Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain - Book 1: Chapter 124: Meeting Murong Liu again

Murong Lin turned slowly, meeting Murong Liu’s gaze with a small, knowing smile.

He had deliberately made eye contact with her earlier in the discussion hall, and she had instantly recognized that Nie Wu Sheng was, in fact, Murong Lin. However, she had chosen not to reveal this knowledge openly and had instead opted to seek him out privately.

Now, she appeared visibly unsettled as she stared at Murong Lin, a mixture of fear and confusion evident in her expression.

Murong Lin continued to regard her calmly, stating, “Why wouldn’t I have the courage to return?”

Murong Liu spoke with agitation, “Do you realize what you’ve done? The entire country of Yan has issued a warrant for your arrest!”

He advanced toward Murong Liu with an air of indifference, his expression remaining composed as he replied, “So what? What can they possibly do to me now?”

He promptly revealed his immense strength, enveloping Murong Liu with his aura at the peak of the Sky Reaching realm as potent energy surged around her.

Powerful!

That was the singular thought echoing in Murong Liu’s mind at that moment.

Gazing at Murong Lin before her, she spoke slowly, “Why did you come back? With your strength, there’s no one left in Yan capable of opposing you, right?”

Murong Liu wasn’t naive. From the palpable presence that Murong Lin exuded and the reactions of the people in the discussion hall earlier, she understood that Murong Lin’s strength was undeniably at a terrifying level.

“In your eyes, do I appear as someone driven solely by profit?” Murong Lin smiled.

He approached Murong Liu, locking his gaze with hers as he continued, “Of course, I have a purpose in returning this time, and that’s to crush Chu.”

A flicker of realization passed over Murong Liu’s face, and she nodded in understanding, “I see. Have they offended you?”

“It’s their king who has irked me.” Murong Lin replied.

Murong Lin strolled to the side, gazing at the gardens that had been meticulously restored after the devastation of the great battle four months ago, and the earth that had sprung back to life. He sighed in amazement, “So much has changed.”

Murong Liu let out a cold, mocking laugh from behind him and scoffed, “If it weren’t for you, nothing would have changed. Everyone would have remained the same, and the imperial court would have carried on as it always did.”

Murong Lin turned to respond, “No, things are always subject to change. Regardless of who ascended the throne, I wouldn’t have been afforded a path to survival.”

He cast his gaze skyward and then inquired, “How did you manage to convince them to spare Ma Jian Chou and the others?”

Murong Liu regarded Murong Lin with disdain and retorted, “I thought you were ruthless enough not to care about them.”

“Your mockery is unnecessary. I’m merely curious, why did you intervene?” Murong Lin asked, locking eyes with her.

“Are you that nice to me?”

Murong Liu’s response was laced with instant fury, and she squinted as she continued, “I’m not that compassionate. I spared their lives as a precautionary measure.

While you managed to escape, I haven’t forgotten the kind of ruthless person you can be. What if you return one day and decide to wipe us all out on a whim?

By leaving those few lives intact, we would have some bargaining power if we ever found ourselves incapable of defeating you upon your return.”

Her words seemed indifferent, but they undoubtedly carried an undercurrent of genuine worry.

She was worried that Murong Lin would attack them.

She didn’t want to die.

But she knew all too well that with Murong Lin’s current talents and ruthless disposition, if he were to seek vengeance for Ma Jian Chou and the others, there would be no escaping him.

“Hah, so this was your thought process?” Murong Lin chuckled, amused.

He had never expected that it wouldn’t be the imperial court or the residents of Yan who feared him the most, but rather the sister who had always looked down on him in the past. Now, he finally grasped how Murong Liu had managed to convince those who had grievances with him to spare Ma Jian Chou and the others.

Upon reflection, he realized that these people were still afraid of him.

With a strange laughter, Murong Lin straightened his posture, glancing at Murong Liu before departing. As he left, he spoke, “Don’t worry, I’ll leave this place once I’ve crushed Chu.”

Murong Liu watched as Murong Lin walked away, her body drenched in cold sweat and fear.

She had no curiosity about how Murong Lin had rapidly advanced his cultivation, and she didn’t seek to understand his motives either. What she knew, without a doubt, was that Murong Lin was ruthless, and he possessed a remarkable talent for disguise.

He had been unremarkable in his youth, and now, his name was known far and wide across the land.

Murong Lin’s untamed and cold temperament made him appear almost like a natural-born devil.

Gradually, Murong Liu’s body relaxed, and she spoke with a bitter smile, “I hope so too.”

She was not ignorant of the tales of devils. For instance, there was the ‘Soul-devouring Old Man’ who had been hunted by the Ridge Fir Alliance thirty years ago. At the peak of the Sky Reaching realm, he had massacred over a million lives in a single county, leaving it desolate to this day.

Every devil was destined to possess unparalleled strength, but it seemed that destruction and chaos were inherent to their nature.

To empower themselves, they were never constrained by any rules.

Murong Lin would never have expected that Murong Liu would perceive him in such a manner.

Murong Lin harboured no desire to become a hero or a devil; he simply wanted to embrace his role as a villain.

It was because he was even more ruthless.

With determination, Murong Lin swiftly led an army to the south. Along the way, they rapidly reclaimed most of the lost territories and cities, conscripting soldiers from these lands as they advanced toward Chu for their long-awaited revenge.

The deep-seated resentment toward Chu for the destruction of their homelands became Murong Lin’s most potent weapon in the wake of the war.

On the opposite fronts, Qi and Pu had also rallied countless rebel and resistance troops who rekindled their strength after the departure of Chu’s oppressive forces from their territories.

Chu Ze believed his own strength could easily reclaim these territories, and thus, he was not overly concerned about their loss.

However, this had sparked hope within the three countries, inspiring them to rebuild their homelands and recapture their lost territories.

With the soldiers of the three countries now massed at the borders, they joined forces under the command of Nie Wu Sheng, Murong Lin’s disguised identity, and advanced toward Chu.

From the south, Chu’s amassed army of more than 900,000 soldiers had already reached the border that separated Chu’s southern region from the Demonic Beast Forest. Emperor Chu Ze personally led this conquest, marching alongside his generals.

The Demonic Beast Forest, despite their panic, housed a staggering number of creatures beyond human imagination. Over ten million demonic beasts emerged from the forest’s depths, engaging in a fierce battle against Chu Ze’s army.

Given the vastness of the battlefield, Chu Ze couldn’t have every general at his side for protection. The army was divided into three units: the vanguard, the middle, and the rear, with their front line extending into the Demonic Beast Forest, poised to eliminate the demonic beasts within.

Ma Meng Qi and Pang Shi Yuan commanded the vanguard and bore the brunt of the Demonic Beast Forest’s assault.

Behind them, Zhang Wen Yuan and Ma Ji Chang managed the supply team, but they soon found themselves in dire straits. They were surrounded by a swarm of Blood Bat Locusts, their numbers enough to blot out the sky and shroud the entire area in darkness.

Ma Ji Chang’s expression shifted subtly as he bellowed, “Protect the supplies!”

Zhang Wen Yuan’s expression also changed as he scrutinized a young man who had appeared before their team. He asked, “Sir, why are you blocking our path?”

Translator’s note

Hello, with the dropping readership and my increasingly busy schedule of work and studies, I am unfortunately going to cut down the release schedule again. I have been introduced to the sweet gig of English tuition for kids from China, and I love money, so…it is what it is.

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