I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1257:

Gu Changge looked at Ling Yuxian with a trace of astonishment before saying playfully, "What is this? Is Senior Sister Yuxian attempting to dictate who I am permitted to see?"

Ling Yuxian had reacted on impulse, and as the realization hit her, her face reddened with slight embarrassment. Still, she maintained her composure and gave a stiff nod. "It was merely curiosity. If Senior Brother Gu prefers to keep it secret, then let us drop the subject."

"Is that so?" Gu Changge’s eyes trailed over her features as he gave a light chuckle. "It is simply that I once rescued an old friend while in the Southern Wilderness Ancient Domain, and I am paying them a visit now. To be clear, it is not a woman, but a gentleman well over seventy years of age."

Ling Yuxian sensed the mockery in his grin and wondered why he felt the need to clarify the gender of his acquaintance. Nevertheless, the fact that Gu Changge had bothered to explain himself sparked a strange, conflicting emotion within her. She felt a sense of relief, yet a new, unfamiliar sensation began to stir in her heart.

"I understand. On another note, I intend to visit Saintess Xiyuan tomorrow morning. I have received word that she has reached the capital of Xianchu Haotu. I was wondering if Senior Brother Gu might have the time to go with me?" Ling Yuxian asked, finally reaching her main point.

Gu Changge was surprised to learn she had been waiting for him specifically for this reason. Truthfully, he had already planned to meet Xiyuan, the reigning Saintess of the Xiyuan Sacred Hall, particularly because she was in possession of the Reincarnation Mirror—a legendary artifact of the Primordial Civilization.

Currently, Gu Changge was preoccupied with many schemes, yet he found it curious that Ling Yuxian had chosen him as her companion. Was it possible that the Yuxian Palace and the Xiyuan Sacred Hall—both having links to the Black Calamity Era—wanted the Saintess to probe his true background?

"Was it your sister, Ling Yuling, who instructed you to find me?" Gu Changge asked with a knowing smile.

Ling Yuxian was taken aback, shocked that he had deduced the truth so easily. Unable to craft a lie, she could only nod her head in confirmation.

"Since Senior Sister Yuxian has offered such a sincere invitation, how could I possibly turn you down?" Gu Changge smiled. "We shall depart together tomorrow morning."

He gave a brief nod and, without waiting for her to speak again, walked past her to return to his private residence.

Ling Yuxian remained at the gate, frozen for a moment. Her brow furrowed as she sensed an odd dynamic between her sister and Gu Changge. How had he known the request came from Ling Yuling?

With so many Elders present from the Yuxian Palace, why was it so vital for Gu Changge to accompany her to see the Saintess? Did his identity have some hidden connection to the Xiyuan Sacred Hall?

Plagued by these questions, Ling Yuxian stared at the shut doors of Gu Changge’s courtyard before eventually turning away.

"And yet, the man didn't even offer me a cup of tea?" she grumbled softly to herself, the fluttering emotions from earlier instantly replaced by annoyance.

The following morning, at a serene pavilion nestled by the water, the atmosphere was thick with an ethereal charm. Surrounded by lush bamboo, ancient pines, and twisting vines, the green lake was shrouded in drifting mist. Between the stone pathways and the structures, radiant lights shimmered and celestial fog rose, making the area look like a true immortal paradise.

Saintess Xiyuan sat in a meditative posture upon a large blue stone, her eyes shut as she drew in the essence of the morning sun. Radiant threads of divine light danced around her, bathing her in a gentle glow. Her long black hair swayed slightly, and her perfect face—partially obscured by a veil—seemed both transcendent and ghostly in the hazy light.

"Saintess, more visitors have arrived from the Yuxian Palace. A young man and woman are requesting an audience," a young maid hurried over to announce.

Without opening her eyes, Saintess Xiyuan replied in a voice devoid of emotion, "For the time being, I will see no one. Turn them all away."

She held an incredibly prestigious position within the Xiyuan Civilization. Ever since her public appearance the day before, she had been besieged by guests, including envoys from the Rulai Buddha Kingdom and the Guangming Temple. Out of necessity, she had declined them all. Most other Cultivators understood the gap in their status and did not dare to intrude.

"But the lady insisted the matter is of great urgency and requires a face-to-face meeting," the maid added quickly.

"Urgent?" Saintess Xiyuan opened her eyes. After a moment of thought, she began to perform a divination. Her slender, pale fingers moved with grace, appearing to manipulate the very laws and order of the universe.

"I am unable to trace the origins of these two individuals; how curious."

"People from Yuxian Palace?"

