I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 1630. Ling Yuxian’s Love Tribulation, the Tragic Incident that Shook Xian Chu Haotu

“Qinglan, why are you doing this to me…”

Chu Wushang growled, his eyes filled with fierce malice. His figure flickered, and the void before him blurred as he swiftly vanished within it.

After Chu Wushang disappeared for a while, the figure of Uncle Fu reappeared from the nearby darkness. A trace of bitterness and helplessness appeared on his aged face. He sighed, shook his head, and quickly disappeared as well.

At that moment, inside the palace complex where the members of the Yuxian Palace were resting, Gu Changge was holding a candle and flipping through a jade slip.

At that moment, he seemed to have noticed something. He glanced out of the window.

“Whether the sufferer can retaliate successfully depends on tonight.”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

“What do you mean by ‘sufferer’?”

Suddenly, accompanied by a fragrant aroma, a tall figure in a flowing long dress with tassels pushed open the door and entered.

“Yuxian Shijie, it’s late, and you’re not resting. What brings you to find me at this hour? It’s not really appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone at night.”

Gu Changge looked up at the figure approaching, casually closing the jade slip.

Ling Yuxian walked over on her own, saying, “I suddenly thought of something from earlier today, and I couldn’t calm my mind, so I wanted to come and ask you about it.”

Gu Changge nodded slightly and said, “What is it? Couldn’t it have been discussed earlier today? Why bring it up now?”

Ling Yuxian spoke directly, “Because if I don’t get to the bottom of it, I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Gu Changge smiled gently and said, “Then please ask, Yuxian Shijie. I will certainly answer you honestly, without holding anything back.”

“Why did you come to Yuxian Palace? At first, I thought you, like me, were someone who had reincarnated and was cultivating again. You stayed in Yuxian Palace to obtain the Wheel of Reincarnation. When we made our pact, you also said that you meant no harm towards Yuxian Palace and that you were only here to reclaim what was yours. I promised to help you to the best of my ability, as we agreed.”

“But the more time passes, the more I realize that I can’t see through you. I can’t figure out your thoughts, and I can’t tell what your true intentions are. I don’t even know which of the things you’ve told me are sincere and which are false. You’ve hidden too many secrets from me. I thought I understood you well, but today’s events made me realize that what you’ve shown to others, and to me, is merely the tip of the iceberg. Who exactly are you? What is your background? What is your purpose? I have no idea.”

Ling Yuxian’s beautiful eyes stared intently at Gu Changge as she spoke, almost emphasizing each word.

After learning that Gu Changge was the mysterious leader behind the establishment of the Fati Alliance at the birthday banquet of Chu Gucheng, Ling Yuxian hadn’t spoken to him a single word. She had expected Gu Changge to offer some explanation.

But to her surprise, after the banquet, he had simply left, showing no intention of explaining anything to her.

This made Ling Yuxian restless when she returned to her courtyard. She had always thought that she and Gu Changge were familiar with each other. Although they sometimes had disagreements, they were not strangers anymore.But Gu Changge’s attitude towards her remained the same as before, distant and indifferent, coming and going at his whim. He would only approach her when he had a need, and once that need was fulfilled, he wouldn’t even bother to say a few casual words, casually leaving without a second thought.

Ling Yuxian understood that it wasn’t because she wanted to know Gu Changge’s true intentions that she couldn’t sleep, restless in her thoughts. It was because she had been constantly speculating and trying to figure out what Gu Changge truly thought, how he viewed her.

Initially, Ling Yuxian had planned to tell her sister, Ling Yuling, about what happened at the birthday banquet today. But later, she lost interest. Her sister had been right all along—she shouldn’t have been so curious about Gu Changge. She shouldn’t have developed an inexplicable fondness for him because of his actions.

But for whatever reason, tonight, she had to come to find Gu Changge to confirm one answer.

Perhaps she was now facing the first love tribulation of her countless years of cultivation. And this love tribulation just so happened to fall upon Gu Changge.

Should she stay true to herself and remain unshaken? Or should she forget all emotions, drawing her sword to sever the bond?

