I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1269:

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

“Qinglan, how could you do this to me…”

Chu Wushang let out a low growl, his gaze burning with intense hatred. His body shivered as the space in front of him rippled, and he quickly dissolved into the void.

A short while after Chu Wushang’s departure, Uncle Fu emerged once more from the nearby shadows. A look of bitter helplessness crossed his weathered features. With a heavy sigh and a shake of his head, he also vanished into the night.

During this time, within the palace grounds assigned to the Yuxian Palace, Gu Changge sat by candlelight, calmly studying a jade slip.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, he shifted his gaze toward the window.

“Whether the victim can successfully strike back depends entirely on what happens tonight.”

A subtle grin touched his face.

“What do you mean by ‘victim’?”

Abruptly, accompanied by a delicate fragrance, a graceful figure wearing a long, tasseled dress pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Yuxian Shijie, it is quite late for you to be awake. Why have you come to see me at such an hour? It is hardly proper for a man and a woman to be secluded together in the middle of the night.”

Gu Changge looked up at the newcomer and casually set aside the jade slip.

Ling Yuxian walked closer and replied, “I was reflecting on the events of today and found my heart too restless to settle. I came because I needed to ask you something.”

Gu Changge gave a small nod and asked, “What is it? Could it not have been handled during the day? Why raise the issue now?”

Ling Yuxian spoke bluntly, “Because if I do not find the truth, I fear sleep will elude me tonight.”

Gu Changge gave a soft smile. “Then please, Yuxian Shijie, ask away. I promise to be completely honest and hide nothing from you.”

“Why exactly did you come to Yuxian Palace? My initial thought was that you were a reincarnated soul like myself, Cultivating once more. I assumed you stayed at Yuxian Palace to secure the Wheel of Reincarnation. When we formed our alliance, you claimed you intended no harm to the Sect and only wished to take back what belonged to you. Because of that agreement, I promised to assist you as much as I could.”

“However, as time goes on, I find you increasingly incomprehensible. Your thoughts are a mystery, and your true goals remain hidden. I cannot even distinguish your truths from your lies. You have kept far too many secrets. I believed I understood you, but today proved that what you reveal to the world—and to me—is only the smallest fraction of your true self. Who are you really? What is your origin? What do you seek? I realize I know nothing.”

Ling Yuxian’s beautiful eyes remained fixed on Gu Changge, her voice heavy with emphasis.

Ever since she discovered at Chu Gucheng’s birthday feast that Gu Changge was the shadow leader of the Fati Alliance, Ling Yuxian had remained silent toward him. She had waited for him to offer some sort of clarification.

To her frustration, he had simply departed after the banquet, showing no desire to explain himself to her.

This left Ling Yuxian in a state of agitation back at her quarters. She had assumed there was a level of familiarity between them. Despite their occasional friction, they were no longer strangers. Yet, Gu Changge’s demeanor remained as detached and cold as ever, treating her with total indifference. He approached her only when it served his purpose, and once satisfied, he would leave without even a polite word.

Ling Yuxian realized her restlessness wasn't just about his goals; it was because she was constantly obsessing over what Gu Changge actually thought of her.

At first, she intended to discuss the banquet events with her sister, Ling Yuling. However, she lost the will to do so. Her sister had been correct—she should never have been so inquisitive about Gu Changge, nor should she have allowed herself to develop an unexplainable attraction to him.

Regardless, she felt compelled to face him tonight to find a final answer.

Perhaps she was currently experiencing the first love tribulation of her long path of Cultivation. And unfortunately, this tribulation was tied to Gu Changge.

“Yuxian Shijie, why are you suddenly so worked up? Why not sit and enjoy some tea?” Gu Changge looked at her with feigned surprise before standing to pour a cup.

He seemed genuinely puzzled by her emotional outburst and her strange accusations. He didn't understand why she was so disturbed.

In his view, his relationship with Ling Yuxian was merely one of mutual utility. Back at the Sect, he had only grown close to her to facilitate his own agendas.

Ling Yuxian was clever enough to have seen through his motives already. Thus, his friendly facade had mostly been a performance to keep Jing Xiao from interfering.

