I Am the Fated Villain

In his present state, many things didn’t require deliberate deduction. He had a premonition somewhere. He could clearly understand a cultivator’s life, past, and future with just a glance. The reason he contemplated leading the Gu family to migrate and abandon this world was a future glimpse of the mortal world of mountains and seas drenched in blood, the sky collapsing, and the world obscured by mist.

Lives were ravaged, and the entire world faced sacrifice, with no apparent hope, only pervasive gray scars, a universe in collapse, and a world engulfed in endless blood and fire.

However, when Gu Changge suddenly asserted that he had underestimated the world of mountains and seas, the black-robed old man swiftly deduced with a trace of doubt and incomprehension. As the deduction deepened, his brows furrowed even tighter. Despite hundreds of millions of possibilities in every moment, an existence like his discerned clear lines leading to established future outcomes.

Impossible.

Especially when attempting to deduce the Gu Changge before him again, he realized that Gu Changge seemed to have vanished from the past, future, and even the current world. Although standing there, it was as if he occupied an unknown latitude, overseeing all living beings.

The old man in the black robe suddenly raised his head, steadfastly staring at Gu Changge.

“Though you haven’t returned to your previous peak, why is there no trace of you in this world? Where are you? Was the dark catastrophe many epochs ago also a game you deliberately orchestrated?” he questioned with a weighted tone.

At this moment, he seemed to grasp something, raising the possibility that even he was initially deceived by Gu Changge. He thought of himself as an outsider, but with the eyes of a bystander, he realized that he had overlooked changing times, turbulent mountains and rivers, and shifting stars—all under Gu Changge’s control and plan.

All members of the Gu family in the ancestral hall felt profound oppression. Their souls trembled under the inadvertent wisp of aura revealed by the black-robed old man when he spoke. It wasn’t directed at them, yet the vastness of the universe’s horror and suffocation left them horrified. The ancestor’s cultivation level was beyond speculation or imagination, described as unpredictable and incomprehensible.

Unaffected by the oppression, Gu Changge maintained a calm expression and spoke with a faint smile, “What does the ancestor mean by that? Are you doubting my intentions, suspecting that I truly aim to destroy this real world of mountains and seas, burying all spirits and common people together?”

His words altered the expressions of all the ancestors, creating a sense that Gu Changge and the ancestor were in conflict.

As members of the Gu family, they didn’t want Gu Changge to clash with the ancestor. The black-robed old man recognized his gaffe, quickly restoring his expression. It had been a while since he experienced such significant mood swings. Originally detached from the real world of mountains and seas, he rarely found characters that truly impressed him, with Gu Changge being the exception.

Yet, within Gu Changge’s being, the old man couldn’t perceive other time and space, the aura of other eras, or the fluctuations of existence. It seemed that Gu Changge had genuinely gathered all figures along the timeline, unifying endless time and space—the sole individual throughout all ages.

As an ancient cultivator of the Virtual Dao Realm who had embraced the path of detachment and survived two declines of heaven, the old man comprehended the profound implications and found it almost unbelievable.

He stood tall in the current world but couldn’t locate Gu Changge’s figure in the past. It seemed that Gu Changge didn’t exist in the past, future, or even in the present world. It was as if Gu Changge appeared out of thin air—a truly perplexing phenomenon.

“The old man doesn’t doubt you; he just suddenly doesn’t understand your origin. Since ancient times, only those with the qualifications to break through shackles and restrictions can leap into the realm and step into the Daoist realm…” the black-robed old man spoke in a low voice.

Could it be that you are a mutation among mutations, the so-called odd number?

His origins traced back countless epochs, to a time when cultivation realms were not as detailed. Ancient cultivators were categorized into mortal, immortal, and Dao realms. The mortal realm encompassed all realms before the immortal realm. Even standing at the peak of the mortal realm, as an enlightened person, one only reached the pinnacle of the mortal realm.

In contrast, the immortal realm spanned from the real immortal to the immortal emperor. Detachment led to the Dao realm, with the distinction between the virtual Dao realm and the True Dao realm arising from this.

However, entering the Dao realm was rare, and even ancient real worlds that endured countless eras produced only a few Dao Realm existences. Thus, the black-robed old man was qualified to disdain the true world overlooking mountains and seas. This new ancient world lacked even a single ancient cultivator.

Reflecting on the first battle against heaven, the black-robed old man pondered that if the demon lord hadn’t appeared, there might not have been a second calamity. Consequently, there would be no real world of mountains and seas. These events compelled the black-robed old man to reconsider his perspective.

Especially today, when Gu Changge uttered these words in front of him.

“Old Ancestors are worrying too much; I just want to tell you that the real world of mountains and seas will not be destroyed just because of this catastrophe. As for the odd number, you can actually understand it that way, but I would rather call it a variable,” Gu Changge maintained a faint smile.

The old man in the black robe frowned even tighter, “Variation?”

Acknowledging variables in the dark was reasonable. He did not dare to claim that he could truly judge the past and the present and comprehend everything. The road of cultivation was lengthy and perilous, and despite reaching this level, he did not consider himself invincible. Even the distant ancestors back then experienced moments of powerlessness.

“I came here to look for my ancestors. Actually, there is one thing I want to discuss with you. I also know about the Gu family. The location of the Nine Heavens is really far away, and some unavoidable accidents will inevitably happen on the way. Naturally, I don’t want many clansmen to die in it and put them in a dangerous situation.”

