Villains Aren't Stepping Stones!-Chapter 39: Minor Completion

"Infinity Dragon God Divine Physique, Minor Completion!"

Shen Haoran stood up in a surge of pure, unadulterated excitement, his very presence causing the air around the altar to ripple and distort.

His blood and Qi were no longer merely flowing, but were now boiling with a primordial, extreme power that defied the conventional laws of cultivation.

He can feel it, a boundless, heavy strength that went beyond human reason, as if the essence of an ancient star was now anchored within his chest.

Although it was only at the level of Minor Completion, the divine physique had already fundamentally rewritten his biological and spiritual makeup.

He could feel the first of its legendary traits: Rapid Regeneration, with cells now vibrating with a life-force so potent that even deep wounds would knit together in heartbeats, and his stamina replenished itself as quickly as he could expend it.

Accompanying this was Extreme Durability, which made his flesh take on a subtle, metallic sheen, and his bones were now denser than dragon-tempered steel.

He also now possessed an extreme resistance to both physical trauma and elemental onslaughts; to an ordinary cultivator, he was no different to an immovable fortress.

Then there was the Dragon Aura, which is a low, subsonic hum radiated from his skin, a frequency that marked him as a sovereign among beasts.

This aura would not only increase the favorability of any dragonkin he encountered but, in the face of lesser draconic bloodlines, would force them into absolute, shivering submission.

Lastly, and perhaps most crucially, was the acquisition of a Dragon Core.

His Golden Core, the very heart of his power, had been refined and hardened into a true Dragon Core, this gave his Qi a draconic aspect—turning it into a domineering, golden-purple energy that felt like liquid lightning.

Furthermore, it provided a perpetual circulation; his Qi never rested, constantly refining itself even while he stood still, and will never ran out.

Haoran marveled at the sensation.

This was only Minor Completion, and it was already so powerful! He found it difficult to even imagine the sheer, world-ending power this physique would grant him once it reached its full potential.

In the vast history of the Cultivation world, the awakening of a physique followed a strict, brutal progression: first was Minor Completion, which Haoran just achieved, followed by Major Completion, then the world-shaking Grand Completion, and finally, the legendary Perfect Integration.

In the case of Divine Physiques, legends whispered that once a user reached Perfect Integration, the barriers of Cultivation ranks became meaningless; even a mortal could theoretically possess the raw, conceptual power to slaughter a Supreme Emperor once their divine physique had reached Perfect Integration.

It was for this reason that in the ancient eras, possessors of this physique were feared and whispered about as the "Emperor Slayers."

The Supremes of old, gripped by a rare and cold fear, had organized Great Hunts to erase these bloodlines from history.

Even in the modern era, that fear persisted, as those born with Divine Physiques—especially those without the protection of a Hegemon Clan—were hunted like rare prey.

If found as infants, their physiques would be cruelly harvested, stripped from their bodies to be integrated into the descendants of the existing Supremes.

Haoran was the living proof of this cold reality; his own physique was a stolen trophy, now fully claimed by his will.

Just then, Shen Haoran clenched his fist, feeling the bones pop with the force of a thunderclap.

"I’ve also broken through to the 3rd Stage of the Golden Core Realm," he murmured, his voice carrying a new, draconic resonance.

The excess energy from the awakening had acted as a flood, washing away his previous bottlenecks with ease.

He then turned his gaze downward, looking past the hundreds of steps he had conquered.

There, far below, he saw Xueli, who had successfully shattered her own limits, her aura now radiating the strength of a 3rd Stage Foundation Establishment expert.

However, the climb was taking its toll on her, as she was currently struggling at the 601st step, her body trembling under the weight, her face a mask of gritted teeth and sheer, stubborn defiance.

He observed her for a long moment, watching the way her spirit flickered but refused to go out and a trace of a smile touched his lips.

He decided to wait, just as he promised.

He sat back down on the cold stone of the 999th step, perched at the edge of the heavens, quietly watching her ascent, still with a gentle smile on his face.

Yes, for Haoran, as long as she doesn’t give up, he will always wait for her, no matter how long it takes.

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*

At this moment, in the sterile, echoing silence of the white stone transition chamber, Xia Mengyao stood like a figure of serene perfection.

His auburn hair was undisturbed, and his robes remained crisp, showing no signs of the chaotic battle he had just endured within the Trial of Combat.

His gaze swept the empty room, finding no trace of Shen Haoran or the girl in blue.

’Hmm, as expected, they are already done with the trial,’ Mengyao thought, his eyes narrowing. ’To clear these trials so swiftly... the gap between the outskirts and the Imperial Capital is truly a chasm.’

However, his mind wondered to that girl in blue who accompanied like a wet puppy to its owner.

She was a 1st Stage Foundation Establishment nobody, how did she became so close to that distinguished heir of the Shen Clan?

Was she also someone from a Hegemon Clan, but was untalented? Or did he pick her up in this Desolate Region?

