Perfect Villain Life: Universal Job Change-Chapter 184

Chapter 184: Stop!  

The Abyssal Frontline – The Forsaken Land

Stretching for hundreds of thousands of kilometers, the Abyssal Frontline carved a scar across the world.

The lands affected by the Abyss were vast and desolate, collectively known as Longxi Province.

Despite its massive landmass, comparable to several core provinces of the Empire combined, it was a barren wasteland.

With the Abyss looming nearby, the region was scarce in resources, making it the least populated province in the Empire—only tens of millions lived here, the lowest among the Empire’s thirty provinces.

In truth, Longxi Province existed solely to support the Eternal Fortress. Its entire purpose was to supply the Abyssal Frontline.

Unlike the well-structured imperial territories, Longxi was chaotic. Cities governed themselves, and local lords chose their own rulers.

Neither the Empire nor the Chu family cared much for its governance—As long as they paid taxes and provided military support for the Abyssal Frontline, the Empire turned a blind eye to their internal struggles.

After all, Longxi was too poor. Trying to implement a strict administration here would cost more than it was worth.

Thus, Longxi became a land of warlords, where power ruled above all. Unlike the Empire’s central provinces, where laws and order acted as a facade—Here, it was pure survival of the fittest.

For commoners born in Longxi, their only chance of escaping this wretched land was awakening a strong profession.

Most fled at the first opportunity—Some joined the Chu family’s forces at Eternal Fortress. Others migrated to the Empire’s heartland, leaving this prison of violence behind.

Longxi Province – Kangshan City

Kangshan was considered a major city in Longxi, boasting a population of over a million.

Its lord, Shi Wenwen, was a Level 44 powerhouse, and his Shi Clan had ruled Kangshan City for over a century.

But today, the once-thriving city had become a ruin of smoke and destruction. The streets lay in ruins, fire and death spreading in all directions.

A thick veil of fear gripped the people.

Above the city, a dark-cloaked figure floated in the sky, staring down coldly at the chaos below.

Death.

Terror.

Blood.

Agonized screams.

The destruction unfolding beneath him did not move him—If anything, he seemed to relish it.

A middle-aged man, filled with rage and sorrow, glared at the dark figure. Beside him, he carefully supported Shi Wenwen, the wounded lord of Kangshan.

In a voice thick with fury, he demanded, “Yan Zong! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Shi Wenwen—once a proud Level 44 warrior—was now battered and bloodied, his old frame trembling.

His ashen face and labored breathing revealed the extent of his serious injuries.

The cloaked man—Yan Zong—let out a venomous laugh.

“What am I doing?” His voice was filled with bitterness and madness.

“What do you THINK I’m doing? I am simply here to take back what is rightfully mine!”

“To reclaim EVERYTHING that should have belonged to me!”

The expressions of those around him darkened. Because they knew exactly what had happened.

Yan Zong had once been Shi Wenwen’s most prized disciple. Shi Wenwen had no son, only a single daughter—Shi Ya.

Thus, he had gathered disciples, training them in hopes of finding a worthy successor. Among them, Yan Zong had once been the most favored.

Not only was he Shi Wenwen’s top disciple, He had also been deeply in love with Shi Ya—the two had been regarded as a perfect couple.

Everyone had once believed that Yan Zong would become the next Lord of Kangshan City.

But in the end, Shi Wenwen had denounced Yan Zong, stripping him of his inheritance.

The reason? He had practiced forbidden magic.

Shi Wenwen had banished him from Kangshan City, declaring that his heart was corrupt.

That was the official story, but few knew what had truly transpired that day.

After a brutal battle, Shi Ya had been killed in the crossfire, while Yan Zong vanished without a trace.

Most believed he had died somewhere in the wilderness, forgotten by time.

But now—he had returned. Stronger than ever. A Level 45 powerhouse.

“Cough… cough…” Shi Wenwen spat out blood, his eyes filled with grief and regret.

His voice was cold, “You were practicing forbidden magic… Killing you would have been mercy.”

He looked at Yan Zong with deep sorrow, “If I had known this would happen, I would have ignored Ya’er’s pleas and executed you that very day!”

At the mention of Shi Ya, Yan Zong’s eyes turned bloodshot. His voice cracked with hatred and grief, “YOU DARE TO SPEAK HER NAME?! IT WAS YOU WHO KILLED HER!!!”

A nearby warrior snapped angrily, “That’s a lie! It was Miss Shi Ya who threw herself between you and the Lord!

“If you had just accepted your punishment, if you had surrendered instead of fighting back. She would never have been killed!”

Yan Zong laughed cruelly, his voice twisted with bitterness, “Oh? So it was ALL my fault?”

His laugh grew manic, his gaze sweeping over the gathered warriors.

“You all once called me Kangshan’s greatest hope! You pushed me to become stronger—no matter the cost!”

“You wanted me to defend Kangshan against all enemies! And NOW you call me a MONSTER?!”

His voice dropped into a whisper of pure malice, “You have no idea… how much I have suffered.”

Now, he would return that suffering to them. They would experience the same agony he had endured.

A massive surge of dark energy erupted around him. A towering pillar of black light shot toward Shi Wenwen, aiming to crush him into oblivion.

“I WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE THE LORD OF KANGSHAN!”

“EVERYTHING HERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MINE!”

But at that moment—A clear, unwavering voice rang out.

“STOP!!”

A new figure stepped forward, his presence cutting through the chaos like a blade of light.

Yan Zong’s attack halted mid-air, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Shi Wenwen and the warriors turned in shock and recognition.

A young man stood before them—radiating the unmistakable aura of someone who would change everything.

