I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1274:

1635. A New Trial for the Xi Yuan Shengnv, or a Treacherous Hongmen Banquet?

Mist drifted through the pavilion like a translucent shroud, swirling softly in the breeze. Within this ethereal haze, the silhouette of the Xi Yuan Shengnv slowly became clear, her waist so slender it seemed a single hand could encircle it.

With Chu Xin Yue’s departure, the pavilion was left occupied only by her and Gu Changge.

The Shengnv had been startled by Gu Changge’s audacious entrance; his casual air suggested he held her in little esteem. Yet, their previous encounter had taught her a harsh lesson—his Cultivation far surpassed her own.

She understood that defying him directly was unwise. Despite the irritation simmering in her heart, she kept her expression neutral, quickly regaining her characteristic poise. Behind the fluttering veil, she sat gracefully, her slender fingers tracing the rim of a wine cup.

“Master Gu, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?” the Xi Yuan Shengnv inquired, her tone flat and detached.

“Must there be a reason for me to drop by?” Gu Changge replied with a thin smile, adjusting his robes as he took a seat opposite her.

The Xi Yuan Shengnv studied him, unable to penetrate his inscrutable thoughts.

Her previous attempt to manipulate him through seduction had ended in a humiliating defeat, leaving her confidence shaken. Though she had witnessed his temperament and preferences through countless simulations in the Mirror of Reincarnation, she was acutely aware that a simulated future was not the same as the present reality.

In those visions, her death was of no consequence. Here, in the physical world, any fatal mistake would be final. Facing an entity as enigmatic and formidable as Gu Changge made her feel restricted, unable to leverage her usual strengths.

Gu Changge’s casual remark caused her to lapse into silence, her mind racing with new calculations.

She realized her initial approach had been too forced and transparent, allowing him to see right through her act. While he had previously threatened her, he had stopped short of actually harming her.

“Master Gu, if you have business, please be blunt. A man of your standing does not move without purpose,” she said, her voice regaining its calm as she focused on the present.

Gu Changge gave a slight shake of his head. “It appears the Shengnv remains wary of me. I had hoped our last meeting would have cleared some of those misconceptions.”

The Shengnv’s face clouded over at his words. Her grip tightened around the delicate wine cup.

The mere mention of that day brought back the stinging memory of being tossed onto the bed like common baggage. In that moment, her persona as a serene, untouchable figure had been utterly demolished.

More importantly, she had been genuinely terrified that Gu Changge intended to violate her dignity.

“Master Gu is known for his kindness and gentle nature; how could I possibly harbor any prejudice?” she said through gritted teeth, forcing a natural tone.

Gu Changge let out a short laugh. “And yet, who was it that just tried to bar my entry?”

Finding herself without a retort, the Xi Yuan Shengnv fell silent. She began to sip her wine behind the gauze veil. Without her usual face covering, her movements were less refined, almost as if she were using the cup to shield herself from his gaze.

Gu Changge remained unbothered.

He had come primarily to observe how the Immortal Chu Hao Tu intended to handle the Shengnv and what schemes they were brewing.

When Chu Xin Yue had exited earlier, her eyes betrayed a deep internal struggle. It was obvious to him that once the Immortal Chu Hao Tu dealt with the Shengnv, he would be their next target.

Still, the specifics of Chu Xin Yue’s plan remained a mystery to him.

If the Immortal Chu Hao Tu thought they could simply charm or manipulate the Xi Yuan Shengnv, they were gravely underestimating her resolve.

He knew she had used the Mirror of Reincarnation to peer into the threads of fate. She was far too intelligent to be a mere puppet for the Chu family.

“Rumor has it that the Immortal Chu Hao Tu is preparing to move against you,” Gu Changge remarked, watching her through the mist with a faint, knowing grin.

The Shengnv froze, her hand pausing mid-air with the wine cup.

She doubted the Immortal Chu Hao Tu possessed the gall for such a move. But hearing the warning from Gu Changge’s lips made her wonder if he was genuinely trying to alert her.

Then again, in her mind, Gu Changge was just as dangerous as Chu Hao Tu.

“Is that so?” she whispered, her lips parting into a small, playful smile. She set the cup down and stretched her limbs with a languid grace, appearing more relaxed and provocative.

“I didn’t realize Master Gu took such an active interest in my well-being. It almost sounds like you care,” she teased.

“Care might be too strong a word,” Gu Changge countered smoothly. “I simply dislike seeing my potential plans disrupted by the Immortal Chu Hao Tu’s clumsy scheming. If they get their hands on you, it complicates things for me.”

The Xi Yuan Shengnv rose, her pale hand parting the gauze. She stepped toward him, her smile widening. “But how am I to know that you aren’t the one weaving the web, Master Gu?”

Gu Changge watched her with amusement. “My intentions shouldn’t concern you. All you need to remember is that if I wanted you gone, I wouldn’t have let you leave that room last time.”

The Shengnv’s eyes glittered like a sea of stars. She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and gave him a coy look. “Master Gu, your words are quite cruel. Here I am, showing you rare favor, and you respond with such coldness.”

Gu Changge’s expression didn't flicker. “I warned you before. Unless you can truly master the art of seduction, do not test it on me. There won't be a second warning.”

“Are you curious if I was merely bluffing?” As the words left his mouth, the air between them warped. His hand moved with blinding speed.

The surrounding space seemed to crystallize under the pressure of spreading Dao patterns.

Expecting a physical strike, the Xi Yuan Shengnv raised her hand to intercept him, a confident smile on her face.

However, Gu Changge’s palm bypassed her defense. Using the distorted laws of space, he instantly clamped his hand onto her delicate, supple wrist.

“What is the meaning of this, Master Gu?” she asked. Though she appeared to be in her original spot, she had actually been pulled directly in front of him.

