This Is What a Villain Is Like

In the southern district of the Imperial Capital, within a relatively low-slung, single-story house built of bluestone bricks and tiles, a young man dressed in a blue brocade long-robe, his face somewhat pale and handsome, was sitting cross-legged on a hard wooden bed with his eyes tightly shut.

His complexion was slightly pale, and he seemed to be nursing hidden injuries. As he cultivated to heal himself, his brow would occasionally furrow in a display of pain.

Wisps of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gathered around him, seemingly forming one spiritual vortex after another that coiled about his body.

Suddenly, the pale, handsome young man opened his mouth wide and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. The dark bluish tint that had tinged his face began to quickly fade.

He opened his eyes, revealing a trace of exhaustion.

’My injuries are finally a little better, but it still won’t be easy to leave the Imperial Capital in the next few days. With the No-fly Zone active, not even a fly can get out...’

The young man’s brow furrowed as he silently assessed his current injuries.

He stretched out his palm. A pulse of soul-aura flared across it, transforming into a wisp of blue smoke from which the faint, blurry silhouette of an ancient figure emerged.

It was, of course, Ye Ming and the Old Ghost.

After being ambushed by Jiang Lan, Ye Ming had managed a timely escape by playing a trump card, but he had been severely injured in the process. He had no choice but to change his appearance once again and lie low in this commoner’s district, silently recuperating.

Therefore, he had not participated in either the Southern Hunting exercise in the Qianyuan Cave Realm or the assault on the Imperial Palace by the Blood Immortal Sect remnants.

After all, he was so badly injured that even moving was difficult. He had done his utmost to conceal every trace of his aura, so how could he possibly have taken part in those events?

And yet, in the past two days, he had inexplicably become the main culprit and mastermind behind the chaos in the Qianyuan Cave Realm. Once again, he was made the scapegoat, a label he couldn’t seem to shake.

Not only that, but his identity as "Zhang Yuan"—a body he had seized—was also exposed, turning him into a street rat that everyone wanted to beat.

Ye Ming knew full well that Jiang Lan was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. His sudden appearance and attack that night were solely intended to injure him severely, incapacitating him for the next several days.

That way, even though he hadn’t been involved in the chaos of the Southern Hunting exercise, he would have no way to defend himself—just like what happened last time in the Secret Realm of Purple Mist True Monarch’s grotto-mansion.

From now on, in everyone’s eyes, he was a remnant of the Blood Immortal Sect, the successor who had inherited its legacy.

Meanwhile, the true mastermind, Jiang Lan, remained hidden in the shadows as always, plotting and manipulating everything.

"Jiang Lan, there can be no peace between us until one of us is dead..." Ye Ming’s eyes were filled with thick hatred, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

But this surge of anger aggravated his injuries, sending waves of tearing pain through his chest.

His expression instantly darkened. The world believed that Jiang Lan had only just begun his cultivation journey and that his strength was nothing to fear.

But they had no idea that even the older generation, those old fossils who had cultivated for centuries, were no match for him. When Ye Ming had faced Jiang Lan that night, he had used numerous techniques, yet he couldn’t even withstand a single palm strike and was severely wounded in an instant.

That level of power made Ye Ming’s heart tremble with both fear and indignation.

"Old Ghost, are Innate Saints truly invincible?" he asked in a low voice.

At that moment, he recalled his first encounter with Jiang Lan on the Blood Red Plateau. It was truly hard to imagine that a young man could actually control the Power of Law—a feat that bordered on wielding the Dao itself.

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"What is an Innate Saint? An Innate Saint is a person who is born destined to become a Saint, a progenitor."

"In my long life, I have seen very few individuals like him; they are as rare as a phoenix feather or a qilin’s horn. As long as they don’t fall prematurely or face a fatal calamity, their future is destined to shake the heavens and the earth."

"Moreover, even I cannot see through this child’s fate."

"His karmic fortune is hidden, not apparent. Although it doesn’t seem as vibrant and flourishing as yours, how could the fate of someone with the abilities of an Innate Saint be simple? I suspect that a powerful expert from the Prime Minister’s Mansion has acted to conceal his fortune. Otherwise, it’s impossible that he could have remained dormant until now, unknown to the world. If the Ancient Immortal Sects were to return and reappear in the world, they would definitely fight to claim him."

"Innate Saints, besides having heaven-defying aptitude and profound blessings, also possess wisdom and cunning far surpassing their peers. The reason you can never win against him, the reason you are always played and controlled by him, is because you are far inferior to him in every aspect—aptitude, wisdom, and cunning..."

The Old Ghost spoke leisurely, ignoring the increasingly ugly expression on Ye Ming’s face.

He was, in fact, telling the truth. In the years he had followed Ye Ming, Ye Ming had faced many enemies and tribulations, but he had always managed to pull through them, shaken but safe.

But never had there been anyone like Jiang Lan, who made Ye Ming feel so hopeless and powerless, as if he were being played with inside the Five Finger Mountain, completely unable to escape.

Even he had no good ideas right now to help Ye Ming escape this predicament.

The Old Ghost couldn’t help but sigh and admit that the aptitude of an Innate Saint was truly terrifying.

Fortunately, for now, Ye Ming’s existence was necessary. He was needed as a scapegoat to temporarily draw the world’s attention for Jiang Lan, so Jiang Lan wouldn’t kill him.

Otherwise, Ye Ming would be dead without a doubt. The situation would be hopeless.

"Since ancient times, aptitude has, in some ways, represented everything about a cultivator—talent for the Dao, wisdom, personality, and more. An ordinary person would be desperate to protect their reputation, so why would someone willingly tarnish their own name, hide their strengths, and endure scorn for so many years? That alone tells you he is an incredibly terrifying and difficult person to deal with..."

"So there’s nothing that can be done? Is my revenge hopeless...?"