I Am the Fated Villain

Had Ao Ling not conveyed these revelations with her own words, many immortal kings present would likely still harbor disbelief. The notion of a long, ancient era before the Forbidden Era, featuring prosperous and formidable civilizations, challenged their understanding.

The contemporary cultivation methods originated from that ancient era, refined through the deductions and improvements of countless predecessors to establish the stable system today. Initially, terms like Immortal King and Immortal Emperor were broad classifications, representing vague concepts in the early stages of cultivation.

“Third brother, you’ve always admired that lord as much as your father, but you must come to terms with this reality,” Ao Ling spoke gently.

“That lord is no longer the revered figure we idolized. He’s now as indifferent as a different person.”

Ao Ling had witnessed Gu Changge’s demeanor during the Immortal King’s Meeting in the Moon King Mansion. His indifference, as though etched into his bones, and his calm disregard for all living beings as mere ants left her bewildered. Gu Changge might not recognize her, but since childhood, she had heard numerous rumors about him.

Even her father, one of the world’s most powerful individuals, held great respect for Gu Changge. After the great war in the tangible world of mountains and seas, when vitality waned and all beings withered, it was Gu Changge’s presence that deterred any opportunistic attacks.

“I understand what you mean, but I’m inclined to believe there may be a reason for his actions,” Ao Teng replied, shaking his head.

He comprehended the world anew after awakening and understood who the lord Ao Ling referred to was. He also grasped the events of the Forbidden Era.

In Ao Teng’s perspective, the forbidden era occurred before the second calamity. As the calamity approached, that lord unilaterally destroyed the heavens, dismantling that era. Everyone perished and was entombed in darkness.

“Why did so many awaken in this world? Moreover, the timing was too coincidental,” Ao Teng pondered, sensing an undisclosed reason behind these events.

I will find an opportunity to meet that lord in person. We don’t know him well, so how can we draw decisive conclusions? Right and wrong are for future generations to judge, not for us.

Waving his sleeve, Ao Teng’s heroic face revealed a trace of gravity. Ao Ling intended to respond but hesitated, uncertain how to counter his words. She, too, harbored a suspicion that something hidden might be at play. The immortal kings in the hall stood in silence, acknowledging the weight of such words.

Ao Teng commanded the Sea Clan to mobilize all its forces and prepared to venture beyond the boundless battlefield personally. As the offspring of the ancestor dragon, he had once led millions of dragon clans, battling across the skies.

Even though he didn’t fear death, he cared deeply about this so-called catastrophe. To him, despite the boundless sea’s vastness, it harbored numerous dangers. However, the tangible world of mountains and seas had survived two calamities, undergoing a transformative leap in its overall strength.

Meanwhile, in the territory of Cangming, the elders of the City of No Return chanced upon an unexpected sight. A figure in a silver robe, riding a white horse with a slanted long sword, had just arrived. Despite appearing to be in his thirties, endless vicissitudes reflected in his eyes.

“Little Cen Shuang has grown so big,” he remarked, smiling gently at Cen Shuang, who covered her mouth, tears in her eyes. The elders of the City of No Return, especially those from the oldest generations, were stunned, struggling to believe the scene unfolding before them.

“Uncle Yi… you’re not dead?”

Cen Shuang’s voice quivered, tears filling her eyes, and her voice choked with emotion. She unmistakably recognized the figure before her from the time of the immortal palace’s burial. A moth drawn into flames, disintegrated by that palm, body and spirit destroyed. Why did she now see him in this world?

“Are you Commander Yi? Mr. Yi?”

The elders who recognized him reacted with shock and trembling. This was Cen Shuang’s father back then, the crucial subordinate of the Ancient Immortal Star-Lord. Their bond was akin to brothers, and Commander Yi’s cultivation prowess was unparalleled, capable of single-handedly halting millions of troops.

“I never expected to see familiar faces here, but you’ve all aged,” the silver-robed figure remarked, scanning the familiar figures before him with a mix of emotion and nostalgia.

