I Am the Fated Villain
chapter-346

In an enormous space where bright and heavenly mist rose as the wind graced about the celestial mountains. It was a breathtaking sight to all who behold it. There were many people who had surrounded the place, all of them from the clans of the Celestial Ancient Continent. They were silent and respectful, as they stood behind Gu Changge, not daring to speak.

“En en, Young Master Gu. I will not disappoint you.” Xiao Ruoyin inhaled deeply after hearing his words, finally calm. She stared at the Immortal Stone before her, which looked shiny and clear. There was some sort of mysterious mist flowing inside, which seemed to be able to liquefy at any moment. Inside this stone, there was a terrifying energy, which even she could feel from a distance.

Gu Changge remained smiling, his gaze peaceful and undisturbed. The Nihility Destiny Physique’s power lay in Nilithy and its abstract existence, which does not appear in the fates within the Heavenly Path. Thus, making it ever more enigmatic.

Gu Changge guessed that if he let her go, she would be discovered by cultivators from other forces who would take her back with them. After all, anyone could see how talented she was. It would not immediately be clear what physique she had to them, but it was obvious she was talented and would grow to be extremely powerful. Thus, the cultivation techniques and resources he mentioned before would just fall on her lap, and be a none issue. However, she didn’t know of this. Similarly, she did not know about her great aptitude for cultivating, which would cause innumerable forces to want to take her in as a disciple.

[And the day the Nihility Destiny Physique is complete, will be when her Fortuity will completely mature…] Gu Changge’s smile was mild, which was the same as usual, without any peculiarities. .

His gaze landed on Xiao Ruoyin, who remained in her spot, as she did not know what to do. Thus, he gently explained, “Lay your hand on the test stone. Seven colours might show red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet; The more colours you get, with violet being the highest point, the greater your aptitude for cultivating. If you don’t possess an ounce of talent for cultivating, the stone wouldn’t show any reaction.”

Xiao Ruoyin nodded at this with understanding. She did not hesitate any longer, and anxiously placed her hand on the stone.

*Buzz!* Almost instantly after her hand touched it, the stone emitted a vibrating hum and a blinding light shone from the top. It was a flaming red at first, followed by orange, yellow, green… Almost instantly, the stone was illuminated by the seven colours. It looked extremely bright and brilliant.

“What? She’s that strong?”

“Seven colours….a genius!”

“It’s been a long time since someone so gifted has appeared. Even Lady Yanyu was only average when she took this test!”

“How terrifying. If this girl started cultivating earlier, she might already be in the Sacred Realm like Lady Yanyu.”

The sight shocked those from the Continent. Their eyes were wide with shock and envy as they stared at her and exclaimed.

“Did I succeed?” Xiao Ruoyin was shocked by this and did not know how to react for some time. From the remarks the others made, her aptitude seemed to be exceptional. Thus, her heart was filled with happiness and excitement. Even if she didn’t like surprises, this surprise was something she was delighted about. She had only hoped to possess some talent for cultivating. She did not expect that she was that gifted. Thus, she could not help but break out a wide smile from the pure joy she felt.

“Young Master Gu, I didn’t disappoint you, did I?” Xiao Ruoyin then looked towards Gu Changge, her eyes sparkling with some strange emotion. Her tone sounded relieved. She hadn’t expected to want to share this joyful news with him first, as he was just a benefactor who she had just known earlier that day.

“Why would I be disappointed? I’m really happy that you’re so gifted” he replied with a smile.

“En. en. But, I can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity, Young Master Gu.” She nodded, feeling an unprecedented feeling of joy and relief.

“You’re more gifted than many of the other young prodigies. You just need to work hard in cultivating, and you’ll eventually catch up to them. Not being inferior to them in the slightest.” He smiled once again.

“I’ll find a Master for you who you can follow for your cultivation.” Gu Changge was planning to send a message to Yan Ji to come. He had heard before this that she had entered retreat. Thus, it was likely that she was trying to breakthrough to the Sacred King Realm. Once she did, she would be a great choice as Xiao Ruoyin’s Master. Someone who could monitor her and was one of his most trusted servants. Basically, the most ideal person to leave this task to.

“Ah, sorry for the trouble.” Xiao Ruoyin nodded. She now held no suspicion towards him at all. She was not even worried about what kind of Master Gu Changge would find for her.

