I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1271:

1632. The darkened essence of flesh and blood, dealing with the Saintess of Xiyuan.

“If things go as planned, Chu Gucheng will likely visit the Champion Marquis Mansion personally to offer his condolences very soon.”

“The Champion Marquis, Chu Heng, is currently occupied on the front lines, fighting the armies of the Demon Court and Purple Cloud Mountain. He is unable to return and investigate the circumstances of his wife’s passing. Foreseeing this, Chu Gucheng guessed that Chu Heng would dispatch a loyal subordinate instead. Consequently, he has already sent his dark guards to ambush them…”

Disguised as Old Fu, the Eternal Spirit gave a respectful report to Gu Changge, detailing the events the real Old Fu had witnessed.

Gu Changge gave a slight nod and a thin smile. “Chu Gucheng is far more clever and cold-blooded than I anticipated, but this suits my purposes perfectly.”

“Find a way to leak this information to Chu Bai. Having served under Champion Marquis Chu Heng for a time, he carries a deep-seated grudge against Chu Gucheng. He ought to know precisely what move to make now.”

His instructions were directed toward the Spirit of the Scavenger Book.

The Sun-shooting Bow in Chu Bai’s possession had been forged by Gu Changge using chaotic materials pulled from the River of Fate. During its creation, he had the Spirit of the Scavenger Book embed a fragment of her Dao Body within it, masquerading as the weapon’s innate companion spirit.

One could say the entire war between the Demon Court and the Immortal Chu Haotu was ignited because of that Sun-shooting Bow.

“I understand.”

The Spirit of the Scavenger Book nodded. Her misty, nebulous form drifted through the air like smoke, lacking a solid shape.

She had been a witness to Gu Changge’s strategies during this period. Without even drawing a blade, he had pushed the massive Immortal Chu Haotu into a desperate corner.

She reflected that if her own former kingdom had encountered an adversary like Gu Changge, their fate would likely have been the same as the Immortal Chu Haotu’s.

An enemy of this caliber was terrifying beyond words, leaving one shivering with a sense of impending dread.

“Don’t worry, I will uphold my end of our bargain. Once this business is concluded, I will fulfill my promise,” Gu Changge remarked with a faint smile, seemingly sensing the Spirit’s inner turmoil.

Though he never pried into her past, Gu Changge was aware of her desire to leave the Scavenger Book, regain her autonomy, and take vengeance on those who had imprisoned her.

While Gu Changge possessed the power to liberate her and reconstruct her physical form now, he chose not to. Her current state as the Spirit of the Scavenger Book was far more advantageous to his goals.

Once she no longer served a significant purpose, he would indeed grant her freedom, as Gu Changge was not one to break his word.

“I believe you, naturally.”

The Spirit of the Scavenger Book gave a nod. She realized she had no alternative but to place her faith in him. Even though events were proceeding according to Gu Changge’s design, completely toppling the vast Immortal Chu Haotu would not be a simple feat.

Despite the relentless assault from the Demon Court and Purple Cloud Mountain, the actual damage to the Immortal Chu Haotu remained limited. To date, only a single Heavenly God General had fallen. Other deities sent to the front had merely retreated with heavy wounds, and various Dao-level entities proved difficult to pin down, capable of vanishing into the folds of space and time upon defeat.

In truth, Dao-level cultivators were the true arbiters of such a conflict. Frankly speaking, lower-level beings were nothing more than cannon fodder in a war of this scale. Even those at the rank of Immortal King or quasi-Immortal Emperor were merely slightly more significant casualties.

Only the Immortal Emperors or those with higher Dao attainment were the decisive factors in securing victory. Although the Demon Court utilized the Soul-devouring Ancient Formation provided by Gu Changge, it required the mass sacrifice of demon creatures to reach its peak lethality.

These sacrificed demons were essentially tools used to wear down the enemy’s vitality and could not fundamentally shift the tide of battle on their own.

Initially, the Demon Court caught the Immortal Chu Haotu off guard with the Soul-devouring Ancient Formation, but that was only because few Dao-level experts were involved at the start. Had there been enough such experts, they could have shattered the array through sheer, overwhelming power.

One had to acknowledge that the foundation of the Immortal Chu Haotu was formidable. Their tally of Dao-level experts exceeded that of most other immortal Dao lineages. This was why even after Purple Cloud Mountain joined the fray, the Immortal Chu Haotu had not suffered a catastrophic collapse.