“Yuxian Shijie, why are you so emotional all of a sudden? Why not sit down and have some tea?” Gu Changge looked at her with slight surprise, then stood up and brewed a cup of tea for her.

Gu Changge was somewhat taken aback by Ling Yuxian’s sudden emotional outburst and the strange words she spoke. He didn’t quite understand why she was so agitated.

He felt that between himself and Ling Yuxian, at most, they were simply using each other. When they were at Yuxian Palace, he had deliberately approached her to make things more convenient for his own plans.

But Ling Yuxian wasn’t foolish; she had already figured out his intentions. So, the act of pretending to be friendly and accommodating was merely to appease Jing Xiao, making her give up.

Ling Yuxian had known the truth about the rumors circulating among the people of Yuxian Palace from the very beginning. She never denied them, but she also never confirmed them.

Both of them were aware of this unspoken understanding. Their relationship had always been a game of pretense.

Could it be that this woman has become so immersed in the act that she thinks I have feelings for her? Or perhaps, she really does have feelings for me?

After all, he had once stood at the pinnacle of the vast world, enduring countless storms and trials. Even though his memories had been somewhat lost due to reincarnation, there was no reason for her to lose control of her emotions over such trivial matters.

Gu Changge couldn’t help but sneer in his mind.

Compared to his older sister, Ling Yuling, who was as cunning as an old fox, Ling Yuxian, this younger sister, was as innocent as a blank sheet of paper. To retain such purity after living for countless years, in Gu Changge’s eyes, was rarer than the most precious of flowers in a brothel.

Ling Yuxian glanced at the tea that Gu Changge had poured, pressing her red lips together. She knew her emotions tonight were somewhat out of place.

At that moment, she calmed herself, tried to regain her composure, and waved her hand. “I don’t need the tea. My tone earlier may have been a bit sharp, but that was because I wanted to get to the bottom of this.”

“This answer… is it really so important to you, Yuxian Shijie?” Gu Changge smiled faintly, lifting his tea cup as he walked towards the window.

The cold moonlight poured down, casting silver mist that rose in the courtyard like a fog, lingering and unusually chilling.

The night in Xian Chu Haotu was even quieter than expected.

“Very important.”

Ling Yuxian didn’t quite understand Gu Changge’s meaning, but still spoke directly.

Gu Changge shook his head and said, “But I think this answer is actually not important. My identity, my background, or my purpose, none of it will affect you, Yuxian Shijie.”

Ling Yuxian’s beautiful eyes locked onto him as she responded, “How could it not affect me? You never mentioned before that you were the mysterious leader behind the Fati Alliance. Although the Fati Alliance hasn’t been established for long, it has already caused great commotion and fear in the Xiyuan civilization. Many cultivators and beings consider the Fati Alliance to be remnants of the black calamity. They are terrified at the mere mention of it and would love nothing more than to destroy it.”

“Whether the Fati Alliance is a remnant of the black calamity or not, it doesn’t matter to Yuxian Palace. I’ve already said that I mean no harm to Yuxian Palace. If I wanted to attack Yuxian Palace, why would I have rescued your sister in the past?”

Gu Changge smiled and said, “Perhaps you think I did it to obtain the Door of Eternal Life, but if you hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t even have known that the Door of Eternal Life was in your sister’s hands.”

Ling Yuxian stood there in a daze, not knowing how to continue asking. She already knew all of this.

But was this the answer she wanted?

No, this was not the answer she sought.

She just wanted to know, during this period, what kind of person she was to Gu Changge. What was his attitude towards her? That was all.

So why did he remain silent on this question? Did he really not care about her?

“If Yuxian Shijie is truly worried that I might do something harmful to Yuxian Palace, then you could take precautions in advance. I’m not a good person, and you should know that by now,” Gu Changge said with a smile.

“To avoid regretting it later after seeing my true face, it’s not too late to act now. Of course, I also don’t wish to see a day when you and I, Yuxian Shijie, will have to cross swords.”

