I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1294: Even at the point of death, still attempting to harm your resolve, a thousand years of time

Gu Changge obliterated Chuxin Yue with a single strike, shocking everyone aboard the flying ship into silence. The other Chu Clan disciples, who had been wavering and lost in their dilemmas, now displayed faces twisted in terror and quivers. None of them had anticipated such ruthless decisiveness from Gu Changge, who didn't even spare words for their sake.

In that instant, numerous individuals felt their knees buckle, slumping to the deck as they parted their lips to plead for their lives, desperate to escape death.

Ouyang Ji along with the Free and Easy Heavenly Palace members stood there in a daze, their expressions a mix of astonishment and dread.

“I offered you the opportunity to decide,” Gu Changge remarked with a faint shake of his head. A wave of his sleeve followed, and instantly, the mercy-seekers dissolved into dust, vanishing without a remnant.

To Gu Changge, wiping out Chuxin Yue proved no harder than squashing a bug. He grasped perfectly the schemes brewing in these surviving Chu Clan offspring's heads. Of course, he refused to let them breathe, knowing they posed risks down the line.

Once they departed the scene, Gu Changge commanded the White Bone Ancestor King to pass the white jade bottle holding Chu Wushang's soul shard to Champion Marquis Chu Heng.

Champion Marquis Chu Heng, upon spotting the white jade bottle, would grasp the required actions. He had to cease his struggle for the Immortal Chu Realm. After all, as the top authority there next to realm lord Chu Gucheng, the ministers unwilling to perish would, unless idiots, recognize the smart path forward.

Gu Changge chose not to meddle in the leftover issues, letting subordinates manage the cleanup.

The Chaos and Muddy clans of the Immortal Spirit Civilization had already infiltrated and positioned themselves across key spots. With the Immortal Chu Realm plunged into chaos, they found the ideal moment to exploit the disorder.

For Gu Changge, this chaos offered the prime chance to let the Heaven Slaughter Alliance slip in and claim chunks of the Immortal Chu Realm.

Gu Changge saw no reason to block the orthodox sects eyeing profits from the mess. In time, those sects would fall under control and fold into the Heaven Slaughter Alliance.

Any loot they grabbed today would return to his grasp tomorrow.

Chu Gucheng's demise guaranteed the Immortal Chu Realm's downfall and splintering.

Gu Changge selected Champion Marquis Chu Heng to back and prop up, tasking him with steadying the chaos and overseeing recovery.

The Demon Court boasted Seventh Prince Di Kun as its piece, while Zixiao Mountain had Ziwang He. Gu Changge had picked these agents with precision.

Unlike his approach in the Daochang True Realm of merging the Xi Yuan Civilization, he aimed here to split and dominate, folding every orthodox sect into the Heaven Slaughter Alliance.

Gu Changge's role boiled down to manipulating these pieces, making sure they served his ends.

With the scheme against the Immortal Chu Realm nearing completion, Gu Changge's final step involved scrubbing away all signs of his role and stepping back entirely.

“Master, what do we do with this fellow?”

The Eternal Life Spirit's ghostly form hovered restlessly. It eyed the withered elder, bent in exhaustion, its voice laced with chill.

“The Immortal Chu Realm lies in ruins…”

At that instant, Old Fubo ignored the Eternal Life Spirit, staring instead at the far-off, battle-scarred Immortal Chu Realm lands. Sorrow, bewilderment, and agony etched his features.

While the Eternal Life Spirit controlled his form, Old Fubo observed its deeds but remained powerless to halt them. Yet at times, his fierce determination swayed the Eternal Life Spirit.

Still, to prevent meddling in Gu Changge's vast scheme, the Eternal Life Spirit refrained from fully devouring Fubo's awareness.

“Indeed, the Immortal Chu Realm has crumbled.” Gu Changge gave a subtle nod, his voice steady.

To him, Fubo stood as the sole witness to his plot dismantling the Immortal Chu Realm.

As the Eternal Life Spirit dominated Fubo's mind, Fubo caught the exchanges between it and Gu Changge, uncovering Gu Changge's hand in countless incidents.

