I Really Am A Villain
Ch. 152 - Breakthrough to Paragon Meridian Realm

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"You will become the greatest beast in the history of the beastfolk. No matter how times change or how many prodigies rise, when the beasts of the world look back upon history, your name will be forever etched in stone, an immovable, unforgettable chapter. You are destined to leave a bold, unforgettable mark on the vast legacy of your kind. All beasts shall remember that there once was an ancestor who:

Bore the heavens on its back,

Tread the earth beneath its feet,

Carried the fate of countless lives in the void,

Took on the burden of reviving the Desolate Era alone,

Braved a path filled with hardship and peril,

And in this Imperial Era dominated by humans and invincible Grand Emperors, created a brand-new era for the beastfolk.

Its will and radiance shall illuminate eternity.

Its name… is Chaos."

“Well said,” Chaos bellowed, slamming its massive claw into the ground, causing the pitch-black space to tremble.

“See? I’ve even prepared your opening lines. Once you restore the glory of the Desolate Era, you can craft your own hero’s tale however you want. No one will know you once groveled like a lapdog. What the world will remember is the one who saved all beasts from suffering, a being revered alongside heaven, earth, sun, and moon. The pride of the beast race, their great ancestor, Chaos.”

“Fine, I agree. Just hope you keep your word,” Chaos said after a long silence, staring at Xu Zimo.

“A wise choice,” Xu Zimo smiled.

Then, Chaos' massive body sat still. A powerful aura of a peak God Meridian Realm cultivator radiated from it.

Its originally internal meridian gates now surfaced outside its body, eight gates in total, bang bang bang… they opened in sequence.

Xu Zimo took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and began synchronizing his own meridian gates with those of Chaos.

Feeling the pulse and rhythm of the shared meridians, Xu Zimo sensed the presence of a contract forming.

He could feel Chaos’ thoughts, its will to submit.

In the darkness, a boundless light burst forth, a pale blue glow enveloped the entire space.

Xu Zimo felt a massive surge of power at his meridian gates, nourishing and enhancing his body.

In that moment, his realm broke through from peak Desolate Meridian Realm into the Paragon Meridian Realm:

He even broke open his fifth meridian, the Bloodveil Gate, and the surrounding spiritforce surged through his body in multiple complete cycles.

His bones cracked and popped like firecrackers.

Xu Zimo slowly opened his eyes. Not only had he broken through his realm, but more importantly, a strange, indescribable connection had formed between him and Chaos.

It was as if, as long as that thread remained, he could control Chaos' life and death at will.

“Master,” Chaos lowered its enormous body, head bowed, respectfully gazing at Xu Zimo.

“‘Chaos’ is too clunky of a name,” Xu Zimo thought aloud. “Let me give you a new one.”

“Please name me, Master,” Chaos replied, voice booming.

“From now on, you’ll be called… Little Dumpling!” Xu Zimo laughed.

“....Master, what part of me is little?” Chaos looked down at its massive body, confused.

“Just sounds catchy,” Xu Zimo patted its head, which was rather rough and not very comfortable.

Then with a wave of his hands, a dimensional space opened before them. Xu Zimo unlocked Chaos' chains, and the beast stepped into the dimension.

Once a cultivator forms a Meridian Beast contract, they can open a pocket dimension specifically for housing their beast.

With Chaos handled, Xu Zimo left the void.

He was now in the Paragon Meridian Realm. The next step was the Imperial Meridian Realm.

But advancing to Imperial Meridian requires one’s True Fate World to manifest. Xu Zimo’s True Fate World was still incomplete, missing one final piece, Primordial Black-Gold Energy.

Until he perfects his True Fate World, he cannot manifest it, and thus cannot advance to Imperial Meridian.

……………

Over the next few days, Xu Zimo returned to South Goose Mountain to rest.

The sacred ground had decided to appoint him as the new generation’s Holy Son, and was preparing a grand investiture ceremony to proclaim it to the world.

While preparations continued, Xu Zimo planned his departure, he would soon head for the core regions of the Eastern Continent.

During this time, Lin Ruhu was nowhere to be seen, rumored to be out training under the Third Grand Elder.

Even Yan Buhui came to bid him farewell, sword in hand, off to wander the mortal world and further comprehend his sword path.

He left, dressed in fluttering white, carrying the resolve to annihilate the Huang Clan of Northwest City.

Xu Zimo knew then, it was time for him to leave too.

To head for a brand-new, broader world.

And then, one by one, crush all the so-called "prodigies" beneath his feet. That thought stirred something hot and wild in his blood.

……………

On the eve of the investiture ceremony, Xu Zimo went alone to Nether Dragon Ravine.

It was the very place where, in his past life, he had fought Chu Yang, and lost.

He had fallen into the ravine, and everyone assumed he had perished deep below.

But he had survived by a stroke of luck, and found some unexpected fortune down there.

People often believe only “chosen ones” receive fortune, but in truth, every strong cultivator has received fortune in some form along the way.

Even though the opportunity below Nether Dragon Ravine no longer held the same importance for Xu Zimo…

It was still a rare and wondrous item.

The origins of Nether Dragon Ravine trace back to the start of the Imperial Era.

Back then, Grand Emperor Zhen Wu, bearing the Heaven’s Will, fought against the beast race led by the Ten God Beasts in a brutal, bloody war.

The Dragon Race was sent to attack the south of the True Martial Sacred Ground.

In that battle, the entire dragon race was nearly wiped out.

Grand Emperor Zhen Wu fought the ten beasts alone. The War God, Sky Shroud held the southern front alone, and slaughtered nearly the entire Dragon Race.

The annihilation of this ancient race stirred the very Laws of Heaven to mourn.

A tremendous divine force descended in tribute to the dragons.

The slain dragon gods, their resentment lingering, fused with the divine force and took on a new, unique form of life in the ravine.

This land came under the High Heaven’s protection, in hopes that one day, a new generation of dragons might be born, that their race might one day rise again.

Because of this divine protection, even Grand Emperor Zhen Wu could not destroy the place.

Eventually, the area was designated as a restricted zone of the sect, and named Nether Dragon Ravine.