I Am the Fated Villain - Chapter 241

Chapter 241: Gu Changge is definitely just imaginary, just a disciple?

It wasn’t unfounded for Yue Mingkong to entertain such thoughts.

The significance of the Nirvana Green Lotus required no further explanation; even the Human Ancestor had invested considerable effort into acquiring this green lotus. After much toil and many obstacles, he had finally discovered an ideal location for its growth in the Heavenly Star Realm, waiting patiently for it to mature before intending to harvest it.

But why had the enigmatic presence, after merging with the Nirvana Green Lotus, chosen to leave behind these equally precious lotus seeds instead of taking them along, with the intention of passing them down to future generations?

Yue Mingkong found herself deeply perplexed as she gazed at the few scattered lotus seeds nestled within the depths of the lotus body, her mind racing with various possibilities.

Could the mysterious entity have simply forgotten about these seeds? How probable was that?

Quickly, she dismissed the notion. It seemed too far-fetched. After all, even the reincarnation of the Human Ancestor had slipped through their grasp and remained within the Netherland Heavenly Pond, a place where the Human Ancestor had left numerous safeguards. Would this mysterious entity make such an obvious oversight?

Moreover, Yue Mingkong had already sensed a vague sense of familiarity before. Women often trusted their intuition, and Yue Mingkong was no exception. With a furrowed brow, she almost concluded that these seeds were deliberately left for her by the mysterious entity.

Yet, she had never glimpsed its true visage, nor could she be certain of its identity.

She couldn’t comprehend why the other party would leave it for her. Was the monstrous figure outside the Netherland Heavenly Pond, the one who had warned her not to approach, also the doing of this mysterious entity? The two had never laid eyes on each other.

Thus, only one possibility remained: the enigmatic immortal who was suspected to have perished in the Netherland Heavenly Pond.

“Why would he do this…” Yue Mingkong frowned, sensing she was nearing the truth.

It appeared that the mysterious immortal had deliberately plunged into the Netherland Heavenly Pond, aiming to sow confusion and hinder the reincarnation of the Human Ancestor, Jiang Yang.

This strategic move instantly drew Yue Mingkong’s mind to a familiar figure: her fiancé, Gu Changge!

Who else possessed the means to eliminate the Human Ancestor at the very site of his reincarnation?

And those familiarities… The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

“Gu Changge…”

“It must be him…”

Yue Mingkong clenched her teeth, reaching a swift conclusion. Despite considering all possibilities, she couldn’t envision anyone else capable of such ruthless tactics.

Her anger surged.

This deceitful individual had been lurking by her side in secret for so long! Yet, considering that he had also concealed his visit to the lower realm, Yue Mingkong found herself at a loss for words.

Reflecting on the situation, she realized she was also at fault. While she had entertained the idea of resolving the reincarnation of the Human Ancestor and aiding Gu Changge, he had been unaware of her intentions. Now, it seemed that Gu Changge had orchestrated something against her.

This explained how he had known her whereabouts, shadowing her journey to the lower realm, always lurking in the shadows without revealing himself.

The mysterious immortal she had encountered was likely another guise crafted by Gu Changge.

Furthermore, Yue Mingkong recalled the peculiar circumstances surrounding Jiang Yang’s encounter. It now seemed that Gu Changge had assisted her covertly at that time; otherwise, Jiang Yang would not have fallen into her ambush.

As these realizations flooded her mind, Yue Mingkong couldn’t help but rub her temples.

Previously, she had believed Gu Changge’s assurances of trust, only to discover he had been monitoring her movements all along. In the Ancient Immortal Continent, Gu Changge had located her numerous times using this method.

Despite meticulously removing all potential informants from her circle, Gu Changge still managed to track her down.

“It appears my departure from the Gu family aroused Changge’s suspicions, prompting him to follow,” Yue Mingkong murmured to herself, quickly pinpointing a moment of recklessness that may have raised Gu Changge’s suspicions – her hasty departure from the banquet.

Gu Changge was astute and meticulous, so he would undoubtedly have noticed this suspicion.

Upon returning to the upper realm, Yue Mingkong wasn’t in a rush to explain herself to Gu Changge. Since he had trailed her every move, he must have witnessed everything she did. Yue Mingkong didn’t believe Gu Changge would maintain his suspicions.

