[{"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-75":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},2282442,4465,"Chapter 75: Undercurrents in the Border City","this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-chapter-75",75,"\u003Cp>The Cangmang Mountain Range is like an ancient giant beast crouching on the earth; the sea of forests surges, and demonic energy is faintly visible. Lin Xuan did not fly through the air; instead, he relied on \"Shrinking the Earth into an Inch\" to weave through the mountains and forests. His figure was like a ghost, landing without a sound, leaving only faint ripples in space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he traveled, he familiarized himself with the power he had gained after his breakthrough, especially the use of the Chaos Dao Seed. This Dao Seed was incomparably profound; not only could it autonomously inhale and exhale spiritual energy, but it also allowed him to perceive the flow of energy in his surroundings with extreme clarity. He could even faintly \"hear\" the low breathing of certain powerful demonic beasts deep in the mountains, as well as the faint pulsation of the spiritual veins beneath the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several days later, the scenery at the edge of the mountain range gradually opened up, and signs of human activity became more frequent. There were mountain paths worn down by footsteps, abandoned traps, and simple guard posts that could be seen occasionally. The wild aura in the air remained, but it now carried a bit more of the human world's bustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, the outline of a massive city appeared at the end of his field of vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black Rock City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as its name suggested, the entire city seemed to have been crudely piled together from countless massive black rocks. The city walls were towering and mottled, covered in various marks from weapon strikes and spell bombardments, exuding a sense of resilience and savagery forged through the vicissitudes of time. On the city walls, runes could be faintly seen flowing, emitting significant defensive spiritual power fluctuations. Several flags embroidered with the Imperial Dynasty’s Flaming Griffin and the local garrison’s Wolf Head fluttered in the dry wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city gate was bustling with a constant stream of traffic and people. Those entering and exiting were of all kinds: small squads of imperial border troops with bright armor and strict discipline; mercenaries and demon hunters covered in murderous intent and the smell of blood; Southern Wilderness barbarian cultivators wearing animal skins, with oil paint on their faces and fierce auras; mysterious guests shrouded in wide cloaks whose faces could not be seen; and even more merchants and rogue cultivators of low cultivation base who traveled for profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was noisy, chaotic, yet filled with a kind of distorted vitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan stopped in a dense forest a few miles outside the city to carefully check his disguise once more. His cultivation base was stabilized at the late stage of Golden Core, and his appearance was adjusted to be more ordinary—the kind that would be impossible to find if thrown into a crowd. The green robe on his body had also been changed to the coarse cloth attire common at the border, and the Dust-Hidden Ring was concealed inside his clothes. After confirming everything was correct, he followed the crowd toward the city gate, which looked like the open mouth of a giant beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city gate guards were several tough-looking border cultivators with cultivation bases around the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, their sharp eyes scanning everyone entering the city. Entering the city required a fee of ten low-grade spirit stones; for low-level cultivators, this was not a small amount, but it could not stop the flow of people hungry for opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan calmly paid the spirit stones. The guard’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, and feeling the \"late-stage Golden Core\" spiritual power fluctuation, he did not ask too many questions and waved him through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping into the city, a wave of noise rushed toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the orderly prosperity of the Imperial Capital, the interior of Black Rock City was more like an enlarged marketplace. The streets were wide but uneven, and the buildings on both sides were crowded and messy, mostly built from giant rocks and rough wood, with a rugged and practical style. The air was filled with a mix of sweat, blood, the smell of inferior wine, roasted meat, herbs, and the musk of livestock, forming a unique and intense border-city atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sounds of hawking, bargaining, scolding, the clashing of wine bowls, and even the occasional sound of weapons clashing wove together into a chaotic symphony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan’s spiritual sense swept out slightly, like a spring breeze brushing over the surface of water, leaving no trace. The cultivation levels of the cultivators in the city were indeed uneven; the Foundation Establishment stage was the mainstream, the Golden Core stage was already considered an expert, and he sensed no fewer than ten Nascent Soul stage auras, mostly concentrated in the city center area and the largest shops and inns, their energies hidden and mutually checking one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze swept over the shops and stalls lining the street, finally landing on a three-story stone building. The sign was a wooden plaque with a corner chopped off by a blade, inscribed with three sloppy characters: \"Hundred-Know Tower.