She had known about the rumors within Yuxian Palace from the start. She had never denied them, but she hadn't confirmed them either.

Both of them understood this silent arrangement. Their bond was built on a foundation of pretense.

After all, Gu Changge had once stood at the peak of existence, weathering endless trials. Even if reincarnation had clouded his memories, there was no reason for a woman like her to lose her composure over such small matters.

Gu Changge felt a sense of inward disdain.

Compared to her sister Ling Yuling, who was as sharp as an old fox, Ling Yuxian was as naive as an untouched scroll. To remain so pure after eons of life was, in Gu Changge’s view, more exotic than a rare flower in a common house.

Ling Yuxian looked at the tea he offered, her lips pressed tight. She knew her behavior tonight was irrational.

Taking a breath to steady herself, she regained her poise and gestured dismissively. “I do not want tea. If I sounded harsh, it is only because I seek the truth.”

“Is this answer truly that vital to you, Yuxian Shijie?” Gu Changge smiled thinly, carrying his own cup toward the window.

The frigid moonlight washed over the courtyard, creating a silver mist that felt strangely biting.

The night within Xian Chu Haotu was exceptionally still.

“It is very important.”

Though she didn't fully grasp his tone, Ling Yuxian answered firmly.

Gu Changge shook his head. “I believe the answer is actually quite trivial. My name, my past, or my motives—none of these things will change anything for you, Yuxian Shijie.”

Ling Yuxian’s eyes locked onto his. “How can you say that? You never mentioned you were the head of the Fati Alliance. Although it is a new power, it has terrified the Xiyuan civilization. Many believe the Fati Alliance is a remnant of the black calamity. People are horrified by the name alone and want it destroyed.”

“Whether the Fati Alliance is linked to the black calamity is irrelevant to Yuxian Palace. I have already stated I have no ill will toward your Sect. If I intended to strike at Yuxian Palace, why would I have bothered to save your sister?”

Gu Changge chuckled. “You might think I did it for the Door of Eternal Life, but I wouldn't have even known your sister possessed it if you hadn't told me.”

Ling Yuxian stood in silence, unable to find a rebuttal. She knew these facts were true.

But was this what she came for?

No, it wasn't.

She simply wanted to know what she meant to him. She wanted to know his feelings toward her. That was the heart of it.

“If you truly fear I will harm Yuxian Palace, you should start preparing against me now. I am not a virtuous man, as you have surely realized,” Gu Changge said with a smirk.

“To avoid future regret when my true nature is revealed, you should act while you can. Though, I personally hope we never reach a day where we must trade blows.”

Looking at the stunned Ling Yuxian, who remained speechless, Gu Changge smiled again.

“The night is late. If there is nothing else, Yuxian Shijie, you should return to your rest.”

With a wave of his hand, a soft, breeze-like force gently ushered Ling Yuxian out of the courtyard.

The door shut with a quiet click, effectively separating their paths.

Ling Yuxian stood outside, dazed, still trying to process his words.

Suddenly, a feeling of deep grievance washed over her. Even knowing he led the Fati Alliance, she had never doubted him for a second, nor did she believe the rumors about the black calamity.

She could never have imagined Gu Changge actually attacking her Sect.

Ling Yuxian didn't even remember walking back to her room. Her sister tried to reach her through a transmission, but she ignored the call.

She sat on her couch, appearing like a hollow shell, lost in a trance.

Having never dealt with a love tribulation before, she finally understood why so many cultivators throughout history were brought to ruin by such emotions, unable to find their way out.

……

Naturally, the chaotic events at Chu Gucheng’s birthday celebration could not be suppressed.

The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the world and the ears of every soul.

It sent shockwaves through the Xiyuan civilization, leaving the entire world in a state of disbelief.

No one could have predicted that a birthday banquet for the ruler of Xian Chu Haotu would trigger such a massive geopolitical shift.

At the border between Xian Chu Haotu and the Demon Court, the leader of Zixiao Mountain, Zhi Wanha, appeared in person. He led his forces to support the Demon Court, engaging the Xian Chu Haotu military in a brutal conflict.

