I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1291: The fall of Xianchu Haotu was an inevitable outcome

From the far end of the time-space tunnel, a colossal force burst forth, resembling an infinite dark flood charging ahead, shaking the entire heavens with its might.

Even across an unfathomable expanse, the thunderous clamor of iron-shod hooves pounding through the cosmos rang out, immense and relentless, filling hearts with chilling dread.

Myriad cultivators and inhabitants of Xianchu Haotu gazed upward in terror at this spectacle. The firmament appeared to grow sheer, revealing vague silhouettes of the invading host as they approached. In their wake trailed ancient battleships one after another, like scattered stars wreathed in heavenly fog and turbulent chaos, radiating the primeval and forsaken aura of bygone ages.

This was a horrifying legion beyond imagination, assembled from the immortal Daoist powers of the Xiyuan civilization, strong enough to overrun every domain and crush any adversary—no Daoist power could stand against it.

“It’s over…”

Within the imperial city of Xianchu Haotu, innumerous individuals paled, their features etched with dread and hopelessness.

Who could possibly stand against such an enormous host? Not even Xianchu Haotu at its zenith had that capability.

“Why is this happening…”

“Why have all these troops appeared out of nowhere? When has Xianchu Haotu ever allied with the Black Calamity's survivors? This accusation is utterly baseless…”

Numerous cultivators and creatures cried out in shock and fright.

Despair gripped countless souls, leaving them incapable of even considering defiance. This represented the supreme might gathered by the Xiyuan civilization, under the command of the Xiyuan Holy Hall. 

At the tunnel's opposite side, the heads of the diverse Daoist powers had gathered, positioned together aboard a single ancient warship, staring toward Xianchu Haotu beyond the passage.

Xi Yin, an elder of the Xiyuan Holy Hall, positioned herself at the vessel's prow, her face composed and tranquil. Adorned with cloud-shaped hair ornaments and a phoenix-etched jade ornament on her brow, she observed the unfolding events in quiet contemplation.

Next to her, Gu Changge kept his hands loosely folded behind him, appearing deeply engaged by the unfolding vista.

“Xianchu Haotu sealed its own doom. They chose to ally with the Black Calamity's remnants, leading to this fate. No pity is warranted,” remarked Jing Tianyuan, the Jing clan's forebear, with a faint shake of his head as he noted the wails and hopelessness spreading below.

The Ling Shen Cave's representative this time was an elder at the ancestral Dao level, who agreed with a nod and stated, “We always believed this stemmed from Xianchu Haotu's overreach, yet we never suspected their hidden ties to the Black Calamity's survivors. That so-called Yinxu Cave must be a made-up entity. We've never encountered such a group.”

“True. The name Yinxu Cave is unfamiliar to me. It's probably invented, and no such organization truly exists,” affirmed another elder.

Jing Tianyuan nodded once more.

The chiefs of the immortal Daoist powers had converged here, their enormous hosts trailing behind as they traversed the time-space tunnel to invade Xianchu Haotu.

This assembly brimmed with overwhelming strength, boasting over five ancestral Dao level masters among them. That tally excluded Xi Yin and Gu Changge of the Xiyuan Holy Hall.

Upon hearing that the Xiyuan Holy Hall had proclaimed the lethal Xi Yuan decree against Xianchu Haotu, the Daoist powers' leaders felt stunned yet swiftly mobilized, rallying their troops to rush to the scene.

With Xianchu Haotu's fall, its abundant treasures and assets would surely tempt these groups, each eager to claim a portion.

At present, lesser adjacent powers and Daoist sects exploited the turmoil, raiding the fringes and outskirts of Xianchu Haotu.

As Xianchu Haotu teetered on collapse and focused solely on its own survival, it lacked the means to counter these pillaging bands.

“Though Xianchu Haotu allied with the Black Calamity's remnants, its populace remains blameless. Leaders, order your followers to spare the harmless,” Xi Yin declared, her eyes scanning the expansive lands of Xianchu Haotu via the time-space tunnel.

Standing nearby, Gu Changge gave a subtle nod and added, “That's precisely my view too. Xianchu Haotu's transgressions can't be forgiven, but its citizens are not at fault. During my clash with Chu Gucheng in the past, he already claimed countless lives. Witnessing the suffering of Xianchu Haotu's folk now stirs a touch of compassion in me.”

“Young Master Gu truly embodies virtue. We'll ensure our followers avoid harming the innocent. When you could have razed Xianchu Haotu, you opted to preserve myriad lives and withdrew peacefully. Such conduct earns our deepest respect,” responded an elder from Guangming Temple, at the Ancestral Dao level. His tone brimmed with esteem for Gu Changge.

“In contrast, it's lamentable that Chu Gucheng, as its sovereign, valued his subjects' lives so little,” he went on, his voice laced with censure.

The assembled faction heads voiced their concurrence.

Though Xianchu Haotu's sovereign, Chu Gucheng, accused Gu Changge of ties to the Black Calamity's remnants, those present could plainly discern the more probable culprit. It wasn't Gu Changge.

