Im Not Your Usual Villain - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Not a Single Coin Spent—Freeloading a Phoenix

Translation by: Weebsread👹

A ring of searing flames sealed off the mouth of the cave.

Ordinary wild beasts wouldn’t dare approach.

But for cultivators of their caliber, such obstacles were little more than a minor inconvenience.

With practiced ease, they carved open a path and followed Su He straight into the heart of the formation.

This place had been chosen as the array’s focal point for good reason.

Here, if Su He dared try anything, he would be suppressed from all directions—utterly unable to escape their notice.

As soon as they entered, Su He’s gaze fell upon a massive egg, taller than a man.

Fiery red patterns shimmered across its shell, tongues of flame flickering and dancing along its surface.

The egg stood silent and unmoving amidst the inferno, regal and unapproachable.

Every patch of earth that touched it was scorched black.

. . .

. . .

This was, without a doubt, a true phoenix egg.

A Nine-Turn Phoenix—one of the rarest wonders in all the world!

“Go on,” Su He instructed Fang Yixin quietly.

Fang Yixin stepped forward at once, channeling the power of her Supreme Bone to begin hatching the Nine-Turn Phoenix Egg.

“Su He, I’ll give you one last chance. Three drops of Nine-Turn Phoenix blood—you can walk away with the Supreme Bone.”

At that moment, Feng Taicang spoke up again, laying out his final offer.

As long as Su He could use the Supreme Bone to hatch the phoenix egg, they were still willing to give him three drops of Nine-Turn Phoenix blood.

They wouldn’t pursue any blame or punishment for Su He—but the Nine-Turn Phoenix itself must be handed over to Lin Feng.

In the future, Lin Feng’s cultivation path would require the protection of the Nine-Turn Phoenix. That was a non-negotiable order from Gu Qingxuan of the Dao Tian Sect.

“Senior, how can you do this! If news of this reaches the Dao Tian Sect, they’ll definitely come after you!”

Lin Feng was already furious. He hadn’t expected Feng Taicang to back down at this critical moment—much less offer Su He a compromise.

The blazing anger in his heart had nowhere to go.

Over the past few days, Lin Feng had clearly sensed Feng Taicang’s attitude changing—growing colder, more distant.

Recalling everything that had happened at the Tai Xuan Holy Land, Lin Feng chalked it up to one thing: Feng Taicang must look down on him for being too weak. That must be why he was reluctant to get close.

In Lin Feng’s eyes, Feng Taicang was obviously someone who only sided with the powerful!

What Lin Feng failed to realize was that, in truth, he himself was the most sycophantic of all—always bowing and scraping to those with influence.

“I’m only thinking of your safety,” Feng Taicang said, frowning slightly. “If a real fight breaks out here, do you think you’ll walk away unscathed?”

Lin Feng bristled, but Su He only smiled, glancing sidelong at him.

“If you want to fight, I don’t mind,” Su He said lightly.

This guy carries the Mandate of Heaven—he’s not so easy to kill.

“What do you mean by that?”

Su He’s words instantly put Feng Taicang, Sun Changqing, and the others on high alert.

“Oh, nothing much. I just don’t want to work with you. As for this phoenix egg—I intend to claim it for myself.”

The others bristled with anger at his declaration.

They were just about to explode when, suddenly, a crimson radiance flared on the distant phoenix egg.

The glow grew ever brighter, and with it, the very air around them began to shift and tremble.

A massive vortex of energy formed overhead, pouring ceaselessly into the Nine-Turn Phoenix Egg.

“It’s about time you all brought out your offerings,” Su He reminded them coolly.

“You’re not contributing anything?”

Liu Lian shot Su He a furious glare.

“Why should I? You all brought plenty. What’s left for me to offer?”

Su He shrugged, utterly unconcerned.

He knew how this story would play out. There was no need for him to bring a single thing.

After all, whether it was the Dao Tian Sect or the Jade Void Immortal Sect, every major sect here had prepared countless treasures and rare spiritual herbs to feed the phoenix egg.

Yet here was Su He, empty-handed, clearly planning to let the others do all the work while he reaped the rewards.