The Heavenly Gods of Xian Chu Haotu were slaughtered on the battlefield.

This news was enough to leave even the strongest cultivators trembling with fear.

On that same day, Zhi Wanha personally delivered a mysterious black coffin to Xian Chu Haotu. From its landing point, a thick black fog erupted, drowning a massive portion of the territory in darkness within hours.

Ancient regions were swallowed whole by this mist, leaving no survivors and no hope.

The tribes and Sects residing there were forced to flee. Even entire star systems were snuffed out by the encroaching darkness as it spread through the vacuum of space.

Total chaos gripped Xian Chu Haotu. As order collapsed, the laws and systems of the empire became entirely useless.

Chu Gucheng immediately ordered his generals and ministers to contain the mist, but his efforts were in vain.

The fog moved with impossible speed, consuming millions of miles in the blink of an eye.

Worlds filled with life were drained of vitality, leaving behind only frozen, silent tombs.

The horrific destruction terrified the various Daoist sects. Many began to believe that Zixiao Mountain had truly joined forces with the remnants of the black calamity, as this was exactly the kind of nightmare that had once plagued the world.

As these rumors intensified, even the most reclusive ancient tribes felt forced to act.

Some groups that were once loyal to Xian Chu Haotu called for a grand coalition. They demanded that the Xiyuan Holy Hall intervene to form an alliance and wipe out Zixiao Mountain, believing them to be agents of the black calamity.

However, amidst this external war, another scandal erupted within the capital of Xian Chu Haotu, shocking every guest in attendance.

Ruler Chu Gucheng was consumed by fury, shattering his palace desk with a single strike of his palm.

His ministers were equally horrified, unable to grasp the magnitude of the disgrace.

On the night of the banquet, an atrocity occurred at the residence of the Marquis Champion. The Marquis's wife was brutally assaulted, and the guards who tried to intervene were all murdered.

Overcome by shame and unable to face her husband, who was currently fighting at the front lines, the wife took her own life in her quarters.

This tragedy sent shockwaves through the capital, causing an uproar among the ruling class.

The wife, Qinglan, was the daughter of the former grand tutor. She had been a legendary beauty in the capital, pursued by many noble Young Masters. It was Chu Gucheng himself who had arranged her marriage to Marquis Champion Chu Heng.

The two had been a perfect couple, known for their mutual devotion. Chu Heng had never taken a second wife, and they were the envy of the city.

No one could believe such a crime could happen during the Emperor's own birthday celebration.

Who would be so insane as to commit such a deed in a city filled with masters, right under the Emperor's nose?

The ministers and foreign dignitaries were left in a state of shock.

The Marquis had just left for the border, and that very night, his wife was violated and driven to suicide?

This was a blatant slap in the face to Xian Chu Haotu. How would the Marquis react when he received this news while leading his troops?

Chu Gucheng’s anger was cold and absolute. He ordered an immediate investigation to find the culprit.

Every guest became a suspect. Powerful experts rushed to the Marquis’s home to search for clues. Unless the perpetrator was an supreme expert, they had to have left some trace of their Qi behind.

Xian Chu Haotu possessed many specialists in divination and tracking, all of whom were now working feverishly.

Friends and allies of the Marquis also swarmed the scene, desperate to find the murderer.

A scandal of this magnitude could not be hidden from the world.

Meanwhile, at the border, Marquis Champion Chu Heng was fighting Zixiao Mountain and the Demon Court when he received the news. He was nearly driven mad by rage, wanting to abandon his post and return to the capital for vengeance.

He couldn't fathom who would do this. It was clearly a calculated move to break his spirit and destabilize the army.

“When I wiped out the Gui Zhun clan, I claimed a pair of Yin-Yang jade. I had the capital's finest smith turn them into mandarin duck pendants—one for me, and one for Qinglan.”

Chu Heng’s eyes were bloodshot and wild. He spoke with a raspy, gutteral voice while sitting atop a blood-eyed wolf beast. He handed his pendant to a loyal subordinate.

“Take this back to the capital. If Qinglan’s pendant still exists, this will allow us to track the killer and show us exactly what happened that night.”