I Am the Fated Villain
chapter-832

Dazzling radiance flowed, while accompanied by a rich medicinal fragrance filled with the Great Dao. Just a whiff of it was enough for ordinary cultivators to ascend to Heaven and become an Immortal. It was a kind of unparalleled medicinal fragrance that relaxed one’s pores and revitalised one’s Soul. No other treasure could compare to it.

Only the Source Dao Fruit of an Immortal King could produce something like this.

It was the ultimate decadence possible. Even True Immortals were dumbfounded. They were unsteadily rooted to the spot, bodies trembling and their knees turning weak.

The crystal-clear fruit that came in the form of Corrupted Hou, was only the size of a palm. It looked just like a Divine Fruit.

However, the form lost its completeness as Gu Changge calmly took a bite.

Even in this form, Corrupted Hou still retained some of his consciousness. He witnessed a part of himself being swallowed.

He was overwhelmed by an unprecedented level of horror as he cried out in despair. He desperately wanted the other Immortal Kings to save him as he sorely regretted his actions.

Alas, the Grand Flask hovered in the air, pouring out a black ocean that separated the other three Immortal Kings from the Other Domain.

Nevertheless, his muffled cries of agony travelled far and wide, piercing their Souls. Everyone could not help but shiver.

Jin Yuan, a Quasi-Immortal King, felt as if his head would explode at any second. Witnessing such a scene up close made him quiver in fear.

Gu Changge had an elegant and handsome face. He looked like a transcendent Immortal untainted by the world. His simple robes added to that effect.

All women in existence would envy him for his flawless looks.

Yet, he was now consuming an Immortal King as nourishment with a calm and unaffected expression. It was as if he was merely sampling an ordinary delicacy, doing so with an air of sophistication.

To all living beings from the Other Domain present in the Western Immortal Domain, this was something that gave them a mental breakdown. They could scarcely believe it was happening.

It was too terrifying. This was something that should only exist in the most ancient of nightmares.

“Release Corrupted Hou at once…”

Outside the vast, surging black ocean, Profound Earth, Azure Heaven, and the other Immortal King finally wrapped their heads around what was happening. They suppressed their fears and made their moves once again.

The terrifying gusts of energy lashed out once more, seemingly capable of making the sky split apart as they attempted to break through the barrier and charge over to Gu Changge.

They could not forget what Gu Changge said earlier. He told them ‘not to fret for it would be their turn next’.

[Is he planning on hunting down Immortal Kings to use their Sources as nourishment?]

Chills ran down the spines of the three Immortal Kings. They had never encountered a being like Gu Changge before. He was simply too sinister and horrifying. Even those strange Forces from the Source Realm, subject of numerous rumours, did not make them feel this terrified.

The trembling came from the very depths of their Souls. They felt as if they had encountered their predator.

“I already told you not to fret. Come, one at a time. No one’s going to be able to escape.” Gu Changge’s expression remained unchanged as he glanced at them casually and declared.

This was the only benefit he stumbled across after coming over to the Immortal Domain.

There were quite a few Immortal Kings here, not just within the Immortal Domain but also in the Other Domain as well.

Be it True Immortals or Immortal Kings, at this current level, they were all well-suited to supply him with Sources for nourishment.

Profound Earth noticed Gu Changge’s expression. His heart filled with dread as he said grimly, “We need to work together to destroy this replica of his and wait for the arrival of Senior King Ming. Otherwise, Corrupted Hou will definitely meet his demise today.”

They could see Corrupted Hou’s Source swiftly disappearing. Some parts of it were already becoming hazy and incomplete.

It was impossible to imagine how disgraceful and humiliating it would be for an Immortal King if word got out that he had been devoured so easily by another.

However, in this world, few would believe that such a thing could actually occur.

*Boom!*

Just then, a dazzling golden light burst forth and surged like a vast sea as it rushed towards the front of the Heavenly Ancient City.