Despicable! Utterly shameless!

The others shot him withering looks, but at that moment, the phoenix egg had already begun to hatch.

“This concerns our share of Nine-Turn Phoenix blood! We can’t wait any longer—put in the offerings!”

Feng Taicang was the first to act.

He slapped his hand against the Qiankun pouch at his waist.

In the next instant, a torrent of rare treasures and spiritual herbs poured forth like a river, streaming directly into the vortex atop the phoenix egg.

The treasures were instantly shredded to fragments, transforming into motes of starlight that merged with the egg.

If they didn’t offer up these treasures, the amount of Nine-Turn Phoenix blood the egg could produce would be pitifully small.

There would never be enough to divide among all of them.

Su He’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Everything was unfolding just as he’d expected.

As long as these fools kept pouring their treasures in, this phoenix egg would hatch a peerless powerhouse.

So long as they didn’t extract the Nine-Turn Phoenix blood during the process, that is.

One after another, the group threw all their collected treasures into the egg.

And at last—a crack appeared on the shell of the phoenix egg.

A sharp crack, then another, and another, until a network of fissures began to spread across its surface.

“Qiankun Lock!”

While everyone was busy tending to the ritual, Lin Feng, unable to wait any longer, whipped off the belt at his waist.

This was the Qiankun Lock, a treasure bestowed upon him by the Dao Tian Sect.

With this artifact in hand, he could directly subdue the Nine-Turn Phoenix.

But just then, an abrupt change shattered the scene—a surge of tremendous force snatched the Qiankun Lock right out of Lin Feng’s hand.

At that exact moment, Su He flicked his finger.

Pop!

The Qiankun Lock burst like a soap bubble, exploding into glittering fragments.

“Bastard!!”

The three cultivators nearby went wild at the sight.

With a roar, they charged at Su He.

The Heaven-Trapping Grand Array activated, conjuring chains from thin air that shot straight toward Su He!

“Mere parlor tricks—do you really think this is enough?”

Su He snorted, and the sect’s treasured weapon—the Taixuan Sword—flashed from his back.

With a single sweep, he cleaved through countless chains. A powerful aura surged outward, rippling through the chamber.

Sun Changqing and Liu Lian, both only at the Martial King realm, were instantly blasted backward by the force, sent flying across the cavern.

Only Feng Taicang managed to maintain control of the Heaven-Trapping Grand Array, binding Su He tightly.

Su He’s power was immense, but their preparations were thorough.

The moment he unleashed his sword, Su He realized his inner qi had begun to slow, sluggish and unresponsive.

It was Sun Changqing’s doing—he’d flooded the valley with miasma earlier, and now it was sapping Su He’s strength.

After only a few moves, Su He found himself immobilized, suspended helplessly in midair.

“Kill him! Kill him!”

Seeing this, Lin Feng shrieked in triumph, his excitement teetering on the edge of madness.

But in the very next instant, a surge of crimson flame suddenly swirled around Su He.

Then—

BOOM!

The fire exploded outward, igniting the miasma in a chain reaction that spread like wildfire.

Everyone present stared in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.

“How is this possible? Why would the Nine-Turn Phoenix help you?”

Feng Taicang roared, his voice trembling with fury and confusion.

But Su He only chuckled and replied,

“Did I forget to mention? Even though the Nine-Turn Phoenix hasn’t fully hatched, its spirit has already awakened. Without the Qiankun Lock to control it, it knows perfectly well who it should choose.”

TL Note:

- Mandate of Heaven: A traditional Chinese concept of divine right, reimagined here as a cosmic endorsement that makes someone destined to succeed. The bearer is protected by fate, aided by miracles, and chosen by powerful forces—an unstoppable, heaven-favored protagonist who survives against all odds.

No, the Mandate of Heaven is not the same as the Heavenly Dao. While the latter refers to the cosmic law or natural order that governs all things—life, death, karma, fate, balance, retribution, and so on—the former is a specific favor or authority granted by Heaven, usually to a ruler, chosen one, or protagonist.

Think of it as “Heaven’s endorsement” or “destined authority.”