I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 1369: Ni Chen’s True Identity, Endless Unwillingness and Resentment

The quasi-immortal emperor battlefield spanned multiple universes, transcending time and space, and was jointly maintained by existences from the Dao realm. Gu Xian’er and Ni Chen moved through it, engaging in thousands of battles in an instant. No one could discern their traces as they traversed hundreds of millions of miles.

In their hands, various terrifying divine powers were unleashed, with the surging aura of the quasi-immortal emperor flooding the universe like a torrent. The leaders of all ethnic groups trembled in fear. In contrast to the chaotic battle during the invasion of the immortal civilization, the confrontation between Gu Xian’er and Ni Chen starkly revealed the power and terror of the quasi-immortal emperor.

Even a mere wisp of fluctuating energy from their fight was enough to obliterate a portion of the universe. The long river of time roared and surged before them, emanating a terrifying momentum akin to the roar of a mountain and the crashing of a tsunami. Both displayed an aura of invincibility in this situation.

Especially Gu Xian’er, although she had just established herself in this realm, her foundation was not as solid as Ni Chen’s. However, her profound control over Daoism rivaled that of the ancient monsters in this world, who had been immersed in their pursuits for countless eras. As she waved her bare hands lightly, hundreds of millions of strands of sword energy converged into mountains and seas, seemingly surging from all time and space, flooding the universe and reaching everywhere.

Every ray of sword energy was as tangible as a forged sword. From a distance, it appeared as sword energy intricately intertwined, converging into an ocean. Yet, upon closer inspection, one would see that each ray of sword energy was as thick as a star, capable of slicing through the ages with a howl, so powerful it could instill trembling fear in onlookers. This was the ultimate sword law, condensed into a tangible form, far stronger than any divine weapon.

Gu Xian’er resembled an invincible sword immortal, leaning on her sword across the sky, the brilliant sword light illuminating the entire battlefield of the quasi-immortal emperor. Hundreds of millions of strands of sword energy condensed behind her, crossing the universe and launching a relentless assault on Ni Chen. Even the few Immortal Emperors observing the battle couldn’t help but nod in amazement, realizing that Gu Xian’er’s swordsmanship was far more remarkable than they had anticipated.

Ni Chen’s technique was equally impressive; a bright glow radiated from the space between his brows, as if some mighty god were about to awaken there. A vast river of time flowed in front of him, surging toward the billions of sword lights.

Boom!!!  

A tremendous collapse erupted, plunging everything into chaos. The endless turmoil surged, blurring all scenes.

“To reach this point, you truly have some means, but it’s a pity you encountered me this time,”

Ni Chen sneered. His white robe billowed as he raised his palm and pressed forward. The blazing brilliance erupted like a sun exploding, dazzling and imbued with the essence of ultimate destruction.

This technique was akin to absorbing stars from the sky to fight against an enemy, capturing vast universes to compete. However, in the hands of a Quasi-Immortal Emperor, even the long river of time could be wielded as a weapon, easily ingested to combat foes.

At the Quasi-Immortal Emperor level, they possessed an array of incredible powers. Their methods of combat were beyond the imagination of all beings; had they not been on this battlefield, they would have been on a killing spree, fully capable of slaughtering the common people in a vast world.

Right now, the long river of time was turbulent. They stood in the domain of the current world, attacking the rest of time and space. The universe and the starry sky were constantly shattered and reshaped with a single thought.

Gu Xian’er found herself at a disadvantage. From the very beginning, she seemed quite passive under Ni Chen’s relentless assault. After tens of thousands of strokes, both began to sustain injuries. Yet, for them, these injuries could heal and recover with just a thought, showcasing an unbelievable vitality.

Seizing an opportunity, Gu Xian’er launched a horizontal sword attack. Choosing this path, she melded thousands of swords with her body, cultivating the ultimate form of swordsmanship to break through ten thousand spells. This sword seemed capable of severing the entire river of time, imprisoning it, making space genuinely stagnate, and transforming it into a lawless realm.

“I really underestimated you…”

Ni Chen said, his expression darkening. Despite the numerous exchanges, he had not gained a significant advantage.

Instead, Gu Xian’er seized the opportunity to strike him, piercing one of his arms and causing blood to splatter everywhere. Ni Chen had always felt that Gu Xian’er was well cared for by Gu Changge, like a flower in a greenhouse, unaccustomed to many battles.

In the boundless battlefield, they had planned to confront foreign enemies together to gain fame and compete for the position of Daoist in the Heaven Slaying Alliance. At such a young age, she was expected to reach the level of a quasi-immortal emperor, having acquired many extraordinary opportunities, most of which were attributed to Gu Changge.

