Whew, that’s three earth-realm experts’ heads already and I’ve only been here for five minutes! At this rate, it shouldn’t take very long to gather all five thousand! …Right? The math’s too difficult to do, but my optimism will make it true!

“Thank you, Cho—Lady Fiery Rain! With this sky-realm expert’s death, I’ve broken through to the low-high-ranked saint realm!” Claw cupped his bloody hands at me and bowed. Wait. Did he say sky-realm expert?

“This guy was a sky-realm expert?” I mean, he was flying in the sky in a no-fly zone…. Then doesn’t that mean I only need four more heads!? This was a whole lot easier than I thought! And that crown prince made this out to be difficult, jeez. What did he say? If I caused a big commotion, then every sky-realm expert would … come … after me…. This counts as a small commotion, right? Right!? “Hey, uh, Claw, what’s this guy’s name?”

“His nameplate says Sun Fire.”

“I, Fiery Rain of the Flaming Sparrow Sect, have slain the sky-realm expert, Sun Fire! You all heard that properly, right? Fiery Rain of the Flaming Sparrow Sect, that’s me!” Mm, Ilya said I need to hear things three times to actually hear it for the first time, so I’ll repeat my scapegoat’s name one more time for good measure. “That’s right, I, Fiery Rain of the Flaming Sparrow Sect, a mere earth-realm expert, killed a sky-realm expert from Fang Country! But all of you can call me Lady Fiery Rain or Chosen of the Flaming Sparrow Sect or Fiery Rain the Fang-Country-sky-realm-expert-slaying expert!”

With this, all I have to do is never use any Flaming Sparrow Sect member’s nameplate again. The sky-realm experts will chase after them instead of me, and the Shadow Devil Sect will be left completely untouched! Mm, but just in case, it feels like I should leave this place before something bad happens. No one’s saying anything, and all the other fights on the other platform have stopped. This is so unnerving; it’s like everyone’s staring at me and judging me! “Ahem. Right, it’s time for me to reunite with my fellow Flaming Sparrow Sect members who’re waiting for me outside. Bye!” And no one’s saying anything still. Did they all freeze? Am I in an illusion? Well, I’ll just make my way back to the Shadow Devil Sect…, and still no reaction. “Psst, Softie. Ilya. Let’s go.”

So, in total silence, I left the battlefield with my minions by going back to where we entered from and touching the statue’s head. Before my vision completely disappeared during the transportation process, I thought I heard someone say, “Immortal.” What was that supposed to mean? Was I mistaken for an immortal? Are they praising me now that I’m gone!? I’m going back inside to check!

“Lady Fiery Rain is definitely an immortal!”

“She killed a mid-ranked sky-realm expert in a single strike!”

“Sun Fire’s Descending Phoenix Claw exterminated a whole sect once; I saw it myself! But Lady Fiery Rain was completely unharmed!”

“I, I insulted Lady Fiery Rain’s appearance. Do you think she heard!?”

“I’m sorry, Sect Brother. I’ll burn paper money for you in the future.”

“I wonder if Lady Fiery Rain has a cultivation partner.”

“You stand no chance. If you want a cultivation partner, you should search some place filled with people befitting of you—like a pasture.”

They were dead silent a moment ago, but the instant I’m gone they start lavishing praise on me? Why couldn’t do that earlier? I like praise! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside like my stomach is filled with bubbles.

“Wait! Lady Fiery Rain’s back!”

…And just like that, the whole battlefield fell silent again. A few people dropped to their knees and cupped their hands towards me though. Hmm. Even the people from Fang Country are worshipping me. What the heck is this? I can’t harvest the heads of people who worship me! That’s totally immoral; if I take their heads, then the number of worshippers I have will decrease! It seems like I’ll have to move on to a new battlefield. There should be more than one, right? This is just the west side: there should be a westernmost side, an easternmost side, and everything in between. Ah, but I really, really want to leave my real name behind so people will know who they’re actually worshipping…. But I can’t! I can’t let my vanity be my downfall! Ah, I’m such a tragic hero. Alas, I’m so amazing, yet no one will truly know who I actually am…. All my glory will be reaped by Fiery Rain of the Flaming Sparrow Sect, but I’m okay with that! Stay strong, Lucia, you’re better than this! Stay strong…. Maybe I could just tell one person? No! I’ll leave before I fall to the temptation.

Phew. Alright, all the temptation is gone. But I still want to hear some praise! “Ilya, Softie, Claw! Tell me I’m amazing!”

“You’re amazing, Chosen Lucia!”

“Lucia, you’re really amazing.”

Mm. That’s right! But one person’s missing. “…Ilya? Praise.”

“You’re so amazing, Lucia. Wow.”

Did Ilya just roll her eyes? She did, didn’t she!? “Give me back that sky-realm person’s body if you think you’re amazing enough to get one yourself!”

“W-wait! Lucia! Stop! You’re amazing! You’re really amazing! Don’t squeeze it! You’re forcing the blood out! You’re wasting the blood!”

Hmph. It’s not a waste! I obtained the body, so it’s mine to use however I please. And if I want to squeeze its blood out, then I can. “Anyways, hurry up and board the boat. We’re moving to a new place before those sky-realm experts figure out something’s wrong.” Ah, I should ask Softie why I was mistaken for an immortal. “And why did those people think I was an immortal?”

“A sky-realm expert is a nearly unkillable existence,” Softie said as she stepped onto a flying sword. “To kill an unkillable existence in a single strike, wouldn’t that person have to be an immortal? Though, I don’t think you’re quite as strong as an immortal. Do you remember how you broke the statue earlier? The formation was most likely destabilized, and that sky-realm expert must have expended a great amount of energy to stabilize it. When he appeared to fight you, I don’t think he had enough qi to defend himself properly.”

Hmm. So I weakened my enemy greatly before even facing him? That’s what geniuses do! …But normally, those kinds of actions are planned. Mm. I have to keep up my amazing appearance. “Aha! Just like I planned!”

“Chosen Lucia’s foresight is truly amazing!” Claw said. “If wisdom were a drink, Chosen Lucia would be like hot chocolate!”

Like hot chocolate? That’s a compliment, right? Everyone knows hot chocolate is one of the greatest drinks to ever exist, with acorn stew being a close second. And my wisdom is comparable to the greatest drink! I really, really like this Claw person’s analogies! “Claw! Here’s a reward for being such a good minion.”

“…Used panties?”

“You can sell it for ten spirit stones!” That’s right. This necklace of intelligence is telling me to reward my followers so they stay extra loyal! And who doesn’t want used panties? They’re not mine, of course.

“I’m jealous…. I want her panties too….”

Which pervert said that? Was that Softie…? Mm, nah, it can’t be. Softie’s a girl and she’s rich; there’s no way she’d want my panties.