“It’s no trouble at all. Given your aptitude, you will be fought over everywhere else. This may count as me finding an excellent disciple for the power backing me.” Gu Changge said with a smile while looking extremely charming and aloof, causing no one to doubt his words.

“I understand. I will cultivate properly and repay the favour you gave me, when I have the chance.” She sounded touched. She internally questioned how such a perfect man could exist. He was perfect not just in looks, aura, and manners, but even in character as well.

“When I start training with my Master, will I have the opportunity to see you?” She suddenly recalled something important and looked up at him with her scarlet eyes. It sounded like a question that took a lot of courage to ask but it was her real feelings. She had no motives towards him; it was just that she would be more relieved if she could see him.

She had already seen him instinctively as a reliable person. When she first came to this world, she had lived in this mysterious and chaotic world without any support. Now, after she had met such a benefactor, she wanted to hold on to him tightly.

Gu Changge smiled. “Of course. I see you are already excited, so I’ll pass down a powerful cultivation technique to you.”

“Really?” Xiao Ruoyin was surprised and pleased. “Thank you, Young Master Gu.”

In her mind, cultivation techniques were extremely valuable as were they extremely mysterious. A secret kept by each individual force, and not to be passed down to others.

“Of course” He tapped between her eyebrows with one finger as he spoke.

Indistinctly, she saw an extremely ancient and complex cultivation technique opening up right before her eyes. Each word shone as bright as the stars in the sky.

“Is that the cultivation technique you use?” she murmured, feeling some sense of familiarity. It was as if she had felt like this once before.

Gu Changge made a profound smile and took her to the underground dungeon to release her friends as promised. [Naturally, this cultivation technique is not something that simple. You’ll realise that in due time.]

….

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen had stirred to wakefulness within the dim underground dungeon. His body felt like it had been rolled over by an enormous rock, with every cell and organ of his body feeling like it had been reduced to pieces. The sharp pain made him need to forcibly inhale, with his face turned pale and sweaty.

“Ah’chen, how are you? Are you okay?” Niu Tian asked with concern after seeing him wake up.

“I’m fine except for the slight ache in my body. Where’s Ruoyin? Has something happened to her?” Jiang Chen shook his head. He immediately came to attention, looking around the room for Xiao Ruoyin. However, there was no sign of her at all in the dungeon, where all his companions currently were. His heart thudded as the feeling of uneasiness became worse.

“She has been taken away and hasn’t returned yet. She’s a pretty lucky person so she should be fine. You don’t need to be so concerned for her.”

Jiang Chen fell silent for a moment, anxiety and fury flashing across his eyes before he reined in his emotions. He could never forget the suffocating fear of impending death.

“How long was I unconscious?” he asked again.

“About half a day,” replied Niu Tian.

“Half a day…” Jiang Chen muttered, pity flickering in his eyes. [That means that she had been taken for half a day when I was unconscious! Who knows what would happen in that period of time? She’s no different from a weak insignificant girl in this world. If she gets into a dangerous situation, what would she be able to do?]

“Jiang Chen, stop worrying about her. She already knew that she would transmigrate and also understands the language of this world. She did not even tell us about it. Who knows, she may have been taken away from here and the whole scene was just an act to fool us.” Another woman spoke up, her outfit extremely stylish and her face covered with light flawless makeup. She looked a little dishevelled though, due to their lengthy imprisonment, but it was clear she had fine features.

This was Wang Ning, who was also Jiang Chen and Niu Tian’s classmate. She did not click with Xiao Ruoyin though. Her attractive looks had earned her the nickname of ‘Goddess Wang’ as well as many adoring fans, yet she was extremely interested in Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen, however, only had eyes for Xiao Ruoyin, so Wang Ning made sure to oppose the other Xiao Ruoyin whenever possible. Her words sounded almost mocking but also expressed the feelings of many others who fell silent. After all, Xiao Ruoyin had never told them she knew the language of this world, and she had been the one inviting them on this archaeological trip.

“Don’t say such things, Wang Ning. She probably had her reasons for doing so. You are classmates and it is outrageous to see you complain about her behind her back.”