Gu Changge ignored the perplexed expressions of the black-robed old man and many clansmen in the ancestral hall. He began to explain his purpose for coming there. Since the big fish had been caught, it should have its purpose. From a certain point of view, there was indeed no more suitable candidate than this ancestor of the Gu family.

Hearing this, the old man in the black robe fell into silence. Perhaps the members of the Gu family in the ancestral hall did not grasp the meaning of these words, but at his level, they naturally understood what Gu Changge wanted to express. Although there was a destiny in the dark, after ancient times, every real world would suffer the consideration of calamity.

If it survived numerous calamities, it would attract new life and transformation, reaching a higher level. If it couldn’t survive the calamity, it would lose its body and mind, returning to the ruins, buried in the chaos, awaiting a chance after hundreds of millions of epochs to give birth to new vitality again.

This resembled a cultivator’s journey. From the onset of stepping onto the road of cultivation, one was fated to struggle all the way. All living beings, the heavens, and all things were trapped in such a destiny. If this was heaven’s decree, then they would accept it.

Yet, the higher the level, the more the horror of this world became apparent. The so-called transition was akin to being locked in a cage, battling like a parasite, waiting for the right time to harvest and liquidate.

To put it mildly, they were referred to as cultivators, but in reality, they were just leeks in the eyes of higher-level beings, cultivating one generation and harvesting the next. Even if an odd number emerged among them, the hope was to break through this cage and approach the genuine source. However, ultimately, they would still be crushed by a terrifying force reaching out from there.

Gu Changge’s current words might not carry this meaning in the eyes of the black-robed old man.

“The old man naturally understands what you said, but what’s the use of understanding? Even distant ancestors couldn’t escape this fate, so what can we do?” He expressed a sense of gloom, shook his head, and seemed somewhat disinterested.

“Since the endless ages, haven’t there been many heaven-slayers trying to break free and approach the genuine source? Even if their bodies are shattered and their spirits destroyed, they do not hesitate. What is the ancestor afraid of?” Gu Changge maintained a light smile.

When the Heaven Slayer was mentioned, the expression on the old man in the black robe changed slightly. He couldn’t help but gaze at the sky outside the ancestral hall. Not seeing any unusual signs, he breathed a sigh of relief. The term “heaven slayer” wasn’t something to be mentioned lightly, as it could easily lead to boundless disasters.

Gu Changge’s calm mention of it in front of the many members of the Gu family in the ancestral hall made the black-robed old man smile wryly. It seemed there were no inhibitions.

The higher one reached in cultivation, the more one became aware of the invisible, ever-present gaze. Caution in both words and actions became increasingly crucial.

“Just tell me directly, what do you want to do?” The black-robed old man felt a surge of emotion. It appeared that despite having lived for an extended period, his courage was diminishing. Even though Gu Changge should be a more ancient and mysterious being than his origin, his current appearance was that of a young and energetic man, carefree and unabashed, openly uttering the term “Heaven Slayer.”

“I want to reorganize the heavens and true worlds, and in the name of defeating the heavens, I will establish the heaven-slaying alliance,” Gu Changge spoke with a faint smile, his tone seemingly understated.

What?

As his words landed, the face of the black-robed old man underwent a drastic change—shock, horror, and disbelief etched across his features.

Rumble!

In the emptiness, it seemed as if countless thunders resonated, a formidable momentum about to surge from beyond the sky. It was as though this statement had touched an untouchable taboo, awakening a dormant, terrifying existence. All members of the Gu family in the ancestral hall shuddered, feeling as if their souls were on the brink of explosion, and their spiritual seas were about to collapse, collapsing to the ground.

A pair of gazes, seemingly from nowhere, sought to oversee, bringing boundless power like a falling sky, attempting to crush their spines and turn their souls to ashes. However, Gu Changge’s expression remained unchanged. With an indifferent look, he waved his sleeves, and from the depths of the world, a dull hum emerged. The overwhelming power vanished like a receding tide.

In an instant, all members of the Gu family felt as though they were rescued from the sea, their bodies drenched in cold sweat. Even those who had weathered many storms exhibited panic and shock in their eyes.

“What exactly is this?” someone couldn’t help but murmur, a lingering horror still present in their eyes.

The complexion of the old man in black had also recovered. He regarded Gu Changge with a complex expression.

He truly didn’t expect that Gu Changge’s ambitions would be so grand, daring to establish the heaven-slaying alliance. How audacious and courageous was this? Just moments ago, uttering that sentence alone triggered a terrifying vision and drew the attention of an unseen force. If the Heaven-Slaying Alliance were indeed established, it would undoubtedly create monumental waves, and the unimaginable karmic repercussions it would carry left the black-robed old man unable to fathom.

What astonished him even more was Gu Changge’s nonchalant wave, effortlessly deflecting the prying gaze. While his strength had likely not fully returned to its peak, it wasn’t far off.

“How far have you come? How could you reincarnate and re-cultivate?” At this moment, the black-robed old man couldn’t suppress the biggest doubt in his heart.

With Gu Changge’s strength, even after the Forbidden Era, it would be a simple task to obliterate the entire Mountain and Sea Realm. What kind of existence could counter him? Yet, why did Gu Changge, possessing such invincible strength, end up in reincarnation? Although the black-robed old man had lived through that era, he only had a partial understanding of many things.