckled.

"All of Demon City, including every soul within it, is nothing more than an illusion."

"To put it simply, you are all phantoms."

"Like the reflection of the moon upon the water, or an image seen within a mirror, all are but false apparitions."

These pronouncements struck like a thunderbolt.

The elderly monk's expression immediately shifted to one of profound solemnity.

Even Liu Ruyan, standing nearby, was momentarily astonished.

"Phantoms? Everyone is a phantom?"

"How can this be? This place feels utterly real, not like an illusory realm; everything is tangible flesh and blood."

"Your cultivation realm is too low, thus you cannot perceive the truth clearly," Xu Zimei explained to Liu Ruyan.

"It's not just you; even others within Demon City are incapable of discerning this reality."

"They remain ignorant, unaware of their own true nature."

"Yet, each day they fiercely contend for territories."

"And the Doomsday Temple, being the first to awaken to this truth, sealed its gates, perceiving all striving as meaningless."

At this, Xu Zimei offered a faint smile.

The elderly monk fell silent, contemplating Xu Zimei's words.

It was evident that he had already accepted their veracity.

To the elderly monk, even the greatest power or the most magnificent life held no consequence.

Because, in the end, it was all illusory.

At this precise moment, on a street far in the distance.

Numerous shadowy figures moved, suggesting a significant gathering was converging there.

"They are from the Corpse Burial Mound and the Blood River Valley," Liu Ruyan was the first to identify them.

After all, the Black Soul Mage and the Moon-picking Fairy were critical figures to both factions.

With their demise, it was inconceivable that those powers would simply let the matter rest.

"It matters not; they are merely a throng of struggling illusions," Xu Zimei stated dismissively, shaking his head.

He then shifted his gaze back to the elderly monk.

He posed the question, "The soul you possess – will you yield it to me willingly, or must I forcefully take it?"

"The soul of the departed resides here; you may retrieve it whenever you wish," the elderly monk replied with serene composure, neither resisting nor showing anger.

Xu Zimei proceeded into the Doomsday Temple.

From the exterior, the Doomsday Temple appeared expansive and grand.

Yet, within its confines, the space seemed paradoxically compressed.

A solitary main hall and a humble meditation chamber.

These two simple structures, presented in an unadorned and clear fashion.

"Simple sustenance, the light of an ancient Buddha – that is sufficient," the elderly monk remarked.

Xu Zimei, bypassing the meditation room, entered the main hall.

Inside, the hall did not venerate any figures of Buddhism or Taoism, but rather an individual unknown to Xu Zimei.

The depicted person's countenance was devoid of emotion, neither smiling nor frowning, presenting a distinctly peculiar mien.

His hair was sparse, his forehead gleamed, he was clad in yellow robes, and held a Jade Ruyi scepter in his hand.

"Who might this person be?" Liu Ruyan inquired involuntarily.

"The Sect Master of the Bliss Sect, Sikong Xingyun," Xu Zimei responded calmly.

"Are you familiar with the history of Demon City?"

Liu Ruyan admitted ignorance, shaking her head.

It was plausible she had not even been born when Demon City first came into existence.

Concerning matters of even greater antiquity, her knowledge was indeed limited.

"Legend has it that this area was not originally known as Demon City, but was once called the Bliss Sect,"

Xu Zimei elaborated.

"The Bliss Sect was a rather peculiar sect."

"Their cultivation technique involved utilizing people as living furnaces."

"However, no one was ever coerced into becoming a furnace; those individuals willingly chose that path."

"Why would anyone volunteer for such a thing?" Liu Ruyan found the notion difficult to accept.

"And why shouldn't they?"

"People are driven by their desires. As long as those desires can be fulfilled, they won't hesitate, even if it leads to their demise."

Xu Zimei explained.

"That was precisely the objective of the Bliss Sect."

"Bliss, bliss... what else do people truly seek in life but pleasure?"

"The Bliss Sect possessed the means to gratify every conceivable desire."

"Whether one yearned for **power**, longed for **beauty**, or had other, more obscure demands, the Bliss Sect could satisfy them all."

"And when a person's deepest wishes were met, they could depart this world with satisfaction."

"If you were presented with the choice of becoming a furnace in exchange for curing your elder's persistent illness, would you agree?" Xu Zimei posed the question.

Liu Ruyan became quiet for a moment.

It was indeed a challenging dilemma.

"Furthermore, what if not only was the illness cured, but your elder's **cultivation** also reached an entirely new level?"

"Imagine leading the Radiant Moon **Sect** to unprecedented glory – would you then agree?" Xu Zimei pressed further.

This time, Liu Ruyan hesitated for a longer period.

Then, she finally replied, "Perhaps... I might be willing, too."

"You see, nothing is truly impossible. There are always opportunities for exchange," Xu Zimei stated.

"It was precisely because of this that the Bliss Sect experienced such rapid growth within a few hundred years of its founding."

"And despite their cultivation method being inherently wicked, because of this mutual agreement, no one dared to brand them a demonic cult."

"Many actually regarded it as a sacred haven."

"Even those who were profoundly weary of life would seek them out as their final destination."

"If the Bliss Sect was so immensely powerful, how did it ultimately meet its downfall, transforming into Demon City?" Liu Ruyan couldn't help but inquire.

"It all came down to a single word."

"**Greed**."

"The human heart is an insatiable entity, much like a serpent attempting to swallow an elephant whole."

"The fifteenth Sect Master of the Bliss Sect stumbled upon a profound treasure, one that perfectly complemented their unique **cultivation** technique."

"With sufficient power channeled into this treasure, the Bliss Sect could achieve self-sufficiency, rendering them entirely unnecessary of the need for any more furnaces."