“But this guy is still a bit cautious; he didn’t even plan to let me have a sip of soup.”

With this realization, Yue Mingkong breathed a sigh of relief, a faint smile gracing her lips. Everything seemed to fall into place this time.

It appeared that these Nirvana lotus seeds had been deliberately reserved for her by Gu Changge.

With a wave of her sleeves, a burst of multicolored divine light swept forth, gathering all the seeds in one swift motion.

Satisfied, she departed from the scene, intending to tie up loose ends and return to the upper realm. With Gu Changge having personally dealt with the most significant threat, the Human Ancestor, she felt a sense of security.

Now, knowing that Gu Changge wished to see her, she understood that she wouldn’t be able to find him using her own methods. Some matters would have to wait until she returned to the upper realm.

However, she worried that Gu Changge, with his temperament, might refuse to acknowledge her explanation at that time, claiming that he had no involvement in the matter whatsoever.

It must be said that Yue Mingkong didn’t fully comprehend Gu Changge’s temperament at the moment, but she had a distinct sense of it.

The fact that Gu Changge had left Nirvana Green Lotus seeds for her indicated that she held a certain place in his thoughts.

This realization brought Yue Mingkong great joy. Despite her usual indifference towards her subordinates, she couldn’t help but display a faint smile today.

….

On the other side, after being struck down into the Heavenly Pond by the ominous gray fog in the sky, Yaoyao felt herself emerging from that state of indifference where she viewed everything as insignificant.

Once again, she found herself stripped of the overwhelming power that could decimate the world in an instant, returning to the state of a vulnerable girl who couldn’t even slaughter a chicken.

Now, she was slowly descending into the depths of the lake, feeling utterly powerless and desperate. She couldn’t muster the strength to struggle; not even a shred of resistance was possible.

The overwhelming pressure from above remained staggering, dominating the expanse of the lake. Under its weight, all living beings were compelled to kneel on the ground, immobilized by fear.

Yaoyao realized that her grandmother’s strength wouldn’t be enough to save her at this moment. Perhaps her grandmother had already engaged in combat with the terrifying figure, forging ahead without her.

Their severed ties with Jiang Yang meant it was improbable for him to come to her grandmother’s aid. Contemplating this, Yaoyao felt a pang of sadness.

Reflecting on the situation, she acknowledged that her grandmother wasn’t to blame. She had chosen to accompany her on this perilous journey, placing her own life in jeopardy.

After all, facing such a formidable entity, besides her master, perhaps no one else stood a chance against it, right?

She was resigned to her fate, prepared to meet her end here, alongside her master, her grandmother, and her long-departed elder brother, Jiang Yang.

Memories flooded her mind: playing with her brother in childhood, days spent in harmony with her grandmother, but predominantly, moments shared with her master.

“Yaoyao can’t seek vengeance for you, Master…”

“But I’ll be with you soon.”

At this moment, her greatest regret was failing to find any trace of Gu Changge, failing to eliminate Jiang Yang, and thus failing to avenge her master and her brother.

Buzz!!

Yaoyao tightly closed her eyes, unaware of the peach petal-like pattern blooming with dazzling brilliance between her eyebrows, casting a splendid spectacle on the dark lake bottom. A peculiar light began to emerge.

Amidst the darkness, a faint image of a peach tree rooted in endless chaos, with divine chains of laws hanging down, could be discerned. It was in this moment that Yaoyao felt herself descending to the bottom.

However, contrary to her expectations, there was no sensation of sinking into mud; instead, it felt remarkably warm. There was none of the anticipated cold and darkness. It reminded her of the time when she fell from the sky and was suddenly caught by her master.

She attempted to open her eyes, but before she could, a gentle voice reverberated in her ears, akin to a clear spring flowing over rocks—natural and warm.

“Why is the little girl so disobedient? I told you to wait for me at the Immortal Lun Sect. Why did you venture here alone?”

Upon hearing these familiar words, Yaoyao’s eyes snapped open, disbelief evident on her face. She realized that the nearby lake had vanished, replaced by an utterly serene space. And the man in white standing before her, addressing her with those words, was not her familiar master?

