[{"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-581":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},1433356,1885,"Chapter 581 - Hall of Atonement","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-581",581,"\u003Cp>The moment the possessed Daoists touched the barrier, they were thrown back, but they still kept trying to push through. Xu Zimo immediately understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This barrier is a prison for them,\" he realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t bother with those struggling cultivators and instead walked straight toward the largest hall within the temple complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This great hall stood over fifty meters tall, with a gilded exterior and an oval-shaped dome. At the entrance, six red pillars stood tall, and the area was surrounded by iron railings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo climbed the steps to the front of the hall. Above the door, a plaque read: Hall of Atonement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned slightly, then pushed open the vermilion doors with a creak and stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall was divided into several rooms. In the room he first entered, three statues stood prominently in the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From left to right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first statue was entirely brown, except for its pitch-black facial features. Both hands were raised, the left foot grounded while the right foot was lifted forward. The figure wore golden ribbons wrapped around its body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The central statue was a one-eyed lone wolf. Its fur was fiery red, and it lay on a platform in a reclining pose somewhat like a Buddha. It gave off an eerie, bizarre feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The right statue was a monk wearing black prayer beads and a dark robe. His entire body was black, including his eyebrows, eyes, and lips, clearly painted with makeup. His ears were especially large, drooping like upside-down leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are they even worshiping here?\" Xu Zimo muttered in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a cough echoed through the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man in Daoist robes emerged from one of the side rooms. His face was pale and sickly; he looked weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who are you?\" the old man asked sharply, visibly alarmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm just a traveler passing through the mountain,\" Xu Zimo replied calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t joke with me. The mountain’s sealed, how did you get up here?\" the old man asked coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm heading to the Ninelands Region and passed by this place. And I didn’t see any seal,\" Xu Zimo replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To get to the Ninelands Region, you should've taken another path. This mountain, White Sage Mountain, has been sealed for years. Don’t you know that?\" the old man said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve never been here before. I came with others,\" Xu Zimo shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then asked, \"You’re Master Universe?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're clearly not just some passerby if you know my name,\" Master Universe squinted suspiciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Relax, your disciple Deepfeather told me,\" Xu Zimo replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was him who brought you here,\" Master Universe murmured, falling silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked conflicted, and Xu Zimo sensed killing intent from him. The old man struggled between killing and sparing Xu Zimo, but after a long pause, he sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stay here tonight. Leave first thing in the morning,\" Master Universe said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This Black Demon Temple sure is lively,\" Xu Zimo said with a smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leave and forget everything you saw. It’s better for you that way,\" Master Universe replied. \"Don’t get involved. Just pretend nothing happened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you’re not going to explain anything?\" Xu Zimo asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s the point? Just stay put,\" Master Universe sat cross-legged on a prayer mat and began chanting softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo didn’t press him. If the old man didn’t want to talk, there was no point forcing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he remained curious about the beings they were worshiping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t leave the hall but instead explored the other rooms. Master Universe didn’t try to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each room was similar, filled with statues of strange creatures Xu Zimo had never heard of. It didn’t feel like a Daoist temple at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night passed in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As dawn broke, the temple bell rang three times again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Universe had been sitting there the entire night. When the bell rang, he stood and walked out of the hall with Xu Zimo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master!” a voice called out as a chubby Daoist appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo recognized him, it was one of the possessed he saw last night trying to escape through the barrier, just like Deepfeather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, there’s an outsider here?” the chubby Daoist looked at Xu Zimo in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about it. Just clean the Hall of Atonement this morning,” Master Universe said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Daoist nodded, humming a little tune as he entered the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo noticed the man’s demeanor was completely different from last night, like he had a split personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This temple’s getting more and more interesting,\" Xu Zimo muttered with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Universe didn’t respond. He led Xu Zimo back to the Hall of Far Guests and told the group to leave immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Xu Zimo returned, he found Cai Yue and their attendants chatting with Deepfeather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Yue, why did you tie me up?” Deepfeather asked, confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could answer, Xu Zimo and Master Universe walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master!” Deepfeather called out, shrinking back a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave,” Master Universe said coldly to Cai Yue and the others, looking increasingly grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yue looked at Xu Zimo, who shook his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deepcloud!” Master Universe called.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, Master!” a voice shouted from afar. Soon, a man in a black cloak came running.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked plain, except for his unusually large ears that resembled folding screens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Escort them down the mountain,” Master Universe instructed. Then, turning to Deepfeather, he said, “You’re coming with me to the Hall of Atonement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he flicked his sleeve and walked off, not sparing another glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, this way please,” Deepcloud said with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zimo didn’t say much. He and Cai Yue followed him down the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since I was a kid, this is the first time I’ve seen outsiders come up here,” Deepcloud said curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What were you doing last night?” Xu Zimo asked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing. I was just meditating and then went to sleep,” Deepcloud replied warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looks like none of them remember a thing,\" Xu Zimo thought, narrowing his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>",997,"2026-06-06T01:06:53.593Z",1,"novelbin.me","dc87daa198cfd8da566dfc5f00e842c4713792d62d834a727cd3c854c05aba47","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-582","i-really-am-a-villain-chapter-580",1822,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-really-am-a-villain-cover.jpg"]