Cen Shuang and others were overwhelmed with excitement, never anticipating a reunion with their old friends under such circumstances.

The middle-aged man in the silver robe shared his story with emotion, believing he had perished in the chaos of the immortal palace, slapped to death by the demon lord. Yet, many years later, he awoke in an unexpected place. Having forgotten much of his past, he gradually regained his memory recently and sought out the Cangming Realm. Puzzled by his resurrection, he questioned why, despite his apparent demise, he found himself alive again.

“In recent days, various news has indeed spread, and many old figures from the ancient era have resurfaced… Many of them have perished,” the City of No Return’s elders, caught in complex emotions, had already heard about the unfolding events.

Initially dismissed as mere rumors, the reappearance of their former commander alongside them shattered that skepticism. Cen Shuang’s excitement returned, contemplating the possibility that her father might not have perished in the chaos they thought claimed him. Witnessing those presumed dead coming back to life stirred hope within her.

Yet, the cause of the past chaos remained a mystery, intensifying Cen Shuang’s confusion. Recalling Gu Changge’s visit to No Return City, she pondered whether he sought someone from the Forbidden Era. Could it be that he knew about their survival all along? Did he purposefully orchestrate events?

As several years passed, the upper realm and the immortal domain experienced increasing turbulence. The return and recovery of numerous powerhouses restored some semblance of order, yet an undercurrent of unrest lingered. Ordinary cultivators sensed the calm before an impending storm.

During this time, rumors proliferated, suggesting that the appearance of these ancient figures signaled profound changes in the world. Some believed that someone sought to upend the established order in this tumultuous realm.

All ethnic groups and immortal forces returned to their former strength, undergoing substantial transformations. Even the immortal king’s family in the immortal domain dared not underestimate certain immortal forces in the upper realm.

From a different perspective, the roots of the Immortal Domain extended into the Upper Realm. Some Immortal Realm families had migrated from the Upper Realm, and their ancestral lands resided there.

“In the Peerless Immortal Dynasty, there are ancestors from other eras, including the first generation of monarchs,” remarked someone within the Divine Kingdom’s palace, revealing the intricate web of connections and histories intertwining the realms.

Yue Mingkong massaged the center of her brows, feeling that the current state of affairs in the upper realm had become increasingly elusive. As a regressor, the unfolding events had surpassed her expectations, deviating from the track she once knew.

Yet, she found herself indifferent to these deviations. With numerous past lives behind her, she considered the possibility that it might all be an elaborate dream, akin to gazing at flowers in the fog.

“Isn’t this preferable? Various entities—ghosts, gods, and demons—have emerged,” Gu Changge remarked with a light smile. Dressed in a simple cyan coat, he stood in the hall with hands behind his back.

The void in front of him blurred, reflecting scenes from around the world like a mirror. This was all part of his anticipated scenario, merely the initial phase. The chess pieces he employed had yet to fully reveal themselves, and Yue Mingkong understood he harbored additional plans.

During this period, Yue Mingkong had encountered myriad rumors about Gu Changge. From the age of congenital myths to the forbidden era, a vast span of time had passed, and Gu Changge seemed to be a constant presence throughout. The resurgence of ancient figures had unearthed numerous buried secrets. Even ordinary creatures had gleaned insights into ancient history and true, ancient secrets.

Opinions about Gu Changge varied. Some depicted him as a malevolent figure responsible for the destruction of the ancient era and calamities in the heavens. Others saw him as a benevolent force, attributing the unification of the immortal domain and the upper realm. As well as the merging of the foreign realm with the immortal domain, to his kindness toward the common people and spirits of today. The laws of heaven and earth appeared to align, and prosperity surged, all influenced by his actions.

However, Yue Mingkong remained indifferent to these perspectives. Long ago, she had learned that Gu Changge was the true inheritor of demonic arts. Choosing to stand resolutely by his side, even if it meant becoming an enemy of the entire world.

“I may need to enter seclusion for an extended period,” Yue Mingkong softly announced, hinting at her withdrawal from the current events.