Furthermore, other Dao lineages within the Xiyuan civilization were still observing from the sidelines. Neither the Demon Court nor Purple Cloud Mountain dared to commit their full strength, needing to keep reserves to protect their own Sect gates and ancestral grounds.

Currently, the Immortal Chu Haotu was even attempting to rally other factions to suppress Purple Cloud Mountain, under the pretext that they were conspiring with the remnants of the Black Calamity.

Gu Changge found himself intrigued by one detail: how had Zi Wanhe managed to obtain a counterfeit of the Burial World Coffin?

Inside that dark casket, corrupted blood essence tainted by dark matter was sealed. While it might remain hidden from others, it was unmistakable to Gu Changge.

The dark haze currently drifting through the Immortal Chu Haotu was being released by that corrupted essence, though it wasn't pure dark matter.

The disparity between the two was as vast as the difference between the replica and the genuine Burial World Coffin.

This caused Gu Changge to wonder if, throughout the long eras, certain Dao forces had been trying to emulate him, attempting to reconstruct dark origin matter and revive the Tian Organization.

Alternatively, it could be the handiwork of the actual Black Calamity remnants.

It appeared Zi Wanhe, the master of Purple Cloud Mountain, had already established secret ties with those remnants.

Even though the Black Calamity remnants originated from the Tian Organization, they held no real connection to Gu Changge. He had no intention of letting such an entity persist.

In his vision, the Tian Organization was a relic of a bygone age. It was meant to be a name buried in the dust of history, destroyed by the turning of the eras.

Yet, the Black Calamity remnants continued to operate in various sectors, infiltrating different Dao lineages, civilizations, and nations.

This was a development Gu Changge hadn't entirely expected.

As the former head of the Tian Organization, he had assumed that after his fall and subsequent imprisonment, the organization would have been wiped out by the combined forces of various nations and civilizations.

He hadn't designed the Tian Organization to last as a backup plan. In fact, its very purpose was to eventually be annihilated.

One could say the Tian Organization was marked for destruction from the moment it was founded.

Gu Changge decided that after dealing with the Immortal Chu Haotu, he would investigate these lingering Black Calamity remnants. They might still prove useful to him.

...

“I am entrusting this Easy Fetal Creation Grand Pill to you. You have always been sharp; you should know how to handle this.”

“Furthermore, out of respect for me, the Saintess of Xiyuan previously allowed you to reside at the Xiyuan Holy Hall. Your approach should not trigger any alarms.”

Inside the depths of the Immortal Chu Haotu’s palace, Chu Gucheng and his daughter, Chu Xinyue, were engaged in a secret meeting.

Chu Gucheng produced the Easy Fetal Creation Grand Pill from a silk pouch. The pill was as large as a fist and shimmered with a mystical, hazy light. It seemed to pulse with a glow that could theoretically alter the nature of any being in the heavens.

“Father, do not worry. I understand my task. I have already discussed the intricate secrets of the Easy Fetal Creation Grand Pill with Senior Xing Ying. I promise there will be no errors.”

Chu Xinyue gave a solemn nod as she accepted the pill, storing it away with great care.

Satisfied, Chu Gucheng noted, “This matter must remain strictly confidential. No one can know. We only need three days. After that, the fortunes of the Immortal Chu Haotu will be reversed.”

“From that point forward, the Chu family will dominate the entire Xiyuan Civilization.”

“I understand, Father.”

Recognizing the gravity of the plan, Chu Xinyue nodded seriously.

After a momentary hesitation, she asked, “Father, about the Champion Marquis Mansion... was it really Big Brother...?”

The news had initially stunned her; she couldn't imagine anyone being so reckless. However, after considering the morning’s events at the palace, she couldn't help but harbor dark suspicions.

Chu Gucheng’s smile faded at her question. He massaged his temples and replied, “It is better if you do not ask about that. You must have faith in your brother. Wu Shang is disciplined and mature; he would never act in a way that would damage our grand design.”

Chu Xinyue took the hint immediately. With a serious expression, she agreed, “I see, Father. I have always trusted Big Brother. I am sure he has his reasons for whatever he does.”

Chu Gucheng smiled in approval. “Then I shall take my leave, Father.”

Chu Xinyue departed quickly. Despite her calm exterior, her mind was in turmoil. She found it hard to believe that her composed brother, Chu Wushang, was responsible for the previous night's events.

She was deeply confused. In their youth, she had often followed him. Back then, her brother and Qinglan, the wife of the Champion Marquis, were incredibly close—childhood sweethearts whom everyone expected to marry.

But destiny had other plans. It seemed that even after all this time, her elder brother had never truly moved on.

