[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-this-villain-is-too-self-destructive":3,"chapter-this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-chapter-124":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","This Villain Is Too Self-Destructive",{"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},2282491,4465,"Chapter 124: Aftermath of the Catastrophe, the New Emperor Ascends","this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-chapter-124",124,"\u003Cp>The Chaos Tribulation Domain slowly dissipated, like a receding tide, revealing a sky and earth scarred with devastation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue-gray light converged, finally settling upon the tall yet somewhat lonely figure in the center of the ruins. Lin Xuan stood silently, his gray hair (a change resulting from his fusion with the tribulation power) fluttering slightly in the residual energy fluctuations. Deep within his eyes, veiled by a gray haze, the clear yet cold morning light that emerged after the dissipation of the tribulation domain was reflected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him, the Abyss Demon Shadow had vanished without a trace, leaving only wisps of pure yet deathly-origin demonic aura, which drifted and annihilated in the air like spirits that had lost control. In the ultimate clash within the Chaos Tribulation Domain, this Void Refinement-level demonic consciousness projection had ultimately been \"returned to the void\" at its root by Lin Xuan, using his nascent Chaos Tribulation power fused with the vitality of the Green Lotus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The price, however, was equally heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the surface of Lin Xuan's body, countless fine cracks spread like a spiderweb; these were signs that his physical body was on the verge of collapse from forcibly driving tribulation power beyond his limits. Beneath the cracks, there was no flesh and blood, but rather a slowly circulating gray-blue current, barely maintaining his form. The \"Chaos Tribulation Crystal\" that had just formed within him was now dim, its rotation nearly at a standstill, and its surface covered in tiny cracks, clearly having suffered significant damage in the recent confrontation. His newly born soul, though solidified, was also over-exhausted, sending waves of needle-like pain and a sense of collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That he could still stand was a testament to the incomparable resilience of his will and his Chaos Dao foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Lin!\" Huangfu Hao, supported by Eunuch Wei, was the first to rush forward. Seeing Lin Xuan's appearance, his heart tightened. \"Your injuries...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan slowly turned his head. The cold stillness in his haze-veiled eyes melted slightly when he saw Huangfu Hao's concerned face. He struggled to twitch the corners of his mouth, seemingly wanting to give the other a reassuring smile, but it failed to form due to the intense pain in his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is nothing... I am not dead yet.\" His voice was hoarse and dry, as if sandpaper were rubbing together. \"The demon shadow... is temporarily destroyed. But the main body of the Abyss... is unharmed. The seal here is broken, and although the passage has been temporarily disrupted and closed by the tribulation power, it is not a long-term solution... It must be... resealed as soon as possible, or the passage must be completely... destroyed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every word he spoke, the cracks on his body seemed to deepen, and the leakage of the gray-blue current intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Friend Lin, stop talking for now, healing is the priority!\" Eunuch Wei said anxiously. He could feel the terrifying power within Lin Xuan that was extremely unstable and seemed ready to explode completely at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan shook his head slightly, his gaze cast toward the direction of the pit deep within the imperial palace where demonic aura still lingered. He looked at Feng Xi, who was on the verge of death within his spirit pet space, and finally landed his gaze on Huangfu Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huangfu... the new Emperor has just ascended, and everything is waiting to be rebuilt... Stabilizing the court and pacifying the hearts of the people... are the top priorities. I need to find a place... to go into seclusion, to sort out the tribulation power, and to stabilize my Dao foundation... Feng Xi also needs to rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His meaning was clear: the dynasty now needed Huangfu Hao as its backbone, not a severely injured and dying \"hero.\" He himself needed to escape this chaotic environment to undergo deep seclusion for his own injuries and Feng Xi's condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huangfu Hao instantly understood Lin Xuan's concerns and intentions. He nodded forcefully, his eyes filled with gratitude and determination: \"Brother Lin, rest assured! Leave the affairs of the Imperial Capital to me! Whatever spiritual objects or places you need for seclusion, I will exhaust the nation's strength to find them for you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need... to trouble everyone.\" Lin Xuan shook his head again, his gaze turning toward the southern horizon outside the Imperial Capital. \"I have... my own destination. When I... recover, I will... return. The matter of the Demon Abyss... is not over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice grew lower and lower, and his aura became increasingly unstable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where does Young Friend Lin intend to go? This old servant will escort you...\" Eunuch Wei said urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need.\" Lin Xuan interrupted him, his fingertips struggling to condense a wisp of faint gray energy, sketching a simple square dot pattern in the air. The direction seemed to be... toward Star Fall Lake? \"This place... has my arrangements... and it is quiet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, he seemed unable to support himself any longer. His body swayed, the gray-blue current around him fluctuated violently, and the cracks widened, as if he would completely disintegrate in the next moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Lin!\" Huangfu Hao exclaimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a gentle and peaceful clear light descended from the sky, enveloping Lin Xuan. Within the clear light was a neutral and nourishing power; while it could not heal the damage to Lin Xuan's Dao foundation, it could temporarily stabilize his rampaging tribulation power and his collapsing physical body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blurry figure of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master appeared silently to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pavilion Master!