I Am the Fated Villain
chapter-360

“It seems that it’s not just us from the Ji Family who know about the appearance of the Tower of World Domination. I thought that this would go smoothly; if Yaoxing doesn’t have any news as well, we will have to return without any results. Will all our planning and efforts come to yield nothing in the end?” Ji Chuyue’s thin eyebrows were furrowed together as she murmured to herself. She had seen far too many cultivators with strong auras flying across the sky on clouds or mist as if looking for something. Their goals were obviously the same as the family’s, not to mention their search area was much bigger. Not even the land on the other side of the Sky Jade Mountain Range was left out.

She hadn’t sent anyone to check it out for fear of drawing attention, but the issue soon exceeded her expectations. Several batches of cultivators had joined the group from before, including some people she knew who were members of the Hidden Chen Family. Their family might not be as ancient as the Hidden Ji Family but some members had become True Daoists, reaching the Nirvana Realm. It had given rise to many prodigal members recently, causing their power to increase and leading to some friction with her own family.

If they clashed with the Hidden Chen Family, news of the commotion would spread and gain the attention of the other forces. The fight for the Tower of World Domination wouldn’t just involve the younger generation but also the older generation. Besides, the Tower of World Domination was also one of the keys to opening the Immortal Palace Treasury. Naturally, many cultivators desired that sort of power. Rumours all stated that the Seven Tools of World Domination were superior to the Nirvana Grade Artifacts but it was rare to see someone activating them or even wielding their full power.

“Young Mistress Chuyue, Jiang Chen is asking to see you.” A sudden report from outside the pavilion stunned her. Her wide beautiful eyes narrowed, looking like half moons.

“Why is he here?”

She knew that he had a powerful physique but hadn’t informed him so. One reason was that it was entertaining to watch him pretending to be calm before ending up humiliating himself; the other one was because she wanted to help him secretly, getting a good-quality disciple for her family. That was why she would send him some spirit herbs via a messenger the past few days. According to her observations, Jiang Chen’s physique was a little mysterious and even exceeded her brother’s Sacred Physique of the Sun in some aspects. It was an innate feeling that she had.

“Let him in.” Ji Chuyue nodded, curious as to why he wanted to see her.

“Greetings, Lady Chuyue.” Jiang Chen walked in soon after, eyes landing on her as he bowed to her in greeting.

“Why do you want to see me?” She smiled in a way that anyone meeting her for the first time would like her immediately.

“Are you looking for something, Lady Chuyue?” he asked directly without beating around the bush.

She narrowed her eyes, expression unchanging. “Do you have anything to say?”

She hadn’t mentioned her purpose for coming to Heavenly Ruin Gate, but any observant person would know she was seeking something. This was no secret, so what was his reason for asking this suddenly?

“Lady Chuyue, you don’t have to worry.” He smiled a little at her reaction. “I can actually assist you in your endeavour. Thanks to your spirit herbs, I have improved greatly in my cultivation and so I will never forget your kindness.”

She raised her eyebrows in disbelief. “You?”

He hadn’t even officially stepped into the realm of being a cultivator. After all, his Spiritual Sea wasn’t even opened yet. Thus, it was questionable why someone like him volunteered recklessly to help her when her Family had no clues or any idea where exactly the Tower would appear. She even wondered if he had come to tease her.

“Lady Chuyue, please trust me. I may not have officially begun my cultivation, but I do have another identity as a Successor of a Divine Source Master. My ancestor has inherited the teaching of a Divine Source Master by chance.” Jiang Chen smiled confidently and uttered the words as instructed by the Celestial Boat of Creation.

“The Divine Source Master?” Ji Chuyue’s eyes widened as she froze in disbelief and amazement. She was a prodigy of the Hidden Ji Family, so she knew naturally what that term meant.

The unassuming Jiang Chen was claiming he was a Divine Source Master when they had already disappeared in this era. It was said that it was because they had touched something they shouldn’t have and thus attracted a curse and bad fortune, leading to the end of their line of inheritance somewhere during the passage of time. Their power and mystery were undeniable since they could control the mountains and seas as they willed it to be. Fortuity, and fates along with the capability of killing others with a flick of a hand. They could easily cause disaster and were frightening since guarding against them was useless.

“If you lie to me, you know what the consequences are.” Ji Chuyue’s expression became serious.

“I will never do that.” Jiang Chen nodded calmly and confidently.

She nodded eventually, taking him away from Heavenly Ruin Gate with her. She was planning to meet her brother Ji Yaoxing as she needed his opinion on the situation. If Jiang Chen was truly a Divine Source Master, he might be able to help them find the Tower of World Domination.

“Is that the Sky Jade Mountain Range? It’s really remote.”

“It truly is. There are traces of many cultivators; apparently, some of them have gotten the news and rushed here.”