If he did, then that is one lucky girl. She probably saved the universe in her previous life to have such good karma.

Just then, the silence was broken by a sudden swirling of space as a figure stumbled into the room.

It was Jin Pei, his golden armor was dented, and a trickle of blood ran down his chin, but his eyes were wide with a manic, defiant energy.

"Hah! You think you can beat me just by creating a copy of me!? Don’t make me laugh!" Jin Pei snorted in disdain, spitting a glob of blood onto the white floor.

His bravado faltered, however, when he looked up and saw Xia Mengyao standing there, looking as though he had just stepped out of a tea ceremony.

He clicked his tongue, sounding rather bitter. "So you finished the trial before me, and you don’t even look injured. As expected of the ’number one genius’ in the Central Region."

When he spoke of the Central Region, the Imperial Capital was naturally excluded, after all, to the inhabitants of the vassal kingdoms and border sects, the Capital was not just a city; it was a higher plane of existence, a place where the air was filled with the breath of gods and the children of Hegemon Clans were born with the strength to crush kingdoms.

Moments later, a spatial ripple heralded the arrival of Ao Long, the Crown Prince of Blue Wind who was also in no better shape than Jin Pei; his blue robes were shredded at the shoulders, and his breathing was heavy.

The moment he saw the two of them, his triumphant expression, an expression of a man who had survived a life-or-death struggle, immediately shifted into a mask of pure annoyance.

"What’s with that expression? Wanna die?" Jin Pei asked, his temper flaring as his body was instantly engulfed in a golden spirit-fire that licked the ceiling.

"I can look at others how I want to look. What? You wanna stop me?" Ao Long stared at him with cold disdain, a violent gust of wind swirling around him, turning the small room into a pressure cooker of competing auras.

"Enough." Xia Mengyao’s voice was soft, but it carried the weight of a mountain as he stared at the two princes with a look of profound boredom. "If you want to act like children, then go play in your house and not here. We are in the tomb of a Supreme; show some respect, or the tomb will show you none."

The two princes stared at him, their faces twisting, but the sheer difference in their states—one pristine, two battered—was enough to make them click their tongues and allow their auras to subside.

"Whatever. I’m going ahead. I’m not letting some backwater treasure slip through my fingers," Jin Pei muttered, marching toward the far door.

"Hmph." Ao Long cast a final, lingering glare at Mengyao before following close behind Jin Pei, neither wanting to give the other a head start.

Mengyao waited in the silence for a few more minutes, his patience seemingly infinite.

Finally, after another few minutes, another figure emerged with a ripple of space, it was Luo Mingye.

She looked slightly winded but otherwise unharmed, it seems like she was able to easily handle her phantom, but it just took time.

A moment later, Yun Li stepped out behind her, his face pale and his clothes dusty, his jaw set in a tight line.

Mingye looked around and immediately noticed Mengyao, as she walked towards him, her expression a mix of gratitude and concern."Brother Mengyao, you shouldn’t have waited for me. Now look, those two idiots have probably already gone in ahead of you."

Mengyao shook his head slowly. "With that young master here, whatever we managed to find will just be consolation prizes. The true legacy—the heart of the Emperor—will surely fall into his hands."

"I don’t know about that," Yun Li interjected, his voice carrying a smug, arrogant edge as he smoothed his robes, trying to regain his composure. "The inheritance is given to the most skilled and talented. Every trial is designed to be fair. Whoever receives the legacy will be up to fate—and I believe fate favors those who work the hardest."

"That’s right," Mingye agreed, nodding her head. "The inheritance will surely fall to the most talented. That’s why Brother Mengyao said that Young Master Shen will be the one to take it."

At those words, Yun Li froze.

He stared at her in genuine shock, as if he couldn’t believe his ears. The woman he had marked as his future wife, the woman who was supposed to be impressed by his rapid growth and "unique" aura, actually held a higher opinion of a man she barely knew than of him!

’Why isn’t she encouraging me?’ Yun Li screamed internally. ’Shouldn’t she be saying that I still have a chance? That with my talent and my determination, I won’t lose to some pampered heir? Why is this different from every novel I’ve ever read?!’

Xia Mengyao stared at Yun Li silently for a heartbeat, seeing the turbulent emotions flickering across the "trash" heir’s face as he gave a tiny, imperceptible shake of his head before turning toward the exit. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Let’s go," Mengyao said. "Even though it is merely consolation prizes, this is still the inheritance of a Supreme Emperor. Finding a Rank 9 Saint-Grade Artifact or even a higher-tier items is still possible. It would be a waste to leave empty-handed."

"Hm!" Mingye nodded, her bright smile returning as she skipped to catch up with Mengyao.

Meanwhile, Yun Li stood alone for a moment in the center of the white room.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and a dark, violet Qi from the Falling Immortal Sutra flickered dangerously around his fingertips.

He looked at the backs of the two people and swore that he would show them all what a true "Son of Heaven" was capable of.