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The interior of the building was clamorous, even noisier than the street. Cultivators were in groups of three or five, loudly discussing various things they had seen or heard. Lin Xuan found an empty table in a corner and sat down, ordering a pot of the local specialty \"Fierce Wind Burn\" and a few plates of braised beast meat. He appeared to be drinking alone, but in reality, he was listening to everything, his spiritual sense like a net, capturing all useful information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Initially, what he heard were mostly trivial matters from the border and rumors from the Southern Wilderness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Have you heard? That Green-Scaled Python at Poison Dragon Pool that was about to transform into a flood dragon was slaughtered a few days ago by the 'Blood Wolf Mercenary Group' in alliance with several Nascent Soul rogue cultivators! The demon core alone sold for a sky-high price!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The people from the Southern Wilderness 'Black Witch Sect' have been very active lately; they seem to be looking for something. A lot of new faces have come to the city, everyone be careful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it, the evil winds in the 'Raging Wind Canyon' to the west erupted early again, and a whole batch of my goods was lost in there!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan listened patiently, remaining calm. It wasn't until half an hour later that the conversation of several mercenaries who had just returned from hunting in the Southern Wilderness caught his attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with a scar on his face gulped down a mouthful of wine and lowered his voice to his companions: \"Brothers, over at the Imperial Capital... I'm afraid something big is about to happen!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something big? The old Emperor is going to choose a concubine?\" his companion joked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bullshit! It's much more serious than that!\" The scarred man’s expression was grave. \"I have a distant cousin who works in the Demon Suppression Division. He secretly sent word a few days ago that the Imperial Capital is currently rife with undercurrents. All the major clans and sects are on edge, it seems because of... that 'Tianyuan Secret Realm' that opened a while ago!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tianyuan Secret Realm? Isn't that a place only the top geniuses of the Imperial Dynasty can enter? What does that have to do with us poor wretches?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It has everything to do with it!\" The scarred man’s voice dropped even lower. \"I heard that inside the secret realm... something incredible got out! It's said to be a demon lord sealed since the ancient era, with a cultivation base of the Soul Transformation stage! It went on a killing spree inside, and even Ye Chen of the Ye family and the Third Imperial Prince of the royal family almost died in there!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Soul Transformation demon lord?!\" The people at the table changed color instantly, their drunkenness half-faded. \"Is that for real? Where is that demon lord now? Did it get out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard that at the last moment, it was blocked by a mysterious expert, and the secret realm itself exerted its power, forcing the demon lord back. But it didn't die, and no one knows where it's hiding. Now, in the Imperial Capital, all the forces are frantically searching for the demon lord's tracks, and they are also looking for that mysterious expert who blocked the demon lord!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mysterious expert? Who is it? So fierce? Able to trade blows with a Soul Transformation demon lord?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only the codename 'Jin Shisan' is known! No one knows his true identity or origin; it's like he just popped out of thin air! Now, the price for information about his identity and whereabouts on the black market is higher than a fifth-grade demon core! I heard some big shots in the Imperial Capital are very interested in him and want to recruit him. But some forces seem not very friendly toward him...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jin Shisan...\" the men muttered to themselves, their eyes filled with awe and curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan listened silently, his heart undisturbed. The situation was much as he had expected. \"Jin Shisan\" had already become famous far and wide, becoming a symbol that stirred up the winds and clouds. While this aura brought attention, it also indeed formed a kind of protection, making many forces hesitant to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just as he was preparing to pay the bill and leave to see other parts of the city, the conversation of several cultivators at the next table—dressed in uniform dark gray attire, with cold auras and an inconspicuous twisted skull mark embroidered on their cuffs—pierced his ears like ice needles, their voices kept extremely low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...The Dharma decree of Elder Youliang orders us to strictly monitor all gathering points for cultivators on the western border, especially places like Black Rock City where all kinds of people mix. Focus on any suspicious strangers who have appeared recently with cultivation bases above the Nascent Soul stage.