She recalled the recent turmoil in the Shengyang Ancient Domain involving the Sheng Clan, who were closely tied to the Palace. Could there be a connection?

Her expression shifted slightly as she commanded, "Bring them in."

"As you wish, Saintess." The maid bowed and retreated from the pavilion.

Saintess Xiyuan watched the maid leave as her thoughts grew heavy. She stood up, stepping off the blue stone.

"After departing the Sacred Hall, I utilized the Reincarnation Mirror to peer into the fate of Xianchu Haotu. The visions have shifted significantly. Is there an unknown variable manipulating the destiny of this land?"

She felt as though an impenetrable fog was masking the river of fate, making it fluctuate between clarity and shadow. However, the Reincarnation Mirror still allowed her to witness fragmented glimpses of what was to come.

Regardless of how many times she consulted the mirror, the ultimate downfall of Xianchu Haotu seemed inevitable. The only thing that changed was the timeline of its collapse.

While lost in these thoughts, Gu Changge and Ling Yuxian arrived at the pavilion, guided by the maid.

"It seems gaining an audience with Saintess Xiyuan is no small feat," Ling Yuxian remarked with a hint of irritation.

She was technically of the same generation as the founder of the Sacred Hall, so being forced to wait for a maid’s approval to see the current Saintess bruised her pride slightly.

Gu Changge remained silent, unbothered by the protocol. His goal was simply to verify a suspicion. Before arriving in this civilization, he had felt as though someone was attempting to calculate his path, a subtle thread of karma tugging at him.

Through that link, he had caught glimpses of various futures. Each vision was different, as if a third party was constantly testing and altering the timeline to find a specific result.

"Only a supreme artifact like the Reincarnation Mirror could simulate the future with such precision..." Gu Changge mused, his eyes landing on the elegant woman standing at the edge of the pavilion.

"Hmm?"

Saintess Xiyuan noticed her guests immediately. She paid no mind to Ling Yuxian, her focus locking entirely onto Gu Changge. In that moment, a staggering sense of familiarity washed over her.

The thousands of images she had seen in the Reincarnation Mirror’s simulations flooded her mind like a rapid montage.

"How can this be?"

Her calm demeanor shattered into shock. Though she had never seen Gu Changge’s physical form clearly in her visions, his aura and silhouette were unmistakable to her.

She stood there, stunned by the impossibility of the situation.

She had run hundreds of simulations, yet why was she encountering him in the flesh right now, in this manner?

Could the shadow responsible for the ruin of Xianchu Haotu really be standing before her so openly?

Their eyes met across the space, and she saw the glint of amusement in his expression.

Saintess Xiyuan forced herself to regain her composure, hiding her alarm. Though this was their first real meeting, the simulations had taught her just how dangerous and enigmatic this man was. She could not afford to show any weakness.

"Are you and the Saintess perhaps old friends, Senior Brother Gu?"

Ling Yuxian, seeing the visible shock on Xiyuan’s face, turned to Gu Changge with a confused look.

"We are not old acquaintances. This is my first time meeting Saintess Xiyuan, and yet, I feel as though I have seen her in a dream," Gu Changge answered smoothly, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

Saintess Xiyuan heard every word of their exchange. She specifically noted Ling Yuxian’s use of the name "Senior Brother Gu."

In her simulations, the only identifiers she had for him were the surname 'Gu' and his leadership of a group known as the Fatiang Alliance.

Seeing him now, she was certain he was the man from her visions.

"In a dream?"

Ling Yuxian felt a pang of discomfort, wondering if Gu Changge was simply using a clever line to flirt.

She looked closely at Saintess Xiyuan, whose beauty was legendary. The Saintess was easily her equal in grace and form. Rumors depicted her as a cold, sacred being, completely detached from the mortal world, like untouched snow.

"This young gentleman truly does seem like someone from a dream. At first sight, it feels as if we are long-lost friends," Saintess Xiyuan spoke, her voice soft with the hint of a smile behind her veil.

Ling Yuxian was baffled, unable to tell if the Saintess was being sarcastic or genuine. For such a distant and holy figure to say something so suggestive upon meeting someone for the first time made her wonder—had they actually met before?

"An old friend? That is a perfect description. I feel the exact same way," Gu Changge said with a grin.

Saintess Xiyuan smiled back and gestured with a jade-like hand for them to enter the pavilion. She turned to her attendant and said, "Prepare the tea."

On the surface, she was the picture of grace, but internally, her mind was in turmoil.

She only knew of him because of the Reincarnation Mirror—how could he possibly claim to have seen her before?

This went far beyond anything she had foreseen.