I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1287:

1648. The Shadow of the Real Place Alarms the Other Side

“Since my youth, I have walked the path of the Dao, surviving countless trials and experiencing the world's many flavors. I have faced endless powerful foes, yet I have always turned calamity into fortune, upheld the heavenly will, and moved forward.”

“The heavens favor me; my destiny is thick with providence. I am the one chosen to endure the calamity. Even if your power currently exceeds mine, what of it? In the end, you will merely be a grinding stone beneath my feet.”

Standing beneath the gateway, Chu Gucheng was wreathed in lightning and drowned in the aura of reality. His cold gaze was fixed upon the distant Gu Changge.

This rival was unlike any he had faced before. That eternally detached, emotionless face felt like a blade piercing his very soul.

“Is that truly what you believe?” Gu Changge replied. His freezing expression didn't waver as he simply flicked his sleeve. A palm struck out, snuffing out the starry river as it reached toward the horizon.

In that instant, his hand seemed to carry the weight of heavenly tribulations, causing boundless lightning storms to crumble and dissolve within his grasp.

His target was not Chu Gucheng himself; instead, he struck at the shimmering, blurred portal.

That space appeared to have been reduced to absolute nothingness. The mere impact of the collision released a titanic force, obliterating billions of units of energy.

The distorted gateway that loomed over all worlds trembled violently, looking as though it might shatter into pieces.

The leaking aura of reality began to warp and fade, hovering on the brink of total disappearance.

The gathering tribulation clouds began to scatter at high speed, and the aura of the Heavenly Decline on Chu Gucheng’s frame started to evaporate. His expression shifted violently, filled with sheer disbelief.

“You actually dare to interfere with the Heavenly Decline Calamity?” He ground his teeth, unable to comprehend the scene before him.

Throughout the imperial capital, everyone witnessed this event, their faces pale with shock.

“How can this be?”

“The Heavenly Decline Calamity is being halted? It’s vanishing?” Terror gripped the onlookers.

Chu Gucheng found the situation impossible to accept. He had been on the verge of crossing the threshold of the eighth Heavenly Decline, yet that very boundary had become warped and distant, slipping away from his reach.

The aura of reality retreated swiftly, making the recent events feel like a passing dream or a fading illusion.

“The Heavenly Decline Calamity is not something one overcomes so easily.”

Gu Changge’s voice was frigid, lacking even a hint of emotion.

The residents of the imperial capital were paralyzed with dread, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.

He possessed the power to meddle with the Heavenly Decline Calamity, seemingly indifferent to any potential backlash.

Such a monstrous level of power was beyond their wildest dreams.

Moments later, Gu Changge pointed a finger once more. A calm wave of energy surged forward, tightening around Chu Gucheng and causing his face to contort in agony and shock. The sensation of his physical body disintegrating returned. The fractures on his Dao fruit grew more pronounced, appearing as though they might shatter at any second.

Even though his Cultivation had improved and he was nearly through the eighth Heavenly Decline, why did he remain so helpless against Gu Changge?

“Stop!”

A roar suddenly thundered through the air. The battered form of Fa Sheng appeared from the distance.

Though soaked in blood, he lunged forward with desperation, intent on shielding Chu Gucheng and assisting him in completing the Heavenly Decline Calamity.

Gu Changge shifted his eyes toward the sound of Fa Sheng’s shout. The finger originally aimed at Chu Gucheng turned toward the newcomer.

“The bond between master and disciple is deep, it seems. Unfortunately, while he has ways to survive, you do not.” His voice remained as flat as ever.

A mist of blood sprayed across the sky as Fa Sheng’s body was blown apart mid-charge. His Dao fruit escaped into another dimension of time and space, though it was riddled with cracks and on the verge of total collapse.

“Master…” Chu Gucheng wailed, his voice saturated with grief, agony, and resentment.

Within the capital of Xian Chu Hao Tu, the witnesses were paralyzed by fear. The faces of many officials and noble guests were twisted in horror.

Suddenly, a monstrous rumbling echoed from beyond the boundaries of all worlds. The vast void outside the Xiyuan Civilization turned translucent, and a bizarre, supreme, and nameless aura began to descend. Though that place was infinitely far from the mortal realms, it felt strangely close.

Furious voices and intense emotions emanated from that direction. The broken gateway began to stitch itself back together, while shadows of altars stained with dark blood materialized behind it. It seemed a nightmare creature from that distant realm had been provoked and was now roaring in anger.