Corrupted Hou let out a roar as if he had let out a final burst of strength. He knew that the odds were against him today and he no longer had any hope for his survival. Therefore, instead of allowing himself to be consumed as nourishment, he figured it would be better if he set his Source ablaze and risked his life to fight off Gu Changge. Perhaps that would give him a slim chance of survival.

What remained of his Source was soon set ablaze with such dazzling brilliance that it illuminated the entire sky.

A massive Hou appeared behind him like a towering mountain of gold. It was in the image of his Old Ancestor, which has been seared into his bones.

At this moment, the Hou’s furs were gleaming like golden flames and its entire body emitted unparalleled strength. Slowly, it merged together with the Soul of Corrupted Hou. Once done, it was as if the Ancient Ancestor, the original Hou, who once lorded over the world, had come back!

*Boom!*

With all the strength Hou could muster, he smacked his paw down, ripping through the sky. His massive figure and terrifying aura made him seem like an undefeatable deity. One which roamed the land during the dawn of existence.

Gu Changge’s expression remained unchanged in the face of this attack though. There was merely a faint ripple around him.

The moment the paw landed in front of him, a mysterious and terrifying power spread out like countless divine bolts. They turned into sharp blade that came down on the paw.

Gu Changge raised his hand and pressed down once more. Yet another Grand Flask surrounded by wisps of black light solidified and materialised, instantly devouring the ancient apparition.

Throughout this whole time, his robes did not even flutter.

“It’s a pity that you set what remained of your Source aflame. What a waste. I guess I’ll have to head deeper into the Other Domain later to kill a few more Immortal Kings to make up for this loss.” Gu Changge spoke up. His eyes were calm and unreadable.

Corrupted Hou Immortal King had fallen into total despair. Why had he failed to inflict even the slightest injury on Gu Changge despite setting his Soul aflame? He did not even know what Gu Changge had done. His opponent was far too strong. He could only drown in despair without any means of resisting.

“Why are there two Forbidden Flasks… Where did he get so many replicas from?”

In the distance, Profound Earth, Azure Heaven, and the other Immortal King were stupefied by the appearance of yet another Grand Flask. Their eyes were wide with shock.

They had already found it unimaginable that Gu Channge was able to use a replica to isolate the three of them.

Yet, now, he brought out another one to instantly devour Corrupted Hou’s final struggle to survive.

Naturally, this left them thunderstruck and in disbelief.

*Rumble!*

However, right at this moment, over multiple Star Territories away, a terrifying halberd fell in front of the Western Heavenly Gate, as if it was splitting apart all of eternity. The eerie light was accompanied by a horrifying murderous intent.

The stars shook in the sky and the universe groaned as the halberd nearly shattered them.

With a single strike, stars quaked. The divine glow stunned all who saw it. It was too intense. The glow of the halberd pressed down on every corner of the world, as if all it took to destroy it was one more strike!

“Senior King Ming has finally made his move…”

“Thank goodness!”

“As expected of Senior King Ming! We would never be able to come close to his power. We simply can’t hold a candle to him.”

Profound Earth, Azure Heaven, and the other Immortal King recognised this attack. They could not hide the excitement that overtook their shocked expressions. They keenly felt the joy of having survived an impending disaster.

Despite being Immortal Kings themselves, they revered King Ming to such an extent because he had killed more than one Immortal King in his time, which was proof of his unrivalled strength.

He had not accomplished those feats through ambushes or tricks. He killed them openly and outrightly. Even the Ancestor of an Emperor Family had an audience with him before.

Naturally, King Ming was of a much older generation. He had been around ever since the end of the Forbidden Epoch.

When the connection between the Source World and the Immortal Domain crumbled, he had led the army from the Other Domain to lay siege against the ruined Immortal Palace.

King Ming even declared that he had witnessed unimaginable things and had been enlightened by them.

