I Am the Fated Villain

Yan Ji wore a somewhat sorrowful expression due to her connection to the ancestral God Zhu Rong, who claimed to be her forebearer.

She possessed a profound knowledge of the actual secrets prevailing today. In many epochs, a catastrophe known as calamity would befall the world. During this calamity, both living beings and monks would face retribution.

Consequently, civilization would crumble, the lineage severed, and everything would revert to chaos. After enduring countless years, new life would emerge from the chaos, and the cycle would perpetuate.

Even if individuals managed to survive this calamity, subsequent ones would follow—an unending series until the day they were ultimately obliterated, returning to ruins. A cultivator would encounter numerous trials and tribulations during their cultivation, and this calamity served as God’s evaluation and ordeal for the world. The way of heaven was ruthless, treating everything as equals. Regardless of the creature’s strength or weakness, it would face annihilation.

According to Yan Ji’s learned inheritance, the Mountain and Sea Realm had declined following the last calamity, struggling to fully recover even after countless years. Now, beyond the real world of mountains and seas, formidable “hunters” approached—an impending threat that not even the remaining influential individuals could resist.

While searching for Gu Changge, Yan Ji had heard rumors and observed widespread panic and anxiety. Dissatisfied with the heavens’ cruelty, Ancestor Zhu Rong once attempted to defy them. However, her defiance in the first calamity resulted in the annihilation of her body and spirit.

If Yan Ji hadn’t accidentally acquired its inheritance, the secrets hidden in ancient history would remain unknown to her.

“Now that this catastrophe is approaching, how should we navigate the impending destruction of this world and our inevitable sacrifice?” Yan Ji asked Gu Changge, her confusion evident.

Gu Changge’s background and identity held little significance to Yan Ji. Were it not for Gu Changge’s benevolence—guiding her to the upper realm and reconstructing her physical form—she wouldn’t be in her current position.

Yan Ji, always one to reciprocate kindness, had firmly followed Gu Changge. No amount of rumors or criticism circulating about Gu Changge over the years could sway her allegiance. In Yan Ji’s heart, Gu Changge remained the benevolent young master from the past.

“The World of Mountains and Seas won’t succumb so easily. When the time comes, some individuals will undoubtedly emerge to resist,” reassured Gu Changge.

“You need not worry; everything is within my control.”

Given Yan Ji’s long-standing loyalty, Gu Changge felt comfortable sharing some details with her. Wasn’t the arrival of the “hunters”  beyond the boundless sea Gu Changge’s strategy to use them as bait, aiming to catch some significant adversaries?

Since the first war against heaven, an extensive period had elapsed—from the age of congenital mythology to the age of conferring immortals and beyond, reaching the forbidden era after the second calamity. Gu Changge firmly believed that dormant old figures existed during this prolonged span.

Despite the heavy casualties in the real world of mountains and seas during the first war against heaven, many true spirits of powerful beings managed to safely reincarnate under Qing Yi’s protection. Yet, until the Forbidden Era, these powerhouses remained concealed.

Even now, these old figures remain hidden, with the immortal domain fragmented and immortal kings controlling multiple universes. Gu Changge disseminated information about the “hunters”  from the boundless sea worldwide, hoping to draw these elusive figures out of hiding.

Previous attempts had failed, as they were resolute in concealing their presence. Consequently, Gu Changge opted for a grander scheme, forcing them to reveal themselves—unless they were content watching the real world of mountains and seas crumble and sacrifice in obscurity.

“My lord, did you foresee all of this?”

Yan Ji expressed surprise, but her astonishment quickly turned into a sense of relief. If Gu Changge had everything under control, he had anticipated these events long ago. What cause did she have for concern?

The Upper Realm and Immortal Domain were both cloaked in an uneasy atmosphere. With a century about to elapse, it seemed too late to find a solution. Numerous ethnic groups and factions were gripped by anxiety and despair, with some areas descending into chaos.

Unrestrained acts of burning, killing, looting, and all manner of evil deeds became rampant, consequences be damned, as people sought momentary pleasure.

Especially in the distant frontier regions of the universe, far from the upper realm’s center, order disintegrated, laws ceased to exist, and nobody cared about constraints.

Although Divine Kingdom and Heavenly Court heavenly soldiers and generals attempted to quell the chaos, their influence gradually waned. Subsequently, the Divine Kingdom and the Heavenly Court became increasingly indifferent, seemingly too preoccupied with their affairs to bother with such trivial matters.

Even forces that had submitted to the Divine Kingdom no longer adhered to constraints, opting to pursue their interests, convinced that within a hundred years, catastrophe would strike, leaving no survivors. Despite the might of the Divine Kingdom and Heavenly Court, with numerous immortal kings at Gu Changge’s behest, they appeared powerless against the impending catastrophe.

Amidst this atmosphere, the Immortal Domain and Upper Realm plunged into chaos. Many ancient cities grew restless, and numerous cultivators and creatures perished in the ensuing turmoil. The hard-won stability disintegrated completely, throwing various regions into disorder.

Ancient immortal worlds, immortal forces, and even the immortal king’s families began massive territorial reductions, evacuating to small worlds to preserve a glimmer of hope.

In every universe, the echoes of ancient warships reverberated as powerful beings sought paths to migrate to remote, small worlds for refuge. Others opted to withdraw from the world, desiring detachment from mortal affairs akin to many forbidden areas in the past.

However, even the rulers in criminal areas had awakened, overwhelmed by the looming disaster that would sweep the entire natural world of mountains and seas, affecting not just the upper realm or immortal domain but the entirety of existence. Escape seemed impossible without crossing the boundless ocean.