Outside the palace, Ouyang Ji, the Young Master of the Carefree Heavenly Palace, was waiting. Seeing her emerge with a look of concern, he stepped forward. “Xinyue, is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing, I was just lost in my own thoughts,” Chu Xinyue answered, glancing at him before shaking off her distraction.

Accustomed to her cool demeanor, Ouyang Ji smiled. “As long as you're alright. After you spoke to me last night, I reached out to my father in the Xudan Civilization regarding the situation here.”

“He was deeply moved and furious. He has already dispatched several powerful Elders from our palace to reinforce the Immortal Chu Haotu. Even an Ancestor from the Ancestor Dao realm is on his way and should arrive shortly.”

An Ancestor Dao figure was the bedrock of an immortal Dao lineage, rarely leaving their ancestral lands. In both the Supreme Realm and the Cangmang Realm, such beings held power far beyond standard Dao-level experts.

Sending such a figure was a clear sign of how much the Carefree Heavenly Palace valued their alliance.

A look of genuine joy crossed Chu Xinyue’s face as she thanked him. “Thank you, Ji Lang. With the support of the Carefree Heavenly Palace, our nation will surely survive this. Once this is over, my father will certainly finalize our marriage, and no one will be able to object.”

Ouyang Ji smiled warmly. “Xinyue, there is no need for such formalities between us.”

While the Carefree Heavenly Palace wasn’t the absolute peak power of the Xudan Realm, its heritage was deep. At its height, it could rival the greatest immortal lineages.

Usually, a woman would be touched by Ouyang Ji’s devotion, but Chu Xinyue was different.

While she acted moved, she secretly viewed him as weak. He had fallen for her far too quickly, governed by his emotions rather than strength.

Had he shown more competence, she might have seriously considered the marriage. But now, she planned to discard him as soon as her goals were met.

“I am going to visit the Saintess of Xiyuan to ask about the Heavenly Extermination Alliance. Would you like to accompany me, Ji Lang?” she asked with a calm smile.

“The Saintess of Xiyuan?”

Ouyang Ji hesitated, then shook his head. “You should handle that yourself. I’ve heard she has a difficult temperament and has been turning everyone away lately. I’d rather not go just to be snubbed.”

Chu Xinyue smiled, unsurprised. The Saintess was indeed formidable; even her father struggled to get an audience. However, because the Saintess had allowed her to stay at the Holy Hall in her youth, Chu Xinyue felt confident she would be received.

After leaving Ouyang Ji, she headed toward the Saintess’s pavilion. Along the way, she secretly consumed the Easy Fetal Creation Grand Pill. A strange, misty sensation began to wrap around her soul.

She could feel a peculiar aura manifesting with every breath. With just a thought, she could perceive the movements and presence of everyone in her vicinity.

“So this is the formless illusion Senior Xing Ying mentioned...”

She was stunned by the mystical sensation of being able to transform into anyone at will. This wasn't just a physical change; it altered her aura and even her perceived fate—aspects that were normally impossible to fake.

She could effectively steal someone’s identity. The pill had its limits, of course—it could mirror a person's Cultivation aura but couldn't grant their actual power. In a real fight, she would be exposed.

But Chu Xinyue wasn't concerned. Her target was the Saintess of Xiyuan; who would be bold enough to attack her?

Meanwhile, in a different courtyard, a jade talisman in Gu Changge’s hand glowed softly as Ouyang Ji’s voice came through.

“Young Master Gu, Chu Gucheng and Chu Xinyue are plotting against the Saintess of Xiyuan. I am unsure of their exact method, but Chu Xinyue seemed extremely confident. If they succeed, the power balance in the Xiyuan civilization could shift drastically. She is on her way to see her now...”

“A plot against the Saintess of Xiyuan?”

Gu Changge toyed with the talisman, reflecting on the news.

The Saintess possessed the Reincarnation Mirror and was an expert in divination. It seemed unlikely she wouldn't foresee such a threat.

However, Gu Changge knew that even the best plans could have flaws. Despite her talents, the Saintess was not infallible.

“In that case, I am interested to see what Chu Gucheng has planned,” Gu Changge murmured with a light chuckle.

He pocketed the talisman and stood up, making his way toward the Saintess’s residence.

He had no plans to leave the Immortal Chu Haotu yet. Besides, with Chu Gucheng’s frantic search for the culprit, most guests were currently barred from leaving anyway.

At the same time, on the border between the Immortal Chu Haotu and the Demon Court, a thick, suffocating demonic aura began to flood the heavens, sweeping across the entire universe.