I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 1648. The shadow of the real place alarmed the attention on the other side

“I have practiced Taoism since my childhood, enduring countless tribulations, tasting the bittersweetness of the world, encountering innumerable strong enemies, yet always managing to turn misfortune into fortune, carrying the will of heaven, and advancing further.”

“I am favored by the heavens, my fate is enriched with fortune, and I am the one destined to undergo the calamity. Even though your strength surpasses mine now, what does that matter? You will eventually become the grinding stone beneath my feet.”

Chu Gucheng stood beneath the portal, bathed in lightning, also immersed in the aura of reality. He coldly gazed at the distant Gu Changge.

This unprecedented enemy, with his eternally indifferent and unemotional expression, deeply pierced his heart.

“Is that so?” Gu Changge responded. His cold expression remained unchanged, and he merely flicked his sleeve. A palm swept across, extinguishing the starry river, directly reaching forward.

At that moment, his palm seemed to bear the tribulations of the heavens, and boundless lightning calamities dissipated and collapsed within his hand.

He did not strike at Chu Gucheng directly but instead launched an attack at the blurred portal.

Boom!

That place seemed to have been completely reduced to nothingness. Just the collision alone unleashed an immense force, shattering billions of vast amounts of power.

The twisted portal that stood beyond all worlds seemed unstable, as if it was about to break apart.

The dispersed aura of reality was also distorting and fading, on the verge of disappearing.

The tribulation clouds that had originally appeared were rapidly dissipating, and the heavenly decline aura on Chu Gucheng’s body was also vanishing. His face changed drastically, almost in disbelief.

“You dare to interfere with the Heavenly Decline Calamity?” He gritted his teeth, unable to believe what was happening.

Everyone in the imperial capital noticed this scene, their expressions changing dramatically.

“How is this possible?”

“The Heavenly Decline Calamity is being stopped, and it’s rapidly disappearing?” Everyone was horrified.

Chu Gucheng could hardly accept all of this. He had clearly been feeling the threshold of the eighth Heavenly Decline, about to step through it, but suddenly, that threshold became blurry and distorted, moving further away.

The aura of reality was also retreating rapidly, as if everything that had just happened was a fleeting illusion, like a dream.

“The Heavenly Decline Calamity is not so easily passed through.”

Gu Changge’s voice was cold, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

Everyone in the imperial capital was frozen with fear, shivering.

He could even interfere with the Heavenly Decline Calamity, not caring about the consequences that would follow.

Such terrifying power was unimaginable. Who exactly was he?

In the next moment, as Gu Changge pointed again, a surge of energy was pushed forward calmly, compressing around Chu Gucheng, causing his expression to twist with more shock and pain. He once again felt the agony of his body breaking down. Even the cracks in his Dao fruit became clearer, as if it might explode at any moment, unstable.

Even though his cultivation had advanced, and he was on the verge of overcoming the eighth Heavenly Decline, why was he still so powerless in the face of Gu Changge?

“Stop!”

Suddenly, a roar echoed. The heavily injured Fa Sheng’s figure appeared from afar.

Despite being covered in blood, he charged forward desperately, trying to protect Chu Gucheng and help him pass the Heavenly Decline Calamity.

Hearing Fa Sheng’s roar, Gu Changge slightly turned his gaze, and his cold eyes fell on him. The finger that had been aimed at Chu Gucheng directly struck Fa Sheng instead.

“What a deep teacher-student bond, but too bad he has life-saving methods, while you do not.” His tone remained as emotionless as ever.

Poof!

In the next moment, a blood mist erupted in the sky, and Fa Sheng’s charging figure exploded. His Dao fruit flew out and into another time and space, but it was covered in countless cracks, ready to collapse at any moment.

“Master…” Chu Gucheng cried out in grief, his voice full of endless pain and unwillingness.

In the imperial capital of Xian Chu Hao Tu, everyone was stunned, filled with horror. Many ministers and guests had drastically changed expressions.

Did Fa Sheng truly fall like this?

Boom!

