I Am the Fated Villain

Gu Changge refrained from pressing him; there was no need to overly fret about such matters. Moreover, it would be a while before the group of “hunters” from the vast sea ventured into the real world of mountains and seas. Yet, that wasn’t the main concern—those “hunters’ ‘ weren’t worthy of Gu Changge’s attention.

His current contemplation revolved around whether to reach out to other real worlds and form the Heaven Slaying Alliance. It was implausible for just one real world to participate. Counting on a single realm to challenge the original world was akin to believing in fairy tales and delusions.

Gu Changge surveyed the remaining land. While the power of nothingness refined the true blood of the demon lord, even Jiang Chuchu, Yin Mei, and others secluded themselves, striving for a higher realm. Unlike before, the Divine Kingdom and Heavenly Court had no immediate issues to address. Only heavenly soldiers and generals patrolled, maintaining order and tranquility.

No race or faction dared provoke the Divine Kingdom and Heavenly Court. During this period, numerous old monsters had recuperated, some having experienced the dark catastrophe of the Forbidden Era alongside Gu Changge. They understood Gu Changge’s terror, wisely staying within their territories.

“Considering the time, it’s probably been quite a while since I last saw that girl Xian’er,” Gu Changge mused.

His figure materialized in the Four-sided Temple within the Heavenly Court. The grand hall exuded an extraordinary chill and silence, devoid of any human presence. It had been a considerable time since anyone appeared there.

Following Yue Mingkong’s seclusion, Gu Changge had issued directives, assigning many affairs of the Heavenly Court to various courtiers, including major immortal king families in the immortal domain. Consequently, the vast center of the Heavenly Court saw nearly no activity.

Even the formidable figures who were once Gu Changge’s confidantes and held great value in his eyes didn’t dare tread there without permission. He shook his head slightly, observing the empty hall where only the hanging curtain stirred in the wind.

Gu Changge stood alone, motionless for a prolonged period. Since his return from the immortal domain with the big red bird, he hadn’t seen Gu Xian’er. According to the bird, Gu Xian’er was the reincarnation of the heavenly maiden from the real world of mountains and seas, who fell while combating the first calamity of that realm. However, Gu Changge’s memory of the heavenly maiden was vague.

Initially, he didn’t pay much attention to it, focusing more on Qing Yi, the true spirit of the real world of mountains and seas. “It still lacks the scent of humans. Although I’m accustomed to the solitude of the ages, not seeing this venting bag for a long time feels strange,” he mused emotionally. Gu Changge understood that Gu Xian’er must have grown stronger with the assistance of the big red bird, leading him not to employ any means to trace her whereabouts.

After a considerable time, he exited the hall, walking through the blurred void. In the Temple of Destiny, Xiao Ruoyin, donned in a plain long dress, sat cross-legged on a futon with closed eyes, deeply secluded. The temple, always quiet, had few living beings in the vast star field.

Gu Changge’s presence didn’t disturb Xiao Ruoyin. He observed silently, making no sound. After a while, he departed quietly, uncertain why he had visited the Temple of Destiny and why he wanted to check on Xiao Ruoyin.

Could it be that the seclusion of those around him left him feeling a bit lonely? Was he seeking someone to converse with? Or perhaps he harbored a tinge of guilt towards Xiao Ruoyin? Gu Changge found these emotions somewhat perplexing.

While he didn’t follow the path of ruthlessness, being a demon lord or a true ancestor set him apart from ordinary people. He couldn’t undergo the same mundane experiences or encounter various beings step by step.

“Do I possess these emotions? Is this internal scrutiny indicating that my emotions are flawed?” Gu Changge pondered, shaking his head lightly. He never considered himself a sentimental person. To achieve his goals, he could employ any means necessary. The outcome, in his view, held more significance than the process. Contemplating many things, he prioritized the result and determined the means to expedite it.

This mindset had become a natural habit, deeply etched in his soul like a brand. To him, everything, whether people or things, could be viewed as tools, differing only in their value. Consequently, he found it challenging to develop genuine sentiments for these tools.

“Perhaps I should truly experience, at least once, the seven emotions and six desires of sentient beings—the genuine emotions,” Gu Changge mused, turning inward for introspection. At his level, many sensations weren’t groundless; they could signify a significant opportunity.

He realized that simpler problems allowed for a deeper understanding, a return to basics, and proximity to the essence of nature. The revelation occurred when he reunited with Qing Yi on the moon in the boundless sea. Initially, he questioned why he felt guilty about her—a sentiment foreign to him in the past. As long as Qing Yi aided him in completing his plan and achieving his goal, he would unhesitatingly abandon her.

Hence, there was no notion of soft-heartedness and compassion at all. However, when Qing Yi embraced him, considering him her sole reliance without a hint of doubt from start to finish, a faint stir occurred in Gu Changge’s heart. This prompted him to reflect on Yue Mingkong, Gu Xian’er, Jiang Chuchu, and others.

During the refinement of that drop of true blood, Gu Changge contemplated how he perceived those around him—were they tools or mere playthings? While his practices weren’t ruthless, he had indeed shared many experiences with them before fully awakening his past memories. These emotions had never surfaced before.

