[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-really-am-a-villain":3,"chapter-i-really-am-a-villain-i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1138":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Really Am A Villain",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1433813,1885,"Chapter 1138 - Journey To The Sword Palace","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1138",1138,"\u003Cp>“Third Martial Uncle, that man is upstairs, he’s the one who injured Senior Brother Ming. We suspect he might be a remnant of the former dynasty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footsteps and voices sounded together at the stairway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t make assumptions without proof,” came a calm, magnetic voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, a group of people stepped onto the second floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition to several familiar young men, there was now an elder among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder wore a blue robe embroidered with the emblem of two crossed swords on his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His beard hung down to his chest, and a long blue sword was fastened to his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems like trouble’s come knocking,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Changliu lifted his gaze, slowly stood up, and looked at the newcomers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Liu Changlin of the Sword Palace. May I know who you are?” the old man asked evenly, neither arrogant nor humble, introducing himself first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo only smiled without speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Changliu,” Xie replied calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you injure our disciples? I would like a reasonable explanation,” Liu Changlin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They insulted and mocked my master, does that count?” Xie countered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was planning to visit your Sword Palace myself, but since you’re here, perhaps you can give me a reasonable explanation instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The matter of Li Zi is different. You can’t compare the two,” Liu Changlin answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For now, I’ll have to trouble you to come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect. I wanted to meet your Palace Master anyway,” Xie said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo stood up, rolling his neck slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group followed Liu Changlin’s lead, leaving the inn and heading toward the Sword Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Li Zi’s legs were still weak, Xie Changliu helped support him as they walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If things get dangerous later, don’t worry about me, just leave,” Li Zi warned softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They won’t dare harm me as long as I don’t hand over the Sword Canon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, don’t worry,” Xie said reassuringly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only seek justice, a fair duel. I’m not here to declare war on Great Zhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zi nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they walked through the bustling streets, Everpeace revealed itself as divided into two parts. The outer city and the inner city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The outer city housed commoners and most travelers stayed there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inner city, however, was home to the Sword Palace, as well as generals, ministers, and people of renown throughout Great Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only those of high standing could live there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inner city was less crowded, but the buildings on both sides were grand and elegant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep estates stood tall and dignified, with rows of trees planted along the streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground beneath their feet was paved with neat, patterned granite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Zi,” Liu Changlin said with a smile as he led the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you still unwilling to hand over the Sword Canon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have the Sword Canon,” Li Zi replied coolly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can make you an offer, hand over the Sword Canon, and I guarantee your group will leave here unharmed,” Liu Changlin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s why you insisted on bringing us to the Sword Palace, to use it as leverage,” Li Zi said heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why be so stubborn?” Liu Changlin sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Handing it over would benefit not only the Sword Palace, but all of Great Zhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does Great Zhou have to do with me?” Li Zi said indifferently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, they arrived before the Sword Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being so close, they couldn’t see the full grandeur of the place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even from here, the northern wall stretched nearly a kilometer long, a sizable compound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the main gate, disciples in identical robes came and went, while two massive statues of sword lions stood guard on either side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All around the Palace, weapon shops lined the streets, selling swords of every kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, this way,” Liu Changlin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering the Palace, the view widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing about it particularly surprised Xu Zimo, it looked like any other martial academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tall towers reached into the clouds on both sides. Apart from a few trees, most of the area was open ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today happens to be the day our senior disciples spar in the Sword Valley,” Liu Changlin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before you see the Palace Master, you’d best think things through carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And you, Li Zi, once, you feared nothing, not even death. But now that you have a disciple, don’t you care anymore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three followed Liu Changlin deeper into the Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After passing through several tree-lined avenues, the sound of a crowd reached them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called Sword Valley was a small canyon surrounded by countless broken swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the blades were new and gleaming; others were rusted and shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very center stood a colossal sword embedded upright in the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the giant sword were several dueling platforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place was packed with disciples shouting and cheering as they watched the matches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Changliu looked up slightly. He didn’t draw his sword, instead, with a wave of his right hand, a surge of sword intent burst forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a thunderous boom, the sword intent slashed into one side of the valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cliff crumbled as if it were made of tofu, collapsing with a deafening crash as rocks tumbled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, get back!” someone shouted as panic spread through the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Xie Changliu,” Xie’s voice rang out, calm but commanding. “Where are the Palace Masters of the Sword Palace?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re insane, you’ve disrupted the Palace’s grand sparring event!” Liu Changlin shouted in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as he spoke, several figures appeared in the sky, stepping through the air as they approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one emanated a sharp sword aura, especially the two leading figures, a man and a woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their sword intents intertwined, harmonizing perfectly like two halves of a whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Zi,” the man said with a frown. “Whose sword intent was that just now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard you two represent the strongest swordsmanship in all of Great Zhou,” Xie said. “I’ve come to challenge you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And who are you?” the man asked, brows furrowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A nameless wanderer. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t know me,” Xie replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Changlin stepped forward and whispered something to the man and woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged a glance, they seemed to be Dao partners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duels are dull,” the man said with a faint smile. “How about we make it interesting, place a wager?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of wager?” Xie asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Sword Canon,” the man said bluntly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what will you wager?” Xie countered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I lose, I’ll hand over the position of Palace Master to your teacher. How about that?” the man said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one cares about some Palace Master title,” Xie said, shaking his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young man, you don’t understand,” someone nearby interjected indignantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In Great Zhou, the Palace Master of the Sword Palace holds power second only to the Emperor himself, one man beneath heaven, above all others.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s Great Zhou worth anyway?” Xie said, unbothered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even when Time Emperor ruled, his might was unmatched. But without his protection, Great Zhou may well fall, just like the fallen Bright Empire before it.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1184,"2026-06-06T01:07:10.116Z",1,"novelbin.me","354968ac23421d77f05e2eac8b376237de03f00ac82767f4bf8285d43dda9126","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1139","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-1137",1822,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-really-am-a-villain-cover.jpg"]