“What complaint? Did I say anything wrong? She may have been favoured by that man in white and already left this place to enjoy herself. Why would she care about us? What are you thinking when you continue to defend her in this manner? She doesn’t care about you at all. You better believe that the noble and revered girl of your dreams is accompanying that man right now; who knows what they may be doing…”

Her words were extremely cruel and callous. It wasn’t only Jiang Chen who had become stricken; even Niu Tian and the others hadn’t expected her to say such things. It was kind of true, though; they were on the verge of death and didn’t even know if they could live until tomorrow. So, who would care about scruples here? Much less someone else’s face! Thus, when they heard what she said, all of them became silent. They did not even know if Xiao Ruoyin was dead or alive, and were in no position to care about it since their own fates were uncertain.

“Shut up, Wang Ning. No one would take you for a mute.” Niu Tian glared at her, his tone fierce.

Wang Ning was slightly fearful of him and let out a grunt before becoming quiet. Jiang Chen’s expression was dark, his fists clenched as he searched for words to say. He still did not believe Xiao Ruoyin would abandon them to their deaths. Rather, he believes she had her own hardships. Still, Wang Ning’s words unsettled him, and he was worried about how he was going to face Xiao Ruoyin if that was true.

“Ah’chen, stop thinking about it too much. You know her well; she will never harm you even if she wants to harm us.” Niu Tian immediately reassured him upon seeing the other man’s expression.

Though Jiang Chen was worried that Wang Ning’s words would come true. Upon hearing his friend’s worried voice, his expression eased as he remained silent.

Just as they were discussing the situation, footsteps came from outside the dungeon.

“Someone’s here.” Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up and he rose from his seat. The others followed him as well.

Outside the cell, a man and two women were approaching. The leader was tall and slender with a handsome face and dark raven hair. Light seemed to swirl around him and his sleeves fluttered as he walked, making him resemble a deity walking amongst mortals. A woman in a white dress accompanied him; her face did not have any makeup on it but even so, her features were beautiful and flawless. Her hair was down and with her long legs, her beauty was otherworldly. The two of them looked almost compatible as they moved through the dungeon.

“Xiao Ruoyin?”

“Ruoyin?”

Jiang Chen, Niu Tian and the others were stunned, not believing what they were seeing. It might have been an illusion, as the woman in white was obviously Xiao Ruoyin. However, her clothes had now changed and her complexion looked much healthier than before, just like a flower blooming in an empty valley.

[What happened?] The others were confused, especially Jiang Chen who had become paler. Recalling what Wang Ning had said, he clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms unknowingly. He stared hard at her, seeking an explanation for why things had suddenly gone this way. [Hadn’t she been captured? Why does she look so spotless and unharmed?]

However, Xiao Ruoyin only glanced at him briefly without any explanation. Gu Changge glanced at every single person in the cell, pausing momentarily at Jiang Chen. The others felt a terrifying pressure around them and became so uneasy that their backs became damp with sweat.

“Master, are we releasing all of them?” Hei Yanyu asked respectfully from behind him.

Gu Changge nodded and said lightly, “All of them.”

Hei Yanyu did not hesitate, waving her hand before her.

*Buzz!* In the next moment, a bright light flashed through the void, and the mysterious black iron chain attached to the celled opened. They fell to the floor with a heavy thud, and then the doors of the cell immediately opened. Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, Wang Ning, and the rest witnessed this with puzzlement.

[Why are they removing our chains? Are they going to set us free?] At that thought, many looked happy and excited.

“Everything will be okay. Young Master Gu said he will let everyone live. Everything before this had been a misunderstanding,” Xiao Ruoyin explained in their language after stepping towards them calmly.

“Goddess Xiao, what’s happening?” Asked one man, looking confused.

“It’s a long story and I will explain everything later. Everyone is safe now and we can leave this dungeon.” Xiao Ruoyin’s gaze lingered on Jiang Chen for a moment but did not say anything else, instead informing the others that they were safe and would not be locked in this cell any longer.

“Really? That’s amazing. It must have been Goddess Xiao who saved us. I did say that she’s beautiful and kind-hearted. How could she possibly forget about us when she has made it big?” An awkward expression flashed across her features at the words ‘made it big’, but she couldn’t argue against it. If she hadn’t met Gu Changge, she wouldn’t have begun her journey on the road of cultivation and instead remained a prisoner. That description was kind of true.

“It’s all thanks to Goddess Xiao. Otherwise, we won’t even know how long we will be imprisoned.”

After confirming the news, the group was pleased and surprised. Their unhappy complaints about Xiao Ruoyin disappeared like a puff of air. Nothing else was more important than their own lives!