This revelation deepened Fubo's dread, leaving him shaking in horror. He couldn't fathom that the Demon Court-Immortal Chu Realm clash stemmed entirely from Gu Changge's machinations.

The wondrous relic, the Sun-Shooting Bow that Chu Bai claimed, had been crafted by Gu Changge himself before being dispersed into the realm.

Even the innate spirit inside the Sun-Shooting Bow came from Gu Changge's designs.

The Immortal Chu Realm-Demon Court strife, the spark igniting their massive war, all fell under Gu Changge's hidden orchestration.

Every incident, each twist, unfolded under his shadowy direction.

Chu Gucheng long harbored doubts of some colossal unseen force driving the Immortal Chu Realm to utter ruin.

Now, those doubts rang true. Chu Gucheng hadn't deliberately doomed his realm; a hidden architect had pulled every string.

“So the dire prophecy from the venerable Sage Law unfolded this way, and I was ensnared in the plot from the start…” Fubo's visage brimmed with anguish and hopelessness, tears flowing as grief and remorse overwhelmed him.

Yet what good came from grasping it all now? Even with full knowledge back then, could they have opposed Gu Changge, this formidable foe, any differently?

He had witnessed the Immortal Chu Realm rise from a frail minor nation to a towering immortal force dominating the cosmos. Now, he beheld that immortal domain shatter in one day, crumbling like a shattered illusion, erased without a whisper.

“The Immortal Chu Realm is gone. Do you still seek vengeance for it?” Gu Changge regarded the broken elder before him, his gaze empty of feeling.

By rights, Fubo alone held the secret of the Immortal Chu Realm's collapse. Eliminating him and wiping every trace of his existence would let Gu Changge detach cleanly, with no one suspecting his puppet-master role.

The Heaven Slaughter Alliance could then claim the Immortal Chu Realm openly, and Champion Marquis Chu Heng would remain oblivious to Gu Changge's betrayal.

Yet facing the grief-stricken elder, Gu Changge's lifted arm fell back, a different silhouette crossing his thoughts.

“Can this old man still seek revenge? From dust we came, to dust we return—it's all faded now. I lack the power for retribution anymore,” Fubo replied with a wry grin.

Under the Eternal Life Spirit's possession, his core soul had suffered steady erosion. These days, his might probably fell short of a basic Daoist realm expert.

Expecting him to avenge the Immortal Chu Realm? To challenge Gu Changge? Pure delusion.

“Young Master Gu, if you mean to end this old man, then do so. Life or death holds no weight for me now,” Fubo uttered tiredly, sinking to the ground. His dim eyes mirrored the blaze devouring the Immortal Chu Realm's capital.

Gu Changge regarded him steadily and stated, “You mentioned once that without Chu Gucheng's need for your aid, you'd have sought a serene mortal hamlet long ago, to spend your twilight years with kin, basking in quiet bliss.”

These words stirred a spark of lucidity in Fubo's eyes. He never thought Gu Changge would recall that. It dated back to Gu Changge's visit for Chu Gucheng's birthday feast, when they'd chatted over tea in a pavilion.

“To think Young Master Gu recalls this old man's words…” A hint of bitterness crossed Fubo's face.

“I started as a mere retainer in the Chu household, tending to the realm lord's father's era. Without his cultivation triumphs pulling me from the family, I'd never have glimpsed such a grand cosmos, and I'd be dust by now.”

“This old man owes the realm lord gratitude, but truthfully, cultivation held no allure for me. I never chased longevity or might. At first, I aimed to serve the realm lord's cohort well, build a solid name, and in old age, return home. There, I'd chat with village elders about my exploits, seeing their awe and envy. Just imagining that warmed my heart…”

“But then the realm lord drew me into the cultivation path, making me an immortal in mortals' eyes—flying through skies, delving into earth. Yet that existence brought me no joy…”

Gu Changge stayed quiet, watching Fubo drift into reminiscence without cutting in.

“Perhaps these thoughts don't suit you, Young Master Gu, but truly, does supreme Dao and infinite cultivation grant you true bliss?”

“When last did you feel pure delight, joy rising from your depths? In youth, the realm lord rejoiced for ages after a minor breakthrough. He'd beam endlessly upon grasping a fresh divine ability. But as power mounted, that thrill faded. His smiles grew rare.”