In a void near Heavenly Ruin Gate, a vibration sounded along with a light laugh. A door then opened and several figures walked out. A man and a woman led the crowd. The man was tall and slender with a handsome face and wearing pure white clothing. His countenance resembled jade and his hair seemed to shimmer with a sort of glow. His eyes shone with an extraordinary light. The woman was ethereal, clad in a long gown and currently holding hands with the man. She looked calm and thoughtful, hair fluttering with the breeze. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with an extraordinary air as if they could ride the winds away at any time.

They were Gu Changge and Yue Mingkong, who had rushed here from the Immortal Academy.

The crowd behind them were their followers, who sat on rare and strange beasts which are either covered in armoured scales or smooth and surrounded by lightning. They exuded an awe-inducing energy while surrounded by a bright light, and the runes flickering in their eyes gave them a frightening air.

“The strongest force near the Sky Jade Mountain Range is Heavenly Ruin Gate. We can ask them to help us search for it.” Yue Mingkong’s eyes swept across the long mountain range as she pointed at the incomplete map shimmering in her hand.

“We’ll do as you say.” Gu Changge smiled. “It doesn’t look like we are the first to arrive; how did the others know the Tower will appear here?”

Yue Mingkong shook her head in puzzlement. “I don’t know either. I only managed to deduce that it will appear here based on this piece of paper. There are definitely abilities which can deduce it other than this map. The Pavillion of Heavenly Secrets and the Pavillion of Heaven and Earth are good at deducing things. They will be able to find it as long as they can pay the price, even to the point where it would greatly cost them.”

If the memories from her past life served her right, the whereabouts of the Tower had really been deduced by the Pavillion of Heavenly Secrets and the information was sold to some forces. However, those forces had accidentally leaked the information and allowed many cultivators to know of the impending appearance of the Tower.

“It’s fine. The rabble will never take it before us.” Gu Changge smiled carelessly. “Let’s go.”

Beams of divine rainbows shot from the ground as the group rose into the sky and headed towards the location for Heavenly Ruin Gate. There were other forces here as well but they were much weaker compared to Heavenly Ruin Gate; it would be too inconvenient to send these forces instead of the more powerful one.

Besides, the Demonic Puppet had reported that the Fortuitous One, Jiang Chen, was here as well. This coincidental circumstance was surprising to him as well since he had only told the Puppet to abandon Jiang Chen at any force and allow the man to develop on his own. He hadn’t expected Jiang Chen to show up here. [He truly is the Fortuitous One. He had the ability to appear whenever there is a cultivation opportunity.]

Soon, a majestic mountain range appeared before the group. It truly resembled the home of a celestial Sect, with fog surrounding the grand buildings and towers along with tall waterfalls and lush trees.

“Why have you young prodigies come to Heavenly Ruin Gate?” The elderly cultivator guarding the entrance looked surprised as he watched the group appear, becoming uneasy and cautious. His tone was courteous and respectful as he did not dare show any impoliteness.

He could not deduce the cultivation level of any member of the group, especially the leader in white who gave him a feeling of terror with every movement. The leader might be young but he looked frighteningly strong. The other young prodigies might be his followers, which showed how powerful he was. Heavenly Ruin Gate should not offend him when they were so small and insignificant compared to this group.

“My Master is planning to reside nearby for some time.” A powerful being resembling a Yaksha stepped forward. A terrifying aura swirled around his horns which might be powerful enough to cut through the void.

At those words, the elderly cultivator became shocked and immediately replied respectfully, “It’s an extraordinary honour to have such powerful beings here. Please come in with me and I’ll inform the Elders to come.”

He did not dare ask them to wait outside for a moment, leading them quickly past the entrance.

He anxiously guessed the identities of Gu Changge and the rest as he walked, back damp with sweat. Their clothing, beasts, and aura all exuded an air of respectability. The man in white looked alright, expression calm and unruffled while showing nothing despite his high status. The beautiful woman’s power made him feel like he was suffocating. Every blink of her eyes was filled with cold dignity and made her resemble a female Emperor. Their expressions were undisturbed, the couple making no attempt to speak while their followers explained their purpose for being here.

[Why is he here?]

Jiang Chen, who had been brought here by Ji Chuyue to see her brother, froze on the spot, eyes wide with fear. He felt cold and his voice shook slightly, as he hadn’t anticipated seeing Gu Changge in such a remote location. He already knew from a glance that the greatly admired young man with an extraordinary and smooth countenance was Gu Changge, as he would never forget such an appearance and behaviour.

His face became pale while his steps became weak. His limbs felt cold as he had the urge to escape. He had already witnessed how cruel and terrifying the man could be. Gu Changge might look mild and gentle on the surface, but his abilities were extremely barbaric as he had killed many of his friends. If he hadn’t encountered the old man in black, he would have ended up like them too. He didn’t even know whether his best friend Niu Tian was alive or dead, nor did he know where he was.

[Ruoyin…]

A figure appeared in his mind, filling him with anger and frustration. He knew that the woman beside Gu Changge was definitely not Xiao Ruoyin. From her proud and imperious air, it was clear she had an extraordinary background. He was much weaker than an ant compared to her and watching the elderly cultivator who had tried to stop him when he first came in pander to Gu Changge like a lowly dog made him feel furious. His fists clenched as he gritted his teeth. However, he forced down the feeling and tried calming himself down, not brave enough to elicit any suspicion. After all, he wasn’t sure if Gu Changge would let him go this time when he noticed him.