She maintained her smile, leaning her body closer to him while offering her captured wrist to his gaze.

“Stop these tests. You aren't built for this kind of play. Perhaps if you were more assertive, I might actually find you intriguing,” Gu Changge said.

He released her wrist abruptly and sat back. He was genuinely surprised that she was still trying to use such transparent tactics after his previous threats. He wondered what she had seen in the Reincarnation Mirror that convinced her a simple beauty trap would work on him.

To an ordinary man, she might be a goddess. To Gu Changge, she was merely a configuration of flesh and bone, no different from anyone else.

The Shengnv’s playful mask vanished, replaced by her usual icy demeanor. “It seems my beauty is insufficient to move Master Gu’s heart today.”

The exchange had confirmed what she suspected.

Her previous methods were flawed. Gu Changge was not a man who could be led by his desires.

This realization left her at a crossroads.

In the mirror, he was a monster of pure whim and cruelty. Yet, in reality, there was no immediate conflict between her Saintess Hall and his Heavenly Alliance.

She felt a sudden urge to return to her sect and consult the Reincarnation Mirror once more to chart a new path.

“This is a golden decree, etched with my divine signature. If you find yourself in a dire situation, you can activate it,” Gu Changge said.

“So long as you are within the borders of the Immortal Chu Hao Tu, I can reach you.”

With a flick of his wrist, a shimmering golden page appeared, radiating vast, ancient power. The complex patterns on the surface seemed to hum with the strength of the cosmos. After leaving the artifact suspended in the air, Gu Changge stood and walked away.

By the time the Shengnv regained her focus to speak, he had already vanished into thin air.

“Why give me this? Does he know something I don't?” she wondered, staring at the golden paper with deep skepticism. She couldn't fathom why he would suddenly show such concern.

She suspected a hidden trap within the gift.

She picked up the page, noting its gossamer-thin texture. The material was unknown to her, and the markings weren't standard script but obscure totems resembling the sacrificial rites of the primordial era.

She could feel the staggering power contained within, a force that made her heart race. It was a defensive treasure of the highest order, likely capable of repelling even a seasoned Grand Dao expert.

Still, given her own level of Cultivation, most Dao Realm practitioners weren't a threat to her anyway.

While this would be a priceless life-saving treasure for a common cultivator, to her, it felt like a mere bauble.

“Is he mocking me? Does he think I’m so weak that I’ll need to beg for his help? How arrogant,” she muttered, her teeth grinding in annoyance as she tried to decipher his true motives.

Unable to find a clear answer, she worried that there might be a hidden tracking seal she couldn't detect.

To be safe, she layered several powerful restrictive seals over the golden page and stowed it deep within her Xumi space, buried under other ancient artifacts. Only then did her anxiety ease.

Over the next two days, Chu Xin Yue visited frequently, acting the part of a diligent student seeking guidance on her Cultivation.

Wary of Gu Changge’s warning, the Shengnv kept a close eye on her, searching for any signs of betrayal from the Immortal Chu Hao Tu.

However, Chu Xin Yue remained perfectly respectful, never crossing the line or mentioning her family’s interests. She seemed entirely focused on her path of Dao.

This only deepened the Shengnv’s confusion. On the third day, however, the dynamic shifted. After their usual lesson, Chu Xin Yue revealed that her father, Chu Gucheng, had organized a feast for that evening. He had invited Elder Jin and wished for the Shengnv to attend as well.

The stated goal was reconciliation. Chu Gucheng wanted to mend the rift between the Shengnv and Elder Jin that had formed during the birthday celebrations. He argued that since the friction occurred under his roof, he felt responsible. Furthermore, he reminded her that Elder Jin was a respected figure who shared a history with her own master, Elder Xi Nu.

As the prized pupil of Elder Xi Nu, it would be improper for her to remain at odds with such a venerable senior.

Though she had no desire to go, the Shengnv realized that refusing would be a massive slight to Elder Jin. Severing ties with such an influential figure of the Cang Mang realm would reflect poorly on her master.

After a moment of deliberation, she gave her consent.

“Wonderful. I shall inform my father at once. He will be relieved to see this matter settled,” Chu Xin Yue said with a bright smile before quickly departing.

The Xi Yuan Shengnv watched her go, a faint sense of dread beginning to take root in her heart. Something felt inherently wrong, though she couldn't name it.

She doubted the Immortal Chu Hao Tu would be suicidal enough to harm her. If they did, the Saintess Hall and the rest of the Xi Yuan civilization would erase them from existence.

As dusk fell, on a desolate peak far from the capital of the Immortal Chu Hao Tu, several shadows lurked behind a jagged rock, their Qi completely suppressed.

“Is the Lord certain that Han Feng will be targeted here?” a burly, dark-skinned man whispered. A massive purple-gold dragon whisk hammer hung at his side, humming with the destructive power of violet lightning.

He was accompanied by a group of elite warriors, each radiating a terrifying aura. One among them even possessed the profound presence of the Dao Realm.

“My calculations are never wrong,” a voice replied from the shadows. “The Madam is dead, and the Lord is tied down at the frontlines against the Demon Court. He cannot return in person.”

“Therefore, he will surely dispatch his most loyal retainers to find the Madam’s killer,” Chu Bai stated, his figure merged with the void, his voice low and cold.

These were the top powerhouses of the Immortal Chu Hao Tu, Chu Bai’s own comrades—men and women of immense destiny and talent.

They had all served under the Champion Hou, surviving countless battles and owing him their lives. The news of the Madam’s humiliation and subsequent suicide had sent them into a murderous rage.

Despite their efforts, the trail had gone cold. Even the palace’s most gifted diviners and Grand Dao masters had been unable to pierce the veil surrounding the incident to identify the culprit.