Xi Yin's eyes subtly shifted as she glanced at Gu Changge. Though she served as a follower of the esteemed Xi Nu and occupied a venerable role, the on-site elders, all Ancestral Dao level, evidently revered Gu Changge more, treating him nearly as the guiding force.

She recognized this stemmed from the recent confrontation between Xianchu Haotu and Gu Changge, an event that had propelled his fame to unprecedented heights across the Xiyuan civilization.

The realm adhered to the law of the strong prevailing, where might commanded respect regardless of location.

While assured of her own prowess, she understood she could never rival Gu Changge.

The turmoil in Xianchu Haotu once more seized the focus of the entire Xiyuan civilization.

Less than a month after the prior cataclysmic clash, Xianchu Haotu had endured grievous wounds. Now confronting a coalition far more daunting than the Demon Court and Zixiao Mountain, 

All anticipated this conflict would conclude predictably. Xianchu Haotu's boldness in detaining the Xiyuan Holy Maiden had doomed it irrevocably.

Only if Xianchu Haotu could erase every trace and conceal all its deceptions might it evade ruin, but that seemed impossible.

Ultimately, the immense host traversed the time-space tunnel and bore down on Xianchu Haotu.

Clad in heavenly golden armor, Chu Gucheng stood ready. His war garb whipped in the gales as his immense presence dominated the skies. Celestial dragon Qi coiled about him, unleashing a bellow that rattled the cosmos, portraying him as a divine emperor of men.

At Chu Gucheng's rear, his array of followers, including the Eight-Headed True God and more, had readied themselves for the impending foes.

Various star lords, commanders, and throngs of courtiers assembled in the imperial hub, their countenances grave and intent as they eyed the boundless legion approaching from the edge of sight.

From the halls and abodes of the Extraordinary Talent and allied groups, hordes of cultivators and entities poured out, beholding the sight with alarm and incredulity.

The gloomy vault above threatened to crash down imminently, with roiling storm clouds veiling all, casting the world in shadow and omen, as though doomsday loomed.

Xianchu Haotu's imperial core, akin to a hovering celestial stream encircled by orbiting vital orbs, now appeared trivial, mere specks amid this fearsome onslaught.

Let alone the Ancestral Dao figures amid the ranks, each transcending cosmic bounds, capable of razing the imperial seat of Xianchu Haotu with a mere gesture.

“Lord, Xianchu Haotu faces certain doom today. None can halt it. We must not…”

Behind Champion Lord Chu Heng, Han Feng and his companions urged, their faces marked by worry.

“Xianchu Haotu has bestowed favors upon me. Regardless, the Great Prince has atoned for his deeds. How could I forsake Xianchu Haotu at this hour?” Chu Heng replied with a headshake, gesturing decisively to silence Han Feng and the rest's protests.

Han Feng and his group let out heavy sighs. Several attempted to speak yet held their tongues. They had trailed Chu Heng for years, but now, all recognized Xianchu Haotu's hopeless plight. Against this formidable union of Daoist sects from the Xiyuan Civilization, which group could hope to endure? The end was inevitable.

“Lord, this amounts to misguided devotion…” Chu Bai offered a wry grin, at a loss on how to sway the Champion Lord.

The aged matron of Yinxu Cave, Xing Ying, lingered in the palace halls, her silver-white gaze fixed icily on the skies.

“Such claims of alliance with the Black Calamity's remnants, dragging my Yinxu Cave into their ranks,” she scoffed with icy disdain.

Beyond Xianchu Haotu's imperial walls, hosts amassed under Chu Heng's banner.

Despite grievous tolls from the strife with Demon Court and Zixiao Mountain, Xianchu Haotu could still muster forces numbering in the billions.

Across myriad cosmic reaches, vassal rulers, warlords, and Chu clan offshoots dispatched vast cultivator reinforcements to bolster the citadel.

“To slander us without cause is simple; Xianchu Haotu has never consorted with the Black Calamity's survivors. If you seek to annihilate Xianchu Haotu, first see if we permit it!”

“Today, we stand with Xianchu Haotu until the last!”

“Kill!”

Roars of combat and carnage resounded from distant stellar voids.

Entities across all tiers and cultivation stages bellowed in fury, forming an inexorable tide like a stellar serpent surging toward the royal stronghold.

“Chu Gucheng, free the Xiyuan Holy Maiden you've captured. Should you comply, we might preserve the lives of Xianchu Haotu's innocents!”

Abruptly, a frosty proclamation pierced the churning tempests, echoing through the domains.

Xi Yin had come. Her garments swirled, raven tresses streaming in the breeze. Her features were keen, exuding a frigid presence that quaked the cosmos. Perched upon the ancient warship, she overlooked the entirety of Xianchu Haotu.

“Should Xianchu Haotu's denizens persist in this folly and decline to atone, they will perish alongside their realm.”

“The Black Calamity's remnants seek to unleash turmoil upon the worlds. Chu Gucheng conspired with them, defying Daoist dominion and aiming to dominate the Xiyuan Civilization. Such offenses merit execution.”

Flanking her, the faction and sect leaders materialized, their visages stern as they directed their gaze at Xianchu Haotu, delivering a conclusive demand and caution.