Ji Chuyue looked at him with confusion. “What’s wrong?”

She looked towards where he was gazing, noticing a group of powerful young men and women glowing with light heading in on various strange beasts. She did not see Gu Changge or Yue Mingkong who had been walking at the front of the group.

“I’m fine.” Jiang Chen shook his head, expression calming down quickly.

[Things seem to be heating up now. That group… every single one of them is unfathomably strong, and all of them are heading towards Heavenly Ruin Gate.] Ji Chuyue frowned, feeling that things were becoming more complicated. She continued on her journey, taking Jiang Chen to the mountain range that she and Ji Yaoxing had agreed on.

“What’s wrong, Changge?” Yue Mingkong noticed an intrigued smile tugging at the corners of his mouth and became curious.

“Nothing much, just a wandering bug. I suddenly have the feeling that finding the Tower of World Domination won’t be so difficult.” Gu Changge smiled and squeezed her soft hand.

She glared at him briefly, “The way you said that makes me feel like you have already planned all of this out.”

“No no no. This is really unexpected.” Gu Changge shook his head. It was true that he hadn’t expected Jiang Chen to appear here; if he hadn’t come here and sensed the presence of the Demonic Puppet, he wouldn’t have known Jiang Chen was here. He had to allow the Fortuitous One to grow on his own so he would develop as a healthy leek after all.

“Greetings, young prodigies. I am the Head of Heavenly Ruin Gate, Shen Xuzi.” Soon, the elderly cultivator led them to a quiet and beautiful palace. But before entering, an old man with white hair and beard greeted him. Even with the beard, his face still seemed youthful as he greeted them with high-spirits.

Behind him were the other authoritative figures of Heavenly Ruin Gate. They also bowed and greeted Gu Changge’s group.

Gu Changge nodded slightly, but did not speak, and had no intention of responding. Meanwhile, Yue Mingkong’s expression was indifferent and calm, as if carved from flawless jade.

“My Master is looking for something in Sky Jade Mountain Range…” The yaksha like being, who spoke earlier, spoke again. He was explaining the purpose of their visit.

Hearing this, the Head seemed solemn. Although he was secretly checking up Gu Changge earlier. However, he still could not recognise the young man.

Originally, his Sect was built on top of a ruin. That was how it got its name. In fact, they just added ‘Heavenly’ to make it sound better. Thus, it could only be regarded as an insignificant force in the vast Upper Realm.

Furthermore, Heavenly Ruin Gate was just a branch of their main Heavenly Ruin Sect. They were far from their main Sect, and could not contact them. Nonetheless, Shen Xuzi could tell the unusual identities of Gu Changge and the others.

“Not to worry. If you need help from my Heavenly Ruin Sect, just open your mouth. My Heavenly Ruin Sect will definitely help you with all our might.” Shen Xuzi solemnly declared.

He then thought of Ji Chuyue, who came over during this period of time. After all, she had the Hidden Ji Family behind her, which was also another unfathomably strong force in the Upper Realm. [I wonder if she will recognize this group of young prodigies?]

“Do well, my Master will not treat you badly.” Hearing this, the Yaksha like being sneered. A divine light flashed in his hand, and a large piece of rare item appeared. It seemed to be red like amber, exuding dense heavenly mist from it.

The moment they saw this item appear, the eyes of those from Heavenly Ruin Gate were locked onto it. It widened to saucepans before they rushed away, hurried to make arrangements to free up the best palaces and pavilions for their precious guests.

…

Yue Mingkong dismissed the rest with a wave of her hand. Once they were alone, she spoke.

“It’s obvious that someone else had come before us and did the same thing.” Yue Mingkong eyes narrowed as she spoke. Her voice was cold but nonetheless, had a touch of tenderness in it. It was clear from their reaction that her group was not the first here. Those from Heavenly Ruin Gate were not surprised in the slightest when they heard of the purpose of their visit. Thus, it was easy to tell someone else had come before them and were after the same thing.

“That’s not a problem. No matter who came here first, as long as they are trying to rob me of what is mine, they can never leave this place alive.” Gu Changge smiled, his tone as casual as always.

“You haven’t even seen the Tower of World Domination. Yet, it’s all yours already?” Yue Mingkong glanced at him, snorting at what he said.

“What I want is naturally mine, no?” Gu Changge smiled. With just a thought, he summoned a black-robed old man. The same man who left Jiang Chen here.

“Greetings Master!” The black-robed old man quickly appeared from the void and respectfully greeted.

“Keep an eye on that guy’s whereabouts, and report to me if there are any changes.” Gu Changge lightly ordered.

“Yes Master!” The black-robed old man came and disappeared just as quickly. After all, he was in the Sacred Lord Realm. In such an insignificant place like Heavenly Ruin Gate, he need not worry about anything and could traverse anywhere with ease.