Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate

"They're here!" someone shouted from deep inside the giant sinkhole, their voice shaking with panic.

"Senior, the demons are coming to kill us!"

"To hell with these demons! If we have to die, we'll take as many of them with us as we can!" one of the bolder fighters roared, his face twisted with anger. Even though fear clawed at their insides, none of them turned to run.

"I know!" Jiang Chen's Master called out, rising to her feet. Her voice carried a weight that steadied the trembling hearts around her. "Mo Hao, fight by my side!"

Mo Hao let out a quiet "Hmm," his face unreadable as he stood up.

But inside, he was smirking. This demon army was strong—strong enough to keep Jiang Chen's Master busy. And that was exactly what he needed.

This is my moment. His fists clenched. I will prove myself.

Falling in step behind Jiang Chen—still in disguise—Mo Hao kept his thoughts to himself.

Then—

"Kill!" Jiang Chen's Master didn't wait. With a flash of silver, she vanished, charging straight at the strongest Transcendence realm demon in the enemy ranks.

"HUMAN SCUM!" Xun Tian's eyes locked onto the disguised Jiang Chen, who shot toward him like a streak of light, fearless and alone.

"You dare wipe out my legions twice?" Xun Tian's lips curled into a cruel sneer. "I'll make sure you suffer for five thousand years before you even dream of dying!"

In the next instant, Xun Tian's body exploded into a mass of black flames, leaving a blazing trail as he shot toward Jiang Chen's Master like a meteor.

BOOM!

A white streak and a black streak slammed into each other mid-air, colliding like falling stars. The impact sent a terrifying shockwave ripping through the battlefield.

"Hmph!" Xun Tian felt the power surge through his weapon and let out a cold smirk. "So this is all you've got?"

He lunged again, sneering. "I have no idea how that idiot Ben Man died to someone like you."

A soft chuckle came from the hazy mist surrounding his opponent.

"Heh… you'll find out soon enough," Nangong Wan said smoothly, her voice laced with confidence. "Because you're about to join him."

Her silver longsword flashed as she blocked Xun Tian's relentless strikes, her movements precise, controlled. To the watching crowd, it looked like she was barely keeping up, that she was just moments away from being overwhelmed.

Mo Hao's eyes lit up with excitement. Meanwhile, inside the sinkhole, the others grew more and more uneasy.

One of the Beast Taming demons let out a sharp laugh.

"Hah! This human is finished!"

"Let's send in the demonic beasts to clean up these weaklings while we help Lord Xun Tian break this one apart piece by piece!"

Grinning cruelly, they both reached into their black pouches.

"Come forth, my precious Black Sky Demon Horse!"

With a flick of their hands, two monstrous Early-stage Transcendence realm demonic beasts burst into existence.

The two demonic beasts weren't massive—just a few dozen meters long—but their sleek, muscular frames gave off a terrifying presence.

They looked like shadowy horses, their bodies completely black except for their blood-red hooves and the eerie purple crowns on their heads. Their ears were shaped like flower petals, but there was nothing gentle about them. When they opened their mouths, rows of tiny, razor-sharp teeth gleamed like a trap waiting to snap shut.

With a sharp command from their masters, the Black Sky Demon Horses shot forward, galloping straight toward Mo Hao and the others in the sinkhole.

At the same time, the two Beast Taming demons lunged at Jiang Chen's Master, who still appeared to be struggling, trapped in what seemed like a hopeless fight.

"Damn it! They even brought Transcendence realm demonic beasts?!" Mo Hao's eyes widened for a split second before a grin tugged at his lips. Perfect.

"Too bad they're only at the Early-stage," he muttered to himself, his fingers curling into a fist. "That means they're just right for me to take down!"

This was his chance—his moment to shine.

With a cold snort, Mo Hao stepped forward, his aura flaring. Power radiated from his body as he unleashed the full force of his Early-stage Transcendence realm strength.

For a brief moment, the demon forces hesitated. The battlefield shifted.

And Mo Hao stood there, daring them to come at him.

"Hmph! A bunch of second-rate demons? I don't even need help—I can wipe you all out myself!"

Every demon and demonic beast turned to look at Mo Hao—even Xun Tian.