\" Huangfu Hao and Eunuch Wei bowed hurriedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master nodded slightly and looked at Lin Xuan: \"Young friend, in this tribulation, you have sought survival, and your Dao path has changed. Chaos Tribulation power is exceptionally dangerous and requires immense perseverance and opportunity to master. The residual star power and Chaos echoes in the Star Fall Lake secret realm may help you temporarily balance it. These are a 'Spirit-Stabilizing Talisman' and a 'Breath-Concealing Talisman'; they can help you temporarily suppress your injuries and hide your tracks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a wave of his sleeve, two ancient jade talismans floated toward Lin Xuan and automatically merged into his body. The violently fluctuating aura on Lin Xuan's body immediately calmed down significantly, and the speed at which the cracks were spreading also slowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Many thanks... Pavilion Master.\" Lin Xuan said weakly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go quickly. As for the affairs of the Imperial Capital, the new Emperor and I are here.\" The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan did not hesitate. He took a deep look at Huangfu Hao, scanned the ruined Imperial Capital, and finally let his gaze fall upon the still-unconscious Zhao Yuan (who had been knocked out and taken away by Huangfu Hao earlier). He paused slightly but said nothing more. Forcing his last bit of strength, his figure turned into an extremely dim, gray-blue stream of light that almost merged with the morning light, and he sped off toward the southern Star Fall Lake, disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His departure was silent, yet it took away the last trace of the thrilling legendary color of the Imperial Capital, as well as a heavy piece of hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huangfu Hao watched the direction in which Lin Xuan disappeared, remaining silent for a long time, his heart filled with complex emotions. There was the relief of surviving the catastrophe, worry for his close friend's injuries, confusion about the future, and an even heavier sense of responsibility pressing down on his shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Highness,\" Eunuch Wei reminded him softly, \"Young Friend Lin is a man of great fortune and will surely survive this tribulation. Right now, the Imperial Capital needs you more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huangfu Hao withdrew his gaze and took a deep breath, suppressing all his emotions, his eyes becoming sharp and firm once again. He straightened his back; despite his blood-stained clothes and numerous wounds, the majesty of an Emperor, ordained by Heaven and imbued with dragon energy, had gradually taken shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Issue my decree!\" His voice was steady and powerful, resounding through the ruined imperial palace:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First, completely purge the remnants of the rebel army. All who participated in the rebellion shall be severely punished according to the law! The chief culprits, such as Zhao Song, have already been executed; their family assets shall be confiscated! However, those who were coerced shall not be questioned, and those who voluntarily surrender may be treated with leniency!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Second, spare no effort to treat all the wounded, properly settle the families of the deceased, and open the imperial granaries to provide relief to the disaster-stricken people!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Third, starting immediately, led by the Cabinet and directed by the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue, begin the reconstruction of the Imperial Capital!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fourth, proclaim to the world: I, Huangfu Hao, having received the mandate of Heaven and the return of the dragon energy, will hold the enthronement ceremony three days from now to succeed to the throne of Emperor. The era name shall be changed to 'Chengping'. I hope to work with all the subjects of the world to overcome these difficult times and create a prosperous age once again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each decree was clear and precise, containing both thunderous means to deter the petty and benevolent policies to pacify the people, as well as the determination to revitalize the court. The surviving civil and military officials heard this, their hearts settled, and they bowed to accept the order: \"We obey the decree! Long live Your Majesty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, under the command of Huangfu Hao and the cooperation of Eunuch Wei and other trusted high officials, the massive machine of the Imperial Capital, which had almost come to a standstill, began to operate again, albeit with difficulty and in an orderly manner. The remnants of the rebel army were quickly swept away, the wounded were treated in centralized locations, the ruins were cleared, and plans for reconstruction began to be formulated...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days later, the traces of war still lingered over the Imperial Capital, but the main streets had been initially cleared, and the imperial palace had barely managed to organize a venue for the ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enthronement ceremony was held in an atmosphere that was somewhat simple yet solemn and dignified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gone was the extreme luxury of the past, making it appear even more solemn and tragic. On the Altar of Heaven, Huangfu Hao wore a newly made dragon robe and an imperial crown. With a calm expression, he walked step by step toward the throne that symbolized supreme power under the gaze of the officials and the people (representatives of the survivors).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He first bowed silently toward the south (the direction of Star Fall Lake) to pay tribute to the spirit of his late father and the countless soldiers and people who had fallen in this catastrophe. Then, he turned around, his gaze sweeping over the officials and people below, seeing the anticipation, exhaustion, pain, and... faint hope in their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised the Imperial Jade Seal (recovered from the place where the late Emperor fell, slightly damaged), his voice loud and resonant, carrying the echo of dragon energy, spreading to all directions:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I, Huangfu Hao, today succeed to the throne and swear to Heaven, the ancestors, and the people of the world: I will strive to govern, heal the wounds, reorganize the mountains and rivers, and make our Tianyuan Dynasty rise from the ashes and reappear in glory! Internally, I will purge the treacherous; externally, I will defend against demonic threats. Anyone who harms the country or slaughters living beings will be executed, no matter how far away they are! I hope that you, my ministers, will work with me with one heart and one mind to overcome the national crisis and open this... age of Chengping!