At that moment, a terrifying rumbling sound suddenly came from beyond all worlds. The vast expanse outside the Xiyuan Civilization seemed to turn transparent, and an eerie, supreme, and indescribable aura began to descend. That place, though infinitely distant from all worlds, was also incredibly mysterious.

Angry voices and emotions could be heard coming from there. The twisted and shattered portal began to reassemble, and altar-like shadows stained with black blood began to form behind it. It seemed that some terrifying creature from that place had been disturbed and was letting out an angry roar.

Everyone in the Xian Chu Hao Tu was struck with fear, trembling as though they were being watched by an unimaginable presence. Behind the shattered and twisted portal, a creature, filled with anger, was awakening and scanning this side.

“To disturb such a place?” The elder Xing Ying’s face changed drastically, turning pale with fear. She forced herself to conceal her aura, seemingly afraid of being detected.

She looked at Gu Changge, who stood beyond all worlds, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She had originally thought that Gu Changge’s interference with the Heavenly Decline Calamity would lead to an even more terrifying calamity, one that would engulf him.

However, instead of invoking a more dreadful Heavenly Decline Calamity, it had attracted the attention of that unspeakable place.

What did this mean?

It meant that the Heavenly Decline Calamity could no longer threaten Gu Changge. He was perhaps truly someone on the level of the end of the path, or even someone beyond that level.

Had she known Gu Changge was such an existence, how could she have come to Xian Chu Hao Tu and allied with Chu Gucheng and others to confront him?

“No, wait. The master must have known this. He must have been able to guess or sense it.”

“But he still sent me here.”

“Could it be that I have been abandoned by my master? Or does he have other plans?” The elder Xing Ying suddenly thought of this, her face turning even paler.

At that moment, the entire Xian Chu Hao Tu became eerily silent. Even the Xiyuan Civilization seemed to quiet down, and all the worlds trembled slightly.

Chu Gucheng felt a sharp chill running down his spine, overwhelmed by an indescribable fear. He dared not move. He felt as if he had become a small, helpless rabbit, with a large, salivating gray wolf overhead, staring at him with malice, ready to pounce and devour him at any moment. He struggled to move his gaze, trying to find Gu Changge, but he found that he had disappeared. He was no longer beyond all worlds.

The terrifying gaze did not seem to be aimed at him, but rather at Gu Changge.

“To have attracted attention from that side?”

Gu Changge’s figure appeared in a void space. He looked slightly contemplative, not paying attention to the Dao Fruit of Fa Sheng flying into another time and space. To him, Fa Sheng posed no threat, even at his peak. Moreover, his goal had already been achieved.

Destroying Chu Gucheng’s Heavenly Decline Calamity had led to the manifestation of the shadow of the Real Place and attracted the attention of some beings from that place, which was somewhat unexpected. He didn’t want to enter the gaze of the Real Place for now, so he had quietly left earlier.

That gaze was not intended to follow him but was likely searching for Gu Changge.

“Xian Chu Hao Tu’s matters have mostly come to a close. What remains is just to clean up.”

Gu Changge did not directly choose to kill Chu Gucheng. He considered leaving him alive for a few more days as part of the cleanup.

Then, he broke through space, and his figure vanished once again. When he reappeared, it was on a famous mountain outside Xian Chu Hao Tu.

White Bone Ancestor King, Turbid Wind Evil, and Hun Yuan Jun, among others, had already been waiting here as instructed.

“Take this jade pendant and deliver it to Champion Hou Chu Heng, who is at the border where Xian Chu Hao Tu and the Demon Court are fighting,” Gu Changge said, his hand flashing with light as an ancient, intricate pair of mandarin duck jade pendants appeared. He handed it to White Bone Ancestor King and ordered.

“Yes, Master.” White Bone Ancestor King nodded, taking the jade pendant, and his figure instantly disappeared.

Gu Changge had entrusted the matters of the Xian Ling Civilization to Mu Yan, Ling Huang, and others.

The Heavenly Alliance had not been established for long, and there was still much to be dealt with. Although he had been staying in Xiyuan Civilization during this time, he had been keeping an eye on many matters related to the Xian Ling Civilization.

But it must be said that as the empress of the Lingxu royal family, Ling Huang was not very skilled at managing affairs.