A figure suddenly appeared before Shi Wenwen and the others, moving at an astonishing speed—like a streak of white lightning!

A young man emerged, his features fairly handsome, his gaze firm and resolute. Strapped to his back was an enormous scroll, faintly exuding a terrifying aura.

“Secret Art: Divine Statue Summoning!” With a furious roar, the young man’s scroll instantly radiated a blinding light.

A towering divine statue materialized before him, stretching toward the heavens, vast enough to blot out the sky. It intercepted the devastating strike that could have obliterated the entire city district.

But the divine statue, having fulfilled its purpose, crumbled into nothingness.

The young man let out a muffled groan, staggering back several steps, his face turning pale—clearly, taking on that attack had been an immense strain on him.

“Tianlu!?” The moment he appeared, everyone’s faces lit up with sheer delight and surprise.

This young man was Yun Tianlu, Shi Wenwen’s youngest disciple—and also the most talented among them!

At only 22 years old, he was an S-Rank Rune Sorcerer. After years of tutelage under Shi Wenwen, he had gone to pursue further studies at the Daxi Academy.

The Daxi Academy was the premier institution in Longxi Province—its only advanced academy.

Though its reputation was overshadowed by top-tier institutions like the Imperial Academy, the True Dragon Academy, and the Jixia Academy, it was by no means to be underestimated.

Most of its instructors were retired Generals from the Abyssal Frontline, battle-hardened and experienced. The Academy’s Headmaster himself was a Level 70 Superpower!

Situated near the Void Frontline, the academy had accumulated a vast collection of powerful skill books, scrolls, and cultivation techniques.

However, Longxi Province was too impoverished to attract talent from across the Empire. Even local prodigies often chose to enroll elsewhere, which left the Great Western Academy relatively unknown among the empire’s prestigious institutions.

Yet, in just a few short years at the academy, Yun Tianlu had become a rising star, an elite talent held in high regard. At Level 30, his leveling speed placed him among the Empire’s top-ranking prodigies.

“Everyone, are you alright?” Yun Tianlu scanned the battered and weary group, concern evident in his expression.

“Thankfully, you returned just in time.”

The middle-aged man, Wu Gui, the Chief Steward of the City Lord’s Mansion, was about to say more when his face suddenly twisted in shock.

“You… you’re already Level 32!?”

Just last month, when Yun Tianlu left for his graduation trial at the Daxi Academy, he was Level 30. And now, in a mere month, he had gained two levels!?

—

“So you’re Yun Tianlu?” A cold voice interrupted.

Yan Zong eyed Yun Tianlu with open hostility, his tone dripping with malice.

“I’ve long heard that that old fossil took in a precious disciple. So it’s you, huh…?”

Yun Tianlu’s gaze was serious as he looked at Yan Zong. “You must be Senior Brother Yan?”

Yan Zong sneered. “I don’t deserve to be called your senior brother. That old fossil kicked me out of the sect long ago!”

His aura grew even more terrifying, his expression full of resentment, “I will make sure you all pay back what you owe me!”

Yun Tianlu’s voice was calm but firm. “Senior Brother Yan, I know what happened to you. I understand your pain, but revenge won’t solve anything.”

“Ever since you left, Teacher has been deeply saddened. He had high hopes for you!”

Yan Zong let out a sharp, mocking laugh, “Understand? You think you understand me? You understand nothing!”

“No! I do understand you.” Yun Tianlu’s voice carried an almost hypnotic power—a presence that soothed and convinced.

“I know how hard you worked. I know the immense expectations you carried. Because I, too, bear those same pressures!”

“Senior Brother Yan, think back—Teacher always valued and cared for you. He never wanted to harm you!”

For a fleeting moment, a trace of hesitation flashed through Yan Zong’s eyes.

He seemed to recall the past—the peaceful days he had spent in Kang City before delving into forbidden research.

But the moment passed quickly, his hesitation vanishing, replaced by madness.

“What was my crime!? In this world, only strength matters! What’s wrong with researching forbidden power?”

“As long as I become strong, no one can bully me! No one can oppress Kang City! But that old fossil still threw me out of the sect! DIE!!” Yan Zong let out a furious roar.

A massive demonic pillar surged into the sky, splitting apart mid-air into countless corrupted fireballs, descending toward Yun Tianlu like a meteor shower.

Even worse—these corrupted fireballs carried a trace of Abyssal energy!

Yun Tianlu’s expression turned grim. His hands formed a seal, and before him, a grand light barrier emerged, covered in intricate glowing runes.

A towering ice wall materialized, its surface glimmering with frost, intercepting the fiery barrage.

The collision of ice and fire resulted in a series of deafening explosions, sending steam billowing into the sky.

But this was not enough to stop Yan Zong. As a City Lord-tier expert, Yan Zong was among the strongest in his rank!

“You are no match for me, little junior.” Yan Zong’s sinister laughter echoed, his eyes brimming with excitement.

“I’ve mastered Abyssal Arts! Not to mention, the gap between us is over ten levels! Give up!”

He was eager to see the despair on Yun Tianlu’s face when he died—he wanted to see how that old fossil would react!

Yan Zong’s relentless attacks shook the entire city. Buildings collapsed. The ground trembled. It was as if Kang City was experiencing an earthquake.

Yet Yun Tianlu’s expression showed no trace of fear.

“No! I will never give up!” His furious roar rang out across the battlefield. “No matter how great the hardship, I will never surrender!

“This is my home! My friends are here! My family is here! I will fight for them!!! Have you forgotten, Senior Brother Yan? This was once your dream too!!!”

At that moment—A staggering aura erupted from Yun Tianlu’s body, bursting forth with an unbelievable surge of power—A radiance that even overshadowed Yan Zong!