However, after exchanging thousands of moves, he realized he had underestimated Gu Xian’er. At this moment, blood flowed from her mouth, yet her eyes shone brighter and brighter, as if countless sword shadows were intertwining within them. Her aura intensified, and the Dao Fruit of the Quasi-Immortal Emperor grew more solid and radiant.

Clearly, this battle was also beneficial for her. She had just established herself in this realm and had never fought a true quasi-immortal emperor before.

This battle had sharpened her Daoism and solidified her foundation. Gu Xian’er had to admit that Ni Chen was indeed powerful; some of his methods were unfamiliar to her and proved difficult to counter. Fortunately, her rich combat experience allowed her to devise a countermeasure quickly, enabling her to make rapid progress.

The existence of a quasi-immortal emperor who could reach this level through sheer effort, without relying on external aids, was not to be underestimated. Ni Chen, too, was in a precarious situation. The injury on his shoulder harbored the terrifying laws of swordsmanship, tearing at his vitality and making it difficult to expel and heal. At the same time, this wound aggravated the significant injury already present in his body, which was nearly unstoppable.

Yet, Gu Xian’er’s aura continued to grow stronger. He feared that he might capsize in the gutter and be defeated by her, a prospect Ni Chen could not tolerate.

At that moment, a terrifying black shadow appeared behind Ni Chen, resembling a black hole—deep and vast, like ancient burial wells. In a daze, one could discern many ancient coffins, either vermilion or dark blue, buried within those wells.

Surrounding these burial wells were numerous vague figures, kneeling in mourning, as if they wished to sacrifice themselves. A series of indistinct figures chanted ancient and obscure sacrificial rites, continually leaping toward the burial wells to martyr themselves. Simultaneously, a vague river of time materialized around these wells, severed and directed into them.

This scene left many spectators outside the Quasi-Immortal Emperor battlefield staring in shock. While many immortal kings could not see the specifics, they felt an overwhelming chill enveloping them. Their true souls trembled constantly, as if they were on the verge of being dragged away and buried alongside the ancient remains.

“What kind of divine power is this? I have never seen anything like it before. Not only must I sacrifice myself, but it seems I am also expected to sacrifice the past and the future…”

The hearts of several immortal emperors were greatly shaken, sensing a trace of strangeness and unease.

This was a Dao realm divine power that even they had never witnessed before. Although they were not physically present, it felt as if they could sacrifice a portion of their strength. How strange and tricky this was!

The method of three burials: burying the past, burying the present, burying the world.

Ni Chen’s eyes were faintly bloodshot; performing this technique seemed increasingly difficult for him, and he could clearly feel his vitality waning.

In that moment, a terrifying aura of destruction filled the entire Quasi-Immortal Emperor battlefield, sweeping from the future to the ancient past and the present. Gu Xian’er sensed something was amiss; her own vitality was also being drawn toward those burial wells, slipping out of her control.

The center of her brows glowed, and her primordial spirit stepped out, taking on her own appearance as she immediately sat cross-legged.

The flower of Dao was blooming, bright and sacred, as she worked to restrain her own vitality and prevent it from being depleted. Simultaneously, her physical body glowed, emitting a rich fragrance. Every pore radiated light, boundless and brilliant, resembling a galaxy hanging upside down around her.

This was the Nirvana Good Fortune method, created by Gu Xian’er herself, with her own body serving as the foundation, deeply rooted in heaven and earth. Surrounding her were patches of immortal grass like a lush rug, divine trees standing like a forest, and even good fortune immortal trees, which bore fruit and bloomed, crystal bright and fragrant.

Boom!!!  

In an instant, an unprecedented shock erupted on the battlefield of the Quasi-Immortal Emperor. The power of sacrifice rippled outward, constantly surging toward Gu Xian’er, attempting to plunder her vitality and force her into sacrifice. Meanwhile, she sat cross-legged, surrounded by a sacred land, radiant with celestial light, enveloped by the sound of the Great Dao—sacred and inviolable.

At this moment, even the few immortal emperors watching the battle felt a sense of palpitation and fear welling up from the depths of their hearts. The leaders and elders of various ethnic groups were even further removed from this level of power. They lacked the qualifications to observe, yet the surging waves of impact still made them tremble.

This place seemed to open a new world, transitioning from destruction to new life, reshaping the universe from the ashes. Later, Gu Xian’er found blood trickling from her mouth and nose; her figure trembled as she struggled to remain upright, seriously injured. Ni Chen fared no better—his aura was sluggish, and his vitality was in decline.