Upon introspection, Gu Changge realized something significant. In his current form, he was following the path of humanity. A man on this path couldn’t be entirely ruthless. If a comparison were made, the bodies of the demon lord and the true ancestor embodied the way of heaven—genuinely ruthless, where all things in the world were mere illusory bubbles.

For Gu Changge, he now experienced emotions like pity. In his perspective, it marked a transformation from the way of heaven to the way of man. “The way of heaven is to damage what is more than to make up for what is not enough. The vastness of the common people and the immeasurable myriad spirits are the so-called surpluses,” he contemplated. “The way of human beings is to harm what is not enough and give what is more than what is given. The two complement each other.”

These insights were profound for Gu Changge. He saw this as a substantial opportunity, potentially increasing the chances of success by 30% for the numerous plans he had set in motion. The true ancestor, representing the way of heaven and the will of heaven, required Gu Changge to balance it with the ways of people.

The gestation and birth of the true ancestor remained a mystery, impossible for anyone to trace or comprehend. Even with different numbers and variables, according to the established trajectory, the appearance of a new true ancestor was deemed impossible.

True ancestors originally embodied the concept of Dao, giving rise to Dao’s conception and birth. They stood at the ultimate beginning and end of all tangible and intangible substances, their strength truly inconceivable. The birth of such an existence between heaven and earth was deemed impossible. Even if deduced from the inception of time to its conclusion, finding a similar existence was an unattainable task. Describing their nature was beyond comprehension; their existence remained an enigma.

Gu Changge, well aware of these truths, had long strategized accordingly. However, the current opportunity presented him with an alternative perspective. As the original True Ancestor, he was intimately familiar with the power at that level. The emergence of the way of man offered a slight chance for him to surpass the fundamental realm of the true ancestor.

Leaving the Temple of Destiny, Gu Changge traversed various universes, visiting the assassin kingdom cultivated by Bai Lian’er. Formerly the Dark Heavenly Court established by Gu Changge, it now fell under Bai Lian’er’s control after merging with the Heavenly Court. Factions like the Division of Evil Suppression, Asura Hall, and Assassin Hall were all under her management. Over the years, Bai Lian’er and Ji Qingxuan handled the selection of seeds by the Divine Kingdom and the Heavenly Court, finding enjoyment in their pursuits while cultivation took a backseat.

Gu Changge observed silently from the void and departed without revealing himself. Bai Lian’er had become an enlightened figure, a true Killing Emperor. Yet, in the current vast world, the power of enlightened beings was too insignificant to exert any meaningful influence.

Ji Qingxuan’s cultivation wasn’t particularly robust; she faced difficulties due to her limited aptitude. After years of effort, she had only reached the quasi-emperor level. Gu Changge acknowledged that breaking through these constraints and entering the enlightened world, the emperor’s realm, was a formidable challenge for her. Without additional fortuitous circumstances, she might remain in this realm for her entire life.

In Gu Changge’s estimation, it took but a glance to discern Ji Qingxuan’s future. However, he found such foresight too mundane and uninteresting. At present, he sought to experience the various emotions of ordinary beings, witness the seven emotions and six desires, and fulfill the missing human path.

The sight of Ji Qingxuan triggered thoughts of her sister, Su Qingge. Since their last encounter, it had been a considerable time since Gu Changge saw Su Qingge. Despite Su Qingge’s initial defiance, Gu Changge had long asserted that he had no intention of harming or punishing her. From the outset, he had manipulated Su Qingge, crafting a nearly flawless image that fostered her wholehearted trust.

Gu Changge, however, wasn’t deluded enough to believe that Su Qingge would maintain that trust upon learning the truth. Another soul resided in Su Qingge’s body, one that had been exposed to demonic energy in the Demon Burying Abyss. Over time, Su Qingge had become somewhat influenced by this true soul.

Later, driven by Chan Hongyi’s bewitching words, Su Qingge sought refuge on the Demonic Mountain. She rebelled against Gu Changge, seeking an explanation and wanting to understand her position in his heart. Was she a disposable chess piece, a worthless pawn, or a mere plaything for his amusement?

From an outsider’s perspective, Su Qingge was undeniably a pitiable figure. Brought to the upper realm by Gu Changge, she was forced into becoming an inheritor of demonic skills due to one body hosting two souls. Yet, Gu Changge, the deity, unjustly laid blame for numerous disasters at the feet of the inheritor of demonic arts, though Su Qingge played no role in those actions. Fearing exposure, she had no choice but to flee and hide her true identity. Eventually, she herself started believing that she was the inheritor of demonic arts destined to bring calamity to the world and stand against Gu Changge. During that time, each day brought suffering and torment.

Gu Changge moved on from that area, traversing various universes and life star fields before arriving at an ancient life star. There, he immersed himself in the mundane, embracing nature like an ordinary creature, observing mountains, rivers, and the flow of life. He refrained from deducing Su Qingge’s current location, opting to let things unfold naturally. If destiny had a plan, it would reveal itself in due course; if not, there was no need to force it.

In the vast world, Su Qingge no longer needed to fret over her identity as the inheritor of demonic arts. She could now choose the life she desired, and Gu Changge had no intention of disrupting her newfound tranquility.

Ultimately, he journeyed through numerous landscapes, sometimes accompanied by others, and other times alone amidst mountains, rivers, and swamps. He witnessed wars, experienced the rise and fall of ancient countries, the crumbling of cities, and the demise of dynasties.