“Upon ascending as Immortal Chu Realm's lord, his days filled with endless duties. He'd retreat for millennia, even longer. Strength swelled, divine arts turned deadlier, but the genuine, heartfelt grin vanished. I once asked if this was the cultivation dream he chased. That day, he pondered long, ultimately unable to reply.”

“He knew he'd transformed. The goals he sought? He no longer recognized them…”

Fubo stared at the fire-licked structures, at the universe's distant stars fading to gloom. At last, silence claimed him again.

“As you put it, pursuits vary for each. Strength and cultivation aren't sole aims, yet in this boundless realm, they're the path for myriad beings to endure. Survival demands power. You might deem it misguided, but it's not,” Gu Changge replied evenly.

The elder answered, “I get that. Views differ for all. For me, though, long life isn't essential. If, looking back, regrets are few and memories bring a real smile, that's fulfillment enough.”

Fubo averted his gaze from the war-flamed Immortal Chu Realm. In his dying breath, some recollection surfaced, curving his lips in quiet contentment as he shut his eyes. He ended his life himself, sparing Gu Changge the deed.

“My Lord, even facing death, this elder seeks to unsettle your will. Granting him such an easy end is far too merciful,” the Eternal Life Spirit hovered, scorning Fubo's self-chosen demise.

Gu Changge offered no reply, but after a pause, a flame orb formed in his hand. He let it fall on Fubo's form, burning him to cinders.

The cinders drifted skyward, mingling with the Immortal Chu Realm's fall, interred eternally in this place.

In swirling immortal vapors, by a serene, mirror-still blue lake, a stunning veiled woman strummed her zither, her ebony locks dancing in the wind. Her slender fingers danced over the strings, weaving an air of deep enigma that stirred reverence in listeners' souls.

“The Heaven Slaughter Alliance's growth these years grows ever more alarming. It dwarfs the old Immortal Chu Realm like a mere fledgling against a titan—no contest at all,” a lovely woman remarked, her misty tresses held by a jade pin, clad in regal robes, her brow furrowed faintly.

The zither player, immersed in melody, let the string slip free and lifted her luminous gaze, inquiring coolly, “The Heaven Slaughter Alliance has stayed steady through the years, showing no wild impulses. Its swift rise daunts, yet makes sense. Do you intend to step in, Senior Sister?”

The elegant Xiyin shook her head in mild frustration, eyeing her brilliant junior, once brimming with arrogance, now seemingly rattled by the Immortal Chu Realm fiasco.

“I lack the boldness to meddle, but the Heaven Slaughter Alliance's ascent stirs my unease. Still, since fleeing the Immortal Chu Realm, you've immersed in self-cultivation, barely glancing at Xi Yuan civilization's woes.”

Xiyin faced the zither woman, the Xi Yuan Holy Maiden, adding with light mockery, “Your cultivation focus has blinded you to Xi Yuan civilization's currents. You've abandoned all worldly ties.”

The Xi Yuan Holy Maiden stowed her zither and rose, her porcelain hands clasped behind as her bare feet skimmed the tranquil lake. Her tone held a playful edge, “My involvement changes nothing. You, Senior Sister, haven't paused since emerging from retreat. Just a millennium post-Immortal Chu Realm's end, and you're fretting over fresh troubles. Aren't you afraid of exhaustion?”

Xiyin, ever indulgent toward her junior, let out a helpless sigh at the teasing lilt.

“A thousand years since the Immortal Chu Realm's tumble…” she breathed a heavy sigh.

The Holy Maiden's face softened, memories stirring.

“Yes, hard to believe a millennium has flown since that clash. It lingers like yesterday.”

A thousand years had elapsed since orthodox sects united to assault and shatter the Immortal Chu Realm.

In that cataclysmic fray, Immortal Chu's realm lord Chu Gucheng fell in combat, his mentor Sage Law perished too, alongside countless deities, commanders, and officials slain or maimed.

The battered Immortal Chu Realm stood no chance against the onslaught from allied powers.

Yin Xu Cave's elder, Xing Ying, slipped away traceless, while her pupil White Brow Star Lord got ensnared after ancestors of the sects cornered her.