The people of Xian Chu Hao Tu trembled, feeling as though an incomprehensible entity was watching them. Behind the fractured portal, a wrathful being was stirring, its gaze scanning the world.

“To think such a place would be disturbed…” Elder Xing Ying’s face turned white with terror. She desperately suppressed her aura, terrified of being spotted.

She stared at Gu Changge, who stood outside the worlds, her eyes wide with shock.

She had assumed that Gu Changge’s meddling with the Heavenly Decline Calamity would bring a more horrific disaster upon himself.

Instead of a worse tribulation, his actions had drawn the gaze of that forbidden place.

What were the implications?

It meant the Heavenly Decline Calamity was no longer a threat to Gu Changge. He was likely at the end of the path, or perhaps had already surpassed it.

If she had known Gu Changge was such a being, she would never have come to Xian Chu Hao Tu to join Chu Gucheng against him.

“No, my master must have known. He must have sensed this.”

“Yet he still sent me.”

“Has my master discarded me? Or is there another scheme at play?” Elder Xing Ying’s face grew even paler as these thoughts took hold.

A deathly silence fell over Xian Chu Hao Tu. Even the Xiyuan Civilization seemed to go still, and all the worlds shuddered.

Chu Gucheng felt a cold shiver down his spine, consumed by a nameless dread. He was too afraid to move, feeling like a tiny rabbit beneath the hungry gaze of a massive wolf. He tried to find Gu Changge with his eyes, but the man had vanished from the void beyond the worlds.

That terrifying gaze from the beyond wasn't fixed on him; it was searching for Gu Changge.

“Has it truly drawn the attention of that side?”

Gu Changge reappeared in a pocket of void. He looked thoughtful, ignoring Fa Sheng’s Dao fruit as it drifted into another timeline. To him, Fa Sheng was no threat, even at full power. Besides, he had already achieved his primary goal.

Ruining Chu Gucheng’s Heavenly Decline Calamity had forced the shadow of the Real Place to appear, attracting certain beings. This was unexpected. He had no desire to be watched by the Real Place yet, so he had slipped away.

That gaze wasn't tracking him specifically but was likely hunting for his presence.

“The affairs of Xian Chu Hao Tu are mostly settled. Only the cleanup remains.”

Gu Changge chose not to kill Chu Gucheng immediately. He decided to let him live a few more days to facilitate the final stages of his plan.

He then tore through space and vanished once more. When he next appeared, he was on a renowned mountain range outside the borders of Xian Chu Hao Tu.

The White Bone Ancestor King, Turbid Wind Evil, and Hun Yuan Jun were already there, waiting for his arrival.

“Take this jade and give it to the Champion Hou, Chu Heng. He is currently at the front lines where Xian Chu Hao Tu meets the Demon Court,” Gu Changge commanded. A pair of ancient, detailed mandarin duck jade pendants appeared in his hand. He passed them to the White Bone Ancestor King.

“As you command, Master.” The White Bone Ancestor King bowed, took the jade, and vanished instantly.

Gu Changge had left the management of the Xian Ling Civilization to Mu Yan, Ling Huang, and the others.

The Heavenly Alliance was still in its infancy, with many loose ends to tie up. Even while staying in the Xiyuan Civilization, he had kept a close watch on the Xian Ling Civilization.

However, it was clear that Ling Huang, despite being an empress, lacked talent in administrative management.

As for Mu Yan, the Daughter of Destiny, she showed little interest in the day-to-day operations of the Fattening Heaven Alliance.

Gu Changge couldn't bring himself to trust the others. Thus, once things here were finished, he intended to return to Da Chang Zhenjie. He would have Yin Mei, the Gu family’s ancestor, and Jiu Jian Xian take over the Fattening Heaven Alliance. He also needed to begin the refinement of the Grand Aspiration Orb.

Since the Fattening Heaven Alliance already had roots in Da Chang Zhenjie, the integration would be seamless.

The strength of clans like the Zuo, Hun, Wu, and Gou was nothing compared to the immortal lineages of Xiyuan. A single Ancestral Dao expert could decide the fate of a war there.

As it stood, the Fattening Heaven Alliance had not yet reached the level Gu Changge desired.

…

Time flew by. Two weeks had passed since the cataclysmic battle between Gu Changge and Xian Chu Hao Tu.