“Impossible. Isn’t the master already dead? Could this be the legendary underworld? I saw the master in the underworld…”

Yaoyao gazed around in disbelief, softly murmuring to herself, convinced that she must be dead to encounter her master in this place.

But her master was stunningly beautiful! It explained why she could never see his true face; he deliberately shrouded it in mist to prevent anyone from getting a clear look. Otherwise, with such allure, wouldn’t countless women vie to become his mistress?

At this realization, Yaoyao couldn’t help but feel a twinge of happiness. Despite her demise, she had finally fulfilled her long-standing desire—to see her master’s true appearance. She had always known that her master couldn’t be very old; he wasn’t like those dull old men.

With these thoughts in mind, Yaoyao summoned the courage she didn’t know she had. Stretching out her small hand, almost like a ghost, she reached out to touch her master’s face, as if to confirm his reality.

However, before she could make contact, a hand intercepted her, gently tapping her on the head. Accompanying this action was a voice tinged with slight helplessness.

“You little girl, what are you thinking? Your master is incredibly powerful. How could you possibly die? Even if you were in the underworld, your master could retrieve you.”

“Huh?!” Yaoyao’s head snapped around in surprise. How could her master suddenly say such a thing? Was all of this just her imagination? Or perhaps her master wasn’t really dead after all? She had been mistaken all along.

“Master…” Yaoyao began to speak, intending to ask for clarification.

However, before she could utter another word, her master sprang into action. With a sweep of his robe, the entire lake began to tremble, as if pushed aside by invisible hands, creating a barrier between them and the surroundings. Then, he swiftly lifted her into the sky and whisked her away from the scene.

Observing the unfolding events, Yaoyao’s realization dawned, albeit belatedly. “Master, Master, you’re truly alive…” she exclaimed, unable to contain her emotions. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she embraced Gu Changge tightly. Her master was alive and well, treating her kindly as ever, defying her fears of his demise.

During this tumultuous period, emotions of worry, anxiety, and sadness surged forth like a breached dam, and Yaoyao found herself unable to stem the flow of tears.

“How could your master die? What were you thinking?” Gu Changge gently touched her head, his voice unusually tender. “It seems that a lot has happened during my absence.”

“I’m sorry for causing you worry,” he continued. Gu Changge couldn’t bring himself to disclose that he had been lurking in the depths of the Netherland Heavenly Pond, observing events unfold. Instead, he explained that he had encountered an accident and was trapped, unaware of the external happenings.

Gu Changge struggled to find the right words for this pure-hearted and kind girl. All he could do was promise to compensate her in the future as much as possible. As her master, he couldn’t abandon her.

Regardless, even if he hadn’t intervened just now, Yaoyao would have been unharmed. As the Dao fruit, the power she had demonstrated thus far was only a fraction of her true potential. It was impossible for her to be overcome by a mere lake. However, Yaoyao remained unaware of her own capabilities, causing needless worry.

Upon hearing Gu Changge’s reassurances, Yaoyao’s tears flowed even more freely, as if she sought to purge herself of all the sadness and grief she had endured.

Gu Changge shook his head slightly, then exuded an aura of immortal spirit, passing by her to avoid causing further distress. Amidst the conflicting emotions of profound joy and profound sorrow, he recognized the special place he held in the little girl’s heart.

Soon, Yaoyao began to recover from the tumultuous mix of emotions.

Recalling her earlier impulsive behavior, a blush colored her cheeks. She mustered the courage to speak up, looking up at Gu Changge with her flawless, expressive eyes like black gems. “Master, please don’t leave Yaoyao alone next time, okay?”

Moved by her plea, Gu Changge gently shook his head, a warm smile gracing his lips. “How could I ever leave you alone? Didn’t I promise to support you, even if you couldn’t cultivate?”

Yaoyao’s response was a mix of surprise and melancholy. “Yaoyao is just a disciple to Master…”

But Gu Changge quickly reassured her, “Of course, you’re not just a disciple. I didn’t mention it earlier, but to the master, you are more than just a disciple. Sometimes, a master is closer than even one’s own kin.”

As he spoke, Gu Changge affectionately tousled her hair, his voice remaining as gentle and soothing as ever.