Upon seeing that King Ming was making his move, the three Immortal Kings felt a lot more confident, letting out a sigh of relief.

The pressure they felt from Gu Changge was far too immense. They had broken out in cold sweat and felt deeply uneasy. Nevertheless, King Ming’s appearance was the pillar of support they needed to feel reassured. They decided to follow his lead.

“Hmm?” Gu Changge, who was just about to completely refine Corrupted Hou, raised his eyebrows ever so slightly. He was a little startled by the trace of familiarity he sensed.

Soon, his expression morphed into one of intrigue.

“It’s… it’s King Ming… To think he of all people came. There was another Immortal King hidden in the shadows all this time, and it turned out to be King Ming!” Jin Yuan exclaimed in shock. King Ming filled him with great fear as he knew just how horrifying the former was.

Even Immortal Kings from the Immortal Domain were fearful at the mention of King Ming.

Afraid that Gu Changge did not know who this was, Jin Yuan explained, “Sir, you may not know, but King Ming is a notorious figure from the Other Domain. He has killed countless Immortal Kings who are supposed to be his equals. He has been alive for countless years. His life can be traced back to the Forbidden Epoch, and he possesses immeasurable strength. The most frightening thing about him is the fearsome weapon in his possession. It is said that his weapon is the reason why he was able to kill multiple Immortal Kings. He is incredibly powerful. Even the Ancestor from an Emperor Family had summoned him over to see them before…”

King Ming was the name that those from the Other Domain used to address him. He was known to everyone. All of the other Immortal Kings were wary of him too despite being in the same realm as him.

Even Queen Lunar, the one who sent Jin Yuan over, the current ruler of the Southern Immortal Domain, also felt fearful and uneasy whenever King Ming got brought up.

“King Ming?” Gu Changge gave a nod, but he did not pay any attention to the halberd which was descending, He continued to take another bite out of the remnants of Corrupted Hou’s refined Source.

*Boom!* The terrifying halberd finally struck the vast black ocean, causing an immense surge of energy that led to the collapse and destruction of the surrounding Star Territories.

However, that was all.

The Grand Flask hovered in the void high above, creating unceasing fog that continued to cascade like a waterfall, forming an ocean of black energy.

The ocean of black energy completely separated both sides. Profound Earth, Azure Heaven, and the other Immortal King had been attacking it for a very long time now, but they failed to break through it.

Upon seeing that King Ming’s strike failed to break through the black ocean, the three Immortal Kings reacted in shock as they doubted their own eyes.

However, they swiftly snapped out of it and respectfully greeted the figure that approached them from behind.

“Greetings, Senior King Ming…”

A somewhat hunched figure dressed in a black robe appeared. His face was obscured by a mist that made it hard for others to see him clearly. Even so, a terrifying aura filled the surroundings. Even the Great Dao was shaking, with the universe seemingly almost unable to bear the burden.

“At ease.” He waved his hand and spoke with an aged, weathered voice that sounded tranquil.

King Ming had come. He looked incredibly old, but no one dared to underestimate him. The strike he unleashed earlier was not something that ordinary Immortal Kings could take lightly.

“Is that the replica of a Forbidden Treasure? No wonder it possesses such immense power. It is capable of swallowing all of Heaven and Earth. It is invincible against my strike.” King Ming stared at the Grand Flask that hovered high in the void. His gaze was a little solemn, but it was soon replaced with a fiery glow.

Following King Ming’s appearance, the collision of Great Dao above the Western Immortal Domain intensified, and the scene became even more terrifying than it was before.

Countless universes collided as if they were on the verge of collapsing and exploding due to his arrival.

It had to be said that King Ming’s possession of such terrifying might was intrinsically related to his attainments in cultivation.

Many of those from the Other Domain were prostrating themselves in deep devotion as they repeatedly bowed their heads in great reverence.