Gu Changge sat composedly atop the Divine Kingdom, observing the transformations in the worlds and universes below without much change in his emotions. The current chaos was the precursor, yet to truly impact the immortal force. The onset of turmoil in the Immortal Domain and the Upper Realm would commence when various immortal forces and Immortal Dao factions entered turmoil.

During this period, the Divine Kingdom and Heavenly Court could only “reluctantly” maintain order and tranquility in the surrounding territories. No one dared to stir trouble within their domains at this critical time.

“Seeing the foundation we painstakingly built over the years on the brink of disintegration is disheartening,” remarked Yin Mei, her mood complex as she had witnessed the chaos’s beginnings. The divine kingdom had played a significant role in swiftly establishing rule and stability over the heavens.

Gu Changge, however, offered a different perspective, “There is no immortal kingdom in this world. Rather than viewing this as disintegration, it’s more like a new beginning. Order can be rebuilt, and the universe can be reborn even in its shattered state. This catastrophe may usher in new vitality.”

He surveyed the vast universe, noting stability in the territories of the Divine Kingdom and the Heavenly Court while other forces experienced varying degrees of turmoil. Even in the Immortal Domain, wars erupted in numerous universes as several immortal kings guarded vast battlefields, resulting in chaos spreading to surrounding territories and innocent creatures perishing tragically.

“Bringing new vitality? But many will die,” observed Yin Mei, looking beyond the hall at the vast sea of clouds. Atop the upper realm, the Divine Kingdom sensed the subtle changes affecting all worlds and universes—even the Eight Desolations, Ten Regions, and many surrounding ancient worlds—though the catastrophe had not yet arrived. Its impact had already permeated, casting a shadow over all realms.

The Boundary Monument Sea marked the divide between the Upper Realm, Eight Desolations, and Ten Regions. Without a root or limit, only decrepit boundary monuments stood, bearing witness to its ancient desolation. Within its waves, remnants of ancient realms shattered during wars lay submerged, floating, and sinking, showing signs of decay and desiccation.

Many years had elapsed since the Upper Realm’s previous campaign against the Eight Desolations and Ten Regions. The territories across the Boundary Monument Sea belonged to the Upper Realm, thanks to the immortal forces that had claimed vast regions during the battle.

The true ruler of the Eight Desolation and Ten Regions was Heavenly Maiden Tianlu from the Heavenly Lu City, situated on the shore of the Boundary Monument Sea. Her unique identity stemmed from surrendering to Gu Changge during the war.

As the guardian goddess of Heavenly Lu City, she faced criticism and condemnation from cultivators in the Eight Desolation and Ten Regions. However, it was ultimately due to her intervention that the Eight Desolation and Ten Regions were spared from the Upper Realm’s massacre.

Currently, Heavenly Maiden Tianlu stood at the tower of Heavenly Lu City, gazing towards the sea of boundary monuments. After being brought back from the Immortal Domain by Gu Changge, she returned to Heavenly Lu City to stabilize her cultivation. They seemed distant despite learning of numerous rumors and news from the outside world. A hundred years had passed swiftly, yet also remarkably fast.

“The Boundary Monument Sea has dried up, and there have been peculiar movements during this time,” remarked Heavenly Maiden Tianlu. Her gaze turned to the other side of the Boundary Monument Sea, where a large area of the seabed had been exposed, revealing a terrifying rift valley.

The once chaotic atmosphere, veiled by the Boundary Monument Sea, had dissipated, exposing dilapidated ancient worlds that now floated up and down in the open.

As the Boundary Monument Sea dried up, the floating ancient worlds vanished. The landscape now resembled a collection of dilapidated cemeteries, with weathered corpses scattered about, their white forms eerily terrifying and undisturbed for many years.

Craters covered the ground densely, creating the semblance of independent small worlds—hard to fathom beneath the once-submerged sea of boundary monuments.

Amidst the eerie silence, it was evident that this place had suffered the aftermath of a devastating war long ago. Stars had fallen one after another, leaving endless pits in their wake. The vast expanse, resembling another universe, echoed with death as the immortal theme, and the black land extended endlessly in ruins.

During this time, disturbances frequented the Boundary Monument Sea’s vicinity. Some heard echoes of mountains shouting and tsunamis, while others perceived the sounds of soldiers battling and iron horses galloping amid the starry sky.

“This place was once a battlefield,” uttered an old man, snow-covered and adorned with a white beard, as he silently appeared. With emotion and nostalgia, he walked through the dry sea of boundary markers, treading on cracked land infused with lingering evil spirits and unvanquished murderous intent—a testament to the tragic and terrifying battles that once unfolded there.

The territory was expansive and boundless, marked by countless star-induced craters and a stunning Great Rift Valley that traversed the entire ground. The old man, seemingly a lonely ghost, threaded through the vast territory, uttering obscure and incomprehensible ancient words as if summoning something.

Deeper into the terrain lay a corpse pit, with numerous bodies clad in armor and dark iron god clothes. Many bore wounds from terrifying weapons, their dried blood telling tales of past violence. The old man journeyed through the black doom, witnessing destruction, blood rivers, corpses, and coffins scattered underground.

Finally, he arrived at a terrifying crater, seemingly formed by a colossal hand. Coming to a halt, the old man in white gazed at a small, nameless grave within. It appeared as a solitary tomb built by an unknown hand.

“Tu Ying, are you still alive?” he questioned, looking at the unmarked grave.