“Victors claim the rewards, losers bear the blame. Xianchu Haotu's demise is upon it, and I offer no more discourse.”

“Yes, we did confine the Xiyuan Holy Maiden. Regrettably, this hidden truth surfaced prematurely, and I lost the wager,” Chu Gucheng proclaimed from his perch above the palace, his laughter booming. His gaze blazed with intense fervor.

With the Xiyuan Holy Hall's issuance of the Xi Yuan decree for Xianchu Haotu's eradication, it was evident they possessed irrefutable proof of the genuine Xiyuan Holy Maiden's captivity by Xianchu Haotu.

Chu Xinyue was not the authentic Xiyuan Holy Maiden. Despite her likeness in looks, presence, and bearing, she was an impostor. Any intervention now would reveal the ruse instantly.

Thus, Chu Gucheng could no longer deny it, opting instead to confess openly.

“What?”

Many officials, who had deemed this a false charge from the Xiyuan Holy Hall, reeled from Chu Gucheng's admission. Disbelief gripped them.

Various courtiers stood mute, struggling to process the revelation.

“So it's real?”

Champion Lord Chu Heng felt stunned as well. He never imagined Chu Gucheng's such daring. Evidently, he had staked all on this venture. Victory would transform Xianchu Haotu dramatically, potentially uniting the Xiyuan Civilization. Defeat, however, invited utter devastation.

“Hmph, having committed this act, you must face the consequences,” Xi Yin replied, her demeanor glacial.

The Xiyuan Holy Hall had endured for eons, standing as one of the loftiest Daoist powers in the Xiyuan Civilization. From its inception, no entity had ever dared challenge it thus—seizing the true Holy Maiden and substituting a false one to dupe the masses.

Were it not for her timely revival, the Xiyuan Holy Hall could have faced severe repercussions.

Particularly galling was Chu Gucheng's attempt to wed the Xiyuan Holy Maiden and forge ties with the Xiyuan Holy Hall.

This was outrageous, inconceivable, and the height of hubris.With a thunderous boom, the clash ignited without prelude.

Xi Yin's fury blazed. Her palm, clear as jade and aglow with divine radiance, swept down over the fray, blanketing the firmament. From her digits flowed edicts of law and principle, and upon descent, peaks crumbled, lands split, and celestial bodies splintered. A cataclysmic pressure emanated, quivering the core of Xianchu Haotu.

This vision instilled terror in every cultivator and being, as if true Armageddon had come—none could withstand it.

Xianchu Haotu's legions, driven by their captains' enraged commands, surged at the intruders. Yet beneath Xi Yin's descending strike, they shattered and vanished in an instant, bursting into crimson vapor, bodies and essences erased.

Even Dao realm experts avoided direct confrontation. Horror and alarm twisted their faces, their frames quaking.

Trailing Xi Yin, the coalition's troops advanced like a deluge, fanning out everywhere. Fighters from every cultivation stage and domain plunged into the melee, their collisions jolting the heavens.

The conflict ravaged existence itself, upheaving swaths of the multiverse with its tremors.

Myriad forms soared through the void, colossal palms rending the skies, demolishing all in their sweep.

Magnificent treasures—ancient scrolls, sacred vessels, archaic tripods, celestial canopies—tumbled from above, enshrouding the cosmos. A single quiver from them rent the world, pulverizing everything to ruin.

Even Immortal King tier and Quasi-Immortal Emperor existences fell slain without mercy. This was a foregone rout. Though Xianchu Haotu marshaled its full might, it paled against this onslaught, bolstered by the pivotal experts from myriad sects and Dao realm progenitors.

Despair, terror, and resentment permeated Xianchu Haotu's skies. Immense cosmic sectors fell under occupation, countless stellar arrays sundered by the war's reverberations.

The frontiers dissolved into anarchy. Sundry sects and bands capitalized on the disorder for pillage, as conflagration of battle flared unbound.

Gu Changge watched the proceedings with detached calm, his features unmoved. Xianchu Haotu's ruin was predestined; only the timing of this dire conclusion remained.

“With Xianchu Haotu's collapse, the Xiyuan Civilization's dynamics will fall wholly under my sway,” he mused, his sight ranging over Xianchu Haotu's expanse, across its defiant powerhouses clashing with the Daoist invaders, and upon the blood-soaked, frenzied form of Chu Gucheng.

In that instant, Chu Gucheng, soaked in gore, grappled savagely against several mighty adversaries. Having weathered the Eight Heavenly Calamities, he was far from his prime. In these brutal exchanges, he swiftly yielded ground, hemorrhaging and hurled about.

Crimson streamed from his eyes, nostrils, and lips. His plating lay in fragments, his formerly majestic stance broken. He had seen numerous former allies engulfed by foes, encircled and detonated, meeting their ends there.

All around, savagery reigned. Radiant divinity flooded the imperial heart. Throngs dashed toward the glow like insects to fire, only to swiftly dissolve, forms and spirits annihilated.

These horrors ignited hatred in Chu Gucheng's eyes, but he was powerless to c