For a brief second, they actually seemed to take him seriously.

Then came the cold smirks. The amused, pitiful glances.

An Early-stage Transcendence realm cultivator? Seriously? Their Black Sky Demon Horses alone were more than enough to deal with someone like him!

And yet, this guy had the nerve to claim he could wipe out their entire army?

Laughable.

If things had gone the way Mo Hao imagined, this would've been his big moment. He would've put on a flawless show—crushing the demons, racking up Pretentious Points, and using that boost to grow even stronger.

He'd ride that wave of momentum, maintaining his grand display of power until every last demon and demonic beast lay in ruins.

By the end of it, the people in the sinkhole wouldn't just admire him. They'd worship him. Shock. Awe. Disbelief. He'd drink in every bit of it.

A perfect performance.

Too bad Jiang Chen saw right through him.

Every move. Every trick.

And Jiang Chen had already set the stage for Mo Hao's so-called greatest moment to fall apart.

Just as Mo Hao was about to make his big move against the Black Sky Demon Horses, a burst of laughter rang out—bright, carefree, and absolutely brimming with power.

"Hahaha!"

The sound echoed through the battlefield like a thunderclap, shaking the sky itself.

"Who would've thought I'd have a breakthrough in the middle of a fight?!"

The sheer force behind those words sent a ripple through the battlefield. This wasn't just any breakthrough—this was something huge. The aura erupting from Jiang Chen's Master wasn't just powerful. It was overwhelming, far beyond what a Late-stage Transcendence realm cultivator should possess.

Every eye snapped toward her. Even Mo Hao, who had been completely caught up in his own moment, froze.

"What!? This old hag actually broke through—now?!"

His jaw nearly hit the ground. His mind struggled to keep up with what he was seeing.

"How the hell is this even possible?!"

Staring at the disguised Jiang Chen, Mo Hao felt his grand performance slipping right through his fingers.

At that moment, Xun Tian and the other demon powerhouses felt their hearts drop. Their faces twisted in pure disbelief, their minds struggling to accept what had just happened.

"No! This isn't possible!"

Xun Tian's entire body tensed, a deep, primal fear creeping up his spine. His instincts screamed at him—run, run, RUN! But his feet felt like they were rooted to the ground.

The two Beast Taming demons were no better. Their pupils shrank to tiny pinpricks, their eyes nearly rolling back in shock. If they could grow an extra pair of legs right now, they absolutely would.

But it was too late.

"Die."

Nangong Wan's voice was calm. Cold. Absolute.

In the blink of an eye, her silver immortal sword erupted with power, wrapped in an unstoppable tide of Burning World Raging Flames and Great Dao laws.

A devastating light filled the battlefield. The kind of light that erased everything in its path.

Xun Tian barely had time to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Nooo—!"

He threw up every defense he had, layers upon layers of energy shields, protective arts he had spent centuries mastering—

And they shattered like brittle glass.

The next instant, his body was ripped apart.

Countless fragments scattered in the wind.

The rest of the demon army barely had time to react before the overwhelming power swept over them like a tidal wave.

One moment, they were there.

The next, they were gone.

Like shadows vanishing at the first light of dawn.

[Ding! You've altered the plot, blocking Protagonist Mo Hao from showing off and stealing the spotlight! Mo Hao's Heavenly Fate Value has dropped by 5000 points!]

[Ding! You've gained 10,000 Villain Value points!]

Jiang Chen barely registered the system notifications in his mind.

Because right then, a furious, gut-wrenching scream shattered the silence.

"NO—!!"

Mo Hao stood there, fists clenched, veins bulging, his face an ugly shade of red.

His chance—his perfect moment to shine—was gone.

Just like that.

He had stayed behind because Jiang Chen's Master had said she couldn't handle the demons alone.

That was supposed to be his moment.

His moment to step forward, save the day, and bask in the stunned admiration of the crowd.

Instead, right when he was on the verge of glory…

She had miraculously broken through and wiped out every single enemy in one move.

The whiplash was too much.

Hope to despair in the span of seconds.

Mo Hao felt the sting of tears in his eyes.

This… this wasn't how things were supposed to go!