As for the others, such as the Daughter of Destiny, Mu Yan, she didn’t seem to care much about handling the matters of the Fattening Heaven Alliance.

And as for the others, Gu Changge couldn’t trust them at all. Therefore, after the matters on this side were almost resolved, he planned to return to Da Chang Zhenjie and have Yin Mei, the old ancestor of the Gu family, and Jiu Jian Xian handle the affairs of the Fattening Heaven Alliance. While there, he would also bring up the matter of refining the Grand Aspiration Orb.

The Fattening Heaven Alliance already had a foundation in Da Chang Zhenjie, so once they integrated, it would be relatively easy.

The foundational strength of the Zuo Clan, Hun Clan, Wu Clan, and Gou Clan was ultimately not as strong as the immortal Dao lineage of Xiyuan Civilization. With a single ancestral Dao expert, they could easily tip the balance of a war.

Currently, the Fattening Heaven Alliance didn’t even have the embryonic form that would satisfy Gu Changge.

…

Time passed quickly. It had already been half a month since the earth-shattering battle between Xian Chu Hao Tu and Gu Changge.

For Xian Chu Hao Tu, this battle had severely depleted their vitality. In the end, although Chu Gucheng barely managed to survive the eighth Heavenly Decline Calamity once again by relying on the will of all beings and the luck of heaven, the price was incredibly heavy. His Dao fruit was left with almost indelible wounds, and it was unclear how they could heal. Moreover, his master, Fa Sheng, had suffered a severe blow—his Dao fruit shattered, and his cultivation fell. Recovering to his peak would be nearly impossible, requiring tens of thousands of epochs.

Aside from this, Xian Chu Hao Tu had lost many Dao Realm experts in this battle.

For any Dao lineage force, such a loss was unbearable.

The birth of a Dao Realm expert requires not only countless resources and opportunities but also an immense amount of time.

The Dao experts cultivated by Xian Chu Hao Tu in recent years had nearly been wiped out in this battle, with about seventy percent of them perishing. Some others were spared because they were engaged in battles with the Demon Court and Zixiao Mountain on the front lines and could not withdraw to help.

Various visiting guests and dignitaries who had witnessed all of this were somewhat gloating. Xian Chu Hao Tu’s ambition to unify Xiyuan Civilization was probably shattered.

Not only was it shattered, but recovering to its former strength would likely take tens of thousands of epochs.

Although Chu Gucheng had become someone who had crossed the eighth Heavenly Decline Calamity, he had been left with indelible Dao injuries by Gu Changge, making it impossible for him to exert his true power. He was even weaker than when he hadn’t crossed the eighth Heavenly Decline Calamity before.

And his master, Fa Sheng, in order to block that strike for Chu Gucheng, had shattered part of his Dao fruit to escape. As a result, he had fallen in the realm and could never return to his peak.

Now, the visiting guests and dignitaries were all speculating: After this battle, how much foundation does Xian Chu Hao Tu still have?

Not to mention, in order to deal with Gu Changge, Chu Gucheng had sacrificed so many of his people, and countless territories were now forever silent and dimmed. Many people at that moment wondered: Did Chu Gucheng even consider the consequences before making this decision?

If he had known this would be the result, would he have still chosen to oppose Gu Changge? Would he regret his decision?

Even after seizing all the right timing and advantages, they had still suffered severe damage, and their vitality was greatly depleted.

This battle had not brought any benefits to Xian Chu Hao Tu, but had instead become a joke for all to see. Of course, there were still many things about this battle that remained puzzling.

Why had the mysterious old woman from the Yin Xu Cave not intervened from the beginning, watching everything unfold without lifting a finger?

Additionally, the Holy Maiden of Xiyuan had also remained neutral. She had already determined that the leader of the Fattening Heaven Alliance was colluding with the remnants of the Black Calamity, yet she never intervened. Even when Chu Gucheng, Fa Sheng, and others were severely wounded, she still did nothing.

This raised suspicions about her true motives and intentions. However, some believed she had refrained from acting in order to deter Gu Changge, lest he take action against everyone in the imperial capital.