The original injury of the Great Dao was now even clearer. Gu Wuwang, Hei Ming, and the ancient cultivator Yuan Chan could all distinctly see the terrible wound, which contained indelible laws of the Great Dao laid across Ni Chen’s quasi-immortal emperor Dao Fruit.

Why does he have a Dao injury on his body, and why is it affecting his Dao Fruit?

What happened during this time?

Gu Wuwang and the others were astonished, puzzled by the situation. Clearly, it was precisely because of this Dao injury that Ni Chen gradually found himself at a disadvantage, unable to return to his former peak. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for Gu Xian’er to truly compete against him, given her strength in this realm.

After all, Ni Chen’s own good fortune was remarkable. During his time as a Daoist in the Heaven Slaying Alliance, he had acquired numerous resources, leading to a significant leap in his strength.

Moreover, merely establishing a foothold in the realm of quasi-immortal emperors was not the same as having been in this realm for many years. The mastery of this realm was not something that could be achieved overnight.

“The injury of the Great Dao? So that’s how it is,” Gu Xian’er realized, despite her own serious injuries. The more she fought, the braver she became, and her strength only increased, while Ni Chen continued to decline. In the end, he could not hope to be her opponent.

Initially, there had been a slight gap between Ni Chen and her, but it was far from sufficient for him to triumph over her.

“There is no suspense in this battle. If you continue to fight with me, once your Immortal Emperor’s Dao Fruit is broken, you will no longer be my opponent when you fall into this realm,” Gu Xian’er declared coldly.

Given that the Dao Chang Realm was teetering on the brink of collapse, she did not wish to destroy it at this moment and risk losing the existence of a quasi-immortal emperor. Furthermore, Ni Chen was the Daoist of Gu Changge, and she was uncertain of his plans.

In the eyes of everyone, the outcome of this battle had already been decided. Ni Chen’s injuries had worsened, and his strength was no longer what it had been, making it impossible for him to contend with Gu Xian’er.

After Gu Xian’er finished speaking, Ni Chen’s figure suddenly trembled. His once cold face displayed a hint of surprise and shock, leaving him somewhat incredulous. The sudden change in his expression startled everyone present.

“It’s interesting; there is still a trace of the true spirit hiding in a corner I haven’t occupied, waiting for this moment to try and reclaim this body. You want to reveal your abnormality?” Ni Chen mused, as if speaking to another presence. “Or is someone secretly aiding you?”

Ignoring the astonished expressions around him, he sneered to himself. He understood that, with his current strength, he could no longer be Gu Xianer’s opponent and could not reverse the situation. The abnormality he sensed at that moment might draw attention from others, so he decided not to bother hiding it any longer.

Everyone outside the Quasi-Immortal Emperor battlefield was momentarily confused. In contrast, Gu Xian’er suddenly became thoughtful.

“It turns out we have been deceived by him all along. He is not Wang Wushang at all, but someone else who has occupied Wang Wushang’s body,” Hei Ming observed carefully, finally noticing some clues regarding Ni Chen. He wondered if Gu Changge had recognized this early on.

It was evident that “Wang Wushang” had been taken over long ago, and they had failed to notice it until now. On the other side, Gu Wuwang appeared to have anticipated this revelation, as if he had already suspected the truth.

Ni Chen disregarded everyone’s reactions and laughed, saying, “That’s right, I’m not Wang Wushang at all. This poor guy was just taken over by me.”

“My name is Ni Chen. I am originally the young master of the Underworld Realm, the Underworld Clan. I have been dormant in this world for many years, waiting for the day I could take over and revive my Underworld Clan.”

“It’s a pity. Originally, when the immortal civilization invaded, it was the perfect opportunity for me to seize control. I was close to succeeding, but I encountered a catastrophe in the dark—a chaotic true thunder that split my true soul and shattered all my long-laid plans.”

“I hate it! I was just one step away from seizing this world, becoming the new true spirit of the Dao Chang Realm, possessing the strength of the Dao realm, and being invincible in this world. At that point, no one would be able to check and balance me…”

As he spoke the latter part, Ni Chen laughed maniacally, his tone filled with unwillingness. His tragic and resentful laughter echoed throughout the battlefield, causing the universe to tremble.

“Little Lord…”

Outside the Quasi-Immortal Emperor battlefield, Ni Chen’s clansmen finally grasped the situation, their faces reflecting profound grief and despair.