\" The middle-aged cultivator with a withered face who appeared to be the leader said in a low, hoarse voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this to find that 'Jin Shisan'?\" another asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is one reason. The Elder deduces that the Demon Venerable... cough, that demon lord, after breaking the seal, has not yet recovered his power and is very likely hiding in the chaotic border regions or using this to sneak into the Southern Wilderness. Finding Jin Shisan might allow us to follow the vine to find the Demon Venerable's whereabouts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph! If it weren't for that Jin Shisan repeatedly ruining our Holy Sect's major plans, the Demon Venerable would have already... If that wretch falls into my hands, I will definitely make him wish he were dead!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Watch your tongue! This is not the secret realm; the Imperial Dynasty has many eyes and ears. We must be extremely cautious in our actions. Everything must prioritize searching for information; do not cause extra trouble!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nether Sect!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold glint flashed in Lin Xuan’s eyes and then vanished, returning to a state of calm. It was just as he had expected; the Nether Sect had not given up, and their movements were swift, having already extended their reach to this remote border city. It seemed they had an extraordinary obsession with that Abyss Demon Sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was perfectly disguised now; as long as he didn't expose himself, these few Golden Core stage Nether Sect pawns were not enough to see through his true foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he put down a few spirit stones and prepared to get up and leave this place of trouble, a significant commotion suddenly erupted at the entrance of the tavern, accompanied by an arrogant and domineering voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Move aside, move aside! Everyone get the hell out of the way for this young master! Are you blind?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young dandy wearing a luxurious brocade robe, with an arrogant expression and puffy eye bags, swaggered in, surrounded by a group of guards who looked like wolves and tigers. This young master’s cultivation base was only at the peak of Foundation Establishment, his aura hollow, clearly built up by elixirs. But the middle-aged man following behind him, who stood with his arms crossed, eyes as sharp as an eagle’s and an aura as steady as a mountain, had a spiritual power fluctuation that had clearly reached the early stage of Nascent Soul!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as this group arrived, the previously noisy tavern quieted down significantly. Many diners showed looks of apprehension, lowering their heads or turning away to avoid eye contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper’s face turned pale, and he hurriedly trotted out from behind the counter, a fawning smile on his face: \"Oh my! What wind has blown Young Master Zhao Kun here! Please, please, there are elegant seats upstairs!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dandy called Zhao Kun glanced at the noisy hall with disdain and snorted through his nose: \"Elegant seats? This young master wants to drink in this hall today to experience the 'hardships of the common people'! Hurry up, bring the best wine and food to this young master!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze swept across the room with a condescending scrutiny, finally landing on Lin Xuan, who was sitting alone in a corner, his temperament somewhat out of place in the noisy environment. Especially when he saw the pot of the most ordinary \"Fierce Wind Burn\" and the few plates of cheap braised meat on Lin Xuan’s table, a look of undisguised sarcasm curled the corner of his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his view, a \"poor and sour\" Golden Core rogue cultivator who could only afford these things actually dared to occupy a table alone; it was simply an eyesore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Kun led his guards straight to Lin Xuan’s table, pointed his chin at Lin Xuan, his tone full of command and disdain:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey! You, get lost somewhere else! This seat, this young master has taken a fancy to it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guards behind him immediately spread out, subtly sealing off all possible escape routes for Lin Xuan. The middle-aged man at the early Nascent Soul stage locked his gaze coldly onto Lin Xuan like electricity, a powerful spiritual pressure permeating the air, carrying an undisguised warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire tavern became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. All eyes focused on them; some were gloating, some were sympathetic, and others were indifferent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xuan slowly put down the wine cup in his hand, looked up, and calmly looked at the arrogant Zhao family young master before him, his eyes as deep as an ancient well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you talking to me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was not loud, but it was like a stream of cold spring water flowing over a noisy volcano, carrying a strange penetrating power that made Zhao Kun’s heart tighten for no reason.\u003C\u002Fp>",2470,"2026-06-20T01:44:26.720Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","f7595e4fca48a78272527a6a53b615cda010eb2b2d76f248ad8b5a394770cfcd","this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-chapter-76","this-villain-is-too-self-destructive-chapter-74",182,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-villain-is-too-self-destructive-cover.jpg"]