I Truly Am The Villian Chapter 2299 - 2298: Disintegrated in an Instant, Here for Goodness

Upon hearing these words, Great Emperor Qingshi and the Blood Ancestor exchanged glances, their faces etched with disbelief.

Leave Demon City?

They were both utterly stunned.

Indeed, their existence had been one of endless schemes and struggles confined within the walls of Demon City.

Why had the thought of venturing beyond to a more expansive territory never occurred to them?

No matter the size of Demon City, it was, after all, just a single city.

Yet, the peculiar thing was that such an idea had never crossed their minds before.

Or rather, none of them had ever conceived of departing Demon City.

"Why… why is that?"

Now, prompted by the old monk's revelation, everyone looked at each other with a blank bewilderment.

"You only realize it now, don't you? It's because the program has been deeply ingrained into your minds."

"Every action you take has already been preordained."

The two found the old monk's explanation somewhat preposterous upon hearing it.

They were constructs. Fake.

Everything they perceived as real was a fabrication.

"Then, what is real?" the Blood Ancestor couldn't help but inquire.

"Those from the outside are real," the old monk replied, his gaze sweeping over Xu Zimei and Liu Ruyan.

Though the inhabitants of Demon City were prohibited from leaving, the city frequently drew visitors from beyond its borders.

Aside from these external individuals, he suspected that within all of Demon City, only Lu Simiao possessed genuine existence.

...

"Impossible! This is utterly impossible!" Great Emperor Qingshi exclaimed.

He seemed utterly unwilling to accept such a ludicrous assertion.

"There is nothing impossible about it. If you doubt my words, simply try to walk out of the city and witness it for yourselves.

See if you are able to depart," the old monk stated with tranquil certainty.

Hadn't he himself worn the very same expression when first confronted with this truth?

Yet, the facts remained unyielding, irrespective of one's disbelief.

The Blood Ancestor, the first to reject this notion, ascended into the air, intending to fly out of Demon City.

With his formidable strength, exiting Demon City should have been a trivial, instantaneous feat.

However, the very instant the Blood Ancestor entertained this intention, he found himself completely unable to command his own body.

It felt as though the power within him had ceased its natural circulation; his legs seemed to have turned to lead.

He was utterly paralyzed, rooted to the spot, incapable of movement.

"W-what… what in the world is happening?"

The Blood Ancestor bellowed in anguish.

He strained repeatedly, but his efforts were futile.

Ultimately, he slumped to the ground, his entire being appearing spiritless and utterly defeated.

In reality, there was no need to physically eliminate them; merely revealing the truth served as an invisible torture, akin to countless unseen blades piercing their souls.

It was a torment far more potent than any method of physical execution.

Witnessing the Blood Ancestor's state, it was evident that this revelation had struck him even more profoundly than it had the old monk.

He seemed resigned, as if awaiting sacrifice or dismemberment, having completely relinquished all hope concerning life and death.

After all, if one's very existence was merely a fabrication, from whence could the concepts of life and death originate?

This echoed the sentiment: what meaning is there in life, what sorrow in death?

...

Just then, a sigh emanated from a short distance away.

The Medicine King, Lu Simiao, emerged, clad in a simple green robe. His beard and hair, a blend of black and white, lent him an extraordinary aura, hinting at a reclusive nature.

At this moment, he no longer concealed his presence.

He had followed the lingering traces of energy to the Doomsday Temple, and every event that transpired there had unfolded entirely within his sight.

As Lu Simiao made his appearance, the old monk immediately turned his attention towards him.

"It is he—our creator," the old monk declared.

Upon hearing this, Great Emperor Qingshi and the Blood Ancestor swiftly turned their heads to observe him.

"I had assumed this charade would continue indefinitely."

"I never anticipated a day would come when the truth could no longer be contained."

"Why? Why did you bring us into existence?" the old monk demanded.

"Firstly, due to an unresolved obsession within my heart. Secondly, because my intention was to seal away that demon," Lu Simiao stated calmly.

"There is no need for you to feel indignant."

"For without me, I daresay you would never have been granted the gift of consciousness or life."

"From a professional standpoint, it was I who bestowed these upon you."

"And you ought to cultivate a sense of contentment."

"Even a living, breathing entity faces the inevitability of death."

"If you find the reality of your nature unbearable, simply perceive it as the appointed time for your demise.

Perhaps viewing it in such a manner might offer some solace."

"If we did not genuinely savor the world, how could we possibly harbor such a deep attachment to it?" the old monk countered.

Lu Simiao offered no reply.

In a fundamental sense, he was their progenitor.

Regardless of his actions, he felt no obligation to provide explanations to them.

Great Emperor Qingshi fixed his gaze upon Lu Simiao.

He couldn't help a thought surfacing: "If I manage to kill him, could I possibly take over his body and be reincarnated?"

Within the Corpse Burial Mound lineage, advanced techniques for body-possession rebirth were indeed known to exist.

Success in such an endeavor, according to the Cultivation Technique's principles, could even lead to an extended lifespan.

At this precise moment, Emperor Qingshi felt compelled to act first.

The surface of his body immediately withered, resembling a dried-up corpse—this was his second life, a hidden trump card.

When facing a fatal strike, this desiccated form would absorb the blow in his stead.

One could observe Emperor Qingshi's extreme caution; his initial move was executed with the readiness to sacrifice his life.

His movement was astonishingly swift, like a flash of lightning.

In the blink of an eye, employing a Cultivation Technique, he materialized before Lu Simiao, intent on ending his life.

However, Lu Simiao merely offered a slight shake of his head.

A fissure opened at the center of his brow, transforming into a watchful eye.

With but a single piercing gaze from this eye,

Emperor Qingshi's body inexplicably began to disintegrate.

Witnesses could see his skin shedding, his blood ceasing to flow, and even his bones dissolving.

Emperor Qingshi attempted to let out a scream, his mouth opening.

But his throat had already melted away, rendering him utterly silent.

He was unable to move, unable to cry out.

Only two words could truly capture his state.

"Utter hopelessness!"

In mere seconds, a once-mighty figure like Emperor Qingshi had vanished without leaving any trace.

"I possess the power to create you, and I also hold the power to erase you."

Lu Simiao declared with composed detachment.

The so-called Three Great Forces, whether the Blood River Valley or the Corpse Burial Mound, had never merited his consideration.

His attention then shifted towards Xu Zimei.

And towards the peculiar individual accompanying Xu Zimei, the one referred to as a demon.

He had initially anticipated that upon this strange being's appearance, a frenzied wave of slaughter would commence.

Yet, this entity remained remarkably quiescent.

This observation greatly perplexed him.

Addressing Xu Zimei, he inquired, "May I ask from whence your Excellency hails?"

"I have come for you. As for my origins, there is no need for discussion," Xu Zimei responded.

These words only deepened Lu Simiao's confusion.

Ever since the destruction of the Bliss Sect in years past, the world believed he had perished along with it.

From that time on, he had altered his appearance and concealed his identity.

He had established himself as an apothecary in this region.

Many years had passed since anyone could recall his past deeds, let alone recognize him.

He found it incomprehensible why Xu Zimei seemed so certain he had arrived specifically to confront him, given their apparent lack of any prior acquaintance!

"I have come for the inherent goodness within you," Xu Zimei stated.

Upon hearing this, Lu Simiao let out a hollow, bitter laugh.