Looking at Ling Yuxian, who was frozen in place and had not spoken for a while, Gu Changge smiled again.

“The night is deep. If you have no other matters, Yuxian Shijie, you should head back and rest.”

With that, a gentle force appeared, like a breeze, and directly sent Ling Yuxian out of the courtyard.

The door quietly closed with a soft creak, seemingly sealing off their worlds.

Ling Yuxian stood there, stunned, as she watched all of this unfold, still unable to fully process Gu Changge’s words.

Suddenly, she felt a wave of grievance. Even though she knew that Gu Changge was the mysterious leader behind the Fati Alliance, she had never once doubted him. Let alone believing the Fati Alliance had anything to do with the remnants of the black calamity.

Ling Yuxian had never imagined that Gu Changge would strike against Yuxian Palace.

But why could he so calmly speak those hurtful words? Did he really not trust her at all? Did he think that she was always suspicious and on guard against him?

Ling Yuxian couldn’t recall how she had returned to her courtyard that night. Her sister, through the Mirror Flower Water Moon communication, had tried to contact her, but she had ignored it.

She sat on the soft couch, as though her soul had left her body, utterly lost in thought.

Ling Yuxian, who had never experienced a love tribulation before, suddenly understood, in that moment, why countless predecessors had spent years stumbling over this tribulation, growing old without being able to fully unravel it.

……

Naturally, the events at the birthday banquet of Chu Gucheng, the ruler of Xian Chu Haotu, couldn’t be kept secret.

From the very first moment, the news spread like wings, reaching every corner of the land and into the ears of countless cultivators and beings.

It caused a great stir in the Xiyuan civilization, and the entire world was shocked.

No one had expected that the day of Chu Gucheng’s birthday banquet would bring about such an unimaginable event, one that would lead to a massive upheaval in the Xiyuan civilization.

At the boundary between Xian Chu Haotu and the Demon Court, the master of Zixiao Mountain, Zhi Wanha, personally descended, leading many strong members of Zixiao Mountain to assist the Demon Court and engage in fierce combat with the Xian Chu Haotu army.

The Heavenly Gods of Xian Chu Haotu were killed on the spot.

This explosive news was enough to leave countless cultivators and beings stunned, shaking them to their core.

On that day, the master of Zixiao Mountain, Zhi Wanha, personally sent the strange black coffin to Xian Chu Haotu. From the place where it fell, an endless black mist spread, engulfing a large portion of Xian Chu Haotu’s territory within half a day.

Many ancient regions were affected, swallowed by the black mist, with all life extinguished and no hope remaining.

The factions and tribes that had lived in these ancient regions were forced to relocate. Along the way, some life star systems were also invaded by the black mist and were extinguished in the vastness of the universe.

Chaos broke out across Xian Chu Haotu. Once order was shattered, the previous rules and systems became completely meaningless, and had no effect whatsoever.

Even though Chu Gucheng immediately sent many ministers and generals to handle the spreading black mist in various regions, it was already too late.

The spread of the black mist was far faster than he had imagined. In an instant, it swallowed up billions of miles of territory.

One life-bearing star after another was consumed by the black mist, as though stripped of all vitality, leaving only desolation, silence, and cold.

The tragic scenes of death and devastation shocked and rattled countless Daoist sects. Moreover, countless cultivators and beings began to suspect that Zixiao Mountain had already allied itself with the remnants of the black calamity. After all, wasn’t this exactly the kind of devastation caused by the black calamity when it once ravaged the world?

With rumors and speculations continuing to spread and ferment, even many ancient and reclusive tribes were shaken and had no choice but to intervene.

Some tribes that had once sworn allegiance to Xian Chu Haotu even called for all the various factions to join forces, requesting the Xiyuan Holy Hall to intervene, form an alliance, and eradicate Zixiao Mountain, a force that was believed to be in cahoots with the remnants of the black calamity, to restore peace across the world.

However, in the midst of all this, another shocking event occurred within the capital of Xian Chu Haotu, one that stunned and shook all the distinguished guests and representatives present.

