Epic Battle of Heroes

After mourning for my son and becoming increasingly agitated with the things that happened recently, I ordered the execution of that little crazy bastard.

I also rounded up the people who were directly at fault for their lax security detail and allowed it to happen, which increased the efficiency of the disciples after frightening them.

For the first time since I saw the 16th Generation Saintess, this was also the first time I saw her genuinely disheartened. It broke my heart as well.

The pain lessened when the time passed but the presence of that 'Hero' roaming around there disturbed me.

To draw him out of his hole, I had the execution of the 24th Generation Holy maiden announced. The results were fascinating.

Two days earlier than the set date, we managed to draw the rat out from the sewers he was hiding in but his cultivation was mind-boggling. He was beginning to resemble someone I remembered from long ago.

We knew of his improved cultivation when he was caught sneaking in by an Elder of the sect. The Elder that caught him fought with him until the vanguard of our troops arrived but he wasn't able to hold on any further.

The bloodline of the little bastard was beginning to unlock further with each battle and after slaughtering the Elder down, he managed to escape with severe injuries.

He also had the support of a Magic Beast, a real f*cking dragon! A divine beast at the peak of this world.

Only with the combined strength of me and my wife were we able to stop its advance.

His resemblance with that figure from my memories was giving me jittery vibes.

I never liked heroes.

It filled me up with fear and so out of caution, I took extreme action. I secretly killed that bi*ch before the execution date.

Just before her death, she finally recognized the grand scale of shi*storm she had stirred up. Not waiting to hear her reactions, I beheaded her and left the sect with my wife.

This wasn't a decision we casually made.

The dragon that supported that tramp bastard was frightening.

Moreover, even with our combined strength, we were only able to push it back, not causing it any significant damage.

On the other side, the blood of the divine beast that fell on the ground was collected by that hobo and we could only watch it from far away as he ate that soil.

I guess there are indeed certain advantages to living in a dumpster, no disgust, no nausea, just eat shi* and stir shi*, simple life. Too bad we couldn't do it.

I had already given concealing talismans and protection treasure to important disciples and elders and told them to hide their presence from the rest of the world.

Along with them, I and my wife left the sect. Our supreme sect, which ruled the entire cultivation world for generations and suppressed the cultivators for an entire era vanished from the eyes of the people.

This should've been our backup plan, but I just flipped the table. With that dragon's presence, there was no way I could've personally killed that 'Hero', and I didn't want more welders of our dying sect to give up their lives to fight a losing war.

The world trembled when the news broke out.

There were cheers and celebrations all around.

The overlords, the villains suppressing the common people disappeared overnight.

Countless people came to know the name of the 'Hero' that made it possible. People sent gifts, congratulations, thoughts, and prayers, and their daughters to express their gratitude.

But our hero only felt the darkness of the world. No one knew. No one could understand. His reason for everything, his training, his battles, his oaths, they were all useless now.

In his mother's room, he sat, mourning, embracing the severed head of his mother. He held a slip of paper in his hand, drenched in blood. It was my ultimate revenge for everything he did.

It read, [Your mom dead. I did it because of you baka~. Now eat turd and join her.]

Imagining his face every night as we toured the world like a pair of the kind old couple made me content. It placated the resentment I felt within my heart.

I wasn't at the age where I couldn't let go us such emotions. The death of my kin might be disheartening but it wasn't the only aspect of my life. I was a cultivator and the life of a cultivator is fraught with perils.

That my son could leave such a name behind was enough for me. Perhaps, the only thing I hold regret for is the pride I had. I could've been scanning the sect with my spiritual sense all the time, but I didn't because it was slightly taxing on my spirit.

It was my pride that made me feel like no one would make a move on my son's life. It was painful, yes, but I was learning to adapt.

Gradually, as time passed, the people that blamed us for every wrong and every harm under heaven had to face and rule the victims themselves. Their facades were being broken, their real selves came to light.

Some civilians even remembered the time when we ruled the world, stating that at least at that time, the world was unified and everyone had a chance to rise to heaven but now, their local rulers and administrators were sucking them dry.

The 'Hero' that they favored didn't care about them at all, only seeking the remnant traces of that long-forgotten tyrannical sect over the years.

His maddened search for me and his thirst for revenge gave everyone a chance to deceive and mislead the populace again.

The world didn't need a hero, they needed a tyrant, they needed a villain.

The world could do without a hero, but it would fall apart without an ultimate villain.

After all without the sour taste of despair, how could the bland tongues of people appreciate the sweet taste of hope?

And so the empty throne of the villain was given by that dumbhead by the same ones that crowned us.

"Why am I increasing the tax on the populace three times during the time of drought? Wuwu~~ I'm a victim myself, that guy asked for more."

"Ayo, what a jerk. Guess I'll just starve myself to feed my malnourished son."

"Curse that guy."

The 'Hero' of course, was aware of the happenings behind the scenes, but he didn't care. It was true that he needed their resources, although they were only giving him less than a tenth of what they looted from the manipulated civilians.

Still, he didn't have the patience or time to tear their faces apart in public. He was an 'avenger' now, an anti-hero. Perhaps, he would've been crowned a hero again if the demons attacked our world but too bad, they weren't coming back anytime soon.

100 years, 200 years. Soon, our lifespan was coming to an end. We had lived a good life. We even had a family in the mortal world. The son the became the Saint was our brightest but he wasn't the only one, nor was he the most filial.

...and so after we had traveled the world as mortals, we settled down in our new home and invited our grandchildren and great-grandchildren there.

In that time, a lot of things happened, the dragon the protected the 'hero' died of old age. His essence and origin blood were eaten by the dude as he evolved further and reached the peak of the world.

He was merely a deranged individual, the wrath of the world forced him to take action and he did it most simply, he just killed everyone that showed him the slightest killing intent, but the people kept coming.

It was a grand show, even the mortal city I was living in got the news of the rebellions occasionally. I was gratified, there was no better revenge than this.

Watching the murderer of my son now acquiring the same title as my son and feeling everything he felt, I felt an urge to face him again, if only to laugh at him and look at his expression but I held myself back when I remembered my limited lifespan and decaying blood and qi.

By this time, I had already seen everything. I had already weathered through it all. I was now ready, to hold my wife's hand and walk side by side into oblivion.

But then, a change appeared. Right above the revolutionary camp of the allied forces, the sky tore itself in half, and an immortal aura drenched the earth from the slit.

The wind blew faster, the flowers danced, and the spirit qi of the world cheered as well. A gigantic face presented itself in front of the world.

A scary gash was apparent on the projection of that jade-like immortal face. It was a true immortal. An injured immortal, one that rebelled the heaven for eternal life and managed to increase his longevity but one of his fellow immortal cultivators still injured him.

Now, towards the end of his life, he returned to the lucky place, his origin, his... home.

Yes, this was the 'Hero' that transcended the world during the time of 16th Generation Saintess, my wife's boyfriend.

I remembered that face more clearly than my own at times, it was the source of my restlessness after all.

And now, at the end of our lives, he was back here again, to stir some shi* up.

I kissed my wife lightly, patted her back, then dig a deep hole, and jumped right in, making the same choice I made long ago, faking death.