“Exactly. How could we be saved without her? A certain someone kept complaining about her, saying that she didn’t care whether we were alive or dead…” One man looked mockingly at a sour-looking Wang Ning, copying her tone from before. Wang Ning looked sour as she hadn’t expected Xiao Ruoyin to rescue them. This was something she completely hadn’t expected.

“Did I say anything wrong? Do you think she’s so kind that she would save you? It’s just an easy task for her.” Wang Ning, angry at being mocked, retorted quickly as she refused to accept Xiao Ruoyin’s kindness. She refused to believe that nothing had happened between Xiao Ruoyin and the man in white. After all, why else would he release them unharmed?

“Wang Ning, what are you talking about? Ruoyin was kind enough to save us and now you are second-guessing her intentions?” Niu Tian interrupted her while frowning in annoyance.

Wang Ning was wary of the tall and stocky man as she knew he wasn’t the type of person who wouldn’t act violently just because she was a woman. She snorted coldly and shut her mouth instead.

“Ruoyin, that’s how she usually behaves. Don’t stoop down to her level. Thank you so much for saving us; we will repay you when we get the chance.” Niu Tian glanced at the silent Jiang Chen, then smiled humbly as he talked to her. He was quite closely acquainted with her due to her relationship with Jiang Chen.

“It’s fine.” Xiao Ruoyin shook her head in answer, knowing that they had all misunderstood the situation. She would have to make Gu Changge wait for a long time if she explained everything now, so she remained quiet. She planned on explaining everything when they had the time.

“Ah’chen, are you okay? You should believe her; don’t you know her character well?” Niu Tian sighed and muttered.

“I know. I believe her.” Jiang Chen forced a smile as if he had gotten over the situation. He understood the woes she had and so did not want to waste her effort. His eyes were still fixed on her though, as if waiting for an explanation.

He chose to ignore Gu Changge, who was still outside of the cell. He had already experienced how terrifying the man could be and did not want to anger him.

Xiao Ruoyin smiled at him. “I’ll explain everything to all of you later.”

She then took them out of the cell, and let Gu Changge lead the group.

He looked calm and seemed intent on ignoring them. Jiang Chen and his classmates knew that with the disparity in their statuses, and they couldn’t possibly hope that a man such as him would care about them. In fact, it was fortunate enough for them that he released them alive.

Niu Tian and the others seemed to be curious about what Xiao Ruoyin had gone through after she left the dungeon, but they did not dare enquire about it. It was obvious that she was a different person from before, and the respectful gazes from the guards outside the dungeon proved that her status had truly changed. This made the others envious, yet Jiang Chen’s mouth felt dry and bitter. His uneasiness worsened. [Why did her status change so much in an instant? Why is it as though we are no longer on the same level?]

Xiao Ruoyin was walking beside Gu Changge, seemingly discussing something while smiling. There was something bright flickering within her scarlet eyes, which Jiang Chen took to be admiration and respect. That feeling made his heart hurt excruciatingly. Thus, he reassured himself repeatedly that she was just faking it to please the man in white and save them all.

“Young Master Gu, I want to talk to my friends.” Xiao Ruoyin said tentatively when they reached a cluster of palace buildings.

“Go on, I won’t trouble you. You don’t have to ask me for permission.” He smiled, his charming and extraordinary bearing now much softened.

Having gained his permission, she answered with a soft sound of agreement while looking happy. She didn’t know why she had done so, as the act felt completely instinctual.

Soon, Gu Changge left with Hei Yanyu as he was content to ignore them.

“Young Master…” Hei Yanyu looked at him with confusion, wanting to say something yet hesitating. She did not understand his actions or his attitude towards Xiao Ruoyin. To her, the woman was certainly extremely gifted, but it was far from enough to make him this concerned. Besides, she knew his character; he was cold and cruel, never doing anything which did not benefit him. Yet, he had wasted so much effort on such a time-consuming and trivial task. That meant that he might have some other use for that woman.

“Don’t worry about it. Just keep an eye on them.” His smile faded away and his expression became cold and calm once more.

“Alright,” Hei Yanyu answered, feeling relieved. To be honest, he had been so good to Xiao Ruoyin that she was a little jealous of the other woman. She even questioned why she couldn’t get the same treatment? Nonetheless, it was now obvious that Gu Changge had other hidden motives for doing so, which made her feel much better.