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live Your Majesty! Long live! Long live!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain-shaking and sea-roaring shouts of worship arose. Although the voices still carried the hoarseness and weakness from the aftermath of the catastrophe, they gathered into a resilient and unyielding force that soared straight into the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining Imperial Dragon Energy was summoned, gathering from all directions, becoming more solid, circling around the new Emperor, and emitting a clear dragon roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master, hidden in the clouds, watched this scene. A faint light seemed to flash across his blurry face as he whispered: \"The new Emperor has been established, and the dragon energy has begun to condense. However, internal and external troubles remain heavy. The Eye of the Demon Abyss has not closed, Lin Xuan's tribulation path is not stable, remnants of the noble families are hiding, and powerful neighbors are watching from all sides... This year of Chengping, I fear it will be hard to find peace. However...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked toward the south, and then toward the pit deep within the imperial palace that had been temporarily sealed by an array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With the intertwining of tribulation and fortune, variables have already been born. Perhaps, this broken era can truly walk a... different path.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enthronement ceremony ended, and Huangfu Hao officially became the new Emperor of the Tianyuan Dynasty, known in history as the \"Chengping Emperor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned to the temporarily repaired Hall of Mental Cultivation (newly built near the old site). Before he could rest, he immediately summoned his trusted high officials to deal with the mountain of government affairs. It was not until late at night that Eunuch Wei brought in a bowl of spiritual medicine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, it is time to rest. Your health is of the utmost importance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huangfu Hao rubbed his throbbing temples, looking at the shocking loss figures on the memorials and the unsettling news from various places, and said in a deep voice: \"How can I rest? The national treasury is empty, the people's livelihood is withered, the borders are unstable, and the demonic threat remains... Brother Lin and Feng Xi are missing, their injuries unknown... There are too many things.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eunuch Wei sighed: \"Your Majesty, the path must be walked one step at a time. Daoist Lin is no ordinary person and will surely turn danger into safety. The top priority is to stabilize the court. This old servant has already followed your instructions to secretly investigate officials who were too deeply involved with the Zhao family and has strengthened the monitoring of foreign cultivators. In addition, regarding the source of that demonic aura...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huangfu Hao's gaze sharpened: \"How is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master checked it himself and said that the passage was temporarily disrupted and closed by Daoist Lin's tribulation power, and there should be no major problems within three years. But we must find an ancient array master or a more powerful sealing object as soon as possible, otherwise, there will be endless trouble.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three years...\" Huangfu Hao chewed on this time frame, his eyes firm. \"That is enough. Within three years, I must rectify the court, restore national strength, and find a way to completely solve the demonic threat! Wei Ban, pass down the order to secretly search for array masters and sealing treasures throughout the world, at any cost!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This old servant obeys the decree.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night was deep, and the lamp remained lit before the desk of the Chengping Emperor, Huangfu Hao. The era belonging to him had just begun, and the road ahead was still full of thorns and mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, thousands of miles away, deep within Star Fall Lake, at the core of the secret realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan sat cross-legged beside the remains of the star core, his body wrapped in rich star power and residual Chaos aura. His eyes were tightly closed, his face sometimes pale as paper, sometimes flushing with an abnormal blue-gray luster. The cracks on the surface of his body slowly healed under the nourishment of the star power, only to occasionally burst open again under the conflict of the tribulation power within his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His consciousness was immersed in a bizarre and chaotic scene intertwined with destruction and rebirth, struggling to sort out the rampaging tribulation power and stabilize the Chaos Tribulation Crystal covered in cracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And within his spirit pet space, Feng Xi was curled up, bathed in the residual vitality of the Green Lotus petals and the gentle tribulation power that Lin Xuan had channeled into her. Her faint heartbeat was becoming stronger bit by bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new page had been turned in the chapter of the dynasty, and his personal Dao path had also embarked on a more unknown and dangerous journey in this afterglow of the catastrophe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Volume Three: End of the Dynasty Tribulation)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Volume Epilogue:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waves of the Imperial Capital's catastrophe have temporarily calmed, and the new Emperor stands among the ruins. The Chaos Tribulation power has appeared, and the Green Phoenix awaits its rebirth. Yet the Eye of the Demon Abyss has not closed, and internal and external troubles remain. In the year of Chengping, can there truly be peace? Where will Lin Xuan's tribulation path lead? To know what happens next, look to Volume Four: [Clouds and Winds of the Vast Sea].\u003C\u002Fp>",2863,"2026-06-20T01:44:26.720Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","8eb96c2fc3211603c7050722e89b48682dfcd214811f423b8cb51c13201780e1","this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-chapter-125","this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-chapter-123",182,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-villain-is-too-self-destructive-cover.jpg"]