Even the those from the Other Domain, who were in front of the Heavenly Ancient City, scared stiff by Gu Changge’s devouring of Corrupted Hou’s Source, were loudly shouting King Ming’s name.

Meanwhile, all those of the Western Immortal Domain were deeply terrified due to King Ming’s arrival.

Although they had never met King Ming before, they knew about this fearsome being. His name was written in the various ancient records and there were numerous legends about him.

At the moment, Gu Changge was also sizing up King Ming in an attempt to discern the extent of the latter’s strength.

If Profound Earth and the Azure Heaven could be considered to be in the Early Stages of being an Immortal King, King Ming would most likely fall under the Late Stage of the Immortal King Realm.

His ability to instil fear in others was certainly not just due to his cultivation level.

“You have a replica of a Forbidden Treasure. I’m sure you must’ve seen the real one before then, correct?”

King Ming spoke up. His gaze pierced through the vast black ocean as he looked at Gu Changge.

He saw the Grand Flask that floated above Gu Changge, and his eyes grew sharp and intimidating like a divine sword.

King Ming did not care about the fact that Gu Changge had killed Corrupted Hou and consumed the latter’s Source. His attention was mainly on the two Grand Flasks.

He figured that since Gu Changge was able to own two replicas of a Forbidden Treasure, he would have seen the real thing before as well and used various means to create the replicas, just like he did.

He harboured no doubts regarding Gu Changge’s identity as someone who returned from the cycle of reincarnation. After all, ordinary people would not be able to possess such alarming power at such young an age.

“That flask does indeed resemble the Forbidden Treasure that was recorded in the ancient texts. Perhaps it was closely related to that being from the Forbidden Epoch who had wiped out the Immortal Palace and destroyed the eopch…”

“He might be a figure from the Forbidden Epoch who witnessed that battle and reincarnated into this era.” Profound Earth also piped up. His eyes were on the Grand Flask as well.

He had only read about it in the ancient texts. He never thought he would come into contact with it someday. Even though it was only a replica, it possessed unimaginable strength that nearly destroyed his pagoda.

Their words only made Gu Changge even more intrigued.

He smiled faintly and asked, “What are you trying to tell me with these statements of yours?”

“Are you trying to let me know that you have a good eye? That you know a thing or two?”

King Ming was unbothered by Gu Changge’s dismissive tone.

As he stood under the sky, his wizened voice rang out, “There’s no need for you to do this. We can coexist in peace.”

In his eyes, the death of Corrupted Hou did not matter at all. Furthermore, he assumed that the main reason why Gu Changge came at this moment in time and attacked the Immortal Kings from the Other Domain was because he wanted the Other Domain to retreat from the Western Immortal Domain and hand the territory back.

King Ming could make that happen with just a few short commands.

“Oh? Coexist in peace? How would we coexist in peace?” Upon hearing King Ming’s words, Gu Changge’s lips formed an indiscernible smile. “Do you want me to keep you around like livestock so that I have a steady supply of nourishment to feed on whenever I need to, or what?”

Gu Changge showed no intention of negotiating a peaceful coexistence.

King Ming’s expression darkened as he replied, “Do you really think that you’re invincible just because you killed Corrupted Hou? Since you possess a replica of a Forbidden Treasure, I’m sure you’ll be able to recognise my weapon.”

*Rumble!* King Ming snorted, and with a flick of his sleeves, a terrifying aura shot up into the sky as if it was about to rip the universe apart.

A colossal halberd that was dark with a greenish gleam emerged. Even just a wisp of the aura it emanated was enough to chill the hearts of Immortal Kings.

Profound Earth, Azure Heaven, and the other Immortal King could not stop themselves from reacting to it. Their bodies were overtaken by a stinging sensation. They felt as if they were about to explode. They could barely withstand the effects.

This was merely the aura that came off the fearsome weapon. It had been stained with the blood of many Immortal Kings. It had completely destroyed the Souls of Immortal Kings. It was truly a peerless deadly weapon.