Ruler Chu Gucheng was enraged beyond measure, slamming his palm down on the palace desk and shattering it into pieces.

The ministers, upon hearing the news, were equally stunned and horrified, unable to believe what had happened.

On the night of the birthday banquet, a tragedy occurred at the Marquis Champion’s residence. The marquis’s wife was brutally violated, and when the servants who went to rescue her arrived, they were all slaughtered.

After the incident, the marquis’s wife, feeling too ashamed to face her husband, who was away leading the army at the border, took her own life with a white ribbon in her residence.

The news of this tragedy shook the entire capital of Xian Chu Haotu, causing a tremendous uproar among the ministers and officials.

The marquis’s wife, Qinglan, was the daughter of the former grand tutor. Many years ago, she became famous throughout the capital, renowned for her beauty, and many young and handsome men had pursued her. Eventually, it was Chu Gucheng himself who intervened and arranged her marriage to Marquis Champion Chu Heng.

Since their marriage, the couple had lived harmoniously, a model of love and respect. Marquis Champion Chu Heng had never taken a concubine, and their relationship had always been admired by the capital.

No one had expected that on the night of Ruler Chu Gucheng’s birthday banquet, such an unimaginable tragedy would occur.

Which rogue would dare be so bold as to commit such a crime in the capital, where experts were plentiful and under the very eyes of the emperor?

Not only the ministers, but even the guests and dignitaries present were struck with disbelief.

The marquis had only just gone off to the border with his troops, and that very night, his wife was violated by a thief and took her own life?

Was this not a direct challenge to Xian Chu Haotu? What would the marquis, leading his troops at the border, think when he heard of this?

Chu Gucheng’s rage intensified, and he immediately dispatched people to investigate. He was determined to uncover the true culprit.

The guests, of course, were also suspected and became part of the investigation. Some powerful individuals immediately rushed to the Marquis Champion’s residence, intending to trace the events of that night. As long as the thief’s strength wasn’t too out of the ordinary, there should be some trace left behind.

Xian Chu Haotu was home to many powerful individuals skilled in deduction and tracking, and many of them were already hard at work.

Many officials and generals who had close relations with the marquis also hurried to the scene, determined to conduct a thorough investigation and find the true murderer.

Such a major incident in Xian Chu Haotu could not remain concealed.

Meanwhile, Marquis Champion Chu Heng, who was leading his forces to the border to fight against Zixiao Mountain and the Demon Court, was equally furious. He wanted nothing more than to return to the capital immediately and avenge his wife.

He had no idea who he had offended. But this was clearly a deliberate plot against him, to disrupt his mindset and throw his forces into disarray.

“When I was exterminating the Gui Zhun clan, I obtained a pair of Yin-Yang jade. Later, I asked the master craftsman in the capital to fashion them into a pair of mandarin duck jade pendants—one for me and one for Qinglan.”

Chu Heng’s eyes, bloodshot and filled with fury, glared as he spoke hoarsely, sitting atop a fierce ancient beast that resembled a wolf, its blood-red eyes gleaming. He handed a jade pendant to his trusted aide.

“You take this jade pendant back to the capital. As long as Qinglan’s pendant still exists, it will certainly allow us to trace and recreate the scene of her violation.”

“Yes, my lord. No matter the cost, I will uncover the truth behind the death of the madam,” his aide replied, taking the jade pendant and immediately disappearing into the void.

Chu Heng’s eyes shifted to the distant border, where a thick, oppressive air of blood and slaughter seemed to rise into the sky.

The Demon Court’s massive army and the cultivators of Zixiao Mountain were advancing, darkening the horizon with their overwhelming force. The sight alone was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.

Like an ancient warship vast as an ocean, it cut across the universe, tearing through the heavens and bringing forth a terrifying abyss, thick with overwhelming demonic energy. Countless troops surged out from within, advancing step by step, relentlessly closing in.

“Kill!”

Marquis Champion Chu Heng roared with fury, leading his forces, charging forward at the frontlines. He intended to release all the pent-up frustration and anger in his heart right there, at that moment.