After all, the Holy Maiden of Xiyuan was undeniably powerful, one of the strongest beings in Xian Chu Hao Tu.

Of course, Gu Changge’s strength was also widely recognized, and in the end, his actions had even stirred the attention of the legendary and ethereal Real Place. All the guests and dignitaries who had come to Xian Chu Hao Tu were absolutely certain that, even if they all teamed up, they would never be able to defeat Gu Changge.Many people were relieved that they hadn’t followed Chu Gucheng’s persuasion to charge into battle alongside him.

As for the question of whether the Fattening Heaven Alliance had colluded with the remnants of the Black Calamity, no one could say for sure.

On the other hand, many ministers and citizens of Xian Chu Hao Tu had complex emotions. Although Gu Changge intended to destroy Xian Chu Hao Tu, he ultimately refrained from committing slaughter and instead withdrew. If he truly colluded with the Black Calamity remnants and aimed to bring disaster to Xiyuan Civilization, why would he have shown mercy?

Xian Chu Hao Tu had paid an incredibly heavy price in its attempt to deal with Gu Changge. The actions of the ruler, Chu Gucheng, had left many feeling disheartened.

Half a month after this great battle, various factions in Xiyuan Civilization were still discussing the aftermath. Many were wondering where Gu Changge, the leader of the Fattening Heaven Alliance, had gone. Would there be another major conflict between

Xian Chu Hao Tu and him?

Xian Chu Hao Tu was severely weakened, and the Demon Court was rampaging in its territory. It no longer had the strength to resist as it once did. Not to mention, the power of Zixiao Mountain was far superior to that of the Demon Court.

How would Xian Chu Hao Tu face such problems?

At the same time, some were paying attention to the movements of the Xiyuan Holy Hall. After all, Chu Gucheng had once spoken of an alliance through marriage with the Xiyuan Holy Hall and establishing the Xiyuan Alliance to resist the Black Calamity remnants.

Though Xian Chu Hao Tu had been severely weakened, the Holy Maiden of Xiyuan still stood strong. Her status was unshakable and sacred. If she were to insist on an alliance with Xian Chu Hao Tu and establish the Xiyuan Alliance, the other Dao lineage forces of Xiyuan Civilization would likely have no choice but to follow her lead.

In the following days, many Dao lineage forces kept a watchful eye on Xiyuan Civilization’s movements.

Numerous practitioners from other civilizations and true realms had not yet left Xiyuan Civilization and were closely monitoring the changes in the winds and clouds here.

Xiyuan Civilization, after all, was one of the most renowned and powerful civilizations in the vastness, and its rise and fall would have far-reaching effects on countless surrounding universes, as well as on the ancient and newly emerging true realms.

Naturally, countless beings and practitioners were also paying attention to the Fattening Heaven Alliance.

The strength of its leader, Gu Changge, had terrified and shocked everyone during the battle. Although the Fattening Heaven Alliance had only been established for a few years, it had already made even the immortal families and supreme Dao lineages wary.

Chu Gucheng harbored the ambition to unify Xiyuan Civilization, but the leader of the Fattening Heaven Alliance, Gu Changge, had the ability to do so.

Just this fact alone was enough to unsettle countless Dao lineages, making them consider that forming the Xiyuan Alliance might indeed be a wise decision. Outside, the winds of fate shifted ominously, and the aftermath of the great battle still lingered in Xian Chu Hao Tu. The situation was still far from stable.

The former Grand Tutor, in alliance with numerous officials, had requested an explanation from the ruler, Chu Gucheng. Why had his son-in-law, Champion Hou Chu Heng’s trusted subordinate, Han Feng, been ambushed by Chu Gucheng’s own confidants on his way back to the capital, narrowly escaping death? Who had harmed his daughter, and why was Chu Gucheng covering it up?

This matter had caused a great uproar in the imperial capital of Xian Chu Hao Tu.

Everyone had initially expected some peace after the battle, but one issue after another continued to arise, and the hearts of the people remained unsettled.

The request from the former Grand Tutor had further fueled speculation that it was part of a factional struggle within the Divine General’s faction, with all eyes now turning to them.