The conflict had drained the lifeblood of Xian Chu Hao Tu. Although Chu Gucheng had managed to survive the eighth Heavenly Decline Calamity again by using the collective will and luck of his people, the cost was staggering. His Dao fruit bore permanent scars that might never heal. Furthermore, his teacher, Fa Sheng, had been crippled—his Dao fruit was shattered and his cultivation had plummeted. It would take tens of thousands of eras to even hope for a recovery.

Additionally, Xian Chu Hao Tu had lost a significant number of Dao Realm experts in the clash.

For any major power, such a loss was devastating.

Producing a Dao Realm expert required vast resources, luck, and eons of time.

Nearly seventy percent of the Dao experts Xian Chu Hao Tu had nurtured were wiped out. The survivors were only those stationed at the borders fighting the Demon Court and Zixiao Mountain who couldn't return in time.

The various guests who had seen the battle were secretly mocking the situation. Xian Chu Hao Tu’s dream of ruling the Xiyuan Civilization was effectively dead.

Even if they survived, it would take countless ages to return to their peak strength.

Though Chu Gucheng was now an eighth Heavenly Decline expert, the injuries Gu Changge left on his Dao fruit meant he couldn't use his full strength. He was arguably weaker than he had been before the breakthrough.

His master, Fa Sheng, had sacrificed his own Dao fruit to save him, resulting in a permanent loss of status.

Now, observers were left wondering: what foundation did Xian Chu Hao Tu even have left?

Furthermore, Chu Gucheng had sacrificed so many of his own citizens to fight Gu Changge, leaving vast territories silent and empty. Many wondered if he had truly weighed the consequences of his actions.

If he had known this would be the outcome, would he still have challenged Gu Changge? Did he feel any regret?

Despite having every advantage of timing and terrain, they had been crushed, their vitality drained.

The battle had gained them nothing and made them a laughingstock. Yet, many questions remained.

Why did the old woman from Yin Xu Cave stand by and watch without helping?

Moreover, the Holy Maiden of Xiyuan had stayed out of the fight. Despite claiming the leader of the Fattening Heaven Alliance was tied to the Black Calamity, she hadn't lifted a finger, even when Chu Gucheng and Fa Sheng were being broken.

This led to many theories about her true goals. Some thought she was merely acting as a deterrent to stop Gu Changge from slaughtering everyone in the capital.

After all, she was one of the most powerful beings within the borders of Xian Chu Hao Tu.

Gu Changge’s terrifying power was now undeniable, especially after he drew the attention of the fabled Real Place. The guests were certain that even if they all fought together, they couldn't defeat him. Many were simply glad they hadn't joined Chu Gucheng’s charge.

As for the rumors of the Fattening Heaven Alliance being linked to the Black Calamity, no one could say for certain anymore.

The citizens and ministers of Xian Chu Hao Tu were left with conflicted feelings. Though Gu Changge had come to destroy them, he had stopped short of a massacre and had simply left. If he truly were an agent of the Black Calamity, would he have been so restrained?

Xian Chu Hao Tu had suffered immensely for this attempt to stop him. Chu Gucheng’s choices had left his people feeling betrayed and hopeless.

Weeks later, the Xiyuan Civilization was still buzzing with talk of the battle. People wondered where Gu Changge had gone and if another war was on the horizon.

With Xian Chu Hao Tu weakened, the Demon Court was running wild in their lands. They no longer had the strength to hold them back, especially with Zixiao Mountain looming over them.

At the same time, many were watching the Xiyuan Holy Hall. Chu Gucheng had previously mentioned a marriage alliance with them to form a "Xiyuan Alliance" against the Black Calamity.

Even though Xian Chu Hao Tu was weak, the Holy Maiden of Xiyuan was still a pillar of strength. If she moved forward with the alliance, the other powers of the Xiyuan Civilization would likely have to follow her.

In the following days, all eyes remained on the shifting politics of the region.

Cultivators from other realms and civilizations stayed behind to see which way the wind would blow.

Xiyuan was a cornerstone of the vastness, and its stability affected countless surrounding universes and emerging realms.

Naturally, the Fattening Heaven Alliance was now the center of attention.

Gu Changge’s display of power had left every supreme lineage and immortal family in a state of high alert. The alliance was only a few years old, yet it already cast a long shadow.

Chu Gucheng had the ambition to unite Xiyuan, but Gu Changge clearly had the actual power to do it.

This reality made many lineages reconsider their stance, thinking that joining the Xiyuan Alliance might be their only hope. Outside, the threads of fate were tangled, and the scars of the battle remained. The world was far from at peace.

The former Grand Tutor, supported by many high-ranking officials, had now come forward to demand an explanation.